The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire

The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire (free on Freevee via Amazon Prime or on Tubi or via YouTube embedded below) is a 2002 non-canonical Sherlock Holmes film starring Matt Frewer as Holmes. I hold Jeremy Brett as the matchless representation of Sherlock Holmes, but this version is enjoyable enough. This takes place during the Christmas season.

via YouTube:

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A Christmas present this year:

Reckless (1995)

Reckless is a 1995 American dark comedy film starring Mia Farrow. If you're looking for something different, look no further.

via YouTube:

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A Christmas present this year:

7 Women and a Murder

7 Women and a Murder (Netflix) is a 2021 Italian comedy mystery film. I watched it dubbed in English. I can only find a trailer in Hindi, which seems strange. Hmmm... The image above is from the Netflix site.

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More little trees. The one in the front center came from The Metal Museum and was bought at the annual arts and crafts fair our Natural History museum puts on every year. I had my eye on it for years before I finally bought one. The one on the left came from Target, and the one on the right came from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Stalls of Barchester

The Stalls of Barchester (1971) is the first of the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas series. Based on the story "The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral" from the 1911 collection More Ghost Stories by M. R. James.

via YouTube:

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More little trees. The elves were a Christmas present from a maternal aunt when I was a child.

Carol (2015)

Carol (Netflix) is a 2015 romantic period drama based on the 1952 romance novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith. Set in New York City during the early 1950s, Carol tells the story of a budding relationship between an aspiring female photographer and an older woman going through a difficult divorce. It has received over 290 industry and critic nominations, and over 100 awards and honours. I don't know how I missed it until now and am happy to have remedied that loss. I say that as someone who avoids romance films like the plague. Even if you don't favor -or even if you particularly despise- a particular genre, there will always be a few movies that you'll like if you are willing to give them a chance. The movie begins during the Christmas holiday season.

trailer:

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More little trees. The cloth one on the left was made by Mother one year when we gave these as Christmas presents. The metal one in the back was a gift from The Daughter. The tree on the right came from Target. 

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas tells the story of a Bohemian king who goes on a journey, braving harsh winter weather, to give aid to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. The Feast of Stephen is today, December 26.

lyric excerpt for T Tuesday:

Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.

Please join us for the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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A few more little trees. The doll's name is Betty.

 

Merry Christmas!

I bought this nativity scene from Sears when I was a child back in the day when you could buy one piece at a time. We add the baby Jesus on Christmas Day (I'll go do that now) and begin moving the Wise Men (ours are men) towards the manger. They are added to the scene on Epiphany. I've forgotten where the star came from, but it was associated with a different nativity scene when my kids were little. I've also forgotten where the tree came from, but it's a recent addition.

Christmas Eve (1820)

Christmas Eve is an 1820 short story by Washington Irving. Interesting Literature says,

Before Charles Dickens became the literary laureate of Christmas, Washington Irving was introducing American readers to a whole host of now ubiquitous Christmas traditions, including Christmas carols on people’s doorsteps, mistletoe, and the famous Yule log – traditions which Irving had to explain in footnotes, so unfamiliar were they to his original readers in 1820.

You can read it online here or have it read to you at the bottom of the post. It begins,

It was a brilliant moonlight night, but extremely cold; our chaise whirled rapidly over the frozen ground; the postboy smacked his whip incessantly, and a part of the time his horses were on a gallop. “He knows where he is going,” said my companion, laughing, “and is eager to arrive in time for some of the merriment and good cheer of the servants’ hall. My father, you must know, is a bigoted devotee of the old school, and prides himself upon keeping up something of old English hospitality. He is a tolerable specimen of what you will rarely meet with nowadays in its purity, the old English country gentleman; for our men of fortune spend so much of their time in town, and fashion is carried so much into the country, that the strong rich peculiarities of ancient rural life are almost polished away. My father, however, from early years, took honest Peacham for his textbook, instead of Chesterfield; he determined in his own mind that there was no condition more truly honorable and enviable than that of a country gentleman on his paternal lands, and therefore passes the whole of his time on his estate. He is a strenuous advocate for the revival of the old rural games and holiday observances, and is deeply read in the writers, ancient and modern, who have treated on the subject. Indeed, his favorite range of reading is among the authors who flourished at least two centuries since, who, he insists, wrote and thought more like true Englishmen than any of their successors. He even regrets sometimes that he had not been born a few centuries earlier, when England was itself and had its peculiar manners and customs. As he lives at some distance from the main road, in rather a lonely part of the country, without any rival gentry near him, he has that most enviable of all blessings to an Englishman—an opportunity of indulging the bent of his own humor without molestation. Being representative of the oldest family in the neighborhood, and a great part of the peasantry being his tenants, he is much looked up to, and in general is known simply by the appellation of ‘The Squire’—a title which has been accorded to the head of the family since time immemorial. I think it best to give you these hints about my worthy old father, to prepare you for any eccentricities that might otherwise appear absurd.”

