Maleficent

Just came from watching this, and I recommend it. It is not a great movie, but it’s a good one. What’s great is Angelina Jolie, who does a lot with a role that could have easily fallen into camp or otherwise suffered from disrespect. If you’ve seen “Wicked,” you’ll see some parallels here. Several funny bits, and Sam Riley’s really good. I could do without all the adorable animated characters, frankly. Imelda Staunton is largely wasted, which is too bad, but this is a re-telling, and her role is much smaller. There are also several twists in the story, including two at the end, one of which I saw coming and the other I didn’t.

Later,

May 27th, 1957

Buddy Holly and the Crickets release “That’ll Be the Day”

Like the suits?

Later,

This is the One That Got Us All Hooked

May 27, 1963, Bob Dylan releases his second album, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”

Here he is, singing “Blowin’ in the Wind”

Okay, I would have posted “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” but couldn’t find a video.

Later,

Darth Vader Steps to the Plate

Later,

Happy Birthday to My Boyhood Hero, Ken Boyer

He played third base for the Cardinals. 11-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glover. His first major league hit was a 2-run homer against the Cubs. He was the 1964 MVP and he hit a grand slam home run in Game 4 of the `64 Series off the Yankees’ Al Downing to win the game and probably change the course of the Series in the Cardinals’ favor (read David Halberstam’s great “October, 1964” for a detailed account).

He lived just down the street from my grandmother. I played with his son, David, but had great difficulty speaking in his presence. More than anything else, I wanted a Rawlings “six-finger” glove like he used for my birthday. Never got it. Never forgotten not getting it.

He was a complete professional..

Later,

Late Night Listening with Bow Wow Wow

Just `cause I miss this band, and “`cause Truth loves to go naked” . . . .

Crank it up.

Later,

I Haven’t Watched TV in 10 Years; Perhaps I’ll Start Again

This looks great:

Later,

Happy Birthday to a Comic Genius

My generation’s Mark Twain, George Carlin.

Later,

May 4th

In 1886, the Haymarket Riot in Chicago.

In 1970, Kent State.

Later,