Reviews

I'll not review the movie because plenty of people have already do that. I'll simply tell you why you should go see it. I'm not an overall fan of the Beatles, just their hits, of which 20 were secured but only 17 were used. This movie isn't the director, Danny Boyle. It isn't Himesh Patel or Lily James. It isn't Ed or Sophia, or Ellise or Joel. It isn't the predictable storyline, or even music beloved by the world. It isn't any of those things. It is the much greater sum total of all those things done well that make this predictable story not only fun to watch, but to actually enjoy! This a movie I would actually own at full price, and you're reading this from a guy whose last purchase was from the $5 DVD bin at Walmart a few years ago! The only questions I have begin with this: how could the fact that the ENTIRE Earth comes COMPLETELY dark for 12 seconds not be questioned ONCE in the entire movie? That is an entire movie in and of itself. Did they forget that little fact, along with Coke, Harry Potter, the band Oasis, and cigarettes? Or maybe there is a sequel, "Yesterday 2, Tomorrow".

Hollywood celebrities are publicly, and adamantly, pro-abortion, but when confronted with that exact choice in TV shows and movies, they almost always choose the beating heart. Good pro-life message. I approve. On the other hand, when it comes to acknowledging the one, true, benevolent God, it is very seldom for the good, but almost always to place the blame for anything and everything bad, square on Him, like Patricia did when her cancer returned. And the funny thing is, people blame Him, but they rarely have a genuine relationship with Him, and they certainly know nothing of Him, only what they think they know. How can you blame some one or some thing that you do not understand?

This is a RomCom Christmas movie, so everything about it predicatable. What makes one movie more interesting than the next is how actors portray their characters. Schoolteacher Kate (Jewel Staite) has a problem. She is to be married in a couple days, but has been snowed in, and her flight has been grounded. Enter the handsome, moody guy with a snowmobile...and his own agenda. He COULD get her to the church in three days, but doesn't wanna. After that, blah, blah, blah, then probably a happy ending. I say probably because I turned it off after 26 minutes. Why? Because Kate was beyond lacking common sense: she was just plain dumb. It's an actor's job to portray a character in certain ways. If Kate has been an airhead, everything idiotic would have been understandable, but she was an elementary schoolteacher, meaning she was a college graduate who possessed at least a little common sense. No college graduate would have done the moronic things she did, e.g. walk to the small airport after a record snowfall, expecting the single engine planes to be flying; unpack her suitcase looking for her phone, dropping all her clothes on the ground, leaving them there; using the pull cord that starts the 50 year-old snowmobile engine, then drop it on the ground with a shrug as if to say "I don't know what that's for"; steer the 50 year-old snowmobile in a flying leap off an embankment instead of easing down the slope gently, thereby rendering it uselesss; try to light fire logs directly using a single match, even after she was told where the kindling was; finds a bottle of lighter fluid, then squirts it not only on the logs, but all around the hearth area as well; staring at the fire that's burning on her coat sleeve, requiring Mr. handsome-but-moody to throw her in the snow. I can be entertained by airhead-lacks-common sense, but I cannot painfully watch college-educated-yet-completely-dumb. It's as if Jewel Staite was just trying too hard to make it work.

A romcom lacking immorality. This could be a really fun movie if adultery wasn't glorified. Poppy (Nadia Jordan) could have divorced first. Poppy's husband Stephen (Henry Hereford) has an adulterous affair (sad), so she moves to L.A. by chasing the unrealistic expectation of meeting, and hopefully marrying George Clooney. This entire movie is about (mostly) bad life choices, and casual adultery is "fun" and perfectly ok. If it has happened to you, then you know that it isn't. One irony is that Poppy (Nadia Jordan) who at one point has a super casual adulterous relationship with Luke (Shaun Sipos), becomes very upset when Luke suggests a threesome with Irina (Petra Bryant). We also find out that Irina, who is sexually active, also has a husband who she has left in Russia. This movie is fun, but lacks any morality whatsoever. If you are amoral (lacking morals), then this movie will be right up your alley. If you have been hurt by an adulterous relationship, this movie may be cathartic for you, or you may be surprised that such casual interpretation of something so traumatic could be so glamorized. If you're seeing this movie because of one of the following Stars, you may want to rethink, and don't FF too quickly. Marina Sirtis' 3 scenes are about 20 seconds each, Tate Donovan's is about a minute, and Kristen Johnston's is about 90 seconds

In s2e3, we were introduced to Maggie, a potential love for Alex. Once they were officially a couple, around episode 5, EVERY episode for the remainder of the year made sure we got a heavy dose of their relationship. I don't remember the last time I saw so much screen time devoted to a relationship unless it was pertinent to the story. This relationship is not. This show is intentionally pushing a social/political agenda "ad nauseum". But this episode went one step further.

At the beginning of the episode, Alex had a short encounter with a child in which Maggie noted how good she was with children. Alex indicated how she had always wanted children. Maggie's response was that that was something they should discuss. More on that later.

Another conversation was discussing Maggie's backstory. We learned that her father threw her out when she revealed her sexuality at the age of 16, and she has been on her own ever since. When Maggie shared that story with Eliza, Alex's mother, at the shower, Eliza said that the only thing wrong with that story was her fathers behavior, indicating that Maggie's dad was wrong to adhere to his Christian beliefs.

Prior to the shower. Alex had encouraged Maggie to invite her father, saying that time had passed, and people have changed. The father accepts the invitation, although Maggie's mother does not, indicating she does not accept her daughters lifestyle choice. Later, he shows up at the apartment where the shower is being held. Alex answers the door, although he doesn't know it is her at the time. They are exchanging some pleasant conversation when Maggie comes over and introduces Alex as her partner. Right away he becomes noticeably uneasy. Alex then kisses Maggie. That kiss is more than he could handle, so he leaves. Maggie catches up to her father as he is preparing to leave for the airport. During the ensuing conversation, he admits that he has worked hard to overcome racism, and was even elected sheriff by the same men who used to bully him when they were boys, so that she would not have to live with the bigotry and dislike by those who do not accept the gay lifestyle. Maggie tells him the world has changed, and she is surrounded by people who love and accept her, and that she no longer needs him or anyone else in her life if they do not feel the same. In other words: "screw you, dad, and everyone else for your Christian views. If you don't validate my lifestyle, then I don't need you in my life". In a not so subtle way, it encouraged separation from those who do not agree with you, and that even your family should be sacrificed so you can live how you want. No matter that they still love you. Screw them anyway.

The tail end of the episode was Alex and Maggie resuming their talk about children. Maggie tells Alex that her picture of marriage never included children, and that she hopes Alex feels the same. A very noticeably hurt and disappointed Alex says she does. Lifetime dream killed with one clean shot.

Maggie is quite selfish. She has demanded much, and given little, for this relationship. She is far too willing to sacrifice the relationship of anyone who doesn't validate her choices. She also seems to require anyone close to her to give up their dreams for her sake.