Before I go to Sleep
Amnesia, check. Great leading actors, check. Blockbuster hit movie...yeah, not so fast. It was a slow to start thriller with a few interesting twists and turns. It wasn't bad, but certainly not what I had hoped for with this strong and talented cast. Mark Strong was a perfect mix of uber hottie and caring physician. Hell, if he were an actual doctor, I'd invent reasons to see him. Colin Firth is, well, Colin Firth. I'll watch anything with him in it. Look, it's definitely worth seeing, but I wouldn't rush to see it in theaters. Wait to see it one night when you have a coupon for Redbox and a decent wine to enjoy.
Ouija
Well. I saw Ouija. I knew from the PG-13 rating this was not going to be the horror movie of the year, but I had some hopes for something cool since Michael Bay's name is attached to this. No cool explosions to break up the monotony, and not a single alien robot. Psh. Anyway, there are a few decent scares, but most of the time I was laughing at the absurdity of the story. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm pretty glad I use Glide dental floss picks instead of regular dental floss. This is a perfect pre-teen horror flick for kids that are easily scared.
The Good Lie
Thankfully, The Good Lie is not about white Americans swooping in to save the day, but rather the harrowing journey of four orphans from their obliterated village to a Sudanese refugee camp just over the Kenyan boarder. It's a good movie that tells a story of the Sudanese Lost Boys that needs to be told. The most moving part for me was knowing that there was authenticity in the story. Three of the main actors were Sudanese Lost Boys themselves, and one was the child of Sudanese refugees. You truly feel their personal stake in the story as their characters. The Good Lie is a story with heart, tragedy, humor, and hope. Do yourself a favor and go see it.
Pride
Pride is one of those “based on an inspirational true story” movies you should be able to bat away with a cynical swipe of your hand, but instead leaves you clapping and cheering. I'm not ashamed to admit I left the theater wanting to hug any lesbian, gay, or miner I should come across. I did manage to find both lesbian and gay friends to hug and tell about this movie. (And a few strangers that may or may not think I'm a bit strange) I highly recommend you see Pride immediately. If you happen to know any miners, let me know. I owe them a hug.