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I highly recommend this high adrenalin movie, "The Desperate Hour". The entire movie has Amy Carr (Naomi Watts) in it as the mother that has just got her kids off to school and goes for a long jog in the woods. She has her cell phone with her and makes many plans and takes many calls along her long run. During her run she comes to realize that the town has been thrown into chaos - as she finds out there has been a school shooting at the high school. She is miles away and wants to know if her son is okay or even at school. He's not answering his phone and she can't get in touch with him or get to him. This movie was heart-pounding and kept me on the edge of my seat. Very good suspense thriller. Every mother's nightmare these days.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan was a powerful and thought-provoking book that is definitely considered a classic for a reason. The four women of the Joy Luck club meet regularly to play mahjong, eat traditional Chinese food, and share the dreams and struggles they've had leading up to raising their four respective daughters in America. The founder of the club, Suyuan Woo, has recently passed and her daughter, Jing Mei, is taking her place at the mahjong table. In doing so, she learns of the hardships her mother faced to give Jing Mei her life in the US. The impactful stories of the other three women and their daughters are also told - beginning in rural China and ending in San Francisco.

The book reads almost like a collection of short stories that seamlessly shift from light-hearted to deeply impactful and back. A rich and meaningful read no matter where your family comes from. It's a beautiful illustration that the stories that shape us are not just our own. Reading this book was an emotional and moving experience that I wish I could experience again for the first time. I put down the book with more thought towards the stories and struggles of my own family (which sounds kind of dramatic but is totally true lol). 

Available on eBook and eAudiobook on eMediaLibrary.

Beautiful Boy (2018, Rated R) tells the real-life story of Nic Sheff, a teen who has a strained relationship with his father David due to his severe drug addiction. Despite Nic's time in rehab, he continues to use drugs including crystal meth. David tries to help his son, but the more he intervenes the worse things get. Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet give stellar performances as the father/son duo, playing their parts with genuine vulnerability. It's a heartbreaking film that sheds light on the harsh realities of addiction and how it can tear a family apart.

You can watch Beautiful Boy on Amazon Prime with one of our Rokus. 

This daring adventure follows British Captain Jack Aubrey around the waters of South America during the Napoleonic Wars. He is in pursuit of an elusive French warship which puts his crew to the test. This visually captivating film will transport you to another place and time.

Starring Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, and Billy Boyd.

Master and Commander (PG-13) is available for checkout on DVD.

I laughed so much during this movie. The awkwardness of the robot Ron is cute and funny. Barney wants to fit in and with the new invention of B-Bots' ability to make friends, everyone has one, except for him. When he does get a B-Bot it turns his life upside down. A fun journey of friendship.

Greta is a great pick if you're looking for something creepy and suspenseful. Frances, a girl who is mourning the loss of her mother, finds a handbag on the subway and returns it to its owner, a French piano teacher whom she befriends and believes is simply a lonely widow. However, Frances soon notices Greta's obsessive behavior, and takes the necessary steps to distance herself from the friendship. Greta, not happy about Frances ignoring her, becomes more erratic and takes matters into her own hands, determined not to lose Frances's attention. This film will have you completely engrossed until the last scene and is perfect for those who like realistic horror.

Looking for a darkly funny comedy that will also give you hope that a better future is possible? Look no further than Miracle Workers! This anthology series stars Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi among an ensemble cast that will capture your heart and make you laugh out loud. Season three follows as Reverend Ezekiel Brown (Radcliffe) teams up with the infamous criminal Benny the Teen (Buscemi) to lead their small settlement on a journey to a better life in Oregon. The twenty-two minute episodes make it easy to marathon whole series in only a few sittings, but the show will stick with you long after it's over.

If you like action, dad jokes and more dad jokes this is the movie for you. I loved this movie and how Disney was able to transform the story of a ride from the Disney parks into such a great movie. The action of  Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt blend well into the adventures down the river. 

