My Movie Picks and Pans for December 2025

[I review "The Kiss of the Spider Woman (the musical starring Jennifer Lopez)," "Blue Moon," a new one from director Richard Linklater starring Ethan Hawke, "Oh.What.Fun," an all-star Christmas movie that defies the Hallmark tropes, and "The Wrong Paris," a little rom-com with one very handsome star]

Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025)

• 
• A new movie version of the 1993 Broadway musical.

I can't believe it has taken this long to make a movie out of the musical version of this story (the musical opened on Broadway in 1993 and won a Tony for Best Musical).  Yes, I know it was originally a 1976 novel by Manuel Puig which was made into a movie drama starring William Hurt (he won an Oscar), and then it was a Broadway musical, but 32 years before a movie version of the musical?  I guess that says something about the waning popularity of movie musicals over the years, right? That makes me sad because I love musicals.

Anyway, enough about me.  On with the show!

It's 1983 in Argentina during the "Dirty War," and Valentin (Diego Luna), a political prisoner and Molina (Tonatiuh), his cell mate, who is there for "public indecency," pass the time with Molina sharing the story of his favorite Hollywood musical, "Kiss of the Spider Woman." It transports them out of their dreary confines into a imaginary world.

So, okay, "public indecency" is code in some countries for someone being gay and that is the case with Luis Molina. He is in a cell with Valentin Arregui Paz who is a political dissident involved with a revolutionary group in a time in Argentina when the country's military dictatorship was rounding up and imprisoning left-wing opponents and civilians who disagreed with the regime. Molina is obsessed with the old Hollywood movie "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and despite Valentin's irritation with Molina's flamboyance, he lets him recount the story of the movie. The film flips back and forth between the dark existence of the two men in the jail cell and the bright lights of the silver screen depicting the story of "Kiss of the Spider Woman." It's a movie within a movie.

So here's that story.

The "Kiss of the Spider Woman" film stars Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) as Aurora, a successful magazine publisher (Molina's retelling also casts himself as Kendall, Aurora's assistant and a closeted homosexual and Valentin as Armando, a photographer and Aurora's love interest, because remember this is all playing out in their minds). Aurora and Kendall accompany Armando to a shoot in his and Aurora's home village. Aurora and Armando fall in love, but when Aurora learns that the village is protected from malevolent spirits by the Spider Woman (also played by Lopez) in exchange for the regular sacrifice of a native woman's lover, Aurora worries that this means Armando will be taken from her. 

But to find out what happens to Aurora and Armando, you will have to listen along with Valentin as Molina tells the story.

In the meantime, the warden has coerced Molina into spying on Valentin in exchange for potential parole. Despite being eager to be released from prison as his mother is ailing, Molina starts to have feelings for Valentin and Valentin for Molina. Can Molina betray Valentin?

Written for the screen and directed by Bill Condon, there is a change of scene from the original, but it is still a dark story of political persecution and prison life and the need to escape, at least mentally.  And the two men escape into Aurora's world. Luna and Tonatiuh are compelling together as Molina tells his tale and Valentin tries to resist but is eventually drawn into both the fantasy story and Molina's own story as well.

And this is Jennifer Lopez as you have never seen her.  She stretches her acting, singing and dancing chops here. I have always been a fan of Jennifer Lopez, but not so much for her singing, so I was pleasantly surprised to see what a great job she did with that. Her dancing was great, too, but that wasn't really a surprise because I remembered that she had been a dancer on "In Living Color," one of the Fly Girls. Lopez has shared that it has always been her dream to do Broadway and this film would be a close second to that. I also heard her say getting an award for this would be a dream come true. Sadly, though I think she was wonderful in this and deserved a nomination, she was snubbed by the Golden Globes.

I was pleasingly surprised about how much I enjoyed this, because it wasn't on my list of favorite musicals (in fact I had never seen it). I wouldn't say that the songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb (they also wrote the songs for "Chicago" and "Cabaret") are particularly memorable, but they are enjoyable, and with the vivid, extravagant costumes by Colleen Atwood and Christine L.Cantella and the glittery production values during the musical numbers, the whole thing works. 

Just as the retelling of a movie musical helps these two prisoners escape  their dreary and scary lives, so, too, do musicals take us away from our own cares of the world as we watch. That's why musicals are an important art form.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an homage to musicals, and I was reminded how much I love and miss them. I throw a kiss to the movie musical! (For rent or purchase on Amazon Prime)

Blue Moon (2025)

A night in the life of Lorenz Hart.

