Reviews

I had read Anna LeBaron's book The Polygamist's Daughter but I still found myself staring open mouthed at the screen during some of the revelations in this documentary. There is something so powerful about hearing it straight from the survivors of a violent cult. No one knows how many children cult leader Ervil LeBaron had but estimates are at least 50. Many of his children and other relatives appear on screen to share their stories. I believe I binge watched this over two days, and I want more. We need a Part 2! The description of the 4 o'clock murders was so clear that it was more horrifying than reading about it. I loved the sibling relationships shown on screen and I wish these capital S Survivors all the best!

My daughter and I went on our first trip back to the movie theater yesterday for this movie. We had seen the trailer online and were waiting for the chance to see it on the big screen. We were not disappointed. I loved the character of Adam, who is trying his hardest to keep his sanity. I can't speak to the portrayal of schizophrenia and whether or not it's accurate, but it sure was sobering. The characters felt real and sympathetic, even though there were some cliches that I saw coming from a mile away. Yes, it ties everything up in a nice neat little bow at the end, but that's Hollywood. There was a ton of wisdom in this movie about accepting yourself, flaws and all, as well as accepting other people in the same way. I have to say that I think Andy Garcia was my favorite, although Charlie Plummer is a very close second. Go see it. You won't be sorry.

Where do I begin? I was/am a huge fan of the first Mamma Mia so the bar was set really high for this one. I unashamedly love pop music and cheesiness, so both movies are right in my wheelhouse.

Here We Go Again is a sequel as well as a prequel, showing us Donna's life before Sophie was born, and Sophie's life after her mother has passed on. The young versions of Sam, Bill, and Harry were recognizable and resembled the adult characters. Lily James as young Donna was perfect! We heard the story of the three dads in the first movie, but now we are able to see how it could have happened. And then there was Cher. Oh my. She was excellent, and there was just enough of her.

Really this movie was like visiting with some old friends and catching up on each other's lives. I laughed, I cried (a lot!), and I was sorry when it ended. There are tons of inside jokes and nods to some of the best parts of the original. If you don't like camp or cheesy pop music and you can't take a good joke, you might want to stay away. If you know how to have a good time and laugh at yourself, come on over and join the party.

I like a moody, meaningful film just as much as the next person, but this is a big ol' NOPE from me. I gave it two stars only because it had Octavia Spencer in it and I would probably pay to watch her read the dictionary onscreen.

Eliza is a mute cleaning lady who works in a government lab, along with Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Eliza is entranced by an Amphibian Man who is being kept at the lab. She builds a relationship with him and feels a kinship due to both of them being unable to speak. Eventually she breaks him out and keeps him in her bathtub, where they take their relationship to the next level. I can't tell you what happens at the end because I walked out. That's right. For only the second time in my more-than-a-century lifetime, I walked out of a movie I paid to see.

There was a lot of water symbolism that felt like the director hammering it in with a sledgehammer. Look - water! Look here - more water!! I did enjoy Eliza's relationship with her neighbor, which seemed much like a father-daughter or brother-sister connection.

The whole reason I chose this movie in the first place was due to the praise heaped on it by reviewers and the awards for which is has been nominated. As I have sadly learned, Hollywood cannot be trusted to know which movies are worth seeing.