come out to a world made new

When I take the chilly tools 

from the shed's darkness, I come 

out to a world made new 

by heat and light. 

 

The snake basks and dozes 

on a large flat stone. 

It reared and scolded me 

for raking too close to its hole. 

 

Like a mad red brain 

the involute rhubarb leaf 

thinks its way up 

through loam. 

 

[Jane Kenyon {1947-1995} 'April Chores', from Otherwise: Poems]

I am the one with the curiosity

Totally abashed and smiling 

                                                I walk in 

                                                sit down and 

                                                face the frigidaire

                            it’s April 

                            no May 

                            it’s May 

 

such little things have to be established in the morning 

after the big things of night 

                                        do you want me to come? when 

I think of all the things I’ve been thinking of 

                                                                    I feel insane 

simply “life in Birmingham is hell” 

                                                    simply “you will miss me 

                                                        but that’s good” 

when the tears of a whole generation are assembled 

they will only fill a coffee cup 

                                                just because they evaporate 

doesn’t mean life has heat 

                                                “this various dream of living” 

I am alive with you 

        full of anxious pleasures and pleasurable anxiety 

hardness and softness 

    listening while you talk and talking while you read 

I read what you read 

                            you do not read what I read 

which is right, I am the one with the curiosity 

                            you read for some mysterious reason 

                                I read simply because I am a writer 

the sun doesn’t necessarily set, sometimes is just 

                                                                            disappears 

                            when you’re not here someone walks in 

                                                                        and says “hey, 

there’s no dancer in that bed” 

                                O the Polish summers! those drafts! 

                            those black and white teeth! 

you never come when you say you’ll come but on the 

                                                    other hand you do come 

 

[Frank O'Hara {1926-1966} 'St. Paul and All That', from Lunch Poems]

does it sound like I'm laughing, sweetheart?

Average rating: 6.8

 

The Great Rupert {A Christmas Wish} (1950) - "A gentle fantasy about a struggling vaudeville performer (Jimmy Durante), a financially desperate family, and a trained squirrel named Rupert who secretly lives in the ceiling of their boarding house. Rupert, unknowingly to the humans below, begins pushing hidden money through cracks in the floor, creating the illusion of miracles and divine intervention. His quiet, instinctive actions gradually transform despair into hope and soften the hearts of everyone involved." 

length: 1h, 27m  |  source: Fawesome  |  directed by Irving Pichel  |  why I watched: I saw a clip of a dancing squirrel online, and it led me here

IMDb: 6.4/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 49% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: tender, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "It's so hard to find a job for a human pyramid!"

my notes: this is a gentle, kind, thoughtful film...that just happens to have a dancing squirrel, and a famous comedian, and a tuba-and-harp duet. It's not as surreal as it sounds, and it's not foolish. I liked it very much.

themes: hope, found family, courage

overall:  recommended

 

Seoul Raiders {Han cheng gong lüe} (2005) - "Tony Leung Chiu-wai and director Jingle Ma reunite for this glossy Hong Kong caper that sends a team of stylish thieves racing through Seoul in pursuit of stolen printing plates and long-buried grudges. Mixing martial arts, gadgetry, and tongue-in-cheek banter, the film leans heavily into the playful spy-movie tradition while showcasing the easy charisma of its leads." 

length: 1h, 35m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Jingle Ma  |  why I watched: I liked Tokyo Raiders (2000; reviewed here), which is first in the nominal series

IMDb: 5.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 33% Audience  |  my IMDb: 4/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: energetic, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "Oh—I forgot your problem; you're naked. Nature boy."

my notes: it's not the dumbest movie I've ever seen, and it is entertaining. It helps to have seen Tokyo recently—there are in-jokes—and to enjoy fast-moving action with lots of female protagonists. 

themes: chaos v. order

overall: marginally recommended

 

The Stranger (1946) - "In this tense postwar thriller, Orson Welles directs and stars as a man living quietly in small-town America under a carefully constructed identity—until a relentless investigator begins to pull at the threads of his past. A lean, shadow-heavy noir about guilt and exposure, the film builds its suspense through mounting unease rather than spectacle." 

length: 1h, 35m  |  source: Amazon Prime Video  |  directed by Orson Welles  |  why I watched: I hadn't seen it in a while, and wanted an especially good noir (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 97% / 81% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "Well, as a historian, I must remind you that the world hasn't had much trouble from Carthage in the past 2000 years."