The film begins with a quote from Mabel Mercer: "He was the saddest man I ever knew."

"He was dynamic and fun to be around." - Oscar Hammerstein II

They were both talking about Lorenz Hart who with his writing partner, Richard Rodgers, wrote 28 Broadway musicals and some 500 songs: "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Where or When," "Isn't It Romantic?" "My Funny Valentine," "Spring is Here," "The Lady is a Tramp" and, of course, "Blue Moon," to name a few. They were considered the American Gilbert and Sullivan and wrote together for 25 years.

But now it's March 31, 1943, opening night for the new musical "Oklahoma!," and Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) is in the audience but slips away and heads over to Sardi's, where the opening night celebration will be. Hart is a bit down in the dumps because it looks like the show will be a hit and he is not a part of it. His former creative partner, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), has written the show with Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney) and not him. Rodgers and Hart "broke up" after a string of very successful musicals and hit songs because Hart's drinking made him unreliable.

But now Hart is newly sober and very talkative.  He holds court with the bartender, Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), who tries not to serve him liquor, but you know how those things go. Morty (Jonah Lees) is at the piano and the two commiserate with Hart as he complains about the sensational success of Oklahoma!, which he declined to write, and the state of his own career. Declaring himself "omnisexual," Hart reveals his infatuation with Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley), a Yale art student and aspiring production designer. After months of correspondence and an unconsummated weekend with the 20-year-old Elizabeth, 47-year-old Hart believes this is the night to win her over.

Meanwhile, Hart recognizes writer E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy) sitting nearby, and seeks out his opinions as a fellow writer in a fun little digression.  White reveals he is working on his first children's book and Hart intrigues White with the story of a mouse who keeps coming back to his 19th floor apartment. White asks if he'd named the mouse and Hart comes up with "Stuart."  Well, we all know how that turned out, right?

As the playgoers, Elizabeth, and Rodgers and Hammerstein arrive at Sardi's and the rave reviews for "Oklahoma!" pour in and it becomes clear that Elizabeth doesn't think of Hart "that way," he becomes more and more depressed, so he drinks.

It doesn't end well for Hart.

Nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe, this film, directed by Richard Linklater, and written for the screen by Robert Kaplow (based on the letters of Lorenz Hart and the real life Elizabeth Weiland) is a wonderful recreation of 1940's New York and boasts a first-rate ensemble cast.  

But this is a tour de force for Ethan Hawke, who is completely transformed into Hart, who was less than five feet tall (Hawke is 5' 11" in real life) thanks to the direction of Linklater and Hawke's acting abilities (he is also nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe). Hawke even shaved part of his head to achieve the comb over that Hart sported. And it's all him, all of the time, holding forth in Sardi's as Hart, lamenting what could be unrequited love for the 20-year-old Elizabeth and bitter about what could perhaps be the end of his career.  I think Hawke said recently he had more lines in this movie than in all of his movies for the last ten years (or something like that). And he is just remarkable.  I forgot I was watching Ethan Hawke and for an hour and 40 minutes, I felt like I was in Lorenz Hart's world.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you love classic musicals, you will have fun getting all of the references (and see if you spot a young Stephen Sondheim), but even if you aren't particularly interested in musicals, if you appreciate great acting, this will be an enjoyable experience. I see an Oscar nod for Ethan Hawke. (in theatres and for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime)

Oh.What.Fun (2025)

An homage to the true heroes of the holidays, the Moms who make Christmas happen for their families.

Texas housewife Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) spends the entire year planning the perfect family Christmas for her husband Nick (Denis Leary) and their kids. Channing (Felicity Jones), the oldest, is home for the holidays with her husband, Doug (Jason Schwartzman), and two kids; middle child Taylor (Chloe Grace Moretz) is gay and has a reputation for bringing a different girlfriend home every Christmas and this year she has brought Donna (Devery Jacobs); and Sammy (Dominic Sessa) is in a funk because his girlfriend just dumped him. 

But Claire is doing everything she can to make the holiday merry and bright and all she wants for Christmas is for the kids to nominate her for the Best Holiday Mom contest, which would result in an all-expenses-paid trip to Burbank to meet her idol, self-help guru and talk show host, Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). She has been hinting about that to the kids but not only don't they get the hints, they take all of her efforts for granted.

And then the final straw.  Claire has gotten tickets to a show and everyone climbs into two cars - and they forget Claire.  Think "Home Alone," except instead of forgetting Kevin, the family forgot Mom!  So that's it. Claire decides to leave and drive to California where she gate-crashes Zazzy's live televised broadcast.

