Bria Lou Reviews

When Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) travels to Transylvania for a meeting with the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), his wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) is plagued with horrifying visions. I was so excited to see this film! Taking away my love and excitement for anything horror, I studied the original 1922 Nosferatu back in university and loved it, so I really wanted to see this new take on it. It's not a surprise that I loved the film. The first thing I made a note of after watching was the way the director used light and dark so effectively to tell this story. There's a lot of darkness in the trailers, and because it's a gothic horror you expect the darkness to play a huge part, and it does. But the advantage of this is that the use of light is sparing, and is used to emphasise the most important parts of these scenes. It's clear that every single instance of light was thought about really carefully and it definitely paid off. There are a lot of impressive things a...

This isn't one that I was particularly excited to see, but it's been on my list for a while because I've always been interested in seeing the Alien vs Predator movies (in the same way that I love the Godzilla and Kong movies), so I've always known that I'd see this eventually so I could watch the crossover. I had fun with this movie. It's not the most enjoyable monster movie I've ever watched, but it's not a bad one. I think the design of the predator was great. Even today it would be a really interesting, unique design, so it's definitely great that it was created like this in the 80s. But also the visuals of the predator when he's cloaking were also really interesting and inventive. The idea of the film isn't quite as original today as it was when this was made, but there are definitely elements of this film that feel like a blueprint for other similarly-themed modern monster movies. There's a reason it has spawned 4 sequels and a cross...

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a girl with green skin and mysterious powers, forms an unlikely friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande). A friendship that will change both of their lives, for good or bad, forever. I was so so excited to see this film. Not only am I a fan of musicals in general, but I saw the stage show of Wicked years ago and loved it, so I've been waiting with bated breath for the movie adaptation! I absolutely loved this film! I had chills from the first bar of the opening song and they stayed with me the entire way through. It was a really interesting experience seeing it in the cinema, it almost felt like seeing it in theatre. I wanted to applaud after every song. And this was partly due to how well the songs were sung, and by extension, how well the parts were played. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were perfect - I wouldn't have changed a thing about what either of them did in this film. They completely embodied their roles, played these characters and their dev...

While investigating a series of bank robberies, FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) is led to investigate a white supremacist group called 'The Order'. I was looking forward to this film just as a fan of Nicholas Hoult, though it wasn't one I was particularly excited for. But I've seen a few similarly-themed movies, so it was interesting to see how this one differed. I liked this film, but I didn't love it or enjoy it as much as I wanted to. The first thing I have to point out is the acting. All of the actors were amazing in their roles, particularly Hoult, Law, Jurnee Smollett and Tye Sheridan who all carried the film so well. There were definitely sections of the film that were very engaging, but I didn't find the entirety of the film engaging. There were scenes that, while necessary, seemed either too long or not really moving the story forward. The pacing could have been a bit tighter, but overall for a straight 2 hour movie it works quite well. I think the fund...

  Lou (Kristen Stewart) meets and quickly falls for Jackie (Katy M. O'Brian). But their romance soon turns deadly as they are both pulled into the ways of Lou's criminal family. I remember hearing a lot about this when it came out, but since then I've heard nothing, so I wasn't really thinking about it when it came out on Prime Video, but I was interested in seeing it. I liked this film, but not as much as I wanted to. The thing I liked the most from the start was the characters. They're well written and for the most part feel really authentic. You can't tell just from watching the film where it will go, but the more you watch, the more compelling it is. The acting is great, both Stewart and O'Brian are the heart of the movie and they do an amazing job with their characters. But as interesting as their characters are, I never felt any connection to either of them. They were fun to watch, but it didn't really matter to me how they ended up. While watching...

On her 18th birthday, Elliott (Maisy Stella) goes on a mushroom trip that connects her with her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when her older self starts giving her warnings and advice, Elliott has to decide which version of herself should control her future. I was looking forward to this film. Not just because I usually enjoy Aubrey Plaza’s performances, but because the premise for the film was so original, and so fun!  Unfortunately I ended up being disappointed with this one. But let’s start with the good things! I’ve already mentioned that the premise is original, and the entire film is very original. It’s also written really well, particularly the dialogue, which is really important for a film like this that is entirely character driven. Plaza and Stella work really really well together, and I’d love to see them together in another film. In fact, a pitfall of the film was not having these characters together more. Plaza isn’t in the film for nearly as long as she should ...

