Summer Movies 2020

Pandemic Standard Time, I can do without all kinds of amenities, but closed movie theaters has been rough.

The Route 34 Drive-In was open for its usual season. However, after Disney/Pixar’s “Onward” (2020) came out in March (and that was a pretty fun movie) the subsequent movies were classics or just old, non-classics. I’m sure cinema culture has been similar everywhere else in America. Nicole and I went in the spring to see “Back to the Future” (1985) at the drive-in, which was fun, as usual.

The local theaters closed in March. The Roxy (Ottawa, Illinois) re-opened at the end of June. It was such a blessing to be inside a movie theater. Even just being at the concessions counter was magical. The Roxy concessions counter had a display on the counter for a new flavor of Orange Crush soda, Watermelon Crush. It’s just a bit nasty, but it is the perfect flavor for the mid-seventies that didn’t exist in the mid-seventies.

Dave Franco’s (no, not James Franco, that’s his brother, I thought it was James Franco too), that is Dave Franco’s horror thriller “The Rental” (2020) came to The Roxy at the end of June. I probably didn’t go out to see it until sometime in July. It’s true that I was not crazy about it, but I will always have a soft spot for “The Rental”. I was so pleased to be sitting in a theater again that I probably would have bonded with anything featuring live action and music. Didn’t even recognize Allison Brie with light brown hair. Wasn’t familiar any of the other actors.

 

Thursday,  August 20, 7:00 p.m.:

“Jaws” (1975). I watched this one in an empty theater and I made certain to have a Watermelon Crush. I didn’t remember (when the screen is still black before the credits start) hearing underwater beeps and whale sounds at the very beginning of the film. And I forgot how short the ending credits were. I expected “Jaws” would be a slight let-down as I had seen it a couple of years ago at an amazing IMAX screening. But no, it was fantastic seeing it even on a standard size multiplex screen. And as usual I closed my eyes during the scene when the head pops out of the boat. Forty-five years of closing my eyes.  

Friday, August 28:

“The New Mutants” (2020). Eh, the less said about this one the better. There were actually two other people in the theater. I wanted to like it (especially the Russian girl who is the sister of Colossus from X-Men) but there wasn’t much there. Chances are we won’t see these actors or this version of the characters again. All the X-Men characters are owned by Disney now and they’ll certainly have a complete reboot if they use the New Mutants again.

The last 2020 summer movie I saw (for the first time) was “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977). Actually it was a double feature with “E.T.” (1982). I didn’t like “E.T.” in 1982 and I didn’t like it in 2020, but it was the second feature, so I was trapped. “Smokey and the Bandit” was huge in the seventies and into the eighties. I thought I was going to see something worthy of the national enthusiasm it generated. I was surprised at how tame it was. Lots of broad humor. I still don’t understand the plot even though it’s simple enough to be laid out in the featured Jerry Reed song “East Bound and Down”. Jerry Reed’s additional song “Bandit” explains the overall ethos of Burt Reynold’s character but I still don’t understand what he is trying to accomplish (besides, obviously, distracting the police). All these years I never realized that a truck (driven by Jerry Reed) transporting beer was the focus of the film's plot and I’m not going to watch it again to figure out why. 

Happy Valentine's Day Lazy Sluts

Within the past year Nicole has become enamoured with sloths and I've certainly encouraged her interest in them. A couple of Valentine's Day presents this year are sloth-oriented, and I managed to order them with the wrong credit card. And received this message from Nicole yesterday: 

"The weird charges on the Discover card came from your [Amazon] account. I will explain it you you tonight. I spoke to a dude who was in India. And, due to his accent, I thought he told me the charge was for a "Lazy Sluts" calender. Which, I told the Amazon rep my husband would never have ordered. So, he reversed the charges. But, when I got the confirmation email of the reversal, the calender was actually for "Lazy Sloths." Which you probably ordered for me. So, lesson learned, Amazon, don't outsource your customer service."

