#Frankie Returns To Hollywood

[adspaan]

[major-toast]

The Power Of Love - "What's life without a little Chaos?"

Merry Crisis! I return with a new fic. A gift to the wonderful Cas, aka @my-castles-crumbling , for the @marauderssecretsanta project. This time it's Wolfstar raising Harry Muggle AU, but make it the setting of the coziest of seasons. Therefore you can expect 22k full of fluff, fluff, and - you guessed it - even more fluff. From domestic over to romantic. But, of course, some spice would never miss as well. Inspired by the lovely song 'The Power Of Love' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

(ao3 link right down below)

The Power Of Love // 22k words // Muggle AU

The year is 1984, three years after the accident. To brighten up his spirits, Andromeda has offered Sirius a stay at their family cottage somewhere in the beautiful countryside of Wales. Using this opportunity to escape London’s typical hustle and bustle, especially during the Christmas season, he and Harry soon find themselves surrounded by wide fields of snow, herds of sheep, and the golden lights of a Christmas market. A shame they ran out of milk… or is it, perhaps, a stroke of luck after all?

[bitter69uk]

Recently watched: MaXXXine (2024). Tagline: “She’s gonna be a star no matter what it takes!” MaXXXine, of course, represents the hotly anticipated concluding chapter of the juicy elevated horror trilogy beginning with X (2022) and the prequel Pearl (2022) by director Ti West and leading lady Mia Goth. I’ve been yearning to see this one for what felt like an eternity. Its trailer (soundtracked by the Laura Branigan classic “Self-Control”) was so tantalizing it tormented me! We watched MaXXXine last weekend and it was - OK! I felt like I was willing it to be better. Of the three films, MaXXXine is definitely the slightest and flimsiest entry. Maybe my expectations were unrealistically high and the remarkable Pearl (which I consider a modern masterwork) set an impossibly high bar for this follow-up. Anyway, there is still much to enjoy. Set in 1985 Los Angeles, MaXXXine unfolds against a backdrop of satanic panic paranoia, the rise of Tipper Gore’s censorious Parents Music Resource Centre, Ronald Reagan’s presidency and the Night Stalker’s reign of terror. Goth returns as driven, burning-with-ambition porn starlet Maxine Minx. Now 33, she knows it’s now or never if she’s ever going to transition from skin flicks into legit cinema (well, a low-budget slasher movie entitled Puritan II in this case). “In this industry, women age like bread not wine” she laments. But just as stardom finally seems within Maxine’s grasp, her friends start getting gruesomely picked-off one by one by a serial killer … MaXXXine boasts an authentically scuzzy, grungy discount bin VHS vibe. The soundtrack pumps with 80s tunes (ZZ Top. Frankie Goes to Hollywood. “Obsession” by Animotion. Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.” John Parr’s theme tune to St Elmo’s Fire. And yes, Laura Branigan). Aficionados of 1980s trash cinema will revel in West’s references to the likes of Savage Streets (1984), Brian De Palma’s Body Double (1984), Vice Academy (1989), Angel (1984) and Avenging Angel (1985). Goth is a riveting, singular presence and one of THE great actresses currently working (The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw aptly called her the Judy Garland of horror). MaXXXine is a pulpy, grisly down-and-dirty summer thriller – just don’t expect another Pearl!

[dangan-kagura]

So I just finished playing Shadow Generations, and when I checked out the returning songs from past Sonic games, I couldn’t help but notice that there’s a song missing, “Almost Dead” by Powerman 5000.

Now, it’s not the first time this has happened. The OST for Shadow’s game from 2005 doesn’t have this as well even though the game itself does. Why could that be? Well there’s two possible theories. Now I’m just spitting these out since I don’t spend all my time in the Sonic fandom, so if there is a reason, you can say so.

Theory 1. It probably got removed for a similar reason “Who I Am” by Magna-Fi didn’t make it to the game. Yes, I’ve heard of that song. Although I kinda forgot the reason why that song wasn’t included. Theory 2. The band bought the rights to the song and SEGA doesn’t have permission to use the song again. But that probably isn’t right, overwise the band would’ve released it on one of their albums.

But here’s something to note, this isn’t the only song by Powerman 5000 that’s impossible to find now. The band has a cover of “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood and that cover is also a very rare song to find, rare enough to not be available on music sites like iTunes or Spotify. The cover was originally featured in the film Zoolander, and the cover does have an official music video that stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as their characters from Zoolander. It’s too bad the band doesn’t have something like a compilation album with all their hits and rarities. I like their music, and I want to listen to their rarer songs.

Getting back to Shadow, while I do think it’s great that this new Sonic game is giving Shadow another chance, it’s too bad that not all the songs are returning. But it’s not just “Almost Dead”. Let me just say that I’ve yet to play the main game Sonic Generations, but I couldn’t help but notice that while the game’s soundtrack brings back all the theme songs from past games, notably missing from the soundtrack is “Endless Possibilities” the theme song from Sonic Unleashed. The song is sung by the lead singer from Bowling for Soup, and the song was included in the original Sonic Generations game from 2011. So why did this song not return? The same reason “Almost Dead” didn’t return? No way would Bowling for Soup buy the rights to the song.

The truth is, “Almost Dead” was one of my favorite songs from Shadow’s game, and my GameCube died so I have no way of ever playing it again. YouTube is the only place to listen to this song, but it’s too bad the song isn’t on music sites like Spotify. But I’m sure that there are lots of other rare songs by modern rock bands that are impossible to find on these sites. “With My Mind” by Cold was the theme song for some game from 20 years ago (I apologize for not remembering the name) and that song is also impossible to find, not even on Spotify, and yet it has an official music video with scenes from the game. The reason I like this song is because I remember a flash video on Newgrounds from 2008 that had this song, but of course, flash is dead and I don’t visit Newgrounds at all.

Anyways, this is all I wanted to share. I just find it unfortunate when it comes to liking a song that’s impossible to listen to in my music library.

[justforbooks]

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), also known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, media personality, and actor. His initial fame dates back to 1992 following his guest appearance on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and later on Dre's debut album, The Chronic that same year. Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States, and 35 million albums worldwide. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 17 Grammy Award nominations.

Produced entirely by Dr. Dre, Broadus's debut studio album, Doggystyle (1993) was released by Death Row Records and debuted atop the Billboard 200. Selling 800,000 copies in its first week, the album received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the following year and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice". He was the lead performer on Death Row's soundtrack album for the 1994 short film Murder Was the Case, wherein Broadus made his acting debut. His second album, Tha Doggfather (1996), likewise debuted atop the chart and received double platinum certification.

