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The Gilded Age (2022)
Show excellent, casting not so much
I am a huge Julian Fellowes fan. The man is absolutely brilliant and I will watch anything that his name is attached to. I've admired Downton Abbey, Doctor Thorne and Belgravia to name a few. Why did it take me so long to watch Gilded Age? When I first saw it advertised, I was so excited. Then I saw one of my least favorite actresses attached to it, Christine Baranski. Yes, I didn't watch it initially because I don't care for her. I never liked anything she has been in. That aside, I gave in for my love of Julian Fellowes and so glad I did. The show is brilliant. It reminds me of Downton Abbey, where they show the lives of the inhabitants upstairs as well as downstairs and how their lives can cross over.
This show is quite different from Downton Abbey though. It takes place in the greatest city in the world, NYC and it's mostly about social climbing and the conflict of old money versus new money.
Casting was a miss for me though. Most actors suited their roles but one glaringly obvious miscast was the part of Marian. I tried to like her, being a main character, but I couldn't. She is very wooden, and monotone, everything she says comes off dry. She had a line where she was surprised to see Peggy and she said it with zero inflection in her voice. I found myself being annoyed every time she came on screen. Something about her was nagging at me, I couldn't place it so I Googled her name and when I saw who her mother is, it all made sense. I can't help think she got the part because of her mother. She looks completely out of place for her character and not very good at acting. And I was right about Christine Baranski, her acting is not good and her presence unlikable. I would love to ask casting why they cast these two. I could see if they had minor parts but they are two major characters.
Some shining performances for me were Cynthia Nixon, who I was never a fan of, played the part of Aunt Ada and did a brilliant job playing her. The likeable Harry Richardson was a plus for me. I loved him in Poldark and Doctor Thorne. I enjoyed the story-line and performances by Taylor Richardson and Ben Ahlers (Bridget and Jack). I'm hoping to see more of them in Season 2. Amy Forsyth as Carrie Astor, for example, is well cast. Her face steals every scene she's in, she looks right for the role, she an incredible actress, very well cast and beautiful performance.
I absolutely love the interaction between Church and Bannister. They are the two butlers that live across the street from each other. The ending of Season 1, episode 9 when they see each other from across the street and nod to each other made me smile. Absolutely brilliant.
Redeeming Love (2022)
Beautiful movie
I've watched this movie maybe a dozen times and each time, I love it more and more. I have one complaint and one praise.
I never read the book and sometimes it doesn't translate well into a movie so I can't speak to that in this case. The scene when Michael is talking to God, asking for him to send him a partner is a great scene. Cut to him seeing Angel for the first time and whispering that she was the one and God had a sense of humor confused me. How did he know she was the one? I went back to re-watch the scene and I thought I missed him asking God to send him an angel (something I would have changed in the film) and he didn't. So how did he know she was the one God wanted him to pursue? I thought that one little detail would have been better in the movie and connected them. That was my one complaint.
Abigail Cowen as Angel and Tom Lewis as Michael had some wonderful moments, they are great actors and really made the characters likeable. But can I please take a moment and point out Logan Marshall-Green's performance as Paul? He was AMAZING in this part. He was a stand out for me. Hands down the best emotional performance I've seen in a long time.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)
Growing up is hard and this movie is perfection
I read the book when I was younger, probably the mid to late 1980's. That being a long time ago, I didn't remember much as I was watching. Only a little bit came back to me.
Abby Ryder Fortsom (as Margaret), Rachel McAdams (as Barbara) and Kathy Bates (as Sylvia) were absolute perfection. Abby couldn't have been any cuter. They were perfectly cast and did an amazing job. Even the supporting cast is amazing and perfectly cast.
I honestly can't find one thing I didn't like about this movie. I tried and couldn't. I have watched it several times too. Judy Blume was quoted as saying she liked the movie better than the book. That says a lot about how good this movie is.
Crime Scene Kitchen (2021)
Obsessed with this show
I started watching halfway through season 1 but luckily could catch previous episodes on Demand. I'm currently watching season 2.
The premise of the show is genius. Contestants examine a kitchen that was used to bake an item and they have to figure out what was made. Most of the time, the contestants have different ideas of what was made and that's why it's so fun. You find out, along with the contestants, what was made at the end. It's always surprising and exciting. It makes me wish I had gone to pastry school.
Joel McHale is hilarious but not annoying. Curtis is ok and Yolanda is stunning and looks like she walked off a runway but knows her cakes and pastries. It's just a great show and I hope it sticks around for a long time.
Far from Heaven (2002)
This movie is a gem
Far From Heaven is quickly becoming one of my top ten movies.
