It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Only one more day until Christmas! I am going to burst with all this holiday cheer! There is so much happening in a short period of time! I wish I had Clarence as my guardian angel to guide me through the rough times of the holiday season. With that being said, I am glad to announce that the next movie on my list is "It’s a Wonderful Life".

As we wander through the life of George Bailey (James Stewart), we see his life did not turn out exactly how he expected. All the plans he made for himself got lost in situations that required more immediate attention, leaving George to believe the life he planned out was not worth living.  

When Clarence (Henry Travers) is sent from Heaven to help George get through rough times, he shows George how life would have turned out if he was never born.

I have had several people recommend this movie and since I have never seen it, I had no idea what I was in for. Well, let's just say I started watching it at around 11 PM and ended around 2 AM ugly crying in my bed and wanting to call my mom to thank her for giving me life. That is how beautiful “It’s a Wonderful Life” was. You, at one point or another, have impacted someone’s life in a positive way that not even you realize it at that moment. Your life has more meaning behind it than you give yourself credit for.

I honestly think the reason this movie had so much impact was that it does not only show you how George Bailey is feeling currently but, It takes you through his entire life and every decision he made to end up where he is. James Stewart was phenomenal and so was Donna Reed. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is based on the short story ‘The Greatest Gift’ written by Philip Van Doren Stern. If I could go back in time and shake Mr. Stern’s hand, I would. That is how highly I thought of this movie. My next adventure would definitely be reading ‘The Greatest Gift’.

I HIGHLY and I mean HIGHLY recommend this movie to everyone. Even though it is a Christmas movie, it is a movie that can be watched when you're feeling down in the dumps. It will easily liven your spirits.

9 Guardian Angels out of 10

Home Alone (1990)

Since I did a drive from New Jersey to Florida, I was unable to update my movie review yesterday. Hope I am forgiven! I will double up today to make up for it! Hope you all enjoy!

This movie blows my mind sometimes. I could not go to the corner without my parents knowing exactly where I was, so how do you forget your child at home while on a trip, no less?
On the real, this movie is actually really damn funny and cute.

When Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) accidentally gets left at home during Christmas, he must fend off some burglars that have targeted his house. 

Even though, Macaulay Culkin has been a piece of work growing up, he was a fucking awesome child actor. I do not think there is one Macaulay movie that is not good. Home Alone really kicked off his career. Working alongside actors like Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, there is no way this movie was going to be bad from the start. Seriously, the shit that Kevin McCallister puts Harry and Marv through is extremely entertaining. For example: when Marv gets electrocuted, I almost chocked on my soda. It is definitely a movie that both kids and adults will enjoy.

While the story line does have some plot holes, hey, what movies do not? I do have to say, overall, the story is pretty damn original. 

8 hot irons and feathers out of 10

Love,
Jennifer 

Bad Santa (2003)

Have you ever watched something so bad but still laughed and thought ‘wow, I must be a horrible person’. This is what watching Bad Santa is like. 

Billy Bob Thornton is all sorts of dirty in this movie. Along with Bernie Mac and Tony Cox, this trio makes this movie fucking side-hurting funny. Billy Bob plays Willie, who is an alcoholic and a sex addict who works with fellow con man Marcus (played by Tony Cox). Both set up as Santa and Santa’s Helper at different malls around the United States and rob them every Christmas Eve.  During their plan to rob a mall, Marcus and Willie get themselves into an unfortunate situation- a crooked security guard (played by Bernie Mac-RIP) wants half of their winnings and a troubled little boy wants nothing more than to befriend Santa.

This movie is so bad that it’s good. So creative and dirty. Billy Bob does a great job of making you feel gross in all the right places. The thought that was put into setting this cast up together really pulled this movie through. This was one of those moments in Hollywood where if the cast would have been different by just one person, this entire movie would have tanked.  By far one of the better dark humor Christmas movies out there. There are so many Christmas movies for kids that it was about time they threw out a Christmas movie for adults. 

This movie really is a great addition to your Christmas rotation. Make sure the kids are not around for this one.


