MayuMG Reviews

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Must See, but Gets Really Stressful

[9/10 · 17 January 2023]

-Handles multiverses really well.

-LOVE THE OUTFITS.

-LOVE THE ACTORS -What a unique and cool premise, as well as diverse characters -Love that the lesson is learning from those around you and that fighting with good is always an option -AMAZING SETS AND CHOREOGRAPHY -Great music -Also love how outrageous it is. It tackles a sci-fi multiverse story with the tenacity of an overblown and ridiculous kung fu film

-Only issue would be it hits to close to home for me in the beginning. I was SO STRESSED during the first half that it bring it down a star. I love that is was so dramatic but it was just... ouch hit too close.

Heartstopper (2022– )

A Must-See for All but Expect Some Romance Corniness

[9/10 · 26 November 2022]

-Imo, wayy better than the comic. It's much better paced, characters have a lot more characterization, much better pacing, and added new moments that added much more conflict and stakes.

-My god everyone's so cute -FINALLY a wholesome LGBTQ romance story. It's been a long time coming unfortunately.

-Super positive and feel-good, despite some of the darker times.

-You could really tell they were trying to add a lot of stakes at the end. It was a bit overdone and dramatic.

-Some moments are suuuper cringe-y corny.

-Last episode felt really rushed. The last half is completely focused on the main two and ignores everyone else.

Angels in America (2003)

Don't think it's aged well

[6/10 · 24 November 2022]

-I like the religious metaphors for Prior. They were multi-faceted and interesting.

-The dialogue is very unique.

-Great effects and complex characters (favorites being Belize and Hannah)

-I feel like the metaphors they were trying to portray should not have taken over 6 hours to talk about. I think many parts could've been cut out. It got very boring and repetitive after a while.

-SERIOUSLY depressing, like it tries to be funny to help but it really doesn't at all. Not only that, but it's also the same TV tope of celebrating a piece of media where the gays suffer and aren't happy by the end, which I'm really sick of.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Understandably very popular but a bit dated now

[8/10 · 10 October 2022]

-Great characters -Great settings (recently went to Boston. It's scarily accurate) -Amazing dialogue. This is definitely the part that shines the most!

-Not afraid to depict profiling, acedemia hypocrisy, and being critical of many other topics we experience every day.

-Really good depiction of Will. Everyone can relate to being smart on a topic and having to dumb yourself down for everyone, holding yourself back, etc.

-Loved the parallels of Will's struggles with Sean and the professor. They went through a similar dilema that Will starts facing toward the end of the movie.

-Cute romance

-Will's intelligence is a bit overdone. It's a little dated to hear him have all these comebacks and look "cool" -Depicting community college as a place for dumb people -Ending could've been better. Everything was tied up in a neat bow and ended with "love wins." A bit of an unclimatic ending.

-Movie in general felt long because the story doesn't really have a focus. It kinda stumbles around until something happens.

Tangled (2010)

A Must-See for Everyone

[10/10 · 10 June 2022]

-Great music -Great and well-thought out plot -Amazingly lovable characters -Spectacular animation and directing. It's just so well put together.

-What I love most is Mother Gothel as a villain. I'd argue she's one of the most devious and evilest villains out there because she's manipulative and it really hit home for the manipulative people who used me in my life. Although despicable, you find yourself cheering for her and respect her well-thought out manipulation tactics.

-Eugene's character growth is so good. He's not a completely different person, but he has changed and it's really well done.

-The comedy is so good and well-done. Although the story is pretty messed up, it's only for the adults to recognize. The kids can watch it and have fun.

-The animal characters aren't annoying. They really do play well into the movie and don't stick out like sore thumbs. They kind of become the inner thoughts of characters, which is a very creative and non-disruptive way to show thoughts in a movie.

-Rapunzel didn't really change much as a character. She was always very head-strong and independent from the beginning. I wish that was her character growth, like in the beginning, she's extremely sheltered and doesn't want to leave at all, and it's Eugene who makes her more outgoing. That'd be a nice development.

-There were a lot of feet. Freaked me out a little.

