If there’s one thing cinema goers love to see on the silver screen, it’s a feel-good story. Because there’s just something wonderful about settling in with a tub of popcorn for two hours and losing one’s self in a story that tugs at the heartstrings and leaves the viewer’s spirit soaring with a powerful and inspirational ending. It’s why the happy ending prevails often in cinematic storytelling and it’s also why sports themed stories are so popular at the box office. Because seeing a group of men or women come from behind and come together to achieve wonders is always uplifting, but there is one inherent problem with sports movies in that, they tend to gloss over something important.
 
Because that moment of achievement, wherein our characters either take the field for the first time in their life, or win the big game only comes after thousands upon thousands of hours of physical and emotional strife. The kind that involves setbacks and failure and doubt and sadly, these types of movies tend to move right past that. I mean sure, we see our heroes and heroines work hard via a montage, but those tougher details are left out. Which is why I’m so supremely thankful when I get the opportunity to see a sports film that doesn’t hold anything back, and shows us the struggle and hard work that goes into glory, and thanks to Disney+, I was able to finally revisit a movie that meets that criteria in Miracle.
 
Now in this particular film, we are transported back to 1979 to meet an ice hockey coach named Herb Brooks and Herb is being asked to accomplish the impossible; to beat the Soviet Union on the ice at Lake Placid in the 1980 Winter Olympics. And why this task seems to be insurmountable is the sheer fact that the Soviets have dominated the sport since 1964. Which prompts Herb to assemble a unique group of talented, college hockey players to beat the Soviets and while these young men are thankful for this opportunity and eager to take on the Reds, they are ill prepared for what Herb has in store for them. Because he knows that these men are going to have to do something truly special on the ice in order to beat the Reds, which means he is going to push them like never before so they can bring the gold home for the first time since 1960. 

So, the first real tidbit of note when it comes to this motion picture is that it is in fact, based upon a true story. For the United States did indeed beat the Soviet Union at the 1980 games and this movie is designed to show us how the ‘Miracle on Ice’ came to fruition back in the day and well, I have to admit this movie does a phenomenal job of filling in the blanks. Because we truly get to know every single man on that team, and what drives Herb to push these men so hard to become champions and the flawless recreation of the era and the wonderful character development present here is what sucks the audience in because you quickly find yourself eager to see these guys stick it to the Soviets and you care about seeing Herb and his boys succeed.
 
But truly the draw when it comes to this story is the blood and sweat and tears that I made mention of a little bit ago. Because we are privy to a bevy of practices wherein Herb pushes these young men to the limit and the fine acting present in this story, sells the struggle and the strife, to the point where you’re almost as exhausted as these young men as they work to become the best in the biz. Plus, we need to take a moment and talk about Kurt Russell’s subtle yet domineering performance as Herb Brooks. Because his acting talent allows for us to understand how badly Herb wanted this win back then and how he motivated his men in the right way to get the very best out of every last one of them and how seeing them come together and win at Lake Placid filled him with pride and wonder.
 
If anything, this really is quite the compelling film. In fact, the final act wherein the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. take the ice, outright sucks you in since the game is intense and powerful in its own right. But all those epic and intense moments aside, I am truly thankful that this movie leaves no stone unturned when it comes to expressing to the audience that great moments are earned and that the only way to achieve them is through incredible hard work and sacrifice. So, if you’re ever in need of a pick me up, or need a push to get yourself over the hump on a big project, or you just want to see a great motion picture, pop this one in or fire it up on Disney+ if you have it, you’ll be glad you did.

For most of us, there came a point in our youth, where we wanted nothing more than to be a sports superstar. The thought of being able to skate on the ice with professional hockey players, or ball with the best in the best in the biz, or throw the winning pitch or a touchdown in a World Series or a Super Bowl seemed like the greatest dream in the world, and why wouldn’t it? The thought of running out on the field or the ice to the cheers of thousands of adoring fans has its own magical appeal and that is why we took the time to put ourselves in those shoes and dream that incredible dream.
 