 
7 dirty Santa suits out of 10

BYEEEE!

Last Holiday (2006)

Before we start I have to say that the reason I chose this movie was for the sole purpose that I absolutely LOVE Queen Latifah. With that being said, I had totally forgotten that she did a Christmas movie. It wasn’t till I googled Christmas movies that Last Holiday came up.

Holiday Rom-Coms are always an easy go to. They are fun and quirky and just all around feel goods. This Rom-Com was just okay. It was completely predictable. Queen Latifah plays Georgia, who is so uptight and stressed out all the time. When she finds out she has a terminal illness and only has three weeks to live she wants to enjoy all the things she was always too scared to do. 

God, I love Queen Latifah, but there was no saving this movie. The plot was completely predictable and kind of annoying. You know that because she is dying that everything is going to go just as planned. The character that was Georgia’s love interest, Sean (played by LL Cool J - this man is unbelievably gorgeous!), was so boring. While I am not going to spoil the ending to you because I’m not that kind of monster, the ending did not faze me at all! There was no OOMPH! It was just alright. Acting wise - Queen Latifah did well, as she always does, she has a knack for making people laugh naturally and LL Cool J was honestly just there as handsome love interest - Sorry J but I'm being honest.

Pro: Gérard Depardieu is in this movie! 

This movie did produce some giggles which means it wasn’t a complete waste of time but, It is a movie that could easily fall through the cracks if no one mentions it for a while- you know kinda how I forgot it existed. 

5.5 roasted quails out of 10

BYEE!

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

As we edge closer and closer to Christmas, the more excited I get. I don’t know if it is just me, but the holiday cheer is extremely strong this year. There are joy and happiness around every corner. My choice of movie this time was for that exact reason!

Miracle on 34th Street is about the perception of Christmas. When a nice old man shows up to town and claims to be Santa Claus, no one believes him. He is then sent to an institution for the insane because of it. When a family friend and lawyer believes him, he helps him out while getting the rest of New York city to believe in him too!

This is one of those movies you watch and it reminds you of the magic of imagination, the magic of believing in something other than reality. Little Susan (played by Natalie Wood) doesn’t believe in Santa Claus because of her mother, Doris (played by Maureen O’Hara), doesn’t want her believing in silly fairy tales. When Kris Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn) shows up he shows her that faith is just as important as seeing what is real. This movie was so sweet. It really made me miss the feeling Christmas gave me as a child, bright-eyed and innocent. Edmund Gwenn played such a good Santa Claus. He was so sweet and full of life. Fun Fact: He was the actual Santa Claus of the Macy’s Day parade in 1946. This is probably why he got this part. Natalie Wood who was only 9 at the time also did an amazing performance, with her sassy little attitude. The story (written by Valentine Davies) is so original. This is a huge reason why I usually watch originals, it's incredible to see the creativity that was poured into this movie.

Miracle on 34th Street was very enjoyable. I highly recommend this movie to both children and adults, I think it should be added to everyone's Christmas movie rotation!

8 walking canes out of 10

This Christmas (2007)

Whenever I watch Christmas movies I always feel under-represented. I have a big family and we are all a mess - usually. While we would kill for each other, we all drive each other insane. So when I watch these movies where there is a perfect family I get annoyed- that is not the reality of most families. This Christmas is much more accurate to what my family looks like during the holidays than any other Christmas movie. 

When Ma’Dere (played by Loretta Devine) hosts her annual Christmas party with her children, not all show-up, but this Christmas is the first Christmas the entire family is together in 4 years, bring in serious family drama. 

Again, I definitely felt like this was a better representation of what my family looks like during the holidays. Everyone together helping each other through struggles that only your family could help you with. This movie is more for adults than for children making it a different type of Christmas movie, but it really does give the insight of what families go through during the holidays. 

