Calling all hopeless romantics. This movie will be on your list of favorite foreign love stories. It has a young-quirky single lady, Agathe, who works in a bookstore in France and has aspirations of becoming a writer. She is inspired by her favorite author Jane Austen, however, comes to realize that she has writer’s block. Agathe will have to overcome her fears to liberate her emotions and transfer them onto paper.

Agathe (Camille Rutherford) believes that she is struggling to write due to her love life being nonexistent – ever since the tragic car accident where her parents were inside the car with her, but they did not survive. On the other hand, her friend and co-worker Felix (Pablo Pauly) is the type that is a freedom-loving who is reluctant to commit to a relationship as he reveals to Agathe about the many dates he has been in. Without hesitation, Felix discretely submits some of Agathe’s writings to the Jane Austen Residency and remarkably she gets accepted for a writer’s retreat in England.

This lighthearted movie takes you to the beautiful English countryside, where Agathe is greeted by the handsome Oliver (Charlie Anson), a distant descendant of Jane Austen. They get off to a rough start, but they gradually seem to be drawn to one other. The romantic connection develops when it’s discovered they have been emotionally shattered, but somehow their broken pieces come together and mend their painful past. Then, like getting spit on by a llama, Felix shows up at the mansion for the Residency’s annual ball and Agathe finds herself in a love triangle and discovers material for her novel.

Director and Screenplay Writer Laura Piani magnificently created the essence of the 1800’s literature of a romantic satirical comedy in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. The cast are amazing and original. Though, the movie is mostly in French, it is easy to follow with subtitles, which adds authenticity to the story.  

Jackie Chan, Shifu Han – Kung fu master, and Ralph Macchio, Sensei LaRusso – Karate master, create the yin and yang in the martial arts, which make Ben Wang’s role as Li Fong rise like a phoenix.

Karate Kid Legends is the sixth installment of the Karate Kid and follows the similar baseline story – a young teenager being uprooted from life’s challenges that is thrown off the path and finds balance through the discipline of martial arts. In this saga, Li and his mother Dr. Fong (Ming-Na Wen) relocate from Beijing, China to start a new life in the great big apple, New York City.

The story also expands to include a blend of boxing, kung fu and karate, which each had their exceptional fighting styles. The boxing moves were complimented by Joshua Jackson in the role of Victor Lipani. Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio were the perfect duo as training masters for Ben Wang’s character Li. Chan is animated and a legendary martial artist, while Macchio takes after the late Pat Morita’s beloved character Mr. Miyagi’s demeanor of being calm and collective.

Wang is incredible in the arts yet knows how to project being wholesome and charming. During the confrontation scenes and Battle of the 5 Boroughs, they used new captivating techniques and mesmerizing rooftop location. Overall, the message is clear, disciplined practitioners in martial arts demonstrate a strong sense of self-mastery, both physically and emotionally. Karate Kid Legends emphasizes the traditional respect for instructors, training partners, and the art itself, fostering a sense of humility and self-discipline.

What is a karate film without symbolism? Movie goers will be touched with the film’s definition of having two respective styles of martial arts, like branches of a tree, but they stem from the same root. Bonsai!

Catch Karate Kid Legends in theaters May 30, 2025. There is also a tenacious cameo surprise before the credits roll.

The “Mission: Impossible” franchise comes to full circle in the eighth and final installment with “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning“. Although it might not be the greatest in its series, the death defying stunts by Tom Cruise makes it worth the watch. With a hefty budget of over $300 million, “The Final Reckoning” has become one of the most expensive films ever made.

The “Mission: Impossible” theme stays on track with the inevitable sacrifice and precision timing. The IMF are rattled by a powerful artificial intelligence known as the Entity, which challenges humanity into nuclear destruction and it’s up to Ethan Hunt to accept this impossible mission to save the world.

In a compilation of flashbacks and simultaneous present day scenes, the clues are revealed which adequately ties everything together. The story surprisingly brings back CIA Analyst William Donloe (Rolf Saxon). It was also nostalgic to see the remembrances of characters/actors from the previous missions like Henry Cavil as August Walker and Jeremy Renner as William Brandt.

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”, is has plenty of breathtaking action and subtle scenes that resemble scenarios to “Top Gun”, like Hannah Waddingham’s character Rear Admiral Neely having a striking appearance to Kelly McGillis’s character Charlie. Even towards the end of the film there was a similar scenario to “Pulp Fiction” – possible nod to Ving Rhames’s character Marsellus Wallace and his briefcase that radiated a golden hue when opened.

Since the film’s focal point is time, the underwater and biplane stunt sequences indeed took up much of it – no aspect was overlooked. During a Q&A after the screening, Storyboard Artist Mark Bristol explained the details that went into creating the vision for these high-octane moments. It was fascinating to learn about his experience working with Director Christopher McQuarrie, the writers and Tom Cruise to understand their vision to create the illustrations that serve as a visual guide for the production team.