{"id":144937,"date":"2019-04-01T14:05:54","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T18:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=144937"},"modified":"2025-09-23T11:28:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T15:28:01","slug":"march-2019-viewing-diary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=144937","title":{"rendered":"March 2019 Viewing Diary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World<\/em><\/strong> (2017; d. Catherine Bainbridge)
\nMum came and visited me and we watched this amazing documentary about the contributions Native Americans have made to music. It starts with Link Wray. I loved this documentary and was very excited to show it to Mum. She loved it. We had some really good talks about it. (I grew up with Buffy Sainte Marie albums, since they were in my parents’ collection.) <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Eighth Grade<\/em><\/strong> (2018; d. Bo Burnham)
\nThis was the second movie Mum and I watched together during her visit. I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. I had a feeling she would love it. She so did.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Ministry of Evil<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1, episode 1 (2019)
\nI only watched the first episode of this, but it was right up my alley. Cults. California. Hippies. Cult leaders who are so CLEARLY charlatans. Interviews with survivors. I’ll finish it eventually. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Gloria<\/em><\/strong> (2013; d. Sebasti\u00e1n Lelio)
\nI re-watched in preparation for the remake, which I was reviewing. It’s excellent. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Gloria Bell<\/em><\/strong> (2019; d. Sebasti\u00e1n Lelio)
\nLelio remade his own movie, with Julianne Moore in the lead. I liked it. I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quantum Leap<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1, episode 1 “Genesis: Part 1 – September 13, 1956” (1989; d. David Hemmings)
\nI haven’t watched these in years, since my Dean Stockwell Manic Phase, circa 2006. It was so fun to “leap” back in! I had forgotten a lot about it, especially how it takes some time for Sam and Dean (huh … check that out, Supernatural<\/em> people) … I mean, Sam and Al … figure out what happened. Sam’s memory has been wiped, so he has to fly (literally, in the pilot) by the seat of his pants. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nQuantum Leap<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1, episode 2 “Genesis: Part 2 – September 13, 1956” (1989; d. David Hemmings)
\nThe two-part pilot is masterful and looks very VERY expensive. It’s like a mini Right Stuff<\/i>. They pulled out all the stops. It occurs to me that there are similarities with Supernatural<\/i> in that there is no standing set (or there wasn’t until the bunker came along). In every single episode of Quantum Leap<\/i>, they had to create a whole world from scratch. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quantum Leap<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1, episode 3 “Star-Crossed – June 15, 1972” (1989; d. Mark Sobel)
\nTeri Hatcher is beautiful in this episode. And dammit one of the scenes made me cry. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quantum Leap<\/em><\/strong>, Season 1, episode 4 “The Right Hand of God – October 24, 1974” (1989; d. Gilbert M. Shilton)
\nThis is some pretty sentimental shit, gotta say! You expect Bing Crosby to stroll into a scene. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 14, episode 14 “Ouroboros” (2019; d. Amyn Kaderali)
\nThere were some good scenes here. But let me say just one thing. Now that the cast is so crowded … we are deprived of Sam and Dean reacting to things side by side, them together, having to improvise. This scene was funny but it would have been funnier if it had been Sam and Dean. I got into a disagreement with some lady on Twitter who kept babbling about how it was better with the large ensemble, and now Sam and Dean weren’t as close (“codependent”) and that that was a good thing – what are you smoking?? – and I did a little bit of digging into corners of the fandom I never visit, and now I realize that her words were code for: “If the brothers aren’t codependent, then that means Destiel can happen.” So basically: Sam is now a PROBLEM that needs to be SOLVED, to clear the way for Destiel. But that’s not what she said to me. She said, “I just love how the bond has been broken, leaving room for more people, their found family, blah blah woo woo.” She positioned herself as a voice of authority, and I found her very aggressive – she was really trying to SELL me on her interpretation and I don’t even know her, she never comments here. It was weird. At any rate, I did some digging and now I get what she was REALLY saying. Let’s just say: I disagree. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Souvenir<\/em><\/strong> (2019; d. Joanna Hogg)
