#rewatched it a few months ago with another film major and she made some great observations abt like. how it was shot

[mrsmiroir]

omg i have free time i can edit my longinus film paper.

[artificialqueens]

What’s going on with you two? (Vahli) Chapter 1 - Delia555

So, I wrote this because I rewatched Dragula s2 for the billionth time, and my brain refused to let me ignore how Victoria and Dahli had such a cute connection on the show, so this this was something totally different for me to write. Please tell me if you like it, and I’ll gladly continue with this story. ღ ღ

Trigger warnings include: Mentions of death, very mild mention of a suicidal mentality ((not really worth saying, but I’d rather ensure you’re all aware! ღ ))  

A/N: This is set during Dragula and to clear up any confusion you could have later, on a whim I decided that the exterminations were legitimate and the contestants sign up for the show, taking the risk of possibly dying. It’s dark! But the next drag Supermonster surely has to be able to risk it all for the crown?

****I’m fairly certain I’ll be only providing Dragula content, and am always up for any requests****

——

The floor show had ended a few hours ago, and it was announced that 6 of the contestants were officially up for extermination. They’d have to face off in a paintball battle, where two girls at a time would have a one vs one fight to the death. The girl with the most hits, or ones in the more critical of places, would therefore lose and risk extermination. 

This week, Victoria and her Fortune-telling character has scored her, her very first win so far. She was ecstatic, and calmed at the knowledge of Dahli and Abhora being safe from extermination alongside herself. The three girls got a perfect view of all the action to come, a decent distance away but close enough to feel entirely engaged. 

For the final face off, Biqtch Puddin and Monikkie Shame has been paired up against each other; a splendid yet typical gag thanks to their recent arguments. Biqtch had waited for Monikkie to run out of shots before she even fired her first, and managed to shoot her in the mouth while the splats on herself remained exclusively on her back and in no particularly critical spots. 

Abhora began to laugh maniacally at the drama unfolding before her very eyes. Victoria and Dahli could barely contain themselves at the sight of everyone, it was hilarious. Abhora seemed to be losing her shit, and Monikkie seemed to just be…losing. Victoria grabbed onto Dahli’s arm for support during her own uncontrollable fit of laughter, and she felt Dahli half-heartedly ease her back with her hand through giggles; resulting in an overwhelming chill rushing all the way down her back at a rapid rate. 

The sensation distracted her from whatever had been so funny to her before, and she simply brought her head up to look into Dahli’s eyes that were now disguised by white contacts. Dahli paused the movements with her hand on Victoria’s back, to see the girl beneath her stiffen at the loss of contact, and doubt flooding her mind. 

All Dahli responded with was another one of her smirks of pride, and she took Victoria’s hand, guiding Victoria’s body back up from its awkward position where she’d been half-bent over. Victoria felt her heart thumping aggressively against her chest, and she struggled to maintain self-control despite the cameras surrounding them and knowing better. 

——

When the cameras cut and filming had been declared wrapped up, Victoria and Dahli hadn’t exchanged many words, neither of them quite certain whether to mention earlier. 

Today had genuinely been great, Victoria had achieved her first win, laughed more than she had in months, and seen a different side to Dahli than previously. Victoria found Dahli easiest to relate to out of all the other contestants, she always maintained her chill and today proved she could somehow manage to keep Victoria on her toes - regardless of how much of a control freak Victoria was. 

Victoria couldn’t tell you what she was doing when she accepted Dahli’s invitation to crash in her hotel room that night. It was no big fuss, and it didn’t need to become one. Victoria had a budding friendship with Dahli and she assured herself she had no justifiable reason to turn down the casual offer. 

The time had just passed 10 pm, and it’d been dark out for hours at this point. Sometimes Victoria got lost in the night’s sky, it sounded cliche and poetic but it proved true from since she was only a young girl. Street lamps and occasional store-lights were the only thing illuminating the space surrounding the two as they stepped out from the Uber. Dahli tipped the driver and walked round the car over to Victoria, acknowledging how at ease she seemed in comparison to earlier. Dimmed orange lights bounced off her soft bare skin, and her grey curls were now distressed as they hang loosely after being securely hidden for the majority of the day. She took in the beautiful sight of Victoria, leaning back against the street lamp and pressing another cigarette to her lips, wasting no time in lighting it. 

“That didn’t take as long as earlier.” Victoria pointed out, giving a pressing look and taking a few steps closer to Dahli. 

“What are you trying to say?” She hummed, tilting her head back and exhaling the smoke from her cigarette into the chilled air, watching briefly as it slowly rose above her head, diffusing into the nights sky. 

“I’m trying to sayyy…” Victoria drawled, her eyes following the smoke momentarily, before returning back to Dahli and tilting her head in favour to one side. “Maybe you just wanted your mouth close to mine.” Her voice was now merely a whisper. 

Dahli’s face broke into one of uncertainty, and for the shortest moment her guard threatened to drop. 

“Shut up, you’re so full of shit.” Dahli teased, prodding at Victoria’s stomach playfully with her fingers. 

Time appeared to have frozen, and earlier seemed to repeat itself when Dahli had suddenly stopped her movements again, Victoria’s mind involuntarily wandering to places like before. One thing was different though, and that was that Victoria didn’t have a single camera to worry about. She’d made it known that she had a boyfriend before, and Dahli had made a harmless joke about how she could be added, however it didn’t come across so harmless when she looked into Dahli’s contact-less eyes. 