But time has a way of tempering those kinds of dreams for so many. For eventually they come to realize that they don’t have the physical tools to become an NFL quarterback, nor does the game appeal to them the same once the day to day details come into play, or a genuine passion is uncovered and that calls to them instead. If anything, the lesson inherent from how this dream fades into oblivion is that one day we simply come to realize that most average Joe’s and Jane’s will never play the game since the folks that take the field are ridiculously gifted athletes. But from time to time everyday folks actually do find their way into the game when their physical skill set is discovered by the pros and thankfully there are films that chronicle such a journey, as was the case in 2006’s Invincible.
 
Now this particular movie is a dramatized re-telling of how an average guy named Vince Papale found his way onto the roster of the Philadelphia Eagles back in 1976, thanks to Head Coach Dick Vermeil’s decision to hold open tryouts in the City of Brotherly Love. And while the journey and the struggle of making an NFL roster is a fascinating one to say the least, what made this film worth my while is the sheer fact that it injects some incredibly human elements into the story that most sports films don’t really bother with. Such as the fact that Vince feels as though he doesn’t belong on the Eagles roster and that he’s a gimmick or a fraud. Which matters, because we really do idolize sports stars and see them in different light and above us and we often forget they are people who have nerves and flaws like the rest of us and the wonder of this film doesn’t end there. 

​For this movie also takes the time to dive deep into how sports teams more or less bring a sense of hope to their fans and the cities they inhabit, and in that same regard, how Vince lifts up a neighborhood filled with family and friends just by giving this opportunity his all. Because back in ’76 there was economic strife in South Philly and uncertainty when it comes to tomorrow. But the Eagles and Vince provide quite the distraction for folks that are struggling and there is something quite powerful about seeing this neighborhood find something good to celebrate, since one of their own is now playing with their heroes and it’s equally as wonderful to watch Vince’s actions inspire hope in so many.
 
But truly, the centerpiece of this motion picture, is how it sticks to some age-old themes in subtle fashion. Because at its core, Invincible is about following one’s dreams and working hard to maintain them if by chance you’ve latched on, and all of that is accomplished by way of the details when it comes to Vince’s time with the Eagles. For this man goes the extra mile in order to get his shot, taking viscous hits and verbal and mental abuse from others that don’t believe he deserves the chance to play. But he never quits, never relents and pushes himself harder than he ever has in his life to chase that ultimate dream and there’s something quite wonderful about seeing him go the distance and achieve wonders in the process.
 
But, as is often the case with films in this vein, they mean nothing without a quality cast to carry the emotional weight of the story and thankfully we get that here. Because Mark Wahlberg does a wonderful job of expressing Vince’s inner turmoil and desire to become something more in life than a South Philly bartender and his supporting cast anchors him nicely and the joy, they express at seeing him become an Eagle feels genuine in its own right. If anything, this is just a warm and wonderful film that has plenty to offer the audience. Because if you’re a sports fan who wanted to live that impossible dream of joining the ranks of superstars, you’ll find that wonder within the framework of the story. But if you’re just looking for a feel-good film that features a man who will stop at nothing to live a dream, well you’ll find that here too. It’s just a wonderful movie, one that will undoubtedly pick you up if you’re down and that makes it a must see in my book. 

It seems like everybody has a plan for what they would do if time travel is ever discovered.  I know that many people would like to make as much money as they can by playing the stock market, but what if money was not an issue and you could do something else? You could go and visit some of history's greatest minds or your idols from the past and see how they really were versus what you have read about in books. Maybe take a trip to the future to see your grandbaby’s grandbabies. There are so many things that could be done if and when time travel is created, but then you would have to think about what would happen if you did decide to change the past or future.

Getting a late call in for Project 880, Mr. Landau leads in his crew of top minds to get it up and off the ground. With time not being on his side, Landau wants his team to fire up the portal that they have created and prove once and for all that time travel can be accomplished. But before the test can get underway, there is a quick change in the lineup when it comes to time travelers. The man that was supposed to go through the gateway first, Bill, is swapped out for Jim and not knowing what will happen with this being the first human test, the group is anxious to see and hear what the future is actually like.