Nosferatu Pix 2019

I am fortunate that this year that I was able to see enough performances that I liked to be able to note them (unlike last year). Above all, this was obviously the year of Florence Pugh who was in three of the year's most memorable films ("Fighting With My Family", "Midsommar", "Little Women"). 2019 was quite a tour de force for her. I had similar high hopes for Jennifer Lawrence when I saw "Winter's Bone" (2010), so anything could happen, but I am optimistic for Florence Pugh's career. 

And in a different, strange way, this was also the year of "Midsommar". As I've mentioned to many, to me "Midsommar" was a lamentable disaster. I think this because the writer chose to prioritize a succession of plot elements over believable character decisions, depth of character, or anything that would make me care about what was happening to most of the characters. At the same time, "Midsommar" is one of the most visually stunning films in years, it looks amazing - a sunshiny, floral horror film. I understand that the movie is supposed to be more of a horrifying fairytale. I would have been a huge fan for this film if I had been able to make a connection with the characters or if I had been able to relate to anything happening in this movie. Instead I was just visually awed and viscerally grossed out. I was impressed with Florence Pugh, but when I got out of the theater I just felt distressed and disappointed. And yet, for better or worse, this was the most memorable film of the year.

These are the films that I did not manage to see that I had hoped to see:

1917

Alita: Battle Angel

Bombshell

Brittany Runs a Marathon

Dark Waters

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Marriage Story

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Uncut Gems

FAVORITE FILMS:

"El Camino"

"Little Women"

"Motherless Brooklyn"

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"

"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

HONORABLE MENTION:

"Midsommar"

FAVORITE ACTORS:

Leonardo DiCaprio ("Once Upon A Time In Hollywood")

Edward Norton ("Motherless Brooklyn")

Aaron Paul ("El Camino")

Joaquin Phoenix ("Joker")

FAVORITE ACTRESSES:

Emilia Clarke ("Last Christmas")

Florence Pugh ("Midsommar")

Saoirse Ronan ("Little Women")

Samara Weaving ("Ready Or Not")

FAVORITE SUPPORTING ACTORS:

Alec Baldwin ("Motherless Brooklyn")

Bruce Dern ("Once Upon A Time In Hollywood")

Adam Driver ("Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker")

Brad Pitt ("Once Upon A Time In Hollywood")

Jesse Plemons ("El Camino")

FAVORITE SUPPORTING ACTRESSES:

Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Motherless Brooklyn")

Florence Pugh ("Little Women")

Margaret Qualley ("Once Upon A Time In Hollywood")

Margot Robbie ("Once Upon A Time In Hollywood")

Emma Thompson ("Last Christmas")

FAVORITE CAMEOS:

Harrison Ford ("Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker")

Christina Hendricks ("Toy Story 4")

The Rock / Dwayne Johnson ("Fighting With My Family")

Marc Maron ("Joker")

Julia Stiles ("Hustlers")

Nosferatu Pix 2018

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If it were not for “Mandy” I wouldn’t have the motivation to post about the movies of 2018. I sure enjoyed the other four movies on the “Favorite Films” list, but “Mandy” is unique.

As I’ve said to a number of folk already, don’t take enthusiasm for “Mandy” as a recommendation to see this movie. It’s sure not for everyone. Don’t neglect to do your research first before watching “Mandy” or you may be, at the very least, very disappointed.  It was made by one of my favorite directors, Panos Cosmatos (“Beyond the Black Rainbow” 2010).  I went to see it in the theater as soon as it came out, possibly the first weekend, at the Music Box Theater in Chicago.

To be honest, watching “Mandy” was a harrowing experience. Several times during the film I said to myself, “What I am seeing is horrible. Why does this have to be?” The rest of the time I was hypnotized and delighted and couldn’t remember the last time a movie had my mouth hanging open for two hours.  And I was dreading that something else horrible was about to happen. It’s frustrating to know that I’ll never be able to watch “Mandy” again for the first time.

To make a long story short, “Mandy” is my reason for cinematic hope.