They were lit up, sparkling almost, and Victoria swore to herself this shit only happened in movies. This was dumb, and would undoubtedly provide Vic with a tonne of problems to deal with later on. 

Victoria pushed Dahli’s hand off her stomach, and moved in even closer to Dahli, pressing her head into her torso at the harsh reality of all the feelings she was experiencing. It took a while for a response from Dahli, and Victoria questioned if she’d been too inappropriate, ready to step back and somehow magically erase her actions. 

That was until, she felt two slender arms wrapping round her back and holding a firm grip against the exposed skin at the cutout of her dress. She audibly sighed of relief, and cuddled in closer to Dahli’s chest, taking in some of her smoke as she breathed, relaxed for what felt like the first time today. 

They stayed there in silence for a few minutes, Dahli eventually loosening her grip to put her cigarette out, deciding to grab onto Victoria’s hand and lead her into the hotel lobby to finally escape the cold. 

The place was nothing of luxury, it was simplistic and minimal; the walls were burgundy and there were a couple benches dotted around the room for visitors to sit nearby rows of fake plants or small coffee tables. If you looked close enough, you could pick out how the seats were worn and old, and the wooden coffee tables had splinters in their edges. 

Victoria trailed behind Dahli as they headed for the elevator. There was a blatant lack of space even from the outside, and it caused the rest of the lobby to appear truly stunning in comparison. Regardless, today had been beyond tiring and there was no possible way that either girl would make the conscious decision to climb the stairs over this option. Dahli pushed the button for the elevator, and thankfully there was nobody else occupying it nor wishing to. She gladly pulled Victoria in after her, and pressed the button for her floor. The walls felt even more confined from the inside, and Dahli stared down at her feet for a brief moment. 

Victoria was done with this shit, though. If she was really honest with herself, she’d known she was a goner since Dahli had came over to admire her preparation for the floor show earlier. 

Her grip on Dahli’s hand consciously tightened, and without taking any further time to plan out her actions, she backed Dahli into the hard elevator walls, their fingers now interlocking with one another while she slammed their hands against the space beside Dahli’s head. Their lips smacked against each other’s in a lustful and heated kiss, Dahli closing her eyes in response to the desperately awaited taste of Victoria’s soft lips. She bit down on Victoria’s bottom lip, sucking at it unforgivingly before grazing her tongue over the same spot. 

“Mhmmn.” Victoria groaned at the sensation, clearly accepting of Dahli’s intentions. Dahli was about to slip her tongue between Victoria’s parted lips, but found herself being cut off by the sound of the elevator doors opening a few floors too soon. 

The both of them instinctively broke apart, fearful of whoever may see them together - and thank God they did. Before they even had the opportunity to step out of the elevator and run for their lives, they were met with a smug James Majesty. 

“Hey ghouls.” She grinned with a cheeky wink, flipping her teal hair behind her shoulder and stepping into the elevator to join the stunned girls. 

James blatantly looked Dahli up and down, caring not enough to try and disguise her look of disgust. “Where’s the shirt from, my grandma’s closet?” She audibly laughed to herself, barely even getting the sentence out before doing so. 

Dahli rolled her eyes in response to the usual snarky comment, bringing her finger up to her own neck and pretending to slice her throat. 

Victoria felt the danger in this whole scenario build up in her mind, the close call putting things truly into perspective and allowing her to realise how she really felt alright in still going through with them - in spite of all the reasons not to. 

Everything got too overwhelming, and she pushed another button for the elevator, hurrying out and abandoning James and Dahli. 

For a split second, Dahli considered chasing after her, but it didn’t feel right in front of James…maybe part of Victoria wished she would’ve. 

[talesofafangirlwithadvr]

MAY PICKS!

WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER MONTH OF TV/MOVIE WATCHING! 

Does it feel like it was just April or that it can’t even be May and yet it is coming to an end? I get it. Quarantine is doing weird things to my head and I can’t believe how far in the year it’s been. Looking back on my picks for this month I noticed that I have seemed to escape the world through historical period shows or movies. But that isn’t the entire bulk of the month (just half of it). Without further ado, here we go!

As always..spoilers....

THE HALF OF IT

This Netflix original movie was an early watch for me during this month and it came at the right time. I was looking for a movie, rather than a TV show, and something that was contemporary and not overly serious (although, there are serious themes in this film). As it repeatedly says, “it’s not a romance” yet it has that YA/teen romance feel. (Yes, I used YA/teen in the same description.) I really loved the Elle Chu and Paul Munsky friendship. While watching the trailer, I could tell this film would be highlighting a healthy friendship as its focal point and how your other half doesn’t have to be a romantic soulmate. A lot of times, these kinds of stories can seem very repetitive, but with the new plot of Elle and Paul in love with the same girl we encounter a new kind of obstacle. I think the resolution was pretty solid for both plot lines and I liked the train scene at the end. Certain shots felt long at times. There were lots of pauses, which I didn’t 100% like. Also, the awkwardness could feel pretty cringey. Overall, it is definitely worth the watch. I liked it and would watch it again. Paul might be one of my heartthrobs of 2020. I’m always a sucker for a sweet jock with a heart of gold. 

