I Forgot to Mention...

...Armie Hammer's dancing in Call Me By Your Name might be my new favorite dance scene ever.

He was just really feeling The Psychadelic Furs and, well, who can blame him?

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Let me start by saying I watched this movie two nights in a row. If that's not an endorsement for seeing a movie over 2 hours long about a teen in Italy falling for the PhD candidate who comes to study with his father and stay with his family in Italy on a 6 week fellowship, then I just don't know what is.

This isn't a movie full of action or intrigue, but a film about the beauty of desire and giving in to those urges at the risk of broken hearts. When Oliver arrives, Elio is instantly a bit suspcious and jokingly refers to him as the "Usurper". He is judgmental of him, but in such a curious way. The attraction between the two men grows and grows and the script by James Ivory allows them the time to let it build. Timothee Chalamet as Elio is every bit a teenager- aloof, sensitive, longing for approval and attention from this man he has grown so attracted and attached to. Armie Hammer as Oliver is charming and bold while also being very tender towards Elio. The scenes of these two riding bikes and swimming in the river are often as sensual as seeing them kiss.

But this isn't just a movie about romance. It is also a movie about how beautiful Northern Italy is. Armie Hammer is handsome, but he is no match for the backdrop. Much like director Luca Guadagnino's previous films A Bigger Splash and I Am Love, Italy is a character unmatched in this film, filled with charm and wonder.

Call Me By Your Name is stunning, beautifully shot, and includes exceptional performances with such emotional range it will take your breath away.

I, Tonya (2017)

The first time I ever heard of Tonya Harding was in 11th grade. The 1992 Olympics were happening, and our sports obsessed P.E. teacher had commandeered a TV on one of those wheeled stands, and set up a viewing party instead of having us play handball. So I grabbed a seat and watched hockey, speed skating, or skiing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday over the next couple weeks. During one of those classes, we walked in to see figure skating on the TV. "Go ahead and shoot some hoops if you want, guys" P.E. Teacher said with a sigh, since no one wanted to watch figure skating, right? Half the class, including me, did want to watch, so we took our seats by the TV.

I grew up playing hockey, which is to say I was as comfortable in skates as I was in sneakers. If you don't  skate or have only ever skated a few laps around a community rink every winter, you might just think skates are skates. Well, you my friend are wrong. Hockey skates are not figure skates. Haven't you ever seen The Cutting Edge? Anyway, while I never had any interest in that type of skating personally, I was always in awe of it during the Olympics. So there we sat and watched Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, and Tonya Harding skate for the US. Harding didn't look like the rest of the skaters, she looked more like someone who went to school with us, that you would see smoking on the corner before class. She stood out, but also, she could skate. Then a couple years later that scandal happened and well, everyone knows about that.

Is this how you remember it? I ,Tonya (2017)

Twenty years later, we get I, Tonya from Craig Gillespie. Before going to see the movie, I watched an interview special done with Harding, who is now in her late 40's. The special gets into the incident with Kerrigan in '94, but it really focuses more on how damaged Tonya Harding was from an early age, but also how tough and determined she was. The movie turns all of that up to eleven.

Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan play Harding and Gillooly, and lose themselves in those characters, but it's Allison Janney and Paul Walter Hauser who really steal the show. Janney plays Harding's abusive, chain-smoking, mother LaVona to perfection. Hauser embodies Shawn Eckhardt, the dopey friend of Gillooly's who believes himself to be an international man of intrigue capable of mind control, not a schlub living in his parents basement. I'm telling you, watch that interview or footage with some of these people before seeing the movie and it will only enhance your experience.

I enjoyed this film quite a bit. Beyond the great performances, the way they shot the skating scenes was intense- I got chills when she landed that triple axel. CHILLS! And not because they were at an ice rink. The 4th wall breaks by various characters, some long takes to ramp things up, and the overall look of the film was just right for the late 80's/early 90's. There were a couple things I was left wondering though. One was the absence of Harding's dad. He shows up a tiny bit and they have a pretty strong bond, but then her parents separate and he's out of the picture, reappearing again at her wedding. The other thing is the whole Nancy Kerrigan knee smash incident. Did Harding know more than she claimed? Did Gillooly? Will we ever know? Is this the longest blog I have ever written about a movie while hardly talking about the movie?

So far I would say yes to my last question. And probably not to the 3 questions before that. Because most of those people are so unreliable. Even so, this is a movie worth seeing, catch it at Cinemapolis (or wherever it may be playing near you) while it's there. 

Fond Farewells

Waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2014

I just stopped at my favorite coffee shop in town for the last time, as they will be closing down after tonight. I've got all these feelings about that place so I figured I'd write them down here because this is my blog, after all.

