Air (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Air (2023): Starts as pure 1980s nostalgia, becomes a standard sports movie, where the sport is brand marketing, finishes as a movie championing economic justice for athletes. The audience manipulation is visible throughout, but I couldn't help but be won over regardless. B+

POTD: Papal Arches

From 2022 10 24 Avignon

This photo-of-the-day is from Palais des Papes in Avignon, France. The photo shows a curious architectural detail of the palace, a brick wall viewed through three arches. Two of the arches are back-to-back in front of the wall, but off-center from each other. Why? Dunno. The 14th century architect was not around to ask.

POTD: Palace of the Popes in Avignon

From 2022 10 24 Avignon

This photo-of-the-day is from Palais des Papes in Avignon, France. I'll let Wikipedia tell the story:

"It is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was a seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the Palais, leading to the elections of Benedict XII in 1334, Clement VI in 1342, Innocent VI in 1352, Urban V in 1362, Gregory XI in 1370 and Benedict XIII in 1394. Since 1995, the Palais des Papes has been classified, along with the historic center of Avignon, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its outstanding architecture and historical importance for the Papacy."

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022): Mexican. Iñárritua's surreal epic about a fictional film director's family and career (even this movie is in the movie). BARDO sometimes soars with beautiful imagery and dream scenes, but the story is pedestrian. C+

Meet the New Boss Same as the Old Boss

The Dallas Morning News reported that mayoral candidate "[Bob] Dubey said [Mayor Paul] Voelker’s “micromanagement from the top down” has deterred some council members and residents from speaking at council meetings."

Candidate Dubey won. It's Mayor Dubey now. Monday night the public got its first chance to see how the new regime is changing how council meetings are run, presumably opening them up, encouraging more open deliberations by council members. I'm here to report that from my perch in the cheap seats at the back of the house, the new boss looks a lot like the old boss.

WAIW: R2-D3 and R2-D4?

Where Am I Wednesday!

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken.

Answer is after the jump.

The Traitors (TV 2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Traitors (TV 2023): Reality show. Goal is to out the "traitors" before they "murder" the rest. With meaningless contests earning money for the prize pot to pad time. Stupid rules, even stupider players. It's a game of chance, but they play it like a game of trust. C-

The Law According to Lidia Poët (TV 2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Law According to Lidia Poët (TV 2023): Italian. In 1883 Turin, a feminist fights for the right to practice law while defending people falsely accused of murder. Based on a real woman. The murder mysteries aren't original, but the subplots are. Matilda De Angelis is a star. B-

POTD: Sète Street Art

From 2022 10 23 Sète

This photo-of-the-day is from Sète, France. It shows one of the many street murals that adorn this city.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Sète, Venice of the Languedoc

From 2022 10 23 Sète

This photo-of-the-day is from Sète, France, known as the "Venice of the Languedoc" for its network of canals. "It is a port and a seaside resort on the Mediterranean with its own very strong cultural identity, traditions, cuisine and dialect." It's overshadowed by Marseilles, Saint Tropez, Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo, but it's worth visiting anyway. We happened to be there because Viking cruises thought so, too (and it's a convenient stop for a cruise between Barcelona and Marseilles).

A bonus photo is after the jump.