Every Rom Com 27: Last Holiday

This week on Every Rom Com we’re continuing our Christmas Rom Com series with the 2006 Queen Latifah movie “Last Holiday.” We’ll talk about the hotel and spa town that served as the film’s location; explore the careers of director Wayne Wang, Queen Latifah, and L.L. Cool J; and talk about how confronting death can help us discard our fears and realize our dreams. We’re joined this episode by Jen’s brother and Luna’s husband, Ishtar, who brings the perspective of his own spiritual practices and readings to our discussion! 

0:00-12:09 Introduction, Introducing Ishtar Howell, Updates on Luna’s Life, What Are Your Favorite Christmas Movies?

Ishtar has lived a rich and strange life. The main catalyst is perhaps the NDE experienced at age 13, which over the next few years contributed to a serious interest in spirituality, the adoption of various spiritual practices, and entering an ashram at age 18. While the sense of inner wholeness has been the focus,  “things rich and strange” came along for the ride in the form of precognitive seeing, telepathy, ghosts, lucid dreams, and the wild and improbable manifestation of desires. For Ishtar, synchronicity is a very real happening beyond the explanatory framework of chance. These days, Ishtar lives in Portugal with Luna, teaching meditation and providing astrological readings.

To Learn More About Ishtar’s Work:

Meditation website: www.ascension-meditation.com

Astrology website: www.awakenedlightastrology.com

To Practice Yoga With Luna: www.yogawithluna.com 

12:09-23:05 TRAILER, Basic Info, Interesting Facts, General Opinion

Source for the Interesting Facts was mainly the special features on the “Last Holiday” DVD!

23:05-37:05 Cast & Crew In-Depth

37:05-48:21 Opening Scenes, Introduction to Georgia, The Possibilities Book, What Would Be In Your Possibilities Book?

48:21-1:02:33 Georgia’s Diagnosis, Coming To Grips With Death

1:02:33-1:12:50 Georgia’s Trip, The Grand Hotel Pupp, Karlovy Vary 

Website of the Grand Hotel Pupp: https://www.pupp.cz/en/about-the-hotel 

Travelogues on Karlovy Vary: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJjpGHh3Dq0 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gglQyfoM3a4 

1:12:50-1:23:41 Characters At The Hotel, Georgia’s First Days At The Hotel, Meeting Chef Didier

1:23:41-1:41:35 Georgia And Matthew Kragen, The Snowboarding Scene, The Base-Jumping Scene, Georgia Talks to Ms. Burns, Georgia Talks to Senator Dillings, The Move in Relation to the 2008 Financial Crisis, The Casino Scene

1:41:35 SPOILERS BEGIN

1:41:35-1:51:28 Kragen Investigates Georgia, Chef Didier As Archetypical Wizard, Meanwhile Back in New Orleans, Seans Comes to Karlovy Vary

1:51:28-2:07:36 New Year’s Eve, The Turnip Speech, Georgia Talks To Herself, Kragen Confronts Georgia, The Ledge Scene, Flashforward 

2:07:36-2:17:05 What Would You Do On Your Last Holiday?, Are There Parts of Georgia’s Trip You’d Want To Experience?

2:17:05-2:29:15 Double Feature Recommendations