  Two missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are caught up in a dangerous game when they knock on the door of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), a man who forces them to question their faith. I was looking forward to seeing this one, mostly for Hugh Grant, but also because it looked like a really unique horror movie and I'm always seated for horror. I had mixed feelings about this film while watching it. I was unsure for a long time, but by the end I did really like it. As mentioned, the story is really unique, and there's no way you can guess where it's going. And some of the uniqueness is added by the camera shots and imagery, which were so original and well done. At the beginning it moves very slowly and is incredibly dialogue-heavy. This can become a problem if you don't care about the conversation or the characters, as it can become a bit heavy and boring. Though the dialogue itself is well-written.  But if you're not enjoying it, this problem is solved really quick...

  A crazy time in Vegas sees Kat and Liam being step-siblings for a total of 48 hours. Years later after a chance encounter, the pair reunite, discovering both of their scammer parents are working a job that targets the same family. But after a member of this elusive family is shot dead, Kat and Liam must work together to get out of the killer's crosshairs before they become the next victims. One of my favourite parts of a new year is reading the new Karen M. McManus book. It's the way I start every year and I'm always looking forward to it. I absolutely loved this book! I love the characters and stories McManus creates. They are always similar enough that it's clear McManus has created her own style that works for her, but the advantage of them being similar is that they always feel familiar, like catching up with old friends, and I love that. There are things that McManus does in every book, and this book is absolutely classic McManus. Both Kat and Liam's points o...

When Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) is called for Jury Duty, he discovers that he is closer to the case than he ever realised. But could the information he knows convict, or free, an accused killer? I was really looking forward to seeing this film. Not only am I a huge fan of Nicholas Hoult (who had an amazing year for film in 2024 by the way - I've got 2 more of his movies to review and upload), but I'm always here for a courtroom drama! I loved this film! For a start, the cast is great! In that first courtroom scene when we see the jury, there are so many recognisable faces and they all played their parts amazingly well.  Of course there needs to be a specific shoutout for Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette and Zoey Deutch, who had very different but equally important roles and played them really well. Hoult in particular was incredible. The writing was great. It's very obviously reminiscent of 12 Angry Men but uses some of the similar themes in a really different, interesting w...

  Second up for the bucket list was a highly anticipated re-watch. I've been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan for as long as I can remember, and this is absolutely one of my favourite of his movies. The story itself is so interesting. We are invested from the first moment in both storylines, and this is mainly down to the characters. Not only are the characters interesting, but they are people that an audience can really sympathise with and root for. We become deeply invested in their worlds and lives, and that is why the film works as well as it does. We really need to care about them and we truly do. But another reason this works so well is the acting. Of course Bruce Willis is amazing as always, and Haley Joel Osment is incredible at almost completely carrying the film. But the supporting cast, which includes Toni Collette and Olivia Williams, are also amazing in the roles.  Osment is absolutely the standout though.  And then there's the twist, which is what makes the film ...

  When mechanic and single father Luke (Ben Hardy) meets drag artist Aysha (Jason Patel), a connection is sparked that changes both of their lives. This was one of my most highly anticipated movies of last year. I saw the similarly-themed ‘Femme’ earlier in the year and, after I heard about this one, I was so excited to see a similar concept from a different angle. And thankfully, I really loved the film. For a start, the actors are the thing that make or break movies like this, and Hardy and Patel have such amazing chemistry from their very first meeting that everything else in the film instantly becomes better. No matter what the story was, I was invested just because I wanted to follow these amazing characters. And speaking of the characters, I loved both of them equally, which was an issue that Femme had where one of the characters cannot be redeemed and is, for all intents and purposes, the villain. In this one we are able to truly invest in a love story because both of the ch...

Lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldana) is offered a strange job when she is asked to facilitate the transition of a cartel boss, so he can finally live as a woman. I had no idea what this movie was about until I decided to put it on, so I went in blind with no expectations. I ended up liking it. The style is really unique. And at first, especially when the singing starts, it feels a bit weird and jarring. But once you get through the first couple of songs, you understand the angle the film is going for. I thought the songs themselves were generally good. It's not the kind of soundtrack you'd really listen to outside of the film, but the way the music is used in certain scenes shows how powerful music can be. It seemed to give so many aspects of the film a new meaning. And in addition to this, for the most part the songs are well written, and do a good job of both showing (not telling) us more about the characters, and moving the story forward. The story itself is really original, and so int...

Aspiring actor Edward (Sebastian Stan) undergoes a radical medical procedure to change his appearance. But his dream quickly turns into a nightmare as he becomes obsessed with getting back what he lost. I had seen the trailer of this film ages before I watched it, but I didn’t really know what it was about or understand the concept. But I was really intrigued to watch it, especially as a fan of Sebastian Stan. I loved this film. It’s such an original premise told in a great way. The story is really fascinating. Edward is such an interesting character both before and after his change, and it was great that we got to know him well at both of these different points. The performances are outstanding. The supporting actors do an amazing job of holding the story up, but Stan completely carried the film and did an incredible job with his role. I'm so glad he won the Golden Globe, and can definitely see more awards in his future. The film explores a lot of complex ideas and themes in a rea...

