![]() The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been around for over 10 years, starting with Iron Man in 2008, and Captain Marvel is the first female superhero movie that Marvel has released, despite having a multitude of formidable female heroes. Female superhero feature length movies are few and far between. Young comic book fans won’t even remember most of these films. You may recall our review of the most recent female superhero movie, DC Comics’ Wonder Woman in 2017. This is why we were so excited in the months leading up to Captain Marvel. It was introducing a new powerful female hero, a classic comic villain, and set in the mid/late 90’s. They had teased about her arrival in a post-credit scene of Infinity War. And let’s face it, after Infinity War, we needed a fun movie. An uplifting move. We needed hope. The internet was rife with negative press building up to the release of Captain Marvel. The website Rotten Tomatoes even purged 50,000 negative reviews (not any critics’ reviews, just general internet profiles) on their site, for this movie. All these negative reviews were published before the movie had been released, which meant none of these people had even seen the movie. The general belief being that people were trying to tank its ratings based on nothing more than the pre-movie hype. Rotten Tomatoes was quick to notice the unusually large number of reviews (compared to all other movies) and deleted the aforementioned 50,000. Captain Marvel tells the story of Vers, a Kree from the planet Hala, played by Brie Larson. She is struggling with her identity, since she has forgotten everything before the past 6 years. We meet her as she is training to be part of the Kree’s Starforce, in the midst of an intergalactic war with the Skrull. After her first battle with the Skrull, Vers finds herself on Earth. She soon realizes that she had once lived on Earth as Carol Danvers and begins to learn more about Earth, herself, and the skrulls. Captain Marvel was overall a fun, action packed movie poking fun at mid-90’s life: things like windows ‘95 and Blockbuster Video. Released March 8th, 2019 and rated PG-13 for “sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language." It’s an excellent origin story. It’s a human story. A superpowered girl power story. It made us laugh, some of us cried. Plus there’s this cat named Goose in Carol’s AF base, a nod to Top Gun (1986). We thoroughly enjoyed the movie and highly recommend it.
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Anyone that reads our reviews knows that we are fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As such, we have written many reviews on the movies from that genre. But we skipped the biggest release that the MCU has ever seen (It grossed over $680 million in theaters, making it the highest grossing movie in the MCU). This was due to the timing of it's release and the what we felt was the necessity to review the MCU as a whole, before the release of Avengers: Infinity War. We will rectify that right now!
The Black Panther, released in theaters February 16, 2018 and on video May 8, 2018 is loved by fans and critics alike. The story is set in the African nation of Wakanda and follows T'Challa and his family. T’Challa is learning to be King of Wakanda as well as the Black Panther, following the death of his father T’Chaka, an event that took place during Captain America: Civil War. T’Challa’s right to the throne and to the title of Black Panther are challenged by what the Wakandans consider an outsider. This challenger throws the nation into chaos and threatens their very way of life. Black Panther is rated PG-13 (for prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture). It is visually magnificent and the soundtrack is one of the best in the MCU. We were very excited for this movie, and did not skip the review due to lack of love. This is one of our favorites and we highly recommend it! ![]() There are so many wonderful movies released every month, that it becomes difficult to see all of them. So, it should be of no surprise to you, that it is also difficult to review all of them. This is why we like to pause at least once a year, and rewind to one such movie. This month, we will be talking about Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Released way back in November 2018 this is the second of five Wizarding World movies that Warner Bros. has announced. And we highly recommend it. The cinematography is breathtaking! The soundtrack is mesmerizing! The special effects are seamless! You don’t need to have studied filmmaking or any of the arts to recognize that this movie is visually and emotionally stunning. It is perfect immersion into a world that feels like it is just under the fabric of our Muggle reality. We again get to follow the antics of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne)as he interacts with amazing animals that are found in the Wizarding World. These are animals that we Muggles don’t see, and so it is truly mystifying observing them and their habitats. Newt isn’t only taking care of animals in this movie, though that is obviously his first love. He is also working to stop Gellert Grindelwald (Jonny Depp) from taking over not only the magical world, but also the non-magical world. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is funny, sad, and a bit scary. Rated PG-13 for some sequences of fantasy action. This is an action packed movie. There are wand battles, and animal attacks. Violence and destruction and death, means that this movie is not for the faint of heart, or for children under 12.