Written by Chandler Baker and Michael Showalter and directed by Showalter, I was really looking forward to this film.  It had a great line-up of stars and none of the Hallmark Christmas movie tropes. The idea that Moms would get some props seemed to be a refreshing idea, but sadly, overall the movie was very disappointing. 

Though the competition between Claire and her neighbor, Jeanne Wang-Wasserman (Joan Chen), who appears to have the perfect family and who seems to do everything right much to Claire's annoyance, was kind of fun, it all fell apart for me when Claire goes to the mall to get a candle for Jeanne that will outdo the one Jeanne gave Claire, and finding the checkout line too long, Claire walks out of the mall with the candle.  Security tries to stop her and chases her, but she gets away and that's that. Huh? No knock on the door later, no police, she gets away with it?  All I could do was talk to the screen and say, "What? Didn't they get her car's license number and report her to the police?" That whole scene didn't need to happen. And then why was Doug so needing to get Taylor's approval?  Made no sense. And then it all kept going downhill from there for me. Too many unbelievable plot holes, too many questions and I just didn't care anymore.

Rosy the Reviewer says...despite an all-star cast and a good idea, it was NOT so.much.fun. It made me wish for those Hallmark movie tropes! (Amazon Prime)

The Wrong Paris (2025)

Twenty-five-year-old aspiring artist, Dawn, has been admitted to art school in Paris but doesn't have the funds to pay for it.  What to do?  Why, go on a dating show, what else?

Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove) lives in a small Texas town with her two sisters and grandmother Birdie (Frances Fisher). Dawn is thrilled to be accepted to an art school in Paris, but is short of funds after spending some of her savings on Birdie's medical expenses.

A huge fan of the dating show - "The Honeypot" - a bachelor-type show - Dawn's sister, Emily (Emilija Baranac) talks Dawn into auditioning for the show, as the  appearance fee would help cover her studies. Dawn reluctantly goes to an audition and is surprised to learn she is cast for the upcoming season, which will be taking place in Paris. Later, the two sisters go out for a drink and to play pool to celebrate, and Dawn connects with one very handsome cowboy. They have a few moments together and then part, thinking, that's that.  Well, this is rom-com.  You know how that goes.

But here's the twist for Dawn and the viewer.  The show is not going to take place in Paris, France, but rather Paris, Texas!  And guess who the bachelor on the show is going to be?  You got it.

So though Dawn likes the cowboy bachelor, Trey (Pierson Fode), she doesn't like the fact that she is in Paris, Texas, and not Paris, France, so she wants off of the show and does everything she can to get kicked off. But this is rom-com. Again, you know how that goes.

Yes, I know, this isn't "Citizen Kane," but sometimes it's fun to watch a little airy rom-com, especially if it stars two nice looking people, especially one very handsome cowboy.  Sorry.  I gush. 

Written by Nicole Henrich and directed by Janeen Damian, this definitely feeds into my obsession, er... tendency to watch dating shows. I enjoy watching handsome and beautiful people fall in love, but this little movie is also a satire of that genre, poking fun at it e.g. all of the girls are kind of wacky and none of them will eat in front of the camera (kind of true - think about it) and when Trey chooses who stays, he asks "Will you accept this...spur? Lol! But that aside, the movie is also one of those "what if" stories.  What if there is a girl on a Bachelor-type reality show who really doesn't want to be there? Fun ensues.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you enjoy dating shows, you will enjoy this, and even if you don't, this is a light refreshment. Yes, it's far-fetched and has a certain amount of slapstick, but what's wrong with that?  But I thought it was fun, and I am accepting the spur! (Netflix)

See You Next Time!

And Happy Holidays!

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)!

Sick of the Pretend World of Christmas Movies? Get Back To Real Life With These Compelling Documentaries!

[I review "Cocaine Quarterback: Signal Caller for the Cartel," "John Candy: I Like Me" and "Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip To Remember"]

Cocaine Quarterback: Signal Caller for the Cartel (2025)

The true, almost unbelievable, story of convicted drug trafficker Owen Hanson's rise from USC football player to smuggling drugs for one of the world's most dangerous cartels.

What do you do when you get a sports scholarship to USC to play volleyball and you are faced with losing your position if you don't get stronger?  Why, you go down to Mexico and get some steroids.  And what do you do when you bulk up and get drafted as a walk-on to play USC football?  Why, you play football.  And what do you do when your football career doesn't take off?  Why, you start smuggling drugs.  Those were the decisions that Owen Hanson made, and this is his story.

