In which the Mister joins me in reviewing UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (2003), from a screenplay by Audrey Wells and based on the book by Frances Mayes, the film is directed by Audrey Wells.  A recently divorced San Francisco writer named Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) impulsively buys a crumbling, centuries-old villa in Italy during a group tour meant to help her heal.  As she navigates the grueling process of restoring the dilapidated estate, she finds herself forming a makeshift family with a colorful cast of locals and expatriates who help her rediscover her zest for life.  Immersed in the lush scenery and sensory richness of the Tuscan countryside, Frances struggles to reconcile her painful past with the unpredictable and beautiful new future she is slowly building for herself.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 53 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently in streaming on the Starz app.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#UnderTheTuscanSun #FrancesMayes #AudreyWells #DianeLane #Frances #SandraOh #Patti #LindsayDuncan #Katherine #RaoulBova #Marcello #VincentRiotta #Martini #GiuliaLouiseSteigerwalt #Chiara #PawelSzajda #Pawel #Romance #Comedy #Drama  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Monsters join me in reviewing YOU, ME & TUSCANY (2026), from a screenplay by Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle, the film is directed by Kat Coiro.  

An aspiring chef named Anna (Halle Bailey) impulsively travels to the Italian countryside to honor her late mother’s culinary dreams, only to find herself squatting in an empty villa after local hotels are fully booked.  When she is caught by the villa owner’s unsuspecting family, she avoids arrest by spinning a desperate lie that she is the fiancée of their son, Matteo, a recent acquaintance she met briefly in New York.  As she is warmly embraced by the spirited Italian clan, Anna's deception becomes increasingly difficult to maintain when she begins to develop genuine feelings for Matteo’s charming cousin, Michael (Regé-Jean Page).  The film clocks in at 1 h and 45 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently in theaters.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#YouMe&Tuscany #RyanEngle #KristinEngle #KatCoiro #HalleBailey #Anna #AzizaScott #Claire #RegeJeanPaul #Michael #LorenzoDeMoor #Matteo #MarcoCalvani #Lorenzo #IsabellaFerrari #Gabriella #StefaniaCasini #NonnaAlessia #PaoloSassanelli #Vincenzo #StellaPecollo #Francesca #TommasoCassissa #Enzo #EmanuelePacca #Giuseppe #Romance #Comedy #NewRelease  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which Kid 2 joins me in reviewing THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (2026), from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, the film is directed by Aaron Horvarth and Michael Jelenic and co-director credits to Pierre Leduc and Fabien Polack.  

Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and their new companion Yoshi (Donald Glover) embark on an intergalactic odyssey to rescue the cosmic Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) after she is kidnapped by the cunning Bowser Jr (Benny Safdie).  The team must navigate spectacular, gravity-defying galaxies to stop the young heir from harvesting Rosalina’s celestial energy to fuel a universe-destroying weapon and restore his father's former glory.  As they journey toward the Comet Observatory, the brothers face high-stakes space battles and uncover surprising secrets about the stars that threaten to reshape the fate of the Mushroom Kingdom forever.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 38 m, is rated PG and is currently in theaters.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

This episode goes out to Sameer - a cool Dad and excellent human - thank you!

