Wolfs (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Wolfs (2024): An action comedy in which Clooney and Pitt play fixers who clean up crime scenes to protect high profile clients. The contrived plot's loose seams are connected with action sequences that don't require acting skills of either star. Still an entertaining watch. B-

AppleTV+

POTD: Newton Food Centre

"Lively hawkers call,
Seafood sizzles, flavors dance,
Night market alive."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 12 24 Singapore

Singapore has always been known for plentiful, great food. Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Newton Food Centre in Singapore. It's described as a "lively market with numerous stalls & hawkers offering seafood & local specialities." It was an easy walk from our hotel. The offerings were delicious and numerous enough for us to choose this market for meals on two nights.

POTD: Supertree Grove

"Vertical giants,
Holding gardens in their arms,
Nature redefined."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 12 24 Singapore

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Supertree Grove in Singapore's Garden by the Bay. "Supertrees are the 18 tree-like structures that dominate the Gardens' landscape with heights that range between 25 and 50 metres. They are vertical gardens that perform a multitude of functions, which include planting, shading and working as environmental engines for the gardens." They also provide a great view of Singapore.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Volkswagen: About that Mural...

Clay Cooley VW. Photo or Rendering?
Before or After? You decide.

At the September 23, 2024, meeting, the Richardson City Council approved by a vote of 4-3 a request by Clay Cooley Volkswagen to add a repair shop, a body shop, and a vehicle storage lot on their property in the Interurban District. That was all covered in "Council Recap: Sell Out for a Mural", which was already a long post, so I left out a couple of points that should be made. About that mural. And about that landscaping.

Council Recap: Sell Out for a Mural

At the September 23, 2024, meeting, the Richardson City Council approved by a vote of 4-3 a request by Clay Cooley Volkswagen to add a repair shop, a body shop, and a vehicle storage lot on their property in the Interurban District. This is the district Richardson once envisioned as an "edgy, mixed-use district built upon the existing bones of the district, focusing on adaptive reuse of existing buildings and targeted infill development." We are now faced with admitting that the Interurban District would have been better named the "Car Lots and Repair Shops District."

Beetlejuice (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes

Beetlejuice (1988): To prepare to watch the 2024 sequel, it's time I watched the 1988 original for the first time. It holds up as a silly horror movie, more surreal than scary. Seeing a cast full of big movie stars early in their careers is a treat. B-

Max

#VeryTardyReview

Sunny (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Sunny (TV 2024): Japanese. Is this sci-fi, a study in grief, a crime story? Yes??? American woman living in Japan loses husband and son in a plane crash. Suspicions grow. She receives an AI homebot as compensation, her mother-in-law seems determined to go to prison, and yakuza search her home. C+

AppleTV+

POTD: Dinner in the Bush

"Dinner in the bush,
Stars above and beasts below,
Wild eyes watch, unseen."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 11 04 Zimbabwe

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Zimbabwe. It's at a dinner in the bush just outside Zambezi National Park. There's really nothing separating us from the wildlife, so I guess either 1) the animals are more afraid of us than we are of them, or 2) the animals are well fed and see no need to challenge humans, or 3) the people in charge of safaris and bush dinners don't value tourists' lives. You decide. On the drive back to our resort after dinner, we were driving down a dark, dirt track when we suddenly came across two male elephants facing off. Our vehicle driver quickly stopped, reversed course and took another route, saying that it's a really bad idea to get anywhere close to elephants fighting.

POTD: Happy Hour in the Bush

"At the water hole,
Safari pauses for cheers,
A toast to wild ways."

— h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 11 04 Zimbabwe

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Zimbabwe. After a safari ride in the bush of Zambezi National Park, our safari driver stopped our vehicle at a watering hole, got out and set up a bar on a shelf attached to the front of the vehicle. Time for a sunset Happy Hour in the wild.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Civil War (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Civil War (2024): Four journalists determined to get the story head to Washington during the climax of a future civil war in America. Apolitical. Too much by the numbers. Watch the much better A Private War instead. C+

Max