In 1998, he parted ways with Death Row in favor of Master P's No Limit Records, through which he saw largely continued success with his albums Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). He then signed with Priority, Capitol, and EMI Records to release his sixth album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002), which was further commercially oriented. This effectively continued upon him signing with Geffen Records to release his next three albums: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004), Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006), and Ego Trippin' (2008); the former spawned the single "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), which became his first to peak atop the Billboard Hot 100. He then returned to Priority and Capitol—upon his hiring as chairman of the former label—to release his tenth and eleventh albums, Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), both of which saw mild critical and commercial response.

During this time, Broadus starred in films and hosted several television shows, including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. In 2012, following a trip to Jamaica, Snoop converted to Rastafari and adopted the alias Snoop Lion, under which he released a reggae album, Reincarnated (2013), and a namesake documentary film about his Jamaican experience.

His thirteenth studio album, Bush (2015), was produced entirely by frequent collaborator Pharrell, while his fourteenth studio album, Coolaid (2016), was released the same year as his induction into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2018, Broadus became "a born-again Christian" and released his first gospel album, Bible of Love in March of that year. In November of that year, Broadus was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, Broadus acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group (formerly known as eOne Music), and released his nineteenth studio album, BODR (2022)—preceded by the independently-released I Wanna Thank Me (2019) and From tha Streets 2 tha Suites (2021).

The Washington Post, Billboard, and NME have called him a "West Coast icon"; and Press-Telegram, "an icon of gangsta rap". In 2006, Vibe magazine called him "The King of the West Coast". ABC News journalist Paul Donoughue, cited him among the 1990s acts that took hip-hop into the pop music charts. Broadus received the BMI Icon Award in 2011. In 2023, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Broadus popularized the use of -izzle speak particularly in the pop and hip-hop music industry. A type of infix, it first found popularity when used by Frankie Smith in his 1981 hit song "Double Dutch Bus". The Guardian's Rob Fitzpatrick has credited his album Doggystyle for proving that rappers "could reinvent themselves", expanding rap's vocabulary, changing hip-hop fashions, and helping introduce a hip-hop genre called G-funk to a new generation. The album has been cited as an influence by rapper Kendrick Lamar, while fellow rappers ScHoolboy Q and Maxo Kream have also cited him as an influence.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[mediumstrength]

SXF MANGA REREAD: CHAPTER 1

The conclusion of the second season has left me alone and bereft please join me as I fill the void.

We start with some bitchin spy action

oh shit

Truly the first few chapters are why I think you see so many people upset about the series settling into a slow burn family comedy. You start off with some juicy Hollywood movie shit here. Assassination! Straight off the bat! Cars careening off bridges! Great stuff.

Now, it’s time for a little quick exposition. We got two countries, they don’t like each other, they are using spies, blah blah.

SHODDY WORLDBUILDING:

In Japanese they are straight up written Eastern Country and Western Country (with “Ostania” and “Westalis”) in furigana. Tatsuya Endo, please.

There is one spy who’s the best tho

Here he is!! It’s our boy!!

He’s bamboozled that bad guy out of those silly pictures!! Time to also be mean to the dude’s daughter.

lol what a dick

A NOTE ON FASHION:

“Robert” is not as fashionable as “Loid,” the double breasted suit was already on the way out in the early 60s (The SXF vibe seems to be early 60s? Except when it isn’t?) being replaced by the single breasted suits we generally see him wearing. Edgar also is wearing a double breasted suit, but he doesn’t seem like the type to worry about fashion trends.

Loid however does seem to really care about looking sharp, and I’m proud of him for that. It’s basically his only non spy-related interest. Maybe someday he will have two interests!

Loid gives Karen a new complex, and then waltzes out of her life. Onto the next mission!

SHODDY WORDBUILDING:

Berlint 😂

On the train to Berlint, Loid learns that he has to become a fake dad for silly bullshit reasons that are vital to world peace. This silly bullshit is called Operation Strix, and it is so, so important. The most important mission ever.

I wonder if there’s some significance to the name Strix? It’s a mythological creature, but also a genus of owl. In Japanese it’s written 梟, which literally means owl, so maybe the mythological part is not intended?? I want to know more.

The early art is weird at times

ON THE SPELLING “LOID”:

I hate it.

The real estate guy asks him if he has a girl or a boy, and he says he doesn’t know yet. I feel like I should hate these jokes where Loid says something mind-blowingly suspicious, but I actually love it every time.

Anyhow! On to step two: secure a child.

Tatsuya Endo has a real talents for making just the most detestable jerks. I love to hate you, drunk shitty orphanage guy!

It’s her!! It’s Anya!! The early art is, again, a little weird here.

The absurdly hard crossword puzzle is such a good gag.

Daughter acquired!

ON THE TRANSLATION “PAPA”:

I love it. There’s no real equivalent to “chichi” in English, so they went with something that means dad, but is also a little weird and a little baby talk-y. Perfect. I watched a couple episodes of a fan sub of the anime, and they translated it as “Daddy” which is cute but is simply not weird enough. Anya is a Weird Little Girl.

Anya immediately begins helping, by acting deeply weird and suspicious. We love it.

I love that Spy Wars is just always on somehow.

Onwards! They go out and do some shopping! Anya is a lot! Loid doesn’t understand her! He goes to his local library about it, which is kind of adorable? And gives an early glimpse into a fundamental aspect of his character. With enough information, Loid can accomplish anything. He is certain of this. He has built his whole life around this concept.

LOID HAS NEVER HAD FUN IN HIS LIFE:

You are accidentally playing hide and seek with your daughter somehow, with no idea that it is even happening. Amazing.

Anyhow he finally barricades her in the fucking house lol

It’s Franky!! I love you, Franky.

He tells Loid that his new kid legally does not exist, and has been returned to the orphanage 4 times, and Loid decides not to look further into any of that. Greatest spy in the west.

Meanwhile Anya is causing problems. I love her.

Edgar is back, which doesn’t make sense because the Edgar stuff was happening in another city, but I guess Edgar is just also in Berlint now for some reason.

We get a brief flashback to Anya’s time as an Eleven-style lab rat, which is sad. What does “studying” entail? I think we will all be sad when we find out ☹️

Loid returns and we are treated to a sick. ass. fight. Loid takes a guy out with a can of tuna. He breaks a chair over a dude’s head. I think there was some commentary from Endo (maybe in Eyes Only?) about how using improvised weapons just hits harder. We know more about cans of tuna than guns or whatever. We can imagine what taking a tuna can to the face would feel like.

What a dick.

Anyhow, Loid bamboozles the same guy with the same trick a second time, bravely rescuing Anya, and now it is time for a sad flashback

Don’t cry, little german boy.

Anyhow, the world where kids don’t cry thing should be so corny, but they really pull it off somehow.

For some reason he decides to walk back into danger and beat those guys up?

When did he have time to set these traps??