Even though Jim is not prepared for the jump, he cannot pass up the opportunity.  With Gale by his side, Jim believes that everything will go alright, but has no idea what the future holds. Entering the device and being sent an hour forward in time, Jim is shocked to see a bloodbath in the lab and when hearing that the self-destruct system has been set off, he needs to leave the building as soon as possible to save himself and hopefully save his friends. Arriving back mere seconds after leaving, Jim tries to explain to everyone that they are going to die if they do not leave the building, but there is one problem as the power has been knocked out for over forty blocks from their experiment.

Bringing a video camera back from the future with him, the group is now able to see what happens in their future hour and try to prevent anyone’s death from occurring. Knowing that there is a killer on the loose in the sealed off facility, the group is in a race against time to find out who he is before their time runs out. As Lewis is able to keep analyzing the camera and finds more and more clues as to who the killer could be, he is also able to find out who the killer is not. Trying to keep their heads about them, Gale comes clean about being an NSA agent who was assigned to this case a couple years back and has no regrets. But this insight only fuels the fire about who can be trusted in the facility and who will walk out alive when the secrets of time travel are actually revealed.

This is quite the time travel movie as you get to see the dark side of moving through time. With clues being handed out as to who the killer actually is during the film, you will never guess the ending as it delivers a huge twist that will leave your mind blown. The group of scientists are fantastic in this movie and while they may love and hate each other, they all do have a respect for what they are doing, even if it could be a bad thing. The idea of being able to travel into the future is really cool, but as this movie goes to show, the future is already written and no matter what you do, you cannot change the result.

​Leaving your life behind is never easy when it comes to moving to a new place. With all of your friends that took a lifetime to make being left behind, making new ones may seem like something that you really don’t want to do again. But that is a part of life and it never gets easier, but when you find that there are good people at your new home, you might not feel so bad overall. There is nothing wrong with leaving a previous life behind, especially if you are able to find a better one that will give you more than you ever bargained for.

Finding out that their estranged father has passed away, brothers Oliver and Jackie Whynacht are on their way to attend his funeral. As Jackie is a priest and has plenty to bring to the table, Oliver does not have much to fall back on, but during the will reading he is surprised to see that he has inherited his father’s funeral home. While not everyone is happy about what has transpired in the town, Oliver is the new boss and with his number two Henry and mortician Roberta, he will be able to make things work. With the chance of doing something new with his life, Oliver takes a liking to Roberta since she is so incredibly different from the other women that Oliver has met in the past.

While at dinner with Roberta and finding out more about his father, the two take a drunken ride home and hit a local on the way. Knowing that they are in trouble, Roberta breaks the neck of the victim and knows of a good way to cover up the mistake.  With the body being dropped far from the crash site, the police are called in and Roberta is part of the team as Oliver finds out that she is not only a mortician, but also the county coroner. Knowing what really happened, Roberta is able to cover up the mistake made by the two and with the funeral being taken care of by Oliver’s funeral home, the income will not be denied and the two are able to keep their little secret between them, at least for a moment. 

When Mr. Pickles is able to find the walking stick of the deceased, Oliver and Roberta know that they are in for trouble as the old television personality has an idea of what might have actually happened. Trying to secure the walking stick, Mr. Pickles finds the two in his house and winds up falling to his death. With Roberta by his side, Oliver knows that everything will be alright, but finding out that the funeral is going to be taken care of by his competitor, Oliver is heartbroken as his funeral home is broke and close to shutting down. But Roberta has an idea to get rid of the competition and the two go on a mission to make sure that they will never be trifled with again. Now being the only game in town, Oliver’s business thrives as the bodies continue to come in but being in the green is not enough for the young man as he wants Roberta to be at his side, but her boyfriend is starting to get in the way. 

