Straight From The Heart: February Films

Welcome to February! While the recipe for love might be on the table for Valentine's Day, perhaps I could help you pair it with some unusual films to enjoy.  

The Menu is a psychological mind f*ck with a heaping dose of satire from director Mark Mylod and and writers, Seth Reiss and Will Tracy.

There is something very bourgeois simmering at Hawthorne, an exclusive restaurant located on a private island and run by Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Being an invite-only event, 12 guests are ready for a dining experience they’ll never forget.

The movie is intentionally pretentious to the max, with Fiennes giving such a hilarious yet utterly maniacal performance. While this “eat the rich” message is gaining momentum in a lot of movies, execution is key and at times, I just felt a bit of boredom with some of the character roles, waiting for the next scene to hopefully draw me back in.

Giving a big middle finger to the thumb-nosed elites, everyone in the room serves a purpose and holds some juicy secrets that get their psyches messed with. The majority of the movie is confined to the restaurant setting, so there are many little yet important details to watch out for.

By now, we know what’s going on, or at least have an inkling, but there are some twists you might not see coming. The pace in the movie adds a lot of suspense and although as mentioned above that I didn’t take interest in some of the characters, there were some good moments with Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and surprisingly, Elsa, the restaurant manager played by Hong Chau. So, I still wanted to get through till dessert. 

Before Chef serves each course, he presents a full commentary, and so every dish, even the Breadless Bread Plate, which sounds as ridiculous as it looks, was created purposefully.  

Despite some criticisms, The Menu does deliver, but I do recommend the cheeseburger.

💜 The Menu Trailer

The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Big Foot is directed by Robert D. Krzykowski, and this movie is a mouthful to say and states the obvious premise, but holds a lot more for the audience to digest.

 Sam Elliott plays Calvin Barr, an American hero who assassinated Adolf Hitler in an undercover operation. Now, living a very solitary life with his furry companion, while dealing with the after effects of PTSD from war, he is approached by the government to kill the Big Foot. This creature carries a virus that will wipe out the world and so since Calvin is the only person who is immune and is now the chosen one. 

I think the idea of Big Foot could have been explored much differently to reflect the tone of the film, as the second half really just felt tossed in for simply a weird turn of events. This kind of took me out of the movie at times, as it was just silly.  However, the redemption is just watching Sam Elliott’s riveting performance. It kept me engaged in his character and wanting to watch till the very end.

There are so many emotional punches throughout that were hijacked by the whole Big Foot tale, but if you’re going to watch this, go for Sam Elliott’s performance, and forget the Sasquatch.

💜The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The BigFoot Trailer

The Fabelmans is told through the eyes of one of the greatest film directors, Steven Spielberg and co-written with Tony Kushner.  This movie very much felt like Spielberg’s personal diary, told through the eyes of a young boy who becomes obsessed with film-making in order to escape the world around him.  It is after all, semi-autobiographical, so that does hold some truth.

Sammy Fabelman (played by Gabriel LaBelle) gets his first taste of film, being brought to the theatre by his parents, only to be frightened yet amazed at a rather traumatic scene, and we get to witness the making of a born director. Spielberg has a great way of telling this coming-of-age story and the often rocky road to pursuing your dreams.

There’s no shying away here from a lot of confusion and pains of adolescence either. There are some weirdly yet a little off-putting comedic scenes tossed in with Sammy’s first real crush, Monica, (Chloe East) who is a young religious fanatic with an appetite for sin. 

Michelle Williams is incredible to watch, as Sammy’s mother Mitzie. She dreams just as big, and we can see her come alive when in the presence of her husband's best friend, Bennie (Seth Rogan). However, something is missing from her life, as husband and workaholic Burt (Paul Dano) keeps uprooting them to provide what he thinks will be a better life, yet their strained marriage continues to crumble.   

Judd Hirsch has a very small part, as Sammy’s eccentric Uncle Boris, who presents an omen that art and family are always going to be opposing forces. He echoes the words “family, art, it will tear you in two!” and we witness a devastating family secret that makes his warning, a true reality.

💜The Fabelmans Trailer

In a world where at times it feels like we're being surrounded by selfishness, hatred and greed,  The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari, directed by Rory Kennedy is a compelling documentary that gives hope for humankind.  Off the coast of New Zealand, on the island of Whakaari (also called White Island) we get to see the beauty and terror of mother nature in action.  

The December 9th, 2019 volcanic eruption came with profound loss, as 22 lives were taken. However, as we grieve for the ones left behind, the incredible sacrifice, resilience and survival under the most terrifying conditions remain at the heart of this documentary. 

We get to hear from the survivors and how such an event reshaped their lives, as well as the brave responders who could have turned their boats and helicopters around, but chose to risk it all to save the lives of faces they never even knew.  

Once considered the perfect Instagram selfie for tourists, this still active volcano could erupt at any point in time. The island remains closed to visitors.

💜The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari

💜Special Mention: Bank of Dave (currently streaming on Netflix)

Bank of Dave is a wonderfully uplifting film that shows us the true meaning of wealth. Directed by Chris Foggin, and written by Piers Ashworth, this movie has a number of fictional elements (sorry Def Leopard fans!) but was still inspired by the story of Dave Fishwick (played by Rory Kinnear), a wealthy businessman, who decided to start a community bank in his town of Burnley, in order to help support the local businesses and residents who were being pummeled by the big banks. 