This movie had a star-studded cast with Regina King playing the sister whose husband is a lying asshole. Columbus Short playing the brother that went into the military and ended up marrying a white woman and being scared to disappoint his family. Idris Elba playing the brother that followed his dream to be a saxophone player but getting into quite some trouble along the way. Chris Brown playing the youngest brother who has an incredible voice but is forced to hide it from his mother(He was so handsome during this time!). Sharon Leal playing the sister that ran away from the family and never looked back and Lauren London playing the sister who went off to college. Tying up this entire movie with Loretta Devine playing the mother of the entire family and Delroy Lindo playing the father figure of them all.

This really was a great movie. It showed the raw feels of family. The actors were all great and all had great chemistry with each other. I forgot how cute Chris Brown was - you know, prior to the whole Rihanna incident. Everyone's acting was on point. Also, this movie must have thrown out a hell of a soundtrack, Chris alone sang two amazing songs. 

This Christmas has touches of humor and heartbreak. It was one of those movies you want to go hug your mom once you're done watching it. 

There were about 5 people who recommended I watch this movie. Which is why I took the time to make it a part of my 12 days of Christmas. Great choice! Great Actors! Great recommendation!

The best part of this movie: The line dance at the end of the movie! 

7 hot hams and collard greens of 10

Later!

White Christmas (1954)

Can you do a P.S. before you actually write something? Too bad I’m going to do it! 
P.S. - ONLY 7 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!!!
  
When it comes to Christmas movies, usually the older the better. There have been some classics to come out in recent years including The Grinch, Elf and Home Alone (*Spoiler*). Usually, though, the older movies are the ones that shaped the foundation for good Christmas movies. 

After serving in the military together, Bob Wallace (played by Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Played by Danny Kaye) find success on Broadway as a performing duo. After falling for a quite lovely sister act (played by Rosemary Clooney & Vera-Ellen) Wallace and Davis follow the girls to Vermont only to find that the Inn they were staying at was owned by their formal commanding general. Seeing the lack of snow and people coming into the Inn, Wallace and Davis decide they will do anything to help their general and friend. 


You know, I never noticed what a handsome man Bing Crosby was and what a voice! The MUSIC was phenomenal. I mean with a voice like Bing Crosby were you expecting anything less? With good music usually comes good dancing and with good dancing comes Vera-Ellen. Vera-Ellen is actually known for being one of the youngest Rockettes ever. This movie had so much love and passion put into it that you can clearly see it shine through the characters and into the actors themselves. It was funny and heartwarming. One of those movies you will definitely want to watch every Christmas. 


I have had positive reviews of most the Christmas movies I have watched. This shows what a freaking sap I am for cute Christmas movies. 

I HIGHLY Recommend this movie to everyone! Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it’s an overall sweet movie.

8 liverwurst sandwiches out of 10

Later!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

I was so excited to watch this movie. Why? BECAUSE IT’S MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE OF ALL TIME. This movie makes me so happy. It is fun and cute. Besides, Jim Carrey is in it! Any movie with Jim Carrey is always better. You hear that Jim! I am a huge fan.
    
This adaption of Dr. Seuss’s beloved story is by far one of the better adaptations out there. While I do and will always believe that Dr. Seuss’s stories should stay as stories, we can’t control Hollywood. So, when Hollywood drops a movie I’m there to watch and let you all know how I feel. This one won my heart because not only is it a good movie it has a GREAT soundtrack. Come on, Faith Hill singing Where are you Christmas is so beautiful. Again, I know this movie has bad reviews out there and like I said a large part has to do with people not wanting Hollywood to destroy Dr. Seuss.
   
On the outskirts of Whoville, on top of Mount Crumpit, lives a green creature that the Whos' couldn't stomach.(OMG I’M FUCKING RHYMING) He was angry and sad all balled into one, so he thought he would wreak havoc, then laugh about what was done. (i CAN’T STOP IT!) As Christmas came close as it does every year, this year appears different as the holiday came near. (I BETTER NOT GET STUCK SPEAKING IN RHYME) Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) was not scared of the Grinch (Jim Carrey) that everyone fears, She thought he was lonely or so it appeared. ( I’M STARTING TO PANIC) She invites him to Christmas so he can see, that Christmas means more than presents and glee. (AHHHHHHHHH).
    