The Harder They Fall (2021)

A Very Refreshing Take on Westerns

[8/10 · 16 May 2022]

-It's a modern western which is honestly a really cool idea. It feels like gangs facing each other yet also cowboys. It draws a lot of parallels between westerns and modern crime.

-Love the representation of African American actors in this movie. There's next to no white actors and it's a western lol. I love the irony. It's like a metaphorical African American reclaiming of white, racist westerns. It's very interesting.

-KILLER soundtrack.

-Great dialogue.

-Great action and interesting revenge plot. Both were just realistic enough and just over-the-top enough to be very funny and very serious. This movie definitely had a lot of fun.

-GREAT camera work. I love it. It's also overdone but also grounded enough in western tropes to be endearing.

-Worth at least one watch in your life. Pretty awesome. It reminds me of Key's movies that use metaphors to criticize ideas and society "Get Out" and "Us".

-Slowed down after the girl is captured (which was also stupid. Why tf did she go?). It felt like a side quest before the main plot picks up again finally lol. It was pretty boring.

-Did not like the acting of the supposed best gun slinger with the opposing crew. His acting was so still and emotionless, and not in a good way.

-Some lines that were presented as badass and cool felt super cringe-y. Like... give me a break. I will admit the movie is badass escapism, but sometimes it just gets annoyingly stupid.

-It can also get a little too artsy sometimes. Really hard to pin down what the purpose is of some scenes at times.

The Road to El Dorado (2000)

Pretty dated, but you can feel the heart

[7/10 · 28 March 2022]

-Great main duo. Loved their chemistry.

-Great humor for older audiences -AMAZING animation. SO BEAUTIFUL -Good music too!

-Good plot points (girl threatens their love, their wants threaten their love, etc.)

-^But the execution was the issue. It's all over the place and didn't feel like an adventure. More like a couple guys being worshiped. It was missing a lot of action and interesting stuff.

-Also very dated and cringe-y... Not exactly a fan of the voluptuous girl or the uncomfy borderline racist stuff? But you get what you get.

Inside Job (2021–2022)

Rough start, but only gets better

[7/10 · 15 March 2022]

-Loved the characters, especially Brett and Raegan.

-Music was great.

-Had a lot of good jokes.

-Great animation and some scenes.

-Good finale -I liked seeing Raegan's way of thinking being challenged by her friends and seeing her grow but also regress again. It's not very sudden and makes you cheer her on throughout the show.

-Reference humor was WAYYY overdone in the first half. Luckily, they tone it down later.

-I think the finale would've felt more impactful if the buildup of their friendship was better. I didn't get that vibe too well.

Mysterious Skin (2004)

Disturbing, but a must-watch

[8/10 · 13 March 2022]

-Amazing acting -Unafraid to depict very uncomfortable material in a respectful way.

-AMAZING camera work. Some angles and cuts sent chills with their delivery.

-Felt like a horror film almost with the amount of dread there was. Everything worked together so well to let the audience know that something is always wrong, despite moments where characters seem happy.

-It's VERY intense and not for the faint of heart. It's very depressing.

-I think they might have held out the mystery a bit too long. The build-up didn't have much of an effect after a while.

-I wish the two boys interacted more and had the movie follow them figuring out what happened together. Otherwise, the plot got repetitive following only one boy most of the time, all of which was depressing and hard to watch. It could've used the other boy as a comic relief to make it a bit easier.

God's Own Country (2017)

Brokeback inspired, but developed it's own good story

[7/10 · 10 March 2022]

-This movie only gets better overtime, which I'm pretty sure is the point. You want to hate everyone in the beginning, but overtime, they all become better people and do better things.

-Good music -Great actors -Great story -Learned a lot about farming, strangely.

-A HAPPY ENDING FOR THE GAYS FINALLYY

-First third is the lowest the movie gets, and it's pretty hard to sit through.

-How they developed feelings for each other was a bit vague. I think it could've been done better.

-VERY quiet and VERY slow-paced.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Amazing, if a bit slow

[8/10 · 10 March 2022]

-GREAT acting -Better depiction of gay sex. Most of it was clothed, but it's good enough. Represent.

-GREAT music by one of my favorite composers.

-Story kept you hooked all the way.

