Movie: Iron Claw (2023)

I love sports stories although I’m not a huge sports fan and I am enjoying how feature films, documentaries and other media are exploring sports stories in different ways. 

It’s about the short reign of the Von Erich family and they’re so-called curse. The patriarch, Fritz, put a lot of pressure on his sons to be successful pro-wrestlers, so much so that they either gave up on or delayed their own pursuits of happiness. Surprisingly, within that storyline, Fritz wasn’t depicted negatively as an antagonist. The movie doesn’t cover everything exactly as it happened to this real-life family. For example, some characters were left out or multiple characters were rolled into one. But the film does a great job of artistically interpreting the broad strokes of their story. 

I really liked how emotions of the characters were explored and how their struggles were depicted. I enjoyed the use of super close-up cameras in action scenes so you got to focus on the characters emotionally while the very physical wrestling was happening. I was moved by the acting of Zac Efron. And ever since I started watching Shameless, I’ve enjoyed seeing Jeremy Allen White on the screen. I could definitely watch Iron Claw again.

I followed Iron Claw with Vice’s Dark Side of the Ring, season 1 episode 4, The Last of the Von Erichs, for a dose of the truth. It was helpful and filled in some of the questions that came up for me in the film. I feel like that’s a good double-feature if you’re going to watch Iron Claw.

Character-driven • Emotionally Intense 

I streamed Iron Claw on Max and Dark Side of the Ring on Hulu. 

Movie: Deep Water (2022) and The Ritual Killer (2023)

What it’s about: A strange man who collects snails and who seems to be only half-upset as his wife flirts and flaunts her extra-marital activities in front of him and their group of friends. The other men seem to keep dying mysteriously. Everyone thinks its snail man killing them off, leaving the audience to wonder whodunnit.
The moral the story: Sometimes divorce is the answer.

This movie was so slow. It took one hour before something actually happened after an over-extended set-up. Everyone and everything were weird and not in an interesting and quirky way (e.g. Dogtooth, Lemon, Art of Self Defense, etc.). I don’t know why I kept watching. I should have stopped it.
Too much of the story was spent on things that didn’t matter in the end including a lot of stray storylines and character vectors that go unaddressed or unresolved. What was the point of the group of friends if they didn’t play a role in the ending? It seems like they just wanted to show off the cast they were able to assemble to distract you from the terrible writing and excessive color filtering. What was the point of the snails?! What a waste of a potentially intriguing plot!

I streamed this from Hulu. It was a Hulu original production. 

The same night I also attempted to watch The Ritual Killer, another Hulu original. The story set-up was going all wrong and the acting was pretty bad. Even though it looked like they had a good production budget, nothing came together and nothing pulled me into the story past 18 minutes, not even Cole Hauser.

Movie: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

What I knew about The Postman Always Rings Twice before viewing is that it is based on a play (actually it is based on a 1930s book written by pulp author, James M. Cain). It was adapted for the screen by David Mamet, who wrote some well-known stuff in the 80s and 90s. 

This movie is a noir set in 1930s LA County. A drifter falls for the wife of the owner of a road-side service station. Together they plot the owner's death and after they are successful, there is a mind-blowing insurance investigation. Then the story continues in such a way that is difficult to sum up here, so I won't. Let me just say that this is an interesting, odd, quirky, strange and erotic roller coaster of a story. 

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to get from this movie, but I must say that I did enjoy it and I was engage throughout. I would recommend this for film buffs or anyone wanting to experience a perplexing story.  The title is never explained. 

I watched this 8/29/2020, on a DVD checked out from my local library. 

Movie: Nothing But a Man (1964) ****

I’m not sure how I came across this movie, but at some point, I placed a hold on it from my local library and then it was available. Nothing But a Man depicts Black misery, and centers on two people who are fighting to find moments of joy. It is brought to life with great acting, chock-full of internalized emotions and filmed in such a way that you get to look into the faces and see what’s contained. 

