A LITTLE CHAOS – A piece of historical fiction from 2014 directed by Alan Rickman (who also plays King Louis) and starring Kate Winslet and a dreamy leading man, Matthias Schoenaerts. It also features Helen McCrory, one of my favorites as most of you know. Stanley Tucci sparkles in a delightful turn as the king’s brother, Philippe. Set in Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV, Kate’s character, Sabine, is tasked with building a garden for the king…a bit improbable for 1600s France, but whatever. The only real flaw is my pet peeve – the actors are not speaking in French or using French accents. This removes a vital element of authenticity for me (particularly in period pieces). It never bothers Sandi though. Regardless, we both thoroughly enjoyed the film and will be on the lookout for more Matthias in the future. Wine glasses high! Santé! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1.

A GHOST STORY – aptly named and misleading at the same time, this piece is not what the title suggests. It’s not a ghost story, it’s a ghost’s story. One which poignantly asks us to consider the meaning of life and death. At times achingly slow, and yet somehow appropriately paced, I was often thinking, “I get it, let’s get on with it,” especially in the beginning scenes that seemed to be dealing honestly with issues in real time. I was tempted to turn it off, but resisted because I wanted to understand the message of the film. The longer I watched it, the more I wanted the meaning revealed and the more it eluded me. That is until the group scene where many of the questions we all have about life and death where pondered. I began to see the bigger picture (and actually agree with much of it) as the story delved into the heartbreaking emotions of grief and loneliness. I still don’t completely understand some of what transpired, including the ending, although I have a general idea. But the film has stuck with me for several days now as I’ve mulled it over. That in itself speaks volumes. I’ve also learned in the time since that it won critical acclaim in 2017 and an award at Sundance. That doesn’t necessarily count for anything, but I think in this case it might. I’m glad I watched it, even if I’m left confused about some details within it. A toast! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

DEATH TO 2021 – Some funny bits in this parody of the past year in the same format as its predecessor, Death to 2020. Actual footage of news events and actors portraying journalists or interviewees are woven together in an entertaining retrospective of the year we just endured….and don’t want to endure again. Of course, that’s what we said about 2020, but I digress. I thoroughly enjoyed Stockard Channing, Tracy Ullman and Hugh Grant ruthlessly spoofing journalists and commentators we all recognize. So did Perry, and he enjoyed the whack job interviewees, whom you’ll also recognize. All the actors play their roles with glee and for an hour we are happily distracted from the misery of the old year and look forward with hope to the new one! Cheers to 2022!!

GREATEST EVENTS OF WWII IN COLOR – I’m a history buff, and this is a decent documentary using actual footage and revealing little known facts about the war and our involvement in it. I was shocked to learn how many American soldiers lost their lives fighting the Nazis and the Japanese. The numbers are staggering. Mike says he found the allies’ ability to “think outside the box” in impossible situations, thereby saving hundreds of lives, an incredible accomplishment. Indeed – beginning with the battle at Dunkirk and continuing to the end of the conflict. Comprised of ten episodes which include some spectacular footage of battles in the sky, it’s well worth your time. Cheers to the boys who fought so valiantly to protect America and stop Hitler and the women who made significant contributions off the battlefield. We toast you all in gratitude! Boyfriends & Girlfriends – 100s.

BEING THE RICARDOS – Having read several books and seen as many documentaries about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, I already knew their personal story. What was a complete surprise was Lucy’s curt interactions with everyone, even those closest to her. I’d always heard she was one tough broad, but I was taken aback at her behavior and wondered if it was an accurate depiction. Since her two children, Lucie & Desi Jr., are the exec-producers on this project I suppose it is. Nicole Kidman captures Lucy’s cadence well, but I still didn’t really see Lucy, at least not consistently. I didn’t believe Javier Bardem as Desi at all. Perhaps he was just miscast. His performance felt like he was always trying to be Desi, but never really becoming Desi. On the positive side, Nina Arianda and JK Simmons as Vivian Vance and William Frawley respectively were excellent. I saw the real folks in their portrayals. And I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes peek at the writers’ room of I Love Lucy in the 1950s. The film itself feels like some lesser-known facts of who these icons were individually, and to each other, were jammed into the story at random points which gave it a disjointed feel. Many of these scenes could have been eliminated. Perhaps Lucie and Desi Jr. felt it was important for us to know these things about their parents, but it wasn’t important to the script which depicts only one week in time – the week news broke of Lucy’s alleged ties to the Communist party. To that end, the final big scene of Desi telling the studio audience Lucy has been accused of being a Communist is riveting. Too bad the same can’t be said for the entire picture, although die-hard Lucy fans may enjoy it. Toasts, boyfriends/girlfriends – zero.

