GUEST COLUMN: 7 Best Romantic Comedies on Netflix

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7 Best Romantic Comedies on Netflix

by Lillian O’Brien

Well, a romantic comedy is not a favorite genre for many people especially men, however, you can't deny that they are sweet and remind you how beautiful love is. I love watching romantic comedies because they always remind me how easy and wonderful life can be if we don't take things too seriously. The storylines of rom-coms are pretty similar still there are so many rom-coms come out every year and they do cuddle you when you watch them. Why I love watching them is because they create a cozy atmosphere and make you believe in a miracle...even if you are 30. 

So, I would love to give you a list of 7 great romantic comedies on Netflix that will keep you smiling and remembering how unpredictable life can be at times. 

Top Netflix Rom-Coms Worth Watching

He's Just Not That Into You

This is just a typical cheesy romantic comedy that is based on the self-help book of the same title. The movie is all about couples and relationships. There 9 people followed in the movie, especially a girl called Gigi played by beautiful Ginnifer Goodwin. You will enjoy watching her trying to build a romantic relationship when she constantly misreads the behavior of her partners. The movie won't bore you for sure and you will have a good laugh guaranteed. 

Sleeping With Other People 

The movie would be a great pick for those who love surprises. More than a decade after a one night stand a woman played by Allison Brie and a man played by Jason Sudeikis bump into each other and maintain a friendship. However, we all know where the friendship between a woman and a man leads to. So, you should certainly watch this movie because it's full of surprises and may remind you of some great times in your life. The movie is hilarious and even gets dirty at times which will be highly appreciated by the male audience. 

Groundhog Day 

I can't forget to mention this amazing and warm movie. It's really old and you may be skeptical to watch old stuff but you should give it a try. Apparently, they were making great rom-coms back in 1993 and you are going to discover it once you start watching the movie. Every single episode of the movie will keep you excited. It's a perfect choice for those who believe in love, perfect match, and soulmate made in heaven. The plot is amazing: it's about a guy who wakes up on the same day constantly. However, waking up on the same day is not so bad especially when you meet a beautiful lady.

Failure to Launch 

Another great romantic comedy on Netflix that deserves attention is Failure to Launch. If you like Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey, then you will enjoy watching the movie. It’s about a 35-year-old guy played by McConaughey living with his parents not wanting to leave his parent's home and pretty lady played by Parker who is hired by his parents to drag him out of home and start a normal adult life. However, work relationship turn into something bigger.

Something's Gotta Give

It's about an aging Casanova played by Jack Nicholson dating young girls when at some point falling in love with a woman almost his age who is a mother of one of his sugar babies. All it took to change his preferences is a heart attack. The movies will keep you interested from the first minute. It's romantic and it's certainly funny. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

It's a sweet and really romantic comedy about teenage love. The main character played by Lana Condor wrote letters to her 5 crushes when she suddenly realizes that the letters have been sent without her permission. The storyline is really great and it will remind you of times when you were 16-18 years old and the feeling you had...those butterflies in the stomach.

Set it Up

The last and simply fantastic rom-com worth watching is Set it Up that was released just 2 years ago. The story is about two young people who are working assistants in the same building. They work hard but they are not happy with the money they get paid. So, they come with a plan on how to set up a date for their bosses, hoping that they will fall in love and have less time for being so demanding at work. Things don't go as expected and there are different turns but this rom-com will keep you smiling for sure. 

So these were 7 great romantic comedies on Netflix that will make you forget about stress and problems. What's great about these rom-coms is that they make you want to fill a cup with tea or glass with wine and sit comfortably enjoying your movie night. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lilian O'Brien is a passionate journalist who enjoys writing about psychology and human relationships. Over the course of her career, she was a regular contributor to major media publications, and currently, she serves as an editor for onlinechatdatingsites.com.

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GUEST COLUMN: Prop or Not? 7 Continuity Mistakes in Films & TV

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Prop or Not? 7 Continuity Mistakes in Films & TV

by Tom Simpkins

The minds behind television and film often have to juggle hundreds of decisions, both creative and technical, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the odd mistake slips through the cracks here and there. These are often labelled continuity mistakes, cases where even if dozens of people give a scene the final thumbs up, any number of factors can cause even seemingly obvious errors to crop up.

Fatigue, rushed deadlines, even a lack of focus on set; these elements can often combine to create a veil across editor’s and director’s eyes, as well as anyone double checking the film before it appears in cinemas. Whether it’s an actor doing something stupid or an innocent prop out of place, these continuity mistakes can do serious damage to the audience’s suspension of disbelief. As prop masters themselves, Spur Creative knows plenty of times this has happened, even in blockbuster classics and immensely popular television shows.

Honorable Mention- Star Wars: Stormtrooper Hitting His Head

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While now a legendary part of the beloved first Star Wars films, A New Hope, this honorable mention isn’t so much of a continuity mistake as it is a blunder that accidentally made its way into the final cut of the film. During the scene that R2-D2 and C3P0 are in the Death Star’s control room, three Stormtroopers charge in in what was originally intended to be a serious, intimidating style...Only for the Stormtrooper on the right to bang his head on the door as he entered.

Reports state that the actor in the suit was feeling under the weather and flustered in the suit that day, failing to fully notice the set and unceremoniously knocking his noggin. Many have argued that this move began the establishment of the Stormtroopers as less of fearless, cut-throat space Nazis and more of bumbling henchmen. Whatever the result, the moment became immortalized in film history, even seeing additional goofy sound effects to the head-bonking in later editions.

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North by Northwest: Scene Spoiling Extra

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While not a well-known film by today’s standards, North by Northwest is generally considered a classic film that many hold dear in their heart. A Hitchcock film worthy of watching, North by Northwest may be recognizable to many in the form of general pop-culture parody references (a handful of parodies of the scene where the protagonist is being chased by a crop duster plane in a field springs to mind) but the twist ending may be lesser known to most audiences. Spoilers for a film that celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, but at a scene set at the Mount Rushmore visitor center, the protagonist Thornhill is acting as if he’s going to turnover Kendall, the female lead, as a spy yet suddenly she shoots him in the gut with a handgun. 

Where the continuity error comes into play is the fact that this moment is literally spoiled by an extra in the crowd; a young child. Clearly tired of taking the same shot over and over again, next to a loud gun blast no less, the child puts his fingers in his ears moments before the gun goes off. Whether the extra was supposed to be prophetic or merely wanted to save his hearing, the kid is left in the shot, scene ruining precautions and all.

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The Simpsons: Predicting Maggie

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In a twist that only The Simpsons could pull off, this continuity mistake was actually pointed out by one of the show's producers, Matt Selman. Most of the episode “And Maggie Makes Three” in season six is a flashback to the time in The Simpsons household before Maggie was born, yet in a bizarre case of continuity chaos, the very scene where Marge tells Homer that she’s pregnant with Maggie, there’s an actual picture of Maggie hanging up on the wall behind them. 

