Tag: 2020s

Take 3: Let Him Go Review + 380, 385, and 390 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

During my recent mini hiatus, I was thinking about what movie to choose for the long-awaited Blog Follower Dedication Review. While I do have several movies on my DVR, I wanted to choose one that was different from those I have recently reviewed. So, when I saw the 2020 title, Let Him Go, I knew it was the right choice. Like I have stated in the past, the western genre is one that isn’t often covered on my blog. In fact, the last western film I wrote about was the 1999 Hallmark Hall of Fame production, Durango. With this current review, it’ll provide more content related to this specific genre. What makes Let Him Go unique from the other westerns I’ve talked about is how the story takes places later in the 20th century, as the story is set in the early ‘60s. Since I haven’t seen many “modern” westerns, I was curious to see how this type of story would be presented in a different lens. So, without further ado, let’s get this Blog Follower Dedication Review started!

Let Him Go poster created by
The Mazur Kaplan Company, Focus Features, and Universal Pictures

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: While the cast of Let Him Go was strong, there were two actors who gave stand-out performances. The first one came from Lesley Manville. Portraying the Weboy family matriarch, Blanche, her character reminded me of the mob bosses from gangster movies of yesteryear. Lesley carried her character with her own distinct style and personality, which is reminiscent of the aforementioned mob bosses I brought up.  Blanche’s attitude escalates over the course of the movie, becoming viler and more brutal. Even though I wasn’t a fan of Blanche, Lesley’s performance stole the show! The second performance was Booboo Stewart’s! His character, Peter, was my favorite in this film. Booboo’s portrayal consistently appeared genuine, which showed the strength of his acting abilities and the screenwriting. Peter’s presence also brought a sense of peace that was rarely found in this story. I, honestly, wish he was given more appearances in the movie.

The scenery: This movie takes place in Montana and North Dakota. But it was actually filmed in Alberta, Canada. No matter where Let Him Go was filmed, the scenery was beautiful to look at! At the beginning of George and Margaret’s road trip, large mountains dominated the background. That piece of earth was so majestic, I would guess photos and videos do not do those mountains justice. Surrounding these mountains were clear blue skies and grassy hills. All the natural elements came together to create a landscape that brought a sense of peace. I just wish more scenes had taken place outdoors.

The topics discussed: Like I mentioned in the introduction, Let Him Go is set in the early ‘60s. What should also be noted is how two of the film’s overarching topics are child abuse and domestic violence. Even though these subjects are met with a sense of urgency and seriousness today, it was interesting to see how they were viewed over fifty years ago. The attitude surrounding these topics, in the film, carried an “it’s none of my business” energy. This brought a sense of historical realism to the overall story. In Let Him Go, Peter says he was sent to an “Indian school” when he was younger, referring to the residential schools where Native American children were forced to attend. When it comes to entertainment media, these types of educational institutions are not often brought up. So, even though this particular subject was briefly brought up, it was an interesting to see the movie’s creative team include that topic at all.

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What I didn’t like about the film:

A misleading trailer: Before watching Let Him Go, I saw its respective trailer, in an effort to determine if the film was worth seeing. In that trailer, the movie came across as an intense thriller. But when I actually saw the film, it was mostly a drama with thrilling elements. This reminds me of when I saw the 2015 movie, Forsaken. Because of the talent involved and the story’s western genre label, I expected more action in that movie. Instead, the script emphasized the drama in the protagonist’s life. Similarly, most of the action in Let Him Go took place during the climax. The story also revolved around the drama among the Blackledge family. With all that said, I found this film’s trailer misleading.

An unclear time period: As I’ve already said, the story is set in the early ‘60s. In fact, the majority of the film takes place in 1963. However, everything looked and felt like it came straight from the ‘50s. From the Blackledge’s kitchen to the cars in their Montana town, the set design and costumes appeared authentic for that period in time. Toward the beginning of the movie, I wasn’t sure if the story was set in the ‘50s or if the Blackledge family just liked a vintage style. When I saw a headstone bearing the death date of 1961, the time placement of the story became clear to me. The 1960s has a very distinct aesthetic, so I was disappointed it was absent from this film.

The Weboy brothers’ lack of distinctiveness: When the Weboy family is first introduced, the audience meets Blanche and her sons. Before this happens, one of the sons, Donnie, marries the Blackledge’s daughter-in-law, Lorna. Because of that event, Donnie is a memorable character. But his brothers appeared and acted very similar to one another. It got to the point where I had difficulty telling these characters apart. Not only is the screenwriting to blame for this, but I think there shouldn’t have been that many members of the Weboy family.

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My overall impression:

It feels good writing posts after taking some time away from my blog! I honestly did not mean for the hiatus to last two weeks. But I was working on some projects that weren’t blog related. Since I came back at the beginning of December, I can’t wait to check out some seasonal flicks! Now, back to this Blog Follower Dedication Review. Personally, I thought it was just ok. While I am glad I checked out another western, it wasn’t the product advertised. Plus, the film didn’t look or feel like the ‘60s. Despite these major flaws, there are aspects of the movie I did like. The topics discussed in the story provided historical realism, allowing the audience to glimpse how they were viewed back then. I also thought the acting was strong. As I wrap up this review, I want to take the time to thank all of my blog’s followers. Looking back on these three years, I still can’t believe how far I’ve come as a blogger.