I have not seen a romantic comedy in quite some time, but if this is the future of them, I am in. With laughs, tears, murder and a love triangle, I do not see how you could go wrong. I love how the story played out in this movie, especially after seeing the Wheel of Fate that Oliver’s father had to use to decide who would get his inheritance. The problem of money might seem to be the foundation of the story, but the love story really overrode it when the two killed off their competition. With Oliver getting the best of two worlds, his love Roberta and his father’s widow Luanne, it is easy to see that he wants it all, which is something that his character grew into, which was a pretty big change. I cannot get over how trusting all of the characters are in the movie, taking people at their word, but when the facts start to surface, everything starts to change and there is only one way to stop from being discovered, MURDER.

​Sometimes you need to take a second and look back on what has been done before your time. I love to do this with movies since there were so many good ones that came out that can never be replaced in cinema. Seeing how special effects have changed over the years has to be what you notice most about these films, since now almost everything is done by computers, but back then, all they had were models and pictures that could make you believe you were on a different world. 

Commander Kit Draper and Colonel Dan McReady have found themselves in orbit around the red planet of Mars and everything seems to be going fine for their mission. But looks may be deceiving when a meteor comes barreling towards their ship and they are forced to deviate off course.  With only a limited amount of fuel, McReady tries to maneuver them safely around the planet, but the ship gets caught in the atmosphere. Knowing that they will crash and die on the planet if they stay in the ship, both men are forced to eject to the surface and try to find a way to survive until they can be found. 

Crash landing in his pod, Draper finds that the air on the planet is breathable for a time but will need to rely on his oxygen tanks to keep him alive. Falling back on basic survival training, Draper needs to find a place to call home for the duration, but the planet does not seem to want him there. Being able to locate a cave where he can set up operation, Draper needs to find a way to make a fire to stay warm in the unforgiving nights and noticing that some of the rocks on the surface seem to catch fire, he is able to utilize them for a time. But there are more important things that he needs to focus on as he has to ration his food, water and oxygen to stay alive as long as he can. 

Needing to find McReady, Draper finds his partner dead in a crash, but all is not lost as the monkey that was traveling with them is still okay. Taking Mona back to the cave, Draper knows that time is running out as his oxygen has been depleted and the low levels in Mars’ air will not support him. He passes out, only to find that the burning rocks have another quality about them as they can produce oxygen in a small area. Being able to contain this in his tanks, Draper will now need to find out where to get food and water from and noticing that Mona is not drinking his rationed water, she must have found another source on the planet. Finding an oasis that even has food, Draper finds that they planet is not as bad as he had expected, but with items that can sustain life, he has still not found anyone else living there, but takes precautions to ensure his safety when he finds a skeleton in the Martian soil. 

Talk about a huge change in science fiction movies over the years. It was much easier back in the day to land on an alien planet and find a way to survive in the elements than it is today. With life sustaining elements on the red planet, I really liked how Draper was able to put them all together to survive and make it look like anyone could do it. The madness that Draper falls into without human contact had to be the best part of the movie, since you get to see him deteriorate so quickly and start to hallucinate that others are around him. But the highlight has to come when he sees his first UFO and how his excitement turns into fear when he sees that the other race on the planet is not looking to make friends, but to control visitors at any cost necessary. It’s fun to look back and see how the older movies compare to what we see in theaters these days.  While the graphics are nowhere as close to passable as what CGI can bring to the screen, the storytelling actually serves a purpose.  

​Big companies are always looking for the next big thing that they can capitalize on to make the most of their investments. While most people have no idea, what is happening behind closed doors, sometimes there are leaks from the company and their grand plan goes public before they expected. Wanting the articles retracted, the company, or companies, then become part of the spotlight, whether they want it or not and everyone starts keeping an eye on them and their actions. With accusations and questions being thrown their way that they are not ready to answer, trying to fly under the radar is the only way they know how to defend themselves, but that is never the right way to go about it.

