Favorite Actress – Katharine Hepburn

March 10, 2025March 10, 20254 Comments

When I was in my 20s I went through a bit of a classic movie phase and Katharine was a big part of that. I think the first movie I saw her in was Sylvia Scarlett (1935) where she pretended to be a boy. It was a good indication that she did things her own way. She is smart and funny and quick as a whip. I love how she challenged norms and stayed true to herself.

She was born in 1907 Connecticut to a doctor and a suffragette. One of her brothers committed suicide in his teens and it affected her greatly. Even though she had a house in NYC and rented in LA when she filmed there, she consider Connecticut her lifelong home. She was married, but it didn’t work out and the married Spencer Tracy became the love of her life.

She is the only actress to have 4 Oscars.

I recently watched Call Me Kate on Netflix and it’s fantastic if you’re a fan. I also read The Private World of Katharine Hepburn by John Bryson and loved it! You can check it out here.

These are the movies I remember watching.

The A movies

The Philadelphia Story (1940) is one of my all-time faves, also starring Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. A perfect romantic comedy.

State of the Union (1948) also starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson. It is amazing how little has changed in politics in 75 years!

Desk Set (1957) also starring Spencer Tracy. An office romance.

Bringing Up Baby (1938) also starring Cary Grant. A goofball of a romantic comedy.

The African Queen (1951) also starring Humphrey Bogart. A sailing adventure!

On Golden Pond (1981) also starring Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda. Henry and Katharine both won Oscars for their performances.

The B movies

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) also starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katherine’s niece, Katharine Houghton. Interracial relationships served.

Holiday (1938) also starring Cary Grant. Her sister gets the man, sort of.

The Lion in Winter (1968) also starring Peter O’Toole. Henry II has a choice to make.

The B-/C+ movies

Summertime (1955) Venice is my favorite city so I loved that this showed the romance of the place.

Sylvia Scarlett (1935) also starring Cary Grant. Gender swapping hijinks.

See my other Top 100 Actors here.

This Week – New

January 5, 20258 Comments

It’s that time of year that I’ve made some goals, including being more mindful with reviewing book and being more active with my blogger friends.

As a family we made vison boards together yesterday, a first. This morning Jason was in his first pickleball tournament at the new club in town and he WON! Gage and I checked out a new church based on the recommendation of a friend. It was decidedly different, but not in a bad way. The jury is still out. We recorded the results of Gage’s science fair project which involved him counting and trying to sprout various fruit seeds. So no we have a lot of sprouts and he wants to grow them all, lol. That’s a project for later.

On the blog

My 2024 favorite books

My 2024 favorite movies and shows

My first book of the year

Books

I finished my first book of the year yesterday, First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

and my second one this morning, Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas.

Movies

We had a fairly chill New Year’s, all of us had covid over Christmas so we’re just getting back on track, and we watched JAWS with Gage. After we were a bit into the movie, he said he wasn’t a fan because they were gaslighting everyone about sharks, lol. He made it to the end, but described it as mid.

Shows

Jason and I started season 3 of The Diplomat this week. That marriage is a train wreck I can’t look away from.

Plans for the weekend

I hope we don’t don’t do much of anything else today, but Gage’s last day of winter break and we’re meeting friends for the movies.

What are your plans for the rest of the day?

Favorite Actress – Sandra Bullock

July 13, 2024July 16, 202410 Comments

I first saw Sandra in Speed (1994) and then fell in love with While You Were Sleeping (1995). It’s her girl next door charm and goofiness packed into a body with that megawatt smile. She’s charming in a way that makes her seem approachable and she brings that to most of her 60 movie credits. Of those 60 I’ve watched 29, but it’s those A movies that I’ve seen countless times that have made a lifelong fan. The vest majority of her movies that I’ve seen have been As or Bs.

She’s from Arlington, Virginia, where I was living when I met Jason. She’s adopted two children. She has a BFA in drama. She recently lost the love of her life to ALS. She’s lived the highs (winning and Oscar) with the lows (ugly divorce in the public eye).

So what is your favorite Sandra movie?

*Giving these movies an A*

While You Were Sleeping (1995) I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen this romantic comedy.

The Proposal (2009) A different kind of romantic comedy that was just as fun.

The Lake House (2006) Her domination of my favorite romantic movies continues.

Crash (2004) She had a smaller part that showed her not so happy side.

The Lost City (2022) I was expecting not to like this, so imagine my surprise!

Bullet Train (2022) Her part in this movie was fun (and small)!

Speed (1994) As a vehicle to stardom this bus worked.

*Giving these movies a B*

Gravity (2013) She carried a film few others could have.

Miss Congeniality (2000) Just goofy fun.

28 Days (2000) Dealing with addiction isn’t pretty.

Two Weeks Notice (2002) Another romantic comedy with an equally witty actor.

Hope Floats (1998) A romance, yes, but so much heartfelt family drama.

Murder By the Numbers (2002) I love dark thrillers.