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This is The Husband's Christmas stocking on the left with the stocking I've always had and used that was made for me by a maternal aunt when I was a baby.

Cash on Demand

Cash on Demand (Tubi) is a 1961 British Hammer Film Productions film noir starring Peter Cushing. It takes place during the Christmas season. It seems little known now but is well-reviewed.

via Daily Motion:

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I have accumulated quite a few little trees through the years. Some stay out all year while some get put away with Christmas decorations. Here are some of them:

The Cowboy and the Indians

The Cowboy and the Indians (Tubi) is a 1949 Western film directed by John English and starring Gene Autry and Jay Silverheels. Clayton Moore also has a part. This film takes a sympathetic approach to the native American plight. Part of this movie takes place during the Christmas season.

via YouTube:

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Various pillows I've kept from years past:

  

Last night's solstice fire:

Yule!

Happy Yule! from Wikipedia:

In present times adherents of some new religious movements (such as Modern Germanic paganism) celebrate Yule independently of the Christian festival.

As contemporary pagan religions differ in both origin and practice, these representations of Yule can vary considerably despite the shared name. Some Heathens, for example, celebrate in a way as close as possible to how they believe ancient Germanic pagans observed the tradition, while others observe the holiday with rituals "assembled from different sources." Heathen celebrations of Yule can also include sharing a meal and gift-giving.

In most forms of Wicca, this holiday is celebrated at the winter solstice as the rebirth of the Great horned hunter god, who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. The method of gathering for this sabbat varies by practitioner. Some have private ceremonies at home, while others do so with their covens

Or Happy Winter Solstice. The date of the Winter Solstice is not the same from year to year and is the shortest day of the year. From the date of this solstice onwards the light grows and Spring draws nearer. from Space.com:

This year the Winter Solstice will occur on Dec. 21/22. 2023.

The Winter Solstice, or the December Solstice, is the point at which the path of the sun in the sky is farthest south. At the Winter Solstice, the sun travels the shortest path through the sky resulting in the day of the year with the least sunlight and therefore, the longest night.

In the lead-up to the Winter Solstice, the days become shorter and shorter, then on the evening of the solstice  —  in the Northern Hemisphere occurs annually on the 21st or 22nd of December —  [Astronomical] winter begins, according to a NASA resource. From then onwards the days become increasingly long leading up to the Summer Solstice, or the June Solstice, and the longest day of the year.

This year the Winter Solstice will occur on Dec. 21/22. During the day, the Northern Hemisphere will have about 7 hours and 14 minutes of daylight, marking the shortest day of the year. Then at 10:27 p.m. ET (0327 GMT on Dec. 22), Earth's axis will be tilted the farthest away from the sun.

To be precise, the Winter Solstice marks what is known as the "astronomical winter" —  but don't worry, this doesn’t mean it will be colder than any other winter. The moniker is simply adopted to distinguish it from the meteorological winter.

While the astronomical change of seasons is related to Earth's position around the sun and its axis, the meteorological seasons are marked by the first day of a particular month [and aligned with average temperatures across the seasons].

I observe meteorological seasons, and Winter begins in that reckoning on the first day of December. Waiting until Midwinter to acknowledge the presence of winter never made sense to me.