Funnily enough, this wasn’t the only issue like this in the same episode; there are two consecutive flashbacks that show Homer ripping his hair out over the news that Marge is pregnant with Bart and then later, pregnant with Lisa. In both of these flashbacks, Homer passes a framed photo of Lisa in a pink hat, suggesting that The Simpsons home either came with those ominously similar photos or, more likely, the setting that they’d used for five series beforehand were good enough for this episode too.

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Game of Thrones: Coffee Cups

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One of the most recent cases of negligence that seemed to perfectly personify just how rushed and shoddy the production was of the show, the last series of HBO’s Game of Thrones was riddled with continuity errors and real life products that did little to help viewers become emerged in the world of Westboros. The most infamous case of this were the inclusion of Starbucks coffee cups left in scene during the celebration of the Night King’s defeat.

Sure, there was the embarrassing rubber sword during The Battle of the Bastards, the oddly placed laptop charger during Stannis’ death and the odd choice to keep a seemingly stone-breakingly-strong wight in a wooden box, but this mistake was much more of a focal point due to just how steep a decline the show had undergone in this last season. Some even took to joking that Starbucks is essentially everywhere nowadays, but no one expected them to set up shop in a fictional kingdom.

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Friends: Ross’ Ever-Changing Birthday

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Sometimes we can let important details slip our minds. Even friends we’ve known for years can seemingly have birthdays that elude us, which is why sneakily checking out their Facebook pages every now and then can make the difference between looking like a bad friend and being a legend. However, Facebook wasn’t around in the 90s or early 00s, so the many times Ross’ birthday came up throughout the series were hard to verify.

Hindsight (and a binge watch of each series) though reveals that not even Ross knew his own birthday as he often cites a different date for his birthday, no less than three times. His canonical birthday is May 12, 1967, yet in one episode he says that his birthday is some time in December, in episode 104 (episode 4, season 1) he says that it is October 20, while in episode 902 (episode 2, season 9), he changes the date to October 18.

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Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark: Reflection of a Cobra

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This infamous mistake is a rare case not born from laziness or stupidity, but for the safety of Harrison Ford. In the well-known scene that finds Indy face to face with a room full of snakes (“Snakes, why does it always have to be snakes?”) the early showings of the film blatantly featured the reflection of the cobra in question that was seemingly ready to strike at the world’s most hands-on archaeologist.

This is due to a glass screen being placed in front of Ford and the live-cobra as, understandable, the actor didn’t want to risk actually being bitten by the snake (and presumably, the many others there as well) and yet the reflection couldn’t be edited out at the time. Later re-released amended this issue, but early versions of the film still show a mirrored snake coiled and hissing at Indy. 

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Garth Marenghi's Darkplace: Everything

The cult-classic Darkplace is listed as a horror show, with the creator introducing each episode in a manner akin to a documentary, yet in reality it’s more of a B list horror, comedy “mockumentary” hybrid. Of course, much of the humor comes from the glaring errors in terrible editing, shoddy writing, atrocious acting and, yes, many continuity issues. Many times during scenes it will cut to testimonies from ‘the actors’, often discussing (and harshly rebuking) any criticisms allegedly received over the show’s runtime. 

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a masterclass of what not to do when producing a television show; frequently displaying actors looking at the camera, moving around the set during cuts and even mishandling of props with visible strings and clearly being thrown around the set.

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Locarno Film Festival Announces Cancellation, Plans to Reinvent Amidst Coronavirus Crisis

Press Release: Locarno Film Festival 9/4/2020 Having acknowledged that it is impossible to hold the physical event in its usual form, because of the ongoing health crisis and today’s decisions by federal authorities regarding major events in Switzerland, the Executive Board and Board of Governors of the Locarno Film Festival, under President Marco Solari, make […]

The post Locarno Film Festival Announces Cancellation, Plans to Reinvent Amidst Coronavirus Crisis appeared first on Movie Marker.

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The Truth Behind The Hangover

The Hangover Released on June 5th, 2009 by Warner Brothers, the R-rated comedy The Hangover was predicted to be a sleeper comedy with the potential for aging into a cult classic. After all, this is how many top comedic films get their start, from Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows (2014) to Rob […]

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Ema ★★★★★

Director: Pablo Larraín Starring: Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael García Bernal Released: Venice Film Festival 2019 Pablo Larraín is best known for his Oscar nominated ‘Jackie’ and the Chilean filmmaker brought his latest to Venice Film Festival. Ema (Mariana Di Girolamo), a young dancer, decides to separate from Gastón (Gael García Bernal) after giving back Polo, […]

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INFOGRAPHIC: The Scariest Basements in Movies and TV

The Scariest Basements in Movies and TV

In horror films and TV shows, we’ve seen how basements have been the location of some truly scream-worthy scenes. We’ve watched as owners use their basements for horrible things. Sometimes the basement itself is evil. Other times, the basement has a paranormal problem like a portal to another world.

In the real world, the scariest thing in your basement is probably unresolved foundation problems. However, in movies and on television, we’re usually scared of something else.

Let’s review the scariest basements and crawl spaces in movies and television.

Scariest Basements and Crawl Spaces in Movies & TV Created By: OhioBasementAuthority

Ranking the Scariest Basements in Movies and TV

In many horror movies, basement scenes are a terrifying combination of what happens down there and the build-up from the rest of the plot.

To identify the scariest basements, we developed a Basement Evil Score to subjectively rank what happens in each on-screen basement. Using a scale of 0 through 10, lower numbers indicate less scary scenes or a little bit of torture. Higher numbers indicate more devastation or a lot of death.

We also looked at the Movie Scream Factor to understand the basement scene in the context within the context of the rest of the movie. Using the IMDb score, higher-rated horror movies are more terrifying than poorly rated movies.

The ultimate combination is a scary basement during a scary movie. The two horror movies that achieve this are The Silence of the Lambs and Get Out.

What Are the Scariest Basements and Crawl Spaces in Movies and TV?

Below, we’ll break down the rankings of each horror movie and we’ll explain how the basement fits into the movie plot. Some honorable mentions that didn’t make this list include Hell House, Woman in Black, and House on Haunted Hill, a 1959 classic.

Stranger Things

Basement Evil Score: 5
Movie Scream Factor: 8.8

Set in the fictitious town of Hawkins, IN, the Wheeler basement is regularly used by Mike, who would call Eleven from his pillow fort every night. The TV series has scream-worthy moments and has an overall high rating on IMDb.

The Exorcist

Basement Evil Score: 0.4
Movie Scream Factor: 8

In The Exorcist, the basement scene is toward the beginning when we learn that something isn’t quite right. In a typical basement with a ping pong table and storage boxes, 12-year-old Regan found an old
Ouija board. She then used it to communicate with the demon. The movie was set in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC, at 3600 Prospect St.