Joel Fry is also a darling addition, playing Hugh, Dave's lawyer. Audiences will just fall in love with him on screen for his awkwardness and sweet performance. 

Despite all odds against him, in the film and even in real life, Dave's tenacity and love for his town really shows us what we can do when we all work together for the common good. 

💜Get to know more about the real life of Dave

Ready for a Holiday Zom-Com

Anna and the Apocalypse directed by John McPhail, and written by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, takes a group of soon-to-be graduating high schoolers and opens up their inner-diaries to share the woes of teenage life in the small town of Little Haven. 

This zombie-comedy, affectionately coined as a “zom-com”  is full of surprises and if being a teenager wasn’t hard enough, we add in a zombie infestation to shake things up a bit and get to know the characters a little more as they have to fight together to survive.  

With nods to Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Breakfast Club, Shaun of the Dead and many others, it was really creatively done.

You can’t have a good musical with sub-par choreography, and so Steph (Sarah Swire) who also stars in the movie, did an amazing job juggling both roles. 

Anna, played by Ella Hunt, was perfect for her role. She was able to break away from the stereotypical female needing to be saved,  while showing bravery and kicking some zombie brains.  

Socially awkward best friend, John (Malcolm Cumming) is another good character. We feel his pain through song, as he deals with unrequited love for Anna but we also see him grow separate from the anguish, just like any best friend would.

Another stand out performance was the eccentric Headmaster,  Arthur Savage (Paul Kaye). He took that creepiness level and cranked it all the way up in the best way possible.

There are so many wonderful songs too, written by Roddy Hart in collaboration with Tommy Reilly.

🎶Break Away had my eyes wide open because I wasn’t expecting something so emotional right off the bat. With its poignant lyrics, I was just awe-struck. 

🎶Hollywood Ending. Believe me when I tell you that you will be singing this song in the shower, in the car and in your sleep! It is so ridiculously catchy. The song tells us what we already know, but are sometimes too afraid to face. While we deal with the harsh realities of life, we will still be okay without perfection. 

🎶Turning My Life Around is another great song with upbeat music and some fun dance sequences. It also holds a special nod in a way to a certain Shaun of the Dead scene where we are oblivious to the chaos that is going on around us. It has a comedic yet disturbing undertone.

Overall, I think this movie is really fun to watch and holds a lot of meaning beyond what is on the surface. Sure, it’s a little gross at times (okay... a lot) but this is definitely an infectious one to add to your holiday list!

💜Anna and the Apocalypse Trailer 

Telling Tales: October Movie Reviews

Ah October is here and not only does that mean crystal balls and flying bats, but iced frapps turn to apple cider and flip flops are exchanged for cozy socks! I'm channeling some nostalgia in the movie world as well as sharing a few new releases and special mentions that you might want to add to your watch-list.

Hocus Pocus 2

The first Hocus Pocus has been deemed as a cult-classic among movie goers, so it had some big pointy shoes to try and replicate that nostalgic feeling again! Initially, I was very hesitant about seeing Hocus Pocus 2, as the trailer made me wonder if this would just be a rehashing of everything in the first.

To my surprise, it was quite enjoyable! Lots of humourish puns, fun dance sequences and a feel-good message. Bette Midler stands out as the dominant, Winifred, and her witchy slightly clueless and submissive Sanderson sisters; Mary and Sarah (played by Sarah Jessica Parker and  Kathy Najimyare) are always a hoot. I also loved Billy, the quirky British zombie boy, played by Doug Jones.   

Spoiler* The only issue that made me roll my eyes was the deliberate product placement of the witches going into Walgreens for “potions”. It made me cringe a bit as I had the flashback from Ghostbusters Afterlife, where Paul Rudd’s character goes into Walmart to buy a tub of ice cream and has a weird encounter with little bitty stay puft marshmallows.

Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy

Get ready for a little Mummy time with comedic duo Abbott and Costello who take on more than they can wrap their heads around in the 1955 classic comedy/horror, Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy. Although it's available in colour, I think there is something really special seeing it in its black and white version. Although this movie was deemed as one of their worst by critics, I don't share that opinion. It's fun, silly and those snake-charmer scenes still give me a giggle.  

Finders Keepers

Find a missing leg pick it up, all day long you’ll have ...

Finders Keepers is a 2015 documentary film by Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel that will be stored into the “woah that was not what I had expected!” movie vault for a long time.

Who wants to fight over a missing limb? This should be a no-brainer, but when John Wood’s amputated leg is found in a grill sold at a North Carolina auction and picked up by entrepreneur, Shannon Whisnant, all hell breaks loose and this is where the story begins.

There is so much to unravel in this doc but I’m not going to spoil too much because it really needs to be seen. At times you cannot believe that human beings are battling over an amputated leg that was left for months in a storage unit. 

As the humour slightly dampens in some instances and turns rather dramatic, there is such a complex story underneath what some would deem as a farce. It’s anything but that. This is where the movie shines in such unexpected ways. The stories of John’s life are a mix of heart-break, redemption and soul-affirmation, but there is a huge impact of his families recollection of these events too. 

Also, with Shannon, the façade of what one would see as just another egocentric, greedy, money-hungry man, he has a jovial spirit but is also deeply wounded in his own ways from childhood well into his adult years, he just carries and delivers the pain differently. 

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Directed and co-written by Peter Farrelly, raise a glass to a story of friendship, war, politics, media sensationalism, corruption and the complexities of patriotism in The Greatest Beer Run Ever.