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The Santa here is made like a matryoshka doll, with identical nested Santas. The candle holder was made by my parents one year when I was a child. They often made Christmas presents and always kept one for us. Back then there was a pine cone on the base, but when it failed over time I replaced it with the yarn bit.

Christmas Auld Lang Syne

Christmas Auld Lang Syne:

by Bobby Darin, who was only 37 when he died on this date in 1973. His life-long heart issues finally caught up with him.

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The first image is of a Christmas card in a frame where one of our wedding invitations was displayed early in our married life.

Mother used to hang this next piece on her wall. When she moved to a retirement community she used this as a door decoration.

Artworks That Define Christmas

This Guardian article includes some beautiful images but not a single depiction of a drink.

I'll be having espresso in this sweet cup The Daughter gave me. Please post your own drink reference and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

This is our Advent calendar, made for us by Mother when the kids were little:

Christmas in the Woods

Christmas in the Woods:

by Dallas Lore Sharp, who became known through his charming magazine articles on native birds and small mammals.

I've never heard the word "persimmon" pronounced the way this reader pronounces it.

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Mother made these for Christmas presents back in the day:

The Queen's Square

The Queen's Square is a 1933 Lord Peter Wimsey story by Dorothy Sayers in which Wimsey attends a fancy dress ball during the Christmas season. Sayers died on this date in 1957 at the age of 64. You can read this story online at this link. It begins,

"You Jack o' Di'monds, you Jack o' Di'monds," said Mark Sambourne, shaking a reproachful head, "I know you of old." He rummaged beneath the white satin of his costume, panelled with gigantic oblongs and spotted to represent a set of dominoes. "Hang this fancy rig! Where the blazes has the fellow put my pockets? You rob my pocket, yes, you rob-a my pocket, you rob my pocket of silver and go-ho-hold. How much do you make it?" He extracted a fountain-pen and a cheque-book.

"Five-seventeen-six," said Lord Peter Wimsey. "That's right, isn't it, partner?" His huge blue-and-scarlet sleeves rustled as he turned to Lady Hermione Creethorpe, who, in her Queen of Clubs costume, looked a very redoubtable virgin, as, indeed, she was.

"Quite right," said the old lady, "and I consider that very cheap."

"We haven't been playing long," said Wimsey apologetically.

"It would have been more, Auntie," observed Mrs. Wrayburn, "if you hadn't been greedy. You shouldn't have doubled those four spades of mine."

Lady Hermione snorted, and Wimsey hastily cut in:

"It's a pity we've got to stop, but Deverill will never forgive us if we're not there to dance Sir Roger. He feels strongly about it. What's the time? Twenty past one. Sir Roger is timed to start sharp at half-past. I suppose we'd better tootle back to the ballroom."

"I suppose we had," agreed Mrs. Wrayburn. She stood up, displaying her dress, boldly patterned with the red and black points of a backgammon board. "It's very good of you," she added, as Lady Hermione's voluminous skirts swept through the hall ahead of them, "to chuck your dancing to give Auntie her bridge. She does so hate to miss it."

"Not at all," replied Wimsey. "It's a pleasure. And in any case I was jolly glad of a rest. These costumes are dashed hot for dancing in."

...

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A few years ago I started gathering small trees for Christmas. Two of them are shown below along with a decoration my parents made when I was a child.

Christmas Music

This is the Advent/Christmas playlist I keep at Spotify. I've never had any luck using Spotify on my phone, but signing in on my laptop gives me a fine experience. There are commercials, of course, but I think of it as radio.



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Walking the Dog

Walking the Dog:

by Rufus Thomas, who died on this date in 2001 in Memphis

Violent Night

Violent Night (Amazon Prime) is a 2022 Christmas action comedy film about Santa Claus (portrayed by David Harbour) fighting a heavily armed group who have taken a wealthy family hostage in their home. This is surprisingly heartwarming. I'd watch it again.

trailer:

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The past 5 years The Husband has only been home on weekends, and I used a tabletop tree here while he put up the 7-foot tree where he was. He dearly loves the larger tree, so we put it up here this year.

