Loot (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Loot (TV 2022): Maya Rudolph plays a snobbish billionaire looking to fill her days after her husband cheats. She volunteers at her own charitable foundation. Does it change her? Do we care? Her problem is not money. A one-note sitcom that can't even get that one note right. C-

More Trouble For Laura (Maczka) Jordan

Former Richardson Mayor Laura (Maczka) Jordan was sentenced to six years in prison for bribery and tax fraud. Assuming she reports to prison in October, as ordered, she'll have a new lawsuit to deal with from her prison cell. Law firm Munck Wilson Mandala LLP, is suing Mark Jordan and others, including Laura (Maczka) Jordan, for "an ongoing scheme to defraud or otherwise enrich themselves at the expense of the Plaintiff." The law firm occupied an office building purchased by Jordan. They accuse Jordan of "submitting false invoices, demands, and statements regarding the operation of the firm’s office space in Dallas." Because it's a civil suit, the Jordans aren't facing additional jail time, but if they lose the lawsuit, their pocketbooks could take a big hit. Munck Wilson Mandala LLP seeks more than $1,000,000 in relief.

P.S. One fascinating coincidence in this case is that in 2020, Munck Wilson Mandala LLP hired Mabel Simpson, former Richardson City Council member. There's no indication that Simpson is involved in the lawsuit, but she did work for Munck Wilson Mandala LLP while the Jordans were being investigated and tried by the federal government. The lawsuit claims that the Jordans "used these offices as “war rooms” for meeting and working with their criminal defense attorneys in defending themselves." So it's conceivable that Mabel and Laura might have occasionally been in the same building at the same time. Imagine them running into each other on the elevator. Awkward.

The Old Man (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Old Man (TV 2022): Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow share secrets from a distant past in Afghanistan. When an assassin tries to kill Bridges in the present, events are unloosed in which those secrets gradually emerge in this cerebral thriller. Great work by two old actors. B+

Catherine the Great (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Catherine the Great (TV 2019): Hellen Mirren's turn as The Great. 4-part series covers only the last half of Catherine's life, which is the less interesting part. Mirren plays her as needy, which undercuts her greatness. Helen and Catherine both deserve more. B-

The Great - S01 (TV 2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Great - S01 (TV 2020): Over-the-top parody of Catherine the Great's early years. It helps to know the real history to appreciate some of the jokes, which tend to be explicitly sexual. Everyone plays it straight but obviously all are having great fun. B-

#VeryTardyReview

The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Worst Person in the World (2021): Norway. Not a plot, but a slice of life. Julie changes majors, falls in and out of love, struggles to figure out who she should be in life. Contrary to the title, a normal young woman. Acting so good, the movie feels like cinema verité. A-

There's a True-Crime TV Drama in This

Former Richardson Mayor Laura (Maczka) Jordan was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday for bribery and tax fraud. The government's story has all the ingredients of compelling drama, if it's a bit dry. I'm sure Hollywood can spice it up to make it a bingeable true-crime TV drama. I wouldn't be surprised if screenwriters were already shopping treatments of this story to Hollywood producers. The headline on The Dallas Morning News's story even suggests a title for the TV drama: "Not a 'Love Story'". Do you have a better suggestion?

POTD: Succession of Civilizations

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It shows a mural that stands out from the rest of the temple. It looks more like something you'd see in ancient Rome. That's because the portraits in the mural are indeed Roman, not Egyptian. They date from the time of the Emperor Diocletian in the late third century CE.

Bonus photo (and civilization) after the jump.

Julia (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Julia (2021): Documentary of Julia Child. Like a Wikipedia article on film, it covers her whole life but barely captures the intellectual rigor that made her cook book a best seller and the joie de vivre that made her a star TV chef. Still, a good place to start. B-

TIL: We Have 50x More Heat Waves than in 1980

By now, we all know that climate and weather are different. Or we should know. But even those who know still talk about the weather wrong. When we experience a heat wave like our current one, instead of blaming climate change, we instead dismiss the weather as simply a chance event, a quirk, something we have no influence over. As the skeptics have long conditioned us to respond, we just say we've always had heat waves. That Dallas summer of 1980 was a real scorcher, right?

Nope (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Nope (2022): It had me at Jordan Peele. Strong characters and an eerie atmosphere with a crazed chimp and a murderous cloud, but it comes up short when it's time to explain what's going on. Is it a Western? Horror? Sci-fi? Social commentary? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Is it good? Yep. B-

Random Thoughts: Russians Win the Space Race to the Moon

Tweets from July, 2022:

• 2022-07-05: For All Mankind - S01 (TV 2019): Alternative history of NASA where Russians win the Space Race to the Moon. A few references to alternative facts that people familiar with history will appreciate, but also a lot of soap opera storylines and convenient plot developments. B-
• 2022-07-07: Review: Sea of Tranquility: A time travel story in which a glitch in time brings centuries together. And sends characters from earlier novels into alternate timelines. These stories slowly weave together into a mesmerizing whole. B+
• 2022-07-10: In a world of Jenna Ellises, be a Simone Biles.

