Mystery Movie Review - Enola Holmes 2

I reviewed the first movie in this Netflix movie franchise (click here).  While Sherlock pureists won't like this for the few liberties taken to fit a younger sister into the Holmes canon, this is still a great Sherlock-adjacent mystery/adventure.  Originally based on the books by author Nancy Springer with 6 books in the series thus far at this writing.

What it's about:

"Fresh off the triumph of solving her first case, Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) follows in the footsteps of her famous brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill), and opens her own agency -- only to find that life as a female detective-for-hire isn't as easy as it seems. Resigned to accepting the cold realities of adulthood, she is about to close shop when a penniless matchstick girl offers Enola her first official job: to find her missing sister. But this case proves to be far more puzzling than expected, as Enola is thrown into a dangerous new world -- from London's sinister factories and colorful music halls, to the highest echelons of society and 221B Baker Street itself. As the sparks of a deadly conspiracy ignite, Enola must call upon the help of friends -- and Sherlock himself -- to unravel her mystery. The game, it seems, has found its feet again!" IMDB

Cast:

Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes

Henry Cavill (Superman) as Sherlock Holmes

Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown as Princess Margaret, The King's Speach, Harry Potter as Bellatrix Lestrange) as Eudoria Holmes -Enola's mother

Louis Partridge as Tewkesbury

David Thewlis (Prof Lupin in Harry Potter, Wonder Woman)

Susan Wokoma

Rotten Tomatoes and critics reviews:

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"These Enola Holmes films are just great, striking an excellent balance of action, witty humor and a dark edge." Tim Cogshell, FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

"The plot hitches up its skirts and races along from the very first scene and the style and tone very much echo the original with Enola’s occasional cheeky fourth wall breaking..."  Paul Mount, Starburst

"Enola Holmes 2 triumphantly builds on the first film with added layers of charm, action, empowerment, and even a bit of romance." Kristen Maldonado, Pop Culture Planet

"While much of writer Jack Thorne’s screenplay copies tropes from the previous film, the additional Sherlock Holmes lore that is expanded in this film, and the return of the characters we love, make this adventure well worth taking." 

Josh Flanders, Chicago Reader

"Even though it’s a sequel, set in a familiar world with characters who have appeared on screen in countless iterations, Enola Holmes 2 still manages to feel fresh."  Kimber Myers, Crooked Marquee

My Thoughts:

Pure entertainment and a fresh character in Enola. Millie Bobby Brown provides us with a determined, smart, and capable young woman with just enough comedic touches and vulnerable moments to make her endearing. This second outing is a challenge for a movie to try to replicate the magic of the successful first movie.  But, this second Enola may be even better than the first with so many twists and non-stop action (you might need a nap after watching it!)  I love this second movie, I recommend for a fun movie with plenty of action.

Movie Trailor:

https://youtu.be/KKXNmYoPkx0

Review - A Trip with Trouble

If you like a more "mature" heroine for your cozy mystery, this is the book for you with a 50 year old starting the next chapter in her life after a divorce.  I reviewed the debut novel is this new series and now I'm happy to review the second.  Read on to find out the details.

1) Getaway With Murder (click here)

Author: Diane Kelly

Copyright: October 2022 (St. Martins) 297 pgs

Series: 2nd in Mountain Lodge Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy Mystery

Main Characters: Misty Murphy, new owner of the Mountaintop Lodge

Setting: Modern day, Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review (Netgalley)

Book Blurb: "When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?" 

My Thoughts:  Features heroine Misty Murphy as a newly divorced and just turned fifty woman who is  independent, resourceful, organized, and good with people heroine, Rocky is the hunky handyman interested in her and is daughter visits in this story, Brynn is her new-age housekeeper, and Patty is the diner owner from across the road and her new best friend. The characters were all fun and relatable. The delightful animals: dog named Molasses and cat called Yeti.  The women's biker club staying at the lodge provide interesting characters and plenty of drama.

The lodge setting amid the Smokey Mountains is excellent and the murder mystery has plenty of twists and viable suspects.  The book flows smoothly and kept my interest, it is a delight to read. The killer confrontation is short but exciting and while I had run through all the suspects so it wasn't a complete surprise, it wasn't my top guesses.  Well done.  

