"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" (2019)

This was very different than what I thought it would be.  I don’t think that’s good or bad.  I think if they’d have done what I thought they would do, I’d have been disappointed—no matter how good it would’ve been.  However they didn’t.  It shifted to focus on someone else’s story.

But they didn’t do weird either.  It was just introspective enough to be good, but it managed to not drag the story either.  

Good choice of beginning and ending.  I loved the inclusion of songs Fred Rogers wrote and the cameos—although I didn’t realize the cameos at the time—and, finally, it found an acceptable way of honoring Mr. Rogers without either over idolizing in a saccharin-sweet way or destroying the positive good he contributed to society.

“Not Cinderella’s Type” (2018)

I am still a sucker for a Cinderella story. It is definitely my favorite story type. I came across this movie on Roku and have since discovered it is on YouTube as well. Over the last week, this movie has become an obsession. I cannot stop watching this movie or parts of the movie. I am enjoying it SO much.

It is a different type of movie from other Cinderella stories in that focuses in on the emotional abuse from Indy’s family (Indy = Cinderella). Oh, there’s still romance, but the story drama is more subtle. In this story, the riches (rich prince) are the safety that the Bailey family offer Indy away from her atrocious family. The love and caring that they express towards Indy—steadily and slow slowly, even after initial pushback—is so heartwarming and endearing. My only sad regret is that there’s not more story at the end, or an even a sequel. I would love to continue watching Indy’s recovery process and future adventures.

don’t let what seems to be a low-budget movie hinder you. This is one movie that I highly recommend.

"Lady Ballers" (2023)

It has been quite a while since I've watched a brand new movie.  Part of it was "life," but also part has been nothing has really grabbed my interest enough to want to see it.  I have a few movies I've purchased, but even now, they sit on the coffee table waiting...waiting.  They even still have the plastic wrappers still on.  Maybe I'll get them watched over the holiday break...or maybe not.  We'll see.  In the meantime, tonight I decided to watch Lady Ballers.  This was a good see.

This kept my interest for the whole movie.  More than that, I can see actually watching this movie a second time.  The story arc was good.  I liked the ending.  It made sense how they got into the predicaments and how they got out of things in the end.  It had the right mix of humor and serious moments while maintaining the overall comedy genre.  I only wish I weren't still prone to coughing/hacking (recent illness) in order to full-out laugh.  All the more reason to re-watch it again later.

Some of the fun of this movie was to watch things get crazier and crazier.  I especially enjoyed the progression of change from the two WIAW newscasters.  Some of the other fun with this movie was spotting where the different personalities from the Daily Wire--and Jeremy's products--would make their appearance.  Some subtle appearances.  Some not so subtle.  And some was hearing particular lines coming out of particular personalities' mouths (Ben Shapiro, Brett Cooper, Matt Walsh, etc.).

I also quite liked the choice of ballet-music as the music of choice for some of the sports montages, heightened by the slo-mo and staging choices.

This was a comedy that I could enjoy, and I do recommend that others see it.  It is well worth the watch.

"A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits" (2016)

 My second dive into Tubi on Roku resulted in me coming across this film.  As I've said before, I'm a sucker for a good Cinderella story.  That's probably my favorite story type, and this was a fun find.  It's carried out in the vein of a musical--both in story style and a large part of the setting.  

The costumes were so much fun.  Oh, my--Divine's outfits were hilariously and wonderfully over the top.  Olympia (the short one) was a extremely close second.  Okay, those two might be a tie.  The show's costumes fit into style of musical theatre, too.  

I love the comic ploys to extend and cover delays in the play within a play.

It had the right amount of songs and dance sequences.  I kind of liked the repeated song motif that they went with.  I could live with the lip synced songs, although, I was momentarily pulled out each time the transition happened, especially at the start of the song.

I was okay with the choice for Cinderella to save herself--and it did work for this movie--but it's also one of the things I like about this story line, so I miss it when it doesn't happen.  I know that if  the script writers would have had "Prince Charming" come to save Cinderella, there would be push back criticizing the story bit in terms of modern public values.

But that's just it.

Sometimes a person finds themself so buried in a situation that it takes someone outside of themselves to say, "Hey, let me lend you a hand." And that moment, is one of this story arc's sweet spots.  Instead, this Cinderella had a split moment of stress, a huff, and then, "Okay, how do I solve this?"  So, she sings, dances, fixes motors, and saves herself.  So, why did she need "Prince Charming" again?  The answer to that makes me sad.