John "Chickie" Donohue (played by Zac Efron) is ready to leave his New York roots for a short while to track down his childhood army buddies in Vietnam and yes, deliver them a beer.  Witnessing more than he could ever imagine in the throws of war, Chickie’s views of life are changed in a blink of an eye.

Zac Efron is definitely the heart of the movie and carries the heavy weight in this one. He is such an underrated actor and once again proves his versatility in whatever role he takes on, especially on the dramatic front. I thought it was really well done showing how far a simple act of caring can go, no matter how outrageous it may seem at first. In the end, war has a way of bringing people together even though it can also tragically tear you apart.

💜Have you seen any of these films?  Drop me a note in the comments, or send me an email using my webform on the side and also let me know what you've been watching!

More Than 9 Lives: A Street Cat Named Bob Movie Review

Addiction doesn’t just come in the form of drugs and alcohol, it is prominent in food, gambling,  social media, religion, etc... We can be addicted to just about anything. How far that goes depends on many factors that each of us are ultimately held responsible for. 

A single thought can be harmless. However, it often begins this way. You may have a genetic predisposition or you may not, but when a triggering event, or multiple ones happen over time, a pseudo-harmless thought can spiral into chaos. Nothing begins to matter anymore. It's just you and the addiction. 

The intense craving and the inability to think about anything else but feeding our addiction takes over our already fragile mind. We give into the euphoria, even if it’s for a split second to feel the illusion of happiness, and then we are warped back into reality, stricken with grief, depression, shame, and all the other unpleasant feelings that lead us desperately again into our next high. The cycle continues until we can let go or we sadly die trying. In our minds, we feel that if we are not actively pursuing our addiction, we are forever lost.

I was inspired to write about our viewing of A Street Cat Named Bob, a best-selling international book made into film. It is based on the true story of James Bowen, a heroin addict who fatefully meets a four-legged ginger cat, who affectionately  becomes known as his life-saving furry pal, Bob.   Bring on the tissues!

Luke Treadaway plays the role of James, a heroin addict who is facing the same fate as his friend Baz, who has overdosed for the last time. Trying to withstand the pressures of getting one more hit in, repairing his relationship with his father and somehow rebuilding his life, one night, James finds a four-legged cat rustling around in the hallway and that’s really where the story begins to take shape. 

There is such a beautiful bond that forms and although not everyone’s journey is like James, it gives a sense of hope. Another heartfelt part of the movie is James’ unlikely human friendship and brief love interest with Betty (played by Ruta Gedmintas), James’s quirky and lovable neighbour. She is not all rainbows and sunshine though. Underneath, she is still holding onto grief from her brother’s death, and so that adds a heightened element to the story on what level of support we can honestly take on, even when witnessing such suffering. 

Healing can begin once we face our deepest wounds, but it’s a long and messy road to even feeling half alive again. For some, it takes hitting rock bottom, and for others, it can be a life of balancing the good days and any relapses that happen. We are rooting for James all the way through this film, to at least be given the chance to live out loud with confidence again, as he is working so damn hard through every obstacle tossed his way - totally relatable on some level? Heck ya.

The movie shows many barriers that addicts will continue to face, as well as the toxic “not in my backyard” phenomena that exists especially with recovery involving methadone hubs and harm reduction clinics in residential areas. There are plenty of moments as well where the human condition is explored through the loving relationship that James has with Bob, his ginger cat that won’t leave his side and makes him feel seen, where alone busking on the streets of London, others would make James feel invisible.

Our connections with humans can be limited but there is something extra special about the love shared that is also evidence-based between humans and animals.

The music is also a high point in the movie, as we see this guitar strumming bloke, riding his bike with a cat on his shoulder bringing smiles and hope to all that pass by. Satellite Moments is truly special, along with Second Time Around and Don't Give Up. 

If you can take anything from this film, it is the fact that sometimes helping to save someone else’s life, ends up saving ours too.  

Photo Credit: Author James Bowen with Bob

*Sadly, Bob passed away in 2020 but will never be forgotten

💜A Street Cat Named Bob: http://streetcatbob.com/  Street Cat Named Bob Book Series

💜Addiction/Mental Health Support Links

https://www.ontario.ca/page/mental-health-services

https://www.ccsa.ca/

https://ontario.cmha.ca/

https://bana.ca/

https://www.connexontario.ca/en-ca/

https://atforum.com/related-websites/ - International

The Human Touch: Film Reviews

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the kind messages regarding my last blog about my on-going battle with post-covid. I know it is important that I continue writing. It has taken me days to do this one because of brain fuzziness and pain, but alas, here I am with some movies that you may want to check out.  

Everything Everywhere All At Once 

If you haven’t seen this film, don’t wait because it’s one of the best of 2022.  Into the multiverse we go, full of hot dog fingers, googly eyes, and bagels! Don’t worry if you have no idea what I am talking about, you will once you see the movie.  

Evelyn Wang (played by the phenomenal Michelle Yeoh) is a struggling laundromat owner who zigzags through life in a blur and is holding onto her family by a thread. When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, Evelyn is launched into universes where she gets to explore other life paths never taken and channels a surprisingly fierce set of superpowers to save the world.

It’s truly bizarre in the most beautiful and creative way, and that is thanks to film-makers, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. Kudos to them for casting Ke Huy Quan, the beloved character "Short Round" in Indiana Jones, who is refreshingly brilliant in his role as Waymond, Evelyn’s husband.

