I had my first-ever jury duty summons and, folks, it’s not fun. I also spent a lot of this past week with an excess of frantic energy that made me feel like I couldn’t do anything for some reason. Some weeks just be like that.
If you still haven’t listened yet, the latest episode of Agree to Disagree finds us talking about Spider-Man: No Way Home. Listen below (spoiler alert: I’m not a fan):
FILM
Highlight: Tangerine | Sean Baker | 2015 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn’t been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.
My second time this movie has cemented it as one of my all-time favorites. It’s the type of film I personally want to be involved in making. It’s rugged but brilliant filmmaking with a clear and poignant story, that leaves people thinking about a lot. True indie filmmaking is on display. I think having lived in L.A. for half a decade now has made it feel even more real and more brilliant. It’s an L.A. story through and through. The performances are not perfect but there’s a perfection in their reality and raggedness. Sean Baker’s films are deeply empathetic without ever feeling didactic and that’s something few people can pull off. This movie is one that I think every single person should watch.
Hit Man | 2023 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
We just recorded a new episode of Agree to Disagree on Linklater’s latest, so I’ll most of what I have to say for you to listen to. This was a great summer movie: hot, funny, and easy to watch.
Odor-Able Kitty | 1945 | ⭐⭐⭐
This Looney Tunes short was played at the New Beverly in front of Tangerine. The New Bev loves to do these silly shorts before their double features. This was a Pepe le Pew short and played much like all his others. Pepe has never been a favorite of mine — I preferred Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner or Foghorn Leghorn — so this was fine.
The Florida Project | 2017 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Another Sean Baker film — can you guess the double feature? This was still just as good as when I originally saw it and it hits hard having lived in Orlando for a while. Again, Baker employs deep empathy for people we would overlook, be annoyed by, or be disgusted with. In this movie, you feel for them despite how we would normally view them. Also, that ending is a top movie ending of all time if I’ve ever seen one.
The Crow | 1994 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happy 30th Anniversary!
I’m not excited about the remake coming up at all, but I felt like this would be a great time to catch up with this movie. It’s awesome! The gunplay is a little unsettling, given how lead actor Brandon Lee died on set due to negligence with a prop gun. Despite that though, this is a goth-y superhero movie very akin to Batman. I liked the vibes, I loved the 90s grunge aesthetic of it all, and now I’m really not excited for the remake.
Your Fat Friend | 2023 👍
I forgot to log this on Letterboxd when I watched it and therefore forgot to include it on a previous Weekly Recap. This is a documentary following the rise of Aubrey Gordon aka “Your Fat Friend” as she starts her blog and begins her podcast Maintenance Phase (which is excellent, you should listen to it!). I was expecting more of a documentary that is in the vein of her work, but this study of her was very good!
SCAM Girls Movie Club
Summer 💅 Camp 💅
Friday the 13th | 1980 | ⭐⭐½
And thus Summer 💅 Camp 💅 has come to an end. It could only end here. It’s been 10+ years since I last saw Friday the 13th and it’s not quite as good as I remember. It’s still fun and gory, but it can be a little tedious at times. A member of the movie club filled us in on production details, like the fact this movie was announced with a release date before a script had even been produced— wild! It feels a little half-baked, but you can’t deny the power of its legacy.
TV
In Progress
House of the Dragon, Season 2, Ep. 3
Summer Baking Championship, Season 2, Ep. 6-7
Smiling Friends, Season 1, Ep. 1-3
Dropped
Smiling Friends
Yeah…this show isn’t for me. It’s a little too 13-year-old edge lord for my taste now. I found it to be loud and obnoxious…am I getting old? The episodes are very short, so I didn’t lose a lot of time to this, but yeah. I’ll just stick to the clips on social media.
Books
The Big Read
Jane Eyre | Charlotte Brontë — 71%
The Weathered Tome Society
A Psalm for the Wild Built | Becky Chambers — 20%
Games
In Progress
Persona 4 Golden | PS Vita | Atlus
Elden Ring: The Shadow of the Erdtree | PS5
Hollow Knight | PS5 | Team Cherry
Animal Well | PS5 | Billy Basso
YouTube
I’ve seen so much Hatsune Miku at conventions and just in everyday life. This was shared with me and I felt like I finally understood what Hatsune Miku is. I don’t think I particularly like it, but I can appreciate what she stands for. This is a very well-crafted video, from someone whose podcast I enjoy, explaining this total phenomenon
Thanks for reading, I appreciate it!
Til next time!
— Colton
I’m so glad you liked the crow!!