MOVIE #2155 ........................."My Dog Lover's Guide to Dating (Hallmark)

 Movie #2155 "My Dog Lover's Guide to Datong " (Hallmark)  And you thought I was done with Hallmark, and I am --- at least, the Christmas movies, but I had seen a trailer for this and it looked good so I check it out this weekend.  I found it was just okay --- I like the guy and girl a lot --- good chemistry there, but the dialogue went on and and on --- the sisters' dialogue was not good at all, and the guy and girls kept giving advice to each other on dating --- some of it was lame.  What I did like was the focus on training and dealing with dogs --- I found that very insightful --- other than that, you don't need to see this one --- cute title and good trailer, but not much to really see in the whole film.  I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5.   

"MY DOG LOVER'S GUIDE TO DATING"     2023      1 hour 24 mins 

Simon believes Chloe is the girl of his dreams but can't seem to win over her beloved pup.  He enlists dog trainer, Alex, and soon finds himself wondering where his real connection might be.

Director:  Craig Pryce

Writers:  Deborah Wood, Catherine Reay, Kate Somerville

Actors:  Rebecca Dalton, Corey Sevier, Emily Stranges

Movie #2154 .........................Jerrod Carmichael: "Rothaniel" (HBO)

 Movie #2154  Jerrod Carmichael"  "Rothaniel" (HBO) I had seen this comic on SNL, heard that he did a show at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago,  and found out  he was hosting the Golden Globes this year, so I thought if we watched one of his taped shows, it might be worth our while.  Well, maybe this wasn't the one we should have started with because it was based on three secrets he had been harboring --- about his family, his father, and himself.  As a result, this comic show took a turn to be quite serious by the end of it.  We still found it good, but maybe not for NYE.  I'd give it a 3.5.

JERROD CARMICHAEL "ROTHANIEL"   t.v. special     2022    55 mins

Features Jerrod Carmichael in a standup comedy show at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC

Director:  Bo Burnham

Writer:  Jerrod Carmichael

Comic:  Jerrod Carmichael

Movie #2153 ........................."Banshees of Inisherin" (HBO)

 Movie #2153 "Banshees of Inisherin" (HBO) I have a reputation among friends and family to be able to pick out the worst new year's eve movies, and well, this one would go on that list, for sure.  I think the first one I ever showed was a movie that ended  on a lobotomy, and  another was "Godfather 3" (which had several shootings, esp. one at the very  end) so the list is rather long and memorable. I was blindsided by this one because it had  a funny trailer, for sure, so I thought it would be an okay suggestion for us to watch while bringing  in the new year --- And the opening and 30 minus or so in, it was quirky, funny and a creative idea to wind a story around, but then...........it took a drastic turn, and the rest is history.  I'd give this a very weak 3 ---- just because the two actors are so darn good, but wasted on too strange of a film.  And this one has several Golden Globe nominations.  If this is a representation of the "best" in film this year, we are in for some dark awards ceremonies in our future.

"BANSHEES OF INISHERIN"  (HBO) 2022     R      12 HOUR AND 54 MINS

Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

Director:  Martin McDonagh

Writer:  Martin McDonagh

Actors:  Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon

Movie #2152 ........................."Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (movie theatre)

Movie #2152 "Black Panther:  Wakanda Forever" (movie theatre)  If you have  read a blog or two of mine, you probably can guess that I wouldn't like this film, and you are right.  Too much fighting!  And yes, I love to watch strong women, but physically beating up each other or stabbing each other is not a good thing to me.  I know, equal time, and that's fine for others to watch; I am just saying, I choose not to watch it because I don't enjoy it.  So why did I see this one?  Well, it wasn't near as good as the first one --- there was less fighting in the first one, there was a much better story which was easier to follow, transitions were clearer, and then there was Chadwick Boseman, all of which this film sorely missed.  I so wish there were subtitles because the talking scenes (of which there were fewer than I would have wanted, since the film is tough to follow anyway) were very soft ---- probably because in a movie theatre the battle scenes are so loud, it would be trouble to keep a workable balance with the non fighting scenes.  The opening and closing were the best parts because of the way they handled Boseman's death and honored his memory.  After that opening, the film needed a better exposition to get into the story --- more explanation, reminding us who was who, etc.  Then, the editing needed to be better , too -- the transitions depended on title cards just telling us where we were --- not helpful.  Finally, the film was tooooooo long!  3 out of 5.

