The Bear – Season 3 – Season Finale

All I can say about this finale is that it leaves you wanting so much more. It was a touching end to a season where The Bear needs to learn to love and trust the people he entrusted with his restaurant.

We’ve seen Carmy grow as a chef and a person from the first episode. Now, he needs to reflect on his experiences—both good and bad—and use those lessons to lead his staff effectively. As a father and teacher, this episode taught me that I want those around me, especially my students, to make their own decisions and be kind. I want them to feel inspired by me, not stressed or diminished.

I’ll definitely be rewatching these episodes and eagerly await season 4, hoping it comes sooner than expected.

The Bear – Episodes 8-9

Episode 8 – Ice Chips – Sugar is having her baby and Jamie Lee Curtis shows up as the only one that can help Sugar – She is perfect as the crazy ass mom! But she does have her motherly moments while Sugar is waiting to have her baby. Quote, “Mom, I make myself sick to make you feel better.” Sugar says this to her mom.

Fun fact: Dr. Levin, the doctor that is delivering Natalie’s baby, is the dad in Ghostlight, the movie I saw on Tuesday night.

Powerful, powerful episode, wait til you see the scene with Mom and Sugar just looking at each other when Pete comes in. With the music playing, it was an beautiful scene.

Episode 9 – Apologies – Carmy – Claire wouldn’t haunt us, because that would be chaos and she is peace.

Uncle Jimmy is talking to Carmy, “Dreams are a son of a bit–, aren’t they?”

It’s amazing what this show does to me. This scene where Tina and Marcus are working overtime to perfect their craft, Marcus asks Tina to taste her food and she asks him about his mom…and he mentions “flashes” of her. And I tear up as the power of this scene overwhelms me. Then they get into a way to improve the plate with pureed cauliflower and smoking it and the tears go away, like back to the real world and the stuff in front of me…..just powerful stuff.

The Bear – Season 3 Ep. 5-7

Episode 5 – Children – “Iridescent” and Computer. “Want me to go grab a duck” “Please” “Sick, What kind of duck? Freshwater, I saw one in the park, should I go get a trash bag from Neil?”

Episode 6 – Napkins – The backstory of Tina, really beautiful episode. Nice connection to the first episode and boy she went through alot to get a job and how she found her way to The Beef.

Episode 7 – Legacy – Sweeps opens up a bit about how he messed up in baseball. Cool scene, I’d like to see his backstory in season 4. Sugar says, “It feels like eternity” and Tina says, “Then its gonna be an instant!” – them talking about Sugar’s baby.

***Sugar is my favorite character in this show and nothing bad better happen to her.***

The Bear – Episode 2-4 – Quotes

I am not going to blog about every episdoe of this amazing show. I am enjoying it too much but will write down

Episode 2 — Next – “Take us there, Bear” – Marcus

Episode 3 – Doors – “If it’s not perfect, it doesn’t go out” -Carmy. HIgh Stress! 8 AM to 11 PM is a long day!

Episode 4 – Violet – Claire says to Carmy, “What’s the worst time in the restaurant?” Carmy says, “Saturday at 8:15, why?” Claire replies, “Think about that and multiply it by Fu–ing Hell.” – Claire talking about 4th of July and St. Patricks Day in the ER.

I will need to watch this all over again….

The Bear – Season 3, Episode 1

How pumped was I when HULU announced they were releasing all of the episodes for season 3 of The Bear, 3 hours early. This is a show that I watched for the third time as soon as summer started and while I was in Hilton Head, I watched the first season a 4th time as I watching the 2nd season a 3rd time. So sufficed to say I am excited to sit down and watch this new season. I also read today they are also filming season 4 directly after 3 so that is good news too.

To start this first episode of season 3, you are flashing back to many of Carmy’s moments that we lived or were told about throughout the first 2 seasons. Not a lot of words, just music, sounds and beautiful motions. Hell, watching Carmy wipe a table is poetic.

You watch Carmy move to New York and work in the many kitchens that he did to learn his craft. He chops onions, slices fish, picks peas, choose flower petals, prepare dishes, and clean, clean, clean, all beautifully. As well as living through some of the bigger moments in his life before and after New York.

You really need to know about seasons 1 and 2 while watching this, so if you didn’t go back and stressfully enjoy seasons 1 and 2 before starting season 3. Olivia Colman, Joel McHale, Jon Bernthal are simply perfect for their roles in this show. What a beautiful way to start off this season of The Bear, the montage of work Carmy does is simply amazing.

What a beautifully edited episode of television. Perfection. I imagine that editing this episode was as difficult as some of the dishes Carmy had to make as he was learning to be a chef. Again, perfection.

Ghostlight – My New #1 Movie

A summer movie season is looked at in early March and the excitement rises when May comes around. People look for those big blockbusters, the money making films that everyone will go see. We’ve had those already with the likes of Inside Out 2 and Bad Boys for Life and the upcoming Quiet Place: Day One. Well Ghostlight wasn’t on my “to see” list for the summer until I saw the trailer a couple of weeks ago.

