Welcome back to Cooking With the French Chef, in which I review episodes of Julia Child’s original show, cook out of the new edition of the French Chef Cookbook and share the results with you. Past posts can be found here. Welp. I decided after last month's misadventure that Julia owed us dinner. Problem is, my budget is … Continue reading Cooking With the French Chef: Fish Mousselines
Shamedown #12: Trapeze
Our last Shamedown of 2023! Yipe--hard to believe 2024 is right around the corner. Did 2023 feel long to anyone else? It did to me, but anyway... As always, if anyone is coming in late on this Shamedown business and wants to know what it's all about, CinemaShame's 2023 statement can be found here. Past … Continue reading Shamedown #12: Trapeze
Ma and Pa In Paris, Mais Oui
Wheels up, y'all... One of the fixtures of nineteen fifties cinema was the Ma and Pa Kettle series. My parents grew up on it, they introduced me to it, I grew up on it, and I've introduced it to my son. These movies have their own brand of charm. Marjorie Main plays herself except that … Continue reading Ma and Pa In Paris, Mais Oui
Bonjour, Par-ee
I'm doing a standalone book review for once--whaddaya know? I'd like to do more of these, so keep watching this space. Anyway, today's offering is Siri Mitchell's 2005 novel, Kissing Adrien. Go ahead and make Rocky Balboa jokes. You know you want to. Anyway, this Adrien is a guy, and he's been friends with Seattle accountant … Continue reading Bonjour, Par-ee
Shamedown #10: The Phantom Of the Opera
Ah, 2019's next-to-last Shamedown. And another silent movie, but I'm not complaining. I like silent movies, and it is Lon Chaney, after all. If anyone would like to know what this Shamedown business is all about , please visit Cinema Shame. And now on with the show... Lots of people remember Lon Chaney, the Man … Continue reading Shamedown #10: The Phantom Of the Opera
Sister, Sister
I don't know about anyone else, but D.W. Griffith isn't my fave. From what I've found out about him, Besides the fact that Griffith was a flaming racist, I think he's overhyped. Some believe he invented the epic (he didn't), the close-up (nope--that may have been George Albert Smith), and the use of big crowds … Continue reading Sister, Sister
Shamedown #6: How To Steal A Million
Over halfway through my Shamedown list, people. New to the blog and mystified about Shamedowns? Go here. Previous Shamedowns can be found here. Audrey Hepburn is one of my all-time favorite actresses. Her filmography wasn't as long as some peoples' (only thirty-four film credits), but she had good taste in movies, and must have been … Continue reading Shamedown #6: How To Steal A Million
Needing Release
It's that time of year again... 🙂 About fifteen years ago, my family went through a very tough time. We're OK now, but I'm not going to give any specifics because they aren't mine to give, and anyway, they're complicated. It was all stupidly, abusurdly, needlessly difficult, and I felt like life had sat on … Continue reading Needing Release
My First Lon Chaney Movie
It. Is. Time. I'll admit, until this blogathon came around, I hadn't seen any Lon Chaney movies, although I'd seen clips of him. I knew he was a pioneer of both film makeup and horror films, which inspire industry professionals such as Rick Baker to this day. During his life, Chaney was so iconic and … Continue reading My First Lon Chaney Movie
Taking Up Room 