“& Juliet”: An Upbeat Retelling of a Tragedy

I got introduced to & Juliet back during the pandemic when Spotify placed some songs from the Original London recording on my Weekly Discover list. Intrigued by this jukebox musical, I looked into it and thought it was an interesting concept.

When the pandemic began to ease and theater returned, & Juliet stormed into North America, starting in Toronto. It then came to Broadway and still runs today.

Knowing how much I love Broadway, my aunt offered to get me tickets to a show for my birthday. Her only request was that it not be something sad. Since & Juliet was on my list of shows to see and I knew it wasn’t sad, I asked to see that one.

So we went to a matinee on the second Saturday of May and now I’m going to tell you what I thought!

I’ve the got the eye of the SPOILERS!

Suffs the Musical: Keep Marching

This review likely would’ve taken a different tone prior to the election but my opinion hasn’t changed.

So let’s do this.

Back in April, my mom, aunt and I went to go see Six the Musical for my birthday. (I also highly recommend that show). While we were eating lunch, I saw two women walking through the restaurant and they had sashes reading “Votes for Women” on them. I made a comment that they must be seeing Suffs and my mom asked what it was about. I told her it was about the fight for women’s right to vote and we all agreed we wanted to see it.

Fast forward six months and we made it a reality. We trekked into the city yet again, enjoyed a nice lunch and caught a Saturday matinee of this Tony-winning musical.

Even though this deals with historical events, I’m still going to warn for SPOILERS anyway.

“Where Are You Christmas?”: Christmas Makes the World Brighter

Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas is in full swing and has been since October 20th. As they do every year, they introduce many new movies to add to their collection and I like to try to review at least one before the New Year.

And here it is!

We start with the classic trope of hardworking city woman returns to her small town and learns the true meaning of Christmas while falling in love. But there is a twist in how she learns her lesson.

My world is changing/I’m rearranging/Does that mean Christmas SPOILERS

The Wedding Veil Unveiled: A Story of Love and Loss

The story of three friends and their beautiful and possibly magical veil continues in The Wedding Veil trilogy. After the first friend found love, a rare painting reveals there may be more to their veil than meets the eye. Now the second friend has possession of the veil as she heads to Italy, ready for an adventure of her own.

But is she ready for love?

Time to find out in The Wedding Veil Unveiled!

I’ll be your hope, I’ll be your love, be everything that you SPOILERS!

The Wedding Veil Trilogy: The Wedding Veil

Christmas may be Hallmark Channel’s bread and butter but it produces movies all year round, often timed to the different seasons – winter movies after Christmas, spring movies as the weather warms, summer movies for the hottest months and then autumn movies before Christmas comes back around again. While I tend to watch more of the Christmas movies, I do like to check out the channel’s other fare and I must say I was intrigued by the idea of The Wedding Veil Trilogy movies – The Wedding Veil, The Wedding Veil Unveiled and The Wedding Veil Legacy.

The Wedding Veil trilogy surrounds three friends who meet up every so often to go antiquing together. On one of these trips, they find a beautiful wedding veil. According to the shop owner, anyone in possession of the veil will find true love. The friends decide to split the cost and buy it, vowing to wear it at their weddings. One by one, the veil brings them love and happiness.

Uniting three of Hallmark’s leading ladies – Lacey Chabert, Autumn Reeser and Alison Sweeney – this movie trilogy certainly got 2022 off on the right note.

We’ll go movie by movie, so let’s start with The Wedding Veil!

You smiled, you smile, and then the spell was cast/And here we are in Heaven, for you are SPOILERS!

The Royal Nanny: A Fun Christmas Adventure

It’s that time of the year again! Yes, it’s Hallmark holiday movie time! And of course, I’m watching them. They’re comforting and festive. No one can resist their charms.

Especially me, as you all know.

I don’t know how many of the new movies I’ll be able to review. But I’m going to try, starting with this one set in England.

So, grab an umbrella and avoid SPOILERS!

The Knight Before Christmas: I Need a Hero

Who’s eager for summer to begin? The days are getting longer and Memorial Day is upon us. It’s time for barbecues, fireworks, shorts and for me to switch from vodka to tequila.