-The absolute joy they had when they saw each other was really well done too and very sweet. You could tell how genuine it was in comparison to how they acted around other people in their life.

-Definitely not a happy watch. It follows how their relationship ruins their lives and the lives of others. It's pretty messed up and everyone gets hurt.

-Wish the ending didn't have one of them die for once. There should be more gay movies with happy endings.

-A little drawn out at times, mostly after the first part with the sheep.

Last Flight Home (2022)

Intense, but a bit held out

[7/10 · 10 March 2022]

-Great message to raise awareness about voluntary death laws.

-Well-edited.

-Such a tear jerker. You'll be bawling at every moment.

-I'm sure it was fine, but it just doesn't feel personally right to make a film about this? It just felt a little exploitative.

-It did drag on a little.

Weekend (II) (2011)

Great film, but ending needs work

[8/10 · 10 March 2022]

-Couple is sooo cute.

-LOVE the main two as characters. They basically have opposite personalities and yet, they make it work.

-Good-pacing generally.

-Not scared to show nudity and gay sex. Good. Finally.

-I like how each day is dedicated to a part of their relationship, and the tension only increases as the days run out.

-They depict asshole homophobes. Good!

-I also really liked how it depicted two sides of being gay: the side that wants to rebel against the status quo and the side that wants to "blend in" embodied by the two characters. Their fight on the third day was really compelling and exposed the pros and cons of each way of thinking.

-The cute moments of them warming up to each other is WELL DONE. Subtle and yet very explicit.

-Had a lot of laughs too! These two have great chemistry and have fun conversations.

-Also, the repeated scene of Glen leaving the apartment was so cute. Every day, he stops more and more to look back awww.

-Wish it was a little more concise. Some parts are held out. But it's forgivable enough. It's a cute, slow burn.

-The ending... NOOOO. They deserved a happy ending NOOOOOO WHYYYY. Why did it go down the depressing gay movie route whyyyyy?! It was great until then!

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Cute, but missing something

[6/10 · 10 March 2022]

-The last half was very cute. I liked the humor and silliness of the both of them.

-Music was good too.

-Great acting.

-The mix of Italian and English was very refreshing. It felt much more natural than having it all in english.

-Beautiful settings and I love how they use them in many scenes, like swimming and biking. It felt like they lived in the town.

-Plot was pretty good and simple.

-The casting for Oliver was a bit too old. It freaked me out a little.

-There's a lot of beating around the bush, which I like in these movies, but there's just A LOT of it. I wish it was more fast-paced and had more conflicts to overcome. But otherwise, it's a relaxing watch.

-Was missing something to make it more engaging.

The Way He Looks (2014)

Good, but a bit cliche

[6/10 · 9 March 2022]

-I liked the inner conflict with the MC on how they just want to be treated the same as everyone else, and the only person who does that is his friend.

-Music was good.

-Loved the chemistry between the friends. They had a completely different way of talking than usual which made it feel a bit more genuine.

-Very sweet and slow paced, which is appreciated.

-Plot really felt like filler. It felt like I watched a slice of life anime with how cliche it got haha. It was okay, but nothing really surprised me and it was very melodramatic over small things.

-I guess it's just very plain. They should've added something more.

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

Had some moments, but mostly confusing

[5/10 · 9 March 2022]

-I liked that it depicted a part of UK you don't hear much about.

-Dialogue was well written

-Story was very hard to follow. It jumped all over the place and you had a small idea of what was happening but not really.

-The climax was at the end? It was basically very nonsensical or just too metaphorical to understand properly. Maybe I'll rewatch it, but it's extremely hard to follow. I don't even remember what really happened.

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Spectacular, but a bit held out

[9/10 · 2 March 2022]

-LOVE the settings and outfits. They were very fake and plastic looking, which really helped amplify the fake-ness of being straight when you're not.

-The music is so sassy. I LOVE it.

-The innuendos are SO hilarious. I LOVE it. They try so bad to not be gay, but then it hits them like a truck and it's amazing!

-Love the main couple. So cute.

-Very wholesome and not sexualized. I love that also about this film. Not all lesbian relationships are just about sex and tokenizing it as a selling point.