Growing up in Redondo Beach, California, Owen lived a modest lifestyle.  He was a star high school volleyball player, so was thrilled to be awarded a scholarship to play volleyball for USC.  But when that didn't work out as planned, he was able to join the USC football program as a walk-on in 2004.  But while at college, he subsidized his lifestyle as a campus drug dealer feeling he needed the money to "fit in with those USC kids."  Who knew that small side hustle would turn into a major illegal enterprise?

After college when his teammates were getting drafted for the NFL, Hanson was at loose ends so he turned to real estate, but then the 2008 recession hit and he was once again wondering what to do with this life.  Hey, what about that drug thing he used to do?  Sounds like a plan.

Hanson was able to align himself with a Mexican drug lord (not sure how one does that) and soon was hobnobbing with celebrities, athletes and other high rollers. He trafficked cocaine, meth, ecstasy and heroin in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Australia as well as running an offshore sports betting website. He claimed he made $1 million a day at one point.  And according to the Attorney General's Southern California office, Hanson was also the leader of a violent racketeering enterprise called "ODOG," which used intimidation and force to keep customers in line.

But then, enter gambler R.J. Cipriani, AKA Robin Hood 702, who supposedly gave his gambling winnings to people in need.  Hanson aligned with him in an elaborate scheme to launder his drug money and that worked for a time, but when Cipriani lost $2.5 million of Hanson's money playing blackjack, Hanson was in big trouble with the cartel.  Hanson then sent Cipriani death threats, poured fake blood on his Cipriani's parents' graves and sent videos of executions to his family members to try to get his money back.  Well, don't mess with Robin Hood 702, especially his parents.  Now the FBI was involved and they were on to Hanson.

And that's only part of the story. There is much more.

Directed by Jody McVeigh-Schultz (And Mark Wahlberg is one of the executive producers), much of Hanson's story is told by him from prison along with many of his cohorts. Believe it or not, we watched this series because our son said one of the kids he knew from high school baseball was in the series! And there he was! 

Is Hanson still serving time? Does Hanson have any new side hustles?  Well, you will have to watch and find out.  Easily bingeable as each of the three episodes has a run time of about 40 minutes. 

Rosy the Reviewer says...a compelling three-part true-crime series about ego, power, and poor judgment. (Amazon Prime)

John Candy: I Like Me (2025)

An affectionate profile of actor John Candy directed by Colin Hanks.

John Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian who was probably best known for his work in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" and "Uncle Buck," though he starred in over 35 films before his untimely death from a heart attack at the age of 43.

Hanks (son of Tom Hanks) relies on rare and never-before-seen archival footage, outtakes, private home videos, audio commentary, movie clips and interviews with family and his famous friends to tell John Candy's story. 

Born in 1950, John grew up in Toronto, Ontario, in a working class Catholic family. Sadly his father died at the age of 35 from heart disease when John was 5 - on his 5th birthday! John was interested in theatre and found himself as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City in the 1970's and its SCTV sketch series alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Joe Flaherty, Catherine O'Hara and Rick Moranis, all of whom gained fame of their own. And then Hollywood came calling.

This is a positive profile, and that is fitting, since no one seemed to have a bad word to say about him.  He was a sort of "every man," a good guy. However, underneath the comedy was a guy who suffered from a sometimes crippling anxiety and the fear that he would die young, like his Dad.  He felt he was on borrowed time and sadly he was.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a wonderful tribute to a wonderful actor. It's fun hanging out with him again. (Amazon Prime)

Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember (2025)

Actor Chris Hemsworth embarks on a motorcycle road trip with his dad, Craig, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

After consulting with clinical psychologist Dr. Suraj Samtani and learning about Reminiscence Therapy, Chris Hemsworth goes on a road trip to Melbourne and the Australian Outback with his father, Craig, 71, to not only spend time together but to help his dad remember.

Revisiting past experiences is a great way to help cognition.  Memories from the past help the brain. This is part of Reminiscence Therapy and Chris is hoping it will help his Dad, who has the early signs of Alzheimer's.  Since his dad used to race motorcycles, they embark on a motorcycle road trip, starting in Melbourne where Chris spent his teen years.  They return to the house they lived in during the 1990's that Chris has completely redone to look like it did when they lived there (thanks to the cooperation of the current owners).  His mother, Leonie, Craig's wife of over 40 years, joins them and they watch some home movies and look at family photos.