After the movie, I watched the recorded interview with the director, Michael Roemer, that's included on the Criterion edition DVD. I gleaned that he was implying that he regrets creating a "manipulative" movie with a happy-hopeful ending, “what Americans want to believe.”  I disagree. I don't see it as a perfect ending or a hopeful ending. I see it as an imperfect-open-ended ending.

“I don't like emphasis so everything I do is non-emphatic. Except that these things that happen that are very extreme. You may feel the tension all the way through, but the tension is subdued, and you are waiting for it to explode.” – Michael Roemer, Director

I loved this movie. I could definitely watch this movie over again and again. It is a film you can see differently at different stages of your life, and a movie I’d like to re-watch and find things in the fore and background that fascinate me. It may not be overtly happy, but the open-ended ending leaves room for you to root for Duff and Josie to thrive. ****

Watched this on a DVD checked out from my local library.  

Fall 2023 Cheesy Romance Triple Play

Big Sky River (2022)

Honestly, I don’t know where the title comes from. A recent divorcée travels from New York to spend the summer in Parable, Montana. While there, she falls in like with the widowed sheriff, make some friends, and is enamored by the beauty of Montana. There’s a slight complication because her stepdaughter who comes to visit, feels emotionally attached to her and abandoned by her father. I’m sure you can guess what happens in the end. This movie is based on a book written by one of my favorite romance authors, Linda Lael Miller. The cast features Kavan Smith, frequent Hallmark romantic lead, Lochlyn Munro, who you’ve seen if you watch any TV, and Lucia Walters, who was on the last season of Virgin River! 

Production: Authentic production and styling and a really good but terribly under-used supporting cast. Maybe that means there will be a sequel.
Tropes: Career vs. Love
Diversity: Some representation of BIPOC, but I’m not sure if that’s what Montana looks like!
Production: Front Street Pictures and released by Hallmark Channel.

How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

To Her with Love (2022)
I’ve never done this before, but I want to analyze the DVD cover before I watch the movie: This is a Hallmark Mahogany production, Hallmark’s Black or African American line of films. There are two attractive Black people on the cover, and in the background is the brick façade of some kind of institution. There’s some kind of mural (I hope not graffiti) that fades up into the photo of the couple. So I am thinking that they’re playing on the Sidney Poitier classic To Sir, With Love, and the institution-like building is a school. The closer I look at the mural on the cover, I notice that it might have students or kids or people sitting at desks or maybe in an auditorium. I see some hands up in the background so maybe a classroom? But I hope its not an inner city classroom. Please no basic stereotypes!
The movie: Yes! This is an excellent Hallmark cheesy romance movie! No they did not fall for the basic stereotypes! A teacher fills in as the art teacher at her old high school, while she hopes for a job at a better-funded school and/or her dream of teaching abroad comes true. Of course, she meets another very dedicated teacher who also happens to be a handsome single man. I thought the story was unique and I love the throwback to To Sir, With Love. I like that in the end she didn’t have to give anything up and that it wasn’t just romance, but also friendship that she gained. Brittany L. Smith from Sweet Magnolia fame plays the friend in this movie!

Production: The acting was on par for a cheesy romance. The locations and styling looked authentic and the people comfortable in them. The only really bad thing was the lighting, which was off in many scenes. You would think they wouldn’t have such a hard time lighting Black folk since this is a Mahogany.
Tropes: Shared Goal • Return to Hometown • Career vs. Love
Diversity: Yep.
Production Co.: Evergreen Film Productions and released by Hallmark Mahogany
How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

Pumpkin Pie Wars (2016)
The children of feuding bakers take up the mantle to win the annual baking competition for their respective parents’ bakeries. In the process, they learn that each of them has a skill that could help the other, so they trade to try to win the contest, and to succeed in their endeavors beyond the contest. Acting is on par with a good Hallmark movie. I found the story charming and somewhat unique with different-than-expected ending. Pumpkin Pie Wars is a good Hallmark movie that I watched on a DVD checked out from my local library.

