cricketbat

While I am not the primary audience for Turning Red, I found many parts of it to be enjoyable. This movie has some well-groomed animation, with a paw-ful of quirky moments that made me chuckle. However, the plot loses some of its magic as it progresses, and the metaphor gets muddled. I don't really know what we're supposed to think about the end result. Also, I couldn't decide if I found Meilin highly annoying or somewhat endearing which, I guess, maybe was the point? So no, I am not a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is obsessed with boy bands, but I still liked certain aspects of Turning Red.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a movie called Elemental is pretty basic. Anyone who watches this movie knows what the message is within the first 10 minutes, but that doesn't stop it from constantly reminding you of it every chance it gets. And the watered-down plot doesn't really have any spark to it. I'm not trying to flame this children's film, but the wishy-washy humor didn't ignite any laughter in me. And while I thought Mamoudou Athie was all wet, Leah Lewis kindled a good performance as Ember and the animation was decent. I don't regret watching Elemental, but I might forget I've seen it.

The only thing that sets Sleeping with the Enemy apart from a clichéd Lifetime original movie is the fact that Julia Roberts is in it. I couldn't get over the fact that every performance in this 90s thriller is either lifeless or overly melodramatic. Patrick Bergin has the crazy eyes down pat, but the way he delivers lines was just so wooden. Even though there are moments of suspense, most of the film is just filler, and the very convenient ways the plot advanced made me chuckle. I didn't hate Sleeping with the Enemy, I'm just having a difficult time understanding why it did so well at the box office.