Movie #2182 ........................."A Kismet Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)

 Movie #2182 "A Kismet Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)  A children's lit writer uses a gimmick from her  grandma  --- Kismet cookies --- as the catalyst to super hero qualities in her heroes.  In reality (well, at least to Hallmark) the cookies are  supposed to have some super powers of their own --- if you took one and put it under your pillow, you would dream of your true love.  Okay...... that's a bit farfetched, but it is something you have to buy in the film.  I don't usually like films based on something like that, but it works for this film because it is only used a little bit --- it comes in when it has to, in order to make the film end.  Anyway, (can you tell this is a complex plot?) she comes home for Christmas and meets up with her old buddy (as a kid) and his adorable daughter, who happens to be an obsessive fan of the writer.  A lot to suspend belief for here, but really a cute film because all the characters are winsome, smart (everyone knows the reference to kismet~!)  and fun-loving and funny!  By the end I kind of wanted to find the recipe for this magic cookies.  I'd give this a 4 out of 5 and recommend it.

"A KISMET CHRISTMAS"    2022         1 hour and 24 mins

It tells the story of Sarah, a children's book author who returns to her hometown where she reconnects with her family and her teenage crush.  She soon discovers that a family legend might actually be true.

Director:  Mark Jean

Writer:  Betsy Morris

Actors:  Sarah Ramos, Carlo Marks, Rubi Tupper

Movie #2181 ........................."Jingle Bell Ride:" (Hallmark)

Movie #2181 "Jingle Bell Ride" (Hallmark)  here's what is different about this film --- it takes place in Alaska and the male lead's voice is to die for ---- he has a great voice and it kept me watching it, even through all the silly maneuvers the film uses to keep her in this very cold place while she is missing a  (clingy, famous ) major client's last few days of wedding planning.   The two leads lacked a lot of chemistry between them (to me) but I did like that the guy was willing to move for her and her job.  That's a big shift, no?  I'd give this a 3.5 -- not very memorable.

"JINGLE BELL BRIDE"     2020    1 hour and 24 mins

Wedding planner Jessica Perez travels to a remote town in Alaska to find a rare flower for a celebrity client and is charmed by the small town during Christmas, as well as the handsome local helping her.

Director:  Allan Harmon

Writers:  Marcy Holland, Scarlet Wilson (based on her book)

Actors:  Julie Gonzalo, Ronnie Rowe

MOVIE #2180 ........................."We Need A Little Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)

 Movie #2180 "We Need a Little Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)  If you can get through the ending of this one without shedding a tear of happiness, you are a better person than I.  You also have to buy into the very caring  Mrs. Doubtfire- kind -of -neighbor that  the esteemed broadway/film actress Ms. Whitfield plays here --- it works for the little boy right out of the gate --- his heart isn't into being engaged in life very much, he's wounded by grief, and this wonderful neighbor observes that from the get go and well, gets him going.  The rest is ....the film!  Mom seems in the background for a while, dealing with her own grief, but she's fine once she comes out from under.  And the two other real stars of the film, besides the neighbor, are the little boy with doe eyes that MAKE you wonder what's going on in his mind, and the very ,very nice guy who hires the grief-stricken mom to redo his restaurant, when he really doesn't have to --- he looks and acts very normal (for a Hallmark movie) and he's so believable, which helps us to believe the other stuff that is going on.  Let's just say this film ends the way you'd want it to --- and isn't that what Christmas is all about?   I'd give this a 4.5 and call it a winner so far in the new batch!  Highly recommend.

"WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS"   2022 Hallmark    

Facing her first Christmas as a single mother, Julie develops an unexpected friendship with an older neighbor.

Director:  Kevin Fair

Writers:  Graham Locke, Angela Mancuso

Actors:  Erica Durance, Lynn Whitfield, Patrick Sabongui, Azriel Dalman (the little kid)

MOVIE #2179 ........................."ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY" (HALLMARK )

MOVIE #2179 "ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY" (HALLMARK)  I liked this one a lot, but I didn't think I would because I had seen a scene from it and thought it was a bit stilted and stiff so when it came up in the schedule, I blew by it.  I wanted to give it another try because of the two theatre actors in it --- Osnes and Tveit, both Broadway stars.  Anyway, it was a bit farfetched at the outset because it dealt with a royal family from some European country stranded here in the U.S. during the holidays, and this young daughter of the owner of an inn invites them for the holidays --- farfetched, right?  Even moreso than usual for Hallmark.  And the film relies on the conflict of the weather --- it becomes laughable, even to the actors at just how often that intrudes on the calendar for the royals.  But, in its defense, it shows a lot of "heart" in it, once you buy into the first above-mentioned hurdle.  And the end was reminiscent of the "Shall We Dance" one in "King and I" that I'm always a sucker for.  And the film allows them both to sing, too --- there could have been even more of that, in my opinion, because these two are broadway musical people!  So I enjoyed them working together and doing the "Perfect Royal Waltz" through the film. I'd give its 4 out of 5.

"ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY"      2020      1 hour and 25 minutes    

When Anna offers a stranded mother and son shelter in a blizzard, she learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick.  Anna shoes the Prince how they do Christmas in her hometown, encouraging him to open his heart and be true to himself.

Director:  Dustin Rikert

Writers:  Julie Sherman Wolfe

Actors:  Laura Ones,    Aaron Tveit

Movie #2178 ........................."We Wish You A Married Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)

Movie #2178 "We Wish You A Married Christmas" (Hallmark 2022) this one is the worst of the first crop to me --- it was slow and boring, and I was very disappointed because usually this guy stars in  the most creative and  funniest Hallmark movies, but I guess that was Christmas past --- because not this time.  Here's how I knew it was pretty bad --- the editor/director showed the stock picture of the place they were staying in about 25 times --- AND they kissed about 30 minutes in --- hmmm.  sure sign of trying to do something different here but not succeeding.... there was no chemistry between the two, and there should be because they have been married for years.  I know the whole idea is that they have moved in different directions and are now finding their way back to each other, but that journey slugged along so slowly and boringly with reminiscing and keeping busy for the sake of keeping busy that I didn't really have the patience to get to the end ---- but I made it, and because it was Hallmark's  last couple of  minutes again, of tying up loose ends,  it didn't work for me to convince me that it will work for them.  Here's hoping!  I give this a 3 and just say that you don't need to watch this one really --- because it doesn't stand out like this guy's films usually do.  

"WE WISH YOU A MARRIED XMAS"      2022     one hour and 24 mins

It follows a married couple having a hard time connecting.  To try to reconnect, they check into a cozy inn in a small town during the holiday season --- with two keys.

Director:  Paul Ziller

Writer:  Nicole Baxter

Actors:  Marisol Nichols, Kristoffer Polaha

PS ---- this actress Marisol Nichols evidently graduated from College of DuPage, did speech and theatre there and at  Naperville North (I might have judged her on speech circuit) and is a huge advocate for Human Rights (esp. works against human trafficking)  I liked her in the other two christmas movies she was in, but this one didn't give these two very good actors enough to do --- not a great script.  

Movie #2177 ........................."Noel Next Door" (Hallmark)

Movie #2177 "Noel Next Door" (Hallmark 2022) - This was the first one I watched this year, and it took a while to settle into it because it was a tad different.  It dealt with a young curmudgeon who has recently become disabled, and he is trying to get used to needing some help with his arm and leg movements.  It was hard to like him because of the way he treated everyone around him, including this little kid that was throwing his ball against the wall -- Just looking at the kid and listening to his first remarks, you could tell this wasn't as "bad" a kid as the jerk guy thought he was, and if he would have taken the time to tell the kid just how much noise he was making, I think the kid would have moved on to someone else's wall --- but, hey, it's a movie and they HAD to set up that this guy thinks this kid is "Bad" and when he meets his mother, voila!  Conflict!  So when watching, we had to buy that.  Anyway, what won me over is that the girl is so kind and sweet  --- even to this guy, who is a customer who opens up to her.  And watching them work together and get to like each other is what made the movie a 4 for me -- this is a nice, comforting film that deals with disability, which is rare for these films.  It all deals with the theme:  Appearance vs. Reality --- the mean guy isn't as mean as he appears (due to baggage), and the kid isn't as bad as he appears to me (due to baggage).  There was a nice high point and resolution, and I thought there was good chemistry between the people.   A nice start, Thought.  Just slow getting into it.

"NOEL NEXT DOOR"   Hallmark 2022           1 hour and 24 minutes

It follows a single mom as she gets into a war of words with a neighbor who is ruining Christmas, only to find that this misunderstood grouch just may steal her heart.

