Mom's Minute

Introduction to Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie Review

Did you know the Persuasion movie starring Dakota Johnson is currently the number 1 movie on Netflix? The number 1 ranking for Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix film may be due to it being a recently released Netflix movie or simply because people may be curious about the Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie.

I read that the screenwriters changed the script from the original book, Persuasion by Jane Austen – but by how much – I am not sure. I watched the Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie based strictly on its own merit and will refrain from comparing the film to the book.

Is Dakota Johnson Persuasion movie worth the current number 1 spot on Netflix? Why or why not? Check out my movie review of Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix film to find out.

Synopsis of Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie

As I alluded to above, Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie is loosely based on a book written by Jane Austen. The plot centers around the main character, Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) regrets that she broke up with her romantic interest, Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, played by Cosmo Jarvis.  

Eight years after their breakup caused by his status as a sailor, Dakota Johnson’s and Cosmo Jarvis' characters meet again. The circumstance of their reunion was the rental of the extravagant house that Dakota Johnson character’s father, Richard E. Grant as Sir Walter Elliott, owned.

Nia Towle plays the role of Dakota Johnson’s character’s friend who at first advised her on how to get Cosmo Jarvis’ character to ask her to marry him – but for a short time, she dated hm herself. But their dating did not disturb Dakota Johnson’s character since she started seeing someone else, Henry Golding as Mr. William Elliot.

Storytelling Method of Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie

Dakota Johnson’s character narrates the Persuasion Netflix movie from start to finish.

Looking directly into the camera, Dakota Johnson’s character narrates what is happening or what is about to happen throughout the Netflix movie, Persuasion.

 I am not a fan of this method of storytelling because of its unreal nature. For example, Dakota Johnson's character could be getting ready for dinner in a room full of people at the table, and all of a sudden she turns to the camera and start talking about either the people in the scene or something else. Of course the actors pretend as if she isn't there, when she actually is practically talking about them in front of their faces.

In a nutshell, I found the narration method of telling the story of Jane Austen’s Persuasion rather boring and  unrealistic.

Cinematography in Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie 

I give kudos to the set designers and the landscape artists. I think they did a good job of setting up scenes with the appropriate environment from the period film Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie. The scenic preparations include the exterior and interior design of buildings as well as scenes with structures, homes, etc. as well as people walking down the beach or attending lavish parties.

On the other hand, I found the fashions in Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie to be substandard. For example, most of the dresses were designed in the same style with a high waist. As for the men's fashions – nothing stood out to me.

Diversity in Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie

I applaud the casting staff for recogniizing the importance of diversity in choosing actors for the Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie. The show of diversity in actors is the reason I raised my rating of Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie by 1 point.

Again, hats off to the writers, casting staff, etc. for realizing that many minority actors could appear in this movie, many of whom are mostly unknown –  including the child actors. 

The downside of this inclusion of actors was that most of them tried to speak in a dialect for the time period – which, unfortunately, was not done well.

Surplus of Characters in Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie

Dakoa Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie was overloaded with actore and their backstories. It 's obvious that Dakota Johnson's character is the main headliner of the movie, which is not a problem. The problem occurs when just about  every character tries to tell their own stories, when really, the story should focus on Dakota Johnson 's character and her various relationships.

I think the movie could be improved by eliminating about half of the characters, many of whom did not have a direct impact on Dakota Johnson character’s relationship situation.

The reduction of unnecessary characters would decrease the length of the Dakota Johnson Netflix movie's long run time of 1 hour and 47 minutes and probably would tighten up the story plot as well.

By the way, I watched Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie in segments while doing other things in order to try to keep my interest in the film.

Assessment of Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix Movie

The reason Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix is currently number 1 (and will drop out of the top 10 spot soon) is probably because the movie stars Dakota Johnson. Many people may be curious as to what she has been up to since she made those Fifty Shades of Gray movies.