-AND THE MC GIRL'S EXPRESSIONS OMFGGGG SUCH A MOOD -And the whole passive-aggressiveness in the film is just chef's kiss, from the lesbians to the crazy converts.

-It went a little long, but that's about it.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Realistic, but very forgettable

[5/10 · 2 March 2022]

-I liked a few characters that were fun, such as the main girl and the ticket guy.

-Nothing really happens. It's very jumpy and has multiple stories happening, and doesn't have a goal or moral which I think takes a lot away from it. I think this is also because of how realistic the movie is; there's nothing to look forward to.

-Music was good but they weren't original songs. They bought some famous popular songs and put it in.

-Also, why is the advertising the high guy? Was he the main character? This and some other things the movie did felt very exploitative, like putting in teen songs and an actor everyone knows will carry the movie? It's a bit much.

Grease (1978)

Not what I expected, but good

[7/10 · 2 March 2022]

-Cute couple -Has a good vibe. It's just mostly a lot of fun, dancing, and singing.

-Loved the first half. It went hard on revealing how both of these people have friends they need to impress and they can't just be together because of that.

-Slightly addressed issues with high school, such as pregnancy, sex, and needing to have a persona around your friends.

-Some good songs!

-I liked the ending message that relationships require both people to change in order for it to go well. It's true to an extent.

-Plot is very jumpy, which I understand since they're pushing an entire year of school into one movie. But I think it suffers a little from it.

-The actors are WAY too old to be playing teenagers. It freaked me out.

-Some parts felt like filler, like the held out Prom and Zuko trying out all the sports teams.

-Plot was also boring. Again, since it's a musical, it's much more about the performance than the plot itself which kind of makes the movie suffer. It's still good, but you really notice all the dance numbers and music. It's hard to get into it when it's behind a screen.

Hairspray (2007)

Has some cute moments, but BADLY AGED

[6/10 · 1 March 2022]

-I love the message that people should look underneath rather than what's on the outside.

-Very cheery. There's never a moment that feels sad, even the sadder parts lol.

-LOVE the main girl and mostly everyone else. Casting was good and the actors were amazing.

-It's definitely very white-washed. Ik they try to make up for it with the whole protest thing, but it's just disturbing more than anything today. I detest how white it is... It has this whole "I'm one of you" mentalities that just really annoys me. If I was African American and I saw this, I'd probably be disgusted if I had to be honest.

-The plot itself was kind of boring too and all over the place. I was fighting to get through it all. I think it was because there's no significant conflict or negativity.

-Music was very okay. There's a song here and there that's really good but otherwise, very meh.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

First viewing is mind-blowing. Afterward, it has aged.

[7/10 · 1 March 2022]

-I absolutely adored this movie when I first watched it, and I still have a soft spot for it.

-AMAZING cast of characters and acting.

-Great music when it counts.

-Has a lot of things that should be said about high school and what it's like as a teenager.

-AMAZING dialogue too, especially for Bender. It has stood the test of time for the most part, except a few pieces of lingo here and there.

-A lot of nice silent moments I appreciate.

-The gross out humor is dated.

-The execution is very straight forward and doesn't leave much to the imagination. Anyone can understand the moral and that's what makes it really boring and cringe-y toward the end, because people don't talk like this.

-How the characters treat each other like they're lying or aren't believed just isn't as relevant today. It's also very dated.

-It's very not structured which is fun but it makes it a little boring.

-Pretty annoying how the jock and prep are the the nice ones and reach out to everyone. That's just not realistic and makes them look like good people. Also, the whole make up scene is dated too, that a girl needs to be pretty to matter, etc.

Arcane (2021– )

Good, but it's League. That's enough to bring it down.

[8/10 · 25 January 2022]

-Great, interesting characters.

-Good world building.

-Great music.

-SPECTACULAR animation and character designs.

-AMAZING voice actor performances.

-I like how it follows different stories and how they effect and intersect each other.

-So why an 8? I'd honestly put it at a 7, but the animation is so good, it deserves another point. Quite frankly, it's the story. I've never felt like so many things happened, yet nothing progressed. Yes, stuff happened, but it was way more world building than plot which made it pretty boring. I don't wanna watch 10 1-hour episodes of just world building, definitely not again.

