NZ Film Freak

Tenet

Tenet movie poster 2020

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Released: September 2020
Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh
—

Well, right off the bat this movie screams IT’S THE SAME DIRECTOR AS INCEPTION. The familiar cast members, the editing, colour-scheme and the over-complicated storyline were just a few of the tell-tale Nolan signs.

However, as I am a massive Inception fan, I was not upset about this. In fact, I was hoping to see more of the same cast (where’s Leo at?).

This classically Nolan premiss is difficult for me to explain, so I’ve found the synopsis for you: Tenet is about a secret agent who embarks on a dangerous, time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III.

(The word ‘Tenet’ is a palindrome, meaning that it’s spelt the same way forwards as it is backwards; a nod to the time-travelling theme of the movie.)

If you think you recognise the protagonist (John David Washington), you don’t, because Tenet was pretty much his debut on the big screen. He is the son of Denzel Washington though.

John David Washington Tenet

Also, if you recognise the super tall, elegant woman in the movie (Elizabeth Debicki), she’s from The Great Gatsby.

Elizabeth Debicki in Tenet

Robert Pattinson wasn’t as bad as I expected but he does pout his lips a lot, which is quite distracting. I’m pleased he was given the opportunity to do an action role and avoided being trapped as the heavy drama/romance actor. (I must point out that I think he was a very poor choice as our new Batman though.)

If I learnt anything about keeping up with complicated movies, it’s that you have to listen carefully to the dialogue as that’s where the storyline is explained, and Tenet is no different. The conversations between characters last across multiple locations within a scene, with lots of details being explained.

Tenet

The complexity of the film is not to be shied away from, however. Considering the cinemas have been shut for MONTHS, Tenet was a welcome debut! It’s full of action and drama, which was a perfect balance for my husband and I to enjoy.

If you’re a time travel nut like I am, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the car chase scene, as well as all the little bits and pieces where they talk about travelling through time and debunking any holes in the science to ensure your suspension of disbelief remains firmly intact.

You may walk away from the movie feeling a bit confused over the details of the plot, but it’ll only leave you wanting to see it again to fully enjoy it the second time around. So strap on that mask and head to the cinema to see Tenet – it’s well worth it!

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

PS. If you’re seeing this in the theatres while heavily pregnant like I did, bear in mind that your baby will probably not like the scenes with all the guns and explosions. (Get ready to be kicked in the ribs a lot.)

Knives Out

Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson
Released: November 2019
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer
—

I love whodunnits!

My friend and I have read multiple Agatha Christie novels, and while we always try to figure out the culprit before the end, we never seem to be able to get into Agatha Christie’s head.

After hearing that Knives Out was a sort of Agatha Christie mystery, I decided that I had to watch it.

While it has all the tropes of a murder-mystery, it is in fact far from being a classic or typical murder-mystery.

As a result, I found it a tiny bit disappointing. Because Agatha Christie novels are perfect in every way, and Knives Out seems to try to one up her… Which is impossible to do without the story becoming over complicated or outlandish.

The thing is, the entire plot is given away too early – or at least that’s what I thought. As though we were told too much too soon. Of course, it all makes sense when the final twist at the end knocks you off your feet. But still, I was looking forward to be taken along for the Agatha Christie ride.

Nevertheless! The enormous amount of twists and turns are sure to keep you hooked, so long as your suspension of disbelief remains.

I loved the cast and characters – Toni Collette has always been a favourite of mine, and Daniel Craig did a surprisingly good job of being an investigator from the deep south! The mansion itself seems to be a character on its own too – the aesthetic is spectacular.

Overall, it’s a good popcorn movie that you don’t have to think about too much. Every scene has been carefully choreographed, with a huge attention to detail.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Emma

Emma movie 2020 poster

Director: Autumn de Wilde
Writer: Eleanor Catton (Based on Jane Austen’s novel, Emma)
Released: February 2020
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart and Bill Nighy
—

I took a little too long to get around to writing this review! So I’ll try to remember my first impressions…

I am a Jane Austen fan – despite reading all of zero of her books. But I do own the complete book series, which I might get around to reading one day.

It was actually the 2005 movie Pride & Prejudice featuring Kiera Knightley that got me hooked, followed with the 2007 movie The Jane Austen Book Club. Both movies have stuck with me ever since.

That’s why the movie Emma appealed to me so much. Also, the hilarity of Miranda Hart in the trailer.

Emma movie miranda hart

Thanks to The Jane Austen Book Club, I knew the rough storyline already – that Emma was a match-maker who was too oblivious to notice her one true love was standing before her the whole time.

This version of the story certainly keeps the quirkiness and humour that I understand the book has, but the colour and dramatic stage play essence that director Autumn de Wilde brought to her debut film was brilliant.

I would have laid money on it that the director was Wes Anderson because of the similarity between Emma and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Identical in terms of pastel colours and swift camerawork.

Emma movie

I thought this was the debut movie for Anya Taylor-Joy who played Emma as well. But then I realised that I had seen her before; she’s in Split/Glass!

The only downside of Emma was that the funniest moments were in the trailer. The pacing was also a lot slower than I expected.

Nevertheless, the costumes were spectacular and the characters were all bright and bold!

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Jumanji: The Next Level

Director: Jake Kasdan
Writers: Jake Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg
Released: December 2019
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito
—

As I mentioned in the first remake – Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle – you can in no way compare these modern day films to the 90’s Robin Williams Jumanji masterpiece. Nor are these parody movie intended to be.

With that said, let’s begin:

Jumanji: The Next Level was everything that I expected it to be. It was clearly capitalising on the success of the first one, with the story being an after thought. However, if you didn’t see the first movie then you’d still enjoy this second instalment.

