Wonka
Initially, I wasn’t really interested in a Willy Wonka prequel. But when I heard that the same creative team behind the Paddington movies was involved, I was immediately on board. Wonka is a thoroughly charming, musical family film that’s the perfect sort of cozy, feel-good movie to watch during the wintry holiday season. Timothée Chalamet is perfectly cast as the young Willy Wonka, an idealistic dreamer whose passion is sharing chocolate confections with the world. The movie is whimsical, humorous, and fun without being too silly, and it has a wonderful cast of side characters. I’m looking forward to watching this again!
The Crown – Final Season
The initial seasons of The Crown are some of the best prestige dramas Netflix has produced, with sumptuous settings and costumes capturing the life of one of the most legendary British monarchs, Queen Elizabeth II, whose reign spanned more than 70 years. While I was hooked from the very beginning of this show and always wanted to keep watching, more recent seasons haven’t had quite that same magic. Maybe it’s because the earlier seasons took place so far back in the past, they have more of a historical/period drama feel, while newer seasons are far more recent to modern times and that can feel a little off-putting? The acting is still top-notch, but the show doesn’t end on as grand a note as it started.
Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials
I had forgotten that Doctor Who would be coming to Disney+, so imagine my delight when I restarted my subscription to watch Ahsoka and Loki and discovered some new Doctor Who specials to watch. I’m never going to complain about David Tennant and Catherine Tate returning to the TARDIS. Do these episodes rank as the best Doctor Who episodes ever made? I wouldn’t say so, but they are heaps of fun and seeing them brought me a lot of joy and feelings of old school Doctor Who magic. I can’t wait to watch Ncuti Gatwa does with the role when he takes the reins as the next Doctor.
Godzilla Minus One
I always love a good monster movie but this one is something special, definitely ranking amongst my favorite films of the year. Set during the World War II and post-war era, this film tells of a former fighter pilot’s quest for redemption as he fights to save his family and his country from destruction by Godzilla. Not only does this movie have amazing monster action scenes (Godzilla’s heat ray is breathtaking on the big screen), it actually has compelling character drama as well and an inspiring message about the triumph of the human spirit. I was so engrossed in the story I wasn’t even aware I was reading subtitles. Highly, highly recommend!