Sick

Loid kicks everyone’s asses, and then, there’s Anya waiting for him, and she wants to stay with him. This is the moment. This is the moment where he realized, subconsciously, that he loves her. Consciously is still a work in progress. But like, he already cares about her so much. It’s been been like 2 days, and he’s gone from “I hate kids” to “I can’t abandon this little girl who I callously adopted to use for my own purposes”

(…This is the plot of the Despicable Me, isn’t it?)

This little scene on the streetcar warms my heart. Papa is a cool liar.

Ok, jesus christ this chapter is long. I didn’t realize that we also have getting into Eden happening the first chapter??

Anya takes the entrance exam, her cheating plan, as usual, does not really work out, but she does her best and she passes.

Loid experiences a single moment of relief and collapses 😂 The man is so powered by sheer anxiety that his body doesn’t know how to react.

Anya gets the mail, there is a little cute cuddling, and then, the kicker! We need a mama!!

Chapter rating 4/5

A little too much stuff happens in this first chapter, on reread. The streetcar scene is such a logical ending! The Eden test, and then the subsequent complication of needing 2 parents felt tacked on, almost like that should have been padded out a little and made its own chapter, but also I am eager to get to my girl Yor so 🤷‍♀️

Looking back on some of their earlier interactions, Loid has not been thinking through Strix logically from the start. This kid has no birth certificate, and she has been repeatedly returned to the orphanage like a naughty puppy for no obvious reason. She is (allegedly) 6 and she solved a crossword where one of the words was “symplectomorphism” with no adult assistance?? There are some questions he should be asking here, but instead he’s buying her posters and snacks.

He hasn’t had anything to love in so long, you guys. He’s going to love this kid with everything he has, it’s just going to be a long, long time before he understands that it’s love.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 25/05/2024 (Billie Eilish's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT)

Once again, despite hot competition, Sabrina Carpenter sticks to that #1 spot on the UK Singles Chart for a fourth week. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: lesbian sex references, death

Rundown

As always, we start the episode with the notable dropouts, which are songs exiting the UK Top 75 - that’s what I cover on this show - after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. This week, we have quite a few arguably predictable leavers as well as song longer runs. Overall, we bid adieu to, unless I’m missing anything: “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” by Baby Lasagna, “meet the grahams” by Kendrick Lamar, “Cry No More” by Headie One featuring Stormzy and Tay Keith (I expect a resurgence when the album comes), “Push Ups” by Drake, “Never be Lonely” by Jax Jones and Zoe Wees, “Saturn” by SZA and “Whatever She Wants” by Bryson Tiller.

As for our notable gains and returns, we have quite a few in the latter category, with Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” at #75, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers at #72, “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by way too many people back yet again at #64, really a lot of bottom-feeders blossoming pro-Eurovision. There are even more returns though, with Becky Hill seeing both “Outside of Love” at #74 and “Right Here” at #65, as well as a bit of a unique one: the hi-NRG classic “Smalltown Boy”, an anthem of queer persecution and liberation by the somewhat forgotten Bronski Beat is back at #63 - you might know their former lead singer Jimmy Somerville a bit better for his second band The Communards. “Smalltown Boy”, their debut single, peaked at #3 in 1984, blocked from #1 by two just as iconic tracks of the British 80s, “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” by Wham! at #2, and “Two Tribes” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood at #1. It’s returned to low peaks before in 2013, but a viral TikTok dance seems to be what spiked this one up this time around. The band would reach the #3 peak several times again but they did not last past the 1980s. Their last top 40 hit was a 1991 remix of “Smalltown Boy” credited doubly to Bronski Beat and Sommerville, though sampling of the track has also bred some success, particularly in EDM. Of those who sampled it for hits, Real McCoy’s “Automatic Lover (Call for Love)” hit #58 in 1995, Steve Angello and Axwell of Swedish House Mafia hit #13 in 2006 with “Tell Me Why” under the name Supermode and even Killers frontman Brandon Flowers tried his hand with “I Can Change”, reaching #52 in 2015. None of them touch the original’s catharsis.

We also have yet another TikTok viral hit return this week, this one a bit more inexplicable because the song is no way near as iconic or good, but it’s “The Man Who Can’t be Moved” by The Script at #48. Now this one has actually been more of an intermittently successful since it peaked at #2 in 2009 - pipped at the post by Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” - having returned to the charts in every successive year until 2014, even reaching the top 20 again after a performance on The Voice in 2012. I can’t find much concrete on why this is back, there’s less media coverage than Bronski Beat because… well, frankly, it’s just not a very interesting song, is it? The Script tried to sue James Arthur for similarities between this song and his three-week #1 “Say You Won’t Let Go” from 2016, and gained a writing credit, as if they couldn’t easily have been sued by Keane if we’re validating small musical differences as actual plagiarism. The fact that not a single one of those songs is actually good shows you that these guys are fighting in court over scraps of dull piano ballad melodies, it’s really delightful.

Now after that, we have the healthy amount of gains: “greedy” by Tate McRae at #67, “Addicted” by Zerb, The Chainsmokers and Ink at #66, “Miles on It” by Marshmello and Kane Brown at #57 (kill me), “on one tonight” and “one of wun” by Gunna at #52 and #32 (postpone the killing), “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners at #49, “obsessed” by Olivia Rodrigo at #47, “The Door” by Teddy Swims at #45, “The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed and its brand-spanking-new and terrible remix at #39 (Jesus Christ), and finally, a song actually worth being happy for: “Love Me JeJe” by Tems at #36.

The top five on the UK Singles Chart this week starts with “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” by Tommy Richman at #5, “Too Sweet” by Hozier at #4, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey up to #3 and our big story, the highest of Billie Eilish’s three tracks, “LUNCH” at #2. Obviously, “Espresso” is #1, more on Billie later, for now, let’s hear the new entries lower down the rank… or, really, just the one.

New Entries

#62 - “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” - Luke Combs

Produced by Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton and Luke Combs

Yeah, so again, unless I’m really badly missing something, which is possible, we only have one non-Billie debut and it’s from Luke Combs of all people. It’s not even a lead single, it’s just a cut from the soundtrack to an upcoming disaster film Twisters about, well, take a wild guess. Combs provides a heavy country rock rolick with a great lead riff even if a bit too cleanly produced against the drums to hit the exact smoky edge it should. His delivery feels just slightly off - he’s giving it his all, but it doesn’t fully function the melodies, especially the transition between the verses and pre-chorus, and that chorus is awkwardly unresolved-feeling, which absolutely is thematically on point given the natural disaster theme of the film and its use as an analogy in this song. The adrenaline-chaser in Combs gets to shine here and in a pretty simple, relatively heavy track, with an admittedly mostly boring guitar solo, it does its job, I suppose? I’m glad something that sounds like this is charting, and I imagine that build-up to the final chorus and the way it picks up the pace near the end absolutely hits in the context of whatever rural Southern US chase scene it’s used for in the film, but as a separate entity, I’m not really too impressed.