In this movie, the characters from the first film are catapulted into Jumanji again. This time, Spencer’s (Alex Wolff) grandfather (Danny Devito) and his friend (Danny Glover) joined. This was the perfect opportunity to make fun of boomers, and they didn’t hold back!

Screen Shot 2020-01-08 at 9.34.14 AM.png

It played on the most popular aspects of the first film: Jack Black pretending to be a teenage girl, Kevin Hart’s sass, crazy ways of losing one of their three lives, and hilarious one-liners.

There were new avatars such as a horse (yay) and Ming Fleetfoot, whose strength is thievery and pick-pocketing. ca-times.brightspotcdn

This movie was far more about the characters than the storyline, which was a little weak. But despite its predictability, it was another awesome kids’ movie with lots of action and comedic moments. While there was a generous sprinkling of cheese, the movie didn’t try to be anything more or less than it was; entertaining.

Would definitely recommend watching if you loved the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. If you didn’t see the first one, don’t worry, they explain the rules of the Jumanji game very well in this movie so you won’t get lost!

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Downton Abbey

downtonabbey

Director: Michael Engler
Writer: Julian Fellowes
Released: September 2019
Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton
—

From the day Downton Abbey came on Lightbox, we have been binge watching it. We aimed to watch all six series by the time the movie came out.

We succeeded. On the final week of Downton being in cinemas, we got our $10 ticket and went!

I must say, after about a month of watching back-to-back episodes, we were a bit over it by the time we watched the movie. It was basically just another episode that started right where the finale left off.

It followed the same upstairs/downstairs troubles and triumphs, but with the backdrop of the Royals coming to stay at Downton. All the while, tying up the loose ends of the final series.

The movie was ho-hum, and plodded on in the same fashion as series 5 and 6 had (not much scandal or suspense). I think the writers had been running out of steam for some time, and the movie didn’t seem to show much difference in their creativity.

I seriously believe that the best storyline for the Downton Abbey movie would have been episode 3 in the very first series – Mr Pamuk’s scandalous death. Now that was a great episode, and that would have been a fantastic movie!

But in this movie, all the characters were as they had been and so were their circumstances.

Although, I can’t deny that the TV series and the movie are all high-quality in every way – from the acting to the costumes to the historical intricacies. It is a fantastic way to understand the era – it’s like we’re following the lives of real people of the time.

It seemed that not a single second could be spared, with our favourite characteristics of every character given their own fair-share of screen time. Maggie Smith had her famous one-liners, Mary had her sharp tongue, and Mrs Hughes kept everyone in their place!

I would recommend seeing the movie. You won’t be shocked or excited. But whether you’ve seen the series or not, there is still the human interest factor that would resonate with many.

What I wouldn’t recommend, however, is to binge-watch every episode within a month and then see the movie. Because that might make you bored of the characters and overall arching storyline…

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Stan & Ollie

Stan-Ollie-poster-4-crop

Director: Jon S. Baird
Writer: Jeff Pope
Released: December 2018
Starring: Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly, Nina Arianda, Shirley Henderson, Danny Huston and Rufus Jones
—

Stan & Ollie is a film based on comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

It doesn’t follow the typical story line of a biopic of following the protagonist’s life from childhood through to death. Rather, it focuses more on Laurel and Hardy’s (Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly) friendship.

The relationship they had was not only heartwarming, but combined with the backdrop of the thirties and fifties, you’re left longing for simpler times where human interactions were not interrupted by technology.

The movie follows the ups and downs of the ageing duo, who are struggling for money as their careers on the stage and in front of the camera are winding down.

stan-and-ollie

It’s heartbreaking watching the two struggle, especially with their manager (Rufus Jones) taking advantage of their need to earn money.

While you don’t need to have watched any Laurel and Hardy skits, I would strongly recommend it as you’d then get the subtle references throughout the movie.

John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan were the only choices possible for the roles of Laurel and Hardy – they truely were brilliant! They even went as far as learning the mistakes that the real Laurel and Hardy made in the films. Such a cool touch!

Their wives Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) and Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda) were a shadowing comedy duo themselves. They were so much more than background characters as they were almost as much a part of the story as their husbands. They really did make me laugh!

Stan-and-Ollie-Nina-Arianda-Shirley-Henderson

I was going to include the quotes that made me laugh, but I’ve realised it’s actually how the lines were delivered that made me double over!

If you’re looking for a warm film that makes you laugh as much as it makes you cry, then you must watch Stan & Ollie.

You will choke up but still splutter out a giggle through your tears.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Yesterday

57475

Director: Danny Boyle
Writers: Jack Barth and Richard Curtis
Released: June 2019
Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran and Kate McKinnon
—

Yesterday is a movie exploring the world where The Beatles never existed. After a global black-out, the protagonist Jack (Himesh Patel) wakes to discover that he’s the only one who remembers The Beatles or their songs.

Thankfully, as he’s a struggling musician he’s able to bring The Beatles’s music back to life. But with the fame and fortune, guilt and doubt isn’t far behind.

Yesterday is an easy watch. It’s a great Sunday afternoon family film with a fantastic soundtrack.

yesterday-anatomy-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600

I loved the little intricacies such as the incorrect lyrics because Jack couldn’t remember all the words – and who would? Put under pressure, I doubt you could name every single Beatles track and all the lyrics that go with it.

I also liked how the film explored what The Beatles would have endured if they had of been as famous as they were in the sixties today. It was particularly interesting listening to the comments and feedback from the record company – the White Album being rejected due to the racist title, for example.

Ed Sheeran makes an appearance. In fact, he’s in the film a fair bit! Coldplay’s Chris Martin was supposed to take this role but due to schedule conflicts, he wasn’t able to do it in the end.

Lily James is a favourite of mine – she’s perfect!

LILY-AJMES-1737692

I loved the English comedy and the unexpected surprises in an otherwise cookie-cutter rom-com.

