It (2017) *

A perfect example of a contemporary Hollywood film: a near complete lack of imagination and too damn long! Newcomer Sophia Lillis is a real find though.

A SON SPEAKS OUT By Moses Farrow

To the actors who have worked with my father and have voiced regret for doing so: You have rushed to join the chorus of condemnation based on a discredited accusation for fear of not being on the “right” side of a major social movement. But rather than accept the hysteria of Twitter mobs, mindlessly repeating a story examined and discredited 25 years ago, please consider what I have to say. After all, I was there – in the house, in the room – and I know both my father and mother and what each is capable of a whole lot better than you.

To my sister Dylan: Like you, I believe in the power of speaking out. I have broken my silence about the abuse inflicted by our mother. My healing began only after getting away from her. And what she has done to you is unbearable. I wish you peace, and the wisdom to understand that devoting your life to helping our mother destroy our father’s reputation is unlikely to bring you closure in any kind of lasting way.

Finally, to my mother: One thing you always said you appreciated about me was my ability to listen. I listened to you for years and held your truth above all others. You once said to me, “It’s not healthy to hold onto anger.” Yet here we are, 26 years later. I’m guessing your next step will be to launch a campaign to discredit me for speaking out. I know it comes with the territory. And it’s a burden I am willing to bear.

But, after all this time, enough is enough. You and I both know the truth. And it’s time for this retribution to end.

The Last of Sheila (1973) ***

Clever whodunit with a beautiful all-star cast and a proper mid-70's vibe, but cheaply shot and produced.

Battle of the Sexes (2017) ***

Well acted with good period production design. Recaptures some of the feel of the time which is all you can hope for with most bio-pics.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) **

It looks great but the lack of any substance behind the fantasy images mutes the overall effect.

Intermezzo (1936) **

Overacted weepy notable for being able to hear Ms. Bergman in her native Swedish.

White House leakers leak about leaking - Axios

"Otherwise," the official added, "you have to realize that working here is kind of like being in a never-ending 'Mexican Standoff.' Everyone has guns (leaks) pointed at each other and it's only a matter of time before someone shoots. There's rarely a peaceful conclusion so you might as well shoot first."

Henry Siegman: Two Terrorisms LRB 24 May 2018

The invocation of Israel’s ‘sovereign right’ is the big lie at the heart of America’s responsibility for the collapse of the peace process. In Gaza, as in the West Bank beyond the pre-1967 armistice line, Israel is acting not in accordance with its sovereign right to protect itself, but to protect its occupation. What Israel’s military restores when it quells Palestinian protests is not law and order, but illegality and repression, reinforcing its theft of Palestinian territory in order to preclude the possibility of a Palestinian state, a goal it has achieved.

Je t'aime, je t'aime (1968) **

Interesting attempt at trying to tell a story with a different narrative structure, done more successfully in other films.

I Feel Pretty (2018) **

Amusing rom-com teases about stretching the genre's parameters but returns to the tried and true formula.

My American Uncle (1980) **

The stories are not compelling enough to overcome the heavy-handed setups describing the theories of M. Laborit.

All the Money in the World (2017) **

Overlong, very Scott-like directed flick becomes a lesson in how to carry a picture by Mr. Plummer.

Once-Adventurous Salmon Can’t Believe She Ended Up Moving Back To Birthplace, Having A Bunch Of Kids

“I was carefree and always up for going wherever the sea current took me, so never in a million years did I ever think I’d be back in this old stream starting a big family,” said the expecting mother of 2,133, noting that returning to the place where she grew up and settling down was the furthest thing from her mind while she was young and daring, traveling thousands of miles across the sea and risking the dark, seal-infested waters off Greenland in search of a little excitement. “Growing up seeing salmon after salmon give up their independent lives in the ocean to come back and have babies, I vowed to never let that happen to me—but I guess things change. Maybe after my children leave the nest, I’ll take a trip to Newfoundland and get into some trouble like I did in the good ol’ days.” At press time, sources confirmed that the salmon had died less than a week after spawning.

I Know Which Country the U.S. Will Invade Next

This leaves only one question: Who will be next on the list of U.S. illegal invasions cloaked in bullshit justifications? Well, last week, Iran finally did it: It switched from the dollar to the euro. And sure enough, this week, the U.S. military industrial complex, the corporate media and Israel all got together to claim that Iran is lying about its nuclear weapons development. What are the odds that this news would break within days of Iran dropping the dollar? What. Are. The. Odds?

Sacramento coroner releases Stephon Clark autopsy, disputing he was shot mostly in back - SFGate

The March 18 death of the 22-year-old Clark in his grandmother’s backyard has sparked weeks of protests and called into question the officers’ tactics and decision to shoot. A central point of contention, which could be critical to prosecutors weighing whether to file criminal charges against the officers, is whether Clark was in fact advancing toward officers, as police have said.

And of course, as we are all fully aware, advancing toward officers unarmed is punishable by death.