Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

starring Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre

directed by Frank Capra

118 minutes

Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) has just gotten married and is getting to leave on his honeymoon when he learns that his aunts Abby and Martha have killed twelve men and buried their bodies in their basement. Mortimer tries to conceal the fact that he knows about the bodies but the plot quickly thickens. Mortimer keeps Elaine (Priscilla Lane), his new bride, at a distance while he deals with the goings on in his aunts' home.

Love and Basketball (2000)

Love and Basketball (2000)

starring Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps

written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

124 minutes

First Quarter: 1981. Monica's family moves into the house next door to where Quincy lives with his parents. She likes to play basketball, he does too. He takes issue with her playing basketball (because she is a girl) but she proves to be more than capable on the court. They flirt a little bit but nothing comes of it.

Second Quarter: 1988. Monica and Quincy are both students and play for the girls and boys basketball teams at Crenshaw High School. Quincy gets a lot more support from his father, who plays in the NBA, than Monica does from her family. It comes to him a lot easier. She works at is. Her team loses in the championship game but she still gets a scholarship offer from University of Southern California. Monica and Quincy remain friends and occasionally give each other sidelong glances but nothing happens between them until the night of the dance. They don't go to the dance together but afterwards they talk and...

Better Call Saul 3.09

Fall

Jimmy checks in with one of his former clients, Irene, the class action rep for the Sand Piper case. He finds out from her how much Sand Piper is offering to to settle and that she has not agreed to it.

Mike meets with Lydia. She talks him into going along with the plan that Gus came up with to launder his money. Mike is very reluctant but he eventually decides to do it.

Abbott Elementary 1.10

Open House

Janine turns to Barbara for help during the open house only to discover that Barbara's daughter is visiting from out of town. Gregory finds out that Ava got her job by blackmailing the school system's superintendent. Jacob plays cards with Melissa and Mr. Johnson.

Thoughts

This was a good one. The only problem I have with it is that I could see where things were going with the card game as soon as it began. I really like the last few scenes at the end of the episode, especially the scenes in which Janine interacts with Barbara and Gregory.

NewsRadio 5.09

Boston

Dave has to record an inspirational speech for a group of high school students. Everyone in the office has advice for him on what to say.

Max convinces Lisa that she has a speach impediment. He cures her of it but there is an unfortunate side effect.

Thoughts

This was a fun episode. It wasn't great buy I enjoyed it.

UFO Robo Grendizer 2.22

Devils from the Depth of the Earth

or Un monde en fusion (A melting world)

or The Demon In The Earth's Depths

Garndal sends Commander Hidoro in Saucer Beast Dago Dago to Earth to destroy the Space Science Center. Commander Hidoro uses the saucer beast to cause earthquakes. Professor Umon suspects that the Vegans are responsible for the earthquakes. He sends Kouji in Drill Spazer and Hikaru in Marine Spazer out to investigate.

Doctor Who (1963) 11.02.X

People, Power and Puppetry: Remembering 'Invasion of the Dinosaurs' (2011)

32 minutes

People in this documentary include

- Matthew Sweet, presenter

- Terrance Dicks, script editor (1969-74)

- Barry Letts, producer (1969-74)

- Peter Miles, Professor Whitaker

- Terence Wilton, Mark

- Paddy Russell, director

- Jon Pertwee, Doctor Who (1970-74)

- Richard Morris, designer

The footage of Jon Pertwee is from an interview he did in the early 1990s

Crash Landing on You 1.01

Episode 1

Yoon Se-ri finds out that her father wants her to take over his business instead of either of her brothers. She makes plans to fire both of her brothers but before she gets around to doing that she disappears while paragliding. A storm blows her off course and she accidentally winds up in North Korea.

Better Call Saul 3.08

Slip

The episode opens with a flashback to before Jimmy moved to New Mexico. He breaks into the building where his parent's store used to be to retrieve a box of coins hidden in the drop ceiling. Marco is with him. They talk about the old days when the store was still around. Jimmy isn't as nostalgic about that time as Marco.

Present. Mike finds a body out in the desert after making a thorough search for it with the help of a metal detector. He calls the tribal police to report the find.

Abbott Elementary 1.09

Step Class

Janine teaches a step class after school to a bunch of students. Ava insists on helping to teach the class when she finds out about it. Ava quickly becomes the favorites step teacher and Janine gets pushed to the side.

Barbara, Melissa, and Jacob find out that Gregory doesn't like pizza. They can't believe their ears and give him a hard time over his taste in food.

Thoughts

This is a fun episode. It wasn't great but it was solidly good.

The Tick (2001) 1.05

Arthur Needs Space

Arthur runs into a former classmate from high school, Stacy Waxman. She never paid him any attention when they were teens but when she sees him in uniform she wants to take him out to dinner. Arthur is eager but the Tick gets in the way. He doesn't understand why he can't go to dinner with Arthur and Stacy.

