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November 7, 2024

Let’s Get Reel

No modern Marvel

Movie theaters, and viewers, have been holding out on a savior. Very little has clicked with audiences this summer, with family fare sequels and the occasion horror flick being glimmers of hope. That was until a certain superhero graced our screens and deemed himself to be our Jesus. That person I am speaking of is Ryan Reynolds. His Deadpool serves as a counterpoint to the usual gifted people in capes we normally see. But when he is co-opted, it comes as a bit of a mixed bag.

Not chasing a trend

Being a 90s kid, I never believed that films from our era would have sequels. These singular baubles that rolled through the multiplex back then seemed too unique to the time. The disaster films of the 70s were the template, for sure. But it was the advent of CGI that made updating those concepts possible. After the arrival of Jurassic Park (from a novel by Michael Crichton), studios aimed to capitalize on the fledgling technology. Post-9/11, the want for disaster fell off completely. It was almost as if something was rumbling in the air at the turn of the Millennium; we could sense it.

Late to the party

Writers are always trying to grasp the hem of greatness, not immune to fads and popularity. Last year’s Barbenheimer is the most recent example of such. The zeitgeist is our goal as much as anyone. However, sometimes you have to look back at why we felt these trends deserved praise or be derided. In the spirit of a podcast called “Rehash” I have been listening to, let’s walk back over a couple months and talk about some topics we all got into a tizzy about. Maybe we can understand why they fascinated us in the first place.

Late to the party

As the Fourth of July has passed, we are entering a lull period that could be the dog days. Oppressive heatwaves have certainly given that impression. But that doesn’t mean that we are without our reasons to party. Seeing as I left out Pride this year, let me declare this a second Pride month with some reasons to celebrate and educate all on a bit of secret history. No fear that this be a dry, doctrinaire thesis; we are about fun after all. And what doesn’t say entertainment more than humor.

A wild ride

Upon watching the Pride Parade a couple weekends ago, I was reminded of how fun riding on a motorcycle looks like. Wind in your hair as the world breezes past. The exhilaration of being outdoors while simultaneously on a moving vehicle seems too good to resist. That is, with the exception that you can be more easily hurt than riding in a car. Back in college I read Robert M Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for class, but it feels like the afterthought of the feature I plan to talk about today.

Certified ‘hit’

Congratulations Pixar for the first one-hundred million-dollar domestic opener for the year at the box office, the first since Barbie last year. Your animation studios have had quite a curse hanging over, presumably caused by a prick off the needle on a spinning wheel I suppose. But it begs the question, where is the elusive blockbuster for adults this year? You know, those beings that pay taxes and read these ancient scrolls I have heard of called newspapers? Yes, there has been some bigger movies of late (two starring Zendaya). A few more are on the way out, but what is the holdup? There is one film that I have seen which could have been, but is not in theaters.

…Ready for it?

As summer heat sets in, some dream of heading out to listen to their favorite bands perform. Concerts were the most missed when we were stuck in ascetic hermitage from a certain plague. My first major concert was during Septemberfest: Ramsey Lewis and his band. Those ethereal nights sitting on blankets under the stars. During the last four years, I have been more grateful for those memories than I ever had. A sense of community we all lost has slowly been creeping back in the intervening years. In college, rock shows were a staple of a Saturday night. After watching these two films, a spark of those times flickered in my joy.

Just beach-y

To paraphrase a great woman, it’s summer and I don’t have the slightest clue as to what to watch. With the recent eighty-degree weather, one wants to spend some of this time by a pool curled up with a novel. However sometimes you just want a cool drink and to rest in front of a television in an air-conditioned home. Some recent multiplex offerings haven’t piqued my interest as they should. Most blockbusters aren’t designed to be mentally stimulating.

Some friendly competition

Sun’s out and we are headed into outdoor season. With eighty-degree weather coming this early, that spring fever has been blasted into overdrive. The old joke persists that Chicagoland residents don’t have more than two seasons. And upon the drive to work, men in hard hats and caution lights block the roadways. While sitting in traffic, I could see some local tennis courts filled with would-be athletes practicing. I remember getting my racket and friends to do just the same. But I never had the same fervor as others. Certainly not like the characters we find in Challengers.

History’s mysteries

Memorial Day is just around the corner. As is tradition, war movies and films about military life are usually the fare aptly supplied on channels like TCM. At the cinemas, however, this seems to be a different story. My plan was to view Civil War, the latest from writer/director Alex Garland. Wading into that discourse proved a bit challenging. His polarizing hot takes tend to divide both audiences and critics alike. Besides, from what I have seen, this feels like a film less to do with politics than what division does to its citizens. History does have a way of repeating itself but also is much stranger than fiction. So, I took another path and am here recommend a real American Civil War story.

Shrouded in darkness

April 8 was quite a momentous day for the nation. Hopefully, dear readers, you were able to catch even the minute of glimpses. A thunderhead came over the skies as our beloved moon fell into orbit, just transiting our sun. That star became like obsidian to some, varying degrees of shade for others. Vacationing in Indiana, I was able to witness ninety-eight percent coverage from the comfort of a lake house, bloody Mary in hand. Although not complete totality, the sight was beautiful just the same. Sudden shadows and birdsong transfixed me as the extremely waning crescent hung above us; an eerie experience indeed, but gorgeous as well.