In my opinion, Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie is a so-so type movie and one that I could have just  skipped. However, if you are a Dakota Johnson fan, you may want to watch her latest movie, Persuasion on Netflix.

In response to the question i posed earlier, in my opinion, Dakota Johnson Persuasion movie is not deserving to be the current number one movie on Netflix.

Rating of Dakota Johnson Persuasion  Netflix movie

Based on a rating of 1 star to 5 stars with 5 stars being the highest, I rate Dakota Johnson Persuasion Netflix movie 3 stars.

Introduction to Only Mine Netflix Movie Review

The Netflix movie, Only Mine is said to be based on true events. However, it would not be surprising to me to find out that some parts of the story may have been embellished or changed for dramatic purposes.

That being said, at the end of the day, Only Mine is a Netflix movie and as movies go, quite a bit of work is vested into trying to make films interesting and entertaining to its audience.

Did Only Mine Netflix movie achieve these goals or was I ready to switch to another movie after the film started. Would you? Check out my movie review of the Only Mine Netflix film to find out.

Synopsis of Only Mine Netflix Movie

Only Mine Netflix movie is about a couple who seems to start off on the right foot, until one of the parties goes far overboard in their relationship and becomes a stalker. The stalker is played by Brett Zimmerman as David and the victim is Amber Midthunder as Julie. Julie is the waitress and David is the police officer. 

Specifically, a young girl meets a police officer during a traffic stop. She begins to date him, when it seemed like out of the blue, he began showing up in her presence, when she least expected it. This of course led her to turn away from him due to his strange behavior. Her actions seemed to edge him on even more. His stalking unfortunately took a violent turn, which you will find out more about if you watch the Only Mine Netflix movie.

A subplot is the special relationship the mother has with her daughter. Even though the daughter, Amber Mudthunder's character is a lot older now, Amber Mudthunder character's mother keeps her tradition of telling her daughter a fairy tale story to get her to go to sleep or to comfort her. The mother’s story-telling scenario was creative, in my opinion and resurfaced when Amber Midthunder’s character needed it most.  Again, you will know what I’m talking about if you watch the Netflix movie, Only Mine.

Acting Abilities Displayed in the Only Mine Netflix Movie

The acting training for most of the cast members could probably use a refresh. For the most part, the acting was subpar and the actors seemed to be saying their lines without much emotional impact.

However, these emotionless scenes changed in one scenario where Amber Midthunder’s character is in dire need of help and is suffering from wounds that were inflicted upon her. I give kudos to Amber Midthunder for a change in pace in her acting skills and showing realistic acting chops during this part of the Netflix movie, Only Mine.

Script Format of the Only Mine Movie

It looks like someone may have noticed the subpar acting skills displayed by the actors in the Netflix movie, Only Mine, because there was a question and answer format where acting is really not necesary. During these scenarios, someone off camera asked the actors questions before actions contnued in the Netflix movie, Only Mine.

Personally, I did not approve of this question and answer format and recommend that the complete movie be shown as either a documentary with the question and answer format, or for the story to be acted out all the way through the film.

You may recall, this interview format worked well in the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith that starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie but both of these actors are world-class A-list actors and the movie was excellent to boot. So there is no comparison between the two movies even though the format of the two movies are slightly the same.

That being said, a  plus was the question and answer format was not a huge part of the movie, so for the most part, you could watch the actions happening without the intrusion of the interview format.

Could Being Stalked in the Only Mine Netflix Movie Be Avoided?

Unfortunately, the only actions we can really control are our own, so there was no way that Amber Mudthunder’s character could have deterred Brett Zimmerman’s character from stalking her. 

However, here are some recommendations I would suggest that Amber Mudthunder’s character do to reduce the likelihood of being stalked by Brett Zimmerman’s character.

–At the first sign of controlling behavior from her romantic interest, she should pull back from him and use legitimate reasons for not being able to see him again. If she keeps avoiding him, eventually, he may get the message that she is no longer interested in him. And no, she should not do this by text.