Captain Liberty finds out that some nude picture that an ex took of her have been published in Peek-a-Boom magazine. She gets in trouble with the U.S. Government over the pictures. Batmanuel tries to help her out.

The Box of Delights 1.06

Leave us not Little, nor yet Dark

Kay wakes up in time to see Abner Brown enter a secret room in the basement. There he consults with a robotic looking talking head. Abner sends magical flying creatures to disrupt all transport in the surrounding area. Abner finds out from the head that he had the Box of Delights "under his hand" and didn't notice it.

Kay, still tiny, watches everything and just before Abner gets ready to leave the room Kay spots the Box of Delights. He follows Abner after grabbing the Box. Abner goes to the cell where Cole Hawlings is locked up. He threatens the old Punch and Judy man but when Abner can't get anything out of him he turns a valve which releases water that will flood the dungeon.

Doctor Who (1963) 11.02.06

Invasion of the Dinosaurs - Part Six

The dinosaur that was threatening the Doctor gets distracted by another dinosaur. The two large reptiles fight while the Doctor escapes. He runs into General Finch who is ready to arrest him when the Brigadier and Sergeant Benton show up. The Brigadier and General Finch argue over who has jurisdiction. The Brigadier wins the argument and takes the Doctor back to the command post.

Butler locks up Sarah in a storeroom but she escapes. She makes it back to the "spaceship". She tries to warn the others but with the exception of Mark they do not believe her. She and Mark, the guy who saw her exit the "airlock", get locked up. One of the leaders on the "spaceship" starts to have doubts and calls Sir Charles Grover.

The Phil Silvers Show 2.28

The Secret Life of Sergeant Bilko

A reporter comes to town in the hopes of writing an expose about Fort Baxter. The first soldiers he meets are Bilko and some of his men. They figure out who he is and give him the run around. Bilko get the reporter to cough up some money for worthless information. Bilko changes his approach once the reporter gets wise to Bilko's scheme. Bilko then makes it look like they are planing to blow up the Pentagon.

Thoughts

Colonel Hall is in this episode. He wasn't in the last four episodes.

This was a fun episode. It isn't great. It is a bit one note but I like it for what it is.

Addams Family Values (1993)

Addams Family Values (1993)

starring Anjelica Houston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, Christina Ricci

directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

94 minutes

Morticia (Anjelica Houston) and Gomez (Raul Julia) have a third child, Pubert. They hire Debbie (Joan Cusack) to look after Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Puglsey (Jimmy Workman), after they attempt to kill their new sibling. Debbie convinces Gomez and Morticia that what Wednesday and Pugsley really want is to go to camp. Debbie turns her attention to Fester once Pugsley and Wednesday are away at camp.

Fester loves the attention that Debbie lavishes on him. He is blind to the fact that all she is interested in is his money. Debbie and Fester get married. Debbie tries to kill Fester on the honeymoon. Her attempt ends in failure but she insists that Fester can never se his family again.

Better Call Saul 3.07

Expenses

Jimmy bounces back and forth between community service and his advertisement business. The business isn't very successful. Even after he has people interested he has trouble keeping their interest.

Kim starts to have second thoughts about what they did to Chuck.

Mike makes a new friend, Annie, one of the women at the support group. She lost her husband several years before. 

The Wild Wild West 1.18

The Night of the Flaming Ghost

James West and Artemus Gordon are traveling by stagecoach when they cross paths with a man who claims to be John Brown. West doesn't believe Brown to be who he claims to be but he can't ignore the danger Brown poses to the U.S. Government. He has raised an army of bandits and possesses a super weapon that he plans to use on the US Army and anyone else that stands in his way.

NewsRadio 5.08

Clash of the Titans

Jimmy is put on trial. He is released after Adam West steps forth and confesses to being D.B. Cooper. Jimmy returns to the office only to discover that Johnny has been made CEO of Jimmy James Incorporated.

Thoughts

This is not a good ending to this 3-episode arc. It felt flat. I was surprised when Adam West showed up but even he couldn't do anything to make this episode better.

This episode did nothing in my eyes to live up to the title they gave it.

The Box of Delights 1.05

Beware of Yesterday

Kay continues to eavesdrop on Abner's conversation with Joe. Joe seems to want to go easy on the Bishop and the choirboys they have kidnapped but Abner insists that finding the box is of paramount importance. Kay stays and listens to them talk until they leave to get some breakfast.

Kay goes to see the Inspector. He tries to convince the Inspector that the Bishop is locked up at the Theological Training College. That gets him nowhere because the Inspector can't believe that the Reverend Boddledale could have anything to do with the Bishop's disappearance.

Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer (1990)

Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer (1990)

directed by Kenneth Bowser

76 minutes

This is a documentary about the life and career of Preston Sturges, writer and director of Sullivan's Travels (1941) and The Lady Eve (1941). It originally aired on PBS and is included with the Criterion Collection version of Sullivan's Travels. There are extended clips of a number of the movies he wrote and/or directed. There is very little of Sturges himself in the documentary, other than in stills, but there are interviews with a number of friends, family, and people who worked with him.

I found this to be interesting. It makes me want to see more of the movies he wrote and directed that I have not seen yet. I believe that I have only seen three of his movies, the two I mentioned above and Unfaithfully Yours (1948).

Doctor Who (1963) 11.02.05

Invasion of the Dinosaurs - Part Five

General Finch has the Doctor arrested. The Doctor and the Brigadier learn that Captain Yates is the traitor in UNIT's ranks. It isn't long before the Doctor escapes with some help from Sgt Benton, who stays behind.

Sarah Jane puts her own escape plan into motion. She explores and learns that what they are on is not a spaceship. She leaves the "spaceship" and escapes back to UNIT command post. Hardly anyone is there. Most people are out searching for the Doctor.

The Doctor leads the soldiers on a wild chase into a wooded area. He eventually gets the upper hand and loses the soldiers.

General Finch finds Sarah Jane while she is writing a note for the Doctor. She tries to tell him about what she has discovered, unaware of his role in the minister's plot. She leads him there only to discover her mistake.

The Doctor drives back into London just as more dinosaurs are brought forward from the past.

Abbott Elementary 1.08

Work Family

Janine gets upset when she learns for the first time that Jacob has a boyfriend who he's been dating for 2 years. Janine tries to get the other teachers to bond with her. Janine admits to the other teachers that she and her boyfriend have been together since 8th grade. Barbara and Melissa try to get Gregory to loosen up with his students.

Thoughts

This is a decent episode. It has a nice mix of serious and silly moments. It didn't blow me away but I like it.

The Tick (2001) 1.04

The License

The Tick gets into trouble for not having a superhero license. He runs into problems when he applies for a license because he doesn't know his real name or his date of birth. Captain Liberty tries dating a civilian. Arthur considers quitting his superhero gig. Batmanuel looks into getting a publicist.

Thoughts

This was another fun one. It doesn't really go anywhere but it is still a fun ride.

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

starring Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake

directed and written by Preston Sturges

91 minutes

Movie director John Sullivan goes undercover and pretends to be a hobo. His first attenpts end prematurely. He meets a young woman (Veronica Lake) who insists on hanging out with him and going where he goes, after she finds out who he really is. The head of the film studio is concerned for Sullivan's well being because despite his wacky idea he has made the studio a lot of money. He sends some people to keep an eye on Sullivan.

Sullivan learns about what it is like to be homeless but he naively assumes that he has learned enough. In a moment of vulnerability he is struck down by a hobo who is later hit by a train and who's body is mistaken for Sullivan's. Meanwhile, Sullivan lands himself in prison after he loses his memory and hits an employee of the railroad. In prison Sullivan first fights back but eventually learns some more.

Better Call Saul 3.06

Off Brand

Nacho start to hate his job, working for Hector Salamanca. He tries to let one of Hector's men off easy when he comes up short but Hector overhears the conversation and does not approve. Nacho is forced to administer some punishment.

Jimmy gets off easy. His license is suspended for a year. He has to call all his clients and tell them about it.  He also has television ad time that he needs to offload but the agreement he signed prevents him from selling the ad time. Kim wants to ditch the office. She thinks it is too much since Jimmy won't practicing law for the next year. Jimmy insists that they need to keep it and that he will pay his portion of the rent.

Russian Doll 2.07

Matryoshka

Nadia and Alan argue in the bathroom over what to do. She wants to keep the younger version of herself. He insists that she needs to return her younger self. She opens the door and sees the birthday party. She closes it and reopens it and sees a classroom of Jewish boys.

Nadia, Alan, and the baby (which he is now holding) wander through the classroom and make it back to the party where they continue to debate. Nadia is steadfast until Ruth shows up. Everything seems kind of normal until Alan notices that there are multiple Ruths. Nadia gives in and agrees that they need to return the baby, in order to set things right again.

The Box of Delights 1.04

The Spider in the Web

Kay, Peter, Susan, and Jemima survive the trip down the rapids and evade capture by the phony clerygmen. They return to Seekings Hall only to dind that someone broke in and ransacked the place.

Maria returns while Kay and the others are trying to make sense of the burglary. She tells them about how she was "scrobbled". She was interrogated but later escaped and returned to Seekings.

