Happy March, everyone!! I’m having Spring Fever after a long Winter… It’s not quite warm yet here in MN, today’s high is only in mid 20s, but hey, at least the sun was shining!
February seemed to have gone in a flash! It’s a special month for me as my birthday falls on February 11, and my hubby and I went on a long weekend getaway around President’s Day to Arizona. Nice to get a bit of a break from the cold weather and to be able to wear sandals and soak up the sun! ☀️
In any case, here is what I saw last month:
FEBRUARY VIEWINGS ON LETTERBOXD
(In the order of my rating)
FULL REVIEWS
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
Crime 101
Solo Mio
Artfully United (Doc)
Islands
Lies We Tell
REVIEWS COMING SOON:
The Bluff
Andre Is An Idiot (doc)
My Father’s Shadow
MINI REVIEWS
My Mother’s Wedding
(Prime Video)
I found out about this movie a while back, which was made in 2023, but it just recently became available for streaming on Prime Video. I was eager to check it out since it marks the directorial debut of one of my favorite actresses, Kristin Scott Thomas. Interestingly, it features Scarlett Johansson, who made her directorial debut in 2025 with Eleanor The Great. The cast is quite entertaining, as it reunites Thomas with her Four Weddings and A Funeral co-star James Fleet. Fleet played her brother back then, and now he’s her third husband.
The plot is reportedly inspired by Thomas’ own childhood, where she lost her Royal Navy pilot father at the age of five and her stepfather, who was also a pilot, at eleven. The story revolves around three sisters who return for their mother, Diana’s (played by Thomas) third wedding. Johansson plays Katharine, Sienna Miller takes on Victoria, and Emily Beecham portrays Georgina. The three sisters are quite different in their personalities and careers: Katharine is a Royal Navy captain, Georgina works as a palliative nurse, and Victoria is an actress. Thibault de Montalembert (Mathias in Call My Agent!) has a minor role as a wealthy Frenchman who is in love with Victoria.
Much like Goodbye June (another film directed by Kate Winslet), family reunions often spiral into arguments and chaos. To make matters worse, Victoria decides to hire a private investigator (whom she met at an AA meeting) to keep an eye on Georgina’s husband, whom she suspects of cheating. The wedding itself is pretty forgettable; the script is predictable and lacks any real punch. Thomas co-wrote the script with her husband, John Micklethwait, and it’s clear that neither of them has experience writing a film script before.
Thus, none of the characters, including Diana, is well-developed, which diminishes the overall emotional impact. The most compelling character is Katharine, who is juggling her demanding naval career while trying to support her son and her long-term girlfriend, Jack (short for Jacqueline??), played by Freida Pinto. The final scene, where Diana reprimands her three daughters at the gravesite of two husbands, feels a bit too preachy.
Overall, it’s still enjoyable thanks to the cast, but it’s not something I’ll remember even a few weeks from now.
— +++ —
She Said Maybe
(Netflix)
Sometimes, the biggest draw of a movie is its setting, and that’s definitely true here since it was filmed in Istanbul, Turkey, and Hamburg, Germany, which is also where my late mother attended school. The story follows a woman named Mavi (Beritan Balci), who was raised in Germany and unexpectedly discovers her Turkish noble roots on her late father’s side while visiting Istanbul with her boyfriend, Can (Sinan Güleç).
She gets swept into a lavish lifestyle by her paternal grandmother, Yadigar (Meral Perin), which puts her relationship to the test as she tries to figure out her new identity. It reminds me of Crazy Rich Asians, but with the genders switched and a script, direction, and acting that just don’t measure up. You can predict the movie’s direction long before it actually unfolds. It’s filled with attractive people and beautiful locations, yet it lacks any real depth. It feels like a wealth porn film that could easily serve as a luxurious travel guide to Istanbul, showcasing grand palaces and breathtaking seaside hotels. The fashion, though, would probably make Miranda Priestly want to gouge her eyes out.
The already weak storyline is dragged down further by ridiculous, banal scenarios and even more absurd acting. Mavi’s grandma thinks Can isn’t fit for the new heir to the family business empire, so she picks the ideal guy for Mavi in the form of Serkan Çayoglu as Kent (seriously??) Are they trying to make us think of Ken, like Barbie’s boyfriend?? Kent is all chiseled, smoldering gaze, straight out of Harlequin romance covers, but the romance is cringeworthy and trite.