Well, that was completely exhausting. As you can see (from my beautiful poem above) this movie is really sweet and shows that Christmas is a time of year when we can put our differences aside and love and respect one another- I have already stated this in a couple of times before.  I watch this movie religiously every year. In all honesty, I don't know who could have played the Grinch better than Jim Carrey. He was witty and funny while still being clean (it's a kids movie at the end of the day).  He was the reason the movie did so well. His improvisation skills while staying to true to the character was awesome. I could be biased right now, you know, because I love Jim, but I don't think you'll be disappointed if you watch this movie. Also, I believe (you are more than free to disagree with me) this is one of the most quotable Christmas movies of all time. I can relate to the Grinch on so many levels (he is one of my spirit animals). 
   
I highly recommend this movie to everyone out there that wants a fun, family-friendly Christmas movie that isn’t the same story over and over.

6 one-antlered reindeer out of 10

Side Note:  I just want to let you all know that even though I am biased to certain movies or genres, I do give credit where credit is due. With that being said, if I like a movie but I know it's not a great movie, I am very fair with the reviews and ratings or I try my best to be. Again, this is for fun. So comment on what you think! 

Elf (2003)

You are all cotton-headed ninny-muggins! I forget how funny this movie is. I did have two glasses of wine prior to watching this movie - but I don’t think that impaired my judgment...by much.

Buddy (Will Ferrell) is a human that accidentally ended up in the North pole. He was raised by Elves and lived his life believing he was one of them. When he discovers that he, in fact, is a human he sets out to New York City to find his long-lost father. Writer David Berenbaum did a good job writing this story. It is cute, clever and tons of fun. I don't know if he expected Elf to get as much hype as it has gotten but it really turned into a holiday classic that families all over the world watch every year.

To begin - and PLEASE don’t hate me - I am not a fan of Will Ferrell’s comedy. I do admit he is a very funny fella. (Will, I give credit where credit is due!). I am just not too fond of slapstick comedies. But, Will Ferrell did a spectacular job in this movie. He made it simple to love and have compassion for Buddy the Elf. He made Buddy so different yet so relatable. Zooey Deschanel plays Jovie - Buddy’s love interest- (I must sound like a negative Nancy), she falls below average in this film. I know her way she acts is quite sarcastic and dry, but for a holiday movie she could have lightened up the mood. She added no excitement to her character. Zooey’s awkwardness that she portrays on screen is usually loved by many - why do you think New Girl has lasted so long - but it didn’t fit as nice with Will’s extremely high energy character. I don’t want to be too hard on Zooey since this was still when she was finding her personal acting style - she has gotten much better!  

It has been years since I actually sat down and watched Elf in all its glory. I laughed so much (again, could of been the wine).

I highly recommend adding this movie to your holiday rotation!

7 bottles of Syrup out of 10

Later! <3

El Camino Christmas (2017)

Netflix has dropped TWO Netflix original Christmas movies this year. One being A Christmas Prince which we already spoke about yesterday and two being El Camino Christmas. Not a typical Christmas movie but pretty entertaining.

El Camino Christmas is about a young man named Eric Norris (played by the very handsome Luke Grimes, Hey Luke! - insert winky face here) who stumbles into the quiet little town of El Camino in hopes of finding his long lost father. Looking as suspicious as he does the police start to suspect the young man is in town causing trouble and accidentally force him to hold up a liquor store.

With some pretty awesome names, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kurtwood Smith, Jessica Alba, Tim Allen, Dax Shepard and Emilio Rivera, El Camino Christmas was set up to succeed. Now did it?? The story was very original and clever, but the film did not deliver the comical gratification that it was perfectly set up for. The jokes fell short and some character fell beneath anything other than ordinary. There were characters that were added that I didn't feel we needed, it felt too extra. For Example: Jessica Alba's Character was completely unnecessary. She was a pregnant reporter who wanted to get a break on a big story so she can break out of the 'sweet' stories they make her report. When I say extra this is what I mean. Why was she pregnant? I know Jessica is pregnant in real life, but it was so random to just add a pregnant character if you are not going to elaborate on anything in that characters life or if there is no purpose to that character. My personal opinion here. What they should of done was added a little more personality into the characters that were important, that would of created a better 'WOW' affect towards the end of the film. Even with the originality of the story, there was a constant struggle to bring this movie to life.

