Jennette's Blog

Binging Recommendation: Mare of Easttown (HBO Max)

June 6, 2021

I had read how amazing Kate Winslet was in her latest role and was surprised to find out it was a TV show. It is a short (7 episode) mini-series available on HBO Max.

Mom, Emily & I decided to binge it and we literally watched all 7 episodes yesterday from start to finish.

The first episode is a lot of character introduction and so it felt kind of slow to me, but after episode 1, the story line picked up and it was really captivating. Kate Winslet did an excellent job in the title character role of Mare Sheehan.

The overall story is about this small town of Easttown, PA and a murder mystery/missing persons case that has everyone wondering who did it???

I enjoyed it and it definitely kept my attention. Lots of twists and turns and it had a great supporting cast such as Julianne Nicholson as Lori, Jean Smart as Helen, Guy Pearce as Richard Ryan among others.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

TV Special: Friends Reunion (HBO Max)

June 4, 2021

Mom, Emily & I have been wanting to watch this since it was released last week and we finally had the chance to watch it tonight.

I really enjoyed seeing them together again. It was a good combination of them reminiscing about their memories of the show, to some behind the scenes looks, as well as surprise special guests.

While I would have loved to have seen an actual new episode of the show --- this was just as good.

It left me wanting to rewatch the whole show from start to finish to laugh all over again....

Movie Review: Dream Horse

June 1, 2021

I went to see this with Mom, Dad, Sheri & Cohen tonight.

I cannot say enough good things about this movie. It was great from start to finish. Loved the true story and what a great story it was. The acting was great. All of us were on the edges of our seats during the horse races --- it was just so good. I laughed and I cried.

For more information on Dream Horse, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Minari

May 31, 2021

I went to see this by myself today.

Don't go see this movie. Let the time that I wasted on it be a gift to you so that you don't waste your time on it as well. I can't believe it was getting so much critical acclaim. It wasn't worth crap. The movie was awful with no resolution and the story dragged on and was super slow. It was weird and strange and storyline was complete crap. The only nice thing I can say about this movie is the grandmother did deserve the academy award for best supporting actress...she was good but not enough to make the movie salvageable.

For more information on Minari, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Together Together

May 31, 2021

I went to see this by myself today.

It was a good story about a man in his early 40s who decides to hire a surrogate to fulfil his dream of having a child. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and could particularly relate to the theme of having a relationship filled with love and yet platonic. I enjoyed it, however, I felt it ended too abruptly and there were some questions left unanswered. This was probably done on purpose to make the audience wonder but I still felt jilted.

For more information on Together Together, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Wrath of Man

May 25, 2021

Dad & I went to see this action Jason Statham movie tonight.

It was a good story and definitely filled with action along with some twists, but I felt it was too violent to really enjoy. Lots of gunshots/victims and not as much hand to hand combat as I'm used to seeing in Statham films. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't rave about it and I could have waited to see it on the TV instead of theaters.

For more information on Wrath of Man, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Cherry (Apple TV)

May 22, 2021

I had seen a preview of this movie and for some reason had written it down as a movie I wanted to see. So when the entire family was looking for a movie choice tonight, I suggested it. Aunt Denise, Jim, Mom, Emily & I all sat down to watch it..

The basic jist of the story is a guy who goes off to war and comes back with PTSD and ends up a druggie on the streets. The premise sounds depressing but the movie was just weird. It was so bad that Denise & Jim finally gave up in the middle and went to bed. Mom & Emily fell asleep. I stuck with it to the end, but I'm not sure why. I really can't get those 2 hours and 22 minutes back. I would not recommend it.

For more information on Cherry, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Finding You

May 18, 2021

Mom, Sheri & I went to the movies for our first Tuesday Night Movie Night since before the pandemic. So excited that this tradition is coming back into my life. I've really missed going to the movies in person.

This was a typical romantic comedy with a happy ending and exactly what I wanted in a movie. I laughed, I teared up, I smiled. Nothing better. It's the story of a girl who is doing a semester abroad and she sits next to a celebrity on the plane and ends up having this relationship with him. It's quite fun and the scenery in Ireland alone is worth the movie ticket price.

For more information on Finding You, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Here Today

May 9, 2021

Mom, Dad & I went to the movies for the first time in over a year today!  This is what mom wanted to do to celebrate Mother's Day, so we bought tickets and went.  We wore masks.  The masks would have been fine except I wasn't expecting to cry so much which is very hard with a mask on.      

Billy Crystal wrote the movie. It was a great story. From the previews, I wasn't sure if I would like the chemistry between Crystal and Tiffany Hadish but it was a great story of how you can find love and family in very unexpected places.

For more information on Here Today, click the movie poster below.

Yearbook

April 29, 2021

This is my 4th yearbook that I'm designing from scratch for Austin Discovery School (where I work). I love this time of year and getting creative with the book. I've been super proud of each book that I've put together and every year I have more experience and feel like it is even better than the last.

