ELECTION DAY PLAYLIST

 ELECTION DAY PLAYLIST (on Amazon Music)  

RAY CHARLES -- "America The Beautiful" 

JOHN LENNON --     "Power To The People" 

ARETHA FRANKLIN -- "Think"

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN -- "Wrecking Ball" 

BOB MARLEY -- "One Love/People Get Ready" 

GREEN DAY -- "American Idiot" 

DOLLY PARTON -- "9 to 5" 

MANU CHAO -- "Clandestino" 

PUBLIC ENEMY -- "Fight The Power" 

BRAD PAISLEY -- "American Saturday Night" 

JONI MITCHELL -- "Big Yellow Taxi" 

TRACY CHAPMAN -- "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" 

JOHN MELLENCAMP -- "Small Town" (acoustic) 

THE BEATLES -- "All You Need Is Love"  

LOS LOBOS -- "Will The Wolf Survive?" 

BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO --     "All You Fascists" 

BEYONCÉ -- "Run The World (Girls)" 

NEIL DIAMOND -- "America" 

LONDON CALLING: THEATER, MUSEUMS, PINTS, JAM SANDWICHES BUT NO PADDINGTON

MICHAEL IN LONDON

THEATER 

101 Dalmatians The Musical – at Regent’s Park Open Air * out of ****

Jack Absolute Flies Again at the National (team behind One Man, Two Guvnors) *** 1/2 out of ****

Kathryn Hunter’s last day doing King Lear at the Globe -- had to leave early, but solid

The Southbury Child (Alex Jennings at the Bridge) ***

Tom, Dick and Harry at Alexandra Palace (stage version of the true story behind The Great Escape **

At the Tower of London: immersive event with actors and VR: The Gunpowder Plot w Tom Felton of Harry Potter fame (Draco Malfoy) typecast as  Guy Fawkes **

Patriots at the Almeida (opens in West End next May w Tom Hollander and Will Keen w Lukie Thallon as Abramovich *** (but fades quickly from the mind)

Life Of Pi at the Wyndham ** 1/2 (great puppetry)

Dennis Severs’ House tour *** 1/2

Punchdrunk’s The Burnt City – telling of The Iliad. ***1/2

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe *** (if you are into TLTWATW)

 

Back To The Future in West End ** 1/2 (a tad generous)

Can NOT get ABBA tickets!

MUSEUMS

TATE MODERN -- Beyond Surrealism -- two or three really great pieces in this good exhibit, including a nine meter scroll lots of artists contributed to and a Magritte with a train coming out of a fireplace that was gorgeous and clearly shows his influence on Chris Van Allsburg

TATE BRITAIN --

Walter Sickert career retrospective *** 1/2

Cornelia Parker -- some great showstoppers *** 1/2

Hew Locke: The Procession *** 1/2 (parade down main hallway, fantastic)

HAYWARD  – In The Black Fantastic – first major UK exhibit devoted to artists of the African diaspora. 

Nick Cave (forearms gripping one another floor to ceiling sculpture) called Chain Reaction 

Kara Walker (short using silhouettes etc to do animation) 

Some very good multimedia installations 

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS – summer exhibition. Bursting with some very cool stuff by young talent. Lots of climate crisis art. 

COURTAULD GALLERY – akin to the Frick. Great permanent collection. First two floors heavy on religious art and rather boring (another entombment, another crucifixion) but third floor has great stuff esp Impressionists Degas Renoir Monet Manet. Lots of good stuff. 

Exhibit was on Edvard Munch. Solid if not revelatory. 

SERPENTINE GALLERY --

Black Chapel ***

Brian Eno installation!!!! *** 1/2

Climate Crisis exhibits -- felt a bit collegiate, actually. Posters slapped on walls, some random bits along the floor. **

MARKETS 

BOROUGH MARKET – great cheeses and olives and the like. (one stall had very good looking cottage pies). Very food oriented. (Afternoon tea at Roast. -- Views better at spill-over area when you walk in rather than main seating area with buildings on all three sides)

SPITALFIELDS MARKET – bad food luck but otherwise another typical street fair w stalls of stuff ranging from nice to junk. 

PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET – huge and sprawling but mostly junk. Like a NYC street fair. Wildly overpriced books at the main book stall. 

COAL DROPS YARD – outdoor mall w very upscale fashion stores, some stalls, and events all around, w people sunning themselves, picnicking etc. Lovely canal nearby with barges on them, including Word On The Water - a barge bookstore. 

FOOD 

THE ROAST– had afternoon tea about 35 pounds each. Fine. But view of market and streets was actually preferable on the side when you enter rather than the main dining area, which is closed in by buildings so the view is less good. 

NEAL'S YARD DAIRY – bought some cheese at an offshoot of Neal’s Yard Dairy, a major purveyor of cheeses. Delicious.

MIDDLE EASTERN CART OUTSIDE NATIONAL THEATRE – Yummy hummus and fried cheese (Halloumi) 

OTTOLENGHI near Almeida – great meal w broccoli, figs and cheese the best but all good. Dessert were cookies and a flourless muffin like dessert w chocolate ganache. Very moist. Got more cookies at another Ottolenghi two days later. 

THE LAMB — proper pub. Went at 6, so not busy yet. Before a show. Solid food and beer but mostly just felt like a real local w pub food done well. Waiter very charming. 

GOLDEN UNION – sustainable delicious fish and chips. Looks like a chain and certainly not fish and chips in a rolled up newspaper but very tasty. Waiter very fun, insisted if we wanted REAL fish and chips we needed to go three hours away to a seaside town and go out on the pier and get fish and chips in a rolled up newspaper. Wearing ring of Molljnir (Thor's Hammer).

THE ENGLISH – another pub, this one near Dennis Severs House. Food was actually a titch pricier and fancier than pub food. Tomato soup was great. Cheese toasties had a fancy name and also very taste. Risotto was good. Perhaps not pub enough or posh enough but was good. 

ST. JOHN BREAD AND WINE – wanted to go to dinner there, very hearty traditional English fare but they had a party of 30 coming and couldn't accommodate. But came back to get fresh madeleines to go, which takes at least 15 minutes because always made fresh. Had a drink at tiny bar (which is an uncomfortable height)and waited and chatted with friendly staff then watched an giant roast pig come out for big party and was carved up in front of all. So, not a place for vegetarians. The madeleines were warm and wonderful. 

FISH! around Borough Market -- fine fish and chips

SOHO HOUSE -- on 40 Greek Street. Mac n cheese comfort food. Too much!

JOHN LEWIS --

BARS

Duke Of Wellington

Old Comptons

SITES/STUFF  

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL – did the whole shebang including tour of the Triforium. Turned out to be the “attic” where lots of storage and restoration takes place, along with working offices. Guide was nice if not gripping. Lots of things we walked by went unexplained and I expected more views down into St. Paul’s interior but the walkways up high are very narrow so you get near an interior view. Highlight was The Great Model, a room housing the model Christopher Wren of what he wanted to build. Huge and impressive and rejected. As a bonus, you’re a third way up to the top so after tour you just keep walking up to get to walkway and exterior of dome w great views. (Mostly obstructed so taking a photo means risking you drop it if you want to avoid being blocked by a bar or the like when snapping.) Then back down and wandered around interior for a while and then crypts. (Filled with elaborate monuments and plaques to this and that General and poets and a man who died “gloriously” in battle and so on. Then in one corner you have just the head of the explorer and a card that says simply “Lawrence of Arabia.” Mic drop. Puts the others to shame. In church itself its VERY tricky to see Adam and Eve mosaics discussed in tour; had to ask and wouldnt recognize if hadnt been on tour but just at center of church as it turns into Victorian gaudiness you stand on left side of main aisle headed to altar right by major column and peer up about two-thirds to spot Eve and even harder to do the same for Adam on the other side. 

ORIGINAL SITE CHRIST’S HOSPITAL/GREYFRIARS GARDEN/POSTMANS PARK/MEMORIAL TO HEROIC SACRIFICE/ST. MARY-LE-BOW CHURCH – Wandered around after St. Paul’s. Saw the original site of Christ’s Hospital marked by an ok sculpture of kids but now contains what looks like the bombed out remains of a church and a very curious but lovely wild garden may be called Greyfriar’s Garden. 

