My Movie Picks & Pans for May 2025: "Another Simple Favor," "Becoming Led Zeppelin," "Holland," "A Family Affair" and a bit of a rant about Nicole Kidman.

[I review the movies "Another Simple Favor," "Becoming Led Zeppelin," "Holland" and "A Family Affair," with a bit of a rant about Nicole Kidman at the end]

Another Simple Favor (2025)

The sequel to "A Simple Favor, a 2018 movie about two friends - Emily Nelson and Stephanie Smothers - in which Emily goes missing and Stephanie does some sleuthing. This time there is a murder and Stephanie is back to sleuthing.

If you saw the first film, this one begins five years later. 

Emily (Blake Lively) is in jail (that happened in the first film) and Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is now a true crime vlogger and has written a book about Emily and all that happened leading up to her imprisonment (if you didn't see the first film,you might be confused because there is not a lot of exposition about what happened in the first film.  And even if you did see the first film, it's been seven years between films so if you care, click on the link for my review above for a synopsis of the first movie). But then, Emily appears at Stephanie's book signing. Turns out, Emily has been released on appeal and is getting ready to marry Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), a wealthy Italian with mob connections.  She wants Stephanie to be her maid of honor at her wedding in Capri.  If you saw the first film, you might go "Huh?"  But basically Emily blackmails Stephanie into being in the wedding.

Arriving in Capri with her agent, Vicky (Alex Newell), Stephanie meets Dante and discovers that Emily's ex-husband, Sean (Henry Golding), and her son, Nicky (Ian Ho), are also there along with Emily's addled mother, Margaret (Elizabeth Perkins), her aunt, Linda (Allison Janney), and Dante's mother, Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci, who doesn't like Emily.  

And then Sean is murdered and Stephanie, suspecting that Emily may have something to do with it, puts on her sleuthing hat once again. However, then Stephanie becomes a suspect. Crazy twists and turns and surprises ensue, none of them very believable.

What I liked:

Blake Lively's clothes.  She wears the biggest hat you have ever seen in a movie.

The beautiful Capri landscapes (I have been there and it is indeed gorgeous).

What I didn't like:

Everything else.

It's an all-star cast with all of the characters engaging in snappy dialogue. Lively and Kendrick are good but not good enough to save this overlong film, snappy dialogue notwithstanding.  By the way, did I mention I don't like snappy dialogue?  I mean, who talks like that? And there are many "Huh?" moments.  Written by Darcey Bell, Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis and directed by Paul Feig, much of the film was not realistic and did not make sense. I like twists and turns but sometimes there can be too many that are obviously there to explain unrealistic stuff. C'mon, is it realistic to think that Stephanie would have anything to do with Emily after the first movie (again, you had to have seen that one)? I say no.

There is a hint at the end of the film that yet another sequel is in the offing.  Please...I say no again.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you didn't see the first film, this one might confuse you. Should you go back and see the first film so this one makes more sense? Not really. See the first one to see the first one because I liked that one. But you can skip this one. (Amazon Prime)

Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025)

How the rock band Led Zeppelin came to be.    

The title of this documentary is literal.  It's all about "becoming." The film does not go beyond the early journeys of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant to their place in rock history. It covers their childhoods in post-war Britain, a time of hardship, when British kids discovered American music; their meeting in the summer of 1968; and meteoric ascendancy culminating in their breakthrough second album and first U.S. tour in 1970 when they become the No. 1 band in the world. 

As a kid, Jimmy Page was obsessed with his guitar. John Paul Jones' parents were both entertainers, his mother a singer and his dad, a comedian. Bonham was married and Plant was basically homeless as he tried to make his way as a singer.  Jones and Page were friends and both were session musicians with successful careers and both played on Shirley Bassey's recording of "Goldfinger" and John Paul Jones did the arrangement for the hit song "To Sir, With Love." 

So you have two established session players, a homeless singer and a drummer whose wife was going to kill him if he took a chance on an unknown band. Page had already been in the Yardbirds band and was trying to keep that band going but when the four played together, he realized they were going to be something totally different from a New Yardbirds. Critics didn't like their first album because you couldn't really sing along with their songs or dance to their music and it took awhile to win over audiences.  There is some amazing footage of one of their first performances where the audience seems confused.  Some members are digging it; some have their hands over their ears. There are all kinds of little "ah-ha" tidbits and moments like that in this fascinating film. 

