What's Next On My List? UglyDolls

Along with a series of old favorites, I am also trying to keep up with new things coming out. I am already a year late watching this movie, but oh my, I am so happy I finally got around to it. And I highly disagree with the rating of the film so I am gonna get you all to watch it again!

UglyDolls (2019)

Moxy (Kelly Clarkson), along with a few of her friends, travels to the world adjacent to theirs, so she can be adopted by a child and make their life full. A seemingly perfect doll, Lou (Nick Jonas), however, stands in her way, claming that she is in fact ugly, just does not know it, and children do not want ugly toys.

I saw the bad rating on imdb and I just... was it just the lack of proper marketing? This little movie has everything I ever wanted in a kids movie. The animation is wonderful, the characters are wholesome (and cuddly), the songs are not forced, and they have a great messages, not to mention the star studded cast, the wonderfully positioned comical moments, and finally the perfect twist at the end of the story. I cannot think of one thing that I did not love in this story. I do believe that the make over song, that really sings about how you are already beautiful and should make yourself pretty for yourself and no one else, has the best message. My favorite character was Giberish Cat, who has a literal name, and he just appeared out of nowhere and he got me laughing so hard I started to cry. And of course the best part of the story is how we all love the ugly dolls more than the perfect Barbi like ones that are being brainwashed into having the same personality. I have seen a lot of kids movies, but none of them hit all the right marks with me the way this one did. It is really... outstanding.

Please go watch it. I swear, the ratings are lying to you. If there are any kids movies your children should be learning self love from, it is this one. And the story has a few jokes just for the adult viewer, and they will not be disappointed, I promise!

Until the next item on my list!

What's Next On My List? Murder Mystery

Along with a series of old favorites, I am also trying to keep up with new things coming out. I am already a year late watching this movie, but oh my, I am so happy I finally got around to it. And I highly disagree with the rating of the film so I am gonna get you all to watch it again!

Murder Mystery (2019)

The Spitzes, Nick (Adam Sandler) and Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) travel to Europe for their honeymoon - that they forgot to celebrate 15 years earlier -, and on the plane ride over meet a fascinating man, Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans), who finds himself in the middle of a soap-opera-like love triangle, that will also define if he inherits anything from his uncle. After a series of murders the Spitzes find themselves being blamed for each victim, and they have to solve the case themselves.

OK, right off the bet, I just love the title. Every good crime book that actually made it to world-wide fame, had either murder or mystery in its title in some way, so this is just fun. Now, the story had a great twist, the clues were there in front of us, but the movie wanted us to put it together with the main characters. And well, you might say that the detective and his wife who loves crime novels should not be able to solve this case -- but listen to yourself, he is a detective (!) --, and you see, the killer was also not a mastermind, just a bit smarter than the others involved in the crime. So next to the awesome plot and twist at the end of the story, it had a wonderful casting. You don't really know if two people will have chemistry until they are in front of the camera, and I was surprised how well this cast did and I was happy someone put them together. And the characters they played were both funny and intriguing. Yes, Aniston is a 10/10, which played to the favor of the movie, as instead of incredibly standing out in this crowd of rich people, she actually made them look like they belonged even if they were not "royalty". You understand her love for her husband and also her curiosity for something more in the world, and how that curiosity got them into this mess. The only thing that this movie lacked was MORE David Walliams! He was the most awesome character and I was so sad when he died (whoops spoiler...), so yeah, if you have him in your cast, you should make sure he gets as much screen time as possible. 

Watch it? Please do. Every once in a while Adam Sandler does something that has no toilet humor and he just knocks it out of the park for me. Not to mention that I am on board with any movie he has together with Aniston. Overall, I am happy that I watched this movie much later, because I was in the right mood for it and wanted desperately to get out of my apartment, and this story got me out of my living room: I laughed a lot, I was surprised and just entertained altogether. It is definite must watch during the summer!

Until the next item on my list!

What's Next On My List? Evening

For this summer season, I am going to go back to old movies. The quarantine left many looking for new content, I, on the other hand, went back and wanted to re-watch some movies that I was fond of but never got around to seeing again. A story can be very different if you grow up, if you experience life, if you are no longer just looking for a "happy ending" but for the story that leads there. I decided to talk a bit about all those movies that I re-watched during the quarantine, and will keep on watching this summer. Yes, it is good to have new content to watch, but certain films really merit another look.

