Review by Cole Groth Unsung Hero is your standard religious drama. If you're aware of the Christian music scene, you've undoubtedly listened to the work of the Christian pop band for KING & COUNTRY. The band, led by Australians Joel and Luke Smallbone, has won four Grammys since 2015 and has solidified themselves as one of the biggest Christian bands of our time. Now, the band's lead singer, Joel Smallbone, is ready to tell his life story as the director and lead actor in this basic, overdramatic biopic of his family and upbringing. With too much focus on religion and not enough good character moments, this falls flat across the board. Taking place in the early 1990s, Unsung Hero tells the story of David and Helen Smallbone, two hard-working Australian immigrants moving to Tennessee with their six children. The move to America isn't as bright as it seems, with the two facing many trials and tribulations on their journey to raise one of the most successful modern Christian artists. It's a narratively satisfying story that doesn't offer much of a unique perspective — the Smallbones face many challenges along the way but ultimately get through it thanks to their Christian faith. At the beginning of the film, Joel and Luke explain the thesis of the film's existence as a love letter to their parents and God. There's something very endearing about the fact that this was made less as an explanation of why the Smallbones are so successful but as a testament to their parents. David, the patriarch, is played by Joel himself and is shown to be an endlessly hard-working man alongside Helen, who tirelessly stretches every dollar in an attempt to feed her family. Even after working dozens of odd jobs to make ends meet, the Smallbones constantly find themselves with nothing left to their name. It feels a little unbelievable sometimes because even after receiving so much aid from others and getting so much work, the family is still totally broke. So, we're left with two conclusions: Joel is overplaying how much his family struggled or how hard his parents worked. Either one cuts into the credibility of the film. The thing about Unsung Hero is that because the successful children tell the story, there aren't any flawed characters here. Joel and Helen are unflappable in their efforts to raise their children right and never do anything wrong. I don't get the impression that the story is entirely honest, and even if the Smallbones were such a flawless family, it's just not particularly interesting to watch. Every problem is one entirely because of the doing of others and gets solved through the family's resilience, Jesus, or the generosity of the kind Christians who surround them.
From a production standpoint, this is an entirely competent film. It's a tad long at almost two hours, but the editing is at least interesting enough to be a little captivating. The cinematography can be interesting at times, and the acting is good. Joel Smallbone, Daisy Betts, Kirrilee Berger, and Jonathan Jackson are a few of the actors in a very large cast that delivers a good performance, but Smallbone and Betts are clear standouts as the leads. As a film about for KING & COUNTRY, you'd probably expect more music to be made by the brothers of the band. Instead, all of the bland music featured in the film is from the daughter, Rebecca, instead. Those wanting to see how the band came to be might be disappointed by the lack of the brothers behind it. Unsung Hero falls into the pitfalls of almost all Christian films, having a contrived conflict entirely solved by faith in Christianity. The Smallbones face one true flaw in their parenting: they're too caring. Even when David gets angry at his children, it's clear that he has the best intentions when talking about what he's talking about. Even after the big argument in the film, the next scene undoes any potential conflict viewers might have about the characters. Fans of Christian filmmaking will probably not find much wrong with this, but is it too much to ask these types of movies to be less overbearing? Everybody but the Christians in this film are cruel to the Smallbones, making this feel like an ultimately shallow film. Unsung Hero releases in theaters starting April 26 Rating: 1.5/5
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Review by Cole Groth Brittany Snow’s led a great, varied career as an actress, and as the latest actor-turned-director, she’s proved to be amazingly capable of directing. In Parachute, her debut feature, she carefully and confidently navigates the struggle of having an eating disorder. With a compelling script and good technical style, Snow masterfully weaves a dramatic story with the help of perfect performances from its stars. Parachute navigates the hard-to-talk-about world of eating disorders. Snow’s script, penned alongside Becca Gleason, tells the story of Riley (Courtney Eaton), a woman recently discharged from rehab for her struggles with an eating disorder. Once out, she meets Ethan (Thomas Mann), a charming young man with whom she instantly finds a connection. Throughout the film, the two grow together on a romantic journey of self-discovery for Riley. It’s incredibly important that films about eating disorders handle them with grace and carefulness, which Snow is fully able to do. Snow and Gleason’s script is an amazing drama because it never feels overbearing, even when the circumstances of the story are overbearing for the characters. It’s dramatic without being overly so, incredibly romantic and charming. Snow struggled with an eating disorder in the past and uses her past experiences to subtly fill in the horrors of going through one. It’s painful to watch but important. Beyond the tender way Parachute’s script handles addiction and eating disorders, it also excels with its dialogue. It’s little things like Riley referring to her eating disorder as an “eating thing” that sound like they were written from the perspective of somebody who understands what having an eating disorder is like. It’s authentic and never once degrading. Each conversation between Riley and Ethan sounds natural and up-to-date, with modern lingo that does not sound like it’s trying too hard to be relatable. It’s a romantic, funny, and dramatic script that perfectly handles each subgenre.
