1/23 – Levi is left to raise two young girls when his wife dies during the birth of their second child, but he must fight to save his family and their home after borrowing money from a ruthless loan shark.
Q-tips say: OK watch it. Mr. Q enjoyed it more than Mrs. Q.
The final five or so minutes of A Place Called Home are perfect. The minor dips are well worth getting to this conclusion.
Netflix –
After a young man and his beloved dog are separated on the Appalachian Trail, he and his father must begin a desperate search to find him before it’s too late. Based on an incredible true story of humanity and everyday heroism.
Q-tips say: YES! See it. We really enjoyed this movie. “Dog Gone” is an inspiring, uplifting story about people – from all over the world – who come together to reach a common goal: to find Gonker. Even if you can correctly guess what will transpire, it can elicit some tears.
Mrs. Q says: Dog Gone is a film for dog lovers and those looking for feel-good family dramas. If you like dogs, you might like this movie & want to get a dog if you don’t already have one.
Golden Globes – won Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.
Mrs. Q says: WHAT?? Are you kidding me Golden Globes? This movie is under musical/comedy best picture category.
Q-tips say: We did enjoy this movie. Mrs. Q says: If you don’t mind a slow, sad story, The Banshees of Inisherin is worth watching thanks to gorgeous scenery and some terrific acting. Wonderful cast and glorious scenery (and animals!)
At the tail end of the Irish Civil War in 1923, on the fictional Irish isle of Inisherin, folk musician Colm Doherty abruptly begins ignoring his lifelong friend and drinking buddy Pádraic Súilleabháin. Pádraic, though nice and well liked by the islanders, is too “dull” for Colm, who wishes to spend the remainder of his life composing music and doing things for which he will be remembered. Pádraic’s life is destabilized by the loss of one of his few friends; as Pádraic grows increasingly distressed at the rejection, Colm becomes more resistant to his old friend’s attempts to speak to him. Colm eventually gives Pádraic an ultimatum: every time Pádraic bothers him or tries to talk with him, Colm will cut off one of his own left fingers with a pair of sheep shears.
Though Pádraic’s caring sister Siobhán and troubled local boy Dominic attempt to defuse the pair’s escalating battle, their efforts prove fruitless. After a drunken Pádraic confronts him in the pub and then attempts to apologise, Colm cuts off one of his fingers and throws it on Pádraic’s door. After Pádraic sees Colm meeting with a fiddler from the mainland, Pádraic tricks the fiddler into returning home by lying about his father’s death. As the tensions worsen, local elder Mrs. McCormick warns Pádraic that death will come to the island soon. Meanwhile, Siobhán gently rejects Dominic’s earnest romantic advances.
Pádraic visits Colm to reprimand him for behaving so badly. Colm reveals that he has finished composing his song, which he calls “The Banshees of Inisherin”. Pádraic suggests that he should go ahead to the pub and order them a couple of pints. Colm says that would be fine. Pádraic tells Colm about lying to the fiddler to run him off the island, and that perhaps all three of them could have drinks. Colm cuts off his remaining left fingers with the shears and throws them at the door of Padraic’s cottage.
Sick of life on the island, Siobhán moves to the mainland for a job in a library. Pádraic comes home to find his pet donkey Jenny has choked on one of the fingers and died. A heartbroken Pádraic blames Colm for Jenny’s death. He confronts Colm to tell him he will burn his house down the next day. Pádraic sets the house on fire, taking Colm’s dog to safety. As Pádraic leaves, he sees Colm sitting inside the burning building. The local policeman, Dominic’s abusive father Peadar, goes to Pádraic’s house. He is diverted away by Mrs. McCormick, who wordlessly leads him to Dominic’s corpse floating in the nearby lake.
The next morning, Pádraic, with the dog, finds Colm standing on the beach beside his burnt-out house. Colm apologizes for Jenny’s death and suggests destroying the house has ended their feud, but Pádraic informs him that it only would have ended if he’d stayed inside the house. When Colm wonders if the Civil War has ended, Pádraic states he believes it may be a good thing that there are some things that can’t be moved on from. As Pádraic turns to leave, Colm thanks him for looking after his dog; “Any time,” Pádraic replies. Unbeknownst to them, Mrs. McCormick had been watching them from afar.
While attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a killing spree and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago. As Nevermore Academy hosts a range of sirens, werewolves and more, the series is rooted in the supernatural, and Wednesday herself is also shown to have visions. And with a mysterious monster on the loose, there are a lot of jump scares throughout. She also starts to learn of secret societies, dark truths about the town’s history of treatment towards outcasts, and a violent action from Nevermore’s past that her parents are connected to. Once eager to escape Nevermore, Wednesday is determined to discover the truth behind all these strange happenings.
Q-tips say: Yes, it is a series. We did enjoy it but NOT FOR LITTLE ONES. Ok for teens age 14+.
Mrs. Q says: Creepy, Cooky, and Charming. As a bonus, she has Thing joining her through it all. But she’ll also have to make a few more friends along the way for what she has to face.
A couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
Q-tips say: Mr. Q liked it more than Mrs. Q.
The Menu is an interesting look at class structure, a cultish devotion to art and a deconstruction of pretentiousness in today’s society.
The Menu is just out there, its violent, intentionally creepy, dark, and at times horrifically comedic. The Menu becomes increasingly creepy with each new course with a killer ending.
Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. Among those on the guest list are Miles’ former business partner Andi Brand, current Connecticut governor Claire Debella, cutting-edge scientist Lionel Toussaint, fashion designer and former model Birdie Jay and her conscientious assistant Peg, and influencer Duke Cody and his sidekick girlfriend Whiskey. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.
Q-tips say: Mr. Q enjoyed it more than I. A twisty remix of the classic British-style murder mystery, with a fabulous location and a group of suspects who all have motive and opportunity.
Mrs. Q says: Glass Onion is a perfect reminder that great art need not be serious. Sometimes, it’s just about having fun. If you look closely, even the Mona Lisa is smiling just a little. “Glass Onion” gently mocks its characters, which what makes it enjoyable. Not for children.
In 19th-century England, a minister’s quest to modernize his village puts him at odds with people who believe that whoever lights the candle that an angel touched will receive a miracle on Christmas Eve.
Q-tips say: Yes, enjoyed it. Watch it. Magic and faith blend in story of good works and miracles. The Christmas Candle is both a nice holiday tale and a touching mediation on the value of using one’s faith to create everyday miracles.
A great Christmas movie for the family.
12/28/22 – During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary finds herself at the now run-down lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Work-a-holic Kim finally reaches her breaking point when her boyfriend turns around and breaks up with her instead of proposing, so Kim’s mom takes her away to a Christmas Retreat to reconnect with the spirit of the holiday. Little do they know – the owner of the retreat has enlisted the help of her newly unemployed brother Mark, who seems to share a lot of Kim’s tendencies. But will they be able to see past the similarities neither one wants to admit to, and let the magic of the season connect them with something they couldn’t have planned for?
Q-tips say: Yes, we did enjoy this movie.
Amazon – Ten-year-old Gloria and her recently widowed grandfather Bud befriend a mysterious reindeer when the family gathers for Christmas. Bud comes to believe that Prancer may actually be magical, but Gloria fears his theory will send him straight to a retirement home. They try to keep the secret while figuring out why the reindeer has appeared, and longstanding rifts within the family are healed along the way.
Q-tips say: Was ok. Prancer is a heartwarming children’s Christmas movie about a girl finding a reindeer and wanting to keep it as a pet, but she has to come to the decision to keep it or give the deer back to Santa creating a movie of happiness, sadness, and some drama.
12/26/22 – Senior Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) is back and this time, the case is critical. Along with his two celebrity guest stars, Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph, he is on a mission to figure out…who killed Santa? But here’s the catch: Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph aren’t being given the script. They have no idea what’s about to happen to them. Together, with Terry Seattle (and many surprises), they will have to improvise their way through the case… but it will be up to both of them to name the killer.
Q-tips say: This special doesn’t do much to bring the holiday spirit, but it offers a few laughs.
Mrs. Q says: Don’t waste your time watching this when there are so many more movies you might enjoy watching.