I did, however, enjoy the movie. It is definitely was not a typical ‘Christmas’ movie, but it was fun to watch.

5 Drano bottles out of 10

Laterz!

A Christmas Prince (2017)

I am really excited to be starting the 12 days of Christmas with all of you! ! I love the holidays season, it is a time when we can put aside our childish behavior and remember that family is one of the most important things in the world. Whether it be blood family, extended family, or friend family - family is family.

The day of winter storm Benji, I did nothing but eat and watch movies, giving me plenty of time to catch up on my Christmas movies. This was one of them.

Amber (played by Rose Mclver) is an amateur reporter that would do anything to advance her career. When she gets assigned a case to go interview the playboy Prince of Aldovia (played by Ben Lamb), not only is she nervous, but desperate to get herself a story. Being the bad boy that the media portrays him to be, Prince Richard skips out on the press interview leaving Amber with a decision, does she stay and fight for a story or does she go home without one?  Amber decides to go undercover as the tutor of the prince's younger sister Princess Emily (Played by Honor Kneafsey).

So cute yet so predictable. The characters were so flat and boring. The most interesting character was the King - and he was dead. Prince Richard was dry and dull, there was no depth to him and same thing happened to Amber, her character had no development. I did, in fact, enjoy Princess Emily as a character. She was a bit more interesting than the rest. The relationships between characters were forced and unsteady. The relationship Princess Emily and Amber form is so quick that it dismisses any character development we see when Amber first arrives.

Netflix should have hired some more creative writers - I do understand that there are only so many stories you can incorporate into a Christmas movie- there was a lot that could have been done to ensure this movie did not end up so bland. By the middle of the movie you already know how it is going to end. The story was there, the actors were there, it was a missed opportunity to make this movie completely original. They stuck to what was safe.

I am writing in view of what a good movie entails, now, did I like this movie though? Yes. I did. I think will become a Christmas classic. I really like sappy Christmas movies, I had fun watching this and I think a lot of you will too. Just do not expect anything out of the ordinary. Enjoy!

5 ACORNS OUT OF 10

Byee!

Caddyshack (1980)

WARNING: This movie will cause some serious laughing cramps. 

The owners at Bushwood Country Club have their hands full trying to handle a crazed real estate developer, some crazy new members and a dancing gopher, all while maintaining their prestigious name and their sanity! 

With actors like Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield, this movie was a perfect set up to become a classic. Bill Murray plays Carl Spackler, a deranged young man who is Bushwood's greens-keep and is obsessed with destroying the gopher that has been ripping the golf course apart. Chevy Chase plays Ty Webb, a talented young golfer and the son of one of Bushwood's co-founders. Rodney Dangerfield plays Al Czervik, an obnoxious real estate developer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on Bushwood's property. The fate of Bushwood now lies between two teams competing and a dancing gopher who keeps getting in the way. 

When this movie was released there was hot tension between main actors Bill Murray and Chevy Chase causing them to only be in one scene together, making this the most famous scene of this entire movie. Since both actors share a similar style of acting and comedy, watching these two comical genii on scene together was impressive. There are only a handful of times when we have that kind of comical dynamic onscreen. Rodney Dangerfield, a legend all on his own, was the funny, dirty Dangerfield that we have all come to know. These three men are each known for a very important quality that makes them stand out in the comedy world - improvisation -  and it showed over and over again during the movie. There were full scenes that you, as the audience, can tell that they are completely improvised, feeding into the quick wit of Caddyshack. 