There’s tons of martial arts action, wacky comedy, squirmy moments of grotesque proportions and gut-wrenching emotions.  Every little nuance of life that we may not acknowledge has a place here, it’s twisted and if you’ve had any type of existential crisis, empathy weaves in and out at the most unexpected times.

So many messages to take away, so much laundry to probably put away and lives to reconnect with, as there is truly an unlikely hero in all of us.

The Animal Project is a Canadian film directed by Ingrid Veninger that might seem pretty goofy when the trailer has a group of performers parading around Toronto in anthropomorphic animal costumes, but give it a chance because there are so many layers to enjoy.

Aaron Poole is the heart of the movie, playing Leo, the acting teacher who wants to get the creative juices flowing again (and as we see, maybe get him out of his eternal funk) from his students by embarking on a zany experimental exercise entitled The Animal Project, where they would go about a day in their lives with a chosen animal costume and see how they interact with others and the reactions back.

Egos are going to fly and you’re bound to get to know everyone’s deepest wounds and what makes them tick fairly quickly, some in a very aggressive way, others, rather subtly. We also see Leo’s vulnerabilities come through slowly and then we begin to explore the other performers in the group and their stories.  It hits different levels of chaos, some that people can thrive in, and others that people drown in. Every character feels like it needs to be wrapped up in a warm hug and that is translated so well on-screen.  

This film has an indie-vibe of coolness and plenty of raw emotional scenes. The characters are endearing and as you get more invested into the stories, you are rooting for them every step of the way.  

All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records

Do you remember the first record you bought? There is something surreal about picking up an artsy record sleeve from your favourite artist that will never replace just clicking the download button on Itunes. Sometimes it is about the simple things that bring us the most pleasure. 

Directed by Colin Hanks, this documentary on Tower Records was fascinating! It had a really in-depth look into the history of Tower Records, where founder Russ Solomon spent many days and nights building quite the empire. A wee on the eccentric side, but what a creative soul with such a genuine heart. There are some pretty choked up moments throughout as staff reminisce about their crazy years working at Tower Records. 

Like many things in life, nothing lasts forever, but if you’re wanting to be taken on a nostalgic ride from the 1960’s all the way to 2006’s, check out this film and then get head to your local record shop!

 

💜Highly recommend stopping by to see the funky vintage wizard himself, Scott Woodall from Vintage & Vinyl, located in Lasalle and Amherstburg! Check out their Facebook pages below.

Vintage & Vinyl Lasalle

https://www.facebook.com/VintageVinylAmherstburg

*photo credits: Vintage & Vinyl

Crazy Little Things Called Love: Film Reviews

Hello readers! I've compiled another list of films that I've watched recently that I wanted to share. 

Ah yes, Cyrano de Bergerac, a timeless tale that was probably thrusted upon many of my readers, like myself during our high school English class days. Those 5 paragraph essays in full swing and then watching the black and white version from the 50’s on a projection screen for the next few classes. I remember seeing quite a few film adaptations too, the most fond one of Cyrano being played by the comedic genius himself, Steve Martin in the film titled, Roxanne.  

Rolling into 2021, still in the heart of the pandemic, a musical version came out of Cyrano. This time, instead of revolving around a facial feature (his prominent nose), this film directed by Joe Wright, re-imagines the epic character Cyrano dealing with dwarfism, played by the impressive Peter Dinklage, who falls madly in love with Roxanne, played by Haley Bennett. 

Knowing how devastating unrequited love can be, we ache for Cyrano, probably far more than ever before because of Dinklage’s performance. Do we care about his size? No. Do we care about his heart? Oh yes we do! There is a longing for human connection, yet the deep self-loathing of the harsh realities of the world at the same time, which can be extremely relatable.  The costume designs were gorgeous, not to mention many of the picturesque scenes throughout. 

The main highlight of the film is of course the soundtrack. I don’t think there could be enough tears shed after listening to Overcome for the first time, followed by Wherever I Fall.   

You’re invested in the story and the characters, even though there is no swaying away from the ultimate fate of what love can do to us. Unrequited love can be the most torturous.  Roxanne and Cyrano together on-screen though are quite magical as you’re catapulted into their hearts indefinitely as the credits roll.  

The End of Us is a quirky indie-style comedy film by Steven Kanter and Henry Loevner that I think is quite relatable for many going through the pandemic and have questioned their partnerships! Dealing with each other’s “ism’s” might not seem so bad when you’re able to get out into the world, but as the world shuts down, it’s a reminder of a relationship going to hell in a handbasket for the characters, Nick played by Ben Coleman and Leah played by Ali Vingiano. 

Leah is an interesting character. She reminded me a bit of Sarah Silverman with her sarcastic wit. So she’s adulting, has a stressful job, takes care of all the finances and makes sure Nick moisturizes his awfully dry skin. Nick on the other-hand is slacking in all departments, unmotivated and still working on a book that never seems to go anywhere, but reaping all the benefits of the relationship, or is he? 

Making the tough decision to end a long-term relationship is never easy but we can see that the passive-aggressiveness and toxic behaviours are a cry for help.  Leah gets up the courage to tell Nick to leave when the pandemic rears its ugly head and mask-wearing begins, as well as the spiral of job losses, isolation and more.  

