Hi everyone! This is the start of a new feature where at the end of each month I’ll talk about the movies I watched. Last year I had a really bad year when it came to movies, I only watched 25 movies and only 5 of them got 4 stars or more. So this year I decided to try to watch at least 5 movies every month (not sure if that’s going to happen) and to watch movies that I actually think I’m gonna love and not just fun, silly, entertaining movies to pass the time, which is what I did last year. I’m obviously still going to watch some of those movies but I’ll try to watch other things as well.
So, here they are! The 8 movies I watch in January 2022:
Encanto (4.5 stars)
This was so delightful. It had loveable characters, a magical, whimsical setting, it looked beautiful, it was so emotional and the songs were fantastic (I watched the Spanish version). I was scared that it wasn’t going to be the case, but I was pleasantly surprised because it felt Colombian and the way it incorporated Colombian history with armed conflict was heartbreaking but well done. I really loved it.
The Hating Game (3.5 stars)
I was expecting this to be really bad and it…wasn’t. As someone who read the book, I couldn’t help but feel that the guy who played Josh was not Josh, but he didn’t suck as much as I thought he was going to. In the second half of the movie, he actually did a decent job. On the other hand, Lucy Hale was really good as Lucy. And surprisingly, they had chemistry so it was fun to watch them go from enemies to lovers on screen. Overall, an entertaining rom-com with some funny moments and then some sweet moments as well.
Tick, Tick …BOOM! (3 stars)
The acting, singing and in general all the performances in this movie were fantastic. I enjoyed the songs and the part of the movie that takes place on stage was captivating and powerful. My problem with this is that the part of the movie that takes place off stage, the biggest part of the movie, that deals with the day to day life of Jonathan was really hard to watch because he is portrayed as this self-absorbed, selfish guy (don’t know if he was or wasn’t like that) and I was so frustrated the entire time watching it. So it was not a pleasant watching experience, but there was a lot of good in there nonetheless.
Little Women (4.5 stars)
Overall, I really enjoyed this film. The performances were fantastic, the costumes and sets were really well done, it had compelling characters, and the relationship between the sisters was so interesting and it functioned well as the heart of the film. The alternating timelines were a bit confusing at first, but they made the movie feel more modern and engaging. My one issue with this is that the resolution of some of the plotlines revolving around the romantic relationships didn’t work for me.
Spider-man: No Way Home (4 stars)
This was fun and it made me feel nostalgic, I loved seeing all the familiar faces from previous Spider-Man movies. It was a more emotional and darker movie than the other two, and it’s because it’s reflecting Peter’s journey and his development as a character, by the end, he is more weary and mature and I can’t wait to see where his character goes from here. Overall a good movie, but it did drag a little bit for me around the mid-way point.
Dune (4 stars)
I didn’t know what to expect but this was actually good. I love how much they showed and explored this universe, the politics, the different sides, the belief systems. It’s such an intricate movie with so much packed into it, I’m in awe. It’s also beautiful to look at and the performances are really good. While it was never boring for me, it did feel slow and it did feel like an introduction to the actual story, but I didn’t mind because it was interesting and captivating.
Fever Dream (4 stars)
My feelings about this movie are definitely biased because I read and loved the book. This changes the story a little bit, but it keeps the eerie atmosphere and the feeling of mounting dread as the story progresses and that absolutely is what makes this movie. The message of the story is delivered with a lot less subtly than in the book but it’s also much clearer. The acting was fantastic and the way the movie looks works really well for the story.
Buffaloed (4.5 stars)
I’m a big fan of Zoey Deutch and I have been meaning to watch this since it came out and I’m glad I finally did. This deals with important subjects but in a very entertaining way and from a very unlikely perspective. It is fast-paced and fun to watch and Zoey Deutch does a magnificent job and carries this movie, she is incredibly captivating onscreen.
Bookish Wanderess 