Weekly Watches
Hello readers! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and ate tons of delicious food. Colin and I made potatoes and veggie sausage, stuffing, a salad, and sauteed mushrooms all of which was so good. But enough about food, you’re all here for the Weekly Watches. It’s been another week of movies for me and I have a few non-podcast watches to go over.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989): This 1989 indie champion is credited with the spread of the lower budget, DIY, character-focused 90s indie films. It’s easy to see why it took off so quickly, too. Andie MacDowell plays a dissatisfied housewife whose sister and husband are having an affair. James Spader plays a man who is impotent and likes to videotape women talking about sex. The movie is based on the interactions of all four characters and their relationships with each other. It’s an interesting movie for sure, and I definitely recommend it for any lover of indies. I watched it mostly to compare James Spader performances for the article I wrote about Secretary and the next movie on our list….
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015): Ah, the notorious Fifty Shades. The story centers around Anastasia Steele and her relationship with young billionaire Christian Grey. You all know this, everyone knows about this franchise. Honestly, it’s more fun to watch Book Club, the movie that begins with elder housewives who read this book and then Andy Garcia comes in a steals the show, than it is to watch this movie. If you haven’t already you can read the article I wrote about Fifty Shades vs. Secretary here.
The Irishman (2019): Scorsese’s new epic crime story! It tells Frank Sheeran’s account of his involvement with Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance. Some people think that he was lying or misremembering or whatever, and some people believe him. The movie isn’t about the truth of the actually Jimmy Hoffa so much as it is the story of this version of Frank Sheeran reconciling with his past. I wrote a semi-spoiler reaction to it here, and I HIGHLY suggest watching this movie. It’s on Netflix now.
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990): This may a terribly sad film. Juliet Stevenson plays the grieving significant other of the deceased Alan Rickman and is grieving her loss when suddenly his ghost moves into her flat! It’s a real look at grieving and sadness, made especially poignant knowing that Alan Rickman is now gone. (I also need to point out that for a minute her apartment was infested with rats and I never see movie characters have to go through that and since I have struggled with mice before I felt a strange kinship to her.) And, well, though blasphemous to say in Colin and his roommate’s household…it’s better than Ghost. I’M SORRY SWAYZE.
Vernon, Florida (1981): This is a strange little documentary. Basically Errol Morris walked around the odd town of Vernon, Florida and just lets people talk into the camera. Some of the interviewees are an obsessive turkey hunter, a wacky preacher, and an opossum expert. It is a wacky movie and not for everyone but if you find yourself intrigued, it is only about an hour long.
Hunger (2008): Hunger is Steve McQueen’s 2008 film about the harrowing true story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike led by Bobby Sands. The movie is fantastic, I strongly recommend it, however, I also learning about the strike before watching it because it does not give much backstory to the conflict. Also, content warning because it’s a violent and unflinching movie and not at all sugar-coated. (Watch for the 17 minute completely unbroken take if nothing else, though.)
That about wraps up this week’s watches! Hopefully, there is something in that list that you may be interested in and that you give a shot!