Princess for Christmas is a truly terrible Hallmark Channel Original Movie movie that nonetheless delighted me no end thanks to the efforts of actors that approach this material as earnestly as if someone was waiting backstage with an Oscar nomination for each of them. My eternal thanks to our readers who tipped me off about this. Spoilers ahead. In this film, Katie McGrath, whom I worship from her days on Merlin, plays Jules. Jules is … Continue reading Movie Review: A Princess for Christmas →
Lady Bird is the coming of age story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a high school student in Sacramento, living through her senior year of 2002-2003. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Tracy Letts, is directed by Greta Gerwig and is hands down one of the best movies of the year. Lady Bird (in one of those fits of teenagers trying on new identities, she has given this name to herself) is a senior … Continue reading Movie Review: Lady Bird →
In light of the happy news this week of one Meghan Markle and one Prince Henry of Wales announcing their engagement (I’m so happy for those two!) we thought we’d bring you one or two thoughts on the Netflix original movie, A Christmas Prince. After all, tis the season and also the royal engagement makes this so very timely. And we’re not the only ones who have noted the arrival of this direct-to-Netflix original. Bea … Continue reading Movie Review: A Christmas Prince →
Carrie: This came just in time as I have a cold and am supposed to sit on the couch. Now can I sit on the couch and growl “I’m WORKING” at passers by. But I’m also super cranky so I should feel more sympathy for poor Iris and Amanda instead of wanting to throw kleenex at them. Elyse: I’m probably viewing this through my own professional lens, but I have a hard time believing that … Continue reading Smart Bitches Movie Matinee: The Holiday →
If you’re looking for the TL;DR of this review, here it is: the new Kindle Oasis is a fast, responsive, and lightweight device that I have enjoyed reading with immensely since it arrived. But at $250, there is no reason I could give as to why it is as expensive as it is, nor any reason I could justify saying to anyone that they should spend that amount when the Paperwhite is $119, and the … Continue reading Kindle Oasis 2017 →
We have guest review of a tabletop game that has a romantic element. Huge thanks to Suzanne for submitting this review and thinking of the Bitchery. In addition to raising two valkyries and tending a growing menagerie, Suzanne reads and reviews romance and comics in Southern New Hampshire. She runs a site devoted to romance comics and assists a couple of authors with their romance-writery needs as well. … My husband and I play lots … Continue reading Guest Game Review: Love Letter →
Sarah: I had my hair cut this week, and as I got in the car, I thought that having very short hair is very appropriate for watching this film. “And Introducing Audrey Hepburn…” Oh, we have met, I assure you. I love the long opening credits. And Edith Head did the costumes! Of course she did. This is a trope that works for me – individual bound by a massive weight of duty and expectation … Continue reading Smart Bitches Movie Matinee: Roman Holiday →
Among people who keep an eye on movie news, Tulip Fever has been a bit of a folk tale. It was announced in 2013, and screened at the 2015 Venice film festival, but then its release dates kept getting pushed back and back and back. When Fandango actually put up a release date, it was for the last weekend in August, but in reality it opened on Labor Day weekend. It’s a weird movie with … Continue reading Movie Review: Tulip Fever →
Based on a Russian novella, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, this movie takes a bunch of tropes that we know and love in Romancelandia, turns them inside out, and then takes them to a (semi) logical conclusion. We are familiar with the coupling that starts off with the bride essentially being bought because she comes with a chunk of land, and we’ve seen heroines married to someone who’s got a weird dominant vibe. What we don’t … Continue reading Movie Review: Lady Macbeth →
NB: Sometimes you just need to work out your frustrations with writing an F-grade, and Rhode Red did just that! Not to be confused with RedHeadedGirl in Boston, Rhode is a redheaded feminist in Providence. She works in business (aka trade) publishing by day, reads romances and SFF by night, buys more art than her house can hold and grows vast quantities of flowers. “I’ve tried not to keep this film in my mind, and … Continue reading Guest Movie Review: Maudie →
The following review is of a horror/drama/comedy/ zombie/feminist movie. It’s not a romance. There will be spoilers. Read at your own risk. I‘ve always said that I can’t watch horror because as someone with anxiety I don’t need any extra. However, in the last couple of years, I’ve finally started to understand the cathartic effect of a certain kind of horror. I’m increasingly fascinated by horror in which (GENERAL SPOILER) Add that to my fondness … Continue reading Movie Review: It Stains the Sands Red →