Misery

Basement Evil Score: 1
Movie Scream Factor: 7.8

In the horror movie Misery, the basement itself isn’t nearly as scary as serial killer Annie Wilkes. The house in Silver Creek, CO, has a damp, rat-infested cellar that she used to prevent Paul from signaling for help.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Basement Evil Score: 6
Movie Scream Factor: 7.5

The horror movie was set in the fictional town of Springwood, OH, at 1428 Elm St. In the dream world, Freddy’s boiler room was called the Nightmare Factory because it was used for torture and murder.

The Silence of the Lambs

Basement Evil Score: 10
Movie Scream Factor: 8.6

The Silence of the Lambs has one of the most terrifying basements. In the basement of Buffalo Bill’s house, there was a dry well where he kept the kidnapped women. He then starves them so it’s easier to remove their skin. For filming, the producer found the old Victorian in a village outside of Pittsburgh, and it recently sold for $195k in 2016.

The Amityville Horror

Basement Evil Score: 5.8
Movie Scream Factor: 6.2

The Long Island house from The Amityville Horror has a history of murder and paranormal activity. In the basement, there’s a small hidden room. It was only 4’ by 5’ and was painted red. Its hidden location was discovered behind a shelving unit, and the room wasn’t in the building plans.

The Evil Dead

Basement Evil Score: 4.4
Movie Scream Factor: 7.5

The Evil Dead was set in a cabin in the woods in rural Tennessee near Knoxville. Below the floor was a fruit cellar that was accessed via a trap door and wooden steps. That’s where the Deadites lived. Luckily, this Tennessee cabin has burned down since filming.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Basement Evil Score: 3.6
Movie Scream Factor: 7.4

In this musical-comedy approach to a horror movie, Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s laboratory is in the basement of a British castle. It has a Medusa Transducer which can transform people into statues.

Get Out

Basement Evil Score: 9.6
Movie Scream Factor: 7.7

This horror movie has the second most terrifying basement we looked at. Get Out is set in a classic and innocent-looking colonial house in Alabama. However, the basement is terrifying. Chris is strapped to a chair, and there’s a laboratory for transposing consciousness. While under hypnosis, he goes to the “Sunken Place.”

Parasite

Basement Evil Score: 2.2
Movie Scream Factor: 8.6

In the movie Parasite, the Kim family is living in a basement. Their South Korean apartment was a fallout bunker from the 1970s. Following the movie’s release these basement apartments, called banjiha, were in the spotlight. In Seoul, it was initially illegal to rent out these bunkers as apartments, but that changed during the 1980s housing crisis.

Psycho

Basement Evil Score: 6.6
Movie Scream Factor: 8.5

Psycho has a terrifying scene in the basement. Lila goes into the underground fruit cellar where she discovers that Norman has been keeping the mummified corpse of his mother. Norman Bates’ house was not an actual home. The exterior facade was built for the movie, and although you can’t see it on-screen, there are no rear or side walls to the building. The eerie-looking building was reconstructed on the lot of Universal Studios in Los Angeles.

A Quiet Place

Basement Evil Score: 1.2
Movie Scream Factor: 7.5

In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family tries to keep their baby safe from the monsters in a soundproof underground cellar. The problem occurs when a broken pipe causes the underground room to flood and attracts the noise-sensitive creatures. Actor and director John Krasinski found the upstate NY filming location by browsing properties on Zillow.

The Grudge

Basement Evil Score: 2.8
Movie Scream Factor: 4.1

In The Grudge, a terrifying scene occurs when Muldoon is in the basement with a flashlight. The cursed house is located in suburban Pennsylvania, at the fictional address 44 Rayburn Dr.

The Evil

Basement Evil Score: 9
Movie Scream Factor: 5.8

In the 1978 classic horror movie The Evil, a house is built over hot sulfur pits in New Mexico. When some friends decide to spend the night, they discover that the basement is scarier than they think. The trap door to the lower level turns out to be a hole to another world.

Do you want your basement to be less terrifying? Find out how Ohio Basement Authority can help you deal with crack repairs, waterproofing, foundation problems, crawl space encapsulation, and sump pumps. We can help you with structural problems, but for serial killers or paranormal problems, you’ll need a different kind of authority.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" YouTube channel talking "Extraction"

Continuing down the media side stream with the digital Netflix lifeboat during this time of theatrical shutdown, 3/4 of Kicking the Seat’s “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” panel assemble to talk about the latest from one of the beefiest and burliest Avengers stars. Chris Hemsworth toplines Extraction, the feature film directorial debut of frequent MCU stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave based on a indie graphic novel written by Avengers and Captain American trilogy stewards Anthony and Joe Russo. The men and the action are ballsy and brawny. It’s debatable whether the three of us are talking about it. Enjoy Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man Movie Reviews and I joining Ian Simmons on his YouTube channel this week!

MY FULL REVIEW OF "EXTRACTION"

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MOVIE REVIEW: Extraction

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EXTRACTION-- 3 STARS

Call this a meandering musing, but it’s a tad quizzical how far apart the definitions of “mercy” and “mercenary” are despite their beginning spellings. There is not harming someone you have power over versus a soldier paid to fight for money. You won’t find those two words supporting the old “one hands washes the other” expression. Nonetheless, here in the new Netflix Chris Hemsworth vehicle Extraction one could wring a towel dripping with the unexpected mix of blood and suds. That makes for a messy and albeit entertaining proposition on the wiggle room to have mercy in a mercenary.

After a see-you-back-here later tease of the climax, the top-billed soldier-of-fortune Tyler Rake, is properly introduced shortly thereafter with a macho rainbow of character establishment consisting of swigging beers one moment and cliff-diving into an underwater meditation session the next. His rugged tattoos, coarse stubble, and strapping muscles insinuate that he’s good and ready at what he does. His squinted eyes and morose tough talk communicate an unspoken sorrow that clues something else entirely. No matter which mode, the mismatched swerves of his actions and facade scream “take me and my heart seriously.” Welcome to the odd pairing of mercy in a mercenary.

The paycheck to correct the kidnapping of imprisoned Indian crime lord Ovi Mahajan’s (Gangs of Wesseypur’s Pankaj Tripathi) teenage son Ovi Jr. (newcomer Rudhraksh Jaiswal) brings forth inside and outside attention and participation in southeast Asia. Tyler’s handler Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani of Patterson) activates the heavy-hitting retrieval specialist from his Australian siesta. Meanwhile, Mahajan Sr. has threatened the family of one of his own top agents named Saju (Sarbjit star Randeep Hooda) to solve this issue himself. 

The decadent and coldly vicious man behind the crime is Mahajan’s Bangladeshi rival Amir Asef (Priyanshu Painyuli of Bhavesh Joshi Superhero). He has taken the prized teen to his home turf of Dhaka. There, his seemingly endless squad of hired and indoctrinated guns, young and old, uniformed and undesirable alike, can cover every inch of the city at Amir’s beck and call. 

