Sunday 6/23: In the Fog (2012)
Every time I go to the theater to watch foreign arthouse films, I ask myself why I always choose to watch "big" movies--summer blockbusters, comedies with star-studded casts--on the small screen. Here's your answer: I need to. Watching this on my laptop at 1pm blocked me from forming any meaningful opinions until I gave up 40 minutes in and resorted to reading reviews online. It doesn't help that it's not popular, so no one has really analyzed it, but maybe that's me being angry that I haven't been spoon-fed my own opinions. I had more fun thinking about it than watching it, yet I don't think I can really say I watched it. All I can say is that yes, it is crazy to carry around your dying friend and betrayer, and yes, I would do the same. / ★★★
Sunday 6/23: Chasing Amy (1997)
I am completely serious when I say this is one of the most important films of the decade. Whether you believe it's intentional or not, Kevin Smith challenges popular stereotypes, namely lesbian-chic and gay bashing, while also leaning into them. For that reason, it's not for everyone. You have to already be initiated into the world of sci-fi references and offensive liberating representation that's far more relatable than most characters on the market today.
If you read my Hit Man review, you'll know that I'm not a fan of epilogues. Chasing Amy is a rare exception to the rule because it reveals nothing. In fact, it makes the movie more open-ended; if Smith had closed on the living room, the audience would have assumed nothing changed. With the time-skip, we have to acknowledge that Holden permanently changed his relationships. Whether they (kiss and) make up is up to the viewer, and that keeps it stuck in your mind. Banky is gay though. / ★★★★½
Tuesday 6/25: Challengers (2024)
Some may call it a post Chasing Amy high, but I finally bit the bullet. It was good! Just not as good as I expected, what with everyone online scrambling to call it the film of the year. Every aspect, from the soundtrack to the plot to the cinematography, reminds me of The Social Network (2010), yet it lacks a certain spark; dialogue.
In this analogy, Mark is Tashi and Sean is Patrick, but Patrick and Tashi aren't equals the way their counterpoints are. She speaks circles around him. Even in the car, or the dorm room, he doesn't have a moment like Sean's Victoria's Secret monologue. He doesn't leave her in awe, until the final scene, when he finally plays tennis like an art form instead of a sport. Their dynamic is central to the movie, but it limits the interactions--and complexity of conversations--between them. It's a sports movie; of course everything revolves around movement. / ★★★★
Wednesday 6/26: Ghostlight (2024)
Lights go down in an almost empty theater, save myself and two others. As we watch a movie hinging on finding a community who accepts you and allows you to come out of your shell, I wonder if I've found the same. The room might be almost empty, sure, but the theater is a community in itself. A religion. 4pm matinees are filled with misfits, and empty seats somehow have a stronger presence. Thousands of people sat here before you, after you, with you. They wish you the best.
My main fault with the movie is also it's strong point. The cast is a power-house, perfectly undercutting tension with quips and tenderness. Every actor is meant to be there. The family dynamic is perfectly believable in its brokenness, which isn't just attributed to the casting. On the other hand, the tone changes so frequently that the audience is left sorting through rushed emotions. To make up for the emotional confusion, the plot does the opposite. The movie is so determined to tell this specific story that it steam rolls over any sense of subtlety or audience interpretation. I'm excited to see what steps O'Sullivan and Thompson (and Katherine Mallen Kupferer) take next. / ★★★★
Wednesday 6/26: Gigli (2003)
Like most of his 2000s romps, Gigli would never exist without the Affleck persona pulling the film's bloated and decomposing body to the finish line. That said, his performance is phoned in, with most of his energy going to the monolith that is (was) Bennifer. And the chemistry is bad! They have sex on screen, yet Lopez seems more into Lainie Kazan than his whiteboy angst. It could have been fun if it wasn't offensive and boring, but that would be a new movie. Watch Chasing Amy (1997) if you want to see Benny date, and crucially, not end up with a lesbian*. / ★
Thursday 6/27: Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) has always been the misfit of the View Askewniverse. Clerks and Chasing Amy present an important piece of the DIY movement and a fully fleshed out story, respectively, and Mallrats pretends to be more than a mindless comedy, but J&SB know what it is. Crank up the celebrity cameos and meta references to 11, and you have the perfect ego boost.
Post-heart attack Smith thinks that he needs to make movies with meaning. He tries to create a new legacy, but he chose the worst franchise to do so. Everything comes off as schmaltzy and earnest to a self-centered degree. It's most evident in him playing himself, as well as giving every side character a Silent Bob equivalent. He screams "look at me!" without wanting the audience to recognize his urge to people please. Silent Bob is no longer potent, speaking to further the film's emotional journey, but another in a long list of gags. I did enjoy how much his hair made him look like an eager basset hound, though. / ★★★
Friday 6/28: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)
I had the pleasure of seeing this at BUFF back in March--the theater was packed, everyone staring with wide eyes as the story progressed. It won Best Feature. This wasn't as big of an experience, nor were the seats as full, but it was nice to share something I love with my friends.
Louis-Seize presents a merging of, or perhaps a return to, the horrific and heartfelt. The protagonists don't force the audience to empathize with them, but we do anyway because we see ourselves in them. They give us hope that everyone has a perfect match. There's always a way. I will be buying it as soon as it comes out on DVD, and you should do the same. It's the future of independent film. / ★★★★★
Friday 6/28: Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005)
It's important to watch this as a TV movie; the talking heads cover the genre enough for people who don't know anything about it, and they give a few good movie recommendations. Nothing more, nothing less. Waters is electric, drawing the viewer in with priceless anecdotes. It gave me a newfound appreciation for my local midnight programs--we should go sometime. You know where to find me. / ★★★½
Saturday 6/29: Slap Shot (1977)
Where to start! The best sports movies aren't about sports, and Slap Shot does that so well that I'll have to watch it five more times to really get what it's saying. It goes a little like this: husband forces down-to-earth wife to live in a has been rust-belt town to live out a poor imitation of hockey-star fame, wife resents husband for everything he refuses to acknowledge, husband looks to the stands during the death of his dream to see his wife dressed like every other aloof hockey wife, husband strips away the layers of his performative masculinity in front of the people he was performing for. The charade exists as long as one of them says so, and she takes the burden off of his shoulders. They can still make it (heterosexuality) work, even if gay Paul Newman's guidance is hurting more than helping. / ★★★★½
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