The Blind Side (2009) A well deserved Oscar for Best Actress.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) A moving film dealing with 9/11.

The Net (1995) It would probably be funny to watch today with the advances we’ve made.

Bird Box (2018) So much stress (in a good way).

The Unforgiveable (2021) Dark.

Minions (2015) Villain voices count!

The Heat (2013) Those two are hysterical!

So, so movies

Two if By Sea (1996), Forces of Nature (1999), Miss Congeniality 2 (2005), Premonition (2007)

Big Fails for me

All About Steve (2009), A Fool and His Money ( 1989), Fire on the Amazon (1993) this was so bad and it had a surprising sex scene with lots of skin.

See my other Top 100 Actors here.

Movies and Shows- May/June

June 30, 20243 Comments

I watched 7 movies in May and 8 in June. And I streamed 5 shows over the two months.

Loved all of these- Cormoran Strike seasons 2 &3, Brigerton season 3, The Gentlemen season 1, Project Runway All-Stars season 20, and Is It Cake 3?

LOVED these movies

The Holdovers, 2023. Set at a prep school in the early 70’s where several kids get left behind over Christmas break. This quiet drama had all of the things you want in a movie. Paul Giamatti was so good!

King Richard, 2021. I took a little break from Will after the slap heard round the world, but I am interested in the Williams sisters and Jason is an avid tennis player. I thought this was a fascinating look into their childhood and the driven man who helped raise and train them. I wish it hadn’t ended where it did, but that’s just my 2 cents.

Champions, 2023. I love basketball and feel good movies, but, most importantly, representation matters! I’m so glad that we watched this.

REALLY LIKED

American Fiction, 2023. A professor/novelist wants a bestseller amidst much family drama. A smart look at the boxes we put people and things into.

The Fall Guy, 2024. A silly action-packed ‘romance’ that we all really liked on the big screen. Can’t go wrong with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

LIKED THESE

The After, 2023. This short film is amazing for what emotion is managed to fit into less than 20 minutes. Beautiful movie-making.

Hit Man, 2023. Forced to portray a killer for hire on the spot, Gary learns he has a flare for it.

The Garfield Movie, 2024. Gage wanted to see it and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s nice to see Garfield winning over new generations.

Love Again, 2023. A story about grief and love.

Unfrosted, 2024. Silly cereal movie filled with nostalgia.

Meh

Mother of the Bride, 2024. It’s always great to see Benjamin Bratt, but this romantic comedy fell a little flat for me.

Two if by Sea, 1996. I love both Sandra Bullock and Denis Leary, but in this they both play thieves working out some relationship issues and it just didn’t work for me.

I Watched These So You Don’t Have To

The Tearsmith, Fire on the Amazon, A Fool and His Money

Have we watched any of the same things?

The Good, the Great, & the Ugly – March/April Movies

May 7, 2024Leave a comment

I decided to discontinue my 5 word movie reviews, but haven’t put anything in its place, so we’re going to try something new.

I watched 5 movies in March and 8 in April. I also streamed season 1 of Resident Alien, 3 Body Problem on Netflix, and season 1 of C.B. Strike based on the Robert Galbraith series. All three of these were great.

These are listed in the order I liked them best. How many of these have you seen?

The Great

Damsel, 2024. All things a great fairy tale should be.

Dune 2, 2023. I liked this one a little better than the first. It was slightly less confusing and visually stunning on the big screen.

Hack Your Health: Secrets of Your Gut, 2024. Short but very good documentary about gut health. So many of us with kids with autism know how important diet is and I applaud these doctors for linking autism to the gut, not just the brain. It’s not about autism. but that it was mentioned a few times in relation to gut made me happy. Not enough doctors know to help parents understand this should be one of the first steps after diagnosis.

The Good

The Batman, 2022. I love all of the Batman movies, some more than others. This was a darker look than some and thought Robert Pattinson was a fine Batman, but less than stellar Bruce Wayne.

Saltburn, 2023. A creepy and oddly compelling tale of a young man wanting friends above his station in life.

Oppenheimer, 2023. I liked it, but thought it was too long. Good movie about the making of the bomb and the man in charge.

We Have a Ghost, 2023. Went in expecting a ghost story and got a lot more. A good family friendly film.

Where the Crawdads Sing, 2022. I liked it. Very atmospheric and loyal enough to the book.

Set It Up, 2018. Cute little romantic comedy about young adults trying to figure out their lives.

Plus One, 2019. An edgier romantic comedy with potential.

Upgraded, 2024. Another romantic comedy, but this one has an aspiring art gallery owner lying her way to the top.

It Chapter Two, 2019. I liked part one, Gage even watched it and liked it (his first real scary movie), but this one was too violent and just boring much of the time. The kid cast was great, but the adults, even the big names, couldn’t save it for me. It’s not quite in the ugly category, but it’s close.

The Ugly

The Hunt, 2020. I have no idea why I continued to watch this past the first 10 minutes. Lots of violence and nonsensical politics.