But we’re here now to talk about Clue! If you have not seen this movie, that needs to change. NOW! Clue was released in 1985 and is rated PG. The story takes place in the 1950’s and involves a group of 6 people that were invited to a party that turns into a murder mystery dinner...but not as a game. The characters are based on the characters in the board game Clue and the movie basically plays like a game of clue would play.
Clue is a cult classic with a star studded cast that includes Madeline Kahn, and Christopher Lloyd. It’s a family favorite in our house! And we recommend it to all of our friends. It’s a mystery, but more comedy than anything else. The characters are perfect and the movie is very quotable. To make a long story short...we know, we know. Too late! This month we decided to review the 2017 movie “Goodbye Christopher Robin”, since last month we had reviewed “Christopher Robin” 2018. There is a lot of nostalgia surrounding Winnie the Pooh and all the characters of the A.A. Milne books and Disney movies. There is no denying that these are beloved characters and have been for generations. Its natural that our love for these characters would lead to curiosity about the author and the child on which he based his books. Which is most likely why Fox Searchlight Entertainment gave us a movie that explores the history of the Winnie the Pooh stories, while simultaneously making you laugh, cry and feel guilty about ever having adored these characters.
This is not a kid’s movie. You may be tempted since it is rated PG and relates directly with the Winnie the Pooh characters, but this movie deals with very bleak subject matter. We are shown an A.A. Milne that is shell shocked (PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was referred to as Shell Shock at the time) after WWI. He is trying to recapture his life, during a time in history when much wasn’t known about PTSD and its effects. A noted playwright, Milne is struggling with his craft and his symptoms and so decides to move his family to the countryside, away from the noise and chaos of London. It is here, while spending time with his son, that he comes up with the idea of writing the book Winnie-The-Pooh. Most notably the A.A. Milne character shows us how PTSD influences everyday life. Christopher Robin is shown to be resentful of the fame associated with his father’s books from a very young age. Though his relationship with his parents has been strained from the beginning, it comes to a head when Christopher inlists and is sent off to WWII. He decides to share his feelings with his father before leaving for war. The mother Daphne, is portrayed as an uncaring, self-centered and materialistic woman. She doesn’t really care for her son, getting a nanny to look after him almost immediately. It appears as though she is more concerned with being a socialite than being a mother, or even a wife. We actually discussed the possibility of her actions being ordinary for the time and her status in society, but still couldn't give her a pass to act the way she was. It helped to learn, through research, that this was a gross exaggeration of what Daphne was actually like as a person. Still hard to watch. Overall, this is a cautionary tale: Don't allow your children to become renowned. Actually take an interest in the day to day affairs of your children and maybe don't watch this movie(?). If you enjoy dramas, you will probably enjoy this movie, however, if you are a huge Winnie-the-Pooh fan, then this is a recipe for heartbreak. This month we are reviewing the latest Marvel Movie (MCU), next to be released after Infinity War: Ant-Man and the Wasp. This was a nice reprieve from the shock experienced by most Marvel fans, following the events of Infinity War (Which was a great movie and pivotal to the MCU. You should definitely watch it before watching any of the newer Marvel installments). MCU movies don’t always follow the same timeline as their release dates, but they are released in a certain order on purpose, you can trust that.
