Mr. Malcolm’s List and color-blind casting

By |2022-09-06T21:06:09-04:00September 7th, 2022|Categories: Movies, Romance reading|Tags: , |

Over the weekend, my mom, Dr. Feelgood, and I watched Mr. Malcolm’s List. The film, based on a novel and then a short film by Suzanne Allain, tells the tale of the machinations of a proud woman, Julia, who, after being spurned by wealthy and wildly handsome single Mr. Malcolm, decides to have her revenge. Julia’s hilariously chatty cousin Lord Cassidy tells her that Mr. Malcolm has a list of ten qualities he wishes in a wife–elegant family, musically talented, kind and honest to name a few. Julia decides to turn the tables on Mr. Malcolm by recruiting her lovely–inside and out–childhood friend Selina to, using the list, trick Mr. Malcolm into falling in love. The plan is, of course, for Selina to then reject Mr. Malcolm. It will startle no one who has ever read a romance to know that the plan does not go according to plan.

If you love period pieces, Mr. Malcolm’s List will […]

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What to watch after The Lost City?

By |2022-07-11T12:13:44-04:00July 11th, 2022|Categories: Movies|Tags: , , |

 

Dr. Feelgood and I (finally) watched The Lost City (6.1 rating at IMDB) and enjoyed it. I, of course, beamed through all the love for romance novels. If you’ve not seen it, Sandra Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a romance novelist who has lost her mojo–she’s the author of a wildly popular series featuring an adventurous female archeologist, Dr. Lovemore, and her studly perfect lover, Dash. Channing Tatum plays the cover model for Dash–whose real name is Allan–and the two of them, in real life, get embroiled in a wild, adventure. The movie steals from–with respect–Romancing the Stone (6.9 at IMDB), Raiders of the Lost Ark (8.4 at IMDB) , Mr. and Mrs. Smith (6.5 at IMDB), and makes great use of the tropes romance readers love.

 

Unlike most pop culture which, historically, has belittled romance, The Lost City makes it clear that romance novels are THE BOMB. Channing Tatum is actually moving as he talks about how he […]

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We have to ask: What did you think about the Oscars?

By |2022-03-30T07:24:30-04:00March 30th, 2022|Categories: Movies|Tags: , , , |

I didn’t watch the Oscars–I’m an NCAA basketball fan (The extraordinary event that will happen when, for the first time, Duke meets UNC in the tournament in Saturday’s Final Four game is all my state can talk about.) and, on Sunday, I had serious jet lag. But, whoa, have I read about them.

As I said in the forums, I’m happy CODA won. I resent the implication it’s not worthy because it’s not intense. The Oscars of my youth routinely nominated hugely fun popular movies (see especially the 70s and 80s). Art isn’t limited to grim stories. I’m happy the winners were diverse in wonderful ways. So, I’m fine with the award outcomes. […]

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The Hating Game (movie) is… just fine.

By |2021-12-11T15:29:59-05:00December 11th, 2021|Categories: Movies|Tags: , |

This review contains spoilers for the book and the movie.

Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game is justly beloved. As Em wrote in her review, the novel is quirky, funny, romantic, delightful, and most of all, charming. It’s also sexy as hell. Romancelandia was pumped when Thorne’s book was optioned in 2017 and we’ve waited ever since to see Lucy and Josh on the big screen. Yesterday, they arrived–the movie landed in theaters and may also be streamed.

I’ll admit, I’ve been nervous about this adaptation–favorite books so rarely make favorite movies. I watched it with Dr. Feelgood, curious to see what he’d think about it–he loved it, sap that he is. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. I enjoyed it and suspect many of you will too.

 

Let me start by talking about what works.

I give high marks for the casting–Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell not only give lovely life to Thorne’s […]

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Best looking on screen couple of all time?

By |2021-10-04T08:17:07-04:00October 4th, 2021|Categories: Movies|Tags: |

A friend came over this weekend and said he and his 22 year old daughter had been discussing this for fun and, no shock, had completely different answers to the question: Who is the most attractive on-screen couple of all time?

His daughter felt it was impossible to beat Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. […]

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Over the Big Mis

By |2021-03-08T08:05:11-05:00March 8th, 2021|Categories: Dabney AAR, Movies|Tags: , , |

Last night my mom and I watched the 1995 rom com While You Were Sleeping and…. well, let’s just say it was not for us. (My mom, every 15 fifteen minutes: This makes no sense.) What we disliked the most about it–and there is a list–is its premise. None of the film would have been necessary–and that would have been a good thing–if Sandra Bullock’s Lucy had just said, with her famous I really just want to be loved smile, “Sorry, there’s been a big misunderstanding.” […]

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Bite Me: A Love Story for Our Time by Naomi McDougall Jones

By |2019-07-05T14:14:16-04:00July 5th, 2019|Categories: Movies|Tags: , , |

I love a good romance story. In fact, there is almost no feeling that I love more than that heart-stretching, swelly feeling when the two lovers have left each other but might get back together but you’re not quite sure they actually will get back together and, oh my goodness, what if they don’t, but they have to, right, because it’s a romance, right?! – feeling. […]

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