Bria Lou Reviews

  It's Blogmas day 22! Sparks fly when single father Michael (Colin Lawrence) begins to fall for his daughter's dance teacher Olivia (AnnaLynne McCord). I mainly picked this one because I'm familiar with the main actress, but the premise was quite sweet so I was looking forward to it. This one was fine, not great but not bad either. The characters were instantly likeable, and the chemistry between them was great from their very first meeting. But it took a bit too long for the story to start because the pacing was weird - the characters spent too long on their individual storylines and then no time apart at all - nothing was gradual. There was almost no tension because the characters obviously liked each other and repeatedly vocalised this very early on. It made it hard to know what the point of the story actually was, because there was no 'will they, won't they' that these movies usually have. Considering that dancing is an important part of the film, the chara...

  It's Blogmas day 21! Former figure skater Courtney (Abigail Klein) teams up with former hockey player Noah (Ryan Cooper) to save the local ice skating rink from closing. I picked this one because it just seemed so quintessentially rom-com-y that I had no choice! And it also seemed like it would be really Christmassy, which is always important for a Christmas film. Unfortunately this one wasn't as romantic as it could have been. But I will say the Christmas part holds up - is there anything more Christmassy than ice skating?? My main gripe with the film is that I completely fell in love with a couple and was willing to spent all my time and energy on them. The only problem was, it wasn't the main couple! It was the side couple who were given no time! If the main couple of this film had been Beth (Caroline Portu) and Trevor (Matthew Grimaldi) this could have been a great Christmas movie. I really liked what little I saw of them and wanted so much more than the film gave us....

  It's Blogmas day 20! After getting dumped right before going home for the holidays, Katie (Christie Leverette) hires a man to pretend to be her boyfriend in front of her family. Finally a fake dating trope! A couple of the films this year have played with the theme, but this one really goes for it and I love that! But as much as I loved the premise, the film didn't really live up to it. However, one thing I loved as much as I loved the premise was Katie. Right from the beginning she was a character I could get behind and really root for. I also really loved Katie's roommate Sarah (Jeanne Lau) and I wish she had been given more to do, and more of a story. Why is she spending Christmas alone?? I tried not to look at the film from a point of realism, as this is a Christmas movie after all, but where was the sense of safety? The main couple are complete strangers at the start and it felt weird to see how quickly they trusted each other. And while I liked the characters intera...

  It's Blogmas day 19! When Holly (Jasmine Burke) uses her company's app to find a date to bring home for the holidays, a glitch in the app causes more than one date to turn up. This film had an interesting premise because it seemed really original, and it looked like there would be a lot of chances for fun and humour. I didn't end up liking it as much as I wanted to. But one thing I liked was how much more modern it felt than most of the other movies I've watched for Blogmas this year. Even just the idea of her finding her date(s) through an app is original for a Christmas film. It's nice that the movie was family-focused, but the family it focuses on aren't that interesting and can't really carry the story. The main couple have chemistry and it was fun to watch them interact, but I never really cared about them one way or the other. And if for some reason they didn't end up together, it wouldn't have mattered to me. It took about 40 minutes for the...

  It's Blogmas day 18! When sisters Cara (Emily Alatalo) and Amy (Vanessa Smythe) make a pact to find their soulmates, and a year later Amy is getting married, Cara sets out to find her true love. And she does... until she loses his number. This one had a fun premise. I'll admit I thought more of the film would be about the sisters finding love together, but either way I was looking forward to it. It ended up being a bit disappointing. As already mentioned, I really wish that it had been about two sisters who are both finding love. Dangling that in front of us, and then making it a generic one-couple love story with no attention on the sister at all was a weird choice. Speaking of the sisters, their relationship didn't feel as authentic as it needed to be, considering it was the catalyst of the story. I never really believed in, or cared about, the main couple. They did have nice chemistry, but it wasn't good enough to carry the film. I didn't really connect with an...

  It's Blogmas day 17! When Cathy (Lacey Chabert) accidentally brings a snowman to life, she discovers the magic Jack the snowman (Dustin Milligan) brings to the town of Hope Springs. This is the third of four highly anticipated Netflix Christmas originals this year that I'm including in Blogmas. And while it's not the most original story, I've always loved the idea of Jack Frost, so I was excited to see it. Thankfully I liked this one - though maybe not as much as I wanted to. I really liked the character of Cathy. Not only was she really likeable, but because we get to know her so quickly, we can really root for her. I also loved the tone of the film. It didn't take itself seriously at all and made it clear to the audience that we're just there to have fun. All of the actors, main and supporting, were great. They were so much fun to watch and all played their characters really well. The chemistry between Cathy and Jack is great! You really want to see them tog...

