Movie Review - John Candy: I Like Me

Director: Colin Hanks
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: John Candy, Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Martin Short
 
Description: Explores the life and legacy of the iconic funnyman John Candy, who died of a heart attack in 1994, at the age of 43.
 
Review: If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, like me, you probably also grew up with John Candy movies. The funnyman who starred in movies like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, “Uncle Buck” “Splash” and “Home Alone” was a big part of my childhood. And for anyone like me, the documentary “John Candy: I Like Me” is a must-see.

The title refers to a quote from his character Del Griffith, in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, where he tells Steve Martin that he likes who he is, after Martin just completely trashed him. If you have no idea who Candy was, this documentary gives you some insight into his life and career. But it will not have the emotional load. For me, this was a very heartwarming, moving tribute to the comedian. His family, friends and colleagues praise Candy with warm and honest stories about him. Candy was such a loving man and he touched the lives of everyone he met. And of the people who watch his movies.

Like I stated before, we watched a lot of John Candy films during my childhood years, and still. “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is an absolute favorite in my family and we still revisit it every holiday season. If you grew watching him, this documentary will definitely get you emotional.

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Baby X by Kira Peikoff

Title: Baby X
Author: Kira Peikoff
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: In the near-future United States, where advanced technology can create eggs or sperm from any person’s cells, celebrities face the alarming potential of meeting biological children they never conceived. Famous singer Trace Thorne is tired of being targeted by the Vault, a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. Sick of paying ransom for his own cell matter, he hires bio-security guard Ember Ryan to ensure his biological safety.
 
Ember will do anything she can to protect her clients. She knows all the Vault’s tricks and has prevented countless DNA thefts. Working for Thorne, her focus becomes split when she begins to fall for him, but she knows she hasn’t let anything slip – love or not, his DNA is safe. But then she and Thorne are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, who claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, and all bets are off.
Review: “Baby X” is set in the near future, where eggs and sperm can easily be created from  any person’s cells. A company called Vault, steals DNA from celebrities and sells it on the black market. Musician Trace Thorne is one of the victims and he hires Ember Ryan as his security agent to help prevent it. But when a woman named Quinn claims she is pregnant with Thorne’s baby, they have to figure out what went wrong.
 
For fans of John Marrs books, like “The One” or “The Marriage Act”, “Baby X” is a great alternative. Kira Peikoff wrote a futuristic thriller that excels in the exciting, speculative science fiction genre, exploring the risks of genetic technology and its ethical dilemmas.
 
The book is fast paced. The chapters are short and each one is told from the perspective of different character. The plotting is clever and it has several really good twist that I never saw coming. Especially the final one.
 
Even though you’re spending a lot of time with these characters, not all are as interesting or as developed. Quinn was lacking depth, although her storyline was my favorite. And Lily’s arc wasn’t grabbing me, until the final few chapters.
 
If you like realistic science fiction thrillers, with excellent world-building, you will probably enjoy this.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Ranking the Franchise - Robert Langdon

Based on the famous Robert Langdon book series, by author Dan Brown, director Ron Howard has turned three of the books in the series into movies. By the time I’m rewatching these movies, Dan Brown has just released his sixth book in this series. The books were kind of randomly turned into movies, starting with book 2, then book 1 and the last was book 4.
 

3. Inferno (2016)
This film, based on the fourth book in the series, was released six years after its last Robert Langdon film. It was clearly my least favorite of the three films and the one I remember the least about. Even though it’s the most recent film in the series. Mainly because it’s feels a lot like the other ones and unoriginal. Check our my full review HERE.
 

2. Angels & Demons (2009)
I really enjoyed the mystery here, more than its sequel. The film opens with a bang and I loved the setting. There is a lot of explaining and the runtime is fairly long, but I did enjoy this film. HERE is my full review.  
 

1. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
This is clearly my favorite. I actually first saw it in theaters and was obsessed with it for a long time. I have rewatched it many times since then, but it had been a while since I last watched it. But it still holds up. This is the only really good adaptation of one of the Robert Langdon books. It’s also very true to its source material. The performances in this movie are  very strong overall, which is not the case for the other two films. The characters in “The Da Vinci Code” are more memorable. Read my full review HERE.

10s Movie Review - The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Director: Desiree Akhavan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, Jennifer Ehle, Forrest Goodluck, Emily Skeggs, John Gallagher Jr.

Description: In 1993, teenage girl Cameron (Chloe Grace Moretz) is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 41: A FILM WITH CHLOE GRACE MORETZ
 
Review: Cameron Post if a teenage girl in 1993, who is gay. She lost her parents at a very young age and is now living with her aunt. Who is very conservative. When she finds out about Cameron’s love for women, she is sent to a conversion therapy center.

The film is well-made and compelling, but can sometimes drag a little bit. The emphasis is on the harmful effect on homophobia on young people and this is done very well.

The people are all portrayed in a very believable way, especially the adults who try to help, albeit in the wrong way. The cast is strong, but the chemistry between the three main actors, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane and Forrest Goodluck, is lacking. Their individual scenes are more powerful than the ones they have together. With that, the characters are a bit bland.

The theme of the film is strong and hits, but the characters lack chemistry and depth, which is somewhat essential in a movie like this. Because it’s a more character driven story.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - That's Not My Name by Megan Lally

Title: That’s Not My Name
Author: Megan Lally
Genre: Mystery/ Young Adult/ Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of the a dirt road with no memory of how she got there – or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He’s been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says.
 
