Tag Archives: movie review

A Wallflower, Not a Doormat

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As a coming-of-age person, fittingly, I’ve always been obsessed with coming-of-age movies. The representation of the teenage experience as a moment in time where any problem appears catastrophic and any personal achievement or bliss appears life-changing correlates with these movies as they accurately show the strength of teenage emotions and how teens resolve to cope with those emotions. The Perks of Being a Wallflower does just this and more.

I’ve been long delayed in watching this movie, but have finally got around to it and I regret not having watched this movie long before. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, directed by Stephen Chbosky, and based on the book also written by Chbosky, follows freshman, Charlie, as he navigates the territory of his high school, counting down the days until he graduates. Charlie displays an outward disinterest in voluntarily engaging in social interactions with his peers, but beneath his outright rejection, Charlie seeks a meaningful friendship with someone who truly understands him.

Throughout the movie, Charlie’s obvious social awkwardness makes it difficult for him to interact with others without feeling self-conscious; however, underlying mental health issues, not clearly stated by Charlie, linger in his behavior. Charlie soon joins a fun and lively friend group with Patrick and Sam. Through an array of days that they spend together, whether studying or going on joy rides, Charlie finally gets to experience what it is to fulfill his teenage experience with real friends. I can relate to this greatly, as during my freshman year of high school, I also felt like a recluse. This caused me to have a negative outlook on my classmates and reject talking to people entirely; however, I soon found the people that I knew I wanted to be surrounded by, which changed my entire outlook on the rest of my teenage years.

By the end of the movie, we find out that Charlie’s Aunt Helen, whom he claimed he was very close to and whom we assumed was a family member he really connected with, actually abused him which led to Charlie’s eventual mental health problems, consisting of emotional explosions followed by blackouts. After a major blackout, Charlie finally receives the help he needs and begins to open up about his Aunt Helen. Overall, Charlie learns to be a wallflower, but not a doormat. He builds the confidence he needs to take control of the reigns of his life and fully participate in the next years of high school.

This message really resonates with me, and most importantly, I believe it resonates with a large population of teens today. The idea that it is a waste to stand by and not do what you want to do with your life is something that I will carry with me throughout the rest of high school and into my future.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (DVD or book) is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. The book is also available to download for free from Libby.

Hard Miles

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Hard Miles is a PG-13-rated sports movie that came out to the United States on June 13, 2023. The film is based on a true inspirational story based on an unexpected group of juveniles. During the movie, the viewer gets to watch these juvenile convicts go on a long 1,000-mile bike ride to see the Grand Canyon. As you watch it, you will get an urge of motivation to push yourself past your limits.

At the beginning of the movie, the audience is introduced to the main characters. These characters include a social worker named Greg Townsend and four juveniles named Woolbright, Smink, Rice, and Atenico. As the viewer continues through the movie, they connect with the characters and start to understand them more and more. The audience gets to witness each character go through hardships and change for the better. The movie also includes a satisfying ending, which is the characters finally finishing their long journey and reaching the Grand Canyon, giving the viewer great motivation to do greater things.

Watching Hard Miles was a great experience. What intrigued me the most was seeing the character development each one of the characters goes through. It was very exciting to see how some characters went from constant troublemakers to people that you can respect. The movie is created in a way that will get you to really enjoy watching each character, making you want more of the characters once the film ends. I especially enjoyed the rewarding ending, which made me appreciate the memorable events in the movie. Therefore, Hard Miles has great qualities that will make you very fascinated while watching it and even when it is over.

Overall, watching this motivational film will give you the feeling that you can achieve anything. Using an unlikely set of characters, Hard Miles will definitely interest you. On top of that, you will be able to easily see how much the characters change for the better as the movie progresses. I highly enjoyed watching this movie and I urge anyone to watch it in their free time. You will have a great time watching this movie just like I did.

-Matthew R.

Why Didi was not that great

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I went to watch Didi in the theaters the day it released because I was extremely excited to watch a coming of age film that was centered around the Asian-American experience. However, I left feeling disappointed at the lack of emphasis in relationships.

The blurb for this movie on Letterboxd describes it as an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. Not only did he not learn to skate, flirt, he barely had a relationship with his mom who wrapped the movie up with a monologue that felt like the director wanted to have as much as an impact as Everything Everywhere all at Once did, but it was so badly written I was in awe when I opened imdb to find that it had a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than Everything Everywhere all at Once, albeit, with a much lower watch rate.