Favorite scene: Baby Ruth in the pool

I recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of director Harold Ramis and if you want a good laugh. 

7.5 golf balls out of 10

Laters!

P.S. - Tomorrow starts my 12 days of Christmas! Can't wait to share with all of you.

Never Back Down (2008)

Have you ever watched a movie and thought, who the hell thought of this? Yeah? Me too. This is one of those movies. While I do enjoy martial arts movies, this movie just irritated me. If you are looking for a cliche of every single fight movie out there, here you have it.

To the point. This movie is about Jake Tyler (played by Sean Faris), who is a high school troublemaker. He ends up moving to Orlando, Florida because his younger brother gets a scholarship to attend a prestigious tennis academy there. A new school means new problems, but Jake discovers that there is an underground fight club (YES he is in high school… that’s like the Mickey Mouse Club having an underground fight club) that he decides to become a part of. After losing his first fight, he seeks out to get trained and become not only a better fighter but overall a better individual.

So………this is basically Fight Club and Karate Kid all in one movie. I know these movies are building blocks for some of the modern-day martial art films, but I really felt this movie failed to portray any kind of creativity- feel free to disagree. The story was just rewritten to add a little flair. I did, however, enjoy that Djimon Hounsou was in the film and played Jake's mentor. I like him as both an actor and an individual which is, honestly, one of the reasons I gave this movie a go. Oh, and Evan Peters is in this film which was so bonkers. He wasn't even a household name yet, so to see fresh-faced Evan getting his ass-kicked was kind of upsetting, then again, if I would have watched this movie back in 2008 when I had no idea who Evan was, I wouldn't have even of flinched.

When I went to IMDB and saw how many people rated this movie 7 stars and up, my mind was blown. Who the hell is writing those reviews? Are they getting paid? Shit, I might be doing something wrong then! But, once I saw that Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a 22% I felt a little better about my decision!

I don’t recommend this movie to ANYONE. I, personally, did not enjoy this movie. I have asked around and plenty of people seemed to enjoy it. If you are into Martial Arts films, go for it! Let me know if you enjoyed this movie and why. I might have to give it another go.

4 high school troublemakers out of 10

Laterz

The Illusionist (2006)

Back to the grind of the work week! Happy Monday everyone! Its been a relaxing weekend to what is going to be a stressful week. My finals are closing in and Friday will be my last exam for the semester. With everything going on, I will still make some time to fill you guys in on all these fun films! 

At the turn of the century, Eisenheim (Edward Norton) is an illusionist, but not just any illusionist, the best there is, that is until he gets the attention of the ruthless crown prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). A man who is as jealous as he is dangerous. He is determined to destroy Eisenheim, but Eisenheim has other plans in store.

With all the big names in the movie, it is impossible to at any point say this is a bad movie. The star-studded cast includes Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell, which in combination create a magical experience. 

On to the actors, Edward Norton, what is there bad to say about this man other than nothing. He is so pure and complete in this role that you actually forget Edward Norton is just another actor on the screen and believe that Eisenheim is a real individual. This movie portrays itself as a romantic period piece while adding a bit of flair and mystery. Jessica Biel, who plays Eisenheim's love interest, did a spectacular job in this as well (her accent was a little annoying, they could’ve done without and she would have been just as amazing). Jessica's character, the love-struck Sophie is stuck between following her heart and following her legacy, leaving her to choose between Prince Leopold or Magician Eisenheim. On to my favorite actor of the film, Paul Giamatti. Paul plays the head of the police department who is doing right by following the crowned princes order but comes to the realization that the prince may not be as innocent as he says he is. He was a character you wanted to hate but also hated that you loved.

The overall story was pretty intriguing. The cinematography alone was flawless. The only complain, which isn't even that bad, is that the beginning seems to drag just a tab bit, once it picks up it shows no mercy. Other than that, I have nothing bad to say about this film.

I recommend this movie to all the Sherlocks of the world, who are always out for a romantic mystery.

8 Orange Trees out of 10

Later!

-Remember, still open for recommendations for my 12 Days of Christmas!!

