A Change Election

Source: BBC.

Habēmus Maiōrem Urbis! We Have a Mayor! Richardson elected a new mayor on May 3. Mayor Bob Dubey will be succeeded by Mayor Amir Omar. It might not make headlines the world over like the selection of Pope Leo XIV did in Rome, but it's significant news here in Richardson, Texas.

Richardson hasn't had a mayor lose re-election since 1987. That was undeniably a change election. Three council members lost, two more retired. We didn't have that kind of turnover on the council May 3. But any election that results in an incumbent mayor being sent packing is a change election. It's up to the rest of us to understand just what change the voters are looking for.

The Acolyte (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Acolyte (TV 2024): Young girl wants to become an apprentice Jedi. Her twin sister thinks Jedi are evil, perhaps with good reason. Plot centers on how connected these two sisters are, to each other and to the Force. Series lacks the sense of fun that made the original Star Wars such a hit. C+

AppleTV+

The Electric State (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Electric State (2025): An alternate reality 1990s universe where robots lose an uprising against humans. Evil humans run the world by tapping into the brain of a genius boy. Plot is messy but it's the robots who are the stars of this child-friendly, sci-fi, dystopia. Critics hate it. C+

Netflix

Final Look at COR Money Race

It's often said that history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. In some ways, that was true in 2025. To see why, we have to go back to what I wrote in this space in 2013:

Money *did* make the Richardson mayoral election go around, but like a carnival ride that goes around and around and never gets anywhere. And here's the irony: for the backers of direct election who thought this would increase democracy, know that the cost of entry into electoral politics in Richardson just went up big time. Electoral politics in Richardson are likely to get less democratic in future, not more. Who has the deep pockets who can pay that cost of entry? Land developers, for one.

That brings me to the one money angle to this election that, had I noticed in time, I just might have made something of. Laura Maczka collected $5,000 from a developer who has come before the City Council seeking zoning approval for development projects in Richardson, and may do so again in future. That's sketchy, especially when it's this guy. It may not be illegal, but it just looks bad. Really bad.

Source: The Wheel, May 16, 2013.

Charter Review: Article 3

Artist: John Trumbull.

On May 1, 2025, the Richardson Charter Review Commission continued their review of the Richardson Charter, covering Article 3 (City Council) and returning to Article 4 (Nomination and Election of City Council Members), as these two articles are interdependent. I anticipated big changes to Richardson's way of electing City Council, but in the end, not much was changed. Read on for details.

Still no video by the City to link you to, something that this commission isn't about to change. To paraphrase City policy: "Move along. There's nothing to see here."

The Worst Places to Eat in Richardson Last Month

Graphic by City of Richardson.

The City of Richardson is rightly regarded as having some of the best, most diverse, dining options in north Texas ("Eat & Drink"). But that doesn't mean every restaurant in Richardson exceeds in every measure. Here is a list of the ten worst places to eat in Richardson last month, based on the City of Richardson's Health Department Restaurant Scores for last month. Not all Richardson restaurants are included in this ranking. Each month, different restaurants are visited by the Health Department. Only those visited last month are ranked here. Only the bottom ten are shown.

Random Thoughts: New Bruce Springsteen Boxed Set

2025-04-03: "Bruce Springsteen will release a boxed set of seven albums of songs never before released."
Boxed set. Tell me you are from a bygone era without telling me your name or what years your biggest hits were released.

2025-04-03: In reaction to Trump's announcement of the imposition of broad tariffs on almost all of America's trading partners, the Dollar Tree announced an immediate name change to "$1.10 Tree."

2025-04-03: The Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act was a 1930 law that implemented protectionist trade policies in the United States. The Constitution says, "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises." What I don't understand is why did Congress cede this power to the President?

People are Asking: "What Else is Dubey Hiding?"

Thomas More: "I have one question to ask the witness. That's a chain of office you are wearing. May I see it? The red dragon. What's this?"

Cromwell: "Sir Richard is appointed Attorney-General for Wales."