#9 - “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” - Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS

So I haven’t actually listened to the new Billie Eilish album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, yet. I know, I know, I’m a chart reviewer, I should be paying more attention, I should be analysing the intricacies of Ms. Eilish’s new record instead of crying to Black Dresses or listening drunkenly to the new Sexyy Red mixtape - clearly a priority of mine - but that’s just the way it goes, sometimes I’m late to these things, and I won’t be able to fully comprehend these songs within their album’s entire context. It does help, however, that the songs debuting this week come one after the other in the tracklisting. This is the fourth track, “LUNCH” at #2 is the second, so this ship should run quite smoothly. This is a groovy track about everlasting love that seems to preoccupy so much of this lifelong relationship with her inevitable death, which is an interesting approach, especially since it’s almost a given in her lyrics that she’s dying first… or even soon, which makes it a bit harrowing and almost undermines that passion: it’s easier to love until the day you die if you know your death isn’t far away. The subtle wavy synths that decorate the flickering drums take that unique feeling into a slight uncanny valley that the sincerity of the flourishing dream pop guitars can’t really fully mask. Eilish’s performance is gorgeous and really convincingly emotive as always, especially in that second verse and pre-chorus which serve as a reassurance of their love to her partner having doubts. FINNEAS’ production here is absolutely killer in those final moments, with the screech in the right channel firstly adding to the blurry blend of vocal layers before they vanish and it becomes used to pre-empt both flashy synth blasts in the back of the mix and a careening “woo” vocal, I know this is a bit of a nerdy fixation but it really is genius production. I’m sure with the added context of the album’s narrative this hits even harder but even without, it’s fantastic.

#7 - “CHIHIRO” - Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS

The third track on the record is in reference to Studio Ghibli’s classic anime film Spirited Away, and a lot of the content on this track, particularly Billie’s need for her partner to open up to them, an almost desperate need that she feels is suffocating her on the chorus if you take it in combination with the album cover. The No Face spirit wants to be let into the bathhouse by the main character, Chihiro, because of its admiration for her, and the doors of settings in the film overall hold a lot of meaning in regards to how the idea of freedom is approached in the film. This is not a film analysis blog so I will stop there but believe me, Billie and FINNEAS get nerdy songwriting-wise, especially with the “forget my name” motif - listen, it’s a liberal arts student’s dream, truly, but as far as it is sonically, this is also excellent. The murky funk groove leaves itself slightly unresolved-sounding with how bass heavy it is and how the tennis racquet-sounding percussion just flops into the rhythm, with meandering melodic loops and patterns, much of which is Billie’s own vocal improvising, patterned across the track but never leading to a true climax. The refrain where Billie’s voice gets into breathy, back-and-forth territory before landing in a really fantastic vocal performance and harmony that sounds damn impressive, is such a great moment because it comes as a result of such anxiety-inducing detail, yet doesn’t temper any of it - the vocal mixing and layering just gets more complex and echoing after, with glitching, cascading vintage synths arising in the distance over whispery vocals. By the time she’s belting, she’s so drowned out by the synths that it feels like nothing’s changed, she’s still just as muffled. Now I’m not fully convinced on the song once it fully gets into the rhythm of things, I would probably prefer if it ended with the second refrain on a pure sonic level even if narratively, that conclusion is necessary, I just don’t find the military march of the 70s synth anxiety as captivating the second time around. It’s still a brilliantly written and largely well-executed song though, so I can’t complain. Given its length, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the one that gets replaced by a fan favourite in the coming weeks, thanks to the arbitrary three-song stipulation.

#2 - “LUNCH” - Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS

And this is the single, I guess and I think, because from what I’m hearing about the record and the two other songs here, it seems like a smash hit is both hard to find and not in this album’s wheelhouse. This is the most lighthearted of the three, however, and largely because it’s about casual oral sex. Lyrically, it’s pretty straightforward: she has a crush on a friend and wants to turn that friendship into if not fully a relationship, at least allowing for some benefits along the way. Musically, it feels pretty simple too, with its post-punk riffs over a bassy groove and drums that, admittedly, don’t really hit for me, they feel a bit rote and factorial for something so primal and human as… well, eating a girl out, I guess. Unless there’s some kind of industry producing conveyor-belt cunnilingus out there, and if there is, I stand corrected, and where can I email them? Jokes aside, it’s a fun song, not meant to be taken massively seriously, but has a lot of cool atmosphere regardless, a charmingly funny performance from Billie, and the obvious implementation of sensual breathing into the beat is obvious but works. I’m not wowed by it but if this is the single, whilst it’s far from great, it’s probably the only one that’ll work out as an actual pop tune for the summer, so beggars can’t really be choosers. I really need to listen to that album.

Conclusion

Well, there’s not much to choose from, is there? I think all of these songs are at least decent, I’d be insincere giving a Worst of the Week - my least favourite is probably “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”, but it’s not at all by much. Consider that Worst of the Week if you want, but I’d rather say that Billie Eilish, of course, takes both the Honourable Mention for “CHIHIRO” and the absolute Best of the Week for “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”. What a brilliant song. As for what’s on the horizon, PinkPantheress, twenty one pilots and RM of BTS are all lined up to have some chart impact, I’m sure,  but for now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy and I’ll see you next week!

[denimbex1986]

'4.5/5 stars

A poignant film about parents and partners, Andrew Haigh’s All of us Strangers is the most accomplished work of his career so far.

The British director behind Weekend and 45 Years has already proved himself competent in showing the foibles of human relationships, but this London-set drama of isolation is a huge step upwards. Like the high-rise apartment block that Andrew Scott’s character exists in, this film towers over most others this year.

Scott plays Adam, a television screenwriter who lives alone in a newly occupied block. The only other tenant is Harry (Paul Mescal), who makes his presence known one night when he turns up at his door, suggesting they get a drink.

Adam resists, but it’s not long before they fall into each other’s arms. Both single and gay, they are alone and troubled in different ways – in Adam’s case, he is haunted by the death of his parents when he was a child.

It’s here where Haigh takes the film’s greatest risk, as Adam is compelled to revisit the suburban home where he grew up. And it’s here where he encounters his parents, ghosts who are very much as he remembers them from the 1980s.

At first, it seems like he is the much-missed son returning, as his proud mum (Claire Foy) and dad (Jamie Bell) catch up on all his news. But gradually, he has to embrace more uncomfortable topics, such as his sexuality and their mortality.

Haigh mines wry humour from the outdated ’80s attitudes expressed by Adam’s parents, and there are some sweet moments – not least the sight of Scott in child’s pyjamas.

But All of Us Strangers becomes an increasingly devastating experience in the final act. Rarely has a soundtrack choice been more effective than Haigh’s use of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood song “The Power of Love”, which becomes the perfect anthem for his film.

Of course all eyes are on Normal People star Mescal, and once again he is very good – a beguiling combination of warmth and sadness. Bell and Foy also navigate their tricky roles too, but really, this is Scott’s film.