When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it’s too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow… and the more danger they both are in.
 
Review: “That’s Not My Name” is a young adult mystery thriller, perfect if you’re looking for a blood-curdling thriller with an exciting plot. In this YA thriller, a girl wakes up confused on the side of the road. She has no idea what happened, where she is, or who she even is. Officer Bowman finds her and takes her to the local police station in Alton. It doesn’t take long before her father walks into the station asking if a girl with short brown hair and green eyes has been found; he has apparently been looking for his daughter for hours. The officer takes the man to the girl, and they turn out to be related. The girl’s name is Mary Boone, and the man proves to be her father by showing the officer her birth certificate and family photos. Mary goes home with her father.
 
In another town, a girl names Lola has been missing for some time. Her boyfriend Drew was the last person to see her the night before she disappeared. The local sheriff suspects that Drew may have something to do with her disappearance or may even have killed her. Drew insists that he had nothing to do with is and is doing his best to find Lola. However, he is keeping secret what exactly happened the night before she went missing.
 
The book is divided into chapters from the perspective of Mary and Drew from the beginning, you naturally get the idea that the two storylines must be related, but author Megan Lally manages to keep the dénouement a surprise until the very end. It has both predictable and unpredictable plot points, but in all it’s a very surprising story.
 
If you’re a fan of Holly Jackson’s YA thrillers, you will probably enjoy “That’s Not May Name” as well. Lally’s writing style is pleasant and very accessible and it will appeal to younger readers. But even if you’re not a young adult anymore, like I am, you will enjoy it. Because it doesn’t scream YA.
 
“That’s Not My Name” is an excellent debut novel for Megan Lally and I would read more of her work in the future. Strong YA thriller, enjoyable for not only young adults.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - I Who Have Never Known Men

Title: I Who Have Never Known Men
Author: Jacqueline Harpman
Genre: Fiction/ Dystopian
Published: 1995
 
Description: Deep underground, forty women live imprisoned in a cage. Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only a vague recollection of their lives before.
 
As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl – the fortieth prisoner – sits alone and outcast in the corner. Soo she will show herself to be the key to the others’ escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground.
 
Review: In “I Who Have Never Known Men” we follow a group of forty women who are all locked up in a cage, underground. The fortieth woman has just entered the cage and we follow the story from her perspective. None of the women have any recollection of how they got their and don’t remember a lot of their lives before. Why they are there? No one knows.
 
The story is very unique. It’s an impressive, philosophical and dystopian story. The story provides only few answers and requires lots of imagination, the journey through mystery and philosophical depth is a very special and impactful reading experience.  
 
The setting and the unexplained circumstances create a deep mystery that draws into the hope of the main character. We never learn her name, her backstory, who she was before this. But we see her growth, feel every one of her emotions and really go through it with her. And the beautiful writing by Jacqueline Harpman helps us immerse ourselves in the inner world of the main character.
 
Despite its feminist undertones, there is an emphasis on misogynism with the emphasis on the necessity of men for a meaningful life. I don’t believe that’s what Harpman believes, but these women, who only have each other, believe this to be the truth.
 
When going into this book, just be aware that you will be left with more questions at the end. You will not get a satisfying, spectacular, big conclusion. It’s not fast paced or action packed. “I Who Have Never Known Men” is a character driven book, told from the perspective of a young woman who never experienced life as it is. She only knows  the life she is living  now. If you enjoy philosophical, mysterious stories, that make you think, and you’re not afraid of a book that doesn’t provide you with clear answers, then this one is for you. It’s a unique reading experience and this book will definitely stay with me for a very long time.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - A Real Pain

Director: Jesse Eisenberg
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey,
 
Description: Mismatched cousins (Kieran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their old tension resurfaces against the backdrop of their family history.

 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A FILM FROM 2024

Review: In “A Real Pain”, we meet Benji and David, cousins who get together for a trip through Poland, in honor of their grandmother who has just passed. Benji is a troubled, complex man with no real plan in life and David seems to have his life together with a wife and son, and couldn’t be more different from Benji.

The film is a layered dramedy that explores the complexity of family, trauma, and identity. This through the duo of Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, who, despite their differences, create a moving road movie about the Holocaust past. The film combines sharp humor and deep drama to address universal themes. The chemistry between Eisenberg and Culkin is the heart of the movie. They are so different from each other, though they do look up to one another and learn from each other as well.

There is a perfect balance between humor and drama. It’s not just your everyday buddy road trip movie. It’s a journey through Poland, with a focus on the Holocaust. It serves as a backdrop for personal growth and the discovery of their family roots.

The film is fairly slow, which can throw viewers off, and the ending might feel abrupt as well. I think both worked in their favor. The slow pace fits the story and tone and the ending also felt right for this film. But I do understand this being a negative for some people.

“A Real Pain” is a wonderful film, that was nominated for two Academy Awards: best original screenplay (Jesse Eisenberg) and best supporting actor (Kieran Culkin). Culkin very deservedly took home the award, he is so good in this film. For only a 90 minute runtime, this film showed us a lot of character growth and emotional baggage. A definite must-see.

Rating: 4,5/ 5