Susanne Bier's BIRD BOX (2018)

Survival in another "pockyclypse" --
We've seen it many times, but here, to look
Is what one mustn't do. To come to grips
With such a world is hard, but then they took
It up a notch.  Unseen is not enough;
There must be crazies to oppose the blind
By choice. Come see as Sandra Bullock, tough
But motherly, must ever keep her mind
Off what she mustn't let herself perceive
While also shooting rapids. This should not
Work near so well, but yes, I did believe.
One thing, though, bugged me. Both the leads were hot,
But how come Mr. Rhodes' was tight and strong
Throughout, while Sandra's hair kept growing long?

Sidney Lumet's DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975)

Prince Humperdinck near steals the whole freak show,
A feat, that, for the ages, next to Al
Pacino and his sweat-hair and, you know,
The hostage thing. And then let's talk of Sal,
Few words but each one counts. Amazingly,
This film feels timeless, from its true crime plot,
To how its crowd scenes scarce contain the glee
The extras felt, to how the cops get hot.
A cell phone wouldn't change much, the conceit
That one could turn to crime to bring about
The changes one most needs... Today would greet
This tale with bullets sooner, though. The shout
For Sonny still feels timely, anyway.
But Hollywood, please don't remake this Day.

Ava Duvernay's A WRINKLE IN TIME (2018)

Inclusive casting makes me smile and smile,
And when it's done this well, I've boundless joy,
Enough to let it slide once in a while
When things I love get cut (like that good boy,
That Fortinbras, and both the twins). Storm Reid,
And young McCabe quite stole my dusty heart.
Their roles called for maturity, indeed,
And gravitas, which each brought to the part
Abundantly. And everything looked great --
The Murrys' home, the stars' duds -- but it seems

All thought went to the visuals. Is the fate

Of novels that are treasures, books our dreams

Wish real, to all get butchered? Nothing much

Of what I love came to the screen, as such.