Then wander a few blocks to Postman’s Park, a pocket park people sat n having lunch on break. At one side along a wall is the odd Memorial To Heroic Sacrifice. Just an open wooden structure with a roof over a wall area  containing tiles, each one commemorating an ordinary everyday person who lost their lives saving or trying to save someone else from drowning, fire and the like. Finally went to St. Mary-le-Bow Church which I thought contained a memorial to journalists who died during WW II but couldn’t spot it. (I was looking for St Bride’s Church but got to the wrong one.) It does have a memorial to Norwegians in the Resistance, an underground cafe and an underground area of worship. If you’re born/live within the sound of the Bow Bells, you’re a Cockney. Also built by Wren. The Bells long used by the BBC radio to intro news. 

ROYAL ALBERT HALL TOUR -- Jonquil, tour guide whose first show at Royal Albert Hall was Siouxsie and the Banshees! Fun.

WORDS ON THE WATER --  a barge bookstore which I kept calling Books On The Boat. In "little Venice." 

THE SHARD -- better than the Eye? Yes!

DOUBLE DECKER BUS TOUR

TRAFALGAR SQUARE/ WORLD'S SMALLEST POLICE STATION/FORMER PRISONER HOLDING CELL -- w ice cream sundae being dismantled; found world's smallest police station, prob remnant of jail cell name-checked in Aubrey/Maturin novels

ADMIRALTY ARCH -- tried to find nose but construction blocking it off

The Movies, Books, Theater, Concerts, CDs I've Seen/Read/Heard So Far In 2022

Updated as of  December 3, 2022 

KEY: star rating is on the four star scale
          meaning of "/" or "\"
          *** is three stars out of four
          ***/ is three stars leaning towards  3 1/2
          ***\ is three stars leaning towards 2 1/2


BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
(Increasingly, I am sampling books, reading 10%, 20% even 40 or 50% before deciding to move on. The books below are only the ones I've read completely. That also explains what looks like generous grading -- more and more, if I sense a book is not going to be among my favorites, I stop reading. Too many books; too little time!)


1. A Great Deliverance (Inspector Lynley #1) by Elizabeth George *** 

2. The Method: How The Twentieth Century Learned To Act by Isaac Butler *** 1/2 

3. The Tiger In The Smoke  by Margery Allingham *** 1/2 

4. I Was Better Last Night by Harvey Fierstein *** 

5. The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais *** 

6. Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris *** 

7. Still Alright by Kenny Loggins ** 

8. The Covenant by James Michener *** 1/2 

9. The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough (read by Edward Herrmann) *** 1/2 /

10. The Steam Pig by James McClure *** 1/2 

11. Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees *** 1/2 

12. Them by Joyce Carol Oates *** 

13. Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates *** 

14. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates *** 1/2 

15. Babysitter by Joyce Carol Oates *** 

16. The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man by Paul Newman ** 1/2 

17. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler **** 

18. Growing Up by Russell Baker **** 

19. All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque **** 

20. Walt & Skeezix aka Gasoline Alley: The Complete Daily Strips 1927-1928 by Frank King ** 1/2 

21. Pogo: The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips Volume 5 -- Out Of This World At Home by Walt Kelly ****  

22.  Jock of the Bushveld by J. Percy Fitzpatrick (1907) *** (casually racist) 

23. The Scramble For Africa by Thomas Pakenham *** 1/2 

24. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane *** 

CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (A strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't )


1. Cat Stevens -- Harold & Maude soundtrack ** 1/2 

2. The Cactus Blossoms -- One Day ** 1/2 

3. Judy Garland -- The Letter (1959) * 

4. Elvis Costello -- The Boy Named If ***/ 

5. Studio Electrophonique -- Happier Things ** 

6. Punch Brothers -- Hell On Church Street ** 1/2 

7. Frank Turner -- FTHC *** 

8. Fleetwood Mac -- Rumours *** 1/2 

9. Del McCoury Band -- Almost Proud ** 1/2 

10. Natalie Cole -- Unforgettable...With Love ** 1/2 

11. Aoife Donovan -- Age of Apathy ** 1/2 

12. Judy Collins -- Spellbound ***/ 

13. Keb Mo -- Good To Be... ** 

14. Spoon -- Lucifer On The Sofa ** 

15. North Mississippi Allstars -- Set Sail ** 

16. Dhruv -- Rapunzel ** 1/2 

17. Janis Ian -- The Light At The End Of The Line ** 

18. Various Artists -- Ocean Child: The Songs Of Yoko Ono *** 

19. Bastille -- Give Me The Future ** 1/2 

20. Various Artists -- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season Four soundtrack ***  

21. Irma Thomas -- Wish Someone Would Care (1964) *** 1/2 

22. John Mellencamp -- Strictly A One-Eyed Jack ** 1/2 

23. Toots and the Maytals -- Sweet and Dandy (1969) *** 

24. Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg -- Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg ** 

25. Gal Costa -- Gal aka Cinema Olympia (1969) *** 

26. Don McLean -- Christmastime! The Complete Collection * 

27. Phil Ochs -- I Ain't Marching Anymore * 1/2 

28. Dolly Parton -- Run, Rose Run ** 

29. Pentangle -- The Pentangle (1968) *** 

30. Judy Garland -- Miss Show Business (1955) ** 1/2 

31. John Luther Adams -- Become River (2020) *** 1/2 

32. Bryan Adams -- So Happy It Hurts ** 1/2 

33. Gilberto Gil -- Gilberto Gil (1971) ***/ 

34. Michael Feinstein -- Gershwin Country ** 

35. Milton Nascimento -- Courage ** 1/2 

36. John Luther Adams -- Lines Made By Walking (2020) *** 

37. Dave Van Ronk -- Folksinger (1962) ** 

38. Françoise Hardy -- Comment te dire adieu *** 

39. Cecile McLorlin Salvant -- Ghost Song ***/ 

40. The Monks -- Black Monk Time (1966) *** 

41. Koobas -- The Koobas (1969) *** 

42. Novos Baianos -- Acabou Chorare (1972) **** 

43. Micky Dolenz -- Dolenz Sings Nesmith EP (2022) *** 

44. Eddie Harris -- The In Sound (1965) *** 1/2 

45. John Moreland -- LP5 (2020) *** 

46. Joan Jett -- Changeup ** 1/2 

47. Patty Waters -- Sings (2009) ** 1/2 

48. Michael Buble -- Higher ** 

49. Kenny Loggins -- Leap of Faith (1991) ***/ 

50. Utopia/Todd Rundgren -- Oops! Wrong Planet (1977) *** 1/2 

51. Utopia/Todd Rundgren -- Adventures in Utopia (1980) ***/ 

52. Daniela Cotton -- Good Day ** 1/2 

53. Loggins & Messina -- Sittin' In aka Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin' In (1972) *** 

54. Colin Hay -- Now And The Evermore *** 1/2 

55. Kenny Loggins -- Return To Pooh Corner (1994) **

56. Loggins & Messsina -- Loggins & Messina (1972) *** 

57. Kenny Loggins -- December (1998) ** 1/2 

58. Kenny Loggins -- More Songs From Pooh Corner (2000) ** 1/2 

59. Loggins & Messsina -- Full Sail (1973) ** 

60. Poco -- Pickin' Up The Pieces (1969) *** 

61. Little Freddie King -- Goin' Upstairs *** 

62. Jon Cleary -- So Swell *** 

63. Barbra Streisand -- Release Me 2 * 

64. Melody Gardot -- Sunset In The Blue ** 1/2 

74. Karen Dalton -- In My Own Time ** 1/2 

75. Lady Blackbird -- Black Acid Soul *** 1/2 

76. Sonny Red -- Out Of The Blue (1960) *** 1/2 

77. Margo Timmins -- The Ty Tyrfu Sessions (2021) *** 1/2 

78. Kenny Loggins -- Keep The Fire (1979) ** 1/2 

79. Kenny Loggins -- Nightwatch (1978) ***

80. Kenny Loggins -- High Adventure (1982) ***

81. Kenny Loggins -- Vox Humana (1983) * 

82. Loggins & Messina -- On Stage (1974) ***

83. Charles Mingus -- Mingus Three (1957) ** 1/2 

84. Horace Andy -- Midnight Rocker *** 

85. Jason Aldean -- Georgia ***\ 

86. Kiki Dee -- The Long Ride Home ** 

87. Joshua Hadley -- Neon Blue ** 1/2 

88. Miles Davis -- In A Silent Way (1969) **** 

89. Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder -- Get On Board ***\ 

90. Brad Mehldau -- Jacob's Ladder ** 1/2 

91. Maren Morris -- Humble Quest ***/ 

92. Chanticleer -- Chanticleer Sings Christmas (2020) *** 

93. The Saints -- (I'm) Stranded (1977) *** 1/2 

94. Daryl Hall -- Before After *** 

95. Rumer -- B Sides & Rarities Vol. 2 *** 

96. Judy Garland -- That's Entertainment! (1960) ** 

97. George Winston -- Night ** 

98. Willie Nelson -- A Beautiful Time *** 

99. Miranda Lambert -- Palomino ***/ 

100. Grant Green -- Idle Moments (1965) **** 

101. John Luther Adams -- Arctic Dreams (2021) ** 1//2 

102. Wet Leg -- Wet Leg *** 1/2 

103. Tord Gustavsen Trio -- Opening ** 1/2 

104. Trombone Shorty -- Lifted ** 1/2 

105. Midlake -- For The Sake Of Bethel Woods *** 

106. Lyle Lovett -- 12th Of June ** 1/2 

107. Brennen Leigh w Asleep At The Wheel -- Obsessed With The West ** 

108. Kevin Morby -- This Is A Photograph ** / 

109. The Waterboys -- All Souls Hill *** 

110. Big Thief -- Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You ** 

111. The Beach Boys -- Pet Sounds **** 

112. John Scofield -- John Scofield ** 

113. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever -- Endless Rooms ** 

