Manda's MovieWatch

Such a sweet movie. Fans of the book/movies won’t be disappointed in this telling. No big changes, still the heart warming March sisters just told in a different order and a bit more focused on the wonderful Jo. Meryl Streep is super fun in her role as mega grump Aunt March. A feel good movie for sure and one for the whole family. No need to see it on the big screen, Ryan would be sleeping in the first 10 minutes. 2 watch checks.

Feels like the end of an era. Oh wait, it is. Finally! The end of a loooong story. (Ha! who are we kidding? Disney will milk this cash cow, I foresee lots of spin-offs.) Action packed, some comedic moments and lots of Disney-esque moments (& lots and lots of close up shots of Rey panting…that would make a good drinking game). It was good. If you like Star Wars, I’m sure you’ll like it. I went with Ryan…and he fell asleep. But he’s not a big “Star Wars guy”. 2 watch checks. It’s a big screen movie all the way.

Oy. Ok, this is a very suspenseful, really good war movie. If you loved Saving Private Ryan- this is a movie for you. That said, it’s a war movie. Expect gore & sadness…it is not sugar coated at all. The only sung song in the movie is hauntingly beautiful & the score should be nominated for something. I’m guessing cinematography will too as it’s a cool concept of staying with the main character the entire time. 1 watch check, Ryan would stay awake- he likes war movies. It’s worth the trip to the big screen to feel the full effect the director intended.

Wow. This one gets you in all the feels. It’s been a long time since a movie affected me in such a way. I sobbed after the credits…which is odd, because I laughed through most of this movie. It’s pretty incredible to make such a funny movie with such a dark subject. Totally worth seeing in the theater, this movie needs to win some awards. 1 watch check, I think the theater would be better than renting and Ryan would stay awake for sure!

Great movie. Also a bit terrifying. There’s a scene where the main character races home and throws all kinds of things in his home away. You will want to rush home and do the same thing. It’s very disturbing how recent this story is! You gotta love a David vs. Goliath story but you will definitely feel like you’ve seen this movie before. Mark Ruffalo is great in this movie (is that really Hulk?)! 1 watch check, you can rent it and I think Ryan would stay awake in this one!

For all you mystery/suspense/who-done-it fans out there- this is a perfect movie for you. For the rest of you, there’s enough comedy and farce in it that you’ll enjoy it too. Great performances by the entire cast, especially Mr. Craig. I was thoroughly entertained. 1 watch check, Ryan would stay awake for this (great date movie!) but you can rent it.

This was a good story with a twist you see coming. There’s a little too long of a buildup to the moment you’re waiting and waiting for. Although I was surprised at all the layers of the twist- like an iceberg, I saw it but didn’t realize how big it was under the surface. Helen Mirren & Ian McKellen do an outstanding job, as usual. 2 watch checks, skip the theater and rent instead. Oh & Ryan would have been snoozing within the first 10 minutes.

Buckle your seat belts, it’s a wild ride! I loved this movie, I like race cars so it was super fun to watch two of my favorite actors build a race at empire. A great story too. I only had 1 watch check and that’s amazing because this is a long movie. Ryan would definitely stay awake for this one and it’s worth it to see it on the big screen. Be prepared to drive a little faster on the way home…I did.

Like many of the bombs in the naval battle of Midway, this movie had a lot of misses for me. So many story lines but only scratching the surface. I would have rather it focused on one or two people and gone deeper. However, I wasn’t super familiar with the battle of Midway and I like a movie that gives me a history lesson, especially with cool big screen effects. So for that reason, it’s better to see on the big screen. I had 3 watch checks. Ryan would stay awake for this one but with all the good movies out, I’d skip it. Go see Harriet instead.

A little long but a good movie, good story. I think this was actually a love story but had drama/suspense as well. Edward Norton is amazing in it. I really enjoyed the throwback to the 50s and was impressed with all the little things (like phrases) that felt true to the time period. There were a lot of moving parts to the story but it kept me engaged throughout. I think it was too long for Ryan, he would have nodded off. I had 2 watch checks. I think you can rent it but part of it’s beauty is the set design and feel of 50s Brooklyn that may not be as impressive on the smaller screens.