High Life (2018) ***

Harsh, brutal at times but ultimately becomes what true sci-fi aspires to: a resonant comment on our life here and now.

The Seventh Victim (1943) *

Hard to believe 1943 audiences found this flick anything but laughable. A devil worshipping cult that vows non-violence? Their main threat is brow beating you into committing suicide? The suave, urbane and chain-smoking psychiatrist is also a hoot.

Rogue Male (1976) ***

Above average action flick benefits from a strong script and the star/acting power of Mr. O'Toole who is in fine form. It suffers however from shoddy 70's TV level photography.

Joker (2019) ***

Terrific performance by Mr. Phoenix in this well paced, beautifully shot, stylish film.

Black Moon (1975) *

Ambitious take on Lewis Carroll perhaps, but if you don't get it, there's really not much to maintain interest, despite a game cast and nice cinematography.

The Land of Steady Habits (2018) **

Fairly typical Holofcener film, directed well, featuring very wealthy folks having relationship issues with smart, witty dialogue. Ben Mendelsohn needs to play Tony Bourdain in the biopic.

Friends with Money (2006) **

A lot of disbelief (and disinterest in the 1%) needs to be suspended, but if you can it's an enjoyable, talky look at relationships.

Eva (1962) **

Ms. Moreau dominates with a terrific performance in this examination of male-female power dynamics from director Losey. Hampered by producer meddling that cut 52 minutes. Beautifully shot, mainly in Venice.

The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1972) **

Droll French comedy is well done, forerunner of Burn After Reading perhaps?

Saint Jack (1979) ***

Greene-ish tale of an American abroad and the things they do to the locals. Assuredly directed, nicely written and acted.

F for Fake (1973) **

Fascinating subject given the usual Welles style, seems to falter in the last third.

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) **

Decidedly "B" level but interesting as the first of the "human as prey" genre. Thankfully short.

Ready or Not (2019) *

Poor attempt at social satire is shot so darkly you cannot tell what is going on half the time. Also, not funny and a waste of the lovely Ms. MacDowell.

Scarlett Johansson Talks Woody Allen, Elizabeth Warren, 'Black Widow' | Hollywood Reporter

But it was Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation at 19 that cemented Johansson as an actress whose subtlety as a performer matched her youthful allure. As her critical bona fides grew, so, too, did Johansson's box office power. Thanks largely to Marvel movies but also to other hits including the 2014 science fiction film Lucy ($463.4 million worldwide), she is the highest-grossing actress in the world and the third highest-grossing actor, period, with her movies having earned more than $14 billion at the box office worldwide.

Spirits of the Dead (1968) **

Poe anthology featuring three iconic directors displaying their signature styles. Pretty and colorful to look at, uneven.

Divorce Italian Style (1961) **

Droll satire of Italian macho codes, seems dated. I hope it's dated.

Reservoir Dogs (1992) ***

Tarantino at his leanest, much better than the bloated versions.

Tenure (2008) ***

Nicely done comedy about a well meaning prof struggling to make the next level. Plays with cliches, manages to subvert them.

Paper Mask (1990) ***

Suspenseful tale of a Ripley-esque ne'er-do-well posing as a doctor featuring the lovely Amanda Donohoe.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) ****

Miyazaki's breakthrough film and one of his best. Pared down story, focusing mainly on realism and minimal plot enhances the fantasy.

Robin and Marian (1976) ***

Unsentimental look at the Robin Hood legend from the backend with nuanced, realistic characters. Excellent cast, well directed, as usual, by Mr. Lester.

Justin Hayward Talks About Life During and After the Moody Blues – Variety

There was a great lethargy around that album. Tony Clarke, our record producer, had personal disaster during that album [Octave, 1978] and didn’t finish it. And Mike [Pinder] couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to stay or not. I missed him terribly. I played a lot of the keyboards on it. It was in the time when nobody was showing any interest in anybody else’s songs [laughs]. It’s weird to be in a group like that. Graeme [Edge] was always sort of enthusiastic. But in the studio, in the Record Plant in Los Angeles where we recorded it — which, curiously enough, burnt down not long after we recorded it — there was this funny old little Farfisa organ. The track was going nowhere, people had lost interest, and so late one night, I asked the engineer to put it up. I just started playing that [sings organ groove], and then I thought, Hang on, I can just do this three chord thing all the way through the song, in this particular kind of syncopated thing.That’s the bit I like about it most.