With classic coming to age stories like The Perks of being a Wallflower, Dead Poets Society, and Lady Bird, they center around relationships with siblings, parents, teachers, or peers their age. Watching Didi, I felt like all the relationships were superficial and it barely hit the rubric not only in depth but in creativity. Sean Wang had a great product to work with: Asian-American coming to age about self identity with being ashamed of culture or something along those lines and maybe I subconsciously was hoping for something similar to the graphic novel American Born Chinese. Only a few movies and stories come to mind that are able to hit that rubric where it becomes a staple for American Asians and conjoin the community over this representation. Now, just because the cast is entirely Asian does not mean the focus of the story needs to be about the Asian American experience but the topic was touched once and then never brought up again which felt like a cheat in my opinion. I understand why people like this film but again, everything was so sped up and topics were brushed by without saying anything of value.

Movie Review: 10 Things I Hate About You

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  • SPOILERS AHEAD

10 Things I Hate About You is a teen romance film that is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare The Taming of the Shrew. It takes place in the late 1990s at an American high school, following Cameron James, a new student played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A guide takes him around the school, explaining the different cliques and how they work in the high school hierarchy. Cameron then sees Bianca Stratford, which then kick-starts the conflict of the movie. Bianca, a sophmore, is not allowed to date unless her outspoken, feminist older sister, Kat, does.

Cameron then goes on a journey to find somebody to date Kat, who everybody thinks of as a shrew, a bad-tempered or aggressively assertive woman. They enlist the help of a narcissistic, student model Joey, who is attempting to court Bianca, to find somebody for Kat. They pick infamous bad boy Patrick Verona. The rest of the movie follows Patrick trying to woe Kat, while also getting bribes from Joey and information about Kat from Cameron.

Joey bribes Patrick with more money to take Kat to prom, but she is still angry with him for rejecting to kiss her when she was drunk. In response, he organizes an elaborate celebration with a marching band and embarrassing himself to ask her out. Kat reveals to Bianca her past with Joey and why she is trying to protect Bianca from him. Bianca listens to her sister’s side , but is angry at her for not allowing her to make her own decisions. Kat sees how much this affects her sister so she then agrees to go to prom with Patrick to allow Bianca to go. 

Bianca decides to go with Cameron, instead of Joey. This angers Joey and he reveals the arrangement between Patrick, leaving Kat heartbroken. Patrick surprises her with a guitar to apologize and her father allows for her to attend her dream school, Sarah Lawrence. 

Overall I would give this movie a 9/10! It is a beautifully done rom-com and great adaptation. Even though Patrick is being bribed, we can tell throughout the movie he feels guilt for it and even tries to give the money back at some points. It is a little bit sad because we know his alternative motives , but aside from that, I think it’s beautiful in the ways Patrick tries to charm her. He does this by learning her favorite bands, respecting her battle for autonomy, thoughtful dates, and embarrassing proposals of love. I think it really speaks to how his understanding of her deepens throughout the movie as he gets to know her. I can emphasize with Kats complete rejection of conformity that allows for her to have a clear understanding of herself and how this could demonize her to other people.

I enjoy how they explore Bianca’s character, and that even if she presents more girly, it is clear she is not completely naive and clueless. She understands Joey’s intentions and gains revenge for her sister by beating him up at the end of the movie. I think the position the father has put them in makes for an interesting plot, but is completely unfair and causes unnecessary tension between her and her sister. I think it speaks to the prejudice women have faced in attempts to assert themselves in society. 

I believe some of the cliques in this movie to be harmful and stereotypical, but I believe the can be looked past in remembering Shakespearean dramatics, the time period the movie was made, and for plot continuation. 

I would recommend this movie to those who are looking for a strong women protagonist, a heartwarming rom-com, or a look into 90s teenage life. 

10 Things I Hate About You is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Movie Review: I Saw the TV Glow

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NO SPOILERS

If you’re queer, misunderstood, struggling with self identity and expression, or feeling lost in general, then you have to watch I Saw the TV Glow. This movie focuses on identity and the horror of never truly accepting yourself. To live a life that does not belong to you is the worst fear of all and this movie depicts that fear perfectly. The soundtrack has the best lineup including Phoebe Bridgers, Alex G, and Yeule.

I Saw the TV Glow might be one of the best movies about queer identity I have ever watched. Similar with movies like Inception, Holes, and XXX, Jane Schoenbrun keeps their fans engaged with extremely meticulous detailing in each scene. I love how they do not revise their work to make it digestible for a better IMDb or Letterboxd score and stay true to the story that they want to tell. You will not like this movie if you are not prepared to face yourself and question who you are.

