there midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, And evening full of the linnet’s wings

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

 

🍀 What’s Your Irish Hometown? 🍀

 

Ireland’s towns each have their own rhythm—

some lively and musical, some windswept and reflective, 

some quietly charming, some buzzing with stories. 

If you wandered across the island and found the place that felt most like you, 

where would you land? 

Take this quiz to discover which Irish hometown matches your spirit.  

---

1. Your ideal way to spend a Saturday is: 

    A. Wandering historic streets and people-watching at a café. 

    B. Hiking somewhere dramatic with incredible views. 

    C. Meeting friends for music, laughter, and a lively pub. 

    D. Curling up somewhere cozy with a good story. 

 

2. Pick a landscape: 

    A. A colorful city street full of buskers and bookstores. 

    B. Rugged cliffs and the endless Atlantic. 

    C. Rolling green hills dotted with cottages. 

    D. A quiet harbor with boats gently rocking in the tide. 

 

3. Your travel style is: 

    A. Explore everything—museums, markets, hidden alleys. 

    B. Follow the scenery and see where the road leads. 

    C. Go wherever the music and good company are. 

    D. Find the quiet corners most tourists miss. 

 

4. Your friends appreciate you because you: 

    A. Always know something interesting about everything. 

    B. Are adventurous and up for anything. 

    C. Bring the fun wherever you go. 

    D. Create calm, thoughtful spaces. 

 

5. Pick a classic pub atmosphere: 

    A. A historic pub full of conversation and storytelling. 

    B. A coastal pub where the wind howls outside. 

    C. A packed pub with fiddles, laughter, and dancing. 

    D. A quiet pub with a fireplace and a thoughtful pint. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by W.B. Yeats, from 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' in The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems]

Spanish Lena was a Hungarian

Average rating: 7, by a rather odd route

My Man Godfrey (1936) - "Fifth Avenue socialite Irene Bullock needs 'a
forgotten man' to win a scavenger hunt, and no one fits that description more than Godfrey Park, who resides in a dump by the East River. Irene hires Godfrey as a servant for her riotously unhinged family, to the chagrin of her spoiled sister, Cornelia, who tries her best to get Godfrey fired. As Irene falls for her new butler, Godfrey turns the tables and teaches the frivolous Bullocks a lesson or two." 

length: 1h, 34m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Gregory La Cava  |  why I watched: (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 97% / 90% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: humorous, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "Well, if other people can have five children, so can other people."

my notes: silly fun on top of a serious subject handled with grace. William Powell is extraordinary.

    My only real objection is that Prime is featuring a colorized version, which is almost sinister and distracts from the story's pathos.

Academy Awards: 6x nominee 

themes: transformation, chaos v. order

overall: highly recommended

 

Holiday (1930) - "Julia Seton (Mary Astor) comes from a wealthy family in which money and success always come first, a fact she rebels against with an engagement to the self-made playboy Johnny Case (Robert Ames). Johnny is torn between respecting the Seton family's tradition and his own principles. As he's forced to take sides in the family's political battle between Julia's progressive sister, Linda (Ann Harding), and their conservative father, it's unclear where Julia's own priorities lie." 

length: 1h, 31m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by Edward H Griffin  |  why I watched: I'd just watched the above, and this was recommended, and it was critically acclaimed

IMDb: 6.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 91% Audience  |  my IMDb: 4/10  |  MPAA: NR

tone & texture: cynical, soft & naturalistic    

notable quote: "My dear sister, I shall drink as much as I like at any party I choose to attend. And as much as I like is as much as I can hold. It's my protection against your tiresome friends."

my notes: this is the anti-My Man Godfrey. Johnny Case is bland, stiff, and unappealing. Julia Seton is a bitch on wheels, with no softness or femininity; it's hard to imagine anyone actually falling for her. I liked Linda, though that's maybe as much for the ways she's unlike the other two as for herself directly. 

