10 Days of 10 "New" Movies
- Olivia Madrid
- Apr 1, 2019
- 5 min read
This was something totally random I thought of doing and also used as a way to challenge myself to see new films.
Day 1: Colonia (2015) R
About: The film is set against the backdrop of the 1973 Chilean military coup. A young woman tries to rescue her boyfriend from the notorious cult Colonia Dignidad in the South of Chile by entering into it.
Reaction: I didn't intend to start out with a hard-hitter, but this story was truly shocking and the fact that it is based on a true story makes it all the more incredible. This is a story of two people who escaped the colony; The most that ever escaped was five. Also, I never knew of such a cult or heard of this coup in Chile before I saw the film. The ending left me wondering how much evil is out there that never gets brought to light?
Day 2: Investigating Conspiracy Theories with Shane Dawson (2019) PG
About: Normally I wouldn't qualify a YouTube video as a movie, but this one, running at 1 hour and 30 minutes, was the length of a short feature film, sort of like an episode of BBC's Sherlock. Longtime YouTuber Shane (Lee Yaw) Dawson created a video in which he tests out a voice training app, infiltrates a Chuck E. Cheese to uncover a crazy pizza theory, and interviews his old friend and fellow YouTuber, Brittani Louise Taylor, about the dangers of a previous relationship that led to her taking all necessary measures to protect herself and now 2 year old son.
Reaction: To say I was mind-blown is an understatement. Having followed both of these YouTubers throughout their careers, I was amazed to see and hear the things that were relayed through Shane's personal interview with Brittani, where she exposed the fact that she and her then newborn were on their way to being trafficked in Serbia and she didn't know where they would be or what would have happened if she hadn't "woken up" when she did.
It was heartbreaking to hear such a sweet person as she relay the events that she went through, but to hear how she became willing to take a stand for others who may have been victimized like her was inspiring. It gave me a new and frankly scary perspective on just how tricky and cunning traffickers can be.
Day 3: Catch Me If You Can (2002) PG-13
About: Based on a true story, young check forger Frank Abagnale Jr. traverses across the world identifying as an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer while FBI agent Carl Hanratty slowly, but steadily closes in.
Reaction: I'm liking the "based on a true story" films. To know that they actually happened is kind of exhilarating. This star-studded cast tells this story wonderfully and passionately. I enjoyed the relentless chase that DiCaprio's charming character [Frank] gave to all the characters involved.
Day 4: To All The Boys I've Loved Before (2018) TV-14
About: Lara Jean, a teenage junior in high school, writes letters to boys she has had a crush on in the past, five to be exact. Her personal life gets turned inside out when they get out to each one of those boys.
Reaction: The main character, Laura Jean, thought that "the only drama in [her] life was in [her] head," but when her 'relationship' went public, she realized that was only half of the battle. For her, letting someone into her life that could walk out was scary and seeing her face that fear in the end was appreciated. This film was not really my style. Kinda girly, but it was enjoyable!
Day 5: From Time to Time (2009) PG
About: A young boy goes to live at his Grandmother's old mansion while World War II rages on. He becomes enveloped in the house as ghosts begin to come to life, bringing their history along with them. As he time travels between the present and the 19th century, he unlocks secrets of the mansion that have laid buried for generations.
Reaction: I would describe it as a Narnia-esque experience at Downtown Abbey set in The Sound of Music time period (late 1930s-40s). It was quite entertaining, even when being told by a British cast, and the fascinating history of the old estate kept me wondering when Tolly would jump back into the past. I also appreciated that there were so many stars I recognized from other movies and television, such as Inkheart, BBC's "Downton Abbey" series, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and the Harry Potter films.
Day 6: Dial M for Murder (1954) PG
About: A man attempts to frame his unfaithful wife for murder after she inadvertently thwarts his carefully thought-out plan to have her killed.
Reaction: I can expect nothing less from a Hitchcock film. It goes through so many ups and downs and will keep you guessing what will happen till the end.
Day 7: Coco (2017) PG
About: Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.
Reaction: This was a good movie. The resentment towards the patriarch musician of the family created an interesting and unique basis to forward the plot and was seen throughout the movie affecting various characters differently. I appreciated that approach as opposed to the main character having lost a family member and using that to fuel his determination to get what he wanted. Instead of fulfilling a personal achievement, Miguel used his experience in the Land of the Dead to bring his family back together.
Day 8: Finding Neverland (2004) PG
About: Based on true events and people, this is the story of Sir J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
Reaction: I love Peter Pan. So when I saw there was a movie about the man who wrote it, I was ready to watch. Being one of the more serious films I viewed, I still appreciated the story and it's content. Though dramatized for viewing audiences, the narrative is somewhat enlightening to the author's life and tugs at the inner child to come play and use one's imagine. It definitely made me want to get up and go outside for a change.
Day 9: Spanglish (2004) PG-13
About: A woman and her daughter emigrate from Mexico for a better life in America, where they start working for a family where the patriarch is a newly celebrated chef with an (extremely) insecure wife.
Reaction: The ending left a good message and parts of it were funny, but a lot of the scenes were not necessary and only extended the film to be longer than it should have been. As the story is told from the daughter's point of view, it seems to stray from that idea and confuse the viewer as she is not even in a lot of the scenes. Also, the couple whose house her mother works at are the epitome of weirdness and I was left shaking my head some scenes asking, "what the heck is going on?" If the film were more concise and less extraneous, it could have potential to be a bigger hit. Not really a family movie though. If this was a choice to watch, I wouldn't recommend it.
Day 10: Sweet Home Alabama (2002) PG-13
About: A young woman who's reinvented herself as a New York City socialite must return home to Alabama to obtain a divorce from her husband, after seven years of separation.
Reaction: I'm not about rom-com's, but this was actually pretty cute! The characters were funny and extremely diverse, and the movie embraces every possible stereotype about Southerners, but in a humorous way. Reigniting an old flame is the way this film goes. 3.75 out of 5!
Let me know if you end up watching any of these movies and tell me what you think about them; Thanks for reading!
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