While it’s not a blockbuster it certainly is a sweet story, which is something we all need to watch sometimes.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

The Lion King (2019)

Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Jeff Nathanson (Based on The Lion King (1994) by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton
Released: July 2019
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and James Earl Jones
—

We had such a wonderful night out to see the remake of The Lion King!

While the original 1994 Disney version wasn’t my absolute favourite movie as a child (Sleeping Beauty will always be number 1), it was certainly a movie that was ingrained in my childhood.

I used to sit close to the TV with my Simba, Narla and Scar plush toys in front of me, and act out all the scenes alongside the movie.

It was a real treat to watch The Lion King for the first time again. However, its realistic live-action animation didn’t always work in its favour because it meant that the animals couldn’t physically do what the cartoon characters could do.

the lion king 1994

Such as Simba swinging from a branch and flipping into the lake, or Pumba’s big bottom getting wedged into a log when being chased by Narla, or Scar playing with a mouse that weaved through his fingers.

None of that is physically possible for animals, which this David Attenborough-esk remake showed.

The Lion King with Timon and Pumbaa

While I was disappointed because it lacked the visual humour of the 1994 cartoon, I think younger children would be disappointed because of the visual complexity of the realistic animals. It’s not just colours and shapes with this remake; it’s a nearly a documentary style movie that I’m sure young children would get bored with.

Nevertheless, I’m forced to realise two things:
1. Just like Toy Story 4, this movie is first and foremost for my generation. The generation who remember the original so fondly and who grew up with Disney animation.

2. Kids these days are not impressed by cartoons because everything is so realistic now. So while I would have liked to see an animation that took advantage of what lions couldn’t really do, today’s children would want nothing less than an accurate representation of what lions are physically capable of.

I was also a little disappointed by the casting; it seemed like they’d spent all their money on Beyonce – who actually had a relatively small speaking role and only two songs! Although, looking back at the 1994 version, there weren’t tonnes of A-listers in that either. I just wish Rowan Atkinson remained as Zazu’s voice.

Despite how critical I’ve been, I really enjoyed it. There were some laugh-out-loud moments with the comedy duo of Timon and Pumbaa of course. (Although, there definitely could have been more funny scenes.)

The opening scene gave me chills and I loved seeing all the ‘real-life’ animals interacting. It was a lot of fun to hear the soundtrack again, which was spectacular.

I’m also pleased that The Lion King can be experienced by children for the first time again.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Green Book

Director: Peter Farrelly
Writers: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Peter Farrelly
Released: November 2018
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini
—

I was looking forward to watching a movie full of triumphs and heart-wrenching moments. I guess I was expecting Little Miss Sunshine meets Hidden Figures meets The Help.

Sadly, Green Book was a somewhat shallow story that did not reach the emotional depths that I expected it would.

It’s about Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) who works as a bouncer before being asked to drive a successful (and rather pompous) African American musician (Doctor Don Shirley) around the deep south.

Shirley specifically asked Vallelonga to drive him from concert to concert, in part because of how dangerous it would be for him in the deep south, where racist views of the 1960s were at its most hostile.

To be perfectly blunt, I didn’t like either character.

Our introduction to Vallelonga was of him throwing drinking glasses away that two African American men drank from. Despite this prejudice, he was in no way racist or intolerant throughout the rest of the film. It was rather jarring, and also reduced the character conflict within the movie to next to none.

Shirley appears to be an extremely sheltered man who rides in the back seat of the car with a blanket over his legs, putting his nose up at deep-fried chicken, and looking down on any one who acts anything less than ‘upper class’.

I couldn’t identify with either character at all.

The movie speeds through concert after concert, city after city, lingering on a few well-thought-out racist clashes between Shirley and police or thugs in pubs. Making the film feel rather undeveloped.

The story is punctuated by the classical music that Shirley is performing, but I found this to be rather dull. I would have preferred jazz or honky tonk blues (a genre that raises its head in one of the final scenes!).

Just realised why I was disappointed with the music – the trailer features zero classical music! Only jazz and a pop song by Sam Smith… The whitest man on the planet.

It’s just not what I expected, I guess.

Jodie’s rating: 4/10

Bohemian Rhapsody

bohemian rhapsody movie poster

Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan
Released: November 2018
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Allen Leech, Tom Hollander and Mike Myers
—

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic of Freddie Mercury’s life within the iconic band, Queen.

It’s an emotional journey with an epic soundtrack, mirroring the trauma and heartbreak of Mercury’s rise and fall in fame.

Rami Maleck plays the part of Freddie Mercury, and I think he was absolutely the perfect choice.

I didn’t realise until I was doing some research on him just now that I had in fact seen him in movies before: the pharaoh in Night at the Museum, and Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 as an Egyptian vampire.

He’s a remarkable actor.

bohemian rhapsody movie

What I like about this movie is that unlike Elton John’s biopic, Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody retains the original Queen soundtrack. So it feels like a more accurate representation of Freddie Mercury and his music.

As I mentioned in my last review, Bohemian Rhapsody is quite dissimilar to Rocketman, in that it isn’t as theatrical or exaggerated. It’s down-to-Earth, which humanises the iconic Freddie Mercury in an almost documentary-style – especially since they recreated the Live Aid concert scene for scene (which I loved!).

I like how Freddie Mercury was represented. Whether it was accurate or not, it was fascinating to ‘get to know’ him in such a flattering light. He seemed kind, generous, and humble with flaws and all, which made it feel all the worse to see him being taken advantage of.

Whereas in Rocketman, Elton John was [perhaps unintentionally] portrayed in quite the opposite manner: as an egotistical, flaunting and intangible character.

I prefer more ‘human’, coming-of-age stories, which is why I think I resonated with Bohemian Rhapsody more.

