The Last Christmas Movie

The Last Christmas is the best Christmas movie I have watched this year... and I have watched quite a few. It seems that the theme of most is Arrogant, workaholic man or woman from a city reluctantly spends Christmas in a rural town and finds the true meaning of Christmas, the true meaning of live and falls in love. Really Hollywood? The same theme over and over again?

Well The Last Christmas was actually different and worthwhile. The story was written by Emma Thompson with her husband Greg Wise and was based on George Michael's song with the same name.

It stars Emilia Clark as Kate and Harry Golding as Tom, with Thompson playing Kate's mother. Kate is an aspiring singer working in a dead-end job. She has an immigrant family who fled the old Yugoslavia and has lots of struggles and personality issues. 

I thought it was quite charming with an unexpected twist. I found it on Amazon Prime.

Kate is a big George Michael and Wham fan so the soundtrack is fun.

The Queen's Gambit - A Story to Lift You Up

 

Are you needing something to binge watch to help you calm down before the election? I highly recommend The Queen's Gambit on Netflix. What an absolute delight!

This is the story of an orphan girl who is taught to play chess by the orphanage janitor and becomes a world class player. The story is based on Walter Tevis's 1983 novel.

We first meet Beth, in the 1950s, as an 8 year old who has just lost her mother in a car accident. Her father is not around. She is sent to an orphanage that routinely tranquilizes the girls to keep them compliant. This leads to a lifetime struggle with addiction for Beth.

When sent to the basement to clean chalkboard erasers, Beth encounters the janitor playing chess. She harasses him until he finally agrees to teach her how to play. She quickly improves and becomes obsessed and a young chess prodigy.

We follow Beth into her twenties and the 1960s where she is determined to become the best chess player in the world, as she struggles with her own demons and addictions. The adult Beth is played by Anya Taylor-Joy who is magnificent.

The series is beautifully photographed. I never would have imagined I would be so mesmerized watching chess games. The other characters are equally enchanting. This definitely deserves 5 starts and just might be what you need to distract you for a bit.

Why I Love YouTube by Joseph Ward

Joe Ward is our latest contributor. He is a retired high school teacher and librarian. He taught film as part of his Literature class along with Government and Behavioral Science. He also is a serial entrepreneur. He successfully developed and sold two software companies. He says...

"Johnny Appleseed is a favorite video because I remember being told the story as a young child and seeing the Disney cartoon in the movie theaters in the 1950’s. The tune is catchy and stayed with me all these years. I like the story because it is about a simple man following his passion of planting seeds to help the world. Years later I chose to become a teacher and the planting seeds symbology fit into my decision to teach. I’ve had several jobs but the personal satisfaction of teaching was one of the most important things in my life. In a similar fashion, my web page Why I Like YouTube is another example of me planting seeds in the hope of making things better."

Click here to see more of his favorite videos

Twenty Movies To Lift You Up

Movies often have a way about them that can lift our moods right up. Here are twenty that will do that for you. Some of them you have seen, some might be new to you. But all have lifted my spirit.

Cynthia

Click here to see my top 20.

Movies to Watch With Your Favorite Wine

Sheltered in place at home watching movies? Click here for 7 movies to go with your favorite wines. 

Needing A Mystery Series While Staying At Home?

You can watch the television series or read the books.

This is a good one. Click here for more.