whatever you're thinking, rethink it

Average rating: 6.2, which totally belies the near-perfection of one of these...

 

SPOILER ALERT: review 4 of 5 (Homefront {2013}) contains a spoiler. Do not read it if that's a concern for you.

Woman Chases Man (1937) - "Cautious millionaire Kenneth Nolan refuses to give his eccentric inventor father, B.J., money for his latest project while remaining unaware that his girlfriend, Nina, and her so-called 'uncle' are lovers who are bent on getting to his riches through marriage. Their plans falter when a struggling but shrewd architect, Virginia Travis, pleads for a job from B.J. and convinces him that she can get Kenneth to fund the project, even if it means engaging in a little deceit." 

length: 1h, 11m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by John G. Blystone  |  why I watched: it was on my Tubi watchlist thanks to my enduring interest in Joel McCrea's work

IMDb: 6.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 50% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: humorous, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "'I'm sorry. I'm going. But this last noodle goes with me.'

    'You finish your noodle. You're going home with me.'"

my notes: adorable proof that a movie can be simple without being obvious, funny without being stupid, and romantic without being dramatic. I like McCrea's ironic everyman persona, and was charmed by Miriam Hopkins' plucky, race-talking, vulnerable Virginia. 

themes: transformation, love

overall:  recommended

 

The Seven Year Itch (1955) - "In the midst of a summer heat wave, New Yorker Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) ships his wife, Helen (Evelyn Keyes), and their son off to Maine for vacation. Left alone to work back in Manhattan, Richard encounters a gorgeous blonde model (Marilyn Monroe) who has moved into the apartment upstairs, and becomes infatuated. While pondering infidelity, Richard dreams of his beautiful new neighbor—but will his fantasies about her become a reality?" 

length: 1h, 45m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Billy Wilder  |  why I watched: I was curious and looking for an emotional palate cleanser

IMDb: 7.0/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 84% / 75% Audience  |  my IMDb: 4/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: humorous, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "'I think it's wonderful that you're married. I think it's just elegant.'

    'You do?'

    'Of course. I mean, I wouldn't be lying on the floor in the middle of the night in some man's apartment drinking champagne if he wasn't married.'

    'That's an interesting line of reasoning.'"

my notes: so shallow. This movie, and the fact that I watched it, made me want to punch myself in the face. Monroe is wasted in this cardboard role (sighhhh), and Tom Ewell's Sherman is a disgusting, unappealing child. Some of Billy Wilder's movies are phenomenal—Sunset Boulevard (1950, reviewed here), The Lost Weekend (1945, reviewed here), Double Indemnity (1944, reviewed here), Stalag 17 (1953, reviewed here)—but if this was the first I'd seen, I'd vow to never watch another.

themes: identity

overall: only very weakly recommended

This is Not What I Expected {Xi huan ni} (2017) - "Lu Jin is a rigidly practical financial analyst whose life is governed by order, efficiency, and emotional restraint. Assigned to help manage a struggling hotel, he unexpectedly crosses paths with Gu Shengnan, the hotel’s head chef, whose cooking is intuitive, idiosyncratic, and deeply personal. Through a series of encounters shaped less by conventional romance than by meals, misunderstandings, and small negotiations of control, Lu Jin is gradually forced to confront how insulated his life has become. As professional tensions and personal vulnerabilities surface, the film traces how food becomes a medium for communication, memory, and change, nudging both characters—unevenly and imperfectly—toward a recalibration of what they value and how they connect." 

length: 1h, 46m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Derek Hui  |  why I watched: Takeshi Kaneshiro, who plays Lu Jin, is a new favorite

IMDb: 6.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 78% / 87% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: TV-PG

tone & texture: whimsical, lush & romantic

my notes: loved it. This is one of those movies that sneaks up on you. As I was watching, I was entertained and amused. Since then, its depth and meaning really sank in. Gu shengnan (played with charm and enthusiasm, but also delicacy, by Dongyu Zhou) is eccentric and creative, while also being considerate, affectionate, and (sometimes) realistic. Kaneshiro's Lu Jin isn't the powerful asshole archetype, but rather smart, laden with responsibilities, and unfamiliar with acknowledging and expressing his internal life. 

    It's a light film, not meaning flimsy but rather infused with warmth. Consider it romantic comedy for people who fall in love through competence and curiosity, not swagger.