Evening (2007)

A drama exploring the romantic past and emotional present of Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave) and her daughters, Constance Haverford (Natasha Richardson) and Nina Mars (Toni Collette). As Ann lays dying, she remembers, and is moved to convey to her daughters, the defining moments in her life fifty years ago, when she was a young woman (Claire Danes). Harris Arden (Patrick Wilson) is the man Ann loves in the 1950s and never forgets.

— Focus Features

I have watched this movie almost as soon as it was available and I was blown away. I know that I am not a mother of two, with failed marriages, someone who lost the love of her life at a young age or any of those traumas that this strong woman went through in her life. Yet, somehow, that feeling of having one night of your life stay with you for forever is one that I believe in. I have had countless nights that I forgot, but then again, they did not involve the death of someone special... And I am yet to see what will come back to me on my deathbed, but there is something about the adventure that is "life"... for the daughters of Ann it might seem strange that their mother is thinking of a moment that was prior to them being born, but in fact, that might be the reason her life was shaped as it was. I also understood the struggle of her daughters, one that is happily married, and another that refuses to grow up... they were the biggest fears that Ann also had to face. These two sisters seem each other's opposite, yet they share enough to have eternal love for each other. Ann thinks of herself as a bad mother, but she gave the love she could not give to Harris to her daughters and this is just one of the hundreds of aspect and lessons that this movie teaches. Every time I re-watch it I focus on another character and to see this vibrant independent woman breaking with traditions in the 50s, unafraid of what is come... and she is just one of six incredibly well written characters who go on quite a journey in just two hours. 

Watch it? I do believe that when I think of people who make Hungary proud, director Lajos Koltai is definitely up there. Rarely do I advertise where I from, because we are mostly known for terrible political decisions, but sometimes a couple of  remarkable artists make it to worldwide fame, and he is definitely one of them. This is one of those movies that has something for everyone. And well, if you see it again and again over larger periods, it is gonna give you even more!

Until the next item on my list!

What's Next On My List? Under The Tuscan Sun

For this summer season, I am going to go back to old movies. The quarantine left many looking for new content, I, on the other hand, went back and wanted to re-watch some movies that I was fond of but never got around to seeing again. A story can be very different if you grow up, if you experience life, if you are no longer just looking for a "happy ending" but for the story that leads there. I decided to talk a bit about all those movies that I re-watched during the quarantine, and will keep on watching this summer. Yes, it is good to have new content to watch, but certain films really merit another look.

Under The Tuscan Sun (2003)

Frances (Diane Lane) takes a trip to sunny Tuscany some weeks after her divorce, in order to find inspiration to move on with her life. She realizes that she cannot go back home and settles on buying a run down property that she spends quite some time renovating. While the odds seems to be stacking up against her, in reality, she does achieve that fresh start that her life desperately needed, and finds a much better life, one she would not have sought out, hadn't her previous one fallen apart.

I find that this movie is wonderful for teaching the viewer three very simple lessons. First, you can start all over anytime in your life. You do have to reach rock bottom sometimes in order to get it together, but there is no age limit on having a fresh new beginning. Second, keeping your eye on the price might result in you not noticing the things that really count. I do believe my favorite scene in the movie is when Martini (Vincent Riotta) takes France's hand and shows her how every little thing she dreamed of came true, even if it did not happen the way she thought it would in the beginning. I love those moments, when you sit down, look around and appreciate what you really have. Sometimes we do need a great friend to help us see all the good that we achieved. I do believe that this is a lesson we all have to learn on our own terms, And finally three, the only person who can save you is yourself. Again, it is okay to go through hard times, but as long as you are willing to help yourself get back on your feet, you will be OK. When you watch this as a child, all you really see is a woman looking for love in Italy. Watching it now, it resonates with you how hard it must have been to make all those, seemingly terrible, decisions in order to start over. And I do believe that divorce is tricky, because many times you are left with having to restart without wanting to... you still love the other one, you still want that life with them, but you are left there having to give it up. I find that this movie is not just fun, but really smart and I personally think it teaches great lessons. 

Watch it? I highly recommend it. This movie (like 95% of movies out there) are based on a book, one that tells a real story, nonetheless. I am actually planning to read it as I want to see how this story was adapted, and to read it from the hands of the author whose story this was. Not to mention that the movie really took its time to cast Italian actors, have authentic conversations and shoot the film on location rather than a stupid green screen. It is really a great story!

Until the next item on my list!