–There is an old saying that goes “Nip it in the Bud” which means to tackle a problem right away and not let it simmer and build up. Amber Midthunder’s character did not do this.

This is especially true during the barn scene where Brett Zimmerman’s character is holding a rake literally in front of her face in a threatening manner. She should have forcefully told him that this was frightening her and to move it, instead of starring at the rake as if he could read her mind.

–There was no need for her to seek out validation from Brett Zimmerman’s character’s previous relationship to find out what type of person he was. Simply put, she should have confided in her mother and the police (as she did) and omitted visiting anyone else from Brett Zimmerman’s character’s past.

–She should not share too much information at the beginning of a relationship. For example, in the Only Mine Netflix movie. Brett Zimmerman’s character knew that Amber Midthunder’s character picked up her sister at a particular school at a certain time– which is information he did not need to know.

–Amber Mudthunder's character should have issued a restraining order against the assailant for her peace of mind and safety.

–Last but not least - she should have trusted her instincts when the first sign of controlling behavior showed and not continue dating or seeing Brett Zimmerman's character – thinking that he would change. In other words, she should always trust her gut.

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There may be more actions Amber Mudthunder’s character could have taken, but I will stop here.

Assessment Of the Only Mine Netflix Movie

Netflix Only Mine film, in my opinion, is a slow moving movie which was further slowed by the documentary style questioning intrusions during the movie. If you like to watch these type movies, you may want to check out the Only Mine Netflix Movie.  As for me, I do not plan to watch this movie again anytime soon.

By the way, I decided to watch the Only Mine Netflix movie all the way through to the end mainly to find out what happened to Amber Midthunder’s character.

Spoiler Alert: For me, I think I would pass on the Only Mine Netflix movie mainly because of the lack of acting skills displayed as well as the possibly embellished reason shown on how the character managed to survive her attack. You will know what I’m referring to if you watch the Netflix Only Mine movie.

Rating of the Only Mine Netflix Movie

Based on a rating of 1 star to 5 stars with 5 stars being the highest, I rate the Only Mine Netflix movie 2 stars.

Introduction to Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix Movie Review

Have you ever watched a movie and suddenly realized that you had already seen it before?  At about 10 minutes into watching the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie, I realized that I had indeed watched this 2017 film awhile back. However, I could not recall right away what happened to the characters in the movie, so I gave it a second look. Most importantly, I had not reviewed it before so re-watching the Bella Thorne Netflix movie seemed like a win-win situation to me.

Was the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie worth a second look? Is it worth maybe a first look for you?  

Check out my movie review of the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie to find out.

Synopsis of Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix Movie

I would categorize the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie as a borderline excessive stalker movie where the twist is the stalker is a woman (Bella Thorne’s character) instead of a man. In most of these type films I’ve watched, the assailant was male; however, males can find themselves in a stalker predicament as well.

How did the Stalker Behavior on Bella Thorne’s Part Get Started?

It looks like the main character, Taylor John Smith as Tyler Hanson had an argument with his girlfriend while at a party. His girlfriend broke up with him and stormed off. Shortly after while at the same party, he met Bella Thorne’s character.

Even though Bella Thorne’s character knew of the situation between Taylor John Smith’s character and his girlfriend (Halston Sage as Alison Hewitt), she did waste any time having a meet up with Taylor John Smith’s character right after the party.  

During that time, Taylor John Smith’s character was under the impression that he was free and single again so he stayed with Bella Thorne’s character for a short while. However, Taylor John Smith’s single, unattached status changed when he got a text from Halston Sage’s character apologizing and wanting them to get back together again.

Without skipping a beat and to Bella Thorne’s dismay and anger, Taylor John Smith’s character rekindles his relationship with Halston Sage’s character who had previously dumped him.

It was soon after Taylor John Smith’s and Halston Sage’s character's reconciliation that Bella Thorne’s character began showing up unexpectedly in his presence, even going so far as to visit his house unannounced and befriend his little sister to boot.

