Q-Tips Reviews

Set in 1967, THE MIRACLE CLUB is a heartwarming film that follows the story of three generations of close friends, Lily (Maggie Smith), Eileen (Kathy Bates), and Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) of Ballygar, a hard-knocks community in Dublin, who have one tantalizing dream: to win a pilgrimage to the sacred French town of Lourdes, that place of miracles that draws millions of visitors each year. When the chance to win presents itself, the women seize it. However, just before their trip, their old friend Chrissie (Laura Linney) arrives in Ballygar for her mother’s funeral, dampening their good mood and well-laid plans. The women secure tickets and set out on the journey that they hope will change their lives, with Chrissie, a skeptical traveler, joining in place of her mother. The glamor and sophistication of Chrissie, who has just returned from a nearly 40-year exile in the United States, are not her only distancing traits: Old wounds are reopened along the way, forcing the women to confront their pasts even as they travel in search of a miracle. Their shared traumas can only be healed by the curative power of love and friendship.

Q-tips say: YES, Watch it & Enjoy the scenery which is wonderful.

The Miracle Club is a movie about three generations of women coming to terms with the past. As part of their pursuit of healing from physical or emotional wounds, they take advantage of winning tickets for a journey to Lourdes, the beautiful city at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains. Many people, especially Roman Catholics, believe that miraculous healings take place at Lourdes. And our three women have high expectations that they will experience their own miracles. 

PS: Liked the story but a little difficult to understand at times because of accents. So put on the sub titles if needed.

Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Pain Hustlers is a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed.

Qtips say: YES, watch it. A decent story about the Fentanyl crisis.  It shows us a harsh reality of the pharmaceutical market.

Venice, Italy NOT Venice FL.

“A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Q-tips say: Was ok – was a tod slow at times but enjoy Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot adaptation. Secret ingredient has been none other than adapting Agatha Christie through the lens of gothic horror; a subtle twist that instantly turns ‘Mystery in Venice’ into a stimulating and enjoyable movie.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 Peacock, rent on Apple TV, or buy on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu.

Join the Portokalos family as they travel to a family reunion in Greece for a heartwarming and hilarious trip full of love, twists and turns. Opa!

Q-tips say: Yes, watch it.

Mrs. Q says: If you enjoyed the other My Big Fat Wedding movies, you might enjoy #3 – especially it takes place in Greece. The Matriarch had either Dementia or Alzheimer’s, so that was sad. The scenery was beautiful. Oh and that rattletrap of a vehicle that they rode around in was RIDICULOUS!

Netflix series – Evolution, competition and mass extinction; three fundamental rules drive the rise and fall of life on Earth for over four billion years. Series # 1 – Evolution, competition and mass extinction; three fundamental rules drive the rise and fall of life on Earth for over four billion years.

Q-tips say: Yes, we did enjoy the first series.

Mrs. Q really enjoys this type of series. Is it accurate? The team worked hard to make sure the whole story was historically accurate. Tom Fletcher, an actual paleontologist who worked on the series, said that the research was surprisingly accurate. Might be a decent series for kids to watch (probably ages 7+). Parents, get ready to answer some questions.

In LIFE ON OUR PLANET, planet Earth is formed and goes through stages of struggle. Land masses are created out of spewing lava, the air clouds and clears, and water settles to form oceans. Billions of years ago, out of the oceans came the first signs of life, and since then, life has been vying for global dominance. Dynasties of “bloodlines” have risen and fallen. Which will succeed in surviving the longest? Where do humans fit into the global picture?

‘BlackBerry’ tells the story of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the two men that charted the course of the spectacular rise and catastrophic demise of the world’s first smartphone.

Q-tips say: Yes, watch it. We enjoyed this movie.

Mrs. Q says: If you know a Mr. or Ms. Gadget, this is probably a good movie for them to watch. They might even say after seeing this movie, “I think I still have my Blackberry somewhere here.”

An entertaining film features standout work from Baruchel, especially when he begins to crack with the realization that Apple is getting ready to kill his company with their upcoming iPhone, a product with the highest consumer interest in history. Work from Baruchel and a ferociously good Howerton as the unscrupulous Balsillie, BlackBerry is a cautionary tale of tech-world hubris told with dark humour and a satirical edge

Single mother Julie (César Calamy) works a grueling job as a head chambermaid in a five-star Parisian hotel. Julie’s daily balance of commuting from her remote suburb into Paris, tenuous childcare and search for a new job to get her out of debt, becomes unmanageable during a paralyzing transport strike in Paris. Literally running from dawn to sunset to get to her job and back home in time to fetch her children, Julie is constantly on the verge of a breakdown.

Q-tips say: Was good but a tad slow at time. Each night, Julie dreams that she’s drowning. Water fills her ears and presses down on her chest. But when she wakes – jolted out of a bone-tired slumber by her alarm – the reality is not so different. A single mum of two children, with debts mounting and her ex-husband missing along with his alimony, she is barely keeping afloat. Her childcare options are running out; her job, as the head chambermaid at a five-star hotel, is stressful; her commute, from a Paris suburb to the centre of the city, is precision-timed. And just when she thinks there’s a chance of a new opportunity – an interview for a much better job – a strike paralyses the entire transport network. Some might relay that sometimes it’s difficult to be on time when we need to rely on public transportation to arrive at our destination. The movie tells a story that many viewers might able to relate to on an intensely personal level.

You might enjoy it. Some reviews show that the audience & movie critics did enjoy this movie.