It starts with a very sad dad, Dan, who is a construction worker who is living with his rebellious daughter Daisy (Perfectly played by Katherine Mallen Kupferer) and wife, Sharon. The family is going through something that is hidden at the beginning to the audience, Daisy is getting suspended from school and has a potty mouth, Dan is not happy in his work and Sharon is Mom trying to keep everyone happy. You start to see through the development of the characters and the first act why the family is the way they are. I won’t give that away, but it brings the entire movie together.

Anyways, Dan has an episode at work when Rita, acted beautifully by Dolly DeLeon comes over to him and asks him to come join this small community troupe of actors because, “he looks like he wants to get away.” The troupe is putting on a small rendition of Romeo and Juliet and it wakes up Dan. So Dan, as he is dealing with life, allows him to escape from life to work with this wonderful group of people on Romeo and Juliet. The 6-7 actors were cast perfectly for these parts. It then turns into a family affair as his daughter joins the cast and this helps the two bond together as father and daughter.

When you get to the final act, you understand what is going on in their lives and it got heavy, but don’t let this not let allow yourself to watch this film, it is heavy, I cried, several times, but the movie is also very light with many laugh out loud scenes. It made me want to join a small troupe and join some community theater. It made me think about so many people in my community that may have gone through what Dan’s family went through in the movie.

I didn’t want this movie to end. When they put on their performance of Romeo and Juliet, proudly on display on an Elementary school’s stage, I teared up, because I go to so many high school plays in my school district on their final performance day on Sunday afternoon. But then once the play is over, the film goes back to family and that’s what this is all about.

As of June 26th, 2024, “Ghostlight” has become my top movie of the year. The three leads, Dan, Sharon, and Daisy, deliver outstanding performances as a struggling family. Their real-life familial bond undoubtedly enhances their on-screen chemistry. The seamless transitions between the preparation of “Romeo and Juliet” and Dan’s real-life experiences might seem almost too perfect, but they work brilliantly. Keith Kupferer’s portrayal of Dan while acting as Romeo on stage is a truly remarkable performance and, in my opinion, his overall work is Oscar-worthy.

The film’s attention to detail is evident, even in small moments like the scene where the troupe is warming up, and two boys outside the window mock them. Instead of reacting, the troupe simply closes the curtain and continues to enjoy their work. The music score, primarily piano, is both beautiful and simple, perfectly complementing the story and bringing a smile to my face. “Ghostlight” is an exceptional film, filled with genuine emotions that resonated deeply with me.

I highly recommend watching this movie in theaters, renting it on VOD, or seeing it wherever you can. Don’t miss out on this incredible experience!

Jodie Comer Shines in The Bikeriders Drama

This is one of those films that I was a little tired of seeing the trailer of over the past year, in fact, when I would see it, I would close my eyes for a couple of minutes. But, it was also a film that I wanted to see for I was hoping for a good story that was a sequel and not a super hero movie. I got what I wanted!

The story is based off a photo book that was published that followed a bike crew in the 60s and 70s and the movie was made from this. It’s pretty much told from Jodie Comer’s character, as she is interviewed by Danny Lyon for this book. It start as she meets Benny in a Biker bar. This starts the love affair between the two and the love that Benny has for his Biker crew and its leader, Johnny, played by Tom Hardy.

Benny is the younger, wild rider of the crew and as the movie starts you see him get into a scrum with some local because he won’t remove his jacket in a bar. The movie then backtracks to how the biker crew came to become the Vandals in the Chicago area. During their courtship, you meet each of the members of the crew and how it all came together.

This movie moves through the years of the crew. There’s not much to telling when years change and when they change to certain time periods. But you do see what happens to members of the group and how the bike culture lives, which is not the life that I can imagine living. This was one of the reasons for me wanting to see this movie. The life includes lots of bar time so when do they spend time with family, there’s lot of alcohol and LOTS of smoking. This element of the movie was very intriguing to me as it certainly a life that I couldn’t/wouldn’t want to live.

For me, Jodie Comer steals the show, though all the performances are outstanding. Tom Hardy shines as the badass and tough leader of the Vandals, while Austin Butler perfectly fits his typical role, delivering plenty of intense stares, mumbling, smoking, and maintaining perfect hair—even during fights! However, this film isn’t an action movie; it’s a compelling drama. The quality performances, exceptional filmmaking, and meticulous sound editing elevate the motorcycles to a significant element of the story itself.

Thelma: A Feel Good Adventure

I skipped out of the house this evening because the Edmonton Oilers had a 3-0 lead in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals and headed to Cinemark at Polaris to check out Thelma, a new movie this summer which initially not on my radar to go see. What I love about the summer movie schedule is not only the allure of the big summer blockbusters, this year being, Inside Out 2, A Quiet Place: Day One, Twisters and Deadpool and Wolverine, but also those smaller budget films that don’t make a splash as they open behind the coattails of the summer blockbusters.

“Thelma” is a film that initially slipped under my radar when I saw the trailer a few months ago. The story centers on Thelma, an elderly woman in her early 90s, portrayed by June Squibb. Living alone, Thelma’s days are regimented and predictable. She shares a close bond with her grandson, Daniel, who is struggling to find his footing as an independent adult.