And then it's off to Bulman, in the Northern Territory, where Chris and his brothers spent their very young years. The town is primarily an Aboriginal community four and a half hours from the nearest town.  Craig had found a job there rustling buffalo and cattle, and Chris was able to find many of the men who had worked with Craig 35 years ago. Seeing old friends also helps the brain, because it requires us to think back to how we knew our old friends and what we did together. And interacting with community slows the rate of cognitive decline.

With family photos and archival footage, we see the life that Chris led  There is a photo that Chris has of his dad and him in a spot in Bulman and they are able to find it in the present day in a very poignant moment. But for all of the bonding that Chris and his dad do, Chris is reluctant to ask his dad how he feels about the diagnosis and his memory loss.  He admits on camera that part of the reason he doesn't ask is because he doesn't want to face the answer. But on their last night together, the two camp out and he finally asks his dad how he feels about the diagnosis and Craig shares what he is going through.

It is interesting to see Craig's transformation as the film goes on.  He is at first forgetful and quiet, but as the two take their journey of remembering, Craig is seen to open up more.

Chris' mother and Craig's wife of over 40 years weighs in as well as Dr. Samtani. And then, if I might digress for a moment, there is Chris sharing his feelings in some juicy closeups as he recounts his childhood.  He is one handsome guy.

Directed by Tom Barbor-Might, this is a bittersweet journey.  On the sweet side, Chris bonds with his Dad and the trip seems to be helping Craig, but on the bitter side, Hemsworth knows that he is losing the man his father once was.  He also reveals that he has inherited two copies of the APOE4 gene, one from his mother and one from his father, which makes it eight to ten times more likely that he will eventually develop Alzheimer's. And sadly, every year there are over 10 million new cases of dementia.  This film sheds light on that as well as what we can all do to ward it off. And it reminds us to not take our parents for granted.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a revealing look at the issue of dementia but even if you are not interested in that, this is a very heartwarming and important story of father/son love (it brought tears to my eyes). But it's also a cool road trip and it shows the very kind, human side of a superstar. There is something here for everyone. (Hulu)

See You Next Time!

And Happy Holidays!

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's The Deal With Those Hallmark...er... Netflix Holiday Movies? Netflix? What?

[I review the holiday movies "Jingle Bell Heist," "Champagne Problems" and "The Merry Gentlemen"]

Hallmark holiday movies have reigned supreme during the holidays, despite the fact that each and every one of them has the same predictable tropes: a big-city professional returns to his or her small and charming town and ends up saving a bakery or inn.  He or she is also a fish out of water but finds romance, usually an unlikely one where they don't like each other at first; the road to love is rocky and then there are encounters with odd characters followed by a major plot point involving the holidays with an uplifting message reminding us of what the holiday season is supposed to be about.  And then there is snow.

But now Netflix is giving Hallmark a run for it's money when it comes to holiday movies and don't expect the usual tropes. Netflix has found some new ways to celebrate the holidays. But never fear.  Yes, there will be an unlikely romance.  There has to be.  And yes, there will be an uplifting message...and sometimes snow.

So cuddle up by the fire, grab a hot drink and take a break from the hassles of real life and get in the holiday mood.  These are hot on Netflix right now.

Jingle Bell Heist (2025)

An American ex-pat and a British ex-con meet in London and plan a Christmas Eve heist together. Just your usual holiday fun!

Sophie Arbus (Olivia Holt) works two jobs, one at Sterlings department store and another at a pub in London.  She is in London for cancer treatment for her mother. Sophie also happens to be a pick-pocket, and doesn't have a problem lifting the occasional wallet. 

While working her job at the department store, Sophie steals a diamond encrusted dog collar from a rude customer and while dropping it off in the store's vaulted security room, she steals some petty cash as well and eyes some expensive jewelry being kept there, not realizing that she is being watched by Nick O'Connor (Connor Swindells) on the department store's video feed. You see, Nick installed the security camera system but, unfortunately, he was fired for his trouble and falsely accused of stealing from the store which led to his spending two years in prison.  Now he is struggling financially and trying to stay connected to his young daughter and ex-wife. But, he still has access to the store's video feed and, of course, he wants revenge on the store.

Nick approaches Sophie, tells her he saw her in the vault and tries to blackmail her into helping him rob Sterlings.  She says no at first, but when she learns her mother needs some expensive treatment she can't afford, she says yes and the two plan a heist for Christmas Eve.

There are many bungled attempts and a big twist before the Christmas Day reveal.  Will these two prevail?  More importantly, will they fall in love?

