Bria Lou Reviews

Bridget Jones ( Renée Zellweger)  is back, and navigating life as a single mother and widow when she unexpectedly finds herself getting back into the dating scene. I was looking forward to seeing this film. I've seen the previous Bridget Jones movies, and while I wouldn't say they're huge favourites of mine, they're all a fun watch, and the first two are really nostalgic, so I was interested to see where Bridget would end up in this one. I absolutely loved this movie! I think I can confidently say that for my personal tastes, it was the best of all 4. It's not a spoiler to say that the film deals with the topic of grief. I think it does this really really well, while also keeping the franchise's usual comedic elements. It explores the theme through the eyes of both Bridget herself and her children in a really beautiful way. This version of Bridget, being older and a mother, was my favourite version of her. She really suits the role and I found her to be a much m...

  Next up for the Bucket List was a re-watch. I watched this film for the first time a couple of years ago, mostly out of curiosity. I've seen the 2005 version multiple times, and have absolutely loved the current slate of Kong and Godzilla movies, so I wanted to see how it all began (and I love that a Godzilla film is on the bucket list too, though not the original). For the most part, taking into account the film was released in 1933, I think it holds up well. Yes, the visual effects are completely dated, but the story itself has been retold multiple times because it's something that could easily happen today - someone travelling to a mysterious island for posterity, or in today's world to post their pictures on social media. It really works. The acting is great, you really believe the characters are going through this experience and the actors all do a great job with their roles. It's also a reminder of the way films can be told succinctly. I have no problem with a l...

  After a devastating loss, Hanno (Paul Mescal) uses his hidden past to battle the powerful emperors trying to conquer his home. I watched the first Gladiator film as part of last year's movie bucket list and I liked it. I didn't think it absolutely needed a sequel, but I was interested to see one nonetheless - even moreso after it got an Oscar nomination. I thought this film was fine, there were things I liked and didn't like almost in equal measure. I really liked the opening sequence, it was really engaging and took the audience straight back into the world of the first film. I also really liked the way this film connected to the first one. The visuals are stunning, particularly all of the scenery and set pieces.  From the offset, I cared about these new characters less than I cared about the first ones. Maybe because it's a sequel, but in the first film there was a real connection to the characters that this one wasn't able to replicate for me. It felt a lot lon...

  Rue is happy with her life as a biotech engineer with few friends and no repeat hook-ups until she meets Eli, the extremely attractive man trying to take over the company she works for. Torn between loyalty and an ill-advised connection, can Rue make the right decision to save her company and her heart? I'm a huge fan of Ali Hazelwood, so this book was high on my most anticipated books for this year. She always writes romance really well so, even though there was a disclaimer at the beginning of this book stating that it's different from her other works, I was sure I'd still enjoy it. And while I did enjoy it, I was also disappointed with it. But like all of Hazelwood's books, it was really easy to get into. I picked it up to skim the first page and ended up reading the whole first chapter because I was already hooked. I felt like I knew Rue just from that and really liked being in her head. It was also just an easy read all the way through. Even when I wasn't lik...

  One of my favourite things about this year's bucket list is that there are more horror movies! I was really disappointed that last year's only had a couple, but this one has a good few and they're mostly more modern classics, which is nice. I didn't really expect this film to be on the list. Even when I saw it I initially assumed it would be the original version, but no, the 2017 version is now considered a classic horror movie and I'm here for it! I've rewatched this so many times since first seeing it in the cinema, so I was excited to see it again! I can't pinpoint my favourite thing about it - there's so many amazing things to list. For a start, the cast. All of the actors did an amazing job with their roles, and it's been nice to see some of them continue to have great careers off the back of this. They had great chemistry, they all worked really well together, and even though this was a horror movie it really did look like they had fun making...

  After Blake (Christopher Abbott) and his family are attacked by a mysterious creature in the woods, Blake begins to make a strange transformation. I hadn't heard great things about this film when it came out, but it still had an intriguing enough premise that I was looking forward to seeing it. Unfortunately, the reviews weren't great for a reason. For a start, the opening scene was way too long without taking the time to make the audience care about these characters. And even when the characters change and the film actually gets started, we never really get the chance to care about them, and we never really connect with them. Everything felt like it was taking a really long time to happen. The film is called 'Wolf Man', so why did it take such a long time for us to actually see the wolf man? At almost an hour in (bearing in mind the film is only 1hr 43 mins), nothing had really happened. I've seen so many general complaints online about the lighting in movies and...

