“Less stuffy literary biopic than ever-relevant female-empowerment saga, Wash Westmoreland‘s Colette ranks as one of the great roles for which Keira Knightley will be remembered. While hardly the first English-language feature to go behind the famous French byline (Danny Huston directed the much-derided Becoming Colette a quarter-century earlier), it succeeds in tying her story to the zeitgeist, while delving deeper into the love affairs she pursued with other women.” — from Peter Debruge‘s Sundance review, posted on 1.21.18.

Apple techies to Hollywood Elsewhere (received this morning at 6:30): “Thank you for your patience. We reviewed the documents you provided and [have] turned off the Activation Lock on your device.” The six-digit, two-step security code that’s been making life hell for the last six days, they mean. Ye gods and little fishes! There are two or three procedures that have to be carefully followed and implemented, but once this is done the phone will be in the pink and fully operational.

Thanks to everyone I reached out to for help, and to all the HE regulars who offered advice, thoughts and general sympathies. The last six days really have been horrid. While a couple of Apple reps were extremely helpful and in fact acted as God’s angels, a few others weren’t helpful at all. I was told last weekend by two senior Apple support reps as well as a Genius bar guy that there was no way to help me and that I was more or less screwed blue.

I’ve decided to sell the Yamaha as I’ve spotted something a little better as well as reasonably priced. Had it four years, bought it for $3750 plus paid for new windshield, mounted top case, Kryptonite lock. One estimate says it’s worth $3100 retail. Nada guides says it’s worth $2000, but if you add the top case, windshield and chain lock (at least $400) the price is $2400 firm. I’ve been maintaining it like a baby all along. Never took it on a long trip. Sticker on license plate is good until next February.

All hail the 88 year-old Clint Eastwood and his never-say-die work ethic. Clint has been directing and starring in The Mule since June 4th, shooting in various Georgia locations. The shoot will move later this month to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the town where Walter Matthau and two cohorts robbed a small bank in Charley Varrick some 45 years ago.

Eastwood costars with Bradley Cooper, Michael Pena, Laurence Fishburne, Dianne Wiest.

Pic is based on Sam Dolnick‘s June 2014 N.Y. Times Magazine piece, “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule.” The screenplay is by Nick Schenk (Gran Torino). IMDB logline: “A 90-year-old horticulturist and WWII veteran is caught transporting $3 million worth of cocaine through Michigan for a Mexican drug cartel. Here’s some coverage from August’s WRDW.com.

Chris McQuarrie and Tom Cruise‘s Mission: Impossible — Fallout (Paramount, 7.27) screens tonight in Los Angeles for journo elites. (Reviews will pop tomorrow — Thursday, 7.12 at 2 pm Pacific.) The NYC and LA all-media screenings will happen on or about 7.23. You can’t trust the junket guys, but even if you dial down their praises by 30% or 40% it still sounds pretty good.

The branding has begun on Josie Rourke‘s Mary, Queen of Scots (Focus Features, 12.5), even though it won’t open for another five and a half months. I’ve heard that the film offers a kind of Game of Thrones aesthetic — hard R, vivid sex scenes, bloody battle sequences, unflinching. I’ve also heard that that Saoirse Ronan, playing the title role, delivers big-time. A guy who’s seen it says she’s “incredible, one of her very best performances, a physically demanding role that she throws herself into, really gets to shine, a full range of emotions.”

Nine years ago Neil Blomkamp was regarded as a hot visionary helmer in the wake of District 9, which was universally admired. Five years ago he was regarded as a somewhat less vital but nonetheless credible visionary craftsman (i.e., Jim Cameron wannabe) in the wake of Elysium, which the fanboys were iffy on. In the wake of Chappie three years ago he was regarded as a visionary craftsman who’ve been given his shot and hadn’t quite nailed it (Jar-Jar Binks comparisons were heard) but was still in the game. But Blomkamp paired with yet another MGM Robocop remake? Forget it.

via GIPHY

“I went to sleep dreaming life was beauty — I woke up knowing life is duty.” — written by David Mamet for a Hill Street Blues episode called “Wasted Weekend.”

I heard this line once during the original broadcast of this episode on 1.13.87. The guy who said the line was Dennis Franz‘s Det. Sal Benedetto, and I’ve never forgotten it. 31 and 1/2 years ago. I was watching Steven Bochco‘s fabled series on a 21″ cable-connected color TV. I was living in a cool little pre-war studio on High Tower Drive, a few hundred yards from the Hollywood Bowl and just down the street from Elliott Gould‘s deco-moderne, elevator-accessible Long Goodbye apartment. Reanimator‘s Jeffrey Coombs lived in the same complex.

I was working for Cannon Films publicity at the time, writing press kits. My future wife Maggie and I had either just returned from Paris or were planning a trip there. We got married the following October, and Jett came along the following June. [Originally posted on 11.14.09.]