Sandie Angulo Chen
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Beautiful Disaster (2023) |
The premise of the source book for Beautiful Disaster, however, is a lot more ridiculous than the regular "good girl/bad boy" premise of that series. Forget insta-love -- this is a tale of insta-lust. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 23, 2023
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The Little Mermaid (2023) |
While none of Disney's live-action reboots are strictly necessary, there's a lot to enjoy about The Little Mermaid. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 23, 2023
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Rally Road Racers (2023) |
Animated animal adventure has some car crashes, fights. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 13, 2023
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) |
Writer-director James Gunn knows how to make this ragtag bunch work, but there's a layer of sadness that envelops the proceedings, despite the many laugh-out-loud moments. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 10, 2023
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023) |
An ideal pick for parents and tweens/teens -- or for adults who grew up reading the book -- this movie proves that sometimes the right adaptation is worth the wait. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 03, 2023
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Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World (2023) |
This traditional biographical and faith-based drama benefits from Davis and Sullivan Jones' stand-out performances as Foreman and Ali. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Apr 30, 2023
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Chevalier (2022) |
In Chevalier, director Stephen Williams, working from a script by writer and producer Stefani Robinson, has made a movie that is at once historical and incredibly current, exploring themes of imperialism, paternalism, racism, and Black excellence. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Apr 25, 2023
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Sweetwater (2023) |
His personal life isn't really explored, and even the final credits scene doesn't give much of an explanation of his life other than to confirm that he really did spend his post-NBA retirement as a taxi driver. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Apr 20, 2023
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Spinning Gold (2023) |
The result is an underwhelming, occasionally tedious look at the producer, the label, and even the artists. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Apr 12, 2023
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) |
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' story manages to be engaging, funny, and occasionally moving, but also light-hearted and not overly violent. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Mar 31, 2023
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The Donor Party (2023) |
In a day and age where "stealthing" can be considered a form of criminal sexual assault, it's odd to see a movie turn the act of poking holes in a condom or using a man as free insemination for laughs. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Mar 21, 2023
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Creed III (2023) |
Audiences will be impressed with Jordan's nuanced performance and Majors' humanized "heel" turn. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Mar 07, 2023
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Who Are You People (2023) |
This isn't a typical teen drama centering on an unrequited or blossoming romance, a conflicted circle of friends, or a dramatic/bullying situation at school. Alex is lonely and feels like the odd person out of her otherwise perfect family. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Mar 07, 2023
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Cocaine Bear (2023) |
Banks and writer Jimmy Warden milk every inch of humor from the titular pitch, but the bear's manic drug-induced antics leave little for the human characters to do other than die in a bloody, if occasionally funny, manner. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
Is it worth watching this to keep up with the MCU? Sure. It's hard not to root for the "little guy." But this movie is "just fine" instead of particularly funny, thrilling, or memorable. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023) |
But as entertaining as it is to watch Tatum and Hayek dirty dance and fall in love, this one is even flimsier than XXL, and the series is definitely ready for its final bow. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Feb 15, 2023
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Maybe I Do (2023) |
Ultimately, despite the award-winning 70-something leads, there's just not much plot or character development to make this messy premise work. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Feb 01, 2023
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Kids vs. Aliens (2022) |
It's somewhat promising at first, but the dialogue is so reliant on coarse language that it stops being novel by the 50th use of "effing" in the first 15 minutes. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jan 25, 2023
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Free Puppies! (2022) |
Free Puppies! isn't always easy to watch, but the women and the filmmakers are empathetic about some folks' reasons for not spaying/neutering their dogs, which makes it easy for countless unintended extra litters to be born. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Dec 21, 2022
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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) |
Yes, the three-hour-plus runtime is long, but it's easy to get lost in the movie's memorable world-building. The motion-capture performances are fascinating to behold, and Winslet and Curtis are welcome additions to the cast. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Dec 21, 2022
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The Inspection (2022) |
The Inspection isn't always an easy movie to watch; the anger and homophobia that Ellis face are nearly insurmountable. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Dec 07, 2022
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Strange World (2022) |
Disney deserves credit for promoting an inclusive story that isn't preachy or overwrought. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Nov 29, 2022
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Devotion (2022) |
Although Devotion is a trifle overlong, the third act is tautly woven, with pulse-pounding action sequences -- including the climactic situation that's the main reason Brown and Hudner's story has survived for 70 years. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Nov 29, 2022
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
Writer-director Ryan Coogler's sequel, led by an excellent ensemble of women, pays tribute to the hard loss of Boseman/T'Challa by exploring how grief (and revenge) can be all-consuming. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Nov 15, 2022
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Mija (2022) |
Ultimately, this film is a tribute to how, as the Hamilton lyrics say, "immigrants get the job done," especially in industries where they have to be scrappy, smart, and tenacious to thrive. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Nov 09, 2022
