march 2026 BREAkdown
- 22 films/series total (not including Hallmark films)
- 5 foreign films/series
- 12 re-watches
- 12 classics
- 1 tv series
Biggest Disappointment: If a re-watch counts, then The Crash
Favorite Discovery – Pursuit of Jade
tv series
Father Brown Season 13 – More of the same from previous seasons, but still a cozy comfort watch. They did add a new nemesis for the Father and I’m curious to see how that relationship will play out over the coming seasons as Flambeau has become more friend than antagonist.
Foreign Films & TV Series
Learning to Love (2025) – This Japanese Netflix drama pushed me outside of my comfort zone a bit. It features a large age gap romance between an older woman and younger man. She’s a teacher whose empathy leads her to privately teach his nightclub host to read. They face significant challenges and prejudice from their friends, family and society. But somehow despite some of the discomfort I felt, this sweet and subtly deep story grew on me. It’s very thoughtful in the way it portrays the two main characters as well as their family backgrounds and emotional hurdles. The biggest weakness is the abrupt transitions between scenes. Surprisingly, I appreciated the way the writers redeemed her forced fiance and even the way the ending doesn’t tie everything up in a neat little bow.
Boyfriend on Demand (2026) -A candy colored confection of a show, this rom-com is equal parts silly and serious, with some unexpected depths as it explores love and relationships. The fun came from the boyfriend cameos and date scenarios which also took the heroine on a journey through her own emotions. The downside is that the male lead doesn’t play much of a role until mid-way through and for a ten episode series, that’s disappointing. Not to mention, even after his screen time increases, his character is never fully explored. He’s really just there to serve as a prop for the heroine as she heals and learns more about herself. This also raised some really interesting thoughts and debates for me about virtual reality versus real life. I personally err on the side of real life and feel virtual reality has some benefits, but more dangers and pitfalls than it is worth.
My Page in the 90’s (2026) – Started out good for me. Not a lot about this show that screams 90’s though. The female lead is spunky, hard working and likeable and has easy chemistry with her co-star Chen Xing Xu who I’ve seen in the dramas Fall in Love and more recently Love Between Lines. I like his more lighthearted persona in this drama. Casting these two was a good decision because they carried the drama when it started to drag.
Why Is He Still Single? (2025) – an emotionally mature romance despite its’ characters not always being emotionally mature. Loved the settings, that the plot actually made sense and how the character growth developed. Wallace Huo even gave me Asian Cary Grant vibes a few times.
Pursuit of Jade (2026) – A very well-done adaptation of a web novel with a unique heroine who is strong and kind and who rescues then enters into a fake marriage with a man who is more than he seems. The lead actors did a fantastic job in their roles as a female butcher turned warrior and a nobleman in hiding bent on revenge. She’s probably one of the most believable female soldiers I’ve seen on screen recently even though she is also petite and pretty, Plus, they had fantastic chemistry together with some pretty hot kisses. The pacing of the story and development of the plot was excellent with little moments of humor constantly acting as an offset to all the drama and intensity. There were so many times that little details in one episode would be re-visited in later episodes which really made me appreciate the consistent writing. The secondary characters and relationships were fascinating and given fair screen time and development. This show did family, friends and comrades relationships so well! Even the antagonists were given back stories that explained their actions and made them seem complex but not totally unlikable. One of the secondary romances was pretty toxic and yet so gripping, I almost cheered for them to remain together. I loved that the women in this series were all supportive of each other and not petty and competitive, The visual beauty of the cinematography and the detailed settings left me in awe at times. Add in the most adorable little sister played by a cute child actress, a bird who is its’ own character in the show, and an amazing soundtrack and this is going on my all time favorites list and will definitely be on I re-watch.
Classics
Angel (1937) Re-watch- I was surprised to find out this is a Lubitsch film as I think of him as a comedic romance director and this one lacked comedy. It’s also a surprisingly placid for a story centered around a love triangle. The two men get along well and the leading lady is remarkably composed and logical even though she is emotional enough to have a little dalliance. Marlene Dietrich is stunning and has a gorgeous wardrobe to boot. That alone made this one worth watching.
Always Goodbye (1938) Re-watch- Barbara Stanwyck is at her most beautiful as a woman who must choose between romantic love and parental love. This is my second Herbert Marshall film this month (the first being Angel) and his character has more pep here as a man with wanderlust who rescues Stanwyck’s unwed mother only to see her tempted away when the son she gave up for adoption turns up again in her life. She must choose between marrying her beloved savior or the adoptive father of the boy. I must say, I was a bit disappointed in her choice but also understood it. Marshall’s speech about the price she must pay to have what she wants was a total turnoff for me though.
Second Honeymoon (1937) – One of five films Tyrone Power & Loretta Young starred in together and the third one I’ve seen in the last month. The beginning with two exes running into each other while on a trip reminded me of the acerbically funny Private Lives, but that is where the comparison’s stop. There’s not much to this film other than to showcase Power and Young’s stunning beauty together. Young’s heroine starts out likable, but becomes more shrill and hypocritical as the show goes on.