Currently ripping up small screens in Netflix’s Ripley, the actor has never been better than he is here. It’s a commanding, emotionally rich performance in a film that dares to explore love and loneliness at their most raw.

Don’t think of this as a ghost story so much as a heart-shattering melodrama of the mind.'

[lesbianwithchainsaws]

It's been several years since Troy returned from his trip sailing around the world and now he and Abed live in LA together. Their place isn't some huge mansion with a built in movie theatre or anything super impressive and cool. Instead they have a decent apartment and maybe one day they'll get a small house, but even now their place is so unapologetically theirs. Abed's a full time writer/director now. He's not Hollywood big and maybe he never will be, but his films do well with critics and have their own dedicated audience. Some of his work eventually gets more of a cult movie status. And the success is enough for Abed to be happy. Troy does a bunch of different things. He can make money with his repair skills, but he also tries to do so many other things just because he can. On his trip, Troy figured out that he loves just doing whatever sounds fun. It's not just one big thing that makes him himself, it's all these different little things and Troy wants to try everything.

Abed has a whole collection of DVDs that's grown so big they've bought several extra shelves for them. Every time Troy goes out and spots a DVD that they don't yet have, he makes sure to buy it for Abed. And whenever anyone from the study group visits, they bring a DVD with them as a gift. Sometimes they bring a DVD that Troy and Abed already have, but the study group tries their best to find something they don't yet have in their huge collection. Annie one day gifts them a rare Inspector Spacetime DVD collection that was limited edition, and Troy and Abed think she's the coolest person ever.

Neither Troy nor Abed ever outright tell the study group that they've become a couple, but the study group sees it themselves. It's impossible not to see it. There's a bit of a surprise when there's a whole wedding invitation sent their way, but it just makes sense that Troy and Abed are together. The wedding invitation has a few movie references. Jeff is the only one that gets all of them. Frankie doesn't get a single reference. It doesn't matter though, they all attend. They don't see each other as often as they did at Greendale, but things are better. They all still love each other so much

[odysseywritings]

From Xanadu To Kublai Kahn

@flashfictionfridayofficial

The boys were ready to start their summer vacation for a summer to never forget. Three loners throughout most their school life, they've united under a pact to protect themselves from bullies and ostracism. The trio have since shared interests, stories, online game time, and the true and tried practice of sharing uncomfortable facts.

Vince sprung out of bed, equipped a binder, and pumped himself for a set of push-ups. He called Mark, who grumbled over how early it was.

"Christ, man," he brushed his red hair and got in his wheelchair. "We still got hours to prepare. The sun isn't even a ball yet."

"Relax, Marky Mark, nothing wrong with a head start. Didja hear anything from Pete yet?"

"No, but he's always been slow. Give him an hour or else gets all mopey and shit."

Sure as rain, Theo called both on the shared message server exactly on 9:00.

"I have brought all the necessary materials, including an assortment of nonperishable food items and my inhaler. There are a couple of books in my collection that will be saved in case we are stuck without electricity. If I forget anything, I apologize. Otherwise, I will blame you two."

"Thanks for the speech, professor," Mark said. "Vince said he has the coordinates for the GPS and I got a map just in case."

"Excellent. I will reconvene at around 10:15."

The boys had only one driver in the group, and Vince was more than happy to bring his junker to the meeting place. A moving derelict covered in dents, rust, and pieces dangling by a thread that has only survived through pure luck.

"Oh, baby!" Vince yelled out his window. "This beaut can take us across the country and back faster than the Mach 5."

"And deader than the Hindenburg," Mark chided. "Now you're sure this is a real place? I can't find anything about this-"

"Pleasuredome."

"...Yeah, that name doesn't sound real."

"The best things never do! That's why we have to go. The place that makes us MEN. Excitement, riches, and babes."

"I feel," Pete started, "our hubris might lead us to perils that makes us wish to return home. It's a hell of a consternation brewing within."

"So why are you coming then, scaredy cat?"

"This might be one of those cases where the journey leads us to a more metaphysical and intrinsic fulfillment that carnal desires cannot provide." Pete paused and scratched his neck. "I also want to get kissed by a beautiful girl."

"All right," Mark sighed, "enough chit chat. Let's get rolling."

"Hah, humourous, because the car and your wheelchair literally roll."

"Oh, my God."

The gang got in the car and drove out to the path, starting off normal enough onto the highway, and Pete lent Vince a CD out of 12 to get rid of monotony on the road. Vince shrugged and put it in, not a huge fan or hater of most music. It must've been an 80s selection as the first track was Welcome to the Pleasuredome by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

The trio loosened up to the steady, cool bass as they went through a tunnel. There was a yellow sign by it in scratched out wording and an odd human position neither saw before, but they were too distracted by the confident song to care. The tunnel continued to extend as the boys headbanged to the driving drums and slick audio. Something within them was bursting out, something primal and exhilarating, as if their bodies transformed for the gold up ahead. The music swelled and even the grouchy Mark and reserved Pete were moving and smiling. And the vocals pulled their fist pumping eagerness out with a choral, caveman-like,

HOO! HA! HOO-HA!

HOO! HA! HOO-HA!

The boys let the darkness engulf them as the sporadic tunnel lights gave brief highlights of their elated faces. The tunnel nearest the end but there was no light coming out. Mark was the first to be suspicious as he turned around and saw it was dark behind as well. He looked back as Vince exclaimed.

"We're a long way from home, lads! Welcome to..."

The gang was assaulted by a series of neon lights scattered like fireflies on mountains that grew the farther they went. Twisting gold buildings that spiraled, a tower with a leggy blonde's billboard smiling coyly, a manmade ocean supporting a sparkling yacht. And there was still the opulent, white dome in the distance beckoning them.

"The Pleasuredome!"

[scotianostra]

The Scottish actor John Dair was born in Dundee on March 3rd 1933.

Jonh has one big role that defined him, in the classic BBC sitcom Porridge as Harry Grout’s bodyguard Crusher

John was the youngest of four children; two boys and two girls, he spent much of his life in London where in between gigs he worked on building sites as a plant operator.

John was a singer for many years and was performing in The Lyceum Theatre in the Strand in London topping the bill. A BBC producer, Cliff Castle, came backstage after the show to see him and asked him if he had ever thought about doing television work. John thought he was speaking about his voice but it was actually his size! A few weeks later John was in Torquay and when he returned there was a message asking him to get in touch with Cliff, and when he did he asked would he be interested in a part in Porridge, first appearing in the episode The Harder They Fall. He went on to appear in two more episodes most notably in one of the most memorable scenes in the sitcom in which his character displays a "sense of humour failure" when a joke is repeated to him.