When they first opened 8 and a half years ago, they were my favorite daytime hangout. Friends owned it, friends worked there, and they had the best drinks in town. It was my favorite place to just hang out, drink coffee and chat. We even used to have a code for meet ups, and would just write the 2 words on Facebook, and it was like sending out a beacon in the night, only it was daytime and friends would simply appear and sit for hours, drinking lots of coffee or tea and just chat away. 

When I started library school, I would spend hours writing code or working on papers about metadata or databases. Ugh, databases.

When I was feeling lonely or down, I'd go grab a coffee and chat with whoever was working about movies or books or TV or other random stuff. 

When I really wanted to finish a book, I'd leave my phone at home, go get a drink and sit there and finish that book and walk home feeling accomplished and caffeinated. Ok, maybe I didn't always leave my phone home, because how else would I Instagram my latte or whatever tasty treats they had in the pastry case?

The Shop has always been a place I felt right at home in, and while I know that's sad and a great loss to Ithaca, here's the thing: few things last forever. We got this awesome spot for almost 9 years, which is nearly a decade. For that I am truly grateful, and I wish the owner and staff the best of luck on what comes next. 

The Square Revisited

The Square 2017. Dominic West, Terry Notary Dir. by Ruben Ostlund

When you see a movie with a friend or friends, usually you chat immediately after and discuss whether you liked it or not. Today, I had coffee with my friend  Anna who I had seen The Square with, almost a month ago. She wasn't feeling well during/after the movie, then the holidays happened. So we sat down and starting catching up and she said "Wait. Listen, we have GOT to talk about that last movie we saw". That movie was The Square, which I really liked. Anna did not.

If you haven't seen The Square, I'm sure it will be streaming soon. It won the Palme D'Or at Cannes in 2017, and is a satirical look at the art world. But at its core, it's a movie about aiding others when they need it, despite race/class/religion.  How they do it, is what Anna had a hard time with. There's a scene in which Terry Notary plays a performance artist who does a pretty extreme piece at a formal gala during dinner, which illustrates how far someone can go without anyone stepping in to assist the person in need. Vague summation, I know, but I am aiming to keep this spoiler free. Anna thought it was gratuitous and disturbing, and it most certainly is, but I think the movie would be lacking without it.

There are plenty other scenes throughout the film to illustrate this and make people squirm which I think is what the director, Ruben Ostlund, was going for. I mean, there are also issues of trust and guilt throughout the film, and the question of what art actually is, and Elisabeth Moss who we both wondered what the hell her role was all about. Maybe trust AND guilt? I should have just recorded our conversation and posted it here. If you are wondering whether The Square is a movie for you, just remember that Anna says no. Woody, on the other hand says Yes.

Fair Chances

The other day at work, my friend Asia asked if I had seen Godless yet, Netflix's Western about a town essentially run by women as bad guy Jeff Daniels and his gang head their way to wreak havoc. I had not. The trailer for it didn't appeal to me, and every time Michelle Dockery showed up all I could see was Lady Mary with a Gun.

Michelle Dockery, Godless. Totally not Lady Mary

"Oh, it's so good, you have to watch it...so we can talk about it!" Well, maybe I replied.

I watched the first episode and found it painfully boring, and a little all over the place. But mostly boring. I like westerns ok as far as the genre goes, but it just seemed, well, boring. I wrote this on Facebook. I got an earful about how good the show was, and to stick with it. Same sentiments at work. It is a beautifully shot show, the costumes are great, and the cast is pretty good, so I watched the second episode and it...wasn't as boring. Jeff Daniels is a great, villainous creep with what looks like a very well manicured full beard. Michelle Dockery looks amazing with a gun, and Merrit Weaver, well, she's excellent always. I plan to stick with it, and hopefully the the end of the season, I'll stop imagining Lady Mary Crawley with a shotgun.

Darkest Hour (2017)

The Darkest Hour (2017) Working Title Films, Perfect World Pictures

I had very little interest in this movie. From the trailer, it looked like yet another take on Winston Churchill single-handedly saving the British Empire from Hitler & Co. It also looked painfully boring. I'm happy to report it wasn't boring.

Gary Oldman just won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Churchill, and it was well deserved. He is completely unrecognizable as the outspoken Prime Minister who refused to bow to a Parliament that was plotting against him in an effort to broker a peace agreement with Hitler. Yes, read that back to yourself, they thought Hitler was going to offer them a deal and leave them alone. Crikey.