The PageMaster (1994)

Happy Sunday! Since I am still moving reviews over from my Tumblr, I am taking this time to really prepare myself for my 12 Days of Christmas Challenge!! I am down 4 Christmas movies I have 8 more to watch! They are fantastic! I am really excited!! While yesterday, we had winter storm Benji (hehe) I took the opportunity to watch Christmas movies all snuggled up! But since we are not on December 14 yet, here is an amazing non-Holiday movie that I HIGHLY (check it out, bold and in all caps - I am serious) recommend.

The PageMaster is so underrated that I don't think anyone I know has actually watched it or even heard of it. This is one of those animated non-Disney movies that people tend to not pay attention to - those people suck. But I am completely biased when it comes to reviewing this movie.

The movie is so creative and witty. Richard Tyler (played by Macaulay Culkin) is a cowardly boy who is scared of even his own shadow, while on an errand for his father he gets caught in a rainstorm with the only place to hide is a library. While in this seemingly ordinary library he discovered that he is trapped within the world of fiction and nonfiction with his only way of escaping is to believe in himself and conquer the three literary challenges; adventure, horror, and fantasy. The growth of Richard as a character is so well put together. He developed a second personality as the film progresses giving him a sort of edge.

God, I love this freaking movie. I also love that one of my favorite actors (Christopher Lloyd) in this movie. As a kid, I was really intrigued by the idea of animation and live action coming together. The idea of real and make believe crossing worlds was so interesting. Some of my favorite movies as an adult are actually cross-overs as well. For example, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is, to this day, one of my favorite movies. The PageMaster is a movie that any child can love and any parent can appreciate.
So again, I am biased to The PageMaster - but hey it's my blog and I can be Biased all I want!

I recommend this movie to adults and children alike. It’s about finding the courage within yourself to accomplish great things. If you have kids, let them watch this movie. It really is great!! 

8 Library Cards out of 10

Later!

To the Bone (2017)

This year, I had a hard year. I have struggled with the idea of my body image for the majority of 2017. Am I too fat? Am I pretty enough? Am I enough in general? Then I stopped and thought to myself. I am beautiful. I am enough. I am loved. I am happy. Everything else will fall into place. Like myself, a lot of women struggle with the idea of beauty in this twisted world. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. It took a lot for me to realize that. It is still a fighting battle every single day. But its a struggle I face with pride. 

With these thoughts disturbing so many incredible humans around the world, I try to stay away from movies that deal with mental illness. I know so many people with mental illnesses from OCD to severe depression to bulimia. Its a sad reality. So for my entertainment purposes, I stay away from those kind of films. This one caught my attention though. 

While Lily Collins played a spectacular role, there were moments that were hard to watch. There were moments that I wish I could’ve gone through the screen and hugged Ellen (played by Lily Collins). Ellen is a young girl who struggles with Anorexia. Her disorder has gotten so bad that she is on the verge of losing not only everyone she loves but her own life. She has to be stronger than her illness.

As Ellen struggles with her battles, she goes to a group home where she meets other teenagers suffering with their own battles. The doctor in charge of the home, Dr. Beckham (Keanu Reeves), takes an interest to Ellen and starts pushing her to fight for her life. The acting in this movie was so well done. Lily Collins was stunning. She displayed true human emotions through a screen, something actors work their entire lives to accomplish.

 It was such a beautiful movie. 

Mental Illness can reach anyone. Mental illness is not racist or prejudice. It does not pick and choose. It attacks and destroyed those who fall.  Rich. Poor. Black. White. Skinny. Curvy. 

All that one can do is be aware of what Mental illnesses are out there, how to help and surround yourself with love and support.

Please, if anyone you know or if you need help, reach out. There are people that will help.

Suicide Hotline - 1-800-273-8255 

I highly recommend this movie. 

7 out of 10 unicorns

And if I could ask everyone of you to just remember how beautiful you are. Man or Woman. You are someones world. <3 

Spread Love. Not Hate.

Love,

Jennifer