\nOh my God, it’s so good. I’ll be writing something about it. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Finding Steve McQueen<\/em><\/strong> (2019; d. Mark Steven Johnson)
\nI reviewed this for Ebert<\/a>. I liked a lot of it. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Wedding Party<\/em><\/strong> (1962; d. Brian De Palma)
\nA lot of firsts here. Brian De Palma’s first film. Robert De Niro’s first film. Jill Clayburgh’s first film. I wrote a little bit about it here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Local Stigmatic<\/em><\/strong> (1990; d. David F. Wheeler)
\nInterviewing Dan about his book<\/a> began a binge-watch of epic proportions. Not of one particular thing, but of movies I wanted to re-watch with Dan’s observations in mind. I actually had not seen this but Dan spoke so highly of it it was first on the list. The whole thing is on Youtube. Highly recommended. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Mean Streets<\/em><\/strong> (1973; d. Martin Scorsese)
\nIt still leaps off the screen, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. It’s so damn PERSONAL. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Longford<\/em><\/strong> (2006; d. Tom Hooper)
\nDiscussed with Dan. I had never seen. Samantha Morton’s performance is as fantastic – and frightening – as promised. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Unrelated<\/em><\/strong> (2007; d. Joanna Hogg)
\nTom Hiddleston as youthful sexual carefree possibility … with some darker undertones. This has been a Joanna Hogg month for me. I love her.<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Shattered Glass<\/em><\/strong> (2003; d. Billy Ray)
\nThis movie is so good. No matter how many times I’ve seen it (and I saw it in the theatre when it was first released: the whole story had fascinated me) it always impresses me with its slow and super quiet build. Unbelievable performances and I fluctuate on who’s “the best” before I say: EVERYONE is good in this. Hank Azaria, Peter Sarsgaard (his best), Hayden Christensen, Chloe Sevigny, Melanie Lynsky, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson … fantastic film. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Godfather<\/em><\/strong> (1972; d. Francis Ford Coppola)
\nIt’s been a while since I’ve watched this movie. I know this movie so well I can anticipate cuts, edits, lines … it’s IN me. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nThe Godfather: Part II<\/em><\/strong> (1974; d. Francis Ford Coppola)
\nOne of the best gestures in all of cinema. One of my favorite moments of any actor ever. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Godfather: Part III<\/em><\/strong> (1990; d. Francis Ford Coppola)
\nIt’s worth it for the Keaton-Pacino scenes and it’s worth it for this moment. I can’t tell you how many times I reference it in my own life. I mean, haven’t we all felt this way, even if we aren’t part of an international crime family?<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 14, episode 15, “Peace of Mind” (2019; d. Philip Sgriccia)
\nIt had its moments, that’s for sure!<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?<\/em><\/strong> (1969; d. Sidney Pollack)
\nA bleak masterpiece. It doesn’t blink. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Last Clean Shirt<\/em><\/strong> (1964; d. Alfred Leslie)
\nA collaboration between artist Alfred Leslie and poet Frank O’Hara. For something I’ve been working on. If you Google the title, you can watch the whole thing on Vimeo. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Requiem for a Dream<\/em><\/strong> (2000; d. Darren Aronofsky)
\nI put myself through this again for Ellen Burstyn’s “red dress monologue,” referenced by Dan in our interview. I saw this in the theatre in its first release and thought: “Okay, never need to see THAT again.” It’s amazing how it stuck in my head with such clarity. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bed Among the Lentils<\/em><\/strong> (1988; d. Alan Bennett, Stuart Burge)
\nAgain, inspired by my interview with Dan. This is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. It’s 49 minutes long. The whole thing is on Youtube. I wrote about it here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nThe Dropout<\/em><\/strong> (2019)