THE OFFICE LADIES

Yes, I know I’m late to the show as this podcast started last year, but better late than never and what better time than quarantine. Plus, I don’t have to wait each week for a new episode (even though know I’m catching up, so eventually...) At first, I was worried when I would have time because of not spending as much time in the car for commuting, but I found it’s really soothing to listen to as I’m cleaning. It feels like I’m in the room with Angela and Jenna and we’re all BFFs. I love how they’re best friends in real life and how close they are. They give the trivia you really can only get from two people who were on the show. They also have several guest stars from actors on the show to writers, directors and producers. One of my most recent listens had Creed Bratton in the studio with them and they talked about the Halloween episode. It was great. Listening to their podcast is really making me want to rewatch the series for the 100th time. As an uber fan, I already get all of their references, but with the new Easter eggs I can’t wait to go back and see them.   

STAR WARS RISE OF SKYWALKER

Not just in honor of May the 4th, but to finish up the Star Wars watch through that I was taking with my sister. I hadn’t seen it yet and while not a die heart fan, I still wanted to see the conclusion. I liked the Force Awakens a lot, but felt eh about Last Jedi. In ways this one kind of felt like a stand alone. It had a different vibe compared to the previous two. After watching I heard there was a different director for all three movies, so that makes sense-I guess. (It’s weird they wouldn’t have kept at least one to do two of them.) It also had a kind of fan fiction feel. SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! Bringing Palpatine back reminded me of Lord Voldemort having a kid in Cursed Child. BACK FROM SPOILERS! I’m happy that Rey’s parentage/lineage was revealed because it was such a major point in this series. I loved the Rey/Finn/Poe relationship. It was great to see them in the same story line and reminded me of the original three: Luke/Han/Leia. Leia :( It was so sad, but I always knew it had to happen, due to Carrie Fischer. It didn’t make it any easier to watch. MORE SPOILERSSSSS! I knew Kylo would turn back. It was nice to see that his mom was able to spark that. I did like his fight scene. I just didn’t love the connection him and Rey have/had. LOVED the ending. I’m cool with her taking the Skywalker name and the suns shot with the force them at the end had me screaming. 

OPHELIA

From one Daisy Ridley film to another. This movie just recently got added to my list when I was channel surfing. I vaguely remembered it being advertised, but it felt like a while ago. I’m a sucker for a re-telling, so I was immediately intrigued to watch it. This film was adapted from a novel by the same name. It follows Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and gives her more of a story and character development. If you are familiar with the original, you know that Ophelia is only briefly mentioned and her character’s motives are really driven by her love for Hamlet. Even her famous death scene is very ambiguous. When this film begins, a voice-over narration by Ridley immediately brings us to her death scene and tells the audience “that there is more to the story than we think we know.” I really loved the twist and re-invention of this story through her point of view. I think Daisy Ridley was fantastic in the role. I haven’t seen her in a lot of other things, so it was great to see her here in a completely different role from Star Wars. The re-telling is very creative and very feminist. You get to see how Hamlet and Ophelia meet and then see him off to school. With this addition you can really get behind this relationship and see the mutual attraction and feelings between them. When relating back to the original, I like how they cut out scenes that Ophelia was not physically apart of and instead rely the events that happened. (Specifically with Polonius’ death.) I also enjoyed the new perspective of scenes. You really can tell that Ophelia is not mad, but it is the mask she must put on to survive. The ‘get thee to a nunnery’ scene takes on a whole different meaning now. There’s also a lot echoes to other Shakespearean plays and tropes which were fun to explore. Whether you’re a Shakespeare/Hamlet fan or not, I would definitely check this one out if you’re a fan of the time period, re-tellings or a strong female lead.   

MEDICI THE MAGNIFICENT SEASON 3

I literally just finished this show this afternoon and I couldn’t wait to write about it. (Sorry if this post is pretty long, but that just shows you that you need to watch it.) I was very excited for the third and final season of Medici because I enjoyed season 2, so much. While this one might have taken me a little longer to watch, it was still a good time and I’m sad it’s over. 

Watching this season I was super impressed by Daniel Sharman’s acting. He has great range as he goes from a young Lorenzo in season 2 to an adult and father and then an elderly man. I think he was convincing throughout each stage and I’m happy they kept the same actor. His make-up to help him age looked a lot more natural, compared to Richard Madden’s, in my opinion. I feel on shows like this it’s often hard seeing a jump in time (it helps with seeing the kids grow up), so when Lorenzo starts to get sick/age I at first, was like whoa, but then it was further explained (by inheriting his father’s illness, etc.) 

Compared to season 2, I definitely liked the previous more. I not only enjoyed watching the more idealistic Lorenzo, but also plot-wise. In season 2 the Pazzi are the main antagonist/objective. Here in season 3 there were several obstacles/antagonists: The Pope, Riario, and Savonarola. Every time we thought there was a moment of peace...nope. Now, I get this is based on history and we need drama so you can only change so much, but I missed the Medici being at the top and being respected. I also know we covered A LOT of time. (I guess that shows you how connected I felt with them and the show.) 

All of the history Easter Eggs were cool. Obviously, the Renaissance was extremely relevant, but it was cool seeing the big names like Botticelli (especially with his painting at the end, which I recognized), Da Vinci, and Michelangelo. I can’t get over how many of these famous painters were recognized by the Medici family. It just shows you how important and influential they were. Also, when Nico revealed his last name as Machiavelli. JAW DROP! This show has continually brought me back to researching (and mainly using Wikipedia). The writing at the end was accurate to what I found. Wish we had another season with the legacy to see it continue. I’m surprised I got teary eyed at the end. 