 

Girl with Hyacinths

Girl with Hyacinths is a 1950 Swedish drama film. Some of it takes place during the Christmas holiday season. This is a brilliant movie, and I'm sorry I'm just now discovering it.

via YouTube:

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A few years ago I wanted a bit of sparkle on the patio, so I bought tinsel and wrapped it around forms I already had:

Meet Me in St. Louis

Meet Me in Saint Louis (on Max) is an award-winning 1944 musical film starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart and Joan Carroll. It takes place over the course of a year, and one section of the film takes place during the Christmas season.

trailer:

The Hollywood Reporter in its review from the film's release:

It is a bit difficult to classify Meet Me in St. Louis. It isn’t exactly a musical, although it has some outstanding musical numbers in it. It isn’t exactly a comedy, although there is a vast deal of comedy in it. Nor is it exactly drama, although it has moving dramatic passages. However, there is no difficulty at all in describing it. Meet Me in St. Louis is completely delightful, homey, warmly human entertainment which has captured a nostalgic charm rarely if ever equalled on the screen.

Slant Magazine says it "remains one of the most vital of musical films." Time Out gives it 5 out of 5 stars and calls it a "musical masterpiece". Rotten Tomatoes has a critics consensus score of 100%.

Share a drink-related post and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering. My "ticket" is a screenshot from the movie showing Judy Garland bringing a tray of drinks in to the party:

A Change Is Gonna Come

A Change Is Gonna Come:

by Sam Cooke, who died on this date in 1964. from LCSun-news:

Later in his career, Cooke led a refusal to play a segregated show in Memphis. Many of the other artists on the bill showed up to play, but Sam stayed in his motel room — at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King was killed just a few years later.

Home for the Holidays (1972)

Home for the Holidays is a 1972 made-for-television horror film that takes place during the Christmas holiday season. It stars Sally Field, Jessica Walter, Eleanor Parker, Julie Harris, and Walter Brennan.

via YouTube:

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I remember these ball trees from my childhood, although my family never had one. I'd been on the lookout at the antique malls and thrift stores and finally found one. I picked up the balls during an after-Christmas sale at Michael's a few years later. The little snow guy is another antique mall find from a few years back. These days I still sometimes go to antique malls, but I never buy anything. If only I had more room or less stuff... 🤣

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix) is a 2020 Christmas musical fantasy film. It's cute enough holiday fare. Sometimes we just want some pretty bit of fluff for the season, and this was sweet.

trailer:

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i have several pair of Christmas footies, each pair a gift from The Daughter through the years. Non-slip footies are harder to find than they used to be. 

A Boy Called Christmas

A Boy Called Christmas (Netflix) is a 2021 British Christmas fantasy film. The cast includes Toby Jones and Maggie Smith. This is a charming and delightful movie.

trailer:

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I found this sweet little pink tree complete with ornaments for $2 at a local antique mall a few years ago. I replaced the tinsel, rearranged the balls a bit, and made the star. The angel -I've always called her Singing Angel- is decades old. I can't remember now where I got her. These are on the kitchen counter.

Beware, My Lovely

Beware, My Lovely is a 1952 film noir starring Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan. It takes place during the Christmas holiday season. Available on YouTube or embedded below.

via Internet Archive:

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I have in the past framed a few Christmas cards to use as decorations, and this is one of those. The angels were bought in a local gift shop back in the early 1990s. This year I have these on the buffet in our dining room.

The Christmas Chronicles 2

The Christmas Chronicles 2 (Netflix) is a 2020 Christmas comedy film, a sequel to the 2018 movie, directed by Chris Columbus. It stars Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Malcolm McDowell is also in this. Most reviews are positive, and we like it. It won't be one of those we watch every year, but we do enjoy having at least one new-to-us holiday movie every year.

trailer:

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Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Judy Garland Christmas Special

The Judy Garland Christmas Special is the 1963 Christmas episode of this show. I actually feel sad watching Judy Garland as she aged. What a tragic life, and dead at 47. That said, the Christmas special can be enjoyed anyway, right?

Join me in a cozy cuppa:

That mug on the left was broken long ago, but we remember it fondly. Share your own drink reference with the T Stands for Tuesday bloggers.

The Christmas Wife

The Christmas Wife (on Tubi) is a 1988 American drama film starring Jason Robards and Julie Harris. A bit of a tear-jerker, this.

via YouTube:

The Day of the Beast (1995)

The Day of the Beast (on on Tubi or on Amazon Prime's Freevee or embedded below) is an award-winning 1995 Spanish-Italian black comedy film with horror elements that takes place over the Christmas holidays. This is great fun. It features a Basque priest, and I have always been fascinated by the Basques.

via YouTube:

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Bing Crosby hosts the Hollywood Palace Christmas Show (1968)

The Hollywood Palace Christmas Show:

hosted by Bing Crosby

The Unholy Three (1930)

The Unholy Three is a 1930 pre-code crime drama film, a remake of the silent 1925 film by the same name. This movie takes place during the Christmas season. This was Lon Chaney's last film and his only talkie. He died at age 47 one month after this film's release.

But oh, dear, there's a ventriloquist dummy. I didn't finish watching.

via Dailymotion:

Devil (2010)

Devil is a 2010 supernatural horror film about five strangers who become trapped in an elevator. A story of guilt, repentance, and forgiveness, this is much more than just a horror movie. I can't find it streaming free anymore. You can buy it for less than $5.00 at Amazon, which if you have a prime membership providing free shipping ain't bad. Not bad at all.

trailer:

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My Sweet Lord

My Sweet Lord:

was George Harrison's first release as a solo artist. It topped charts worldwide and was the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK. In America and Britain, the song was the first number-one single by an ex-Beatle. It remains the most popular composition from his post-Beatles career. Harrison died of lung cancer on this date in 2001 at the age of 58. His remains were cremated, and the ashes were scattered according to Hindu tradition in a private ceremony in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in India.

The Cup of Chocolate

The Cup of Chocolate:

by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919)

I don't drink much hot chocolate, but it is appealing to me this morning. Join me? I'll be at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering hosted by Bleubeard and Elizabeth.

Also sprach Zarathustra

Today is the anniversary of the first performance of Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra in 1896.

I can't hear those first notes without thinking of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, and then I want to turn the music off and re-watch the film.

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Batman Returns

Batman Returns (Max, Amazon Prime) is a 1992 superhero film, sequel to the 1989 Batman. This is directed by Tim Burton and stars Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, and Michael Gough. Danny Elfman did the music. It begins during the Christmas holiday season. This seems to be one of those love it or hate it movies for most people, though it was nominated for and won some awards. I like it fine, but it's not my favorite Batman.

trailer:

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The Birdcage

The Birdcage (Amazon Prime) is an award-winning 1996 comedy film starring Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, and Nathan Lane. It's a remake of a 1978 French/Italian film I haven't seen. This is a delightful movie, and I say that as someone who doesn't favor comedies. Reviews are positive.

trailer:

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Rain Man

Rain Man (Amazon Prime) is an award-winning 1988 comedy/drama film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. It's a sweet, encouraging story about how it's never too late to grow up. I've always liked this movie. Reviews are positive.

trailer:

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Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Interview with the Vampire (Hulu) is a 1994 gothic vampire film based on Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same name, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. It focuses on Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), beginning with Louis's transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791. I had never seen it before and am glad I finally have. Most reviews are positive, and I fall into the thumbs-up crowd.

trailer:

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Moulin Rouge is an award-winning 2001 jukebox musical (a jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known popular music songs, rather than original music) romantic drama film starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, and Jim Broadbent. I watched it free somewhere, but I can't find it streaming anywhere free now. It was well-reviewed, and I enjoyed it.

trailer:

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Robert Lockwood, Jr.

Walkin' Blues:

is the first song on the Robert Lockwood, Jr. album I Got to Find Me a Woman (playlist on YouTube at this link). Lockwood, who died on this date in 2006 at the age of 91, was the only guitarist to have learned to play directly from Robert Johnson.

