Review - Masters of the Universe - Prime

If you're wondering about the new film, Masters of the Universe, a live-action remake of the beloved movie from the 80's, I'll tell you what I thought about it.

BACK TO THE FIRST MOVIE

Let's walk back in time to the 1987 movie that every boy from kindergarten age to high school adored. Yes, it was a critical failure according to critics and an economic failure for Cannon Films.

However, in the hearts and minds of those boys of that generation—and girls too—it was AWESOME!

Given that, how could they create such a mess of this 2026 remake?

THE PROBLEM

Lack of focus seems to be the main problem. It's as if they didn't know whether they were making a movie for kids or one for young adults because there's an irritating mix of silly, stupid comedy and colorful over the top violence, sex, and innuendo. Yes, too adult for children; too ridiculous for adults.

What's even worse, if that's possible, is that the comedy bits to characterize "Adam" aka He-Man as young and naive, either aren't funny or the cast weren't comfortable in their respective roles.

Honestly, after the first 30 minutes, I began fast forwarding through the movie. The story just wasn't compelling and the acting seemed as if the cast thought the story was as ridiculous as the AI tiger.

I'm reluctant to say this movie was lackluster and rather boring, but, it was. I think there's a reason, or reasons for that. Sony Pictures announced the movie in 2009, but the project underwent multiple changes—writers, directors, and cast—before it finally went into filming and production in 2025.

To me, all of those changes indicate a lack of focus on what the movie should be. Sony transferred the rights to Netflix in 2022. In 2024 the rights were bought by Amazon MGM Studios. Filming occurred in the first half of 2025 with the premiere held a hear later in May 2026 at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

In June, the film was released in the U.S. by Amazon (internationally by Sony). The latest stats say it underperformed at the box office, grossing $114M on a $170M budget. Perhap it will break even with revenue from streaming.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This rather harsh review is just my opinion. You may have an entirely different appreciation for the movie.

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Review - The Old Way - Prime

If you're a fan of westerns set in the Old West, you may like THE OLD WAY, a flick starring Nicolas Cage that's streaming free for subscribers on Prime, Hulu, Disney, and Roku.

It can be rented on YouTube, Apple, Fandango, and Google Play.

QUICK BLURB

The Old Way, a 2023 American Western film directed by Brett Donowho, from a screenplay by Carl W. Lucas, is a revenge movie starring Nicolas Cage as Colton Briggs, a retired gunman intent on hunting down the outlaws who killed his wife.

Seemingly amoral and with no conscience, Briggs cared only for his wife. Beyond that, he relates to no one, but his young knows how to get him to allow her to accompany him as he tracks down the killers.

The story is as much about Briggs's odd personality as it is about his quest for revenge. As the two journey together, Briggs is as dependent on his daughter as she is on him.

The Old Way was theatrically released by Saban Films on January 6, 2023, and received mixed reviews by critics. I seem viewers will also have mixed reviews about it because it's definitely not a traditional view of a leading character in a western.

I think it was obviously aimed at the video market from the get-go because Cage, although an excellent actor, can't pull in an audience for a theatrical release. Marketing departments know this as do the producers so you won't get the production values of a top movie release. Still, it's better than many other movies circulating on the streaming platforms.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Like westerns and want to watch one? I found this one had a few surprises.

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Review - Miss You, Love You on HBO Max

Today's movie is an American drama which has probably been called a small film—definitely not a blockbuster—but it has a big message that may hit home to many.

It's not a comfortable, feel good movie, but one that will make you think. You may find yourself wondering if you communicate the way this mother and her son do. If so, you'll be doing some soul searching as to why that situation exists in your relationships.

I don't know that I can say I liked the movie, but I definitely liked the performances by the remarkable Allison Janney as Diane Patterson and Andrew Rannells as Jamie Simms.

Accompanying those 2 lead actors are Bonnie Hunt (love her!) as Judith Bibbs, Oscar Nunez as the Minister, Lisa Schurga as Nance, and Suzy Nakamura as Kathy.

Released in May of this year and screened at Sundance, the movie was picked up by HBO Max for distribtuion. If you have access to HBO Max, I definitely recommend this film which was directed by Jim Rash from a screenplay he wrote. 

In case you're a film buff interested in the details, it was produced by Kevin Walsh, Nat Faxon, Gigi Pritzker, and Rachel Shane.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

A grieving widow is forced to plan her husband's funeral with her estranged son's assistant.

One sentence that is like the tip of an iceberg, hiding turbulent emotions and painful histories. 

At first you'll hate Janney's character, but in the end, you'll understand her and Jamie (played by Runnells) and be comforted by the connection they make that is real and honest, unlike her relationship with her son who communicates by texting.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

A beautifully acted, heartbreakingly painful movie about relationships gone wrong and the acceptance that can come from acknowledging the truth.

Summer sale, 99¢, Deceptively Yours, a second chance romance with a perfect hero.

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Review - French Lover - Netflix

Don't be dismayed, but today's movie review is for a French romantic comedy starring Omar Sy as Abel, a dashing but jaded movie star, and Sara Giraudeau as Marion, a down on her luck waitress in a divorce battle with her ex who doesn't watch action movies and doesn't know who Abel is.

I saw a trailer for this Netflix movie and was intrigued. Since most foreign movies one can stream have English audio tracks embedded, it's not nearly as distracting as reading subtitles.

I found the movie to be funny and well-acted. I also found it intriguing to see a romcom aimed at a mostly French audience.

Some of the funny parts tickled my funny bone because they weren't what one normally would see or hear in an American romcom.

Except for Omar Sy, whom I'd seen in another French movie as well as several American films, I wasn't familiar with the cast which I found to be superb. This French romcom had pretty much the same kind of supporting actors as an American romcom featuring a movie star hero: a cutthroat sister, a slightly weird brother-in-law, starstruck mother and father, etc.

There were a few anachronistic bits, i.e., mentioning Jimmy Hoffa in what was supposed to be funny dialogue. In this country, there's an entire generation who wouldn't get that reference. The English translator for the audio track should have known better. 

Those English translated bits provided a different kind of amusement, but that didn't take away from the film.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

All in all, I found the film amusing and entertaining. From an author's perspective, I found it educational as to what the French would find amusing in a romantic comedy. If you have Netflix, watch it. You may find you like it too.

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Review - Voicemails For Isabellle - Netflix

What can I say about VOICEMAILS FOR ISABELLE, now streaming on Netflix? Well, grab a box of Kleenex before you sit down to watch the film.

(I apologize for the typo in the Post Title.)

This 2026 American movie, billed as a romantic comedy drama, is sweet and heartwarming with a touch of heat, but there are scenes that will make you weep.

Written and directed by Leah McKendrick, the movie stars Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Shum Jr., Lukas Gage, and Nick Offerman.

BLURBING THE FLICK

Jill copes with the tragic death of her sister Isabelle by leaving voicemails on Isabelle's phone number. The only problem is that  Isabelle's phone number was reassigned to Wes, an upwardly mobile young man who finds Jill's voicemails hilarious. As time passes, Wes begins to fall in love with Jill.

Truly, the movie is delightful. It was funny and poignant and romantic. What more can you ask for in a contemporary romantic comedy, or dramedy, if you prefer?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The ending of the movie is exactly what the viewer wants. Definitely watch this film if you're a Netflix subscriber.

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Review - NOPE - Netflix

 If you're looking for something completely different in the science fiction genre, you must watch NOPE, a 2022 American film that was written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele.

This movie, an interesting mix of science fiction and horror, stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yaun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David.

Now streaming on Netflix, this film will keep you guessing until you realize what's happening. It's almost like a detective story with bits and pieces of clues that end up giving a picture of what's going on.

Set in the modern west, siblings Otis—OJ Junior— (Kaluuya) and Emerald (Palmer) are horse wranglers trying to carry on their father’s tradition of training and handling horses for film productions.

But there’s something strange going on at their dry-as-a- bone California ranch.

Honestly, I don't want to say too much because the film is mesmerizing as OJ and Emerald, struggling to stay afloat, realize something way out of the ordinary is stalking their ranch.

When their father is struck dead by a small object falling from the sky, everything takes a turn for the worse.

Throw in some secondary characters with their own life crises, an electronics store camera installer, and a documentary film maker, and you have the kind of movie where you know everyone is going to end up dead.

The movie is—I don't want to say slow-paced. I'll say methodical, like when Sherlock Holmes is gathering all the evidence. 

It’s subtle, but it will grab you and make you keep watching to find out what the heck is going on. You have to pay attention to understand what’s actually happening.

NOPE was Peele’s 3rd directorial film. When asked, he said his inspirations were King Kong, 1993; Wizard of Oz, 1939; Jaws, 1975; Close Encountrs of the Third Kind, 1975; Jurassic Park, 1977; and Signs, 2002.

If you think about all of those movies, you'll realize they're all characterized by a sense of wonder and an element of dread.

Released in July 2022, NOPE was a box office succes, capturing $171.1M after a $68M budget. It has been named one of the top 10 films of 2022 by the American Film Institute and has been included in lists of the best science fiction films of the 21st century.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Watch NOPE and come back to this post to leave a comment with your thoughts about the movie.

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Review - Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning - Netflix

I’m probably the last person on the planet to see the final part of the last Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise. I guess it’s the last.

After all, Mr. Cruise is now officially a senior citizen, but 63 isn't as old as it used to be. Ask any of the people I know who are that age or way beyond.

I'm thinking there may be another IMF movie or movies in his future where he must come back to the IMF to do something  only Ethan Hunt can do. What do you think?

Anyway, I gave the movie a look and found it to be rather standard IMF fare with a “today” plot revolving around artificial intelligence that is seemingly unstoppable.

Directed by Christopher Mcuarrie and written by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen, the move was produced by McQuarrie and Cruise.

Along with Cruise, the movie stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, Anglea Bassett, and Esai Morales. This flick was touted as the climax of the franchise and ended upbeing one of the most expensive movies ever made. The budget came in at $300-400M. Generally, the movie pleased critics and audiences.

I'll admit I'm not the target audience for this film because I thought it was pretty standard fare. I see the target audience for this as comparable to those readers who enjoy "comfort reads." This is easily a "go-to" flick for those wanting an action film without a complicated plot, with charismatic actors, and with a predictable outcome.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for something entertaining  to watch on a lazy Saturday evening, you could do worse so watch the "last" IMF film.

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Review - Unfamiliar on Netflix

If you don't watch foreign films, you're missing some amazing movies and TV shows. For instance, have you watched UNFAMILIAR, on Netflix? If not, you're missing a stunning action series.

The great thing about streaming services is you can not only see it with English sub-titles, you can also select to watch with English Audio turned on.

Unfamiliar is a spy thriller with a convoluted plot that will keep you guessing all the way through. It's a 6-episode German thriller involving 2 former government agents, Meret and Simon, who run a secret safe house in Berlin.

A deadly threat from their past resurfaces on their daughter's birthday, and they end up running for their lives from assassins, the BND (German Intelligence Agency), and Russian agents. 

The series is addictive, and the ending makes you scream for more. Unfortunately, Netflix has not renewed the series yet, but a second season may happen since the show performed well globally.

If it is renewed, a second season would probably be released in early 2027.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Watch Unfamiliar, and if you like it, be sure and give it a thumbs up. Viewership determines the future of any streaming series.

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Monday Magic - Free Media Player

Media players seem to be a dime a dozen on the internet. Maybe that's because what 1 user loves, another hates.

Here's another one for your consideration that plays video files and also audio files for your favorite music and podcasts.

VLC Media Player is an open source media player that's simple, fast, and powerful. 

More importantly it plays everything but Blu-ray movies. If you're looking for something that will play videos, audio files, Webcams, Devices and Streams, this may be it.

VLC Media Player plays most codecs with no codec packs needed: MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3, and it runs on all platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Unix, iOS, and Android. You can also customize the look of it if that's important to you.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This open source media player is completely free and contains no spyware, ads, or user tracking. Give it a try. If you love it, come back and leave a comment about it.

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Review - Jack Ryan: Ghost War - Prime

The long-awaited (by some) return of the Jack Ryan character as portrayed by John Krasinski premiered on Prime last week.

Jack Ryan: Ghost War, an American political action thriller film based on Tom Clancy's work of the same nave, was directed by Andrew Bernstein and written by Aaron Rabin and John Krasinski from a story by Krasinski and Noah Oppenheim.

In case you're keeping score, this is the 6th film and 3rd reboot of Jack Ryan, and it's distributed by Amazon MGM Studios.

Starring Krasinski as Jack Ryan, the film also has Wendell Pierce, Michael Kelly, Max Beesley, J.J. Feild, Douglas Hodge, Betty Gabriel, and Sienna Miller.

SHORT BLURB

Jack Ryan reluctantly allows himself to be pulled back into an espionage operation action in which he reunites with his former CIA "friends" to uncover a deadly conspiracy. The international covert operation goes sideways, and he must go rogue to find those responsible.

MY THOUGHTS

I'd seen the previous Jack Ryan flicks with Krasinski. I remember a couple of them had the Ryan character trying to straddle the line of being hard-core covert operative and a man who found it all distasteful. One was a pretty good action flick.

This most recent offering has Ryan a little more firmly committed to being an effective operative even though he rails against the evil done by the CIA, etc. The opening of the movie has a pretty good action scene even though it's contrived to move the plot to the next act. The middle is a bit of a muddle, but the end gets back to action scenes that move the plot to the finish. 

I think Krasinski initially got the part of Ryan because of his work in the stellar film, 13 Hours. He was riveting in that movie as were the other actors. Of course, a story like Benghazi doesn't come along every day—thank goodness.

So it's probably not fair to compare the storytelling of this movie with that of 13 Hours where Krasinksi shone.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for light entertainment with an action story, this latest Jack Ryan film should satisfy you.

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Monday Magic - Rewire Your Brain

Today's Monday Magic Tip is a little different. Instead of telling you about an app that may make your work life easier, I'm going to tell you about a YouTube video that may do the same.

I'm always urging SlingWords readers to keep a journal, to write your goals, to write an action items list, etc. even though I know many of you never put pen to paper in this digital world.

You make lists on your smartphone or a web app.

Guess what? There's sound science behind writing with pen and paper. Watch this video on The Upgrade with Makai Allbert channel which has over 42K subscribers. 

His video Handwriting Literally Rewires Your Brain has well over 2K comments, but what I like is the explanation of the science behind the premise. If you don't believe me, try it for a couple of weeks. I think you'll be shocked at how much you remember when making notes with handwriting and how much clearer your thinking is.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is one of many videos I've seen and articles I've read about the effects of digital reading and/or learning and retention of what was learned. The truth is startling.

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Review - Happiness for Beginners - Netflix

This 2023 romantic comedy seems to be a quiet little film, but don't be fooled. It's compelling in every way even though it's not a rip-roaring, laugh out loud, romcom.

The movie, based on a 2015 novel of the same name by Katherine Center, features some popular romance  tropes—grouchy vs. sunshine, enemies to lovers, fish out of water, opposites attract, age-gap romance, and brother's best friend as hero—but it is subtle, not blatant.

The characters are fully realized. Luke Grimes of Yellowstone and Marshals is Jake, a man with an optimism that's ingrained in his personality. He's nice in the best way possible, and everyone likes him.

Ellie Kemper is Helen, a recently divorced 30-something who's standoffish and unhappy in a way that makes you think she probably doesn't know how to be happy.

These two end up on a guided hiking trip in the Appalacians, and Helen isn't happy that Jake, her brother's best friend, has horned in on her vacation.

ABOUT THE FILM

Happiness for Beginners, the novel, was adapted for the 2023 movie and directed by Vicky Wight. The film was released by Netflix on July 27, 2023 and is still streaming on that platform.

The movie was produced by Geoff Linville, Vicky Wight, and Barry Meyerowitz with Cinematography by Daniel Vecchione , Film Editing by Suzanne Spangler, and Music by Sherri Chung.

The other cast members are: Nico Santos as Hugh, Blythe Danner as Gigi, Ben Cook as Beckett, Shayvawn Webster as Windy, Julia Shiplett as Sue, Gus Birney as Kaylee, Esteban Benito as Mason, Alexander Koch as Duncan, and Mary Neely as Lulu.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The movie didn't fare well with critics, but I've not seen many romance movies that do. I enjoyed it, and I think you might too.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

A READERS AND AUTHORS EVENT ON MAY 16.

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Review - Everest - Netflix

For several months, I've foound very little of interest on the streaming services. It's times like this that I question why I'm paying so much for so few well-written, well-crafted movies and TV series.

In fact, the only streaming service I don't complain about is YouTube Premium because it's an excellent research source for writing. But Netflix, HBO Max, and Prime since they started ads? I could easily jettison them, but I'll probably keep Prime because Amazon is a primary shopping destination for us.

Indeed, it seems as if the older movies and TV shows are so much better than the movies and TV since 2020. A case in point is the movie EVEREST, a 2015 movie based on the true story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.

I remember seeing this several years ago. I didn't remember the complete details of the production so I thought I'd watch it again.

The story is about the 2 rival expedition groups that attempted to reach the summit only to find their lives at stake when a massive storm struck.

Starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Martin Henderson, and Emily Watson, the movie is edge of the seat suspense. 

This high drama film is suspenseful and ultimately heart breaking as it tells the story of the ill-fated expeditions. Eight climbers died. Several had to undergo amputations. The horror of it makes one wonder why anyone wants to attempt Mount Everest climbs.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for a suspenseful, scary movie that's absolutely true, check out EVEREST, now streaming on Netflix.

May 16, 2026, A READER'S EVENT

BEGINS AT 11:00AM CDT

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Saturday Share - Chef Mama's Beef Stock

Who is Chef Mama? That would be my Mom who was an amazing home chef. She had family recipes, contemporary fad recipes, and cookbooks from churches as well as the most popular ones of her era.

She never watched a chef teach how to make something in a video or anything like that, but her food was amazing.

She made stock in her kitchen, and she didn't call it bone broth. It was called stock, and it smelled so good and tasted so good, you wanted to drink it.

Today, I want to tell you how she made beef stock to produce a liquid that would make gravies, sauces, and soups mouthwateringly delicious.

You'll need a roasting pan and a large stock pot or Dutch oven, and you'll need what were once called soup bones.

Mom used real beef trimmed from roasts as well as soup bones which could be bought for cents a pound. 

In today's world when short ribs cost $9.99 a pound, just look for the cheapest bone-in beef you can find. If you frequent a butcher shop, you can probably get soup bones from them.

You'll also need celery, onion, carrots, salt, and herbs. I do like my mother. When I cook with those vegetables, I wash and trim them then save the trimmings in a big container in the fridge for the sole purpose of making stock.

CHEF MAMA'S BEEF STOCK

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds meaty beef bones
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 10 cups of cold tap water
• the equivalent of 2 celery staoks, 2 carrots, 1 onion, all coarsely chopped
• a bouquet garni which is usually a bundle of herbs placed in a cheesecloth square and tied together. Use 2 sprigs each of fresh thyme and marjoram, 6 black peppercorns, 6 sprigs fresh parsley, and  bay leaf.
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Sieve from Amazon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350º F. (180º C.).
•  Place the soup bones in a roasting pan and drizzle with the oil.
• Bake for 1 hour or until the bones are well browned.
• Remove from the oven and transfer everything to a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the cold watr and all the other ingredients.
• Turn the heat to high and bring everything to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 3-4 hours.
• Skim any impurities that rise to the top of the simmering stock.
• At the end of the cooking time, remove the soup bones. If there's any meat on them, reserve it for use later. Discard the bones.
• Strain the stock throough cheesecloth or a fine sieve and discard the bouquet garni and veggies.
• Chill at least 24 hours before using the stock.
• Fat will accumulate on the top of the stock. You can scoop this fat off and use as you would use butter, shortening, or cooking oil. If the source of the bones was organic, this fat is very healthy. Saute vegetables in it, use to make roux, sauces, etc.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I make stock on a weekend. After it's chilled and I've removed the fat, I pour it into quart-sized freezer containers, mark the date, and stack the containers in the freezer so I'll always have this quality ingredient on hand.

 

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

A READERS AND AUTHORS EVENT ON MAY 16.

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Review - Better Off Dead - YouTube

If you're looking for a quirky, absurd, hilarious movie kind of like Airplace, then you'd probably enjoy the John Cusack film BETTER OFF DEAD.

This eighties film full of teen angst and suburbia cliches is ridiculous and laugh out loud funny in so many places you'll want to jump back and see the scenes again.

Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, this 1985 American film was billed as a teen black comedy. 

When it was first released, I don't think anyone knew what to think about it because the reviews were mixed, but it's become a cult film since then for the very things critics didn't get back in 1985.

Joining Cusack are David Ogden Stiers as his dad, Kim Darby as his weird mom, Diane Franklin as the French exchange student, and Curtis Armstrong as the wacko Charles de Mar.

What's the film about? Let's just talk tropes: high school misfits,  popular girl heartbreaker, bullies, French exchange student, weird parents, 80's music, genius psycho little brother, awesome muscle car, sports competition, and complete absurdity.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

When you need a good laugh and don't want to over-analyze something, watch Better Off Dead free on Netflix.

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Review - War Machine - Netflix

War Machine starring Alan Ritchson aka Jack Reacher in the popular Prime series, Reacher, premiered March 6 on Netflix.

The film is a 2026 Australian-American science fiction action film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Patrick Hughes. In addition to Ritchson, Dennis Quaid pops in and out with co-stars, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber.

War Machine was released to theaters in Australia on February 12, 2026 and received generally positive reviews from critics, praising it as "a fun, old-school, throwback action movie despite its familiar, formulaic storyline." 

What the critics said pretty much sums up what Darling Hubby and I thought about the film. 

Regrettably, much of the dialogue seems aimed at an aaudience that might not know much about the military, military vehicles, or tactical actions. 

The characters are basically stereotypes you've seen in many films, and the plot mines the usual cliches. It's just good escapism that doesn't require you to tax your brain.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

So toss a bag of popcorn into the microwave, turn on the movie, and enjoy the flick.

April Fool Bride, now on SALE.

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Old Books Are Old Friends

Some Hump Day Thoughts.

The other day I saw a Facebook post about Shanna, a historical romance novel by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, the housewife who started the romance revolution with the 1972 publication of her first novel, The Flame and The Flower.

That first book sold over 2.3 million copies in the first 4 years of publication. It's still selling. I don't know if her genre-busting early books have ever been out of print.

(I'll confess that I didn't care much for the book which is the Forced Marriage trope, a polite way of saying sexual assault.)

As soon as I closed Facebook, I went to the armoire in my office and pulled my copy of Shanna from the shelf of paperback books in there. Yes, it was on my keeper shelf along with several other vintage novels.

When Shanna was published, it sold over 3 million copies and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for a full year.

I remember the first time I read this book probably a decade or more after it was published in 1977. It was filled with lush  descriptions of characters, setting, and the sexuality and passion of the characters. 

We're talking thrusting loins and heaving bosoms and bodice ripping—by the villain, never by the hero in Woodiwiss's novels.

I started reading it again. Yes, it's dated, and I had to smile at the flowery analogies used far too often. However, it's still a page turner.

Eventually, over the years before I was published, I read all of Ms. Woodiwiss's early books. Life and writing got in the way, and I became enmeshed in the contemporary romance world so I never got to her later books. I plan to correct that oversight this year.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

A keeper shelf is a place of delight and comfort. Reading an old book is like visiting with an old friend.

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Review - Dropping Names - Podcast

Today's review is a little different because it's not for a movie, TV series, book, or  music album.

It's for a Podcast viewable on YouTube. Dropping Names With Brent and Jonny is hosted by Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes.

The episode I watched on Dropping Names was Once We Were All Spacemen, and it's funny, smart, and a great showcase for the personalities of all involved as they swap war stories on their respective careers.

The delightful episode I stumbled across and stopped on was because the guests were Alan Tudyk, currently starring in Resident Alien, and Nathan Fillion, currently starring in The Rookie. Both Tudyk and Fillion are not only wonderful actors but also highly entertaining in their own personas.

I'd seen the teasers featuring the cast of Firefly but didn't really know what they were pitching. I was delighted to discover it was Fillion's and Tudyk's own podcast, Once We Were Spacemen which debuted in November 2025.

The hour-long conversation, which is what it seemed like rather than a podcast, was a nice afternoon break with NO political or other divisive hot-button issues discussed or argued—just a free-ranging conversation with people who genuinely seemed to like each other.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Check out both podcasts if you're looking for something intelligent and entertaining.

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Monday Magic - Free Meal Planning App

I, like most of you, lead a very busy life. I work all day at writing, marketing, graphic design, and publishing—yes, it takes all of that to be a successful author in today's world.

I try to plan meals a week in advance, but sometimes I just can't get that done. I really hate it when six o'clcok in the evening rolls around, and I'm scrambling for something to prepare for dinner.

With that thought in mind, I checked out meal planning apps and found one that I think might work for most people.

EAT THIS MUCH

This website app is more than just a meal planner. Eat This Much creates personalized meal plans based on your food preferences, budget, and schedule. It can help you reach dietary and nutritional goals with their calorie calculator, weekly meal plans, grocery lists and more.

You can use it to create 3 meals a day based on the amount of  calories you want to consume—carbs, fat, etc. The FREE Forever level allows you to generate daily meals plans, track what you eat, add foods from barcodes, and create custom foods and recipes. 

You can click Generate, copy the meal plan, click ti again to get another meal plan, etc. until you have 7 days of meal plans.

There is also a Premium level for $5.00 a month if you want to unlock extra options, and a Professional level with a price that varies.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Solving the "what's for dinner" problem is huge and that's a big relief for me.

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Review - Letters to Juliet - Netflix

I watched Letters to Juliet, streaming on Netflix, a couple of weeks ago. I'll confess that the title of the movie is why I chose this 2010 romantic comedy starring Amanda Seyfried, Christopher Egan, Gael García Bernal, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero. 

Strictly speaking, I didn't find it to be a romantic comedy. It was more like a romance with mild humor. 

Regardless, I found this film, the last directed by Gary Winick before he died, to be entertaining and romantic with its dual love stories.

The "feel-good" film leaves viewers with a sense of optimism and hope that romance and love can be found at any age.

MOVIE DESCRIPTION

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is on a pre-honeymoon in Verona and  inadvertently finds an old unanswered letter asking for love advice from Juliet. She discovers that this is a traditional practice in Verona with the letters answered by a group of women who write as Juliet.

Sophie takes it upon herself to answer the decades-old letter which brings the letter-writer (Vanessa Redgrave) to Verona, along with her cranky grandson (Christopher Egan). Together the three go in search of the woman's long-lost love (Franco Nero).

The film was inspired by the 2006 non-fiction book Letters to Juliet by Lise Eve Friedman and Ceil Jann Friedman, about the phenomenon of writing letters to Shakespeare's Juliet.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I enjoyed Letters to Juliet very much. I'm sure if you're not a Netflix subscriber that you can purchase  the movie from Amazon.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Get it for 99¢ before the sale goes away.

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SIGN UP TODAY.