Based on the book written by Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a teenage coming of age story like no other. The movie follows an awkward teenager named Charlie (portrayed by Logan Lerman) through his first year in high school. When he meets two outgoing, free spirited seniors Sam and Patrick (Emma Watson and Ezra Miller) Charlie’s life gets turned upside down. While Sam and Patrick introduce Charlie to all there is in life including parties, relationships and more, Charlie struggles with an inner battle trying to solve a mystery of his past. Charlie must learn to ground himself before his friends graduate so he does not lose all he has worked so hard to achieve his first year in a new school. Charlie also forms a strong bond with one of his teachers who wants to help him achieve his dream of being a writer and show him that there is more to life than someone’s past.

This wonderful yet heartbreaking film was one of my favorites for quite a long time. Highlighting real issues that happen in high schools all over the world like mental illness, abusive relationships and the pressure of standards posed by adults and teens alike, this is a movie that shows real problems that many people prefer not to talk about. There are many moments in the film where you feel for the characters in their sadness, their fear and their uncomfortableness. When sometimes the amount of awkwardness makes you want to close your eyes, it also seems that viewers can not look away. While this is not necessarily a “feel good” film, it is definitely one that everyone should experience at some point. One thing about the movie that I am not a fan of is how it differentiates from the book. There are a few (in my opinion) key scenes that did not make it into the final version of the film that helped make the storyline of the book as great as it was. While this was disappointing to me, if a viewer feels so inclined, they can still find these deleted scenes on Youtube if they know what they’re looking for. In summary, I believe this movie deserves a 73% for the strong emotional connections between the characters, the hard truths it reveals and the fact that it helps viewers remember that the their past does not define them.

The Disney interpretation of the classic rapunzel story, Tangled, was released nine years ago this year. This dazzling fantasy/comedy film is one of my favorite Disney movies to date. Princess Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) was stolen away from her castle as a newborn, and grew up never knowing her royalty status. Her kidnapper/evil godmother (Donna Murphy) used her magic hair to provider her eternal youth, since eternal youth was something the godmother valued so greatly she never allowed Rapunzel to leave their hidden tower in the woods. One day the towns well known thief, Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi), climbs the princesses tower to discover a young girl with an urge of adventure. Rapunzel convinces Flynn to help her escape the tower and the two of the go a journey to find what Rapunzel had been missing her whole life, freedom. A fun fact about the movie, while it may not seem like it, Tangled is actually currently in the top 10 list of most expensive movies ever made!

The empowering female main character serves as an inspiration to many young princess loving girls. While most princess movie follow the same pattern, a girl is in trouble and a shiny young man comes to save her, Tangled is different. Rapunzel’s love of adventure and sense of humor teaches girls that you do not always need a man to save the day, and sometimes you can be your own hero. The comedic characters, like Rapunzel’s chameleon sidekick Pascal and one of the kingdoms guard horses Maximus, provide humor to soften the reality of how tough her situation actually is. This movie also features a series of songs that are incredibly catchy including “When Will My Life Begin” and “I’ve Got A Dream”. They songs are fun, hopeful and are sure to be stuck in your head for days. This movie receives a rating of 88% for its composition and important messages. If you have not seen Tangled I highly recommend you take the time to watch it and enjoy!

While I personally consider myself more of a Marvel type of girl, DC’s Shazam! was a hit in my mind. Directed by David Sandberg, this superhero comedy is fun for all ages. Watch as 14 year old orphan Billy Batson (Asher Angel) obtains superhero powers, allowing him to turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi) with one word. This is super exciting for Billy as his whole life he has never felt like much of a hero due to his mom losing him as a kid. Now he gets the opportunity to be an adult without having to worry about all of the standard kid problems like school and parents. While showing off the excitement of Billy’s new powers, the film also follows him through his difficult time being a foster kid. Running away from numerous foster homes in search of his birth mom, causes him to be placed in a home with two parents and five other foster children who are determined to make him feel at home. While experimenting with his new found powers, Billy runs into a super villian that embodies all 7 sins (Mark Strong) who wants to steal his power. Billy must quickly gain control over his skills in order to save his new family along with the rest of his city.

This film was hilarious from start to finish, keeping the audience laughing and engaged the whole time. The witty humor and discreet jokes caused me to laugh out loud multiple times in the theatre. With well developed characters and a carefully planned storyline, the film fell into place piece by piece. In my books, this is one of the best DC films I have ever seen. Finishing off with a 78%, I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys superheros or just wants a good laugh. See it in theatres while you can, because this a movie you don’t want to miss.

The Netflix original movie, Unicorn Store, was released onto the streaming platform on April 5th. Written by Samantha McIntyre and directed by and starring Brie Larson, this film follows the main character Kit as she grows up and attempts to become an adult. You see Kit battle with hard topics like getting a real job, making her parents proud and forming real relationships. It is when she finally lands a steady job as a temp, that a mysterious salesman (Samuel L. Jackson) sends a secret letter to Kit telling her she can achieve one of her childhood dreams. In order for the dream to come true, there are a series of steps that Kit must complete in order to get what she wants. While trying to complete these steps, Kit realizes that what she thought she wanted all along is not what she actually needed. At the end of the film Brie Larson makes the point to prove that all anyone wants, is just to be loved forever. The concluding message helps the viewer understand that it is not material possessions that matter most, but more the bonds you form with the people around you.