  Former spies Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) are pulled back into the CIA when their secret identities are compromised. I wasn't really planning to watch this film, mostly because I didn't think I'd enjoy it that much. But after seeing it pop up again and again and again on Netflix, I decided to give it a go. Thankfully, the film was better than I thought it would be. Though that's not to say it was great. For a start, a lot of the dialogue felt like a parody - like the film was a spoof making fun of other similarly-themed spy movies. This got better and more believable as the film continued, but at the beginning it just hits the ear wrong. The action scenes, though, were really well done in the sense that they were really fun, creative and moved the story forward. Another fun thing about the film was the soundtrack. Not all of the songs completely fit the scenes they were used in, but they were entertaining regardless. Where the story fell down for me was ...

  After nearly a year following Tobias Hawthorne's rules, Avery is ready to claim her inheritance. But when a familiar face arrives at the mansion with a mystery to solve, Avery and the Hawthorne brothers must drop everything to play one final game. A game with a deadly consequence. I reviewed the first two books of the series, The Inheritance Games and The Hawthorne Legacy  and while I liked the second a lot more than the first, neither really grabbed me. But the ending of the second made me curious enough to pick up the third, so that's what I did! Again, while I think this was better than the first book, I didn't love it. For a start, the ending of the second book was a bit convoluted, which made the start of the third book a bit confusing. But thankfully everything was explained well and in an interesting way, rather than the reader just being told what had happened. I really liked that it got right into the action and straight into another mystery. I found it strange ...

Next up for the Bucket List was a pick from the Sci-Fi genre. This was another really unexpected one. I had heard of the film, though I'd never seen it, but I was surprised to see it on the list.  It's one that is more liked among audiences than critics, which isn't really common for bucket list picks. Or at least, it wasn't for the first bucket list. I loved this film.  From the first moment I was really engaged and this was the same the entire way through. I found the concept really intriguing and was glued to the screen. Though I will say there was a lot I didn't expect before I watched it - mainly how much trauma it would show/insinuate. Which of course makes sense, but it still took me by surprise. The acting was great - the child actors, in particular, were amazing in their roles and may have done a better job than their adult counterparts. They were definitely the reason I loved the film as much as I did. But the main thing I loved was the concept - I've ...

  A successful CEO (Nicole Kidman) risks her career and family when she begins an affair with a younger intern (Harris Dickinson). I was really looking forward to seeing this. The trailer blew up online and it was so highly anticipated that I had really high hopes for it, even though I didn't see as many people talking about it after it came out. Unfortunately, I ended up being a bit disappointed with this one, though I did enjoy watching it. All of the actors had great chemistry and worked really well together. I thought the film did a good job of making Remy (Kidman) a morally grey character that we don't root either for or against, despite not agreeing with her actions. A comment I put in my notes was that it was erotic without being sleazy or uncomfortable, but after sitting with it for a bit, it wasn't really as erotic as you'd think by watching the trailer. And I don't really think the erotic scenes are the best or most defining parts of the story. From beginn...

  Next up for the bucket list was a first-time watch. I'd heard of this film a bit, I think I've maybe even played one of the games it comes from, but I didn't really know anything about the films, including what they were about. This one took me a little while to get into. Although it's classed as a horror movie, particularly at the beginning it feels heavily sci-fi influenced, and when we're trying to figure out what's going on at the same time as the main character, it just didn't hold my attention. But it does get more interesting as it goes on, even if I didn't connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. It has some really creative and imaginative visuals that made it quite a fun watch. This film is a reminder of how different this bucket list is to the last one - I'm not aware of whether or not this is really considered a classic, but I love that movies that don't seem to be critically acclaimed, are still given their time to shine....

  Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is an angry, depressed woman who isolates herself by lashing out at those around her. But as she delves deeper into her feelings with the help of her sister Chantelle (Michele Austin), she is forced to confront some difficult things she's spent her life burying. I was really looking forward to seeing this one, mostly because of the trailer, which was really well made. But I'm also a fan of Marianne Jean-Baptiste so it probably would have been on my radar regardless. I really liked this movie. The first thing that needs to be mentioned are the performances. Every person in the film did an amazing job supporting Jean-Baptiste in telling this story, and she herself did an amazing job playing Pansy, an incredibly complex, powerful character. I loved the relationship between Pansy and Chantelle, and I really would have liked to see more of it. But the best thing about the film for me is how authentic it is, especially the dialogue in the first half. ...