In the movie of Porridge John played the same character whose name was inexplicably changed to Samson. Since appearing in Porridge John can be seen popping up in some of the most memorable moments in Film and TV history such as The Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy, Yellowbeard, he also appeared in one of the finest TV Series ever shown Our Friends in the North.

Perhaps John's biggest biggest "small role" in a film was in Batman as crime boss Vinnie Ricorso, who is fatally stabbed in the throat with a quill pen by the Joker.

Jonh's work over the years has been nothing if not varied. For instance, he appeared in Frankie Goes to Hollywood's video of Relax wearing nothing but a leather thong! He also appeared in arguably the most famous advert of the 1980s. In the levi Jeans advert where Nick Camen famously takes off his jeans in the laundrette, the man sitting next to him and .giving him a stare is also played by "Big John".

John was married to Gina on 2nd March 1957 and they had four children and seven grandchildren.

Sadly, John Dair passed away on 25 November 2005 after a two year battle with lung cancer.

[hsmtmtsnet]

“You can’t stay in high school forever,” he told the Post-Gazette in a June interview. “I thought it might be nice to go out on top, on our terms, with complete stories. … It was such a return to East High in every way, and it felt like the cast was graduating.”

Season three ended with the East High drama club gaining some national notoriety due to their participation in a (again, in-show) Disney+ documentary chronicling their summer-camp production of “Frozen: The Musical.” Some of the documentary’s revelations test established relationships, including the bond between Carlos (Frankie A. Rodriguez) and Seb (Bethel Park native Joe Serafini).

It also helped solidify the long-gestating romance between East High drama club standouts Ricky (Joshua Bassett) and Gina (Sofia Wylie). Those two are an official item when season four begins, though they face plenty of tests throughout the season due to their own insecurites, diverging post-high school plans and Hollywood’s siren call.

As examples of how the show’s young cast were clearly ready for life after “HSMTMTS,” Federle cited Bassett’s then-upcoming world tour, Julia Lester (who plays Ashlyn Caswell) joining the cast of Broadway’s “Into the Woods” revival and Wylie’s starring role in the 2022 Netflix film “The School for Good and Evil.” 

“I thought, ‘Let’s wrap this up on our terms and really graduate together,’” Federle said.

Unsurprisingly, season four mostly revolves around the theme of “figuring out the future,” as Federle put it. The teenagers’ stories take up the bulk of season four’s screen time, but they do have to share the spotlight with returning “High School Musical” talent like Lucas Grabeel (Ryan Evans), Corbin Bleu (Chad Danforth), Monique Coleman (Taylor McKessie), Kaycee Stroh (Martha Cox), Bart Johnson (Jack Bolton) and Alyson Reed (Ms. Darbus).

Those folks “slotted in perfectly” with Federle’s grand designs and desire to give the show’s actors and devoted fans “a really nice arc for everybody that pays off.” He especially enjoyed finally getting to map out eight episodes with Ricky and Gina as a full-fledged couple.

“It’s fun to write a no-holds-barred Ricky and Gina season. Even though there are always challenges in high school and exes and the future and anxiety and self-doubt ... it was a blast to finally flex our Rina as a show.”

Just as important to Federle was giving Seblos their time to shine as well. Serafini wasn’t in much of season three, and season four begins with those two trying to weather a rough patch stemming from the distorted way in which the “Frozen” documentary presented Carlos’ summer at Camp Shallow Lake. Don’t worry, Seblos fans: Serafini is around a lot more as Seb and Carlos navigate this messy situation.

“We sort of had a feeling when we were filming season four that it would likely be the last season,” Serafini told the Post-Gazette in June. “It wasn’t too much of a surprise. I think it’s been a great four years and we wrap it up pretty nicely. I’m excited to share it with the world and put a nice close on that chapter.”

Both Serafini and Federle are former Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars who met at the Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater held annually at the Benedum Center. Federle said that Serafini, who was back home last month starring as Jack in Pittsburgh CLO’s “Into the Woods” production, is blessed with “a wildly beautiful voice” and has been “an incredible member” of the “HSMTMTS” family.

“Seb and Carlos have been on a journey,” Federle said. “For a lot of our young audience, it’s the first real representation they’ve seen in the media that reflects them, or certainly on the Disney platform. That has been an honor to do that. ... You can’t do the show without Joe in a meaningful way, and it was so great to get one of Pittsburgh’s finest back on screen.”

Naturally, it’s bittersweet for Federle’s four-year “HSMTMTS” odyssey to be winding down — “with an emphasis on sweet,” he said. As he prepares to step into a future away from East High, Federle is celebrating where he came from by reflecting on how Western Pennsylvania institutions like the Pittsburgh CLO Academy and Center For Theater Arts gave him the skills he needed to thrive in the best part he’s ever known.

“My values are ultimately about trying to be a very fair and kind leader,” he said. “I learned that in Pittsburgh, which I think may be an East Coast city but has a Midwest heart. I think that Midwest heart beats at the center of this series.”

[bitter69uk]

Recently watched: MaXXXine. Tagline: “She’s gonna be a star no matter what it takes!” MaXXXine, of course, represents the hotly anticipated concluding chapter of the juicy elevated horror trilogy beginning with X (2022) and the prequel Pearl (2022) by director Ti West and leading lady Mia Goth. I’ve been yearning to see this one for what felt like an eternity. Its trailer (soundtracked by the Laura Branigan classic “Self-Control”) was so tantalizing it tormented me! We watched MaXXXine last weekend and it was - OK! I felt like I was willing it to be better. Of the three films, MaXXXine is definitely the slightest and flimsiest entry. Maybe my expectations were unrealistically high and the remarkable Pearl (which I consider a modern masterwork) set an impossibly high bar for this follow-up. Anyway, there is still much to enjoy. Set in 1985 Los Angeles, MaXXXine unfolds against a backdrop of satanic panic paranoia, the rise of Tipper Gore’s censorious Parents Music Resource Centre, Ronald Reagan’s presidency and the Night Stalker’s reign of terror. Goth returns as driven, burning-with-ambition porn starlet Maxine Minx. Now 33, she knows it’s now or never if she’s ever going to transition from skin flicks into legit cinema (well, a low-budget slasher movie entitled Puritan II in this case). “In this industry, women age like bread not wine” she laments. But just as stardom finally seems within Maxine’s grasp, her friends start getting gruesomely picked-off one by one by a serial killer … MaXXXine boasts an authentically scuzzy, grungy discount bin VHS vibe. The soundtrack pumps with 80s tunes (ZZ Top. Frankie Goes to Hollywood. “Obsession” by Animotion. Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.” John Parr’s theme tune to St Elmo’s Fire. And yes, Laura Branigan). Aficionados of 1980s trash cinema will revel in West’s references to the likes of Savage Streets (1984), Brian De Palma’s Body Double (1984), Vice Academy (1989), Angel (1984) and Avenging Angel (1985). Goth is a riveting, singular presence and one of THE great actresses currently working (The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw aptly called her the Judy Garland of horror). MaXXXine is a pulpy, grisly down-and-dirty summer thriller – just don’t expect another Pearl!