Nostalgia kick

Youth is fleeting and time is short. In my forty-odd years on this planet, one thing has become painfully obvious. We were weird in our past and new generations will find unique ways to be weird too. In the hyper-fast capitalist machine that is entertainment, exploiting eccentricity in order to make by the numbers content has been a time-honored trade. Pushing all the familiar buttons, every studio hopes to get the same flavors from old formulas without understanding how them functions. And you think taking a movie like Road House would at least inspire a filmmaker to be bold and daring.

Summer is here?

Recent fluctuations in temperature and barometric pressure makes this question inevitable. What really is this season? At time of writing, we have experienced multiple ebbs and flows in heat and cool. Multiplexes, however, have been in a cold spell with nothing of note gracing their screens. Usually blockbuster season isn’t until May, so it was a surprise to see what very well may be the biggest movie of the year drop in Dune: Part Two.

The snub of the year

A complete tragedy; that is the phrase you hear when someone or something is overlooked for accolades. Awards, of any kind, are fickle and subjective. Prizes for art have always felt a bit stranger: what makes this piece better than that? Critics have brought up some under-appreciated films recently, some of which I agree. Past Lives was one of my favorites of last year but earned some Oscar nods. May December only got one. Priscilla and Fallen Leaves both got a big goose egg. My recommendation this week though; this was criminal.

Serial thrillers

Greetings all, we are about to head into another month with still no movies to choose from. The theaters have been inundated with schlock. All of this done, presumably, pull focus onto Oscar pics before the big ceremony. The strikes in Hollywood have started to show their consequences. Luckily, streaming has been picking up the slack with prestige miniseries, harkening back to the days when network television would break up the monotony of their scripted dramas and sitcoms. So, let’s liven this very strange season shall we?

Something old, something new

Nice weather, huh? This meteorological turbulence sends me for a loop, no matter how many times I have been through it. Just the perils of living in the Chicagoland area, I guess. When this happens, my first thought is turning to more comfortable activities. Good food and warm tea; another pastime crops up in the form of older movies. And given the time of year, I yearn for warmer months and films that reflect those seasons. Enter La piscine.

False idols

Due to the massive winter storm and deep freeze, it is unfortunate to say that I was not able to go out to the theaters of late. My plan was to present to you another group of films, now that Oscar season is in full swing. A silver lining has come in the form of various steaming services. Your television can be your cinema. This is especially so if your screen is big enough to resemble a theater. Who needs the multiplex? Here are a couple of films for your consideration.

Ripped from the Headlines

Here is hoping you had a wonderful Christmas and your New Year is bright with possibilities. How does one create the opportunity for the kind of growth and change? Sometimes out of painful experiences we can be free to heal and move forward. Others continue to wallow in those feelings in order to function. This may seem like a rather heavy introduction, but it only fitting to ponder this when sitting down to watch Netflix’s May December.

Christmas may be a little bit more

What, exactly, is a Christmas movie? The definition has gone through some transmutations. Traditionalists rail against ever adding new works to this cultural canon. No Die Hard or The Nightmare Before Christmas for you! I am not a particular fan of these two; however, movies like this are a kind of prism with which many shades are noticeable. Some see joy, others feel melancholy. A Charlie Brown Christmas has endured because of this dichotomy. This is where The Holdovers is nestled in.

Cold-blooded

The Killer comes to us from cinema’s Enfant TerriblĂ©, David Fincher. Gone are the more elegant trapping of 2020’s Mank, also on Netflix. Although this could have used some black and white.

Obscured histories

Some people may be really mad about what I am about to write, put off by what is considered sacred.

But as we well know, even our idols are human; nobody’s perfect. In theaters, Priscilla comes to us from writer/director Sophia Coppola, just a little over a year after Baz Luhrmann’s rapturous bedazzled send-up to the King.

Booking programs

To paraphrase Jane Austen, there is no greater enjoyment like reading.

Of course, she never lived to see the age of moving pictures on large screens nor the advent of cathode rays and LED.

Scary tales and short stories

The last flashes of summer have given way to a chill that can only mean one thing; autumn is upon us. And as we settle into darker nights, our collective screens reflect a certain mood. Whether at home or in a theater, we seek out movies to give pause and even a slight tingle down our spine. Well, Disney Plus has just the ticket for you then.

Locales ExoticĂłs

As we enter the spookiest month of the year, the most horrifying prospect has been less films to go see. However, as of this deadline, the Writers’ Guild has come to an interim agreement with the five major studios. Great news! This doesn’t affect films that have been delayed, so we will have to wait to see Paul Atreides ride that sand worm. Looking at you, Warner Bros. Regardless some studios are still putting out movies this fall. Here are a couple that may pique your interest.

Festival notes

Hope you all had a great Labor Day. As I write this, cold rains stream down my window. This grand harbinger of Autumn is a far cry from the canals in Italy, which were a balmy 84 degrees. The Lido was a bit spare at the Venice Film Festival due to the Actors’ and Writers’ Strike. However, some films managed to break through. New features premiered by Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater and the final film by William Friedkin made their debuts. Netflix made a big splash due to a lack of big studio presence. Both Bradley Cooper’s Maestro and David Fincher’s The Killer lead the way; both of which I plan to look into later this year.

Many happy returns

As the unsettling feeling that summer is ending creeps in, some promise of new media comes with it. Although there haven’t been many good choices at the theater, television and streaming has been picking up the slack.