    If every new film could make me feel like this one did, I'd give up on everything else and just watch movies all day, every day.

themes: chaos v. order, love, transformation, identity

overall: very, very much recommended

Homefront (2013) - "Hoping to escape from his troubled past, former DEA agent Phil Broker (Jason Statham) moves to a seemingly quiet backwater town in the bayou with his daughter. However, he finds anything but quiet there, for the town is riddled with drugs and violence. When Gator Bodine (James Franco), a sociopathic druglord, puts the newcomer and his young daughter in harm's way, Broker is forced back into action to save her and their home. " 

length: 1h, 40m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Gary Fleder  |  why I watched: I've seen it before, but had lost the plot, and I'm trying to rewatch stuff I've seen before but not rated.

IMDb: 6.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 42% / 61% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: gritty, hyper-glossy action

notable quote: "In case you got any interest, Gator eats breakfast nearly every day at Lion's cafe, just like me. Now, he don't look like much or nothin', but you remember what I told you, he ain't true. Crazy, waitin' to happen."

my notes: I like movies with revenge or redemption or justice themes, people fighting for what's right or to make up for wrongs. This is a good one, too—the bad guys are bad but there are levels of badness caused by different situations, and more than one of them grows from start to finish. The child actor (Izabela Vidovic, as Maddy Broker) is outstanding, revealing much while not overacting. 

    It all falls apart in the climactic scene, when the otherwise-controlled, sensible and thoughtful Broker suddenly loses his shit and behaves in a way so stereotypical, so brainless, and so unrealistic in terms of his previous choices, that the illusion of the film is lost. In other words: it's all tied up with a nice freakin' bow. Gross. 

    Still glad I saw it, just wish the director had trusted his story. 

themes: justice

overall:  recommended with caveats

 

Tabú: A Story of the South Seas (1931) - "Tabu: A Story of the South Seas is divided into two parts and follows Matahi, a young pearl diver, and Reri, a young woman chosen by an elder priest to be set apart under a sacred prohibition. After Reri is declared forbidden to all men, she and Matahi flee their island together, attempting to live freely beyond the reach of custom. Their escape leads them to a colonial trading outpost, where economic pressures, debt, and outside authority gradually replace the ritual constraints they left behind. As the forces of tradition and commerce converge, the film traces how desire, obligation, and fate close in on the couple, culminating in an outcome shaped as much by inevitability as by choice." 

length: 1h, 26m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by F.W. Murnau  |  why I watched: I was in the mood for a silent film, and have seen Murnau's work before (such as the excellent Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans {1927}, reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.4/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 92% / 77% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: TV-PG

tone & texture: straightforward, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "The love you have given me, I will keep to the last beat of my heart. Across the great waters, I will come to you in your dreams when the moon spreads its path on the sea. Farewell."

my notes: simplistic, racist as Hell (the image on that official movie poster is pretty telling—men are virile, and women are anonymously bland and subservient), and sometimes hard to follow. The filming was glorious, but the acting bare-bones and the plot sketchy. (It's possible to anticipate EXACTLY what happened.) My 5/10 is inflated, based on the groundbreaking cinematography and locating shooting.

themes: identity, love

overall: not especially recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Homefront]

maybe you'd like to sit down and knit them eight little sweaters to remember you by

Average rating: 8.25

Ball of Fire (1941) - "Hoping to update his chapter on modern slang, encyclopedia writer Professor Bertram Potts ventures into a chic nightclub. Inside, he meets the snarky burlesque performer 'Sugarpuss' O'Shea. Fascinated by her command of popular jargon, Potts invites her to stay with him. But, unknown to Potts, she is the fiancée of a mobster and wanted by the police. In the ensuing mayhem, Potts must stay on his toes or be swallowed up by bigger fish." 

length: 1h, 51m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Howard Hawks  |  why I watched: I had an upsetting day, and wanted something soothing to counteract and distract from it (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 89% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: wry, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "People like that just, well, you see, dust just piles up on their hearts. And it took you to blow it away."

my notes: unabashedly smart, surprisingly racy, silly, fun, and meaningful. This is an excellent film.

themes: love, found family, identity

overall: very strongly recommended

 

Die Hard (1988) - "New York City policeman John McClane is visiting his estranged wife on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages—but him." 

length: 2h, 12m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by John McTiernan  |  why I watched: it's been too long since I've seen it, and I wanted to glory in the display of masculine power (previously reviewed here and here)

IMDb: 8.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 94% / 94% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: energetic, fast-cut/kinetic

notable quote: "I’m Agent Johnson. This is Special Agent Johnson. ...no relation."