I love the new company (TreeRing) that I'm using this year to get the book printed. In addition to planting a tree for every yearbook sold, they also allow each person to customize 2 pages in their own yearbook which really personalizes the experience for the students.

My deadline is a few weeks away and I can see the book coming together which is such a good feeling.

I've been spending so much time on the little details that I will be really glad to turn it in on May 14 and get my life back!

Movie Review: Palmer (Apple TV)

April 10, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this tonight on Apple.

It was a powerful story about a man who was just released from prison after serving time for something he did when he befriends the neighbor kid only to end up caring for the child when the parent takes off without warning. It's a powerful story about love and was relatable to me as a foster parent.

For more information on Palmer, click the movie poster below.

Old School Recommendation: The L Word (Hulu)

April 8, 2021

I watched this show when it first came out back in 2004.   Recently I started watching the L Word: Generation Q, and it made me want to go back and rewatch the original show.  So that's what I did - all 6 seasons.

Even though I know I saw every episode when they originally aired -- that was years ago and I felt like I was being reintroduced to old friends. It was a great show and I really enjoyed the friendship between these women.

If you are looking for something good to watch, I would highly recommend the original. The first season of the new version (Generation Q) was also fabulous --- but I really enjoyed going back to the original.

Movie Review: The Last Blockbuster (Netflix)

March 28, 2021

Mom & I watched this today on Netflix.

It was a documentary on the last remaining Blockbuster Video store in Bend, Oregon. It was interesting and very sentimental for me as I worked at Blockbuster for 3 years from 1998-2001. The manager that runs the last remaining store reminded me a lot of Tammy (my manager). She was a mom to everyone.

For more information on The Last Blockbuster, click the movie poster below.

Fully Vaccinated

March 15, 2021

Today when I woke up, I had a new sense of being safe. I'm fully vaccinated. 2 weeks ago today I got my 2nd covid shot.

I got the moderna vaccine. My first shot came on January 30, 2021 and my 2nd one 30 days later on March 1. The side effects sucked but nothing so bad to not make me do it over again if needed in a heart beat.

I trust the doctors and scientists who worked on this vaccine and believe it will do more good than harm. I also believe that people should have every right to decide if the vaccine is right or wrong for them. I hope that the majority of people will accept the vaccine as a path towards a new normal (I don't believe it will ever be like it was pre-March 2020.).

If you have questions about the vaccine, what side effects I experienced exactly, etc., I'd be happy to answer them. Just email me.

Movie Review: Coming 2 America (Amazon Prime)

March 14, 2021

I watched this today on Amazon Prime.

I loved the original and this one was still funny and enjoyable but not as much as the first one. I did enjoy all of the old characters being back.

It was worth watching once but unlike with the original, I don't think I'll watch it multiple times.

For more information on Coming 2 America, click the movie poster below.

Binging Recommendation: Ginny & Georgia (Netflix)

March 3, 2021

This show came up on my recommendations last week when it was released on February 24. I had also heard it being referred to as "the next Gilmore Girls" - so I was curious to say the least. I watched the trailer and thought it looked good so I decided to binge it.

It should come with a warning: images and themes of self harm and body dysmorphic disorder. Since I can imagine that it would be a show that teenagers will watch - parents should have discussions with their children about how serious these topics are.

That being said, I enjoyed it and thought it was very good. The first season is just 10 episodes and while it does end on a cliff hanger -- Netflix will almost certainly renew as it has held a top spot on the Netflix Top 10 list for days.

The basic plot is a story of a single mom (Georgia) with 2 kids (15 year old Virginia (Ginny) & 9 year old Austin) who after the suspicious death of her husband picks up her kids and moves to a new small town in New England. Apparently Georgia runs away from grief and trouble. Ginny looks to fit in at a new school and make friends for the first time ever as her mom has a tendency to pick them up and move to lots of different places. The overall story is entertaining while still having a mysterious serious undertone. Dark comedy at times and definitely some serious subject matter.

For more information, click the poster below.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

Movie Review: Pieces of a Woman (Netflix)

February 23, 2021

Mom & I watched this today on Netflix.

Movie tells the story of a couple giving birth to their first child and losing that child. It's definitely a more depressing film, but it also had some powerful acting moments. The birth scene was probably one of the most realistic birth scenes I've ever seen done in a movie.

I will say this about this movie: the first half of the movie, I felt was great. The second half took some turns that I personally felt were unnecessary and therefore I felt like the movie kind of went of the rails a bit in the 2nd half and began to get a little choppy for me. Overall I guess it was good and I liked the way it ended.

For more information on Pieces of a Woman, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Judas and the Black Messiah (HBO Max)

February 20, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this today on HBO Max.