We can see how each of these characters deal with change and uncertainties of life. I liked the style and pace of the movie. There is no shortage of emotions as both of them try to navigate how to live with someone who you are not in love with anymore. They still desperately hold onto memories that feel so long gone, along with the gratuitous sex mistakes that shouldn’t have happened, but they do because it feels almost like the norm in movies.

Overall, the movie was enjoyable, it had a lot of introspective moments, humour, quite a bit of vulgarity (warning if that’s not your thing) and without spoiling the ending, you want the best for both Nick and Leah, you really want them to succeed in their dreams, whether they are together or apart.

  

Welcome to Woop Woop is From the makers of Priscilla Queen of the Desert...” so how could I NOT want to see what this movie had to offer? Priscilla is one of my favourite movies of all time for its beauty, elaborate costumes, humour, bravery and homage to Abba, of course.

Directed by Stephan Elliott, this Australian tale is pretty basic really and then starts going off the rails. Teddy played by Johnathon Schaech, is a New York bird smuggler and after a deal goes wrong, he takes off to Australia to replace a bunch of birds that escaped. Along the way, he ends up rendezvousing with a free-spirited woman named Angie, played by Susie Porter. 

After being knocked out by Angie, Teddy finds himself married,  and stranded as a prisoner in Woop Woop, a forgotten place where they dine on canned pineapple, boat loads of tobacco and dog food (made from road-killed kangaroos). The only entertainment available to the residents is old Rodgers & Hammerstein films and soundtracks. Of course, you can't get married without meeting the whole Aussie family, including the alpha-male dictator father Daddy-O, played by Rod Taylor. 

Make sure to watch out for one character, the oddball Blind Wally, played by Barry Humphries, who you might also recall as the colourful and spunky Dame Edna!

I will say that this movie will definitely leave a lasting impression, what kind of impression is very subjective. You’ll be randomly quoting specific movie lines spontaneously though (ones that are just a bit too vulgar to mention here) and maybe even re-thinking life choices. 

Despite the craziness, offensiveness that some may feel watching this one, grotesque animal scenes (NO animals were actually hurt according to the disclaimer put out!) there is a beauty towards the end that you don’t see coming. It throws you for a loop and is a bit overwhelmed with emotion, but it works. You’ll Never Walk Alone serenades us in a tearful scene, followed by the oddly amazing Junior Vasquez remix of Climb Every Mountain, from none other, The Sound of Music. 

Although deemed as one of the worst Australian films, it’s raging on as a cult classic and rightfully so. 

 

This is actually a two-part review, as these films intertwine with each other. 

Before you watch BlackFish, watch Free Willy, or re-watch it if you remember the film from the 90’s. The whale, Keiko was used in the movie and became the poster-whale for a desperate plea to end orcas in captivity.  

Although meant to be a light family movie with a feel-good vibe of reckless boy meets whale, whale saves kid (or kid saves whale too?) and ultimately defeats the evil amusement park owners,  a darker and sinister story actually is underneath. The connection is beautiful in the movie in the innocence of a child, but still a far cry from what reality looks like for many of these intelligent creatures.  

A huge highlight comes from its soundtrack. After seeing this movie in the theatre back in the 90’s, I rushed out to get the cassette tape and played “Will You Be There?" by Michael Jackson continuously.  I felt a spiritual connection to the song without religious context. 

20+ years later, after hearing it again, the song resonates with me completely different due to seeing the next film I will talk about entitled BlackFish.

Causing a lot of waves, the documentary BlackFish came out in 2013.  A very compelling documentary about marine mammal captivity, highlighting Tilikum, an orca that was held by SeaWorld and the devastating consequences that unfolded.

There is a lot of controversy in this film but there is no doubt that the motivating factor was the all-mighty dollar, not the well-being of the orcas at all. The trainers I felt had really good intentions yet were greatly misled in many ways by being employed at SeaWorld. 

Filled with so many ethical dilemmas to ponder, it was still quite heart-breaking to see what kind of treatment orcas did receive and how their psychological health, not to mention physical health, greatly deteriorated.

SeaWorld has claimed to have changed their focus and use the orcas for "educational" purposes instead of entertainment and no longer have a breeding program. They have a new show called the Orca Encounter, which is currently $100/ticket.  Still, you surely won't be seeing me there anytime soon. 

It all feels like smoke and mirrors to the real issues surrounding orcas that are still to this day not being addressed properly.  It is understood that sometimes sending them back into the wild is not always an option, which makes things even more complicated, but they deserve a better life than being spectacles at money-hungry theme parks. These beautiful creatures were never meant to be caged, only to be free.

💜Have you seen any of these films?  What were your thoughts? Drop me a note in the comments, or send me an email using my webform on the side and also let me know what you've been watching!

December Movie Buffet: Pick and Choose!

December is here and I’ve just blown out my candles – 41 to be exact.  It's been a crazy time and I think I have more than 41 grey hairs to match, probably way more, but I think that's relatable. My escape is often movies, just to reset my perspective on issues that I might be dealing with, to find some kind of inspiration amongst the chaos, or  to just be entertained. Laughter is the best medicine, it hosts a ton of benefits and being married to an entertainer, there's always something to laugh about around here and a reason to harvest the joyful moments that catch you by surprise. 

