Rating: Overflowing

Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izacc Wang, Gemma Chan, Danial Dae Kim, Benedict Wong, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Soong and Alan Tudyk

Directors: Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada

Writers: Paul Briggs, Don Hall, Adele Lim, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Kiel Murray, Qui Nguyen, John Ripa and Dean Wellins

Producers: Peter Del Vecho and Osnat Shurer

Music by: James Newton Howard

Rated: PG for some violence, action and thematic elements

Release Date: 03/05/21

Favorite Character: Sisu

Tagline: N/A

Quote: “It may feel impossible, but sometimes, you just have to take the first step, even before you’re ready.”- Sisu

Fun Facts: In Malay and Insodianan, Raya means ‘great’ 

It’s original date was 11/25/20 but because of covid, it was moved to 03/05/21.

It is on Disney Plus for $30.

Cassie Steele was the original voice for Raya but was replaced due to the Disney policy of not letting white actors voice non-white characters.

Summary: Hoping to bring peace to Kumandra, a princess sets out to find the last dragon.

The Review: Raya really takes the stakes with beautiful animation and a new type of storytelling Disney has to offer (and a fantastic character Sisu is enough to get Overflowing).

Rating: Empty

Studio: Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures/Cruel and Unusual Films

Genre: Action, fantasy, Psychological

Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Issac, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn

Director: Zack Snyder

Writers: Steve Shibuya and Zack Snyder

Producers: Deborah snyder and Zack Snyder

Music by: Tyler Bates and Marius Devries

Rated: PG-13 for thematic material involving sexuality, violence and combat sequences, and for language

Release Date: 03/25/11

Favorite Character: Sweet Pea

Tagline: Feed your head.

Quote: “This was never my story. It’s yours.”- Babydoll

Fun Facts: A young Rorschach from Snyder’s other film ‘Watchman’ appears as a boy in the bus.

There is an R rating extended cut version of the film.

The five leading actresses had to go through training for the film that’s so grueling that Vanessa Hudgens broke down a lot.

Summary: After being checked into the mental institution, a girl escapes into her fantasy worlds while trying to escape.

The Review: During the beginning: This looks so promising;) During the end: Oh what a letdown 😦

Rating: Full

Studio: Netflix/Basque Films/Mr. Miyagi films/Platforma la Pelicula A.I.E

Genre: Social/Horror/Sci-fi/thriller

Cast: Ivan Massague, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor, Emilio Buale and Alexandra Masangkay

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

Writers: David Desola and Pedro Rivero

Producer: Carlos Juarez

Music by: Aranzazu Calleja

Rated: R for graphic violence and foul language

Release Date: 03/20/20

Favorite Character: Goreng

Tagline: N/A

Quote: “There are three types of people: Those at the top, those at the bottom, and those who fall.”- Trimagasi

Fun Facts: There is a game on the Apple app store based on the movie called ‘Food Platform 3D’ (which is free).

The film is a metaphor for society (the prisoners on the top floor represents the upper class and the prisoners down at the bottom represents lower class).

The original title is ‘El Hoyo’ (meaning ‘The Hole’ in spanish)

The screenwriters appear as the two men in the tub.

Summary: In the future, there is a prison where there is one cell per floor with only two prisoners per cell and everyday, the table of food lowers down to the bottom. The higher levels get food while the lower level starves.

The Review: A very well crafted story about society, the Platform will make you think twice about breaking the law.

Rating: Half-Full

Studio: Hollywood Pictures/Lightmotive/Allied Filmmakers/Cinergi Pictures

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Cast: Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis, Fisher Stevens, Fiona Shaw and Richard Edson

Directors: Annabel Jankel and Ricky Morton

Writers: Parker Bennett, Terry Runte and Ed Solomon

Based on: the Nintendo game

Producers: Jake Eberts and Roland Joffe

Music by: Alan Silvestri

Rated: PG for sci-fi action, mild language and sensuality

Release Date: 05/28/93

Favorite Character: Mario Mario

Tagline: This ain’t no game.

Quote: “No. It’s Luigi Mario. See because we’re brothers, we gotta have the same last name.”- Luigi Mario

Fun Facts: Bob Hoskins didn’t know who Mario was when he signed on to play him (and he also regretted playing him later)

Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo were drunk most of the time.

The ‘De-Evolution’ gun was a Nintendo accessory ‘Super Scope’

Listen carefully, there were a few sounds from the original game.

Summary: In the universe where there are two dimensions, two plumbers must rescue the princess from the world where people evolved from dinosaurs.

The Review: I wouldn’t say this is the best (by a long shot) but Hoskins performance, the special effects and its story does seem to be entertaining and (mostly) silly enough to keep the film from being ‘Game Over’

Rating: Full

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures/21 Laps Entertainment

Genre: Family, Comedy

Cast: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Ed Oxenbould, Dylan Minnette, Kerris Dorsey and Bella Thorne

Director: Miguel Arteta

Writer: Rob Lieber

Based on: the children’s book by Judith Viorst

Producers: Lisa Henson, Dan Levine and Shawn Levy

Music by: Christophe Beck

Rated: PG for rude humor including some reckless behaviour and language

Release Date: 10/06/14

Favorite Character: Alexander Cooper

Tagline: Get ready for the best worst day of your life.

Quote: “If you hadn’t left the battery out of my car all night Dick van Dyke wouldn’t be mad at me Chim Chimminy wants to kill me. Can you imagine?”- Kelly Cooper

Fun Facts: In the Book, Alexander has two brothers, but in the movie, he has a brother and a sister.