After the jump, more random thoughts.

Review: Cloud Cuckoo Land

From Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

“Ah,” says the first sister, “fine choice,” and they sit on either side of him and the one who fetched the book says, “On a day like this, when it’s chilly and damp, and you can’t get warm, sometimes all you need are the Greeks”—she shows him a page, dense with verse—“to fly you all the way around the world to somewhere hot and stony and bright.” "
	Amazon

Cloud Cuckoo Land: A mashup of the fall of Constantinople, a modern-day crime thriller, and a future sci-fi journey to another star, all connected by an ancient Greek story. The characters are memorable, the plots compelling, but the sum is less than the parts. B+

POTD: Go Rams!

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It shows just a few of the many (and by "many" I mean hundreds) of 3,000 year-old ram-headed sphinx statues at the site. There's even a road connecting Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple that's lined with Rams. I think it would make a grand place for Berkner High School to hold victory celebrations like Egypt's own celebration of the restoration of the road in 2021.

POTD: Egypt Offers a Wealth of Images

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It shows a typical tourist taking a photo of a family member. Clearly, he isn't taking a photo of what I'm taking a photo of. No matter. Egypt offers such a wealth of images that no matter which direction you point your camera, you'll likely have as good a background for a photo as any other direction.

Elvis (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Elvis (2022): The movie is rushed only because Elvis reinvented himself many times in his short career. Col. Parker gets as much time as Elvis and Tom Hanks may get a supporting Oscar nod, but it's Elvis's movie. Hanks is a convincing con man and Austin Butler has electricity. B+

POTD: Saying Cheese Around the World

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It shows a typical situation in Egypt. Point a camera at a group of kids and they'll swarm you wanting to get their photos taken. Not so in Germany. There, point a camera at a group of kids and the kids will ignore you and the adults chaperoning them will scold you for violating the children's privacy rights. Different strokes for difference folks.

Bonus photo after the jump.

C'mon C'mon (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

C'mon C'mon (2021): Man with issues with his mother, sister, and own past relationships, finds himself unexpectedly taking care of his nephew, a 9-yr-old boy with his own emotional issues. It's complicatead. Joaquin Phoenix can play Joker. He can play quiet family man, too. B-

Navalny (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Navalny (2022): Documentary about a Russian dissident who was poisoned by Putin, recovered and returned to Russia where he was imprisoned and remains so. His investigation into who poisoned him (Putin's agents) is a fascinating detail, as is Putin's refusal to say his name. B+

Cyrano (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Cyrano (2022): Musical unexpectedly starring Peter Dinklage. A love triangle. His love is built on a lie. Her love is misplaced. Cyrano's love can't be expressed. Beautiful retelling of the classic love story. A-

POTD: Karnak Obelisks

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. The two upright obelisks were erected by Thutmose I (reign c. 1520 - 1492 BCE) and Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE). I don't know the story of the third obelisk lying flat on the ground. Something about erectile dysfunction, I'm sure.

POTD: Great Hypostyle Hall

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is the Hypostyle Hall of Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It dates to c. 1290-1224 BCE. It covers an area of 54,000 sq ft. The roof, now fallen, was supported by 134 columns, the tallest being 79 ft. high. Despite the size, with all those columns, it felt like it would have been crowded inside.

POTD: Karnak Temple

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt. It's a massive complex, constructed over two millennia (1900 - 30 BCE).

Come From Away (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Come From Away (2021): Stage musical about small town that opens their hearts and homes to passengers from 38 jumbo jets diverted to Newfoundland after 9/11. Story told through singing to the audience. Fast. Energetic. An uplifting tale out of tragedy. America needs this now. A-

POTD: Luxor Market Tailor Shop

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from a market stall in Luxor, Egypt. No tailor was in sight.

POTD: Luxor Street Market

From 2019 11 23 Luxor

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Luxor, Egypt. Just a roadside street market.

Review: Sea of Tranquility

From Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel:

Edwin St. John St. Andrew, eighteen years old, hauling the weight of his double-sainted name across the Atlantic by steamship, eyes narrowed against the wind on the upper deck: he holds the railing with gloved hands, impatient for a glimpse of the unknown, trying to discern something—anything!—beyond sea and sky, but all he sees are shades of endless gray."
	Amazon

A time travel story in which a glitch in time brings centuries together. And sends characters from earlier novels into alternate timelines. These stories slowly weave together into a mesmerizing whole. B+