my notes: remarkably entertaining, even in the seventy-fifth watching (or however many times I've seen it). I enjoy McClane's reluctant, resigned, world-weary approach to doing nearly impossible things. I also love Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell.  

themes: courage

overall:  highly recommended

Labor Day (2013) - "Henry Wheeler, aged 13, grapples with the pains of adolescence while caring for his troubled, reclusive mother, Adele. One day while shopping for school supplies, Henry and Adele encounter Frank Chambers, an intimidating man who clearly needs their help. Frank convinces the two of them to take him into their home, but later it becomes clear that he is a convict who has escaped." 

length: 1h, 51m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Jason Reitman  |  why I watched: I've been thinking a lot about 2 O'Clock Man lately, who resembles Josh Brolin, and that's made it feel important to see it again (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 6.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 34% / 54% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: intimate, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Nothing misleads people like the truth."

my notes: critics didn't like it, but I loved it. What a shocker. 

    I admire the portrayal of responsibility, suffering, togetherness, and transformation. Kate Winslet is a very beautiful woman who can disappear into a character, and her quiet vulnerability is perfect for this role. Brolin's physicality and barely-banked power is a striking contrast to the frail, sensitive Adele. And I especially liked Gattlin Griffith as Henry, buffeted by pressures from every angle and still strong.

themes: love, found family

overall: strongly recommended

2046 (2004) - "A train in a futuristic landscape takes passengers to a place
where they can recapture their memories, a place from which no one has ever returned. This is the premise of a novel by the womanizing sci-fi writer Chow Mo Wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), who engages in passionate affairs with a series of intriguing women he meets at the Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. As Chow's lovers offer him inspiration for his writing, reality blends with fiction, and the past commingles with the future." 

length: 2h, 9m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Wong Kar Wai  |  why I watched: I bought the DVD knowing nothing about the movie itself, on the basis of my love for the male lead and my admiration for this director

IMDb: 7.4/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 87% / 85% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: melancholic, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "Maybe one day you'll escape your past. If you do, look for me."

my notes: strange, conceptual, hard to understand. When I stopped fighting it and accepted that "understanding" the "plot" was not the point, then it started to make sense. I expect to watch this several more times, and for meaning to come on in layers.

themes: memory, love, identity

overall: highly recommended to open minds

 

[the title quotation is from Ball of Fire]

madam, my liver and fortune are entirely at your disposal

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

💖 If Your Personality Were a Conversation Heart, What Would It Say? 💘

 

Tiny candy. Big emotional energy. Let’s decode your inner message.

---

1. Friends come to you when they need...

    a. Honesty

    b. Comfort

    c. Connection    

    d. Affection

 

2. Your communication style is...

    a. Direct

    b. Warm

    c. Curious    

    d. Expressive

 

3. You value relationships that are...

    a. Authentic

    b. Enduring

    c. Engaging    

    d. Loving

 

4. You’re most annoyed by...

    a. Insincerity

    b. Distance

    c. Silence    

    d. Coldness

 

5. Your default mode is...

    a. Grounded

    b. Sentimental

    c. Open    

    d. Affectionate

 

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is by Charles Lamb, from Essays of Elia and Last Essays of Elia]

a parrot bit me

Average rating: 7.75

Animal House (1978) - "When they arrive at college, socially inept
freshmen Larry (Thomas Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) attempt to pledge the snooty Omega Theta Pi House, but are summarily rejected. Lowering their standards, they try at the notoriously rowdy Delta Tau Chi House, and get in. The trouble is, the college dean (John Vernon) has it in for the Deltas. He has put them on 'Double Secret Probation' and secretly assigned Omega's president (James Daughton) the task of having their charter revoked." 

length: 1h, 49m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by John Landis  |  why I watched: it's one of those movies I could watch once a week and never get tired of (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.4/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 91% / 89% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: joyful, crisp & modern

notable quote: "'OK, so that means that our whole solar system could be like one tiny atom in the fingernail of some other giant being...? [giggle] This is nuts! That means that one tiny atom in my fingernail could be...' 

    '...could be one tiny little universe!' 