Thomas More: (Looking into Rich's face, with pain and amusement) "For Wales? Why, Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world . . . But for Wales!"

Source: A Man for All Seasons.

Election Day is near. This campaign season has had more people selling their souls with smears in text messages, robocalls, and mailers than any election since the 2013 election for mayor. I sometimes felt like I needed a shower after rebutting some of the attacks. The largest number and most hurtful of the smears came from the Dubey camp. They are spending thousands of dollars trashing a man's reputation in an effort to prevent him from becoming mayor for Richardson. Not the world, but for Richardson! It reminds me of that fateful scene in "A Man for All Seasons" where Thomas More confronts his false accuser, Richard Rich, in court. "But for Wales!"

As this is (probably) the last blog article I'll write before the election, I feel like I should document some of the questions I've never gotten to the bottom of. It wasn't for lack of trying.

Council Recap: A Crony for NTMWD

Source: h/t DALL-E.

On April 28, 2025, the City Council made appointments to boards and commissions. Maybe the most significant one, given how important water is to everyone in North Texas, is Richardson's representative to the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD).

Council Recap: A Lone Vote for Good Urban Design

Source: h/t DALL-E.

April 28, 2025, was the night that the Richardson City Council, led by Mayor Bob Dubey, officially abandoned our century-old downtown compact street grid in favor of a 580-ft superblock on which to build a 279-unit apartment building on property controlled by Manasseh Durkin, who just so happens to be a repeat donor to Mayor Dubey's election campaign. Also the same Manasseh Durkin whose limited partnership is being sued by the City of Richardson for breach of contract on another downtown project. These guys are getting brazen.

2073 (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

2073 (2025): Mostly clips of various kinds of catastrophes strung together for 90 minutes with brief breaks to see a woman living in apocalyptic end times of 2073. No plot. No characters. Mind-numbing and pessimistic. D-

Max

Dubey Gets Cash. Durkin Gets EDA. City Gets Screwed.

Source: Happy Hippie Brewing Co..

We've been getting down in the muck examining the hypocrisy hidden in plain sight in Mayor Bob Dubey's campaign finance reports. Manasseh Durkin, a big property owner in Richardson, gave money to Dubey's campaign for mayor, then sent out a mailer to voters smearing Dubey's opponent for having some lawsuits in his past, with neither mentioning the serious lawsuit Durkin himself is facing.

Diving into Dubey's Campaign Finance Report

Source: Adobe Firefly.

You know how, when you turn the light on in the kitchen, cockroaches scatter? Well, maybe not in my kitchen or yours, but let's say in the break room at City Hall. And let's say it's not cockroaches feeding in the public pantry, it's developers...and the Mayor is opening the food packages for the roaches, er, developers. Enough with the strained metaphor, let's get to the story.

Dubey Faces Ethics and Transparency Questions

Mayor Bob Dubey has close ties with a major developer with questionable ethics. Their cozy relationship raises ethical questions about Dubey himself. You won't find this developer listed among Dubey's endorsements. That raises transparency questions about Dubey as well. The supporter I'm referring to is Manasseh Durkin, whose self-named Durkin Properties says they are the "largest land holder in CORE District" in Richardson, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Following the Money behind Dubey's Mudslinging

Source: Pro-Dubey mailer.

Bob Dubey and his supporters have unleashed a barrage of mudslinging against Amir Omar using Dubey's advantage in fundraising, largely from sources outside the City of Richardson. Dubey might portray himself as a good old boy, but he's got big money backing him, including developer money, which is often the biggest money in local elections. Funny how that works. They are not holding back on mudslinging. Because we're already into early voting, it might be too late to properly sort out the truths from the half truths and lies.

The hypocrisy in this is that the attacks carry headlines like "Ethics and Transparency," but the authors of the attack ads don't reveal their names. One is a text message from "Larry with Right 4 Richardson." The other a mailer from "R2MFR, LLC." They force you to hunt down who is behind the attacks, if you can.

