**spoilers*** I can give you many reasons to see this – Fritz Lang directed it, Edward G Robinson and Joan Bennett star, and there’s tons of delicious irony, but the “Dallas” / “Wizard of Oz” ending ruins it all. I wanted to throw my remote at the screen.

I watched this 1949 noir thriller without knowing its tangled history. Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea, and Don Defore (eventually of “Hazel” fame) star in a screenplay that’s a lot busier than most noirs of the period (i.e., the plot keeps accelerating instead of plodding). Typical noir situation of one bad decision leading to another and another until someone is murdered. Lizabeth Scott isn’t the most expressive actress, but love that voice! I won’t go into the copyright travails here. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Late_for_Tears)

Quite the cast with Laughton, Milland, O’Sullivan, Elsa Lanchester (in a comedic turn), Harry Morgan (I don’t think he says a word) and an uncredited cameo by Noelle Neill. The strange thing is the shifting tone, from dark to comedic and back, as if the director was never sure what kind of film he wanted to make. Lots of good supporting performances. Worth a watch simply for all the familiar faces.

Truly amazing action film, but I admit to wearying of the endless chop-socky in the third act. Some of those scenes could easily have been trimmed. Great ending, though. Ready for Chap. 4 in 2021.

An entertaining, well-acted, and surprisingly funny mystery in the Gone Girl subgenre. Kendrick and Lively are super as mismatched friends working their way through a forgettable plot. I like that the script anticipates the audience: Just when I’m thinking, oh, they’re gaslighting her, Stephanie asks, “Are you Diabolique-ing me?” (an even better reference). Very much worth a look. FF=0

A nifty little documentary about this fellow who’s walking every street and park of NYC’s 5 boroughs – 8500 miles. He also documents it on his blog:  https://imjustwalkin.com/

As you might expect, The Meg is dumb. But it’s fun dumb. It’s dumb in the way its characters always choose the option that will put them in the most jeopardy. This is not necessarily good for their lifespan, but it’s good for those of us watching from our cushy recliners. I, for one, appreciate the action set pieces sparked by their dumb choices. I think The Meg incorporates just about every big monster cliche, but so what? You’re treated to great sets and a great monster. A perfect summer movie. Feel free to turn up your nose. I had a great time. (No FF — seen in theater)

I found this documentary fascinating. A brilliant, beautiful, and very troubled woman. Her revolutionary technology could have shortened WWII if it hadn’t been shelved — supposedly because its inventor was a woman and, really, what do women know about radio frequencies and guidance systems? Definitely worth your time.  FF=0

Even though it contains sly dark humor, this is by no means a feel-good film. McDormand nails her part as a mother whose only remaining emotion is rage. Starting with “Cheers,” Woody Harrelson has always been a better actor than he seems (because he doesn’t seem to be acting), and Sam Rockwell proves again why he’s my favorite male actor these days. One plot turn made me groan aloud but they were only playing with my expectations (which made me very happy). This film totally engaged me.  FF=0

Finished season 1 of this Netflix/German co-production last night. Very “Lost”-ish in theme with “Twin Peaks”-ish characters. This must have been fun to write but a nightmare when it came to keeping the character relationships straight. As with any time-travel story (that’s not a spoiler — you know early on), the plot has holes and paradoxes. One warning: Although deliberately paced (read: “slow” — could have been compressed to 8 episodes instead of 10 with no loss of story or character), you must pay attention. This is not a series to watch while reading a book or playing a game on your phone. I know because I didn’t pay close attention to the early episodes and had a helluva time keeping the characters straight at their varying ages later on. I hope the director gets over his love affair with his rain machine for the next season. Do I recommend it? Depends on your patience and your ability to suspend disbelief. You might love it or your screen might be damaged by the shoes you toss at it.  FF=1