WORLD ON FIRE

It may be listed last once again, this month, but it is definitely not least. The show may have finished its season a few weeks ago, but I still have two episodes left on my DVR. The last one I watched was when they were in Dunkirk and that was an intense time. I knew it was going to be, but it still didn’t prepare me. In this episode, we see many characters FINALLY meet up and join each other’s plot lines. I think that was one of my favorite parts of the episode/series. Some already knew each other, while others were meeting for the first time. While I am excited to see how it all turns out, I’m also not ready to say good-bye. Right now, I saw a potential for a season 2, but not sure if that was a fan made article or not. I’m hoping all of my favorite characters survive and get what can be considered a happier ending than what they are currently experiencing. I also hope we don’t end on too much of a cliffhanger. Either way, I’m happy I checked this show out. 

RE-WATCHING

iZOMBIE

Currently I’m in the beginning of the second season. Sometime last month I felt the pull to start re-watching this show. It’s one that I have tried once or twice to watch again from the beginning, but now that it’s been finished for almost a year, it felt like time. It was a great decision, although right now there’s some character plots that are frustrating me and that I forgot about. But there’s some great brains that Liv has experienced and it was great seeing Lowell again (for as short-lived as it was). I’m excited to continue re-watching. 

I DIDN’T DO IT

The re-watch for I Didn’t Do It basically began when it hit Disney Plus a few months ago. I just recently made it to season 2, which I remember enjoying more than season 1. One reason for this was because they get rid of the flashback format for each episode. I’m really early on, like episode 4, so I still have many more to go. Once I finish it I don’t know if I’ll explore a new Disney Plus show or watch another that I’ve seen before. 

I also have a few things on DVR that I’m still finishing up. I haven’t watched the finale of Batwoman yet and I know it’s going to be weird now that Ruby Rose has left the show. I just finished the Flash and felt blah about the whole season, so I’m unsure if I’ll watch next season. But I am enjoying Stargirl. You can find my thoughts on the first episode here. I’m excited to see the rest of the season. 

[letterboxd]

How I Letterboxd #6: Sean Boelman.

Talking 2020 movie trends, the year’s best documentaries, and Elijah Wood’s death-stare with peach emoji lobbyist Sean Boelman.

“Honestly, there’s not much I like to do other than watch movies or go to theme parks, and one of those things wasn’t an option for months.”

In a year like no other for the movie business, it’s still possible to see hundreds of new films if you have the right connections. For professional critics, the downside of missing the in-person festival buzz and tent-pole previews is somewhat offset by the upside of being able to pace out your screenings in the comfort of your own home.

Wondering who might possibly hold the title of “the Letterboxd member who has watched the most new releases so far this year”, we poked around in the server room and found Sean Boelman, who has logged well over 400 films from 2020 in his diary. So far this year, Sean (20) has covered the Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Florida and Fantasia Film Festivals; he also reviews films via screeners sent through from PR firms. Sean hails from Orlando, Florida, and is the founder of movie review platform disappointment media, which he created to promote a wider range of voices in film criticism.

Park So-dam and peach in ‘Parasite’ (2019), directed by Bong Joon-ho.

How long ago did you join Letterboxd? I joined Letterboxd back in 2015. I attended a film class that summer and the teaching assistant had an account and encouraged all of us to create our own. I’ve been using the app religiously ever since.

You’re our youngest ‘How I Letterboxd’ participant to date. How would you describe your experience on Letterboxd as a teenager? When I was in high school, I was one of the earliest adopters of the app, so I told all of my friends about it and suggested that they use it too. By the time I got to college, it was already in the mainstream within the film community, so I was just the guy with the most extensive account. I love how Letterboxd is a community for film fans to talk about films we love, and with the exception of a few trolls every once in a while, it’s really conducive to good discussions.

Which features have you found the most useful? I’m definitely an obsessive logger. The diary feature is without a doubt my favorite part of the app. I started logging in June 2015 and have logged every feature-length film (and some shorts) I’ve watched since. I made the decision not to retroactively mark everything I’ve seen in my life as watched, because that would be too monumental a task. I also find Letterboxd particularly useful during a festival. It’s interesting to see the buzz about what movies people do and don’t like so that I can adjust my schedule accordingly.

And what’s a feature you wish Letterboxd had? I really loved when you guys changed the stars to flames for Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It would be awesome if you started doing that more regularly for releases that get a sizeable following. Like, give Parasite peaches.

Ivana Baquero and Doug Jones in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006), directed by Guillermo del Toro.

What film kicked off your passion for cinema, and specifically, which films or community of film fans motivated you to watch as many films as you can find for the current year? I’ve loved cinema for as long as I can remember, but the film that I credit with really birthing my love for film as art is Pan’s Labyrinth. When I saw that in theaters at the—probably too young—age of six, I felt like [Guillermo] del Toro transported me into Ofelia’s world, and I then realized what magical capabilities the medium of film has.

As for why I’m motivated to watch so many new releases, I have a bit of an issue with saying no, haha. As a film critic, I’m inundated with requests to review movies, from major studio releases to B-movies most people have never heard of. I’ve done my fair share of adding titles to TMDb. I end up reviewing anywhere from ten to twenty new releases a week, depending on the season.