Ant-Man is a light-hearted character. He and the actor who portrays him, Paul Rudd, are both good at being silly and making even the most dire of situations seem whimsical. This time around we find Scott Lang, Ant-Man’s alter ego, under house arrest due to his involvement in the battle between Captain America and Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War. It is almost the end of his 2 year sentence and he is trying his best to behave the next few days, so that he can have his ankle monitor removed and be free to roam the city as a free man. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a superhero story if all we did was watch Scott finish out his house arrest in peace. The supporting characters are fun to watch, but still we need action. So, enter Hank Pym and his daughter Hope Van Dyne, characters from the first Ant-Man movie. They have a small favor to ask of Scott that doesn’t go anywhere close to plan. Suffice it to say that there are several people, in the same area, after the same technology, for differing reasons, causing the outcome of Scott’s small favor to be a big ordeal. There are fight scenes, giant ants, truth serums, shrinking and growing items of all kinds and a new character causing havoc, Ghost. Ant-Man does prevail in the end, but it’s definitely a rocky road to the finish. Ant-Man and the Wasp is rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence. It is funny and action packed and may be best for children ages 10 and up. As with all Marvel Movies there are extra scenes in the credits so be sure to stick around until the very end of the credits. Terry and Brook Saunders 2/3 of the Saunders Girls ![]() Not a movie, but I've decided not to keep to strict guidelines on this blog. So I introduce you to the NBC series A.P. Bio. This comedy is about a man, Jack (played by Glenn Howeton) that lost his position as a Professor of Philosophy at Harvard. We meet Jack as he starts his new job teaching at a high school in Toledo Ohio. Of course, everyone will be surprised to learn that he is now teaching A.P. Biology at Whitlock High School. Go Rams! The casting was done well. Everyone fits their role perfectly! The teachers are interesting and Patton Oswald, who plays the principle is hilarious. The interactions between Jack and his students are what make the show funny. And Glenn Howeton appears to be a charming person, not to mention easy on the eyes. However, as with many situational comedies there are the situations that I find frustrating. Times when the characters make choices that you know will end badly and fit into the common tropes. That being said, I have thoroughly enjoyed the first season and look forward to watching the 2nd. On an unrelated note, I can't help but see this as my high school, which is in Ohio, starts with a W and our mascot was the Rams. This show feels like home. You can watch A.P. Bio on the NBC app or online at NBC.com ![]() “Winnie the Pooh Chubby little Cubby all Stuffed with Fluff...” People of all ages adore the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood. There is a special feeling of nostalgia that has been passed down for generations, since A.A. Milne released his first volume of stories in 1926. Disney acquired rights to the characters in 1966 increasing the popularity and making Pooh Bear a common household name. In August 2018, with the release of the new motion picture Christopher Robin, Disney has reminded us of our love for Pooh that “willy, nilly, silly old bear”, Eeyore the loveably gloomy and pessimistic donkey, Tigger the bouncy flouncy and fun fuzzball, Piglet, Pooh’s extremely anxious best friend, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Rabbit and of course Christopher Robin. This new story finds a grown Christopher Robin facing some very difficult decisions, and living life in a dreary and decidedly unimaginative way. After being reunited with his childhood friends, Christopher Robin finds a new path in life, remembers how to be happy and saves the day for the average working man. There are a lot of call backs to the Milne and the Disney versions of the Winnie the Pooh stories. Many funny parts and a few times you may get emotional to the point of tears. It’s a heartwarming story that was really well done. It was easy to forget that the stuffed animals on the screen weren’t really moving on their own, and though it’s rated PG I think that people of all ages will enjoy it. There were definitely some youngsters in the audience at our screening who enjoyed the movie thoroughly! It is rated PG, most likely to the WWII scenes in the movie. They are short, but give the feel of what it was like being under fire and distressed. Christopher Robin’s father also dies, though young children may not get that part of the movie since it is not shown or said. There are sad images of his mother and he meeting at boarding school and then him sadly sitting on the stairs while someone tells him that ‘now he’s the man of the house’. These scenes are done as part of a montage showing the changes Christopher Robin endures as he matures. Released April 27, 2018 the highly anticipated Infinity War is titled so because of the major role the
infinity stones play in the story. Thanos wants the stones while the avengers fight to stop him from gaining their power. This is an adventure that has been 10 years in the making. It's important to note that this movie is rated PG-13, but we strongly recommend that anyone that is sensitive to violence to be cautious. The story opens with some gruesome, on-camera, deaths. It was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. There really isn't much more that we can say without spoilers, but we can't wait for the next installment of the Avengers! Terry and Meagan Saunders Mother-Daughter-Moviegoers A Wrinkle in Time was a Sci/Fi/Fantasy novel written in 1962 by Madeleine L'Engle. Disney released an adaptation for the big screen on March 9, 2018 that is visually inspiring. The movie does a great job of transporting you to the world that L’Engle created in her book.
This is a feel good, confidence booster movie. With a rating of PG, it does have elements that may scare younger viewers. Overall the movie does well at showing kids how they should treat others and also, how they should feel about themselves. It tackles issues that many adolescents and pre-teens find in their lives, and does it in such a way that keeps you interested in the story more than the lesson. Our family enjoyed this movie. We also enjoyed the book and would highly recommend both. |
AuthorMother & daughters team that enjoy movies, discussions and writing! We have had many of our movie reviews published in a local Magazine. Archives
September 2019
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