    The real saving graces were Edward Everett Horton as the jovial but wise Nick Potter, and even more so, Monroe Owsley as the Seton girls' brother, Ned. He's the real emotional heart of the movie, and reveals more nuanced character and appreciation for the disparities that seem to be the whole point.

themes: tradition v. change, identity, love

Academy Awards: 2x nominee 

overall: not  recommended

The Soldier and the Lady (1937) - "In the face of rebellion in Russia, Czar Alexander II (Paul Harvey) sends soldier Michael Strogoff (Anton Walbrook) 2,000 miles away, with a critical message for Grand Duke Vladimir (William Stack). On the train journey, Michael befriends a traveler (Elizabeth Allan) and comes into contact with a mysterious spy (Margot Grahame), who both unexpectedly aid him in his quest. Once behind enemy lines, Michael is near his hometown and his mother, whom he must avoid in order to fulfill his mission." 

length: 1h, 25m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by George Nicholls, Jr  |  why I watched: Anton Walbrook was a fascinating person, and I enjoy his acting

IMDb: 6.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA%  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: epic, grit & grain 

notable quote: "I do not fight for horses."

my notes: it's a good one. Epic, exciting, tragic, surprising. Romantic. Suspenseful. Margot Grahame is especially good as the spy Zangarra.

themes: courage, justice, love

overall:  recommended

Saving Mr Wu {Jie jiu Wu xian sheng} (2015) - "Mr. Wu (Andy Lau) is kidnapped in Beijing by Zhang Hua (Wang Qianyuan) and three accomplices, all disguised as cops and demanding a ransom of 3 million RMB. In the ensuing 20 hours, the Chinese detectives led by Chief Xing (Liu Ye) quickly form a task force and sweep the city. Time is of the essence as Mr. Wu is ordered to be killed at 9 PM regardless of whether the money is collected or not. The police eventually apprehend Hua alone. As the deadline approaches, the detectives and captors collide. " 

length: 1h, 46m  |  source: PlutoTV  |  directed by Sheng Ding  |  why I watched: it was recommended

IMDb: 6.6/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 68% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: unsettling, high-color/stylized

my notes: Andy Lau is such an interesting actor. He takes challenging roles that require things that some in his profession aren't willing to try. 

    This movie is inTENSE. It has the unreal, senseless feeling of actual criminal behavior. Fear, hopelessness, anger, anxiety.... Lau is terrific, as is Cai Lu as fellow-abductee Xiao Du. I also liked conflicted cop Liu Ye, portrayed by Xing Feng.

themes: chaos v. order, courage

overall:  recommended

 

Pocketful of Miracles (1961) - "Beggar Apple Annie (Bette Davis) learns that her daughter, escorted by an aristocratic suitor, plans to visit. It's great news—except that she has tricked her daughter into believing she is a wealthy socialite. Fearing her true identity will disappoint, Annie petitions a superstitious mobster (Glenn Ford), who thinks the apples she sells are lucky, for help. Hesitant at first, the mafioso is persuaded by his girlfriend (Hope Lange) to disguise Annie, if only long enough to fool her daughter." 

length: 2h, 16m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Frank Capra  |  why I watched: (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 50% / 73% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: warm, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "The honorable E. Worthington Shmerthington! Who's gonna dig HIM up?!"

my notes: chaotic and loud, a little bit too casually violent, and definitely running afoul of political correctness (is that even a thing anymore?), this is still a nice, sweet holiday-ish movie. I'm sure I originally watched it for Glenn Ford, but came away loving different parts of it. For instance, Thomas Mitchell (as the Judge) is awesome. He made every movie shine.

themes: forgiveness, found family, transformation

overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Pocketful of Miracles]

I've had it with all stingy-hearted sons of bitches. A heart is to be spent

As García Lorca may have written: some people 

forget to live as if a great arsenic lobster 

could fall on their heads at any moment. 

My sixtieth birthday is tomorrow. 

Come, play poker with me, 

I want to be taken to the cleaners. 

I've had it with all stingy-hearted sons of bitches. 

A heart is to be spent. As for me, I'll share 

my mulcher with anyone who needs to mulch. 

 

[Stephen Dunn {1939-2021} from 'Sixty', in Different Hours]

I am the exception that proves no rules, the limits of your control, the condiment in the dish of life

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

 

🧂 Which Condiment Suits Your Taste? 🧂

 

You enhance situations—but how? 

Let’s see what subtle (or not-so-subtle) flavor you bring to the table.

---

1. Your cooking philosophy is:

    A. Less is more

    B. Flavor first

    C. Balance matters    

    D. Experiment freely

 

2. People describe you as:

    A. Reliable

    B. Bold

    C. Thoughtful    

    D. Unexpected

 

3. When stressed, you prefer:

    A. Familiar routines

    B. Strong sensations

    C. Comfort and calm    

    D. Distraction

 

4. Your humor is usually…

    A. Dry

    B. Spicy

    C. Gentle    

    D. Offbeat

 

5. You enhance situations by:

    A. Stabilizing them

    B. Energizing them

    C. Softening them    

    D. Changing them

 

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated with chatGPT; the title quotation is by F. Scott Fitzgerald, from The Cut Glass Bowl and Other Stories]

the fog was where I wanted to be

07:33

07:41

07:58

 

 [the title quotation is by Eugene O'Neill, from Long Day’s Journey into Night]

the truth can get you twenty years!

Average rating: 6.6

Phantom Lady (1944) - "Scott Henderson's (Alan Curtis) innocuous evening with a strange woman becomes crucial when he is later accused of murdering his wife on the same evening. When Scott's story is disbelieved and a trial fails to bring forth the phantom lady, Scott's devoted girl Friday, secretary Carol Richman (Ella Raines), begins her own investigation with the aid of police inspector Burgess (Thomas Gomez). A high point is Carol's unexpected kinky moment with an obsessed jazz drummer (Elisha Cook, Jr.)." 

length: 1h, 27m  |  source: Amazon Prime (rent)  |  directed by Robert Siodmak  |  why I watched: I was in the mood for smart noir

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 90% / 72% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "Have you ever seen a chipmunk in a cage, running round and round on a wheel? That's me. I think I'll get good and drunk."

my notes: this one's just begging for spoilers, but I'll be good. (Except to say that the 'unexpectedly kinky moment'—referenced in the synopsis above—is one way of interpreting it, but discerning viewers might see that in less salacious terms.)

    Ella Raines is quite good as the plucky Carol, who goes out of her way to figure out this convoluted situation. Most of the men are offensive or just borderline useless. Thomas Gomez, as Inspector Burgess, was the exception (and my favorite).  

themes: justice, chaos v. order

overall: mildly recommended (but don't buy it)

  

Little Forest {Liteul poleseuteu} (2018) - "After failing an exam, Hae-won leaves the city and returns to her family home in a farming village. Her single mother had abruptly left one day without letting her know why beforehand and where she had gone to, leaving behind a letter that she refused to read. Although she intended to stay a short time, she begins to settle into her surroundings, making use of her home's bountiful land, helping her aunt work her farm, and creating delicious meals with the recipes she learned from her mother. She reunites with her two childhood friends and their bonds are renewed. What was at first to be a short stay becomes a year, with the passing of the seasons and harvesting of the land. Her mother had once described their home and land as a 'Little Forest' and she begins to comprehend why. Hae-won finally reads her mother's letter and understands the reason she had left." 

length: 1h, 43m  |  source: streamed - TubiTV  |  directed by Soon-rye Yim  |  why I watched: recommended as a film somewhat like This is Not What I Expected, which I adored

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 84% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: warm, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Warm, living things are comforting."

my notes: this is a great movie. Brilliantly filmed and paced. Gentle and revolutionary at once. Kim Tae-ri (Hae-won) is phenomenal, as is Ryu Jun-yeol (Jae-ha). It blew me away. How can silence say so much?

