josiahwlawrence

I judged this movie too much before I saw it. From looking at the style of the film to what the media was saying, I immediately dismissed it as just another animated film that will be nominated in February because of the company's name. When my sister asked me to watch it with her, I was stunned.

In a mythical world where magic has become something of the past, Ian turns sixteen and he and his brother Barley receive a present from their deceased father that can bring him back for one day. But when the procedure goes wrong, Ian and Barley are sent on a time-sensitive mission. I really like the story. I wouldn't say it's Pixar's best, but at least it's not another The Good Dinosaur. The pacing is great and should keep people of all ages interested. At times I thought to myself, "This is cheesy," but then I thought about how life is cheesy sometimes and it's not so cheesy anymore.

The characters, in my opinion, are great. Barley is more than meets the eyes, while Ian is someone who's scared to try. Even the side characters feel like characters and not plot devices. I do want to talk about one character in particular. Disney's "first" LGBTQ+ character Spector. She is barely in the film, and she's getting a lot of attention. This isn't representation. I want to see more well-represented LGBTQ+ characters, but instead, we get characters with throw away lines. She's a good character, but she's not representing, she's a marketing strategy.

The animation in this film is stunning, but you should've seen that coming. After all, it's Pixar. This is Dan Scanlon's second time directing an animated film, following Monsters University, and it's damn good directing. Some of the shots impressed me quite a bit, and there's a scene towards the end of the film where I was very impressed with how he directed it.

The voice-over work is spectacular. Tom Holland and Chris Pratt are great choices for their characters, while Octavia Spencer nails her role. The sound editing and mixing are great as well.

In the end, this film actually reminded me of an important lesson: don't judge art before viewing it. I actually really enjoy this film. The story is captivating, the voice-over work is great, and the animation is beautiful. I do hope Pixar releases more original content like this.

I recently saw this film with a group of acquaintances, and after finding out that it was a Christian film, I dropped all my expectations. I was ready to watch a sermon, not a story. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out it wasn't complete garbage. DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying Christian films can't be good. Films like The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Prince of Egypt (1998) are critically praised.

When John Harrison learns that coaching a basketball team won't be an option due to many basketball players moving away, he becomes a cross-country coach. His life changes when he meets his only runner, Hannah Scott, and a man he recently met in a hospital. The story is predictable, with nothing new brought to the genre's table, but there's something special about this film. Films like God's Not Dead (2014) are more about the message it's trying to preach, with the story left in the dust. However, I could feel the story in this film which was refreshing for a Faith/Religion based film.

The score and soundtrack near the end of the film made me cringe a tad bit, but that aside, the score and soundtrack are forgettable. There are some nice shots during the climax, but the directing and cinematography are mostly bland.

I've seen absolutely trash acting in a lot of faith-based films, but the acting in this film is Oscar-worthy compared to others in its genre. Outside of the genre, the acting is average. Cameron Arnett gave the best performance of the ensemble.

In the end, the film isn't anything special and will probably be forgotten with time, but it's refreshing compared to the many faith-based films. I give Overcomer a 4/10.

When I heard about this documentary, my expectations were relatively low. I was a fan of Taylor Swift's music in the 2000s and early 2010s, but over time, I guess I just drifted away. Upon hearing about the documentary, I thought maybe it would be some "believe in your dreams" bullcrap to inspire the younger fans. I was wrong. Taylor shows how she deals/dealt with real issues that everyone can relate to. From feeling alone, the need to be the best you possibly can, and eating disorders, it stunned me. The documentary shows us Taylor's life from a new perspective, HER perspective. I would've never guessed that she felt that way at the VMAs. The documentary also shows the results of callout culture, and how she coped with it. Taylor has gone through a lot these past two decades, and the documentary shows everything in a new light. Does this documentary make me want to go listen to her music? Yeah, but not the same way I used to. Do I have more respect for Swift? Undoubtedly. I give Miss Americana a 9/10