After losing control of one of their new experiments the Chaank Company is in hot water. Appointing Hayden Cale to Chief Operating Officer, they are hoping that the she can bring this public relations nightmare to an end and fast. Wanting to put an end to all of the projects that involve anything that can be construed as illegal, Cale finds out that one of the brightest minds in the company is more of a recluse and cannot find a way to get in touch with him and find out about his experiments. When Scott Ridley finds out what Cale is trying to do to his company, he is ready to take the gloves off and make her disappear, but little does he know that the company is about to go in a new direction.

Meeting with the lead designer Jack Dante, Cale finds out he is a child in an adult’s body, but has the smarts to put anything together. Since Jack was in charge of the Hardman Project, the one that put Chaank in trouble, Cale wants answers, but Dante is not willing to give them up just yet. Stealing an access badge, Cale is able to look into Dante’s past with the company and discovering information about his erratic, and usually violent behavior, she is starting to understand that the evil genius might be better off behind bars than working for her company. When getting a call in the middle of the night from another one of the executives about a problem in the building, she finds out that she may be right.

Arriving at the offices and seeing that her boss, Scott Ridley, has been chewed to death by something that she has never seen before, Cale is determined to find out what happened before the media gets ahold of the story. But there are more problems in the office than she could have ever imagined since she is forced to fire Dante for trying to extort a promotion from her and to make matters worse, a group of extremists have entered the building. Being led by Sam, the group wants the easiest path into the vault to steal hundreds of billions of dollars in bonds to make the company go under, and with Dante’s help, they will get them. But little does anyone know what Dante’s real reason for getting into the vault is until they discover that they are being hunted down by a killer robot that only the evil genius can control. Needing to find a way out of the building before they are chomped on as well, the group has to work together to make sure that Dante and his evil plan cannot move forward.

Just an old school killer robot flick with an evil mastermind calling the shots. One of the things that I really liked about this movie was Jack Dante and his never give up attitude, especially when it comes to getting to know his boss better, it made me laugh more than it should have. Hayden Cale has some rude awakenings to get used to in the office as she finds out what happened to her predecessor that tried to talk with Dante about his inventions, and it was far from pretty. I could have done without the radical group in the story, but they did turn out to have a purpose when all was said and done. With some blood, a killer robot, a new age killer robot-human hybrid and plenty of moments that will leave you shaking your head, it is hard to come up with anything too bad about this movie, it is just a fun ride.  

Trust can be a difficult thing when all is said and done. Needing to be able to trust your parents, your friends or significant other is the only way to maintain a relationship, but it cannot come without a cost. Even when you think that you are right and these people do not agree with you, you have to trust that they have not only their own, but your best interests in mind. Your relationships must be built on solid ground so you know where the other person is standing, if it is not, you can find that your relationships and trust are on a slippery slope.

As Jane is getting ready to settle down with her fiancé Dan, she finds out that he will be leaving to fight in the war. Thinking it will only last a couple months, Dan returns home years later to see that Jane has moved on with her life and has moved out west with the Bishop party. While Jane believes that this is the right move, especially after not hearing from Dan for a couple of years, she finds that things out west are not what she was promised. Being forced to work as a prostitute to make ends meet, Jane’s new suitor Bill has to deliver the worst news possible to his love, that her daughter has been killed and they have no reason to stay with the group any longer.

Moving out on their own, Jane and Bill have made a nice out of the way life with each other, including having another child that will never be in harm’s way. But John Bishop is looking for his former employees and will do anything to bring them back and make them pay for betraying him. When Bill returns home with five gunshot wounds, Jane is forced to help mend her broken husband and knows that things are only going to get worse with John Bishop hot on their trail. Needing help since her husband is out of commission, Jane sets out to find the only other gunfighter that she knows, but has no idea what his answer will be since she plans to ask him for help.