  It's Blogmas day 16! When Jason (Joshua T. Shipman) is forced to move for work, and his girlfriend cannot go with him because they are not married, he creates an elaborate plan to propose by Christmas. So apparently there are two films with the same name, made in the same year, and it looks like I picked the worst of the two! From the very beginning, the tone of the film is really odd. It was taking itself way too seriously for what is supposed to be a light Christmas movie. The plot didn't really make much sense. A few times throughout the film there was a point made that the character didn't want to be with his girlfriend, and had actually requested a be transferred to get away from her. So why are we watching him plan a proposal? Why is he planning a proposal in the first place? There were really weird moments throughout the film where the sound quality would drastically change when a character was speaking but not on camera, despite supposedly being in the same room. ...

  It's Blogmas day 15! A romance author (Jeni Ross) and a blacksmith (Jake Epstein) join forces to save a local village at Christmas. This one looked really cute, and while I've watched some generic movies this Blogmas, I don't think I've seen any that have given me the small-town Christmas feel, so I was definitely looking for that in this one. This was a sweet film. It's the first Blogmas movie this year that feels like an authentic Hallmark Christmas movie from the very beginning. The trope of an author going back to her small town for Christmas is peak Hallmark! The characters are really endearing from their first moments in screen. There was really good chemistry between the leads, particularly in their banter and conversations. They brought out something really fun in each other. Though it would have been great if the stakes were a bit higher. The film didn't do much to make us care about this village.  The 3rd act conflict is predictable, and honestly fee...

  It's Blogmas day 14! In the lead-up to Christmas a financial advisor (Patricia Isaac) helps a theatre director (Andrew Dunbar) keep his theatre running. To be honest, that might not be an accurate description of the film. Not only have I completely forgotten what the film was actually about, I also forgot that I watched it! So this entire review is coming from the notes I made while watching, because for some reason it's a really forgettable film. I didn't get a great first impression of either of the main characters, and because of that, neither of them were particularly likeable. Not only was this the second Blogmas movie based around a theatre, but it was also the second to prominently feature 'A Christmas Carol' as the show the theatre was putting on. Could we please retire this now? There's a bit of chemistry between the main characters, but they just didn't work well together for me. I never quite bought them, and the potential romance wasn't som...

  It's Blogmas day 13! Maya (Jennifer Freeman) agrees to pretend to be her boss's (Jack Parr) fiancé so that he doesn't have to get married. I picked this one because I love the fake dating trope in rom-coms, and I really wanted to find a movie for Blogmas that used this trope. Honestly though, I probably shouldn't have bothered, because this film wasn't great. The story took me a while to get into. And while I wasn't loving it straight away, I was hopeful that when the characters started their fake dating/engagement, it would become more interesting. But it didn't. One reason for this is how long the characters spent at work. They're both chefs and the majority of the first half of the film is spent in the kitchen cooking things that the audience don't care about. I understood the need to establish the relationships but it took way too long to do so. The characters weren't believable as anything - colleagues, friends, partners, anything. There w...

  It's Blogmas day 12! As usual, since day 12 is my birthday I try to pick something either special, or that I'm really looking forward to. Of the new Netflix Christmas movies this was the one I was most looking forward to, so it made sense to have this down for day 12! A Broadway dancer (Britt Robertson) stages an all-male Christmas revue to save her parents' business. I absolutely loved this film! From the beginning, it's clear that a lot of time and effort was put into the creation of the characters - particularly our main couple who felt very authentic. But all the characters were great to watch - even those that don't get as much development or screen time. The chemistry was so great! As soon as the characters were on screen together I completely saw them as a potential couple and was rooting for them to get together. This stays the same the whole way through, and by the end it actually feels like this couple could last past the credits. The stakes actually fel...

  It's Blogmas day 11! When famous footballer Graham Savoy (William Moseley) meets Georgia (Sarah Ramos), who has no idea who he is, he finds himself enticed by the idea of being anonymous, and even more enticed by Georgia herself. I think this is the only Blogmas movie set in the UK, so for that alone it was an easy pick! The premise was great and felt somewhat original (for a Christmas movie anyway). I really really liked this one - it was a lot better than I thought it would be! I took an instant liking to both of the main characters, and I really liked the way they were introduced. It was fun getting to know them and their families before they came together. But speaking of them coming together, I haven't been paying much attention to meet-cutes so far this Blogmas, but I liked that they went with the classic bump/coffee spill.  The main characters had great chemistry and it was really fun watching them together. But for me the relationship that stood out the most was the ...

