Author: Diana Paul

“The Last Duel”–A Fight to the End

Written by Diana Paul on March 1, 2022. Posted in movie reviews. No Comments on “The Last Duel”–A Fight to the End

The Last Duel (2021) is based on Eric Jager’s nonfiction account of the late 14th-century French trial in which an alleged rape of the wife of one nobleman is committed by another of lesser rank. The Last Duel is part medieval saga and part female revenge drama. Set during the decade after the Black Death, and the calamitous Hundred Years’ War, social disturbances have ravaged France with debt and a reduced population to support the feckless aristocracy. Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is one such landowning but illiterate nobleman deeply in debt. Forced to become...

“The Tragedy of Macbeth”—“Blood will have blood.”

Written by Diana Paul on February 20, 2022. Posted in movie reviews. 1 Comment on “The Tragedy of Macbeth”—“Blood will have blood.”

In perhaps one of the most famous plays of William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth, produced by Joel Coen and Frances McDormand, gives us another interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedies. In the opening scene three witches make a horrific prediction as Macbeth (Denzel Washington) and Banquo (Bertie Carvel) approach: “Double, double, toil and trouble.” They predict that Macbeth will become King of Scotland. Although Macbeth has earned a reputation as a brave Scottish general who has just won a major battle against the Danes for King Duncan,...

“Yellowjackets”– “Lord of the Flies” meets Girls Club Soccer

Written by Diana Paul on February 13, 2022. Posted in movie reviews, Television reviews. 1 Comment on “Yellowjackets”– “Lord of the Flies” meets Girls Club Soccer

Guest reviewer: Karinne Gordon, writer and creative writing teacher Yellowjackets is a complex and fascinating peek into the future, following a group of teen girls who are survivors, flashing back and forth into their adult lives some 25 years later. The basic premise of Yellowjackets is that an elite girls soccer team, along with their handsome young coach and young assistants, is stranded in the Ontario woods, after their plane crashes on the way to a tournament. The series progresses with cuts between the past and the survivors’ present lives 25 years later....

Happy New Year Chinese Style –Year of the Water Tiger (February 1-15, 2022)

Written by Diana Paul on February 6, 2022. Posted in Lunar New Year. 1 Comment on Happy New Year Chinese Style –Year of the Water Tiger (February 1-15, 2022)

Happy New Year –Chinese Style! The Lunar New Year begins with the first new moon that occurs near the end of January and ends on the fifteenth day when the full moon arrives. Lunar New Year is the single most important traditional celebration in East and Southeast Asian cultures. Over 2 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year for a two-week period with a dragon parade on the first or second day and a Lantern Festival on the last. Twelve animals comprise the Chinese calendar and zodiac, one for each month: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat,...

“The Power of the Dog”–Bad Dogs Barking Loud

Written by Diana Paul on January 31, 2022. Posted in movie reviews. 2 Comments on “The Power of the Dog”–Bad Dogs Barking Loud

Guest Reviewer Densie Webb (International Book Award finalist for When Robins Appear) This slow-spun Western, sparingly based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Savage, is set on a fictional sprawling ranch in 1920s Montana (filmed in New Zealand). Directed by Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog centers on the dysfunctional, co-dependent relationship of two brothers, played by Benedict Cumberbatch (of “Sherlock Holmes”, “Dr. Strange”, and “The Imitation Game”) as Phil and Jesse Plemons (of “Breaking Bad” and “Friday...

“Being the Ricardos”–Making America Great Again

Written by Diana Paul on January 24, 2022. Posted in movie reviews. 3 Comments on “Being the Ricardos”–Making America Great Again

Academy-Award nominated Being the Ricardos (2021) opens in the the year 1939 with a handsome 22-year old Cuban singer named Desi Arnaz (played by Javier Bardem), touring the country with his orchestra. After Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi fall in love and marry, Desi continues to have modest success on tour while Lucille struggles with bit parts in low-budget films. After ten years trying to breakthrough to stardom, Lucille turns to radio, and with “My Favorite Husband”, finds a popular medium for her comic timing. CBS asks her to...