If you love Queen’s music, and strong, heroic characters who rose to fame from such a familiar and common life, then you’ll love Bohemian Rhapsody.

bohemian rhapsody movie2

Despite his incredible talent as a musician, Freddie Mercury was portrayed as someone like you and I. He was fantastically ordinary – and look what he achieved.

Loved it.

I’ve been playing Queen’s music non-stop since, and I’ve been singing the operatic section on the song Bohemian Rhapsody on the way home from work everyday.

Highly recommend!

Jodie’s review: 8/10

Rocketman

Rocketman poster

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Writer: Lee Hall
Released: May 2019
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard
—

Firstly, I had a wonderful night out on my birthday! We went to see Rocketman at the movies, and it was very enjoyable indeed – thank you Sascha for organising it!

Rocketman was two hours of musical classics, sung by Taron Egerton who portrayed Elton John.

It documented Elton John’s childhood, which I found very interesting! His parents appeared to be very cold, with his nan being the only person to support him as an aspiring musician.

Then it followed him through the rise and fall of his fame and addictions.

Elton John: So how does a fat boy from nowhere get to be a soul man?
Wilson: You got to kill the person you were born to be in order to become the person you want to be.

Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), the writer of Elton’s songs, is a forever friend of his. I think their relationship was the warmest and most authentic relationship in the movie.

The casting was spot on! I couldn’t believe how authentic Bryce Dallas Howard’s English accent was.

The child actors who played Elton when he was a child were absolutely one in a million finds. They were incredible!

However, Rocketman is the perfect example of why a biopic should not be made while the main character is still alive, let alone be made by the main character – Elton John – himself.

It was Elton’s self-indulgent, ego-swamped, boastful story of his own life.

Rocketman glasses

Perhaps I wouldn’t have felt this way if I had not seen Bohemian Rhapsody recently, which was a humble reflection of the seemingly kind, gentle and generous Freddie Mercury.

In comparison, Rocketman was the total opposite.

So if you loved Bohemian Rhapsody, you would not necessarily love Rocketman, which is a theatrical, over-the-top stage show. Sort of like Mary Poppins: Returns meets La La Land meets… Well, the sparkling razzle-dazzle of Elton John.

However, if you haven’t seen Bohemian Rhapsody yet, or if you didn’t enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody, then I would encourage you to watch Rocketman. Because you’ll have a better chance of loving it.

Nevertheless, it certainly takes you on an out-of-this-world journey, which I loved.

Ultimately, it’s worth a watch if you are a fan of Elton John’s hits – which is everyone! The script includes inspirational quotes, and the costumes are outrageous.

Just be prepared for the theatrics and grotesque flaunt of wealth. An audience who has an interest in stage shows is advised.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Down Down Down to the Wishing Well – Leafy Satori Risk

Leafy Satori Risk down down down

I have reviewed a Leafy Satori Risk song before called Cherry Blossom Trees. This song, Down Down Down to the Wishing Well, is of a similar genre – sort of folk meets electro/psychedelic.

Although, the band refer to their genre as ‘dream pop’, which is a great way of describing their sound.

The singer/songwriters Iris and Karl of Leafy Satori Risk both hail from Vienna, but have settled in France, Berlin, New Mexico and then finally in Los Angles. However, their hearts are forever in Tokyo where they spend two months of every year, and where many of their live shows are performed.

Both artists are creative by nature, both working in the film industry when they’re not performing in their band: Iris Karina is an actress and Karl Lohninger is a sound mixer and sound designer.

This new song of theirs takes a few unexpected turns in terms of its sound and tempo before reaching the chorus. The chorus (down, down down, to the wishing well”) strongly echoes the Johnny Cash song ‘Ring of Fire‘ (“I fell down down down, and the flames went higher”) and I wonder if that chorus was used as inspiration for this Leafy Satori Risk.

The ethereal vocals against the electric guitar, which acts as the rhythmic heart to the song works well with the haunting accordion.

As always, the lyrics are written with layered meaning. You can read into the song as much or as little as you’d want.

Why don’t you stay with me
Why can’t I stay awake
Why can’t I fall asleep?
Why can’t we fall in love?

If you enjoy folk/indie with a twist, then you should give this a listen:

Mary Poppins Returns

Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: David Magee, Rob Marshall and John DeLuca (based on story by P.L Travers)
Released: December 2018
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Dick Van Dyke ,Angela Lansbury, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep
—

Well, I thought this was a scene-by-scene remake. That’s what the rumours said anyway.

However, as the title does actually suggest, this is a sequel. It follows the lives of Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) as adults – the brother and sister in the first film.

After the death of his wife, Michael’s repayments on the house lapsed. The bank demanded that he now pay up in full – which he can’t possibly afford.

Thankfully, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) arrives just in time!

It’s a good thing you’ve come along when you did, Mary Poppins.

I have been looking forward to see this movie for ever! So as part of my hen do, we all went to watch it. It was such a magical day.

It is a beautiful film; a real feel-good movie! I would absolutely recommend it to anyone needing cheering up.

I had to hold back the tears throughout most of the scenes because everything is just so beautiful!

Everything is possible, even the impossible.

Emily Blunt is 100% the only option to play Mary Poppins. Mary is a tough and tender character; maternal but fierce. And I think that’s Emily Blunt in a nutshell. Plus, who else is a triple threat – a singer, dancer and actress?

(Remaining ‘practically perfect’ on set was said to be difficult though!)

You’ll probably find that you adopt a frightfully posh English accent after the movie, and make promises to yourself that you will start dressing up and paying more attention to your hair style after watching Mary Poppins Returns.

Nothing. Such a useful word, isn’t it? It can mean anything and everything.

Apart from Mary, I’m sure the favourite character of many would be Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) the cockney street lamp lighter. He’s happy and smiley and fun and wonderful!