Even the title makes no sense, but the whole thing feels like it was made for the TikTok generation, maybe even penned by ChatGPT or Gemini?? The one amusing dialogue is when Mavi’s flamboyant, gay cousin tells her she’s basically the Turkish version of Prince Harry and Can is Megan Markle, ha! Directed by Buket Alakus and Ngo The Chau, this garish style-over-substance sets a new low for Netflix. This one is even more superficial than both Kissing Booth movies combined!
52 Films By Women – 2026 Challenge
I am once again participating in this challenge. Per Women In Film (WIF) organization, the basic rules are simple: watch 52 films directed by women within one year and share what you watched on social media, using the hashtag #52FilmsByWomen to spread the word, and get more people talking about the women filmmakers that don’t always get attention.
I kept up with the strong viewing of films #directedbywomen last month with 5 new movies, plus one rewatch: Sleepless in Seattle. Oh, how I miss Nora Ephron! I rewatched it on the plane to Phoenix on Valentine’s Day, as there’s that iconic scene atop the Empire State building that’s still as adorable and moving as the first time I saw it.
Anyhoo, I ranked the movies on Letterboxd; you can follow my #52FilmsByWomen list as I will be updating it regularly. I have a good feeling I might be able to at least meet the 2025 tally of 62.
FEBRUARY MOVIE OF THE MONTH
The President’s Cake
Hey, it’s a total coincidence that Presidents’ Day falls in February, but this is truly the best film I saw in February. It’s astounding that it’s a directorial debut and none of the actors had ever acted on screen before. It’s too bad The President’s Cake didn’t make the cut to be nominated for Best International Film, though it was shortlisted for the Academy Award. Regardless, I highly recommend this one!
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I have My Mother’s Wedding on my Prime watchlist as I hope to see it eventually. I am wary of anything from Netflix unless it’s from a prominent filmmaker. I do like Sleepless in Seattle. Nora Ephron is missed. Can we get her back and get rid of these awful Colleen Hoover adaptations?
Hey Steven! My Mother’s Wedding is worth a watch for the cast even if it’s far from perfect.
Yeah, Nora Ephron is irreplaceable! I have yet to see anything by Colleen Hoover and not sure I ever will.
Hi Ruth! The only movie I’ve seen on your February watch list is My Neighbor Totoro. Classic Ghibli. The favourite movie I saw the same month is without doubt Hamnet. O man, did I cry.
I’ve been on a Studio Ghibli kick, there are sooo many good ones I haven’t seen. My new fave is Arrietty, but I always have a soft spot for Kiki Delivery Service.
Can’t wait to read your review of HAMNET. It’s my fave film of 2025! I too was practically sobbing by the end, glad I brought tissues!
Yes, after a very long January, February went by so fast! But I’m glad the temps are getting warmer and the snow are melting. But I’m sure we’ll get one or two more snow storms in March but the snow will melt away fast since the sun is stronger and the days are longer.
As you know, I only saw one new movie in theater, How To Make a Killing. One new movie to me that I watch was North By Northwest. I know it’s an old film but I have never seen it but I know it’s been referred to as the film that was a template for the 60s Bond films. And they’re right, Hitchcock actually made an official Bond film before the Bond franchise got started. Lol! Even though so many of the things in the film are outdated now, the film was quite inventive for its time and I really enjoyed it. After that, I watched some of Connery’s Bond films including Diamonds are Forever, the only Bond film that took place in Vegas. And Thunderball, I got both films on 4K disc for cheap.
As usual, TV series are my main source of entertainment these days. Binged the latest season of The Night Agent, this season was a bit more grounded than the previous two seasons. Then I watched a show called One Day, it’s a remake of a film from 2011 and I really enjoyed it. I’ve never seen the film or read the book that it was based on.
Yeah, just one more month until Spring, Ted!! 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒˚.⋆🌸˚.⋆🌿
I watched The Living Daylights last month and just started watching For Your Eyes Only, good that all the Bond flicks are on Netflix now. Not sure how long they’ll be there. Oh I enjoyed North By Northwest, one of my fave Hitchcock movies.
I loved the last two seasons of The Night Agent so will definitely be watching later this month. Isn’t One Day a romantic drama?? I saw the Anne Hathaway version a while back but I didn’t care for the ending!