LESSON #1: EVEN HUNTERS HAVE HEARTS-- Ah, but this is Tyler Rake, indomitable one moment and virtuous the next. Believe it or not, his quieter vocal exchanges, often with Ovi Jr., squeeze a few tears from the hunk, peeling away the hardened soul of a grieving father. Extraction clearly means to flaunt a man-of-action with a heart of principles underneath and Tyler Rake isn’t the only proud father in this game.

LESSON #2: WHATEVER IT TAKES-- Call this stealing from Avengers: Endgame all you want, especially considering the presence of Hemsworth, but all sides engaged in this 24-hour pursuit are nonstop with their efforts, be that capturing, killing, or protecting. Think of this all like a mad mashup of the adrenaline of Imagine Dragons and longing of Lifehouse with their song cuts matching this lesson’s title. Everyone has their gear and it’s a red-lining one.

From a casting standpoint, the movie certainly has Lesson #1 in Chris Hemsworth. Surprisingly, despite his high capacity for chummy comedy and winking sarcasm, the Aussie plays this part as straight as a sniper. Smartly and stoically, there are no “yippee-ki-yeah” one-liners delivered by Hemsworth when his merc dispatches an opponent to a gruesome death. Tyler’s blows and trigger pulls have grit, and the actor (aided by 8-time stunt double Bobby Holland Hanton) sells the exhaustive expenditure of energy better than a WWE superstar sells suplexes and steel chair shots. Next to Hemsworth, Randeep Hooda pleasantly blooms from one-dimensionality into a second compelling action figure.  

What is kicking up Hemsworth’s and your own cardio from the couch is the rampant and raucous action orchestrated by first-time feature director Sam Hargrave. The diversifying filmmaker follows the successful paths of Hal Needham (Smokey and the Bandit), Ric Roman Waugh (Snitch), Nash Edgerton (Gringo), Chad Stahelski (the John Wick series), and David Leitch (Atomic Blonde) from the ranks of the stunt department. Hargrave has 80 stunt credits in his career, including head coordinating jobs on the last two Avengers films for Anthony and Joe Russo. It’s quickly clear he learned more than a few keen things, starting with hiring veteran cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel, Bryan Singer’s regular DP.

With a stuntman calling the shots and a stud lenser filming them, the action sequences of Extraction are something to behold. Sure, we’ve become privy (spoiled is more like it) to exceptionally dexterous fight movies lately. That did not stop this hungry production team from throwing new ideas of creative fights and creative kills at the wall until they stick. Many of the crew positions, like Hargrave, are first-time leaders from the Marvel tree being promoted to higher positions in their usual technical fields. There is an unlazy vigor from all involved, including stunt coordinator Daniel Stevens, second unit director Thayr Harris, and fight coordinator Michael Lehr. 

Nestled between stellar opening and closing set pieces, there is a central chase scene of moving parts and flailing bodies that is absolutely head-spinning. Magical effects and slick editing blend the shifting booms, tilts, and pans of camera perspectives from Sigel and steadicam operator Andrew AJ Johnson (Mad Max: Fury Road). The vehicular and melee cavalcade of point blank falls, tumbles, spills, and crashes have the illusion of being one continuous and glorious single stretch.

While this may all read like a bunch of wild men showing off, the narrative of Extraction doesn’t stop to admire its kills for audience reaction. It kinetically moves to the next obstacle. If there is one section of dead weight that goes against the haste, it’s the inclusion of David Harbour and a pause button section of laying low with his old ally. In a movie that skips romances and bromances that normally sully similar films, this underdeveloped subplot is the wrong kind of slowdown.

What can easily feel like a video game scribbled together with randomness actually comes from the taut 2014 indie graphic novel Cuidad conceived by the Russo brothers and Ande Parks. Joe, a co-steward of the Avengers and Captain America trilogies, wrote his own screen adaptation and shifted the Extraction setting from Paraguay to Bangladesh. That exotic switch opened up a huge opportunity of fresh casting diversity in front of and behind the camera, and the debuting talent made the most of this prime opportunity. Unlike his Russo’s superhero work, the tone is fittingly harsher. Violence is king. Seediness runs the show. Sweat is everywhere. Real fights cause real wounds, and no one’s safety is assured. That’s a rugged quality for Hemsworth and company better than most glamour projects.

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GUEST COLUMN: 10 Movies Every Female Entrepreneur Should Watch

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10 Movies Every Female Entrepreneur Should Watch

by Cheryl Hearts

Some people call the business world a place where men rule. It might seem so since there are many successful men who have managed to create their empires and to have an impact on the industry. But the good news is that women are not too far behind and they can compete with male entrepreneurs. And it seems that the filming industry is willing to show in their movies that women can be powerful too.

The movies mentioned below are about strong women who are not afraid of obstacles and can solve their problems. These movies won’t portray women who are simply girlfriends of successful men or secondary characters in a male world. These women can lead and they are inspiring.  

Leading women in these movies can show you that difficulties in our lives is not something that should stop us. Any woman can be powerful enough to take control over her own life and to become successful. Difficulties should stay in our way and even during difficult times we shouldn’t give up. Some of these movies are based on real stories, others are 100% fiction (even though inspiring). Hopefully, these movies will inspire you and help you to regain strength. 

The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly

 A movie based on a novel written by American author Lauren Weisberger. The novel and the film has attracted people’s attention since it gives a hint that it was based on a true story. But it doesn’t really matter since the story is portraying a very powerful woman who earned her reputation with hard work. It is one of the most loved and iconic bosses portrayed in the cinematography, especially considering the fact that Miranda was portrayed by Meryl Streep.

Miranda is intimidating and causes every employee to fear her in the company, but at the same time her efforts has helped her to build one of the most powerful empires in the cinematographic history. If talking about the movie, Miranda is not the only powerful woman figure here. While watching this movie, you will learn about the hard work behind the success and about the story of Miranda’s life.

Joy, Joy Mangano

The movie reveals the story about real figure - Joy Mangano. A woman-inventor who has become one of the most powerful women and has created her company. The character is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence and the actress even won the Golden Globe for portraying Joy Mangano. 

The movie starts with showing a single mother Joy who struggles to earn for her living by working as a booking agent. She is divorced and the overall conditions in which her family is living is not the best. But even though facing a lot of difficulties and being humiliated by her sister, she is not giving up. 

Joy finds strength and courage to start something new by inventing a self-wringing mop - this is the true story behind the movie. While working on her household company, she will face a lot of difficulties, but they will help her to become a woman who is now known as one of the most successful women in business.

The Intern, Jules Ostin

The story portrays a woman, Jules Ostin, who has created her e-commerce startup from scratch which has transformed into a big company just over 18 months. The movie is inspiring in different ways since it is focusing on more than one character. For instance, 70-year old Ben Whittaker portrayed by Robert De Niro, who shows that even after retirement you can start something more interested and you can still get a job. 