(I don’t know why but I associate vodka with winter and tequila with summer. Go figure).

But we’re going to put on our favorite Christmas sweater, pour some hot chocolate and munch on a candy cane – at least in our minds – as we look at this month’s Christmas movie review, The Knight Before Christmas.

Through the years, we all will be together/if the fates SPOILERS!

Christmas Perfection: Christmas in “Killarney”

I’m sure you can figure out why I decided to review/recap this movie this month. And I don’t care how cliché it is.

This was another movie I enjoyed late at night this past holiday season. I hope you all give it a try and get to enjoy it too.

It’s Christmas in Killarney/With all of the folks at SPOILERS!

A Cinderella Christmas: A Modern Fairy Tale

So my holiday movie tradition continues with a Christmas twist on a favorite fairy tale – Cinderella. It also caught my eye because I recognized one of the actors from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and couldn’t help myself. And it quickly became my favorite holiday movie and I watched it multiple times in one week.

Let’s recap and discuss why I loved it so much!

Bibbity-boppity-SPOILERS!

A Godwink Christmas

There’s just something special about Hallmark’s Christmas movies. Are they cheesy? Yeah. Are they formulaic? Yeah. But do we watch them year after year? Hell to the yeah. There’s just something about quaint towns covered in snow as people fall in love over and over that we just love to see.

Especially me.

We wish you a Merry SPOILERS!

Jesus Christ Superstar: A Real Superstar

I’ve been familiar with the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber since I was a little girl. My parents are big fans of his and have seen several of his shows on Broadway, including the original production of Evita with Patti Lupone. I used to counteract my insomnia by listening to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at night to fall asleep. And then I eventually graduated to more music, including Jesus Christ Superstar. I saw the 1973 movie version and my mother and I went to see the 2000 revival (which has a story attached to it that’s kinda funny, kinda sad. Maybe I’ll tell it later).

So I was thrilled when I found out the latest entry into the catalogue of live musical events would be Jesus Christ Superstar, fittingly on Easter (and my birthday!). The cast announcements proved it was shaping up to be a good one and I eagerly tuned in, waiting to be blown away.

I was not disappointed.

First, a little synopsis because some people were still confused about the plot even though it should be well known. Jesus Christ Superstar tells of the last 7 days of Jesus’ life…through song. We start before he rides into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as Judas worries about how large the crowds that surround Jesus are starting to get. He is afraid they will draw the wrong kind of attention from the Pharisees as well as the Roman officials, leading to disaster. It leads to some tensions between him and Jesus while Mary Magdalene tries to keep the peace. But Judas ends up turning Jesus over to the authorities as the crowd turns against him. Ultimately, Jesus is crucified.

Got it? Good. Let’s get on to the review!

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

In 1995, Robin Williams starred in a movie where he played a man who had been trapped in a board game for decades. Bonnie Hunt and a young Kirsten Dunst went along for the ride and we watched jungle animals take over a small New England town.

That was Jumanji. And now twenty-something years later, Jumanji has been reborn for another generation. How is it? Let’s find out!

Beware snakes, stampeding rhinos and SPOILERS!

My Christmas Prince: My Christmas Meh

Hallmark Channel may be the most well known for Christmas movies but they are not alone. Lifetime often runs Christmas movies throughout December as do some other channels. Even Netflix got in on the game this year! They’ve also repeated Hallmark’s tried-and-true girl-becomes-princess for Christmas plots. Lifetime’s offering is My Christmas Prince.


How does it hold up compared to Hallmark? Let’s take a look!

These are my Christmas SPOILERS!

Albion: The Enchanted Stallion

So, remember a couple years ago when I looked into a few of Sean Maguire’s non-OUAT projects? I decided I was going to try to look into some other cast members’ other projects as well…and then I get distracted. But let’s jump start things with Jennifer Morrison and Albion: The Enchanted Stallion.

So saddle up and hang on for SPOILERS!

Beauty and the Beast: Evermore

I was five years old when Disney released “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991. I remember being in the movie theater with my dad and one of my best friends from school, watching the movie. It became my favorite movie right then and there, with Belle being my favorite Disney princess. My dad always credited her for the fact I’m a bookworm, but I always credit my parents for that since they read to me every night and took me to the library often. But Belle always reminded me that there wasn’t anything wrong about being a bookworm or being considered odd. It also reminded me to value a person for who they are, not how they looked. And to never shun someone for being odd.