I adored Julie Walters too, but sadly Meryl Streep’s character was a tad too eccentric for my liking.

I’m not generally a musical fan, but I enjoyed this one. Every song is catchy and uplifting. Particularly ‘A Cover is not the Book‘ and ‘Trip a Little Light Fantastic‘, but the latter is 99% because of the choreography with the streetlights.

This is history in the making – you must go to see Mary Poppins Returns in the cinema. It’s simply the only way because it’s like a stage play.

Before you go to see it though, I’d recommend watching the original Mary Poppins as well as Saving Mr. Banks to fully appreciate the history of the Mary Poppins character.

I enjoyed the echoes in the first film, including the penguins, which were drawn in the traditional way – frame by frame – by the original Disney artists. Such a lovely touch!

100% must-see if you’re feeling blue.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Director: Jake Kasdan
Writer: Chris McKenna
Released: December 2017
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Bobby Cannavale
—

I was on the back foot about this film because I loved the ‘first’ Jumanji film so much.

I say ‘first’ film, but these movies are totally unrelated. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is very loosely based on the board game featured in the 1995 film, but updated to a play station game to target the newer generation.

The main characters are high schoolers who find themselves in detention together – not unlike The Breakfast Club. They are cleaning out the basement of the school when they come across this Jumanji game.

Each student picks an avatar based on the names provided. But they soon find themselves being sucked into the game and becoming the characters they chose.

Ironically, the school bully finds himself as Franklin ‘Mouse’ Finbar (Kevin Hart) – the nerdy avatar with no strength and only a giant backpack as a ‘special ability’ – and the nerdy little kid finds himself as the hulking Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson).

The character-switch is brilliant, particularly in the case of the girly-girl who finds out that her avatar is not a cute professor – Professor Sheldon Oberon – but a character represented by Jack Black.

Jack Black plays a teenage girl so well! Very funny. Especially when he teaches a fellow teenage girl how to be attractive.

“That was so intense. I like can’t even with this place.” – Bethany/Professor Sheldon Oberon (Jack Black)

Within the game they overcome lots of obstacles and dangerous hurdles. All the while being guided by an NPC (non-player character) called Nigel Billingsley (Rhys Darby). He’s pretty glitchy and repetitive, which was funny.

I thought this was going to be a cheap and nasty knock-off of Robin Williams’ Jumanji. I was ready to be offended on his behalf.

But actually, I laughed a lot! I loved it. I watched it on the plane from the UK to New Zealand – which is a long flight – and I didn’t fall asleep or lose concentration at all!

Cool concept, funny characters and a definite re-watcher!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Contagion

contagion film review.jpg

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns
Released: September 2011
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Ehle, Elliot Gould and Kate Winslet
—

I’m 100% sure I have reviewed Contagion before… But I can’t find it anywhere so I must have only thought about writing about it. Anyway.

Contagion is almost like an apocalyptic film that explores what may happen in the event of a major epidemic that threatens to wipe out much of the population, similar to that of the Spanish flu that killed about 1% of the word’s population at the time (50-100 million people during 1918).

It plays on our fears of being vulnerable and desperate to protect ourselves and our family.

It follows the lives of multiple people such as an ordinary citizen (Matt Damon) whose [cheating] wife (Gweneth Paltrow) is affected by the epidemic (funny how the first person to die is someone who is guilty of having an affair), a doctor (Marion Cotillard) who attempts to trace the origin of the flu, and another doctor (Kate Winslet) who investigates the nature/behaviour of the virus. In the background is Jennifer Ehle’s character who is working hard to find the vaccine to this unknown flu strain.

Meanwhile, we see the ‘faces’ of the epidemic: Laurence Fishburne’s character’s professional opinion is sought after by the Centre of Disease Control, and he is asked to do interviews on the news.

“No one can know until everyone knows”

In the other corner is Jude Law’s character who is a popular conspiracy theorist who attempts to prove that the disease is a bio terrorism weapon used by the government to financially profit from the vaccines. He believes he has found a homeopathic cure for the fatal disease.

contagion_jude law.jpg

It’s so interesting – every opinion is represented by a character, including the medical industry, government and citizens. The conspiracy theorist – although shown in a negative light with little integrity or authenticity (even given a gammy tooth for good measure) – raises a lot of good questions that should be asked. Challenging authority in such situations isn’t necessarily dangerous, but spreading propaganda may well be.

A thrilling ride with lots of interesting ‘what if’ scenarios.

My only criticism is the music. It’s such bizarre music. It’s sort of indie-sci-fi and reminds me of the Blade Runner soundtrack. The noises certainly put you on edge, but I’m not sure it always works with the more emotional scenes.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

The MacGregor Brides – Nora Roberts

The Macgregor Brides book review

Writer: Nora Roberts
Genre: Romance
Released: 1997
Plot: The MacGregor clan’s patriarch is powerful, rich – and determined to see his three career-minded granddaughters married. So he hand-picked three unsuspecting candidates as worthy consorts… Now all he has to do is set his plans in motion.

—

A wealthy old man wants great grandchildren, so he devises a plan to set up all three of his granddaughters with eligible bachelors.

Creepy? Maybe. But you can’t deny the perfection of this story. The characters are perfect, their lives are perfect. And everything works out perfectly. Sometimes you need one of these easy books to read without having to think – it’s not a crime, ladies! Feminism may be in full swing, but reading a book about falling in love and marriage is not yet illegal, and shouldn’t be discouraged.

They’ve meddled with Disney love stories, but they can never change my beloved Nora Roberts stories.

Laura the lawyer is successful and rich.

Gwen is a doctor who works tirelessly.

And Julia is the business entrepreneur who doesn’t like to get out of bed in the mornings.