Seeing Dan for the first time in years, Jane begs her former fiancé to help her and her husband absolve the situation before it gets out of hand. Declining at first, Dan comes around to see how the two are set up and decides that he will be her savior. Not ever taking a liking to Jane’s husband Bill, John makes it known to both of them that the reward offered on Bill’s head may be more than enough payment for his trouble, but Dan knows that Jane’s love is the real prize and will do what he can to prove how much he still loves her. With time to get ready for the pending attack, Dan and Jane start talking about how their lives have changed over the years and Jane finds out that she was never abandoned by him as the war went on longer than expected and he was held up in prison camp for most of it. But time is not on their side when John Bishop and his gang show up at the front door outnumbering the couple six to one.

A tale of past love that could have been told in any time, but it is a western movie so the outlaws get a better shot at completing their task at hand. Even though you can guess the outcome before you see it, the foreshadowing was not too bad. One of the things that I am still having a hard time with are flashbacks telling a story, and this movie had plenty of them, but besides that, I did enjoy the movie. Dan showed great development as he had to overcome his love for Jane and hatred for her husband to do the right thing in helping them. John Bishop however really stole the show and when I found out who played him, I was blown away that this actor transformed into John Bishop, hiding any clues as to the actor's real identity. This is an all right western but a strong love story that men that have lost their loves to time would surely understand.

I think it is safe to say, that superhero and comic book themed movies are at a crossroads right now. For not only is their validity as cinema being questioned by some of Hollywood’s greatest minds, they’re starting to see failures at the box office, the kind that are forcing some studios to question how they are going to handle their next entry in this particular sub-genre of film. If anything, there just seems to be a slow growing unease surrounding these films, and Marvel’s decision to shift some of their Phase Four properties to television only compounds that further, and in the end, all of these concerns make it seem as though that these types of stories might be running out of magic to offer the audience.
 
Which means that the only way to keep them viable, is to move these stories in bold new directions, but how can that be accomplished? After all, every origin story and every tough challenge that these characters can face has been mined ad nauseum. Well as it turns out, there is a way to reinvent the genre so to speak, in a way that pleases even the harshest of critics and that involves, stripping away the mysticism surrounding these characters and injecting some genuine humanity into these tales, which seems like no easy task, since hey, some of these folks can fly. But there are filmmakers out there, that are looking to tackle this monumental task and recently, I finally had the opportunity to watch a powerful comic book movie that manages to accomplish this incredible feat, in Joker.
 
Now, I know what you’re thinking. In that, how on earth could a movie that clearly advertises itself as an origin story be something fresh and exciting for this genre and that’s a fair point to ask. Because that was my thought as well, that this movie was just going to be nothing more than a grounded re-telling of how the Joker came to be Gotham’s greatest villain. But it quickly becomes clear when one settles in to watch this film, that it is going to have so much more to offer. For this story is in many ways, a grand American tragedy, one that shows us the downfall of a man who wanted nothing more than to carve out his own niche in the world and it pulls off this particular feat by examining something that is quite frankly, taboo in storytelling; mental illness.

Because for a fair chunk of this story, we are right alongside Arthur Fleck as he engages in his daily struggle with mental illness, and this is some raw and powerful stuff to watch unfold on screen. For Arthur is desperate to be a part of a world that feels foreign to him on a regular basis, and he fights hard to conquer the imbalance in his brain and hopes that perhaps offering up a little kindness and joy to the world that surrounds him might help him heal as well. But what makes his plight so harrowing and so devastating is the sheer fact that he is met with cruelty and disdain at every turn, as though his affliction makes him a monster and that’s a sobering perspective to offer up in cinema since that is quite the indictment on how we view the mentally ill in modern America, and the commentary on our current world doesn’t end there.
 
For this film also dives deep into the notion of class inequality, something that has only recently begun to dominate headlines in our world and it offers a stark look at a part of our society that many turn a blind eye to; the folks that are struggling to keep their heads above water. For in essence, Arthur and his mother live just barely above the poverty line and they are consistently fighting to get the essentials they need in their lives, such as Arthur’s medication and it is equally as sobering to see Arthur try and navigate a system that is rigged against him and ignores him at every turn. And it is all of these elements, that lead to the creation of one of the greatest villains to ever grace the silver screen and the page and what makes his genesis here so fascinating is the sheer fact that Director Todd Philips in essence makes his tale a dire warning.
 
