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...

December 30, 2017

Saturday movie briefs: My top four true tales seen in 2017

December 30, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

I'm a fan of films of a vast range of sorts. There's something about films based on true stories, though, that seems to smack me in the heart the most. (Which is a good thing.)

In 2017, four films in particular smacked my heart hard and firmly established for themselves a forever spot on my list of memorable movies as well as top spots of those seen in 2017.

December 16, 2017

Saturday movie briefs: A holiday movie montage for every holiday mood

December 16, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

The ultimate holiday movie montage collection

The holiday season can stir up a goofy gamut of feelings. From sentimental to sad, giving to Grinchy, delighted to dour, lonely to I. Just. Want. To. Be. Alone! Sometimes all in one day.

Whether your mood has you feeling magical, mad, blessed or blue there's a Christmas movie montage perfect for you.

November 30, 2017

Stars and Cars: Week Two

November 30, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

When it comes to week two of my film-going, Toyota test-driving gig the first part of November, I'm hard-pressed to say which I was more enthusiastic about: the movies or the mode of transportation.

Both the festival films and the 2018 Toyota Camry XSE provided numerous delightful experiences on their own. If pushed to narrow my faves of each down to a list of five, though, I'd have to go with the following five for each.

November 18, 2017

Saturday movie briefs: 5 (possibly forgotten) family faves for Thanksgiving gatherings

November 18, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

My favorite Thanksgiving film is the 1995 treat HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. It's funny and sad and sweet and sorta romantic, and it's the one and only film I must see around the Thanksgiving holiday.

I set out to share with you today not only my Thanksgiving film fave but a few other family friendly movies with a Thanksgiving theme because if your family is anything like mine, watching a film or two together during extended family gatherings is a given.

Turns out the selection of quintessential Thanksgiving movies is slim to none. Those I did find are available primarily only on DVD, not streaming, which means families must decide in advance what to watch together — and how likely is that to happen?

There are still grand options for Thanksgiving weekend...

November 17, 2017

Stars and Cars: Week One

November 17, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

40th Denver Film Festival via the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium

For the past four years, I've had the privilege of covering the annual Denver Film Festival, presented by the Denver Film Society. As a film fan, it's an amazing opportunity. As a resident of Colorado Springs, though, not Denver, the 140-mile round trip to attend screenings, panels, red carpets and more has slightly dampened my enthusiasm for the honor each time festival time rolls around.

This year Toyota came to my rescue, providing not just one vehicle for zipping up and down I-25 for the festival, but two. For week one of the 40th Denver Film Festival, Toyota delivered to my door a 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium plug-in hybrid, which turned the trips to and from Denver into festive occasions pert near as fun and entertaining as the event I covered.

I was surprised by how attractive and well-appointed the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium is. How comfy and flat-out cool it is, too.