The heartfelt film creates a warm atmosphere that can make the whole family feel involved. The film had me laughing out loud many times and had such a feel good preserence that I did not want it to end. While you may think this movie could be childish due to its title and rainbow nature, it is quite the opposite. Instead it is all about exploring adulthood and all of the struggles that come with it. With a relatable beginning, a tear jerking ending and comedy gold in between, this movie kept me entertained the whole way through. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is struggling with what they want out of life or anyone who feels they are not good enough. Overall I would give this movie a rating of 87%, highly enjoyable and definitely one I would watch again. After watching this movie I have come to the conclusion that I would really enjoy having my own unicorn.

The fan favorite movie “The Greatest Showman” came out in theatres in December of 2017 becoming an instant hit. The film, directed by Michael Gracey, tells the story of a young P. T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) creating the first ever circus. P. T. came from very little money and had a difficult childhood but his relationship with his love, Charity Barnum (Michelle Williams), gave him the perseverance he needed to create something magical. Throughout the movie P. T. facing many challenges and hard decisions, like having to decide between money or love? Or in another situation having to fight for his own beliefs instead of give in to what society told him to be. Featuring other fan favorites like Zac Efron (Phillip Carlyle) and Zendaya (Anne Wheeler), The Greatest Showman went on to be nominated for several Golden Globes, Teen Choice Awards and MTV Movie Awards.

Throughout the film, the lively colors, songs and dance numbers keep the audience engaged as well as entertained. Some of the fan favorite songs from the show include “The Greatest Show”, “A Million Dreams” and “This Is Me”. All of these songs are catchy and fun and are sure to be going through your head days after the movie ends. The relationships between the characters are heartfelt and raw, appearing totally natural to many of the viewers. Although this movie was loved by many, there are a few people that had some problems with it for other reasons. It is a fact known by some that the real P. T. Barnum was not the best man. In reality he was quite racist and treated african american people as if they were less than white people. This has sparked some controversy over the movie due to the fact that in the film P. T. was not portrayed as racist at all. Therefore some are arguing the integrity of the movie and think it gives off false information as to what P. T. was like. While this is true, the entertaining nature of the film still keeps most of its viewers satisfied and pleased. Considering all of the different factors that went into this movie I would give it a 68%. While fun and memorable, its lack of honesty is a turn off to many of its views. Still, if you are looking for an uplifting film to bring a close to an exciting night, this is the one for you.

For the past few years I have always considered “Nerve” to be one of my favorite movies. The 2016 film directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman is an adaption of the book written by Jeanne Ryan. This movie follows a high school student, Vee (played by Emma Roberts), through her experience with a new viral “Truth or Dare” type of game. In the game the participant is asked to decide whether they are a “watcher or a player”. Watchers are simply viewers who observe the game while the players are dared to complete often dangerous and illegal tasks in exchange for money and support of the other viewers. Vee takes up playing this game to prove to her best friend Sydney (Emily Meade) that she is not the push over her friend claims she is. As the game gets going Vee begins to team up with another player, Ian (Dave Franco), which starts out as a good move but quickly turns into a huge mistake. When the finale of the game takes a turn for the worst, Vee has to make some decisions that will affect the rest of her life.

When this film first came out in theatres I saw three times before purchasing it on DVD. Throughout the whole movie I am kept on the edge of my seat wanting more. The adrenaline and nerves of the characters are shown so clearly making the viewer really feel how high the stakes are. The attention grabbing colors mixed with the incredible soundtrack make for a movie that is both visual appealing and immersive. Not only is this movie thrilling and exciting but it is also quite hilarious. The witty characters mixed with the crazy circumstances keep the audience laughing throughout the entire film. While I hope to never find myself in a situation like the characters in the movie, I can appreciate the way the events play out and the decisions the watchers and players make throughout the whole film. All in all this movie continues to be one of my favorites and I know it is always one I can turn to for an exciting night. Considering the cinematography, soundtrack and characterization I give this movie 88%. Keeping the audience engaged and invested in the film, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling movie to end their night.

Thanks for joining me!

Hey team! My name is Eliza and I am a Junior at a high school in Michigan. I have been passionate about movies since I was a child. My family’s favorite weekend activity is heading to a theatre or paper viewing a film and settling in for the night to get lost in another world. Movies are one of my favorite things because they let you explore places and circumstances that you may never otherwise find yourself in. They transport you to another world and let you live a different life, even if it just for a short period of time. As movies have been things I have always loved, I decided starting a blog about them was something I should pursue. Getting to have my thoughts and opinions out in the world for others to build off of and understand puts me into a community that feels the way I do. This blog will enable you to form thoughts on movies before deciding whether to not you want to watch them. It will also be a place to see others opinion on movies you have already seen to see how they relate or differentiate from yours. Movies are a way for others to come together and appreciate something as a group while still being able to interpret what they use in their own way. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to let me know your thoughts and opinions on my thought and opinions.

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton