This month we’ve been out to the Volksfest (three times), the Patchworkmesse, a Hopfazupfa, and a couple of day trips, but there was still a lot of sitting on the couch under the cat.
Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
Prime, original English
The only time Mr Radish* laughed was when Mozart called Hendrix a “geiler Sau“, but it was what I expected from a “Gen X in middle age” sequel–all the important characters, all the familiar jokes–and I laughed often. Bonus cool points for Ted playing the Theramin. Stick around for the post-credits scene. Most definitely non-heinous.
*Also he’d forgotten the jokes from the second film, but that’s his own fault for not watching it with me back in April.
Kaiserschmarrndrama (2021)
ARD Mediathek, original Niederbayerisch with German subtitles
Yes, I saw it in a Kino last year, but I am a completist and I had 90 minutes to kill. I actually like it better now, after seeing all the earlier films in July (and because I was prepared for the death of the beloved character).
I still haven’t seen the latest movie.
47 Ronin (2013)
Cable, original
Keanu Month. This movie was beautifully filmed, an absolute visual masterpiece, but so sad I can never see it again.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Cable, original English
Another classic checked off, but I didn’t really get into it. I caught myself watching the play of the shadows instead of listening to the dialog. In general I like noir; this one just didn’t work for me. Possibly forty years of cites, references, parodies, and praise left me with greater expectations than it warranted.
The Unforgiven (1960)
NDR, Deutsch
Beautifully filmed landscapes and an all-star cast, and yet unenjoyable. You expect characters to grow and change during the story, but too many did complete 180 turns on a dime. Words You Can’t Say These Days were used. Then, after learning she was adopted, Burt Lancaster’s character slipped his little sister the tongue. DUDE.
Sometimes you take a chance and it doesn’t pay off.
Kunsten å tenke negativt (2006)
Netflix, original Norwegian with English subtitles
The Art of Negative Thinking. Dude who was paralyzed in an accident blows up a local support group for suddenly-disabled people when forced by his wife to participate (confusingly, the subtitles called her his girlfriend even though there was wedding video footage). Another European “comedy” centered around attempted suicide and abusive relationships (here I include the group’s able-bodied moderator, who was milking them for book fodder…). Anyway–no spoiler, it’s kind of in the title–a night of getting drunk and screaming at each other helped the group’s members more than months of touchy-feely therapeutic crap.
I…it wasn’t *bad*. But it was a Pretentious Scandi Art House Film/Raunchy Bro Jokes Mashup and I find this combination off-putting.
Monkey Business (1931)
Cable, Deutsch
I missed most of Groucho’s jokes because he talked too fast for me to translate in my head, but I enjoyed all the slapstick (and of course the sets and costumes).
The In-Laws (1979)
Cable, original English
Completely random late-night comedy-action movie that turned out to be quite funny. Alan Arkin is a staid dentist, Peter Falk is a schizoid CIA spook who gets him involved in a complicated federal crime that may or may not be a real mission.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Cable, original English
Keanu Month continues. This movie was terrible. TERRIBLE. BUT: James Hong. Over 450 acting and voice credits. A hundred sit-coms and hour-long dramas you know, and a hundred more you don’t. Kung Fu Panda. I recognized his name in the opening credits because I had just seen him in The In-Laws, and his face from the X-Files episode with BD Wong…
Forget James Dean. James Hong.
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