Hard Eight (1996) ***

Directorial style in spades, a terrific cast, shot so well it makes Reno look good. The story is nearly there, just falling short of satisfying.

Mickey One (1965) **

Silly tonal swings and one or two "symbols" too many frustrate what could have been a fascinating and compelling Kafka-esque tale. Great art direction and casting.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019) **

Very faithful adaptation of the novel, but not even Ms. Blanchett can make this character sympathetic. It's well paced and colorful but feels like a long way to go for not much of a reason.

Francis Ford Coppola | The Talks

Mr. Ford Coppola, do you see your influence in the work of other filmmakers?

You know, that’s a funny subject you bring up. When I was young, I wanted to be Tennessee Williams or Elia Kazan, so I would steal anything I could from them because that was my idea of greatness. And the truth of the matter is that if a young person is influenced by something I do, he’s welcome to it because there’s no way you can steal from another person.

Because ultimately it’s your version of that idea.

Right, you do it in your own way. Even as hard as I tried to steal from Tennessee Williams, it came out some other way. And that’s the purpose of art. It means you live on in somebody else’s work, which is something very pleasant as a thought. So if something I did influenced another film or if I had some small part in encouraging them, then I am pleased.

Art School Confidential (2006) **

Satire is extremely difficult to pull off on film and this one's no different. Comes close with some nice star performances.

Blondie & The Beastly E.C. Tour: 2019-08-08 Concord, CA

Blondie comes out the winner in this battle of the bands, thanks to an excellent sound mix and pleasing song mix. Elvis on the other hand, suffered from a very poor sound mix with massive drum/bass and almost inaudible vocals. This did not help his eclectic set list with some not so familiar tunes. Also, the man is losing his singing ability it is obvious. He can keep it together when he focuses but he was losing the melody quite often and strained in the lower registers. He can still belt out the high notes but not always.

Bay of Angels (1963) ***

Jeanne Moreau and the French Riviera in 1963. Both are spectacular.

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019) **

Another Tarantino exercise in redemptive nostalgia. Enjoyable if you like vintage cars being driven in vintage LA while listening to vintage songs.

The Lion King (2019) **

The realism of the animation makes the talking and singing animals seem strange and surprisingly silly. Still, some impressively done CGI.

Vagabond (1985) **

In the mode of Wanda, a bleak, uncompromising look at an aimless young woman and her misadventures featuring a compelling central performance. Excellent use of non-actors and well composed shots.

Late Night (2019) *

Rigidly formulaic office comedy commits the most grievous sin: it's not funny. Disappointing waste of Ms. Thompson.

Absolution (1978) **

Combination whodunit and Canon law exercise, maintains interest throughout with superb production design and a good, film carrying performance by Sir Richard.

The Lady Vanishes (1979) **

Ms. Shepherd is the only reason to watch this well meaning remake, but that's reason enough.

Bad Lieutenant (1992) *

A waste of the talents of Mr. Keitel.

Apollo 11 (2019) ****

Well directed doc about the Apollo 11 mission made with high def NASA found footage. Fascinating document of 1969 America and the incredible effort of thousands of people.

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) **

Superlative showcase for the lovely Ms. Wood and a so-so social satire about changing 60's relationship mores.

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019) ***

Three stars for the original footage of the Revue and the factual reconstruction of the time. However Mr. Scorsese adds a number of fictional elements and disguises the fact that they are fictional and only astute viewers with knowledge of 1980's era HBO will be in on it. This is probably in keeping with Mr. Dylan's attempts to obscure his own facts and fictions from way back.

Across the Universe (2007) ***

With any other songs this would be a hardly worth it flick. But it is worth it thanks to The Beatles and Ms. Taymor's directing abilities. Could have been cut by about 30 minutes though.