Oldman channeled Churchill perfectly, from his appearance, to his mannerisms, to his mumbly and barely comprehensible voice. The supporting cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, and Lily James were wonderful. Director Joe Wright excels at the British period piece. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel's choice to feature so many scenes bathed in light then covered in shadow were brilliant, as it gave the film a distinct look from Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk.

The closing titles were a bit obnoxious. There, I said it. OK, I predict Oldman's going to clean up the rest of the Best Actor awards, and maybe a hair and makeup Oscar. Kristin Scott Thomas was wonderful whenever she was on screen, but I don't think she will be nominated for best supporting actress. It's possible Wright could get a Best Director nom. We shall see, friends. We shall see.

Sportsball

When I was in fourth grade, someone asked me who my favorite football team was and I froze. I told them I wasn't sure and on my next visit to our school's library, I looked for the books on football and settled on one with a purple spine and declared myself a Minnesota Viking's fan. They had a cool uniform, and they were "The Vikings". 10 year old me was sold. I mean, I didn't want to be just another Buffalo Bills fan in a sea of Bills fan, right?

Four years ago, after faithfully following the Vikings for almost 30 years, I had A change of heart about the Bills. To be honest, I had continued to follow them from my 20's on and even went to a game or two. Because I can go to a Bills game since the stadium is only a few hours away. So I did it, I proclaimed my allegiance to Buffalo and for Xmas that year, had to have a very hard talk with my brother about becoming a bills fan.

Me: I just want to support a team I can actually go see play.

Bro: But..the BILLS!?!?!?!?!

Me: Well I have always been a fan, I never really declared it...

Bro: But it's the BILLS!

Me: Bill, you just have to trust me. I think it's going to be ok...

Bro: WHYYYYY?!?!? I feel like I don't even know you anymore.

My brother is an Eagles fan. For years, neither of us ever wanted to root for a home state team in any sport. But he came around, and got me a pretty rad Bills cap for my birthday, followed by the worlds warmest Buffalo Bills winter hat. Thanks bro!

Thanks bro!

So now, 4 years after that dramatic conversation I wish I had video of, the Bills have snagged a wild card spot in the playoffs. Bills fans are going nuts. I found out on New Year's Eve while at a party and exclaimed "THE BILLS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS!" to no response because I screamed it out loud in my mind. Then had more champagne.

They're playing in Jacksonville at 1pm today, which means the game has started, and I am far too nervous to watch, because I am also very superstitious that if I do watch, they might lose, which could be my fault and that's just too much pressure. So I'll just casually check how they're doing. I may have already checked 5 or 6 times since i started this post. I'm hoping for a win, but I know it won't be the end of the world if they lose because hey, its the Bills. We've gotten accustomed to losing, but we never give up. Getting to the playoffs is magical all by itself. Moving on to the next round would be excellent. I will still be too nervous to watch.

Jerks!

Now that winter is here, and it's "you're-never-leaving-the-house" weather, I am finding myself taking in episode after episode of shows I've never had much interest in. Why am I doing this? I watched all of the second season of The Crown on New Year's Day, a show I had very little interest in as I half paid attention to the first season. Last night I finished the first season of Halt and Catch Fire. While watching both of these shows I kept thinking to myself, these are all terrible people. I should insert a spoiler alert here if you haven't watched yet. Am I supposed to feel bad for Queen Elizabeth (I did, a little) or her sister, Princess Margaret? Prince Philip? They really want you to feel bad for that guy- they try so hard in those last 2 episodes but no thanks, I don't feel bad for that whiny baby Nazi. The only person I felt legitimately bad for was the Queen's private secretary Michael, because she made him shave his mustache off. Ugh, royalty.

Halt & Catch Fire AMC

Halt and Catch Fire has been on 4 seasons, and if it weren't for Netflix, I might never have heard of it. It was on AMC, known best for Walking Dead, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad, and set in the early 80's boom of the personal computer. The focus is on the 3 main characters trying to be the first to develop a portable PC (super light at 15lbs!). All three of them- a smooth talking salesman with a vision, a crazy eyed genius engineer, and a coding prodigy- are jerks! Every episode I watch I think why are these people such jerks? They're selfish and awful but yet, I keep watching. Why? Because Halt and Catch Fire, like The Crown, is so compelling. Even if the main cast is all a bunch of conniving, selfish, whiny, ridiculous jerks, it's the storyline surrounding them that makes it worth the binge. It's the set design. It's the music. With The Crown, the historical content is what draws me in. Seeing things I have learned about, but fro this other point of view is so watchable. In the case of HaCF, it's the rush of the computer race! Will they figure that code out? Can they get the money together? The best character in season one is actually engineer Gordon's wife Donna. She's not a jerk, and she isn't a stereotype- which this show has plenty of. She's in a way, the heart and conscience of the show. But, now that I've watched the 1st season, I figure I'll binge the rest and find out if the others become more than just jerks. It's not like I'm going anywhere for the rest of the winter.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Recently, I was asked if I ever read "trash". I didn't know what to say since I didn't think my reading choices were all that literary. I had to think about it, and came up with the Sookie Stackhouse novels, then racked my brain for anything else. I mean, I read a lot of graphic novels, a fair amount of horror, and a wide array of whatever sounds interesting.