The surviving band members all tell their own stories with the late Bonham, who died in 1980 and gave few interviews when he was alive, represented by a never-before-heard audio interview. The film written by Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty and directed by MacMahon features full, never-before-seen footage of the band's early American and British concerts and unseen material from the band's personal archives. This is not a gossipy behind the scenes tell-all.  It's an authorized documentary that the guys are all in on, and it's all about the music (there is lots and lots of music) with the band members sharing their musical influences, how they wrote their songs, instrumentation decisions etc.

I am reviewing this completely from the perspective of someone who did not know that much about Led Zeppelin.  Somehow, as a young girl and a die-hard Beatles fan, I missed them.  The hardest rock I liked was the Rolling Stones, but when I met Hubby, who was a fan, I learned about them and after seeing this wonderful documentary, I learned even more. Now I am also a fan. I just wish I could sing along with their songs!

Rosy the Reviewer says...a must for rock and roll enthusiasts and especially for Led Zeppelin fans. (Amazon Prime)

Holland (2025)

When teacher Nancy Vandergroot discovers a secret, her picture-perfect life in Holland, Michigan is upended.

It's 2000 and Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman) is a teacher in the small Midwestern town of Holland, Michigan.  She lives a stereotypical middle-class existence with her husband Fred (Matthew Macfadyen), an optometrist, and 13-year-old son Harry (Jude Hill).  But due to frequent absences, Nancy begins to suspect that perhaps Fred is having an affair and living a double life. 

She confides in Dave (Gael Garcia Bernal), a fellow teacher, and he helps Nancy find out what Fred has been doing. Romantic feelings ironically develop between Nancy and Dave, and what Nancy and Dave discover about Fred doesn't have anything to do with romance but, yes, he has a double life and it's something much more sinister than an affair. Oh, the secrets that abound in little midwestern towns like Holland, Michigan.

I was drawn to this film because I actually grew up only 30 miles from Holland, Michigan. Holland is a relatively small town with a, you guessed it, Dutch theme complete with a tulip festival where everyone dresses up in Dutch costumes.  I visited there many times. But in general, it's a typical midwestern little town with the usual midwestern values. I chuckled at the Michigan accents which were spot on and Fred even had a huge model train set which my Dad also had. 

Written by Andrew Sodroski and directed by Mimi Cave, the film tries to be a satire about the secrets behind the pleasant facade of small town life and how people try to hide from reality behind costumes and a make-believe world, but sadly despite what is supposed to be a sinister mystery with twists and turns, nothing much happens and Nicole, Matthew and Gael don't have much to do. It could have used some dark humor.  Where are the Coen Brothers, when you need them? 

Rosy the Reviewer says...probably one of the most odd little movies I have seen in a long time. I would love to have heard the pitch that got this thing made. (Amazon Prime)

A Family Affair (2024)

Older-woman, younger man...yada, yada, yada.

Chris Cole (Zac Efron) is a self-absorbed actor who meets the much older, Brooke (Nicole Kidman), a widowed author.  Her daughter, Zara (Joey King), had been Chris's personal assistant and he has come over to her house to apologize for mistreating her. He is actually a rather arrogant, dim, creep.  She quit because of it. Zara isn't home.  She is out running errands and... what?  By the time she gets home, Chris and Brooke are having sex. Chris may be an arrogant, dim, creep but he's a hot arrogant, dim, creep. 

Zara catches them and is appalled (so was I). Chris promises Zara it won't happen again, and he lures Zara back to work by offering her a position as an associate producer. He then invites Brooke to dinner, and guess what happens again?  Yep!

Written by Carrie Solomon and directed by Richard LaGravenese, the film has the usual ups and downs of a May/December rom com except not very much rom and not very much com, despite the daughter trying to break Chris and Brooke up. And there isn't enough drama for it to be a drama, either. Sadly, despite the presence of Nicole and Zac, the characters aren't likeable, the film isn't particularly hot or interesting nor does it add anything new to the older woman/younger man genre.

Rosy the Reviewer says...Older-woman, younger man...yada, yada, yada. (Netflix)

Okay, here is the rant I promised...

What is the deal with Nicole Kidman?  