-And when plot/progression did happen, it was small, and what did it accumulate to? A hard reset in the finale. Wtf. It's like they want to hold off on any plot until they've written out all the other characters and their worlds and bank on those seasons- oh wait. See, that was the biggest issue. It felt like the writers were holding back on progressing anything and taking as little risks as possible. Probably for the reason I stated earlier. I'm hoping this issue will get better as Arcane gets more attention and more funding, but that doesn't change the product that came out finished.

-Just the fact that it is part of the League franchise is what puts me off too. League is notoriously known as the most toxic gaming community, filled with racists, sexists, and all sorts of horrible people that I have personally been a victim of, and it just doesn't feel right that instead of trying to fix their community and game, they decide to get funding from elsewhere to keep their toxic community fed. I don't like supporting that, but I'm hoping that isn't the case. For all I know, they could be using the traction of Arcane to flood anti-incels into the League community, but I doubt it since they're a huge corporation. We'll see. Just do not expect me to fund League's exploits at all until they improve their community.

Home Alone 3 (1997)

You'll love it if you thought the other 2 were okay

[8/10 · 3 January 2022]

-Honestly, this kid's an improvement: he's not a brat, much easier to sympathize with, and doesn't have terribly neglectful parents that take you out of the experience. C'mon guys.

-Really improved everything about the franchise: Made a much more believable and understandable family situation for modern audiences. Made this kid a hilarious 5D chess thinking little twerp that can outdo a group of specially trained Korean spies, while suffering from chicken pox! If this kid gets any more strong, the world is basically doomed and I love it. Put a lot more time and effort into the traps and pranks over the story, which I really preferred in the last movie too. Has a lighter but also more high-stakes story which I think fits perfectly.

-Just hilarious, but more hilarious for the ridiculousness.

-Pranks are also much more memorable, because they were SUPER clever and painful.

-It's a Home Alone sequel. I'm not gonna watch it out of season, but I'll admit it is good for it's genre.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Better pranks, better story, better situations

[7/10 · 3 January 2022]

-Definitely a step-up from the original.

-Traps were more vicious, given more time, and more impressive in scale. Nice.

-I like that the family is just like "Yup, we forgot him again. And this time, he's in the Big Apple all alone. Ah well... it's how it goes..." They aren't pretending to be caring and worried parents anymore (which I didn't believe in the first place for the first one). They know they're horrible, and not only does it fit the story better, but it makes it even funnier.

-Story didn't try to force feelings out of me like they did for the first one. It really seemed like they went all out on the humor rather than the cheesey and forced message of family in the first one, which is where the movie really shines the most.

-Love how Kevin is also like, "yup this is happening again" and goes even harder into loving being alone. He does get a little lonely, but for the most part, just revels in being free which I adore.

-I also loved all the parallels of events in this movie to events in the last movie.

-Bird Lady's story felt a little show horned. It didn't really fit the hilarious mood of the story, although I did like her character.

-I guess general cheesiness. Although they cut out a lot of it, there's still a lot there that's not very fitted to modern audiences anymore.

Home Alone (1990)

Nostalgic for many, but extremely dated otherwise

[6/10 · 29 December 2021]

-Premise is cute and funny.

-Gotta love the charm and guts of the main character. Wonderful performance too.

-Tricks were clever.

__________________________________________ -I watched this now for the first time at 23 years old, and it is SERIOUSLY dated. The religious undertones are extremely ridiculous and annoying, but I understand it was part of the times.

-Movie's about appreciating your family, but... they kind of treat him horribly. Not only does everyone in the house treat him like gum on their shoe, but they forget him at home. How do you forget your child? He must've had a bag that needed to be checked at the airport. Couldn't you have noticed him then? And he's like 8. Surely his mom should've made sure he went to his assigned plane seat, like- I don't believe this. I don't feel for the family at all. I just feel horrible that this child has such neglectful people looking after him.

-^Because of that, it just annoys me the movie paints Kevin as the bad guy. He's completely justified with his feelings and it's sad the Christmas spirit brainwashes him into accepting that kind of treatment as love. I'm surprised this clever kid hasn't called child services yet.