It’s just… Perfection, isn’t it. I love reading books about perfect people with their perfect jobs and perfect hair. You can completely lose yourself in their world in a way that I don’t think you can with TV or movies.

Anyway! They all ‘accidentally’ bump into the men who they are to fall in love with and marry. They each have their own love stories with their own problems and scandal. The characters are mostly aspirational, but there are some traits in each character that you will be able to identify with.

It’s a book that is so easy to read and so easy to lose yourself in. It must be the way Nora Roberts writes – she’s discovered what people like and she knows how to make these characters’ worlds accessible. Brilliant.

It’s shallow and vain and absolutely glorious – the perfect stop gap between heavy thrillers.

If you would like a romance that is a little more realistic, I’d 100% recommend Kat French. Her love stories feature more recognisable characters and slightly more down-to-earth situations.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop – Clare Baldwin

The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop.jpg

Author: Clare Baldwin
Released: 2016
Synopsis: Charlie Bass is a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled. The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There’s just one problem – he won’t gallop. In fact, he won’t even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy. Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion. But can she prove it? Derby Day is fast approaching and only a win can save the family farm from being repossessed. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Basses. Can Charlie turn her chaotic family into a top training team? Can Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? Will Percy the pony ever stop farting?
—

Since I’m co-writing a children’s pony book series… Called The Tales of Pete & Podge… Which you can purchase on Amazon… For only $12.95 or on Kindle for $3.92… (Please judge this book by its cover – a new one is being illustrated as we speak!) I decided to do some research, so I borrowed The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop from the library.

There’s absolutely nothing to dislike about this book, but that’s almost what I don’t like about it. The main character has a unisex name so as not to alienate anybody, the family doesn’t have much money so as to be more relatable, and the characters are all perfectly ordinary.

Nevertheless, I love a good horse book and the humour in this story sets itself a part from the overly sweet pony tales on the market.

You can tell it’s written by a horsie person – everything was very accurate!

What I learnt from this book was that there must be a challenge to overcome. I appreciate that this is rule 101 when it comes to writing a story, but when you get so attached to the characters you’re writing about, making something bad happen to them can become challenging. (I know that’s a strange thing to admit.)

I love the farting palomino pony called Percy, although I don’t think he’s quite naughty enough!

An easy read for any horse lover who is after a light-hearted story.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Glass

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Released: January 2019
Starring: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sarah Paulson and Samuel L. Jackson
—

Okay. So. In order to enjoy this movie to the max, I strongly recommend you view the two prequels before heading to the cinema.

The very first movie in this trilogy (look at me assuming there’s only going to be three…) is Unbreakable. This came out 2000 and actually has a stronger connection to Glass than Split.

The second movie was Split, and this is important to understand the backstory of the ‘villain’ (James McAvoy) and the ‘brain box’ (Samuel L. Jackson).

I’m so excited about this film, I don’t know where to begin!

Okay, so if you loved seeing all the characters that James McAvoy played in the previous film, then you will feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven in this film. You will learn more about each of his personalities and understand Patricia a little more. But you must watch Split before seeing Glass if you want to understand and appreciate the relationship between the different personalities.

I know that everyone knows, but James McAvoy is just a remarkable actor! He portrays each personality so accurately that you swear you were looking at a different actor. Absolutely obsessed with this character! So amazing to watch. You’ll giggle with nervousness, and chuckle at the absurdity, but ultimately he’s the scariest villain I’ve come across.

Where Unbreakable was about the ‘reluctant hero’ (Bruce Willis), Glass is about the baddies. A psychiatrist (Sarah Paulson) has captured all three characters (Kevin Crumb/The Horde, Elijah Price/Mr. Glass and David Dunn/The Overseer) and locked them in a secure unit. They are unable to escape as each of their weaknesses guards their cell. What kryptonite is to Superman: water is to Dunn, flashes of light is to Crumb and a room void of mental stimulation is to Price.

How will they escape? Who’s really in charge?

There are tonnes of references to comic book tropes and character stereotypes, which I loved! Also, because much of the film is shot via security cameras within the secure unit, you feel like it’s a movie within a movie. Especially because Elijah Price almost narrates the film in third person, referring to each main character as the ‘villain’ and the ‘reluctant hero’.

“That sounds like the bad guys teaming up.” – Mr. Glass

A couple of presenters on either Coast or Radio Hauraki (I can’t remember which) only gave Glass 2/5. But one of the presenters hadn’t watched Split, and the other presenter hadn’t watched Unbreakable. So I think this was likely the reason for their low rating. They probably found it boring because they would have missed the interesting details and references.

You must watch this film if you love movies in general, comics or M. Night Shyamalan.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Storm Boy

stormboy

Director: Shawn Seet
Writer: Justin Monjo. (Based on novel by Colin Thiele)
Released: January 2019
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Jai Courtney, Finn Little, Trevor Jamieson, Morgana Davies and Erik Thomson
—

Storm Boy is a story about a boy who rescues three pelicans in an isolated coastal area of Southern Australia called 90 Mile Beach.

Once nursed back to health and released into the wild, one pelican stays behind with the boy and never left his side.

Why is it called Storm Boy? Because according to Aboriginal beliefs, pelicans are the reincarnation of men who died at sea so every time a pelican is killed, a storm is bound to follow.

storm boy2.jpg

This is a largely unknown and only briefly advertised film, which is a shame. However, I think anybody who has read the novel or seen the 1976 Storm Boy film will adore it.

It’s essentially a slow-paced, emotional drama. Sadly, it lacks the grunt I was expecting of it. As the undercurrent of the story is habitat destruction, I was hoping for an Erin Brockovich sort of film with heated arguments about environmental law and protests in the name of the pelicans!

But none of that really happens, it’s just a quiet film about looking after birds.