114. Altameda -- Born Losers *** 1/2 

115. Ella Fitzgerald -- Easy Living (w Joe Pass) (1986) *** 1/2 

116. Eslabón Armado -- Nostalgia *** 1/2 

117. Irma Thomas -- Take A Look (1966) **** 

118. Irma Thomas -- In Between Tears (1973) *** 1/2 

119. Harry Styles -- Harry's House *** 1/2 

120. The Lickerish Quartet -- Threesome (3 eps over two years) *** 1/2 

121. Melody Gardot -- Entre eux deux (w Philippe Powell) ** 1/2 

122. Mavis Staples -- Carry Me Home (live album w Levon Helm) *** 

123. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band -- Dirt Does Dylan ** 1/2 

124. Binker & Moses -- Feeding The Machine *** 1/2 

125. Son House -- Forever On My Mind ** 1/2 

126. Freddie Hubbard -- Ready For Freddie (1961) *** 1/2 

127. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Co-Starring Too ** 

128. Various Artists -- A New Orleans Christmas (1997) ** 1/2 

129. Oumou Sangaré -- Timbuktu ***/ 

130. Alec Benjamin -- (Un)Commentary ***/ 

131. Steve Earle -- Jerry Jeff *** 

132. Wilco -- Cruel Country ** 1/2 

133. Terry Riley -- In "C" (1968) **** 

134. Kenny Loggins -- The Essential Kenny Loggins (2002) *** 1/2 

135. Kenny Loggins -- Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (1997) *** 1/2 

136. Erroll Garner -- Concert By The Sea (1955) *** 1/2 

137. Rosalía -- Motomami ** 1/2 

138. Arcade Fire -- We *** 

139. Frank Sinatra -- Watertown (1970) ** 

140. Chic -- Real People (1980) ** 

141. Tomberlin -- I Don't Know Who Needs To Hear This **/ 

142. Judy Garland -- Alone (1957) **** 

143. Charlie XCX -- Crash ** 1/2 

144. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonius Monk (1958) *** 1/2 

145. The Wild Tchoupitoulas -- The Wild Tchoupitoulas (1976) *** 

146. Let's Eat Grandma -- Two Ribbons ** 

147. Randall King -- Shot Glass ** 

148. Irma Thomas -- The Story Of My Life (1997) ** 

149. Mary Gauthier -- Dark Enough To See The Stars ** 1/2 

150. The Linda Lindas -- Growing Up ** 

151. Carrie Underwood -- Denim and Rhinestones * 1/2 

152. Kate Bush -- 50 Words For Snow ***/ 

153. Elvis Presley -- His Hand In Mine (1960) **** 

154. Rufus Wainwright -- Rufus Does Judy At Capitol ** 

155. Odetta -- Odetta Sings Dylan (1965) ** 1/2 

156. Elvis Costello -- The Resurrection of Rust (w Rusty) ***/ 

157. Amber Mark -- Three Dimensions Deep ***\ 

158. The Everly Brothers -- Hey Doll Baby (WB compilation) ***/ 

159. Paul Winter Consort -- Concert in The Park ** 

160. Lucky Daye -- Candydrip ** 1/2 

161. Ibibio Sound Machine -- Electricity ** 1/2 

162. Elvis Presley -- Peace in The Valley ep (1957) *** 

163. Elvis Presley -- How Great Thou Art (1967) *** 

164. Elvis Presley -- He Touched Me (1972) ** 1/2 

165. Drake -- Honestly, Nevermind *** 

166. Puseletso Seema -- Mofata Seliba No. 3 (2000) ***/ 

167. Angel Olsen -- Big Time ** 1/2 

168. Jack White -- Fear Of The Dawn ** 

169. Irma Thomas -- Live! At New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 1976 *** (great perf; mic a mile) 

170. Michael McDermott -- St. Paul's Boulevard ** 1/2 

171. Ralfi Pagan -- With Love (Spanish Version) (1972) ** 1/2 

172. Waylon Jennings -- Honky Tonk Heroes (1973) ** 1/2 

173. Bad Bunny -- Un Verano Sin Ti *** 1/2 

174. Regina Spektor -- Home, Before And After ** 1/2 ("What Might Have Been" a keeper) 

175. Jackie McLean -- Bluesnik (1962) **** 

176. Fantastic Negrito -- White Jesus Black Problems ** 

177. Leyla McCalla -- Breaking The Thermometer ** 1/2 

178. The "5" Royales -- Monkey Hips and Rice *** 

179. Ella Fitzgerald -- Live At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook *** 1/2 

180. Miles Davis -- Miles Ahead (1969) *** 1/2 

181. Ethel Cain -- Preacher's Daughter ** 

182. Miles Davis -- Milestones **** 

183. Charles Mingus -- The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963) **** 

184. Puseletso Seema -- Mofata Seliba No. 4 (2002) ***/ 

185. 49 Winchester -- Fortune Favors The Bold ** 

186. Kathryn Joseph -- For You Who Are The Wronged ** 

187. Sault -- Air ***/ 

188. M. Field -- Re M. Field ** 1/2 

189. Orville Peck -- Bronco ** 1/2 

190. Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart -- Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart (1976) ** 1/2 

191. Kendrick Lamar -- Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers *** 

192. She & Him -- Melt Away: A Tribute To Brian Wilson *** 1/2 

193. Neil Young -- Toast ** 1/2 

194. Stanley Turrentine -- Jubilee Shout! (1962) **** 

195. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane -- Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (1963) ***/ 