 Jules Ostin is married and has a daughter, her husband has decided to give up on his career so that his wife can have more time to build her empire. The movie shows that even successful people can have difficulties but they can deal with everything and continue living their own lives. The film is inspiring and extremely interesting.

Sweet Home Alabama, Melanie Smooter

Portrayed by Reese Witherspoon, Melanie Smooter is a fashion designer living in New York. Even though the film is focused on romantic relationship between the main heroes, it can inspire women. Melanie Smoother is successful and hard-working. Unlike women from other movies, she refuses to sacrifice her job over relationships - something that a lot of movies lack. Overall, the film portrays a woman who is powerful and can deal with everything without anyone’s help.

Chocolat, Vianne Rocher

The movie tells the story of Vianne Rocher who is a professional chocolatier. The events start in 1959, in a small French village ruled by the mayor Reynolds. Vianne is a controversial figure for that time, she has a daughter even though she wasn’t married, she has opened a shop and owns her own living - and pretty successfully. She wears brighter colors than other women from the village. 

She is everything that a local woman is not supposed to be like, and at the same time she inspires other people, including local women. The movie is extremely interesting, with amazing cast and a lot of significant characters. It is inspiring and a “must watch”.

Bridesmaids, Annie Walker

You can tell from the name of the movie that it is not focused on the business world, but it has a character that might inspire you. Annie Walker is depressed since she is in her thirties, she is not married, and she is losing her business. But the movie shows us a strong figure who can find a new meaning in life to become happy.

You’ve Got Mail, Kathleen Kelly

Even though it is more of a romantic comedy with main rivals, unexpected turns and life problems, the main character of the movie can teach us all some lessons. For instance, how to overcome business and financial problems no matter what. How to stay strong even if your opponent seems to be stronger. Overall, the movie shows us a strong woman who does not give up and overcomes all the problems she faces.

The Associate, Laurell Ayres

Portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg, Laurell Ayres struggles to become more significant in the financial world ruled by males. She is a financial analyst, and she is extremely good at her job, but because she is black and a woman, she can’t get a promotion she deserves so much. So she decides to quit and start her own company - as a male white man. It’s an extremely fun movie that will inspire you not to give up on your dreams.

Steel Magnolias, Truvy Jones

The story portrays four women who accidentally meet in a small hair salon owned by Truvy Jones. It shows us how these women overcome their difficulties. Truvy Jones is depicted as a strong woman, an owner of a business, who can take responsibility and help others.

Mildred Pierce, Mildred Pierce

This movie gives hope for sure. It might be less convenient for some people to watch it since it is black and white (released in 1945), but it is a “must watch”. It shows a woman left by her husband with two children. It’s enough that it is hard to cope with the fact that your husband left you because of another woman, but it’s even more difficult to earn for the living, to be a great mother and to cope with the difficulties.

It shows an extremely powerful and strong woman, who eventually opens her own restaurant and successfully raises her children. It shows that here are no dead-end situations and you can be successful while being a single working mother.

Conclusion

Fictional or based on true stories, these movies show that anyone can regain control over their lives. It’s important not to give up and to accomplish your dreams. Female bosses portrayed in these films are powerful and inspiring, giving hope that women can overcome all the difficulties in their lives.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cheryl Hearts is a writer and journalist from Boston, Massachusetts. Her passion for writing started at an early age and evolved during the high school years. She enjoyed creating her own stories, so she decided to make writing her career.  After earning a degree in Journalism, Cheryl started running her own blog CherylHearts.com where she’s covering topics of great interest to society.

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GUEST COLUMN: 4 Inspirational Movies that You Should Watch for their Important Life Lessons

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4 Inspirational Movies that You Should Watch for their Important Life Lessons

by Arham Khokhar

In this post, we’ll specifically focus on the movies that are inspirational and have a meaningful life lesson associated with it. So, before you get to reading, do grab some popcorn because you would really want to watch them by the end of the article. Let’s get started and take a look at these movies and the life lessons imparted in them.

Disclaimer: Since I do not like spoilers myself, you wouldn’t find any here. So, go ahead and read with zero reservations. Also, the movies are ordered randomly with no particular order of preference.

Bruce Almighty

Jeffra, who offers online assignment help Australia, says that her favorite all-time movie is Bruce Almighty. Well, I couldn’t agree more. It is an inspiring movie with a bundle of fun elements and a powerful message. The movie revolves around Jim Carrey, who is a TV reporter and a lot of bad things constantly happen to him. Since he thinks, God is responsible for all his miseries, the Almighty appears before him and grants him all his powers to check if Jim could do a better job himself. Through this process, Jim learns some important life lessons that have a lasting impact on his life. It is a perfect weekend film that you can watch with your family or friends. 

The Peaceful Warrior

The Peaceful Warrior is based on the book Way of The Peaceful Warrior and revolves around Dan, who is a student from UC-Berkeley. So, Dan has everything that a college student could possibly aspire for – fame, looks, female-attention, amazing friends, his passions, and his incredible gymnastic talent. Despite it all, he is deeply-troubled and unhappy. Because of this, he is unable to sleep at night.

Then, on one night, he has an encounter with a guide, and that’s when his journey of self-discovery starts. George, who offers online assignment help, says that he likes The Peaceful Warrior because it is a great film that has abundant important life-lessons spread through the movie. Whenever you feel jaded, or are seeking a deeper life-meaning, or losing out on the zeal to go forward in life, this film could be a great starting point.

The Family Man

The Family Man revolves around the life of Nicolas Cage, who is a hugely successful investment banker. So, what’s the problem? He is single! So, this dramedy is about how different his life would have been, if he made a different decision in life 13 years ago, which was to choose his girlfriend over career. The movie is about the what-ifs in life. It presents a contrast in life in a situation where you have to pick between quiet family life and successful and wealthy life.

Tanya, who offers online write my essay service, says that what she really likes about the movie is that it gets you into thinking about what you are currently doing with your life. Further, it gets you into thinking if this is what you want in your life, and if not, are you ready to do something to change the outcome?  

Click

The movie revolves around Adam Sandler, who gets a magical remote control, which gives him the power to stop, rewind, or fast-forward through time. So, he uses the remote control to skip past the moments in life that he finds boring or mundane, like shower, family dinners, and sickness. Initially, all of this seems fun, but over time, he realizes that all of this comes through a bunch of unexpected consequences – now that’s something you’ll have to watch and see for yourself to find out what these consequences are.

If you have seen the trailer of the movie, you’ll think it is one of those Hollywood slapstick comedies, but no this is not what it is. Of course, in the first few bits you’ll find it very funny, but halfway through the movie, you’ll find out that there’s something deeper to the movie that’s been conveyed. So, you’ll get into thinking about the small moments in life, and how no moment is less important than others.

Peter, who offers the best online python course, says that his biggest takeaway from the movie is that every moment in life is important and should be lived fully. To tell you the truth, of all the four movies that I have mentioned here, this one is my absolute favorite. I have watched this movie about 5 times, and there’s one scene towards the end where I always cry. Of course, I wouldn’t tell you what this scene was, but please watch it. It is humorous with a thought-provoking message injected through the film. 