So, "A Family Affair (reviewed above) is yet another older woman/younger man movie starring Nicole Kidman. Can't she do any movies where she is not a repressed woman who needs to have sex with younger men to feel alive?  I recently reviewed "Babygirl," and I thought the movie was so cringey that, despite Nicole's usual all-in performance, I concluded it was the movie that was the reason she was overlooked for an Oscar nomination. It was bad.  And that's not the only repressed older woman/younger man themed movie or TV series that she has starred in recently. In addition to "A Family Affair" and "Babygirl," there was also "The Perfect Couple," all within the last two years! And I could add "Holland (see above).  It's not older woman/young man but she once again plays a repressed woman.  

Now I am not against older women and younger men getting together.  I like younger men myself.  And she is certainly not the only older actress in movies like that but the problem for Nicole is that those older woman with a younger man kinds of roles are becoming a cliche with her, and worse, the movies haven't been that good. I hated "Babygirl" and neither "A Family Affair" or "The Perfect Couple" were stand outs. Maybe she realized she was playing the same roles over and over and that's how she ended up in that strange little film, "Holland."

Now don't get me wrong. I really like Nicole and have been a fan for years. Nicole is a nice looking woman but she is 57 years old. That's like 100 in Hollywood years, so I guess that could explain her acting choices.  I know it's not easy for a woman of a certain age in Hollywood, even if she is still beautiful, but she has been in three movies with that theme in the last two years. And I am not alone pointing this out.  She is becoming known as The Queen of the Age Gap Movies.  

But maybe this rant isn't really all about Nicole.  Maybe it's a rant about how actresses of a certain age are treated in the film industry, forcing them to perhaps make career choices they might not otherwise make.  At any rate, I just want Nicole to make films worthy of her talent.

Rant over.

See You Next Time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

What I have Been Watching: "Adolescence," "Dying for Sex," and "The Studio"

[I review the TV series "Adolescence," "Dying for Sex," and "The Studio."]

Adolescence (2025)

This four-part British drama series stars Stephen Graham as a working class husband and father, whose 13-year-old son, Jamie (Owen Cooper), is charged with murdering a female classmate.  

After a harrowing arrest sequence, including a strip search, which thankfully was not shown, thirteen-year-old Jamie Miller (Cooper) is vehement that he didn’t kill his classmate, and his parents, Eddie (Graham) and Manda (Christine Tremarco) and sister, Lisa (Amelie Pease), are confused and devastated.  But as the story unfolds, with investigations at Jamie's school and an interview with a psychologist (Erin Doherty), a hostile social media world of bullying and misogyny is exposed. Jamie’s parents have to come to grips with their guilt about what their son might have been doing alone in his room with his computer and what they might have done better as parents.

The series also exposes the great divide not only between adults and kids but the differences in us all that keeps us from understanding each other e.g. can an adult who was popular in school understand his unpopular son?  Can those of us who grew up without social media understand the social media pressures of young people today?  For every generation, there are pressures on young people that cannot be predicted and, often, not understood.

The series, directed by Philip Barantini and created and written by Graham and Jack Thorne, is a scary depiction of what it’s like for young people to grow up in the age of the Internet, how the systems that are meant to protect them often fail them and how difficult it is for parents to know what is going on. I have two grandsons 12 and 14, so this hit home.

Every one of the four episodes is filmed in one continuous shot which lends to the realism and creates a “you are there” feeling along with some utterly devastating moments. Though everyone in the cast deserves credit for wonderful performances, Graham is particularly extraordinary as he deals with the guilt of not having done more as a parent (his performance at the end of Episode 4 is just astonishing), and young Cooper is just amazing here, especially in Episode Three when he is interviewed by the psychologist and expresses every teenage emotion. It’s difficult to believe this is his very first acting role.

Netflix has made the series available for free to be shown in all UK secondary schools to spark discussion about the possible harm teenagers face on the Internet. I think that is a great idea.  Wouldn't be a bad idea for that to happen here too.

Rosy the Reviewer says…this is a wake-up call for parents but it’s also a riveting film experience so, if like me, you didn’t get on this bandwagon when the series started, there is still time to jump on.  This is a very important series that people will be talking about for a long time. (Netflix)

Dying for Sex (2025)

A woman with terminal cancer decides to live as much as possible before she dies and you won't believe what's on her bucket list.

This eight-part series on Hulu is based on a true story: Molly Kochan’s, who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis, and instead of giving into it, she decided to live.

Molly (Michelle Williams) leaves her husband, Steve (Jay Duplass), who treats her like, well, a cancer patient, and he hasn’t wanted to have sex with her for years. So she moves in with Nikki (Jenny Slate), her best friend, deciding that if she is going to die she wants to die with her.