 It's Blogmas Day 10! When Kim's (Rhiannon Fish) boyfriend breaks up with her instead of proposing, and Mark (Clayton James) loses his job just before the holidays, they both find themselves at the Christmas Retreat. But can they help each other regain their holiday spirit? This one had a really cute, simple premise. And it got off to a great start! I liked the characters individually before they met and really wanted to see their interactions. They had good chemistry and fun banter. As I'd guessed from seeing them apart, it was really enjoyable to watch them together. The supporting characters are also great, and all of the relationships felt authentic - particularly the relationship between Kim and her mother, which was really sweet. The potential romantic relationship between the characters didn't completely work for me at first, but it was given time to grow and developed organically, as a real relationship would. By the end I was completely invested in them! The th...

  It's Blogmas Day 9! A theatre director (Jamie Perez) and a Hollywood actor (Thomas McDonell) team up to save the theatre from closure. Honestly, I only picked this one because I was hopeful that it would be somewhat musical, and I really wish it had been! I really like the idea of the story. It's not particularly original in terms of Hallmark movies but it's one that's usually enjoyable. Riley (Perez) had much more of a personality than Sam (McDonnell). She was a more likeable character and much more fun to follow. That being said, I did like seeing the two interact. But their chemistry wasn't where it needed to be to carry this story. And then there's the show itself. I really wish the show had either been something original, or as already mentioned, a musical. 'A Christmas Carol' isn't interesting enough to keep the audience entertained - but thankfully there wasn't a huge focus on it. But because of this, there wasn't really any anticipa...

It's Blogmas day 8! When Sarah (Ashley Newbrough) wishes upon a snowman, she suddenly meets her dream man. But is her actual true love someone closer to home? Weirdly, this is the first of two snowman-themed movies this Blogmas. I picked this one because it's always great to throw in a love triangle or two! This one was really cute! For a start, I loved that they actually did the legwork to make the audience believe that the best friend characters are actually best friends. And it really paid off, because I believed in them and their chemistry (which felt really authentic). One of the problems with love triangles is that one option is almost always obviously better, and while that's the case in this one, it's still really fun to watch because both options are ones that the character could easily take and be happy. The characters themselves, both main and supporting, are fun to watch. And all of their relationships feel real and authentic. The conflicts the characters fa...

It's Blogmas day 7! Eliza   (Krystin Arroyo), a travel writer, goes home for the holidays where she rediscovers the magic of family and reconnects with an old love. This one probably has the most generic plot of Blogmas, and if I'm honest, I can't really remember why I picked it. From the beginning the characters felt really bland and void of personality. I liked Eliza as a character but she wasn't strong enough to carry this story, and because the plot itself isn't that entertaining, it needed a really strong character to hold the audience's interest. There's no storyline outside of the potential romance, and the couple don't have enough chemistry to make the film entertaining. But saying that, the characters were really sweet. Even though the chemistry didn't work for me, they were nice to watch. The 3rd act conflict felt like it came completely out of nowhere, and way too late to matter.  But at the very least it gave the audience something to be ...

It's Blogmas Day 6! When wedding stress stops Lizzie (Odette Annable) from sleeping, she tries everything to fall asleep. But when the trick to a restful night seems to be sleeping beside fellow insomniac Billy (Dave Annable), she begins to question her future. I've been trying to stick to movies that came out in 2020 or later for Blogmas, so this one breaks that rule. This has been on my list every year and I've always replaced it with something that looked more interesting. But this year I decided to go for it. And I'm glad I did because I loved this film. The best of Blogmas so far! For a start, all of the characters leave you with a great first impression. I liked them all immediately and that like kept growing as the film went on. The main characters had great chemistry and a really fun dynamic. I had no idea that they were played by a real couple until I started writing this review but it completely makes sense because they work so well together! They're alrea...

  It's Blogmas day 5! Colette (Aubrey Reynolds) runs a café that's home to her secret hot chocolate recipe. But when Marcus (Jonny Swenson) opens a dessert shop with the same hot chocolate recipe, Colette sets out to prove he stole it. Not only did this one have a somewhat original premise, but it also promised lots of talk of tasty treats, so it was an easy Blogmas pick! Like a few films I'll be reviewing for Blogmas, this one isn't as good as the premise suggests it could be. But one great thing about it - it'll really get you in the mood for some Christmassy snacks! The film focuses on the characters' culinary skills and businesses. So it was about halfway through the film when I realised that that's all we know about them. We never really get to understand who they are as people. This was the first enemies-to-lovers trope of Blogmas and I want more of the Blogmas movies to do this! Their dynamic when they're enemies is really enjoyable to watch. But ...

It's Blogmas day 4! After losing her mother, Emily (Sarah Power) decides to complete the Christmas checklist her mother left her, to regain her Christmas spirit. When Noah (Jarod Joseph) hears about Emily's challenge, he offers to help. I liked the idea of this one a lot more than the execution. I love a light, fluffy Christmas movie, but I also really like when these stories explore deeper themes and topics, like this one does with grief. Grief is a character in itself within this movie, and it's definitely the most prominent emotion Emily feels for a large part of the film. And as interesting as that is, it also would have been nice to know a bit more about Emily outside of this. But having said that, the premise is really sweet, as are the main couple. Though, while I did find them sweet, and they did have chemistry, they weren't really a believable couple. I couldn't imagine them really being together after the credits rolled. A major part of the plot, obviously...