This series provides a more mature sleuth that has been around the block and is in her second chapter of life which is a welcome lead. I highly recommend this cozy mystery. 

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

Mystery Movie Review - Three Pines

The bestselling Inspector Gamache mystery series by Louise Penny is the basis for this television series.  The books are up to 18 in the series at this writing. There was a made-for-TV movie of the first book, Still Life, staring Nathaniel Parker in 2013.  But this television series is through Amazon Prime and stands out as exemplary.  The first season has eight episodes containing four murders in two-part segments.  A season two is hoped for but no definitive decision has been reached by Amazon studios yet.

What it's about:

Three Pines is a police procedural where murders are investigated in the small Canadian town of Three Pines in Quebec.  "The empathetic and astute Chief Inspector Gamache is tasked with solving a number of mysterious and perplexing murders in the strange but beguiling village of Three Pines. Assisted by his trusted team; the combative and troubled Sargent Jean-Guy Beauvoir, the intelligent Indigenous working mother Sargent Isabelle Lacoste, and the accident-prone rookie Agent Yvette Nichol, the group are initially treated suspiciously by the village's residents. Despite the cool welcome, Gamache can't help but find himself oddly drawn to this unusual place and its eccentric residents, including the owners of the Bistro, Gabri and Olivier, artists Peter and Clara, psychologist turned bookshop owner Myrna, gallery owner Bea, and the irascible poet Ruth. 

The deeper Gamache delves into the secret lives of these people who have found sanctuary from the outside world in Three Pines, the more it affects him. The series also interweaves a dark, mysterious, serial-story, which uncovers police failings to properly investigate cases of missing Indigenous women, as well as corruption at the heart of the provincial Sûreté du Québec police force." IMDB "Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec police force sees things that others do not: the light between the cracks, the mythic in the mundane, and the evil in the seemingly ordinary." Wikipedia

Cast:

Alfred Molina (DaVinci Code, Chocolat, Spider-Man2) as Inspector Gamache

Rossif Sutherland (son of Donald Sutherland) is Sargent Jean-Guy Beauvoir

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers plays Sargent Isabelle Lacoste

Sarah Booth plays Agent Yvette Nichol

Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves, Longmire, Wind River) plays Bea Mayer

Rotten Tomatoes 78% 

"A collection of intelligent two-hour mysteries that fans of Agatha Christie or even Columbo should watch." Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com  

"For now, this short-but-sweet adaptation offers a sweeping cinematic taste of cultures and stories that are deserving of the global platform Prime Video offers, all while doing justice to the best-selling novels on which they’re based." Amber Dowling of Variety

"The adaptation for television depicts the mistreatment of First Nations people in Canada and has drawn praise for its unflinching realism." Dan Bilefsky of New York Times

Trivia:

• Filmed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Amazon Studios production company. Specifically, outdoor scenes in the village are filmed in Saint-Armand.
• Alfred Molina says Gamache's super-power is his intelligence and compassion.
• While the show is based in a fictional town, it is believed that Three Pines is based on author Louise Penny's hometown, Knowlton-located in the town of Brome Lake in Southern Quebec.
• The Canandian author of the books, Louise Penny, is also executive producer on the series

My Thoughts:

I love Alfred Molina's portrayal of Inspector Gamache. He gives a stellar performance making Gamache a true example of what a police officer should be.  The other cast members elevate their characters as well.  The cinematography is both unobtrusive, grand, and atmospheric in turns.  The slight mystical touches are deft and nuanced.  I highly recommend this polished and stylish adaptation of the novels and eagerly hope for another season.  This is absorbing mystery television.

Movie Trailor:

Review - Front Page Murder

Today we are checking out a brand new historical cozy mystery series. One of my favorite eras for historical books is the World War II time period and this book puts us in small town America during the war.  I had to check it out.