196. R.E.M. -- Chronic Town ep **** 

197. John Moreland -- Birds In The Ceiling ** 

198. Josh Rouse -- Going Places ** 1/2 

199. Duncan Sheik -- Claptrap ***/ 

200. John Luther Adams -- Houses Of The Wind ** 1/2 

201. Jim Lauderdale -- Game Changer ** 

202. Clark Terry -- Color Changes (1961) *** 

203. Booker Ervin -- That's It! (1961) *** 1/2 

204. Charley Pride -- Charley Pride's 10th Album (1970) ** 1/2 

205. Connie Smith -- Connie Smith (1965) *** 1/2 

206. Omar Apollo -- Ivory *** 

207. Guy Clark -- Old No. 1 (1975) *** 

208. Reba McEntire -- Rumor Has It (1990) ** 1/2 

209. Willie Nelson -- Phases and Stages (1974) ** 1/2 

210. Flatt & Scruggs -- Foggy Mountain Jamboree (1957) **** 

211. Sebastian Yatra -- Dharma ***\ 

212. George Formby Jr. -- The Best Of George Formby  ** 1/2 ("Leaning On A Lampost") 

213. Clint Black -- Killin' Time (1989) ***/ 

214. Julian Lennon -- Jude ** 

215. Panic! At The Disco -- Viva Las Vengeance ***/ 

216. Amanda Shires -- Take It Like A Man ** 1/2 

217. Sammi Smith -- He's Everywhere aka Help Me Make It Through The Night (1970) **** 

218. Ryan Adams -- FM ***/ 

219. Tom T. Hall -- In Search Of A Song (1971) ***/ 

220. Michelle Branch -- The Trouble With Fever ** 

221. Freddy Fender -- Before The Next Teardrop Falls (1975) *** 

222. Creedence Clearwater Revival -- At The Royal Albert Hall April 14 1970 *** 

223. Jerry Lee Lewis -- Another Place, Another Time (1968) **** 

224. Marina Allen -- Centrifics ** 1/2 (song "New Song Rising" a keeper) 

225. Marcus Mumford -- Marcus Mumford ** 1/2 

226. Joe Bataan -- St. Latin's Day Massacre (1971) *** 

227. Rolling Stones -- Live At The El Mocambo (1977/2022) *** 1/2 

228. The Stovall Sisters -- The Stovall Sisters ** 1/2 

229. Sharon Van Etten -- We've Been Going About This All Wrong ** 

230. The Tallest Man On Earth -- Too Late For Edelweiss ** 1/2 

231. Hank Williams -- Moanin' The Blues (1952) **** 

232. Freedy Johnston -- Back On The Road To You ** 

233. Marty Robbins -- Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959) **** 

234. John Legend -- Legend ** 1/2 

235. Loudon Wainwright -- Lifetime Achievement *** 

236. Hank Williams -- Memorial Album (1953) **** 

237. Fleet Foxes -- A Very Lonely Solstice (2021) *** 1/2 

238. Jessi Colter -- I'm Jessi Colter (1975) ** 1/2 

239. Fonseca -- Viajente ** 1/2 

240. Buck Owens and His Buckaroos -- Carnegie Hall Concert (1966) ** 1/2 

241. Kenny Dorham -- Quiet Kenny (1960) ** 1/2 

242. Darden Smith -- Western Skies ** 1/2 

243. Buddy Guy -- The Blues Don't Lie ** 1/2 

244. Leon Bibb -- Foment, Ferment, Free...Free (1969) ** 

245. Elsa y Elmar -- Ya No Somos Los Mismos ** 1/2 

246. Marlon Williams -- My Boy ** 1/2 

247. Richard Marx -- Songwriter ** 

248. Joss Stone -- Merry Christmas, Love * 

249. The Psychedelic Furs -- The Psychedelic Furs (1979) ** 

250. The Psychedelic Furs -- Forever Now (1982) ** 1/2 

251. Meschiya Lake -- Lookin' The World Over ** 

252. Jack White -- Entering Heaven Alive ** 1/2 

253. Puseletso Seema -- Mofata Seliba No. 5 (2000) ***/ 

254. Johnny Adams -- Sings Doc Pomus (1991) *** 1/2 

255. Celia Cruz -- Etc. Etc. Etc. (1970) **** 

256. Garth Brooks -- No Fences * 1/2 

257. Charlie Puth -- Charlie ** 1/2 

258. Vince Gill -- When Love Finds You (1994) ** 

259. Willie Colon and Ruben Bladés -- Siembra (1978) *** 1/2 

260. Marty Robbins -- More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1960) *** 1/2 

261. The Heavy Heavy -- Life and Life Only *** 

262. Caroline Shaw and Attacca Quartet -- Evergreen *** 

263. Johnny Paycheck -- Take This Job And Shove It (1977) ** 

264. Pink Floyd -- Animals (1977) ***\ 

265. Bjork -- Fossorra ** 1/2 

266. Johnny Adams -- Walking On A Tightrope: The Songs Of Percy Mayfield (1989) *** 1/2 

267. Jorge Drexler -- Tinta Y Tiempo ***/ 

268. Martha Spencer -- Wonderland ** 1/2 

269. Cowboy Junkies -- Sharon *** 

270. Various Artists -- Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen ** 1/2 

271. Leonard Cohen -- Hallelujah & Songs From His Albums *** 

272. The Fermweh-- Torschlusspanik ** 1/2 

273. Joni Mitchell -- For The Roses (1972) *** 1/2  

274. Joni Mitchell -- Court And Spark (1974) **** 

275. Joni Mitchell -- Miles Of Aisles (1974) *** 

276. Joni Mitchell -- The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (1975) *** 1/2 

277. Chris Isaak -- Everybody Knows It's Christmas *** 

278. Puseletso Seema -- Mofata Seliba No. 6 *** 

279. Loretta Lynn -- Country Christmas (1966) ** 

280. Charlie Rich -- Behind Closed Doors (19973) ** 

281. Marty Robbins -- Christmas With Marty Robbins (1969) ** 

282. The Beths -- Experts In A Dying Field *** 

283. Marvin Gaye -- That's The Way Love Is (1970) *** 1/2 

284. Bailey Zimmerman -- Leave The Light On ** 1/2 

285. Hank Snow -- The Essential Hank Snow (1999) **** 

286. Black Midi -- Hellfire ** 

287. Simple Minds -- Direction of The Heart ** 

288. John Luther Adams -- Sila: The Breath Of The World *** 

289. The Beatles -- Revolver (2022 Mono) **** 

290. The Beatles -- Revolver (2022 Stereo Mix) **** 

291. The Beatles -- Revolver Super Deluxe Boxed Set w extras (1966/2022) **** 

292. Lizzo -- Special ***\ 

293. Brian Eno -- Foreverandevernomore ** 1/2 

294. Johnny Adams -- Christmas In New Orleans (1994?) ** 

295. Laurie Berkner -- Another Laurie Berkner Christmas ** 

296. Joey Alexander -- A Joey Alexander Christmas ** 

297. Louis Armstrong -- Louie Wishes You A Cool Yule (2022) *** 

298. Todd Rundgren -- Space Force *** 

299. Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler -- For All The Days That Tear Our Heart ** 

300. Mahler/conductor Gustavo Dudamel -- Mahler Symphony No. 5 ** 1/2 

301. Stevie Wonder -- Talking Book (1972) *** 1/2 

302. Backstreet Boys -- A Very Backstreet Christmas * 

303. George Strait -- Strait From The Heart (1982) ** 1/2 

304. Gloria Scott -- What Am I Gonna Do? (1974) ** 1/2 

305. Tim Bernardes -- Mil Coisas Invisívies ** 1/2 

306. Terry Allen -- Lubbock (on everything) (1979) *** 

307. Brian Harnetty/Thomas Merton -- Words and Silences ** 1/2 

308. Dr. John -- Things Happen That Way *** 1/2 

309. Jose Feliciano -- Love & Christmas ** 

310. The Movers -- Vol. 1: 1970-1976 (2022) *** 1/2 / 

311. Barbra Streisand -- Live At The Bon Soir (1962/2022) **** 

312. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley -- And Hi-Life Jazz ** 1/2 

313. Harry Belafonte -- Calypso (1956) *** 

314. Loretta Lynn -- The Definitive Collection (2005) *** 1/2 

315. Irma Thomas -- The Soul Queen Of New Orleans 50th Anniversary Celebration (2009) *** 1/2 

316. Daryl Hall & John Oates -- Do It For Love (2003) *** 1/2 

317. Various Artists -- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Music From And Inspired By *** 1/2 

318. Lee Fields -- Sentimental Fool *** 

319. Brandi Carlile -- In These Silent Days (In The Canyon Haze Edition) *** 1/2 

320. Lone Bellow -- Love Songs For Losers ***/ 

321. Merle Haggard -- Serving 190 Proof (1979) *** 1/2 

322. Beth Orton -- Weather Alive ** 1/2 

323. Johnny Adams -- The Verdict (1995) **** 

324. John Mellencamp -- Scarecrow *** / 

325. Reba McEntire -- The Ultimate Christmas Collection (2022) ** 

326. A-Ha -- True North ** 1/2 

327. Chris Byars -- Rhythm And Blues Of The 20s ** 

328. Jake Blount -- The New Faith ** 

329. Morris Day -- Last Call ** 

330. Ramsey Lewis -- The Beatles Songbook (poor audio) ** 

331. Sloan -- Steady ** 1/2 

332. Sasha Berliner -- Onyx ** 

333. Peter Rowan -- Calling You From My Mountain *** 

334. Steve Lacy -- Gemini Rights *** 1/2 

335. Victoria Clark -- December Songs For Voice And Orchestra ** 

336. Sean Thompson's Weird Ears -- Weird Ears ** 

337. Neil Diamond -- A Neil Diamond Christmas ** 

338. Sam Smith -- The Holly And The Ivy ** 1/2 

339. Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin -- Ali *** 

340. Vieux Farka Touré  -- Les Racines ** 1/2 

341. Puseletso Seema -- No. 10 *** 

342. Harry Belafonte -- To Wish You A Merry Christmas (1958) *** 

343. Loretta Lynn -- White Christmas Blues (2016) ** 1/2 

344. Joe Liggins -- Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers (1990 comp on Specialty) ** 1/2 

345. The Movers -- The Movers (1970) *** 1/2 

346. Nelson -- A Nelson Family Christmas ** 

347. Roy Milton -- Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (1992 comp) *** 1/2 

348. Toledo -- How It Ends ** 1/2 

349. Kirsten Lambert -- From A Window To A Screen ** 

350. Shania Twain-- Come On Over (1997) ** 1/2 

351. Gary Stewart -- Out Of Hand (1975) ** 1/2 

352. Taylor Swift -- Midnights ** 1/2 

353. Harry Belafonte -- At Carnegie Hall 1959 *** 1/2 

354. Oliver Sim -- Hideous Bastard ** 

355. Waylon Jennings -- Dreaming My Dreams (1975) *** 1/2 

356. Samara Joy -- Linger Awhile *** 

357. Neil Young -- World Record * 1/2 

358. Esther Phillips -- The Country Side Of Esther Phillips ((19966) ** 1/2 

359. Loretta Lynn -- Coal Miner's Daughter (1971) *** 1/2 

360. Christine McVie -- Songbird (A Solo Collection) ** 

361. Leona Lewis -- Christmas With Love, Always * 1/2 

362. Amos Lee -- My Ideal (tribute to Chet Baker Sings) ** 

363. Kacey Musgraves -- A Very Kacey Christmas *** 

364. Gintis -- Hope Is All We Have ** 1/2 

365. Malo -- Malo (1972) (but "Suavecito") 

366. 

MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES 

(Not TV movies, of course, but movies and TV -- and TV movies if it comes to that. Mostly I only list TV shows when I've tackled an entire season at once or reappraising an entire series after it's over This doesn't really capture my ongoing watching of current TV.)


1. Downstairs (1932) ** 

2.  The River (1951) ** 1/2 

3. Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story ** 1/2 

4. The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? (2020) *** 1/2 

5. Everything Everywhere All At Once *** 1/2 

6. Doctor Strange in The Multiverse Of Madness ** 

7. Petite Maman ***/ 

8. Downton Abbey: A New Era ** 1/2 

9. Pleasure *** 1/2 

10. Top Gun: Maverick ** 

11. Heartstopper S1 *** 

12. Sherlock Jr. (1924) **** 

13. Absence Of Malice (1981) ** 1/2 

14. The Last Movie Stars (doc on Newman/Woodward) *** 1/2 

15. Buster Keaton -- The Railrodder (1965) ** 

16. The Woman King (at drive-in) ** 1/2 

17. Derry Girls S3 *** (but solid and good ending) 

18. The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power S1 ** 1/2 

19. Anne Of Green Gables (1934) ** 1/2 

20. Tár ** 1/2 (Nina Hoss v good as wife) 

21. Häxan aka The Witches (1922 Swedish film, saw 1968 edited version w live score) ** 1/2 

22. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ** 1/2 

23. The Banshees Of Inisherin *** 1/2 (Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan) 

24. Pilgrims (screening of Lithuanian Oscar hopeful) *** 1/2 

25. Apples (Greek drama) *** 1/2 

26. Wendell & Wild ** 1/2 

27. Andor Season One **** 

28. The Menu * 

29. Nope ** 1/2 

30. 

THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS
(The names after the shows are the people who joined me at the performance.)


1. Retrospectrum -- Bob Dylan exhibit of artwork at Frost Museum in Miami at FIU *** 

After two and a half years! After 29 months to be exact, I'm attending live theater for the first time since March of 2020! Hallelujah! 

2. 101 Dalmatians (at Regents Park Open Air) * 1/2 

3. Jack Absolute Flies Again! (At the National w Leslie) *** 

4. The Gunpowder Plot (immersive theater and VR spectacle at Tower of London w John) ** 1/2 

5. King Lear (w Kathryn Hunter as lead at Globe, no guest, had to leave early due to heat, age!) *** 

6. The Southbury Child (starring Alex Jennings) (at Bridge, w Leslie) *** 

7. Tom, Dick and Harry (at Alexandra Palace, w Leslie) ** 1/2 

8. Daniel Kitson (COVID show at Regents Park Open Air on stage w 101 Dalmatians set) *** 

9. Jack Absolute Flies Again! (at National w Zoe) (better audience) *** 1/2 

10. Patriots (at Almeida w Zoe) ** 1/2 

11. Life Of Pi (at Wyndham w Zoe) ** 1/2 (but puppetry and effects **** War Horse level) 

12. Dennis Sever's House tour/performance (w Zoe) *** 1/2 

13. Punchdrunk: The Burnt City (alone) *** 1/2 

14. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (at Gillian Lynne w Luis) *** 

15. Back To The Future (w Luis and Leslie) ** 1/2 

16. A Prairie Home Companion Live From Town Hall on 11-26-2022 ** 1/2 

17. 

Updated as of December 3, 2022 

TV and Film Must Watch List

IRA BEST OF THE YEAR PICKS 

2023 (It's never too soon) 

PILGRIMS (MG) (Oscar hopeful for Lithuania; release in the future) 

    Quiet Lithuanian drama about the aftermath of violence 

2022 

AFTER YANG (AL) (Showtime, rental) 

    (Dir Kogonada, dir of Columbus, TV series Pachinko; drama about A.I. robot)

APPLES (MG, AL, GM, AR) (MUBI, rental)

    (Greek drama) 

THE AUTOMAT  (AD) (HBO Max, Kanopy, KinoNow, TCM) 

     (doc on NYC quick and easy food institution; my mom went there in the 1950s)

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (MG, MGS) (theatrical) 

    (Latest Martin McDonagh film)

THE CATHEDRAL (AL)  (MUBI)

    Italian drama thru eyes of a boy

COW (GM, GR)  (AMC+, rental)

    (Andrea Arnold doc on cow) 

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE  (MG, HK, GM, AR) (rental) 

    (Michelle Yeoh multiverse) 

 

FRANCE (GM)  (Criterion, rental for $5 everywhere) 

    (Bruno Dumont  w Lèa Seydoux as celeb journalist) 

GEORGE CARLIN'S AMERICAN DREAM (GM) (HBO Max) 

    (doc on comedy legend)

GREAT FREEDOM (HK, AL) (MUBI) 

    (German gay prison drama)

HAPPENING (AL) (AMC+, rental) 

     (French period abortion drama, pun intended)

IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE (GR) (theatrical) 

    (Hong Sang-Soo latest; his 26th film)

KURT VONNEGUT: UNSTUCK IN TIME (GM)  (Hulu, rental) 

    (Doc on writer) 

LAST FLIGHT HOME  (GM) (Paramount+) 

    (doc on end of life decision)

LOVING HIGHSMITH  (HK, AL)  (Kanopy, rental) 

    (Doc on Patricia Highsmith) 

MEMORIA (GR)  (city by city road show release around the country in 2022)

    (Tilda Swinton in dir Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

THE MENU (AO, MGS) (theatrical) 

    (drama w Ralph Fiennes as chef at fancy restaurant; alternate Twilight Zone title: To Serve The 1%)

MOONAGE DAYDREAM (GM) (theatrical) 

    (fever dream of a doc on Bowie) 

NAVALNY (GM) (HBO Max) 

    doc on Russian political prisoner Alexey Navalny) 

NITRAM (AL, GM) (AMC+, rental everywhere)

    (Aussie flick by dir Justin Kurzel of Snowtown, Macbeth w Fassbender) 

NOPE (AD, AL, AO, MGS) (Peacock, rental)

    (Jordan Peele flick) 

PETITE MAMAN (AD, MG, AL, GR) (Hulu, rental)

    (Dir Celine Sciamma's latest)  

 

PLEASURE (MG, AL, GM) (Showtime, FUBO, rental) 

    (Sundance film about woman entering adult film industry)  

THE TERRITORY (HK, GM) (Disney+)

    (doc on indigenous people in Brazilian Amazon) 

THE TSUGUA DIARIES (GM, GR) (MUBI, rental Amazon) 

    (Portuguese film about moviemaking from dir Miguel Gomez) 

THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST (HK, GM, MS) (DirecTV, PBS.org, reruns on PBS) 

    (Ken Burns doc --what the U.S. knew and when, what it did and mostly failed to do) 

WATCHER  (AL) (AMC+, DirecTV, rental) 

    (Bucharest serial killer)

AMAZON PRIME 

2022 

Good Nght Oppy (Mars rover doc) (Amazon)

Til Kingdom Come (doc on Kentucky evangelicals loving Israel) (spoiler alert -- Jews still aren't saved)

Annika S1 (Amazon Prime/PBS) 

The English S1 (Emily Blunt Western miniseries)

Friday Night Dinner (2011 sitcom) (Amazon Prime) 

The Kids In The Hall (Amazon Prime) 

Undone (S1 and S2)

2021 

Attica (Amazon Prime, Showtime) 

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain (Amazon) 

