Secrets of the Heart

  Elvis  Starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks I have been an Elvis fan since I was a kid. A few school presentations and papers about Elvis, I think I researched his life pretty thoroughly. I've seen plenty of biographical films about him which some weren't bad compared to others. I, however, was not a fan when I heard about this project but then I thought, let me give it a chance. It's gotten rave reviews even from the Presley family however I will disagree wholeheartedly. I am quite disgusted from this film and don't feel it was about Elvis at all. Instead I watched two hours of a story told from the eyes of a butt hurt "Colonel" who didn't want to be seen as a villian. I will say that Austin Butler did do a great job but I feel Tom Hanks did a great job too; after all, it wasn't the acting that bothered me. Brace yourself because I'm diving in with both feet.  If you are going to make a biographical motion picture of an entertainer, you need to ...

  Falling for Christmas Starring Lindsay Lohan, Chord Overstreet, and Jack Wagner She's back! First I want to say that I have always been a fan of Lindsay Lohan since "Parent Trap" and I am so happy to see her back on screen. Lindsay stars as Sierra Belmont, a rich heiress who proves that there is more to her than fancy designer clothes and daddy's money.  When I first heard the synopsis, I thought it was another version of "Overboard" originally starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell but I was wrong. It has its own rustic charm with its theme of family, tradition, and memorable keepsakes. We learn early on that Sierra lost her mother when she was very young and the snowglobe her mother treasured was the link to her memories of her mother. She clearly has a close relationship with her father (Jack Wagner) who is anything but a pushover parent. He's supportive, caring, and wanting only the best for his daughter.  Her desire to not want the position of vice...

  Lake Michigan Monster Starring Ryan Brickson Cole Tews, Beulah Peters, Wayne Tews, Daniel Long, Erick West, & Chris Hoelter Challenge Accepted. I don't usually find treasures like this unless I stumble upon them on my own. It reminds me of a B-rated comedy film from the classics. It has the cinematography of old films like "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," comedy of films like "Naked Gun," and graphics of pre-top technological days however it is entertaining all the same.  Captain Seafield hires a team to hunt and kill the sea or rather lake monster who killed his father "so long ago." I must say, I believe my favorite plan was Operation Nauty Girl. I won't say why, you'll just have to watch to find out. By the end of the film, we finally come face to face with the monster and yes, even feel some sympathy for her. She asks or rather pleads for peace from the game of vengeance they've been playing with each other all these years.  ...

  SpongeBob The Musical Starring Ethan Slater, Gavin Lee, Danny Skinner, Wesley Taylor, and Christina Sajous I am not a fan of SpongeBob Squarepants so you can imagine my reluctance to watch the musical but alas, I was pleasantly entertained. My kids love SpongeBob, especially my oldest but I always felt I lost IQ points just hearing the episodes in passing.  If you recall from my Shrek The Musical review, I stated that not EVERY film should be made into a musical and not EVERY musical should be made into a film. This, of course, is a TV to musical production and the creators succeeded very well. The actors give their all in these performances, embodying the beloved characters of the small screen; the costumes are vibrant, cheery, and are enough for the audience to easily identify the characters brought to life; the music makes your feet want to move, hips wiggle, and voices bust into song with the cast; this is what a musical is. I was pleased to see genuine costumes and not ...

  Along for the Ride Starring Emma Pasarow, Belmont Cameli, Laura Kariuki, Andie MacDowell, Kate Bosworth, and Dermont Mulroney This is a feel good film that really pulls at the heart strings. Emma Pasarow plays Auden, a recent high school graduate that finds she never fit in with her classmates so she decides to explore the unknown. The unknown, in this case, is Colby. She decides to branch out by living with her father and stepmother Heidi while working at Heidi's store.  While staying with her dad and stepmom, she sees a repeated pattern from her father; not helping, isolating himself, and easily giving up. At first she tries to cover for him but later, acknowledges the truth with some help from her mom. Though her mom consistently made negative comments about her dad, it was to try to save her from the pain of rejection. Heidi was a new mom, caring for their daughter Thisbe by herself which had proven to be a stressful task. Heidi had no help and no break even when she ask...

  Shrek The Musical Starring Brian D'Arcy James, Sutton Foster, Christopher Sieber, and Daniel Breaker First, I must say that I do love the Shrek films; well, maybe "love" is a strong word. I LOVE the first film, LIKED the second film, and surprised there was a third. I shall say that I was challenged to view Shrek the Musical from two friends of mine. I love musicals however, I will say that I feel Broadway has gotten carried away. I'm a firm believer that not EVERY film should be a musical and not EVERY musical should be a film, so where does Shrek the Musical fall? Personally, the films should not have been touched. This may be entertaining for children however I had many problems with this. One such problem is the music. A successful musical needs to have memorable songs or even a singular song that stands out. I did not find any of the music catchy or memorable. The one song that caught my attention was the cast cover of "I'm A Believer" which was o...

