Thelma (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Thelma (2024): 93-year-old grandma gets scammed out of $10,000. Police are no help, her family are useless, so she undertakes to get the money back herself. Like Mr. Magoo, she keeps running up against obstacles, but somehow keeps going. Light-hearted comedy for the whole family. C+

Hulu

Council Recap: No Video of Charter Review

Source: h/t DALL-E.

On February 17, 2024, the Richardson City Council discussed the potential video recording of Charter Review Commission meetings. Some questioned the need. Some the cost. Some were concerned about the fairness to Commissioners who did not anticipate being recorded. Councilmember Dan Barrios argued for recording the remaining meetings due to the Commission's significance. Councilmember Jennifer Justice made a motion to leave the current situation as it is (no video), with future Commissions informed in advance of whatever was decided at that time. The motion passed 4-3, with Mayor Pro Tem Arefin, and Councilmembers Dan Barrios and Joe Corcoran opposed. Kudos to them for taking the side of increased transparency.

Read on for details of the arguments.

Kinda Pregnant (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Kinda Pregnant (2025): Woman's dream of marriage and a baby falls apart, so she hatches a fake pregnancy plan. I don't know where it goes from there because I didn't finish the movie. Full of crude jokes and what's maybe worse, unfunny. Amy Schumer is better than this. F+

Netflix

The Substance (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Substance (2024): TV fitness instructor sells her soul for a drug promising restored youth. A satire of Hollywood's treatment of women that starts small but grows increasingly over-the-top, grotesque, even comically absurd. An instant cult classic whose last 30 minutes leave you wondering WTF. It's great but is it any good? B+

Prime

POTD: Christiansborg's Tapestries

"The Great Hall stands tall,
Home of woven history.
Myths and monarchs."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 01 Copenhagen

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, the seat of government of Denmark. One room is filled with tapestries. Usually tapestries in old buildings are faded and threadbare. But in the Great Hall of Christiansborg Palace are "17 quite modern tapestries, one of the greatest depictions of Denmark’s history ever made."

After the jump a bonus photo shows a dark period of recent history.

POTD: Christiansborg Palace

"Palace of power,
Three branches under one roof,
Denmark's marble halls."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 01 Copenhagen

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. "The palace is home to the three supreme powers of Denmark: the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power. It is the only building in the world that houses all three of a country's branches of government. The name Christiansborg is thus also frequently used as a metonym for the Danish political system, and colloquially it is often referred to as simply Borgen ('the castle')."

For us, visiting "Borgen" was a highlight of our trip because we had previously enjoyed the TV series Borgen.

Fly Me to the Moon (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Fly Me to the Moon (2024): An entertaining trifle, a rom-com dramedy about the Apollo 11 mission. More fiction than fact, but presented in a way that audiences will say, "So that's how they faked it." Never saw chemistry between Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. B-

AppleTV+

I'm Still Here (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

I'm Still Here (2024): Portuguese. In 1970, a Brazilian man is "disappeared." Movie focuses on his family's helplessness in seeking answers and his wife fighting to keep the family together. A history lesson that's powerful without sensationalism. Oscar-nominated Fernanda Torres carries the film. A-

In theatre

Council Recap: Goodbye, Downtown Street Grid

Source: h/t DALL-E.

The City of Richardson approved an application to build 279 apartments on Polk Street in downtown Richardson. The applicant requested exceptions from current zoning requirements: 1) 4-stories instead of 3-stories. 2) less open space 3) longer block length (580 ft) 4) less residential parking 5) service doors placed on street frontage. The request was approved by City Council 5-2, with Mayor Pro Tem Arefin and Councilmember Dan Barrios voting no. I applaud their votes, as I, too, would have voted no. But let's hear from the five Councilmembers who voted to approve this superblock apartment project.

Bad Monkey (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

asdf (TV 2024): A comedy set in the Florida Keys and Bahamas. Fast-talking, flippant detective (Vince Vaughn) latches onto a case of a human arm pulled up from the ocean by a fisherman and can't let go. Lots of oddball characters. Even the bad guys are fun. A-

AppleTV+