The main reason I think The Founder (2016, rated PG-13) is a good movie is because of the spirited discussion it generated between my coworkers and me. There was no debate about Michael Keaton's terrific performance of Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's.

My mistake was assuming Kroc was obviously a bad person for what he did. A debate quickly began as to whether or not in the world of business, was Kroc wrong at all or a genius entrepreneur? After all, "It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business."

I highly recommend you watch this movie and decide for yourself. Check it out on Hoopla today.

Tracy also liked this film. Check out Tracy's review here. 

This dark, four-season remake of the 1978 TV series is full of surprises. Twelve colonies of humans in a distant star system are wiped out by the cylons, a race of metal, humanoid-like machines. The remnants of humanity, traveling aboard a ragtag fleet of ships, including Battlestar Galactica, set off to search for the 13th colony--Earth. But not all cylons are metal. Some look just like humans. In fact, some cylons are programmed to think they are human. Can you tell who is a cylon?

Starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, and Jamie Bamber.

What an absolute delight! I loved watching the DVD "Cruella" (Rated PG-13). Emma Stone portrays Estella (Cruella) Deville perfectly. This is the predecessor to the animated Disney movie "101 Dalmatians" and why Cruella is the way she is and why she detests damnations so much. This is the story of how Estella grows up with wanting to become a fashion designer. She grabs the attention of the famous designer the Baroness von Hellman (played by Emma Thompson) and realizes that she more talented than the Baroness. The casting of characters is unbelievable when they truly portray the animated characters. The music and fashion in the movie are exciting and fun. Estelle has a revengeful and nasty personality as she transforms into Curella. I highly recommend this movie.

If you're looking for a movie that will carry you through a myriad of emotions in less than two hours, The Leisure Seeker (Rated R) is the perfect drama. John and Ella, a couple whose old age and struggle with Alzheimer's and cancer causes their children to check in on them frequently, decide to go on a spur of the moment trip to Key West in their RV, "The Leisure Seeker." Ella desperately tries to jog her husband's memory along the way, since he's forgetting the world around him by the day, while also fighting to take somewhat control of her cancer and caring for John as much as she can. The two discover things about each other on their journey even after decades of marriage. As their illnesses begin to take over, Ella takes matters into her own hands and has to make a choice for them both. Funny, heartfelt, frustrating, and, overall, a beautiful depiction of family and love, The Leisure Seeker will make you appreciate life in a deeper way.

Set against the backdrop of the financial crisis of 2008, Up in the Air (Rated R) follows Ryan Bingham as he flies around the country doing his job--firing people. His spartan lifestyle, which keeps him almost constantly airborne en route to the next city, suits him just fine. But when a new business model and a romantic entanglement threaten his comfortable existence, his goals shift unexpectedly.

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

Created by Mindy Kaling, this coming-of-age tv series is loosely bases on Kaling's childhood experiences. The story focuses on Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old Indian-American Tamil girl from Los Angeles. Devi endures a traumatic year after the loss of her father, and things aren't much better for her at school. She wants to change her social status, but that proves to be difficult. We follow Devi as she deals with her grief, identity, and various family/friend relationships (including a potential romance with her high school crush). While there are serious aspects of the show, it is also full of Kaling's signature wit and humor. It is utterly charming, clever, and sweet.

You can watch two seasons of Never Have I Ever (2020, TV-14) on Netflix with one of our Rokus.

What a nice story. I truly enjoyed watching this Christian based DVD A Father's Legacy. This is the story of an old man, Billy (played by Tobin Bell), living out in the middle of the woods, on a pond. He is just going about life when he answers his front door to a young stranger Nick (Jason Mac) who has just been shot. Nick pushes his way inside Billy's house and takes him hostage in his own home. Nick is on the run from the police for robbing and stealing about $10,000. Over the next few weeks, they slowly become friends and reveal secrets about their lives and why they are in this situation. Somehow they were brought together to heal and resolve past issues that have haunted them their whole life. Nice heartfelt movie.

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