Category Archives: romance

“Home Again” Trailer

comedy, romance

Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer and produced by her mother Nancy Meyers, Home Again follows Alice Kinney,  played by Reese Witherspoon.  She decides to start her life over by moving back to her hometown of Los Angeles with her two young daughters.

Watch the trailer and you will see it is a cute, funny and romantic movie similar to Hallie’s mother’s movies like Something Gotta Give. During a night out on her 40th birthday, Alice meets three aspiring filmmakers who happen to be in need of a place to live. Alice agrees to let the guys stay in her guest house temporarily, but the arrangement ends up unfolding in unexpected ways. Alice’s unlikely new family and new romance

With that, during a night out on her 40th birthday, Alice meets three aspiring filmmakers who happen to be in need of a place to live. Alice agrees to let the guys stay in her guest house temporarily, but the arrangement ends up unfolding in unexpected ways. Alice’s unlikely new family and new romance come to a crashing halt when her ex-husband, played by Michael Sheen, shows up, suitcase in hand.  is a story of love, friendship, and the families we create. And one very big life lesson: Starting over is not for beginners.

This is a fun movie to watch with no seriousness – just plain romping.

“Stronger” Trailer and Clips

drama, romance, true stories, , , ,

Directed by David Gordon Green, Stronger is a true story following Jeff Bauman, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Jeff is a 27-year-old working-class Boston man who was at the marathon to try and win back his ex-girlfriend Erin, played by Tatiana Maslany.

Waiting for her at the finish line when the blast occurs, he loses both his legs in the attack. After regaining consciousness in the hospital, Jeff can help law enforcement identify one of the bombers, but his battle has just begun.

Watching the trailer, the story unfolds. We see Jeff tackling physical and emotional rehabilitation with Erin and his family. The trailer is filled with raw emotion. Stronger also stars Miranda Richardson and Clancy Brown.

David Gordon Green’s signature movie is Pineapple Express. Quite different from this true story based on the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy.

“Forever My Girl” Trailer, Poster, and Blu-ray/DVD

based on a book, romance, , , , ,

Written and directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf and based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, Forever My Girl, follows country music superstar Liam Page, played by Alex Roe. He left his bride, Josie, played by Jessica Rothe, at the altar choosing fame and fortune instead.

However, Liam never got over Josie, his one true love, nor did he ever forget his Southern roots in the small community where he was born and raised.

When he unexpectedly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his high school best friend, Liam is suddenly faced with the consequences of all that he left behind.

Whether the movie follows the book, I don’t know. But, below should give you an idea of the storyline. I am guessing it is content from the book.

“I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after. I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile. And now I’m going back. After ten years. I hope I can explain that after all this time. I still want her to be my forever girl.”

The Forever My Girl Blu-ray/DVD hit the streets, which means it is streaming, too, and I am looking forward to watching the movie. The country music sounds uplifting in the trailer. Before I watch the movie, I will make sure I have a box of tissues nearby.

For some reason, this trailer pulls my heartstrings. This movie looks like a chick flick who loves country music.

My guess is the movie is predictable with a happy ending.

“My Cousin Rachel” Trailer

based on a book, drama, mystery, romance,

Daphne du Maurier is one of my favorite authors because she writes poignant descriptions with edgy suspense. I devoured her novel “Rebbeca.” She is a great storyteller.

Here we have My Cousin Rachel,  based on the novel by the British author, published in 1951.  Like the earlier Rebecca, it is a mystery-romance, set primarily on a large estate in Cornwall.

I can’t recall reading My Cousin Rachel, though I have read a lot of du Maurier’s books.  With such a moving and calculating trailer, I am compelled to download the book on my Kindle and read the novel to see if I can remember if I ever read it.

Directed by Roger Mitchell and starring Rachel Weisz, the movie follows a young Englishman as he plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

This featurette offers an insight into the story.

Edgar Wright Directed “Baby Driver”

action, drama, romance, thriller, , , , , ,

Directed by Edgar Wright, Baby Driver follows a talented young getaway driver, played by Ansel Elgort, who I adored in The Fault in Our Stars, who relies on the beat of his soundtrack to be the best in the game.

The Soundtrack

When he meets the girl of his dreams, played by Lily James, Baby sees a chance to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss, played by Kevin Spacey, he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love, and freedom.

Themes and Tone

The film blends crime, romance, and high-speed action with a brilliant soundtrack. The story follows Baby’s struggle to escape his unlawful past, safeguard the people he loves, and find an everyday life with the woman he loves.

