From Up on Poppy Hill Movie Review: Was one scene away from becoming taboo 😂
From Up on Poppy Hill is probably a lesser known Studio Ghibli film that was released in 2011 and directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki. It tells a sweet story of two high schoolers in Japan, set in 1963.
Work It Movie Review: Another Netflix rom com with Jordan Fisher and a senior home, but throw in dancing!
Work It is a Netflix rom com dance movie starring Sabrina Carpenter, Liza Koshy, and Jordan Fisher. The story revolves around how Sabrina’s character (I honestly don’t remember any of their character names at this point lol) is trying to get into her dream college, but needs to prove to the admissions officer that she has a passion for something outside of just school.
The Old Guard Movie Review: Is it bad that my favorite parts were the flashbacks?
The Old Guard is a Netflix action movie starring Charlize Theron and based off of a comic book. The story is about a group of 4 “immortal” mercenaries who are doing undercover jobs in modern day society, but are grappling with the issue of staying anonymous to protect themselves from being captured.
Princess Mononoke
When I watched Princess Mononoke for the first time a few years ago, I don’t think I even made it through to the end. Watching it now, I really wanted to take it all in - the animation, the story, and the metaphors.
In This Corner of the World
In This Corner of the World (directed by Sunao Katabuchi) is an anime movie masterpiece about World War II through the eyes of a Japanese woman, Suzu. It is full of sweet wonder and heart warming scenes, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone.
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places is a romcom that delves into some pretty dark themes about mental health issues in teenagers. It’s based on a book, which I read a while back, and did not find to be particularly memorable.
Onward
Onward is a fun adventure story about two brothers going on a quest. It does this balancing act of being both modern but also mythical. It reminds me of Zootopia, because Zootopia shows a world where the animal kingdom creates a humanized society, and Onward is essentially a world where mythical creatures creates a humanized society.
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
I went into this movie fully excited and expecting a fun rom com, but it was a cringe-fest…To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You is the second movie in the To All the Boys series, and as much as I love Lana Condor and the Asian representation in popular culture (cheers to the author, Jenny Han!!), I have to admit that this second movie fell really flat.
Little Women
Little Women is a beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott with hundreds of adoring fans across the globe, in addition to multiple film adaptations. This 2019 adaptation of Little Women has an all-star cast and director - Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Greta Gerwig, etc. - and it definitely does not disappoint.
Klaus
Klaus is a movie that takes on the origin story of Santa Claus, and is apparently Netflix’s first distribution of an animated feature film. They sure know how to start off with a bang! This movie is a cute adventure story about the friendship between a postman and a secluded wood-maker, and how their antics ignite the tradition of Christmas.
Parasite
Parasite is no doubt a stand-out movie of 2019, and one of the best psychological thrillers I have seen in a long time. Not only does it contain an interesting plot-line and suspense throughout, there were also laugh out loud moments of comedy. Trust the hype, because the hype is worth it!
Weathering with You
This movie was an exploration of a strange and unrealistic plot-line, and also has an unfortunate line-up of un-interesting characters. Hodaka, the main character, is a kid from the countryside, and his drama and breakdowns felt really immature and overplayed.
The Farewell
The Farewell is a story “based on a lie,” where a Chinese family shows their love for their matriarch, Nai Nai, by convincing her that she is healthy rather than telling her that she has a terminal illness. The movie unfolds through the perspective of Billie, an Asian American young woman who loves her grandma and grapples really hard with the decision to lie to her.
Marriage Story
Marriage Story is a heartfelt and personal story about a couple whose marriage is falling apart. It is a very “realistic” movie to watch, especially because the cinematography mimics the style of a grainy home-movie recording. I was deeply invested in the characters of Charlie and Nicole, and I found the story to be gripping and intense in subtle ways.