Sort by:
Best
Open comment sort options
Best
Top
New
Controversial
Old
Q&A
I’ve been watching mostly David Lynch lately.
Finished Twin Peaks earlier this month, I’ve watched the series three or so times but always gave up during season 2. Very glad I finished it.
The Return was great, not what I was expecting. Didn’t quite get the Phillip Jeffries teakettle looking thing but whatever. I loved everything with Gordon Cole and Albert, so well done. Still can’t get over the ending, poor Laura she seems to be forever tormented.
Rewatched Fire Walk With Me. I think the dvd also has those “missing pieces” scenes, I’ll need to watch that next then I’ll be fully done! I’ve always really liked this movie. But it is so fucking weird, I can totally see why if you aren’t into Lynch it would just piss you off.
Something I’ve always wondered is if Lynch/Frost took any inspiration from Marilyn Monroe into Laura Palmer. I’ve seen a quote from Lynch, something like “Everything is about Marilyn Monroe” in regards to some of his female characters. I know originally they were working on an adaption of the MM biography Goddess, which they were going to title “Venus Descending” (such a good name). Lynch said Frost was obsessed with the book Goddess, which is one of the more salacious bios of her, accusing her of getting multiple abortions, lesbian affairs etc. The scene of Laura, Donna, and Ronnette at the bar with Jacque and she takes off her top felt like something that could be very Monroe-inspired to me. Also, how you meet all these male characters in the OG show who “love” Laura, and seem to be the one who “truly knows her”- like maybe the Jacoby and weird shut-in orchard guy, feels like the way Marilyn has been perceived after death. And how you find out so many of the men had some sort of sexual relationship with her. Also, the molestation stuff for sure. MM once described a dream to her therapist of “tracking down my father, picking him up and taking him to a hotel room. We have sex, then afterwards I tell him I’m his biological daughter.” That feels like some fucked up Lynchian type scene in a movie to me as well lol. I wonder what the film Blonde would’ve been like if Lynch directed it. Anyways! Good movie, I like alternate Donna as well.
Watched Blue Velvet, it was fine. Didn’t move me as much as the first time I saw it.
I've never wanted to like a show more than Twin Peaks. Everything about it feels tuned to my interests, but after 4 attempts my attention always peters out in the middle of season one. Maybe I need someone to watch it with.
Maybe a controversial opinion, but the original Twin Peaks show is just alright. I had a similar reaction when I tried to watch it the first couple of times. The middle of Season 2 is a slog.
However, it’s definitely worth it. The final couple episodes of Season 2 are amazing and Fire Walk with Me and The Return are incredible. Stick with it and you’ll be happy.
Been going on a David Cronenberg binge. Saw Existenz, Maps to the Stars, and Cosmopolis.
I have to say that Cosmopolis is by far my favourite Cronenberg film. I haven’t read the Don DeLillo book, but the dialogue, digital camerawork, and ofc Robert Pattinson work so well. Killer soundtrack as well. Think this is a very prescient film as we continue to delve deeper into a techno-capitalism
A Bigger Splash - I don't think I'm a Luca Guadagnino fan, and I don't think I really enjoyed this while watching it, but I do keep thinking about it and keep getting frustrated with the lack of conversation I can find around it (searching it on Reddit mostly just brings up Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton tit pics). I think I also need to watch the two previous versions.
I Saw the TV Glow - Not sure I should "log" this because it was the first movie I've walked out on since I can't remember when. I am injured and for whatever reason, my injury acts up when I'm sitting down, so that contributed to my decision to get up and leave, but it was horrifically dull.
Macbeth (2015) - Trying to work my way through different versions of Macbeth since I reread the play recently. This one was very visceral visually while being extremely subdued in performance, which led to a very flat movie overall. Shakespeare's language needs a lot more panache than mutters and whispers. Some really weird choices in this one too, though I liked that it opened with a baby funeral pyre.
