Category: Uncategorized

Running this blog has been interesting for me. As much as I have always loved movies, I never really thought I would write so much about it. I’m the go-to movie recommender for my friend group, so I knew it was something I would enjoy talking about. My problem is I could better vocalize my thoughts, rather than write about them. Writing has just never been my strong suit. I’ll have things I want to be said, but don’t know the right way to phrase it. Improvement in my writing and train of thought is something that could defiantly had enhanced my site.

If I wanted to promote my blog to a larger audience I could have posted on Instagram. Since it really wasn’t something I wanted to promote to that degree, I stuck to posting about it on Twitter. I don’t have a whole lot of twitter followers since I only got it to comply with certain classes I was taking this semester. My best experience with this blog would have to be doing what I love for school, which is watching movies. I know now how to set up and run a website because of this project, so I think those are valuable skills to benefit myself in the future. If a job was looking for someone to run the store website or something for them, I could put forth my experience in running a website.

Based off statistics on my WordPress, my most popular week was the week of May 4^th. I received 4 views and 3 visitors during that week. My most popular post was one of my more recent ones reviewing the movie “The Blind Side”. I think this was my most popular post because of the timing with more people looking for movies to pass time during Quarantine. None of the site stats data surprised me, because I didn’t think too many people were viewing my site based on the lack of interaction when I posted about it on my Twitter. My tweet activity on my most popular blog post had 7 impressions and just 1 interaction with it.

If you haven’t already, it is time to watch all the movies in the Marvel Universe. If you aren’t interested, I urge you to deep your toe in with the best movie from the franchise. The movie I am referring to is “Guardians of the Galaxy”. The quirky film follows the architect of a classic superhero movie, but with the twist of humor added in. It is defiantly the funniest superhero movie I have ever seen filled with clever jokes throughout the movie. The star-studded cast adds so much depth to their characters and make you fall in love with them. You care so much about seeing them succeed and sticking together as a team. The directors and writers put together a great combination of comedy, action and adventure for this one.

We first meet Peter Quill in the process of stealing a mysterious orb. This leads to a bounty being placed on him and an assassin being sent to retrieve the orb. Rocket and Groot are the bounty hunters trying to bring in Peter Quill. Gamora is the sent assassin also trying to get Quill, which leads to conflict. The major scene on the planet Xander leads to Peter, Rocket, Groot and Gamora being sent to the Kylin prison. The group meet prison inmate Drax when he tries to kill Gamora over her association with the man who killed his family, Ronan. After agreeing to not kill her, the group of outlaws bans together to break out of the prison. The rest of the movie follows the group that later becomes known as the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Just to add to the greatness of the film, the movies soundtrack is top notch. The use of the feel-good classics really makes the movie. My only bone to pick with this movie would be the villain. I’ve noticed that the wrong villain can really make or break superhero movies (example Suicide Squad). Ronan was the films villain and he just didn’t really do it for me. He was at least a good set up playing into the Thanos storyline. Guardians of the Galaxy was actually the first-time fans saw Thanos, when he is introduced as the adoptive father of Gamora and Nebula. As much as I love all the movies in the marvel universe, Guardians of the Galaxy is by far the best of the bunch in my opinion. One of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. Period. You can stream “Guardians of the Galaxy” on Disney+ or rent it from your preferred site.

Looking for a heartwarming story about family and football? Look no further, I have just the movie for you. Based on the true story of former NFL player Michael Ohers life, “The Blind Side” delivers the perfect entertainment for a night in quarantine. 

The movie starts in an interrogation of Michael Orr by the NCAA, then brings us to flashbacks leading up to the meeting. Michael is a homeless teenager having been placed in foster homes, only to later run away from them. He ends up having to sleep in the school gym just to have a warm place to sleep. After leaving a school play, the Tuohy family is driving home when they spot Michael walking alone in the cold. Mrs. Tuohy asks him if he has anywhere to go and once Michael says no, she demands he comes home with the family. That one-night stay turned into Michael becoming a part of the family. Michael becomes a highly recruited football player and plans on going to the school where all of his adoptive family went to. We then find out that the NCAA is investigating the situation because they suspect the Tuohey had alternative motives for taking in Michael. Hurt by the thought of being taken in for the intention of playing at their alma mater, Michael runs away. Eventually, things work out and Michael choses to attend Ole Miss and play football. He later becomes a number one draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens.

Sandra Bullock gives on of her best performances as Leigh Anne Tuohey. Her strong performance in the film earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. A favorite of mine and also a guaranteed cry. As weird as it sounds, sometimes you need a good movie to cry to. This is one of the only movies that will get me every time. Sadly, you can’t find it on Netflix or Hulu, but you can rent it!