  Next up for the Bucket List was the first film on the list that was labelled a 'tragedy'. I'd never heard of this film, but reading the title, I felt pretty certain I knew what the tragedy would be, and as well as being prepared, I was a bit sceptical about whether I would personally be affected by it. And, wow was I wrong. For a start, I didn't guess where it was going, which threw me off track. Because not only did the film affect me so much more than I thought it was going to, but it's still affecting me now. Maybe it was because what happened caught me off guard, but I was a mess after watching this. There was one point where the dam broke, and after that it just didn't let up! Of course the film was really well acted, but I feel like the basics of the story are enough to be put into any context, with any actors, and still evoke an extreme emotional reaction. Hachi was the centrepiece of the film and everything else was just supporting his story. There...

  It's Oscar day! I'm always so excited for this night, and this year I've seen more nominees than I usually would so I'm really excited to write this post and see them laid out! As usual, I'll go through the categories where I've seen most or all of the nominees and highlight what I think will win, what I want to win, and why. But I'll start by ranking the Best Picture nominees. 10. A Complete Unknown 9. Dune: Part 2 8. Emilia Perez 7. I'm Still Here 6. Conclave 5. The Brutalist 4. Nickel Boys 3. Anora 2. Wicked 1. The Substance This ranking is mostly based on my initial ratings after seeing each of these films for the first time, rather than what I think should win Best Picture. The only change I've made is moving Anora up a spot after rewatching it and really loving it. If I was reviewing it today the score would definitely be higher! I also put Dune above A Complete Unknown despite not giving Dune a rating because I felt that the visuals, cinemat...

  Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres) tries to keep her family together while piecing together the truth behind her husband Rubens' (Selton Mello) disappearance. This was the last Best Picture nominee I needed to see, so I went to see it without looking up what it was about, only knowing what it was nominated for and the fact that the acting was being very highly praised. I liked this film. The premise of it kind of took me by surprise. Because I didn't know what it was about I was locked in from the beginning to see where it would go. It was really engaging. The performances really were great. Torres is nominated for her performance and I'm glad because she did an amazing job with this character. Eunice is the heart of the film and the audience needs to be able to connect with her emotionally to truly care about this family, and it's really easy to do so. One of the best things about Torres' performance is her chemistry with Mello. The film did a really great job of sho...

  Elwood (Ethan Herisse) has a promising future when he is sentenced to brutal reformatory Nickel Academy. Once there he meets Turner (Brandon Wilson) and forms a friendship that becomes essential to his survival. This is one of the Best Picture nominees that I knew the least about, so because of that, it was also one of the ones that I went into with the least context. I loved this film. I was immediately gripped just by the unique way it was shot. From what I've seen online the first person pov is a bit hit or miss, but it really hit for me. It was so creative and interesting, and immediately allowed me to build a connection with the characters. It also made everything that happened much more powerful, being able to live in this world through Elwood and Turner's eyes was really impactful. The film was really reminiscent of the film 'Sleepers', not just in terms of the subject matter, but in the way it creates fear and tension, and how these feelings are passed on to t...

  Cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) tour Poland in honour of their grandmother, but as they explore their family history, they are forced to confront their complicated relationship. This was one of the films of Oscar season that I was most looking forward to seeing. I really liked the premise and had heard really good things. I really liked this movie. For a start, it was clear from the first 15 minutes why this film has been nominated for a screenplay Oscar. The film is written so well, captures and evokes so many complex emotions and really makes the audience pay attention to the characters. Speaking of which, I loved both of the characters almost instantly. They're so different, and their interactions are what the film is pretty much centred on, and why it works so well. The balance of comedy/humour and drama is done really well, which is down to the writing, direction and acting. I didn't know until the credits rolled that Eisenberg wrote and directe...

  While imprisoned at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a crime he didn't commit, Divine G (Colman Domingo) finds his purpose while putting on a comedy show with a group of other incarcerated men. This is a film I hadn't heard much about until it was nominated for an Oscar, but once it was I looked it up and was definitely interested in seeing it. I liked this film a lot. The group of characters was really interesting. They were all unique, fascinating to watch and wholly authentic. I knew before starting the film that a lot of the actors played themselves, as they were men that were formally incarcerated. But once I got into the film, I kind of forgot this. They felt like actors doing an amazing job of creating authenticity for these characters, so the fact that this was so real, and so close to them, just made the film a real experience to watch. It was also shot really authentically in the sense that it felt like a documentary. It never felt like the actors were on a '...

