Mikayla's Media Corner #7

Happy long weekend to me! I decided to create my own 3 day weekend and to celebrate I have compiled a list of movies that I will be marathoning. I hope you’ll check them out.

• First up is, About Time, a 2013 romance starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, and Bill Nighy (not the science guy, I checked). Gleeson’s character, Tim, discovers that the men in his family are able to time travel. The movie follows Tim as he meets and re-meets Mary (McAdams) over and over until he is able to win her over. I love this movie, it’s heartfelt and bittersweet. In addition to watching Tim and Mary fall in love, the film creates a beautiful bond between Tim and his father (Nighy). I enjoyed how time travel was explored on a very human level as a way to more deeply appreciate life. It’s always fun to see time-travel outside the context of superpowers and saving the world. The movie is sweet and very much fits the sit home watching a sad romance movie with ice cream and a blanket vibe, but in the best way possible. (Link to image)

• Burning is a South Korean film that is quietly suspenseful. For lack of better words, it is truly a slow burn, please excuse the pun. The last day to watch this film on Netflix is April 28th. The cinematography is stunning, the acting is wonderful, and it is wholly engaging. The film follows Lee Jong-Su (played by Ah-in Yoo) as he reconnects with a woman he knew growing up, Hae-mi (Jong-Seo Jun). Jong-Su watches Hae-mi’s cat while she is on vacation. Upon her return, she brings with her a mysterious man she met in the airport, Ben (Steven Yeun). When Hae-mi goes missing, Jong-Su becomes suspicious of Ben. The film is languorous and filled with a subtle tension that kept me captivated. The plot is simple, but the film is fully fleshed out crafted with care and attention to every detail. (Link to image)

• After Burning, I’ll be in dire need of something lighter. Cue When We First Met a rom-com starring Adam DeVine and Alexandra Daddario. Funnily enough, it also keeps in line with the time travel theme! Adam DeVine’s character, Noah, stumbles upon a magic time traveling photo booth that allows him to relive the moment he first met Avery (Alexandra Deddario). Noah has not so secretly been in love with Avery for years and uses the photo booth to make her fall in love with him instead of being just friends. As it is a romantic comedy, this horribly backfires and hijinx ensues. I really enjoy DeVine’s humor and am also a fan of Shelley Hennig who plays Avery’s best friend so for me, this movie is a no brainer. When We First Met can be forced and a little cheesy, but overall I think it’s fun. Sometimes you just want to watch something funny that requires minimal attention and this will do the trick. (Link to image)

• The Fundamentals of Caring is a Netflix original from 2016 starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, and Selena Gomez. Paul Rudd plays Ben, a former writer and newly hired caregiver for Trevor (Craig Roberts). Ben convinces Trevor’s mom to allow them to go on a road trip. It’s very much a feel good movie with a combination of quick witty humor and cheesy dialogue. My favorite part of the film was Paul Rudd. He made the dialogue feel natural and his performance was really enjoyable. I think Rudd, Roberts, and Gomez were well cast and had good chemistry as a group. (Link to image)

• The last movie on my list for the weekend is I, Tonya starring Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding. I love this movie and it’s on Hulu! I, Tonya is a dark comedic retelling of the infamous Tonya Harding knee bashing incident told from Tonya’s perspective. It’s sharp, cheeky, and self-aware, it doesn’t hide Tonya’s faults but creates understanding and sympathy for how the figure skating community mistreated her. I thought it was clever how the movie addressed classicism in America through Harding’s experiences. It was entirely engaging and the cast was fantastic. Margot Robbie and Allison Janney’s performances were my favorites. I will never forget the image of Janney in a fur coat with a nasal cannula and tiny bird on her shoulder. (Link to image)