{"id":131058,"date":"2017-10-04T08:07:16","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T12:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=131058"},"modified":"2022-12-01T09:21:14","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T14:21:14","slug":"september-2017-viewing-diary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=131058","title":{"rendered":"September 2017 Viewing Diary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nightcrawler<\/em><\/strong> (2014; d. Dan Gilroy)
\nSuch a good film. I wrote about it here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Rancho Notorious<\/em><\/strong> (1952; d. Fritz Lang)
\nMarlene Dietrich rules. I totally buy her as that ranch owner. It makes no sense but she makes it make sense. She moves with such confidence, but what really makes her HER is her confidence in persona, her belief in herself. <\/p>\n

Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 4, “Sin City” (2007; d. Charles Beeson)
\nFinally getting my act together for the re-cap<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit<\/em><\/strong> (1956; d. Nunnally Johnson)
\nThis movie depresses me so much. This whole era depresses me so much. Mad Men<\/i>, The Best of Everything<\/i>, Revolutionary Road<\/i>, The Hours<\/i> … it’s all the same damn story. There was so much else going on in that era – the Beats, rock ‘n roll … but it’s this part, the suburban, commuter, housewife life … it makes me want to kill myself. Like the characters in Revolutionary Road<\/i> and The Hours<\/i>. It’s so STIFLING of individuality.<\/p>\n

School Life<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Neasa N\u00ed Chian\u00e1in and David Rane)
\nLoved this documentary. Reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sixth Sense<\/em><\/strong> (1999; d. M. Night Shyamalan)
\nI know the movie by heart but it still works like gangbusters. <\/p>\n

Hidden Figures<\/em><\/strong> (2016; d. Theodore Melfi)
\nI believe I have made my feelings about this film perfectly clear. I feel like all I did for a month was argue about it – and the stupid reviews of it – on Facebook. It was one of the best films of 2016. It also featured one of my favorite individual shots in any film in 2016. <\/p>\n

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Twin Peaks: The Return<\/em><\/strong>, episode 17 (2017; d. David Lynch)
\nGod, I miss this experience. Was it only last month that it ended? What have I DONE with myself since then? <\/p>\n

Twin Peaks: The Return<\/em><\/strong>, episode 18 (2017; d. David Lynch)
\nAt least I can say that I enjoyed it WHILE it lasted. I was fully aware with every episode how special the experience was, how lucky I was to get to participate in it. I haven’t done a full re-watch yet. Made it up to episode 7 but had to stop because I’m too busy. It’s amazing how much more I am perceiving watching it through twice. <\/p>\n

It’s a Wonderful Life<\/em><\/strong> (1946; d. Frank Capra)
\nMagical and painful. Thomas Mitchell when he loses the bank deposit … It makes me so anxious I almost can’t get through it. <\/p>\n

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The Big Short<\/em><\/strong> (2015; d. Adam McKay)
\nI’ve seen this about 5 times now. Not sure what it is that satisfies me exactly. I knew Adam McKay back in the day. He and this guy<\/a> were best friends, and the two of them performed every week at Improv Olympic with their now-legendary improv team The Family<\/a>. I used to go every week. Those shows are burned into my memory forever. The brilliance was breathtaking. Mitchell, Ann Marie and I STILL quote “lines” from those shows. So it’s quite amazing to see all that has happened (with all of those guys, not just McKay). <\/p>\n

Logan Lucky<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Steven Soderbergh)
\nADORED IT. I’ve seen it twice so far. I highly recommend seeing it twice. Since the whole thing is a “sting” operation – a heist – where all is not revealed until the final moments of the film, the second time through I saw so much more. It was so fun. Love a good heist movie. <\/p>\n

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Rat Film<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Theo Anthony)
\nThis is definitely one you should see. Nothing else quite like it. I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n

Twin Peaks: The Return<\/em><\/strong>, episodes 1 – 7 (2017; d. David Lynch)
\nSo far, the re-watch has been an almost entirely different experience than the first time through. The first time through was an onslaught of impressions, of grappling with expectations vs. reality, of trying to piece together what I was seeing – the new characters, all the different locations, etc. Now that I know where we are going, and how it ends, I can just relax and absorb what I absorb. The main thing that’s striking me in this re-watch is how clear it all is. It didn’t seem at ALL clear the first time through. <\/p>\n

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\nThe Confession Tapes<\/em><\/strong>, episode 1 – 3 (2017; d. Kelly Loudenberg)
\nI can’t remember where I came across this but I watched. I think there’s more to it but I had to stop. I’m fascinated\/horrified by the phenomena of “false confession” and this series is all about that. It’s DREADFUL. <\/p>\n