Director:  Max McGuire

Writers:  Annabelle Costa (book: "How the Grinch Stole My Heart") Keith Hemstreet (screenplay)

Stars:  Natalie Hall, Corey Sevier

Movie #2176 ........................."Ticket to Paradise" (Movie theatre)

 Movie #2176 "Ticket to Paradise" (Movie theatre)  Well, this wasn't as funny as I thought it would be, an example of a trailer giving that wrong impression.  Or maybe it's the kind of humor that was used a lot --- snarkiness  ( a few times is okay, but way too much here), laughing at drunken behavior (is that still a thing?) and laughing when two parents are competing so much that they are embarrassing to watch? If you read my blogs, you know that I am a Hallmark Christmas fan (or any season, probably, but I choose Christmas because it is a better excuse for the  saccharine, albeit romantic, tone of these films) , and as such, I have expanded my sense of disbelief  many times for the sake of love, or whatever.  But this film was way over the top for me --- I didn't believe the ending of this film at all!  It seemed silly, and when a film goes past the silly line for me, I give it 3 or below, which is what I would do here.  That's not to say there were a couple of worthwhile moments to watch, one in particular was a short scene between the ever capable Kaitlyn  Dever (the daughter) and her dad (George Clooney) as they look over the water at a sunset - they hardly say a word to each other but their body language says so much --- the mother/daughter scene was worth a watch, too.  Oh, and the various cultural traditions the film was teaching us was fun, as well, but not much more here.  It's slowly paced, but the scenery is beautiful --- I kept asking, where is this, where IS  this?  A subtitle "this is Bali" would have been helpful in those opening scenes (it is said in dialogue).  Bottom Line?  It is a diversion from the heavy hitters for the Oscars coming soon to your nearby theatre ---- maybe.  This year we might have to hunt for them, with all the streaming venues we can use.  But this film is available in many places and probably for the rest of the fall --- go figure!!!!   (I'd give this 3 out of 5)  

"TICKET TO PARADISE "   2022    PG-13              1 hour and 44 minutes

A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.

Director:  Ol Parker

Writers:  Ol Parker, Daniel Pipski

Actors:  George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Lucas Bravo (he's great!  I would have chosen him! If you get a chance to see Mrs. Harris, he is the young guy who helps her out in Paris!) and Billie Lourd (Debbie Reynolds' granddaughter (Carrie Fisher's daughter)    

Movie #2175 ........................".Luxenbourg, Luxembourg" (Chicago Film Fest)

 Movie #2175 "Luxembourg, Luxembourg" (Chicago Film Fest)  This is the film I enjoyed the most at the Chicago film festival this year, but I'm not sure you would ever be able to see it --- if you do get a chance, I recommend it --- the movie is so well done....just in the opening, it gives a brief introduction of these two  twin brothers by showing them jumping a freight train and then jumping off --- well, one does that, the other just waves goodbye to his brother because he is too scared to jump off --- it shows right away the difference in these two boys.  As they grow up, juxtaposition is shown that the brothers go in different directions --- one becomes a cop, the other drives a bus, but sells drugs on the side.  In the Ukraine, where this takes place, the cop's job is in jeopardy since his brother is dealing illegally with drugs so that sets up a conflict --- the other is the way they saw their dad, the one who left them at an early age.  He is dying in Luxembourg, and they go to find him.  It's one emotional journey through their lives, and the fact it takes place in Ukraine made it even more important for us to see the story unfold.  I'd give it a 5.

"LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG"    2022     1 HOUR AND 45 MINS

Kolya and Vasily go in search of their father after they come to know that he is dying in Luxembourg, who left them when they were children.  Kolya considers him a hero, while Vasily thinks he is a scoundrel.  

Director:  Antonio Lukich

Writer:  Antonio Lukich

Actors:  Amil Nastrov, Ramil Nastrov

Movie #2174 ........................."The Lost King" (Chicago Film Fest)

 Movie #2174 "The Lost King" (Chicago Film Fest)  Of the three films that I watched at the Chicago Film Festival, this was the least popular with me.  And I love watching Sally Hawkins get into a character ---- I liked what she did here, and Steve Coogan supports her well as her ex-husband (could have been used even more) . But I was never pulled emotionally into the film --- the plot looks kind of like fun when it is presented in a synopsis, but when you watch her plight of getting King Richard's tomb moved to its rightful place, it's very ho-hum to me.  I didn't see the need that much --- I look around and see so many more problems that i would have been cheering on to get done, and this one wasn't one of those problems I would have suggested necessary to solve.  Other than that, it was good --- just a movie too long about a topic not all that interesting.  But she did the best she could with the script, I felt.  I'd give it a 3.5.  I esp. disliked all the fantasy included in the slower moments --- her mini discussions with Richard III.  

