Robs takes on Media and Entertainment

 "A Haunting in Venice" (2023) - this is the 3rd of Kenneth Branaugh's Agatha Christie's novels he has brought to screen. I have seen them all. I don't think I have ever read one of her stories, but I have watched several movie & TV versions.  Just to sum up this particular film, these are the content warnings for KB's version: [Flashing lights, some thematic elements, some strong violence, disturbing images].  Yup - that sums the film. Plot, character & dialog ... whatever. This movie is a symphony of thematic elements and disturbing imagery along with enough flashing lights that you think your TV might be broken. There are also some people performing unbelievable feats of strength that are indeed violent. I enjoyed myself. As a form of motion picture entertainment that set out to 'psychologically thrill' me, it works. As an exercise in cinematic story telling based on the writing of arguably the best, most prolific, and popular mystery author...

 You know when you watch a movie and for "reasons" you can't remember watching it - so you jump on it again as a new discovery. Then about 15 minutes into this 88-minute gem, you realize you have been here before. And it is so glorious you cannot believe you forgot about it. "Shark Side of the Moon" (2022) was so funny this time. Just the right mix of practical and CGI effects. A cast that knows exactly what movie they are in. Implausible physics & wonderful expositive dialog rationalizing it. The only thing they don't really explain is what these homicidal Russian-shark-human-hybrids have been eating on the moon for the last couple of decades. If they did, I missed it.  It is almost as good as "Velocipastor" (2018)