"This just got dirty. Disappointed in Mayor Dubey"

Source: Reddit.

After running a generally unobjectionable campaign (read "boring") for the first two months, Mayor Bob Dubey turned negative in a mailer during the first week of open voting. Why? Maybe he always planned to go negative at this point in the election or maybe he has some new polling that suggests Amir Omar's message of positive change is resonating with voters whereas Dubey's status quo message is not.

Still Plenty of Room for More Trees

Source: Washington Post.

Amir Omar is running for Mayor of Richardson. His campaign website biography says, "Amir is most closely tied to the creation of Tree the Town, which was the largest tree-planting initiative in North Texas history powered by donations from commercial and residential community members vs the City." That program was discontinued by the City of Richardson soon after Omar left office in 2013. He later resumed his tree-planting efforts, "personally buying and planting trees across Richardson, starting with planting trees for individuals who lost countless mature trees in the tornado that damaged hundreds of homes in southeast Richardson in 2019."

That led me to wonder, just how many more trees are needed, or even possible? A lot, it turns out. Mayor Amir Omar will have plenty to do.

Charter Review: Article 4

Artist: John Trumbull.

On April 17, 2025, the Richardson Charter Review Commission continued their review of the Richardson Charter, covering Article 4 (Nomination and Election of City Council Members). The Commission had planned to review Article 3 (City Council) as well, but decided to postpone that until the May 1 meeting to give them time to study the material prepared by staff (history of Richardson's City Council turnover, and surveys of other cities and the terms of city councils, compensation, and length of terms). I still expect major changes to Richardson's form of governance to come out of that meeting. Everything from longer terms to staggered terms to, who knows, ranked-choice-voting and other unlikely, but not necessarily crazy, changes. If anyone wants a say, submit your inputs or come speak in person.

Still no video by the City to link you to. To paraphrase City policy: "Move along. There's nothing to see here."

Paradise - S01 (TV 2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Paradise - S01 (TV 2025): After an apocalyptic event causes the government to evacuate to an underground city in Colorado, the President is murdered. His bodyguard has to solve the murder while trying to rescue his own wife, who was left behind and may be dead. The episode 7 flashback is thrilling and answers so many questions. B+

Hulu

Trust: Mayor's Race Inspires Charter Change

I published my Voters Guide yesterday covering the City Council election. I've also been publishing accounts of the ongoing work of the Charter Review Commission. The two topics have kept themselves separate. Today, they collide.

The Wheel's Voter's Guide (May, 2025)

Source: ImgFlip.

Early voting for the 2025 local elections in Texas starts Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Election Day is Saturday, May 3, 2025. On the ballot will be two contested places on the City of Richardson City Council and two contested districts of the Richardson ISD Board of Trustees. Find more election information at the League of Women Voters of Richardson. Find your personalized ballot and the candidates' answers to the LWV-Richardson questionnaire at Vote411.org.

Here's the executive summary of The Wheel's recommendations:

For City of Richardson Mayor, I recommend Amir Omar.
For City of Richardson Place 6, I recommend Lisa Marie Kupfer.
City of Richardson Places 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are uncontested.

For RISD District 2, I recommend Vanessa Pacheco.
For RISD District 5, I recommend Rachel McGowan.
RISD District 4 is uncontested.
The other RISD Districts and Places are not up for election this year. To vote in either of these districts that are on the ballot, you must live within the district.

Read on for the reasons I make these recommendations.

LWV Forum for Richardson City Council

On April 16, 2025, the League of Women Voters of Richardson hosted a forum of Richardson mayoral candidates at the Eisemann Center, moderated by Lanet Greenhaw. Mayoral candidates Mayor Bob Dubey and former Councilmember Amir Omar participated. Alan C. North was unable to participate because of a scheduling conflict. Mayor Pro-tem Arefin Shamsul and Lisa Marie Kupfer, candidates for Place 6, also participated. About 150 persons were in the audience. The forum was live-streamed by the City and video on demand is available on the LWV website.

