The Darkest Minds

When the adults turn against the children, nowhere is safe.

In a world ruled by color categories to classify the level of danger a child poses, Ruby (Amandla Stenberg) is a category orange in the new regime wiping out her under 18 peers, but for the past several years she’s been able to avoid detection, that is, until now.

As a page to screen adaptation of Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds series, this film combines just the right amount of cinematic drama with fictional authenticity, to create a well-rounded and emotionally evoking spectacle.

Though the target audience may be a young one, the copious talent that emanates from the actors provides a maturity that is sure to please even the eldest of audience members.

Love, Simon

Falling in love is never easy, especially when you’re hiding your sexuality.

Being gay is the biggest secret Simon has ever kept from his family and friends, but no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t seem to find the right words, that is until he meets Blue; a fellow high schooler hiding the same secret.

The young actors in this film take on an intimidating role in accomplishing the task of bringing Becky Albertalli’s novel (Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda)  to life on the big screen. Heading up this exceptional cast is Nick Robinson who takes on the role of Simon Spier with such delicate sensitivity that it’s hard to believe the story is not his own. Though Robinson is in the driving seat, his fellow cast members also deliver exceptional performances which broadcast this incredible story with the ferocity it deserves.

Director, Greg Berlanti, also does a magnificent job of converting this millennial page turner into an action packed romance by creating a truly unique atmosphere that not only effortlessly normalizes homosexuality, but also inspires a young generation in their ability to express themselves regardless of their sexual orientation or individuality.

Ready Player One

When reality gets you down, there’s only one thing to do; enter into virtual reality.

In a world tarnished by technological advancement and chaotic gains, Wade Wilson finds himself the unlikely hero as he enters into a virtual reality adventure at the heart of the OASIS to save civilization and put a stop to the vast inequalities at play.

The artistic vision for this film is wonderfully striking, with video game artistry at the core of this production, creating both nostalgia and wonder for all those watching. In addition to the magnitude of colourful awe, director, Stephen Spielberg, has ensured that the CGI throughout the film, of which there is a lot, complements, rather than takes away from the story.

With many of the young actors starring in this Spielberg spectacular unbeknown to the audience, the actors are able to achieve a level of charismatic talent that is refreshingly new, with the added bonus of having little to compare it to but their presence on screen, due to their unfamiliarity.

Despite the acting and cinematography excelling throughout, it is the story that lets the vibrancy of this film down, with much of plot getting lost in translation due to the overlong running time, that leaves the audience feeling more exhausted than entranced.

Everything, Everything

Ripped from the pages of Nicola Noon’s bestselling novel comes a big screen coming of age production that is sure to warm the hearts of teenagers everywhere.

Locked in her own house for the majority of her eighteen years existence, Maddy has become victim to SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), essentially she’s allergic to everything. Maddy has come to accept her limited surroundings, that is until she falls in the love with Olly, the boy next door.

Though pitched as a typical teen flick, this film covers multiple emotions, from love, to loss and everything in between. Both actors, whilst fairly new to the acting scene manage to excel in their roles portraying every emotional goal expected of them. With Amandla Stenberg playing Maddy and Nick Robinson as Olly, it’s safe to say both these new faces have a hell of an acting career ahead of them.

The film itself was excellently converted from page to screen, using animations to explain the science behind Maddy’s disease and further animations to break down the building drama in certain scenes, making it accessible to audiences young and old.

For fans that are faithful to Noon’s written word, this film will be a pleasant representation of the original masterpiece.