 It's agreed that what Amber Heard has done to Johnny Depp is absolutely despicable and disgusting. She has fueled anger in so many. For someone who wrote that they are "a public figure representing domestic abuse," and "felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out," she has done more damage than anyone can imagine. Domestic violence victims have difficulty speaking out because 1) they fear for their life, 2) believe that no one will believe them, 3) will continue to be victimized by their abuser, and 4) their perpetrator will receive little to no punishment for their crime.  Our society has made the assumption that women are always the victim and men are always the abuser but that is not so. Due to Amber's heinous and false accusations against Johnny, she has made it that more difficult for domestic violence victims to not only come forward and be believed but she has done what many abusers have done; further induce fear into victi...

  Johnny, I'm sorry for the pain you have endured from the lies of Amber's mouth. I'm sorry you had to break what privacy you maintained to have your voice heard. I'm sorry for the ugliness this creature is painting about you those who are despicable enough to align themselves with her. I'm sorry your children were dragged into this in a failed effort to make you look like a bad father. I don't know you personally but from what those closest to you have said about you and watching you in court, you are one of the few decent people who have remained humble and yourself in the mist of your success. God has you and He is seeing you through this. You are heard, Johnny and we are all routing for you always.  I always found Johnny to be a brilliant actor and fascinating individual (from afar, of course as I don't know him personally). I already feel that he was cheated out of an Oscar as he is able to morph into any character he was tasked to play. I mean, Cry-Bab...

  Bridgerton Season 2 Season 2 has finally arrived and though it did not make haste, it was well worth it. I am not familiar with the books but season 1 captivated me as it did many. Season 1 was passionately charged with steamy moments between the Duke and Duchess however Season 2, we have a different type of passion. When we left Anthony in the first season, he was deeply scarred by the rejection of Sienna. He was confused between his duty as Viscount and what his heart wanted. Season 2 the Viscount is on the search for a bride to fulfill his duty. Daphne was correct in proclaiming to her husband that her brother didn't get it but as we see, Anthony does much maturing in this season. I've heard that fans are disappointed with this season but I am one fan who is rather satisfied. Bridgerton is a story about the family and how they overcome their obstacles, not the steamy sex scenes or hot Duke that drew the audience in. That being said, the Duke was hardly missed with the focu...

 I haven't done one of these posts in a long time. If you've read one of my film pick posts before, you know that these picks are purely by the films' trailer. I haven't seen these films yet but the trailer leaves me wanting more so without further ado, here are the trailers that caught my eye. (Note: I don't own any of these pictures and/or stills) 1) Marry Me starring Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, and Sarah Silverman I feel I am beginning with a biased choice because I LOVE Jennifer Lopez. I've been a big fan since I saw her in Selena. Anyway, most of the films I saw with Jennifer have not disappointed me. There's just something about her that draws you in. For instance, my favorite JLo film to date is The Wedding Planner. Ironic, considering this is also wedding themed but it's a step up called Marry Me.  In the trailer we find a beautiful and popular singer about to marry in front of her fans to another popular celebrity however her dreams come crashi...

The Witcher Starring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, and Freya Allan I am not familiar with the books and I am barely familiar with the video game but I am familiar with Henry Cavill. I have been since he played Charles Brandon on The Tudors and have been a fan ever since. With that being said having seen a good number of his works, I was thrilled when I heard he was cast as Geralt in The Witcher. I know I said I'm not familiar with the video game but 1) I've attempted to play one of the games prior to the television show being announced and 2) the clueless gamer review by Conan which is actually one of my favorite segments. With that said I know who Geralt and Yennefer are prior to the show just not too familiar with the storyline.  I had to delay my viewing of the show because my husband wanted to watch with me so I finally finished it and I think The Witcher Season 1 is fantastic! For those not familiar with The Witcher basically you are following three storylines: ...

Baylee Littrell, the greatest country artist for the genre. Baylee's voice is a refreshing breeze on a hot summer day. What do I mean by this? Littrell has woken country music up. The country music I loved as a kid is making a comeback. For the longest time country has been crossing over into the pop genre and I'm not referring to Taylor Swift. If you were to take the time to listen to what I refer to as "new country" like Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift (like "Trouble"), and even some Shania Twain, you would hear a popish, rocking sound. Now switch sides for a moment and refer to the likes of Conway Twitty, Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Reba McEntire; good old fashioned but great country music. Baylee's talent is bringing that good old fashioned country music to life again. His single "Don't Knock It" is a wholesome story telling with spirit, heart and a little bit of humor as he tries to convince his love interest that he is for her. ...