I hate it when my posts are super negative. I should rewatch a favorite or something tonight so I won't be a pill next Sunday.
it's invigorating when someone who's normally positive dabbles in being a hater!
i'm very picky with modern horror and my instincts told me I Saw the TV Glow looked bad despite it getting suspiciously good reviews so i'm glad to get confirmation it sucked
Can you recommend some recent horror movies you've liked? There have been so many releases in the last couple years, I've mostly stuck to whatever Jay Bauman recommends.
Damn I hope to have a different experience. World's Fair was one of the more singular cinema experiences of the last few years.
Going by letterboxd, I'm either in the minority or we're all being gaslit by the queer agenda, so don't let my foul mood deter you. What I saw of it looked really pretty at least, and the aesthetics normally would have been enough to keep me powering through.
I really liked it but the first half is a lot of atmospheric set up work which I can totally see someone in pain just leaving. It’s absolutely worth watching, it’s a premise we’ve seen before a couple times but very different with the definite mark of someone who really cared about it.
I was very impressed with the atmosphere of World's Fair, so that doesn't turn me off at all. Glad to hear someone had a good experience.
Last night I saw Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" in 35mm at Vista Theater. And today I'll see "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" at Bay Theater. A Leone double-feature weekend is a nice way to wrap up my first semester of college :)
TGTBATU was one of my best experiences in a theater. Not to diminish its power as a piece of art, but it is also just a supreme piece of mass entertainment. Saw it alone in a packed theater, lots of popcorn eating and laughter (in the right places) - amazing.
Loves Lies Bleeding was just so enjoyable haven’t sat down and really enjoyed a new film in a long time !
watched under the silver lake for the second time with my zoomette younger sis bc we watched the first half of the trailer and she thought it was going to be similar to paper towns. lol.
Love this week's pic!
Sadly, I feel like after a year of intense movie watching, I haven't been as inspired to watch much. I just wrapped up the John Adams 2008 miniseries. I want to get back into movies but need something light to watch.
I have been feeling the same! Getting back into Twin Peaks got me back into watching stuff, otherwise I’ve been spending my time doing stuff around the house and doomscrolling 😞
been watching a bunch of kitano's stuff
Girl, Interrupted - really liked it. Angelina Jolie hit it out of the park.
Comfort of Strangers - made me want to see more of Venice so I’m going to watch Don’t Look Now soon. Natasha Richardson and Cristopher Walken were both good. Can’t say I loved it but it was interesting to see Paul Schrader working with someone else’s script
Totally forgot to mention I watched Wobble Palace!!
Wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Dasha was charming and seemed competent in her role, and I guess Eugene did a really good job at playing a gross freak? Lol the hair was so funny. I loved the “Where’s Eugene? Who cares” line, v funny to me. For what I am assuming was a small budget it was pretty impressive, I love indie movies and wish that we had a media landscape that supported it more.
A Wonderful Cloud is really good too. He’s impressed me with what I’ve seen
Silence - Sat on the fence through most of it, but it won me over ultimately. I wasn't sure it would have the chops to justify its self-seriousness, but I was genuinely moved by the last developments of the film and the questions as to whether faith can be truly forced in/out of people, and what form it can take when it has to be completely concealed. Worth rewatching.
Mother Joan of Angels - Too austere and meandering for my tastes. Felt longer than it was. Some striking cinematography, particularly in the landscape photography.
Yea the last third of Silence is fantastic, some of Scorsese's best work IMO. I wish it would come back to theaters soon because I want to see it/hear it huge. The whole thing about stepping on the fumie has stuck with me. And Kichijiro's character in general is great. Criminally underseen Scorsese movie.