MAXXXINE

July 5 2024

Dir. TI West

[subjectivecuriosities]

Gremlins 1984

★★★★★

04 Jan 2025

TrashVHS’s review published on Letterboxd:

This review may contain spoilers.

As a kid I was not that aware of most specific directors and in the same way I thought Tim Burton directed The Nightmare Before Christmas I thought Steven Spielberg directed Gremlins. While it is obvious as an adult had I known it was actually Joe Dante who also directed my beloved Small Soldiers (1998) it would have blown my 7 year old mind. Sensibility wise I am more of a Gremlins 2 kinda person but this original film is such a stone cold classic. I have no idea what cultural significance this film has if any for post-milennial generations but this was pretty much the largest entry point into children’s horror, horror comedy, and Christmas horror when I was growing up. I watched Gremlins often as a kid and I can not believe how long it has been since I revisited this masterpiece. 

Similarly to the way Dante directed Piranha in the wake of Jaws, Gremlins managed to inspire an entire subgenre of films that managed to pump out a ton of mischievous miniature monster movies over the next decade and kept alive to this day by Charles Band and dabbled in recently by Steven Kostanski with his love letter to little monster films Frankie Freako.

Unfortunately this film also promoted other imitators of the mystical Asian shopkeeper trope in genre films. My intuition tells me it is likely this trope (including other non-Western cultural stereotypes beyond Asians where a strange foreigner bestows an item or information onto a Westerner) predates the medium of film itself. I actually love both the character of the Grandfather shopkeeper (particularly since he comes back to bookend the film and chastise Norman Rockwell idealized white capitalism) and the performance of that character by Keye Luke but it is fucked up that this stands out as a larger Asian role for Hollywood at the time and would be imitated after along with many other stereotyped fill in the blank roles where you suddenly hear gongs in the background of the scene (which I would guess also predates Gremlins). But hey at least Dick Miller's (We celebrate every Dick Miller appearance in this house and Joe Dante is responsible for a lot of them) xenophobic character gets his (though maybe not enough since he returns for the sequel) along with the police, military, the bank, and other authoritarians who make life in this John Hughs/Chris Columbus/Amblin/Its a Wonderful Life town possible. Even wannabe animal murderer Ruby Deagle gets cartoonishly flung out a second story window via stairlift in a very satisfying scene.

The film has such a fun escalation as we go from a lighthearted Christmas picture, to a cute amblin creature, then straight to not just 1 creature transforming as most films would do but straight to Gremlin'S' plural where we have an entire invasion of the body snatcher takeover. We get to have our cake and eat it too. Not only with having the cute and the scary side simultaneously (Would have worked with the original idea of turning Gizmo into Stripe but I think Spielberg had a great call with keeping Gizmo the whole film through) but also the way the film embraces restraint by slowly revealing the hatched gremlins while embracing excess because once they are revealed it is nonstop chaos and the number of Gremlins just keeps growing and growing. I tend more toward the excess side of preferences in film but it is fun to have both in one movie and no doubt part of the secret sauce that made this film so popular across the board. Like Beetlejuice this is one of those rare weirdo pop culture things that for whatever reason the normies embraced and I can talk to just about anyone over a certain age about knowing they have probably seen it or are at least familiar with it. 

Joe Dante is someone who beyond being a filmmaker is a lover of film and is unapologetic about the films and tropes they have a warm affection for and often holds no punches toward the films they do not and that aspect of his personality shines through in the way this film balances the sentimental and zany with the more cynical and uncompromising elements both of which are held together by anarchistic joy and humor. Dante never seems to care if something is conventional, corny, cool, popular, or motivated solely by profit only concerned with if it brings him joy and his films are better for it. Truly one of the great American filmmakers and I do not hear that expressed often enough. 

Another great thing about Dante’s films, including Gremlins, is casting. Not gonna go through everyone in the film (Not a bad performance in the film) but a few interesting highlights. Phoebe Cates (and the honorable Judge Reinhold!) back from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, gives a super sweet performance. The way she delivers the dead Santa dad is simultaneously so sad and so fucking funny. Glad the horror genre comes through once again and gives Cates’ character Kate a chance to be a badass fighting gremlins. Same goes for Frances Lee McCain as Lynn Peltzer (Billy’s Mom) a housewife who I think gets more on screen kills in this film than any other individual character. You do not have to check your calendar you know it is the 1980s because Corey Feldman is here (and in every other film). I did not even recognize Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul) in this as a shithead cop. There are some wild cameos in this as well; there is Steven Spielberg zooming by, composer Jerry Goldsmith (Love the Gremlins theme also idk who recorded it but I loved hearing slowed down sinister Silent Night), Chuck Jones (fucking seriously THE Chuck Jones?!) as well as a bunch of other voice actors with heavy hitter character credits who lend their voices to the film, Michael Winslow the sound effects king, Frank Welker who did the voice of every great animal and a million other things, and if that is not enough Robbie The Robot from Forbidden Planet is making collect calls. Also until recent years I had no idea Howie Mandel was the voice of Gizmo. Don’t sleep on Howie Mandel by the way he is not just the bald OCD germaphobe (The triggering incident is absolutely terrifying btw) guy on deal or no deal his stand up specials are great and he played Maurice in Little Monsters. 

But anyone who frequents my reviews know why I would be drawn to a film like this and what I actually care about and that is watching funny little monsters run around and commit crimes and hang out. At some point this film becomes a live action cartoon and I mean that in the best way possible. I would have been fine if the film was just 106 minutes of the Gremlins terrorizing the town in mass but as the film stands we get one hell of a satisfying third act crescendo with plenty of Gizmo cuteness to carry us through the first half of the film. Not to mention all the goofy inventions from Billy’s Dad.

There is an abundance of entertaining practical creature visuals (Nearly all of which still look perfect) including:

Gizmo singing, getting hung up on a dart board, saving the day in a Pink Convertible toy, and just being all around adorable. It is wild how blatantly Furby ripped off Gremlins which is why I am a fan of both. 

Mogwai puking, playing trumpet, playing Donkey Kong handheld, stringing poor Barney (played by Mushroom the dog) up with Christmas lights in the freezing cold, and a grotesque scene that felt like I was watching Tim & Eric where the Mogwai feast on leftover chicken presented in beautiful misophonia triggering surround sound audio cringe. 