Movie tells the true story of the Chicago Chapter of the Black Panther Party. It really breaks my heart to know how history is painted. All I knew about the Black Panther Party is that they were violent and a revolutionary party in the 1960s/1970s. This tells the story of how they were feeding the kids in the local neighborhoods and building a medical clinic in an area that had no medical care. The injustices they faced by the police and the things that happened to these people who were just trying to make a difference in their world. It was powerful and I was glad to learn more about the Black Panthers.

I would highly recommend this film. I can see why it's getting award buzz. It was powerful.

For more information on Judas and the Black Messiah, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Nomadland (Hulu)

February 19, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this tonight on Hulu.

This was a great movie. Some people might find it slow because it tells the story of a woman who has chosen a nomadic lifestyle and therefore she lives alone in a van --- and so a lot of the movie is showing what life is like for her alone --- not a lot of dialogue. But so powerful and poignant. It also tells the stories of the people she meets while on the road and the life she led previously that led her to this lifestyle. The lifestyle of being a nomad on the road and the people you meet and knowing that you'll see them again "further down the road." It was very powerful.

I would highly recommend this film. I can see why it's getting award buzz. It is worth the hype.

For more information on Nomadland, click the movie poster below.

Binging Recommendation: Lupin (Netflix)

February 15, 2021

My sister recommended this show to me about a month ago and I finally had the chance to watch some of the episodes. It's only Part 1 of Season 1 which is 5 episodes. Part 2 will come out in Summer 2021.

My parents and I finished it this weekend. It is originally in French but we watched it Dubbed in English.

It was good from the very first episode. It's engaging. Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin (a character created by French Novelist Maurice Leblanc in 1905), gentleman thief Assane Diop sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family. It stars Omar Sy (whom I've only seen in 1 other film years ago: The Intouchables which was FABULOUS!)

I will warn you that it ends on quite the cliff hanger but at least we get to find out what happens this summer rather than waiting a whole year.

On a side note, if you watched Money Heist on Netflix - you might recognize one of the voices of the investigators Guedira in the English Dubbed version of Lupin. I recognized his voice immediately. It was weird because it's not the same "actor" but it is the same "voice actor" for the dubbing...So it was weird seeing his voice coming from a different character.

For more information, click the poster below.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

Recipe: Fudgy Brownies (Best ones I've ever had!)

February 14, 2021

I love brownies. Usually I look for a box mix that looks good, make them and call it a day. Today is Valentine's Day. I'm celebrating with the 2 people I love most in this world: My Parents. My mom made us this amazing Prime Rib Dinner that was spectacular and I wanted to make dessert but we didn't have any mixes and so I turned to the internet to see if I could figure out how to make brownies from scratch. I found this recipe and gave it a try and OMG - best brownies I've ever had. Soft and moist and fudgy and oh so chocolate-y!

What You'll NEED for brownies:


• 1 cup of unsalted butter (melted and HOT!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (coconut oil can be subbed here)
• 2 1/4 cups of sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Optional ADD-Ins (if desired): (I used none of these and they were delicious as is!)


• Chocolate Chunks or chocolate chips; or peanut butter chips
• nuts: walnuts, peanuts, almonds or pecans
• Dried Fruit: cranberries, raisins,

Other Supplies that You'll NEED:


• Electric Mixer
• 9x13 baking pan
• Cooking Spray

Pre-heat oven to 350°.

1. Lightly grease the 9X13 pan with cooking oil spray; set aside.
2. Combined HOT melted butter, oil and sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Whisk well for about 1 minute.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in color (about 1 more minute)
4. Sift in Flour, cocoa powder and salt.
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over beat as doing so will affect the texture of your brownies).
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing out the top evenly
7. Optional: Top with chocolate chunks or chocolate chips; or even caramel would be good;
8. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until the center of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch (the brownies will keep baking in the hot pan out of the oven). If testing with a toothpick, the toothpick should come our DIRTY for fudge-textured brownies.
9. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing. (I didn't wait for room temperature but I did allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes).

This recipe will make 8 larger brownies or lots of smaller brownies; Very rich so you can certainly cut smaller.

I didn't try freezing these as they didn't last that long --- we had them gone within 2 days.

Binging Recommendation: Firefly Lane (Netflix)

February 8, 2021

This show came up on my recommendations last week when it was released on February 3. I watched the trailer and thought it looked good so I decided to binge it.

After 1 episode, I tried to recommend it to my sister who laughed and said she was already on episode 7 and couldn't stop because it was so good. It took me a little longer to binge it (5 days because of work/school).

It was very good. It is based on a book that tells the story of 2 best friends (Tully and Kate) who support each other through good times and bad with an unbreakable bond that carries them from their teens to their forties.

The thing that I enjoyed (which others may not) is that it jumps back and forth in time from the girls being in their teens and then in their twenties and then in their forties. It tells an amazing story. I will warn you that it ends on quite the cliff hanger. I'm sure it will get renewed and I can't wait to see what happens next.

