..that it owed one hell of a lot to Alan Bennett’s play “A Question of Attribution.” Both “The Crown” episode and Bennett’s much earlier play tell the story of the Queen’s art expert Sir Anthony Blunt, played in the Netflix series by Samuel West (left). The Soviet spy Blunt is at right.
Movies: “Charlie’s Angels” has garnered a few good reviews but for me the big flick is “Ford vs. Ferrari.” And “The Good Liar” if you’re dying to see McKellen and Mirren. TV/Streaming: I mean, you have to ask what to watch this weekend? Really? “The Crown”! Music: Christmas music is unavoidable, and you could do worse than choose the latest Pentatonix….The best-selling album of 2019 is “A Star is Born.” Books: I’m re-reading Proust’s novel: pray for me…I’m also reading Orlando Figes’ latest dive into cultural history: “The Europeans.” Sports: Steve Kerr is one of the great coaches (and human beings) in the NBA, so I can’t help but sympathize with how poorly Kerr’s Golden State Warriors are playing right now. Finally: In another lifetime, I hope to be able to live somewhere without cold winters.
Between 1982 and 2001, the American photographer Mark Steinmetz travelled across the US recording life at country fairs, urban street fairs and small circuses. Here’s the wonderful result.
For the first time, Trump is awards the National Medal of Arts. Recipients will include Trump supporter Jon Voigt and the five U.S. military bands. Surprising!
The verdict is in, and Disney+’s The Mandalorian — arguably the flagship of the streaming service’s original programs at launch — is a hit with critics… to an extent. Early critical word on the first live-action Star Wars series is generally positive, with some notable reservations. Details.