themes: transformation, identity

overall: strongly recommended

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950) - "Wealthy Lois Frazer, divorcing her fortune-hunter husband, finds he's bought a gun. Suspecting he plans to kill her, she calls in her lover: homicide detective Lt. Ed Cullen. When Ed arrives, the gun gets used...and because of his relationship with Lois, Ed is compelled to compound a felony. The good news: Ed himself is assigned to the case. The bad news: Ed's hotshot younger brother Andy, a newly-minted detective, is also on the case...and anxious to prove himself." 

length: 1h, 21m  |  source: Amazon Prime |  directed by Felix E Feist  |  why I watched: I like Lee J Cobb, and was interested to see him as a romantic lead

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 53% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: gritty, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "'This is my first time out. How am I doin'?'

    'All right, kid. Do any better, and I'll be out of a job.'"

my notes: a fascinating idea, not quite fully formed. Cobb is excellent as detective Cullen, though less so as the lovesick swain. That's because Jane Wyatt ("femme fatale" Lois) is a mousey, shrill, unappealing brat. The idea that anyone would do the stuff Cullen would do for her... unbelievable.  

    It's weird, but if the first third of the movie were removed, it would be fully entertaining. 

themes: sacrifice, justice

overall: mildly recommended

Henry VII: The Winter King (2013) - "Author Thomas Penn takes an extraordinary journey into the dark and chilling world of the first Tudor King, Henry VII. From his victory over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, to his secret death and the succession of his son Henry VIII, the film reveals the ruthless tactics Henry VII, and how he used them to win and hold onto the ultimate prize, the Royal Throne of England." 

length: 59m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Giulia Clark, Stuard Elliott  |  why I watched: I'd seen it before, but did not review

IMDb: 7.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA   |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: somber, documentary/real

my notes: I ought to know better than to try popular history.

themes: power

overall: mildly recommended

 

Woman on the Run (1950) - "After witnessing a murder, Frank Johnson goes on the run to avoid being killed himself. His wife, Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), seems almost apathetic about finding him when questioned by Investigator Harris (Robert Keith), due to a marriage on the rocks. However, after learning that Frank has a grave heart condition, Eleanor recruits reporter Dan Leggett (Dennis O'Keefe) to help track down Frank. Discovering new love for her husband along the way, Eleanor must get to Frank before the killer does." 

length: 1h, 17m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Norman Foster  |  why I watched: it was recommended as a thinking noir with a strong female lead

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 88% / 77% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "'I don't like this place.'

    'It's a good spot. I used to come here with my girl when I was a kid. It's more frightening than romantic. It's the way love is when you're young... life is when you're older.'"

my notes: interesting premise, well played out. Ann Sheridan is very good as the hard-shelled Eleanor. She does the difficult work in a way that seems real, and like she's undergoing understandable growth. 

themes: forgiveness, justice

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Woman on the Run]

we are afraid. we think that hatred signifies strength

too much 

too little 

or too late 

 

too fat 

too thin 

or too bad 

 

laughter or 

tears 

or immaculate 

unconcern 

 

haters 

lovers 

 

armies running through streets of pain 

waving wine bottles 

bayoneting and fucking everyone 

 

or an old guy in a cheap quiet room 

with a photograph of Marilyn Monroe. 

 

there is a loneliness in this world so great 

that you can see it in the slow movement of 

a clock's hands. 

 

there is a loneliness in this world so great 

that you can see it in blinking neon 

in Vegas, in Baltimore, in Munich. 

 

people are tired 

strafed by life 

mutilated either by love or no 

love. 

 

we don't need new governments 

new revolutions 

we don't need new men 

new women 

we don't need new ways 

we just need to care. 

 

people are not good to each other 

one on one. 

people are just not good to each other. 

 

we are afraid. 

we think that hatred signifies 

strength. 

that punishment is 

love. 

