Amsterdam (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Amsterdam (2022): A 1930s noir comedy/mystery that gradually reveals itself to be a message film with an anti-fascist warning for today. A slow-developing, complicated plot with too many quirky characters, the critics mostly hated it, but I loved it for all the same reasons. A-

Brawl Breaks out at Police Station Over Hookah

At the end of a five hour meeting held at the Richardson Police Department, the Richardson City Council voted 6-1 to approve a special use permit for smoking for the "Another Time & Place" restaurant. I applaud the City Council for where they ended up in the vote, but how the Council got to "yes" was embarrassing. The pre-bout betting line was anything but a sure thing. In the end, the lopsided vote belied the jabs and uppercuts that preceded it during the Council deliberations on the matter. Brawl is an overstatement in comparison with, say, a Dallas City Council meeting, but it was a dustup by Richardson standards, where Council Members usually show deference to one another and votes are often unanimous.

Borgen - S01 (TV 2010)

Rotten Tomatoes

Borgen - S01 (TV 2010): Denmark. Workplace drama set in the offices of Denmark's first female prime miniter, who is faced with challenges in politics, press, business, and her marriage. All the fast-paced story lines are blended seamlessly. Great comparison to America. A-

#VeryTardyReview

Lou (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Lou (2022): What would be overworked with a man in the lead turns out to be mildly novel with Allison Janney as a retired CIA agent dragged into chasing a kidnapper. Good action scenes, even though some are implausible. And some good psychology at work, too. B-

POTD: Big Tex

Today's photo-of-the-day is of Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park in Dallas.

Bonus photo of Big Tex from head to toe (and Big "L") is after the jump.

POTD: State Fair of Texas 2022

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park in Dallas.

Medici: Masters of Florence - S01 (TV 2016)

Rotten Tomatoes

Medici: Masters of Florence - S01 (TV 2016): Historical drama about the dynasty that ran Florence in 1400s. Politics, intrigue, sex, and violence with lots of 2-D characters. Easy way to absorb history. Only in the last episode did I realize S01 was a murder mystery at heart. B-

#VeryTardyReview

Tehran - S01 (TV 2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

Tehran - S01 (TV 2020): Israel. A thriller. Secret Israeli mission in Iran is blown due to mistakes obvious to the viewer. Israeli spycraft doesn't live up to its reputation. The characters who make those mistakes are human, with some stereotypes surprisingly broken. B-

#VeryTardyReview

The Woman King (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Woman King (2022): Female African warriors fight European slave traders. Revenge. Tragedy. Joy. Formulaic movie with roles reversed. Ahistorical? So were all those John Wayne movies. It's time Hollywood paints Africans as the heroes. Viola Davis rules. so does Thuso Mbedu. A-

Foundation (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Foundation (TV 2021): Galactic empire challenged by ragtag rebels. Another sci-fi classic (this one by Isaac Asimov) ripped off by Star Wars. This one lacks passion or fun. Cerebral psychohistory instead of the Force's woo-woo. Main characters seldom interact with each other. C+