Written by Abby McDonald and Amy Reed and directed by Michael Fimognan, this holiday movie defies the tropes. No charming, rural small town, no bakery to save. There isn't even any snow, but the production values are first rate, and it was actually filmed in London, which is not often the case with the Hallmark movies, which even if set in London are most often filmed in Canada. Anyway, this is a charming film to get you into the holiday mood.  Holt and Swindells make charming thieves, and believe it or not, the dialogue and story are also charming. I loved it!

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you are a bit of an Anglophile (I am a big one!), you will enjoy this British take on a holiday movie. Did I say it was charming?

Champagne Problems (2025)

A company executive travels to Paris during the Christmas holiday to secure the acquisition of a renowned champagne brand and meets a handsome Parisian.  Gee, Paris, Christmas, handsome guy.  Do you think there will be romance? Duh.

"Champagne isn't just a drink, it's a celebration!" 

During a meeting at her company, The Roth Group (TRG), Sydney Price (Minka Kelly), who is in charge of acquisitions for the company, suggests they enter the Champagne business, whereupon her boss Marvin (Mitchell Mullen) asks her to go to Paris to buy the Champagne Chateau of Hugo Cassell. 

In Paris, Sydney checks out a bookstore called Les Etoiles, where a French gentleman, Henri (Tom Wozniczka), directs her to a section she is looking for. He admits that he doesn't really work there, but wants to eventually open a bookstore that also serves wine. He offers to guide her around the city, and she accepts. They embark on a tour of the city, and on a Ferris wheel that stalls, the two have plenty of time to share their stories and begin a romance.  And wouldn't you know, the next morning when Sydney arrives for her meeting with Hugo Cassell (Thibault de Montalembert), there, in the meeting, is Henri, who just happens to be Hugo's son.  Awk...ward.

In the meantime, Sydney is not the only one vying for acquisition of Champagne Chateau.  There are Roberto Salazar (Sean Amsing) and Otto Moller (Flula Borg) who provide some comic relief as well as Brigitte Laurent (Astrid Whettnall), Hugo's business partner, is also in attendance at the meeting and Hugo invites all of them to the Chateau. But Sydney's boss, Marvin, is not feeling that Sydney is up for the job, so he sends Ryan Garner (Xavier Samuel) to assist her.

It's all very beautiful and decorated for the holidays at the Chateau, but a dark cloud descends when Ryan arrives and announces that the ultimate plan for the Chateau Cassell is to be sold to a Japanese company for a big profit.  Henri overhears and is not happy.  Sydney tries to voice her opposition but Ryan threatens to have her fired if she doesn't follow the plan. 

All kinds of machinations involving the acquisition of the Chateau ensue as well as misunderstandings between our lovers. 

Yes, even though this is a Netflix movie, the Hallmark tropes are in place and we all know how this is going to end. Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, it's the usual formula, but that doesn't mean this is not an enjoyable film. It is.  Beautiful actors, beautiful location, who cares if there are a few cliches? Minka Kelly, who is probably best known for her role in the TV show "Friday Night Lights," is a lovely, believable actress and the rest of the cast and the production values raise this film above the usual TV rom-com. It's a warm, comforting little movie just right for this time of year. We love these kinds of movies despite their predictability because we love the holidays, but more importantly, we love love, and when we see an attractive couple falling in love, we remember how our first (or second or third) great loves looked at us with love in their eyes and we get to relive it.  Well, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it! And it doesn't hurt if you also love champagne.

I have to add that Paris is a special place at Christmas.  We flew there one Christmas day thinking that no one would be there because they would all be at home with their families.  We were wrong. I guess everyone else also thought Paris was a special place for Christmas and they were there too.  It was a madhouse.  But you can avoid the crowds and enjoy it watching this little movie from your comfortable chair, hopefully with a glass of champagne!  

Rosy the Reviewer says...this one has the Hallmark tropes, but hey, we get to hang out in France for the holidays! And it was actually filmed in France.

The Merry Gentlemen (2024)

Broadway dancer Ashley Davis (Britt Robertson) has rarely been back to her hometown in the 12 years since becoming a "Jingle Belle" on Broadway (think the Rockettes), but when she is fired from her job, it's back home she goes for the holidays. 

Yes, Ashley returns home to her small town of Sycamore Creek, and yes, her parents' bar, "The Rhythm Room," needs saving and yes, she "meets cute" with Luke (Chad Michael Murray), a handsome handyman, when she arrives (she gets snarled up in a holiday wreath he is putting up). Trope-de-trope-de trope, but that's where the tropes end.  Enter the male strippers!

But first, let me back up a bit.

