INSIDE THE MIND OF A CAT – Fun facts about felines which you may not know. That is to say, facts that cats would not allow you to know! This hour-long peek into cat behavior may give you a clue as to why cats do what they do….or don’t. Let’s face it…they’re still cats…and cats are most definitely in charge. Kelly, Aidan & Alex loved it. Mike enjoyed it. My take – it was cute. If you’re a cat lover, it’s probably worth a view! Cheers. No boyfriends/girlfriends.

ELVIS – this HBO film chronicles the career of Elvis Presley from humble beginnings at Sun Records until his death in 1977. The focus of the film is his unfortunate relationship with his manager, Col. Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. I have no idea if Hanks’ performance is an accurate portrayal of Parker since my familiarity with Parker is limited, but knowing the quality of Hanks’ work, I assume it is. That said, due to the makeup and fat suit, I kept seeing the Penguin from Batman (which I guess is okay since the Penguin is a villain!) The standout gem in this piece is unknown actor Austin Butler who plays Elvis. He was superb! His face doesn’t look much like Elvis, but everything else was spot on – mannerisms, speaking voice, singing, showmanship. He captured it all flawlessly! Toast glass raised high – Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

THE CARD COUNTER – Slow-paced film that turned on a dime about three quarters of the way through and kept me riveted from that point on. Incarcerated for atrocities he committed in the military police at Abu Ghraib, William Tell becomes expert at card counting and puts this skill to good use once released from prison. Always haunted by the sins of his past, he manages to keep them simmering just below the surface until a young man unexpectedly enters his life, unleashing the ghosts with an explosive force that sets William on a path of no return. Some truly brutal, disturbing action takes place in the Abu Ghraib scenes that I couldn’t watch. Martin Scorsese was involved with this picture which should give you a clue as to the intensity of the violence. Overall, an interesting delve into humanity, karma and redemption. Cheers. Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 0.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON – this much anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones takes place 172 years before the original series. It’s chock full of recognizable actors – Matt Smith (Prince Philip in The Crown), Graham McTavish and Bill Paterson (Dougal & Ned Gowan in Outlander) and Eva Best (Dr. Eleanor O’Hara in Nurse Jackie). Naturally, it’s pretty much the same format, characters and turmoil as its predecessor. I especially liked the way the two series were linked together in the first episode when a prophecy is revealed foretelling the coming of the white walkers and the requisite union of fire and ice in order to prevent the total destruction of humanity. I was expecting much more dragon action since apparently there are 14 in this era of the Targaryen reign. Always my favorite characters, I was disappointed at their lack of screen time. The peeps are somewhat divided on the show so far. Kelly said it was too brutally violent and graphic for her to continue watching. I didn’t see any difference between this and the original. Van liked it a lot and is already a fan. The rest of the peeps are on the fence until more episodes air. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.

MANIFEST – A commercial airliner flies into an unprecedented severe storm and flies out five years later. The twist – for the passengers of Flight 828, it’s only been a matter of minutes. And they emerge from the ordeal with clairvoyant abilities and spiritual callings as they try to reconnect with family and friends who have moved on during the plane’s 5-year absence. Thus begins this tale produced by Robert Zemeckis. It’s a bit melodramatic at times as the passengers try to understand exactly what happened to them and why, but I like it. The work is good and I’m always interested to see what new twist will pop up next (there are many). All episodes are titled with aviation terms like “Hard Landing,” “Final Approach” and “Black Box” which cleverly piques the viewer’s interest in the events about to unfold. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN – I’ve always wanted to watch this film, but somehow never got around to it. Now I have. I was particularly interested in viewing it at this point in time as many comparisons have been made over the last several years between the political corruption in the 70s and the political corruption today. The similarities truly are uncanny. The film is worthy of all the accolades it has received. Most of us are well aware of the Watergate scandal which was exposed in the Washington Post by dogged investigative reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. Still, the stellar portrayal of their characters by Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford is riveting and breathes life into a tired piece of political history we’d all prefer to forget. We need to remember the lesson. Moreover, we are reminded of the important role of a free press in our Democracy and the debt we owe honest journalists who work tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to bring us the truth. A grateful toast to them all! Cheers!! Boyfriends – 2; Girlfriends – 0.

DAVE CHAPPELLE: WHAT’S IN A NAME – I have never been a fan of Dave Chappelle’s comedy, but Kelly insisted the peeps watch this so we did. It’s about 40 minutes of Dave addressing students, faculty and alumni at his high school alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in New York. Kelly found the talk surprisingly moving and inspirational. She saw an uncharacteristic side of Dave. Mike was impressed. I thought Dave was arrogant and pompous making constant references to his achievements, salary and status in the comedy world. Unless you’re a Chappelle fan – skip it!