Joji (Amazon) 

Mayor Pete (doc) (Amazon) 

My Name Is Pauli Murray (Amazon) 

Val (Val Kilmer doc) (Amazon) 

TV:

Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (Amazon) (1976) 

Invincible S1 animated (Amazon) 

The Underground Railroad S1 (Amazon)

2020 

Banana (Amazon) 

Beats (Amazon Prime, MUBI) 

Blow The Man Down (Amazon) mys

Boys (Amazon) 

Cucumber (Amazon) 

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix) 

Pride (Amazon) 

Route One/USA (Amazon/Ovid) 

Saint Frances (Starz/Amazon) 

The Surrogate (Starz/Amazon, rental) 

Sylvie's Love jazz romance (Amazon) 

AMC 

2022 

Happening (AMC+ and rental) 

Hold Your Fire (hostage negotiation doc) (AMC+ and rental) 

Watcher (serial killer in Bucharest) (AMC+, rental) 

That Dirty Black Bag S1 

2021 

TV: 

The North Water S1 (AMC)

APPLE + 

2022 

The Big Conn (Apple TV+) 

Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple+) 

Louis Armstrong's Black and Blues (Apple+) 

Severance S1 (Apple+) 

Shining Girls S1 (Apple+) 

2021 

Roadrunner (rental only) 

The Truffle Hunters ($1 rental) 

TV: 

For All Mankind (Apple + series) 

Girlfriends (1978 movie $4 rental) 

Mythic Quest S2 (Apple+) 

71: The Year That Music Changed Everything (eight part doc) (Apple+) 

Ted Lasso (Apple+ series) 

2020 

Beastie Boys Story (Apple+) 

Greyhound (WW II film, Tom Hanks) (Apple+) 

On The Rocks (Bill Murray, Sofia Coppola) (Apple+) 

CRITERION 

2022 

France (Bruno Dumont)

Hive 

Pyaasa (1957 Indian classic) 

NOTABLE FILMS 2021-PAST

Bacurau (Criterion/Kanopy; rental elsewhere) 

Cane River (1982 lost film) (Kanopy, Criterion) 

Compensation (1999, never released theatrically)

Pink Narcissus (Criterion) 

Searching For Mr. Rugoff (GM, JS) (NYC film exhibition doc) (Criterion, rental) 

This Is Not A Burial, It's A Resurrection (also rental) 

Vitalina Varela (Criterion) 

You Will Die At Twenty (Criterion) 

Zombie Child (French flick, Criterion) 

DISCOVERY+ 

2022 

Last Exit: Space (by Werner Herzog's son) (Discovery +) 

DISNEY+ 

2022 

Chip 'N' Dale: Rescue Rangers

Fire Of Love (volcano doc) (Disney+) 

The Territory (Disney+) 

Bluey S3

Moon Knight S1

2021

Becoming Cousteau (Disney+) 

The Rescue (Thai cave doc) (Disney+) 

TV: 

Loki S1 (Disney+) 

The Muppet Show (Disney+) Feb 19 

[S1E5 (Rita Moreno) S2E8 (Steve Martin) S3E7 (Alice Cooper) S4E24 (Diana Ross) S5E15 (Carol Burnett) ] 

WandaVision S1

2020 

Soul (Disney +) 

FREEFORM 

2022 

2021 

TV: 

Cruel Summer S1 (Freeform) 

FUBO 

2022 

After Yang (FUBO and Showtime) 

Hit The Road ((dir son of Panahi) (FUBO, Kanpoy, Showtime, rental) 

Montana Story (Fubo and rental) 

2021 

Attica (Fubo and Showtime) 

Everything's Gonna Be Okay (LGBT series) 

fX 

2022 

The Bear S1 (fx) 

2021 

TV:  

Reservation Dogs (S1) (fX)

HBO MAX 

2022 

The Batman (HBO Max) 

George Carlin's American Dream (HBO Max) 

Julia S1 (HBO Max) 

Kimi (Soderbergh w Zoe Kravitz) (HBO Max) 

Limbo (HBO Max Alonso Duralde) 

Menudo: Forever Young (HBO Max)

Navalny (doc) (HBO Max) 

Rothaniel (Jerrod Carmichael comedy special) 

TV: 

Batman: The Animated Series (HBO Max) 

Euphoria S1 and 2 (HBO Max) 

Hacks S1 and 2 (HBO Max series) 

The Industry (HBO) 

The Last Movie Stars (6 part doc on Newman and Woodward) (HBO Max)

Minx (comedy about female erotica mag in 1970s) 

My Brilliant Friend S1-3 (HBO Max) 

We Own This City (from many behind The Wire)

2021 

 

Listening To Kenny G (HBO Max) 

Nightmare Alley (HBO Max, Hulu) 

No Sudden Move (Soderbergh) HBO Max 

Tina (doc on Turner) (HBO) 

TV: 

Betty (HBO Max series) 

A Black Lady Sketch Show S1 (HBO Max) 

Exterminate All The Brutes 4 part doc (HBO Max) 

The Investigation S1 (HBO, Swedish) 

It's A Sin (HBO Max miniseries) 

Love Life S1 (HBO, guy from The Good Place) 

Mare Of Easttown S1 (HBO Max series) 

The Other Two S2 (HBO, Justin Bieber-like guy and his mom) 

South Side comedy (HBO Max) 

Station Eleven (HBO) 

Succession (S1-3) (HBO) 

The Other Two S1-2 (HBO) 

Veneno S1 (HBO Max) 

The White Lotus (HBO Max) 

2020 

American Utopia (HBO Max) 

Emma (HBO Max) 

Let Them All Talk (HBO Max) 

On The Record (HBO Max) 

We Are Who We Are (HBO Max)

Wonder Woman 1984 (HBO Max) 

HULU 

2022 

Beba (Hulu and rental) 

Benediction (Terence Davies) (Hulu)

Changing The Game (doc on high school trans athletes) (Hulu)

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (Hulu) 

Petite Maman (Hulu)

2021 

All Light, Everywhere doc on bias (Hulu, rental) 

Bergman Island (Hulu) 

The First Wave (covid doc) (Hulu) 

Homeroom (doc) (Hulu) 

I'm Your Man (Hulu) 

The Killing Of Two Lovers (Hulu, rental) 

New Order (HULU, rental)  

Nightmare Alley (HBO Max, Hulu) 

Pig (Hulu) 

Saint Maud (Hulu, Paramount+)

Swan Song (Hulu) 

The Truffle Hunters (Hulu) 

Undine (Hulu, rental) 

TV: 

Freaks & Geeks S1 (Hulu) 

In My Skin S1 and 2 (Hulu) 

Only Murders in The Building S1 (Hulu) 

2020

After Parkland (DOC) (Hulu)  

Beach Rats (Hulu) 

Everything's Going To Be Okay (Hulu) 

Farewell Amor (Hulu) 

Please Like Me (Hulu) 

Premature (Hulu) 

The Secrets We Keep (Hulu)

Tesla (Hulu)

KANOPY 

2022 

Hit The Road ((dir son of Panahi) (FUBO, Kanpoy, Showtime, rental) 

Hive 

2021 

2020 

Bacurau (Criterion/Kanopy; rental elsewhere) 

Cane River (1982 lost film) (Kanopy, Criterion)

Tom at the Farm (Kanopy) 

KINONOW 

2022

The Automat (doc) 

Darryl Jones: In The Blood (doc on Rolling Stones bassist) 

Hello, Bookstore (doc) (KinoNow) 

Hold Me Tight (dir Mathieu Almaric)

Love, Charlie (doc on chef's rise and fall) 

Murina (Croatian, endorsed and prod by Scorsese) 

Til Kingdom Come (doc on Kentucky evangelicals loving Israel) (spoiler alert -- Jews still aren't saved)

MUBI 

2022 

Apples (Greek drama) (MUBI) 

The Balcony Movie (lockdown doc chatting w people from balcony) (MUBI) 

The Box (Venezuela Oscar submission) (MUBI) 

Decision To Leave (K thriller) (MUBI as of Dec 9) 

Great Freedom (German gay prison) 

Intregalde (Rom drama) (MUBI) 

Lingui: The Sacred Bonds (MUBI, rental) played Cannes 

Lost Illusions (French costume drama, award winner) (MUBI) 

Moneyboys (Taiwanese rent boy drama) (MUBI) 

Mr. Bachmann and His Class doc (MUBI) 

Petite Maman (MUBI) 

Taming The Garden (doc) (MUBI) 

This Much I Know To Be True (Nick Cave doc) (MUBI)

Wet Sand (Georgian drama) (MUBI) 

Time To Love (1965 Turkish film, restoration) (MUBI) 

Zama (2017) (MUBI) 

2021 

Azor (MUBI) 

Beginnings (Georgian Oscar entry) (MUBI) 

Days (MUBI) 

Labyrinth Of Cinema (MUBI) 

Luzzu (MUBI) 

A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence (MUBI) 

State Funeral (MUBI, rental via Apple) 

Sweet Thing (MUBI, Hoopla, rental) 

2020 

Beats (Amazon Prime, MUBI) 

Beyond Clueless (2014 doc on film Clueless) (MUBI) 

Citadel (short by John Smith) MUBI 

Dead Pigs (Feb 12; dir of Birds Of Prey) (MUBI) 

Meanwhile On Earth (doc on funeral homes)

Overseas (Filipino nannies doc) (MUBI)  

Spring Night Summer Night (1967) 

White On White (MUBI)

NETFLIX 

2022 

All Quiet On The Western Front ((German) (Netflix)

Apollo 10 1/2 (Linklater animated) 

Athena (French drama from dir of Les Miserables) 

Hustle Adam Sandler sports (Netflix) 

Is That Black Enough For You? (doc on black cinema) (Netflix) 

Killing Them Softly (Dominik from 2012) 

RRR (Netflix) 

White Hot: The Rise & Fall Of Abercrombie & Fitch 

Residue (from 2020) 

Heartstopper S1

2021 

The Alpinist (Netflix) 

A Cop Movie (Mexican doc/mock) (Netflix) 

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption and Conspiracy (Netflix) 

The Disciple (Netflix) 

Pray Away (Netflix doc) 

Procession (church abuse doc) (Netflix) 

7 Prisoners (Netflix) 

The Sparks Brothers (Netflix, rental) 

TV: 

Al Rawabi School For Girls S1 Jordan high school drama (Netflix) 

Hometown Cha Cha Cha S1 rom-com from K (Netflix)

Lupin S1 AND S2 (Netflix) 

Maid (miniseries) (Netflix) 

Pretend It's A City S1 (Netflix) 

Squid Game S1 (Netflix) 

We The People S1 a la Schoolhouse Rock (Netflix)  

2020 

Bounding (Netflix) 

Circus of Books (porn shop doc) (Netflix)  

Grand Army S1 (Netflix) 

Handsome Devil (Netflix) 

I Care A Lot (Netflix) 

I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (Netflix) 

Nobody Knows I'm Here (Jorge Garcia) (Netflix) 

A Sun (Taiwan) (Netflix) 

The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (Netflix) 

Yes God Yes (Netflix) 

Your Name Engraved Herein (Netflix) 

PARAMOUNT+ 

2022 

Honor Society (High school caper) (Paramount+) 

Last Flight Home (doc on end of life decision) (GM) (Paramount+) 

Love, Tom (doc on Nashville songwriter) (Paramount+) 

Three Months (Troye Sivan) (Paramount+) 

Wasteland (sewage doc) (Paramount+) 

The Mayor of Kingstown S1 (Paramount+)

2021 

Ascension (China doc) (Paramount+) 

Bring Your Own Brigade (Paramount+) 

Saint Maud (Hulu, Paramount+)

PEACOCK 

2022 

Nope (Peacock Nov 18, rental) 

2021

We Are Lady Parts S1 (Peacock) 

ROKU 

Sherlock Holmes (TV series)  

SHOWTIME 

2022 

After Yang (FUBO and Showtime) 

Hit The Road ((dir son of Panahi) (FUBO, Kanpoy, Showtime, rental) 

We Need To Talk About Cosby (Showtime) 

Yellowjackets S1 

2021 

Cusp (summer for teen girl military brats doc) (Showtime) 

2020 

Relic (horror) (Showtime, rental) 

Shithouse (Showtime, rental for $7) 

La Verite/The Truth (Showtime, rental)

STARZ 

2021 

Nine Days (Starz, also rental on Apple for $6) 

YOUTUBE 

2021 

Life In A Day 2020 (crowd-sourced doc about day in life)

THE FILM DETECTIVE (FREE APP) 

Arthur Wontner -- numerous Sherlock Holmes movies

 

THEATERS OR AVAILABLE TO RENT OR IN LIMBO

2022 

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road doc (rental and Plex)

Close (Belgium heart breaker little boys) (limbo) 

The Duke (rental) 

Hello, Bookstore doc (rental) 

Holy Spider (Denmark religious thriller) (limbo) 

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (rental) 

Miracol/Miracle (Romanian film) (rental) 

Nope (rental)

Onoda: 10,000 Nights In The Jungle (limbo)

Playground (rental) 

The Quiet Girl (limbo) 

Saint Omer ((French courtroom drama) 

The Story of Film: A New Generation (doc) (rental) 

2021 

All Light, Everywhere (surveillance doc) (Hulu; rental) 

The Alpinist (Netflix)  

Ascension (Paramount+)

Attica (Amazon Prime, Showtime) 

Benedetta (Verhoeven nun flick) (Hulu, rental) 

The Card Counter (rental) 

Days (MUBI) 

The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (for Jessica Chastain esp) (HBO Max, rental)

14 Peaks (doc) 

John and the Hole (rental at Amazon Google YouTube etc) 

The Killing Of Two Lovers (Hulu, rental) 

Labyrinth Of Cinema (MUBI) 

The Most Beautiful Boy In The World (rental) 

Nightmare Alley (HBO Max, Hulu) 

Nine Days (Starz, also rental on Apple for $6) 

No Sudden Move (HBO Max) 

7 Prisoners (Netflix) 

The Souvenir Part II (rent on Spectrum; purchase elsewhere) 

The Strong Ones (Chilean queer) (rental) 

The Tender Bar (Amazon) 

Undine (Hulu, rental) 

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (by director of Drive My Car) (rental)

Rentals: this means a movie is widely available to rent for $4 or so via Apple, Amazon, etc.

2021 

Identifying Features (rental) 

I'm Your Man (rental) 

I Was A Simple Man (rental) 

Little Girl (trans doc) (rental) 

The Lost Leonardo (art doc) (rental) 

Mass (rental) 

Minyan queer may dec (rental) 

No Ordinary Man (Billy Tipton trans doc) (rental) 

Old Henry (rental) 

Philly D.A. 8 part pbs doc (Topic streamer) 

2020 

American Utopia (HBO Max) 

Assassins (rental doc) 

Beats (MUBI, Amazon) 

The Painted Bird (Hulu) 

The Platform (Netflix) 

Route One/USA (Amazon/Ovid) 

Two Of Us (rental) 

La Verite/The Truth ((FUBO, Showtime, DirecTV, rental on YouTube for $4, Amazon for $7) 

Vitalina Varela (Criterion) 

Young Ahmed (Dardenne film) (Criterion, Kanopy, rental) 

MOVIES 2019 TO SEE

All Is Well (Netflix)
Anthropocene: The Human century (Kanopy)
Arctic
Asako I and II
Ash Is Purest White
The Beach Bum
The Brink (Hulu) (Steve Bannon film)
The Burial of Kojo
The Chambermaid (Starz/Amazon)
The Competition (French doc on entry to film school)
Diane (Hulu)
The Edge Of Democracy (Brazil docu) (Netflix)
Everybody Knows (Ashgar Farhadi) (Netflix)
Fast Color
The Gospel Of Eureka
High Flying Bird (Netflix)
The Hottest August (Roku channel, Amazon fee)
I Lost My Body (Netflix)
Jay Myself (doc)
The Kingdom (Netflix  K period zombie)
Klaus (Netflix)
The Laundromat (Netflix)
The Lighthouse
Light Of My Life
Little Woods
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Missing Link (Netflix)
One Child Nation (Amazon)
One Cut Of The Dead (Jap zombie) (Amazon, maybe)
Permanent Green Light (Dennis Cooper) (Kanopy)
Rojo
Rolling Thunder Revue (Netflix)
Shadow (wuxia by Zhang Yimou) (Netflix) 
Slut In A Good Way (Amazon)
Sorry Angel (French gay; Honore) (rental Amazon Apple)
Sunset (dir Nemez) (Starz/Amazon)
Thunder Soul (2010 doc)
Too Late To Die Young (Criterion Kanopy)
Transit (Amazon)
Two Plains and a Fancy (Amazon, Kanopy)
Under The Silver Lake (Amazon)
The Wild Pear Tree (Nuri Bilge Ceylon)
Woman at War (Hulu)