my notes: beautifully shot and lit, this film is an engrossing look at a man mad with power and obsessed with his own brilliant uniqueness.

themes: identity, justice

overall: strongly recommended

The Adventurers {Xia dao lian meng} (2017) - "Fresh out of prison, an expert thief assembles a small, highly skilled crew for one last audacious series of art heists across Europe. Moving from glittering galas to fortified vaults, The Adventurers follows a contest of nerve and strategy between the thieves and the relentless investigator tracking them. Sleek, playful, and globe-trotting, the film blends classic caper pleasures—disguises, misdirection, narrow escapes—with a nostalgic affection for the gentleman-thief tradition." 

length: 1h, 48m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Stephen Fung  |  why I watched: it features two of my favorites, Jean Reno and Andy Lau

IMDb: 5.6/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 14% / 23% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: not rated

tone & texture: playful, fast-cut/kinetic

notable quote: "You need to hold on tighter."

my notes: if you see action movies only as a comparison with (or contrast to) an actor's previous work, then this is an example of failure. On the other hand, if one views this with the context of the actors' previous careers as a guide and reference, then it can be seen as an exploration of how an expert adapts and grows to remain relevant, and how age is not an automatic deterrent to skills and talents. 

    I love Andy Lau in this calm, casual, approachable persona. Seeing him in a hoodie, speaking English... it blew my mind. And watching Jean Reno kicking ass, being [seemingly] unintentionally hilarious, and finding joy in his work... that makes me happy. 

themes: loyalty, found family, identity

overall:  recommended

  

Ocean's Thirteen (2007) - "Danny Ocean and his crew of skilled con artists unite for a high-stakes scheme to avenge a betrayal against one of their own. When their friend is wronged by the ruthless casino magnate Willy Bank, they devise an elaborate plan to sabotage his grand opening and execute a daring heist. Combining wit, charm, and ingenuity, they navigate the challenges of the casino world while showcasing the strength of their camaraderie and teamwork." 

length: 2h, 2m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Steven Soderbergh  |  why I watched: I've recently seen the 3 previous films, and wanted to complete the series 

IMDb: 6.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 70% / 75% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: energetic, crisp & modern

notable quote: "We'll write them a check! [sheepish pause] We'll post-date it."

my notes: this is the best of the bunch. The setup is not excessively long in relation to the action, the characters are motivated by something other than pure greed, Catherine Zeta-Jones is mercifully absent, the villain is deliciously villainous, Vincent Cassel and Andy Garcia grace the screen, and the ultimate conclusion is joyous. 

themes: revenge

overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Ocean's Thirteen]

tiny offspring of a bubble cluster

Who knew this little bit of spillage 

contained multitudes of what we all 

 

boil down to? Microorganisms 

swim a surface the wet silver 

 

of Poseidon's eyes. Spiralized lines, 

pulsing globules, tiny sacs filled with aspic. 

 

Obscenely, you can see right through 

them, sometimes down to their nuclei. 

 

They come in lovely colors. 

Is this natural or has the scientist 

 

who slid their slide under the microscope 

stained them orange, ochre and blue 

 

for better viewing? Their outlines 

waver like hand-drawn cartoons. 

 

They resemble party favors, 

tiny offspring of a bubble cluster 

 

and the plankton alphabet. 

Why, then, have I been so afraid 

 

of what I am made of breaking down 

into constituent parts, of one day 

 

rejoining this infinitesimal assembly, 

of becoming an orgy of particles 

 

too (beautiful and) numerous to count? 

 

[Amy Gerstler {1956- } 'A Drop of Seawater Under the Microscope', from The Best American Poetry 2016]

a thing that could not feel

A slumber did my spirit seal; 

    I had no human fears: 

She seemed a thing that could not feel 

    The touch of earthly years. 

 

No motion has she now, no force; 

    She neither hears nor sees; 

Rolled round in earth's diurnal course, 

    With rocks, and stones, and trees. 

 

[William Wordsworth {1770-1850} 'A Slumber did my Spirit Seal', from Selected Poems]

no matter what temporarily expedient combination of allied interests wins the war

I, having loved ever since I was a child a few things, never 

    having wavered 

In these affections; never through shyness in the houses of the 

    rich or in the presence of clergymen having denied these 

    loves; 

Never when worked upon by cynics like chiropractors having 

    grunted or clicked a vertebra to the discredit of these 

    loves; 

Never when anxious to land a job having diminished them by 

    a conniving smile; or when befuddled by drink 

Jeered at them through heartache or lazily fondled the fingers 

    of their alert enemies; declare 

 

That I shall love you always. 