I was pleased with the forum, with the questions asked by the LWV and members of the public, by the earnestness shown by the candidates, by the decorum on stage and in the audience. I recap the highlights here, excerpts that I feel best show the distinctions between the candidates. I will be stripping out a lot of words, maybe at the risk of losing important context, but that's what the video is for. If a snippet of an answer here makes you want to hear more, then watch the video on the LWV website.

Einen Veritablen Shitstorm, Exhumed

Today I exhume a post buried deep in the archives. Why? Because someone is trying to rewrite this disgraceful history from Scott Dunn's time on the Richardson City Council. Why? To invent a false narrative that paints Amir Omar as the bad guy in this episode. Who is doing that? I won't name them here. I will say it's not Scott Dunn. I hope I won't have to name names. I hope that they will see that bringing this back up hurts their own candidate, Bob Dubey. The truth actually helps Amir Omar. What's the disgraceful episode this person wants to relitigate?

The Dubey Way: Breaking the Street Grid

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

February 10, 2025: Despite a City plan to redevelop downtown Richardson in a way that not only preserves the compact street grid, but extends it, Mayor Bob Dubey voted to approve a 580-foot-long apartment building in the heart of downtown that will create a superblock that cuts the downtown street grid, disconnecting business development on Polk Street from that on Kaufman Street.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Dubey Way: More Drive-Thrus

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

December 9, 2024: Despite a new City plan to do a reinvestment study for the area around Plano Rd and Belt Line Rd, Mayor Bob Dubey voted to approve a drive-thru only coffee shop there. Luckily for the Richardson residents who have repeatedly said that area has more drive-thru restaurants than they need, especially chicken restaurants, the rest of the Council said no. They denied the request 5-2, with only one other Councilmember joining Mayor Dubey in thinking another drive-thru is a good idea there.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Salvage Car Lot

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

October 14, 2024: Despite a City plan to redevelop the area it has rebranded as Richardson IQ and claims is "Texas' premier tech hub" (not just North Texas, mind you, but Texas as a whole) and "our living laboratory for big ideas and groundbreaking technology," Mayor Bob Dubey's own big idea is to put a salvage car dealership there. Salvage cars are cars that have been totalled and repaired. With Dubey's approval, that's what will be the first thing companies see when they come to Richardson to explore whether the IQ is a good place to relocate their business.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Dubey Way: More Car Repair Shops

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

September 23, 2024: Despite a City plan to redevelop the Interurban District as an "edgy, mixed-use district", Mayor Bob Dubey voted to give a special permit to a car repair shop, a body shop, and a vehicle storage lot in the heart of the district. The Council vote was split 4-3. The Mayor's vote was decisive.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Dubey Way: More Signs. Taller Signs

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

August 8, 2024: Despite a City sign control ordinance limiting pole signs to a height of 20 feet, which is the most common limit in neighboring cities as well, Mayor Bob Dubey voted to grant a variance to a car dealer to erect his own 40 foot sign. Of course, other businesses soon followed.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

POTD: World's Tallest Wooden Buildings

"Steel still rules the sky,
But the smell of pine reaches
Up where clouds drift by."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Who says wooden buildings can't be more than four or five stories tall? Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Brumunddal, Norway. It shows Mjøstårnet, "an 18-storey mixed-use building completed in March 2019. At the time of completion, it was officially the world's tallest wooden building, at 85.4 m (280 ft) tall, before being surpassed by Ascent MKE in August 2022." Who knew there was even a competition?

POTD: Norway's Odd Roadside Attractions

"Shining against clouds,
A strange shape stands by the road.
Life begins with laughs."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 07 Lillehammer

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Norway at a highway rest stop. The artwork is "Sædspira" by Linda Bakke, and in case you're wondering, yes, the sculpture is exactly what it looks like.