When Ashley arrives in town and after running into Luke, she discovers that her parents, Stan (Michael Gross) and Lily (Beth Broderick), owe $30,000 in rent for their bar, and if not paid they will lose it. But when Ashley sees Luke with his shirt off, she gets the idea to have a male Christmas revue in the bar to raise the cash. She is a dancer, after all. She enlists Luke as well as her sister's husband, Rodger (Marc Anthony Samuel); Ricky (Hector David Jr.), a local taxi driver she met when she arrived; and Troy (Colt Prattes), the bartender; and dubs them "The Merry Gentlemen." And when Rodger twists his ankle, she recruits older bar customer, Danny (Maxwell Caulfield). When he agrees and is questioned about whether he can learn the choreography, he answers by saying he doesn't just drink when he sits at the bar. 

The troupe is a G-rated "Magic Mike" and they are a hit. All goes well and it is clear that Luke and Ashley have feelings for each other.  But then, Ashley is offered her job back on Broadway.  What will she do? Will she leave Sycamore Creek and Luke behind?

I don't think it's a spoiler if I say...duh. 

With a story by Jeffrey Schenck and Peter Sullivan, a screenplay by Marla Sokoloff (who also plays Ashley's sister) and directed by Sullivan, what saves this from being just another predictable Hallmark-type holiday movie is that it has characters you care about. Britt Robertson, probably best known for "The Longest Ride " and "Tomorrowland (both of which I reviewed favorably in 2015) is a lovely actress with a luminous quality that draws you in, and hey, there is nothing wrong with enjoying buff guys gyrating with their shirts off! 

Rosy the Reviewer says...despite the usual predictability, this has the holiday spirit we yearn for and is a heartwarming reminder that "there's no place like home."

See You Next Time!

And Happy Holidays!

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 November 2025 Movie Picks and Pans!

[I review the psychological thriller, "The Woman in Cabin 10," as well as the black comedy "The Roses" and Ben and Amy Stiller's documentary about their parents, "Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost."]

The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025)

An investigative journalist becomes involved in a tangled mystery while on a luxury cruise ship.

Recovering from the trauma of witnessing a source's murder, investigative journalist Laura "Lo" Blacklock (Keira Knightley) receives an invitation from terminally ill billionaire Anne Bullmer (Lisa Loven Kongsli) to join her and her husband, Richard (Guy Pearce), and some other wealthy guests, aboard their luxury yacht sailing to a fundraising gala in Norway.  Anne wants Laura to write about her new charitable foundation.

The first evening at sea, Lo ducks into Cabin 10 to avoid her ex-boyfriend, Ben (David Ajala), a photographer working for the Bullmers, and encounters a mysterious blonde woman (Gitte Witt) there. After dinner, Anne privately reveals to Lo that she has stopped taking her medication and plans to donate all of her fortune to charity. 

That night, waking to a ruckus and a woman's scream next door, Lo finds a bloody handprint by Cabin 10 and witnesses someone fall overboard. She alerts the ship and despite Laura's insistence that there was a woman in Cabin 10, all guests are accounted for and she is told that no guest was staying in Cabin 10. 

Did she imagine it?  Was it a hallucination brought on by my her guilt about her source? No, Laura knows what and who she saw so she sets out to solve this mystery.

In the meantime, the trip continues.  When Laura meets with Anne again, Anne appears to have forgotten their earlier conversation and when Laura sneaks into Cabin 10, she finds blonde hair in the sink drain. Then some other strange things start to happen. But the more she asks questions, the more the crew and guests refuse to believe her suspicions and in fact start thinking there is something mentally wrong with her.  But as she gets closer and closer to solving the mystery that is unfolding on the ship, Laura realizes her life is in danger.

What is going on?  Who was that blonde woman in Cabin 10?  And who was it that Laura saw fall off the ship?  And why won't anyone believe her?

Based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, adapted by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse and Simon Stone and directed by Stone, this is a classic, old-fashioned, psychological thriller.  You have the troubled journalist, a fish out of water hanging with very rich people (played by some recognizable British actors - Hannah Waddingham, David Morrissey, Art Malik, et al); everyone on the yacht is seemingly suspicious; our heroine witnesses a murder but no one believes her; and there is a big twist.

If you read the book, you know how this will go. Or maybe not.  I'm not sure what it says about me or the book, but I read it and could not remember the twist.  I'm also not sure what it says about me that I couldn't help but think how fun it would be for there to be an episode of "Below Deck" that featured a real life murder mystery like this.  But, I know, that would be pushing "reality TV" too far.