The other four movies in the favorite films category I would recommend to (almost) anyone to watch immediately. Otherwise, I can’t manage to summon up the will to note other film category favorites. I watched “Juliet, Naked”, “Ready Player One”,  “Paul, Apostle of Christ”, “Avengers: Infinity War” and some others. I didn’t hate them, I wasn’t crazy about them. I kind of wanted to see “Hereditary”,  “Can you Ever Forgive Me?” and “The Favorite”. Eh, I’ll get around to them or I won’t.

As for the worst movie of the year, that will be examined in its own post in detail.

FAVORITE FILMS:

“Mandy”

“Destroyer”

“A Quiet Place”

“Crazy Rich Asians”

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor”

WORST DISAPPOINTMENTS:

“A Wrinkle in Time”

The Dream of a Girl Named Tucker

I am my present self but unmarried, unemployed and without a shred of ambition or hope of attaining any. I am living with my parents at their new house in sunny Los Angeles. The real estate of Greater Los Angeles has gone the way of Manhattan. My parents now live in what used to be Inglewood in a very narrow, small, futuristic house. Almost like a section of a Tokyo pod hotel. Some of my other relatives might also live there. It is morning and I am arriving home after having stayed out all night. There is a brand new high school nearby, a modern building with facilities equally cramped as my parents' house. Somehow I have met one of the high school students, a teenage girl named Tucker. She is not a reference to Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney nor does she resemble her. If she resembles anyone from Sleater-Kinney it's Carrie Brownstein, but Tucker doesn't look much like her either. Skinny and petite, lanky but short, wearing a sweatshirt and trousers. She has short, mouse-brown hair, and no make-up. An androgynous look on a willful, independent girl. In fact she's a loner, a misfit.Tucker and I have spent the entire night together on a park bench at the high school. Despite our having known each other only a day or so, we have developed a tenuous emotional fixation with each other. We have plighted our troth, we will throw in our lots together come what may. It’s a crazy idea, but no couple just starting out in life can predict what the future holds for them. Come what may we will face it together without a thought about what outsiders might think. We have made a clear appointment for me to meet or contact her later that morning in order to reaffirm our devotion and to begin to plan our crucial next step.

I enter my parents’ house and tell my mom all about the plans that Tucker and I have made to spend out lives together. I am disappointed to find that Mom is appalled at the idea. I become frustrated with her inability to be happy for me. I don’t understand why she can’t trust my judgment. She doesn’t want me to be happy. Mom suggests that my dad will be equally displeased with my scheme when he hears about it — she’s going to tell him when he comes home from work (!). I spend the rest of the day pouting and sulking around the cramped house. The hour in which I am to contact Tucker comes and goes while I do nothing. Tucker will realize that I have had second thoughts. It will be clear to her that I lack the commitment to her that I had professed to have the previous night.

Later in the afternoon I return to the high school and find Tucker in the crowded schoolyard. She is aloof, detached. She won’t look at me or acknowledge my presence. The misfit loner has recognized that she is alone again. I try to explain to her that circumstances have become more complicated than I imagined. Tucker won’t listen, she has moved on emotionally. For the rest of the day I follow her around the high school, imploring her to talk things over, but she ignores me. At the end of the school day Tucker leaves the school with the rest of the students. I remain alone at the high school. I wander the empty hallways, occasionally perch on hand railings, and while away another night at the high school, but this time I am alone.

The Dream of the Satanic Pasadena Mexicans & the Infernal Winged Night Beast

Several days ago I woke up and found a kleenex inside the paperback book on my nightstand. The summary of the nightmare I'd had the night before was written on the kleenex in blue ballpoint pen.

The setting of the dream is a night in Los Angeles. The overcast sky is glowing from light pollution. Much of the dream takes place in the sky, peeking over the Sierra Madres and beyond them towards a potential sanctuary from the impending horror.  This is one of those astral projection dreams in which one flies from place to place as an unseen observer without a role in the story. At the same time I'm afraid of what is happening. I'm not safe just because I don't have a physical form.

Everywhere in the city there is a pervading sense of dread and desperation. There is widespread fear like the anticipation of an inevitable weather disaster. A concentration of Satanic influence or potency is building to critical mass in the metropolitan area. Dread and unrest turns to panic — the news breaks that some people are attempting to intensify the growing Satanic presence.