”I don’t want to die with Steve; I want to die with you.”

The series is based on the Wondery podcast, created by the real-life Nikki and Molly, in the last months of Molly’s life to share her story and what a story it is!

Facing her dire prognosis, Molly doesn’t wallow in self-pity. Instead she decides she wants to have mind-blowing sex, something she has never had. And that’s what she sets out to do.

“Being sexual is the antithesis to death,” Kochan has said. “Sex also makes me feel alive and it’s a great distraction for being sick.” But she also had past sexual traumas to heal and her sexual escapades helped her take back her body.

Molly embarks on a quest to have as much sex as possible and – BE WARNED. Written by Elizabeth Meriweather and Kim Rosenstock, this series takes no prisoners when it comes to sex. THERE IS A LOT OF SEX and sex talk and bondage and body parts, so if you have a problem with that sort of thing, this is not for you. And for the rest of you, brace yourselves. Some of it is very cringey but also sometimes funny. Dark funny, but funny, especially Rob Delaney as Molly's neighbor who, shall we say, has a kinky side.

I don't mean to scare you. Yes, there is a lot of sex stuff, some of it uncomfortable (literally), but if you don’t watch this series, you will miss premiere performances by Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate and a wonderful story about love, all kinds of love. It’s about self-love, finding one’s self and embarking on a journey to get as much out of life as one can when time is ticking. It's about mother/daughter love and healing past hurts (it's wonderful to see Sissy Spacek again in a lovely performance as Molly's mother). And yes, a kind of love that can develop during sex play. But the true love story here is the love story that is real female friendship. Slate’s Nikki is a mess. Her purse alone should have star billing. But she is the epitome of a best friend. We all need a Nikki. Remember “Beaches?” This is kind of like that, but way, way, way edgier.

Rosy the Reviewer says…I always love stories about female friendship and this one is special. I also like a good cry. Expect to cry. (all episodes have dropped on Hulu. Each episode is only 30+ minutes so binge away)!

The Studio (Apple TV)

Seth Rogan wrote and stars in this biting and very funny satire of the movie industry.

Rogan plays Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of Continental Studios tasked to save the floundering company. Remick wants to make films with artistic integrity but CEO Griffin Mill (Bryan Cranston) will have none of that. Remick is told not to make arty farty movies.

“At Continental, we don’t make films. We make movies, movies people want to pay money to see.” Like “Barbie.” How about a movie about the Kool-Aid Man?! Huh?

Remick teams up with Sal Seperstein (Ike Barinholtz), a Continental executive and his best friend and Quinn Hackett (Chase Sui Wonders), Matt's assistant and a junior executive at Continental as well as Patty Leigh (Catherine O’Hara), his mentor and the former studio head and Maya Mason (Kathryn Hahn), head of marketing to save the company and his job, but it’s a constant struggle as Remick fights the realities of the Hollywood movie industry to make movies that live up to his artistic sense but that will also be box office successes. There is also infighting as everyone jockeys for a place in the company's hierarchy.

Directed by Rogan and Evan Goldberg, this is a satiric indictment of movie studios and movie executives led by their egos, who often don't have a clue about what the public really wants. All kinds of crazy antics ensue because Remick is very, very clueless and Seth Rogan is good at playing clueless. And he is at his Seth Rogan cringiest here. Let’s say this could be called “Cringe Comedy.” But it’s very funny and the ensemble cast is first-rate.

A host of celebrities make appearances playing themselves: Martin Scorsese, Paul Dano, Greta Lee, Steve Buscemi, Sarah Polley and Charlize Theron show up in the first two episodes with Ron Howard, Zac Ephron, Olivia Wilde, Rebecca Hall, Zoe Kravitz and others appearing in later episodes.

Rosy the Reviewer says… crude humor, lots of celebrity name dropping, film references and insider movie jargon but if you are a film nerd (raising my hand emoji), you will enjoy this (and it won’t hurt if you are a Seth Rogan fan). (Apple+TV)

See You Next Time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

If You Like Documentaries About Rock Bands...

[I  review "Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary," "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius}" and "Duran Duran: There's Something You Should Know"]

"Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary" (2024)

A smooth "dockumentary" about the West Coast sound known as "Yacht Rock."

If you thought you knew what "Yacht Rock" was, after watching this documentary you will probably realize you didn't.