The new reboot of BH 90210 includes the original cast minus our beloved Luke Perry but more on that later. The premises of the new reboot is how the cast comes back together eventually beginning a reboot of the hit show. So how did this fresh new angle take? With me, very well. Again I must emphasize the importance of treating reboots with delicate fingers. Why? The answer is simple. The fans. Considering a reboot is a giant task to take on because you want the reboot to stand out. There are reboots that I feel failed considerably like Charmed. We don't need to reboot every successful series but I must say the group for BH 90210 has a clever approach. If you've been keeping up with the real lives of the cast you will then recognize the storylines used such as Jennie's divorce from Peter Facinelli, Tori's marriage to Dean McDermott, Brian's marriage to Megan Fox, and so on and so forth. What you won't recognize are their spouses because they are farther from...

Hollywood Graveyard is hosted/narrated by a man named Arthur Dark. He memorializes those Hollywood greats that have gone before us and does intensive research giving audiences a knowledgeable and entertaining journey of the "valley of the dead" if you will. Dark also allows his audience to be involved as well, releasing a series of footage taken and submitted by his YouTube fans. One of the most entertaining episodes is Dark's Twilight Zone episode. Dark feeds upon our fascination with Hollywood and has a talent of connecting us with our dearly departed stars. In a way he brings these people back to life for us with his strong, informative narratives. If you're looking for a documentary about your favorite stars that have gone to the other side, Hollywood Graveyard is for you. I look forward to more of Dark's adventures in locating celebrity graves and finding out more than meets the eye about each one. To locate Arthur Dark's channel, simply go to YouTub...

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is one of the great literary masterpieces of all time. From a troubled yet humbled childhood, Jane grows into a strong willed, independent, woman who falls in love with her troubled yet passionately loving employer, Mr. Edward Rochester. It's a captivating story of choosing your path to your destiny. There have been many (and I do mean many) film adaptations of this literary classic. Each has its own translation of the book and its own essence. If you've never read or seen the story of Jane Eyre, here is the order of which I feel you should view the adaptations especially for those who rather view the film than read the book. However knowing the actual story prior helps in making a relation to the different film adaptations. Jane Eyre (1943) starring Orson Welles & Joan Fontaine The first film I ever saw of Jane Eyre was the 1943 version with brilliant actors Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) and Joan Fontaine (Rebecca). This is before I read ...

 First this is probably my favorite season of The Bachelor. Personally I feel Colton has been the most real, genuine, and honest Bachelor ever. Cassie and he are so sweet but now for the future . Hannah B. is the new Bachelorette! I wasn't expecting her though I had an inkling during the Women Tell All. Honestly though she is so cute and I'm happy with her as the Bachelorette. Her season will be fun and exciting. I'm so excited for her. This is short but I can't hold in my excitement. Congratulations Hannah B.!

Fuller House Season 4 Starring Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber, Scott Weinger , Juan Pablo Di Pace, Michael Campion, Elias Harger, Soni Bringas, Dashiell and Fox Messitt, and Adam Hagenbuch With guest starring roles from John Brotherton, Lori Loughlin, Bob Saget, John Stamos and Dave Coulier Here we are 4 seasons later and Fuller House still has us yearning for more. I must say this spinoff is more than successful. Full House fans are more than satisfied watching DJ, Steph, and Kimmy "sharing" their lives with us. Just as the child stars before them, Michael, Elias, Soni, Dashiell and Fox are growing up before our eyes and we are so glad that our favorite family is back, welcoming us home each season. Fuller House is the most successful reboot/comeback to date. Others have tried but have not captured the magic of the original show like Fuller House has. With continued surprise visits from Lori Loughlin (Becky), Bob Saget (Danny), John Stamos (Un...

La Dolce Vita Courthouse Bakery is a charming little bakery in Lancaster City located across the street from the Lancaster County Courthouse. When taking a stroll down Duke Street or needing a break from a case, La Dolce Vita is the place to be. Be aware that the name can be deceiving. It's not a bakery for the courthouse and it's not just a bakery. On my visit with my husband on September 22nd, we found they sell more than baked goods. Their sandwiches, salads and sides are simply mouthwatering. I ordered their roast beef BLT and antipasti salad while my husband ordered their pastrami and cheese sandwich. It sounds like a basic order but the flavors are anything but. We took a seat outside at one of their charming little black tables. It's great for people watching and just enjoying your surroundings. It may be clear that you are in the city but it gives you the comfort of feeling like you're in a whole separate world. The staff is very friendly that even on your...

The Kissing Booth Starring: Joey King, Molly Ringwald Most films that follow the journey to two friends usually end up in them splitting ways, getting together, or just having happily ever after as friendship soulmates (non-romantic). This is not that film. Joey King plays Elle, a young lady blossoming into herself. In other words, she's finding herself and in ways mostly has. Elle is strong, vibrant, and her own person. Her best friend Lee, well very much his own person as well. It's almost like they defined each other. They're the type of best friends who could easily get lost in each other or in Elle and Lee's case, their friend rules. The biggest rule is rule #9 which pretty much forbids them from dating the other's siblings. Unfortunately Elle develops a major crush on Lee's brother Noah. The question becomes will she betray her friend's rule and follow her heart? Maybe but sometimes fate has a funny way making things happen. For a school fundrai...