In the book, Alexander wishes to move to Australia. In the Movie, he is obsessed with Australia. In real life the kid who plays Alexander is from Australia. 

Summary: A middle schooler has a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day but the next day, his family experiences the same thing.

The Review: Would this movie make your day better? I don’t know, but it is still a fun time with your family. 

Rating: Half-Full

Studio: Netflix/Smokehouse Pictures

Genre: Sci-Fi, drama, adventure

Cast: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Tiffany Boone, Demian Bichir, Kyle Chandler and Caoilinn Springall

Director: George Clooney

Writer: Mark L. Smith

Based on: the novel ‘Good Morning Midnight’ by Lily Brooks-Dalton

Producers: George Clooney, Bard Dorros, Grant Heslov, Keith Redmon and Cliff Roberts

Music by: Alexandre Desplat

Rated: PG-13 for some bloody images and brief strong language

Release Date: 12/11/20

Favorite Character: Augustine Lofthouse

Tagline: Hope Finds a Way

Quote: “Been thinking a lot about time… and how it gets used and why. Why one person lives a lifetime and another only gets a few years.”

Fun Fact: Felicity Jones’ character is pregnant in the movie because the actress is pregnant in real life.

Summary: In the post apocalyptic world, a scientist tries to stop the astronauts from returning to earth.

The Review: Good things in the movie? Clooney’s performance and dazzling effects but is this really a sequel to Gravity?

Rating: Half-Full

Studio: Warner Bros/DC

Genre: Superhero, Fantasy

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen

Director: Patty Jenkins

Writers: Dave Callaham, Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns

Based on: DC comics

Producers: Gal Gadot, Patty Jenkins, Stephen Jones, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder and Zack Snyder

Music by: Hans Zimmer

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of action and violence

Release Date: 12/25/20

Favorite Character: Steve Trevor

Tagline: A new era of Wonder begins.

Quote: “Somedays my childhood feels so very far away, and others I can almost see it.”- Diana Prince/Wonder Woman

Fun Facts: The movie was delayed multiple times before hitting both theaters and HBO MAX on christmas day.

The 12 year old actress who played young Diana did all her own stunts.

Summary: In 1984, Diana Prince must stop a man who has the wishing stone.

The Review: This Wonder Woman film has some punches but isn’t enough to prevent this slow paced sequel from being weaker.

Rating: Overflowing

Studio: Disney/Pixar

Genre: Animated, Fantasy, Comedy

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove and Angela Bassett

Director: Pete Doctor

Writers: Pete Doctor, Mike Jones and Kemp Powers

Producer: Dana Murray

Music by: Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Rated: PG for thematic elements and and some language

Release Date: 12/25/20

Favorite Character: Joe Gardener

Tagline: Everybody has a Soul. Joe Gardener is about to find his.

Quote: “Can’t crush a soul here. That’s what life on earth is for.”- 22

Fun Facts: Soul is the first Pixar movie to feature an african american as a main protagonist.

The movie was released to Disney+ on Christmas Day because of…what else?…Covid.

At the very end of the end credits, it said “Created and Produced at Pixar Animation Studios Emeryville, California…And in homes at least six feet away from each other throughout the bay area” referencing the animators that worked at home due to the pandemic.

On the subway is 2319, which is a nod to Monsters Inc (a red alert code when a monster is in contact with an object from the human world).

Summary: A middle school band teacher, who dreams of being in the jazz band full time, finds himself in the strange world that is between earth and the afterlife.

The Review: Pete Doctor isn’t even close to slowing down as the film brings delightful curiosities and imagination to the wonders of the afterlife with a meaningful message.

Rating: Full

Studio: Universal/Blumhouse

Genre: Teen, Horror, Slasher, Comedy

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Celeste O’Connor, Misha Osherovich and Alan Ruck

Director: Christopher Landon

Writers: Michael Kennedy and Christopher Landon

Producer: Jason Blum

Music by: Bear McCreary

Rated: R for strong bloody horror violence, sexual content, and language throughout

Release Date: 11/13/20

Favorite character: Millie Kessler in the Butcher’s body

Tagline: Basic Switch. Killer New Look.

Quote: “You’re black! I’m gay! We are so dead!’- Josh Detmer

Fun Facts: Christopher Landon is in talks of crossing over Freaky with his other film, Happy Death Day (it will be called ‘Freaky Death day’).

The Mask the butcher was wearing resembles Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Summary: A teenage girl and a infamous serial killer switched bodies all courtesy of a cursed knife the killer was using.

The Review: Not THE best horror movie i have ever seen, therefore, it still has the 3 F’s; Freaky, Funny and Fun.

Rating: Empty

Studio: Warner Bros

Genre: CGI Animated, Comedy, Family

Cast: Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake, Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh, T. J. Miller, Andrew Daly, Nate Corddry and Josh Robert Thompson

Director: Eric Brevig

Writers: Brad Copeland, Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia

Based on: the cartoons by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Producers: Donald De Line and Karen Rosenfelt

Music by: John Debney

Rated: PG for

Release Date: 12/17/10

Favorite Character: Yogi Bear

Tagline: Please do not feed the bears.

Quote: “I’m so smart and it hurts.”- Yogi Bear

Fun Fact: Dan Aykroyd does his own version of the classic cartoon character.

Summary: Jellystone Park is in danger of closing and Ranger Smith has a bigger problem: Yogi Bear and his sidekick, Boo Boo.

The Review: While the kids might enjoy the new version of the cartoon their grandparents watched when they were kids, the movie itself is dumber than your average movie, which is about a smarter-than-your-average bear. How ironic.