At first, I was skeptical about them redoing Beauty and the Beast as a live action movie. Naturally, I was worried they would screw everything up. But soon I heard Alan Menken was once again composing, Tim Rice signed on to write lyrics and finally, the cast was announced. It was so top-notch, I got excited.

I decided to go see the movie for my birthday, which was two weeks after it opened. I put on my Belle t-shirt and my Beauty and the Beast watch necklace. (Which needs a new battery). Then we headed down to the theater and watched the movie.

SPOILERS as old as time…

The Last Five Years: A Movie Musical

Let’s rewind to 2004. I was a high school senior who was already very obsessed with Broadway musicals. And the biggest one that year was, of course, Wicked. One of the male stars of the musical was Norbert Leo Butz (Fiyero). A classmate of mine had a huge crush on him and she told me about his other work, including “The Last Five Years.” When I went to college, I discovered a great music store in the nearby mall who had a great Broadway selection. I found “The Last Five Years” and I bought it.

And I loved it.

So I was excited to hear there was a movie version coming out. Okay, I’ll be honest—I’m always excited to hear about a new movie musical.

However, I never found someone to go see it with nor the time to go on my own. So I had to wait for it to come on Netflix, which it has.

SPOILER GODDESS!

The Red Dress: A Psychological Thriller

I know, I know. I said I would give Sean Maguire a break. But LMN (Lifetime Movie Network) aired this movie on Sunday, January 24th, and of course I watched it, despite some hesitation because I know the fair LMN airs. So, how was it? Let’s take a look.

Beware sneaky husbands, supposed friends and SPOILERS!

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Unlikeliest Heroes Ever

Marvel has been on a roll, huh? Hit movie after hit movie—and a popular TV show to boot! And the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie seemed to be a bit of a gamble. It wasn’t like Iron Man or Captain America or any other Marvel creation known to the mainstream. But Marvel took a chance and it paid off.

Time for SPOILERS!

Newsies Review: Seize the Day

In the early nineties, newbie screenwriters Bob Tzudiker and Noni White pitched an idea to Walt Disney Productions. They wanted to make a movie about the 1899 newsies strike where young boys were able to win against the likes of Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. Disney ordered it and Christian Bale was cast in the main role of Jack Kelly. Then Disney decided to make it a musical, bringing award-winner Alan Menken on board with new lyricist Jack Feldman. The movie was far from a box office smash and Christian Bale swore off musicals forever.

But then something strange began to happen. Newsies became a cult classic. Fans grew to love the movie despite its flaws--or maybe for its flaws. The music grew more and more popular. And Disney decided to turn the property into a musical. Menken and Feldman agreed to write new songs as well as work with the ones they had already written for the movie. Pulitzer Prize winner Harvey Fierstein was brought on to revamp Tzudiker and White's screenplay, to make it more palatable for the stage (and to fix some of the more problematic aspects of the movie). The musical bowed at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey to critical raves as well as good word-of-mouth.

After it closed, it was rumored that Disney wanted to bring it to Broadway. And a few months later, it did. Opening March 12, 2012 in the Nederlander Theater, the same praise from Papermill followed it to Broadway. It was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Actor for Jeremy Jordan and Best Musical. While it lost the top prize to "Once" and Jordan lost to Ben Kazee (of "Once"), Newsies still won two Tonys--Best Score and Best Choreography.

On Friday, July 12, 2014, I finally saw this musical.

EXTRA! EXTRA! SPOILERS BELOW!

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella: I Can Be Whatever I Want to Be

Okay, who remembers the version of “Cinderella” starring Brandy and Whitney Huston? Because I thought that version was amazing. Well-acted, well-sung and one I’d watch again and again. Which I did, during the last snow storm—it was on Ovation. And it was timely. Because I went to go see the show on Broadway that Friday with my parents.

And with today being Valentine’s Day, I thought today would be an excellent day to post this review.

So, impossible things (and SPOILERS!) are happening every day.