 

what we need is less false education 

what we need are fewer rules 

fewer police 

and more good teachers. 

 

we forget the terror of one person 

aching in one room 

alone 

unkissed 

untouched 

cut off 

watering a plant alone 

without a telephone that would never 

ring 

anyway. 

 

people are not good to each other 

people are not good to each other 

people are not good to each other 

 

and the beads swing and the clouds obscure 

and dogs piss upon rose bushes 

the killer beheads the child like taking a bite 

out of an ice cream cone 

while the ocean comes in and goes out 

in and out 

in the thrall of a senseless moon. 

 

and people are not good to each other. 

 

[Charles Bukowski {1920-1994} 'the crunch (2)', from What Matters Most is How Well you Walk through the Fire]

life handed you these rusty bent old tools—friendships, prayer, conscience, honesty

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

 

🔧 Which Hand Tool Should Be First in Your Belt? 🪚

 

Everyone has a way of fixing things. Let’s find yours.

---

1. When something breaks, you:

    A. Inspect carefully

    B. Apply force

    C. Ask for guidance    

    D. Improvise

 

2. Your problem-solving style is:

    A. Methodical

    B. Direct

    C. Collaborative    

    D. Creative

 

3. You pride yourself on being:

    A. Precise

    B. Effective

    C. Dependable    

    D. Adaptable

 

4. In a crisis, you’re the one who:

    A. Diagnoses the issue

    B. Takes action

    C. Keeps people calm    

    D. Finds an alternative

 

5. Your work style favors:

    A. Accuracy

    B. Speed

    C. Consistency    

    D. Flexibility

 

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is by Anne Lamott, from Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith. More fully, it reads as follows.]

 

It's funny, I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools—friendships, prayer, conscience, honesty—and said 'do the best you can with these, they will have to do'. And mostly, against all odds, they do.

to define is to limit

[the title quotation is by Oscar Wilde, from The Picture of Dorian Gray]

still in pajamas— hair wild, drinking coffee

In Spanish 

yo means I, 

 

and tu 

is a you 

I know 

 

or at least 

am comfortable 

addressing casually. 

 

In English 

we have no 

informal form 

 

to indicate 

the you 

still in pajamas— 

hair wild, 

drinking coffee. 

 

Intimacy, friendship, 

easy access— 

 

in English 

the informal you 

is "Yo." 

 

[Elaine Equí {1953- } 'Yo y Tu' from Sentences and Rain]

our poor human heart is flawed: it is like a cake without the frosting

1. What role does humor play in your expressions of love? 

     it works—but only when it is not even one iota hurtful.

 

2. How important is teamwork in a relationship? 

    teamwork is a good thing. Having mutual goals strengthens a couple's unity, drawing them closer. 

    At the same time, though, I firmly believe that remaining independent, singular people is also vital to a healthy relationship. I am more interested in a person whose life and work and hobbies are amenable to, but not a complete overlap with, my own. We'll have more to talk about if the topics vary. 

    I do have a sense that my responses to this question are reactionary.

 

3. What role does attraction play in love? 

    attraction marches alongside, maybe more like frosting than part of the cake itself. In my experience, attraction can be a pathetic, painful distraction from the truth of a relationship. Prehaps it's my age, but I absolutely vow that I'd rather have deep love without attraction than pale mirage with a physical fire beside it. 

 

4. Is love the same across all ages? 

    love is like lasagna: it's all different iterations of the same basic structure. Mine works for me, but is probably unappetizing to others (and thank goodness for that).

 

5. How important is listening in a relationship? 

    it's very important to me and mine. 

 

6. What lessons have your past relationships taught you about love?

    that I don't understand it, really 

 

8. Does love require physical attraction?

    obviously not. Some relationships, maybe. Love? No. 

 

[from here; the title quotation is by Fulton Sheen, from Peace of Soul: Timeless Wisdom on Finding Serenity and Joy by the Century's Most Acclaimed Catholic Bishop]

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]