For if we cannot start to care about the John and Jane Doe’s that are out there struggling, we will in turn create more Jokers, and perhaps we already have since we’ve seen some stunning moments of domestic terror in our nation. But while all of these elements make it seem as though one should be sympathetic to the Joker’s plight, that’s simply not the case. He’s still a bad man through and through, just one that we understand better after this film, and the fact that this movie takes the time to properly offer up the genesis of a criminal mastermind in realistic fashion makes it a bold new venture for comic book films and a brilliant drama in its own right. One that features a chilling and powerhouse performance from Joaquin Phoenix and one that will stay with you long after the film has come to an end and this is definitely a must see since it may signal a brave new era for a genre that has grown comfortable.

It’s quite amazing to see just how popular nostalgia is becoming anymore when it comes to film and television. Everything old is new again and everywhere you turn, memories from yesteryear are popping up left and right. Sometimes it happens when you settle in to watch a reimagining or reboot of those classic stories. Other times it’s a wave of merchandise you see in a store from that special tale and sometimes…you flat out live the experience one more time.
 
One wonderful way to accomplish that is by way of cable television. Out of the blue it seems movies and shows that I thought were long forgotten are suddenly popping up on every channel imaginable and one such film that I had completely forgotten about showed up on my cable guide the other night and since I had fond memories of seeing it back in the day, I thought it would be fun to settle in and watch Love Potion No. 9 once again and well…this is not the plucky fun film that I remember it being.
 
For those unfamiliar with the film, the plot for this one is simple. This movie introduces us to a pair of scientists named Paul and Diane, who are extremely unlucky in love. Even though they are clearly 100% compatible with one another, they still struggle to find romantic happiness in this world and one day Paul is coerced by his friends to visit a fortune teller who gives him a love potion that should solve all of his problems. Paul of course thinks little of this because potions are magic not science, but when he sees that this potion actually works…he and Diane discover its scientific secrets and set out to see exactly what wonders this chemical compound can accomplish in the everyday world...

​Now if that plot seems a little dry, you’re correct, because Love Potion No. 9 had all the potential in the world to tell an amazing story, but it squandered away every opportunity to do so. For example, it's a little too heavy on the science. Everything about this compound is dissected and explained to the audience and well that just seems unnecessary. It eats up a fair chunk of the film that could have been dedicated to comedy and shenanigans and while we get those elements, by the time the fun stuff starts and Diane and Paul begin to uncover the power of this potion and discover their love for one another…you’re already drawn out of the story and simply watching to get your money’s worth.
 
It’s a shame because as I mentioned before, I distinctly recall enjoying this film years ago and really what it boils down to is one glaring issue; the fact that this is a film filled to the brim with completely unlikeable characters. No joke, there is not one redeemable human being in this picture. Paul and Diane are only in it for themselves for most the film and they use the potion for their own personal gain every single chance they get. It makes their love story feel tacked on and silly and when all is said and done, you simply cannot relate to these characters or care about their plight.
 
But, it’s not all gloom and doom for this motion picture. As I mentioned before, at times, the movie does have its moments and there are some genuinely funny scenes to be found here, just not enough of them to save the story from these selfish and outright vapid characters. If anything, Love Potion No. 9 is a great way to simply kill some time if you find it on cable and there’s nothing else on. But sadly, it is a forgettable film, one that could have been something great if it had provided us with something other than a jilted and cynical love story.  

