four weeks in movies (3/25-04/20)

Boy, oh boy, I had a crazy couple of weeks. It is flu, cold, and (for those of us in college) panic attack season. I think I was able to relax maybe twice this whole time. My hell cycle of irrational fears consisted of moments of the familiar mortality fare, anchored by a I'm Never Gonna Graduate From College anxiety, and accompanied by a spicy new bout of hypochondria.

This was an especially strong and heavy freak-out. Its not a new low, but its definitely a sign that Shit Needs To Change.

So with that, here's my last four weeks of movies.


3/25/08-04/20/08


A Scanner Darkly, with commentary by Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Jonathan Lethem, Producer Tommy Pallotta and PKD's daughter Isa Dick Hackett (2006, D. Linklater, dvd) - 8
A film professor of mine noted that a mistake a lot of film students make is use interviews or commentary by the Director for their papers. She's convinced that since filmmakers are primarily visual artists, they're not going to really clarify anything--in fact they're the worst people to ask. If there's someone who sees the movie different from the rest of the world, its the one behind it all.

Thats where Jonathan Lethem came in. He finished every sentence and wrapped up PKD's ideas that were hanging in the film and at the tip of everyone's tongues. I think this is the place to go with extra features (And speaking of professors, SF State Prof. Joseph McBride recently provided commentary for films in the John Ford Film Collection dvd set). Its nice to hear the filmmakers, but why not an expert?


Cars (2006, D. John Lasseter/Joe Ranft, dvd) - 5
One of the only Pixar movies where the marketing and merch matches the movie. It was OK.


Vertigo (1958, D. Alfred Hitchcock, Castro Theatre, 70mm) - 9
A first time at the Castro. Since seeing it three weeks ago I've been spotting all the landmarks around town. I love San Francisco..


The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974, D. Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr, download) - 7
I recently joined a torrent site that is pretty much the best obscure film resource around. Its invite-only but isn't terribly hard to join. You just have to have the bandwidth to share.

I've downloaded a few movies but I just can't get myself to watch any of them on my laptop. The screen is too small and too close, and the sound is way too low. I think David Lynch has something to do with this:



Many of the movies that I've pulled from KaraGarga have been ones that require a bigger screen anyway. But this one finally took my KG virginity.

Ironically enough this one isn't too obscure. It has played every Christmas since the initial premiere in 1974. Rankin/Bass' style of stop-motion is just creepy enough to make me enjoy Christmas in March. Apparently NBC recently made a live-action version. That stinks of bullshit.


Run Fatboy Run (2008, D. David Schwimmer, Bridge Theatre, 35mm) - 8
I'd like to nominate Simon Pegg as the most adorable everyman ever. Screw Tom Hanks.


Annie Hall (2008, D. Woody Allen, Castro, 35mm) - 10
I loved loved loved this movie. I was deep in panic attack mode and realized that there's someone just as worried about the expanding universe as much as I am.

I caught it for the first time ever at the Castro. I almost didn't go see it. What a mistake that would have been. More Woody Allen in my queue.


The Other Cinema: OPTRONICA (2008, with "Plasma Wielder" Performed by Nate Boyce/Wobbly, Artists Television Access) - 9
Artists Television Access (ATA) has been in the Mission District for 20-25 years. Its a very important place for local film and video artists and has screenings nearly every other day. Yet, this was the first show I'd ever attended. What the hell, Omar.

The Other Cinema provided with exactly what I was wanting from ATA. The highlight was a live cinema show with video and audio synthesizers. God damn am I happy to have been there.

I came really really close to figuring out what the hell was going on. I've spent a lot of time with analog equipment at Woodland's old cable access station, the WAVE, but this show was way hardcore.

Ungrounded cables everywhere. Several keyboards. A couple of mixers.

Bad. Ass.


Robocop (1987, D. Paul Verhoeven, Castro, 35mm) - 7
There's no words for the shock of when I realized that I was really turned off by the violence in this film. I went home, took a deep breath, made some chill tea and really started sorting things out. Never again.


The Terminator (1984, D. James Cameron, Castro, 35mm) - 7
Not as violent. Pretty much the fantasy that every nerd will explore at some point in his life. It comes from feeling different and small. In junior high I used to tell my crushes that I was a hacker. Why not? I was always on the computer.

From there its only a few thousand steps to, "Listen! I'm a man from the future. And you, Linda Hamilton, are the key to our survival. Come with me if you want to live!"


Raging Bull (1980, D. Martin Scorsese, Castro, 35mm) - 7
I waited a year and half to see this movie after my boss Roger told me to wait for it at the Castro. It was definitely worth it. Still, I'm not sure if I would have cared as much if I had seen it on a television. I'm just not really into all of the film school favorites.


Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008, D. Nicholas Stoller, Balboa Theatre, 35mm) - 9
I first saw Jason Segel in a high school favorite of mine, James Merendino's SLC Punk! (1998). A movie that is so-not-punk for the punk-as-fuck but pretty entertaining for suburban kids in boring towns. Segel was an 18-year-old punker kid that breaks out of a cop car by kicking out the back window. Yeah! SLC starred Matthew Lillard, with other small roles by Devon Sawa and James Duval. Perfect Storm anyone?

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a breakup story that is spot-friggin-on. Let me tell you from a man that's had experience. I left the theatre feeling hella renewed and definitely missing Hawai'i. Thank you, Judd Apatow and friends. Its been a long week.


Conan The Barbarian (1982, D. John Milius, Clay Theatre, 35mm) - 6
This movie was a little slow for a midnight show. Most people seemed pretty satisfied but I just kept nodding off. The movie is a collage of shots of Arnold holding swords and looking cool. It kind of felt like reading one of those dramatizations of the script with the glossy pictures fit in the middle.