Rosy the Reviewer says...despite some "Huh?" moments and Laura doing some stupid stuff, this is a fast-moving psychological thriller reminiscent of those old Hitchcock films that will satisfy fans of "woman in jeopardy" stories. (Netflix)

 The Roses (2025)

A "reimagining" of the 1989 film "The War of the Roses."

I almost dislike remakes of perfectly good films as much as a I dislike sequels, and the original "The War of the Roses" is a perfectly good movie that I think would stand up today, but who can resist Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as a married couple battling it out when their marriage goes wrong? And there are some distinct differences between the two films, so I am going to go along with the "reimagining" angle instead of calling this a remake.  And if you never saw "The War of the Roses," then this will all be new to you. 

Architect Theo (Cumberbatch) and aspiring chef Ivy (Colman) meet in London in the kitchen of a restaurant where Theo is having a work lunch and when Ivy shares that she is moving to America, Theo says they should go together. Ivy replies "We haven't even had sex yet," to which Theo replies, "That's minutes away."  And he was right.  Off they go to have hot and heavy sex in the cold walk-in fridge.

Fast forward ten years, Theo and Ivy are married with two children, Hattie (Delaney Quinn) and Roy (Ollie Robinson), and living in Mendocino, California (but actually filmed in England in Devon - I thought that was the case, because I lived in Northern California and used to go to Mendocino quite often and it didn't look familiar. So then couldn't help but wonder why Mendocino)? 

However, the cracks in the marriage are already starting to show.  Ivy is a free spirit who spoils the children with desserts and fun while Theo is more regimented and health and exercise conscious.  But then, since Ivy had given up her career dreams to raise the children, Theo presents her with a restaurant. She names it "We've Got Crabs!"

But later, while Ivy's restaurant takes off, Theo loses his job in a catastrophic way, and in a reversal role, becomes the stay-at-home dad where he imposes his discipline on the kids, even having them sign commitment documents to exercise and eat right. And this time, with Ivy's success, she tells Theo she will pay for him to build them a dream house, which he does.  

So times passes.  Hattie (Hala Finley) and Roy (Wells Rappaport) are now teens, and Ivy starts to feel shut-out of the kids' lives, and Theo is jealous of Ivy's success.  Despite attempts to save the marriage and with the kids away at boarding school, the marriage goes to hell. Theo wants a divorce but he thinks he deserves to keep the house, since he designed it and built it.  However, Ivy thinks she deserves it because she paid for it.  In fact, Ivy doesn't want Theo to have anything, so the two make each other's lives unbearable with cruel tactics - really bad stuff like trying to hurt each other's businesses and reputations. And then it gets worse!

Directed by Jay Roach from a screenplay by Tony McNamara (based on the 1981 novel "The War of the Roses" by Warren Adler), Colman and Cumberbatch are great to watch, even when they are doing terrible things to each other. But I couldn't help think that it took too long to get to the mean, I mean, fun parts.  I remember the earlier film, "The War of the Roses" being faster moving and funnier.

Rosy the Reviewer says...this film is all about Colman and Cumberbatch, and if you like them and you never saw the original, you might enjoy this film, but I did see the original and liked that one better. But watching Colman and Cumberbatch was worth it to me (for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime).

Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost (2025)

Amy and Ben Stiller reminisce about their famous parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

Stiller & Meara were a husband-and-wife comedy team made up of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara that was popular primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. The duo made frequent appearances on television variety shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Stiller and Meara were among the earliest graduates of The Second City improvisational comedy troupe to become famous.  They were regulars on "The Ed Sullivan Show, but the two also had separate careers. Anne starred on "Archie Bunker's Place" from 1979-1982 and had film roles and Jerry had a career boost as George Costanza's father on "Seinfeld."

Jerry saved everything so after their deaths, their children Ben and Amy Stiller go back to the apartment where they were raised and where their parents lived for so many years, and as Ben and Amy go through all of the mementos of their parents' lives, theirs and their parents' stories unfold with the help of home movies and other archival footage. 

Though this film covers Anne's and Jerry's careers and shares footage from some of their comedy bits, this heartfelt film, written and directed by Ben and Amy, it is almost more about what it was like for Ben and Amy growing up with famous parents who worked together.

Anne would often say it was difficult to see where the act ended and the marriage began. Likewise, the kids would hear them yelling and weren't sure if they were rehearsing or fighting. Ben and Amy share anecdotes and personal observations about their lives with these remarkable people who they clearly loved and admired. And it's a remarkable documentary.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a poignant and fun tribute to a wonderful pair of actor/comedians who deserve to be remembered. (Apple+)

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)!