By Jeanni Ritchie
I prefer the cinematic experience of a movie, being held as a captive audience from beginning to end. When I watch at home, especially at night, I inevitably fall asleep. Even the best movies can take up to a week to watch!
But I do love being able to watch movies at home while I’m organizing or cleaning, those menial tasks made more exciting with a film on the tv or even my phone as I go from room to room.
From January through August 2025, some of your favorite platforms have put forth some delights and some duds. Here are my thoughts on a few:
• Back in Action (Netflix, January 17) The movie that brought Cameron Diaz out of retirement and was temporarily sidelined by Jamie Foxx’s stroke. Severely underreported and underrated, this was one of Netflix’s best releases this year.
• You’re Cordially Invited (Prime Video, August 30) I wanted to love it as Reese Witherspoon is my generation’s rom-com queen. And while Will Ferell is perfection in Elf, I couldn’t see him as romantic lead opposite Reese. The plot was cute enough but the chemistry fell flat!
• Kinda Pregnant (Netflix, February 5) The premise was good. The movie was not. After nearly a dozen tries I finally gave up. I’m assuming it ended happily ever after.
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible Road Trip (Disney+, March 28) A cute follow-up to the original film adaptation of the popular children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. It pales in comparison to the original though.
• Another Simple Favor (Prime Video, May 1) Loved the book. The first movie was mind-twisting in a way that made more sense having read the book. The sequel, released directly to Prime Video, was all over the place. Blake Lively’s ongoing beef with Justin Baldoni didn’t kill this Lively-Kendrick film, the script did. I ended up Wikipedia-ing the end because I wanted to know what happened but couldn’t bear to watch any more of it.
• Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix, July 25) I started this the night it came out, not because I’d been a Happy Gilmore fan (I barely remembered the 1996 film) but because I was an Adam Sandler fan. And I felt a kindred spirit with anyone who picked up a project 30 years later. While I enjoyed seeing Sandler’s grown daughters on screen with him, the movie lost some steam halfway through. It was enjoyable but not bingeable like The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.
• The Pickup (Prime Video, August 6) I knew the producers loved their audience when armored truck driver Travis (Pete Davidson), seeking to appease his older partner Russell (Eddie Murphy), switched the radio to Neutron Dance. The nod to Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop movies was a nice touch. Keke Palmer makes a great bad guy!
• The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix, August 28) Four retirees (Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie) spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands. Directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone). We need more like this, Netflix!
Coming Up:
• Ruth and Boaz (Netflix, September 26) Tyler Perry produces a modern retelling of the biblical story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.
• A Merry Little Ex-Mas (Netflix, November 12) Christmas fun with lots of zany mishaps and two of our favorite 90’s girls- Alicia Silverstone and Melissa Joan Hart. Oliver Hudson also stars.
• Oh. What. Fun. (Prime Video, December 3) Michelle Pfeiffer leads an all-star cast in this family Christmas movie. Chloe Grace Moretz, Maude Apatow, Danielle Brooks, Felicity Jones, and Eva Longoria also star.