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10

Have you seen any westerns lately? If so, would it be worth recommending? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Holly and Ivy Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

For the third year in a row, I am participating in the Christmas in July Blogathon, hosted by Drew from Drew’s Movie Reviews! This time around, I went back to the Hallmark well. When I first joined the blogathon, I reviewed a Hallmark film titled Christmas Camp. If you read that article, you would know that I wasn’t a fan of it. Last year, I wrote about Little House: Bless All the Dear Children, a film that was a fine, family-friendly picture. Since I still had the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie, Holly and Ivy, on my DVR, I chose to review this title for the 2021 blogathon. In 2020, I didn’t see a lot of Christmas films from Hallmark. In fact, the only newer release I watched and/or wrote about was The Christmas Bow. Within a year, I have heard good things about Holly and Ivy, with my family sharing similar sentiments. Therefore, I figured it was time to finally check the movie out. How does it compare to The Christmas Bow? Like a child counting down to Christmas Day, you’re just going to have to wait to find out!

Holly and Ivy poster created by Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Crown Media Family Networks

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: If the interactions between the characters feel like they are having real-life conversations with each other, that’s how you know the acting in a given film is good. That was certainly the case within Holly and Ivy! All of the characters got along well with one another, as they had good on-screen chemistry. It also helps that the cast as a whole was talented! I’ll be honest, I have never seen any of Janel Parrish’s projects from her filmography. However, I did see her on Dancing with the Stars. The way Janel’s character reacts to various situations came across very naturally. While Melody and her neighbor, Nina, are decorating Melody’s Christmas tree, she shares her reason for collecting elf ornaments. The tone of Melody’s voice and the look in her eyes highlights how reminiscent she is over something as small and simple as ornaments. These acting techniques helped make Janel’s performance feel believable. While we’re on the subject of Nina, let’s talk about Marisol Nichols’ performance. While portraying this character, Marisol embodied what a good mother should be. Despite dealing with her own medical issues, she always tries to take an active role in her daughters’ lives. While decorating her family’s Christmas tree, Nina reveals a special tradition that involves Nina performing a dance routine with Holly and Ivy. This scene shows how much she enjoys the life she has created for herself. While I like the performances of Sadie Coleman and Piper Rubio, the actresses who portrayed the titular characters, I want to talk about Jeremy Jordan’s performance. Similar to Janel Parrish, I am not familiar with Jeremy’s filmography. However, I still liked seeing his portrayal of Adam. His on-screen personality was easy-going and care-free. While he took his profession and hobby seriously, Adam just wanted to have a good time. When he interacted with Melody, you could tell just by watching them that these characters were made for each other. It helped that both Adam and Melody had similar personalities, but were traveling on similar paths in regards to their respective careers.

The presentation of Christmas tropes/activities: Hallmark is known for featuring a plethora of Christmas related tropes and activities within each story. But sometimes, these films are oversaturated with them, as if there is a checklist that needs to be completed. Holly and Ivy shows some Christmas related activities that have been featured in other Hallmark films. It’s the way they are included in the story that sets Holly and Ivy apart from the network’s other titles. In one scene, Melody is decorating homemade Christmas ornaments with Holly and Ivy. The purpose of showing these characters creating Christmas decorations is to give the audience some of Melody’s backstory. That small piece of information was emphasized more than the activity. This scene is an example of how there was enough presentation of Christmas tropes and activities for the viewer to get the intended point. At the same time, if you were to put this same story around any other holiday, it would still work.

An emotional balance: In films that revolve around a serious, real world topic, such as a potentially terminally ill relative, the overall tone tends to be heavy. There are times when viewers warn one another to “have a box of tissues at hand” or share that the film will “pull at your heartstrings”. While there are somber moments in Holly and Ivy, the movie itself never felt sad. In fact, feelings of sorrow and despair never crossed my mind. That’s because the script doesn’t rely too heavily on the sadder parts of the story. Instead, the creative team strives for a balance by also focusing of happier, more joyous moments. As I mentioned earlier in this review, Nina is dealing with medical issues. Even though these issues are discussed and an emergency plan is created if the worst-case scenario happens, Nina puts her energy toward helping Melody and being present in her daughters’ lives. In fact, I can think of more scenes where Nina is enjoying the company of her friends and family than worrying about her medical situation.

The 2021 Christmas in July Blogathon banner created by Drew from Drew’s Movie Reviews

What I didn’t like about the film:

Adam’s conflict: It’s typical for the male and female protagonist to have their own conflicts within a Hallmark picture. However, I didn’t like Adam’s conflict in Holly and Ivy. Throughout the film, Adam’s parents wanted him to come work at the family car dealership. But Adam would rather stay a contractor and focus on his woodworking hobby on the side. This conflict reminded me of a young, college-bound adult not seeing eye-to-eye with their parents on a potential degree. Because of this, it felt a bit immature for a character that appears to be in his early 30s. One of the film’s messages and Adam’s parents’ mantra is “help where help is needed’. By being a contractor and taking up woodworking, Adam is doing exactly what his parents wanted; helping where help is needed. It baffled me how his parents failed to realize this until the end of the film.