There's a reference to Memphis in the chorus of the song Take a Little Walk With Me:

Come on baby
Take a little walk with me
Come on, baby
Take a little walk with me
Back to the same old place
Where we long to be
Come on baby
Take a little walk with me
Come on
Take a little walk with me
Back to the same old place, Memphis, Tennessee

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I'll be drinking some coffee while I listen to his music:

One of those cups can be for you. Please post your own drink-related something, and join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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The Man on the Eiffel Tower

The Man on the Eiffel Tower is a 1950 film noir mystery film directed by Burgess Meredith and starring Charles Laughton as Inspector Maigret. It is based on the 1931 novel La Tête d'un homme (A Man's Head) by Belgian writer Georges Simenon featuring his detective Jules Maigret. A fine Maigret representation, it's enjoyable to watch. It's available free on Tubi, on Freevee on Amazon Prime, or embedded below via Daily Motion:

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The Man in the Iron Mask

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1703 of the Man in the Iron Mask after an incarceration lasting 34 years. His identity remains unknown. According to Wikipedia, the fate of the mysterious prisoner —and the extent of the apparent precautions his jailers took— created significant interest in his story and gave birth to many rumors and legends. Many theories exist about his identity and the cause of his incarceration, and a very large number of books and articles have been written about the case during the last 350 years. Some of these theories were presented after the existence of reliable, contemporary documents was widely known. Still later commentators have presented their own theories, some of them based on embellished versions of the original tale. Theories about his identity that were popular during his time included that he was a Marshal of France; the English Henry Cromwell, son of Oliver Cromwell; or François, Duke of Beaufort. There's a list here of people thought to have been the prisoner.

Several films have been made, of course, none of which are serious in their attempt at historical accuracy. We don't know who he was, after all...

The Iron Mask, the 1929 silent starring Douglas Fairbanks:

The Man in the Iron Mask, the 1939 film directed by James Whale and starring Joan Bennett and Peter Cushing:

The Man in the Iron Mask, the 1977 film starring Richard Chamberlain, Patric McGoohan, Ralph Richardson, Louis Jourdan, Ian Holm, and Hugh Fraser, is available on Tubi and on Freevee via Amazon Prime

The Man in the Iron Mask, the 1998 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, and Gérard Depardieu is available on Tubi and via YouTube:

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Shows That Make Me Cry

I don't tend to cry during TV shows -well, there's that one Babylon 5 episode and the last episode of Inspector Morse and the two-part season finale of the fourth season of House- but generally speaking TV shows don't make me cry. That said, there are 2 exceptions to this among the modern series:

Hotel del Luna, a 2019 k-drama with 1 season of 16 episodes

Hotel del Luna trailer:

and River, a 2015 British detective series with 1 season of 6 episodes.

River trailer:

I watch them over and over and over, and I cry every single time.

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The Big Sky

The Big Sky (on Tubi) is a 1952 Western film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Kirk Douglas. It's a traditional Western, though talkier than some.

trailer:

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Bloodshot

Bloodshot (on DVD) is a 2020 American superhero film based on the Valiant Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the first installment in a series of films set within a Valiant Comics shared cinematic universe. The film stars Vin Diesel in the main role as a soldier who was killed in action, only to be brought back to life with superpowers by an organization that wants to use him as a weapon. I enjoyed this. I'm unfamiliar with the character or Valiant Comics, but am happy to see a new superhero on the scene. And, of course, I'll watch anything with Vin Diesel in it. I'll definitely watch a sequel.

trailer:

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Seoul Station

Seoul Station (Freevee via Amazon Prime) is a South Korean adult animated post-apocalyptic horror film written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho. It is the second released installment in, and a prequel to the Train to Busan film series. I loved the Train to Busan and also enjoyed this prequel. I look forward to sequels if they are available to me. (warning to CJ: Zombie Alert!)

trailer:

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Happy Birthday (tomorrow), Petula Clark!

Join me in a cuppa over at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering. I'm getting ready to celebrate the 91st birthday of Petula Clark, who was born on November 15, 1932. According to Wikipedia, she is a British singer, actress, and songwriter and has had one of the longest careers of any British singer, spanning more than eight decades.