No matter what party is in power; 

No matter what temporarily expedient combination of allied 

    interests wins the war, 

Shall love you always. 

 

[Edna St. Vincent Millay {1892-1950} 'Modern Declaration', from Selected Poems]

when you expect to be happy you are not, when you don't expect to be happy there's suddenly Easter in your soul, though it be midwinter

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

 

🐣 What Surprise Will You Find in Your Easter Basket? 🐰

 

Easter baskets aren’t just about candy (though no judgment if chocolate plays a supporting role). Sometimes the best surprises are the small, thoughtful things tucked underneath the grass—the little objects that hint at the season ahead. Something creative. Something cozy. Something quietly hopeful. Take this quiz to discover the surprise waiting in your basket this year.  

---

1. Your ideal Easter morning begins with: 

    A. A quiet hour with coffee and a good book. 

    B. A walk outside to see what’s blooming. 

    C. A burst of creativity—writing, drawing, making something. 

    D. A relaxed morning with music and something warm to drink. 

 

2. Pick a small joy: 

    A. Discovering a book that makes you forget the clock. 

    B. Watching a plant slowly come to life. 

    C. Filling a blank page with color or ideas. 

    D. Lighting a candle and settling into a peaceful moment. 

 

3. Your friends tend to come to you for: 

    A. Thoughtful recommendations and interesting conversation. 

    B. Calm encouragement and grounded advice. 

    C. Inspiration and creative ideas. 

    D. A soothing presence when things feel hectic. 

 

4. If your home had a “vibe,” it would be: 

    A. Books everywhere and cozy reading corners. 

    B. Plants slowly taking over every available surface. 

    C. Creative chaos—sketches, notes, and half-finished ideas. 

    D. Soft light, calm colors, and quiet comfort. 

 

5. Choose the phrase that resonates most: 

    A. “A good story changes the day.” 

    B. “Growth takes time.” 

    C. “Make something beautiful.” 

    D. “Peace is a practice.” 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by Elizabeth Goudge, from The White Witch]

burn me! Don't do this to me! Don't pass me over!

When the regime ordered that books with harmful knowledge 

Should be publicly burnt, and all around 

Oxen were forced to drag cartloads of books 

To the pyre, one banished poet 

One of the best, discovered, studying the list of the burnt 

To his horror, that his books 

Had been forgotten. He hurried to his desk 

On wings of rage and wrote a letter to the powers that be. 

Burn me! he wrote, his pen flying, burn me! 

Don't do this to me! Don't pass me over! Have I not always told 

The truth in my books? And now 

I am treated by you as a liar! 

                                            I order you: 

Burn me! 

 

[Bertolt Brecht {1898-1956} 'The Book Burnings' {trans. by Tom Kuhn}, in Books and Libraries, from Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets]

wisdom was never bought at so cheap a price

Average rating: 7.2

Unknown (2011) - "After a serious car accident in Berlin, Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakes to find his world in utter chaos. His wife (January Jones) does not recognize him; another man is using his identity, and mysterious assassins are hunting him. The authorities do not believe his claims, and he must go on the run alone. With an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Martin leaps into a perplexing situation that will force him to discover how far he is willing to go for the truth." 

length: 1h, 53m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Jaume Collet-Serra  |  why I watched: I'd seen it before (previously reviewed here) but couldn't recall a thing about it. Since I'd originally watched because one of my favorites (Sebastian Koch) is in it, I thought it important to see it again.

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 56% / 55% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: somber, crisp & modern

notable quote: "I didn't forget everything. I remember how to kill you, asshole."

my notes: insanely convoluted and tied to convenient circumstances, this is an engaging suspense film until too many of the wheels come off. I wanted to like it. The cast is quite good. The story, though... it's like having a ball of yarn when you want a sweater.