Yes, there is the whole thing about it being high class, expensive, relaxing and smooth, like a yacht, but Christopher Cross notwithstanding, that's really where the nautical theme ends. As pointed out in the film, no one except the captain in Captain & Tennille ever wore a captain's hat. The term actually came from a 12-episode online mockumentary series called "Yacht Rock" that ran from 2005-2006. And yes, the term "yacht rock" is sometimes used in the pejorative sense, but after seeing this documentary I have new respect for the genre.

"It's not that it doesn't rock.  It just doesn't rock too hard." It's soft rock but is all soft rock "yacht rock?"  No. 

Yacht rock is the smooth, soul-inflected jazz rock produced largely between 1977-1984 by some studio musicians and vocalists, songwriters, and producers, the four leaders being Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins, and Toto, with the flagship being Michael McDonald. The music is more about heavy emotion and heartbreak, as in men actually do have feelings. I mean, c'mon, Michael McDonald's voice alone makes you want to cry. "What a Fool Believes" is #1 on the Yachtsie scale," and he was an early member of Steely Dan (that was something I did not know). The music is not only smooth and jazzy, it has a groove, often called a bounce. Listen to those bands. They all have a very clear bounce in their music. Others that fall into the genre are Seals & Crofts, Boz Skaggs, and the aforementioned Christopher Cross.

So that's Yacht Rock. But what about America, Bread, Fleetwood Mac?  Nope.  That's soft rock, not Yacht rock.

Major players in the genre are interviewed in the film: Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross and Steve Lukather of Toto. Here is a little fun fact about Lukather. I had the privilege of seeing him as part of Ringo Star's All-Starr Band when we were living in Washington State and they performed at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.  He is a fantastic guitarist and just embodies the rock god persona. I was fortunate to be upfront and after he performed and was leaving the stage, I blurted "You're fabulous!"  And he looked back at me and said, "YOU'RE fabulous!"  Be still my heart!  Oh, and as an aside, I high-fived Ringo too! That's how close I was!

Directed by Garret Price, this film is very much a love letter to Steely Dan which makes it all the more funny when Price calls Donald Fagen asking to interview him for the film and Fagen tells him to "F**k off" and hangs up on him.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a very fun, engaging and enlightening music documentary. I will never make fun of the term "Yacht Rock" again. (Max)

Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (2025)

The rise and fall of a musical legend.

Amir K. Thompson AKA Questlove has done it again.  He won an Oscar in 2022 for his outstanding documentary "The Summer of Soul," and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets another one for directing this fantastic documentary about, yes, a black genius.

Sly and the Family Stone reigned musically in the 60's and 70's and were early pioneers of funk. Their performance was a highlight at Woodstock.  At first, for Sly it was all about the music.  But then, as they say, stuff happens.

Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone sang in church as a young boy and began his professional career as one of the most popular radio DJs in San Francisco.  Then he was a record producer ("Laugh Laugh" for The Beau Brummels and Great Society's "Someone to Love") and then he started writing songs and performing.

He formed a multiracial band with both men and women and wrote and performed music that was culturally in sync with what was going on socially.  After Woodstock, Sly and the Family Stone was a superstar band and Sly Stone's influence was seen in many artists like Prince and Janet Jackson. A who's who of talking heads from the music world weigh in on his impact and innovations and archival performance footage proves the points.

But then came the age of cocaine and PCP and Sly lost his way and his relevance. Drugs and erratic behavior were his undoing. Those he had influenced were now his competition and he faded away.  Ironically, now the younger generation who may not even know who Sly Stone was are discovering him and sampling his music. 

The film pays credit to Sly's genius and raises the question of the double standard that many black artists face but the film makes no excuses for Sly's downfall.  And Sly doesn't either. 

Rosy the Reviewer says...Questlove has made yet another brilliant documentary, this time highlighting the success and burden of a black genius. If you love music, this is a must see! (Hulu)

Duran Duran: There's Something You Should Know (2018)

Four decades of Duran Duran.

Who didn't have a crush on one of these handsome guys who were the epitome of 80's hair bands?

This documentary highlights their successful trajectory, their albums and does a sort of "where are they now?" as we catch up with them in 2018 as they share their stories and revisit old haunts. 

Duran Duran consisted of Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon, and believe it or not, none of the Taylors were related. They all came from a blue collar world in Birmingham, England but they didn't want to stay there and go that route. No blue collars for them. They formed a band and with their long hair and flashy clothes, they were known as "Birmingham's Peacocks." Over the course of their long career, they had huge hit albums, most notably "Rio." Oddly, no mention in the film of one of their biggest hits, "A View to a Kill."