So, these, according to me, are the four best movies with inspirational life lessons. You must definitely watch these movies. Do write to us in the comments below, and tell us which one is your favorite inspirational movie. 

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GUEST COLUMN: 8 Movies The Might Save Your Troubled Marriage

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8 Movies That Might Save Your Troubled Marriage

By Nancy Patron

Cinema is an amazing element that can not only cause emotions but also make you think and even save your marriage. In this article, we will talk about the eight most amazing films on this subject.

We all dream that our marriage would look like a happy movie. There is a beautiful picture, vivid emotions, and smiles. But sometimes relationships can be tricky. There can be many reasons - fatigue, unresolved problems, etc. Of course, you can turn to a family psychologist if you feel that the marriage is breaking up. But if it’s not so difficult, you can use “film therapy”.

This is a joint viewing of interesting and smart films that make you think and look at your relationship from a new perspective. Besides, a good movie is also great entertainment to help cheer you up. We bring to your attention a list of the best eight paintings about relationships and loving couples.

#1 Hope Springs

In this film, Hollywood stars Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones portrayed a couple who were facing a serious crisis. Arnold and Kay have already crossed the 30th anniversary of the marriage. It seems to the spouses that their relationship has completely lost their former passion and warmth, and they are both no longer sure that they still want to be together. Trying to save the situation, they turn to family psychologist Bernie Feld.

The specialist uses very unusual methods, but at the same time, all his former patients vying with each other insist on their effectiveness. This is a really interesting film with an original plot and best actors. Critics rated this picture quite well, giving it 6.4 points on IMDB, and Meryl Streep was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Kay.

#2 Sweet November

Once upon a time in 1968, there was already such a Robert Ellis Miller film based on a play by Herman Raucher. This is a story of the amazing love that changed the usual course of life and the way of thinking of one person, will not leave indifferent even those who are used to restrain their emotions.

Advertising agent Nelson Moss always thought only about work, as if forgetting that you can live, love and feel. A career seems to have completely captured his thoughts. But everything changes when he meets Sarah. This girl is not only amazingly beautiful, but she is also very cheerful, full of energy and as if she emits a special light. A light that slowly penetrates Nelson's life and makes him see things completely differently than before. He does not notice how day after day he becomes a different person. The movie became truly cult thanks to the excellent plot and sensual play of famous Hollywood actors (Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron) and received high ratings from the audience (7.7 IMDB).

#3 The Vow

A young couple, Leo and Page, are full of hope for a happy future life. They have been happily in love for several years and are embarking on a honeymoon trip. There they are in trouble - the couple gets into a car accident.

Paige was in a coma for a while, while Leo was patiently waiting for her at the hospital bed. Having regained consciousness, the girl cannot remember her lover and all that has happened to her in recent years. Despite the hero’s further attempts to arouse former feelings in his wife, amnesia is destructive for their relationship, and she asks for a divorce. Only the oath, written by Paige once for her future husband, will help her remember herself again. The script of the tape is inspired by the real story of the American spouses of the Carpenter, and Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams perfectly felt and showed the characters' characters.

#4 By the Sea

Some fans consider the release of this second and joint picture of the famous star couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt a kind of omen of their real divorce. Indeed, in this film (Angelina became the director of the picture), the story of two spouses who once went crazy with passion for each other, and now are on the verge of an ending of relationships, is shown.

Each of them tries to find himself again and to establish relations with his spouse. The search for past feelings leads them to a small coastal town, where they linger for a while. There, fate brings them together with a young French couple, and this acquaintance will play its role in the reconciliation of the spouses. During the filming of the tape, the paparazzi took some pictures of Angelina crying on the balcony, allegedly during a rehearsal of joint scenes with Brad. The fans took these photos as evidence of the impending divorce of the couple.

#5 The Family Man

USA, 1987. Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) breaks up with his first love Kate Reynolds (Tea Leoni) and flies to London. After 13 years, he becomes a successful businessman, the owner of a large company. On Christmas Eve, Jack meets a black stranger, and in the morning he wakes up in a strange house in the same bed with Kate.

Two children and a dog run out of the next room. And gradually Jack realizes that he is no longer a businessman, that he has the most ordinary job and generally a different life. Fate in the form of that strange stranger left Jack to choose what was more valuable to him - career or family. The film makes you think about the importance of loved ones and the fact that not everything in this world is bought. Critics and viewers appreciated this picture, putting it 6.8 IMDB points.

#6 What Happens in Vegas

A pleasant film for those who want not only to improve the relationship but also to receive funny emotions and smile from a pleasant plot and acting. Star couple (on screen) - Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz look very natural and act out the role just fine.

Various reasons brought the careerist Joy and slobbering Jack in Las Vegas. She had just been abandoned by her fiancé, and he had suddenly been fired by his father. The city of sin is considered the best place to forget about everything in the world, to unwind and get married quickly. Drunk young people find this kind of entertainment for themselves. Having discovered in the morning that they are already not free people, they dream of quickly returning their bachelor status. But a big win of three million dollars can affect their decision. Moreover, the wayward judge froze the money for three months, taking the promise from the heroes that they would try to save the marriage. IMDB score is 6.3.

#7 The Mirror Has Two Faces

This is an intellectual film that tells the deep and interesting story of two scientists. Two professors at Columbia University, Rose and Gregory, meet through the dating section of the newspaper. He is convinced that all life problems stem from sex. Therefore, he believes that it is necessary to create a marriage where everything is based on intellectual intimacy.

She lives with an elderly mother and is about to remain an old maid. Therefore, he accepts his offer of a hand and heart, or rather, reason. And now they are married, but love is still not there. What to do? Who is guilty? Rose thinks the reason is her appearance. But not so easy. Will the couple manage to build harmonious relationships and find love - this film will tell. The IMDB rating is 6.6.

#8 Crazy, Stupid Love

It seems to Cal Oliver that until this moment he did everything in his life correctly. But it turned out that the well-being of his family was only an illusion. Now he, an aging conservative, is forced to pack his things and leave his own home. Cal’s wife was tired of the family monotony, cheated on him with another, and even announced her desire to divorce.

The hero seeks solace in the nearest bar and there, unexpectedly for himself, finds a person who can change his life. It turns out to be a young brilliant man Jacob Palmer. He will become a real teacher of Oliver, show how to dress, present himself and flirt with the most beautiful women. This will make Cal’s wife look at her husband with different eyes and doubt his decision. The role of Jacob brought Ryan Gosling a nomination for the Golden Globe as the best actor in a comedy or musical. Also, the film received excellent ratings from viewers (7.4 on IMDB).

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About the Author

Nancy Patron is a passionate journalist who enjoys writing about psychology and human relationships. Over the course of her career, she was a regular contributor to major media publications, and currently, she serves as an editor for asianwomendating.org.