So now it’s time to watch all our favourites again this year like Die Hard (hey it IS a Christmas movie!), Scrooged, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and probably every single romance tale from Love Actually and The Holiday, to even a few terribly-acted, what-is-with-that-sweater?! Hallmark ones. Most likely, I will watch those ones alone, as subjecting Bill to those might result in divorce papers. (Insert awkward laughter)

I did a full holiday movie list that you can check out here, which has some unique holiday movies you might not have heard of before.

The movies listed below are not all holiday-themed,  but still worth mentioning, just in case you are not really in the jingle jangle spirit or maybe want to add them to your list for future movie-watching.

 

American Hero – Set in New Orleans, the city is riddled with crime, and Melvin, played by Stephen Dorff is part of the problem, engaging in all the behaviours that would rarely be deemed as superhero qualities, even with telekinetic abilities. Underneath the rough facade lies a vulnerable broken man, with a burning desire to see his estranged son, who deserves to know his father.

So adventures ensue and there’s a lot of shoot-ups and a pivotal moment where Melvin’s heart stops and the typical “I’m gonna change after this life altering experience” begins, yet not without its complications.

There are a lot of moments of “that could never happen” so strap yourself in for suspending your disbelief. Aside from an overabundance of profanity and some stuff that might be taken as insensitive/offensive, the bonds of friendship pull you in and keep you invested. Also there are some pretty cool action scenes. 

If you can take anything out of this movie, it would be Melvin’s best friend, Lucille (Eddie Griffin) who is always wheeled by his side (yes he’s in a wheelchair). A great character, yet suffers from similar motivation to change his own circumstances. You need a bestie to hit you with reality checks whenever you get out of line, so I thought these two were paired well together.

Laggies – The word “laggies” translates to “one who lags behind” and so the movie explores life’s journey of unknowns, tapping into emotions once forgotten, yet worth revisiting and maybe even letting go of. Craig, played by Sam Rockwell is once again a delight on screen, add in Megan (Keira Knightly - with an American accent!) and the sensational Annika, played by Chloë Grace Moretz. It also had a wonderful soundtrack, including Ben Gibbard’s achingly beautiful song; It’s Never Too Late.  Absolutely loved it - Bill often picks out some great movies for us to watch together.

Hunt For The Wilderpeople is absolutely weird and wonderful. There is so much to discover in the movie and each character has its own story to tell, especially Ricky (Julian Dennison), who is rebellious but with a huge heart and just wants to belong somewhere, anywhere. Hec, Ricky’s foster father, played by Sam Neill feels just right. He's a guy that marches to the beat of his own drum but with gusto and spirit. I will not forget to mention how breath-taking some of the scenery is too, my longing to visit NZ grows stronger each day.  The movie is incredibly funny and humanly-touching. If you like the humour and style of Taika Waititi who also directed unique films like Jojo Rabbit, What We Do In The Shadows, you'll definitely love this one.

Kiwi Christmas. Materialism on Christmas, you don't say!? Of course that would have anyone running for the hills, or rather this time scooting away from the North Pole. However, Santa's vacation doesn't go as planned, as his trip to New Zealand via his rocket sleigh (yes I said rocket sleigh) breaks down and his cover is blown when two kids find out who he is and tries to help him back to the North Pole before Christmas. 

I loved "Stan" aka Santa, played by Kari Väänänen and sure the predictability factor is smack dab where you'd expect it to be, but it didn't matter one iota. The wacky humour, the joyful spirit captured, the beauty of NZ, and the overall message just makes this a great one for everyone to enjoy.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas  I don’t think I was quite expecting the emotional punch that this movie brought over what seemed like a common holiday premise of trying to bring everyone together at Christmas for the first time after the loss of a loved one. The emotional connection you feel with each character’s “heart song” as they call it, is just so unexpected but powerful.

The film does touch on painful subjects like post-partum depression and the complex feelings that come with grief, loss and bereavement, so considering my personal woes of what I deal with during the holiday season and probably what a lot of people battle with, this one hit incredibly hard.

The choreography was done beautifully too especially in one specific scene with Zoey (played by Jane Levy) and Max (played by Skylar Astin) creating the last tear drop on my face with a beautiful version of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time. The romance had my heart bursting.   

I never knew about the tv series - Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist , mainly because I'm not quite a tv watcher overall, but it might be worth checking out. 

💜As always, I love to hear your comments, so you can leave a message below or e-mail me your favourite holiday or non-holiday films that made your 2021.

November Movie Buffet: Pick and Choose!

Happy November everyone!

I am sitting here at my computer desk, chomping away at the last bits of Halloween candy. Okay that’s a lie, there is a pantry full of candy because we got overly-excited by the higher number of kids trick or treating this year and thought maybe we don’t have enough and no one should come to door and leave empty handed. The influx of kids dwindled though, and so here we are now, just me and the remains of a Swedish berries wrapper.

A bit out of the usual, but instead of just sharing some movies, I am also going to include a tv series that some of my readers might be interested in watching, as well as a comedy special that generated a lot of heat!

Mapleworth Murders - A hilarious 12-episode parody series that follows a murder-mystery writer named Abigail Mapleworth (played by Paula Pell) who solves homicide murders in her small town of New Woodstream, with the help of her socially-awkward, dry-humoured Aussie niece, Heidi, played by Hayley Magnus.

Think of what “Murder She Wrote” would be like in today’s world, if a young millennial Angela Lansbury posted her findings on Instagram Stories/Reels and had no filter in conversing with others. I’m not quite sure what drove me to check this out, but after the first episode, I felt compelled to watch all 12 episodes over two nights. 