Directed by Zoe Dobson, this short film covers the usual ups and downs and drama that bands go through - the breakups, the drugs - as well as their chart topping albums and all of the band members weigh in and are forthright about their struggles, though not much from Andy Taylor.

Hubby and I actually saw them in Everett, Washington in 2011.  We had VIP tickets so were up close to the stage with the super fans (so close I could see up Simon Le Bon's nose) and let me tell you this band still had major super fans - women AND men!

Rosy the Reviewer says...not being a huge fan myself, I found the documentary a bit disjointed and dry, but Duran Duran fans will probably love it. (Now streaming on Netflix but if you want to see this documentary, better hurry.  It goes away on April 21).

See You Next Time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

My Very Own March Madness: Some Good Movies!

 [I review "It Ends With Us," "The Last Showgirl," "A Real Pain" and "Companion"]

It Ends With Us (2024)

The many faces of domestic abuse.

First of all, I need to address the elephant.  You know, that proverbial elephant in the room?  A pall seems to have fallen over this film because of the dispute between the stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni (Baldoni also directed the film). Lively has sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and intimidation and Baldoni has countersued for defamation, civil extortion and invasion of privacy.  That all started back in December, and it is still ongoing with more and more accusations flying back and forth almost every day. And despite the fact we now know who Justin Baldoni is (I don't think very many people did before), it is too bad that this movie has been overshadowed by the real life sturm und drang between the two co-stars, because it is actually a really good movie with an important message about domestic violence and emotional abuse.  

So let me try to put the film back into the spotlight by giving it some props.

It's all about Lily Bloom (Lively).  She is living in Boston and is getting ready to open her first flower shop, to be called appropriately, Lily Blooms. One evening, when she is brooding atop a high rise, she meets a guy who is clearly having a bad day.  How do I know?  He is kicking furniture. Should be a sign that this guy has anger issues, but, you know, he's a handsome guy.  Let's give him a chance. Meet Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), a handsome neurosurgeon, and the two have an immediate connection.  But it doesn't get very far before he is called away and Lily thinks, that's that. But then Lily meets Allysa (Jenny Slate) who is looking for a job.  Lily hires her to work with her in her flower shop and wouldn't you know...guess who Allysa's brother is!  Bingo!  It's Ryle.

Lily and Ryle begin a relationship, but things get complicated when Lily runs into her old high school boyfriend, Atlas Corrigan played by Brandon Sklenar  (Atlas, Lily Bloom, Ryle - don't you just love the names in this movie?  Right out of a romance novel!).  Atlas just happens to be the owner and head chef at a restaurant where she has taken Ryle to meet her mother.

Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Lily's father had been abusive to her mother and Atlas had run away from his home to escape his mother's abusive boyfriend.  The two teens bonded and fell in love.  However, when Lily's father discovered them in bed together, he beat Atlas so badly that he was hospitalized and he later joined the Marines and Lily and Atlas lost touch.

Now in the present day, Ryle and Lily marry but Ryle has some concerning anger issues that have followed him since childhood, and though he loves Lily, some manipulation and abusive incidents start to raise their ugly heads, and it doesn't help that Atlas is back in the picture. Then Lily discovers she is pregnant.

Will the cycle of abuse continue?

Based on the book by Colleen Hoover (adapted for the screen by Christy Hall) and directed by Baldoni, the film does a good job of showing the insidious way marital abuse begins.  We wonder, how could a woman get herself into an abusive relationship?  Well, it's not a black and white thing.  Relationships don't usually start with abuse, but if there is a history of abuse or anger issues, those can creep in and affect those we profess to love. 

And it's ironic that since the film, Justin and Blake are now locked in acrimonious lawsuits about those very issues which feels very strange watching the film, because Justin and Blake have real chemistry, so it is difficult to believe Blake could play this part while being sexually harassed on set but maybe she is just a really good actress.  

Rosy the Reviewer says...with all of the sensational news reports and accusations flying back and forth, it's difficult to know what really occurred between the two, but one thing I do know, this is a satisfying film experience. (Netflix)

The Last Showgirl (2024)

After 30 years as a showgirl, the show is closing.  What's a girl to do?

