United States vs. Billie Holiday (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

United States vs. Billie Holiday (2020): A black singer is persecuted by the law. America has too many similar stories. She's also a victim of drug use, greedy friends, and her own personality. Andra Day deserves her Oscar nom as the mixed-up, messed up, electrifying Billie. B+

The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures

The Academy Awards will be given out Sunday, April 25, 2021. I've seen all the nominees for Best Picture. That means my opinion means something. Right?

2020 was a strange year for movies. More movies were released by streaming services this year compared to past years. Some so-called major releases were postponed until 2021. All that resulted in, in my opinion, a decent selection of Oscar candidates, but inferior to the selections of previous years. If I expanded the field of nominees, I would include two or three movies that I considered snubs.

My ranking of the Oscar nominees is based on the grades I gave the movies immediately after seeing them. In case of ties, I ordered them by my considered judgment today. Note this is not my prediction of which movie will win, but which I would vote for, had I a vote.

The envelope please. The winner of "The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures" goes to...

Richardson Police Officer Reveals Ticket Quotas

The open mike at Richardson City Council meetings is usually uneventful, but Monday night's Visitors Section was different. A 13-year veteran of the Richardson Police charged supervisors in the department of illegally using quotas to evaluate and discipline officers. "Illegally" was her word, not mine.

POTD: Camel Pants

From 2019 11 20 Abu Simbel

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Temple of Philae in Aswan, Egypt. It shows a well-dressed tourist wearing "camel pants" (Egypt's version of "elephant pants"), the perfect choice for a hot dry climate like Egypt's.

Soul (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes

Soul (2020): Music teacher dies as he gets a big career break. After experience with the Great Beyond and Great Before, he gets a 2nd chance at life. A novel look at cosmic life and death. Good music (not enough of it). Somehow the whole has no spark. Will young kids get it? C+

The Wheel's 2021 Voters Guide

Fact

The City of Richardson's City Council elections are here. The Richardson ISD school board elections are here. The RISD is asking voters for approval on an important bond package as well, the first since 2016. I've watched some forums. I've read the questionnaires. Now it's time to decide how to vote. That's what I'm here for. Early voting begins Monday, April 19. Election Day is May 1. Here is all you need to know.

POTD: Temple of Philae

From 2019 11 20 Abu Simbel

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Temple of Philae. It's built on an island in the Nile River at Aswan. It was relocated (like the temples of Abu Simbel) to save it from Nile River floods.

Bonus photos after the jump.