You’re a film critic, but you only post short summaries on Letterboxd instead of your full reviews. Why share only brief thoughts? Much of this boils down to the fact that when I watch something, it’s still under embargo for full reviews, so I can only log it in my Letterboxd diary and leave a little blurb. I also find that there isn’t as much room for humor in my full reviews, so I like using this platform to get my jokes out.

So, as of writing, you’ve ranked 457 films from 2020. What percentage of your total films seen are from these new ‘Roaring Twenties’? Out of the films I’ve logged on Letterboxd, it seems like about ten percent are listed on Letterboxd as movies from 2020. The actual percentage would be quite a bit lower than that, though, since my Letterboxd doesn’t include anything I watched prior to June 2015.

Before Covid-19 shutdowns, how many of these films did you have the opportunity to see in theaters? Which were your most memorable theatrical experiences of the year? In 2020, I was able to see 29 films in theaters, either paid or in a theatrical press screening, before they shut down. I’ve also gotten to see some since the shutdown in drive-ins or from the Florida Film Festival holding socially distanced, in-person screenings. But I definitely went through a bit of theater withdrawal. I missed the smell of popcorn dearly.

For my favorite theatrical experiences in 2020, seeing The Invisible Man on opening night with a packed crowd was definitely a hoot. I was sad at first to have missed the press screening, but like most great horror movies, it was awesome to see it with an audience and hear them gasp in surprise in the action sequences. Another one was getting to see Weathering with You in 4DX. Normally you wouldn’t think of that as a big, spectacle-driven 4DX movie, but it was super-immersive in all of the Sunshine Girl scenes.

And I have some awesome memories from SXSW 2019. At the world premiere of Us, I was pushed into Elisabeth Moss. I once got a death stare from Elijah Wood who seemed to think I was going to approach him. Don’t get me wrong, I love his work—but I wasn’t going to because of etiquette. I watched Long Shot with one of the world’s leading geneticists and then got to see Boyz II Men perform live. And I laughed hysterically when Robert Patrick said in a Q&A that even he didn’t understand the movie he was in. It’s a fun time. I definitely encourage any cinephiles to attend an in-person festival when things get back to normal.

You have more than seventy films in your 2020 list with five or four and a half stars. Would you describe yourself as a generous rater? I was definitely a lot more generous when I started my Letterboxd than I am now. I’m sure if I rewatched some of those films I logged in 2015 and 2016, they’d get a lower rating today. But I really don’t mind it. I don’t see my purpose as a critic as to tear apart the filmmaker’s art—I want to appreciate it. Maybe I’m a little liberal with my five-star rating, but what can I say? Gosh, I love movies. And for me, a five-star rating doesn’t mean perfect, it means great. I don’t think there’s such thing as a perfect film. A five-star [rating] from me means that it connected with me in an extraordinary way. I reserve the ‘like’ for films that set themselves apart from the rest of the five stars by some virtue. If I give it a five and a like, now that’s something you should definitely not miss.

Tunde Adebimpe in ‘She Dies Tomorrow’ (2020), directed by Amy Seimetz.

Your best film of 2020 so far is Amy Seimetz’s She Dies Tomorrow—it’s also your number three of all time. What resonated so strongly with you about the film? Are you surprised about its divisive reaction? I absolutely adore She Dies Tomorrow. I’ve really admired Amy Seimetz’s work as an actress for a long time, and her work behind the camera on this blew me away. I haven’t seen Sun Don’t Shine yet, but it’s on the top of my list. It connected with me because it really captured some of the anxieties I’ve been going through recently. She obviously didn’t set out to make the definitive Covid film, but that’s what it ended up being. And of course, how could you not love that film’s extraordinary use of color. It looks magnificent. But I’m not at all surprised at how divisive it is. It has a very segmented and unorthodox narrative, and not everyone is a fan of that type of structure. I understand why it hasn’t worked as well for some people.

What are the other most overlooked films of 2020 so far? In terms of overlooked 2020 films, I think the big one is the Russell Simmons exposé On the Record. I think that Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s The Hunting Ground is one of the most harrowing documentaries I have ever seen in my life, and On the Record combines a lot of that relevance while also offering a really compelling look at the life of a powerful woman in the music industry. It’s great, and only about one thousand members have logged it on Letterboxd. Watch it on HBO Max!

There are a lot of great movies released in 2020 that are widely available and [fewer than] 5,000 people having logged them on Letterboxd. A White, White Day is a great little revenge thriller from Iceland. But what makes it stand out from the genre is that it’s a lot more understated and character-driven than most. It has similar vibes to You Were Never Really Here, but perhaps even quieter. Maria von Hausswolff’s cinematography is absolutely breathtaking, and Ingvar Sigurðsson gives one of my favorite performances of the year. It’s just a gorgeous film.

Hlynur Pálmason’s Icelandic revenge thriller ‘A White, White Day’(2019).

The Painted Bird is a bit harder to recommend because it is by no means fun, but it’s one of those that you have to watch once and will never want to see again. I described it as “auteur shock cinema”. It’s a three-hour-long Holocaust drama that’s bleak and filled with torture, but it’s powerful, heartbreaking and harrowing. It also features great performances all around, especially from child actor Peta Kotlár.