Kissed (1996) ***

Very well made character study about a young woman with unusual habits let's just say. Well paced and doesn't flinch from the logic of the story.

The Player (1992) ***

Altman is always good, but even better when he has a tight script and that's the case here thanks to Michael Tolkin. The only problem is Tim Robbins in the lead and since he has to carry the picture... Despite that, a terrific eff you to Hollywood execs and producers featuring many stars in cameos.

Autumn Sonata (1978) **

Bleak yes, that's to be expected of Ingmar, but so in the thrall of psycho-babble as to be laughable. Ms. Bergman is beautiful and wonderful as is also to be expected.

The American Friend (1977) **

Was all set to give this 3 stars then the last 30 minutes goes off the rails. Great role for Bruno Ganz and Mr. Hopper is used very effectively.

The Romantic Englishwoman (1975) **

If there was a "tell" between the film's reality and dream reality I missed it. Seemed like a straightforward romantic triangle tale of jealousy with a bit of thriller thrown in. An unsatisfying mish-mash but love the scenes of '75 Europe.

Bottle Shock (2008) **

Just when you think they can't top the last cliché, here comes another even worse. Poorly written but with an appealing cast and some lovely shots of Northern California vineyards. You'll be thirsty before it's over.

For Unk

Empty-handed I entered the world
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going — Two simple happenings
That got entangled.
                              -- Kozan Ichikyo's Death Poem

Toy Story 4 (2019) **

Needless sequel is easily the worst episode in the bunch. Very strong feeling that you've seen all this before. Also the parent characters are extremely annoying. Still, you can get lost in the attention to detail in the background animation.

The Handmaiden (2016) **

It's beautifully shot, the story complex and an interesting twist on the con game genre, but it's too long, repetitious and needlessly over the top in parts.

The Hit (1984) ***

Unconventional road picture goes beyond itself thanks to Mr. Stamp and Mr.Frears.

Double Indemnity (1944) ****

Even with the lackluster casting and the Edward G. schtick, Chandler's screenplay is terrific and Wilder stays out of the way enough to let Fred work.

Youth Without Youth (2007) **

It's a Francis Coppola film so it is well cast and beautifully shot, but ultimately not entirely successful beyond that, at least not upon first viewing.

Let the Sunshine In (2017) **

A luminous Ms. Binoche (looking a good 20 years younger) keeps you rooting for her against a succession of lovers who aren't really interested in her as herself, which ultimately becomes tiresome.

BBC - Future - The poisons released by melting Arctic ice

Around 10% of the carbon that does defrost will probably be released as CO2, amounting to 130-150 billion tonnes. That is equivalent to the current rate of total US emissions, every year until 2100. Melting permafrost effectively introduces a new country at number two on the highest emitters list, and one that isn’t accounted for in current IPCC models. “People talk about a carbon bomb,” says Natali. “In geological timescales this is not a slow release. It is a pool of carbon that is locked away and is not accounted for in the carbon budget to keep rises below two degrees (Celsius).”

Green Dolphin Street (1947) *

Interminably long, cliched melodrama, pure Hollywood schtick, badly miscast featuring one of the longest earthquakes in recorded history.

Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) ***

Superficially it's a romantic comedy but underlying it all is the Bergman relentless truth which is often mistaken for cynicism.

Hairspray (1988) ***

Delightfully goofy fable of early '60's urban mores and how the times they were a-changing thanks to good old rock and roll. Superficially played as farce but the underlying truth is obvious.

The Scapegoat (1959) ***

Troubled production notwithstanding, this is an above average Brit flick with a sneaky ending that may or may not have been intended.

The World of Apu (1959) ***

Not as marvelous as the first two installments, but a fitting conclusion to the Apu Trilogy.

Everybody Knows (2018) ***

Engrossing look at old family wounds and how they never seem to go away despite appearances.

Aparajito (1956) ****

Further examination of the life of Apu just as mesmerizing as the first.

My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) *

Low grade, undistinguished noir totally unbelievable, forgettable.