The Dubey Way: Even More "Heads in Beds"

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

July 8, 2024: Despite a City plan for mixed-use development in CityLine, including entertainment uses, Mayor Bob Dubey voted to approve construction of 1,175 more apartments, overriding the City Plan Commission, who rejected the application, saying they wanted to see "more creative retail or entertainment uses," as called for in the plan.

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Outdoor Lumber Storage

Head shot from City of Richardson. CGI by Adobe Firefly.

January 21, 2024: Despite a City plan to redevelop the Interurban District as an "edgy, mixed-use district", Mayor Bob Dubey voted to approve a new outdoor storage lot, described as, "It could be lumber, it could be steel, it could be aluminum, it could be, he does a lot of concrete."

The Richardson Way: Plan the Work, Work the Plan.

The Dubey Way: Plan the Work, Wreck the Plan.

The Money Race for City Council

Candidates file campaign finance reports 30 days before elections. For the City of Richardson, there are only two contested races: the Mayor's race (Dubey vs Omar vs North) and Place 6 (Arefin vs Kupfer). Five incumbents have drawn no challengers. What will it take to get more Richardson citizens to run for political office? Good question, but not one we'll get into today. Today, it's all about the money. We also won't get into the question of just how close money and candidates can get before the Code of Ethics gets invoked. Apparently, a lot closer than you'd think.

Charter Review: Articles 11,15,16

Artist: John Trumbull.

On April 3, 2025, the Richardson Charter Review Commission continued their review of the Richardson Charter, covering Articles 11 (Budget and Financial Procedures), 15 (Collection of Taxes), and 16 (Issuance and Sale of Bonds).

Still no video by the City to link you to. To paraphrase City policy: "Move along. There's nothing to see here."

Mayor Dubey: "If anybody asks, that is legal."

Source: City of Richardson.

Richardson Mayor Bob Dubey: "If anybody asks, that is legal." The Mayor said those words during remarks at an election forum at the Chinese Community Center on March 22, 2025. Any time a politician emphasizes that what he's doing is legal, my ears perk up. What the heck was the Mayor talking about? Why would he be doing stuff that people might even question the legality behind it? Many voters care less and less about legality (our current President is a convicted felon, after all). But...since the Mayor himself raised the issue, let's go down this rabbit hole anyway. It all has to do with those "POP Sheets" in the photo.

POTD: Oslo Opera House

"Sunlight takes the stage,
Dancing on the angled roof
Of smooth white marble."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Oslo, Norway at the Oslo Opera House. "The roof of the building angles to ground level, creating a large plaza that invites pedestrians to walk up and enjoy the panoramic views of Oslo."

The Worst Places to Eat in Richardson Last Month

Graphic by City of Richardson.

The City of Richardson is rightly regarded as having some of the best, most diverse, dining options in north Texas ("Eat & Drink"). But that doesn't mean every restaurant in Richardson exceeds in every measure. Here is a list of the ten worst places to eat in Richardson last month, based on the City of Richardson's Health Department Restaurant Scores for last month. Not all Richardson restaurants are included in this ranking. Each month, different restaurants are visited by the Health Department. Only those visited last month are ranked here. Only the bottom ten are shown.

POTD: Vigelandsparken

"Naked forms embrace,
Unashamed beneath the sky—
Flesh reborn in stone."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Oslo, Norway in Frogner Park, site of the Vigeland installation of 212 granite and bronze sculptures, all designed by Gustav Vigeland.

UT-Dallas Students Host Forum for Mayoral Candidates

On April 2, 2025, the UT-Dallas Student Government hosted a debate of Richardson mayoral candidates, moderated by Dr. John Gooch. Mayor Bob Dubey and former Councilmember Amir Omar participated. It was announced that Alan North "did not get back to us in terms of attending this debate." That's something that Alan North has denied. "I RSVP'd yes to their April 2 debate, sent Aidan Boyd three emails, with 2 different e-mail addresses, called, left voicemails—silence."