For more information, click the poster below.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

Movie Review: The Little Things (HBO Max)

January 31, 2021

I watched this tonight on HBO Max.

I had such high hopes for this movie. I mean Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto...in my mind, it was going to be so good. I had been looking forward to it for weeks but it was not worth it. It was very slow moving at times. The story jumped a lot. In the end, there was very little resolution and nothing that made me feel satisfied at all. I would NOT recommend this movie. In fact, I called my parents the next day to tell them they shouldn't waste their time --- unfortunately they had also watched it the night before and they too thought it was slow and didn't like it....My warning was 12 hours too late.

There are rarely times that I tell people to skip a movie --- usually I can find something to recommend about it --- but this was not worth the time. So don't waste yours.

For more information on The Little Things, click the movie poster below.

Binging Recommendation: Love Life (HBO Max)

January 22, 2021

I remember seeing commercials for Love Life back when it was first released in May 2020, but at the time I didn't have HBO Max and so I had forgotten about it.

I love Anna Kendrick and this was a great mini-series. 10 episodes about Darby Carter (Anna Kendrick) trying to find love. It was great and I really enjoyed it.

It is my understanding that it is coming back for a season 2, but that it will showcase a different person (Anna Kendrick may still be in it as a background character) --- I could be wrong but I enjoyed season 1 so I would give it a shot.

For more information, click the poster below.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

Movie Review: One Night in Miami (Amazon Prime)

January 16, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this tonight on Amazon Prime.

It was a very powerful story. It is my understanding that it is based in reality from the stand point that these 4 men did know each other and did meet but no one knows exactly what was said between them. Imagine a room with Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke. That's powerful just in itself. Movie was great. Takes place in a hotel room for the most part. Lots of dialogue. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.

For more information on One Night in Miami, click the movie poster below.

Binging Recommendation: Bridgerton (Netflix)

January 9, 2021

I have to admit when I first heard about Bridgerton, it didn't peak my interest. I usually don't enjoy period pieces. There have been exceptions to that such as Outlander and Poldark, but for the most part, I've never really been a fan of period pieces. Never really got into Downton Abbey as popular as it was. I've heard it's great but it's just not my interest. So when my mom told me she was wanting to watch Bridgerton, I told her she should do it on her own and not wait for me.

At the time, I had no idea that it was produced by Shonda Rhimes or what it was about --- only that it was a period piece. After my mom watched a few episodes, she was raving about how good it was and compared it to Outlander (just the romance) --- so it peaked my interest. In watching a trailer, I learned that it was produced by Shondaland and also recognized Regé-Jean Page as an actor on another show I liked, so I decided to watch the first episode to see what the show was all about.

It is so much more than a period piece and it is really entertaining. There were times where I was frustrated by a character's actions but that just made me realize how invested I was in the show.

The show is based on a series of novels by Julia Quinn about a family by the name of Bridgertion.  Each of the books that she has written in the series features one of the 8 children in the Bridgerton family: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth.

While each book features a diffent child's story --- all of the children are in all of the books. The first season features Daphne Bridgerton and her coming out to society in trying to find a husband.

While it hasn't been renewed, it's popularity will surely let us see a season 2 since according to Netflix it has had over 65 million views in the first few weeks of it being released.

Email me and let me know if you are watching this show and what you thought!

TV Special: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Special (HBO Max)

January 4, 2021

I've been wanting to watch this since it was released a few months ago and I finally found myself with some time today to enjoy this show.

It reminded me just how funny this show was. The reunion was special and emotional. They did a touching tribute to Uncle Phil since James Avery passed away on December 31, 2013. It was also special to see Will Smith and the original Aunt Viv make amends and see both Aunt Viv's meet for the first time. It was a really fun watch and I would recommend it to anyone who watched this show back in the day.

Email me and let me know if you used to watch this show and/or if you watched this special.

Movie Review: Godmothered (Disney +)

January 3, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this tonight on Disney +.

We wanted something light-hearted and funny that we could enjoy and be entertained and that's exactly what it gave us. It was cute. Definitely over the top some of the time but funny at the same time. We all very much enjoyed it and the overall message it portrayed. We can all live happily ever after.

For more information on Godmothered, click the movie poster below.

Movie Review: Never Rarely Sometimes Always (HBO Max)

January 1, 2021

Mom, Dad & I watched this tonight on HBO Max.

Do not waste your time on this movie. It is not worth it. We watched it because the lead actress is being discussed as a potential nominee for an oscar but there is no way with all the other performances out there that she will get it. She doesn't say much in the movie. The dialogue between the 2 main characters is non-existant. They are silent most of the time --- so it is painfully slow moving. Really don't waste your time.

For more information on Never Rarely Sometimes Always, click the movie poster below.

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