Q-Tips Reviews

Set in the late 1980s, Ocean Boy is told through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy, Rockit. As he grapples to understand why his Mum’s not coming home, Rockit embarks on a magical holiday with his father, Bosch, only to discover they’re actually running from the law. Rockit finds a soulmate and then teenage love with Ash Ash, but it’s the ocean that gives him the security and calm he yearns from his parents. Ultimately Rockit is a boy held by nature, a young man who wins our hearts and respect as his story unfolds. Filmed at iconic Byron Bay, against the canvas of Australia’s famous east coast surf beaches and rain forests, Ocean Boy is a raw and unapologetic exploration of unconscious parenting and the deeper themes of love and relationships.

Q-tips say: It wasn’t exactly what we thought it would be. But some might enjoy this movie. This movie starts off as a movie about a drug dealer on the run with his son in tow quickly loses both its shape and its momentum. The  lovely locales and nifty surfing footage aren’t enough to save this meandering Australian coming-of-age tale.

A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.

Q-tips say: Yes, we did enjoy The Whale.

An emotionally turbulent and gut-wrenching tale of grief, mental health, and the complex relationships we have with those we love. He doesn’t have issues with his body image – he has given up on his body altogether. He’s not unhappy because he’s fat, but fat because he’s unhappy.

Based on the comical and moving New York Times bestseller, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower whose only joy comes from criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside-down.

Q-tips say: YES, we enjoyed it. Some parts did remind us of some people we know & some people in the hood.

Mrs. Q says: One might find it as humanizing experience by a group of misfits who are learning that getting along can also be lifesaving.

3/5/23 –

When the Primm family (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Winslow Fegley) moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) who loves baths, caviar and great music-living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality.

Q-tips say: YES, SEE IT! Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is the perfect film to snuggle together on the sofa & enjoy a drink, munchies & relax. Mrs. Q says: It is a heartwarming and emotional tale about finding your voice, following your passion, and the power of found family.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems–a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

Q-tips say: This is a rare occasion but both Q’s DID NOT LIKE IT!

Mrs. Q says: What really gives M3GAN something to think about is the connections with our addiction, as both children and adults, to electronic hand-held devices.

Sometimes cinema is just laughing along with a murder robot. If you liked Chucky, you might like this movie.

The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. 

Q tips say: The Q’s have different feelings about this movie. Mr. Q liked it more than Mrs. Q. Both Q’s liked the part between the mother & the daughter. So, watch it & decide for yourself if you like it or not.

The story enters where the kingdom was in flux, at a crossroads. They were looking to find some way to keep their civilization and kingdom alive. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that they were decimated. Much of the story is fictionalized. It’s movie about a African tribe famous for selling slaves to Europeans that was made into a female empowerment story by two White women writers.

The Woman King is at its most powerful when it focuses on the army of women who don’t have superpowers but rely on training, strategy and unity. The movie speaks on how everyone (including African tribes) participated in the slave trade and it’s specific impact on black women.

Vengeance, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (“The Office”), is a darkly comic thriller about Ben Manalowitz, a journalist and podcaster who travels from New York City to West Texas to investigate the death of a girl he was hooking up with.

Q-tips say: Yes, we did enjoy it.

Begins as a fast-talking comedy with something dark lurking underneath, this film sends its central character into an amusingly alien culture before shifting into a mystery thriller.

It’s a story about a storyteller who is creating a story about how mythology (stories) are created. It is also an acute reminder of how easy it can be to hide secrets in plain sight.

2/23/23 – An upper-middle-class woman’s perfectly crafted life begins to unravel with the arrival of two shadowy figures in her town.

Q tips say: Don’t waste your time watching this movie.

The film touches on themes of class, discrimination, and internalized racism. A paranoid movie about race, the many shades of racism and “appearances.” Keep in mind that some of the critics loved it – that tells you something about this movie – don’t watch it.