The real fun begins after the gremlins hatch from their pods. These gremlins play a record, pull the fire alarm, camouflage themselves with then jump out of the Christmas tree, eat glass, steal a tractor and drive it through a house, attack a mail drop off from inside the blue box, sabotage stop lights to cause car wrecks, go Christmas caroling, attack Santa, flip over a cop car, attempt to kill the DJ live on air. Then it is over to the old dive bar to smoke, drink, play poker, more arcade game playing, a trenchcoat flasher, wielding pistols, playing jazz, hand puppets, bonk on the head with a mallet, Flash Dance parody, sticking finger in the a broken lightbulb socket, ski mask, then it is back into the streets to riot some more. At some point in a deleted scene they kill Billy’s boss at the bank. Then we move it on over to the movie theater (same one from Back To The Future) for a showing of Snow White and The Seven Dwarves. Most new films released in our current era feel to me like they are doing the bare minimum but this theater feels like they went above and beyond (even if some of the puppets dont move lol) because they fill this theater to capacity with gremlins. They are eating popcorn in their theater seats and bouncing around the projection booth having the time of their lives watching the movie within the movie until there is a malfunction and they see Billy & Kates shadows behind the screen and shred it to pieces. But they get out and their DIY gas bomb goes off killing all the gremlins inside. 

Then they realize Stripes (It really is amazing how perfectly this film both parodies capitalism and is built for it tell me that is not an action figure name/design) the leader who previously jumped in a pool at the YMCA spawning all of these possessed offspring escaped the theater fireball because they were across the street looting the department store for candy. If the theater was not enough we get one more dose of mayhem as Stripes skateboards, puts himself on TV, hides behind an ET plushie, and squares off with Billy using a crossbow, handgun, and even a chainsaw! Stripes is exposed to sunlight and their flesh rots off, then they turn into a skeleton, then their skeleton melts into a sludge and disappears.

I know they say Stripes is the leader potentially implying that if you kill them all the others die but on the radio the DJ says the military is gonna turn the hoses on them so if that kill the leader thing is not true and there were any gremlins away from the theater to spray then the war against this invasive species only just begun. 

Green blood (a staple of PG13 films which Gremlins is a grandfather of) does not work for every film but it works great in this film. Most of the Gremlins die in the theater explosion or off screen but there are a few fun Gremlin kills including; a couple of stabbings, Gremlin in a microwave, food processor (where we get to see the green blood), flung into a fireplace via sword, and head trauma via car hood. 

Have I mentioned this film fucking rules? I love that when the water spills on Gizmo the first time the camera angle goes from normal immediately to a dutch angle. I love the complete lack of an attempt to address the logic behind all the gremlins having themed outfits and tiny weapons. Love how each act is basically set by another film playing on a TV screen; It’s A Wonderful Life (1946), Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1956), and To Please a Lady (1960). Love that a character does shifty eyes and in another scene there is the cartoon head trauma dizzy sound effect. Love all the playful references to Spielberg including the gremlins saying ‘milk duds’ in what has to be a reeses pieces ET joke right? Featuring a Gremlin model car and the joke with the Time Machine at the inventors convention is just next level insanity. Cool matte painting near the end of the film. 

Next time I wont wait so long before a rewatch. 

Five stars out of five.

[laresearchette]

Thursday, January 02, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: VERA (BritBox) HELL’S KITCHEN (CTV) 8:00pm EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (Home Network) 8:00pm BAMA RUSH (TLC Canada) 8:00pm ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (Season 2 Premiere) (CTV) 9:00pm FUGITIVE HUNTERS MEXICO (A&E Canada) 10:00pm SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY (Slice) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: ANIMAL CONTROL (FOX Feed) GOING DUTCH (FOX Feed) LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH (Premiering on January 7 on Showcase) SWAMP PEOPLE (Premiering on January 9 on History Channel Canada at 10:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA AMERICAN HUSTLE THE BROTHERS GRIMM BULLET TO THE HEAD DEAR FRANKIE THE DUFF THE EAGLE EQUILIBRIUM THE FAMILY PIRATE RADIO THE RIG (Season 2) THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE VALÉRIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS

CBC GEM THE NATURE OF THINGS: TEENAGER

CRAVE TV DUNE (1984)

NETFLIX CANADA CUNK ON LIFE (GB) STRANDED WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW (BZ) (Season 2)

2025 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY (TSN4) 11:00am: Relegation - TBD vs. TBD (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 12:00pm: Quarterfinal - TBD vs. TBD (TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 2:30pm: Quarterfinal - TBD vs. TBD (TSN) 5:00pm: Quarterfinal - TBD vs. TBD (TSN/TSN4) 7:30pm: Quarterfinal - TBD vs. TBD

NHL HOCKEY (SNEast/SNPacific) 7:00pm: Bruins vs. Rangers (SNOntario) 7:30pm: Leafs vs. Islanders (TSN3) 8:00pm: Ducks vs. Jets (TSN5) 8:00pm: Sens vs. Stars (SNWest) 9:00pm: Utah vs. Flames (SNPacific) 10;00pm: Canucks vs. Kraken (SNEast/SN360) 10:00pm: Flyers vs. Knights

PWHL HOCKEY (TSN2) 7:30pm: Fleet vs. Frost

NBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 7:30pm: Celtics vs. Timberwolves (SN Now) 8:00pm: Clippers vs. Thunder (SN1) 10:00pm: 76ers vs. Warriors

DRAGONS’ DEN (CBC) 8:00pm: Budding entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to wealthy investors.

THE NATURE OF THINGS (CBC) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Teenager: Teenager tears down the stereotypes about teenage behaviour to explore adolescence as a distinct and crucial stage of development that shapes who we become for the rest of our lives. Guided by new brain science, Teenager paints a rich, nuanced portrait of adolescent life, for both humans and other animals, to better understand this dramatic and mysterious phase of life in all living things.

HONEST RENOVATIONS (Home Network) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): John and Elliana are struggling to make their small home work for their suddenly expanded family; with four kids, space is at a premium, and the family's living area is bursting at the seams; Jessica and Lizzy create a stunning outdoor area.

CHASING FLAVOR (Flavour Network) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Ice Cream: Chef and best-selling cookbook author Carla Hall travels the world to pinpoint the origins of ice cream.

*NEW NETWORK NAME ALERT THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER MURDER PLOT (Oxygen Canada (formerly Investigation Discovery)) 9:00pm: In 1991, Wanda Holloway was arrested for trying to hire a hit man to kill her daughter Shanna's cheerleading rival so that Shanna could get a place on the team; now, Shanna reveals the truth behind what happened for the first time.

CANADA'S DRAG RACE (Crave 2) 9:00pm: The queens are tasked with the most ambitious design challenge ever.

FUNNY WOMAN (W Network) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): When her new sitcom flops, Sophie Straw meets a suave Hollywood agent who offers her a big opportunity.

PAMELA'S GARDEN OF EDEN (Home Network) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Pamela Anderson leaves her Hollywood life behind, returns to her roots on the coast of Vancouver Island, and embarks on a massive restoration of her grandmother's legacy property.

CANADIAN REFLECTIONS (CBC) 11:30pm: This is Not About Swimming; Wok Hei