And that seems to go double for Leigh Whannell‘s Wolf Man (Universal, 1.17.25).

I feel soiled just knowing that Blumhouse “product” is out there, swirling around.

N.Y. Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson isn’t what you’d call a yay-nay type of gal. She likes to steer clear of judgments, preferring to write in a circumspect way, observing this and taking note of that.

So it’s significant, I think, that she’s totally tumbled for Sean Baker Anora.

No spoilers: For the most part Edward Berger’s Conclave (Focus, 10.25), a present-tense, Vatican-set drama about cardinals choosing a new pope, sounds and behaves like a fairly traditional film.

And then the finale comes along and it’s like “whoa, mama.”

Without getting into specifics, the film is saying that the usual, centuries-old schemings and plottings won’t do, and that advanced countries are shifting into another mode or mindset.

Which is why, if you ask me, a majority of younger straight guys aren’t supporting Kamala Harris —- they can feel the subtle shifting of the cultural plates, and are sensing they’re being shunted aside. The tactile, under-educated screen obsessives, I mean.

There’s a final shot of two young nuns clucking happily about something…this kinda says it all.

Friendo: “Yeah, I get it, but all I’m saying is that it ends on a super-woke note.”

HE: “I’m not 100% delighted by the general shifting into an era of seismic change…a primal passing of the torch…but we can’t deny that this is clearly what’s starting to happen all over.

“Conclave is a cultural canary in the coal mine.”

“A typical progressive woman would say ‘WHAT? Women and LGBTQ wokesters are making a few inroads, but the world is still overwhelmingly run by dudes.’ But times are changing. The earth is moving under our feet.”

Catching my second viewing of Edward Berger’s Conclave tomorrow evening (Friday, 10.18) —- the opening-night attraction at the Montclair Film Festival.

On top of which Halloween weekend requires the wearing of a mask…no?

There’s an unfortunate element in a photo of Adam Driver and Heather Burns in a scene from Kenneth Lonergan‘s currently-running “Hold On to Me Darling” (Lucille Lortel Theater).

Driver’s character, a country crossover star named Strings McCrane, is quite clearly wearing….gold-toe socks.

Did Driver choose the socks in order to convey to eagle-eyed theatregoers that McCraine is gauche or clueless on some level? Or does Driver own a few pairs and thought nothing of wearing them during the play?

HE has been on a crusade against these godawful socks for at least a decade if not longer. What was I supposed to do, not say anything?

[Photo by Sara Krulwich for The New York Times.]

Kodochrome colors and mellow vibes make all the difference.

(Clockwise) Duane Jones (highly intelligent, Obama-like cool cat), Judith O’Dea (early 20s blonde), Marilyn Eastman (30ish brunette) and Karl Hardman (smiling bald guy).

Poor Duane died in 1988 at age 51. Marilyn passed in August 2021 at age 88. Karl died on 9.22.07, at age 80. Judith, 79, is still with us.

I asked if she’d ever heard of D-Day or seen The Longest Day or Saving Private Ryan or anything in that realm…uhm, nope. She didn’t know Susan B. Anthony or Martin van Buren either.

I like carrying heavy coins around. I love early 20th Century silver dollars. I’m also a sucker for $2 bills.

Earlier today I felt a sudden surge of affection for the guy. The anti-Trump monologue sealed the deal. The 55 year-old Bautista has been kicking it for decades, and I didn’t care very much. Now I’m a fan.

I wrote this cause it’s what I always wanted to say about Trump pretending to be a tough guy. But we got the amazing @DaveBautista to say it SO much better. Thanks Dave. #TrumpIsAWeakLittleBabyBitch pic.twitter.com/Mo4ZMpOPVH

— Jesse Joyce (@jessejoyce) October 17, 2024

One less malicious anti-Israel fanatic, and an important one at that…just desserts, roast on a spit in hell. No more boom-boom for this ornery old cuss.

The Manhattan-Brooklyn-Bronx-Queens parallels hold water for the most part, but the Eagle Rock, La Canada, Altadena and Pasadena territories should have been labelled as Westchester County or maybe Long Island. And the flush Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Hidden Hills, Calabasas and Malibu Canyon regions are hardly analogous to Staten Island. New Jersey (Morris, Somerset and Union counties) would have been more like it.

Remember that prurient Cool Hand Luke scene with the hot blonde soapy-sudsing her car in front of the sweaty convicts? I’ll bet that was the inspiration for this British piece of shit, which came along four years later in ‘71.

This was a win. Fencing and snarling and pushing back on principle (“This is a democracy!”) inside the lion’s den…steel and balls.

Kamala Harris: Bret, I’m sorry and with all due respect, that clip was not what he has been saying about the enemy within that he has repeated when he is speaking about the American people. That's not what you just showed.”

pic.twitter.com/TGPHYZGcvb

— Acyn (@Acyn) October 16, 2024