October 16, 2020

Streamin' and screamin': My top 10 scariest films

October 16, 2020/ Lisa Carpenter

‘Tis the scary season—and no, I’m not talking about Covid and our political climate (though those are downright frightening, for sure).

No, I’m talking about Halloween time.

As folks peruse streaming services for scary stuff to watch in celebration of the season, I’d like to offer a few films that forever scarred, I mean memorably scared me, on the off-chance others may wish to be similarly scarred, I mean, scared.

January 05, 2019

Saturday streaming briefs: Four to see on TV

January 05, 2019/ Lisa Carpenter

Desperately seeking streaming suggestions? Perhaps I can assuage your desperation.

Here are four shows—three series and one movie—Jim and I recently watched (one we’re still watching) and were riveted. You might be, too.

June 05, 2018

Brain drain... On lo mein, cracked pots, and other loves

June 05, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Wherein I ramble on...

Brianna is starting to show. And that's pretty darn awesome. She and Patrick find out next week if their first baby is a boy or a girl. I'm hoping for a girl... yet wonder if it's wrong to even consider hoping for one gender over another considering what they've gone through to get this far. Of course I'll be thrilled with another grandson but as this is likely my final grandchild, adding a girl to the grand group seems fitting. (Don't tell anyone, but I do think it's a girl.)

The life God intended. Conversations and situations

April 07, 2018

Saturday movie briefs: Three to see on DVD

April 07, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

The week before the 90th Academy Awards, my husband and I scrambled to screen as many of the nominated films we'd not yet managed to see. Twas a task made much easier thanks to my access to select free screeners courtesy Fox Home Entertainment (thanks, Fox!).

So mere days before oodles of Oscars were doled out, we watched several movies.

Then I failed to share my thoughts on each with you in a Saturday movie review. Now those films are out of theaters and available on DVD (plus streaming, premium channels, and more).

With sincere apologies for the belated sharing, here are three of my faves from our pre-Oscar scramble. Though sans full reviews, I strongly recommended each for viewing as they definitely live up to hype you've likely heard.

March 03, 2018

Saturday movie review: Last Flag Flying

March 03, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

When I covered the Denver Film Festival last November, one of the movies I was especially excited about seeing was the drama/comedy LAST FLAG FLYING, directed by Richard Linklater and starring Steve Carrel, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishbourne. The trailers convinced me the road trip movie featuring the oft-comic cast as vets on a mission would be laugh-out-loud funny with a few touching scenes scattered throughout and a sure highlight of my festival experience.

Unfortunately I didn't see LAST FLAG FLYING at the festival. The movie was among the most popular and sold out quickly, so my husband and I missed out.

We hit the jackpot last week, though, when LAST FLAG FLYING hit the top of my Netflix queue. It took mere minutes after starting the DVD for my assumptions about the film to be flipped as it immediately proved...