Production: The production and styling gives a sense of authenticity: The actors look comfortable and familiar with the sets and costuming.
Tropes: Friends to lovers • Secret Contract/Agreement • Family Feud
Diversity: Nope.
Production Co.: Crown Media Productions and released by Hallmark Channel 

How’d you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library.

Movies: Dark River (2017) and Wild Mountain Thyme (2020)

What these two movies share: Images of the beautiful English countryside, farms, farm animals, rain, two people who don't communicate well and don't know how to deal with their emotions in a healthy way. They are two very different movies though. Dark River being a sad drama and Wild Mountain Thyme a funny romance. 

Dark River, 2018 ***

A sad story about a woman who returns to her family farm after running away from the man then the memories of her father‘s abuse. She struggles with her brother for control of the farm, but no one wins. Starring Ruth Wilson who I recognize from so many things, especially Luther and Jayne Eyre, and Mark Stanley from many things, too, especially Game of Thrones and Sanditon, and only in flashback scenes as the abusive father, is Sean Bean, also of Game of Thrones fame. Trigger warnings: Sexual abuse and sheep shearing, which can be scary to some. Don't judge. I watched this on Amazon Prime. 

Wild Mountain Thyme (2020) **** kept popping up in different algorithms and lists because I clearly love  romance movies and British shows. Yes, I do know this movie is set in Ireland. So there. I finally watched it and was so anxious with the characters acting out in such a lovely way the stereotypical act of hiding emotions of human connection while overly expressing emotions that cause or maintain rifts that is soooo associated with British (and Irish) people. But this was as much heartwarming as it was heart-wrenching. I can watch Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan over and over in this movie. Surprisingly, Christopher Walken and John Hamm show up as an excellent and entertaining supporting cast. 

Reviewer Christie Lemire sums this movie up well:

"A slight from childhood, which we see in an early flashback, and the rights to a small piece of land connecting their families’ properties serve as insurmountable obstacles to the fact that they’re clearly meant for one another. Besides knowing everything about each other, sharing decades of history and enjoying a lively chemistry, they’re the only single, gorgeous people of their age around. And so we must wait 102 minutes for them to acknowledge they’ve secretly been in love with each other all this time."

Trigger warnings: Christopher Walken being himself while pretending to have an Irish accent. 

I watched this on Hoopla. 

Photo by TimHill

Movie: Buck and the Preacher (1972)

The Civil War was over and by law the slaves were freed. But when the promise of land and freedom was not honored, many ex-slaves journeyed out of the land of bondage, in search of new frontiers where they could be free at last. They place their hopes in the hands of the few black wagonmasters that knew the territories of the West. None of this came easy, for not only did they have to overcome a hostile wilderness, but nightriders and bounty hunters were hired by ‘persons unknown’ to hunt them down and turn them back to the fields. This picture is dedicated to those men, women and children who lie in graves as unmarked as their place in history.

So begins the film Buck and the Preacher, an excellent western movie starring, directed, and produced by Sidney Poitier and Harry Bellafonte. Production started in 1971 and it’s only 117 minutes long. What can you do in that amount of time? You can tell a really good story with Black western antiheroes riding horses, chasing, and being chased in the chaparral. There’s also a little romance. 

I had never heard of this movie before this year. I listened to or read a Harry Bellafonte retrospective after his death (April 25, 2023) and heard that he and Sidney Poitier made a western! While I was never steeped in Sidney Poitier or Harry Bellafonte films, I feel like I should’ve heard of this one. Not only is it a good western movie, but it highlights some important historical facts like the newly freed slaves heading west to flee The South and the lack of opportunities of the east, while being hunted by former slave catchers turned “field hand recruiters” trying to scare them back to The South. Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier both gave excellent performances. Ruby Dee shows up in it too, and makes a third to the pair of Buck and the Preacher. The Native American characters, I believe are played by Native actors, which, in the 70s, is not that common. If you want to see a pre-woke-BLM, feel good, western with a cast full of people of color, you should watch Buck and the Preacher.

I checked out the DVD from my local library!

