Often been surprised by a movie after what a film critic said about it? Ever felt cheated out of big bucks on the recommendations of a punk 24-year-old? Or really loved the ones they panned? Well, you no longer need to feel out of step with the current movie review band. Different Drummer is for you. Read more about our take on the film world. And get ready to relive your favorite movies with the recipes that follow each review. You can find many other great recipes in Different Drummer’s own Appetite for Murder: a Mystery Lover’s Cookbook, too.
Maybe the most inspiring film ever. It’s a true story of Srulik, an 8-year-old Polish Jew who must survive on his own, outwitting the cold, hunger, and the relentless Nazis. And a few others as well.
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Endeavour meets Sam Spade in Amsterdam. Not to mention a little Columbo, Longmire, Vera, George Gently, Brokenwood’s Mike Shepherd, and the grown-up Inspector Morse lurking in the shadows.
Read MoreYes, the Italian scenery is terrific, and we love an older Denzel as the still lethal Equalizer, but the violence is over the top.
Read MoreNo, Anthony Hopkins is not masquerading as a Native American, or running a footrace in India. The Indian is not the man, but a 1920 American motorcycle he spent decades refurbishing to go almost 4 times is original top speed of 55 MPH.
Read MoreIs there any better everyman than Tom Hanks? He always makes us care about his characters. Even if they are “in charge” or “heroes” like Sully or Captain Phillips they are always human and vulnerable. But in this case Hanks is neither a pilot nor a ship captain; he just a stranded traveler waiting at an airport.
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Who knew two Brits could tell the story of an American genius so persuasively? Well, when they are acting greats Colin Firth and Jude Law, it begins to make sense.
Read MoreStart with an scoop of The Christmas Story, sprinkle in a few bits from Unbroken, and top with dollops of The Quiet Man and Iron Will. Add a little magic and you have the delightfully irreverent sleeper, Saint Ralph.
Read MoreSidney Lumet directing Paul Newman in his prime, James Mason superb playing the eloquent villain, with a taut and unpredictable script as only David Mamet can pen. About as perfect as it gets.
Read MoreWho am I? That question reverberates throughout great literature, including Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye. And it just what JD Vance is asking in Hillbilly Elegy.
Read MoreIf we ever needed a tonic for sore souls, now is the time. And riding to our rescue is Ruby, the last chance shelter dog that will steal your heart, and maybe your dinner, your child’s toy, and the stuffing out of your couch.
Read MoreIt’s witty and sophisticated, with light touches that lure us in. But’s its more like tragedy’s comic relief, which these Shakespearean trained leads wield with terrible ferocity when we least expect it.
Read MoreWine, women, and song, though not necessarily in that order. And let’s change out the wine for some good scotch, at least three fingers full for Chief Inspector Morse. Or maybe some nice frothy brew. Remember, it always tastes better when poor Sergeant Lewis pays the bill.
Read MoreDon’t be put off by the title. I was at first, expecting more silly, and superficial summer fare typical of the season. But this film has heart.
Read MoreRocky is the epitome of the American Dream. Nominated for 10 Oscars and winning 3. A modest $1 million budget that grossed over $200 million at the box office.
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No dry history here. The Revolutionary War in all its blood, brutality, and bravery flies off the pages and into our hearts in one of Mel Gibson’s most heartfelt performances as a reluctant Revolutionary militia leader drawn into the conflict almost against his will.
Read MoreTom Selleck’s Jesse Stone is the police chief, just as his Blue Bloods counterpart Frank Reagan is. He has Reagan’s sense of justice, integrity, and doggedness, but he has never slain his real demons, which are on the inside.
Read MoreDespite its 2023 July release, this wasn’t exactly a summer popcorn movie. But it is definitely a must see because it exposes a concealed crisis from which too many wish to avert their eyes: the human trafficking scourge that affects approximately 2 million children a year.
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Appetite for Murder: A Mystery Lover’s Cookbook
Also available here
by Kathy Borich
A tantalizing slant on cooking and crime. Relive your favorite classic detective stories and then whip up the food that caught the culprit.
Some past background first: Maybe one reason for no progress on the Rainey Street killer(s) is a past “Travesty of Justice” right here in Austin. The system was manipulated and a serial killer plea bargained his way out of a system that should have given him a life sentence for the 1982 rape and murder of and 8-year-old here in Austin. Her body was left in a dumpster outside Langford Elementary School. After a recent murder Raul Meza Jr. has finally been apprehended. That same lackluster, soft on crime attitude and denial of criminal conduct seems to persist in present day Austin, Texas.
A petition calls out the Austin Police and City officials for what it terms “a miscarriage of Justice,” hinting that there is something “darker at play” here, and accuses officials of treating the victims’ families “callously and without empathy.”
The petition also cites “misleading toxicology reports, unexplained injuries as well as unexplained routes of victim travel. And leads that were never properly investigated.”
Colin Browen lays out these and more details, citing the 3 most suspicious cases. Click the link above for the latest update and prior posts.
And finally some trail lighting near Rainey Street:
“I survived the Rainey Street ripper': Drugged man who plummeted 25ft off bridge believes 'serial killer' stalking Austin tried to drown him.” Daily Mail
Twelve bodies have been found in Lady Bird Lake and Colorado River since 2022
Police insist there is no serial killer but the mounting bodies sees rumor persist
Jeff Jones survived falling off bridge near river, thinks he may have been pushed
Update: They are now installing much needed lighting along the Hike and Bike Trail near Rainey Street.
February 6, 2024
“A body was found Monday, Feb. 6, 2024, in a Texas lake, the same site where other deceased individuals have been discovered in recent months, authorities said.
“At least five people have been found dead at the lake, which is a portion of the Colorado River running through downtown Austin, since last year.” –Louis Casiano, Fox News
The body is that of a woman, which differs from the previous drownings, all of which were men around age 30. As usual, the police are mum and saying there are no signs of foul play, but what else is new? –DD
Different Drummer will keep you informed as further details emerge. Below is the area where the recent body was found.
In 2023 alone, five bodies have been found in in Lady Bird Lake, and according to local reports, as many as eight in the past 10 months.
Different Drummer and her husband Gary have been biking this trail around the lake for decades. They live in the thick of it, on a quaint tree-lined street across the river from the glittering Austin Skyline.
Follow our two Cycling Sleuths chronicle where their path crosses those who did not return home to their loved ones.
Smiley Face Connection: February 2024 Update: Another Body Found
The Serpent’s Tooth: A Texas Mystery
Austin is now the trendy number one city, but back in the eighties it was more laid back – not so many skyscrapers and urban hipsters. Just outside of town, you'd be likely to run into old cowboys, ranch hands, and a diamondback or two. And just maybe – an accidental death not as accidental as it seems…
Complete with Texas Recipes for the Oktoberfest Dinner where all is revealed.
An Illustrated Introduction to Classical Horsemanship: Concepts and Skills from A to Z
by Gary Borich
A comprehensive resource in a succinct alphabetical format that brings the beginning rider through every aspect of learning to train and ride for show and trail.
