Wonka is a musical prequel to the 1971/2005 versions of the Willy Wonka stories. It is colorful, magical, and endearing. There are a ton of little details and quirky bits. The film uses and ties back to things in the two previous films. (After seeing it, we went home and watched the other two again!) Reading the fine print is a lesson he learns and takes to heart here. LOL.  

Lots of homage to the 1971 version, even changing the Ompa Loompas (we only see one – but Shorty is a hoot!) back to the original orange and green coloring. 

Gorgeous sets, hilarious characters, subtext, catchy songs. Too much fun! Some fidging with cannon, but not enough to detract from the tale.

Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!

A super fun family film. Quirky characters abound. And the coolest-looking helicopter ever! The backdrops and animation are excellent. Chuck-full with popular actors and actresses.  Fun family dynamics and events help all those involved to become more than they were before.

Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again!

As Arthur Curry is discovering, being a king is not all it’s cracked up to be.  His efforts to be a bridge between humans and sea dwellers are getting nowhere. But he is finding joy in parenthood. Black Manta returns to exact revenge, but all is not as it seems. There is a new element threatening to destroy the land and seas. More than Aquaman can handle alone, so he frees the last person anyone would expect him to go to for help—his imprisoned brother.

There are lots of sweet and bitter-sweet moments. Mera is sadly relegated to the back to give more room for Arthur and Orm to clash, learn more about each other, and gain a deeper understanding of who they are.

Great graphics and special effects. Several comedic and poignant moments. Fun and action-packed. 

Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Worth Price of Admission

When hubby showed an interest in seeing this one, I was surprised and more than happy to check it out. Based on a book based on actual events, the story follows the travails of eight college boys as they struggle to become a cohesive unit for 8 man rowing. 

The story centers mostly around Joe Rantz and Coach Al Ulbrickson, but we get info on the others as well. The film squeezes together three years into one. It’s set during the Great Depression and ends at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany.

Overall, I enjoyed the film a lot. And they did explain some of the mechanics of 8 men rowing, though I do wish they’d done more. Despite the great acting, cinematography, etc., however, the end will leave you a little dissatisfied. Something the filmmakers could have easily resolved. They did show pics of the real people during the credits, but unlike most historical films, they don’t tell you what happened to any of them afterward. They don’t even tell you if Joe married Joyce or not! (He did, by the way. I went and looked it up! Lol.) So they shot themselves in the foot there and made viewers feel unfullfilled.

Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5 Hubby’s Rating: Better for Matinee