Here is another poster, and I like this one better because it shows the stellar cast, and the movie is available on Amazon. 

“Song to Song” Terrence Malick’s Romantic Drama

drama, music, romance, , , ,

Directed by Terrence Malick, who brought us The Thin Red Line and The Tree of Life, this modern love story is set against the Austin, Texas, music scene.

Plot, Cast, and Review

Song to Song romance drama follows two entangled couples—struggling songwriters Faye, played by Rooney Mara, and BV, played by Ryan Gosling, and music mogul Cook, played by Michael Fassbender, and the waitress whom he ensnares, played by Natalie Portman. They chase success through a rock ‘n’ roll landscape of seduction and betrayal.

I am curious how this will play out with Malick’s style of artful and non-sequitur cutaways he uses to tell a deep and meaningful life of his characters.

Dreamlike Story of Love and Music

The Andy Warhol-style poster is pretty cool and conveys a modern twist on Pop Art and its crazy, eschewed pop culture.

Broadbent Stars in “The Sense of an Ending”

based on a book, drama, mystery, romance, , , , ,

Directed by Ritesh Batra, The Sense of an Ending follows a man, played by Jim Broadbent, who becomes haunted by his past and is presented with a mysterious legacy that leads him to rethink his current situation. 

The movie also stars Charlotte Rampling, Mathew Goode, Michelle Dockery, and Emily Mortimer. The movie is based on the Booker Award-winning novel of the same name by Julian Barnes.

 

 

The movie received favorable reviews, with praise focused on Jim Broadbent. His performance and the overall atmosphere were positive. But those who compared the movie to the book found it less satisfying than the novel.

Acting received much praise for its high-quality, reflective tone, creating a deeper connection with the audience.

I love watching Broadbent because he is so good and says so much with his simple look and stance.

Wedding Comedy “Table 19”

comedy, drama, romance, ,

Five Strangers, One Wedding

Directed by Jeffrey Blitz, Table 19 follows Eloise, played by Anna Kendrick, an ex-maid of honor.

She’s been relieved of her duties after being unceremoniously dumped by the best man via text, and decides to hold her head high and attend her oldest friend’s wedding.

Feel-Good Wedding Rom-Com

She sits at a random table in the back of the ballroom with a disparate group of strangers, most of whom should have known to send regrets (but not before sending something nice off from the registry).

As the story reveals everyone’s secrets, Eloise learns a thing or two from the occupants of Table 19.  Friendships—and even a little romance—can happen under the most unlikely circumstances.

Enjoy the simple story about misfits who know they are better and deserve a better table.

“Collide” Interview With Hoult and Jones

action, romance, thriller, , , ,

Directed by Eran Creevy, Collide follows a young American backpacker who joins a ring of drug smugglers. He meets a woman, falls in love, and the chase begins.

He’s plunged into an adrenaline-pumping game of cat and mouse across Europe. They find themselves caught between two ruthless, feuding criminals.

The movie stars Nicholas Hoult, Oscar-winning Felicity Jones, and Oscar-winning Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley.

The wild, intricately folded, twisted story begins after a heist goes wrong. Casey Stein, played by Hoult, finds himself running from a ruthless gang headed by mob boss Hagen, played by Hopkins. Now Casey has precious cargo that belongs to Hagen, who will stop at nothing to retrieve it. Left with no choice, Casey calls his former employer and drug smuggler Geran, played by Kingsley, to protect his long-time girlfriend Juliette, played by Jones, before Hagen gets his hands on her. Casey sets out on an adrenaline-fueled car chase on the German highways to save the love of his life before it’s too late.

An excellent interview showcased the chemistry between actors Nicholas Hoult and Felicity Jones.

During the promotion and film release, some clips showed the intensity and craziness. After watching the trailer, I sense a twist at the end. Don’t you?

Butterfield Stars in “The Space Between Us”

adventure, family movies, romance, science fiction, , ,

Directed by Peter Chelsom, Space Between Us is an interplanetary adventure. A space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one astronaut is pregnant.

Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet— never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot, played by Asa Butterfield—an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who turns 16, having met only 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing.

While searching for clues about his father and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street-smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa, played by Britt Robertson. When he finally has time to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all the wonders he could only read about on Mars— from the simplest to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere.

Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa in a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be and where he belongs in the universe.

Gary Oldman, Brit Robertson, and Carla Cugino also star in the film.