Tag: Disney Plus

Quiz Lady (2023) | REVIEW

Awkwafina and Sandra Oh in Jessica Yu’s Quiz Lady — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Jessica Yu — Screenplay by Jen D’Angelo.

Jessica Yu’s Quiz Lady follows Anne (played by Awkwafina), a young woman with social anxiety and an obsession with a certain game show named ‘Can’t Stop the Quiz.’ One day, she is informed that her mother has fled the home that she was in and left for Macau presumably to gamble and get out of her gambling debt in America. This information also reaches Anne’s older sister Jenny (played by Sandra Oh), who is a decidedly more outgoing party girl, and they reconnect for a few days. On one of those days, Jenny secretly records and uploads a video of Anne watching her favorite game show. It becomes an instant hit online as Anne knows every single answer to every single question.

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NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (2023) | REVIEW

Kaitlyn Dever hiding from an Alien in NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Brian Duffield — Screenplay by Brian Duffield.

It is possible to sometimes find true hidden gems in the vast library of streaming services. Frankly, sometimes studios opt to dump strong films onto streaming services, even though the film in question possesses a clear and obvious theatrical release potential. This is one of those occasions. Brian Duffield’s NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU is the kind of horror science-fiction film that knows exactly what it is and how it can carve out its own place among the many inspirations that will probably be clear for most people to see. It’s exactly the kind of film that I would go crazy for in theaters, but which we have been provided with from the comfort of our own homes. Subscribers of Hulu (or Disney+ depending on your location) have been given a special little science-fiction invasion film about alienation and a specific alien home invasion. 

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Vacation Friends 2 (2023) | REVIEW

Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, Meredith Hagner, and John Cena in VACATION FRIENDS 2 — PHOTO: Katrina Marcinowski / 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Clay Tarver — Screenplay by Clay Tarver.

Two years ago, Vacation Friends was released on Hulu, Disney+, or one of the other international Disney-owned streaming services. It boasted a relatively strong main cast, and it was a solid and charming enough comedy flick that I enjoyed much more than I expected to. Back then, I found that John Cena’s excitable comedic energy elevated what was essentially a passable but definitely enjoyable streaming comedy. Parts of that first film felt disposable, but there was enough good there for me to remember the so-so original comedy fondly. Now, two years later, Clay Tarver and 20th Century Studios have gotten the original cast back together for a direct sequel hoping to recapture that same magic. Tarver doesn’t fully succeed, even though there are moments here that do work (and some that work better on paper than as it has been carried out on screen).

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Flamin’ Hot (2023) | REVIEW

Jesse Garcia and Dennis Haysbert in FLAMIN’ HOT. Photo by Anna Kooris. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Eva Longoria — Screenplay by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chavéz.

Based on Richard Montañez’s memoir titled A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive, Eva Longoria’s Flamin’ Hot follows Richard Montañez (played by Jesse Garcia), a Mexican American, as he gets a job as a janitor at Frito-Lay, which he hopes he can build a career from by slowly rising up the ranks. When the Frito-Lay factory where he is employed hears about the potential of significant layoffs, Richard tries to ‘think like a CEO.’ He comes up with the idea to pitch a spicy chip to Frito-Lay, which utilizes the kind of flavors that Mexican-Americans grow up with. However, when his own bosses won’t listen to him, he has to contact the CEO of PepsiCo (played by Tony Shalhoub).

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Ed Sheeran’s The Sum of It All is Better Than Your Average Modern Music Documentary | Review

Everyone gets a documentary nowadays. Whether it’s Apple TV+, Disney+, or Netflix, you can find several documentaries highlighting musicians. Naturally, some of these documentaries are more fascinating than others. Some music documentaries are put out to function as tell-all documentations of a tour or the construction of an album, others function as these musician origin stories that are obviously heavily constructed by the musician so that the right story is told from their point of view. The very best music documentaries get to find a way under the skin of their artist. On the surface, this Ed Sheeran docu-series may look exactly like one of the many unremarkable types of music documentaries. But once you dive right in and follow along, you are met with the kind of documentary that goes more than merely skin deep.

