A Simple Favor - 失蹤網紅

A Simple Favor (失蹤網紅) is an 2018 film. The movie stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding. The movie was filmed after Golding's turn as Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians. And it was released about a month after that.

Kendrick plays Stephanie Smothers, a widowed single mother that runs an online vlog. While she's picking up her son one day, she befriends Emily Nelson, played by Blake Lively, whom also has a son in the same class as Stephanie's son. The two sons have play dates and Stephanie starts to get closer to Emily. Many more play dates later, Emily ask Stephanie a simple favor of watching her son for the afternoon. However, this time, she doesn't come back. Stephanie doesn't give up and helps Emily's husband Sean Townsend, played by Henry Golding, in their search for her. No body is found so the mystery deepens. Will they find Emily, can Stephanie resist Sean?

This was actually a pretty fun watch. I rented it mainly because of Golding, but it was definitely a Kendrick film, accounting for over 75% of the acting. Kendrick plays an timid single do gooder mother at the beginning of the film, but transforms into something more like Emily by the end of the film. Although a bit unbelievable, it was really fun to watch the metamorphosis. Whenever the children were involved, that's when the movie dragged because it didn't forward the story along and made the movie more grounded and real. The movie excelled at making a really absurd situation fun with Kendrick, Golding, and Lively.

I got this film via T-Mobile Tuesday Redbox promo.

The Accountant - 會計師

The Accountant (會計師) is an 2016 film. The film stars Ben Affleck as The Accountant. The supporting cast include Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and John Lithgow.

The Accountant is really good at taxes. He owns a shop and helps out all the folks around him. However, there's more to him than meets the eye. He's also a master hitman. When a big corporation decides to go after him, they made a big mistake. Heads will be shot and live will end.

This was a pretty amazing movie. From The Accountant to the story, to his back story, it kept me at the edge of my seat waiting for more. And they didn't keep things a mystery, whenever a reveal came, it came with more mystery, and more reveals. A very satisfying movie. I hope they take this concept and bring it to Netflix or something like it.

A must watch for this genre and must for Ben Affleck fans.

Pitch Perfect 3 - 歌喉讚3

Pitch Perfect 3 (歌喉讚3) is an 2017 film. The movie stars Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Chrissie Fit, Alexis Knapp, Kelley Jakle, Shelley Regner, Elizabeth Banks, and John Michael Higgins. This is the third and final installment of the Pitch Perfect movie series.

Three years after their last performance, they have a reunion only to find out that they are not singing, but watching the current Bellas perform. Aubrey suggest that they join the USO tour for their last hurrah. They find that when they get the USO tour that there are 3 other groups there competing for a spot on DJ Khaled's tour. Immediately the competition starts. Will the Bellas pull it together and win the competition?

This was a good last hurrah film. Three films in, the comedy was starting to get a bit long in the tooth. You've invested in the main girls of this group for at least two movies, you already know their personalities. The film shifts focus on the different girls to make you continue to stay connected with them.

If you liked or even loved the first two Pitch Perfect films, this will be right up your alley.

End Of Watch - 火線赤子情

End Of Watch (火線赤子情) is an 2012 film. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña. The supporting cast include Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, America Ferrera, Cody Horn, and Kristy Wu. The movie is shot in both traditional and "found" footage style.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña play local LAPD beat cops. They pretty much patrol the streets in their cruiser. We see them on the streets, in the police station, at a wedding, etc. It's like a reality show cut from found footage. The two of them seem to keep finding and busting the chops of the drug cartel. Can they survive the mean streets of LA when there's a bounty for their heads?

This was a pretty amazing film. Southland is another show I watched on and off while flipping through the channels. This film blows that show out of the waters. The bromance of the two leads cut to their interactions with their other officers, to the criminals they come across, to their personal lives. The presentation is very natural and very believable. We get a glimpse and we're immediately sucked in. We care about them instantly and whatever happens from there on out is just gravy. The story is heightened by the whole drug cartel angle.

This is a much watch for all you LAPD fans.

Pitch Perfect - 歌喉讚

Pitch Perfect (歌喉讚) is an 2012 film. The movie stars Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, and Brittany Snow. The supporting cast include Rebel Wilson, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp, Jinhee Joung, and Elizabeth Banks. The movie had a short life in the theaters before blowing up on VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray. It's a cult classic already. Can it happen that fast?

Anna Kendrick plays Beca, a freshmen in college who loves to do mushup mixes in her spare time. Beca's father does not support her music aspirations and forces her to get a degree instead of heading out to LA to try to break into the industry. Beca moves in with the very strange Korean American, Kimmy Jin, played by Jinhee Joung. Kimmy is not kind to Beca and keeps her at arms length. During rush week, Beca is recruited into the campus traditional ladies a cappella group, Bellas. The Bellas are run by the very uptight and traditional leaders played by Anna Camp and Brittany Snow. Beca also has two love interest. The mysterious "hot dood" that DJs at the on campus radio station. And there's the other guy that not so secretly tries to woo Beca, but he's on the arch nemesis campus boys a cappella group, the Treblemakers. Can love leap barriers of groups. Oh, and there's the whole trying to win nationals in New York of all places.

This movie is total cheeze. Its the Sing-Off, Twilight, and Glee thrown into a pot, stirred, and put in college. Nice! We don't have to deal with the popularity crap of high school, but the challenges of dealing with responsibilities that college presents is very real. With a light hearted touch, this movie does in two hours what Glee can never do. People will suck, find the ones that like you, and move on with them. However, life isn't ever that simple. But this is a movie, not a 4 year degree of multiple classes or a PHD dissertation.

Props to the nice voice dubbed a cappella songs. They sound really good. Throw in the trendy mush ups and its a little cherry on top. I also like that this movie had weirdos, not just the Asians. However, the Koreans were the only called out ethnic group. Watch it ppl! Laugh at them and than at yourself.

50/50 - 活個痛快

50/50 (活個痛快) is an 2011 film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (JGL) and Seth Rogen. The supporting cast includes Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anjelica Huston.

JGL plays Adam, a radio script writer. His best friend and co-worker Kyle is played by Seth Rogen. Adam finds that he has cancer. His girlfriend is initially supportive, but cheats on him. They break up. The majority of the movie is mainly Adam dealing with his cancer, the treatment, the decline, and the comeback. Kyle is seen as a selfish guy at first, but totally does what's in his friends best interest.

The movie was enjoyable. I had a good time watching. However, its not a subject matter I care for. As I've lost family members to cancer myself, its not a pretty sight. Sometimes its a slow decline. Sometimes it changes your life in an instant. JGL is masterful in going from secure, insecure, confident, shy, and ambivalent all in the span of the movie. For Rogan and JGL fans, its a must watch.

Up In The Air - 型男飛行日誌

Up In The Air (型男飛行日誌) is a 2009 film. The film stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

The movie is about George Clooney's character of Ryan Bingham. Ryan is a professional "layoff" specialist and spends around 322 days a year on the road. Travel to various companies that rather have strangers do the laying off. Along the way, Ryan meets Vera Farmiga as Alex Goran in a hotel. They strike up a causal traveling relationship. However, at Ryan's headquarters, a new idea of firing people over a T1 is introduced. Which means that Ryan is grounded. Ryan convinces he boss to spend the person behind the idea come with him. That person is Anna Kendrick as Natalie Keener.

Along the way, there is a security scene where George stereotypes Asians as efficient and the type of people that you should line up behind. This scene also shows up in the trailer.

In all, it was a good film that reminded me of my traveling days a few years ago. The funny was funny, eye opening and depressing all at the same time.