I think that it is safe to say, that modern society is utterly fascinated with the notion of murder and it makes sense as to why. For homicide is in many ways, one of our darkest and most twisted acts, one that in essence serves as the anthesis to everything that mankind has worked toward. So, we pour over this act, often times in popular media, in order to understand what would drive a modern person to actively choose to end the life of another human being and that’s led to countless stories that peel back the many layers surrounding people who commit murder with seeming impunity. However, there is a grandiose flaw in using fiction to understand the nature of murder. Simply because that’s a safe and controlled environment, one where we can provide an easy answer as to why people kill.
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Which is why so many stories feature notions of killers who are psychologically broken because of a poor family life or a powerful moment of trauma. And while there is some credence to that since we have learned of killers who indeed suffer from such mental maladies in real life, what we often miss in these stories; is that sometimes murder is not an influenced or well-thought out act. Sometimes murder happens in cold blood or in the moment, and it happens without meaning or reason and that’s what makes it so hard to process; the fact that we can revert to our animalistic nature on a moments notice in an era when we should be refined, and the uncomfortable nature of that, keeps that particular exploration out of popular media more often than not. But from time to time, a story will emerge that takes the time to examine the raw savagery of murder and oddly enough, there is a film out there that explores this darker aspect in a frank and raw manner in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope.

Now in this particular film, the audience is invited to a dinner party hosted by two young and intelligent men named Brandon and Philip, and the purpose of this particular party is all part of a grand social experiment for these two young men. Because they are out to prove that they can commit the perfect crime and get away with murder. But thankfully, no one at the party is going to be subject to their twisted machinations, in fact, the guests are there to prove to their point. For hours before the party started, these two young men invited over an old classmate and strangled him in cold blood, hiding the body in the very room where they planned to the host the event. And now it will be up to Brandon and Philip to keep their cool and get through the night in order to prove that anyone can get away with this heinous crime, but that won’t be an easy task. For their brilliant former housemaster Rupert Cadell is in attendance as well, and he quickly begins to realize that there is something quite off about this celebration. 

So, I’m sure at this point, you’re thinking that the fact that we discussed a motive for our main characters, in essence negates my point about how this movie is about the savagery and randomness of murder and that’s simply not the case. In fact, their active decision to take a life and keep the corpse near the dinner party guests speaks volumes to their cruelty and their savagery. For in essence, they don’t value life in the slightest since they were able to kill someone without giving it a second thought or an ounce of remorse, and the fact that they see this as a great big game, one that they can win is as twisted and as cold and as random as it gets. Which quite frankly is still stunning to see on screen after all these years, because I am still hard pressed to find a film that takes the time to portray murder in such unsettling fashion, and seeing these young men play their little game with a sense of glee only adds to the uncomfortable nature of this twisted tale.

Yet I would be a fool to not take a moment and discuss the wonder and the majesty of how this film is assembled because it is a technical marvel. Because it quickly becomes clear early on, that Hitchcock wanted this motion picture to feel as though it is playing out in real time, offering the audience a unique experience, and what Hitchcock does with the camera helps achieve that goal. For the long and extended takes are indeed seamless in nature, and the fact that he filmed the story in color is equally as bold since it prompts him to be creative with the cuts. But what matters more, is what you experience on an emotional level when watching this film. Because throwing in a wonderfully realistic cityscape in the background, one that shifts with the hours, alongside those incredible camera tricks; helps you to feel as though you’re a part of this claustrophobic world. Where a dead body is mere inches away from you, and that just makes for a unique and terrifying motion picture experience.

In the end however, while all of these technical twists are special in their own right, they mean nothing without quality actors bringing them to life and thankfully the cast here does a phenomenal job of that. Since the actors at the party really sell the clueless atmosphere, which adds to the horror. But really there are three actors that genuinely sell this story; John Dall (Brandon), Farley Granger (Philip) and of course the legendary James Stewart (Rupert). Because John and Farley’s performances bring apathy to life in this story and of course, Stewart just does this thing here and plays the moral foil that is necessary to bring this story to a close and really, this is just a brilliant film through and through. For it is dark, bleak and powerful and thoughtful as well since it does indeed sell the fact that some people don’t value the lives of others and it is up to the rest of humanity to worry less about the cause and focus more on prevention, since life is indeed precious and the loss of a single person, can shatter so many and that makes this motion picture poignant and relevant seventy-one years after its relea