I think Michael Winterbottom is one of the best directors working right now and I’ve always loved what he did with the Coogan-Brydon combo in his The Trip series, and this year’s entry, The Trip to Greece, is probably the best one yet. Over the course of the decade the series has spanned, Coogan and Brydon have changed a lot, and this series—in which they play themselves—has adapted to reflect that. This one’s a lot more heartfelt, but still features plenty of great impressions and tantalizing food shots. This really is one of my favorite film series of all time, so you should check all four out! Some other overlooked films I can think of are Jasper Mall, Aviva and Sword of God.

Which 2020 films would you say are the most overrated? Any absolute must-avoids? This is going to be a really hot take, but there was a trifecta of homebound horror flicks that came out in July—Relic, The Rental and Amulet—and I didn’t care for any of them. I think all the directors are talented and show a lot of potential, especially Natalie Erika James, but I wasn’t a fan of any of the films. As for ones to avoid, I try not to call out bad movies unless there’s a reason to [do so], and there are only two of those this year: Coffee & Kareem and Elvis from Outer Space. Coffee & Kareem is just offensive, and Elvis from Outer Space tries to be so-bad-it’s-funny and falls flat.

Jahi Di’Allo Winston in ‘Charm City Kings’ (2020), directed by Ángel Manuel Soto.

What films that you’ve been fortunate to preview via screeners or film festivals are you certain will be a big deal once they’re available on general release? Ugh, there are some I wish I could talk about but I’m still under embargo! So I’ll have to talk mostly about festival ones. Alice Gu’s The Donut King is wonderful. It was supposed to debut at SXSW, but obviously that got cancelled. On one hand, it is a food doc about donuts—who doesn’t love donuts?—but it’s also a moving story about the immigrant experience. It scored distribution from Greenwich and should be released soon. Charm City Kings is great, and HBO Max picked that up to be released sometime this year. That’s a really awesome coming-of-age movie with a story by Barry Jenkins. And I saw a work-in-progress cut of this indie called Millennium Bugs made by an up-and-comer named Alejandro Montoya Marín. He was part of the Robert Rodriguez show Rebel Without a Crew. It’s a great little movie about Y2K and the Latinx experience that will be debuting online at Dances with Films and is looking for a distributor after that.

Fill in the blank: “2020 is a great year for ____ in film”. What patterns have you noticed? I really think that 2020 is a great year for documentaries. We thought 2018 was a great year with Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Free Solo, RBG and Three Identical Strangers, among others, but this year is shaping up to be even better. Boys State, The Donut King, On the Record, Rebuilding Paradise, Dark City Beneath the Beat, A Secret Love and Disclosure are all excellent, and that’s just scratching the surface.

I think what makes these documentaries stand out is their ability to make the viewer feel connected to their story. I love documentaries that take a story you might not have otherwise heard of and tell it in a way that feels intensely personal. By taking these stories like the problems inherent in American democracy, the immigrant experience, the California wildfires, the #MeToo movement, and issues with trans representation on screen and telling them in a way that people can relate to them even if they can’t personally identify with their subjects, these documentary filmmakers are making the world a more compassionate place.

What films are you most looking forward to that are scheduled to release in 2020? Any awards season predictions you feel strongly about? In terms of mainstream releases, I’m most excited for No Time to Die, unless it gets pushed to 2021 like some have rumored. I’m a huge Cary Joji Fukunaga fan, so I’m excited to see what he does with the franchise. For indies, I’m really looking forward to seeing Promising Young Woman, The Green Knight, Save Yourselves!, Nomadland and Another Round.

For awards seasons predictions, there are a few I’m pretty confident about based on what I’ve seen. Boys State is an early frontrunner for Best Documentary. I think Eliza Hittman will get some love for Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Dev Patel is a pretty good bet for a Best Actor nod for The Personal History of David Copperfield, even though the movie itself probably won’t get much more love. And there’s an upcoming Netflix movie that has a screenplay nomination in the bag, and maybe a couple other categories too, but shhhh, I’m under embargo on that one so I can’t say more.

Dev Patel in ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ (2019), directed by Armando Iannucci.

You keep thorough distributor rankings as well as year and franchise lists—how would you sum up the way each of these recently formed companies inspires you? Obviously A24 and NEON have amassed a pretty big cult following, and for good reason. There’s a particular identity their films have, despite the differences in genre, and I enjoy ranking them because of that. For the streamers, their films are a little more diverse, but I use my lists as a way for people to discover some of my favorite films they can watch at the click of a button. And for Blumhouse, it’s just because I absolutely adore the work Jason Blum does in supporting filmmakers’ voices. I’m usually pretty cool-headed around celebrities because interacting with high-profile people is a part of our job as critics, but I admittedly froze when I met him at SXSW since I’m such a big fan of his. I’ve always said that once I score an interview with him, I can “retire” as a critic, haha.

You’re of Guatemalan descent. Which films do you best relate with your Latino heritage? Of course, Pan’s Labyrinth is a big deal for me given the fact that it was a formative film in my life. [Alejandro] Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain is one of my favorite Latino classics. El Mariachi is great because Robert Rodriguez is the epitome of Latino DIY filmmaking and has always been such an inspiring figure. I got to interview him last year for Alita: Battle Angel, and it was an awesome experience. And in terms of more recent films, I think the Netflix doc Mucho Mucho Amor really captures the importance of community amongst Latinos.

What films are highest on your list of shame? I will say that I’ve seen more classics than I have logged on Letterboxd, but there are still a few embarrassing gaps on my list. I love the work I’ve seen from Akira Kurosawa, Brian De Palma, Agnès Varda and Chantal Akerman, and I really want to finish up their filmographies. Probably the most shameful omission I have is the fact that I’ve never seen a film by Ingmar Bergman. I’ve been lightening my workload for my site a bit, so I’m hoping to catch up on some of those soon.