Golden Boy (1939) Re-watch – This is William Holden’s breakout role and honestly one of his best where he plays an innocent young man with a gift for the violin only to later transform into a hardened boxer. Barbara Stanwyck was his co-star and though she never gave a bad performance she is not believable as the love interest in the triangle between him and Adolphe Menjou. But it’s Lee J Cobb who steals the show as Holden’s sentimental and loving Papa who has nurtured his boy’s musical gift only to watch him ruin it with his own hands.
The Crash (1932) – Re-watch – This movie made me mad. The characters are selfish and unlikeable but Ruth Chatterton and George Brent do their best to create sympathy for them anyway. As a married couple, he uses her to charm men for financial tips and she uses him to keep her in the wealthy lifestyle she wants. Then when he loses his money due to her lie, she goes off to charm her way to becoming another wealthy man’s wife before inexplicably changing her character and deciding to stay with the now poor husband. It’s stupid. But these two actors are charming.
Housewife (1934) – Re-watch- Another George Brent movie starring Ann Dvorak as his loving wife and Bette Davis as a former classmate who doesn’t mind breaking up their happy home. He’s likable until he starts his affair and I was cheering for the wife to end up with the husband’s client who truly recognizes her worth and loves her for herself. But this being a film made during the Hays’ Code morality guidelines, she sticks with the unworthy husband instead. With roles like this, I can understand why Bette Davis fought hard for meatier parts. It’s clear her talent outshines a role like this.
Desirable (1934) – Re-watch – Despite this being a May-December romance, I really enjoyed this one. George Brent is at his most charming as the man who falls for his love interest’s grown daughter. And even though she is young and their maturity levels differ, I was won over by her sincerity and honesty.
A Little Romance (1979) – Re-watch – A very young Diane Lane is absolutely charming as a teenage girl whose intellect and maturity is beyond her years. She meets a like-minded French boy she emotionally connects with. The two then run off with a kindly elderly gentleman to Venice to fulfill the legend that two lovers who kiss under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset will be together forever. Laurence Olivier is sweet as the old man who is charmed by the two lovebirds. I was disgusted by Lane’s mother, but thankfully she has a sympathetic and loving stepfather.
Living on Velvet (1935) – Re-watch – George Brent and Kay Francis co-star in one of their many films together and are joined by Warren William as the nicest but most doormat of a third wheel ever. After having his girl stolen by his best friend he becomes their fairy god-father subsidizing their life. Brent’s character is selfish and unreliable which makes it very frustrating to watch Francis give up everything to be with him. I hate romances where love makes people act so stupid and foolish. I will say Kay Francis was lovely and beautifully dressed in this movie.
God’s Country and the Woman (1937) – Re-watch – The romance in this story negatively overshadows everything else in this film. George Brent stars as a playboy who’s forced to learn the value of hard work as a logger stuck out in the woods. Unfortunately he has zero chemistry with his co-star. Her character starts out very abrasive and masculine before “love” transforms her into someone who wants to wear dresses. But that transformation is not believable in any way and there’s no way these two would ever fall in love. Ever! Otherwise the story could have been somewhat interesting and the colors and scenery are beautiful.
Virtue (1932) – Re-watch – A tightly paced entertaining little Pre-code starring Carole Lombard as a prostitute who goes straight after finding love and marriage. The only problem is her old life won’t leave her behind and her husband doesn’t quite trust her. Lombard is very good in this role, empathetic, sincere and genuine.
The Golden Arrow (1936) – Re-watch – My last George Brent film this month (he’s TCM’s star of the month) and this is another one with frequent co-star Bette Davis. She’s a fake heiress who is in love with his reporter and coerces him into marrying her. It’s a fairly refreshing and fun film to watch and I like both of them in their roles. The whole scene where they both go out in public with black eyes trying to manipulate each other is so funny and I loved that they just laughed it off.
Post 1980’s
I Can Only Imagine 2 (2026) – Even though I never saw the first film, this sequel used flashbacks to keep me from missing out on earlier parts of the story and also continued the father-son relationship theme from the first. Milo Ventimiglia is the real center of this film even in a supporting role. He keeps the whole thing grounded and gives a moving performance as a man chasing his dream even while he might be dying.
Picking Up and Dropping Off (2003) – A cute made for tv movie with a young and pretty Scott Wolf. The two romantic leads keep running into each other unintentionally and then missing meetings with each other when it turns romantic and intentional. His buddy support/poker group was my favorite as they teased him and gave him relationship advice.
The Bookfair Murders (2000) – A made for tv murder mystery set at a book fair in Frankfurt Germany. It’s fairly average but the writers did try to add some interest by adding in the theft and recovery of WWII Jewish owned art as a possible plot point.
Re-watch – You’ve Got Mail