Paula Pell is hilarious and such a fun character to watch. She’s a bit saucy, sassy, and bumbles around gathering evidence for the whodunit reveal, while suffering through many terrible double-entendre jokes that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you can get used to the screeching of “There’s been a MAAAHRDER!” then check this one out.

Driving Lessons - Definitely a different role for Rupert Grint, well-known for his role in Harry Potter. A coming-of-age story that offers also a slight coming-out-of-age feel as the young and the wise meet up to discover the world around them in unusual and unconventional ways. Julie Waters, who plays an eccentric alcoholic actress, is quite fantastic and I think really steals the spotlight for much of the movie.

Secret Life of the Long Haul Flight: A Qantas Experience - I've been watching these incredible documentaries on aviation and all the intricate details that go into a single flight experience and they are fascinating. This one was especially interesting showing behind the scenes of the 11,000 mile journey from London, England to Sydney, Australia. It also had a personal element of documenting a few of the passengers' stories on why they were going the long-haul route.

Overboard - Probably not new to any of my 80’s movie fans, but couldn’t leave out Overboard, the original 1987 with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, plus yes the head vampire from the cult classic; Lost Boys – Edward Hermann! Everything about this movie goes...well... overboard, but it’s delightful and sweet and fun, unlike the dreadful remake that I wish was never made.

  

The Closer - The stage is often known to be the safest place for a comedian because they have the mic and the power to say what they want, in the way that they want. There’s often no rules, so you either go in knowing that something is going to offend you, or you stay home (or in this case turn off the tv). Alike many in the show biz industry, especially at the level that Dave Chappelle is at, you never truly know what the comedian is really believing because after all, comedy is often just that...an “act” a performance to cause a reaction from the audience. There are of course exceptions where a comedian/entertainer behaves consistently the same on and off the stage.

After watching, I’ll say that I can see from various points of view of how the joking at the expense of certain demographics and making some comments takes a cheap shot at human decency in general. I think there is a really delicate line when someone says “so you can’t take a joke?”

I know groups that found Dave’s jokes to be spot-on hilarious and others that feel like as they put it to me “he made us feel like we should go back into the closet.” I think too much emphasis was just drilled into the audience on specific points Chappelle wanted to make, but delivered sloppy – in my opinion. Some of his other specials seemed to be crafted better and had more opportunities for laughs.

I didn’t find a lot of the jokes funny at all, in some ways, I was a bit exhausted after the hundredth glory hole joke, and felt he was really lashing out instead of generating some deep thoughts in a way that could be embraced with more heart - less crassness. The ending of course was a mixed bag of emotions and I’m still trying to process that.

Not knowing who Dave Chappelle is underneath the comedian portrayed on stage, from his behaviour since the show, I would still encourage him to seek some counselling. I think there are a lot of unresolved feelings brewing because we all know "tears of a clown, when there's no one around."

💜As always, I love to hear your comments, so you can leave a message below or e-mail me your thoughts!

October Movie Buffet: Pick and Choose!

Are you ready for some October movies?  Spooky season is upon us but this blog will not be about Halloween films. If you're anxious though, you can check out my Fangs For The Memories - Halloween Favourites, as we've been delving into some of our favourites lately. 

Moving along, we’ve watched some interesting flicks lately that I wanted to blog about. Maybe you’ve seen them or perhaps you’ll give them a go. 

I’ll start off with You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.  I was a little iffy when I noticed that Woody Allen was writing and directing this because his style is rather an acquired taste, one that often I don’t care for. However, it looked intriguing enough with a good cast, especially Anthony Hopkins and Gemma Jones.  

With the entanglement of marital distresses, identity crisis, broken authored-dreams, and of course a charlatan doing what they do best – sucking the last pennies out of the vulnerable, the movie pokes fun at a lot of these themes yet delicately also shows the darker side of erupting chaos within the characters. There’s a lot of uncomfortable laughs yet still manages to offer some reflection and optimism of restless situations. 

Next up, 30 Nights, directed by Tom Metz III  The old trope of sex becoming non-existent once your married and have kids is put to the ultimate test in this raw and hilarious independent flick that involves 30 nights of “assignments” to save a marriage.  

I didn’t think this was going to be as good as it was.  Super cast, especially Nick and Willia, played by Johnny Giacalone and Mandy Kaplan.  They had such great chemistry on-screen and every assignment they had to endure, it was passionately ridiculous. I also loved Dan Fogler who played Dr Ling, their zany sex therapist.   

Definitely for mature-audiences, but you may spruce up things in and out of the boudoir a bit after watching this – or you might realize 'good vibrations' are just meant for listening to The Beach Boys, and that’s a-okay too.

Old – M. Night Shyamalan.   Most of the movie was spent “wait, how can that happen? - “that makes no sense at all.”    There is that level of suspension of disbelief, like in practically all the Die Hard movies, but this one stretched the limits.  The characters were uninteresting,  the dialogue was tragic and although I figured out what was going to happen fairly early, I was quite bored, although one scene was so disgusting that I did jolt in my chair for a brief second and had to look away.  The movie wants to go deeper into moral and ethical dilemmas, but never quite makes the leap. 

Don’t You Forget About Me.  A documentary, directed by Matt Sadowski, all about a group of film makers who cultivate a plan to meet their beloved writer/director; John Hughes, who changed the landscape of movie-making forever with classics like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, etc.  