I first watched this on Starz years ago. I really enjoyed it. Then I watched it again and again and any time I saw it was on, I always watched. I recently bought the DVD at a garage sale which made me happy because I like having my top favorites on DVD, reading to watch.
I'm not going to repeat what has already been said so eloquently by other reviewers. I will just state what I love about it.
-Julianne Moore is brilliant in this film. She is perfectly cast. Dennis Haysbert is as well. It's hard not to fall in love with his character. And his voice, I could listen to him talk all day. Unfortunately, I didn't care for Dennis Quaid as Frank. I can't explain why, I just think Frank could have been better cast.
-Connecticut in the fall. I live in upstate NY and it's equally this beautiful but there was something about the fall that added to this film, comforting in some way.
-You get a "twofer" with this film, it tackles two issues that we don't have to even think about today: interracial relationships and closeted homosexuality. It's done in a brilliant, natural, unforced way. The relationship Cathy and Raymond develop is beautiful and I wished they could have had a happy ending but it was 1957 after all.
-Something that struck me funny was any time the kids wanted to talked to their dad, they were ushered away, as to not to bother him. I love this little detail of "kids should be seen and not heard" during this time period.
Todd Haynes needs to make more films like this. I did research him and watched Carol and enjoyed it very much (not as much as Far From Heaven). He captures time periods perfectly. I just need more.
Bridgerton (2020)
I love it and hate it
Back in 2020 when Bridgerton came on the scene and was all the hype, I started watching. I couldn't initially get past the first episode when all the characters were introduced. I thought to myself "are they kidding?". I instantly took a dislike to Lady Danbury and the queen. Their strong personalities completely turned me off (as I'm sure that wasn't the writers intent, but a theme I noticed throughout: unlikeable males and strong, brave females). So I stopped watching. I don't know why but I started watching again, almost 2 years later. Here are my thoughts.
Season 1: I loved the character of Daphne. She's a likable character and the actress playing her. The character of Simon on the other hand, another unlikable character. I didn't understand Daphne's attraction for him. The rest of the storyline bored me to pieces so it was hard to follow because I think I daydreamed through most of it.
Season 2: I loved the character of Kate. Anthony on the other hand, very unlikable character. See a theme? It boggles the mind, if the author wants the main characters to fall in love, why make the men so course and off putting? It made me wonder what Kate even saw in him. Because he had an intense look he gave her from time to time? Absolutely no redeeming qualities of Anthony or Simon. The strong and brave women are supposed to fall for these men? I don't think so.
Eloise and Penelope: I loved these characters. Eloise is supposed to be a free thinking feminist and while normally that would be annoying, she pulled it off and was likable. Maybe it was the actress that played her. Penelope, while she annoyed me at first, her character grew on me. The actress is adorable.
I think the show was a hit and miss. I think character development was lacking. When you're rooting for the two main leads to not get together because you can't stand the man, I think that's a big miss. Some of the story lines were entertaining and some were boring such as Lady Featherington daughters storylines. That being said, I will be watching Season 3.
Great Performances: Now Hear This: Beethoven's Ghost (2021)
Wonderful episode
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, so much that I've watched it three times already and will probably watch a few more times before I delete it off my DVR.
This episode had a little bit of everything. Beethoven's music, of course, performed by amazing musicians. Scott Yoo had the fun idea of serving Ludwig's favorite foods, and he explains how he knows what his favorite foods were. Scott also gets the brilliant idea of taking an old manuscript of his work (Ghost Trio) and trying to decipher what Beethoven originally wrote before he scribbled it out and wrote something new and then play it! I enjoyed that so much.
I think the most interesting part was, throughout the entire episode, they had actors portraying Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. They acted as analyst and patient and delved into Beethoven's upbringing, background and psyche. I enjoyed the back and forth between them, they did an excellent job. I've always been fascinated by Beethoven's life and background, it's so tragic.
You can really get a sense of Scott's respect for Beethoven and his excitement when he talks about his work and life. He really brought this episode to life. I enjoyed it so much. Well done!
Devil (2010)
This movie changed my life
We have been showing my 14 year old daughter M Night's movies. She loves them. We showed her the Village, Signs and the Sixth Sense (her favorite) and I noticed this movie on Demand on Starz having never heard of it, we knew it would likely be excellent and it didn't disappoint.
Before I begin, I need to just say M Night is brilliant. His movies are so captivating and interesting and the surprise endings are the cherry on top. My daughter is now a fan too.
