11/22/22 – https://www.christkindlmarket.com/
50 W Washington St Chicago, IL 60602
Q-tips say: GO & Enjoy!
We enjoyed the day with our Grandson, Daughter & Son-in-law.
Mrs. Q says: It is FREE to go in – no charge. But they do charge when you buy their items & eat their delicious food.
11/13/22 – A cynical journalist must get from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles in time for Christmas, and his only option is to take the train.
Q-tips say: We did enjoy this movie. The Christmas Train is filled with memorable characters who have packed their bags with as much wisdom as mischief … and shows how we do get second chances to fulfill our deepest hopes and dreams, especially during this season of miracles.
11/22 – Two junior elves misplace a town’s letters to Santa and set out to retrieve the missing wishes.
Q-tips say: Was ok but nothing special.
The movie had good moments, but a lot of the acting was not so good. Perhaps it is a good one-time watch, but wouldn't watch it again. Probably ok for someone around 3 to 10 years old.
11/09/22 – Four sisters reunite for Christmas in a Yorkshire Mansion. Misunderstandings lead to the unearthing of the long-buried secret that tore their family apart many years ago.
Q-tips say: We did like it even though the critics did not.
As the saying goes: you can pick your friends but not your family. Yes, there are some silly parts but anyone who has siblings can relate to some of the characters in this movie.
Caroline Christmas works hard to prepare the perfect Christmas for her extended family. But, as her mother, Elizabeth, and three sisters arrive at her country home, it’s clear that their different personalities are causing more of an explosive spark than a festive sparkle. When her estranged father, James , arrives unexpectedly with his younger girlfriend, family Christmas starts to look very different to the one she had planned.
Mrs. Q says: I enjoyed when they all went to the pub & had a good time.
11/8/22 – Jules Claus has embraced Christmas again and is getting ready for the busiest time of the year together with grandpa Noël. Everything seems to go according to plan, until Jules receives a very special letter with an intriguing question.
Q-tips say: YES, see it. A simple Christmas story, The Claus Family 2 does the job. A tad slow and but the messages are overall sweet and festive.
Mrs. Q says: A spoiler alert – Jules learns the importance of always trying, even when the odds are against you. I do appreciate that the writers didn’t go down the easy road and have the divorced parents get back together, but instead learn to be a family in two homes.
11/6/22 –
An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical, comic and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible.
Q-tips say: With this year’s holiday season just beginning, A Boy Called Christmas is a wonderful way to get begin the festivities.
It is warm, entertaining and unpretentious. If you are looking for some Christmas magic this season, this might do the trick.
11/5/22 – Fresh off the triumph of solving her first case, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) follows in the footsteps of her famous brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill), and opens her own agency — only to find that life as a female detective-for-hire isn’t as easy as it seems. Resigned to accepting the cold realities of adulthood, she is about to close shop when a penniless matchstick girl offers Enola her first official job: to find her missing sister. But this case proves to be far more puzzling than expected, as Enola is thrown into a dangerous new world — from London’s sinister factories and colorful music halls, to the highest echelons of society and 221B Baker Street itself. As the sparks of a deadly conspiracy ignite, Enola must call upon the help of friends — and Sherlock himself — to unravel her mystery. The game, it seems, has found its feet again!
Q-tips say: YES, see it! Enola Holmes 2 is charming and well-acted. The story may be too complicated for its own good and a bit on the predictable side, but the journey is sweet nonetheless.
The game is afoot in Enola Holmes 2, a wonderful showcase for Millie Bobby Brown manages to work the character’s famous brother, Sherlock, more organically into the mix.
11/4/22 – Daniel Radcliffe is “Weird Al” Yankovic in the unexaggerated true story about the greatest musician and sex symbol of our time. With Evan Rachel Wood and Rainn Wilson.
Q-tips say: Some parts were enjoyable & good but others, not so good, just kind of goofy.
Yankovic diehards will likely enjoy this movie since — like his parody songs — it takes self-serious pieces of pop culture and changes the words to something silly.
10/22 – In the village of Gavaldon, two misfits and best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), share the unlikeliest of bonds. Sophie, a lover of fairy tales, dreams of escaping her ordinary village life, while Agatha, with her grim aesthetic, has the makings of a real witch. Then one night under a blood red moon, a powerful force sweeps them away to the School for Good and Evil — where the true story of every great fairy tale begins. Yet something is amiss from the start: Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, run by the glamourous and acid-tongued Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron), and Agatha in the School for Good, overseen by the sunny and kind Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington). As if navigating classes with the offspring of Cinderella, Captain Hook, and the dashing son of King Arthur (Jamie Flatters) wasn’t hard enough, according to the Schoolmaster (Laurence Fishburne), only true love’s kiss can change the rules and send the girls to their rightful school. But when a dark and dangerous figure (Kit Young) with mysterious ties to Sophie reemerges and threatens to destroy the school and the rulebook entirely — the only way to a happy ending is to survive the fairytale first.
Q-tips say: Yes, see it. We enjoyed it especially during Halloween time.
The critics did not like it so much but the audience did – so see it.
The film doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a lot of fun and has plenty of heart thanks to its leading performances and solid character development.
Two young actresses outshine a stellar cast in THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, a reimagining of fairy tales.
10/15/22 – A father (Marlon Wayans) and his teenage daughter (Priah Ferguson) are forced to team up and save their town after an ancient and mischievous spirit causes Halloween decorations to come to life and wreak havoc.
Q-tips say: See it! Get read for Halloween & see it.
A movie that is full of playful scares. The story isn’t wholly original or even new, but it delivers on what it promises. It’s difficult not to be charmed by a cute family-friendly (Mrs. Q says: but NOT for the very little ones) Halloween movie that instills the importance of Halloween while embracing it on a massive scale.
