Oh man, now I’m really wishing I had started this at the beginning of quarantine. So much easier to write and I’ve been watching upwards of 15 movies a week. Despite all that content, I’m still struggling to bring myself to post regularly. Anyways, what are some highlights from this week?
Jack Goes Boating – I was on a bit of a Philip Seymour Hoffman kick, grabbing any of his films that I didn’t know well. This one is his only directorial credit. It’s a sweet story of two relationships, one beginning and one ending. He and Amy Ryan are absolutely adorable, and this movie will make you fall in love with PSH like never before.
My Friend Dahmer – Last week’s Alamo rental. It’d been on my watchlist for a while (we know I love my serial killers, all the better if they’re IRL). I found it kinda bland. He did come off slightly better adjusted than you would expect given where his life would turn, by which I mostly mean he actually had friends. But there wasn’t anything particularly exciting. We Need To Talk About Kevin does the teenage psychopath thing much better, esp since this leaves off right as Dahmer goes in for his first kill
Happiness – I wouldn’t say that I like this movie. I very much like that it exists. It deals with some heavy subject matter, but in a way that’s not heavy and difficult to watch. Uncomfortable yes, but you’re not left wondering if it’s even worth living in a world where these things happen. I’ve said this before, but given how many movies I watch, I want something that ‘s different, that goes places other movies don’t. On that front, this movie wins.
Friday – I was having a socially distanced picnic with a couple friends last week, and one was giving the other shit for not having seen this movie. I sat there quietly because I hadn’t either. I picked up the 3 film set for 7 bucks. And watching it confirmed why I hadn’t seen it yet, but also why I’m absolutely supportive that this movie exists: it’s just not for me. But that’s cool, because it is for the Black community (who love and embrace this movie) and we need more of those. Not every movie should be for me. Diversity in film gives everyone a chance to be represented.
Love and Basketball – Continuing to catch up on classic Black films. This one I did very much enjoy. I’d avoided it before because I don’t do romances, and having “Love” in the title is a big stop sign for me. But I liked it because while the romance was the central storyline, it wasn’t what most drove the characters. No one was sitting around waiting for the love of their life. They were living for their passion (in this case basketball) and trying to see how the love fits in with it. I can dig it. I also just really like basketball. And I enjoyed watching Omar Epps in something other than House (which I’ve been rewatching lately).
All That Jazz – Mixed feelings. It’s Bob Fosse, so I should love it. And the musical numbers were fantastic (I particularly loved the mother/daughter one). The storyline from the theater’s perspective was interesting to me, getting to see behind the scenes of how producer types think. My problem was our lead character, the lothario director who was supposta be a stand in for Fosse. He was too much of a sleazy womanizer for my tastes, I could not get behind him. And I think that’s why I couldn’t maintain much interest in the film outside a few dance sequences.