Month: June 2021

Remember in fourth grade when you would start an essay with “the dictionary defines so-and-so as blahblahblah?” That’s what I’m going to do here, because the title of Amy Poehler’s movie is kind of important. 

“Moxie” is defined as “nerve, spunk, and strength of character.” An intense word — kind of action packed. You’d think a film named after such a strong word would match the intensity, or at least I did.

And I wasn’t completely mistaken. Moxie was good! There were a lot of things it did right (more on that later), and yet I still liked it instead of loving it. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Plot Summary 

Moxie is the story of shy, quiet teen Vivian (Hadley Robinson) who feels voiceless, powerless, and believes that keeping your head down is the only way to get through high school. This changes when new student Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña) stands up to the school bully. Vivian is struck by this show of bravery and self-confidence, and mentions it to her mother (Amy Poehler), only to learn that her mom spent most of her teen years protesting the patriarchy.

Inspired by the courageous women in her life, Vivian creates and anonymously publishes a zine called — you guessed it — “Moxie.” The zine has unforeseen consequences, and leaves Vivian struggling to balance the feelings and failures that come with taking risks.

Why It’s Not Great

My biggest problem with the film was that the acting felt like acting. I cringed a few times. Vivian seemed pretty one-dimensional for a lead character. Characters were either overwhelming or underwhelming. Also, what is it with high school movies and the entire school turning up to the football game?  

Why It’s Good

That being said, Moxie is far from outright bad.

I was excited by how intersectional the film was. There were girls of all kinds, and they didn’t all look the same. There were shy girls, outgoing girls, girls with disabilities, trans girls, girls who wanted to fight and girls that wanted to stay back and stay safe. No movie does this perfectly, but I thought Moxie did better than most. Well done, Amy Poehler!

The film packs a punch. Women working together to carve out a space for themselves always gets me excited, and it’s even more fun when they’re in high school. Teenagers recognizing that they deserve respect and making sure that they get it? Amazing. (I spent most of my high school life hiding in my room and saying “yes sir” to authority figures, so this is extra exciting for me.) The soundtrack was great, I sympathized with the characters even if they were kind of wooden, and by the end I was shouting happily at my screen. “You go, girls!”

To Watch Or Not to Watch?

Despite the fact that the acting feels like acting, Moxie is a real, thoughtful look at sexism in the school system, and in general. If you want a girl power movie and you’re willing to put up with some less-than-perfect acting, Moxie is worth the watch.

The beginning of the month is always an exciting time on Netflix as dozens of new series, movies and documentaries are announced. This month is no different with old favourites and new finds to enjoy and explore. Here’s the lowdown.

Old Favourites

Air Force One drops on June 1 and it brings all of the action, one-liners and intrigue you remember. Harrison Ford stars as President James Marshall who, while travelling on Air Force One with his family, goes toe-to-toe with Russian terrorists determined to take down the place, his presidency and the nation. Gary Oldman, Glenn Close and Wendy Crewson round out this impressive cast.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is widely acknowledged as the film that launched Leonardo DiCaprio from an actor to film star. He stars alongside Johnny Depp in this 1993 film about a young man in rural Iowa who is responsible for the care of his obese mother and mentally challenged brother. Upon meeting a free-spirited newcomer, Depp’s character must choose between freedom, love and responsibility.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is not that old of a film but it is certainly a family favourite. In the second glimpse into the life of Max the terrier, the poor pooch is dealing with the chaos of a new wife and baby in his house. And if that isn’t enough, Max is dragged along for a family adventure in the country. But Max is a city dog and farm life is almost more than he can bear!

New Finds

Awake is dystopian thriller dropping on June 9 starring Gina Rodriguez as, Jill, a former soldier caught in a dilemma of duty to country verses duty to family. A global event has wiped out all electronics and has somehow disrupted the sleep patterns of people around the world. The sudden bout of world-wide insomnia threatens the survival of humanity but Jill realizes her daughter may be the key to saving the world – but at what cost?

SkaterGirl is a coming of age story set in rural India. Debuting on Netflix on June 11, this heart-warming story unfolds against the backdrop of societal expectations and the struggle to embrace ones authentic self. When Jessica, a western born executive, arrives in a rural village to discover more about her family connections, she meets Prerna, a young girl about to step into young adulthood, and introduces her and her friends to the art of skateboarding. The board is more than a hobby for Prerna, it becomes a vehicle for self-discovery.

Fatherhood is a full emotional ride as Kevin Hart steps into the role of a grieving widower with an infant daughter. Based on a true story, newly single dad, Matthew Logelin navigates the ups and downs of infancy and beyond with his young daughter as he comes to terms with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Tears of laughter and sorrow seem to balance each other out in this flick that arrives on June 18 – just in time for Father’s Day.

Check out the full list of June’s offerings on Netflix here.