Category Archives: movies

A movie about conscience. (No wonder it wasn’t a hit.)

Posted on November 5, 2025 by oddmanout215

OK, I’m busted. Last week I implied that the movies shown on Netflix are invariably mediocre, but within days The Forgiven (2021) proved me wrong. It takes place at a luxury residence on the fringe of the Sahara Desert — … Continue reading →

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Netflix stars upstaged by sexy ‘superyacht’

Posted on October 29, 2025 by oddmanout215

My neighbor Swamp Rabbit and I were discussing the steady stream of mediocre movies that Netflix cranks out for subscribers. “I saw a new one last week called The Woman in Cabin 10,” I said. “It’s about an ace reporter … Continue reading →

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Satire is no match for a mad king and his minions

Posted on October 6, 2025 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit and I were debating the usefulness of satire in a country whose democratic traditions are being subverted by authoritarian forces. Will poking fun at those forces help? Can satirists wake sane Americans to the fact that the norms … Continue reading →

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No method, just madness

Posted on March 30, 2025 by oddmanout215

From Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now: Colonel Kurtz: “Are my methods unsound?” Captain Willard: I don’t see any method at all, sir.” I was listing for my neighbor Swamp Rabbit some of the steps Donald Trump took to undermine the law … Continue reading →

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Regarding Trump’s infatuation with Hannibal Lecter

Posted on July 21, 2024 by oddmanout215

“Has anyone seen Silence of the Lambs? The late, great Hannibal Lecter. He’d love to have you for dinner.” — Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention My neighbor Swamp Rabbit was wondering about the Republican presidential nominee’s bizarre fixation … Continue reading →

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Robbie Robertson (1943-2023) and the rock of ages

Posted on August 16, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit and I were talking about the death at age 80 of Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and main songwriter in the Band, one of the most artful and influential acts in rock ‘n’ roll history. I’m tempted to use … Continue reading →

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Now showing: TCM vs. corporate philistines

Posted on July 1, 2023 by oddmanout215

“Zaslav is at it again.” I was telling my neighbor Swamp Rabbit that the same high-level hatchet man behind the mission to make CNN more rightwing recently took action to dumb down, or perhaps destroy, the only TV outlet that … Continue reading →

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Mother of Mercy, is this the end of Donnie boy?

Posted on June 12, 2023 by oddmanout215

Donald Trump is much taller than Edward G. Robinson was and not as convincingly tough, but how could any movie fan not think of Robinson last week when the Department of Justice indicted Trump on 37 criminal counts? I’m talking … Continue reading →

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Watching ‘Wonderful Life’ but not getting it

Posted on January 4, 2022 by oddmanout215

“How come you like that corny movie?” Swamp Rabbit said after watching the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) for the first time. “I thought you were one of them too-cool-for-school guys.” I told him Wonderful Life transcends its … Continue reading →

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Strange days have found us

Posted on November 3, 2021 by oddmanout215

It was a spooky weekend here in the Tinicum swamp, but not because of Halloween tricks or seasonal changes. “So why was it spooky?” Swamp Rabbit said. I told him I’d watched a movie called Strait-Jacket, with Joan Crawford as … Continue reading →

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