Reel Review Mom

So I’m probably about to date myself here—but honestly, I’m fine with it. No shame. I was born in 1978, FYI.

I remember when cell phones first came out, and how cool it was just to have one. But when I say “cell phone,” I really mean a mobile phone (1996, peeps!). Side note: it only worked if you plugged it into your car’s cigarette lighter. You had limited minutes, and those minutes were expensive. My parents made it very clear: the phone was for emergencies only.
But of course, I wanted to be cool, right? So I’d drive around pretending I was talking on my super fancy mobile phone.

Fast forward about five years—boom. Now we’ve got actual handheld cell phones, aka Nokia anyone?? Tiny little things you could hold in your hand…They mostly just made calls, and if you wanted to send a text? Whew. You had to really be committed. That was not for the weak… My digits were in prime optimal muscular health!

Fast forward a few more years—now we’re around 2003. That’s when I first heard about the BlackBerry by Research In Motion(RIM). It was finally something I could almost afford… but still pretty pricey. My thumbs were introduced to actual work as in the function of the innovative qwerty keyboard…. Revolutionary at the time and those vey muscles are still actually being used today. Soooo, kudos to BlackBerry!

So why, you might ask, am I going down this little trip down memory lane?
Because today I’ve been fully geeking out over the history of the smartphone.
If you’re in the mood for a little nostalgic, heartfelt look back at life before smartphones—and how we very quickly became addicted to that tiny computer in our hands—then you’re going to want to check out the following movies, which I’m doing rn!

1) BlackBerry (Netflix)
If you thought your iPhone addiction was bad, BlackBerry will make you realize this obsession started way earlier—and way nerdier. This movie is chaotic in the best way, telling the rise (and spectacular fall) of the OG smartphone. Jay Baruchel plays the awkward genius perfectly, while Glenn Howerton absolutely steals the show as the unhinged, screaming executive you love to hate. It’s fast, funny, and a little stressful—kind of like the tech world itself. By the end, you’ll be clutching your iPhone (or in my case, my Google Pixel 10a) with a newfound appreciation… and maybe Googling “What happened to BlackBerry?” immediately after.

2) Steve Jobs vs. Jobs (Yes, both are separate movies *🙄*)
Let’s talk Jobs. Steve Jobs starring Michael Fassbender is sleek, intense, and feels like a behind-the-scenes stage play of genius under pressure. It’s less about the “what” and more about the who—flawed, brilliant, and complicated. Then you’ve got Jobs with Ashton Kutcher, which leans more traditional biopic. Kutcher looks the part eerily well, but the storytelling is a bit safer and more surface-level. If you want depth and drama, go Fassbender. If you want the highlight reel version of Apple’s rise, Kutcher’s your guy.

3) The Internship
I feel like this is a great movie to wrap it all up with a comedic overtone because Google has kind of taken over everything techy, which I’m okay tbh. I’ve had Google Pixel phones for the last 8 years and I love them. I don’t miss iPhone or Blackberry at all. Starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, this movie is basically a buddy comedy wrapped in a giant Google ad—and honestly? It works. Watching two old-school sales guys try to survive the fast-paced, hoodie-wearing world of Google is equal parts cringey and charming. It’s predictable, sure, but it’s also fun, light, and surprisingly sweet. Plus, it’s a nice reminder that sometimes heart (and a little hustle) can still keep up with innovation.

4) *Extra credit* watch the 1999 gem, Pirates of Silicon Valley, which chronicles the relationship between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Very, very, very early on smartphone history…….. Like a prehistoric techie juice! Enjoy!