Shelly Gardner (Pamela Anderson) is a 57-year-old showgirl who has performed in Le Razzle Dazzle, a French-style revue at a Las Vegas casino for 30 years. Her younger co-stars, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka), view Shelly as a mother figure and Shelly's older friend, Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), is a close friend and ex-showgirl, though she was ousted from the show and now works as a cocktail waitress. 

But now, the show is closing. Eddie (Dave Bautista), the producer of the show, breaks the news that the show will close in two weeks due to lack of ticket sales.  No one seems to care about showgirls anymore, and Le Razzle Dazzle is going to give way to a more contemporary circus show. Shelly is devastated by the news. Not only does she feel proud of the glamorous history of Las Vegas showgirls but she is not in favor of what is replacing it.  But she is also fearful about her future. With no means for retirement and few resources, what is she going to do?

Shelly reaches out to her daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd, Carrie Fisher's daughter), who is a student in Arizona.  The two have a strained relationship because Hannah had lived with family friends for most of her adolescence and harbors resentment because she feels that Shelly chose he career over her.  And in all fairness to Hannah, Shelly is a bit of a dingbat, forgetting her daughter's age and not showing she knows much about her own daughter.

Written by Kate Gersten and directed by Gia Coppola - yes, that Coppola family.  She is Francis Ford Coppola's granddaughter - the film explores Shelly's attempts to find a place for herself in Las Vegas, highlighting many poignant moments as she auditions unsuccessfully for another show, struggles to save her relationship with her daughter and keep a big secret about Hannah's parentage. This movie has a very low budget indie feel, but it beautifully captures a Las Vegas world that is no more. I had no idea that the classic showgirl disappeared from Las Vegas years ago. That's how much I know about Las Vegas these days  

This is a wonderful showcase for Pamela Anderson. Famous for her spreads in Playboy, her "Baywatch" bathing suit and her sometimes volatile marriage to Tommy Lee, she has rarely been given props for her acting but she did receive a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Shelly, though snubbed by the Academy. She has also gone through a major life change over the years, moving back to British Columbia, where she grew up,  starting a cooking show and eschewing make-up.  Though I get that last bit - yes, she wants to divorce herself from that world where beauty and make-up are everything and she is judged on her looks, but, sorry, I question going so far in the other direction.  Without any eye make-up, her coloring is such that her eyes disappear and she looks older than she is.  I get that she wants to get rid of that pin-up girl part of her life, but why make yourself look older? I know, I digress. 

And I reluctantly have to give a shout out to Jamie Lee Curtis. For some reason, I am not a fan.  I find her insufferably smug on talk shows and her little stints on reality TV, but I will say, she has been giving her recent acting roles her all. I admire how she is not afraid to go for it.  She magnificently chewed the scenery in "The Bear" and here has some small scenes where she makes you feel the pain of an aging woman in a world where youth and beauty is everything.  She was rewarded with a Best Supporting Actress Bafta nomination. So kudos to her.

And props to Dave Bautista who gets to show his dramatic acting chops.  He usually plays villains, odd sci/fi characters and lunkheads.

Rosy the Reviewer says...the film does a good job of capturing a world where youth and beauty are major commodities and what it would be like for a woman aging in that world. Pamela Anderson poignantly takes us there and you will want to be there with her. (for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and Apple+)

A Real Pain (2024)

Two polar opposite cousins take a trip to Poland to learn more about their family and honor their grandmother but there is some "pain" there.

Benji Kaplan (Kieran Culkin) is, shall I say? - an outspoken free spirit (more like a smart ass).  His cousin David (Jesse Eisenberg) is one of those closed up, reserved guys. Let's just say they don't get each other and had not been in touch for awhile. Using funds left by their late grandmother, they are embarking on a Jewish Heritage Tour through Poland and to also see their grandmother's home and reconnect with their family history. Same goal, two different personalities.  You know what they say about traveling.  It's a make or break when it comes to marriages and friendships. So expect some conflict.

In Warsaw, David and Benji meet their tour group members: Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), a retired married couple from Shaker Heights, Ohio; Marcia (Jennifer Grey, who I never seem to recognize now since her nose job), a recent divorcee from California; and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), a survivor of the Rwandan genocide who converted to Judaism. The tour is led by James (Will Sharpe), a mild-mannered, knowledgeable Englishman. On the first day, the tour visits the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, Grzybów Square, and the Warsaw Uprising Monument, and Benji indulges in some shenanigans that embarrass David. 