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1 episodes 1 – 4
\nShe is such a hero to me. As a long-time critic of said cult, I cannot even believe I have lived long enough to see this day. Even 5, 6 years ago, what she is doing would have seemed impossible. <\/p>\n

Strong Island<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Yance Ford)
\nVery good documentary. I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>.<\/p>\n

20th Century Women<\/em><\/strong> (2016; d. Mike Mills)
\nI only saw it once, for when I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. I had such a strong and positive reaction to it on first viewing – a movie like this feels almost made for me. An ensemble, not much plot, good characters, great script … chaotic a little bit, not narratively-driven. I’m so happy to see that it holds up. That my gut instinct about it was right. SUCH a good movie. <\/p>\n

Midnight in Paris<\/em><\/strong> (2011; d. Woody Allen)
\nA favorite. Reviewed for what was once Capital New York, now Politico<\/a>. Allen’s conception of Ernest Hemingway is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. <\/p>\n

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Something New<\/em><\/strong> (2006; d. Sanaa Hamri)
\nAnother favorite. Comfort food. It always always works. I wrote a little thing about Sanaa Lathan here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Bobbi Jene<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Elvira Lind)
\nI did not care for this. Reviewed for Ebert<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Leftovers<\/em><\/strong> Season 1, Episodes 1 – 5
\nIt’s all I had time for, but I will get back to it. It’s fascinating. <\/p>\n

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath<\/em><\/strong>, Season 2, Episodes 5, 6
\nIf anything, Season 2 is even stronger. She’s going after every sacred cow imaginable. <\/p>\n

Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers<\/em><\/strong> (2017)
\nAh, true crime. Never abandon me, true crime. This features phone calls with Eric Menendez from prison. I can’t help it: I see the two of them as total sociopaths who wanted money. I don’t buy the “abuse excuse” – at least not how it was presented during the trial. I think their father was a nightmare, and their mother was ineffective – so that is a form of abuse (or neglect), and I think Eric and Lyle were huge disappointments to their parents. (And rightly so. They were spoiled brats who got their kicks breaking into people’s houses.) But the rest of it? The boys crying on the stand? Nope. <\/p>\n

Truth and Lies: The Murder of Laci Peterson<\/em><\/strong> (6 episodes)
\nRe-watching this I am amazed that this “case” got as much attention as it did. Yes, yes, pregnant white girl with a pretty smile, mistress emerging, sex\/lies\/murder … but still: it was a media frenzy and honestly with everything going on in the world … how on earth is it justified? I remember at the time purposefully avoiding the case as much as I could. And yet STILL I got sucked it, that’s how omnipresent the coverage was. Found the post I wrote at the time<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Super Dark Times<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Keith Phillips)
\nI loved this. It’s out now. See it. I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n

California Split<\/em><\/strong> (1974; d. Robert Altman)
\nA masterpiece. <\/p>\n

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\nMASH<\/em><\/strong> (1970; d. Robert Altman)
\nA masterpiece. <\/p>\n

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3 Women<\/em><\/strong> (1977; d. Robert Altman)
\nA masterpiece. <\/p>\n

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\nThe Player<\/em><\/strong> (1992; d. Robert Altman)
\nI haven’t seen it in years. So good. <\/p>\n