Photo by MikeGoad 

Movie: Palindromes (2004)

I first watched this movie at least 15 to 20 years ago. I suspect I watched it on Palm Pictures channel, which is where I caught a lot of obscure and weird movies at the time. I enjoyed it’s oddness and quirkiness. I enjoyed the fact that the same character is played by a collection of actors. Aviva, a girl, you never know how old she is, decides she wants a child/children because she always wants to have someone to love and she thinks a baby is the way to go. So, when she gets a little older, she goes about trying to getting pregnant, runs away, and in the process encounters people in different extremes of functional-disfunction. Re-Watching this today, in this post Roe v. Wade world, with so many battles over the right to an abortion, how social media has affected the mental health of teens, the ultra conservative movement’s success, Palindromes is perfectly appropriate for 2023. Seeing Aviva played by six different girls, different ages, races and sizes, is so affective and disturbing.
“People always end up the way they started out. No one ever changes. They think they do, but they don’t.” -Mark, not a pedophile.

Movie: Still Life (2006, released in the US 2020)

I found this movie as I scrolled through the offerings on Laemmle’s website at the beginning of October. I saw a familiar face on the poster, and after some quick research discovered it was the same director of Ash is Purest White, and the familiar face was that of the lead actress from that movie. I knew immediately that I had to watch this film and I invited Dante who I saw AIPW with.

The movie opens with a slow camera moving along and looking into the faces of the passengers on a river boat at the end of this long pan, we are introduced to the main character. For the first 30 – 45 minutes, Sanming gets into situations that make him seem like a pushover of a guy, but eventually you get the sense that he knows when and how to fight his own battles. He traveled from one part of China to Fengjie County to search for his ex-wife and daughter. 

A few acts into the movie, we meet the actress’ character, who has also travelled from one place to Fengjie County. but she is in search of her husband. 

I remember reading about this director after I watched AIPW and I remembered that he used his art to shine a light on what is happening in China. In this film, looming over all the characters and blocking the sunlight from the story is the backdrop of the flooding of this area and the ongoing eviction of its residents and demolition of their homes to make the area a more enticing tourist location. 

At a certain point, the two main characters’ searches had proven fruitful, but not completely fulfilling, then the movie just stopped. Roll credits.

I get a sense that the director was trying to convey a sense of the unrequited life of the people from Fengjie County. How these two emigrants from another place landed there and immediately became overcome with the oppression of inevitable homelessness and the hopelessness of the situation. And all for what?

And then there were random speculative events that had nothing to do with the story, but added to the film another heaping spoonful of something to think about!

I enjoyed the film thoroughly. The acting was superb. The locations and landscaping were haunting and honest.

I streamed this during the pandemic, when Laemmle's had streaming options, 4/25/2021.

Photo by nana_yu

Movie: Tár (2022)

 “Tar… What is that movie about? Some sexually predatory artistic genius? She’s an EGOT, for crying out loud, and it’s so punitive. They drag her down so far that after that after a while it sort of turns into a gothic horror film.” Critic, Peter Rainer at the AirTalk 2023 Oscar Preview

Tár - A strange movie with nearly five minutes of credits at the beginning of the film, and a short set of end credits with music that yanks you out of any atmosphere left over from the last scene. Tár is about an egotistical conductor. She’s just so focused on her life,  maximizing her experience and prioritizing her pleasure and her expertise, that she loses sight of other people. Turns out almost everyone in her life dislikes or fears her. Her ego-self has lied to her and convinced her that she’s immune to the consequences of her cruel and inappropriate behavior. Those pesky consequences catch up to her when a scandal involving the suicide of a protégé comes to light. I gotta appreciate the comedy of a conversation  between Tár and her mentor when she asks him about how he would deal with “a student or a colleague misinterpreting your actions” and he immediately jumps to the conclusion that he’s been accused. Once convinced he’s not, he begins listing off conductors who have been accused and there is a list!