It's Blogmas Day 3! When Kim (Shae Robins) and Theo (Casey Elliott) meet while Christmas shopping, sparks fly. But when a power cut separates them, neither can forget their connection. This was a spur-of-the-moment random pick. I had a film picked for day 3 but just couldn't get into it at all when I started watching it, so I went for this one instead. And to be honest, neither were particularly great picks. But this one had potential. From the beginning the characters had really great chemistry. It was fun to watch them and I wanted to see a lot more of them. Because the issue with films like this, where the main couple are separated, is that they spend a lot of time away from each other and aren't able to build a connection. In a rom-com, this isn't really fun to watch. We want to believe the couple are meant-to-be because we can see it, not because we're repeatedly told. In addition to that, the two main characters, while fun together, weren't strong enough i...

  It's Blogmas Day 2! Jessica (Sugenja Sri) is a lucky charm - everyone she dates finds the love of their life immediately after dating her. But when she decides to swear off love for good, a gallery owner (Adrian Spencer) moves in across the street and she starts to feel like her luck is changing... I really liked the premise of this one. It seemed sweet, but also like it could have more substance than the average Christmas romance. I loved the main character, Jessica, from the second the film started. She was so much fun and honestly could have carried the film on her own. The main couple are really sweet and it's lovely watching them together and seeing them get to know each other. They also had great chemistry, which for some reason is rare so far in the 8 Blogmas movies I've watched this year. Though I will say that because the poster of the film is completely misleading, it actually made me like and root for the couple more because I assumed we would end up being caug...

It's Blogmas Day 1! Happy December! In order to reunite with the man who may be the love of her life, Layla (Christina Milian) must find a ticket to the sold-out Pentatonix Christmas concert. Netflix has a few interesting movies coming out over the Christmas period. This one was the first to come out, so it made sense that it should be the first pick of Blogmas. The main character, Layla, is a fun character to follow from the very beginning. We're invested in her life and we're rooting for her to find the love she wants. The premise itself is sweet. Generic enough to feel familiar but original enough to still be an intriguing watch. Making it the perfect way to start Blogmas. I wasn't familiar with Pentatonix or their music, so this film was a great introduction to them, and the way they were incorporated into the film was really fun.  Because of the group, the music throughout the film was great! I don't think there's a Blogmas movie that will beat this, music-...

I feel like I get more and more excited for Christmas and Blogmas every year! In terms of Blogmas, I definitely feel like I've found a tried and tested method that works for me, so as usual I'll be reviewing Christmas movies for the 24 days leading up to Christmas, starting from the first of December. Which means that Blogmas officially begins in 3 days! It's always really fun to pick the movies I'll be watching. I'm not as far ahead at this point in the year as I usually am (I'm currently watching day 7 as I write this), so I hope some of my picks end up being great! As always I'll be ignoring my usual ratings in favour of my Christmas rating system: Title  (How original? How creative? How fun?) Originality  (self-explanatory) Christmas Spirit  (Is Christmas integral to the plot, or could the film's events have happened at any time of year?) Christmas Music  (again, self-explanatory) And that's everything! I'm really excited to get started. My n...

                                                  Wow. I can't believe I actually did it - and a lot sooner than I thought I would! I finished watching all the movies in October and as great as finishing it felt, not having a set list of films to watch every day has kind of thrown me. It's been nice to be able to watch films just because I love them, but I have really missed watching all these new ones. Completing this list has made this year a really great one for film. I've seen so many amazing films. From the great first-time watches that I'd always been meaning to see (like 'The Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Dark Knight'), the great first-time watches I'd never heard of before (like 'Oldboy' and 'Léon: The Professional', the re-watches that I loved more this time around (like 'The Prestige' and 'Up') and some familiar all-time favourites (like 'Back to the Fu...

And number 100 in the 100 movies bucket list is the film that I personally believe is the best film ever made - Back to the Future! I left this one until last because it's my favourite movie of all time and there was no way I wasn't ending the challenge with it. I've probably seen this film and its sequels upwards of 100 times, so it's weird to sit down and actually write something about it when it's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. So I'm gonna start with the music and score, as this was the thing that stood out to me the most on this rewatch. Now of course, if you've seen the movie and think about the music the first thing that comes to mind is probably 'The Power of Love' by Huey Lewis and the News, and that makes sense because it's an amazing song. But the entire soundtrack and score are so iconic. Every sound in the film has a purpose and every song has become iconic (if they weren't already). It's clear how much...