Twisters (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Twisters (2024): Earnest young woman who studies tornados in order to learn how to calm them has to contend with storm-chasers who do it for the social media likes. Expect people to change. romance to blossom, and you start wondering who the good guys are. B-

Peacock

Charter Review: Articles 12,13,19

Artist: John Trumbull.

On March 27, 2025, the Richardson Charter Review Commission continued their review of the Richardson Charter, covering Articles 12 (Franchises), 13 (Ordinances), and 19 (Effective Date).

(Still no video by the City to link you to. By now, you know the story. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, "Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants," but the Richardson City Council is fine with darkness; not only no live video feed, but no official video record of the Charter Review Commission at all. Politicians seem to have an inherent fear of sunlight.)

Random Thoughts: I Liked Anora, Too

2025-03-03: Anora won the Oscar for Best Picture. I think Brutalist is a timeless film that will age better, but I liked Anora, too.

2025-03-08: "During Starship's ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost," SpaceX said in a post on X.
"Rapid unscheduled disassembly." Kind of like the impact of President Musk's DOGE on the federal government.

2025-03-29: My Bluesky chat address is @marksteger.bsky.social. It's where I discuss all of my war plans. Just out in the open, readable by all. You can join in.

More random thoughts can be found on Mastodon.

Mayoral Candidates Talk to Democrats

On March 25, 2025, the Richardson Area Democrats (RAD) hosted an online forum for Richardson mayoral candidates. The forum also included Place 6 candidates and RISD District 2 trustee candidates, but here I focus only on the mayoral candidates. You can watch it on YouTube yourself (the mayoral portion is short) or you can read my takeaways here. I recommend you do both.

POTD: Nobel Peace Center

"Close to Oslo's heart,
A tribute to those who strive
For a world at peace."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Oslo, Norway at the Nobel Peace Center, "a showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it represents. The center is also an arena where culture and politics merge to promote involvement, debate and reflection around topics such as war, peace and conflict resolution."

POTD: Royal Palace of Norway

"Statue guards the door.
Grandeur at Oslo's center.
Crown and tradition."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 06 Oslo

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at the Royal Palace of Norway in Oslo. The Palace "was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the French-born Charles XIV John, who reigned as king of Norway and Sweden. The palace is the official residence of the current Norwegian monarch...King Charles John never had the pleasure of residing in his palace before he died in 1844, and its first occupants were his son Oscar I and his queen Josephine."

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Love Lies Bleeding (2024): A tale of lust, love, quiet desperation and outbursts of violence in a dysfunctional family whose delicate balance is upset when a stranger comes to town, a female bodybuilder with her own dark secrets. Realism is interspersed with moments of surrealism that make you go, "WTF". B-

Max

POTD: Old Fredrikstad

"Glimpse the fortified
old town preserved in the past.
Fredrikstad stands still."
— h/t ChatGPT

From 2024 07 05 Fredrikstad

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Fredrikstad, Norway, founded in 1567 by King Fredrick II. "The city centre is on the west bank of the Glomma, while the old town on the east bank is Northern Europe's best preserved fortified town." Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Old Fredrikstad.

POTD: Walkable Gothenburg

"Flags, pendants above.
Cobblestones beneath your feet.
Gothenburg alive."

— h/t ChatGPT

	From 2024 07 04 Gothenburg

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in the city center of Gothenburg, Sweden. Walkable, vibrant, busy. What's not to love?

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Caddo Lake (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Casdo Lake (2024): Texas's only natural lake is the setting for a spooky supernatual, mysterious something. It affects multiple generations of one family over many decades and causes seizures and disappearances and wolves, and maybe...time travel? Just figuring out how everyone is related is challenging enough in this half-baked mystery. C-

Max

Juror #2 (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

Juror #2 (2024): Courtroom drama directed by Clint Eastwood. Think 12 Angry Men with Nicholas Hoult playing the holdout. The twist comes very early, but then the trial and jury deliberations all go as you expect. The abrupt ending is the only thing that isn't spelled out for the audience. B-

Max