What to Watch in the Theater:
Bumblebee (PG13) is in theaters now. This Transformers origin story takes place in 1987, as Bumblebee takes refuge on earth and meets 18-year-old Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld). She wants a car more than anything, and discovers Bee, in the form of a VW Beetle. The two form a bond and have some adventures, thanks to a couple of Decepticons and the US military. In our opinion, this is the best Transformers movie ever, with much more human interaction and fewer robots to keep straight. The fight scenes are still impressive, and although we have some questions about the robots, we found this movie thoroughly entertaining – packed with not only action, but heart.
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
Second Act (PG13) is in theaters now. Jennifer Lopez is a smart worker who deserves better, but is blocked from succeeding because she never went to college. Her godson creates a new persona for her online, and she lands a dream job. She has the talents she needs but only reluctantly goes along with the lie, until a surprise from her past makes things even more complicated. More than a rom com, this movie is about a woman’s journey to find where she shines and live the life she deserves. It’s an inspiring (though unlikely) story with some great comic relief.
Our rating: 4 out of 5
What to Watch at Home (Or Not):
Bird Box (R) is a Netflix exclusive. This horror movie finds Sandra Bullock as Malorie, a single mom with two kids, trying to find their way, blindfolded, up a river to a safe haven. We learn more via flashbacks to five years ago – a bizarre entity (or entities) of unknown origin causes people who see it to take their own life. We get more details about Malorie, her relationships and how life has been affected by this. We were split on this one, which wasn’t as scary as we thought it would be.
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (not rated but likely TVG) is a Netflix exclusive series. If you’re familiar with Marie Kondo’s books, you know she’s all about sparking joy. If not, you’re in for a pleasant surprise, in the form of this cheerfully organized Japanese mom. In this series, Marie shares her method for tidying up with a variety of different people, in their own homes. Each episode highlights the lessons that apply most to their situation, and we see how this improves their lives. It’s fun and inspiring, and although we’ve only watched one episode so far, we look forward to more.
Our rating: 4.17 out of 5
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