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REVIEW: Luca (2021)

“Luca” Still Image – Photo: Disney / Pixar.

Directed by Enrico Casarosa — Screenplay by Jesse Andrews & Mike Jones.

Pixar’s Luca, which is available to watch right now with a Disney+ subscription, is a, pardon the pun, fish-out-of-water coming-of-age story about Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), a teenage sea monster, who is curious about what exactly happens above the surface of the water. His parents — voiced by Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan — tell him to stay away from the surface out of a fear that the sea monster-fearing humans might catch him. But Luca, like another Disney-protagonist once sang, wants to be where the people are.

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REVIEW: WandaVision – “The Series Finale”

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION, exclusively on Disney+. — Photo: Disney+ / Marvel Studios.

The following is a recap and review of the ninth and final episode of WandaVision, available exclusively on Disney+. Expect story spoilers and general Marvel Cinematic Universe spoilers. 

In the ninth (and supposedly final) episode of WandaVision — appropriately titled The Series Finale — Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) must fight for her family’s continued existence as Agatha Harkness (played by Kathryn Hahn) threatens their safety by trying to absorb Wanda’s life force and powers. Meanwhile, the Vision (played by Paul Bettany) goes up against an all-white version of himself, who is on a mission to terminate Wanda Maximoff. In the series finale, our friends and foes battle it out while the future of the Hex is very much up in the air.

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REVIEW: WandaVision – “Previously On”

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION, exclusively on Disney+. — Photo: Disney+ / Marvel Studios.

The following is a recap and review of the eighth episode of WandaVision, available exclusively on Disney+. Expect story spoilers and general Marvel Cinematic Universe spoilers. 

In the eighth episode of WandaVision — titled Previously On — we learn more about who Agatha Harkness (played by Kathryn Hahn) really is, before she and Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) take a trip down memory lane to rewatch and expand upon pivotal moments in Wanda’s life, which reveals why the Hex bubble universe was even created in the first place. Continue reading “REVIEW: WandaVision – “Previously On”” →

REVIEW: WandaVision – “Breaking the Fourth Wall”

Paul Bettany as Vision in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION, exclusively on Disney+. — Photo: Disney+ / Marvel Studios.

The following is a recap and review of the seventh episode of WandaVision, available exclusively on Disney+. Expect story spoilers and general Marvel Cinematic Universe spoilers. 

In the seventh episode of WandaVision — titled Breaking the Fourth Wall — Darcy (played by Kat Dennings) brings Vision (played by Paul Bettany) back up to speed, while Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) decides to have a day all to herself, which means that ‘Agnes’ (played by Kathryn Hahn) has to take care of the twins. Meanwhile, Monica Rambeau (played by Teyonah Parris) tries to get back inside the Hex. Continue reading “REVIEW: WandaVision – “Breaking the Fourth Wall”” →

REVIEW: WandaVision – “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!”

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION, exclusively on Disney+. — Photo: Chuck Zlotnick / Disney+ / Marvel Studios.

The following is a recap and review of the sixth episode of WandaVision, available exclusively on Disney+. Expect story spoilers and general Marvel Cinematic Universe spoilers. 

In the sixth episode of WandaVision — titled All-New Halloween Spooktacular! — Tommy (played by Jett Klyne) and Billy (played by Julian Hilliard) get ready to celebrate their first Halloween inside the Hex with their family, including their mysterious “uncle,” Pietro (played by Evan Peters), who Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) seems slightly suspicious of (perhaps because he, well, has been ‘recast,’ as a character in the previous episode said). Meanwhile, Vision (played by Paul Bettany) has decided to lie to his family and explore Westview on his own. Continue reading “REVIEW: WandaVision – “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!”” →