Dune (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes

Dune (1984): This David Lynch adaptation is as bad as I heard. Cheap sets and miniatures and special effects. Overly dramatic music. Clunky dialog. It's said movies should show, not tell. Dune tells, even down to narrating characters' thoughts. C-

Max

#VeryTardyReview

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

Rotten Tomatoes

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975): French. As dry as its title. 3.5 hrs of static camera shots in a claustrophobic apartment showing a woman's life of quiet desperation. Packing a punch for feminism, it tops BFI's 2022 list of best films of all time. Not for everyone. C+

Max

#VeryTardyReview

POTD: Man of La Mancha

"Miguel's words still live,
In the streets of this small town,
Don Quixote's realm."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Puerto Lapice in the province of La Mancha, Spain. Don Quixote is a fictional character, created by Miguel de Cervantes, who mentions the real town of Puerto Lapice by name in his classic novel. The modern town has capitalized on that fact. It's not big, but it's all about the Man of La Mancha.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Olives Everywhere. And Bull.

"Olive groves extend
All across central Spain's land,
Liquid gold abounds."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 15 Toledo

Today's photo-of-the-day is from central Spain, where olive groves are everywhere. We've already covered this agricultural fact in our photo-of-the-day near Seville in southern Spain, but the country is the world's largest exporter of olive oil. In 2022, 43% of the world's exports came from Spain. And that's no bull.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Does God Exist?

Today's real-time photo-of-the-day is from Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera. A man nearby is reading a book with the title "Does God Exist?" From my particular vantage point today the answer is unequivocally yes.

WAIW: Things Worth a Solitary Dime

Where Am I Wednesday!

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken. (Ten bonus points for each of the three things that you can name that are worth a solitary dime.)

Answer is after the jump.

Wonka (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Wonka (2023): Origin story for the chocolate maker. Songs are catchy, but Timothée Chalamet has neither the voice nor the needed madcap twinkle in his eye to carry the movie. There may be a happy ending, but before that it's all Wonka's hardships with slave masters, corrupt police, and an evil chocolate cartel. B-

Apple TV+

POTD: The Alhambra

"Granada's treasure,
Alhambra's timeless allure,
Echoes of glory."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 14 Granada

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. It's not just a monument or a building. It's a fortress and a palace and a whole world unto itself. Begun in 1238, "it is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: The Bishop's Opening

"Cathedral backdrop,
Father and son deep in thought,
Chess pieces in hand."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 09 14 Granada

This photo was taken on the steps of Granada Cathedral in Granada, Spain. It features an unidentified father and son playing chess. A chess beginner's maxim is "develop knights before bishops" but when you are playing literally on the steps of a cathedral, such maxims maybe can be ignored.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

The Gentlemen (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Gentlemen (TV 2024): A Guy Ritchie production. A young English duke inherits his family estate...and the enormous weed business it harbors. He tries to extricate himself and only gets dragged deeper into the criminal world. There are no good guys here, only a lot of unlikeable characters doing unlikeable things. B-

Netflix