Cindy Prascik's Reviews of The Beatles Let It Be & The Idea of You

My dear readers: With apologies for the lengthy radio silence, this Mother's Day weekend I offer my takes on a pair of streaming options: Let It Be and the Idea of You.

Spoiler level here will be mild.

First on my weekend agenda, a restoration of the maligned 1970 Beatles documentary, Let It Be.

A disclaimer: The Beatles are my whole life, and I debated whether to watch the new Let It Be. I remember being traumatized by the movie's depiction of strife within the band when I was a kid, but - with the context provided by Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary, and with an adult understanding of the complexities of adult relationships - I hoped the film might hit differently. I'm pleased to say it absolutely did. The members of the Beatles often were at cross-purposes during this time, but their disagreements seem much less the focus of the movie than I remember. Truly, the film spends most of its time on the birth of now iconic songs from the Beatles' Let It Be and Abbey Road albums, culminating on the rooftop with their final live performance. It is not a particularly well-crafted documentary, especially in light of last year's Get Back, but it is an important piece of Beatles history, and I'm grateful to see it restored for the next generation of Beatlemaniacs...and the next and the next.

On the heels of Get Back, Let It Be feels like the CliffsNotes version of this story, but you can't go wrong with 90 minutes of Beatles music.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Let It Be gets seven.

Let It Be is now streaming on Disney+.

Next on the docket, the May-December romance the Idea of You.

A young pop star and an older art museum owner become romantically involved.

A qualifier on this one, too: A rumor persists that this film is based on a Harry Styles fanfiction. I refute this picture based on it being sourced from a Harry Styles fanfiction that is not Tired Tired Sea. However, Anne Hathaway is a perpetual favorite of mine, and Nicholas Galitzine is a new favorite of mine, and the movie is free on Prime, so who am I to say no?

The Idea of You is a big ol' cliche, or, more specifically, a bunch of littler ones. There are a many cringey artistic choices (the lingering stares physically hurt me), and more cringey dialogue. The film survives on the charm of its leads, but even this much charm barely gets it off life support. It's certainly not something I could see making it to the big screen in "the before times."

There are no surprises in the Idea of You, but maybe when you settle in with a movie like this you want comfortable more than surprising. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Idea of You gets four.

The Idea of You is now streaming on Prime Video.

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Heart of Stone & Red, White & Royal Blue

My dear reader(s), my movie diet this past weekend was cheesier than an extra-large Wisconsin six-cheese pie from Domino's, but unfortunately not all of it was quite so delicious.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, aside from one non-plot-specific quote that earned itself a little spotlight.

First on my weekend agenda, Heart of Stone, starring Gal Gadot as a member of a shadowy agency charged with keeping a powerful weapon out of hackers' hands.

Boasting the wonderful Gadot and a likeable, familiar collection of supporting players, Heart of Stone had the potential to be the kind of dumb fun that passes a great summer afternoon. Unfortunately, the plot is lazy and predictable, the action is by the numbers, and much of the dialogue is so bad I was embarrassed for all involved. Top it with an overwrought score and excessive runtime, and, well, it's just a terrible waste of a solid cast and a good (if oft-used) premise.

Heart of Stone clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence and action and some language."

Heart of Stone attempts to build a franchise atop an impossibly weak foundation. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Heart of Stone gets two.

Heart of Stone is now streaming on Netflix.

Next on my weekend agenda, the romcom Red, White & Royal Blue, a tale of forbidden romance between an English prince and the US President's son.

Me? Watching a romcom? Ye gods.

Red, White & Royal Blue is a sweet, funny tale that is no worse for being exactly what you expect at nearly every turn. Any romance rises and falls on its principals, and this one shines mainly due to the exceptional appeal and chemistry of its central couple, portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez. 

They are a delight! The movie is often laugh-out-loud funny, with the bulk of the credit there going to Sarah Shahi as the President's harried Deputy Chief of Staff, and special mention to Uma Thurman, who had me on the floor with the President's "Mom" speech. There's no denying Red, White & Royal Blue is a bit Hallmarkey in its execution. The acting is a little rough at times, and some of the music placement feels awkward, but those are petty quibbles with a movie that left me with a smile that hasn't faded a day later. 

Finally, and maybe most importantly, "He grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between rugby and football" has to be in the running for movie quote of the year. I don't make the rules.

Red, White & Royal Blue runs 118 minutes and is rated R for "some sexual content, partial nudity, and language."

Red, White & Royal Blue is a predictable romantic comedy elevated by a charming cast and some hilarious dialogue. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Red, White & Royal Blue gets eight. (I'll be watching it again today.)

Fangirl points: Clifton Collins, Jr.!!

Red, White & Royal Blue is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Until next time...