Cinema: Bumblebee (2018)

The Transformers film franchise has grown into a beast since its debut in 2007, releasing six films in less than ten years. They all merge together as they become more ridiculous shots of robots fighting as they destroy cities. One of the best-rated blockbuster films during Christmas release, Bumblebee had me intrigued to give the franchise another chance, as my love for Transformers is saved to just saving the alspark at Universal Studios Hollywood. 

Bumblebee is a film placed in the mid-eighties, around the time that the original Transformers cartoons debuted, where we meet a young woman who is a bit of an outcast. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) wears dark makeup and listens to the Smiths, as she continues to grieve her father's death while the rest of her family has moved on. She befriends the Autobot, Bumblebee who loses his memory and why he is on earth. 

The film is enjoyable as Charlie begins to be happy and it rubs off on the audience, Bumblebee is more of a pet over an Autobot and although he has lost his voice he is still very personable. Director Travis Knight is known for his role in Laika Studios, the studio that excels in stop motion animation and continuously gets snubbed at the Oscars over Disney films. Knight gives the Autobots life, more than any other film that I recall seeing. This one is memorable and fun to see on a big screen. I’m excited that he is branching out into live action films. Steinfeld is a great actress, but she did need at least another person to share her emotion with, and at times it was a bit too much for her Autobot partner. This film is a great family film and the audience agreed with the cheers and laughter, but if you catch it at home you won’t miss much. 

Streaming: The Princess Switch (2018)

Cute, funny, and predictable. These are the words I would use for to describe the Netflix tv-movie, The Princess Switch. A modern take of the Prince and the Pauper tale, Vanessa Hudgens plays Stacy and Margaret. Stacy is a strong headed, single Chicago baker who has the support of her best friend, Kevin (Nick Sagar). Seeing the desperate plea of help by maintaining her organized life, Kevin and his daughter, Olivia (Alexa Adeosun) submit the bakery to an all-expense paid Christmas baking challenge. While hesitant at first, she accepts the offer and the three of them head to the fictional state of Belgravia. This magical state is where the high jinks start as she runs into the mirror image of herself, Margaret who is the Duchess of Montenaro and soon to be married to the young, handsome Prince.

The film leaves very little to the imagination but like all cheesy, romance Christmas movies that play on repeat around this time, the film does what it’s supposed too, create a carefree environment where one can lose a brain cell or two watching PG romance where they all live happily ever after. 

Streaming: Dumplin’ (2017)

Let’s hear it for the girls as this film on Netflix tells of one who is a proud overweight middle America kind of gal. With a mother who prioritized other things outside of her daughter, she was raised by her aunt, Lucy (Hillary Begley) where they bond over the love of Dolly Parton and her music. The film's protagonist is the young character named, Willowdean (Danielle MacDonald) and her best friend Ellen (Odeya Rush) which after the passing of her aunt, struggles to find a meaningful relationship with her mother (Jennifer Aniston), a former beauty queen in the small town of Texas. After going through her aunts' belongings and finding an application for the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant she decides to be a competitor. While her beginning intentions were as a form of mockery it ended up being a tribute to her aunt and to any other woman out there who is looking for a life outside of perfection.

It isn’t a sob story over the fact that she is overweight or that she faces bullying in school. She knows that she is not average but her non-averageness is also just how she embraces her self rather than believing the naysayers around her. All the female characters are strong in this coming of age story. With the help of a drag queen bar in the middle of Texas, they were able to overcome any and all obstacles including mourning, love, and acceptance. 

I didn’t intend for this film to be the first one to watch in 2019 but I did joy it. It was just something I wanted to put on in the background while I was working on my bullet journal for the new year but I ended up getting into it and even after I was done with my BuJo I continued watching and I wouldn’t mind watching it again, task- free. Similar to Muriel's Wedding (1994) where Abba plays a minor character, Dolly Parton is an empowering role model, a strong, traditional woman who through the power of her music Will was able to overcome her fear of the passing of Lucy, finding the love of her mother, rekindle the love with her best friend and even being able to find love. It’s a story worth telling and quite fun to see and I would recommend it to anyone who is unsure what to watch on Netflix just click enter and watch it.