  Escaping post-war Europe, an architect (Adrien Brody) moves to America to rebuild his life and bring his family to safety. But their lives are forever changed when he meets a wealthy industrialist (Guy Pearce). This was probably the most highly-anticipated film of Oscar season for me, based on what I'd already seen and the way people were talking about it. It seemed like a front-runner for some of the major awards, so of course I had to see it. I liked this more than I expected to. I feel like the things most people talk about are the runtime, and the fact that it's broken into two parts (with the second part generally considered the worst). The runtime didn't really worry me much. Of course there's always the fear that a long film will feel 10 times longer if it's boring, but in general I don't mind long runtimes - though it was nice that it had an intermission. Though in saying that, I didn't really notice the runtime, particularly in the first half. It ...

In 1970s New York, a young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) becomes the protégé of cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Now if I'm honest, I wasn't planning to watch this film. I didn't think I'd find it entertaining and I didn't particularly care about the subject matter, so it wasn't on my list. But seeing that it has been nominated for awards, with one of those nominations being a very well-deserved 'Best Actor' Oscar nomination for Sebastian Stan, I couldn't not watch it. And as expected, the best thing about this film is Stan and his performance. He's great in the role, and the supporting actors do a great job of helping to tell this story. I didn't really know what to make of the tone of the film. From the very beginning things just feel a bit weird, and because of that, it took me a while to really get into it. It never made me care about any of the characters one way or the other, which may have been the intention.  The relationshi...

Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) must fight alongside the Fremen to avenge his family, while being plagued by visions of a dark future.  This was the biggest surprise to me during Oscar season. It's not that I didn't think it would get nominated, I just never really thought about it period, so I didn't expect that I'd have to watch it. I saw the first Dune, and I couldn't even review it or give it a rating because I felt nothing about the film, and didn't think it would be fair to try and critically review it. There was nothing wrong with it, it just wasn't for me. And so I was never planning to watch the second, and I definitely wasn't planning to review it. So, while I have to write a post on it because it's nominated, this won't be a proper review, and I won't be giving it a rating. Because just like the first, I felt nothing about this film, I don't have any positive or negative feelings about it, and that doesn't usually happen ...

A year after the Kettle Springs massacre, Quinn has left the small town to go to college, somewhere where nightmares of clowns don't plague her. But when she is attacked by a familiar clown, while her dad is attacked by another clown in Kettle Springs, she realises that her nightmare isn't over yet. The first Clown in a Cornfield book was my favourite book of last year. I reviewed it HERE , and even though I gave it 4/5 stars, I reflected on it throughout the year and it was probably a 5 star. Either way I absolutely loved it, so much that I bought the two sequels this year. And as I expected, I absolutely loved the second book! For a start, I loved being back with these characters. After a couple of chapters of being in their heads it's like we never left them. I sometimes say that I don't love multiple points of view in books, but these books are the exception - I loved it in the first one and I loved it in this one. Though hearing from some of the new characters real...

In the 1960s, 19-year-old Bob Dylan ( Timothée Chalamet)  arrives in New York to make music that ends up changing the course of history. This is the time of year where most of the films I see are films I'm watching just because they've been nominated, and this is the first of the films I watched after the nominations came out, so I didn't have feelings about seeing it one way or the other, I just had to. This film didn't really click for me. I didn't hate it, but there was a lot I didn't like about it. But let's start with the good things. As someone who has never really listened to folk music, or to Bob Dylan's music, the film brought both of these things to the forefront. I heard so many songs I'd never heard before, and the songs were sung really well. I didn't know while watching if the actors were actually singing the songs, but it didn't matter because the music scenes felt authentic. It's clear there was a lot of passion behind the...

  Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is participating in the selection of the new Pope. But as secrets are unveiled, Lawrence discovers that what he knows could shake the foundation of the Church, and the lives of the prospective Popes, forever. This wasn't a film I was particularly looking forward to, but as I heard the rumblings of Oscar nominations I wanted to check it out. And now I know it's been nominated, I'm really glad I saw it! I liked this film more than I thought I would. The thing that initially put me off the premise was just that it seemed like a really odd concept to make a film about, when you take everything at face value before delving deeper. It didn't really seem like an interesting idea. But this is immediately thwarted when we get to know the characters a bit better. I loved the variety of them, and the way we learn about them through the selection process. It was really unique and immediately draws you into the film. It was a lot more engaging tha...