APRIL WATCH PARTY - Wish (2023), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Asteroid City (2023)
"A young girl named Asha wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her."
- IMDB
Overall thoughts – Art style. Amazing. The Art of Animation is the true Disney celebration here... I meant the art of animation in this movie, not the Disney resort in Florida.... To me, animation is the true essence of the Disney Studios. The potential of this film is OUTSTANDING. It’s almost frustrating as there were so many great components here that just did not work well enough together to make a perfect film experience. The music was hit or miss. You had amazing songs such as At all Costs or Knowing What I Know Now; and then there’s..... Thanks I Get. The credits pay homage to iconic classic characters – again reminding you that this is a celebration of 100 years of Disney. But in all honestly was it????
Let’s just say..... For a definitive celebration of Walt Disney's legacy...... Once upon a studio.... That’s the Disney you know and love.....
Back in February, I deep dived in a review of Wish in my Friendly Fangirl Podcast. I talked more about Asha, Magnifico and why he's actually a decent villain, the Disney references, and how the Queen could've made the movie much better. Shameless plug. Checkout Friendly Fangirl: links below.
My Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
"Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?"
- IMDB
I need to watch this again and also read the SparkNotes. Out of all the classic stories I had to study for English & Literature classes - Pride & Prejudice was not one of them. I had to watch it on my own, and with all the memes I've seen lately, I had to revisit. It actually reminds me of Sense & Sensibility a little bit. I watched that film last year so it's fresh on my mind. I enjoy both equally but I have to give it to Pride & Prejudice because I feel like there was a bit more depth and interest to our main characters, Elizabeth and Darcy. That's why I gotta read the SparkNotes if not the book itself to catch any details not included in the film. Sense & Sensibility had interesting characters, but they were more easy to figure out whereas I had spent more time dwelling on Elizabeth & Darcy afterward.
But also.... Matthew Macfadyen is kinda hot. And I really do get it. Mr. Darcy is so awkward and I am very much in the crowd of the socially awkward introverts of the 21st century. Mr. Darcy is more relatable than ever. I have an appreciation for Kierra Knightley's Elizabeth... both Elizabeths lol. She's so savage and unapologetically herself. I'm almost smitten the same way Mr. Darcy is.
Pride & Prejudice still stands on it's own as a literary AND film marvel. Even if I could compare it to Sense & Sensibility, and even Little Women & other stories of this genre & era, these stories do a great job of challenging the roles of woman and the idea of socioeconomic status. Tale as old as time at this point, but they're still important. Pride & Prejudice, itself, being amongst the best.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
"Following a writer on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever."
- IMDB
Bro it's not that bad. This is currently Wes Anderson's lowest rated film, but I still rather enjoyed it. Wes Anderson's film remind me why I love film so much. From the set designs, costume designs, music, sound, filmography, and best of all, the way he brings out the best of his actors. We both have the same favorite actors by the way and Asteroid City is nothing short of an amazing cast. From main to minor, we have talents of Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Jeffrey Wright, Liev Schreiber, Sophia Lillis, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, and Willem Dafoe I especially enjoyed Edward Norton in this as well as Bryan Cranston - like bro, his voice was meant for this, he did so good. This was a quirky tale of an Alien Encounter in the American Desert - or rather a play about it. It's the same quirky humor, line deliver, 4th wall breaking entertainment Anderson has in his other films and I'm all for it. Is it his best? No. But I still enjoy it.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
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