About a month ago, I realized that I had a problem in my photographic life. I began "being serious" about photography in the mid-1970s. It's been a wonderful serious hobby for me all those years. In the last couple years, I've been dragging. There was no energy to grab the camera and go explore the... Continue Reading →
Blackmailing the Hitman
Grace Quigley (1984) – An elderly woman witnesses a hit, then blackmails the hitman to help her with a business proposition for older folks who have had enough of life. Directed by Anthony Harvey Terrible posters for this movie. All of them. Starring Katharine Hepburn, Nick Nolte Why I Liked It – Even with a... Continue Reading →
Golden Years Investigators
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (2020) – A quartet of retirees with a passion for unsolved murders face a murder on the grounds of their retirement home. Balancing their own lives and issues with the effects of the murder takes all the experience they gained over the decades of their lives. Why I Liked... Continue Reading →
Dangers in the Deep
Greyhound (2020) – An inexperienced captain leads a small task force to protect a World War II convoy across the Atlantic. Repeated attacks from a wolf pack of Nazi submarines interrupt the watchful daily routine. Directed by Aaron Schneider Starring Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue Why I Liked It – Low key tension makes this a... Continue Reading →
The Creative Journey, Step One!
Beyond technique questions and equipment questions, the most common question/comment I see in the creative learning social media world has to do with “beginners”. If you frequent those areas, then you’ve seen it too. “I thought this was for beginners! Everyone here is clearly not a beginner!” Photo by Lisa from Pexels on Pexels.com It... Continue Reading →
The Danger of Looking Back
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) – A scrapyard race car and a bumbling inventor find new life in the belief of two children. Along with a beautiful young woman, they end up on a fantasy adventure together. Directed by Ken Hughes Starring Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Benny Hill Why I Liked... Continue Reading →
Back From A Break
I knew I was struggling creatively, but this was a longer “time away” than I expected. Lots of things going on that contributed to it all. There was some question about my job this fall (all taken care of quite nicely!), plus the burden of a hot, humid July here in central Virginia. This northern... Continue Reading →
Eddie Ain’t Around Any More
Angel On My Shoulder (1946) - A mobster’s soul returns to Earth in the body of a crusading judge as part of a plot by the Devil to destroy the judge. Turns out the Devil isn’t as clever as he thought. Directed by Archie Mayo Starring Claude Rains, Paul Muni, Anne Baxter Why I Liked... Continue Reading →
Terrifying History
The Field of Blood-Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne Freeman (2018) - A look at violence within the halls of Congress and the streets of our nation’s capitol in the decades leading to the shelling of Fort Sumter and beyond. The divisions that would push the Union to the breaking... Continue Reading →
Adaptation Carnage
I’m going to step back from movie reviews for a week to look at three adaptations of books to streamed series. Two were done marvelously well. The third, at least from one point of view, not so much. I just got access to Apple TV+ recently and dove into some of the highly acclaimed series... Continue Reading →