In late 1964 Clark's success extended to the United States with a four-year run of career-defining, often upbeat singles. These songs include her signature song "Downtown", "I Know a Place", "My Love", "A Sign of the Times", "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "Who Am I", "Colour My World", "This Is My Song" (by Charles Chaplin), "Don't Sleep in the Subway", "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener", and "Kiss Me Goodbye". In the US, Clark was sometimes called "the First Lady of the British Invasion". She had nine Top 20 hits in the U.S. between 1964 and 1968. Clark has sold more than 68 million records.

Downtown:

My Love:

Sign of the Times:

I have fond memories of singing these along with the radio when I was a child.

Passengers

Passengers (DVD, borrowed) is a 2016 science-fiction romance film starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. The supporting cast features Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne and Andy García. The film follows two passengers on an immense interstellar spacecraft carrying thousands of people to a colony 120 light years from Earth, when Pratt's character is revived 90 years early due to a computer malfunction. Science fiction films aren't common these days, and I'm always pleased to see them made. I enjoyed this.

trailer:

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Bayern 42

image from Twitter

Jamal Musiala is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder, left winger or central midfielder for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. 42 is his jersey number.

Atomic Blonde

Atomic Blonde (DVD) is a 2017 action thriller film directed by David Leitch (in his feature directorial debut) and starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones. The story revolves around a spy who has to find a list of double agents that is being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This one is definitely re-watchable (thus the DVD, since you can't count on anything being available streaming when you want it). The sound track is perfection.

trailer:

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That last redbud leaf fell a couple of days ago, but the dogwood tree still has some color:

Burial

Burial (Hulu) is a 2022 war thriller film about a small group of Russian soldiers who have been assigned the task of taking Hitler's discovered remains back to Stalin in Moscow. To be honest, I avoid war movies and only watched this one because the promotional material said there'd be werewolves. No. No werewolves. There were German soldiers who dressed up in skins and prowled the woods to serve as scary ambush. The disappointment was real. On the other hand, if you like these kinds of war movies... well, this is one.

trailer:

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Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo (Disney+) is a 2003 computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film stars the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, and Geoffrey Rush. It tells the story of an overprotective clownfish named Marlin (Brooks) who, along with a forgetful regal blue tang named Dory (DeGeneres), searches for his missing son Nemo. I remember when this came out and we took the kids to the theater to see it. Wonderful movie! It's enjoyable for kids and adults alike. Reviews are positive.

trailer:

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P.S. I don't keep track of who leaves comments here -it's all I can do to keep track of my own stuff lol- but if you're leaving comments here and I'm not reciprocating on your blog it's an oversight on my part. Please feel free to leave a comment bringing it to my attention. Thanks!

The Pope's Exorcist

The Pope's Exorcist (Netflix) is a 2023 supernatural horror film starring Russell Crowe (as Father Gabriele Amorth, the Pope's personal exorcist), with Franco Nero in a supporting role. I enjoyed it and will watch a sequel if given the chance.

trailer:

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Woman Reading by Lamplight

Woman Reading by Lamplight:

by Carl Vilhelm Holsøe, a Danish artist who died on this date in 1935. Please join us at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering, where a post with any drink reference is your ticket to participate.

The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar

The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar (Netflix) is a 2023 fantasy short film written, co-produced, and directed by Wes Anderson, based on the 1977 short story "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" by Roald Dahl. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch (as the title character), Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade. The story sees a rich man learning about a clairvoyant guru who could see without using his eyes through the power of a particular form of Yoga, then setting out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling. There are several other short films grouped with this one. All are worth seeing.

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Roger Ebert's website gives it a full 4-star review and says, "It’s disarming and lovely to see a spiritual growth parable rendered in Anderson’s jewel-box style." Rolling Stone opens a positive review with this: "The first of four featurettes adapting the works of Roald Dahl for Netflix, the Fantastic Mr. Fox filmmaker’s tribute to the eccentric author is short, sharp, and totally sublime". Esquire has a glowing review.

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The Cursed (2021)

The Cursed (on Hulu) is a 2021 gothic horror film about a 19th-century village in rural France that is menaced by a werewolf. I'm fond of werewolf movies, and I liked this one. I especially appreciate that it provides a different take on the myth.