    'Can I buy some pot from you?'"

my notes: wonderfully goofy, filled with lines I could recite in my sleep, and populated with so many recognizable characters. This one is a part of my identity.

themes: found family, chaos v. order

overall: highly recommended

 

Ocean's Eleven (2001) - "Dapper Danny Ocean is a man of action. Less than 24 hours into his parole from a New Jersey penitentiary, the wry, charismatic thief is already rolling out his next plan. Following three rules: Don't hurt anybody, don't steal from anyone who doesn't deserve it, and play the game like you've got nothing to lose, Danny orchestrates the most sophisticated, elaborate casino heist in history." 

length: 1h, 56m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Steven Soderbergh  |  why I watched: I've seen it before, but never reviewed. Also watching one last time before listing the set for sale

IMDb: 7.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 83% / 80% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: energetic, crisp & modern

notable quote: "'Does he make you laugh?'

    '... He doesn't make me cry.'"

my notes: my objection to this film is that it's more about the setup than the heist itself. Maybe if they'd called it "Ocean's Five".... Still, it's entertaining and pretty to look at—an enjoyable-enough way to spend a couple of hours.

themes: found family, chaos v. order

overall:  recommended

The Third Man (1949) - "An American pulp writer arrives in post-WWII
Vienna only to find that the friend who waited for him was killed under mysterious circumstances. The ensuing mystery entangles him in his friend's involvement in the black market, with the multinational police, and with his Czech girlfriend." 

length: 1h, 33m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Carol Reed  |  why I watched: needed something sharper than recent choices have been (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 8.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 99% / 93% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: sardonic; noir shadows

notable quote: "'I don't need your drinks, Calloway.'

    'You will. I don't want another murder in this case, and you were born to be murdered.'"

my notes: deeply unsettling and twisty, it's deliciously suspenseful and weird (that freaking zither, and Hansel!!) and wonderful 

themes: moral ambiguity, identity

AFI: 100 Years...100 Movies (original list, 1998): #57

    100 Years...100 Thrills (2001): #75

    100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (2003): villain #37 

    10 Top 10 (2008): mystery #5 

Academy Award Winner: Best Cinematography, Black and White—Robert Krasker (2x nominee) 

overall:  recommended

The Philadelphia Story (1940) - "This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), she crosses paths with both Dexter and prying reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart). Unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves." 

length: 1h, 52m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by George Cukor  |  why I watched: it's been an age since I've seen it (previously reviewed here), and I wanted a nice classic comedy

IMDb: 7.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 92% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: playful, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges."

my notes: I like this one. There is real growth in the characters from the start to the finish, and everyone treats each other with respect. The child actor, Virginia Weidler (Dinah Lord), was a joy—she added content to the story, and her character was developed and well-played. 

themes: love, forgiveness

overall: strongly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from The Third Man]

anyone have snacks? I feel like we should have snacks for this

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow. 🤨

 

🏈 What’s Your Signature Super Bowl Snack? 🏈 

 

Even if you don’t watch the game, 

you bring something to the table. 

Your snack of choice says more than you think.

---

1. At a party, you’re usually…

    A. Hosting

    B. Fully invested

    C. Casually social    

    D. Hovering near the kitchen

 

2. Your ideal food texture is…

    A. Layered

    B. Messy

    C. Fresh    

    D. Thoughtful

 

3. People describe your taste as…

    A. Generous

    B. Passionate

    C. Easygoing    

    D. Refined

 

4. You believe snacks should be…

    A. Shareable

    B. Satisfying

    C. Simple    

    D. Well-made

 

5. You secretly judge people for…

    A. Not bringing enough

    B. Playing it safe

    C. Over-complicating    

    D. Phoning it in

 

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is by Shannon Messenger, from Nightfall]

you will find her delicate but robust, neighbors. Part country girl she once was, part educated lady she is now

Average rating: 7.6

Love Actually (2003) - "This delightful film intertwines multiple love stories set in London during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The film explores various aspects of love through its ensemble cast, including a newly elected prime minister who falls for a staffer, a man coping with the loss of his wife, and a young boy experiencing his first crush, all culminating in heartwarming and sometimes complicated relationships." 

length: 2h, 15m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Richard Curtis  |  why I watched: I'd had an overwhelming day, and wanted something "nice" with minimal thought required (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 65% / 72% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: warm, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Jamie's friends are so good looking! He never tells me this. I think, maybe now I have made the wrong choice? Picked wrong Englishman?"

my notes: a bit strange, and with some segments that are not so great, but overall it's always a win. (Jamie and Aurelia are my favorite storyline.)

themes: love

overall:  recommended

Beautiful Girls (1996) - "In this romantic comedy/drama, a group of high school buddies reunite for their high school reunion, in the small town where they grew up. They deal with the life challenges of finding women to love and be loved by, committing to a relationship, and getting past their childhood dreams and desires to deal with reality and appreciate life." 

length: 1h, 52m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Ted Demme  |  why I watched: another rough-day choice that I knew would make me happy (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 78% / 80% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: reflective, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "'You look awful.'