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Gosford Park<\/em><\/strong> (2002; d. Robert Altman)
\nHUGELY entertaining film. I’m on an Altman kick, for research reasons, and many of these I have not seen in years. I am struck by how MANY masterpieces this man directed. I haven’t even gotten to Nashville, The Long Goodbye, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Short Cuts<\/i>. Towering achievements. It’s unbelievable. He is so totally American, our own home-grown master, who – like other geniuses before him – was misunderstood and not trusted by the powers-that-be in his own time. He went his own way. And look what happens when you go your own way. You have a body of work almost unparalleled. It’s DAUNTING watching them one after the other after the other.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 5 “Bedtime Stories” (2007; d. Mike Rohl)
\nContinuing on with a Season 3 re-watch. It’s been a while since I’ve done an extended re-watch. I’ve just been too busy. I really needed this. Season 3 is so good, one good episode after another.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 6 “Red Sky at Morning” (2007; d. Mike Rohl)
\nI have huge fondness for this episode (and I do not care that the series itself dissed this episode later – I make up my own mind, thankyouverymuch) – I love it mainly for its comedic atmosphere AND that the show suddenly becomes a rom-com. It doesn’t LAST, but for this episode only, it’s a screwball rom-com. I also love it because a moment that lasts 5 seconds was my impetus to start writing about the show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 7 “Fresh Blood” (2007; d. Kim Manners)
\nSuch a fine episode. So upsetting. In this re-watch, I found the poor blonde in the opening sequence – who had no idea she’d been turned into a vampire – a TRAGIC figure. Terrible terrible scene. Vampire episodes in Supernatural<\/i> always provide great opportunities to make SUPER SICK observations about family relationships. <\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 8 “A Very Supernatural Christmas” (2007; d. J. Miller Tobin)
\nA masterpiece. One of the best episodes in the history of the series. <\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 3, Episode 9 “Malleus Maleficarum” (2008; d. Robert Singer)
\nNot a super strong episode but at least it introduces witches into the scenario. It’s so clear, in retrospect, especially watching this episode (which is pretty gory, gorier than most) the negative effect that Rowena has had on the series. She turned “magic” into “Abracadabra” instead of where it always was before: gritty, grimy, with nasty bodily fluids mixed in bowls … the earthiness of raw magic. Not this magic wand shit. <\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 10 “Dream a Little Dream of Me” (2008; d. Steve Boyum)
\nOne of my favorite episodes in the history of the series. It’s amazing to watch Season 3. Even though I KNEW this episode was coming, I still wasn’t prepared for it when it arrived. I thought: Already?? Jensen Ackles is particularly<\/i> brilliant in this episode. He’s always brilliant but he ups his game even more here.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 11 “Mystery Spot” (2008; d. Kim Manners)
\nSeason 3, man. My God, it’s good.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 12 “Jus in Bello” (2008; d. Philip Sgriccia)
\nA great stand-off episode, from straight out of the Western playbook. The “But you didn’t shoot the deputy” joke makes me laugh out loud just thinking about it. So inappropriate! But it had to be said!<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 13 “Ghostfacers” (2008; d. Philip Sgriccia)
\nThe best part of this episode is that it confirms how much these two guys swear. Also the “gay love” piercing the veil … It’s amazing they not only got away with this but that they made it so touching I was in tears. Poor Corbett!<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 14 “Long Distance Call” (2008; d. Robert Singer)
\nWhat is so striking about this episode is how much Dean reverts when his father re-enters the picture. Ackles’ work is so vulnerable, so touching, I almost get frightened for him. He’s like a teenage girl waiting for her crush to call.<\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 15 “Time Is On My Side” (2008; d. Charles Beeson)
\nFirst of all: poor Bela. It’s interesting that as much as she is an adversary – she and Dean have been having identical experiences. They’re both trying to avoid the exact same thing and it is only now in this episode where we learn that. It makes perfect sense. I miss Bela. The other thing that is interesting about this episode is how much it shows Sam’s total desperation. The fact that he thinks that Frankenstein-scarecrow-like creature is a valid possibility for his brother is WACK. <\/p>\n

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Supernatural<\/strong><\/em>, Season 3, Episode 16 “No Rest for the Wicked” (2008; d. Kim Manners)
\nYou guys. I can’t take it. I will never, and I mean never, forget my first time viewing this episode, and that final moment. <\/p>\n

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First They Killed My Father<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Angelina Jolie)
\nJolie has done something perfectly extraordinary here (not a surprise). She has told the story of war and genocide – at the hands of the Khmer Rouge – totally through the perspective of a 7 year old girl. She doggedly refuses to explain, or contextualize – because to a 7 year old, all that matters is survival and fear and adaptability. Jolie is an incredible director with an amazing track record so far. I believe I have made my love for By the Sea<\/i> crystal clear here<\/a> and here<\/a> – so far it’s unlike anything else she’s done (first of all, she’s IN it). But First They Killed My Father<\/i> is her best so far. Very painful frightening film. Superb acting.<\/p>\n

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Gone: The Forgotten Women of Ohio<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Joe Berlinger)
\nI haven’t made it all the way through this one. It’s very interesting. I love Joe Berlinger but I’m not too crazy about how much he’s inserting himself into the narrative (shots of him in his office, making calls, narrating). It’s a little bit self-congratulatory. However, so far it’s been really interesting. <\/p>\n

Barracuda<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin)
\nOpening this week. Reviewed for Ebert.<\/p>\n

Dina<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles)
\nOpening this week. reviewed for Ebert.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nightcrawler (2014; d. Dan Gilroy) Such a good film. I wrote about it here. Rancho Notorious (1952; d. Fritz Lang) Marlene Dietrich rules. I totally buy her as that ranch owner. It makes no sense but she makes it make … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2627,4,31],"tags":[2326,1156,2493,2208,526,1124,35,2220,2678,435,388,2263,2489,2637,1399],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131058"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=131058"}],"version-history":[{"count":53,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":158434,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131058\/revisions\/158434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=131058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=131058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=131058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}