GENERAL
Director: Stephen Chbosky
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Main Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic
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PG
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1 hr 53 min
Wonder
The movie Wonder has been on my list of movies to watch for a long time. I knew that it is based off of a book so I didn’t expect it to be anything special because I tend to be biased against book-based movies. But I have to say, this movie was amazing. It didn’t just focus on the main character, Auggie, but it also showed the point of view of multiple supporting characters. I thought this was a good choice because it shows that even though Auggie is the main character and that he has his struggles with health and facial deformities, it shows that the people in his life also have their own ups and downs.
Wonder is a movie about a boy named Auggie who has an extreme facial deformity. He is starting to go to public school for fifth grade for the first time. This change is daunting and Auggie doesn’t like being at the school at first. Over time, some of the kids befriend him because they realize that his physical appearance isn’t the entirety of his personality.
A really great aspect of Wonder is that it showed the different perspectives of different characters. For example, Auggie’s sister, Olivia, plays more of a role in the movie than I would have expected. Siblings in movies tend to be portrayed more as side characters, but Olivia’s life and personal relationships were shown in more detail, which was a nice addition to the movie.
Wonder also shows the perspective of Auggie’s friends, which gives the audience insight to their motivations and attitude. I liked this because it gave each character more depth, and this depth let the audience understand the motivations of each character, to understand why they do the things they do. For example, it shows the change in one of the boys at school. He, like everyone else, thought Auggie was weird and only thought about his physical appearance. But as time went on, he became friends with Auggie, and seeing things through his perspective made it all the more realistic.
This movie is also obviously a feel-good movie too. It’s about rising above the hard times and about friendship. But I like how it isn’t an over-the-top tear jerker. It combines comedy and tender moments in just the right way to make the characters realistic but not sappy. I find sappy movies cliche, and I’m glad to say that Wonder exceeded those expectations. Since the movie was so well done, I hope to read the book and enjoy it as well.
Director: Rian Johnson
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Main Cast: Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer
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PG-13
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126 minutes
Knives Out (2019)
From the moment I saw the trailer, I knew I wanted to watch Knives Out. It looked exciting, funny, and dramatic, and the movie did not disappoint. It was filled with intriguing characters, an intense (yet comedic) plot, and a script that left the audience hanging on to every last word.
The movie featured an all-star cast including: Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Christopher Plummer. These well-known names brought more attention to the movie and audiences looked forward to their performances. Their characters (and others in the movie) ranged from a liberal arts college student to a famous detective, from a rich publisher to an immigrant nurse. These various characters brought variety to the film and the actor’s outstanding performances made it all the more interesting to watch. The screenplay makes it obvious that each character was carefully written, giving each of them relatable qualities as well as human flaws.
The movie begins with the discovery of a dead Harlan Thrombey, an old, eccentric man with a great deal of wealth. Although it seemed that he killed himself, the famed detective on the case, Benoit Blanc, suspected foul play. The murder investigation brought out suspicion, distrust, and conflict throughout Thrombey’s family members. Flashbacks provided insight into Thrombey’s last night alive, eventually providing the whole story. These flashbacks showed the part Marta Cabrera (played by Ana de Armas) unintentionally played in Harlan’s death--mixing up his medications and giving him a lethal dose. This part of the storyline was revealed partway through the movie, which I found unique, since usually murder mysteries end with the “big reveal.” While the full storyline hadn’t been revealed, I liked how the storyline shifted from finding the murderer to seeing how Marta would try to keep the truth from being revealed--a difficult feat after she is befriended by Blanc, who wants her help in the investigation.
Speaking of Blanc, I thought he was a very interesting character. He had the confidence of a professional investigator, but also the human relatability that isn’t often seen in the stereotyped detective. He wasn’t shown as a genius on the level of Sherlock Holmes, but he was definitely good at his job. This balance of all-star detective and relatable human made Blanc a well-rounded and interesting character.
The plot reflects the characters very well, and none of the characters were used as a means to an end plotwise, a personal pet peeve of mine when it comes to how movies are written. The script was a perfect balance of suspense and intrigue, keeping the audience glued to the screen. When the movie ended, there were no loose ends or plot holes, the movie had been exact and precise, leaving the audience satisfied.
It has recently been announced that Rian Johnson will be directing a sequel to Knives Out, where Daniel Craig will reprise his role as Benoit Blanc as he solves a standalone mystery. Seeing as Knives Out was such a success, I look forward to this sequel and I hope it lives up to the success of Knives Out.