Missing sweet spots aside (yes, plural), I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Once I decided to deliberately suspend my disbelief (and I had to take a firm step in that direction to have that happen), then I am relaxed into enjoying the show.  In fact, I definitely would watch this again...and again.  That's a "win!" that I don't say about musicals very often.

"Queen Bees" (2021)

 "It will be funny!"

"We laughed--a lot!"

"It's so funny!"

My friends had heard this a lot, and the trailer certainly tried to promote this movie as a comedy.  I will attest that the group of movie go-ers in front of us did laugh throughout film, so would probably agree with the sentiments above.  I, however, have a much drier sense of humor, so I would not have called this a comedy.  

That said, I will admit that "Rom-Com" is probably the genre that fits this movie best.  The romance story line for this movie was good, the characters well-developed--or at least good enough for a Rom-Com, and almost had the makings for an all-around sweet, light-hearted escape.

Almost.

I have been trying to guess what happened.  Maybe the writers/movie makers took a detour in the midst of the otherwise solid movie because of compromises made behind the scenes; or maybe the choices were dictated by those who had a different vision from those who had the original concept; or maybe it was an attempt to add elements to make the movie conform to a particular standard genre; or maybe it was trying too hard to be funny (which isn't effective); or maybe it was a new writer/director/somebody trying out their wings and still growing in confidence and skill.  I'm not sure what it is.  I only know that the movie wasn't 100% cohesive, and the non-cohesive part felt forced.

Authors know that sometimes cuts have to be made if something isn't contributing to the bigger whole.  Sometimes those cuts are painful or difficult, but the end result is a better product.  I wished that that had been done because this movie had the makings to be a 9 out of 10.  Instead, I was left feeling that it had reached a 7.7.  

I think I would've loved what was done with the end credits, but my personal experience was marred a little by an unfortunate incident that happened within my specific movie-going experience; so, I can only surmise what I think the effect of the end credits would have been, and I think I would've loved it.

Positives:  The romance story really is quite sweet.  Seeing the friendships start to come together was also promising.

Suggestions for improvement:  read  "The Miller, his Son, and the Ass"

"Jungle Cruise" (2021)

I didn't know I was going to be going to the movies and didn't know a thing about this movie beforehand, but I don't mind going into a movie blind.  

For the most part, the movie did a good job.  Decent plot (8 out 10), although the plot-twist was fun because I didn't see it coming.  Acceptable characters (7.5 out 10, [although I'd add more to that rating for Frankie's looks]).  Gorgeous music--especially during the end credits (10 out of 10).  Action sequences (9.5 out 10).  Humor (8 out of 10).  All of the elements combined together created an enjoyable diversion that afternoon.  The scenery and set were wonderful (10 out of 10).  

But, aside from the music and the set, I don't know that there was much to make the movie standout (e.g memorable lines, captivating moments/scene).  That said, I'm definitely looking up that end music again.

"The Man Who Invented Christmas" (2017)

When a friend recommended this movie to me, I was intrigued and skeptical.  Intrigued because as a novel writer myself, I can relate to characters existing "in the room"--so I wanted to see how close someone else's view was of this.  (It was practically identical.  Nice.)  Skeptical because I wasn't sure how much of my own writer's experiences would get in the way of just being able to enjoy the movie.  While there were moments where I worried whether this movie's Dickens would lose a page or miss a deadline, the direction, editing, and writing of this movie quickly assured me that these common plot elements had no place here and would not be making any appearances in this film.  With only a fleeting moment or two to give such a worry place in mind, the worries were quickly dispelled, and I was happily able to just enjoy this movie.

This "retelling" of A Christmas Carol was well done.  It was nice being able to just follow Dickens's story along as he was creating it, and the interspersion of London came at welcome intervals.  There was a good balance of up and down moments, and of serious and comical story threads.  The music played to this wonderfully well--"amusing" music lest we take ourselves too serious for too long, and tugs of more serious tones lest the movie get too shallow or too silly--tugs assisted by art direction, of course.

I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Dickens' listening in.  Make-up/costuming with Dickens's red, sleep-lost eyes was noticed and appreciated.  The bright red cover of the finished book at the end.  Just the right length of movie, and suitable end credit music to help the audience reluctantly leave the world of Dickens to return home.  The two screens of historical note material was probably the best way to have done that--although, the movie did end with the line of eager customers at the store--a cozily lit store surrounded by snow and closed businesses--and a reading of the newspaper review in the Christmas-y parlor.

Well done.  Merry Christmas!