Then the group travels to Lublin by train on the second day. Benji doesn't like traveling first class on a Holocaust Tour - I mean, their ancestors were shuttled onto cattle cars and then killed, right?.  Okay, he has a point but then Benji gets on James' case for his focus on facts and statistics and lack of emotion at the Old Jewish Cemetery furthering David's embarrassment. Benji continues to misbehave and make uncomfortable comments during a group dinner later that evening but you can't help but think that Benji is saying what others may be thinking. When Benji leaves the table, David opens up to the group about the complex nature of their relationship and his confusing feelings about his cousin.  

On the last day of the tour, the group visits Majdanek, a Nazi concentration and extermination camp where incredible pain was inflicted on other humans. Back at the hotel, David and Benji smoke a joint together on a hotel rooftop and Benji confronts David about his changed personality and asks why he never visits him. Truths and personal pain are shared.

As a personal aside, on one of our trips to Europe we visited Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Upper Austria and witnessing something like that is a painful moment to be sure.  When we walked by the ovens, our daughter was overcome and had to leave.

Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg (his screenplay was nominated for an Oscar), this is an original buddy picture with a lot of heart. Rumor has it that Jesse was going to play Benji, but after Kieran has picked up numerous awards for this role (Golden Globe, Oscar, etc.), it's difficult to imagine anyone else playing the part, though Jesse certainly could have done it. Jesse plays straight man to Kieran's out there character, and I have to say, before seeing the film, but after seeing countless acceptance speeches and interviews from Kieran, I thought he was just playing himself or his "Succession" character - both out there personas - and though my thoughts on that were mostly valid, he actually went much deeper into this role than I have seen him in the past. Kieran has gotten all of the praise for his performance but I have to say that Jesse's screenplay was wonderful and his direction sensitive and powerful at the same time.

Rosy the Reviewer says...part historical travelogue and part buddy picture, the film examines different kinds of pain, all with Chopin's beautifully painful music playing in the background. Highly recommended. (Hulu)

Companion (2025)

What if you could just put in an order your next love interest and program it?

The film begins with a young woman, Iris (Sophie Thatcher), strolling through a supermarket remembering meeting her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) for the first time. 

Flashback to Iris and Josh traveling to a remote lake house to meet friends Kat (Megan Suri), couple Eli (Harvey Guillen, who I just loved in "What We Do in the Shadows") and Patrick (Lukas Gage), and Sergey (Rupert Friend), Kat's boyfriend who owns the house.  I should have known it was going to turn into a weekend from hell. Whenever people travel to a remote lake house, that is often an ominous clue that some bad stuff is going to go down.  And it does. When Iris is assaulted by Sergey and retaliates, when she attempts to explain what happened, Josh tells her, "Iris, go to sleep," shutting her down.

What!!??

You see, Iris is a companion robot Josh is renting from the Empathix company.  Her emotions and intelligence are controlled by an app on Josh's phone.  News to her.  When she wakes up and Josh gives her this information, this is a shock to her.  And it also turns out that Josh wasn't just in this for a love/sex interest.  He has planned to use her in a nefarious plot.

But our Iris may be a robot but she's not a dummy.  She does a runner and all hell breaks loose as Josh and the others go looking for Iris to shut her down.  Josh is a very, very bad man. Will he get what's coming to him? There are lots and lots of enjoyable twists and turns to find out.

Sophie Thatcher is wonderful in this.  She made her mark in the Showtime series "Yellowjackets" and more recently starred in "Heretic," which I reviewed positively.  Jack Quaid is the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan and should have a successful career as a leading man, but the entire ensemble were first rate, though Bill Murray playing a Russian came to mind listening to Sergey. 

Written and directed by Drew Hancock, this is a stylish sci/fi horror comedy reminiscent of the 2013 film "Her." It asks a lot of "what if" questions such as what if all of this online dating and love affairs with our phones lead us to have relationships with robots instead of humans? What if you could have a girlfriend you could program? What if the programmed girlfriend goes rogue?  

But this is also a cautionary tale about white male misogyny and supremacy.  You know, those guys who feel entitled but who feel overshadowed by the needs of others and live in their mother's basement talking to their computers?  Maybe those "what if" questions are no longer "what ifs."  What if we are already there. Scary.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an enjoyable sci/fi horror comedy but brace yourself for a very gross ending...but it's so gross it's funny. (for rent on Amazon Prime).

See You Next Time!

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