Friday, August 12, 2022

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.

Thursday, August 11, 2022

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+

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

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-

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

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

Monday, August 8, 2022

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-