 Chippewa Falls Library being unbelievably ill-equipped: I understand that some libraries deal with more challenges than others. But based on what the movie presented, the town of Chippewa Falls appeared to be doing just fine. There’s no evidence of the town being a predominantly low-income community or having a high crime-rate. What the characters said about the library’s issues didn’t match up with the visuals. During her time volunteering at the library, Melody comes up with several ideas in order to solve some of the library’s problems. Two of these ideas are renting out meeting rooms for events and setting up a “Mitten Tree” to collect hats and scarves for citizens in need. I can only speak from my own experience, but my local library already does these things. With that said, I find it hard to believe that the Chippewa Falls Library wouldn’t utilize these resources already.

The inclusion of Betty the dog: Holly and Ivy have a dog named Betty, who periodically appears in the film. While I don’t have anything against the dog itself, I don’t think it was necessary to include a dog in this story. Having Betty in the movie felt like she was there just for the sake of being there. If you had written the dog out of the script, I don’t think it would make a difference.

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My overall impression:

Like I mentioned in the introduction, this is my third year participating in the Christmas in July Blogathon. Out of the three movies I’ve reviewed, Holly and Ivy is, by far, the best one! Within the past few years, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has, in my opinion, made stronger films than their companion, Hallmark Channel. This is because Hallmark’s second network appears to try different things when it comes to storytelling. Holly and Ivy is a good example of this, as I highlighted in my review. There wasn’t a heavy emphasis on Christmas tropes/activities like in other Hallmark films. Creating a balance between the happier and sadder moments of the story also helps shape the film’s identity. I ended up liking this movie almost as much as I liked The Christmas Bow. Come to think of it, I wish Holly and Ivy was the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie for 2020. This story certainly has the ingredients for that to have been a reality. But I guess that wasn’t meant to be.

Since we’re still talking about Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, it’s time for me to share who I’d invite to Drew’s Christmas party! This year, I chose John Christian Plummer! For those who are not familiar with him, John is the father of Charlie Plummer and is one of the screen-writers of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Mystery 101 series. When I look back on the celebrities that have been “invited” to Drew’s Christmas party in the past, actors and actresses made up the majority of the guests. While choosing an actor or actress as a guest is totally fine, I wanted to change things up a bit. To an extent, screen-writers are underrated, especially from Hallmark. Therefore, my invitation will, hopefully, give recognition to at least one of them. Like in 2019 and 2020, my invites are about giving “standing ovations”.

Overall score: 7.7 out of 10

What are your thoughts on Holly and Ivy? Which Hallmark movies do you wish had become Hallmark Hall of Fame titles? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at Drew’s Christmas party!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Willy Wonka to Receive a Prequel + Hallmark’s ‘One Winter Wedding’ will Finally Go into Production

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

As I said in a Word on the Street post last September, it hasn’t been easy finding movie news stories to write about these days. So, when I stumbled across this story on Twitter, I thought it would make a perfect topic for the first Word on the Street article of 2021! According to Aaron Couch from The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is creating a new film titled Wonka. The movie “hails from Paddington director Paul King and Harry Potter producer David Heyman”. Aaron also says of the script that “Simon Rich wrote the original draft, with Simon Farnaby and King penning the current draft”. As of January 2021, the film is scheduled for a March 17th, 2023 release. It is also about Willy Wonka’s life before his beloved candy factory came into the picture.

While everyone involved with this project is busy creating their next cinematic project, they are forgetting one major detail. Back in the 2005 film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka’s backstory was revealed. Through a series of flashbacks, the audience learns that Willy created his candy factory in spite of his strict father, who forbade the chocolatier from eating sweets when he was younger. Because of this, it makes Wonka seem like it is using rehashed material and trying to pass it off as new. What would have been more interesting is a movie about Ronald Dahl and how he created one of his most iconic stories.

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Back in 2019, I mentioned that Taylor Cole announced a third film in Hallmark’s One Winter series; One Winter Wedding. However, the reality of the project seemed distant at the time. This was because two of the series’ stars, Jack Turner and Taylor Cole, were working on separate film projects. Now, two years after Taylor made the aforementioned announcement, One Winter Wedding is finally going into production! On the website for UBCP/ACTRA (Union of British Columbia Performers/Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), the movie will start filming on February 1st and end on February 20th. With this production schedule, I predict One Winter Wedding will either be a Christmas film or a 2022 ‘New Year New Movies’ presentation.

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What are your thoughts on these movie news stories? Do you plan on seeing any of the films I mentioned? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Here are the links to the articles I referenced in my post:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-bros-sets-wonka-prequel-for-2023-release?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

https://www.ubcpactra.ca/whats-shooting/ (click on the words “Current Film and TV Production List”)