    Roger Ebert's review is here, which is both structurally useful to explain my difficulties with this movie and also very funny. "At some point, a thriller has to play fair."

themes: identity, memory, chaos v. order

overall: only marginally recommended

 

Separate Tables (1958) - "Separate Tables unfolds within the faded dignity of a small seaside hotel in Bournemouth, where lives intersect not through grand events but through glances, pauses, and the fragile choreography of social survival. Each guest carries a private burden—regret, deception, loneliness, moral compromise—and the hotel becomes a kind of emotional terrarium, exposing how people construct identities to endure proximity with others. The film moves with restraint and compassion, revealing not explosive confrontations but slow unveilings, where humiliation and mercy coexist. Its emotional force lies in the quiet terror of being seen clearly, and the equally quiet grace of being accepted anyway." 

length: 1h, 40m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Delbert Mann  |  why I watched: this is a favorite, one that I seek out when I'm in an especially emotional mood (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 68% / 76% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: intimate, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "It'll do."

my notes: this is a movie about getting older (and how that can differ from "growing up"). Many cast members—particularly Rita Hayworth, Deborah Kerr, Wendy Hiller, and especially the magnificent David Niven—give terrifically vulnerable performances. Wonderful food for thought.

Academy Awards winner: Best actor (Niven); Best Supporting Actress (Hiller). 5x nominee  

themes: loss, identity, found family

overall: strongly recommended

Red Cliff II {Chi bi: Jue zhan tian xia} (2009) - "The great coalition stands at the edge of annihilation. After the uneasy alliance of southern warlords halts the northern juggernaut of Cao Cao, strategy rather than sheer force must decide the future of China. In Red Cliff II, alliances deepen, rivalries sharpen, and every decision—military or personal—ripples across the battlefield. As deception, sacrifice, and intellect converge in one of history’s most legendary campaigns, the film moves steadily toward the inferno of the Red Cliffs, where wind, fire, and human ingenuity combine to reshape an empire. John Woo completes his epic with spectacle grounded in character, turning the famous battle into a meditation on loyalty, trust, and the delicate art of winning without losing oneself." 

length: 2h, 22m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by John Woo  |  why I watched: I wanted a suitable film for Chinese New Year, and I'd recently seen the first in the set (reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 82% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Not rated

tone & texture: epic, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "I was wrong to scold you."

my notes: I have seen (and own) the separately packaged, edited-for-length, American version of the two Red Cliff films. There is also an international version that pairs the two original films (released a year apart) in their original structure. Taken together, this is a great movie: big, bold, intricately detailed but not bogged in meaningless detail (and with no facile explication, like modern US cinema seems to require). 

    There is no wrong note in the casting. Tony Leung Chiu-wai (Zhou Yu) and Takeshi Kaneshiro (Zhuge Liang) are the obvious draws, and each is masterful in his role. Zhou Yu is action, power, and skill, while Zhuge Liang is planning, strategy, and some mysticism. The other main characters are terrific as well: Fengi Zhang as deluded, power-mad Cao Cao; Wei Zhao as ingenious, strong, curious Sun Shangxiang (and Chang Chen as her over-protective brother, Sun Quan); and Shidô Nakamura as the unintentionally funny, grumpy Gan Xing. 

themes: sacrifice

overall: highly recommended

Barbary Coast (1935) - "In Gold Rush–era San Francisco, the notorious Barbary Coast thrives as a glittering enclave of gambling, music, and carefully managed lawlessness. Newly arrived from the East, a sharp-witted woman finds herself drawn into this world of card tables and smoky saloons, where the city’s most powerful man presides with charm, menace, and absolute control. As fortunes rise and loyalties shift, the line between opportunity and exploitation grows thin. This film offers a brisk, stylish look at a moment when San Francisco balanced precariously between frontier chaos and the coming order of modern city life." 

length: 1h, 31m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by Howard Hawks  |  why I watched: I was in the mood for something lighter, after the last few choices, and Joel McCrea is always a favorite

IMDb: 6.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 92% / 50% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: cynical, noir shadows

notable quote: "I like it when life's hidden; it gives you a chance to imagine nice things. Nicer than they are."

my notes: not exactly a Western, definitely not a romance, certainly not a crime story, this movie has elements of each. Miriam Hopkins is terrific as the heroine, Mary Rutledge. She reveals an interesting mix of almost innocent beauty, backbone, and intelligence. Edward G. Robinson revels in portraying the dastardly Luis Chamalis just at the edge of mustachio-twirling nonsense. And Joel McCrea is lovely, guileless, poetic and stubborn as Jim Carmichael. 

themes: chaos v. order, identity, love

Academy Award nominee 

overall:  recommended

 

The Missing: Series 1 (2014) - "A family vacation in rural France turns into every parent’s nightmare when a young boy disappears without a trace. The Missing [series 1] follows the years-long search that consumes his father, moving between the immediate aftermath and the lingering consequences that ripple through everyone involved. Patient, tense, and emotionally raw, the series builds its mystery piece by piece, revealing how time, grief, and obsession reshape lives while the truth remains just out of reach." 

length: the series is made up of eight 60-minute episodes  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Tom Shankland  |  why I watched: I am a fan of Tchéky Karyo's work, and his portrayal of the French detective Julien Baptiste is said to be terrific

IMDb: 8.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 93% / 90% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10 (based on episodes 1 and 2)  |  MPAA: TV-14

tone & texture: bleak, slow-build/atmospheric

my notes: I've only seen the first two episodes, so this review is incomplete. I'm watching the series in the old-fashioned way, one episode per week or two. It benefits from time in between, for sure. Less an action-thriller than a melancholy memory, it feels like a bruise that won't heal. So far, I know who the characters are, but not why they do what they do and certainly not how it's all going to turn out. It's easy to suspect nearly everyone of being somehow at fault. I intend to review this again when it's complete, before moving on to series 2.  

themes: memory

multiple awards wins and nominations including BAFTAs and Primetime Emmys 

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Barbary Coast]

rock n' roll is ridiculous. It's absurd

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

 

🎶 What’s Your Go‑To ’90s Band?🎵

 

Not your favorite—your default, but the one that feels like home. Some bands aren’t nostalgia; they’re emotional infrastructure. Which one still hums in the background of your brain?

---

1. Your ideal ’90s weekend involved:

    A. Coffee and conversation

    B. A road trip

    C. Staring at the ceiling    

    D. Dancing badly

 

2. Your default emotional tone is:

    A. Wry

    B. Restless

    C. Introspective    

    D. Upbeat

 

3. Lyrics should primarily be:

    A. Smart

    B. Cathartic

    C. Moody    

    D. Fun

 

4. Your fashion sense leans:

    A. Casual-cool

    B. Practical

    C. Minimal    

    D. Expressive

 

5. You replay songs when they make you feel:

    A. Seen

    B. Unstuck

    C. Understood    

    D. Lighter

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is from Bono.]

if you're bored, I'll sleep with you

Average rating: 7.2

Okinawa Rendez-vous {Lian zhan Chong Cheng} (2000) - "A quiet, sunlit Japanese drama about two young people who drift into each other’s lives on the island of Okinawa, each carrying a private sadness and a sense of being slightly unmoored. Over the course of a brief encounter—part friendship, part emotional refuge—they share small moments of conversation, music, and wandering that gradually reveal what they’re running from and what they might still want. The film is less concerned with plot than with atmosphere: the softness of the seaside setting, the pauses between words, and the fragile comfort of connection when life feels suspended." 

length: 1h, 40m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Gordon Chan  |  why I watched: having seen so much of "little Tony," I decided to check out another side of "big Tony"

IMDb: 6.0/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 28% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: reflective, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "It's the same with me and my girlfriend. It's like the church & its followers. At first, I would be excited, wanting to go every day. As time passed, I only went on holidays & special occasions. The thing is, I find that I don't believe in this church anymore. "

my notes: marketed as a comedy in some places, this is actually a quiet, melancholy island interlude—lightly funny in passing, but primarily about loneliness and brief connection. I wanted to love it, but never really engaged, and a disappointing ending killed it for me.

themes: isolation

overall: marginally recommended

 

The Lady Vanishes (1938) - "A group of train travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel, young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) befriends elderly Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty). When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler (Michael Redgrave) and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly." 

length: 1h, 36m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Alfred Hitchcock  |  why I watched: it's been ages since I've seen it, and I never reviewed it - shocking! (previously mentioned here and here)

IMDb: 7.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 98% / 88% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: energetic, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "'You're the most contemptible person I've ever met in all my life!'

    'Confidentially, I think you're a bit of a stinker, too.'"

my notes: it's a clever one, nice and twisty but not so complicated that the viewer cannot follow it. Margaret Lockwood is stunning, smart, and has wonderful timing. Michael Redgrave is light, wry, and thoughtful. 

    I particularly enjoyed Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford as fellow travelers Caldicott and Charters, the hapless and goofy pair who also appeared in Night Train to Munich (1940, reviewed here) and a few other movies. 

themes: loyalty

overall:  recommended

Bodyguards and Assassins {Shi yue wei cheng} (2009) - "This sprawling, heart-forward historical action epic set in 1905 Hong Kong gathers an unlikely coalition of ordinary citizens to protect revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen during a single, perilous day. What unfolds isn’t just a succession of fight sequences, but a mounting act of collective courage: rickshaw pullers, merchants, gamblers, and reluctant sons stepping into history, one by one. The film balances bone-crunching choreography with surprising tenderness, layering humor and warmth beneath a steady awareness that survival is not guaranteed. It’s long, earnest, and emotionally costly—an epic built not on mythic heroes, but on sacrifice." 

length: 2h, 19m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Teddy Chan  |  why I watched: I wanted something different, but that I knew was good (previously discussed here and especially here)

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 50% / 71% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: epic, textured/earthy

my notes: a deep movie, this one gains meaning each time I see it. This time, I was particularly struck by "the beggar man," Liu Yu-bai (played by Leon Lai), and especially by rickshaw puller Ah Si (Nicholas Tse). It's a film that tightens the screws scene by scene, until even its tenderness feels like a countdown.

themes: sacrifice

overall: highly recommended

Sin Takes a Holiday (1930) - "A young woman, Sylvia Brenner (Constance Bennett), abruptly walks away from her job and drab circumstances and decides she will no longer settle for crumbs—socially, romantically, or financially. She reinvents herself, enters high society, and essentially experiments with being 'kept' on her own terms. The film follows her maneuvering through wealthy men, status games, and romantic entanglements as she tests whether independence and security can coexist." 

length: 1h, 21m  |  source: TubiTV  |  directed by Paul E Stein  |  why I watched: headache makes mysterious choices

IMDb: 6.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 54% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: Passed

tone & texture: wry, classic Hollywood polish

notable quote: "'Everybody should get married once.'

    '...just to find out how really happy you can be, single.'"

my notes: I loved Basil Rathbone as a kind, funny, realistically lovesick adult. What a contrast to his ultra-capable Sherlock Holmes! I disliked most of the rest of the cast, and also disliked this story. The "moral" seems to be that one can do whatever one likes to whomever one wishes, and in the end none of that bad stuff will matter. 

themes: transformation, tradition vs. change

overall: only weakly recommended

 

Unleashed {Danny the Dog} (2005) - "Not a film about violence, but about
the fragile, terrifying act of becoming open after a lifetime of being used. Jet Li plays Danny, a man conditioned to respond rather than to live, whose gradual exposure to gentleness—music, kindness, the simple dignity of being seen—awakens something long buried. The film contrasts the cold, bruising efficiency of his captivity with the warm, hesitant light of human connection, allowing Li to reveal a softness and vulnerability far beyond his earlier heroic roles. Bob Hoskins gives his captor a disturbing humanity, while Morgan Freeman and Kerry Condon offer sanctuary without sentimentality. Brutal when it must be and tender when it matters, Unleashed is ultimately a quiet study of trust, and of the courage it takes to step out of reflex and into feeling." 

length: 1h, 43m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Louis Leterrier  |  written by Luc Besson  |  why I watched: I've seen it many times, but never reviewed it

IMDb: 7.0/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 66% / 74% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: gritty, textured/earthy

notable quote: "That man can talk some serious shit."

my notes: violent and sad, frightening and bewildering, gentle and hopeful. This film creates beauty from ashes. I adore the interplay between Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, and Kerry Condon. They transcend ego and individual performance (and each is more than capable of owning a movie in their own right) to make a beautiful ensemble. Bob Hoskins is terrific as Bart, Danny's "owner", all the more chilling because he's not uniformly horrid. Luc Besson wrote this sad, marvelous story.   

themes: redemption, found family, love

overall: strongly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Okinawa Rendez-vous]

spring is the time of plans and projects

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

 

🌱 What’s Your Sign of Spring? 🐣

 

Spring doesn’t arrive all at once. It sneaks in sideways: a smell in the air, a change in the light, the sudden appearance of something that wasn’t there yesterday. Some people notice the mud first, some the chirping birds, some the sunlight creeping back into the room at 6:30 p.m. The season’s arrival tends to reveal what we’re most ready for after a long winter. 

Take the quiz to discover your personal sign that spring has finally begun.  