    'I've been drunk for two weeks.'"

my notes: I have adored this one since the first time I saw it. Yes, it's a comedy. Yes, it's a sort of love story. But mostly it's a meditation on male friendship, and the almost unspoken longing for unlived lives, using impossible connections as emotional mirrors rather than real, romantic endpoints. 

themes: identity, transformation

overall: very highly recommended

The Great Magician {Dai moh seut si} (2011) - "In the years after the Revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty in China and established the republic, China broken up into fiefdoms held by warlords, who are busy fighting each other. A lieutenant is using magic to scare convicts into joining a warlord's army. His warlord has imprisoned a girl and wants her to be his seventh wife, but he's too honorable to force her. The local revolutionaries wants to kill the warlord and bring back the republic. The lieutenant is secretly a member of the Qing Dynasty Remnant and wants to bring back the Empire. The local Japanese businessman is actually trying to take over with help of the local Blackhawk gang. Into this chaos, a stranger returns from abroad with mastery of magic, and is back to recover the girl he loved (daughter of his master/teacher). Who is tricking whom and who will win at the end?" 

length: 2h, 8m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Derek Tung-Sing Yee  |  why I watched: I'm trying to catch as many of Tony Leung Chiu-wai's films as I can

IMDb: 5.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 41% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: playful, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "You took me to his show last time. I was quite impressed... so I asked him to come for our dog's birthday."

my notes: unlike anything else I've ever seen, this movie combines history, magic, romance, treachery, comedy, and probably a dozen other layers that I couldn't even interpret because of the language barrier. I liked it very much. The magic felt real. The interplay between the characters—especially the magician Chang Hsien (Leung) and his romantic rival, Lei Bully (Ching-Wan Lau)—was deep and funny. Xun Zhou, who I enjoyed so much in a very different role in Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011, reviewed here), was wonderful. There's some real beauty here. What a shocker, that the critics and other audiences disagree with me....  

themes: identity, transformation

overall: strongly recommended

Christmas in the Clouds (2001) - "A classic comedy of mistaken identity and romance set during the holiday season at a ski resort that is owned and operated by a Native American Nation. Shot on location at The Sundance Resort in Utah, this is the first contemporary romantic comedy to feature an almost entirely American Indian cast. The film was featured at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival." 

length: 1h, 36m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by Kate Montgomery  |  why I watched: this has become a seasonal go-to (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 69% / 65% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: PG

tone & texture: warm, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "This particular buffalo had an on-screen performance in the movie Dances With Wolves. I don't think he ever got over it, 'cause he used to take pictures with the tourists, let the little kids ride him. We called him... Kevin."

my notes: if you're looking for high cinema, this ain't it. If, instead, you're looking for 96 minutes of gentle entertainment around the holidays, you're in luck. I love the late Graham Greene, too, so this one means a little bit more to me.

themes: identity, love

overall:  recommended

Under the Greenwood Tree (2005) - "A romantic period drama set in a mid-19th century English village, where a beautiful new schoolteacher, Fancy Day, becomes the object of affection for three men: a charming musician named Dick Dewy, a wealthy farmer, and the local vicar. The film explores their romantic rivalries and the social dynamics of the village, all while maintaining a light and pleasant tone." 

length: 1h, 33m  |  source: Fawsome  |  directed by Nicholas Laughland  |  why I watched: it's another favorite (previously reviewed here), with some added layers as I get older

IMDb: 6.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 73% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: TV-PG

tone & texture: warm, lush & romantic

notable quote: "I offer you the world, and your answer is no?"

my notes: this looks like a spring movie, green grass and sunshine and warmth, but it feels like winter—introspection, extra patience, and space in between thoughts, actions, people, and choices. And nobody does English period work as well as Keeley Hawes (as Fancy Day). 

themes: love

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Under the Greenwood Tree]

oh, that's very funny. Ho, ho, ho. The crooner is now becoming the comic

Average rating:  6.8

White Christmas (1954) - "Two talented song and dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. One winter they join forces with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and VeraEllen) and trek to Vermont for a white Christmas. The result is stuff dreams are made of." 

length: 2h  |  source: Amazon Prime Video  |  directed by Michael Curtiz  |  why I watched: I'd never seen it, and was curious

IMDb: 7.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 76% / 89% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: warm, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "'My dear partner, when what's left of you gets around to what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting, whatever it is you've got left.'