Nickelodeon Orders 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Prequel 'Kamp Koral'

“‘SpongeBob’ has an incredible universe to expand upon and the greenlight for ‘Kamp Koral’ is a testament to the strength and longevity of these characters known and loved by generations of fans around the world,” said Ramsey Naito, Nickelodeon’s executive vice president of animation production and development.

The series is one of several planned spinoffs for the “SpongeBob” universe, which include potential standalone stories for side characters like Sandy Cheeks and Plankton.

Way to go , Nick. Run it into the ground.

Pather Panchali (1955) ****

Indian neo-realist classic, lovingly photographed, movingly told.

Delirious (2006) **

Steve Buscemi is great but the film is frustratingly too long and scattershot. Could have been a classic.

Bad Timing (1980) **

Beautiful pictures as usual with Nic Roeg and although there's a lot of truth here it is ugly and not very entertaining.

La Truite (The Trout) (1982) **

As much as I like M. Huppert and as good an actress as she is she is miscast here and it makes the film more ridiculous than it needs to be.

The Great Beauty (2013) **

It's trying to say something profound but takes the LONG way around and gets lost.

Ride in the Whirlwind (1966) **

Another attempt at a fresh take on the Western falls short despite the beautiful photography. Feels padded even at 82 minutes.

Elton John: 'They wanted to tone down the sex and drugs. But I haven’t led a PG-13 life' | Global | The Guardian

We were very close right at the start of our career together, but we’re completely different people. He comes from the wilds of Lincolnshire, I come from the suburbs of London. He lives in Santa Barbara and he’s literally won competitions for roping cattle. I collect antique porcelain and the only way you’d get me on the back of a horse is at gunpoint. Neither of us can write if the other is in the room. But there’s a weird bond between us that I felt the minute I opened the envelope – I could just write music to his words straight away, without even thinking about it – and it’s lasted over 50 years.

We’ve had arguments – you don’t want to get him started on the subject of some of my more outlandish stage costumes, or indeed the subject of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, a song he’s loathed from the minute it was finished and continues to loathe to this day – but we’ve never fallen out, despite all the ridiculous crap we’ve been through.

Queen of the Desert (2015) **

Watchable biopic but it never gets to the heart of the subject. I know the credits say directed by Werner Herzog but there's nothing on the screen to indicate that.

Claire's Camera (2017) ***

Impeccably photographed series of conversations in and about Cannes with the inimitable M. Huppert as our guide.

Five (1951) ***

Features several superbly directed sequences and an overall unsentimental and matter-of-fact tone that allow you to overlook the stupidity of the characters and the overuse of the closeup. Falters in the middle, but has such a good start and finish. Made on a shoestring, the first post nuke apocalyptic flick.

The Fallen Idol (1948) ***

Fine, tasteful adaptation of a Graham Greene story about (what else) an affair, lies, death and guilt. Good script, actors, direction.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) **

Good showcase for some fine actors. Could have been trimmed to a more palatable length though.

Wine Country (2019) **

Watchable dramedy about female friendships. Maybe has a couple too many in the ensemble. Suffers from not enough Maya.

Pushover (1954) ***

Nifty noir about a cop on a stakeout who starts to fall for the bank robber's moll. Introduces a stunning Kim Novak.

Doris Day Dead at 97 – Variety

It was also significant because of the ambiguity of certain scenes that could be interpreted as meaning that the central characters slept together before marriage — a first for a Day character and interesting at a time when comedians were calling her the world’s oldest virgin. She was offered the role of Mrs. Robinson in “The Graduate,” which could have gone a long way to modernizing what had become a square image, but turned it down because she thought the sexual relationship was exploitative.

Peggy Lipton Dead: ‘Mod Squad,’ ‘Twin Peaks’ Star Was 72 – Variety

At the height of her popularity in 1968, she released a self-titled album and had a hit in 1970 with a cover of Donovan’s “Wear Your Love Like Heaven.” In her 2006 memoir “Breathing Out,” she describes being abused as a child by an uncle and suffering several abusive relationships. Lipton was romantically linked to Paul McCartney, Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis Presley.

