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: