Another devil film from Georges Méliès. It's not his best and despite the repetition of themes, it's still good that we have footage of this.
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A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter 2024
Nonsense indeed. Fun, but this is probably geared toward older teens and up because of all the innuendos.
I already saw the clip of Sabrina Carpenter singing "Last Christmas" with Chappell Roan on social media or YouTube. This special is an excuse for Sabrina to act silly. Next time she's on SNL, she shouldn't just be a musical guest; she could also host.
Vegan alert:
She asks a guy to drink her like a warm glass of milk -
In Water 2023
Chosen as one of the top 10 movies by Cahiers du Cinéma, I decided to check it out (on Kanopy where most of Hong Sang-soo's films can be found).
I guess I'm supposed to say that when it's out of focus, it gives the film an impressionistic look. Good for Hong Sang-soo for churning them out. I already saw A Traveler's Needs this year, but I can never keep up with all of his content!
Vegan alert:
Raw fish -
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Report from Hollywood 1985
Q&A with Edward Lachman
This super rare film is the behind the scenes footage from Wim Wenders' The State of Things. It was good to see random footage from Hollywood during that time including a raving Samuel Fuller.
Nick Broomfield was on sound (with a couple of other people). In the Q&A, Lachman remarked that Broomfield was doing sound in those days.
Lachman also showed this film despite suffering from a broken hip (from two films). Hats off!
Vegan alert:
Teriyaki burger -
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Blink 2024
Daniel Roher's hotshot documentary Navalny was pretty cool. He co-directs (with Edmund Stenson) this comparatively lower-key documentary this year. It was a documentary about a family where three out of their four children have a condition that will lead to blindness. The doc brought attention to retinitis pigmentosa and for that it is to be commended.
Vegan points:
-Child realizes that some cultures do not eat cows, because their lives are valued
-Child is tender with a butterfly -
Back to School 1986
Rodney Dangerfield is sometimes cheesy, sometimes funny.
Robert Downey, Jr. is a total dweeb.
Sally Kellerman is a total babe.
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. cameo was based.
The film was alright.
(Melissa McCarthy made a film like this several years later: Life of the Party)Vegan alert:
-Chimps are being taught to read in a lab (while they are treated well, they’re still being experimented on)
-Chimps eat pizza with Rodney Dangerfield -
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Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back 1967
Really nice w/an appearance by D.A. Pennebaker. What a great documentary to have made. He also released some outtakes this year and that was the 2nd feature (65 Revisited).
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The Return 2024
“Your waiting is over.”
Watch for Ralph Fiennes eating dirt and hair designer Elisabetta De Leonardis’ mastery. Great performances from Juliette Binoche and Ángela Molina too.
Vegan alert:
-Young pigs raised to be eaten
-Dogs eating entrails
-Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) is mad that they won’t give him meat scraps
-Human violence
Vegan points:
Odysseus is tender with his dog Argos -
Death of a Corrupt Man 1977
The amazing jazz soundtrack by Philippe Sarde stole the show.
P.S. The subtitles on Amazon Prime are not synched.