Film number 1 for the bucket list, and the first film I watched in 2025, was this one. And I am so majorly disappointed. For a start, while I hadn't really heard of the film, and had no idea what it was about, I had high hopes just because it was on the bucket list and starred some great actors. So I went in expecting to be excited and entertained - especially because according to the bucket list poster, the genre this fits into is crime, which is a genre I tend to like. But this just wasn't a great film to start the bucket list challenge, or the year, with. I have so many issues with it, mostly centred around the characters, the fact that we never really get to know them, and the weird way they are being portrayed. I also thought it could have been paced a bit better. And I have no idea why they decided to turn Butler's character from a wholesome family man (potentially) into Jigsaw. It just didn't work for me at all, and it's not one I can imagine watching again u...

  When Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is fired on her 50th birthday, she is offered the chance to become a newer, better version of herself.  I had heard such good things about this film before watching it, but I read as little as possible because I wanted to go in completely blind – and that definitely paid off! I absolutely loved this film! When you know completely what it’s about, the concept is really intriguing and original, because it takes a somewhat universal experience, turns it on its head and creates a world that shows us the visual manifestation of these feelings. And it does this in such a creative way, with really unique visuals. This film is visually one of the most original films I’ve seen maybe ever! And that goes for the dialogue too – very well written and original. The film has so much to say about ageing, vanity, beauty and self-esteem, and it’s saying these things so well. The performances were incredible. Demi Moore certainly deserves to be awarded for h...

Following the events of the first film, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is awaiting trial for murder when he meets Lee (Lady Gaga), and immediately discovers just how powerful love can be. I was really excited about seeing this before hearing the general view of it. I loved the first film so much and, while I didn’t think a sequel was necessary at all, I was excited to see where it would go.  While I tried not to let public opinion sway me too much, I did go in with low expectations. But because of that, I was pleasantly surprised. It really wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. For a start, the opening was something I was expecting to hate, and while it was weird, it was also really original and I liked that. It told me that the film was going to take risks, which is always welcome for me. I felt like I was in the minority before the film came out because I was really excited to read that it was a musical. It was unexpected, but also really inventive and fun. And while this didn’t ...

As the Von Erich brothers attempt to make history in the world of professional wrestling, their lives are marred by a perceived family curse. This is the other film that I should have watched a lot sooner than I did, but it felt like the kind of film you have to be in the mood for and I never felt like I was. But thankfully I’ve now seen it! I really liked this film. From the start, the characters are so interesting. Even without knowing that this is a true story, they feel so authentic and are extremely well written. The story is so engaging. From the first minute, you’re locked in and it doesn’t let you go until the credits roll. Not only are the characters and story genuinely interesting, but the way the story is told is extremely compelling. The relationship between the brothers is what holds the film together, and the actors do an excellent job of creating and maintaining this chemistry. But speaking of the characters, the father (played by Holt McCallany) is such a complex charac...

  A chance encounter at a bar leads Kathy (Jodie Comer) to meet Benny (Austin Butler), a member of motorcycle club 'The Vandals'. Over the next decade the lives of Kathy, Benny and the club members changes forever. This is one of two films that I put off watching for way too long, so I wanted to review it as soon as possible. But as a huge fan of Sons of Anarchy I was looking forward to seeing a different version of motorcycle club culture. I really liked this film. For a start, the cast, while random, is really great. Of course it’s well known that Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer are amazing actors, but the entire cast does an amazing job with the characters. It’s clear a lot of effort went into creating and writing them. The actors also had great chemistry. They all played off of each other really well and the relationships they created felt authentic. As mentioned I’m an SoA fan, and what originally enticed me to this film is that motorcycle clubs aren't an area...

  Happy new year, and happy new movie bucket list! As I did last year, I'll be doing another 100 Movies Bucket List this year, and documenting it here. This bucket list is a bit different in that it's the top 100 movies according to genre, and there are a lot of surprising movies. I was shocked to see quite a few superhero movies and many recognisable franchises. And while the first list had a lot of older classics, this one has older movies and also a lot more modern classics too. Plus it has a lot more going on in the horror department, which I'm really happy about! As I've already done one of these, there are a few movies that are on both lists. I'm watching all 100 movies this year but I won't be writing a post on any repeats unless my views on them drastically change (which I'm sure there will be at least a couple). I can't wait to get started!