I watched the Dalton Bond films back in January, I have all of the Bond films on disc but it’s nice to know that they are available on streaming. Since Amazon owns the franchise now, I assume that all of them are on Prime too. But I’m sure they licensed it out to Netflix.
Yeah, One Day is a romantic/drama. The main reason I watched it was because one of my favorite bands named Vanbur, many of their songs were featured in the show. This is one of my favorite songs from and it was a major theme for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiidBqeGL7E&list=RDxiidBqeGL7E&start_radio=1
Apparently, fans of the book prefer the series over the film starring Anne Hathaway. It was well shot and directed show, so I really enjoyed.
I do have a few Bond films on Bluray too but to lazy to get those lately, it’s much more convenient to watch stuff on streaming, ahah.
Boy I’m curious about ONE DAY now. I like the actor, Leo Woodall, he’s a good actor, I’ve seen him in the latest Bridget Jones and also Nuremberg, so the guy is pretty versatile!
I’m not surprised that people prefer the series as you could get more into the story than a 2-hr movie.
Wonderful reviews as always. February was definitely an interesting month that produced several memorable movies. I didn’t get a chance to see most of the movies you discussed but I absolutely agree with your assessment of “Sleepless in Seattle”. I have always been a huge fan of this film and consider it to be one of the best romantic films ever made. Nora Ephron made a romantic classic that defined the time period of the 90’s. Tom Hanks at his best in his most underrated role. It’s one of those 90’s gems that often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. It’s the kind of romantic comedy that is rarely ever made anymore today.
Here’s my thoughts on “Sleepless in Seattle”:
Hey, what’s your fave movie(s) you saw last month?
Glad you’re a fan of Sleepless in Seattle. It’s such a lovely movie that has stood the test of time. Like you said in your review, it’s beautifully written and effectively uses silence in a poignant way. That ending is amazing and I LOVE how the final shot is of the young boy who’s so happy he’s got a new mother! It’s not just a romance but a wonderful father-son story.
Thanks for the feedback Ruth. I didn’t get a chance to see many movies during the month of February. My personal favourite is definitely Wuthering Heights. I felt it was a beautiful adaptation of the beloved book. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi were both phenomenal. I had a chance to see it in theatres here in Pakistan which made it all the more special. It’s a divisive film that has gained polarizing reviews. But I fall into a camp of people that love it.
I agree about Sleepless in Seattle. It’s the type of timeless romantic film that is rarely ever made anymore today. A lovely movie that has definitely stood the test of time.
Here’s my thoughts on “Wuthering Heights”:
I’ll be back after dinner! Last week I got an email notice. Not this week. I’m just going to add you to shortcuts. Then I’ll be reminded every day! xxoo
DONE! You are now on my homepage every time I start up! xoxo
Ohh wow! Okay, thanks darling! I just left you a comment btw… and did you get a pingback on this /cats-the-big-ones/ post? I linked to it on my mural documentary review that I think you’d enjoy!
Woo Hoo! I just read the review, and commented. What a fab post. The docu sounds terrific.
Will let you know about the pingback, when I get back to GLAM. ( 2-3 days)
I’m over on Art Gowns right now, and they are both on different emails and logins. So when I’m on one, I’m blind on the other, in terms of notifications.
Fabulous! xoxoxoxo
I don’t know how you can keep track of TWO blogs, Resa! I could barely keep up with one, ahah. It’s kinda tough juggling 40-hour work week while running a blog, but I enjoy writing reviews, so I’ll keep it up as long as I can!
We can do our best! The rest is the rest. xoxoxoxoxo
Indeed!! You are an inspiration!!
That was a great month of reviews, Ruth!
The President’s Cake, Artfully United and Solo Mio (because of K.J.)are my main want to sees.
The 2 mini review movies sound… 🥱!
Luv ya!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Thanks Resa!! I highly recommend The President’s Cake and Artfully United, the latter especially, given your love for murals! I love how powerful art can be and how it can be used to unify and inspire us all.
Out of the two reviews, I still recommend My Mother’s Wedding if you love the cast. I’m a huge fan of Kristin Scott Thomas, and it’s fascinating that the story is based on her own experience.
Love ya right back!!
♥︎ · 𑣲 · ᢉ𐭩 ·· ❤︎ · ❦
They both sound wonderful. So much to watch… and now I’m getting invites and FYC’s for EMMYs every day.
Hey, 9 days to the Oscars!
❦🕊❦❦🕊❦❦🕊❦
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