Moana

Moana; Surprisingly good for a live action remake of a 10yr old film. Seeing the real life Polynesian people is quite impactful & the new Moana is exquisitely cast. Having realistic depictions heightens scenes of peril, while reimagining of fantastical elements still play really well. Enjoyable; A-

Whale Rider

Whale Rider; Fantastic tale of battling patriarchal power & evolving traditions while respecting the Māori people and ways. Castle-Hughes is phenomenal in every way, eliciting tears of joy & heartache, while also hitting comedic moments. Performances are great and beautifully honest and grounded; A+
 

The Lunchbox

The Lunchbox; Cute little romance that’s more about navigating one’s way through life’s transitions than it is about finding a perfect match. The magic of food fuels a great revelation lovingly portrayed by the two sweet leads, who barely share screen time yet have a profound impact on each other; B

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary; Gosling captivates like few others can, hitting the right tones of comedy, sadness, isolation, joy & creative spark. Many contrivances occur, but that’s ok because we’re along for the ride. Inspired storytelling makes the runtime feel short, though it’s got LOTR # of endings; A

Supergirl

Supergirl; Tackles mature themes in a PG package, that would’ve been better served by a R rating to compound the grief, hardship & atrocity that is hinted at. Does more telling than showing, yet succeeds at presenting Supergirl as the foil to her famous cousin. Very good but not very rewatchable; B+