A subplot is the relationship that Bella Thorne's character has with her stepmother who knew that Bella Thorne’s character had issues. In fact, in one movie scene, Taylor John Smith’s character overheard Bella Thorne’s character's stepmother talking to a someone about Bella Thorne's character's emotional state. From them on, he knew that she would be a problem for him.

Friendships in Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix Movie

There is no guesswork in figuring out why Bella Thorne’s character became friends with Taylor John Smith’s character's girlfriend. The friendship was only a ploy to keep being in the presence of Taylor John Smith’s character who had rejected her.

Towards the end of the movie, it was clear that Bella Thorne’s character went to the extreme to get Taylor John Smith’s character’s attention. How did she fare from this altercation? You will have to watch the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie to find out.

Assessment of Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix Movie

Compared to other similar type stalker movies I’ve watched, Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie is a lightweight. For example, at no time did I think the main character Taylor John Smith as Tyler Hanson was in any danger. This is in contrast to the A Stalker in the House Amazon Prime Video movie I reviewed where at certain points in the movie, one could tell that the female character was in imminent danger.

A plus for the Bella Thorne You Get me Netflix movie is that the film lasts only 1 hour and 29 minutes and the movie will be over before you know it. In other words, watching the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie will not take up much of your time.

However, if you are looking for a horror type stalker movie, similar to A Stalker in the House, I suggest you pass on Bella Thorne's You Get Me Netflix movie. That being said, I will leave that decision up to you.

On the other hand, if you are are curious about how this movie progresses and ultimately ends, you may want to check out the Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix movie.

Rating of Bella Thorne You Get Me Netflix Movie

Based on a rating of 1 star to five  stars with 5 stars being the highest, I rate Bella Thorne Netflix movie, 2 stars.

Introduction to Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie Review

Sometimes you may be on a movie-watching streak, viewing certain types of films. For example, maybe you would like to watch a few drama movies, while other times you may binge-watch action movies, etc.  In my case, since there was quite a bit of interest shown in my previous movie review A Stalker in the House, I decided to watch more of these type movies.

Specifically, the next movie I watched and will review for you is the 2016 Amazon Prime Video movie, Fender Bender.

I knew the Fender Bender movie would be somewhat predictable. However I was sure there are lessons to be learned in finding out how certain people get caught up in these dangerous situations probably due to no fault of their own. Even more importanly, I think it is beneficial to learn how to avoid these incidents.

Did I enjoy watching the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie? Would I recommend you watch it? Why or why not? Check out my movie review of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie to find out.

Synopsis of Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie

The plot of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie is straightforward.  An unscrupulous driver intentionally bumps into a single female’s car and of course, exchanges informaton without getting the police involved.

 Bill Sage as the driver who caused the accident acts like he is really sorry and requests the police not get involved since it is only a fender bender.  In his character’s words paraphrased, “The police have more important things to worry about.”  

Bill Sage's character and the female driver exchange contact information including names and addresses. He doesn't waste any time discreetly following her home, texting that he is again sorry.  

However, during each phone call, he manages to say something to lead the young women to think that he is spying on them, for example, and I paraphrase, “I hope you are enjoying your bath. You deserve it.”  Of course the female victim asks how did he know she was taking a bath and he texted that he just made a wild guess.

In the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie, the first encounter between Bill Sage’s character and the first victim is short once he enters her home and unfortunately destroys her.  

During his second encounter in the movie, more time is spent setting up the accident and showing in detail what the next female went through at the hands of her attacker.  

Reverse Cabin in the Woods Scene in Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie

Usually, in the cabin in the woods type movies, a group of happy-go-lucky friends travel to a secluded cabin. However, danger lurks and one by one, usually, each of the characters are eliminated.  

