WOW, how time flies. It's already 2021 but COVID-19 is still a major reason many of us are mostly at home. Anyway, here are more of the cinematic content I continued to consume between the last post and this one.
Freaks (2018)
A father (Emile Hirsch) seems to be over-protective of his 7-year old daughter, Chloe (Lexy Kolker) as she’s constantly locked inside their house. 
Since Chloe's birth, she’d been told that the mother (Amanda Crew) had been killed as it was really unsafe outside.
One day, while Dad was asleep, Chloe went outside and was approached by an old man in the ice cream truck in front of her house. The old man was actually Chloe's grandfather (Bruce Dern), who revealed to Chloe that her mother was in fact still alive and being held captive by the govt.
With the truth out in the open, Chloe, Dad and Grandpa decided to go rescue Mom.
Powers
Dad can slow down time. Grandpa turns invisible. Mom can fly. Chloe is a powerful (Omega-Level?) telepath.
I really liked this as it's what super heroes/mutant films should be. Altho' I admit that the first 30 minutes or so was kind of frustrating as the audience don't really know what was going on. However, once that hurdle is gone, it's a really enjoyable movie. I recommend it, especially for super-hero/comic fans!
Mother and Child (2009)
Karen (Annette Bening) became pregnant at 14, and gave her daughter, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), up for adoption.
That decision had haunted her for a large part of her adult life. 
Karen meets Paco (Jimmy Smits) at work and they eventually get married. Paco convinces Karen to look for Elizabeth at the Catholic orphanage/adoption agency where Karen gave her up.
Elizabeth, having grown up as a self-reliant orphan, is emotionally aloof and guarded. At 37, she's now a renown & successful lawyer, joins a prestigious law firm headed by Paul (Samuel L. Jackson). 
They have an affair, and Elizabeth becomes pregnant, leading her to move away to a new job and home without Paul's knowledge. Elizabeth dies while giving birth to her child, who is now an orphan.
Meanwhile, Lucy (Kerry Washington) & Joseph (David Ramsey), a black couple, long to be parents but Lucy is barren. They had been trying all channels to adopt a baby but every attempt seemed to end with disappointment. Sister Joanne (Cherry Jones) from the Catholic adoption agency, who had been helping Lucy now suggested Elizabeth's baby for Lucy to adopt.
1 year later, Karen finds out about Elizabeth's death and her baby being adopted by Lucy. Sister Joanne arranges for Karen to meet Lucy and her granddaughter named Ella.
This was such a beautiful movie. Be ready with lots of tissues as this can be a real tear-jerker (if you allow yourself to be invested in the characters who are all so supremely portrayed by the cast). This is a MUST WATCH!
Sputnik (2020 - Russian Audio with Subtitles)
2 Russian Cosmonaut heroes return from their mission. 
But something happens just before re-entry to Earth's atmosphere. Only Konstantin Veshnyakov (Pyotr Fyodorov) survives.
Due to her unconventional ways, Dr. Tatyana Klimova (Oksana Akinshina) had been recruited by the Military to help find out what had happened to Konstantin. 
We learn that he had not come back alone but there's an alien symbiote inside of him that crawls out each night for food.
Overall, it's a pretty decent Sci-Fi/Horror movie a la the 1st Alien. It manages to create a really tense atmosphere.
But it was a really hard watch for me, not because it didn't offer anything new but because it uses a dark filter (usually used to hide low budget CGI) that made the WHOLE FILM look really dark LITERALLY. 
For 90% of the 2 hours, the screen was 75-95% black or really dark. Even in broad daylight, the scenes were dark.
Did it offer anything new? No. Was it a decent Sci-Fi? Yes. Would I watch it again? Not likely. Would I recommend it? I'm neutral on it but leaning towards no.
Undercover Brother (2002)
Undercover Brother (or Anton Jackson played by Eddie Griffin) is recruited by the BROTHERHOOD (a secret organization to preserve all things black) to stop the Pro-White organization run by The Man (with the goal to eliminate all things black and turn everyone into mindless white zombies) from destroying the Black People’s Culture/Soul. 
Anton is sent to infiltrate The Man’s HQ to find out what they had done to General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), whom the Black Community was expecting to announce his candidacy for President, but instead, declared he was going to start a Fried Chicken Restaurant Chain. 
Lance (Neil Patrick Harris), the only White guy in the BROTHERHOOD, was key in preparing Anton for his mission by fast-tracking his knowledge on White culture to ensure a successful infiltration. 
However, The Man’s organization has it’s own secret weapon that even Undercover Brother can’t overcome – The White She Devil (Denise Richards). Fortunately for Anton, Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis) is not subject to his weakness.
This is a really fun movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and the audience gets the payoff despite many of the jokes are clichéd Black vs White culture tropes. 
There’s also 2 short cameos by James Brown (YES! THAT James Brown!)
I had a ton of fun watching this. 
Sure, it's not going to win any awards but I'd definitely be watching Undercover Brother again and again. Recommended.
Caleb Sinclaire (Adam Scott) tries to “protect” his younger brother Peter (Alex Frost) from a woman Emma Gainsborough (Brittany Snow) he’s fallen deeply for as they return home for Thanksgiving with their father, Donald (J.K. Simmons). 
Caleb and Donald have had a broken relationships since the death of Caleb's mom. 
This movie looks at how broken relationships are mended. I really liked the warm fuzzy feeling from the movie's end but for about 70% of it, I was made to think that Caleb was such a rotten son and brother to Peter. I recommend it but you must watch it past 70% for the payoff.
Having achieved success in PR, Marni heads home for her older brother Will's (James Wolk) wedding. But to her horror, Will's fiance is Joanna! Well loved by everyone in Marni's home including their dog and Grandma Bunny (Betty White).
Old wounds resurface and Marni spares no effort in trying to expose the ugly side Joanna to save Will from marrying her.
Added to the mix was Marni's mom, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis) used to be the arch nemesis of Joanna's Aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver), a very successful business woman.
The sheer star power of the movie really got me amped from the start BUT it doesn't manage to sustain or make the most of them. The Rock made a cameo as a Plane Passenger when Marni was flying home. 
Victor Garber (of ALIAS fame) plays Marni's dad. Patrick Duffy (of Dallas fame) also made an appearance as Ramona's long lost flame. 
Hall + Oates also plays at the wedding party.
Overall, it's quite a fun watch but it didn't seem to reach it's potential to be so much more. I'm neutral on this and I probably won't want to watch it again.
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