This is a great story about how power corrupts, the incredible power and influence of TV, all tearing at the seams of democracy. You’ve never seen Andy Griffith like this before. Really well written too.

This is second movie Jeff Bridges made. He’s better here than in some of his later movies – more natural, less self-conscious. I’m somewhat biased in liking this movie because my friend Lamont made it.

Each show is self-contained. They’re only about twenty-five minutes long, and they try to cover an entire character arc in each episode. The result feel a bit rushed and simplistic. They do more telling where they should do more showing, as the classic advice goes. Perhaps the next episodes will be better.

The Quartet played Mozart (of course) – the so-called Dissonant quartet, Martinu, and Beethoven. All very quite good. Their playing will only improve with time, as they gain more maturity and subtlety.

This concerts was pretty funny. It featured a piece for cell phones, pager, candy wrappers, and game boys. The audience had to make the appropriate noises at the indicated times.

Also featured was P.D.Q. Bach’s Schleptet in E Flat Major in which the instruments compete for attention and make some funny noises.

Plus there was a silent movie accompanies by the piano. The movie seemed like it was running in fast motion. It was almost hard to keep up with it. Amazing that people in 1917 could have done so.

The Coffee Cantata (J.S. Bach) was not bad. Aimee Puentes played her part well, and she looked great too.

This is a fictitious documentary (mockumentary) about an assasination of Bill Gates and the group that is attempting to reveal “the truth” to the public. It’s not badly done, and even amusing at certain points, but it’s wearying to watch.

The director has some scholars and atheists present evidence that Jesus may not have existed. The evidence is persuasive, though completely one-sided.

The director comes across as unlikeable in his desire to mock believers, and his interrogations of ordinary people about their beliefs made me uncomfortable. I suspect this was his sarcastic sense of humor coming out, but it undercut the persuasiveness and seriousness of his arguments.

Symphony No. 39 is not my favorite. The soprano soloist for some Mozart arias was Tatiana Monogarova. Not bad, though she didn’t have a lot of dynamic variation (loud/soft) in her voice during the first half.

It’s amazing to think that we’re still listening to Mozart 250 years later. These tunes were floating around in his head all those years ago and they’re still here.

Here’s a man with an amazing ear, who loved music, and had a way with musicians. An unsung hero of the recording industry. Amazingly, he didn’t make much money despite all the great records he engineered. His personality is positive and enthusiastic and the list of singers and groups he worked with is incredible.

The story is a little too “on the nose.” The ending is predictable, and the bad character is rotten to the core, which I find unrealistic. But there’s no question it generates some emotion and has something meaningful to say about forgiveness.