    'When I figure out what that means I'll come up with a crushing reply.'"

my notes: charming, entertaining, and nostalgic. Crosby had a voice like no other, and I genuinely enjoyed Danny Kaye as well. The romance part of it was hokey as heck, but the song-and-dance side was completely pleasant.

themes: found family, love

overall:  recommended

 

Song of the Thin Man {Thin Man #6} (1947) - "Tommy Drake, a musician aboard a gambling ship, is shot and killed while trying to break into a safe. Later, amateur sleuths Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) receive a visit from Phil Brant, Drake's former boss and the the main suspect in his murder. After they give Brant up to the authorities, they start digging around for clues. The pair question Brant's wife and one of Drake's musician colleagues until they start to piece together the intricate puzzle." 

length: 1h, 26m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Edward Buzzell  |  why I watched: it's the last in the series, which I've been watching lately

IMDb: 6.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 91% / 71% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: playful, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "'Dig him in one of the jam joints! Where the boys go after closin' and really ride. Just for cats and intellectuals. The rooty-toots and bobbie soxers verboten. Solid.' 

    'Well, I don't wear bobbie soxes; but, would you say I'm a rooty-toot?'

    'Strictly. But, I guess I can ace you in.'"

my notes: it's not the best of the bunch, but it's good enough for a cold evening's watch. I liked the loopy Clinker Krause (Keenan Wynn), and of course Asta the dog. The ending was goofy and couldn't have been sleuthed-out by the viewer, but it was still entertaining.

themes: love, chaos v. order

overall:  mildly recommended

A Christmas Carol (1984) - "A television film adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novella, featuring Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Through these encounters, Scrooge reflects on his past, present, and future, ultimately learning the importance of compassion and redemption." 

length: 1h, 40m  |  source: Fawsome  |  directed by Clive Donner  |  why I watched: it's a perennial favorite (previously reviewed here and here)

IMDb: 7.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 98% / 75% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: PG

tone & texture: somber, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The spirits of all Three shall strive within me! I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"

my notes: my favorite (human) adaptation, this one gets me every time. I completely believe in George C. Scott's Scrooge: his origins, his transformation, his weary acquisitiveness, and of course in his deliverance.  

themes: redemption

overall: strongly recommended

 

Meet Me in St Louis (1944) - "A classic MGM romantic musical comedy that focuses on four sisters (one of whom is the nonpareil Judy Garland) on the cusp of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The film spotlights the sisters' education in the ways of the world, which includes, but isn't limited to, learning about life and love, courtesy of the prototypical boy next door. In the end, love—accompanied by song, dance and period costumes, all in glorious Technicolor—conquers all." 

length: 1h, 53m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by Vincente Minnelli  |  why I watched: I've seen it before (reviewed here) but hadn't rated it

IMDb: 7.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 99% / 86% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: warm, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "Meeting him across the lawn for the first time would be so ordinary. I don't want to be just introduced to him. I want it to be something strange and romantic and something I'll always remember."

my notes: I was charmed by it the first time through, but saw the holes in the cheese this second time. Each of the Smith sisters is a brat, the parents are indulgent and clueless, and a little song & dance goes a looooong way. The country dance in the overstuffed Smith house is the high point; Mr. Smith's final decision about New York is the low. (Come ON, dude.)

themes: identity, love

AFI: 25 Greatest Movie Musicals (2006) #10

Academy Award winner: Outstanding Child Actress—Margaret O'Brien (4x nominee) 

overall:  weakly recommended

 

The Mechanic (2011) - "One of an elite group of assassins, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) may be the best in the business. Bishop carries out his assignments with precision, detachment and adherence to a strict code, but when Harry (Donald Sutherland), his close friend and mentor, is murdered, Bishop vows revenge. Harry's son (Ben Foster) comes to him with vengeance in his heart and a desire to learn Bishop's trade, signaling the birth of a deadly partnership." 

length: 1h, 33m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Simon West  |  why I watched: it's been too long since I last saw it (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 6.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 54% / 51% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: energetic, fast-cut/kinetic

notable quote: "You're a goddamn machine. You see things. You view people differently than I do, differently than anybody does. But you have a problem. You need companionship."

my notes: it's not for everybody, but what is? Profusely violent (holy shit, that screwdriver) and bleak, it is nonetheless riveting and almost tender. Donald Sutherland is marvelous.

themes: revenge, identity

overall:  recommended

[the title quotation is from White Christmas]

is life a multiple choice test or is it a true or false test?

