April was full of good shows to watch and above all with a great variety of genres. We have prepared this selection of the ones that you should not miss:
Love And Monsters
WHY
If you like monster and post-apocalyptic movies, don’t miss Love And Monsters! The creatures in the film do not come from space but from an unfortunate consequence of the destruction of an asteroid by nuclear missiles, the fallout of these having transformed our cold-blooded animals into real monsters. Their appearance is one of the great pleasures of the film. We follow Dylan O’Brien (seen in the Maze Runner trilogy) in his road trip to find his girlfriend. But rest assured, this is not a classic love story. During his trip, he will make many friendly encounters with a cute dog and especially a really cool duo of survivors (the excellent Ariana Greenblatt and Michael Rooker) who will teach him a lot about monsters, which will help him for the many less friendly encounters that will follow. The bestiary proposed by the film is really interesting and their design brings a little freshness in this kind of movie! The main character is really cool to follow thanks to his humor but also his clumsiness. He will really evolve throughout the film. So prepare your bag, an excellent B series is waiting for you!
WHAT
In a monster-infested world, Joel learns his girlfriend is just 85 miles away. To make the dangerous journey, Joel discovers his inner hero to be with the girl of his dreams.
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Shadow and Bone
WHY
This new fantasy series from Netflix is an adaptation of the books by Leigh Bardugo. It takes us into a world at war cut in two by a dark strip of land called the Fold! The expeditions that dare to pass through it take great risks because it is populated by terrifying creatures. The first episode will show us that in a great way! The story follows the adventure of a young orphan girl and her childhood friend. Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) will prove to be the chosen one as she can summon the light and potentially put an end to the Fold. She becomes a target for some and a saint for others. In particular for the Grisha, who are a kind of magician who can manipulate the elements to their liking and especially for their leader, the Darkling, who will take Alina under his wing. The universe is strongly inspired by Russia culture through the different names but also the style of decorations and costumes. This brings a really cool refreshing side! The series follows many characters in different places of this world and covering different positions in society, of course Alina and her mentor, but also her friend, a soldier, and a group of bandits. Their destinies will intersect in a major episode that will be rich in revelations and will set the stage for the end of this first season that promises to be epic! If you like fantasy series filled with magic and mystery, then don’t miss Shadow and Bone!
WHAT
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.
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The Mitchells vs. The Machines
WHY
This new production by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) offer to witness an uprising of robots against humanity and will see how a family save the world! For his first film as a director Michael Rianda (with Jeff Rowe as co-director) brings us a story and a completely crazy humor. It’s not a coincidence with such producers. The current consumer and hyper connected society is not spared! The scenes of the father trying to use a computer are hilarious! The directing is very dynamic with full of really cool visual ideas like the mix of techniques (2D and 3D) as well as its superb art direction giving a touch very different from other current animated films! The rhythm almost never falters and the movie is full of references as for example the environments of the last act which really remind of Journey covers (says one of the characters)! The battle is really excellent mixing choreography and fight in the air! And we particularly appreciate the end credits which show pictures of the department heads in their youth representing perfectly the spirit of the movie!
WHAT
A quirky, dysfunctional family’s road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity’s unlikeliest last hope!
WHERE
The Mosquito Coast
WHY
If you like adventure and thrillers, Apple TV+ has something perfect for you with the new adaptation of the 1981 novel The Mosquito Coast written by Paul Theroux. His nephew Justin Theroux plays the lead role and is also the producer. The story follows Allie Fox, a brilliant inventor, and his family as they flee from American consumer society and, more importantly, from the police and federal authorities. The family lives as much as possible on the fringes of society (no school, no telephone, …) until they have to flee to Mexico. This long run is going to be very intense especially during several sequences like the border crossing of the desert or the meeting with the leaders of a cartel. But the tension won’t calm down once they cross the border with the arrival of various new threats! The casting is really perfect as well as the direction with its many visual ideas and its sublime cinematography! The father of the family is a really interesting character and often goes from a touching aspect to a tyrannical one but never in excess, the dosage is really well done. And he has a lot of work to do with all the tensions inside his own family and the unexpected changes of plan! The various women characters are not in the background and show their determination and power on several occasions. We can’t wait to discover the next adventures of this family!
WHAT
Adapted from the best selling novel, “The Mosquito Coast” is a gripping adventure and layered character drama following the dangerous journey of a radical idealist and brilliant inventor, Allie Fox (Justin Theroux), who uproots his family for Mexico when they suddenly find themselves on the run from the US government.
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The Nevers
WHY
Joss Whedon‘s new creation takes us to Victorian London which has just been hit by a fantastic intervention in the form of a beautiful and mysterious flying ship! It has released particles that have affected some women and transformed them in different ways or forms. Banished from society, these women try to find some peace and a refuge. They will find it thanks to an orphanage managed by Laura Donnelly and Ann Skelly! This is the starting point of this new HBO series, The Nevers, which will offer you a thrilling investigation filled with supernatural and fantastic powers, it is a real pleasure to discover new “Touched” women and their new skills such as this magnificent voice. The women of the orphanage will face many dangers from different groups. Some see the girls as a serious threat to society but also some prefer to use their powers for bad things! Laura Donnelly’s fighting skills and delight in violence and Ann Skelly’s inventions will keep the girls safe for a while. We have seen 4 episodes out of the 10, we regret a little that it is really (too much?) talkative and that the departure of Joss Whedon along the way is not reassuring. He has been replaced by Philippa Goslett for the end of the show. Despite this, the quality of the cast, the beauty of the costumes and the sets, not to mention the setting up of the story and its universe have really hyped us and we can’t wait to know more!
WHAT
In the last years of Victoria’s reign, London is beset by the “Touched”: people – mostly women – who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities – some charming, some very disturbing. Among them are Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair (Ann Skelly), a brilliant young inventor. They are the champions of this new underclass, making a home for the Touched, while fighting the forces of… well, pretty much all the forces – to make room for those whom history as we know it has no place.
WHERE
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse
WHY
For fans of action and secret special missions, don’t miss this adaptation of Tom Clancy’s book, Without Remorse, which introduces a new character after the famous Jack Ryan and enlarges the Ryanverse! John Kelly (played by Michael B. Jordan, he is also one of the producers) is very different from Jack Ryan, especially in his fighting skills and we have the proof of it from the excellent opening sequence. The action never stops and it’s a very good thing because these scenes are really efficient and very well choreographed like the one in the prison, the plane crash seen from inside or the long final sequence in a hotel. Even if John Kelly is very good at fighting, he is not an invincible superhero and he often comes out of these fights very battered! The rest of the cast is also very interesting like Jodie Turner-Smith that we are not really used to see in this kind of role but also Jamie Bell as a CIA agent without forgetting Guy Pearce! The story is very classic with its conflict between the USA and Russia, its manipulations and its story of revenge for John Kelly but it does not try to be more complex than necessary and we spend an excellent moment that offers its share of surprises, on this subject by the way, do not miss the post-credit scene! Get your combat package ready!
WHAT
An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly’s mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.
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