DON’T LOOK UP – More like don’t bother watching. The director, Adam Mackay, claims this film is a comedy. It’s not. It’s loaded with big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep so I expected a big delivery of quality entertainment. It delivered only big boredom and annoying performances. And it’s a never-ending saga…almost two and a half hours. I had to watch it in segments to get through it. I think it took me five viewings. It’s a good thing it was dropped exclusively on NetFlix. It would never have survived a traditional theatrical release. Skip it! Zero toasts, zero boyfriends/girlfriends.

DECOUPLED – Think Curb Your Enthusiasm meets Bombay. Produced in India with an Indian cast and crew, this new irreverent comedy series on NetFlix offers a quirky take on marriage, including ending one. Dialogue is the biggest issue for this show. Half the dialogue is in English and half is in Hindi. Even when the actors speak in English, their accents are so thick that subtitles are required to understand everything that’s going on. Some of the situations are over-the-top, but there are funny bits throughout the episodes. I like all the characters….even the less savory ones, and found myself interested in how everything would play out for the main couple. I especially like the actress playing the wife. She’s beautiful and delivers a great, low-key performance which is a perfect contrast to her boorish, loud husband. There are only eight half-hour episodes and I look forward to season two. Cheers!! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends -1.

RBG – What can I say about the Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg? She’s a rock star, an icon and women everywhere owe her a debt! Hers is an intriguing tale of overcoming prejudice against the female sex and kicking the door open so the rest of us would have an easier time of it. And she wasn’t only about justice for women. She was equally engaged in ensuring fair, equitable rights for men when the Court was inclined to favor mothers over fathers without any justification other than they were mothers. This tiny pistol of a woman was soft-spoken, enjoyed opera and worked tirelessly seeking justice for all. Great piece documenting her life story. Thanks, RBG – we toast you. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

GOOD HAIR – Chris Rock hosts this interesting look into black hair and its influence in the black community. Everything from the texture of the hair itself, to the enormous cost of a weave (thousands of dollars), to the social place it holds for both men and women which involves unspoken rules between the sexes. I learned women won’t let you touch their weave and men know they aren’t allowed to touch their weave. And they can’t get it wet either. Men have them too. And everyone pays basically the cost of a mortgage to buy human hair imported from India. And it’s not a one-time purchase. Weaves have to be replaced…..frequently. I had no idea about any of this and found the whole piece fascinating. I certainly learned a lot including it’s a good thing I’m not part of this community….I could never afford it or deal with the commitment of having good hair. Cheers!! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.

BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY – Steve Young, long-time comedy writer for David Letterman, reveals his unique hobby in this quirky, off-beat documentary. Apparently back in the day, like mostly the 1950s-1970s, companies would produce full-length musicals (think Broadway) showcasing their products for in-house employees. These shows were recorded on LP albums for their employees only. Neither the shows, nor the albums, were ever seen or heard by anyone outside the company, and long-forgotten by everyone…..except Steve Young! Steve happened upon them by accident searching for comedy material for Letterman when Dave used to do his recurring record bit on his Late Night show. Some of these productions featured folks who became well-known and some who were talented but never heard of again…except by Steve Young! Turns out Steve discovered his passion! He has spent years searching for these albums, tracking down and meeting the talent who worked in them, and delivers a wonderful film documenting his journey as the process comes full circle. A wild, strange trip with a Broadway ending!! Cheers, Steve! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.