Kay and Peter go to the nearby Theological Training College. They see Abner and Charles. Peter gets captured by the phony clergymen. Pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. Kay realizes that Abner Brown must also have Caroline Louisa and the bishop, in addition to Peter and Cole Hawlings. Kay and Maria try reporting what he found to the Inspector but it gets them nowhere

Kay goes home but returns to the college the next day. He sneaks in and spies on a conversation between Abner Brown and Joe. The episode ends with Abner revealing to Joe that Cole Hawlings really is someone by the name of Ramon Lully who was born in the Middle Ages.

The Wild Wild West 1.03

The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth

James West is supposed to be protecting Doctor Nielsen when someone kills him. That someone is Doctor Miguelito Loveless. He was tipped off to Doctor Nielsen's location by Greta, Nielsen's secretary. Loveless tries to kill West next but West is a little too fast for Loveless's henchmen. West eventually meets Loveless and from whom he learns that the diminutive Doctor has plans to take California from the United States by force. Loveless captures West and locks him up but West escapes with some help from Greta. He then proceeds to foil the Doctor's plans.

Doctor Who (1963) 11.02.04

Invasion of the Dinosaurs - Part Four

Sarah learns more about the spaceship that she is on and meets a couple more of the passengers. They insist that she has been there on board for three months but she has doubts. When she starts to argue with them and insist that she didn't choose to come aboard the spaceship they insist that she be re-educated.

The Doctor drives around London with a geiger counter looking for the nuclear reactor and the time travel machinery which it powers. He finds the bunker where Whitaker and Butler have been working. It is beneath a subway station. There are surveillance cameras and they see him coming. They bring in a pterodactyl to attack him bu the Doctor escapes the beast.

The Doctor leaves the subway station and finds the Brigadier. He brings him down into the subway station but something has changed. They go to see Sir Charles Grover. He laughs at the Doctor's story and acts as though he must have imagined it all.

The Phil Silvers Show 2.27

The Mess Hall Mess

Sgt Bilko schemes with Sgt Ritzik and Sgt Grover to get the secret recipe for Casserole a la Boudreau, the specialty of a local restaurant. He tries several different approaches but Marcel Boudreau, the owner of the recipe and the local restaurant, refuses to share the recipe with the soldiers. Bilko goes to extraordinary lengths and finally gets the recipe only to discover it isn't as original as he thought it was.

Thoughts

Colonel Hall, Corporal Barbella, and Corporal Henshaw are not in this episode.

This is a fun episode.

The Invaders 1.15

Moonshot

Two astronauts are killed while off duty in Florida on a fishing boat. David Vincent hears about it and shows up to investigate. He is held up by the space program's security chief, Gavin Lewis. Vincent gets to Charlie Coogan, the one eyewitness to the death of the astronauts, but one of the Invaders gets to the witness before him and erases his memories.

Gavin tells David about his past, how he was an astronaut and supposed to be on the rocket that will soon be lifting off. Something weird happened. Gavin doesn't remember a thing about what happened but it affected his blood pressure and now he is no longer an astronaut.

Better Call Saul 3.05

Chicanery

The episode opens with a flashback to years earlier. Chuck is recently divorced from Rebecca but he has invited her over for dinner. Jimmy is also there. The power isn't on. Chuck lies to Rebecca about the reason why the power isn't on. He doesn't tell her about his condition. She takes a cell phone call during dinner. Chuck slaps the phone out of her hand in the middle of the call. He doesn't tell her why he did that. She leaves angry at him.

The New Mexico bar hearing opens. The tape is played. Howard testifies. Chuck testifies. Kim takes the lead and cross examines Howard. Jimmy takes over once Chuck takes the stand. Jimmy tricks his brother. He proves that the condition isn't real. Chuck gets angry and goes off on Jimmy. He insists that they need to disbar his Jimmy. 

Russian Doll 2.06

Schrodinger's Ruth

Nadia/Nora gives birth to herself/her daughter Nadia on the subway platform. Vera, Delia, and Ruth get her to the hospital. She rests there for a while. Chez comes to see her. He's got ideas. Nadia sneaks out with the baby/herself. She gets on the train and time travels from 1982 to 2022.

Nadia's phone rings. It is Maxine, Ruth is in the hospital. Nadia heads there with the baby. She lets Maxine and Lizzy look after Nadia while she goes looking for Ruth. She finds multiple Ruths. She goes to the morgue and finds multiple versions of herself, all dead, and one body that looks like Alan.

Alan returns from 1962 East Berlin. He goes looking for Nadia. Nadia goes looking for Alan. More weird things happen. The episode ends with Alan in the bathroom where the first season of the show began. Someone is knocking at the door. He opens it and comes face to face with Nadia who still has the baby.