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Holes

Holes (on Disney+) is a 2003 neo-Western comedy-drama film with some fantasy elements. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Patricia Arquette, Tim Blake Nelson and Shia LaBeouf. I've watched this more than once. An enjoyable movie.

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Reviews are generally positive, including those from Roger Ebert, Spirituality and Practice, and Empire Online.

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Casino (1995)

Casino is a 1995 epic crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, Kevin Pollak, and James Woods. I can't remember where I saw this, but it seems to be no longer available streaming except as a rental. It's not my usual type of movie, but I'm glad I've seen it. Variety is the spice of life, after all. It was recommended by a couple of my Facebook friends. It is well-reviewed.

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Ten Little Indians (1989)

Ten Little Indians (Tubi, Amazon Prime) is a 1989 mystery film directed by Alan Birkinshaw. This is the 4th English-language screen adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1939 novel And Then There Were None. It stars Donald Pleasence (an actor you should always be on the lookout for), Brenda Vaccaro, Herbert Lom, and Warren Berlinger. I'm a sucker for Agatha Christie adaptations. I liked this one.

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Even after two nights of below freezing temperatures we still have some blooms on our protected patio.

Topsy-Turvy

Topsy-Turvy (Max) is a 1999 British musical period drama film about the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and their decision to continue their partnership, which led to their creation of several more Savoy operas. This is definitely not my usual fare, but I enjoyed it.

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Reviews are positive. Deep Focus Review has a lengthy consideration, calling the movie "exceptional" and saying,

Indeed, the film is not solely about Gilbert and Sullivan. The thrust of the story is the making of The Mikado. Gilbert and Sullivan are the creative drive behind the production, which is central to the screen story. But around them is a group of theater professionals: actors, costumers, businessmen, and stagehands. If Leigh’s usual mode of filmmaking is the character study, then the central character of Topsy-Turvy is the production itself, and the way in which artists of various skill and craft come together in support of a much larger show. Leigh’s perspective is not the narrow view that there were two authorial voices responsible for The Mikado; rather, he keeps every aspect of the production in view. Leigh felt the film would be, he told Raphael, “an excellent device for exploring matters to do with those of us who are in the business of creating entertainment.” Within this framework, Leigh allows for seemingly unimportant asides about peripheral characters; but every detail he infuses into his film adds another dimension to the overall portrait, and the cumulative effect goes beyond individuals to amass something more luxuriant and scopic than a typical backstage drama.

Senses of Cinema describes the story:

The plot of the film is simplicity itself: Sir Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner) and William Schwenck “Willie” Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) have come to a creative impasse. After a string of light comedy musical hits, including The H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, Sullivan, who wants to compose “serious music,” has grown tired of Gilbert’s increasingly contrived scenarios, as evidenced by the failure of their latest collaboration, Princess Ida. As the fate of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company rests in their hands, Richard D’Oyly Carte (Ron Cook) and the company’s manager, the level-headed Helen Lenoir (Wendy Nottingham), attempt to reason with Gilbert and Sullivan, but to no avail. It is only when Gilbert’s endlessly patient wife, Kitty (Lesley Manville), drags Gilbert to a touring exhibit of Japanese culture in Kensington that the librettist rouses himself from his creative torpor.

Surrounded by a world of eroticised costumes, samurai swords, Kabuki theatre and tea-drinking ceremonies, Gilbert is transfixed by the spectacle. Returning home with a large samurai sword as a souvenir of his outing, Gilbert furiously paces his study floor until he suddenly gets the inspiration for The Mikado, which would become arguably the team’s signature production.

The balance of Topsy-Turvy lovingly documents (or re-creates) the mechanics of producing the operetta on the stage of the Savoy Theatre, delving not only into the intricacies of rehearsals and costuming, but also the personal lives of the actors, costumers and others who bring The Mikado to life. This precise detail comes as a result of an enormous amount of detailed research, done, in fact, over a period of years. ...

Roger Ebert calls it "gloriously entertaining". Time Out concludes, "Leigh's cast are beyond compare, and the whole bighearted, splendidly droll celebration of the entertainer's lot surely stands among British cinema's one-of-a-kind treasures."

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