Author: Joyce St. Anthony

Copyright: March 2022 (Crooked Lane Books) 300 pgs

Series: 1st in Homefront News Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy

Main Characters: Irene Ingram, Acting Editor-in-Chief of Progress Herald

Setting: WWII era, small town Progress Pennsylvania

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review, Netgalley

Book Blurb:   "Irene Ingram has written for her father’s newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she’s editor in chief, which doesn’t sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene’s worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs.

 An accident? That’s what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she’d assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is…but for what he knows.

 Tenacious Irene senses there’s more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe’s murder. When she’s not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare—locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives—she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it’ll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can’t, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline." 

My Thoughts:   The characters range from Irene Ingram, a very capable acting-editor for the town paper facing the men challenging her leadership, her best friend Peggy Reardon encouraging her, her fiance's father is the police chief and genuinly likes her, and her mother's boarder Katherine Morningside who looks like a movie star and works in the factory.  The townspeople and main characters were all believeable and well drawn.  I felt the character of the town with its good folks and prejudice ones.  I loved how the era was brought to life with loved ones off fighting the war, rationing begining, and victory gardens etc.

The mystery got hold of me and the plot and pacing had me eager to read.  The climatic killer reveal was dramatic and tense just as I love it. This new series has me hooked and I highly recommend to fans of historical mysteries. A great addition to the historical cozy genre that I am eager to read the next in the series.  

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

New Year-Fresh Start

Happy New Year!  Ready for 2023?  

As we face a new year, many are setting resolutions or goals for the next twelve months.  While it is good to have goals, check out the post I wrote two years ago about micro-changes that makes it easier (click here).  

Also, as you look at the next twelve months and what you want to accomplish, consider a vision board.  Vision boards don't have to be big, you can always use a sheet or several sheets of paper and doodle, write, and attach pictures.  

However you approach setting your desires for the year into goals, here are some tips: 1) write it down with details, 2) define how you will measure your progress along the way, 3) make sure your goal is achievable-actually doable, 4)  acknowledge the practical requirements necessary to meet your goals.

For well rounded goals here are some life areas to consider, although you don't have to do a goal for each area this provides a beginning point for defining what you want that you may not have considered before.  Here are 9 life areas to consider:

• Self (talents, values, character, mental enrichment)
• Emotional Self (emotional outlet, support system or therapy, self-love, and self-compassion)
• Spiritual (practices, uplifting, sacred spaces, soul nourishment)
• Relationships (family, friends, colleagues)
• Financial (cash flow, budget, investments, savings)
• Network (key people, online communities)
• Physical environment (home, office, possessions)
• Body (strength, health, radiance)
• Nature environment (wildlife, seasons, outdoor spaces)

In case you have financial goals that involve saving money, Here is a expense tracker to help you with budgeting (click here).  I did a post a few years ago on the 52 week saving challenge that also might be of interest (click here).

Another financial concept that has gained some traction in the last several years that might be of interest is a "No Spending Challenge."  A no-spend money challenge is where you don’t spend any money (besides essentials if absolutely needed) for a specific time period.  The time period can be for just a weekend, a full week, or even a full month.  This sort of challenge helps you to save money for many things, including building savings for unexpected expenses that arise, such as a last-minute trip, or car repairs. Or even to build an emergency fund, or to pay down debt. Some people have specific debts they want to pay off or down, like a car or save for a home down payment.

If you are considering a full week there is planning involved to make sure you have enough food and regular/necessary supplies ahead of time. A full month is even more planning and preparation for necessities.  

You’ll also have to cut all extracurricular activities from your schedule that aren’t free.  Keep track of your spending with a visual tracker. Having a visual tracker that you can look at daily will get you excited about saving.  Here is a tracker you can download if this is of interest (click here).

This is a list of non-essentials that you don't spend on during the challenge:

• Entertainment
• Impulse purchases
• Take-outs
• Alcohol
• Non-essential personal care such as makeup or perfume
• Tickets to most events
• Starbucks
• New clothes or shoes
• Home decor
• Hobbies
• Eating out (make meals at home, pack a lunch for work, thermos of coffee to work)
• Unsubscribe from "deal" or "Sale" email alerts

Whatever your goals, don't create stress with unrealistic goals.  Keep reading my friends, you don't need a goal or target, just enjoy!