Now for my short review. I'm not a religious person but I know right from wrong. After it ended, I looked back on my life and asked myself if I have hurt people in the way these characters hurt people. I haven't, I have probably hurt people in small ways that I was too young and dumb to correct at the time but the movie made me feel like I want to be an even better person. I love the line when Ramirez says that bad people don't know they're bad. I pointed this out to my daughter and she agreed, it's true but don't deny it to yourself if you ever do something bad yourself. Take responsibility, apologize and learn from it.
You know when a movie is so good, you can't stop thinking about it for the rest of the next day? That's what M Night's movies do to me. They stay with you. I will never forget this movie.
Chad (2021)
Great show
I'm surprised by the negative reviews but I won't dwell there. Here's why my 14 year old daughter and I love this show. We've watched every episode except the finale which airs soon.
We love Chad and his awkwardness, my daughter says she can relate and she's the female version of Chad. The show captures what it's really like being in school, there's a scene in the first episode, when Chad is walking by the tennis courts you can see a girl being pummeled by tennis balls by a group of boys, this was my experience in school, the boys were so violent towards the girls (and me).
We love Hamid, the uncle who always has Chad's back, Niki who is effortlessly cooler than her older brother and Peter, his sweet friend who never gives up on Chad even when Chad is trying to be best friends with Reid. At the end of every episode Chad learns a lesson, usually that one of the above has his back, even when Chad treats them like crap. Chad's effort to fit in at school is painful to watch. I was popular in school but I remember the effort not losing that status and it was terrifying. I also remember the kids trying, like Chad, to fit in and it was painful to watch.
Nasim is convincing as a 14 year old boy, you often forget you're watching a 39 year old woman. I just found out Chad was renewed for season 2 and I'm so excited. So is my daughter. Can't wait to see what Chad gets into next season!
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
I understand what the author was trying to do here but failed
I never read the books. When they were hugely popular, a friend of mine told me not to bother with them, that they were "elementary ".
The reason I watched the movie was because it was on TV and I was bored. I gave it a chance. Halfway through, my husband called, I told him what I was watching and told him how bad it was. I finished the movie, watched the second movie. Then watched them again the next night . This surprised me but I will tell you why.
I see what the author was trying to do. She put a barrier between them: the old, take me as I am or not at all situation. Girl has to try to adapt and navigate through this new unfamiliar world. The dialogue was awful, just awful. My friend was right, it is very elementary. Think high school level. Throughout the movie I kept wondering why no one stopped the author and told her to work on the dialogue. I would have if I was her editor. I'll give you my favorite example. When Christian finds out Anna is a virgin. He asks, "Where have you been my whole life?" Barf. This scene, and I blame the producers or directors here, would have been improved by simply acting with NO dialogue. His facial expression would have done the job and improved this scene.
The next scene I had a huge problem with was when she asked Christian to show her how bad it can get with his bondage nonsense. He spanked her, she runs out crying and angry with him, he's confused (as am I) and leaves him. Again, this scene should have been rewritten. If I was in charge of this movie, I would have had him lose control with her and not be able to stop. THAT would have been a good reason for her to dump him. THAT would show that walking away would be very difficult for him, hence more internal struggle.
What I liked about this movie? I think casting was good. The actors are excellent given the bad script they were given and did the best they could. I found Christian's character very likable and I don't know why I was drawn to him. I think he's the reason I watched it twice. The entire concept of the movie was good, the author just blew it.
Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
Movie Perfection
I declared this movie as my favorite after watching. It bumped Dangerously Liaisons right out of my top spot.
Everything about this movie was beautiful, brilliant and perfect: casting, setting, location, acting, costumes, music, storyline, character development. Even the ending, which has always been Allen's weak point, was lovely.
It's Woody Allen's best work, in my opinion.
After We Collided (2020)
I didn't hate it
I watched After and really like it. So much so that I couldn't wait for After We Collided to come to Netflix so I rented it. I didn't read the books.
I'll start with the disappointments. I was disappointed with the opening to see that Tessa didn't go to Hardin on the dock. I was disappointed that she slept with Hardin after a drunk night at the nightclub. I would have liked it better if Hardin went to the hotel and saw Tessa with Trevor and left in anger, it would have set the story better for Hardin to have to try and win her back. I was disappointed at the misunderstanding at the party which lead to a huge fight. Too many fights between them.
I liked the storyline with his mother. I like knowing why characters act the way they do. I like they dug into his childhood, abandonment by his father, watching his mother be attacked, etc does give you an insight into his current behavior. I love the character Trevor. He was a nice addition, I was hoping for a love triangle between them but that didn't happen either. That would have been predictable but way better than the current storyline.
Overall the movie was ok, the storyline needed some polishing because it didn't flow well.