Elevator to the Gallows (1958) **

Might have been better if we just watched Ms. Moreau walking around Paris at night. There is a lot of that but also a convoluted and drawn out series of events to prove that crime doesn't pay. Feels too long even at 90 minutes.

The Killers (1964) **

Beautifully shot with interesting actors but the cheesy soundtrack and matte work diminish the impact.

California Split (1974) ***

Well made character study of life amidst the sleazy world of low rent gamblers and prostitutes. Definitely not a "Hollywood" picture.

The Female Brain (2017) **

Beanie and some hilarious title sequences make for an enjoyable take on the rom-com.

Seberg (2019) **

Ms. Stewart is spectacular but the flick is simplistic and exploitive.

Throne of Blood (1957) **

Boffo ending saves this so-so Japanese version of The Scottish Play. Without the poetry and nuance it's just an action flick.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020) ***

Some issues with the casting and the finale but mostly a marvelous adaptation of a difficult novel to film.

Blood on the Moon (1948) **

Quirky western noir with Mitchum's screen persona in full flower. Ends a little too neatly.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) ***

Well done sci-fi/rom-com that manages to avoid most of both genre's cliches. Very entertaining.

Seven Samurai (1954) **

Again too long and repetitive for my tastes but some nice sequences.

A Private Function (1984) ***

A cast of nearly every top British comedic actor available at the time elevates this droll Ealing-esque comedy about the severe food rationing in Britain after WWII. Witty script.

Drunken Angel (1948) **

Early Kurosawa is a Japanese noir featuring some nifty sequences. Could have been trimmed a bit.

Phantom Lady (1944) ***

Never mind the plot holes just enjoy this well paced, well shot hyper-noir.

The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934) **

Flora Robson, expectedly, steals the picture but she's only in the first half. Bergner is fine as Catherine but her look calls to mind Harpo Marx to a distracting degree. Fairbanks is just awful.

One Wonderful Sunday (1947) *

Not so wonderful. Repetitive, ploddingly paced tale of two lost souls drifting towards insanity.

Sullivan's Travels (1941) **

Preston Sturges was a very influential filmmaker (this one in particular) but his films just don't seem to gel for me. This one is no different.

La veuve Couderc (1971) **

Slight look at French country life as it slides into semi-Fascism in the mid 1930's. The two leads make it worth the while.

Terry Gilliam Developed a Movie From a Lost Stanley Kubrick Idea – /Film

According to Cinergie, that abandoned Kubrick project was a film adaptation of Lunatic at Large, a 70-page treatment based on a Kubrick idea that Kubrick’s then-producing partner James B. Harris commissioned from acclaimed crime writer Jim Thompson in the 1950s. Thompson, who is probably best known for writing The Killer Inside Me, had teamed up with Kubrick to write the script for the 1956 Sterling Hayden movie The Killing, but Harris hoped Thompson’s fleshing out of Lunatic at Large might also catch Kubrick’s eye and result in his next movie. The project fell by the wayside and was never made, but the treatment was re-discovered in 1999; in 2010, Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson were attached to star in a movie version, but that never happened...

This wouldn’t be the first time that Gilliam entered into Kubrick’s orbit. In 2013, Gilliam explained that he learned Kubrick had once wanted him to direct a sequel to Dr. Strangelove called Son of Strangelove, but Kubrick died before that that could come to fruition.

Palm Springs (2020) ***

Nice blend of genres is perfectly paced, well written and cast.

Wuthering Heights (1939) ***

Despite the overbearing soundtrack and a hokey final scene an entertaining rendition of the oft filmed gothic romance.

The Hidden Fortress (1958) **

Too long and repetitive, but some masterful scenes and images.

An Autumn Afternoon (1962) **

Beautifully shot and composed and the glimpse into Japanese life in 1962 is interesting but it fails to engage.

The Human Factor (1979) **

Otto's films always have some interesting quirks and this one is well scripted with a top cast but the overall effect seems flat.

Day of the Outlaw (1959) **

Western noir has enough weirdness to recommend even though it falters in the third act.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) ****

Anti-Bond spy thriller with a stellar script and top performances all around.