MOVIES 2018 STILL TO SEE

Araby
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
Ben Is Back
Bisbee '17 (doc)
Bodied
The Cakemaker
Crime and Punishment (doc)
Custody
Don't Worry,  He Won't Get Far On Foot
El Angel
Everybody Knows
The Green Fog (Guy Maddin)
The Guilty
Happy As Lazzaro
The Insult
Jane Fonda in Five Acts (doc)
Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (John Ridley)
Nico, 1988
Reversing Roe (Netflix doc)
A Simple Favor
Skate Kitchen
Sollers Point
Stan and Ollie
The Third Murder (Kore-eda film)
Thoroughbreds
Vazante
Western
You Were Never Really Here
Zama


2017

Lost In Paris (rental, by people behind L'iceberg) 

1980s etc MOVIES TO WATCH/REWATCH for IRAS

Berlin Alexanderplatz (Criterion)
Cutter's Way (Pluto w ads)
The Elephant Man (Amazon rent)
The Last Metro (Truffaut) (Criterion/Kanopy)
Lola (Fassbinder) (Criterion)
Marjoe (Amazon? Vudu Roku? )
Mon Oncle d'Amerique (Criterion)
The Night Of Shooting Stars (Amazon rent)
A Passage To India (Amazon rent)
Raising Arizona (Starz/Amazon)
S.O.B. (Amazon rent)
Taxi Zum Klo (Pantaflix rent)
They All Laughed
The Vanishing (Criterion)
Videodrome (Amazon rent)
The Whole Shootin' Match (70s) Amazon




RECENT-ISH TV SHOWS NEED TO SEE

Adventure Time (Hulu)
American Crime (three seasons, ABC) (Netflix)
The Americans (Amazon)
American Vandal (Netflix)
America To Me (Starz doc)
AP Bio (Hulu)
Archer (Hulu)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Amazon?)
Babylon Berlin (Netflix) 

Better Call Saul (Netflix)
Betty (HBO) skating boarding chicks 
Big Mouth (Netflix animated)
Blackadder (Amazon and Hulu)
Black Mirror (Netflix)
Blue Planet II (BBC America)
Bodyguard (Netflix)
Bojack Horseman (Netflix)
The Bridge (Hulu)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC) 

The Bureau (French TV thriller, five seasons) (Amazon) 

Casa de los Flores aka House of Flowers (Netflix)

La Casa De Papel aka Money Heist (Netflix)
Crashing UK w Phoebe Waller-Bridges (Netflix)
Dark (German Stranger Things on Netflix)
Das Boot (Hulu)
Dickinson (Apple)
Drew Michael (HBO standup, no audience)
Elite (Netflix high school drama, Spain)
The Half of It (Netflix teen Cyrano Asian)
Los Espookys (HBO)
Euphoria (HBO)
Fargo (Hulu)
Fauda (Israeli-Palestinian) (Netflix)
F1: Drive To Survive (Netflix)
Forever (Amazon)
GLOW (Netflix) 

The Great (Hulu w Nicolas Hoult Russian period) 

Hannah Gadsby Douglas (watch Nannette first) (Netflix) 
Happy Valley (Netflix)
Homecoming (Amazon)
The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores, Mexico) (Netflix)
I Know This Much is True (HBO) 

I May Destroy you (HBO) 
Insecure (HBO)
I Think You Should Leave (Netflix)
Kidding (Showtime)
Kid Gorgeous at Radio City: John Mulaney stand up (Netflix)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
The Leftovers (HBO)
Letterkennny (Hulu)
The Little Drummer Girl (Amazon?)
Lodge 49 (Hulu)
Mira, Royal Detective (Disney Channel)
Money Heist aka La Casa De Papel (Netflix)
Moone Boy (Irish Wonder Years)(Hulu)
Mr Inbetween (Amazon) 

Mrs America (Hulu w Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schaffly) 
Mum (Britbox, Amazon)
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
Nanette: Hannah Gadsby standup (Netflix)
Nathan For You (Comedy Central) 

Never Have I Ever (mindy Kaling high school comedy) (Netflix) 
The Other Two (gay, Comedy Central)
Our Boys (HBO) 

Outer Banks (Netflix, Aussie teens Pogues, dawson's creek) 
Patriot (spy guitar) (Amazon)
Pen15 (Hulu)
Perpetual Grace LTD (creators of Patriot) (Epix)
Please Like Me (Irish gay, mother attempted suicide etc) Hulu
Ramy (Muslim American) (Hulu)
Random Acts Of Flyness (HBO)
Rectify (Sundance) 

Red Oaks (Amazon, country club tennis 80s) 
Rick And Morty (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim) (Hulu)
Russian Doll (Netflix)
Salt Fat Acid Heat (Netflix cooking show)
Sex Education (Netflix, Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson)
Shangri-La Rick Rubin doc (Showtime)
Sherman's Showcase (Hulu)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Six By Sondheim (HBO)
Sorry For Your Loss (Facebook Watch)
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network)
The Story Of Minglan (Chinese drama on YouTube)
Succession (HBO)
Tamborine: Chris Rock special (Netflix)
The Terror (AMC)
This Close (Sundance)
This Is England (Amazon)
Tig Notaro: Happy to be Here standup (Netflix)
The Trip (rentable) 

Truth Seekers (Amazon, Simon Pegg) 
Unbelievable (Netflix)
The Untamed (Netflix)
Veep (HBO)
The Vicar of Dibley (BritBox Amazon)
The Vietnam War (Amazon)
Warrior (Cinemax)
Watchmen (HBO)
What We Do In The Shadows (Hulu)
When They See Us (Netflix Ava DuVernay)
Wild Wild Country (Netflix doc)
Years and Years (HBO)



VINTAGE SHOWS I NEED TO SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME
OR RE-WATCH (BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG)

Alan Partridge
An American Family (1973 PBS documentary)
Anne Of Green Gables (1985)
The Avengers
Baseball (Ken Burns)
Blackadder
Brassed Off
Broken Trail (2006 TV movie)
Buffalo Bill
Civilization
Cosmos
Danger UXB
The Day After
Eleanor and Franklin
Elizabeth R
Gulliver's Travels (1996 miniseries)
Jazz (Ken Burns)
The Kids In The Hall (1988 sketch)
The Jewel In The Crown
Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts
Mr. Show
The Paper Chase
Party Down
Planet Earth
Reilly: Ace Of Spies
The Rockford Files/Maverick
S.C.T.V. (1976 sketch) 

Sherlock Holmes (starring Ronald Howard from 1954, on Roku) 
Shogun
Sons Of Anarchy
St. Elsewhere (1982 drama)
Tattingers (1988 light drama)
Victory At Sea
The Waltons (1971 drama)
The World At War
World on a Wire (Fassbender TV four hours, Criterion) 

BEST OF ALL-TIME TO WATCH (OR REWATCH) LIST 

Cluny Brown (Criterion)

Imitation Of Life (rental) 

Marnie (Criterion) 

Aguirre, Wrath Of God (rental, Apple Amazon) 

All That Jazz 

L'avventura (HBO Max, Criterion) 

Bāhubali: The Beginning (2015) (Netflix) 

Beau Travail (Criterion) 

The Big Lebowski (rental Apple Amazon) 

A Brighter Summer Day (Criterion) 

Chungking Express (Criterion) 

Cluny Brown (Criterion)

Come and See (Klimov) 

Cutter's Way (rental Apple Amazon) 

A Day In The Country aka Partie de campagne (HBO Max, Criterion) 

Design For Living (TCM) 

Germany Year Zero (HBO Max, Criterion) 

The Hitch-Hiker (Amazon, Kanopy) 

In Bruges (rental Apple Amazon) 

Intentions Of Murder (Criterion) 

Journey To Italy (HBO Max, Criterion, Kanopy) 

Lagaan: Once Upon A Time in India (Netflix)

Lipstick (Apple rental) 

Lola Montes (HBO Max, Criterion) 

The Long Goodbye (Altman)

La Maman et al Putain 

The Marquise of O (Apple rental) 

Mary and Max (Criterion)

Mirror (Tarkovsky, 1974) (Criterion)

The Night Porter (HBO Max, Criterion) 

Los Olvidados 

Only Angels Have Wings (rental Apple Amazon)

Persona (HBO Max, Criterion) 

Shaun Of The Dead (rental Apple Amazon)

Solaris (Tarkovsky) 

Stalker (Tarkovsky) 

Story Of Women (Criterion)

Such A Pretty Little Beach 

3 Women (Altman) 

Touki Bouki (HBO Max, Criterion) 

Vagabond) 

Wanda (Criterion)

A Woman Under The Influence