If Beale Street Could Talk

Plot:

A young, pregnant woman from Harlem named Tish (Kiki Layne) and her family struggle to prove her fiancé Fonny (Stephen James) innocent of a crime. Based on the book by James Baldwin. 

Pros:

•Powerful story that left me in tears. Tragic but at the same time hopeful. 

•Amazing direction by Barry Jenkins. He really brought James Baldwin’s story to life in a beautiful way. He’s quickly become one of my favorite directors. 

•Strong performances by the entire cast. Regina King I can definitely see winning Best Supporting Actress. 

•Stunning cinematography. 

Cons:

•None really. This is a movie I highly recommended everyone see. 

My Rating: 10/10

Alita: Battle Angel

Plot:

A female cyborg named Alita (Rosa Salazar) is revived by Dr. Ido (Christopher Waltz) but cannot remember her past life. She goes on a quest to find out who she is. 

Pros:

•I’ve been waiting on this movie for years. When I finally saw a trailer awhile back I thought okay, this is either going to be really good or really bad. I’m happy to say that it’s really good for the most part. 

•Major props to director Robert Rodriguez for bringing to life this interesting and beautiful world that I found myself completely immersed in. I never wanted 

•The visual effects are stunning. I totally forgot that most of it was cg. I don’t say this too often but I’d love to see how it looks in 3D. 

•Loved the father/daughter relationship between Alita and Dr. Ido. Very touching and sweet. 

•Moved at a good pace. 

•Not sure if it’ll make enough money, but I really hope it gets a sequel. 

Cons:

•Some of the dialog is not good. In fact there were moments where it was downright awful and had me cringing. 

•The ending was a bit weak. Still, I definitely recommend it. 

My Rating: 8/10

Mary, Queen of Scots

Plot:

Follows the life of Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan), whose claim to the English throne threatens Elizabeth’s (Margot Robbie) reign. 

Pros:

•Despite the mixed reviews I was curious to see this movie. I’ve always been fascinated with this time period and have seen and read a lot about it. Overall this movie was.... okay. I didn’t think it was bad as some are saying. 

•Ronan and Robbie give good performances. 

•The costumes are nice. 

•Considering this was her directorial debut, I thought Josie Rourke did a fine job. 

Cons:

•I know movies based on real people and events tend to take several liberties but still.... this was inaccurate as fuck! For one thing, Mary and Elizabeth never met. Also, even though I’m all for movies being more diverse, I’m pretty sure Elizabeth never had a lady in waiting who was Asian. Nor did she have an African man on her counsel. 

•The story was very dull in spots and at times it felt like I was watching a slightly better version of a soap opera. 

•The score was pretty generic. 

•If you are interested in this movie, I’d wait for it to come out on Netflix. It’s not something you need to see in theaters. 

My Rating: 6.5/10

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Plot:

Takes places five years after the events of the first movie. Our favorite characters are now facing a new threat- LEGO Duplo invaders from outer space. 

Pros:

•Much like the first movie (which I’m a huge fan of) it’s something that both kids and adults can enjoy. 

•The jokes were funny and clever. I got some genuine laughs. 

•A really sweet story that for the most part I enjoyed. 

•Has a great message. 

•The animation was well done. 

Cons:

•Even though I did enjoy the movie and highly recommended it, I definitely prefer the first movie. That story was a bit stronger than this in my opinion. 

•The songs were okay but none as memorable as Everything Is Awesome. 

My Rating: 8/10

Roma

Plot:

Set in Mexico City in the early 1970s. Follows a year in the life of a middle class family’s maid. 

Pros:

•I can definitely see why this movie is getting so much attention this award season. Wow! This is one of the most beautiful and well made movies I’ve seen in awhile. 

•Alfonso Cuarón based this movie on his life and boy did he put his heart and soul into it.  Everything from the camera angles to the cinematography and especially the powerful yet intimate story. He continues to be one of my favorite directors. 

•Yalitza Aparicio gives an incredible performance. Definitely deserved that Best Actress nomination. 

•While this is available on Netflix, I HIGHLY recommend watching this in theaters if possible. It should be seen on the big screen in order to fully appreciate its beauty. 

Cons:

•It’s a very slow burn. I was fine with that for the most part but I know some people won’t care for that. 

My Rating: 9/10