In fact, two competing groups are attempting to draw the Satanic influence, each in order to achieve their own dangerous purpose. The rival sects are both Satanic Mexican covens, both based in Pasadena, striving against each other to harness the dark energy. These twin bands of Mexican Satanists have three aims: to call into being the physical manifestation of chaotic terror and horror, to draw this manifestation to their location, and to either control or otherwise direct its power. The physical manifestation of chaotic terror and horror is the Infernal Winged Night Beast.

In the dream it is clear that one of the main hindrances against reasoning with the Mexican Satanists is that they can't speak or understand English. Use of a translator is somehow not an option. The Mexican Satanists are simple folk in gaudy but well-worn outfits and capes, like luchador costumes but without the masks. Meeting in a Mexican restaurant in Pasadena, the two Satanic groups face off in anticipation of their showdown. All of them exhibit open excitement and savage glee. They greet one another in Spanish with sneering and hysteria.

These attitudes contrast with the fearful, common-sense city dwellers everywhere else in Los Angeles. They are evacuating as though fleeing an imminent nuclear blast. As mentioned, I spend much of the dream astrally projecting in the sky feeling vulnerable, watching cosmic storm clouds of looming disaster. I can see thousands of people scurrying in the city below trying to escape calamity.

All at once I am falling out of the sky. I fall inside one of the cars, driving in the darkness, trying to get to the mountains and safety beyond them. The terror inside the car is infectious, but I am glad to be escaping with these frightened people.

Just then my astral self is torn out of the car and forced back to Pasadena. Worse yet, I am drawn against my will to the very restaurant where the Mexican Satanists are conjuring the Infernal Winged Night Beast. In my mind's eye I can see it soaring through the sky with destructive intentions. It is flying to this very place while I wait with the reckless diabolists in their carnival reveling.

 

Jimi Hendrix: Blues

I’ve finally been reunited with this “Jimi Hendrix: Blues” CD. I lent my first copy to somebody, don’t remember who (of course). Our Nicole gave me a replacement in June for an anniversary present :) and I’ve been listening to it in the car.

I first encountered “Jimi Hendrix: Blues” when I was working joylessly as a broker assistant at Prudential Securities sometime in fall 1993, spring 1994, something like that. The branch manager was a guy named Bob, one of about three or four people out of the entire office who were actually nice and not sons of perdition. I was in Bob’s office one day and he was playing this CD. I said, “What’s that?” and he handed me the CD and told me what it was. I already had Jimi Hendrix “Are You Experienced?” and “Electric Ladyland” but hadn’t heard this before. 

I was fascinated with the blues “who’s who”/rogues gallery pictures on the back of the CD booklet, and even more so with the explanatory chart inside that identifies the different people.

I found my own copy at the old Poo-Bah's record store in Pasadena.

Before long Bob got fired. He was a good branch manager but he wasn’t hauling in enough money for the company as a broker (that’s what the others told me). Just one of the many things that nauseated me about that job. I didn’t stick around much longer. 

Thanks Bob! Thanks Nicole! 

Blood: The Last Vampire

I finally watched “Blood: The Last Vampire” (2000) again. I saw it in 2003 or 2004 as one of the films in the infamous ten-movie marathon. Like most the films from that night that I watched with only partial consciousness, I’ve always been interested in giving it a second look.
 

I don’t watch many anime movies. This is due to a conscious restraint in my malleable youth from becoming an anime junky, closet or otherwise. But at only forty-eight minutes long, it’s hard to say no to this movie.

The story concerns Saya, a teenage vampire hunting demons in human form. I like how consistent Japanese films are in their enthusiasm for showing violence between schoolgirls in uniforms.

I thought the best thing about “Blood: The Last Vampire” was the historical setting, a U.S. air base in Japan in 1966. References to the Vietnam war also gave it an anchored sense of time and place that I don’t associate with anime movies. It was also interesting that characters spoke in English and Japanese, depending on the speaker and who they were talking to. Plus great visual style – per IMDb, this was “the first fully digitally animated film from Japan.”