When I think of trashy reading, I admit the books that leap to my mind are romance novels and erotica, two genres I intentionally avoid. But I kept going back to that conversation and questioning this. Why do I avoid those genres? What do I have against sexy love stories? To find out, I checked a book out of the library called Witches, Princesses, and Women at Arms: Erotic Lesbian Fiction. Sexy fairy tales, count me in! I've read a story or two each night and some are better than others- writing and story wise. A princess secretly desires her handmaiden and somehow their gowns fall off while they're all alone in the big castle. Or, there is a witch, and who doesn't want to have sex with a witch? I mean, am I right?

There was a story about a witch and a princess, but the princess had some wolf like qualities, and so did this other woman who was with the witch, and they hooked up and that story was just 85% various sexual encounters and also helping to free a dragon. Racy.

But other than that story, the sex featured within is all pretty much the same. A ton of build up, a lot of awkward tension, a sexual awakening, and then many references to touching the other person's sex. Or cupping their sex. Who says that? I find myself giggling every time I read that phrase which brings me to the answer of why I typically skip this genre. I am secretly a 13 year old kid and can't take erotica seriously.

Thank goodness there's a lifeguard!

I'll stick to my cosmic horror, weird and wonderful non-fiction, and graphic novels, and leave erotica and romance to the millions who love it.

The Algorithm of the Night

Almost daily, I find myself perplexed by recommendations made by Netflix, Amazon Prime, and all over my social media feeds. I know it's not a perfect science, and these suggestions are based a bit on guessing, mixed with some formula based on a bunch of variables. I just find myself sighing a lot when I begin to scroll.

I've got a couple Instagram accounts, and one is for my dogs (shameless plug for @pugandpibb). There, I follow mostly dogs, a few cats, one raccoon, and various rescues. It's nice to switch over and just scroll through tons of adorable animal pics. But seriously, all animals. There might be 4 or 5 humans I follow on that account but that's it. So why do I get suggestions  to follow posts for luxury bedding? Or fancy sunglasses? Is it based on my other Instagram account? How do they know one of my dogs isn't actually running this one? Pibb is very clever after all. ps. Instagram, I am terribly myopic, I'd never be able to wear any of those sunglasses. My dogs also won't wear them.

Pibbington J. Whippersnap- Dog Mastermind

Netflix makes some wacky suggestions, but also lets you know what those choices are based on. Because I watched Raw, I might like many other cannibal-themed films like The Bad Batch. Then they toss in To The Bone, which is about anorexia. Um...not quite the same but I can at least see why. Teenage cast, eating disorder (very different interpretations of course). Plus I am sure some of this is based on what the other thousands of Netflix viewers have watched and they throw that into the algorithm blender and come up with this result. Netflix is also really, really, really trying to get me to watch Trip to Spain. They've suggested it based on me watching Wormwood, Broadchurch, Young Victoria (which I have never seen. Sigh, dual accounts, sigh.), My Scientology Movie, and Handsome. Aw, heck, I'll add it to my queue.

Amazon Prime keeps recommending the movie Good Dick which means they don't know me at all.

Resolutions pt. 2

I enjoy pants, but I mean...

Resolutions!

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

I'm not big on follow through with New Year's resolutions. I was just saying after X-mas that I planned to start eating better Januray 1st, but on New Year's Day I went out and grabbed a burger, fries and a shake because, well, I craved them. A creature of indulgence, am I.

Instead of dietary restraints or wacky exercise regiments, I thought I'd attempt to give myself some other goals to reach for this year. One being to use this blog more regularly to share my thoughts on film. The other has to do with my reading habits. I love reading, but I am terrible about finishing books. I get too excited about the next thing I want to read and simply abandon what I was reading. I have half read books lying all over my apartment. I worked at a bookstore, and now work at a library. The temptation is real, y'all. But I think I can stay focused enough to be better about finishing a book I've started. Unless the book is not doing it for me. I'll give a book 50 pages, but if it doesn't grab me, I'm probably not going to force myself through it. Who has time for that?