My Blueberry Nights (2007) **

Well made though hardly credible road-trip-to-find-myself flick features a good A-list cast.

The Happy Ending (1969) ****

Sharp, realistic look at what happened when post-war America started to wake up from its dream. Beautiful time capsule of 1969.

The Sacrament (2013) *

Found footage flick never convinces.

The Winslow Boy (1999) ***

Well crafted courtroom drama that doesn't have one scene in a courtroom. Terrific adaptation by Mamet, well acted by all.

A Serious Man (2009) ****

One of The Coens best and that's saying something. Hilarious, odd, truthful, thoughtful.

Bright Days Ahead (2013) **

Typical (good thing) French character study is a showcase for the wonderful Ms. Ardant.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) **

Early counter culture Brit flick but the utter stupidity of the lead character undermines its message.

Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970) **

Amusing character study thanks to the talent and charm of Mr. Wilder.

Pépé le Moko (1937) **

Influential French noir is long on characters and short on story. Jean Gabin has some terrific scenes.

The Vast of Night (2019) **

A little too darkly lit for my tastes, and goes overboard on the long tracking shots, but impressively constructed Twilight Zone episode.

Panique (1946) **

Nicely done Simenon story, early French noir.

Market should have seen a US jobs gain coming - Asia Times

It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Google publishes daily data for workplace mobility –the number of smartphones whose GPS signal shows up at workplaces – and a slight improvement is clear from mid-April to mid-May. The second half of May, though, showed no further gains.

The Comfort of Strangers (1990) **

Beautifully designed and shot, it's a shame it is so poorly constructed. A waste of its beautiful stars.

The Wrong Missy (2020) **

Raunchy rom-com has quite a few laughs thanks to Lauren Lapkus. Formulaic but fun.

Frosty (1965) **

Soviet era Russian mish-mash of nearly every fairy tale trope you can think of has a certain Kroft-ian lo-fi charm. It's quick and colorful and clearly for 10yo and under.

Gate of Hell (1953) **

Sumptuously designed and photographed, this fable of imperial Japan doesn't quite reach the emotional heights it aspires to.

The Call of the Wild (1972) **

Better than it should be given the dubbed cast and threadbare budget. Heston does the best he can with the flimsy script and it kind of works.

In the Mood for Love (2000) **

A visual feast but the stylistic approach leads to confusion and unresolved questions.

Irma Vep (1996) **

A pleasant enough time with Ms. Cheung even if the flick is slight.

Fat City (1972) ***

Searing look at small time boxers and their struggles. Well cast and directed by Mr. Huston.

The Go-Between (1971) **

Lovingly mounted period drama let down by a less than satisfying ending.

The Promoter (1952) *

The sort of English comedy that was hilarious in 1952 but is just bewildering now. Watchable as a document of its time.

The Browning Version (1951) ***

Lovely production of the oft-filmed play featuring a terrific Michael Redgrave.

Aniara (2018) **

Hard sci-fi look at human nature and how lost we are without Earth.

The Passionate Friends (1949) **

Romantic melodrama with a fine trio of leads and some interesting shots by Mr. Lean.

Green for Danger (1946) ***

Sharply written whodunit with some interesting blitz-era English touches, nicely produced.

Screwed (2000) **

Decent dumbbell comedy with plenty of laughs if you don't try to think it through.

Hobson's Choice (1954) **

John Mills steals the show in this period romcom.

Madeleine (1950) ***

Fascinating look at social dynamics in Victorian Scotland and one determined woman. The casting seems a bit off but well directed by Mr. Lean.

Golden Salamander (1950) **

Nifty noir, sort of a poor man's Casablanca. Early lead for the lovely Anouk.

This Happy Breed (1944) **

Well cast and acted look at an English family between the wars. A little too idealized.

Lovely & Amazing (2001) ***

I enjoy Ms. Holofcener's films because they give their characters space to be human and if they change it is very subtle.

Separate Tables (1958) ***

Solid drama with an all star cast marred by an overbearing score.

Blithe Spirit (1945) *

This sort of thing is better on the stage. A waste of Ms. Rutherford.

Bad Education (2019) **

Hugh Jackman is terrific in this so-so Scorsese ripoff.