Who are three Letterboxd members you recommend we follow? My friend Camden Ferrell who co-founded disappointment media with me. He’s also very passionate about film and does a lot of reviews for the site. Another one of our contributors is Sarah, who came on to the team during Sundance this year. She’s great and basically started the Portrait of a Lady on Fire fandom. I also want to give a shout-out to Jon Berk who was actually the critic to challenge me to start a blog back in 2016 when he was doing the Doug Loves Movies challenge, and now I’ve gotten to where I significantly outpace him, haha.

Sean’s site accepts story pitches from, and offers constructive feedback to, aspiring writers from under-represented and minority groups. Email Sean to find out more. Check out these 2020 rankings from Letterboxd members who have watched more than 100 releases this year: Orlan Harris, Austin Burke, Jerome, Joey Magidson, Kevin Yang, Jack, Jordan Raup, Matt Neglia, Weather Boy, Julian D, Johann Rucker, Mikey Brzezinkski, Ewan Graf, Denis Eremeev, Aaron King.

[inonesingleline]

Ooh, yes, I have a lot to do today before I can do any celebrating, so naturally let’s procrastinate with the end-of-year fandom meme! THIS GOT REALLY LONG I’M SORRY.

1. Your main fandom of the year: The Good Fight, which is a madness while it’s on, always a dull aching hum in the back of my mind while it’s off, and still makes me feel instantly sick to my stomach every time I see a bit of news about it. Fun! But yeah I guess this is the only thing I participated in fandom for anyway; I wrote a little fic, I made some gifs, I tried to offer comfort to my fellow sufferers. (The show is great and most of you won’t feel sick about it, lol)

2. Your favorite film this year: Another year of not being much of a movie person--and to think 5 years ago it was everything! But favorite film in cinemas was Lady Bird; at home, I’m glad my recent Lesley problem has given me a chance to watch some great Mike Leigh films--I loved High Hopes, Another Year, and All or Nothing. 

3. Your favorite book this year: A slightly better year for books; after years of shamefully managing, like, five, I read 26 this year and, more importantly, really got back into the habit in the last few months so I think 2018 will be even better. I read many mysteries, which is always a go-to genre when I’m in a reading funk. But the very best book I read, far and away, was Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker. Shout outs to Still She Wished for Company by Margaret Irwin, Alias Grace and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (hmm wonder why I read those), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (how had I never read it before???) and Excellent Women by Barbara Pym. Of the mysteries, there is a reason why And Then There Were None is revered; holy shit. The rest were just comfort food. If any of this sounds like your thang, we should stalk each other on goodreads, hmu

4. Your favorite album or song this year: Yeah if I’m embarrassed about my engagement with film and literature this year, let’s not even talk about music. I don’t think I listened to a single new (or new-to-me) thing this year. The only music I listened to at all was a playlist of old favorites I can sing along to on longer drives. And this a year with new St Vincent! Shameful. I did listen to a fuckton of podcasts. All my music time has gone to podcasts.

5. Your favorite TV show this year: Honestly, The Good Fight. And if you want a ridiculous list of honorable mentions, here are all of the currently-airing shows I adored this year in approximate descending order of my love for them: The Good Place, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Harlots, Grace and Frankie, Catastrophe, Feud, Big Little Lies, American Vandal, One Mississippi, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Search Party, Insecure, Alias Grace, The Handmaid’s Tale, Transparent, Brooklyn Nine Nine, Orphan Black, Broad City, GLOW, Better Things, Stranger Things, I Love Dick, Veep, The Bold Type, Younger, One Day at a Time, Schitt’s Creek, Jane the Virgin, The Americans, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Speechless, Colony, The Worst Witch. Among older shows, I discovered To the Manor Born and watched it like seven times in a brief but heady love affair this summer, and The Good Life, too. I rewatched Ugly Betty and As Time Goes By. Oh, and while I guess it doesn’t count for 2017 shows, I honestly adored Mum. And had a weird week where I snarfed down a whole season of Strictly Come Dancing. OK that’s probably enough about television. Clearly, television is what keeps me from engaging with any other form of media. :|

6. Your favorite Tumblr this year: I LOVE ALL MY MUTUALS EQUALLY AND ARDENTLY, even if I’m pretty bad at keeping up conversations with you all xo

7. Your best new fandom discovery of the year: Can I use this space to talk about my year in situations? Obviously in these last weeks I’ve been losing my fucking mind over Lesley Manville, who is a sleeper situation, but clearly a Code Red Level One now. I also had some delightful times with Penelope Keith and Raquel Cassidy, who occupy that delicious but not all-consuming space in my mind that Lesley once did. I almost had a thing with Ashley Jensen, but I guess Penelope stole me away before that got off the ground. And Christine Baranski is clearly my forever girl. I didn’t think my fickle ass could ever love anyone so deeply for so long, but here we are. 