With a terrific story and great dialogue, the last thing this film needed to succeed was a good pair of actors with chemistry. Courtney Eaton and Thomas Mann are that pair. The two feel like a real couple, burdened with the trauma of their pasts and moving together like two perfectly intertwined souls. They’re joined by a terrific supporting cast of Gina Rodriguez, Kid Cudi, Francesa Reale, Dave Bautista, and Joel McHale. In a cast where the two leads are already such knockouts, it’s nice to see the supporting cast pull their weight just as well. Dramas about sensitive subjects like eating disorders can often struggle with feeling too intense or boring, something that Brittany Snow can handle very well in Parachute. Her first directorial effort is a compelling watch on all fronts, showcasing the best of everybody involved. It’s clear that Snow has a bright future in writing and directing and that Courtney Eaton is an up-and-coming star. By all accounts, this is worthy of a watch. Parachute is now in theater. Rating: 4/5 Review by Cole Groth Dark comedy is hard to get right. Bob Byington’s Lousy Carter falls into the trappings of most weak films of this genre, with a script that’s far too cynical and abrasive to deliver as many laughs as it should. With a short runtime and a decent cast, fans of this genre might have fun watching this, but those expecting more than a few chuckles will be surprised when they watch this incredibly dry and mean-spirited comedy. Lousy Carter tells the story of an eponymously pathetic professor (David Krumholtz) diagnosed with a terminal illness. With only six months to live, Bob Byington gives us a darkly comedic look into the life of a man with nothing to lose, who somehow loses even more than he bargained for. Over a quick 76-minute runtime, we watch Lousy (yes, his actual name) destroy any existing relationships through a series of stupid decisions. The problems with this film lie in its lousy (heh) screenplay. At its core, it fails because Byington is projecting his sardonic views of the world in a way that doesn’t feel realistic. Most of the characters here are caricatures of real people. At one point, Lousy engages in an affair with his best friend’s wife, only to be told that it drew the two closer together because Lousy was so bad at sex. It’s a funny thought when written down, but the way it plays in the film is about as unfunny as possible. There are certain spots where the film is amusing, but more often than not, it’s balanced with an eye-rollingly dumb joke. For what it’s worth, David Krumholtz is decent in this. He’s a very talented actor, and after having a good role in Oppenheimer, it seems like his career is on the up and up. He’s joined by a decent cast, including Olivia Thirlby, Martin Starr, and Stephen Root. The actors are mostly let down by their parts, but Root is a particularly fun addition to an otherwise bland set of performances.
One particularly weak element is the cinematography. Some shots appear to be done with an iPhone, filmed with horrendous lighting and jarring cuts. Simply put, this film is as ugly to watch as its heart is. It’s unpleasantly edited and strangely confusing when it shouldn’t be. From any production standpoint, this is a flop. Since this was filmed in 15 days, it’s unsurprising that it doesn’t look very good, but you’d hope that the script could make up for any oversight in the production value — it doesn’t. The slice-of-life storytelling will not prepare you for the ridiculousness of the film’s ending. There’s a big twist that it ends up being almost admirably stupid. If you think this guy’s life couldn’t get worse, you’ll have your jaw on the floor, as Byington shows how much worse it can get. David Krumholtz is a very funny man, and it’s sad to see how few laughs this comedy gets. It’s a film that deeply misunderstands the real world and tries too hard to relate to a younger generation. Maybe it’s worth the watch, but if you’re in the mood for something funny, Lousy Carter might be too dry to elicit many laughs. Lousy Carter is now available on VOD. Rating: 2/5 Review by Cole Groth Why do aging actors insist on taking roles in bizarre crime/thrillers? Russell Crowe’s talents have been sorely wasted in films like Sleeping Dogs because he’s a fun actor turned exceptionally boring when constrained to something like this. Despite a few interesting twists and turns, this is one of those films that will generally go