The crucifiction scene by the water is harrowing yet somehow beautiful
I watched the Umbrellas of Cherbourg and the Young Girls of Rochefort. Cherbourg was very cool. I’m not sure the conversational, singing-everything concept always worked for me. By far the most memorable part of the movie was the farewell between the two leads, which felt the most structured like a traditional musical number
I loved the Young Girls of Rochefort. Been obsessively listening to the soundtrack all week. A lot of the musical performance and dancing feels a little rough around the edges in comparison to an American golden-age musical, but in a weird way that really works. It feels very natural that in a world where a pedestrian will suddenly break into an impromptu musical performance to express their feelings, that what comes out should feel somewhat raw and unrefined.
Two movies I’ve been meaning to see forever!!
What Josiah Saw - interesting family horror (?? maybe not) film that I was surprised to see bit off of Pulp Fiction of all things. It was incredibly odd given the tone of the film overall. However, I thought it was fun and one to add to the “fucked up movies” list for those who like disturbing subject matter.
All Stan and Netflix stuff because I've been too lazy to download anything; The Nightingale, Baby Driver (this movie was so annoying), Fight Club, Red Eye, the Ashley Madison doc, What Jennifer Did.
Challengers - The best score Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have done since Thew Social Network. But the rest of the movie has zero juice. Everything feels clinical, unsexy, and overdone. Richard Brody articulated it better than I could in his review, basically it's too caught up in its flashback conceit to let anything breathe. Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor were solid, but Zendaya felt wooden again, as she tends to be in most things I've seen her in.
Saltburn - Ew. Felt like a waste of everybody's time, tried to be shocking and provocative but tried way too hard and ended up being predictable and boring. Dumb!
Gasoline Rainbow - Interesting fiction/doc hybrid road movie about kids roadtripping across Oregon. A bit aimless and way too long, some compelling vignettes and nice to see the kids have so much freedom to be themselves (or versions of themselves). Needs a half-hour cut out though.
The Fall Guy - Snooze, occasionally a fun though. Its agenda (more awareness about stuntmen) shtick got really annoying, even though I agree with it. A lot of the jokes and meta-ness were really annoying, played out, and overdone.
White Men Can't Jump - A ton of fun, the last act gets a bit whacky with a Jeopardy subplot but whatever, still a great time.
Meek's Cutoff - Impressive but I didn't connect to it for some reason...
I had a lot of fun watching Challengers despite agreeing with everything you say. I do think the intrusive (in a good way) score pushed it over the edge for me.
I just watched jackie brown a couple days ago, fire
Inland Empire: David Lynch was right calling Laura Dern's performance the "best of 2006". It's his definitive movie in terms of how deep it goes into his brand of surrealism, which is too much for me as it's barely even grounded in reality. Mulholland Drive was perfectly balanced in that regard. Still it's an experience that's quite unique and really makes you feel like you're on another planet for 3 hours. I have the Loco-motion song stuck in my head now.
Videodrome: even though I enjoyed it, I felt underwhelmed by it as I had really high expectations. It's more of a testament of how good The Fly and Crash are. Debbie Harry was really cool.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me: Sheeryl Lee's performance is incredibly bold, Ray Wise was amazing too. It surprised me how dark the tone is compared to the series, and even other Lynch films. The cut scenes where you see Laura Palmer's family being normal and happy would have been a great addition in order to balance it. I'd really recommend watching the series first before getting into the movie.
Hiroshima, mon amour: Marguerite Duras being a novelist is strongly felt in the way the story is told and the dialogue, as well as Alain Resnais documentary style filming. The opening sequence was my favourite.
Bullitt: I love how tight and focused the film executes the plot. The way the scenes are shot, how the context and atmosphere are set before introducing the characters is notable. Also loved how quiet the car chase and end chase scenes are, letting you immerse yourself and feel the raw tension.
I got to see Inland Empire in theaters at like an 11pm showing w a full crowd and I think that really helped the experience. I’d like to do a rewatch, it was such a trippy film I feel like I hardly remember what even happened, but I loved watching it.