Bonjour Tristesse (1958) ***

Fantastic Riviera locations enhance this melodramatic look at the love lives of the rich and famous. Mylène Demongeot is a delight.

Muriel, or the Time of Return (1963) ***

Vibrantly photographed examination of how memory, reality and truth get mixed up with time. A puzzle picture that needs multiple viewings.

Fists in the Pocket (1965) **

Bizarre story about a wealthy Italian family and a son with too much time on his hands. Hard to tell if it is a black comedy or straight horror flick. Gorgeous scenery of the hills of northern Italy.

The Biggest Loser | DCReport.org

The story of Trump’s taxes is the story of a man whose lying, cheating, stealing and continual need for cash to sustain the image of a multi-billionaire has made him vulnerable to kompromat. It is the story of a known tax cheat who has taken an oath to uphold and defend our Constitution but ignores that oath, violate that oath.

It is a story whose most salient financial circumstances and connections remain hidden. And they will remain hidden unless we demand transparency not from Trump, who will never be open, but from our Congress.

Billy Liar (1963) **

It's well made with some fine visuals, good performances, but the story makes no sense and neither do the lead characters. Maybe a comment on the incomprehensibility of British young men and women in 1962?

Thor: Ragnarok (2017) **

Comic book flick times 10 but it has good actors who are interesting to watch.

Safety Last! (1923) **

Amusing silent flick showcases some exceptional camera and stunt work.

The Burglar (1957) **

For the first half this is a nifty noir with some novel twists and visuals to the usual genre trappings but it runs out of steam and eventually succumbs.

Lola (1961) **

Similar in sensibility to Umbrellas without the sung dialogue. Confident and stylish for a first feature.

Wanda (1970) **

Cinema verité style character study of aimless woman. Shoestring budget but good use of non-actors and location. The real actors are very good. Bleak, unforgiving.

Chimes at Midnight (1965) ***

Further evidence of Orson's directorial prowess. Could have been trimmed a bit but it builds to a moving conclusion.

The Double Hour (2009) **

It's well acted and produced, but a few too many twists and you stop caring.

So Dark the Night (1946) **

B level noir suffers from mediocre production and a twist that's not all that surprising.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) ****

Innovative, original musical, still influential. Kudos to director Demy for sticking the ending.

The Shooting (1966) **

Good try at an existential Western features good performances (especially Mr. Oates), well photographed, but the script falls apart.

Logan's Run (1976) **

Cheesy, campy attempt at the cynical sci-fi so prevalent at the time. Doesn't hold up well.

I Married a Witch (1942) *

Ham fisted attempt at screwball comedy is nearly unwatchable. Relies heavily on the charisma and chemistry of the stars of which there are neither.

The Truth About Woody Allen (Part I) | This Mortal Coil

I know these details get real boring, real fast. But once you study it, you see how even the custody decision has been misrepresented by the Farrows and their followers. Granted, none of this suggests that Woody falling in love with Soon-Yi was a smart move, but, you know, it happened, and the fall-out was massive, but they remain together and have raised two normal, healthy kids. As for Mia, out of her ten adopted kids, two are permanently estranged, and three are dead — two from suicide, and the third died in poverty. Mia also has one brother who committed suicide, and another brother who’s in prison for multiple counts of child molestation. The dysfunction in that family runs very deep, and has nothing to do with Woody and Soon-Yi.

Living in Oblivion (1995) **

Amusing movie about making movies and all the perils therein. Almost makes it to something more.

Rosebud (1975) **

Anti-terrorist procedural starts off great and the attention to detail is at first compelling but soon starts to bog down the picture. Finally it becomes a pro-Israel propaganda piece. Unfortunate since Mr. O'Toole and Ms. Huppert (so young!) are fun to watch.

The Fantasticks (1995) **

This is a very well made rendition of the long running off broadway musical. Unfortunately the songs (except for the finale of course) are quite forgettable and the story is paper thin. It's still beautifully shot and imaginatively directed.