As we all enter a time where we are looking to fill our boredom, Netflix is just the thing to help. Look no further than one of the top-notch superhero films to exist. It delivers on the beloved character of Batman, while also not feeling like just a film about a superhero. Nolan makes a lot of absolutely beautifully shot films, and The Dark Knight might just be one of his best looking of the bunch. My absolute favorite comic book hero film, yes even above all the Marvel movies. The film really broke the mold for superhero movies to come.

Following the events of Batman Begins, Batman and James Gordon continue in their efforts to bring down organized crime in Gotham. Their efforts are escalated when a mysterious and crazed criminal known only as The Joker starts wreaking havoc in Gotham. With everything he loves on the line, Bruce Wayne must confront his inner demons to bring down his most challenging of opponents yet.

Heath Ledger’s Joker was nothing short of being iconic. Christian Bale’s Batman is really good, but we all know who the real star of the show here is. Heath Ledger. It really is a shame that Heath wasn’t able to see how incredible his performance was to the film and how admired he was. This was his last completed role before his tragic death in January 2008. Ledger really gave his all into this role and perfectly portrays the menacing acts of the Joker character. His performance, along with the rest of the amazing casts performances really elevate the story. I think The Dark Knight is one of the best movies ever made, and possibly the best superhero movie of all time as well. With Christopher Nolan’s direction, the action, the cinematography and the performances, you are in for a perfect movie.

Close to the top of my movie recommendations list, is the 2013 film The Great Gatsby. Baz Luhrmann delivers a truly epic melodrama based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel. Luhrmann is known for his vision that draws you into the world set in the book. His films always have what I can only describe as a pop. From the cinematography to the costumes, everything comes together to make for the perfect film. That’s what makes Luhrmann one of the best directors of our time. Something I find super cool about this movie is the blend of period music with modern pop. Luhrmann collaborated with Jay-Z to put together the films soundtrack. 

The film starts with the narrator Nick Carraway, who is writing a memoir from an asylum. It is revealed that he is there receiving treatment for his alcoholism. Set in the 1920s, Carraway moves into a cottage in West Egg. His cottage is right next door to Jay Gatsby’s mansion. Gatsby was known for his famous parties, yet no one actually had met the man himself. When the mysterious figure known as Jay Gatsby invites him to one of his famous parties, Nick finds his life forever changed. Fast-forward a bit and we find out that the reason Gatsby is so keen on gaining Nick’s friendship is his secret past with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. The events that follow ultimately lead to a sad ending. You’ll notice the first part of the film is light and colorful, while the second half is quite dark to go with the theme.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of Gatsby is the greatest thing in the film. He embodies the character of Gatsby flawlessly through his mannerism and body language. It’s not until 30 minutes into the movie that we even get to see the much talked about Mr. Gatsby. The rest of the cast does a fantastic job, DiCaprio just absolutely shines in the movie. A must watch film followed by a star-studded soundtrack. It you’re a fan of cinema and music, you’ll enjoy. A fun take-on an American classic novel that you more than likely had to read in high school. You can rent the movie on Amazon Prime or iTunes.

Are you looking for a thriller film? Something to keep you engaged from start to finish? Well, i have the perfect movie for you. It just happens that one of the best book I’ve ever read is just as fantastic of a movie. Sometimes book adaptations are difficult because some things work within book and it just doesn’t translate over to film. Having read the book before seeing the movie, I can say that the film was quite successful in carrying over the story.

The film is based on the novel by author Gillian Flynn. Flynn also wrote the screenplay for the film, with David Fincher directing it. The two leads are Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Affleck’s character comes home on the morning of his anniversary to find his house disturbed and his wife missing. Clear signs of struggle are left in the house leaving people to assume the worst. The longer Nick and others search for his missing wife, the more people start to wonder if Nick had anything to do with the disappearance. Nick gets painted as a main suspect with marital issues being brought to light. As we follow along with the story, we see that this case is definitely not what it seems to be.

Lots of great performances in the film with all the characters being strong and well thought out. Rosamund Pike’s performance in particular stood out the most. Every time her character was on the screen she completely stole the show. Pike deservingly received a handful of nominations for her portrayal of Amy.

If I had to rate the film out of 5 stars, I would give it 4 stars. The film faithfully follows the book, but in both the ending sort of lacks. Despite the ending, I think everyone can still enjoy this beautifully shot film. Gone Girl is a must watch!