Mr. Right (2015)
In this time of responsible social distancing and self-quarantining due to the new corona-virus, we figured it was a good time to cull our Netflix list and find a true diamond in the rough. A suggestion I have for you is Mr. Right written by Max Landis and directed by Paco Cabezas. Mr. Right is not your typical Rom-Com. It's more tongue in cheek, which is humor I appreciate, and there is plenty of action to go around.
The Premise
Newly single Martha isn't looking for love but that's what she finds when she runs into Francis. She isn't put of by his casual "jokes" about being a hitman, but when people start really trying to kill to them, she thinks it might be time for a break.
My Take
I have self confessed crushes on both Anna Kendrick, who plays Martha, and Sam Rockwell, who plays Francis. So imagine my elation when I saw they were paired up in this film! They make an adorable, awkward, and super cute movie couple.
In Mr. Right, Francis never lies to Martha about being a killer. He slips it into casual conversation, telling her the truth the whole time. She never quite knows what to expect from him, which is why she likes him so much. He's new and exciting and not like any guy she's ever been with before. But when the bullets start flying, she starts having second thoughts, like any sane woman would. Then again, she really likes this guy...
Acting as Martha's voice of reason is her roommate and best friend Sophie (Katie Nehra). Sophie is immediately suspicious of Francis and has no problems voicing her concerns. She has every right to be worried about her friend. Especially because people like Tim Roth, RZA, Anson Mount, Michael Eklund and James Ransone are all after him.
The Verdict
A lot of times, movies that have all-stars casts like this make me nervous to watch them. Truthfully. I have found there are times not enough attention is paid to the script or direction and all of it goes to who stars in the movie. If you enjoy dark humor, action, comedy, and romance, I suggest giving Mr. Right a chance. It seems to have slid under the radar as far as movies go. I give Mr. Right 1 perfect clown nose. Why? You'll have to watch to find out.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
I'm a big fan of heartwarming stories and an even bigger fan of tales of redemption. I was finally able to watch "The Peanut Butter Falcon", written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, which has been at the top of my Netflix since its release. It's one of those rare films that is funny, touching, and also manages to sneak in a life lesson at the same time.
The Premise
Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome, is living in a retirement home because he has no family left to care for him. However, that hasn't dampened his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. After breaking out of the retirement home, he meets Tyler, who is running away from problems of his own. To make matters even more complicated, the duo are being pursued by Eleanor, an employee of the retirement home, and people seeking revenge for Tyler's wrongdoings.
My Take
Having spent a good portion of my professional life working in special education and retirements homes, I have a soft spot for characters like Zak. No one should ever be abandoned or made to feel it's impossible to pursue their dreams. I was fortunate that the educators I worked with were very good at what they did and (I hope) left all the children feeling loved and encouraged. That being said, the situation Zak was left in was very sad indeed and it highlights the need for more characters like Eleanor in schools and retirement homes.
Zak was played by Zack Gottsagen. Zach was naturally brilliant in this role and a perfect choice. Of course rumor has it that the role was written for Zack, so why wouldn't he be perfect? To back him up were fellow Texan, Dakota Johnson, as Eleanor and Shia LaBeouf as Tyler. I liked Johnson as Eleanor. She played Eleanor as soft spoken, sweet, and patient. All good qualities for working in retirement homes or with people with disabilities. As the opposite, Shia LaBeouf was gruff and impatient. He treated the character Zak as if he were no different than anyone else. That's also a good quality for people to have - not to talk down, shame, or belittle those that are different. So here you are with Zak book-ended with perfect examples of people he needs in his life. The overprotective "mothering" Eleanor and a "big brother" that takes no shit to show him the world.
I spoke earlier of a story of redemption. LaBeouf's character, Tyler, is in need of a little saving when he meets Zak. Tyler is on the lam when he and Zak first meet. He agrees to takes Zak just as far as his goal - a wrestling school - but the adventures they have on the way forge a bond between the two men. The actions Tyler takes in teaching, protecting, and befriending Zak renews his spirit when he is at his lowest point.
Rounding out the cast is Thomas Haden Church as Zak's all-time favorite wrestler, Salt Water Redneck, and real wrestler Jake 'The Snake' Roberts as Sam. Also, a special shout out to Zak's roommate played by Bruce Dern. He was the perfect accomplice to Zak's great escape..
