Ataraxia

  My Name Escapes Me by Alec Guinness A great work Alec Guiness was one of the best actors in the world. Alas, he is best known around the world for his role in one of the Star Wars movies. In this diary, Alec Guinness seems to have a low opinion of the episode. When asked about a possible new role, he says that he would never play in Star Wars again. The actor talks about colleagues, friends, fans, travels and much more. Sometimes there is a sadness coming out, at other times the descriptions are funny. I would not want to see another rendition of Marilyn Monroe by Warhol. He is chased by a few fans and Alec Guinness is concerned that his dogs might attack and then he would be prosecuted for guarding his privacy. We learn about Peter Ustinov and a joke he makes about Alec Guinness, which is only 60% true. But the author does not mind and appreciated Ustinov, who is less acclaimed for his serious roles, unfortunately. A man comes to ask for an autograph and says that his grandmothe...

  The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, two segments based on stories by Jack London and Stewart Edward White respectively 10 out of 10 This is one of the best films of 2018, deserving of a few Academy Awards, Golden Globes and other prestigious awards – the most relevant of all, the Cannes Festival Palme d’Or included. It is original in that it does not present just one narrative – indeed, when the first segment, the Ballad, ends, the viewer is almost shocked, if amused by the sudden departure of the leading character, a pistolero named Scruggs, who shoots opponents with otherworldly speed and accuracy, even when he does not have a gun in his hand, only to be in his turn eliminated with such an ease that the scene becomes jocular and morbid…some spoiler alerts may follow… Tim Blake Nelson – who has already been excellent in another Coen Brothers masterpiece, O Brother, Where Art Thou? – plays with masterful ease the preposterous Buster Scruggs,...

  Wild Strawberries by Ingmar Bergman is included on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made, the last feature I have seen (again) in 2025, last night – you have more than five thousand notes on films from The NYT Best 1,000 Movies and other pages, along with another five thousand or so reviews on magnum opera from The Greatest Books of All Time and other sites waiting for you on my blog and YouTube channel https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/2025/09/do-you-have-any-feedback.html you could even subscribe     9 out of 10   Ingmar Bergman https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/2025/10/through-glass-darkly-written-and.html was one of the greatest film makers of all time and I have started watching again his magnum opera, the first in line was Wild Strawberries, the last pleasure of 2025, otherwise a quite unsettling year financially, and emotionally   I have seen Sentimental Value https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/2025/12/sentimental-value-wri...

  King of the Belgians by Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth   King of the Belgians is a very entertaining comedy. And not only that, but it deals with themes that are relevant for politics, mass media, the Balkans and Turkey. -            Not to mention Belgium itself The premise is that his Majesty, Nicolas III, Le Roi des Belges is visiting Turkey at the beginning of this very good film. Turkey is a problem for the European Union- in fact, not just one, but a few: -            It has a ruler with tyrannical tendencies and Erdogan is already trampling on human rights and sending thousands behind bars -            On the other hand, The European Union needs Turkey to try and stop the flow of refugees coming from Syria, Iraq and other places As the king is waiting for this new era sultan that is not named in the motion picture...

  Bounce, written and directed by Don Roos 7.8 out of 10 Despite the fact that it stars Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow – or is it because of that, given the rather unsavory reputation that the latter seems to have nowadays – this motion picture is forgettable. The premise could be conceived as peculiar, or for those who are more tolerant, they could think it is original, to some extent. Ben Affleck is not spectacular, but still decent in the role of Buddy Amaral, an advertising executive, junior partner, with 20%, in a company mostly owned and led by Jim Willer. As he is waiting for a flight to Los Angeles, he meets with beautiful Mimi Prager aka Natasha Henstridge and Greg Janello, a writer that has had a play performed, something with a Bat on the Doorstep, which had not enjoyed enthusiastic reviews, but he is also writing material for television. Buddy is a womanizer and this would make the idea that he would suddenly, or gradually for that matter, get so thrilled to be with a ...

  Becket, based on play by Jean Anouilh and translated by Lucienne Hill Becket is a spectacular, effervescent, triumphant, delightful, ecstatic, masterful motion picture. It was nominated for a formidable Twelve Academy Awards and that includes the most prestigious ones: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role…Twice: for both Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole, with solid performances The list continues with Best Actor in a Supporting Role for John Gielgud as the King of France, Louis VII, Best Director and it won for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. The plot has at its center the unusual love between King Henry II and his friend Thomas Becket. The former is portrayed by the outstanding, classic Peter O’Toole and the latter by the equally glorious Richard Burton. It is written that Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton have enjoyed the set of this masterpiece, perhaps too much: "Me, Burton, Richard Harris – we did in public what everyone else did in priv...