Living is easy with eyes closed

This one is very good, 4/5 stars.  An English teacher in southern Spain is a John Lennon fan and encounters two kids hitchhiking.  Great dialogue.  A little "talky," but well acted, well scripted. Warm, slice-of-life, positive outlook on life despite all the imperfections.

The Hydrogen Sonata

I finished listening to the audio book version of this great space opera and recommend it.  I am prioritizing the other “Culture” books in Banks’ universe higher in my reading queue.  Peter Kenny, the voice actor who reads the book is fantastic.  His accents and voice drama are what made the experience so wonderful.  4/5 stars, highly entertaining.

The Immigrant

We watched “The Immigrant” last night and it was not bad but not outstanding.  3/5 stars, barely worth watching.

Newest Member of the Class of 2019 at UC Irvine School of Biology is . . .

. . . former Bellevue full back #30 (Yofi).  Congratulations, Yofi.  California: here you come!

Wild Card

I can’t believe we sat through this entire puke awful film.  0/5 stars.

It is the worst film we have seen this year, despite the redeeming last 70-sec fight scene where Statham kills 7 people with a spoon.

Wild

If you like “chick flicks” you should watch this film; 3/5 stars.  I didn’t like it that much but it has enough redeeming characteristics to make it watchable.

La Peau Douce (The Soft Skin)

Last night we watched an old Francois Truffaut film that we had missed in our “watch everything by Truffaut” frenzy thirty years ago.  It took less than 10 minutes to realize the English subtitles are so awful that it is easier to understand the story by turning them off.  The film has aged well – worth watching 3/5 stars.

Stonehearst Asylum

This past Sunday night we watched “Stonehearst Asylum,” a dark drama with a star-studded cast.  We enjoyed the film and the fun it pokes at the evil treatment of people diagnosed with mental disorders during Victorian times.  3/5 stars, worth watching.

Calvary

Last night we watched “Calvary”

starring Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Reilly, and Dylan Moran (the star of “Black Books,” one of the best TV series of all time).  The film was very good but very sad.  The opening and penultimate scenes are tear jerkingly tragic.  3/5 stars.  Worth watching but be warned it is very sad.

A Most Violent Year

Last night we watched and enjoyed “A Most Violent Year”

It has great acting, tight script, interesting plot, gritty, engrossing, and thought-provoking.  I loved the ending.  4/5.  Add this one to your queue.