\nLike so many of us, I became obsessed with Elizabeth Holmes, she of the baritone voice (who are you kidding, lady), this past month. I read the book. I haven’t seen Alex Gibney’s documentary yet. But I did watch the special on ABC. The whole thing is so fascinating to me. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n1900<\/em><\/strong> (1976; d. Bernardo Bertolucci)
\nI had some serious deja vu moments this month because I was going over ground I’d gone on before years and years ago when I first got into acting. 1900<\/i> is 5 hours long, and has a kind of tortured release history. But it was released in theatre – at that length – and yes, it is a commitment – but come on, it’s Bertolucci, Depardieu, De Niro, Dominique Sanda … it’s certainly worth it. The politics are often ridiculous, but it’s not meant to be subtle. Plus, it’s got De Niro and Depardieu getting simultaneous handjobs. What’s not to like. While so much of this is a mess … it’s kind of a beautiful mess. With one stunning shot after another. (Vittorio Storaro shot it.)<\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Supernatural<\/em><\/strong>, Season 14, episode 16 “Don’t Go in the Woods” (2019; d. John Fitzpatrick)
\nThere was some element of fucked-up-ness here that I liked: the message of “don’t lie” and when is it right to lie, is it ever right to lie, and how Jack hurts his lesbian friend and then lies to Sam and Dean just as they are coming clean and “telling the truth” to him and so … the Winchester Belljar continues. Jack has absorbed the “lie. always” message. Sorry, Twitter lady, who thinks breaking the bond of codependency is good television mainly because it clears the way to Destiel … we appear to be watching different shows. Normally I live and let live but not when you so much can’t let it go that you bombard me with DMs telling me why I’m wrong, and criticizing how I “interact” with the show, even when I tell you not to DM me, to just leave me alone. My first real run-in with another aspect of the fandom, believe it or not. Maybe because “endgame” is coming down the pike now for real, people are getting super stressed out? <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\nPuzzle of a Downfall Child<\/em><\/strong> (1970; d. Jerry Schatzberg)
\nSo good. My kind of movie. A woman having a nervous breakdown. It flat out would not be made today. It’s too quiet, too character-oriented. Faye Dunaway’s best as far as I’m concerned. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Holocaust<\/em><\/strong>, episode 1 (1978; d. Martin Chomsky)
\nI decided, almost spur of the moment, to watch Meryl Streep’s movies in chronological order. There’s very little I haven’t seen already. I might have missed one or two, so all of these are re-watches. But I wanted to see it in order to get a sense of what has happened. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Manhattan<\/em><\/strong> (1979; d. Woody Allen)
\nStreep as the gorgeous and cold ex-wife turned lesbian. Boy, this movie has issues. This is not news. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Paradise Recovered<\/em><\/strong> (2010; d. Storme Wood)
\nSmall side route. I fell down into a cult rabbit hole and somehow found mention of this movie which was partially sponsored by one of the only organizations that helps ex-cult-members – or people who suffered under spiritual abuse – to re-enter society. I really enjoyed this film. I recommend it. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Kramer vs. Kramer<\/em><\/strong> (1979; d. Robert Benton)
\nShe really is so good in this. But you know who else is good? Jane Alexander. Both nominated for Oscars. Hell, everyone was nominated. Dustin Hoffman felt the threat of Streep, and pulled all these power trips, slapping her, throwing the glass against the wall without warning her. In one scene, her entire chest area is blotchy red. That’s not makeup. That’s real. (You’ll notice Streep never worked with Hoffman again.) <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The French Lieutenant’s Woman<\/em><\/strong> (1981; d. Karel Reisz)
\nThis was around the time in my life when I started seeing her movies, as they unfurled in real time. Or maybe Sophie<\/i> was the first one I saw. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Alice at the Palace<\/em><\/strong> (1982; d. Emile Ardolino)
\nNow this I had never seen. Streep played Alice in a celebrated production in New York which was then filmed for TV. Debbie Allen as the Red Queen. It’s really something else, people. Lots of fun. So inventive. And she is so in the moment. So so free as an actress. <\/p>\n

\n