unnoticed and ultimately forgotten in almost no time. Sleeping Dogs follows Roy Freeman, a retired policeman struggling with Alzheimer’s. After new information cracks open a cold case threatening to send a man to death row, Roy goes on a mind-bending journey to figure out who the true killer is. Along the way, he discovers that his past is not all he remembered, bringing a mysterious woman (Karen Gillan) into the case with him. Sleeping Dogs is the type of movie that puts an overbearing orchestral score of an alcoholic downing a bottle of vodka at a bar to show him reverting to his whole way. It’s never subtle when it should be; surprisingly, it is coy when explaining the stuff that matters. The complicated parts are dumb and remarkably simple, but every seemingly ordinary scene is hard to follow. The dialogue is over the top and rarely believable. For some odd reason, the opening premise of the film — a death row inmate trying to get the case reopened to save his life — is forgotten for almost the entire movie. For most of the runtime, it almost feels like the film will end without mentioning it. It’s unsurprising and unfortunate that the acting isn’t very good here. Crowe is doing his best against a weak script but can only hold his own so well before it all falls apart. The cast surrounding him all have an overacting problem. Not much blame can be put on the actors when the script’s weakness holds them back from being good. Karen Gillan sounds like she’s ADR-ed in for every scene. Tomy Flanagan is this obnoxiously crooked-sounding cop, and Marton Csokas plays an uncanny valley-looking combination between Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey as the lead villain.
What Sleeping Dogs may lack in writing quality, it makes up for with thrills. The twists and turns keep the two-hour runtime feel shorter, and sometimes it’s so ridiculous that it wraps around to being a little genius. It often feels like the screenplay was written quicker than the writer’s brains were going, with both writers frantically speaking over each other to get to the next big twist. For fans of noir thrillers, Sleeping Dogs could be a hit. Russell Crowe is convincing as the forgetful detective with a sinister past, and it’s an exciting ride to the end. With a weak script, confusing editing, and weak acting, this winds up like every other crime/thriller with an aging actor: stupid, over-the-top, and somewhat mean-spirited. It’s not a great watch, but it’s at least provocative. Sleeping Dogs releases in theaters starting March 22. Rating: 2/5 Review by Cole Groth Lindsay Lohan’s return to film has so far comprised of three roles: the lead in a Lifetime-style Christmas rom-com (Falling For Christmas, 2022), a cameo in the musical reboot of one of her classic roles (Mean Girls, 2024), and now, a love-on-her-mind woman in Ireland in Irish Wish. If you’re a fan of rom-coms, you’ll probably have fun with this. With a fun fantasy twist, Lohan’s latest role offers something to differentiate itself from Netflix’s other rom-coms. It’s not very well written and boasts plenty of clichés, but as long as your expectations are low, expect a decent time. Maddie Kelly (Lohan) is traveling to Ireland to watch the love of her life (Alexander Vlahos) marry her best friend. After a spontaneous wish to be the one marrying her love instead comes true, she goes on a wild journey of self-discovery to learn that her true soulmate is somebody else entirely (Ed Speleers). You can probably guess how the rest goes. If you plan on watching this, it’s probably to see Lohan on the screen again. If that’s the case, you’re in luck! She’s great here. She’s a bubbly and cheerful presence and pretty funny, too. There’s some physical comedy here and there that’s sorta funny. Lohan is paired nicely with Speleers and Vlahos, who both play well as love interests. The rest of the cast is nothing special. As far as the writing goes, nothing special is happening here. The screenplay relies on familiar tropes and not that much more. The dialogue is decent but sometimes impossibly cringeworthy. Lohan’s character is naive and a little too ridiculous at points. A few laughs are nicely placed throughout, but no joke stands out as anything more than a brief nose exhale. It’s a lot like other wish-fulfillment comedies, like Freaky Friday. A character gets into a wish that seems better than it is and then slowly learns to love their normal life — simple stuff.
