4 Best Movies to Watch by Gina Rodriguez

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1. Lost Ollie, 2022

The Netflix four-part miniseries Lost Ollie is a bit like if Toy Story was adapted into a live-action dramedy. You’ll recognize the premise immediately: lost toy comes to life and loyally sets out on a journey to find its kid. But stuffed in between those points are poignant moments and reflections about life, family, and being.

The film isn’t also afraid to touch on darker themes, so if you’ve always wished for a slightly more mature but still kid-friendly version of this narrative—and if you’re a fan of the likes of Paddington the Velveteen Rabbit—then you’ll enjoy Lost Ollie.

Genre: Animation, Drama, Family

Actor: Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson, Jonathan Groff, Kesler Talbot, Mary J. Blige, Tim Blake Nelson

Rating: TV-PG

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2. Players, 2024

Those who thoroughly and unironically enjoy romantic comedies will find much to like in Players. Sure, it’s formulaic and predictable, at times even unintentionally parodying itself by parading a plethora of romcom tropes and traditions (of course the leads work for a newspaper, and of course, the best friend is secretly in love with the lead). But for some, that’s the joy of watching genre movies. Familiarity is the point, and if we were only checking boxes here, then Players would be an easy win. Unfortunately, that’s not all it takes to truly stand out, especially at a time when many other novel romcoms are being released. There are plenty of movies out there with more guts and gumption, more memorable performances and more daring scenarios, that are worth the time of day. But if you want an easy breezy flick, Players is pleasant enough with charm to spare.Genre: Comedy, Romance
Actor: Augustus Prew, Brock O'Hurn, Damon Wayans Jr., Dan Cordle, Ego Nwodim, Gina Jun, Gina Rodriguez, Jerry Kernion, Joel Courtney, Liza Koshy, Marin Hinkle, Sarah Dacey Charles, Tom Ellis
Director: Trish Sie
Rating: R

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3. Not Dead Yet, 2023

While based on a rom-com novel, Not Dead Yet adapts it with a supernatural twist… And proceeds to forget about it. The book that inspired the series is structured like personal journal entries, with the classic gratitude list, from a forty-year-old writer wanting to restart her life. Unfortunately, the US series removes the confessional vibe, by shoehorning ghosts into the plot. Instead of developing an appreciation for life through interviewing dead people’s loved ones, the ghosts lecture it for her, individually doing so until they disappear when their obit gets published. As a result, lessons aren’t internally realized and the relationships she forms feel hollow. Any dynamic she forms with a fleeting ghost or their loved ones could easily be brushed away in the succeeding episode. In adding the twist, Not Dead Yet fails to juggle its additional ghostly plot line, while also missing the empathy wanted by millennials missing generational markers.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Angela Elayne Gibbs, Gina Rodriguez, Hannah Simone, Lauren Ash, Rick Glassman

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4. Spy Kids: Armageddon, 2023

The Spy Kids movies have always been knowingly corny, which hasn't changed for this latest installment—it's just that it also has an odd lack of color and personality to its generic action movie shenanigans. This is especially disappointing given the film's focus on video games, which it only seems to understand in their most surface level terms. And because there's a lack of definition in the movie's rules and logic, the plot progresses without any weight or sense of mounting excitement. These are just people going through the motions toward some unclear message about the value of honesty and kindness, which never really factor into the actual adventure and keep the status quo firmly unchanged.

Genre: Action, Action & Adventure, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction

Actor: Billy Magnussen, Connor Esterson, D.J. Cotrona, Everly Carganilla, Gina Rodriguez, Jersey Johnston, Joe Schilling, Neal Kodinsky, Solar Dena Bennett, Zachary Levi

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Rating: PG

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