My favourite character is the ‘oracle’ character in Storm Boy is an Aboriginal man named Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson) is a good anchor to the film. He’s the character who keeps the main character grounded and focussed. He also represents indigenous Australia, echoing the friction between Europeans and Aborigines as well as between man and nature.

My favourite actor though, was of course Geoffrey Rush. I became a fan of his after The King’s Speech. I loved the scenes where they showed his character remembering being a child on the beach, and they showed him sat next to his younger self. Such a tear-jerker!

I enjoyed it, but am not inclined to watch it again due to the lack of drama.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Mystery in White – J. Jefferson Farjeon

mystery in white.jpg

Writer: J. Jefferson Farjeon
Genre: Murder mystery/crime thriller
Released: 1937
Blurb: On Christmas Eve, heavy snowfall brings a train to a halt near the village of Hemmersby. Several passengers take shelter in a deserted country house, where the fire has been lit and the table laid for tea – but no one is at home. Trapped together for Christmas, the passengers are seeking to unravel the secrets of the empty house when a murderer strikes in their midst.

—

This was one of the first murder-mystery novels I had read, and it got me hooked on the genre.

I think it was after having read an Agatha Christie Miss Marple novel that I decided to investigate the genre further online, and this book came up. I’m not even sure why or how.

Nevertheless, despite it being a book written in the thirties, it was so well written. It was impeccably easy to read, which made it so gripping.

I probably should have told you about this book before Christmas since it is set on the night of Christmas Eve. But never mind!

It’s about a train that gets stuck in an unexpected snow storm. A group of passengers decide to try and walk through the snow to reach a nearby town, but end up taking refuge in an empty house.

What’s strange about it is that the fire is on, the table is laid and a knife has been left out. There are locked rooms and strange occurrences. Then murder strikes!

Storylines intertwine and different character perspectives show the crime from different angles. I loved every page of it! You get so lost in the mystery of it all, and best of all, the ending is brilliant.

The characters are all from different backgrounds with strong personalities – including a chorus girl, an elderly bore and a psychic.

It did get a bit messy within the final chapters, but I’m hoping I interpreted correctly.

A fabulous read! I still think about it often.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Radio Girls – Sarah-Jane Stratford

Radio Girls Book.jpg

Writer: Sarah-Jane Stratford
Released: 2016
Plot: The Great War is over, and change is in the air, in this novel that brings to life the exciting days of early British radio…and one woman who finds her voice while working alongside the brilliant women and men of the BBC.

London, 1926. American-raised Maisie Musgrave is thrilled to land a job as a secretary at the upstart British Broadcasting Corporation, whose use of radio—still new, strange, and electrifying—is captivating the nation. But the hectic pace, smart young staff, and intimidating bosses only add to Maisie’s insecurity.

Soon, she is seduced by the work—gaining confidence as she arranges broadcasts by the most famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain. She is also caught up in a growing conflict between her two bosses, John Reith, the formidable Director-General of the BBC, and Hilda Matheson, the extraordinary director of the hugely popular Talks programming, who each have very different visions of what radio should be. Under Hilda’s tutelage, Maisie discovers her talent, passion, and ambition. But when she unearths a shocking conspiracy, she and Hilda join forces to make their voices heard both on and off the air…and then face the dangerous consequences of telling the truth for a living.

—

I really felt like buying a brand new book one day. So I walked into W.H. Smith and picked one up that took my fancy.

Radio Girls sparked my interest because it was based in the twenties and was about radio. I studied radio at uni and loved it, but never had the confidence to pursue it (instead, I turned to voiceovers, which is more up my street).

I could easily identify with the protagonist who was a young woman starting her first proper job. She is immediately intimidated by the bosses, but she soon gets the hang of her job as the secretary and begins to get involved with the Talks radio programme.

Soon, she discovers a conspiracy. I’m not sure if it was my lack of intelligence, lack of knowledge of the era or the way that it was written, but I found it difficult to get a grip of what the entirety of the conspiracy was. Nevertheless, I understood enough of it to feel the weight of the situation.

While Maisie is getting mixed up with a huge cover-up, she also meets a man. I enjoyed the relationship side of the book so much that I realised that I must read a romance, and consequently discovered One Hot Summer by Kat French. (Which I still daydream about today.)

I enjoyed the parallel of the romance and the radio. Particularly because it echoed the struggle of balancing a career and a family, but also because the proximity of the love story and the serious mystery begin to intertwine…

If you love journalism, radio, 1920s fashion and a touch of romance, please read Radio Girls.

While it’s not a ground-breaking story, it’s pleasant enough.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

The Devil’s Staircase – Helen Fitzgerald

thedevilsstaircasebook

Writer: Helen Fitzgerald

Genre: Horror/thriller

Released: 2009

Blurb: Bronny, a young Australian, finds herself down and out in London. She’s a sweet girl who has spent her teenage years in a fearful, cautious bubble. She’s never taken drugs, had sex or killed anyone. Within six weeks she’s done all three. A group of backpackers break into an abandoned London townhouse seeking a rent-free life of debauchery. They don’t realise someone’s already there: a terrified woman bound and gagged in the basement. The Devil’s Staircase combines a chick-lit voice and a dark crime noir environment. Not for the faint-hearted, The Devil’s Staircase is funny, sexy and disturbing – it will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

—

This book does so well reading as though it’s a movie. I loved how easy it was to read with all the twists and turns and surprises that you didn’t see coming, while never leaving you behind.

It’s about a girl called Bronny who hops on a plane from Australia to London without a second thought. No bag or preparation whatsoever. This is what captured my interest, because isn’t this what we all dream of doing sometimes? Just getting away spontaneously?

Upon arriving in the UK, she quickly makes friends at a backpackers where she stays before they all become squatters together in an abandoned townhouse.