I've also signed on for a couple reading challenges. One being the 2018 Reading Challenge in Goodreads, which I avoid every year because I know I'm terrible about finishing books. But not this year. I aim to start and finish 30 books by the end of 2018.

The other is the Reading Challenge hosted by The Modern Mrs. Darcy. Designed to encourage readers to get out of their comfort zones by reading books from authors who aren't just white folks. And who aren't just writing about white folks. Getting more diversity in the old TBR stack is something I worked on last year and want to continue. This challenge also urges you to read a classic you've never read, banned books, doorstops, non-fiction, plays, and more.

So, reading and blogging. And maybe eat more vegetables.

Recapping 2017

2017 was filled with many fantastic films I was fortunate enough to catch at the cinema. My goal this year was to see 80 on the big screen, but alas, I fell short and only made it to 77. Yeah, yeah, not too shabby.

Last night I was asked what my top ten favorites of the year were, and I blurted out the first few I could think of. But after some careful thought today, I have listed them here for y'all to judge. Remember, these are my favorites, not what I personally deem 'Best Of". That will be another blog altogether sometime before the Academy Awards roll around. Or not. The Oscars are bullshit but I do love an awards show!

In order as ranked by yours truly:

10. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. Frances McDormand = National Treasure

9. Atomic Blonde. Super soundtrack. Charlize Theron kicks every dude's ass.

8. Lady Macbeth. Dark, twisted, intense. Evocative period piece with an incredible performance by Florence Pugh as Katherine (aka Lady Macbeth) who does not give AF.

7. Baby Driver. The soundtrack. The car chases. Jon Hamm. Edgar Wright wins again.

6. Wonderstruck. Todd Haynes' latest is a gorgeous love letter to things I'm a sucker for- New York City in the 1920s, the 70's, small bookshops, museums, unexpected friendship, all wrapped in a mystery told in two converging stories, with very little spoken dialogue. 

5. Pin Cushion. This gem of a film played during Ithaca Fantastik this year and I feel honored to have seen it. Deborah Haywood's film about an eccentric mother and daughter dealing with bullying and depression is unlike anything you've seen. Candy colored and dreamy, this packs a punch and has an ending you won't soon forget.

4. Get Out. Jordan Peele turned the horror genre on its head with his debut film, about Chris, a young black man meeting his girlfriend's white parents for the first time. That's scary enough, right? The parents are overly friendly, and there are some other odd things happening around the house which make Chris suspicious about his girlfriend and her family's intentions. Peele's film is both an outstanding genre film and one of the smartest social commentaries on race of the last year. 

3. The Little Hours. I knew I loved this the minute the opening titles started. Jeff Baena's medieval nun tale is ridiculous, raucous, and laugh out loud funny with a great cast including Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, John C Reilly, Kate Micucci, Molly Shannon, and Nick Offerman. I laughed harder the second time I watched it, which makes me think a third viewing is required soon.

2. Raw. Yes yes yes, THE FRENCH CANNIBAL MOVIE. Its so much more. Maybe not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, Raw is a subversive tale of burgeoning sexual awakening, coming of age, and sisterhood. Oh, metaphors! So many metaphors with eating people. Hey-ooooooo! I Really loved this film, but I don't recommend eating while you watch it.

1. The Shape of Water. This was my most highly anticipated film of the year and I was almost scared to see it for fear my expectations were too high. I was not let down. Guillermo Del Toro does not disappoint with this cold war era fairy tale, co-written by Vanessa Taylor. Beautifully shot with incredible production design (That lab! Those apartments!)and a stellar cast, The Shape of Water is a perfect blend of suspense, fantasy, and romance all woven together with a deeper message of standing up against hate. Sound familiar, 2017? 

Honorable Mentions: 

Professor Marston & The Wonder Women, The Lure, Toni Erdmann, BPM, A Quiet Passion, The Endless, Tragedy Girls, Whose Streets?, A Ghost Story, Dean, It Comes at Night, Colossal, Kedi, Ingrid Goes West, Annabelle: Creation

Good but meh:

Lady Bird (overhyped) The Last Jedi (so many story lines) Wonder Woman (did a man write this?!?) Mother! (Stop it, just stop)

Wish I didn't miss:

Thor: Ragnarok, Lost City of Z, Brigsby Bear, Step, Happy Death Day, The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Wish I had missed:

Valerian, Jigsaw, Alien: Covenant, Personal Shopper

(I did see these with friends and we made fun of these films in quiet whispers, which made up for the terribleness, so viewing them on the big screen was still worth it.)