#TheSuperMarioGalaxyMovie #Nintendo #NES #ShigeruMiyamoto #TakashiTezuka #KojiKondo #SatoshiTajiri #SatoruIwata #GunpeiYokoi #KensukeTanabe #YoshiakiKoizumi #TakashiIizuka #TakayaImamura #HirokazuYasuhara #AlexeyPajitnov #ChrisPratt #Mario #CharlieDay #Luigi #AnyaTaylorJoy #PrincessPeach #BrieLarson #Rosalina #JackBlack #Bowser #BennySafdie #BowserJr #KeeganMichaelKey #Toad #KevinMichaelRichardson #Kamek #IssaRae #HoneyQueen #GlenPowell #FoxMcCloud  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which Kid 1 joins me in reviewing PILLION (2026), from a screenplay by Harry Lighton and Adam Mars-Jones, the film is directed by Adam Mars-Jones.  A shy parking ticket officer and barbershop quartet singer named Colin (Harry Melling) finds his mundane life upended when he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a charismatic and imposing gay biker.  Colin is quickly drawn into a complex and unconventional BDSM relationship, moving into Ray’s home to serve as a live-in submissive while navigating a strict set of rules that govern his every move.  As he becomes deeply immersed in this leather-clad subculture, Colin must reconcile his yearning for genuine affection with the lopsided power dynamics of the arrangement, ultimately forcing him to confront the true nature of his own identity and desires.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 46 m, is unrated and is currently in theaters but also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#Pillion #HarryLighton #HarryMelling #Colin #AlexanderSkarsgård #LesleySharp #Peggy #DouglasHodge #Pete  @PrimeVideo⁩  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters review GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (1988), from the novel by Akiyuki Nosaka.  

In writer/director Isao Takahata’s haunting 1988 Studio Ghibli masterpiece, a teenage boy named Seita and his younger sister, Setsuko, are left to fend for themselves in the final months of World War II after their home is destroyed by firebombing.  To escape the cruelty of their surroundings and a strained relationship with a distant relative, the siblings move into an abandoned hillside bomb shelter, attempting to sustain their spirits through play and the flickering light of fireflies.  However, their desperate attempt at self-sufficiency is soon threatened by the harsh realities of starvation and social indifference, testing Seita’s resolve to protect his sister’s remaining childhood innocence.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 29 m, is unrated and is currently streaming on Netflix but also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#GraveOfTheFireflies #AkiyukiNosaka #IsaoTakahata  #TsutomuTatsumi #Seita #AyanoShiraishi #Setsuko #Japanese #AdultAnimation #Anime #HandDrawnAnimation #PeriodDrama #Drama #PsychologicalDrama #Tragedy #War #Siblings #NationalSiblingsDay  @Netflix  @PrimeVideo⁩  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing MADE IN ENGLAND: THE FILMS OF POWELL AND PRESSBURGER (2024) from director David Hinton and narrated by Martin Scorsese.  We actually watched this film in 2025 on Turner Classic Movies.

This 2024 documentary provides an intimate, first-person look at the revolutionary creative partnership between British director Michael Powell and Hungarian writer Emeric Pressburger.  Scorsese utilizes a treasure trove of film clips and archival footage to demonstrate how the duo's visionary "Archers" productions shaped the landscape of global cinema and personally inspired his own iconic filmmaking style.  Moving beyond a standard retrospective, the film serves as a passionate testament to their enduring legacy, exploring the "magic and wonder" of their work while celebrating their unique ability to blend high art with commercial storytelling.  The film clocks in at 2 h and 11 m, is unrated and you can find it on Fawesome and to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#MadeInEnglandTheFlmsOfPowellAndPressburger #MichaelPowell #EmericPressburger #DavidHinton #MartinScorsese #Documentary @Fawesome @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing BLACK NARCISSUS (1947) from the novel by Rumer Godden and written and directed by The Archers, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. 

In this Technicolor masterpiece, a group of Anglican nuns led by the ambitious Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) travels to a remote, wind-swept palace in the Himalayas to establish a school and hospital.  As the sisters struggle with the thinning air and isolation, the palace’s history as a former harem begins to exert a sensual and destabilizing influence on their suppressed desires and psychological stability.  The tension reaches a fever pitch as the unstable Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) becomes obsessively infatuated with a local British agent, Mr. Dean (David Farrar) leading to a haunting confrontation that threatens the very foundation of their mission.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 41 m, is rated Approved and you can find it on HBO Max, Plex, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi and to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#BlackNarcissus #RumerGodden #MichaelPowell #EmericPressburger #DeborahKerr #SisterClodagh #FloraRobson #SisterPhilippa #JennyLaird #SisterHoney #JudithFurse #SisterBriony #KathleenByron #SisterRuth #DavidFarrar #MrDean #Sabu #TheYoungGeneral #JeanSimmons #Kanchi #MayHallatt #AnguAyah #EddieWhaleyJr #JosephAnthony #ShaunNoble #Con #NancyRoberts #MotherDorthea #LeyOn #Phuba #Drama #PsychologicalDrama @TCM @HBOMax @Plex