I’m experimenting with a short, optional reader survey to get a better sense of who’s reading and what’s most useful or interesting here. Comments are always welcome, but I know many people prefer to read quietly. This is a quick, anonymous, and not-required way for me to learn about how this space is used. (I'm not even lying about it being anonymous—there's literally no way for me to track who's touched it.)

  Create your own user feedback survey 

[the title quotation is by Charles M. Schulz, and reads in its entirety as below]
Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, "Is life a multiple choice test or is it a true or false test?" ...Then a voice comes to me out of the dark and says,  "We hate to tell you this but life is a thousand word essay."

words weaker than your grief would make Grief more. 'Twere better I should cease

The wind, that beats the mountain, blows 

    More softly round the open wold, 

And gently comes the world to those 

    That are cast in gentle mould. 

And me this knowledge bolder made, 

    Or else I had not dared to flow 

In these words toward you, and invade 

    Even with a verse your holy woe.

    

'Tis strange that those we lean on most, 

    Those in whose laps our limbs are nursed, 

Fall into shadow, soonest lost: 

    Those we love first are taken first. 

God gives us love. Something to love 

    He lends us; but, when love is grown 

To ripeness, that on which it throve 

    Falls off, and love is left alone. 

This is the curse of time. 

    Alas! In grief 1 am not all unlearned: 

Once through mine own doors Death did pass; 

    One went, who never hath returned. 

He will not smile—not speak to me 

    Once more. Two years his chair is seen 

Empty before us. That was he 

    Without whose life I had not been. 

Your loss is rarer; for this star 

    Rose with you through a little arc 

Of heaven, nor having wandered far 

    Shot on the sudden into dark. 

I knew your brother: his mute dust 

    I honour and his living worth: 

A man more pure and bold and just 

    Was never born into the earth. 

I have not looked upon you nigh, 

    Since that dear soul hath fall'n asleep. 

Great Nature is more wise than I: 

    I will not tell you not to weep. 

And though mine own eyes fill with dew, 

    Drawn from the spirit through the brain, 

I will not even preach to you, 

    'Weep, weeping dulls the inward pain.' 

Let Grief be her own mistress still. 

    She loveth her own anguish deep 

More than much pleasure. Let her will 

    Be done—

to weep or not to weep 

I will not say 'God's ordinance 

    Of Death is blown in every wind; 

For that is not a common chance 

    That takes away a noble mind. 

His memory long, will live alone 

    In all our hearts, as mournful light 

That broods above the fallen sun, 

    And dwells in heaven half the night. 

Vain solace! Memory standing near 

    Cast down her eyes, and in her throat 

Her voice seemed distant, and a tear 

    Dropt on the letters as I wrote. 

I wrote I know not what. In truth, 

    How should I soothe you anyway, 

Who miss the brother of your youth? 

    Yet something I did wish to say: 

For he too was a friend to me: 

    Both are my friends, and my true breast 

Bleedeth for both; yet it may be 

    That only silence suiteth best. 

Words weaker than your grief would make 

    Grief more. 'Twere better I should cease; 

Although myself could almost take 

    The place of him that sleeps in peace. 

Sleep sweetly, tender heart, in peace: 

    Sleep, holy spirit, blessèd soul, 

While the stars burn, the moons increase, 

    And the great ages onward roll. 

Sleep till the end, true soul and sweet. 

    Nothing comes to thee new or strange. 

Sleep full of rest from head to feet; 

    Lie still, dry dust, secure of change. 

 [Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson FRS {1809-1892} 'To J.S.' , from Tennyson, in Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets]

miniature griffins could be the next big trend in exotic pets

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

🦥 Which Exotic Pet Matches Your Spirit? 🐌

 

Not for owning—

just for personality matching. 

Let’s meet your inner creature.

---

Q1. How do you move through the world?

    A. Quietly

    B. With curiosity

    C. With precision    

    D. With flair

 

Q2. What’s your social style?

    A. One-on-one

    B. Friendly explorer

    C. Selective    

    D. Chaotic good

 

Q3. Favorite type of environment:

    A. Calm

    B. Warm + lively

    C. Structured    

    D. Vibrant

 

Q4. Your energy level?