In the case of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie, the opposite is true. Makenzie Vega’s character is alone at home, and two of her closest friends visit her in order to help her get over her cheating boyfriend. At this time, they receive a visit from Bill Sage's chararacter.

I will not spoil this movie for you, but suffice it to say that while watching the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie, you may find yourself trying to figure out who will survive once the Fender Bender bad guy finds out where his latest victim(s) are staying or hiding.

If you watch the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie, you may find yourself talking to the screen and telling the young lady what and what not to do. Here is my list of actions Makenzie Vega’s character did not take in order to protect herself.

1. -- Once her parked car was hit from behind, there was no reason for her to get out of the car, even if it was daytime and she seemed to be in a safe neighborhood. Instead, she should have called the police to report an accident and stayed safe and secure in her car with all doors locked.

2.  --Information exchange should be done in the presence of the police, which may deter strangers from thinking of maybe stalking you later when they have your information.

3. --Since she was voluntarily telling him information about being afraid since this was her first time driving her mother’s car, she could have said something to the effect, "I hope my husband does not get mad at me since the accident will cause me to be late for our dinner date."  This way the perpetrator will think that she is not alone. Of course, ideally, do not volunteer any information other than your contact information and always do so in the presence of the police.

 --Don't forget -- the driver who caused the fender bender is still a complete stranger. You are not starring in a movie where you may meet your next romantic interest by a minor car accident. Instead, protect yourself from ending up like the character in the movie Fender Bender at all costs.

5. --She should have called 911 at the first sign that someone may be in the house, especially, since like the other victim, he texted her previously and shared information he could only know if he was at or near the house.

 --Remember when you call the police, they are working for your tax money and would be doing the job they are paid to do which includes doing paperwork for fender benders. 

6. --Last but not least and this is not car or accident related -- never eat a cake that is found on top of your car when you do not know for sure who left it there.

I’m sure there are other things she could have done differently, but I will stop here.

Beginning and Ending Gas-Paying Scene from the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie

I think you know the importance of starting a movie at just the right time, as well as bringing the story to an end at an opportune moment. In the case of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie, you may notice at the beginning of the movie, the bad guy stops for gas and painstakingly, pays for the gas inside the store to the clerk -- one bill and one coin at a time.

If you watch the Fender Bender movie, keep this scene in mind especially during the end of the movie. You will know why I’m pointing out this scene to you if you view the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie

Assessment of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie

I believe you may enjoy watching the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video movie as I did. It is not overly long, lasting only 91 minutes so it will not take up too much of your time. Also as you watch the Fender Bender Amazon Prime VIdeo movie, you may be reminded of other precautions you should take, especially if you meet a stranger by way of a fender bender or even by other means.

Rating of the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie

Based on a rating of 1 star to 5 stars with five stars being the highest, I rate the Fender Bender Amazon Prime Video Movie 3 stars.

Introduction to Black Island Netflix Movie Review

Here’s a geography lesson for you. Did you know there is an actual Black Island located in Antartica?  Antartica’s Black island gets its name due to lack of snow in the area. However the Netflix movie was filmed from an island location in Germany -- specifically Amrum, Germany.

 Back to the movie review – For a movie review change, I decided to watch a mystery thriller film on Netflix. This is a change from the stalking movies I’ve been reviewing, but I believe reviewing a variety of films may keep your interest. 

Black Island is a 2021 German movie (dubbed in English) that I happened upon while browsing movies on Netflix. Was the Black Island Netflix film really a mystery for me?  WIll it be for you? Check out my movie review of the Black Island Netflix movie  to find out.

I watched Black Island movie on Netflix, but it could be streaming on other services as well.

By the way, Black Island Netflix movie is rated TV-MA and should not be seen by anyone under seventeen years of age.

Synopsis of Black Island Netflix Movie Review

A string of dramatic, tragic accidents happened at the beginning of the Black island Netflix movie which resulted in the star of the movie Phillip Froissant as a 17 year old high school student, Jonas Hansen, to be orphaned. He lived in his late parents’ home. 

