kinuta

Saw it yesterday and thought it was really good. I'll not attempt to rate it with stars but thought it was more interesting than Hell & High Water. The locations were very atmospheric, the story held my attention and Jeremy Renner gave a good, maybe his best, performance. Elizabeth Olsen was also convincing and potential cliches and pitfalls were avoided. I enjoyed it more than I expected.

Jack Warden Warren Beatty Tonsorial Artist

Open Range is an excellent western that holds its own against the classics of the genre. It's one film I'd love to see on a big screen. For me it's better than either Dances With Wolves or Wyatt Earp.

Discs 9 & 10

Curb Your Enthusiasm S 9

Aspidistra, doilies and antimacassars were essential household fixtures for aspiring genteel folk once upon a time. Orwell was no doubt using the aspidistra as a symbol of the bourgeoisie. I agree, it's a very good book. Still have no idea who the singer is though.

I've no idea who the singer is but have learned something new about the Aspidistra. They were common fixtures of British homes in the Edwardian period and I remember seeing them in various great aunts and uncles homes when I was little. Time has blurred my memory as I was under the mistaken impression that they were similar to rubber plants. These are pictures of aspidistra and it looks nothing like a rubber plant. This plant is very common in Japan and you can see them all over. To my great surprise we even have one in our living room although the leaves are a bit thicker than the ones in the photos.

Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Sam Kydd Cardew Robinson

Lord Rockingham's Eleven Screaming Lord Sutch Lord High Executioner

Foundation is an easier read than some of the others that are a bit long winded and feel padded. I read them all in my twenties meaning a fifty year gap in which to forget the plots. All this started when I was about to reread The Gods Themselves, then thought better of it and hit the Robots/Empire/Foundation series instead. I'm saving The Gods Themselves, which is a favourite, for last.

Our Souls At Night - Ritesh Batra (2017) Loved The Lunch Box, liked The Sense Of An Ending and wasn't disappointed with this either. Flimsy plot about two old folks getting together is sweet and sentimental but difficult to cynically brush off. Fonda and Redford nail the characters with effortless grace and the two performances are the raison d'etre of the film. Undemanding but an entertaining feel good film.

Excellent. Dynamic vocals and a smoking trio. I remember this was impossible to find in jewel case TOCJ Blue Note Works. I searched all over Tokyo for it. Anyhow this sounds great.

Harry Callahan Andy Robinson Don Siegel

The Beguiled - Sofia Coppola (2017) A worthy addition to her body of work that continues exploring the world of women. The story is basically the same as the Don Siegel version but the film is completely different in tone. My only criticism would be the use of natural light. This works beautifuly on the outdoor parts. She makes the woods look quite magical with the light streaming down through the trees against a soundscape of insects chirping and birds singing. It works less well on the interiors. At times the murkiness is too much, especially one pivotal scene which is so dark I could barely make out what was happening. Sofia should have boned up on David Fincher low light photography techniques. Apart from that it's very good. The almost total absence of music was also striking. City Of Ghosts - Matthew Heineman (2017) An admirable documentary the follows the formation and work of Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently . A profile in courage.

That would mean that , for unknown reasons, the episodes have been divided into two parts making the total number twenty instead of ten. I suppose the whole series is being shown over ten days.

Two episodes would be a demanding full evenings viewing as each one is about 100 to 110 minutes. Anyhow it's essential tv imo. Also watched the excellent first episode of the six part Alias Grace.

Finished The Vietnam War. It was very well done with a touching last episode. I think The 10,000 Day War is equally worthy, perhaps more so from a straight chronological history perspective, although The Vietnam War is more immediately satisfying.

Three Women Three Amigos Three Godfathers

Discs 7 & 8

Ginger Baker Ginger Rogers Roger The Dodger

The Galloping Gourmet Fanny & Johnny Craddock The Cookies

Yes, both very good.

Chocolate Pork Chop Man Pigmeat Markham Piggy In The Middle