"THE LOST KING"    2022       1 HOUR 48 MINS

An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

Director:  Stephen Frears

Writers:  Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope

Actors:  Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan

Movie #2173 ........................."Raymond & Ray" (Chicago film fest)

 I attended the Film Festival in Chicago and saw three films --- they may be released into movie theaters since they all have famous people in the cast ---

#2173 "Raymond & Ray" (Chicago film fest)  I liked this quirky bro film about two estranged sons of a man who has died, and they are asked to attend the funeral by their dead dad --- and also they have to dig the grave themselves.  I said it was quirky.....but that's only the beginning..... they both have grudges against their dad which they uncover throughout their journey to send him off to the great beyond.  They meet and are befriended by other quirky people who help them get through this.   The acting was very strong -- the film moved along to the funeral rather well, but there were a few slow parts.  However, the actors are so good, they were hardly noticed.  I would give this a 4 and recommend it as a good drama, with quirky moments and characters.  

"RAYMOND & RAY"   2022    R    1 hour and 45 Half brothers Raymond and Ray reunite when their estranged father dies - and discover that his final wish was for them to dig his grave.  Together, they p[rocess who they've become as men, both because of their father and in spite of him.

Director:  Rodrigo Garcia

Writer:  Rodrigo Garcia

Actors:  Ewan McGregor, Ethan Hawke, Jalyn Baiden

Movie #2172 ........................."The Last Word" (Netflix DVD)

 Movie #2172 "The Last Word" (Netflix DVD) I saw a trailer for this one and wondered why I hadn't seen it --- went to netflix and it was in my queue, so I just moved it up to 1 and received it in the mail and voila --- I'm glad I watched it because it could be Shirley Maclaine's Last hurrah.  Why?  Because she does the whole gamut here..... the film allows her to dance and sing (which she came to Hollywood to do in the first place, but not a lot of people know that), and do the "strange" out- of -the -box stuff ( for example, at 80, she strips to her underwear and jumps into a body of water with two other "gals" - it's an  intergenerational leap of unity, I would think she'd say.)  She's known mostly now for her mystical thinking, and that's even covered here because the film deals with death --- her death ---- and how she doesn't feel like she's going to be remembered; so just when the elderly are thought to fold up and just live out their dying years, she takes a stand (several, actually) to never be forgotten ------but, in true MacLaine fashion, she is her own person throughout --- glib, peckish, judgmental , with no filter on her at all.  She pushes people away most of the time, but there's something about her that makes her somewhat endearing .....and Maclaine, the supreme actress (one of the best of our generation) is able to carry it off.   I'd give it 4 out of 5, with a big shout out to Amanda Seyfried (again) holding up her end of the film, along with the little girl they both befriend.  My favorite line from the film:  "She puts the 'bitch' in obituary!"  

"THE LAST WORD"    2917       R           1 HOUR AND 48 MINS

Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her .  When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resulting in a life-altering friendship.

Director:  Mark Pellington

Writer:  Stuart Ross Fink

Actors:  Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, AnnJewel Lee Dixon

Movie #2171 ........................."International Falls" (Hulu)

 Movie #2171 "International Falls" (Hulu)  This is definitely an "indie" film with mostly talking and not a lot of action --- A comedian on the downside of his career checks into a motel and meets a wanna be comedian just thinking of starting up --- they both use each other for what they need as they spend one day together mostly talking about .....everything, really, and since they are comics, their comments are oftentimes very insightful and glib.  I'd give it a 4.  This was given 100% on rotten tomatoes so far, but it might be because the critics that saw it , loved it, but there aren't that many reviews yet.  (I didn't want to misrepresent the comics; both are not that funny, really, one burned out, and other just starting out -- so not laugh out loud funny, but it has a good ending)

"INTERNATIONAL FALLS"     2019          1 hour and 33 mins         (I'm guessing R)  

A woman stuck in a small, snowbound border town has dreams of doing comedy when she meets a washed up, burned out comedian with dreams of doing anything else.  