It is fascinating to see clips of past actors talking about their time with Hughes, especially a lot of introspective commentary from well-known actor, writer/director, Kevin Smith.  We also get a glimpse of the impact Hughes had on so many people, including many adolescents today.

Critics are always a reminder of how vulnerable we can be as humans and some are able to take the punches and others disappear never to be heard from again, in order to preserve any dignity they can still hold onto from the past. John Hughes died of a fatal heart attack, so although it was never confirmed, could there be a chance he died of a broken heart?

John Hughes' life remains a mystery and the only thing that appears to be real is the fact that he enjoyed pizza, at least twice a week. I can hear him say “a lovely cheese pizza just for me.” 

Lastly, Freeguy.  Watching the trailer I didn’t really have any interest, but Bill and I were curious to see whether it would be any good, and it was fantastic.  Creative concept, visually stunning effects, great characters, and those pull-at your-heart-string moments that are predictable, but they still just feel right.

Ryan Reynolds was awesome but I will say that  Antwan, played by Taika Waititi was my favourite character.  His razor sharp wit, charismatic weirdness is just unmatched.  If you have no idea who I am talking about, please check out Jo Jo Rabbit or the underrated, What We Do In The Shadows. 

So there you have a bunch of movies that you can watch while you’re chowing down on your Thanksgiving feast (some movies more suitable than others to watch WITHOUT the whole family, but you be the judge on that one)  this long weekend, or really whenever you want. 

💜Have you seen any of these? Leave me comments below, or if you're feeling shy, send me an email using my webform. I always love to hear your comments! 

Fall Movie Buffet: Pick and Choose!

Well hello my blogger friends! Welcome to almost Fall (Autumn). As the sun sets sooner in the evening time now, we’re getting ready to store away our tank tops/shorts and replace them with flannel PJs and cozy sweaters!  So get out your pumpkin spice latte or a cup of hot cocoa with plenty of tiny marshmallows and enjoy some movies that I wanted to share with you.

Let's start out with a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Respect is the story of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. It's one that you need to see! It’s a very intimate look into Aretha’s life, never holding back on sensitive topics like childhood trauma, domestic violence and addiction. Of course with any biography, take it with a grain of salt on all the details recollected. This film may also be triggering for some, so keep that in mind.

Aretha, played by Jennifer Hudson, is phenomenal in this role. It’s also quite surprising to see a Wayans Brother impressing me so much, but Marlon Wayans was intense playing Ted White, Aretha’s first husband.

The music was amazing to hear, and although some time-line scenes felt a bit disjointed at times, it was really inspiring and interesting to note how much advocacy Aretha was part of and after so much devastation, she finally found her voice among the darkness, right up to the time of her passing.

 

Ah 1985! Tuff Turf is just a wild adventure of a new kid in town Morgan Hiller, played by James Spader (keeping with the 80's - well known for his yuppiness in movies like Pretty in Pink – a personal favourite), who comes face-to-face with the head gang leader in a battle of not only who gets the girl, but who keeps the girl. We also have a very young Robert Downey Jr who is pretty adorable (boys with eyeliner – gah!) and plays Morgan’s friend, Jimmy.

Although I was blown away by a scene where James Spader starts singing “We Walk the Night” by Paul Carney  sadly, I did find out he was only lip-synching. Could have fooled me though!

Another cool fact, the soundtrack has "People Who Died" by the Jim Carroll Band, so that should be a reason to check it out.

 
Apple Pie. A time warp to the groovy disco 70’s era with this artistic cult-classic by director, Howard Goldberg, that is just so strange that I am not quite sure what to think.

Jacques Blinbaum, played by the late, Tony Azito, who is freakishly downright freaky looking in all his form and mannerisms, tells what feels like a fabricated story of his youngster coming-of-crime escapades and how he faked his own kidnapping in order to get a large sum of money from his parents as ransom.

Arriving in Manhattan, we witness his transformation into some sort of caped pseudo-hero, getting himself into more imagined (or maybe real, I don’t quite know) trouble along the way.

This film is all over the place with a lot of moments of HUH?! There is plenty of violence, sometimes just out of nowhere. Other scenes are just confusing and plain right odd, including a food fight that breaks out in a fancy-smancy restaurant. Then towards the end, you’ll get a big musical montage which I thought was going to be a bigger part of the movie than it was. It’s fun though, it has all the Daryl, Hall and Oates vibes, but goes on...and on.... and on.... for as long as a single camera shot of Quentin Tarantino’s.

If you’re up to it, take a slice out of this one and make sure to add a big scoop of ice cream for the brain-freeze of 1 hour 30 minutes.

Don’t Breathe 2 --- Don't hold your breath on this one!

It starts off pretty intense and who doesn’t love a good home invasion, but then fizzles out. I don't mind a predictable film, but ugh, it kind of ruined it for a thriller. I won't say anymore in case you want to watch.

The fight scenes are bruuuuutal, I had to turn my face away for a few scenes. I swear I thought though Brendan Sexton III was Stephen Dorff throughout the whole film.

One thing remains though, Navy Seal vet Norman, (played by Stephen Lang) remains a total bad-ass.

Definitely felt the first one was more compelling and riveting for a thriller, but you be the judge for yourself.

💜Have you watched any of these? If so, leave me a comment or send me an email using my form! I'd love to hear your thoughts.