What are you watching?

[MitchW]

14 hours ago, bloviatrix said:

Of course you know this little bit of Elvis Costello trivia.😊

I was trying to make my parents proud; they put up with a lot of shit, and a lot of loud music (especially the Stones, Kinks, et al.) while I was still in high school!

[Wilfrid]

Episode 9 of Hacks is extraordinary, exemplary, mind-blowing. Any dry eyes?

[small h]

3 minutes ago, Wilfrid said:

Any dry eyes?

People keep saying this, but I not find it tear-inducing. Loving Kayla more and more, though.

[Wilfrid]

Her character certainly has more dimensions now.

[small h]

And it's a completely believable arc. Deborah and Ava's relationship evolves, but Kayla might be the only character who does.

[hollywood]

"Sinners." First, this is a very well made film with lots of exceptional acting and singing. Ever since I discovered the blues in college I have had an affinity for the blues.  And it was wonderful to see the great Buddy Guy (I bought a couple of his early LPs on Chess and Vanguard back then).

With all that, the film left me in an ambivalent place.  It didn't seem to all come together (which may be the point: black folks still face some of the same issues).  It made me feel odd or indulgent for liking the blues given their history as if I was trying to claim attachment to their legacy without having the right to do so.  

Was I intended to be horrified by the vampires/KKK?  That was a given. Was I supposed to feel some transcendence for the main characters?  So were the characters who met Buddy at the end characters from before or were they their descendants?

Even if you don't have the answers, it's still an admirable piece of work.

Edited May 26, 2025 by hollywood

[StephanieL]

I'd read about this years ago, but had never seen it.  Proof that the silent era could be really nuts: 

 

[StephanieL]

The HBO documentary Pee-wee As Himself. I've never actually watched any of the Pee-wee Herman movies or TV show episodes, so it's been interesting to learn about the history and to see all of the avant-garde arty stuff Paul Reubens was up to in the 70s. 

[backyardchef]

On 5/20/2025 at 1:28 PM, MitchW said:

I believe the lyric is "Yankee detectives are always on the TV..."

And "Watching the Detectives" was written by Elvis Costello, after listening to that first Clash album, on headphones, for like 12 hours straight. Originally recorded with members of Graham Parker's band, The Rumour.

 

Edited June 3, 2025 by backyardchef
Nevermind

[hollywood]

"Ballerina"  In which Ana de Armas proves she can be as tough and vengeful as John Wick. Keanu Reeves appears briefly as a more subdued John Wick.  Good supporting cast.

[Wilfrid]

"Materialists" from Celine Song in an actual movie theater. I bothered to go because I loved her first movie, "Past Lives." This second movie is very good too, beautifully played (Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans), a mix of funny and sad.

After seeing it, I read this New Yorker review. I think the first half perfectly captures what's good about the movie, but the second half is very misguided. It overlooks the implications of a violent incident, summarized by one word from one of the characters: "Pimp." 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/materialists-is-a-feast-of-talking-pictures

[Wilfrid]

How weird, a completely different and more positive review in last week's print edition.

[mongo]

i thought "past lives" was appallingly, embarrassingly bad.

[splinky]

I finally sat down and binged "Chewing Gum" and "I May Destroy You". So well worth the time. 

[small h]

The second one actually did destroy me.

[Wilfrid]

6 hours ago, mongo said:

i thought "past lives" was appallingly, embarrassingly bad.

Wow. Have a sentence to say why?

[mongo]

it was just banal beyond belief. probably didn't help that i watched it right after watching anatomy of a fall. 

this review gets at some of what grated on me. but mostly i was bored to tears by what felt like the movie equivalent of a heavily workshopped mfa piece that's had everything that might have been interesting sanded off to look pretty.

Edited June 21, 2025 by mongo

[small h]

This is sort of hilarious, because Past Lives was the answer today on framed.wtf (I assume those of you who do that puzzle have done it by now). I've seen the movie, and I still didn't recognize a single frame. It apparently made no impression on me whatsoever. Or I have a terrible memory, one or the other.

[hollywood]

"F1" with lots of Brad Pitt.  Knowing nothing about Formula 1, I had no idea (based on this version) that it can be quite the contact sport.  Filmed at Gran Prix locations around the globe.  A solid root for the underdog picture.  They burned through a truckload of Pirellis making this one.

[hollywood]

I'm told by my knowledgeable younger bro that the cars used in the film are really F2 cars (600 hp) made to look like F1 cars (1000 hp). He also says the teams are real except for Brad's team.

[bloviatrix]

We saw last week - total popcorn movie. 

[hollywood]

Basically a Tom Cruise film but with Pitt in his spot. Brad does seem better with the women than Tom.

[Wilfrid]

Anyone want my story about Tom Cruise and women?

[hollywood]

Weren't you his rival for Katie Holmes?

[hollywood]

19 hours ago, Wilfrid said:

Anyone want my story about Tom Cruise and women?

You're holding out on us.