Ryan McNeil
So, how’s your summer been treating you?
There’s been so many great films out there to see, and seemingly just as much great TV, hasn’t there? It’s almost enough to make one escape from real world chaos. Almost.
There’s been a lot of everything for me over the last six weeks; a lot of movies, a lot TV, a lot of music, a lot of books (of course) and a lot of friends. That’s what summer is for, isn’t it? Getting out of our little caves and soaking up some culture and some content?
Movie-wise, it’s been a little bit of everything. Some blockbusters (of course), some glorious art house selections, some rep screenings.
By far the highlight of the month where experiences are concerned was catching a screening of the complete 2010 Canal miniseries from Olivier Assayas, “Carlos”. TIFF has been doing an Assayas retrospective, and part of the festivities was a showing of the television event in one long go on a Sunday evening. We got intermissions (mercifully), but even with those, this was a six-hour stint at a cinema. That probably seems bananas to some, but let me ask you this; if you could see this entire season of Game of Thrones in a big screen/big sound environment, would you do it?
What about season three of The Leftovers?
Yeah, I thought so.This is the sort if event that really shows off how cinematic TV has become, and the sort of thing that doesn’t usually happen outside of a festival atmosphere.
Beyond that, it really has been a joy to see what late summer has brought us. All of those indie darlings that I was waiting for through May and June? They all arrived at once, backed by some fun summer sounds and sunshine.
The irony is that I want to talk about more of the joys this summer has brought us, but I need to get ready to go enjoy more of it! So let me know what you’ve been watching, and how your summer has been going.
Here’s the month or so at hand…
Screenings
DUNKIRK – I’m beginning to believe that no modern director understands scale better than Nolan.
ATOMIC BLONDE – The action genre needs more Theron.
A GHOST STORY – Yeah, it slayed me.
LADY MACBETH – I feel like this movie is going to stick with me as the year goes on.
CARLOS – Six hours doesn’t seem so bad.
DETROIT – The day of Charlottesville? This was the first movie I happened to watch.
LOGAN LUCKY – More to say about this one soon.
Streaming/Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
SHAMPOO – I had to do some reading on this one. Didn’t much care for it, but at least now I get it
MISS JULIE – Had a discussion this week about the fimography of Jessica Chastain. Right now, she plays; I go.
SULLY – Why-oh-why did I ever go back to the work of Clint?
THE LADYKILLERS (1955) – Just keep me away from the bridge, okay?
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME – Glad y’all are having fun with this show…I still don’t get it
DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS – I’m not going to stop missing him anytime soon, am I?
HANDSOME DEVIL – Same director as THE STAG. I’m loving his work.
SUPERNOVA – Remember when Oasis was the biggest band in the world?
THE FOUNDER – I will never understand why we’re supposed to care about this asshole.
COVER GIRL – Pretty neat Gene Kelly classic.
THE SEA OF TREES – Poking around through A24 movies. This one is spotty, but I dug it.
SING! – Turned into a McConaughey double feature
LOVE NEST –Cute classic movie about a couple that buy a New York rat trap.
Streaming/Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Seen Before
BACK TO THE FUTURE – Came home from A GHOST STORY and needed some comfort food.
12 YEARS A SLAVE – This movie still gets me.
INSIDE MAN – Oh Spike…come back to us.
ALI – Read a book on Ali and Malcolm, so a revisit was in order
LOOPER – Is The Last Jedi ready yet?
BACK TO THE FUTURE II – I mean, if you start…
BACK TO THE FUTURE III – …you gotta finish, right?
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS – That little “something missing” when I first saw it? I don’t miss it anymore. This film is stunning.
THE LOST BOYS – You’re eating maggots, Michael.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Still not the next coming of CITIZEN KANE.
AMERICAN HISTORY X – The day of Charlottesville? This was the second movie I happened to watch.
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY – Every rewatch endears me to this film more and more
DAVE CHAPPELLE’S BLOCK PARTY – Man, did this ever seem like a fun time.
THE KILLING – For podcasting purposes. Stay tuned.
BULLIT – One of my dad’s all-time favorites.
Boxscore for The Year
137 First-Timers, 64 Re-Watched
41 Screenings
1201 Movies in Total
How’s about you – seen anything good?