Director:  Amber McGinnis

Writer:  Thomas Ward

Actors:  Rachael Harris, Rob Huebel, Mindy Sterling

Movie #2170 ........................."Not Okay" (Hulu)

 Movie #2170 "Not Okay" (hulu)  - this is another Zoe Deutch  film with an odd premise, and another one she runs about a young woman  who due to a big lie becomes instantly famous on instagram, and what a pain that can be to be famous over night --- another good theme for young people.  Once again, Zoey is great as she goes through all the highs and lows of living this life of instant fame,  But the girl playing Rowin, a survivor of a school shooting that she meets in a survivor's group is, too.  The movie is worth the watch, and once again a tough one to watch --- Zoe seems to like parts that put her in a negative light because of how she acts, but she is able to keep us believing that she cn do better so we root for her throughout the film.  I'd give this one a 3.8.

"NOT OKAY"                hulu    2022       1 hour 40m         R (there's a guy in this & reason for ranking)

An Ambitious young woman finds followers and fame when she poses as the survivor of a deadly attack, but she soon learns that online notoriety comes with a terrible price.  

Director:  Quinn Shephard

Writer:  Quin Shephard

Actors:  Zoey Deutch, Mia Isaac, Dylan O'Brien

Movie #2169 ........................."Before I Fall" (netflix DVD)

 Movie #2169 "Before I Fall" (Netflix DVD) These are two films that I saw on my quest to see Zoe Deutsch in movies she has done --- this one I would liken to a teen Ground Hog Day because the basic plot is that for some reason we don't know initially understand why this teen is reliving her last day.  As she does, she changes her behavior to avoid the ending that happens at midnight .....and it is an interesting idea (even though I found it a tedious one in "Groundhog day") There is more at stake here, I think, so that's why I bought not it --- And it has a nice, surprising but oh so sad ending on her last trip through the day..... It's a bit raunchy film --- her friends talk rather carelessly to each other for humor so I'm not sure it is exactly for your tweener, but high school definitely --- but, once again, her friends are pretty mean and bullies at the outset --- so there are tough moments to watch here.  But the lesson about living each day as if it were your last is loud and clear to a high schooler.  And Zoe is very good in this.  You see repercussions for the bullying and lack of kindness to others, for sure.  I would give this a 4 out of 5, mostly for the theme and for Zoe's outstanding performance in it.  

"BEFORE I FALL"     2017            PG-13         1 hour and 38 mins

February 12 is just another day in Sam's charmed life, until it turns out to be her last.  Stuck reliving her last day over and over, Sam untangles the mystery around her death and discovers everything she's losing.

Director:  Ry Russo-Young

Writers:  Maria Magenta (screenplay by), Lauren Oliver (based on her novel)

Actors:  Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Cynthy Wu

Movie #2168 .........................."Amsterdam" (movie theatre)

 Movie #2168 "Amsterdam" (movie theatre)  Well, I have seen many of David O. Russell films, and so I was ready for some off-the-wall kind of story  --- like his "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle" "Joy, "  and "The Fighter."  But all of these I have liked for one reason or another --- this one, not as much.  Oh, it has what the others have in a very capable cast --- and it also has beautifully dressed locations and sets, and it has been set in some recent past --- although this one is more distant than the others --- and that, to me, is the best part of the film --- the history of the time period it takes place in -- that time in the 1930s where we see a rise of Nazism and the effect on the American public.  There's no doubt the characters are quirky like in his other films, but this one stands out in its very slow pacing.....the others don't really have that --- it's as if the audience is thought  not to be  up to par with what is happening,  I felt that esp. when the narrator stops action toward the end and explains everything that happened ---- there were no surprises to me, and I think of myself as John Q. Public when watching the film, so I felt at that time that the film was doing too much explaining --- in fact, the film is about 20 minutes too long to me. However,  I think you can say  that even though this has a historical focus , it speaks rather loudly about what is happening in our society today --- Russell esp. lets us know this when in the credits at the end of the film, he juxtaposes Robert Deniro's speech (as a powerful businessman who sees the problem of an authoritarian approach to government and therefore gives a big persuasive speech to the country)  with the real person he is based on --- they use the same exact words.  So the director wants us to know that he is trying to speak truth here and we should be attentive.  I'd give this a 3.5 and my recommendation is that it isn't for everyone at all, but if you are a Russell fan or not, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say.  We went to see it thinking it would take place part of the time in Amsterdam and we could see a bit of the city  (since we are taking a trip there next March/April) -- but there's very little of that, for sure, and what is shown is dated because of the historical factor.

"AMSTERDAM"   2 hours and 14 minutes    2022           rated R (for language)

In the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Director:  David O. Russell

Writer:  David O. Russell

Actors:  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington