Went and saw Turn Me On, Dammit one more time before it leaves the Bay Area. Today is the last day here for it. The film (print I watched?) goes to Los Angeles now. Farewell.
The film was even more moving, lovely, wry, and wonderful than it was the first time. And, this time I noticed the original score a good deal more, and how witty and perfect it is for the story and the little Norwegian town it comments on.
I felt so elated and fresh and special walking past City Hall on the way to BART. I did not even listen to my iPod on the way home, read my excellent Ava Gardner book on the train, as I watched children play and talk. One of the children was named Ava. Was she named after Ms Gardner? They all got off at my same stop.
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Watched The Newsroom finally upon getting home. It was a let-down. I will keep watching it, but it is not likely to become a huge cult, obsessive thing with me. Too treacly. Too sweet. Not cynical or mean
enough,
Charlie Pierce nailed it in his review of it. The best thing about it is seeing Sam Waterston's character permanently swacked on Scotch in every scene. The walk and talks are all over the place, and still pretty frickin annoying.
I love FDR just about as much as anybody else does, but the sermonizing on the Old Great America, plus overlaid with a fruity annoying string score, is going to get old really quick. Actually already has.
Still, nice to see Allison Pill.
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But then it was back to a magical dreamy Summer of Young Love clutch of time. Sweetie asleep on my lap, running my hands through her hair as I watched Submarine.
Submarine was written and directed by "Moss" from The IT Crowd (and his co-star there, Chris O'Dowd, gets a special thanks in the credits), Richard Ayoade. The film is based on a Welsh coming of age novel that I will be purchasing soon.
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| Richard Ayoade. Looking forward to his new career as writer/director. |
The film for all its bittersweet perfectness is insanely derivative. Notably Harold and Maude (just released on bluray by Criterion!) and Wes Anderson's films. And, of course, Anderson practically owes a good portion of his career to Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude.
(Hey, Wes! I love love love
love Moonrise Kingdom, but maybe you should try to make a film like Ashby's
Shampoo? That could be dynamite.)
Anyhoo, Submarine is a cult film supreme, full of amazing dialogue, and young love run riot; beautiful scenes of our heroes setting fires, blasting off fireworks, and kissing while taking polaroids. There is a great deal of pain, as well, though; bullying, death, cheating, lying, spying, desperate adult melancholy that paralyzes, and the arresting youthful fear of surrendering to love.
Alex Turner contributed six of the most gorgeous songs to Submarine. And I have been absolutely
consumed, colonized, and conquered by one of them, Piledriver Waltz.
Plus, Sally Hawkins plays Oliver's Mum.
Crazily highly recommended. Submarine is streaming on Netflix.
Inventory Thursday.
Was going to write something about SCOTUS here but I am thinking better of it, I would rather think on Jordana and Oliver and those nervous scary moments of seduction and surrender, those polaroids, the flash, the fireworks, the fire.
Pride Kills, brothers and sisters. It is scary, I know, but my advice to you is, get in touch with it, get out on that limb, and fear not love. There are worlds and worlds out there, a million doors, open them all.
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| Yasmin Paige, born in London, England, UK. |
Michael