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MOVIE REVIEW: True History of the Kelly Gang

TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG-- 2 STARS

In true western, or in this case, bushranger movie fashion, the edgiest and most intense moments in Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang come in the moments when someone is being held at gunpoint. Drama properly peaks with the potential power released by one little curved metal lever hinging a mechanism of murder and mayhem. The action itself to squeeze that trigger is easy. The decision and ramifications, as we well know, are not.  

LESSON #1: CHOOSING WHEN TO PULL A TRIGGER-- With that anecdote in mind, there’s not a rushed gunpoint decision in this movie. These suspenseful showdowns of thought and monologue carry just as much risk for the person staring down the sight as the one on the other end of the barrel. There can be a loss of innocence when you pull a trigger. On the other hand, survival, in the most instinctual way, can be taught from it. Likewise, authority, manhood, and reputations can be earned. That is much to risk or gain on the flexing of a few knuckles.

The featured man often holding that pistoled pendulum of power or ruin in his hands is the storied Australian folk hero Ned Kelly. 1917’s George McKay gets lean and mean to follow storied performers like Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger in embodying this historical figure. Kurzel’s movie is quick to telegraph that “nothing about this story is true” while still carrying the title matching the Peter Carey source novel. That creates two things: a challenge of substance and the equivalent of a violent bedtime story that makes “Billy the Kid” seem like Goodnight, Moon. 

The child born Edward “Ned” Kelly we meet is a preteen (Orlando Schwerdt in his feature debut) around 1867 incited by the upbringing of squalor and hardscrabble pathos of family loyalty fed by his borderline harlot mother Ellen (the powerful Essie Davis of The Babadook). He’s still too young to become the man of the shanty when his incarcerated father dies and his mother is dominated by the abusive authority of the local lawman Sergeant O’Neill (Charlie Hunnam).

LESSON #2: THE LIFE OF A BUSHRANGER-- To toughen the boy up, Ellen “sells” Ned to a veteran bushranger Harry Power (Russell Crowe, making the most of his robust frame and age). He is a suitor and protector with the aim to groom Ned as a new helpful accomplice. The kid may learn the skillful initiatives of hideouts, robberies, getaways, and spoils, but this also puts a gun in the young man’s hands and begins that aforementioned struggle of Lesson #1.

When we fast-forward to Ned as a man (McKay), he is bare knuckle boxing in his skivvies for rich wagerers, including Constable Fitzpatrick (Nicholas Hoult) who takes a liking to his toughness. After a decade away, Ned returns to his homestead to find Ellen with a new beau (singer-songwriter Marlon Williams) his age and his younger brother Danny (Earl Cave) in trouble with Fitzpatrick for stealing horses. When prison is threatened on Ellen and Danny, guns are pointed and shots are fired that turn podunk mongrels into outlaws.

George McKay comports himself quite well in this leading role. The magnitude he shows between his blood-soaked rage and his expressions of loyal caring for family and romance (in the form of a woefully underused Thomasin McKenzie from Jojo Rabbit) build his screen presence. His clean-shaven face switches from dour to deranged with measured ferocity. The same can be said for Essie Davis. When her sandpaper soothing side breaks, hell and vitriol spew forth brilliantly. They are the standouts of this game cast.    

Anyone who has seen filmmaker Justin Kurzel since his Michael Fassbender-led treatment of Macbeth knows that he has a penchant for potent atmosphere. Cinematographer Ari Wegner paints a few layers of that with striking overhead angles, moody lighting, and strobes of violent closeups. As always, Justin’s brother Jed Kurzel provides a score of disquiet bowed over strings. The barbs are present to prod and cut, but a bigger sense of sweep is not. 

That is where the challenge of substance circles back for True History of the Kelly Gang. Once Ned and his associates go on the lam, this is normally where the national legend of the rebellious and anti-authority Kelly Gang as Australian Robin Hoods takes off and takes over. Unfortunately, that elevation is slowed and squelched. Entire exploits are truncated or ignored, even in a place where fiction is pushed to take the place of fact. Instead, a more internalized story of personal narration and supposedly self-written history is woven before a gallows finish. McKay is the showcase of that route, but not the bigger impact or causes of the truer story.

LESSON #3: HOW LEGENDS REQUIRE EMBELLISHMENT-- For whatever reasons, the swelling reverence and the contagious public support, included even in Carey’s fictional source novel, are excised from emphasis by screenwriter Shaun Grant. That’s the sweep and the space where legends reside. That’s the real volume, not the screaming confrontations or the gunfire, that make Ned Kelly and company mythic. Without some of that enveloping weight, all this amounts to is an abridged and radical folk tale without the proper embellishment. 

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GUEST COLUMN: Best Historical Movies on Netflix in 2020

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Best Historical Movies on Netflix in 2020

by Louis Robidoux

We have been diligently looking over catalogs, going through the best historical movies ratings, examining plots to present to you this unbelievable movie collection from Netflix. If you are currently looking for a touchy historical masterpiece and wondering how to spend your long-awaited weekends, then these 5 should become your go-to films.

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1. The King

The plot lying behind The King comes from William Shakespeare’s “Henriad”. Hal King, willful prince who surrendered to ordinary life and turned his back from the English throne. However, the horrifying period comes when his father dies and Hal as a true heir needs to get back to royal life. Glory was the thing he has been always running from and here he has to embrace the new status. Hal is crowned as King Henry V and his main responsibilities are to wage wars, maintain relationships among different Kingdoms, navigate politics, combat chaos and restore welfare. From an early age Hal King demonstrated himself as a great warlord knowing no boundaries and emotional strings of his past life that could bring him down. After he loses his dad, he boldly takes the reins of power over England and becomes a skillful land-runner on the verge of war with France.

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2. Mary Queen of Scots

It is 1561. This year 18-year-old Maria Stuart loses her young husband Francis and returns to Scotland. She claims to get the throne of England that fiercely annoys the current Protestant Queen Elizabeth I. By thoroughly taking into account all her advisers’ suggestions, the Queen decides to send a delegation to Mary. Ruthless Elizabeth I chooses to set up one of the most perfect candidates, Count Robert Dudley, with Mary. Undoubtedly then, in the harsh battle for the throne two self-respecting women become the sworn enemies. Merciless Elizabeth I and impudent Mary Stuart compete in both politics and love. So, how did they come to such a muddle attempting to win the throne of England during the time of the absolute power of men? The insatiable desire to become the number one queen of the Kingdom takes over them that much that they are ready to nearly rip each other to shreds.

