EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE – The title is certainly appropriate! It was impossible for me to follow and/or understand what was happening in this sci/fi film. Science fiction is not my thing and the movie is two hours and twenty minutes long. The frantic bits (and there were many) made my head hurt. Despite that, I got the gist of it which is love prevails. Even more surprising, I liked it. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was the novel albeit perplexing script. Maybe it was the Chinese dialogue interspersed throughout. Maybe it was the outstanding performances by the entire cast. Michelle Yeoh and most of the supporting actors are nominated for an Oscar. Jamie Lee Curtis delivers with glee and 93-yr-old James Hong is always delightful! Maybe it’s all of that. Whatever the reason…..Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

BLONDE – It’s important to state right off the bat this film is not a documentary or biography. It’s a fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe’s life taken from the novel by Joyce Carol Oates. While much of it is factual and based on actual events, some of it is simply the author’s imagination. That said, it’s an artsy film that captures the essence of the icon. It’s a tragic, heartbreaking story told in a surreal atmosphere of disturbing events. Extraordinary, unique cinematography creates the evocative tone. The use of black & white versus color within scenes is genius, as is the editing. Ana de Arma is worthy of her Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She carries this film from start to finish portraying Marilyn as a vulnerable, abused little girl…Norma Jean…always in search of love, her identity, her father and in desperate need of help. Bobby Cannavale as Joe DiMaggio and Aidan Brody as Arthur Miller deliver the goods portraying icons themselves. Brad Pitt is one of the producers. The movie is too long, almost three hours. I had to watch it in segments. Some scenes drag. Overall, though, the film delivers on its intention. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN – Living on an island off the coast of Ireland in 1923, a simple man, his sister and his beloved animals – particularly a darling donkey named Jenny – contend with the challenges and boredom of small town isolation. There is comedy throughout this film, but overall the story is bleak and filled with sadness. The scenery is beautiful, the animals endearing and the work – excellent. Kerry Condon as Siobhán is superb. So is Barry Keoghan as Dominic. There is well deserved Oscar buzz around this picture, but the depressing content left me in the same condition. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 2…including the donkey, Jenny.

THE PALE BLUE EYE – Interesting historical fiction mystery based on the novel by Louis Bayard. Set in the 1830s, and centering on Edgar Allan Poe’s brief time as a West Point cadet, a series of murders occur at the military academy. Harry Melling, who plays Poe, would be a dead ringer for the poet… if he had a mustache. Seems like a major faux pas that he doesn’t – Poe’s appearance is well known to most of us and overlooking this detail kept distracting me from the story. Also I wasn’t crazy about Melling’s performance. Christian Bale is great as the detective hired to solve the murders. And the identity of the murderer was a complete surprise! Worth viewing. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

THE INVITATION – Mirith and I were planning to see this in the theatre, but it was in and out so fast we didn’t have the opportunity. We thought that meant it wasn’t very good, but it actually wasn’t bad. It’s a horror film from Mike Flanagan – sometimes he nails it and sometimes he doesn’t. I won’t reveal what the menacing supernatural creature is, but I didn’t figure on what it ended up being. He probably should have gone with something more interesting and unique. Nathalie Emmanuel (Khaleesi’s right hand in Game of Thrones) is quite convincing in the lead role. Beautiful, too. The story is rather weak and I didn’t believe Nathalie’s tough, smart character would make some of the dumb choices in the script. I did enjoy seeing her wear an Outlander t-shirt with a big picture of Jamie on front. It made me laugh! Overall an okay horror flick. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1.

GEORGE & TAMMY – A dysfunctional relationship straight out of one of their country songs, complete with booze benders, domestic violence, divorce and a long-suffering woman. No surprises here in this documentary about the life and times of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, both personally and professionally, believably portrayed by Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. If you’re a fan, watch it. Otherwise, skip it. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.