One day, Thelma is conned into believing Daniel is in jail and urgently needs $10,000 for bail. In a panic, she scours her home, gathering the money from various hiding spots, and sends it to a PO Box. She does this before seeking any help from her daughter, Gail (Parker Posey), or her son-in-law, Alan (Clark Gregg). This impulsive act sets off a chain of events that disrupts her otherwise orderly life.

The movie then turns to Thelma being embarrassed that this happened to her and her determination to find out where she sent this money and who did this thing to her. She uses her hearing aids, connected to her phone to reach out to her friends to see if anyone can help her. She ends up finding Ben, played by Richard Roundtree, who died October 23rd, 2023 and asking him for his scooter and his help to find out what happened to her money.

The movie is fun, with standout performances by June Squibb and Richard Roundtree. However, it moves at a slow pace, reflecting the leisurely rhythm of its older lead actors. There are scenes where a scooter moves slowly, scenes where a character is lying on the ground, and even a slow-motion “arc shot” reminiscent of the Bad Boys movies. Despite this, the film made me smile more than I expected.

Throughout the movie, Thelma has several humorous encounters where she thinks she recognizes someone, engages in a brief conversation, and ultimately realizes they don’t know each other. These sequences are quite funny. Additionally, the film tugged at my heartstrings, reminding me of the older women in my life—my mom, aunts, mother-in-law, and former colleagues who are now retired.

While there’s nothing wrong with these women, the film’s scenes, particularly at the beginning and end, made me reflect on how I can be more involved in their lives. The way Thelma clicked a computer mouse or how her grandson raised his voice while offering tech help over the phone resonated with me. It reminded me of my interactions with my parents, especially my mom.

Is Thelma winning awards, no, but it was a fun, fill good adventure at the pace of an older acting ensemble, but it was a quality story and a good time in the theater.

Inside Out 2: Capturing the Teenage Rollercoaster

Honestly, I wasn’t particularly excited to see this movie. It had been quite a while since the first one (which I really enjoyed), and I just wasn’t feeling the vibe. But boy, was I wrong. I decided to catch this film on a warm Sunday night in the summer, and what struck me was the large number of teenagers in the audience. It’s something I often joke about—going to the movies alone and ending up surrounded by a group of kids. This time, there were three teenagers sitting just two seats away from me. Throughout the film, I found myself laughing a lot, completely unconcerned about what those kids might think of my amusement.

The movie begins with our hockey star, Riley, turning 13. Suddenly, a few new emotions—Anxiety, Ennui (Boredom and Fatigue), Embarrassment, and Envy—enter her mind. Anxiety quickly takes control, suppressing Riley’s original emotions. This sets off an adventure to retrieve these lost emotions and restore balance, so Riley can feel more than just anxiety.

Throughout this journey, Anxiety continues to dominate as Riley and her friends attend a hockey camp. We also witness how Riley’s parents navigate her success and emotional turmoil, especially as anxiety increasingly impacts her. The film features phenomenal filmmaking and animation, capturing the complexity of Riley’s emotional roller coaster with remarkable depth and creativity.

With this film, PIXAR is back and I hope they continue to make these animated films that are not only for the pure enjoyment of children, but also films that the entire family can enjoy, or teenagers, heading to the theater with friends can go and enjoy and make that choice on their own. The animation led us through an exciting adventure with new characters, my favorite was Pouchy, the voices were perfect and Disney has once again made a film that is true to the emotions of a teenager and the true reflections of people around them including friends, parents and coaches.

When I recommended this film to my Facebook friends, many asked if it made me cry. While it didn’t bring me to tears, I laughed a lot. The humor was clever and fun, and the film, in my opinion, perfectly captured the range of emotions that 13-year-olds experience. Watching Riley navigate life at hockey camp, the film hit the bullseye in portraying the emotional rollercoaster kids go through at this age..

So, I haven’t told you much about this movie, other than it’s good and GO SEE IT!

Tuesday: A Poignant Portrayal of Grief and Connection

“Tuesday” is not a film for everyone. Directed by Daina Oniunas-Pusic, it tells the heart-wrenching story of a mother coming to terms with her daughter’s impending death and grappling with how to live in a world without her. This powerful and unconventional movie may leave some viewers feeling bored or uncomfortable, but I found it to be a deeply rewarding experience.

The film confronts the concept of death head-on, symbolized by a parrot aptly named Death. This unique portrayal adds a layer of poignancy and meaning to the story, creating a compelling emotional connection between the parrot and the dying daughter, Lola. Without giving too much away, the parrot’s interactions with Lola are both touching and profound.

You need to watch the film to see how the story unfolds, but I can say that the ending was particularly moving. In my reviews, I often gauge a movie’s impact by how much it makes me think, laugh, and cry. While “Tuesday” didn’t bring me to tears, it did evoke laughter and deep contemplation. It’s not a film I would recommend to my parents, as they might find it slow, but it made me reflect on my own life and how I would handle similar situations.

“Tuesday” carries a powerful message, and the performances from the cast, including Bea, Lola, and even the parrot, are exceptional. Despite its challenging themes and pacing, this film is worth your time for its emotional depth and thought-provoking narrative.