Orson Welles: The Road to Xanadu is the first in a series of books stage/film director Simon Callow has written about Orson Welles. It covers Orson's life from childhood to the making of Citizen Kane (1941).
This is an incredibly engaging read. Focusing on only part of Orson's life, allows it to be much more in depth than the average biography. Even those who are very familiar with Orson's work and life will learn a lot from this book. Callow goes into great depth into many of Orson's stage and radio productions (and even greater into Citizen Kane), while still having plenty of room to paint a picture of his personal life and who he was as a person. The writings about his stage and radio productions are especially valuable to Welles fans as most writings about him seem to focus on his film work. Not only do we get great detail about the making of these productions but there is also great critical insight (as the author has worked on the stage as well). This critical insight often praises Orson's genius showing how it was very evident even at this early stage, while also not being afraid to criticize, his flaws as a storyteller. This is a fair and unbiased look at his work and while it may be very critical one always feels the author's fondness and appreciation for his work. The same can be said for Callow's portrait of Welles as a person. The book does not shy away from Welles' flaws as a person, yet it is a derogatory piece either and is just as quick to point out his better qualities. By the end of this book, we feel a much greater understanding of Orson Welles as a person.
I am an unabashed fan of the live action Disney comedies. Even the ones with less than stellar reputations, I still kind of enjoy. However sadly the Disney studio has been making less and less of these movies. That is why I was looking quite forward to seeing this new one. Sure it may be a sequel to a remake, but I still looked forward to seeing it. As this film started I sadly started to have some doubts. The story felt rushed and some of the jokes felt quite forced. However as soon as the body swapping happened, this movie really took off and proved to be a real delight. Having four characters swap bodies allowed this movie to follow the basic formula of the previous films, while not directly copying any of them. All four of these main characters are quite well written. During the early scenes, they seem one dimensional but as the film goes on we learn more about them and they become more and more likable. The four main actresses are also incredibly wonderful here (Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons) are all wonderful in their roles and have great chemistry with each other. Because of this even while being a silly comedy, this movie knows how to tug on your heartstrings when it wants to. Though in the early scenes the humor falls flat as it goes on the comedy gets funnier and funnier. The audience I was with laughed out loud quite a few times and I joined in a few times myself.
The soundtrack is also excellent and greatly enhances the movie. A mixture of current pop music and alternative rock that sounds very early 2000's-ish, perfectly reflects the generational gap that plays a major role in the story. Conveying this through the use of songs is a very clever and fun way to make this culture gap all the more effective.
Despite a weak start, this is a delightful and incredibly fun movie.
For the most part, this thriller about a man who protects whistle blowers who are in danger is very much in the vein of classic old-school thrillers. There are hardly any action scenes until the last act. Instead, this film builds tension through its story and characters. For most of the film, the story is very straightforward and that is what makes it work. We like these characters and when the danger they are in is effectively built up little by little. Because of this gradual building of tension, it truly hooks you for the majority of the runtime. By the time the action sequences actually come, they are much more tense and exciting then they would have been otherwise. It also helps that the characters are very easy to relate to. For the man who is protecting the woman in danger, we see learn that he is a recovering acholic. To see him struggle to keep away from this addiction as things get tense only makes him feel more real and human to us. This part could have been left out but it adds a lot to the drama and makes the character more real to us. The performances from Riz Ahmed and Lily James are truly wonderful and make us feel fully gripped even during the most dialogue heavy scenes. The villains of this movie are also excellent, creating just the right amount of danger and tension.
The one thing that keeps this movie from getting an "A" is a huge plot twist towards the end. Unfortunately, when it comes to modern thrillers the filmmakers often feel like there must be some major plot twist that completely changes how we view everything that came before. While this can sometimes work quite well, in most cases it feels completely unnecessary. That is definitely true here, where the twist feels like it exists to simply to shock rather than because it is a good ending for this story. It is shocking but it doesn't make a lot of sense and it doesn't make the story any better. However this twist happened so late in the movie, that it did not even come close to ruining what was otherwise a great movie.
Despite a very weak ending, this is a gripping and wonderful thriller.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing a medley of Whispering Hope and Star of Hope. Whispering Hope beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians. This lovely medley comes from Roy and Dale's 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.
This is followed by Anne Wilson with The Devil is Too. This comes from her 2025 EP, God Story.
Afterwards is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1935 recording of One More River to Cross.
Up next comes Johnny Cash with Jesus Was a Carpenter. What I love about this song is that it takes about what happened back when Jesus was on Earth, but it puts it in a modern context even looking at many of today's political and social issues. This shows that the Bible is just as true today and that even after all these centuries we can still apply it to what is going on in our world today. The very idea of praising Jesus in socially conscious folk song, paints a great picture of what Johnny Cash and his music were all about. This recording comes from his 1970 album, Hello I'm Johnny Cash.
Then comes Patty Loveless with Precious Memories. Though this is a sweet uplifting song, it was based upon a tragedy. In 1922, John Wright lost his five-year-old son. Wright would later say about this song, “’Precious Memories’ was born in the midnight hours as I bathed by pillow with tears, likewise all my songs came through life’s severest tests.” Though this is a very famous hymn, John Wright only received $36 for writing it. He would remain a janitor that was always struggling to make ends meet for his entire life.
This is followed by Alison Krauss and The Cox Family with Remind Me Dear Lord. This comes from their 1994 gospel album, I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.
Now for Sister Rosetta Tharpe with her 1944 recording of Strange Things Happening Every Day.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the San Joaquin with their medley of Sweet Hour of Prayer, Amazing Grace and Great Is Thy Faithfulness. This wonderful medley comes from their 1997 gospel album, Gospel Trails.
Now for the third chapter of the Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Ryder (1934).
Now for a message from S.M. Lockridge.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:5
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:35-40
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
With a lovely English backdrop, Rolfe Kent's charming score, a leisurely pace and a top-notch cast (including Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham and Kristin Scott Thomas (who also directed and co-wrote this film), this film provides a nice, pleasant trip to the movies. Because of this there is definitely enough to enjoy about it. However, when you get past the pleasant exterior, you find that this movie is completely hollow inside. There is no depth or emotional center to latch on to. Though this movie tries to have some serious drama and a message towards the last act, this again rings hollow as the drama never feels real to us and the message feels forced.
Though pleasant enough, this movie lacks any real depth and there it becomes hard for it to stand out among many similar movies.