Those scenes in FWWM with the family at the dinner table are so upsetting, especially the one directly after BOB came into her room the night before. I really liked Sheryl Lee’s body language in it, very realistic. The scene in the car when the One-Armed Man yells at Leland is insane. I feel like I still don’t fully understand that character, I don’t think he’s evil, right? Like he was once a partner of Bobs and then he was able to break free and help Cooper? He’s one of my favorites in the show.
Yea agreed ! I went to see Inland Empire after a day's work (as tired as you can get from a fake email job, but I'm really low energy in general lol) so I had my guard down and let myself get carried away. While I wouldn't expect any less from David Lynch, it's really commendable how little regard he has for audience expectations and follows his own vision.
I remember from the show that evil forces target people who are already "damned or gifted", so I reckon Leland's own incestual fantasies and general depravity are what lend him to becoming a vessel for BOB. I don't think he is completely evil, but he definitely has a dark side when not being possessed.
Funnily enough, Ray Wise is a recurring character in the TV show Psych, which is mostly fun and lighthearted. There's an episode called "Dual Spires" that's shot with the tone of Twin Peaks with heaps of cast members from it appearing as guest stars.
Regarding your post, I get why you stopped watching the show in the middle of season 2. It really loses some steam and focus after Leland's dealt with, and some plots end up going nowhere at the end of the season. The finale is incredible though and makes it worth pushing through the filler episodes. I'm starting the Return and it's very promising.
Can't comment too much on the Marilyn Monroe angle although I get it, Audrey resembles her the most out of the female cast. Speaking of references the Easy Rider (cocaine in James's bike's tank) and Persona (season 2 episode 5, when Donna recounts her skinny dipping experience with Laura) were really cool.
Oh sorry I actually mean the One Armed Man character, I felt like I couldn’t really suss him out, what his intentions were.
I mostly just feel bad for Leland, ugh that scene when he morphs out of the BOB character while assaulting Laura is really something else.
Evil Does Not Exist. Hamaguchi. Japanese cinema really mogged 2023, Monster by Kore-eda, Perfect Days by Wenders (if that counts), and now this have all been some of my favorites of the past year. In EDNE the slow and long shots coupled with the score made for a great time. My original prediction was that the movie would take on some spiritual/fantasy element in the end, it didn’t. I was happy with the twist and the movie overall.
Red Rocket. Baker. The only other Baker work I had seen was The Florida Project, which I thought was meh. Red Rocket is much better, it’s funny, and Mikey just makes for an entertaining character. What I like that Baker does here is he doesn’t ask anything of us, the watchers, to take a moral decision or provide a morally easy way out so that some characters are more liked.
The Worst Person In the World. Trier. I thought the movie was fine, meh. I was expecting the movie to be more sappy and such, which I was in the mood for. Honestly, the main lady Julie is super hot so it made for an easy watch. I was reading reviews while watching and part of me will never get why so many people insist on always having the main character be some sort of representation of themselves. Funny to think an average Letterboxd user think of themselves when they see this super hot Swedish book worker with a 7ft tall Scandinavian bf. Anyways, the movie got much better as it progressed, especially with Askel at the end.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (incredible, instant classic), Beau Is Afraid (meh)
I saw the TV glow... Theres a scene where the main character is working at a movie theater where he's backlit from a "thank you for watching" screen. I was schocked to realiy that wasn't the end of the film.
Anatomy of a fall: I’m still on the fence if I believe the son’s final testimony or not, that blind psycho nearly killed his dog so all credibility was lost for me. I’m happy the audience never got a straight answer if she’s guilty or not, long term relationships are so deeply personal and dynamic and I think they captured it well.
1670: polish historical comedy on Netflix. Very predictable but the sets and costumes are great. Short episodes, perfect for work week television.
Caravaggio: I just saw his last paintings while I was in London (they were lovely) and watched his movie when we came back. It definitely mythologized his past a bit but I still liked it. His messy life is perfect for film.