Owen meets Maddy, a teenager completely obsessed with the tv show The Pink Opaque. The adolescents bond between their obsession with the show despite Owen’s strict father disallowing him from staying up to watch the show on cable. The Pink Opaque features two girls who are deeply connected telepathically. Owen sleeps over at Maddy’s house to watch The Pink Opaque, when Maddy tells him about disillusioned her world seems to her and how she knows that he can feel it too. Maddy wants Owen to join her and escape the trapped reality they both feel confined in.

I Saw the TV Glow was the most euphoric movie experience I have ever had.

A Quiet Place–Movie Summary & Review:

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SPOILERS AHEAD!!

A Quiet Place is a movie which is set in the future where the population of the world has dwindled to an unknown number. Strange creatures have inhabited the earth and hunt people (and animals) by sound. Any sound from dropping a blender to stepping on a leaf will be heard by the aliens and will result in death. The name A Quiet Place is drawn from the need to be quiet and not utter a single noise. This movie is about the Abbott family’s silent life in the countryside of New York. The family consists of Lee (father), Evelyn (mother), Reagan (deaf daughter), Marcus (son), Beau (son), and a newborn baby (son). Since one of the children is deaf, the family communicates with sign language.

The opening scene of this movie is of the Abbott family traveling to a nearby pharmacy to get medicine for Marcus. During this scene, the youngest child Beau finds a toy rocket with batteries. Lee takes away the toy but soon after when the parents walk out of the store, Reagan hands the toy to Beau (who secretly grabs the batteries too). Later, as the family is traveling back home, Beau turns on the toy which makes a loud noise. Seconds later, the strange creature kills the young boy in front of everyone’s eyes.

Fast forwarding to months later, the mother is weeks from giving birth to a new baby. After the movie shows the Abbott’s typical life on the farm, Evelyn is days from childbirth. A series of events (stepping on a nail and dropping a picture) leads Evelyn to accidentally attract an alien to their farm. This happens all the while her water breaks. Unfortunately, Lee (the father) is gone with his son fishing while this happens. When he and his son get back, they quickly discover that Evelyn is having trouble giving birth. So, they create a distraction so that the mother can give birth. A couple of scenes later, the kids are being hunted down by a creature and the father sacrifices his life to save them. The movie ends with the rest of the family finding a way to kill the aliens.

Usually, I hate watching horror movies with jumpscares and scary moments. However, this movie was not scary at all. I found that it was entertaining to watch since the characters are very likable. The concept of having to live in silence was also provoking to think about. Overall, I would recommend this movie to those who want to watch something both interesting and suspenseful. 

A Quiet Place is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Movie Review: Coraline

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The movie Coraline was written by Henry Selick, who also directed the film. The story is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman in honor of his five year old who enjoyed scary stories. This is one of my favorite movies, as it’s a stop-motion animated film, which gives it a unique and detailed visual style. The animation is super detailed and visually stunning, while the plot keeps you hooked with its eerie and imaginative twists. Its definitely a movie both kids and adults can enjoy for its strong characters and captivating storyline.

The movie follows a young girl named Coraline who discovers a parallel world that appears to be a better version of her own life, but it hides dark secrets. Coraline must use her courage to navigate through this journey and save herself and her loved ones. Additionally, the strong, and brave Coraline serves as an inspiring role model as she has the courage to fight for her loved ones, persevered through the tough battles and overcame all the challenges that came her way.

Coraline also has many conspiracy theories that add an extra layer of mystery. It invites the viewers to think more deeply about the plot and look for more hidden clues, enriching the movie-watching experience. So when you watch the movie, watch out for some of these hidden clues to apply back to the conspiracy theories.

  • The well
  • The first few seconds of movie
  • The Taffy
  • Lightning Hand
  • Framed silhouettes of the other children
  • The cat at the end

Overall, Coraline is a remarkable film that blends horror and fantasy and creates an imaginative and enjoyable movie for all ages. It always kept me on the edge of my seat and was very exciting to watch. I loved all the hidden clues; it made it even more enjoyable and allowed me to almost be involved in the movie. I would highly recommend this movie to everyone, even though it is very difficult to get ahold of.

Movie Review: The Iron Claw

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NO SPOILERS

Iron Claw was one of my favorite movies to have come out last year in 2023. Based on a true story, the Von Erichs were a prominent wrestling family that thrived on their ranch in Texas.

This movie has a strong emphasis on family and the bond of brothers, all intertwined in the toxicity of obsession within the sport of wrestling. There were 5 sons in this movie, all of which are destined, by their father, to become something great. This is obviously very toxic yet the brother’s will to survive not just their father but the expectations the world had on the great, wrestling family, does not seep into their relationships with one another.

Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich, whose connection to his brothers and emphasis on family is his main will to live. The family battle health conditions, expressing emotions whether as a man or a repressed woman, and learning how to live for yourself.

My review: personally, I’m not a huge fan of sports movies but I really liked this one since sports weren’t the main focus, I would reccomend if you liked: Everything Everywhere all at Once, Waves, Hereditary, and The Little Prince.

Iron Claw is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Inside Out 2: A Character Review of “Anxiety”

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Inside Out 2, depicts the inner workings of a young girl Riley’s brain using emotions as characters. As a teen, the portrayal of one particular emotion “anxiety,” a cornerstone of teen emotion, intrigued me. A well thought-out depiction can help those who struggle with anxiety feel more understood.

Anxiety is shown as small and thin. She has a wide, unsure smile, has huge eyes, and has hair arranged like a troll doll. When Anxiety and the other new characters join the headquarters of Riley’s brain, there is immediate tension between her and Joy.

Riley goes away on a three-day hockey camp and wants to be liked by the girls. She wants to impress the coach to make the high school hockey team. Joy wants her to focus on spending time with friends and being her usual kind and goofy self. Anxiety takes Riley’s goals, makes them seem very hard, works tirelessly to make sure that they happen, while simultaneously changing the beliefs Riley has about herself. Before Anxiety, Riley believed that she was good enough. But after Anxiety appeared, Riley believed that she wasn’t. I felt that the conflict between Anxiety and Joy was pretty accurate. When we experience joy, it comes with a feeling of contentment. Anxiety doesn’t let us feel content. It keeps us out of present moment and launches us into a situation that doesn’t yet exist.

To prepare Riley, Anxiety asks a group of workers in Riley’s brain to draw potential scenarios and outcomes. They draw her missing a goal, falling on her face etc. To counteract, Joy drew positive images for Riley, like her scoring, making friends, being chosen for the team. However, in the end, Anxiety’s efforts were stronger than Joy’s. I found this to be relatable. One anxious thought truly holds more power than 99 positive thoughts.

The height of Riley’s anxiety appeared in the form of an intense panic attack. Riley was fidgeting, sweating, having trouble breathing. Inside her brain, Anxiety was creating a tornado of panic. I felt that this depiction of panic attack was perfect because of the connection between the body and the brain and how what originally starts as being negative thoughts, translates to a full physical experience. Riley was able to get through the panic attack by deep breathing, which in reality is one of the perfect things to do when you are going through panic attack. When her panic attack ended, Anxiety finally stopped moving, was worn down, and started crying. That is what happens when anxiety takes over, it is exhausting and leads to feeling lethargic and unmotivated.

I appreciate that, in the movie, anxiety was not depicted as a bad emotion, but as a feeling that has a purpose and intends to help keep us safe. Accepting that anxiety in moderation can be powerful in self-acceptance. I feel the audience will leave with better understanding of anxiety, with more compassion for themselves.

Inside Out 2 Movie Review

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Remember that one super funny movie with emotions as characters that you watched as a kid! Well, that movie now has a sequel: Inside Out 2. I recently watched this movie, and I had a blast. In this movie review, I will be giving a summary of the movie as well as my opinion on it. There may be some light spoilers!

The movie starts out by reintroducing the main character, Riley, as a teen. She loves hanging out with her friends, going to school, and playing hockey. We are also reintroduced to the characters of Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness. However, trouble is stirred when all of a sudden, new emotions enter the hub. Anxiety, Ennui, Embarrassment and Envy come in as the new emotions of adolescence. Each of these emotions have their own vibe and personality, which I thought was super funny.

The movie goes on, and eventually, Anxiety takes on a more power-hungry role. She starts wanting to control of all of Riley’s actions, and actually throws out the original emotions. This is the start of a series of unfortunate events. Without going into too much detail, the original emotions are forced to find a way back, even facing the fact that maybe they just aren’t emotions of a teenager anymore. Maybe they are no longer meant to be part of Riley’s life. This part of the movie was really sad for me, but it also opened my eyes and made me realized that this movie is extremely relatable to teens.

The original emotions find their way back to headquarters, but Anxiety is going nuts. She ends up going so crazy that she is unable to control herself, which is pretty accurate to panic attacks that teenagers are exposed to. Joy helps heal Anxiety, and at the end of the movie, the emotions are all living harmoniously.

Overall, I thought this movie was amazing and would rate it a 5/5. It is interesting seeing how I watched this movie as a kid, now I am a teenager, and I still feel that I connected to it. It also kind of brings out and heals my inner child. If you haven’t already, I would recommend watching this movie.