    A. Low but steady

    B. Moderately adventurous

    C. Focused    

    D. Up and down

 

Q5. Your charm type:

    A. Subtle

    B. Friendly

    C. Mysterious    

    D. Unexpected

 

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is by Seanan McGuire, from Pocket Apocalypse]

go and do your thing. Make us proud!

Book Review 

 

Rating * * * * 

 

Title: While it was Snowing 

 

Author: Julia London

 

Published: this novel was published in 2025 (!); I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Dreamscape Media; read by Amy McFadden; 10 hours) 

 

What is the story? 

A charming holiday romance that follows single mom Amy Casey as she escapes to a lakeside cottage to focus on her art. Her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers that professional golfer Harrison Neely, who is recovering from an injury, has also rented the same house. As a snowstorm traps them together, their initial friction evolves into a deeper connection, allowing both to confront their pasts and rediscover the joy of love during the enchanting holiday season. --from various sources 

What type of language does it use—technical, complex, standard, or colloquial? standard

 

Does the level of language make it easy or difficult for the reader to follow? this is an engaging read, easy to follow

 

Did you like this book? yep, quite a bit

 

If you could change something, what would it be? there is a degree of external tension caused by a related group of people that seems to go on for too long. The mild acceptance of that chaos dimmed my admiration of the main characters, and made the eventual resolution of the conflict less powerful. 

 

What were your favourite parts? much like in the great Jennifer Crusie's books, there's just something about a sweet, slightly doofy dog to pull a romance along

 

Who stands out, among the characters? Harrison, the golfer, was most compelling for me. He's many-layered, not (just) living a life of pampering and ease. I also thought his openness and acceptance were genuinely revealed.

 

What is your recommendation? nice, mild, almost unobjectionable book, easy to read and causing no angst

 

5 adjectives you would use to describe this text: funny, engaging, thoughtful, inspiring, different 

 

[book review template 5 adapted from here; the title quotation is from the book]

dissolves or doubles

Words especially 

are subject to 

the chemistry 

of death: it is 

an acid bath 

which dissolves 

or doubles 

their strength. 

Sentiments 

which pleased 

drift down 

as sediment; 

iron trees 

grow from filament. 

 [Kay Ryan {1945- } 'Chemistry' from The Best of It]

it's not stupid to want to put on a pretty dress and feel beautiful for a night

1. If you had to eliminate one emotion from your life, which would it be? 

    fear

2. If you could have done one thing with one of your teachers, what would it be, and with whom?

    this question made me laugh, hard. I had an English prof that haunted my dreams, in a good way. He appears in my answers here.

    To be full serious and above-board, though, I will say that I would have liked to have tried to write an article with my grad school mentor. He is a prolific writer, a brilliant teacher, and very well known in the field. It would have been an incredible boon to my career. (He retired as senior historian at a major Second World War museum.)

    For that matter, do have done the same with my softer/kinder grad school hero might've been even better. He's a more basically decent person, and the experience would have been rewarding and fun. (He remains a full professor at the school where I knew him.)

3. If you had to name the most difficult goodbye you've ever said, what would it be? 

    if I can make it broad, I would choose The Flatland, in general. Leaving my life there broke me, in certain ways that can never heal.

    If it has to be a person, it's Chris. He was proud of me, and glad for me, and as sad as I was. The hug, in the parking lot of Cabana Charley's, lasted so long. We didn't want to let go. 

    If it's any goodbye...then it's the boy kitties I've loved and lost. 

4. If you could remove one marking from your skin, which one would it be?     

    besides the tattoos (sigh), it's a cherry angioma just below my left collarbone. It's almost but not quite out of my visual range, so I can just barely see it, and it looks like a bug, and I've tried to scratch it off ten billion times. They aren't inherently dangerous, but the scratching can cause (relatively) profuse bleeding. I want that thing gone. 

5. If you could have won a single thing you tried for in your lifetime but didn't win, what would it be? 

    the local library job would have been nice. It's a not-funny joke that to get a job in that field anymore, you have to know people or bump someone off. Alas.

    

6. If you could live in a past era just so you could wear the clothes in fashion at the time, when would it be? 

    1950s

7. If you could suddenly be irresistibly charming for one day only, what would you do? 

    negotiate a car loan, a raise, and a date with the 2 O'Clock Man

 [from If2: 500 New Questions for the game of life; the title quotation is by Stephanie Perkins, from Lola and the Boy Next Door]