A place for my photos and thoughts and stuff.
Not the ear-peeking instrument on the table at right. Soon the doctor came in, looked in my left ear and proclaimed: “You’ve got quite the ear infection! There’s a lot of goop!” Thus, the seemingly innocuous cold, blossomed into a 2-week (so far) adventure of partial deafness, terrifying snot, ear drops and pills.
ETA: An additional round of antibiotics later, I finally feel normal. All viruses need to die.
It was the coldest water I’ve ever experienced. My feet felt like they were plunged into a snowbank. And yes, I see those children playing in the water, and I am fully prepared to accept the fact that I’m a wimp.
Meanwhile, in nature…
…the Circle of Life, in the form of shore birds eating something gross and crawly, continues.
It’s almost impossible to get a picture of this handsome guy…
Almost there!
THERE’S my Moosie!
13. CYRANO (2022)
This is a perfectly enjoyable, post-modern update of Cyrano De Bergerac nestled very uncomfortably in an absolutely terrible musical. Truly, the music, by the band The National, is just awful. Wastes some fine work from Peter Dinklage as Cyrano and Haley Bennett as Roxanne.
Verdict: Really, the music is very, very bad.
14. RIO BRAVO (1958)
I truly can’t think of a moment in this film that’s not perfect. It’s about friends taking care of one another and their community simply because it’s the right thing to do. The actors — including John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan, Rick Nelson, and Angie Dickinson — all do career-best work, the writing is top notch, and the direction strikes just the right balance of light and dark to make sure the character moments shine even as the tension ratches ever upward.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame
15. MEMORIES (1995)
Like most anthology movies, the quality of the three short films that make up “Memories” vary in quality, but all are wonderfully animated and worth watching if you like anime. The first chapter, called “Magnetic Rose” is legitimately brilliant, wild stuff.
Verdict: Recommended for anime fans.
Getting at all of that peanut butter takes work, but Pearl is up to the task!
Easter dinner with Friends-Who-Are-Family. Resistance is futile.
Happy Easter!
A day with Porto’s goodies is a great day.
The greatest of all patty melts, from Bunz!
An Ikea feast!
10. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (2009)
Wow, does this film ever pertain to the world we’re living in now, what with the encroaching darkness and seemingly wanton acts of evil. Will Harry and his friends understand what they must do before it’s too late? Will we? Great movie, but really dark. I mean that literally. Sometimes you can barely see what’s going on. It’s my only gripe.
Verdict: Wonderful, like every other film in the series. Just plan on squinting through some of it.
11. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
There’s so much joyful perfection here, it’s almost embarrassing. Roles like Indiana Jones are hard to get right, and does Harrison Ford unforgettably nail it. Indy is both a send-up and homage on every old adventure serial hero, and is a rich and complicated character in his own right. There’s absolutely not a frame of this movie that doesn’t fill me with happiness.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame
12. REPTILICUS (1961)
No one does city-crushing monster movies like the Japanese. They stand alone as the masters of the craft. Unfortunately, Reptilicus comes from Denmark and the result is underwhelming. Not just because the story is crap, the acting worse, and the production values laughable. I mean underwhelming as in they forgot to give their monster legs (it has feet). And its superpower is green puke. Enough said.
Verdict: Just, no.
See it here if you’re some kind of sadist: (1) Reptilicus REMASTERED | Full Sci Fi Movie | Ann Smyrner | Mini Heinrich | Dirch Passer. – YouTube