It’s an enjoyable time, but one can only hope for something more interesting. At this point, Lohan has returned to the screens, and while her acting abilities are demonstrably limited, it would be nice if she went out into something better. Irish Wish struggles because it’s unmemorable. Many of Netflix’s films are like this: bring a star onto a poorly written and directed premise, watch it go to the top for a week, and then leave forever. If this film was trying to be something subversive or fresh, it could be a new classic for Lohan. A film career can’t be revived on cheesy rom-coms alone. At Tudum, Netflix’s annual press conference to announce their films, Lohan described the film as a “nice story of luck and love and confidence.” She put it great there, and the film isn’t trying to be anything more than just “nice.” You’ll be in and out in 90 minutes. Expect a few laughs, a few smiles, and a sappy kiss at the end. If soapy rom-coms are your thing, Irish Wish will satisfy that craving. However, in a week or so, when that craving comes back, just remember that this type of rom-com offers only a momentary distraction from this bleak world we live in. Irish Wish releases on Netflix on March 15. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Cole Groth Anthony Hopkins is approaching his 90s and, in his late years, seems to be in a sort of resurgence. His turn as a dementia-addled octogenarian in 2020’s The Father earned him not only the superlative for oldest nominee for Best Actor at the Oscars but also the oldest winner. If you haven’t already watched the film, this magnificent performance is worth seeing, but if you’re looking for something more theatrical from him, you would be wise to watch his newest film, One Life. This powerful biopic tells the story of an ordinary hero responsible for the lives of thousands of people. One Life is about one particularly important life — that of Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker who hatched a plan to rescue Jewish children from Czechoslovakia before the rise of Hitler and the beginning of World War II. We see the story from two perspectives: a younger Nicholas in the '30s, played by Johnny Flynn, and an older Nicholas in the '80s. Through this, we see two stories: one of a brave man who rescued hundreds of Jewish children and the other of a quiet man with an enormous secret to hide. The film plays out like a fairly standard biopic. It has excellent production design and is shot and edited nicely, seamlessly transitioning between the '30s and '80s. In the '30s, we are presented with a great story of war from the business side, and in the '80s, we have a more typical drama. The script, penned by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, is well-written and undeniably engaging. It’s a thoroughly engrossing tale of a heroic man, told with passion and grace. It’s visually stunning and emotionally devastating. If you haven’t cried at a movie in a while, be prepared to bring the tissues to your screening of this. Anthony Hopkins delivers such a legendary performance here that it will leave you stunned. He perfectly captures Nicholas Winton’s quiet sadness and hope, never overacting and constantly feeling grounded in reality. The story it’s based on is a tearjerker already, so to have one of our best dramatic actors today in a leading spot is a match made in sad heaven. Johnny Flynn and Helena Bonham Carter are overshadowed by Hopkins but are also great additions to the cast.
One of the few problems this has is that it’s by-the-books. You won’t find any groundbreaking storytelling devices in this film. Instead, we’re given competent filmmaking and a good script, all backed by a legendary actor and a great cast to support him. The third act feels frustratingly disconnected from the first two acts and is occasionally predictable. These are minor concerns that keep the film from being perfect. Nicholas Winton’s story is undoubtedly incredible, and it’s nice to see that director James Hawes portrayed his story right for the big screen. Anthony Hopkins remains one of the best actors alive and delivers yet another knockout in this excellent drama. It’s heartfelt and heartbreaking without ever being too overbearing. One Life is well made in every way and deserves a watch on the big screen. One Life releases in theaters starting March 15. Rating: 4/5 Review by Cole Groth Millie Bobby Brown has been sure to take exciting roles throughout her career. From Stranger Things to Godzilla and Enola Holmes, her roles have been defined through exciting settings, none from the modern world. This trend continues in Damsel, where she moves further back than ever before to medieval times. Here, she portrays a princess forced to survive a dragon after an organized marriage goes awry. Unlike her previous films, this is all spectacle and lacks any substance as a story. Damsel follows Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), a princess swept away to a faraway land to be married off to a handsome prince (Nick Robinson). After a few montages of pre-marital bliss, things turn sour after the prince chucks Elodie into a chasm to become Dragon bait. Over the better portion of the following 80 minutes, Elodie proves to be a force to be reckoned with as she fights for survival. Let’s talk about what I liked first! There wasn’t much. Bobby Brown is very good at this, playing the role of a princess-turned-warrior very well. The cast around her isn’t very interesting, which helps her stand out a little more. Since this is only 108 minutes long, it’s nice that it doesn’t drag on for long. It’s also an interesting premise that’s quickly ruined after realizing how dreadful the story is. Once Princess Elodie is chucked into the cave, most of the film takes place in the cave with the dragon in it. The problem with this is that it has almost no story at the end of the day. Elodie doesn’t grow much as a character, and the only conflict is survival. It’s perfectly built for Netflix because it’s absolute slop. There’s nothing stylistically interesting, and the story is barebones. The whole survival stuff feels like it should be a ten-minute segment in a grand fantasy adventure film, but since it’s the only real set piece, what’s the point?
If you thought this would be a visual treat, at the very least, think again. Truthfully, this is one of the ugliest fantasy movies produced in years. It’s funny that this releases one week after Dune: Part Two because the two movies are night and day from a visual perspective. One of them sports the best special effects of the year, ushered in through a clear creative vision and a talented crew. Here, every shot is shot against some painfully jarring blue screen filled with CGI. It’s a shame that it looks this bad, and I can’t imagine that building out a nicer cave set (since it’s one of the only sets in the film) could’ve cost that much more than the terrible CGI. Netflix is cutting corners here, and it shows. Damsel is a film in dire need of a charming prince in the form of a decent director, studio, and screenplay. There’s no charm to watching a viciously ugly, nonsensical movie with no apparent purpose. It feels like this was just meant to be a vessel for Bobby Brown’s performance, but a movie like this cannot succeed on the merits of its star. This is an ugly mess of confusing CGI and a lousy plot. It’s doomed to be forgotten by Netflix after its first week at the top. Damsel releases on Netflix on March 8. Rating: 1.5/5 Review by Cole Groth Jeff Chan's 2019 thriller Code 8 is an underrated modern science fiction film. After a crowdfunded campaign led to a feature adaptation of his 2016 short film, the film was released to modest reviews. To see it get a sequel five years later is certainly a surprise. It's fun, interesting, and slick. If you haven't seen it and discovered its existence because of Netflix's release of Code 8: Part II, I'd wholeheartedly recommend you watch both that and this film! Picking up a few years after the ending of the first one, Jeff Chan has directed a sequel that feels delightfully updated for modern times and looks a whole lot slicker than before. Both films occur in Lincoln City, Oregon, in the late '90s. In this world, some people are "power-enabled," giving them various superpowers. Society used to make them perform labor for them, but automation eliminated their jobs, forcing them to turn to a life of crime to make ends meet. Picking up after the events of Code 8, Part II sees Connor Reed (Robbie Amell) back to his lowly ways. The LCPD has created a new era of attack robots meant to hunt down every last power-enabled person. After Connor discovers a young girl (Sirena Gulamgaus) on the run from the police, Connor makes it his duty to protect her. Simply put, this is a lot like a technologically-focused version of Logan. It's gritty and intense, playing more as a thriller than the first film did. It feels a little stuck in generic city at points: corrupt cops, crazy chase scenes, and occasionally lazy dialogue. The point is, this isn't pushing many boundaries, but sometimes the comfort zone is the best place for a movie to exist. Like the first film, both Amells are great. Robbie Amell plays the friendly, protective hero perfectly, and Stephen Amell the bad guy gone good. Sirena Gulamgaus is great, alongside Alex Mallari Jr. Unfortunately, Robbie Amell isn't focused on quite as much as he was on the first one. We spend a little too much time on the secondary characters that, at points, the focus slips from what it should be on.
Since the budget was so small for Code 8, it's incredibly impressive how good this movie looks in comparison. The special effects and cinematography are much better than before, with the Netflix budget showing through each scene. It's sleek and exciting, full of this intensity of a filmmaker who can finally afford to live out the true scope of his vision. Jeff Chan has improved on the first film in many ways. It explores new avenues without losing what made the original so good. If Code 8 was an undiscovered gem, I hope that Code 8: Part II will bring it into the limelight. Both films are excellent science fiction flicks, and each stands on its own while forming a thoroughly thought-out story. As far as Netflix's original sci-fi films go, this is one of their best. It provides solid social commentary on the modern police state and is a fun ride. Fans of the first will undoubtedly love this, but it also offers a fresh experience that those unfamiliar with the story can also love. Either way, it's certainly worth a watch. Code 8: Part II releases on Netflix on February 28. Rating: 4/5 Review by Cole Groth Inspired by a true story, Meg Tilly and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig tell the story of Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank), a recovering alcoholic hairdresser who finds a new purpose in life: saving the critically ill daughter of a recently widowed father (Alan Ritchson) in Ordinary Angels. Directed by Christian filmmaker Jon Gunn, this film feels a little overly sentimental at times. Still, it will make for great viewing for family or those looking for a story of everyday heroes doing something remarkable. Ordinary Angels is one of those saccharine movies meant for your grandparents. It’s incredibly satisfying and fairly easy to follow. Bolstered by two knock-out performances from Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, the film presents a pretty easy format: there’s a big problem that Ritchson’s character faces, and Swank’s character finds a way to solve it. The problems mount up very quickly. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical debt, failing livers, snowstorms, you name it, and he probably had to deal with it. The principal problem with a movie like this is that even though it’s framed through a true story narrative, it seems outrageous that anything like this could happen. I simply don’t believe that a woman could convince a group of hospital executives to forgive $400k in medical bills from one visit or get five CEOs to get private planes on standby to help out the little girl. It’s all a little too inspiring, and say what you will about how cynical that sounds; the film doesn’t do an amazing job of making the unbelievable stuff seem believable. Even if it doesn’t seem entirely believable, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional towards the end. Tilly and Fremon Craig’s script brings a great deal of sincerity, and Gunn also handles the emotions quite nicely. It’s perfectly illustrated to have everything come together in an almost magical way towards the end.