November’s Movies & $ for Charity

December 2, 2016December 27, 20163 Comments

Loved the first two movies! What did you see that you loved this month?

Another month and another chance to contribute money to charity. Add your 5 words (or less!) to mine in a comment and earn $1 for charity. Once we get to $100 the person with the most reviews will choose the charity. Click here to see the past winners, the charities they chose and the other reviews you can add to. Anyone is welcome to join in at any time.

We’re at $36.

I hope that you will take a few minutes to participate when you can each month. It’s fun for me and for everyone else who reads it. I’m not looking for a critical review, just a few words about how you felt about the movie. This is ongoing so you can leave your 5 words anytime.

Arrival, 2016 (Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker) Grade A-

Time bending first alien contact.

The Accountant, 2016 (Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, JK Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow) Grade B+

Justice served with cold precision.

Doctor Strange, 2016 (Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejofar, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Benjamin Bratt, Mads Mikkelsen) Grade C+

Mystical struggle to rule Earth.

August’s Movies & $ for charity

August 31, 2016December 27, 20162 Comments

We’re at $35.

Captain Fantastic, 2016 (Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn) Grade B+

Family’s heartbreaking funeral road trip.

The Painted Veil, 2006 (Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Diana Rigg, Toby Jones) Grade B

Slowmoving drama honest to original.

Dark Skies, 2013 (Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, JK Simmons, Dakota Goyo) Grade B-

Alien Abductors Are Among All.

July’s Movies

July 29, 2016July 30, 20167 Comments

I could watch a great romantic film again and again (and have!) but bad ones are hard to stomach (I’m looking at you Nicholas Sparks). Another month and another chance to contribute money to charity. Add your 5 words (or less!) to mine in a comment and earn $1 for charity. Once we get to $100 the person with the most reviews will choose the charity. Click here to see the past winners, the charities they chose and the other reviews you can add to. Anyone is welcome to join in at any time.

We’re at $35.

The Secret Life of Pets, 2016 (Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey) Grade B+

Enemies become best friends.

Living on One Dollar Poster Living on One Dollar, 2013 (Ryan Christoffersen, Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard, Chris Temple) Grade B

College guys head to Guatemala.

The Legend of Tarzan, 2016 (Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Dijmon Hounsou) Grade B

Tarzan and Jane go home.

Tarzan fights greed and oppression. (Michelle)

My Last Day Without You, 2011 (Nicole Beharie, Ken Duken, Reg E Cathey) Grade C-

Cheesy love at first sight saga

The Best of Me, 2014 (James Marsden, Michelle Monaghan, Gerald McRaney, Liana Liberato, Luke Bracey) Grade F

I wanted to poke my eyes out.

Absence, June’s Movies and July’s movie vote

July 1, 2016April 8, 201713 Comments

Hi Guys! I’m feeling very out of touch in the blog world since I have run out of time and energy lately to post when and what I have in mind. Gage got a new medical diagnosis a few months ago and I’m trying to figure it out. Autism has a medical cause (most often more than one) and figuring it out is a very big, complicated puzzle. I’m a stubborn woman and in many ways it would be easier to say “autism, I’ll just treat that (the behaviors)” but some hero moms dig in their heels and step into the biomed world. I’ve been trying to follow in their footsteps but it takes its toll on me. It’s stressful and honestly, oftentimes, too much to deal with on top of the autism behaviors themselves, especially in the summer when schedules are often fluid. I could go into great detail, but who needs that? But, if you know of any moms who might need to talk to someone about autism, send them my way. I’ve had so many moms step up and guide me to where I need to be and paying it forward makes me feel like I’m honoring them.

It was a slow month here. Can you tell my movie choices were chosen by the boys in my life? Please tell me if you saw anything worth seeing this month!

We’re at $34.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman, 2014 (Voices-Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter) Grade A-/B+

Smart way to introduce kids to history.

Fresh and Nostalgic at the same time. (Jen)

Central Intelligence, 2016 (Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet) Grade C+

Kevin Hart does Kevin Hart

Penguins of Madagascar, 2014 (Voices-Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch,John Malkovich) Grade C+

It had its moments.

Short characters with big humor. (Jen)

We’re going to try the Watch-a-thon again. Last month was a big fail, so I’ll leave the voting up for a week and then we’ll try again. Vote for the one you’d most like to see.

The Secret Life of Pets

May’s movies

May 31, 2016April 8, 20174 Comments

Please tell me if you saw anything worth seeing this month!

We’re at $.

The Nice Guys, 2016 (Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice,Margaret Qualley, Matt Bomer, Keith David, Kim Basinger) Grade B+

The trailer captures the vibe 🙂

Minions, 2015 (Voices-Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Alison Janney) Grade B

Villain lovers save the day.

Captain Ameica:Civil War, 2016 (Chris Evans, Rober Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremey Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd) Grade B

No shortage of fighting superheroes.

Stacy's Books

books, movies, and boy

Tag: movies