But this story quickly becomes a cautionary tale for any young, solo traveller.

Unbeknown to Bronny – or seemingly the rest of the group – there is a woman gagged and bound in the basement of the house. The story quickly becomes disturbing, scary and really unnerving.

Having gone on this huge horrific adventure of a girl in a big city with a murderer on the loose where you don’t who to trust, all the while trying to figure out who Bronny is as she comes of age, I was mortified by the ending.

I was baited through a dark forest of monsters, temptation and intrigue before being dropped off the edge of a cliff. What the hell. The ending is SUCH a let-down.

Does the ending fit with the story? Well, yes I suppose it does. On paper, the ending is perfectly in-keeping with the novel. But it’s simply not the ending I wanted! Even though I couldn’t relate to the protagonist very much, I was still too emotionally involved with the story for it to end the way it did.

This novel taught me that I don’t like horrors. I prefer crime/thrillers. This was of no fault of the author, just of the genre itself.

If you want a quick read, and you love horror, then read The Devil’s Staircase. But get ready for the moment when you read the final chapter, close the book and sit on your bed staring into space for twenty minutes before you’re ready to return to reality again.

It’s a shocker.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Forget My Name – J.S. Monroe

Writer: J.S. Monroe
Genre: Mystery/crime
Released: 2018
Blurb: How do you know who to trust when you don’t even know who you are?
You are outside your front door. There are strangers in your house. Then you realise. You can’t remember your name. She arrived at the train station after a difficult week at work. Her bag had been stolen, and with it, her identity. Her whole life was in there – passport, wallet, house key. When she tried to report the theft, she couldn’t remember her own name. All she knew was her own address. Now she’s outside Tony and Laura’s front door. She says she lives in their home. They say they have never met her before.
One of them is lying.

This was one of those books that I just took a punt on: I plucked it off the shelf and bought it without any research at all.

I read the synopsis and was captivated enough to read the first page of it in the shop. Then the second. Then the third… So I bought it. (As Tim Weaver mentioned in an interview once, it’s important to find an author who writes how you like to read, and this author certainly does!)

What a find!

It’s another one to add to the Girl on the Train/The Couple Next Door/Gone Girl band wagon to be honest. It’s a psychological thriller with a twist (or two)!

Forget My Name is about a woman who has has forgotten who she is. All she remembers is how to get home from the airport she’s found herself at. But when she arrives at the house that she recognises, she finds two people living there who say that they’ve lived there for several years. They kindly take her in until she can recall more of her life and figure out what has happened.

It certainly gets the cogs turning as it’s a very mysterious story indeed!

Sadly though, there are a few times where my suspense of disbelief was tested with the intriguing twists becoming unexpected u-turns. The story didn’t continue in the direction I’d hoped for as there were a few left-field story arcs.

Nevertheless, it was a page-turner and was good enough for me to recommend to others.

I particularly love the way it was written with the perspective of the different characters alternating between chapters.

It’ll keep you guessing from start to finish, but you’re not going to figure it out!

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Bird Box

A review of Bird Box.

Director: Susanne Bier
Writer: Eric Heisserer (screenplay). Based on book by Josh Malerman
Released: December 2018
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Vivien Lyra Blair, Julian Edwards, Danielle Macdonald, Lil Rel Howery, Jacki Weaver, Rosa Salazar, BD Wong, Tom Hollander, Sarah Paulson and Colson Baker
—

Firstly, if you’ve seen A Quiet Place, then you’ve seen Bird Box. It’s quite comical how similar they both are.

Nevertheless, that is not an excuse not to watch Bird Box – especially if you enjoy an apocalyptic film.

It’s about a mysterious force that if seen, will cause people to kill themselves or harm others. This results in mass suicides, turning the world into a survival of the fittest. No one can go outside without being blindfolded for fear of seeing the nearly invisible killer.

Bird Box river scene

The movie follows a pretty predictable storyline, but that doesn’t stop it from being shocking and unnerving. Especially when the force tempts people to take down their blindfolds by echoing the voice of a loved one.

I’m actually surprised that the storyline didn’t cause mass outrage or offence, considering it’s about suicides. I thought there would be fears of copycat behaviour. From the point of view of mental illness, I also thought offence would be taken by the fact that clinically insane people can see the killer but not kill themselves. Instead, they turn into murderers.

At the very least, I thought offence would be caused by the main character Mallorie (Sandra Bullock) naming the two children she’s looking after Boy and Girl (which are very gender-specific names in this gender diverse world).

Review of the Bird Box movie

However, I despair at what has got people talking: The Bird Box Challenges.

People are posting videos of themselves doing everyday activities – such as driving – blindfolded to see if they would survive in the apocalyptic world that was depicted. This reaction to the movie has resulted in warnings being posted by Netflix.

Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Nevertheless, I thought the movie was well cast – I love Sandra Bullock anyway – but she did so well portraying a desperate mother. I think Reese Witherspoon would have done a good job too.

The storyline moved quickly with lots of twists and turns, which kept you on your feet.

So take your blindfold off – Bird Box is definitely worth watching!

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Author Archives: NZ Film Freak

Tenet

Knives Out

Emma

Jumanji: The Next Level

Downton Abbey

Stan & Ollie

Yesterday

The Lion King (2019)

Green Book

Bohemian Rhapsody

Rocketman

Down Down Down to the Wishing Well – Leafy Satori Risk

Mary Poppins Returns

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Contagion

The MacGregor Brides – Nora Roberts

The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop – Clare Baldwin

Glass

Storm Boy

Mystery in White – J. Jefferson Farjeon

Top 5 Ways to Read More Often in 2019

Radio Girls – Sarah-Jane Stratford

The Devil’s Staircase – Helen Fitzgerald

Forget My Name – J.S. Monroe

Bird Box