@PlutoTV  @RokuChannel  ⁠@Tubi  ⁠⁠@PrimeVideo⁠  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (1962) from writer/director Agnès Varda.In Agnès Varda’s 1962 French New Wave classic, a striking pop singer named Cléo (Corinne Marchand) spends ninety minutes wandering through the sun-drenched streets of Paris while anxiously awaiting a medical diagnosis that could confirm a terminal illness.  As she moves from a state of superstitious dread and superficial vanity to a more profound observation of the world around her, she gradually sheds her "performer" persona in favor of a raw and grounded human experience.  Her journey of self-reflection culminates in a chance encounter with a kind soldier on the eve of his departure for war, offering her a rare moment of genuine connection amidst her existential crisis.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 30 m, is unrated and you can find it on HBO Max and to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#CleoFrom5To7 #AgnésVarda #CorinneMarchand #Cléo #AntoineBourseiller #Antoine #DominiqueDavray #Angèle #DorothéeBlanck #Dorothée ##MichelLegrand #Bob #JoséLuisDeVilallonga #José #LoyePayen #Irma #French #Drama #PsychologicalDrama #WomensHistoryMonth  @HBOMax  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 2 join me in reviewing LES DIABOLIQUES (1955) from the novel, "Celle qui n'était plus" by writers,Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejaca and a screenplay by Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jérôme Géronimi.      In director Henri-Georges Clouzot’s 1955 suspense classic LES DIABOLIQUES, the frail Christina (Véra Clouzot) and the steely Nicole (Simone Signoret) — the wife and mistress of a cruel boarding school headmaster (Paul Meurisse) — conspire to murder their shared tormentor to escape his abuse.  After drowning him and dumping his body into the school's neglected swimming pool, the women are paralyzed by dread when the corpse mysteriously vanishes after the pool is eventually drained.  Their guilt-ridden reality soon dissolves into a paranoid nightmare as strange occurrences and sightings suggest that their victim may not be as dead as they intended.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 57 m, is unrated and you can find it on HBO Max, Plex, Roku Channel and to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#CelleQuiN'étaitPlus #PierreBoileau #ThomasNarcejaca #HenriGeorgesClouzot #JérômeGéronimi #LesDiaboliques #VéraClouzot #Christina #SimoneSignoret #Nicole #PaulMeurisse #Michel #French #Drama #PsychologicalThriller #Crime #Mystery #Thriller #WomensHistoryMonth  @HBOMax  @PlexTV  @RokuChannel  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing SUSPICION (1941) from a screenplay by Samson Raphaelson, Joan Harrison and Alma Reville, from Anthony Berkeley's "Before The fact" novel, the film is directed by Alfred Hitchcock.      A shy heiress named Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine) impulsively elopes with the charming but penniless playboy Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) against her father’s wishes.  After the honeymoon, Lina’s romantic bliss turns to dread as she discovers that her husband is a compulsive gambler and a liar who has been embezzling funds to support their lavish lifestyle.  Her anxiety escalates into a paralyzing fear when Johnnie’s business partner dies under mysterious circumstances, leading her to believe that her husband is a murderer who now views her own life insurance policy as his final financial escape.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 39 m, is rated Approved and is available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review. 
#Suspicion #AnthonyBerkeley #BeforeTheFact #SamsonRaphaelson #JoanHarrison #AlmaReville #AlredHitchcock #JoanFontaine #Lina #CaryGrant #JohnnieAysgarth #CedricHardwicke #GeneralLaidlaw #MayWhitty #MrsLaidlaw #NigelBruce #Beaky #FilmNoir #PsychologicalThriller #Suspense #Whodunnit #Mystery #Drama #Thriller  ⁠@PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library