Cate Blanchett disappears in this performance: she is Lydia Tár. I was skeptical at the beginning of this, but I fell into it, and into the rabbit hole of the story until the end. The last chapter, so to speak, was rushed, and again the ending was odd. I see why Blanchett was nominated, but I also see why people aren’t raving about this movie. Overall, the story left a lot to be desired. I can’t think of any good reason to see it again. I’m trying to think of Tár in the same vein of Everything Everywhere All At Once, because I gave that movie a lot of credit for being different from traditional storytelling. Both movies use nontraditional techniques. So, with Tár I wonder what questions are still left unanswered. At the end of the movie, I still don’t know who was tormenting Tár throughout the film. Did we start to channel the mental break depicted in Black Swan? Or was what we saw onscreen Tár tormenting herself or paranormal, even? What was the story with the Russian cellist?

Click here to hear the AirTalk 2023 Oscar Preview

I watched this movie on a DVD checked out from my local library. 

Movie: Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

When trying to describe Everything Everywhere All At Once, maybe the easiest part to explain, is the sci-fi aspect of this film, but I won’t because this is a film you need to watch knowing as little about it as possible to really enjoy.
The hardest part of this film to explain is the emotional aspect. I found the emotional roller coaster difficult to understand, but compelling. Was all of it the result of a case of modified Problem That Has No Name combined with Immigrant Child Complex?
Overall, I was engaged with every aspect of it: How the actors are styled, how the sets are styled, the action sequences, the dialogue, the consistency of universe jumps, the music, even the confusing emotions. I was all in watching this movie and hopefully I’ll get a chance to see it in theaters one day. My heart jumped when I heard my favorite song mixed into the soundtrack behind the fight scenes: Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune.
You should see this if you like movies. It is an experience worth living through and I could experience this one at least one more time. 

I watched this on the Showtime app in Hulu. That makes as much sense as the time jumping. 

Movie: Cyrano (2021)

This movie was a pleasant surprise! Cyrano is a retelling of the classic tale, but instead of an odd nose, Cyrano is not of “normal” stature. I had no idea that I’d be watching a musical. I almost gave up at the beginning, but I’m happy I gave it some more time, because what started off a little silly grew into something quite fulfilling.

Peter Dinklage knows how to pull your heartstrings and he brings his acting, action and singing skillsets in full for this performance. The other actors brought their A-game to flush out this story. I was so happy when I recognized the face and voice of Glen Hansard (I first learned about him from the movie Once) in the Wherever I Fall sequence, which also features two other musicians, Sam Amidan and Scott Folan, performing that amazing song. I haven’t mentioned yet that the music and lyrics are great and worth listening to separate from the film (Soundtrack available on Hoopla!).
The personal styling and sets are done beautifully and draw you into the story. This film won the 2022 Best Decor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film at the Set Decorators Society of America awards and the Excellence in Period Film award from Costume Designers Guild Awards. I loved the dance sequences that flow seamlessly between and behind the dialogue and action.
Cyrano the film is based on a stage play and the screen adaptation was done by Erica Schmidt, Peter Dinklage’s wife. It was directed by Joe Wright who also directed another one of my favorite movies, Pride & Prejudice, starring Kiera Knightley.
I found the story Cyrano to be charming, moving, heartbreaking and the production to be visually aurally rich. This would make one half of a perfect double-feature with the movie Once.
I watched this movie on Amazon Prime.

Movie: A Very Country Wedding (2019)

This movie is unique to me in that it is a non-holiday sequel to a holiday romance movie: A Very Country Christmas. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as that holrom, in fact, it really suffers from bad writing and bad acting. After meeting and falling in love in the first movie, Zane and Jeannette are finally getting married - actually minutes from walking down the aisle, when mean record exec from the first movie calls and says Zane needs to ditch his wedding in order to make it to a gig on time and if he doesn’t go he’ll be in breach of contract. There is soooo much wrong with that premise and the multiple plot lines that follow. I fast-forwarded through unnecessarily long dialogue and was able to get the gist of this movie in less than 30 mins. 

I only watched this to set up the next installment in the A Very Country movie series, which is another Christmas movie. Hopefully it’s better than this one. 

How did you watch it: DVD

Movie: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

I’m not going to give you a synopsis. We all know this movie is about Wakanda, land of the Black Panther, but the king died. This movie is what happened next.  

