The Pliley Review

  Genre: Action, Comedy Rating:   PG-13 Synopsis: Former CIA spies Emily and Matt are pulled back into espionage after their secret identities are exposed. *** Immediately upon watching the trailer for this movie, I could not help but compare it to the recent Mark Wahlberg movie with a similar plot called The Family Plan. However, I love both Cameron and Jamie so decided to give it a chance.  Being blunt I will say that this movie was hard not to compare to the other and was not as good in my opinion, though it is hard to go into too much detail without giving spoilers. I felt like this movie was not as natural and every potential joke was forced.  Thankfully, I will say that the fight scenes and the chemistry between Cameron and Jamie was great to watch. Sadly, I feel that the chemistry between the child actors and the adults are what drove a wedge into the story for me. That mixed with the jokes that just didn’t land right and the fact that the spies were just te...

  Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical Rating:   PG Synopsis: After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced. *** After the huge success of the first Moana movie I had high hopes for this one.  Right off the bat this was just as visually stunning and the water effects are just breathtaking. The biggest highlights for me were the introduction of the little sister and the same amazing dynamic between Moana and Maui, Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. The vibe between them is just amazing to watch and each character feels genuine in their struggles.  I was slightly confused with the fact that the village is shown as still living on the same island as the last movie even though they made a big show of leaving at the end. I believed this indicated that the entire village were wayfinders but this ...

  Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller Rating:   R Synopsis: When a mysterious enemy frames their late captain for corruption, Miami cops Mike and Marcus go rogue to expose a conspiracy - and clear their own names.  *** Being the huge Bad Boys fan I am, I was excited to hear about this one.  Right out the gate, we’re back with the boys driving fast with their usual banter and I was living for it. They were not playing around and within the first few minutes, I was freaking out. The plot played out beautifully and with the right amount of tension, though knowing some of the actors it was not a stretch to predict some upcoming events.  Will Smith as Mike and Martin Lawrence as Marcus are a classic combination that just works in this type of setting. I secretly hope they continue these movies for years to come.  The most recent cast members Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Jacob Scipio, and Paola Nunez who joined during the last movie, all retu...

  Genre:  Comedy, Adventure  Rating:   PG Synopsis: Po must train a new warrior when he's chosen to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. However, when a powerful shape-shifting sorceress sets her eyes on his Staff of Wisdom, he suddenly realizes he will need some help. Teaming up with a quick-witted corsac fox, Po soon discovers that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places. *** Since I consider Po, my spirit animal I had high hopes for the continued story and was intrigued to see where it would go.  Though the story starts with promise it is sad to think that Po would lose his title, essentially ending the series. The cast still gave a great performance, and of course, Jack Black as Po is iconic. The new addition of Awkwafina as Zhen added some much-needed banter, heart, and comic relief since the Furious Five were absent this time around.  The animation was great and they chose a good villain, however, the final battle was really ...

  Genre:  Family, Comedy Rating:   PG Synopsis: The Herdmans are six siblings, who have a reputation for being the worst kids in the world. However, when they take over the local church pageant during the holidays, they just might teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas. *** From the trailer, I had high hopes for a fun, festive, and heartwarming story.  The adult cast for this movie was wonderful. Yet full props have to be given to all the kids, especially Beatrice Schneider as Imogene who really nailed this role and embraced the complexities of the character.   In all honesty, the first 45 minutes of the movie I was seriously conflicted. Being a mom it's hard to watch kids bully other kids, but I had hope that it would get better. Though eventually it did, it almost felt a little too late since it was the halfway point of the movie at that point.  The storyline was straightforward so very predictable when all was said and done. However...

                                                         Genre:   Romantic, Comedy Rating:   TV-14  Synopsis: Ten years after a botched proposal, two star-crossed exes must spend Christmas together after discovering their partners are siblings . *** The first movie I’ve seen with Lindsy Lohan since her return and I had high hopes.  The narration at the beginning providing some backstory was a little weird and felt out of place, especially given the person chosen so honestly I was nervous.  But wow, the said ‘botched’ proposal brought me into the story with a bang of both hilarity and heartbreak.  The cast did a great job and brought their characters to life. Each one felt very real and you started rooting for them as individuals even before the romance portion played a factor. Lindsey ...

  Genre:   Family, Comedy Rating:   PG  Synopsis: Santa and his elite elf team use spy-like stunts to deliver billions of presents to all the world's children in one incredible night. But a child is missed! Now it is up to Santa's youngest son Arthur to fix this slip-up and make good on the promise of Christmas. *** The casting in this movie was perfect. The main character of Arthur is played beautifully by James McAvoy and while the rest of the star-studded cast brought theirs to life with ease, I can not praise James enough. The childlike wonder in Arthur makes you easily root for him and James encapsulates his character perfectly.  Within the first few minutes of the movie, you get a complete sense of who each character is and how they interact with each other. Bad or good.  The storyline is simple and heartwarming with the right amount of action and jokes to keep you interested even after the credits roll. The animation is smooth and will be sure t...

  Genre:   Action, Comedy Rating:   PG-13 Synopsis:    When a villain kidnaps Santa Claus from the North Pole, an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative joins forces with the world's most accomplished tracker to find him and save Christmas. *** When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was excited with a hint of apprehension as it could be either really great or really bad. I am so happy it was the former.  The cast did a great job at bringing the story to life and each embraced their roles beautifully. Lucy Liu, Dwayne Johnson, and Chris Evans all did amazing. J. K. Simmons as Santa Claus also did a great job, but as you can imagine from the synopsis he is not in the movie runtime much. Now, were they Oscar-winning performances? No, however, they made each situation feel as if you were there and you really felt for their predicament. By the end, you are rooting for the good guys.  The storyline was simple enough, yet there was...