Movie Monday

This Movie Monday posting is becoming problematic since I don’t have the energy to tackle my next project: Movies in the WWII Years. So I just meander around watching bad movies, parts of bad movies, parts of mediocre ones.

It must be tough for directors with vision connecting with the money which has the same vision. That may be why so many movies start well and then spiral into confusion. Money does that to you; you make the compromises, lose the vision or less think: It’ll be different once I’m successful. It isn’t.

Finally got to see the end of Wallender with Kenneth Branagh -end of Episode I and part of the Episode II. Loved the way even in second episode they keep verisimilitude by a shot of e-mail list written in Swedish. I guess they thought none of us would notice the cast spoke English.

And just what in the murder rate in Sweden? I don’t think the ape in that early, early, classic The Mystery of the Rue Morgue had such a body count.

From a U.S. State Department site, http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1032.html, for U.S. travelers, I discovered that: Sweden has a low crime rate with rare, but increasing, instances of violent crime. All these violent crimes see to be occurring under Wallender’s watch. I don’t know if I’m going to waste any more time with the second and third episode. I really don’t care Who Dun It? or how Wallender deals with his family problems.

HBO deemed us all worthy and made free its channel for a few days last week so more of the nation could see The Alzheimer’s Project. I saw bits of it. The first half hour were anecdotal stories, especially sad when teen-aged children had to deal with their grandparents’ Alzheimer.
They did get into the pathology of the disease but I missed (if they had it) any epidemiological studies of the disease or a comparison of rates among countries.

One researcher did state that aerobic exercise (proof of benefits of exercise in mice brains was also discussed) and diet were important. Great, I thought, Tell me more. But she didn't; that was it. Now I know what aerobic exercise is; I know what a good diet is but what an excellent platform to inform millions of people. That’s one problem with educated people: they talk code to their own. Still, it was a worthwhile show.

Right now, I’m watching a re-run of Becker starring Ted Danson. It was half-hour edgy comedy which flopped. It has your stock characters but there’s satire and wit also. Right now, Becker, an MD, is debating whether to commit insurance fraud in order to help someone with MS. I don’t think his decision is going to drip with syrup.

Got to go. Not to watch TV. This is another traveling day and it’s getting late.