Brief Encounter (1945) ***

Very British and very of its time, still its charms are plenty thanks to Celia Johnson and Mr. Lean of course.

Le Plaisir (1952) **

Dazzling camera work, but a cold clinical look at different aspects of "l'amour".

The Whole Town's Talking (1935) **

Edward G. does double duty in this so-so screwball dramedy. Kind of shocked this wasn't re-made by this guy.

Blind Alley (1939) **

Well acted, though heavy handed, melo-noir about a killer holed up in a shrink's lake house. Comical to note how Hollywood bought the Freudian mythos hook line and sinker. Psychiatrist as super hero.

The Death of Stalin (2017) **

Well made take on the maneuverings in the USSR once Stalin was out. Nice to see Michael Palin and Steve Buscemi get well deserved choice roles.

Winter Light (1963) *

Bergman talkfest is completely un-engrossing.

Topkapi (1964) *

The actual heist is superbly done but the rest of the film is surprisingly sloppy. Disappointing overall.

Ben-Hur (1959) **

It's actually pretty good for the first two thirds (except for Hugh Griffith) and of course the chariot race sequence is unparalleled, but that last third really drags. Terrific use of the wide screen by Wyler.

Hour of Glory (1949) **

Lesser Archers production, still has some imaginative sequences, is lovingly photographed in black and white and has the compelling Kathleen Byron.

Kinetta (2005) *

Nothing to see here. Just check out Lanthimos' other better films.

Anne-Marie (1936) **

Enjoyable if you view it as a proto Wes Anderson flick. Otherwise it's not very compelling.

From Bats to Human Lungs, the Evolution of a Coronavirus | The New Yorker

Analyses of the sars-CoV-2 genome indicate a single spillover event, meaning the virus jumped only once from an animal to a person, which makes it likely that the virus was circulating among people before December. Unless more information about the animals at the Wuhan market is released, the transmission chain may never be clear. There are, however, numerous possibilities. A bat hunter or a wildlife trafficker might have brought the virus to the market. Pangolins happen to carry a coronavirus, which they might have picked up from bats years ago, and which is, in one crucial part of its genome, virtually identical to sars-CoV-2. But no one has yet found evidence that pangolins were at the Wuhan market, or even that venders there trafficked pangolins. “We’ve created circumstances in our world somehow that allows for these viruses, which would otherwise not be known to cause any problems, to get into human populations,” Mark Denison, the director of pediatric infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, told me. “And this one happened to say, ‘I really like it here.’”

Woody Allen Memoir Apropos of Nothing Is Hilarious & Endearing | National Review

Looking ahead to the future (at 84, he says, “My life is almost half over”), Allen figures to continue vexing his many haters. He had difficulty assembling a cast for his latest movie, but it’s now in the can, and even if he couldn’t make movies, he’d write plays. If no one would produce his plays, he’d write books. If no one would publish the books now, he’d write them for later. The image comes to mind of Allen’s Bananas hero Fielding Mellish, representing himself in a treason trial, getting bound and gagged by the judge, but continuing to speak (and reduce a witness to tears). Sorry, you there with the pitchforks and the torches, despite putting him through (Bananas again) a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham, Allen still doesn’t care what you think of him, and he’s going to keep creating till he drops. “If I died right now I couldn’t complain,” he says. “And neither would a lot of other people.”

The Lady from Shanghai (1947) ****

Despite the studio "corrections" there's enough Welles-ian oddities and eccentricities to make this a perrenial favorite.

A Dandy in Aspic (1968) ***

Stylish cold-war spy thriller with a terrific Laurence Harvey as the cold, cold spy. More Le Carré than Fleming.

Earthquake Bird (2019) **

Nicely produced but meandering script. Less would have been more here.

The Jesus Rolls (2019) **

Much better than its source material just don't expect another Lebowski. There is bowling however. Amiable romp with a top cast.

Onward (2020) *

Pixar finally lays an egg and it's on the Disney-in-the-60's level. Contrived and insulting.

The Wicker Man (1973) **

Shirley Jackson would approve and the cast is good and game but it's a little too loose to be great. Still its images and integrity to the story (not to mention the lovely Ms. Ekland) keep it relevant.

The Call of the Wild (2020) **

Apparently the filmmakers intended to show the film to 10 year olds only. Even so it does have impressive CGI and Harrison Ford is pretty good.

Cause for Alarm! (1951) **

Loretta Young keeps the picture together despite the crazy noir-ish contrivances.

Force Majeure (2014) **

Extremely subtle performances as well as extremely long scenes undermines the impact the film intends. Beautifully shot and well constructed.

Downhill (2020) **

Thankfully avoids Hollywood-izing the source material but the casting leads viewers to expect a laugh riot which it is certainly not.

Three on a Match (1932) **

Breakneck pacing helps this sordid melodrama of 3 grammar school chums and their varying paths in later life.

Red Desert (1964) ***

The lovely Ms. Vitti can't cope with reality after a brush with death. Welcome to the club. Beautifully shot.

Hardcore (1979) **

George C. is always an interesting actor and he's the best thing about the flick, another exploration of the Calvinist upbringing of Schrader as it clashes with modernity.

The Draughtsman's Contract (1982) *

Period snoozer is pretty to look at. Might have been better with the sound off?

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) ***

Beautifully shot period romance, not played as a weepie but as a melancholic remembrance.

Clear History (TV Movie 2013) **

An all star cast and excellent use of some great Chicago tunes help this enjoyable Curb-esque comedy.

Day for Night (1973) **

Enjoyable movie about movie making from a French perspective with a lovely Ms. Bisset.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) **

Despite Damon being very wrong for Ripley and some significant deviations from the source novel, this is a well made, enjoyable romp through some lovely Mediterranean locales.

Dark Victory (1939) **

Intermittently successful weepie with a nonsense ending. The times when it hits are due to Ms. Davis.

Where the Money Is (2000) **

Under-produced and under-written heist flick proves that even at 75 Paul Newman could carry a picture.

Realism Is False | Edge.org

I'm not denying that there is an objective reality. There is some objective reality that exists independent of whether or not I perceive it, but that objective reality is not space and time or anything inside space and time. Those are just human forms of perception. That's what quantum theory is telling us. It's telling us local realism is false, non-contextual realism is false, and realism is false, at least what we call realism of objects in space and time. They don't exist, except when they're perceived. They don't have their properties, except when they're perceived because spacetime is not fundamental. That's what the physicists are now telling us, like Nima Arkani-Hamed. Spacetime is doomed. There is an objective reality, but it's not space and time. It's a deeper reality outside of space and time. Spacetime is emergent and is not fundamental.

In This Our Life (1942) ***

Entertaining melodrama, paced like the Indy 500, with Ms. Davis in a risky wild performance. A little heavy with the music but well composed scenes, few single closeups.

Blue Chips (1994) **

Well made look at college sports exploitation of athletes. Good use of actual athletes as actors.

The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) **

Pre-code Hollywood melodrama "picturizing" Great Depression era inequality and potential remedies. Nice to see Bette in the vamp role.

Beyond Fracking: Oil-and-Gas Industry's Toxic Waste Is Radioactive - Rolling Stone

The levels of radium in Louisiana oil pipes had registered as much as 20,000 times the limits set by the EPA for topsoil at uranium-mill waste sites. Templet found that workers who were cleaning oil-field piping were being coated in radioactive dust and breathing it in. One man they tested had radioactivity all over his clothes, his car, his front steps, and even on his newborn baby. The industry was also spewing waste into coastal waterways, and radioactivity was shown to accumulate in oysters. Pipes still laden with radioactivity were donated by the industry and reused to build community playgrounds. Templet sent inspectors with Geiger counters across southern Louisiana. One witnessed a kid sitting on a fence made from piping so radioactive they were set to receive a full year’s radiation dose in an hour. “People thought getting these pipes for free from the oil industry was such a great deal,” says Templet, “but essentially the oil companies were just getting rid of their waste.”

Parasite (2019) ***

Satire is tough to do and this flick almost hits its ambitions, keeps it real while making its points.

Now, Voyager (1942) ***

Archetypical Hollywood melodrama is done so well you ignore the preposterous story, sit back and enjoy the ride.