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Call Jane (2022) |
The movie should inspire more research into the real women who risked their lives -- and eventually went to jail -- to provide safe access to abortions. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Nov 01, 2022
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Ticket to Paradise (2022) |
Ticket to Paradise marks the superstars' fifth big-screen collaboration; it's unlikely to rank above the Ocean's films for most fans, but it will intrigue moviegoers hoping to see them in a romcom together. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Oct 25, 2022
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Till (2022) |
It's never easy to watch an upsetting story of painful loss, but Till handles the depiction of grief in an empathetic and authentic manner. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Oct 18, 2022
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To Leslie (2022) |
This isn't an easy film to watch, but viewers won't be able to look away. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Oct 11, 2022
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Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) |
This isn't one of those family films with wink-wink double entendres and jokes; it's geared firmly at single-digit-aged audiences (with the possible exception of Mendes super fans who want to support everything the singer-turned-voice actor does). - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Oct 11, 2022
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Cuando Sea Joven (2021) |
Although the swapped-bodies storyline has been done dozens of times across the decades, this addition manages to avoid complete predictability, especially once it seems like Maria is in no rush to "return" to her older body. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 28, 2022
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On the Come Up (2022) |
Lathan captures Bri's confusion, anger, and creative delight, even if the execution falters a bit with some unnecessary inner monologue that doesn't always work. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 28, 2022
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About Fate (2022) |
Though this isn't the sort of romcom moviegoers are likely to turn to year after year for comfort and joy, it's worth a watch to see the cast and the funny wedding sequence in the third act. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 22, 2022
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The Woman King (2022) |
If you had any doubt that women over 55 can be fierce warriors, seeing Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once and now Davis in The Woman King should disabuse you of that uncertainty. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 22, 2022
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Goodbye, Don Glees! (2021) |
Writer-director Atsuko Ishizuka's friendship tale offers a heartfelt and magical look at the way teens rely on their friendships, especially in the transition to high school. Goodbye, Don Glees! captures the fun but also the isolation of adolescence. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 22, 2022
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Medieval (2022) |
Bloody historical biopic has gory battles, little depth. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 17, 2022
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The Youth Governor (2022) |
Thoughtful docu about model government club for teens. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 10, 2022
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Spin Me Round (2022) |
Talented cast in passable indie comedy; sex, language. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 03, 2022
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Breaking (2022) |
Powerful acting in truth-based drama; violence, language. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Sep 03, 2022
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Beast (2022) |
Father-daughter survival story is intense, bloody, violent. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Aug 26, 2022
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Summering (2022) |
This indie tween friendship drama shows early potential, but the uneven tone and unrealistic plot twists dampen its impact. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Aug 18, 2022
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Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (2021) |
This memorably animated adaptation is both a big-hearted and disappointingly fat-shaming story of a mother and daughter who share little in common except their love -- and love of food. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Aug 10, 2022
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Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022) |
Recognizable story themes and plot points make this a decent comedic adventure. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jul 19, 2022
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Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) |
The beauty of the natural setting and the central love story aren't quite enough to save this adaptation from the slippery slope of melodrama, but Edgar-Jones gives a stand-out performance. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jul 19, 2022
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Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
Director Taika Waititi can't quite recreate the alchemic chemistry of Ragnarok in this serviceable but less exciting sequel, partly because Jane and Thor's romance doesn't spark. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jul 12, 2022
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Lightyear (2022) |
With its fabulous animation, honorable hero, and lovable sidekicks, this tribute to a host of space adventures is a story of perseverance, teamwork, and friendship. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jun 22, 2022
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Jurassic World Dominion (2022) |
This serviceable franchise finale is saved by the original trio of actors who made the original Jurassic Park memorable. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jun 10, 2022
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Inbetween Girl (2021) |
Nuanced and naturalistic, the movie is a reminder that teen dramas, when done right, can be memorable and relevant. - AWFJ.org
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| Posted Jun 07, 2022
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The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022) |
This adaptation of the popular animated TV comedy is fittingly funny and sweet and full of charming family togetherness and silly shenanigans. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted Jun 06, 2022
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Tankhouse (2022) |
There's nothing original about the movie's plot line, but the actors manage to elicit enough laughs to make it a serviceable comedy. - Common Sense Media
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| Posted May 23, 2022
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