I mentioned earlier that Gunn’s a Christian because he does a great job incorporating religion into the film. Hollywood doesn’t quite understand how to integrate Christianity into movies, and it’s important that films like this recognize it as a very helpful thing for some people. Ritchson’s character is anchored through his religious beliefs, which is believable, and Swank’s character is not. This is what life is like, and it’d be nice if other movies could do this. Life is so miserable nowadays, and maybe nostalgia isn’t the best way around it, but it’s also necessary to remember that movies are supposed to be an escape. Do you want to feel happy during this bleak winter? You’d be well off watching this. If you’re looking for something to see with your mother that doesn’t push any boundaries and is just decent overall, Ordinary Angels is that movie. Ordinary Angels releases in theaters on February 23. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Cole Groth Jennifer Lopez is ready to bare it all on her ninth album. After her recent marriage to Ben Affleck, she's ready to tell everyone the "greatest story never told" with an Amazon Prime subscription in This is Me… Now: A Love Story, a narrative version of the album of the same name. To fans of the pop icon, this serves as a love letter to you. It's a sweeping and audacious story of Lopez's hopeless romanticism and deserves praise for being such a wild vision. It's a little full of itself at times and sometimes so bizarre that it verges on insanity, but it is an ultimately interesting journey worthy of a watch. This Is Me… Now is what the title promises: Jennifer Lopez's story of her life… so far. Here, she plays a fictional version of herself as a young woman navigating her life as a former love addict who, after three divorces, finds herself no longer to love. We navigate between reality and fantasy as the film crosses from Earth to the celebrity-filled Zodiac council, who are trying to make her fall in love again. It's an inspired story that moves through the album fairly well. The album itself, at least shown in the film, is fine. This isn't exactly the place to review albums, so I'll refrain from covering that here, but none of the songs are particularly noteworthy. There's plenty of great choreography for each sequence, and while each could serve as a pretty good music video, they're brought down overall because they were all produced simultaneously. Now, if you expected some sort of grounded story of love, prepare to be slapped in the face with one of the most ridiculous movies of all time. It's such a viscerally strange experience that ultimately works more than it doesn't. One second, Lopez is sitting in a sterile therapist's office. The next, we're sitting in the Zodiac council chamber with Trevor Noah, Post Malone, Keke Palmer, Sofia Vergara, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Jane Fonda, and Kim Petras hitting on each other and talking about star signs to justify why Lopez keeps getting engaged. So much of the film is made up of CGI straight from a Robert Rodriguez movie, and it honestly adds a lot of charm to it. It's campy in a way that is actually worthy of praise.
Now, one of the fundamentally difficult things about watching a story about Lopez's life is that through all of her emotional struggles, she's clearly this obscenely wealthy woman. This obviously isn't supposed to be a relatable story, but it gets especially strange as we watch Lopez mouth along to The Way We Were on her weirdly CGI-ed television while lounging in a three-story megamansion. It creates this discordance between fans of Lopez and regular human beings. Fans of hers will understand the struggle and enjoy it because it's uniquely her story, but people who aren't obsessed with her work will find some of this eye-rolling. At only 65 minutes long (more like 55 because the credits are obscenely long), This Is Me… Now is worthy of a watch for its sheer audacity. It's not the best musical and could use lots more work to be more appealing from an auditory and visual perspective, but Lopez has created something pretty special here. If one of the biggest singers of all time can make a movie look this impressively weird, hopefully, this will encourage others to do the same. Maybe Taylor Swift's upcoming movie will be some gonzo science fiction thriller instead of a grounded drama. This Is Me… Now: A Love Story releases on Amazon Prime on February 16th. Rating: 3/5 |
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