I’m sick. I don’t know if it’s a cold, flu, or COVID. I haven’t really gotten sick much in the last few years, only once since quarantine. I can’t tell if it’s really bad, or if I’ve just gotten to be more of a baby. Either way, I’m consuming a lot of DayQuil, and I’m gonna try to push through this round-up. Let’s go.
New from me
I didn’t release any new Fruitless episodes this week. I have everything until the end of February scheduled, but I had to reschedule some stuff for the end of January, so I think January might end up short an episode, but February will have an extra one to make up for it. Sound good? Cool.
Last night I did record a Patreon episode that will be up once I edit it, probably sometime over the weekend. It’s another episode with reoccurring Fruitless guest, Alien, discussing Kissing on the Mouth (2005) and Shortbus (2006).
Speaking of which, let’s talk about film.
Film
Last weekend, I watched a few stand-up specials. The new-ish Nick Mullen one, The Year of the Dragon, which is probably the least offensive Mullen has ever been. There’s still numerous, inexcusable jokes because it is Nick Mullen, but it’s genuinely less mean-spirited than he usually is.
I finally got around to James Acaster’s newer specials, Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 and Make a New Tomorrow. While I think I prefer Repertoire, both are still really excellent. I really like Acaster.
Last weekend, I also watched the new M. Night Shyamalan film, Knock at the Cabin (2023). I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, but I did enjoy the film the whole time. I think I am a bit of a late-career Shyamalan fan which I know is a humiliating position, and yet I think I hold it.
I also watched Timecrimes (2007) which is a lot of fun, and I do recommend it, even if it falls into the whole hard determinism problem that a lot of time travel movies tend to. There’s a degree that the choices of the characters don’t really matter, and that’s all frustrating, but also there’s something satisfying about seeing the symmetry of watching how everything lines up at the end.
I ended the weekend by watching Under the Silver Lake (2018), which is a film I’ve been meaning to get around to forever. I really enjoyed it. If you asked me to tell you what it really is trying to say, I won’t have a good answer for you.
Into the work week, I continued my journey through Noah Baumbach’s filmography with While We’re Young (2014) and Mistress America (2015). These are the films where Baumbach softens a bit. They aren’t nearly as caustic as his previous movies, for better and for worse. I liked both of them, but I don’t think they struck me as hard as his previous stuff.
Lastly, for the Fruitless Patreon, I re-watched Kissing on the Mouth (2005) which is a film I despise, and then watched Shortbus for the first time, which I really enjoyed. The rest of my thoughts will be on that episode.
I also got some exciting new physical media. I got the Diabolik Box Set of the Ormond Family films, From Hollywood to Heaven: The Lost and Saved Films of the Ormond Family. I’m excited to start watching through these. If you’re unfamiliar with Ron Ormond and the Ormond family, the fast version is that they were exploitation filmmakers who converted to fundamentalist evangelical Christianity after a near death experience. They go from making sleazy exploitation films, to explicitly fundamentalist films about the communist takeover of America. They’re incredible. You should be able to find If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? and The Burning Hell on YouTube, if you’re interested.
And, finally, a package from Gold Ninja Video arrived this week. My girlfriend ordered these for me for Christmas, but they got delayed until now. It’s six blu-rays of Motern media films. I’m excited to finally watch some of the films I haven’t been able to see.
Music
I don’t have much to say about music and reading this last week. I’ve been listening to the French band, Indochine, lately, as well as the British band, Talk Show. I recommend both.
Alright. I’m really tired. I’m gonna wrap up. See you all next week.