The Two Popes (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Two Popes (2019): Conversations between Benedict and Francis when Benedict decided to retire. Two very different men, with different philosophies, portrayed by two great actors. Only action comes from flashbacks to Francis's early career, which deserve their own movie. B+

Random Thoughts: Big Ten Football in the Snow

Tweets from December, 2019:

• 2019-12-01: Big Ten football in the snow. Wisconsin gets Paul Bunyan's Axe, clinches Big Ten West championship and a place in the Big Ten title game.
• 2019-12-01: The Irishman (2019): Scorsese directs De Niro, Pacino, Pesci (that's all you need) in a 3.5 hour intimate epic (there can be such a thing) about the mob and the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. A disapproving look from De Niro's daughter, just a look, supplies the morality. A-
• 2019-12-03: Ford v Ferrari (2019): A sports movie. A good one, but still. Predictable plot. Two-dimensional characters. Clichéd dialog. The guys from Ford are supposed to be the good guys, but I found myself cheering for the "wops" from Ferrari. Good performance by Christian Bale. B-
• 2019-12-06: The Sixth Extinction: Global warming, ocean acidification, crop and animal disease, poor land use patterns, all are involved in extinctions rivaling the death of the dinosaurs. Why don't we act? If anything, this book is not alarmist enough. B-

After the jump, more idle thoughts.

Uncut Gems (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Uncut Gems (2019): Fast-talking gem dealer is a compulsive gambler whose debts spiral out of control. Shouting, bullying, foul language, and manic intensity from start to finish. Like watching a pot boil over. Adam Sandler is great and atones for every bad movie he ever made. A-

Little Women (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Little Women (2019): Clever meta-adaptation of the classic novel. If you are unfamiliar with it, the many characters and arcs and jumps in timeline will be challenging to follow. But by the end, it all comes together. Great acting all around but Saoirse Ronan excels. A-

POTD: Bajada de los Baños

From 2019 08 17 Lima, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Bajada de los Baños neighborhood in the Barranco District of Lima, Peru. It's a narrow pathway down from the city to the sea, today lined with restaurants and amazing street art.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Pageant Queen

From 2019 08 17 Lima, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Bajada de los Baños neighborhood in the Barranco District of Lima, Peru. The district provides beautiful backdrops for beautiful women to be photographed beautifully.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Mujeres

From 2019 08 17 Lima, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Bajada de los Baños neighborhood in the Barranco District of Lima, Peru. It's a narrow pathway down from the city to the sea, today lined with restaurants and amazing street art. It's a must-visit scene in Lima.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Vermillion Flycatcher

From 2019 08 17 Lima, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Lima, Peru. It shows a Vermillion Flycatcher perched on a, well, I'm not positive what kind of tree this is. Can anyone help?

Vitruvian Lights 2019

Merry Christmas from Vitruvian Lights in Addison, Texas.

More photos after the jump.

POTD: Lima Street Art

From 2019 08 17 Lima, Peru

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a city street in Lima, Peru.