The Verdict
"The Peanut Butter Falcon" was a well executed tale. It has all the elements of a great story - comedy, suspense, heart, wonder. I began to really feel for Zak and Tyler as they made their way to the wrestling school and as it came to the climax, I was pleasantly pleased at the way it all came out. I give "The Peanut Butter Falcon" 1.. 2... 3! 3 out of 3 wrestling moves. (I would count to 10 but that just seems really long haha!)
The Premise
Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome, is living in a retirement home because he has no family left to care for him. However, that hasn't dampened his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. After breaking out of the retirement home, he meets Tyler, who is running away from problems of his own. To make matters even more complicated, the duo are being pursued by Eleanor, an employee of the retirement home, and people seeking revenge for Tyler's wrongdoings.
My Take
Having spent a good portion of my professional life working in special education and retirements homes, I have a soft spot for characters like Zak. No one should ever be abandoned or made to feel it's impossible to pursue their dreams. I was fortunate that the educators I worked with were very good at what they did and (I hope) left all the children feeling loved and encouraged. That being said, the situation Zak was left in was very sad indeed and it highlights the need for more characters like Eleanor in schools and retirement homes.
Zak was played by Zack Gottsagen. Zach was naturally brilliant in this role and a perfect choice. Of course rumor has it that the role was written for Zack, so why wouldn't he be perfect? To back him up were fellow Texan, Dakota Johnson, as Eleanor and Shia LaBeouf as Tyler. I liked Johnson as Eleanor. She played Eleanor as soft spoken, sweet, and patient. All good qualities for working in retirement homes or with people with disabilities. As the opposite, Shia LaBeouf was gruff and impatient. He treated the character Zak as if he were no different than anyone else. That's also a good quality for people to have - not to talk down, shame, or belittle those that are different. So here you are with Zak book-ended with perfect examples of people he needs in his life. The overprotective "mothering" Eleanor and a "big brother" that takes no shit to show him the world.
I spoke earlier of a story of redemption. LaBeouf's character, Tyler, is in need of a little saving when he meets Zak. Tyler is on the lam when he and Zak first meet. He agrees to takes Zak just as far as his goal - a wrestling school - but the adventures they have on the way forge a bond between the two men. The actions Tyler takes in teaching, protecting, and befriending Zak renews his spirit when he is at his lowest point.
Rounding out the cast is Thomas Haden Church as Zak's all-time favorite wrestler, Salt Water Redneck, and real wrestler Jake 'The Snake' Roberts as Sam. Also, a special shout out to Zak's roommate played by Bruce Dern. He was the perfect accomplice to Zak's great escape..
The Verdict
"The Peanut Butter Falcon" was a well executed tale. It has all the elements of a great story - comedy, suspense, heart, wonder. I began to really feel for Zak and Tyler as they made their way to the wrestling school and as it came to the climax, I was pleasantly pleased at the way it all came out. I give "The Peanut Butter Falcon" 1.. 2... 3! 3 out of 3 wrestling moves. (I would count to 10 but that just seems really long haha!)
Friday, January 3, 2020
Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020
They say hindsight is 20/20, so is this going to be the year of reflection? And if so, what kind of reflection? Self? World? Otherwise? I personally would like to close this chapter of my life by doing something I have never done before and reflect back on the past year at some of my favorite (and maybe not so favorite) memories.
I spent a lot more time with my family this year. My parents, sister, nephews, and friends that I consider my family. And for reasons that aren't totally appropriate for a public forum, I had to work extra hard on my marriage this year. I'm proud to say that all the extra hours we put in are working and we just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. So everything in 2019 is a little bittersweet for me, but that's okay.
My son Tim turned 18 this year. I officially have two men in the house. He also graduated high school and I have never been more proud. He got a full time job and is taking a gap-year while he decides whether a culinary degree is worth the time and expense. He has sought the advice of other chefs and cooks and heard their stories of people who went the education route and who went for the experience. All were where they wanted to be in life. Now it's up to Tim to decide what's best for him. If anyone else wants to chime in, I'm happy to pass the info along to him. Leave me a comment or message me!
