classic film virgin: Top Gun (1986)
Cold War propaganda that is weirdly apolitical. Sunny, breezy homoeroticism that is surely unintentional. What a hoot this is! Mostly not in a good way, but its impact on pop culture cannot be denied.
Year: 2022
weekend watchlists now free for everyone 30 days after they’re published
Though getting them a month later means you might miss out on last-chance recommended movies that are expiring from the streaming services…
weekend watchlist: a prophetic dystopia (that is also rather comforting)
Plus iconic performances from Jessica Chastain and Bruce Willis. (First published April 15th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.)
loaded question: what episodic stuff are you bingeing, and why should we watch it?
There is simply too much stuff to watch these days! So tell us what you’re watching, and why it’s worth our time (or not).
My So-Called Selfish Life documentary review: TFW you lack that certain “maternal instinct”
Dismantles myths about motherhood and misconceptions about child-free women with brisk, cheeky humor and intersectionality, and begins to build the cultural scripts we need for paths without kids.
loaded question: what entertainment expenses, if any, are you cutting back on in our financially tight times?
Is there anything among your entertainment options (streaming, cinema outings, music, books, whatever) that would be the absolute last to go if money got too tight?
Happening (L’événement) movie review: the history about to repeat itself
An intense, intimate tale of historical illegal abortion, with a central performance of focused terror; a harrowing body horror that looms again. I cannot overstate the absolute urgency of this film.
loaded question: what are your favorite movies that mess with time?
In honor of me being all temporally discombobulated because yesterday was a holiday here in the UK, so even though it’s Tuesday, it feels like Monday.
Downton Abbey: A New Era movie review: should we improve society somewhat, or nah?
Steady your heart palpitations: it’s the same old era for the nicest feudal hangover. The delusional reactionary fantasy of wealth and privilege for some, cheerful servitude for others remains intact.
The Yellow Wallpaper movie review: gaslight but no heat
Stiflingly literal mounting of the classic feminist tale. Flat and stilted, with no cultural context and no visceral insight into its protagonist’s plight, and emptiness where there should be empathy.
