Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022): Mashup of old stories (Moby Dick, Poseidon Adventure, war movies from the Old West to Vietnam). Characters are stereotypes (Marines are bad guys, parents are dumb, kids are plucky). But give it the Oscar for special effects. C-

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022): On the plus side, women take over the franchise. In an existential war of world powers, Wakanda and an undersea kingdom, there's an awful lot of hand-to-hand combat and little of the world political intrigue that gave the previous installment some heft. C+

POTD: Karmann Ghia (Type 14)

From 2022 07 10 Rothenburg and Wurzburg

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. Not only are the streets of this medieval town old and classic, the cars you might find parked there are, too. This is a Karmann Ghia. From the license plate, it looks to be a Type 14, produced in the 1950s and 1960s. If anyone can pin this one down more specifically than that, let me know. The city itself dates to 1170, but I seriously doubt the Karmann Ghia is anywhere near that old.

POTD: Cruising the Middle Rhine

From 2022 07 10 Rothenburg and Wurzburg

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the deck of the longship Gefjon (Norse Goddess of the Plow) from Viking River Cruises. The photo was taken on a cruise of the Middle Rhine in Germany. In forty miles, there are forty castles lining the shores. Karlstadt Castle can be seen in the background of this photo. Not a bad way to travel.

POTD: Ice Storm of 2023

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Richardson, Texas.

Bonus photos after the jump.

Gentleman Jack - S01 (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Gentleman Jack - S01 (TV 2019): Suranne Jones dominates the screen as the real-life Anne Lister, an early 19th-century forward-thinking woman. She browbeats men and seduces women. A period piece with a punch. B+

#VeryTardyReview

Random Thoughts: Teary Bolsonaro

2023-01-01: Headline: "Teary Bolsonaro calls loss unfair, condemns violence, flies to Florida."
Florida, the refuge of criminal ex-presidents everywhere.
Brazilian president mimics Trump in two out of three.

2023-01-01: The football gods meted out justice. Ohio State couldn't even win their own conference. They had no business playing for the national championship. Of course TCU lost its conference championship game, but they did have their conference's best overall record. Georgia is the only deserving champion, despite winning because of Ohio State's last-second, missed field goal. Football isn't fair.

2023-01-03: The closed meetings Republicans in Congress are having right now to decide whether to support Kevin McCarthy as Speaker could never happen if Congress had to follow rules like the Texas Open Meetings Act. Is that good or bad?

2023-01-04: The late great Arizona Rep. Mo Udall once said, "You know the difference between a cactus and a caucus? A cactus has the pricks on the outside."
-- Matthew Dowd

Bad Sisters (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Bad Sisters (TV 2022): Series opens with funeral of unloved husband of one of five sisters who all have motives to kill him. Flashbacks fill in the story. Irish black comedy. Absurdities abound, but the seriousness of sisterhood is at its core. Starts slow but finishes strong. B+

She Said (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

She Said (2022): An important film about the investigation that kicked off the "Me Too" movement. Dogged reporters track down the story. Unlike Watergate, they know from the start what they're after. They just need to convince the women to talk. Slow and talky start leads to fast and emotional climax. B+

POTD: Miltenberg Alter Marktplatz

From 2022 07 09 Miltenberg

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Miltenberg, Germany. It shows the town's old market square, featuring a fountain created in 1583 by the sculptor Michael Junker from red sandstone. Which by the look of things, today makes a nice place for American tourists to sit and relax.

Closeup after the jump.