"BLACK PANTHER:  WAKANDA FOREVER"     PG-13   2022     2 hours and 41 mins

The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T-Challa.

Director:  Ryan Coogler

Writers:  Ryan Cooler, Joe Robert Cole

Actors: Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira

Movie #2151........................."The Christmas Sitters" (ion)

 Movie #2151 "The Christmas      Sitters" (ion)   There was a much better picture this season with basically the same idea  -- "The Holiday Sitter" --- this one is just mediocre.  I was never convinced from the beginning that these two people would give up time to babysit, esp. when they both have separate jobs.  And they were too different to really come together by the end of the film, so the love story wasn't convincing, either.  I'd give it a 3 ---- and the kids came across as mostly annoying and suffering from entitlement.

"THE CHRISTMAS SITTERS "  (ion)     1 hour, 20 mins     2020

Facing holiday flight delays on a return trip from 

Europe, tw parents double-book incompatible babysitters: the mother's BFF lawyer friend, Nora, and the dad's guitarist half0brother, Max, to look after their two kids and dog.  After a rather stormy start, and attraction grows.

Director:  Dylan Vox

Writers:  Sam Jackson, Anna Rasmussen

Actors:  Tristin Mays, Nathan Owens

Movie #2150 ........................."The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" (netflix)

 Movie #2150 "The Glass Onion" (netflix) I was one of the few, I think, that didn't care for "Knives Out" all that much, but this sequel of that one,  I felt was more stylish, and the actors were better.  And, most importantly, Craig didn't try to steal the movie with his annoying accent.  The opening is one of the best I've seen in a long time, and it sure tells the viewer if you don't like this puzzle idea, turn this off now because the rest is one turn after another.  I do admit, this gets a bit long and talkie, but many mysteries tend to do that as long as it has you wondering until the end "who is behind the whole thing"?  I do enjoy a good mystery so this is worth the time to watch for me, and it has some great special effects!  However, I didn't feel pulled in by any of the characters --- they all kept their distance.  They are competent, but don't demand attention to me.  I'd give this a 4 out of 5.

"THE GLASS ONION:  A Knives Out Myst3ery"      netflix     2022   PG-13      2 hours and 19 mins

Famed Southern detective Benoit Blanc travels to Greece for his latest case.

Director:  Rian Johnson

Writer:  Rian Johnson

Actors:  Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson

Movie #2149 ........................."Christmas at the Drive-in" (Hulu)

Movie #2149 "Christmas at the Drive-in" (Hulu) Danica McKellar hasn't done a Hallmark movie this year, so I looked for a Christmas movie she had done that I could stream, and I found this one on Hulu, and I'm glad I did.  The subject was different --- she plays a lawyer trying to raise enough money to save a local Drive-in , and ironically, getting help from the guy who owns the property but wants to sell it --- and it's the same actor she has been doing a bunch of movies with in the past two years.  So they have great chemistry at the get go, and the story is pretty interesting in how they market the drive-in and get support for it.  I also like that whatever Danica attached her name to, he film usually teaches something --- in this case, she plays a lawyer and she teaches us in the film a loophole when dealing with real estate. I'd give this a 5 out of 5 and worth the watch, I thought.

"CHRISTMAS AT THE DRIVE-IN"    2022      1 hr and 25 mins

A property Lawyer works to prove that her town's Drive In Theater, a local institution is not closed down at the holidays, finding romance with the very person who is trying to sell the property.

Director:  Don McBrearty

Writer:  Rick Garman

Actors:  Danica McKellar, Neal Bledsoe, Jim Annan