Rats' tails

Listening: Podcasts "Thin End Of The Wedge" (latest research in ancient Middle East studies) and "Lords Of Death" (true crime where journo has a personal connection). Also revisited the 1988 goth-rock album "Children" by The Mission. While I still dig the music, the lyrics do nothing for me now. Off to charity it goes.

Watching: Season 2 of "Love Village", S4 of "Yes, I Do", and "Love Is Blind - Argentina". First was beaut, second is going well, not sure I'll finish the third. Besides keeping up with many of the new anime series ("Dan Da Dan" is #1), I'm binging "After-School Dice Club", which I've raved about to a few of you privately :-)

Playing: With my new-old gaming group - "The Quacks Of Quedlinburg", "Guillotine" (a blast from the past!) and "Rent A Hero". Discovered I'd sunk more than 700 hours into "MTG Arena", so uninstalled it immediately. No doubt I'll stay away for a few sets, before being tempted back to update all of my fave decks...

Doing: Went to an impressive art exhibition about birds and checked out an unfamiliar comic store.

OK, time for more seven-word fillum summaries, for whatever they are worth.

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* "Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy" (2024) [Netflix]: Style heavy. Does contain revelations. "Portal" ending.

* "Canary Black" (2024) [Prime]: International espionage-er falls apart under slightest analysis. BUT: Goes fine with chicken casserole and wine.

* "Civil War" (2024) [Prime]: Near-future speculation pretty effective. (Limited viewpoint.)

* "Demons" (1985) [Kanopy]: Weird, sometimes stylish, extreme, patchwork, laughable, memorable.

* "Fight To Live" (2024) [Netflix]: Aussie fighter's toughest battle was domestic abuse.

* "Freud's Last Session" (2023) [Foxtel]: Imagined eve-of-destruction intellectual debate. Provocative.

* "The Speedway Murders" (2023) [Netflix]: Sensitive investigation into puzzling unsolved '70s crime.

* "Woman Of The Hour" (2023) [Netflix]: Chilling. True. Arty though "empty". Kendrick excellent.

<<< Pick of the bunch is "The Speedway Murders". >>>