Phillip Froissant's character's surviving relative was his grandfather (Hanns Ziischler as Friedrich Hansen) who he did not get along with, just as the grandfather had not gotten along with his deceased father. Of contention was the writing skills or lack thereof of Phillip Froissant’s character whose writngs his grandfather criticized, the same as he did for Phillip Froissant's character's late father. 

However, the plot thickens. Enter Alice Dwyer as Helena Jung who is a German substitute teacher. She instantly made Phillip Froissant’s character her romantic interest, even though there was a large age gap between the two and she was his German language teacher.

As the story progresses, Phillip Froissant’s grandfather was honored at an outdoor occasion where mysteriously, the German teacher appeared standing in a corner, with a fresh bob haircut. She is noticed by Mercedes Muller’s character who plays Phillip Froissant’s character's high school girlfriend. The grandfather faints when he sees the German teacher standing out of the corner of his eye, and she, of course, instantly disappears.

When Mercedes Muller’s character becomes suspicious of the German teacher, the teacher takes matters into her own hands. I will not reveal what happened here so as not to spoil the movie. 

However, it seemed from that point on, strange events involving the teacher occurred relative to her relationship with the grandfather, his grandson, as well as the grandson’s girlfriend.

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Acting Skills Displayed in the Black Island Netflix Movie

The actors performed adequately, especially when there were scenes which included some closeups of their faces. To go a step further, I think the casting staff of the Black Island Netflix movie did an excellent job of casting the actors for the Netflix film, Black Island.

Speaking of actors in the Netflix movie, Black Island, I could not help but notice a resemblance between the actor Philllip Froissant and the classic actor from years ago, Ryan O’Neal. To refresh your memory, Ryan O’Neal is the actor who was linked for a long time to the late actor Farrah Fawcett.

Pace of the Black Island Netflix Movie

The Black Island Netflix movie is a mystery drama per se and there are not many action scenes. That being said, I found the movie to be slow moving with a corresponding slow build up in letting the audience know what was going on. This may have been done by design; however, I think there were certain scenes in the movie that did not move the action along.

For example the scene where a group of the German teacher's students were helping her to move in could have been eliminated.

if you watch the Black Island Netflix movie, you may find yourself trying to figure out the relationship between the German substitute teacher and the Hansen family. If you keep watching the movie, in one of the scenes Alice Dwyer’s character will spell out everything to you from A to Z and you will get a much clearer picture of what is going on.

You will also find out the extremes some people may go through to avenge themselves – which of course are the wrong actions to take.

As an added note, I was not a fan of the profanity used in this movie.

Ending of the Black Island Netflix Movie

During the ending scenes of the Black Island Netflix movie, you may be on the edge of your seat, when you notice that Phillip Froissant’s character sees a female dressed in an hooded yellow raincoat while on a ferry, and quickly runs after her. Who is she? You will have to watch the Black Island Netflix movie to find out.

Assessment of the Black Island Netflix Movie

If you watch the Black Island Neflix movie, I recommend that you devote your full attention to it. It is a slow moving mystery movie, but I think you will be more entertained by it if you are not doing something else while watching this movie.  

If you enjoy watching mystery thriller-type movies, you may want to give the Black island Netflix movie a look-see. If not, you may want to pass on it. Portions of events as they unfolded were a mystery to me until I found out what was really going on as I kept watching the Black Island Netflix movie. You may also feel the same if you watch this movie in its entirety.

Additionally, I was in awe at how much Phillip Froissant resembled Ryan O’Neal. I was also disappointed regarding the extreme extent some people may go through to try to avenge something that happened years ago – obviously for no good, ethical reasons. The positive is that the movie events of Black Island are not based on true facts.

Rating of the Black Island Netflix Movie

Based on a rating of 1 star to 5 stars with 5 stars being the highest, I rate the Black Island Netflix movie 4 stars.