First thing first: It is too long. The first half of the movie could have been tightened up. Why are there so many slow-motion sequences and why are they so long? And I think they could have put Julia Luis-Dreyfus to better use. That being said, I enjoyed the story. I like the introduction of Namor, and his story arc.

Speaking of the Talokan people, I have so many questions! Why is their city-society not more technologically advanced? They have vibranium, why are they not using it to move through the water easier? I see a bunch of underwater people and they’re still flapping their arms to get around. Why is Namor’s favorite hang-out in a dry, underwater cave where his people had to wear water masks to speak to him? Do his wings regenerate? Why does their traditional costume have feathers? Shouldn’t they have scales or shells instead? 

The costumes, make-up and all styling are beautifully done. I’ll take that purple track suit in a medium please? Thank you. 

Overall, I enjoyed the movie, but its just not something I need to see again. I give it three stars ***

Movie: Hotel Coppelia (2021) ***

Hotel Coppelia takes you back in time to a brothel set in the Dominican Republic, 1965, right before the government coup and civil war. The film opens by revealing the harsh realities of everyday brothel life at Hotel Coppelia owned and operated by Judith and a set of prostitutes. There is discontentment and dissatisfaction with how Judith is running things inside the brothel and there are hints and whispers of the civil unrest that’s building outside. Then all-out war begins. The brothel becomes the center of events as the rebel group commandeers Judith’s building for their military headquarters. Then later as the war progressed, the American military takes over the location. Judith and the remaining prostitutes make deals and provide services in exchange for their lives and the hope of a possible future in that building, but they might have gotten a better deal with the devil.

This film offers an interesting point of view about a civil war I hadn’t known about previously. But this is sad, sad, sad.

Three stars ***

I watched this on HBOMax

Movie: In Her Shoes (2005)

This is a lost classic that a lot of people write off as a silly romcom, but it’s really a beautiful dramedy about two sisters growing up in a family that didn’t know how deal with mental illness. Two sisters, played by Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette, who were once close, find themselves dangling from loose ends in their lives. It takes them each of them getting through a period of self-discovery and coming to terms with their childhood to realize that they really need each other. Also starring Shirley Maclaine.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t see this in theaters. I most likely saw it when it was on HBO years ago. I had a hankering to rewatch it recently and couldn’t find it on any streaming service, so I checked the DVD out from the library. 

Movie: Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021) *****

Talk about a piece of art speaking directly to you, to who you are and how you feel at a moment, or for the past few years even. 

Tick Tick Boom is a movie version of the play (rock monologue) written by Jonathan Larson, the focus character in both the play and the movie. In the movie, he is an aspiring musical theater writer and has an opportunity to show his play at a workshop. He spends most of the movie obsessively preparing for this workshop.

The movie takes the play where live theater can’t go: actualized flashbacks, toggling between two or more people on screen, on location. But still, in a way capturing the intimacy of a monologue show in an off-Broadway theater. Lin Manuel-Miranda did a great job of capturing the proverbial lightning, as well as thunder, rain and clouds parting to reveal hope… in a bottle.

I found this movie to be very sincere and touching all while using the best of film and musical theater techniques, featuring cameos from stars of theater. I loved the voices, and I loved the music. After Hamilton, In the Heights and Encanto, I’m recognizing Lin Manuel-Miranda style.

I still find Seasons of Love to be an annoying song, but I’m definitely open to giving the stage play, Rent, written by Jonathan Larson, another try. 

I enjoyed Tick Tick Boom. It by far was one of my favorite films of 2021. Five stars: Probably a favorite. I can see myself memorizing the soundtrack and watching the movie over and over. *****

Movie: Calling for Love (2020) **

A music-themed podcast host’s show is on the line due to low followers. Cut to a mechanic helping a young woman with her car, getting her number, then losing his phone. Cut to the podcast host having to guest host the love connections podcast when the mechanic calls in looking for his lost customer. Then the podcaster starts a relationship with her co-worker. Then the production company pressures the podcaster to take missed-connection-mechanic story to the next level. Then the mechanic and podcaster start to fall for each other. Then they find the missed-connections customer. You might be able to guess the end, but it doesn’t matter. I didn’t like this one bit. Story was all over the place. Dialogue stunk.