---

1. The first warmish afternoon of the year finds you: 

    A. Opening windows and letting fresh air sweep through the house. 

    B. Walking somewhere just to see what’s changed outside. 

    C. Sitting in a sunny patch like a contented cat. 

    D. Making plans for something—garden, trip, project, anything. 

 

2. Which small seasonal moment gives you the most satisfaction? 

    A. The house suddenly smells like outside again. 

    B. The first brave flowers pushing up through cold soil. 

    C. The sun lingering longer than you expected. 

    D. Realizing winter projects can finally begin. 

 

3. Your ideal early-spring soundtrack is: 

    A. Birds arguing enthusiastically in the morning. 

    B. Wind moving through trees and open fields. 

    C. Quiet afternoon light and distant neighborhood sounds. 

    D. The satisfying clink of tools and plans getting underway. 

 

4. If spring were a feeling, it would be: 

    A. Relief. 

    B. Curiosity. 

    C. Quiet contentment. 

    D. Energy. 

 

5. When you think about the season ahead, you’re most excited for: 

    A. Air that smells like rain and thawed earth. 

    B. Discovering small signs of life returning. 

    C. Evenings that stretch longer and longer. 

    D. Finally getting started on something new. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by Leo Tolstoy, from Anna Karenina]

everything'll be okay after tomorrow

Average rating: 6.2, ouch

 

SPOILER ALERT: don't read the third entry (Infernal Affairs III) if you haven't seen it—or the second film in the series—and want to keep it a mystery.

 

Blacklight (2022) - "Blacklight follows Travis Block, a veteran government operative who handles dangerous, behind-the-scenes assignments for the FBI, including rescuing undercover agents. When an ambitious insider tries to expose a covert program that appears to be targeting ordinary citizens, Block begins to suspect something is deeply wrong within the bureau itself. As he probes further with the help of a journalist, he finds himself at odds with his own boss and pulled into a conspiracy that endangers his daughter and granddaughter. What follows are a series of confrontations, chases, and attempts to uncover the truth while protecting his family." 

length: 1h, 44m  |  source: PlutoTV  |  directed by Mark Williams  |  why I watched: it was on my PlutoTV recommendations list

IMDb: 4.9/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 12% / 82% Audience  |  my IMDb: 3/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: gritty, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "As unpopular as it may sound, history tell us that spilling a little blood is absolutely necessary to maintain law and order."

my notes: good lord. 

    A. Does FBI really have only 5 employees, who could be nicknamed Corrupt, Incorruptible, Crazy, and Thug #1 and Thug #2? Huh. 

    B. An African American female journalist will never be murdered in an American movie. Hence, that tension is gone. 

    C. Mental health conditions are not jokes or taglines, and they most certainly don't "sometimes make me better at my job." 

    D. Child actors required to perform realistic dialog need to be old enough, or skilled enough, to do so without clearly watching their prompter. 

    E. Chemistry is vital in a film cast. These characters interact as if they're newly arrived on this planet and have never been around others before. 

themes: moral ambiguity, power

overall: not  recommended

 

Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) - "Due to a telephone glitch, Leona Stevenson (Barbara Stanwyck), a controlling heiress with a physical disability, overhears a conversation about a plan to kill a woman. Unable to leave her home or reach her husband (Burt Lancaster), and written off by the police, Leona struggles to uncover the truth through a series of phone calls that only lead her deeper into a mystery, which may involve her college rival, Sally (Ann Richards), and a scheme to sell pharmaceuticals on the black market." 

length: 1h, 29m  |  source: Amazon Prime Video  |  directed by Anatole Litvak  |  why I watched: I was in the mood for a classic (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 86% / 78% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: noir, unsettling

notable quote: "What does a dame like you want with a guy like me?"

my notes: this film breaks one of my cinematic rules—show me, don't tell me—but that's the point of the movie, so, there you go. Barbara Stanwyck's performance was outstanding, showing Leona's aggressive, entitled control and also her brittle fear and ineffectual manner of living. 

    Lancaster is wasted in the role of Henry, which is more about revealing abjectness and frustration than about presence or competence, like his best roles have shown. (See, e.g., From Here to Eternity {1953, reviewed here}, Separate Tables {1958, reviewed here}, Judgment at Nuremberg {1961, reviewed here}, and The Train {1964; reviewed here}.)  

