Pyper Braun is an American child actress who began acting at age four. She’s known for her roles in Netflix series Country Comfort, Disney Jr series Superkittes, Nickelodeon’s Erin & Aaron and commercial work with Quaker Oats and Big Lots. Her latest film is Blumhouse Imaginary, which stars her as Alice and her imaginary friendship with her stepmother’s childhood teddy bear named Chauncey.
1. Desperation Road
Desperation Road is an interesting piece of filmmaking with a lot of things going on. It’s a Southern Gothic, neo-Western with dashes of noir and bursts of violence. It’s also a tale of forgiveness and redemption.
Director Nadine Crocker does a solid job of condensing Michael Farris Smith’s book into a meaningful movie that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It features a great cast of actors led by Garrett Hedlund and Mel Gibson, both of whom give strong performances.
Unhoused mother Maben (Willa Fitzgerald, Scream the TV series) tries to make some cash by doing some sex work, but ends up getting caught and beaten. Maben is then forced to hit the road with her daughter in search of a new life. She inevitably crosses paths with ex-con Russell Gaines (Garrett Hedlund, Tron Legacy) who is trying to close the dark chapter of his past. They form an unexpected family and begin a journey across the Mississippi landscape. Desperation Road is a slow-burning drama that delves into the darkness of humankind, but the excellent performances and the grasp of tone keeps it from going too far down that path.
2. Imaginary
When single mom Jessica (DeWanda Wise) moves her children back into the house she grew up in, she discovers her daughter’s imaginary friend Chauncey, who she remembers from her childhood. At first, she’s tickled by his requests for Alice to acquire innocuous things or to slam her hand through a fence slat, but the bear starts to turn the tables on her and demand more gruesome activities.
Imaginary is yet another entry in the hit-or-miss roster of Blumhouse productions, which churns out movies like slasher flicks and supernatural 123movies films with a limited budget. Director Jeff Wadlow tries to take the genre to new heights, but the movie is hampered by flat expositional dialogue, car commercial visual style and a first draft creative concept that never irons out its wrinkles. Adding to its mediocrity is the lack of gore or heart pounding suspense, as every potential scare fizzles into nothing more than a tired trope. Despite the film’s misgivings, the performances by Piper Braun and Betty Buckley are worth the ticket price. Imaginary is out March 8 in the US.
3. Life in Pieces
Life happens in the little bits and pieces that flash by us — but that doesn’t go away. That’s one theme that unites the multi-generational family of CBS comedy Life in Pieces, which stars Josh Brolin as dad John and Dianne Wiest as mom Joan. They have three grown children, Greg (Colin Hanks), Heather (Betsy Brandt) and Matt (Thomas Sadoski), each of whom has a story to tell.
The show’s conceit differs from most sitcoms in that each episode is made up of four short stories that focus on different members of the family. Unlike Modern Family, the stories don’t intertwine or cross over, making for an edgier and more mature take on a domestic dramedy.
The performances are solid, with the cast members ranging from established veterans to newcomers. The young children – especially the adorable and obnoxiously precocious Sophia – also deserve a lot of credit for making the characters so relatable. If it can manage to find new humor and freshness in the tried-and-true family comedy genre, Life in Pieces could be a hit.
4. Country Comfort
Country Comfort stars Katharine McPhee as Bailey, an aspiring country singer who takes a job as a nanny for cowboy Beau and his five children. Across the 10-episode season, Bailey and the kids get into plenty of laugh-out-loud situations and learn about family life together. The cast is well-developed and the performances are wholesome, but the show is held back by its dependence on laugh track-style jokes and overly familiar plotlines.
Created by Caryn Lucas (a former executive producer on The Nanny), the series is reminiscent of sitcoms like Full House and Reba. But the characters feel generic and the performances lack any flair or personality.
Despite its flaws, the series available on gomovies app is a great watch for families. Its exploration of themes like career versus family, the importance of friendship, and the power of love are both heartwarming and uplifting. And, of course, the show also features a lot of singing and musical performances. It’s a good way to spend an afternoon with the whole family. The first season of Country Comfort is currently streaming on Netflix.
5. Superkittes
The animated series Superkitties stars Pyper Braun as Bitsy, a small calico kitten who uses her powers to defend Kitty Dale and impart important lessons about kindness, empathy, friendship, resilience and problem-solving. Each episode of the show is split into two short stories.
In one episode, the SuperKitties face their biggest challenge yet when they encounter Lab Rat and her new robot friend Otto who tries to turn everything into cheese. However, with the help of their friends, Bitsy is able to find a way to overcome her fear of touching sticky cheese and save the day.
During another episode, the SuperKitties receive complaints from Whiskers and Peanut that their treats have been stolen. Upon following the clues, they discover that Cat Burglar has been impersonating Sparks in order to steal their food.
Throughout the season, the SuperKitties must also confront a new villain named Zsa-Zsa who takes away the Singing Squirrels’ voices right before their big concert. Luckily, the SuperKitties are able to restore their voices by using the power of friendship and compassion.