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3. The Photographer of Mauthausen

The young photographer manages to capture thousands of pics demonstrating eerie Nazi terror between 1943-1945. Mauthausen hides around 2000 negatives documenting the brutal treatment of Nazis and severely hopes to show the world a genuine reality of Nazi atrocious crimes and destructive hierarchy. The movie conjures up the understanding of savage brutality in the concentration camps and makes the viewer imagine the dark side of pitiless horror. Mar Tarragona is a film director who makes a very passionate decision to broadcast the film in Spanish and German but with English subtitles  . This helps us better assume and immerse in the Nazi camps atmosphere - gas chambers, slave labor and many other torments. Mauthausen is a real hero aiming to reveal the truth about German dictatorship and make the Nazis accountable for their violent crimes. He deserves to be commended for heroism and valor, for self-endurance and conscience.

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4. Outlaw King

This is a typical story of a fightback between the English and the Scottish battling in a war for independence. The events reveal to us a well-known warrior full of courage and heroism, who waged the First War of Scottish Independence, Robert Bruce. The viewers particularly observe the period of  Stirling Castle being laid siege, the time of history when the Scottish nobles surrendered to the King of England. Being eager to right a wrong, Robert Bruce rushes to lead a rebellion against the British with the help of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and a troop of faithful Scots. Like in any other war it will not be that easy for Robert and other like-minded figures assisting him to win, however, by the end of the movie you will have a chance to glance at the real leader and, eventually, the King of Scots. Who will win this bloody battle? Watch and find out!

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5. Resistance of the Banker

The Dutch military-oriented film begins with the story of a citizen and his brother who started the financing resistance movement during World War II. We observe the wartime with the perspective of enterprising bankers in the Netherlands. The main banker manages a complex credit system through secret channels, has to deal with security issues, and comes up with effective but dangerous financial schemes. Thus, he puts himself, his business, everyday life at a huge risk. His far-reaching plan to export millions of money from the Central Bank of the Netherlands and substitute them with phony banknotes lead to some unavoidably dreadful consequences. Eventually, the arrests of resistance begins throughout the country and our main character can be next any time. However, the chance to be let off seems so infeasible for him. If he is arrested, there will be no guarantee to stay alive. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louis Robidoux is a blogger who enjoys writing articles that are of great interest to society. After having lots of posts published on different platforms, Louis decided to create his own site deeptop10.com where he’s covering topics about food, interesting hacks and lifestyle.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Endings, Beginnings

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ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS— 4 STARS

LESSON #1: LIFE IS MESSY-- There’s no simpler way to say this right up front. There is no softer trade of “can be” to replace the “is” in that short statement either. It just is, and we’re not talking about dirty dishes or unfolded laundry. The real mess is internal. Emotions and, most of all within that realm, love is messy. Many folks drift and exist hoping to have more peaks than valleys when it comes to their ever-present mire. 

Granted, messy people and their messy lives make for messy stories, especially here in the medium of narrative film. Not everyone can hold their noses to other peoples’ messes on display. Their pity or empathy levels have limits. Tolerance comes from the talent and the trueness coming together for the given story. Filmmaker Drake Doremus of Like Crazy fame is no stranger to this wavelength of wavering wisdom. He presents another striking, bare, and brave movie in the form of Endings, Beginnings available on VOD platforms on April 17th. If you have the capacity to wallow along, you will be impressed. Plenty won’t and that’s too bad.

Shailene Woodley’s central character Daphne is one of those uneasy people. She is lost in the fog of a valley she finds herself currently in after a breakup. As the title suggests, Daphne is emerging from an off-screen romantic ending with Adrian (Matthew Gray Gluber, seen in fleeting flashbacks of former excesses), whom she considered the love of her life.

LESSON #2: ENDING A ROMANCE IS MESSY-- We don’t have to see the event to evaluate the mess for Daphne. Whatever happened sapped strength, confidence, and will, enough to make living alone a difficult proposition. Woodley’s bangs and body language of living within the skin of sorrow as this struggling Los Angeles artist tells it all. Smiles are brief and temporary covers to sadness that lets loose later. Stares are packed with pensive pause not a quicksand of laziness. Trinkets, possessions, and settings trigger memories of painful mistakes. 

To push through the wake of this ending, Daphne starts a path of sobriety, but is jobless and moves into her pregnant sister Billie’s (TV regular Lindsay Sloane) guesthouse to play the cool aunt for her niece. She attends a still-life painting club that provides senior wisdom from Ingrid, played by a welcome Kyra Sedgwick. The club and the cold-calling for gallery jobs shows Daphne’s drive to not extinguish her creative passion.

Alas, different sparks bring light to Daphne’s haze in the form of two prospective suitors she meets at one of her sister’s parties. The first is Jamie Dornan’s composed and successful writer Jack. The other one of Jack’s good friends, the riskier smoldering crass of Frank, played by Sebastian Stan. This is a lively switch of stereotypes for both performers where the Marvel hero gets to play the fatalist and the naughty Fifty Shades of Grey heartthrob goes nice and safe.

LESSON #3: BEGINNING A ROMANCE IS MESSY-- Daphne is a magnet for both men and melancholy. She admits that she is terrified of being alone, however solitude is what she needs to clear her personal clouds. Daphne clicks with both men in different ways, yet this counts as adding turmoil, especially if it multiplies.  

LESSON #4: DON’T KEEP TWO LOVERS AT THE SAME TIME-- This is especially true if they are longtime friends and lies are involved. The human pair of potential turning points represented by Frank and Jack merge within a year of Daphne’s life and bring out good and bad versions of everyone’s personalities. The scale may be small, but their true-to-self mistakes are stiff ones.

The ambiance of this film constricts any hint of wider sweep to make this journey a bigger drama than it needs to be. The intimacy is paramount in every layer of cinematographer Marianne Bakke’s presentation. The lighting is muted with grays to match Daphne’s fog. The rear tracking and close-up, probing camera choices hide the bodily fidgets to emphasize the faces and voices giving them away anyway.  Shot often through foreground fringes of sets and surroundings gave Ending, Beginnings an engaging voyeuristic feel to the muddled dilemmas in action. Music supervisor Chris Douridas floats all of this to a hefty soundtrack of pulsing electronic pop.

The level of raw unpredictability of this love triangle scripted by Doremus and debuting writer Jardine Libaire is a lift from the previous flatness of the director’s recent work in the cold genre of science fiction (Equals, Zoe). The drive for human connection versus jadedness feels so much more tangible, emotional wreckage and all. Doremus has more vibrant performers here and their presence elevates the melodramatic material, much of which was semi-improvisational. Someone needs to send this movie to Terrence Malick to show the lauded filmmaker what that performance style really looks like done in an economical and effective way.  

With that liberating looseness, the character work is strong. Both male leads get to stretch their ranges playing against type, but none in Endings, Beginnings are better than Shailene Woodley. In one moment, her Daphne drags cigarettes through self-deprecating dialogue and in the next she’s heart-punching us with a serenade of R.E.M. The Golden Globe and Emmy nominee has long shown a certain niche of frazzle that is unmatched by her peers and she continues to mature as a performer. Shailene has the uncanny ability of balancing bruised burdens with infinitely levitating allure. She’s the reason to see this movie.

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