    This time around I was struck by Ed Begley as Leona's father, James Cotterell. His character is a drugstore magnate, but at the same time is servile and ineffectual. He's the key character, really, despite being onscreen for only five minutes.

themes: power

Academy Award nominee: Best Actress—Stanwyck 

overall:  recommended

Infernal Affairs III {Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan} (2003) - "Two periods are interwoven: the final days leading up to Inspector Chan Wing-yan’s death and the years afterward, as Lau Kin-ming attempts to live openly as a respected police officer while privately unraveling. As an internal affairs investigation threatens to expose past crimes, Lau becomes increasingly haunted by guilt, paranoia, and imagined conversations with the dead. The film revisits earlier events from altered perspectives, reframing what loyalty, betrayal, and survival actually cost. Rather than resolving the trilogy through action, it closes by examining the long-term psychological consequences of living a lie—and whether punishment is ultimately external or self-inflicted." 

length: 1h, 58m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Wai Keung [Andrew] Lau, Alan Mak  |  why I watched: I've seen the first two (I is reviewed here and here; II is reviewed here)

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 70% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Not Rated

tone & texture: bleak, high-color/stylized

notable quote: "Dr. Lee has a..., ah..., nice personality."

my notes: this film is less interested in plot than in psychological aftermath—especially the internal collapse of Lau Kin-ming, played by Andy Lau. If I and II are about identity under pressure, III is about what survives once the pressure is gone. The shifting timelines, hallucinations, and repetitions aren’t accidents; they’re meant to place the viewer inside Lau’s eroding sense of self and reality.

    By contrast, Chan Wing-yan is distressingly, blatantly alive here, despite being dead (oops, spoiler for both III and II). Lau can't let him go, so his presence keeps asserting itself.

    This is a super deep movie disguised as a power-play. (There's also some very cool stuff going on with the Cantonese title that makes me wish I could understand the language. Maybe someday!)

themes: identity, memory, power

overall:  recommended

Our Hospitality (1923) - "Sole heir Willie McKay (Buster Keaton) journeys by train from New York City to Kentucky to claim his fortune amid a decades-old feud with the Canfield family. En route, he meets and is smitten with young beauty Virginia (Natalie Talmadge), who invites him to dinner, but he realizes too late that she is the only daughter of patriarch Joseph Canfield (Joe Roberts). The rules of hospitality protect McKay from harm in their house, but he must outwit her brothers to resolve the feud." 

length: 1h, 5m  |  source: Fawesome  |  directed by Buster Keaton, John G Blystone  |  why I watched: I was looking for a short, funny movie on a Sunday evening

IMDb: 7.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 97% / 89% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Passed

tone & texture: playful, textured/earthy

notable quote: "'I've been trying to forget this feud. Why can't you do the same?'

    'No! I came a long way to kill him, and I'm going to do it tonight!"

my notes: though not as engaging as The General (1926; reviewed here and here), it's still got Keaton's irrepressible charm and athleticism, hiding behind his guileless and silly demeanor. 

    There is a running gag with guns, of all things, that had me laughing out loud.  

themes: tradition v. change

overall:  recommended

 

Ocean's Twelve (2004) - "After successfully robbing five casinos in one night, Danny Ocean and his crew of thieves have big problems. Despite pulling off one of the biggest heists in Las Vegas history, the members of the gang have already spent much of the money they stole. Casino owner Terry Benedict demands that Ocean return the money, plus millions more in interest. Unable to come up the cash, the crew is forced to come together to pull off another series of heists, this time in Europe." 

length: 2h, 5m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Steven Soderbergh  |  why I watched: I've been watching the series so that I can list to eBay and wave goodbye

IMDb: 6.5/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 55% / 60% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: energetic, crisp & modern

notable quote: "'A doctor who specializes in skin diseases will dream he has fallen asleep in front of the television. Later, he will wake up in front of the television, but not remember his dream.'     

    'If all the animals along the equator were capable of flattery, then Thanksgiving and Halloween would fall on the same date.'

    'Yeah, Hey. ... When I was four years old, I watched my mother kill a spider with a tea cozy. Years later, I realized that it was not a spider: it was my uncle Harold.'"

my notes: my least favorite of the four Ocean's, by far. It feels cold and choppy, and the obsession with Catherine Zeta Jones' character—an unappealing flipflop of a woman—distracts from much more interesting dynamics and performances, e.g. Vincent Cassel and Andy Garcia. Watch it only if you need to see the whole series.

themes: chaos v. order, found family

overall: weakly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Infernal Affairs III]