Boss: How do you expect people to continue to listen to Music Thread if you keep talking about obscure instruments and the details in the liner notes. People don’t need to think about music. They need to feel it.
Podcaster: I like to think about music. I know everything there is to know about music.
Boss: And I know everything there is to know about Microsoft Excel, but that doesn’t mean it makes a good podcast. You can’t be afraid to let your guard down. Maybe that’s why you won’t consider my suggestion. You’ve been here three years. That’s three years of Nacho Ordinary Thursday and not once have you brought a date. 

Podcaster: How am I going to find the love of my life on a blind date?
Boss: It could spark something!
Podcaster: Sparks burn houses down, Greta.

Two stars. I watched, but, nah. **

• Production: low-budget cheesy movie with an almost homemade banner as the lobby sign for the podcast company.
• Suspension of belief: High
• Tropes/sub-genres: Belated Love Epiphany, Woman experiencing career pressure
• Diversity: Colorful. 
• Production Co: Film Rise
• How'd you watch it: DVD checked out from my local library

Movie: Hearts Down Under (2020) ***

 This movie is also called Romance on the Menu. 

A fancy NYC restaurateur, Caroline, inherits a café in Australia. She visits Down Under and decides to sell the café because she doesn't think she can maintain both restaurants. The staff decide to mount a campaign to get her to maintain ownership, and the cafe's cook, is a handsome fellow. You know what happens. At the climactic point in the movie, her ex from NYC, Nathaniel, shows up in Australia and professes his love. Nathaniel wasn't trying to be controlling or overstep, he just thought he was being romantic, but instead of treating him like a misunderstood man, Caroline treated him like he was an asshole, literally kicking him to the curb in another country. 

The writers let this trope play out like normal, but it would have been a breath of fresh air if Caroline would have turned to Cook and explained the misunderstanding before she took Nathaniel aside to explain to him her feelings. This actually goes back to the beginning: Caroline should have just explained how she felt abandoned and wasn't interested in him anymore instead of avoiding and putting off Nathaniel. But yeah... I know that feeling of wanting to avoid hard conversations, so that's relatable. 

Anyway, this was an enjoyable film. I like actress Cindy Busby (Heartland, Christmas In Royal Fashion). I like travel stories. I like women discovering and pursuing their happiness. 

Movie: Old (2021) **

 I wrote a long review about Old, but I accidentally deleted the note from my iPhone. Argh! So here is a more succinct version of what I can remember about why I thought Old was terrible.

1. It was too long. Old would have made a good Twilight Zone episode, which are about 24 minutes each. 

2. Too many errors. It seemed like aging wasn't happened across the board. Why didn't the rapper character age? Why did bones deteriorate, but hair and nails didn't grow? Wouldn't menstrual cycles be happening at least once an hour?

3. Blue Lagoon- Really? Just something sensational and outrageous to fill time. Just like the multiple unsuccessful attempts to escape. Time-fillers.

4. Sad crab-walking lady- The funniest scene in the movie caused me to belly-laugh out loud with a theater full of socially-distanced people. This kind of made it worth going into a theater for the first time, post Covid-closure. Kind of. 

Two stars. For the belly laugh.

ADDENDUM! 07/04/2022

I previously said "Old would have made a good Twilight Zone episode," but speculative fiction TV did cover rapid aging in the X-Files, season 2, episode 19, Død Kalm. Mulder and Scully go to Norway to investigate what seems to be a Bermuda-Triangle-like stretch of ocean from which sailors have returned prematurely aged. They find themselves on a rusty old ship where the inhabitants have aged and died or have mysteriously managed to maintain. This version of the mysterious rapid aging was executed so much better than the movie Old. Take that M. Night! Chris Carter did it better way back in 1995 and in only 45 minutes!