Perhaps you saw Wes Anderson’s wonderful new film, “The French Dispatch,” on the big screen at The Moviehouse in Millerton, N.Y., or another theater and perhaps you were confused by it.
My unscientific survey of people leaving the theater showed a high degree of confusion. This was of course most profoundly true among people who are not obsessed with Anderson and his other films such as “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Rushmore.”
Anderson doesn’t just make movies; he creates worlds. They are highly detailed and have a very strong and consistent esthetic. If you walked out of the theater thinking that “The French Dispatch” was disjointed I would highly recommend that you give it a second chance, now that you can stream it at home — and can pause it when you have a question or just need to catch your breath.
Pausing it will help you understand
Yes, you will have to pay for it again ($5.99) and that’s annoying after you paid for tickets to see it in the theater. But if you want a deeper understanding of Anderson’s work (his oeuvre, if we want to get fancy) and also if you love Bill Murray, Timothée Chalimet, Owen Wilson, Frances McDormand and especially if you consider yourself a fan of The New Yorker magazine, I think you should go for it. Set aside extra time so you can (yes, really) pause it often.
Why bother? For one thing, it will give you a chance to find out who some of the actors are. There is an extraordinary cast that includes a dozen or more actors that you might know but might not recognize here.
French actress Lea Seydoux is one example, playing a prison guard who is very deadpan and often nude. She is unrecognizable here if you only know her from her role as James Bond’s lover in “Spectre” and the new “No Time To Die.”
You might also not recognize her co-star in her “episode” within the film, Benicio del Toro, also a veteran of a James Bond film and also largely unrecognizable as an overweight, hairy murderer and acclaimed artist.
And then there’s Bill Murray, heartbreakingly wonderful, and Tilda Swinton, perfect down to the most minute details as a 1960s society art expert and Frances McDormand as a scrappy journalist at the far other end of the glamour spectrum.
Bill Murray: the benevolent editor
And of course this is why I love this particular Wes Anderson film above all others: It’s about journalism and writing and especially about editors. Just watch the way French Dispatch editor Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Murray) sits down and crosses his legs as he begins to read a piece by one of his writers; that’s how editors read if they’re not at a desk. The details in this movie are exquisite.
But identifying all the actors hidden like Easter eggs in this film isn’t the only reason to watch it on a streaming service. Side note: The actor who seems to be the greatest revelation for many people is the relatively unknown Jeffrey Wright, who starred in “Westworld” on HBO.
Read the explanatory text
Another compelling reason to stream “The French Dispatch” is so that you can take a moment to read all the text “cards” at the beginning, which explain to you the format of the film.
This movie is, essentially, supposed to be one issue of The New Yorker (or a version of it, known as The French Dispatch). There is a text card at the start of the film that explains this, and there is another text card before each “article” that tells you how many pages long it is and which section of the magazine it appears in. There is running text on the sides of those introductory cards; if you freeze the frame and read that text, it is the actual article, which is translated into dialogue in the film segment that follows.
And of course it’s worth pausing at the end of the film so you can confirm that, for example, Anjelica Huston is the narrator for much of the movie.
“The French Dispatch” can be streamed through Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies and YouTube.
FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.
She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.
Robin loved the beach, sunshine, and gardening, and was known for her strength, humor, and unwavering support of those she loved.
She is survived by her daughter, Sierra R. Zinke, and brothers, Darren Roy and Todd Roy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sharon Thomkins Roy and Robert Roy, and her brother Nevin Roy.
No services will be held at this time.
SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.
At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.
“Mike” loved the sun, sand and water and spent many summers at Westport Point, Massachusetts with the kids and their best friends, the Bauers.She was the consummate hostess, and a wonderful cook.She also appeared in several plays with The Sherman Players and also a show or two on special occasions at The Kent Community House.She took enjoyment from working outdoors doing chores around her home in North Kent.She lived in that house until she sold it and bought a condominium on North Main Street in Kent in May of 2003.She lived in the condo until 2018 after which her light began to fade and her last 8 years were spent comfortably at Noble Horizons.
“Mike” leaves behind her children, Richard (Susan) of Lakeville, her daughter Nancy Rutledge (Jim) of Salisbury; two grandchildren, Chandra Gerrard (Sean) of Litchfield, Matthew (Larissa) of Lakeville; three great grandchildren, Addison, Emilia and Everett, all of Lakeville.
She was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter Caroline in 2020.
All services are private.The Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in charge of arrangements.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.
Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in June. Memorial contributions may be made to Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury and Scoville Memorial Library.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
TORRINGTON — Roger D. Ovitt, 91, of 35 Berry St. Torrington, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family.He was the husband of Barbara (Webb) Ovitt of Torrington.Roger was born June 28, 1934 in Amenia, New York, son of the late Ronald and Edna Lucy (King) Ovitt.
Roger had worked for 36 years as a crusher operator for the former Pfizer Corporation in Canaan. After retiring from Pfizer in 1992, Roger joined his brother, Brian, and began a new career as a house painter. Roger enjoyed this venture with his brother.He was an avid fisherman.Roger also loved to garden.He took great pride in the flowers and vegetables that he raised.
In addition to his wife, Roger is survived by his children;Donald Ovitt and his wife Alissa of Clarksville, Tennessee, Jennifer Godburn and her husband Stephen of Sarasota, Florida, Valerie Bachman and her husband Paul of Torrington, Connecticut, Stephanie Follett of Ashley Falls, Massachusetts, and Nelson Roddy and his wife Mary of Lakeville, Connecticut.Roger is also survived by his sister, Eleanor Hineman of Connecticut, and his three brothers; Robert Ovitt of Southfield, Massachusetts, Brian Ovitt and his wife Alice of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and Gary Ovitt and his wife Cheryl of Sheffield, Massachusetts; his brother-in-law Charlton Webb of Winsted, Connecticut;12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Roger was predeceased by his daughter, Penny Fallon, sister Joy Eichstedt, brothers Ronald, Carlton, Jerry, Wayne, and Raymond Ovitt, his grandson Shawn Bachman, his great-grandsonEli Green, and his step-father Edwin Mansir.
A Celebration of Roger’s Life will be held on Saturday Jan. 24, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. North Canaan, CT 06018.
Calling hours will be held at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the service begins at 11 a.m.
Memorial donations in Roger’s memory may be made to Connecticut Chapter of theAlzheimer’s Association 10 Executive Drive Suite 202 Farmington, CT 06032.