Our next big event was Rebecca's Sweet 16. No car for her, though. She's terrified of driving at the moment which is just fine with me! She was also inducted into the Texas Thespians, one of the largest chapters in the nation. She's super active in her high school theatre, landing one of the starring roles in the Fall production of The Revenge of the Space Pandas or Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock, which turned out to be the only production they've done so far this school year. One of the downfalls of going to a brand new high school is a lack of support and funding for the arts.
In April I chopped all my hair off, but that's not super important. We spent a lot of time at the beach with my parents and in July my mom and I went zip-lining at Moody Gardens. It was on our bucket list and was pretty amazing.
Diana turned 14 at the beginning of her very first marching season. She adored every about marching band. The camaraderie, the skill level, the athleticism, the music, the discipline, the tan... The only thing she hates is how white her feet still are compared to the rest of her legs. Guess we'll need to spend more time at the beach in 2020. Diana was the first freshman to make region band at the their high school. She is also to first bass clarinet player to make region band, making her the first clarinet player to make region band. I could not be more proud of her accomplishments. She has decided she wants to be a nurse and is taking the appropriate high school level classes to achieve her goal.
At the end of the summer I spent two days in the hospital after suffering a pretty scary seizure. I was eventually diagnosed with Todd's Paralysis and sent home. I was out of work for two weeks as I recovered not knowing how permanent the effects would be on the right side of my body. I eventually had a full recovery and went back to work but was unable to drive for three months. It's no fun putting everyone on your speed dial just so you can get home from work safely. As I was having problems with my head, Victor started having problems with his feet. He has plantar fasciitis. It's apparently really painful. I hope we find a solution for him soon.
When I said at the beginning that things were bittersweet, it was because there was a leftover air of misfortune that followed us from 2017 and 2018 into our lives to 2019. Things have been extremely difficult in the Romero household for nearly three years now and we are just now getting over the hurt, pain, and scars caused by the misdeeds of others. New Year's 2020 is the first one in our recent history where we found ourselves celebrating. We celebrated our marriage (we got married on New Year's Eve), we celebrated our lives together, and we celebrated our future. And you know what? It felt good.
I spent a lot more time with my family this year. My parents, sister, nephews, and friends that I consider my family. And for reasons that aren't totally appropriate for a public forum, I had to work extra hard on my marriage this year. I'm proud to say that all the extra hours we put in are working and we just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. So everything in 2019 is a little bittersweet for me, but that's okay.
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| My sister and me after Mardi Gras! |
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| Cheers! At Tomball German Fest with my BFF |
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| Me and my Mom |
Our next big event was Rebecca's Sweet 16. No car for her, though. She's terrified of driving at the moment which is just fine with me! She was also inducted into the Texas Thespians, one of the largest chapters in the nation. She's super active in her high school theatre, landing one of the starring roles in the Fall production of The Revenge of the Space Pandas or Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock, which turned out to be the only production they've done so far this school year. One of the downfalls of going to a brand new high school is a lack of support and funding for the arts.
In April I chopped all my hair off, but that's not super important. We spent a lot of time at the beach with my parents and in July my mom and I went zip-lining at Moody Gardens. It was on our bucket list and was pretty amazing.
Diana turned 14 at the beginning of her very first marching season. She adored every about marching band. The camaraderie, the skill level, the athleticism, the music, the discipline, the tan... The only thing she hates is how white her feet still are compared to the rest of her legs. Guess we'll need to spend more time at the beach in 2020. Diana was the first freshman to make region band at the their high school. She is also to first bass clarinet player to make region band, making her the first clarinet player to make region band. I could not be more proud of her accomplishments. She has decided she wants to be a nurse and is taking the appropriate high school level classes to achieve her goal.
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| My Theatre Nerd |
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| Couldn't live without these guys |
When I said at the beginning that things were bittersweet, it was because there was a leftover air of misfortune that followed us from 2017 and 2018 into our lives to 2019. Things have been extremely difficult in the Romero household for nearly three years now and we are just now getting over the hurt, pain, and scars caused by the misdeeds of others. New Year's 2020 is the first one in our recent history where we found ourselves celebrating. We celebrated our marriage (we got married on New Year's Eve), we celebrated our lives together, and we celebrated our future. And you know what? It felt good.
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| Happy New Year! |
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