8. Your biggest fandom disappointment of the year: Ummm...? I can’t really think of any, although I will say it was frustrating when all I wanted was a good mystery book series to lose myself in and I had to toss aside many half-read or after the first book. (If I’d finished all the books I started this year, I would have finished my reading challenge and then some.) But of those the biggest frustration was, despite enjoying the Agatha Raisin tv series because Ashley Jensen, and enjoying the Agatha Raisin audiobooks on a different level because Penelope Keith, how honestly terrible I found the Agatha Raisin books. So instead I read summaries of them all because I was weirdly invested in that ship for a hot minute, lol. Not worth it. Please come back, tv show.

9. Your TV boyfriend of the year: NONE but ugh I still have embarrassing Gary Cole feelings, and also Peter Mullan’s character on Mum is allowed to date my girlfriend, yeah. 

10. Your TV girlfriend of the year: So many??? AUDREY FFORBES-HAMILTON is all goals, Diane Lockhart forever and always, yeah I want to softly cuddle and bathe in the luminous glow of Cathy on Mum, Hecate Hardbroom, both Grace and Frankie, and I had a dream about awkwardly trying to date Tig Notaro, so.

11. Your biggest squee moment of the year: DIANE TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WENT BACK WITH HIM!!! God damn it, I am still so fucking embarrassing about this ship. Also, so many Audrey/Richard moments. I keep thinking I cannot fall in love with another het ship, but if you make mah girl all googly-eyed, I’m probably gonna be there for it. 

12.  Your most missed old fandom: Nothing buuuut if it counts I did really feel sorry about the Major Crimes fandom after they fucking fucked Mary/Sharon over, and kind of gleefully monitored the carnage from a safe remove. Honestly so terrible, glad I got out of that mess years ago.

13. Your fandom you haven’t tried yet, but want to? Hmmmm I don’t know? I feel like if there were anything major I would be on it already. I know what I like and I do not delay gratification. But if anything, I think I should probably watch Janet King very soon? Also I’m hovering on the point of diving into The Crown; I did try the first episode for Harriet reasons, but could nooooot get into it. But a number of friends/culture bloggers I admire love it. So I may give it another go. If only in anticipation of Olivia Colman!queen yas!

14. Your biggest anticipation of the New Year: P H A N T O M T H R E A D and seeing Lesley on stage doing Long Day’s Journey :3 and the return most especially of The Good Fight and Grace and Frankie. I also do very seriously intend to diversify my fandom interests in 2018: read more, watch more films, listen to more new music. If I have one concrete resolution, it’s that I will see every movie directed by a woman that comes through town--I mean, of course, through the good indie theater, anyway. I’m setting a reading challenge at an ambitious-by-recent-standards 50 books and intend to meet it. And I want to get better at focusing? If I’m watching a show or a movie, I should really watch the show or movie, not play on my phone half the time. Maybe get better at documenting my experiences and reactions. And continue enjoying this Lesley thing until she wears me out. 

Everybody do this, I’m really interested in everyone’s fandom year!

[mceproductions]

November 2018 Blurbs

11/1/18 In Novembers Gusty Gale...The one baby song that sticks with me is that line from Chicken Soup with Rice... The fact that I know that and can sing falsetto really sets a tone. Rice Lake run today as Scholarships needed answering somehow the fact that i can only qualify for one and yet still can deal with classwork is a mystery. Eli in 2 Weeks and hoping Basketball at the Vikings Stadium at months end. Mom said shed go with on Saturday to St. Paul but in case not contingency is the Queen Movie. Stinks about Nutcracker being lousy Grinch remake for Christmas Movie it is. 11/2/18  Patti and the Bravada im trying to buy. Something tells me thats got to answer itself very soon. Ellen wasn't going to St. Paul either so contingency may now be in place. Work at least had benefits being sorted out. Also Lego Harry Potter man that game was fun, glad for the port, now they just need to port other lego games. 11/3/18 Bravada is now mine thanks to mom. More crucially Queen Movie was luckilly in town, at theater that is now only open weekends. Confusing yes, just hoping this isn't premant closing like Bruce. Movie was near perfect as Rami Malek Crushed It, a term I almost never use. Andrew fried microwave after 18 years. It was overdue but man it stinks that its gone. ReLife Anime...If episode 17 had me tearing up, the other 15 1/2 should be just as interesting. Unlike that other show A Sister Is All You Need, a premsise about slice of life, authors and drinking that wears dull quick. 11/4/18 So begins a short week, mainly due to assurance needed for initial plans. Just wish they could have called me in for one more day, i have assurance but still could have used it. Pete Davidson is really hurting based on this weeks SNL no matter his mindset and well wishes, he's hurting. Packers more so...and Ricks final Walking Dead, what a cop out...So glad I'm done with the show, no matter how interesting teenage Judith looks. One more detail, just when I thought 2018 had used up all its anime...Rapping Zombies on a Show that really should be used by the ZombieLand Sequel coming out next year, they can spit licks. 11/5/18 Remember Remember...An annual watching of V For Vendetta and its poigancy highlights today. Bravada is now officially mine just have to get it al registred and isured without it breaking my bank. Also never trust pictures for all purchases on Ebay, miffed on that count. Very long day tomorrow, even work may be overshadowed by this, could have used this 2 years ago on that fateful night. 11/6/18 The Blue Wave of election day. Unlike 2 years ago when that blowhard of president peeved off the country, this made me glad i was working. Plenty of distractions. But Walker is gone from Wisconsin and the Blue Wave crested at the house. Not the complete washover those wanting Trump gone hoped for but still great. 11/7/18 Those 2 dopes i call younger brothers...Somehow they dont get it. Only thing they do get, is how awesome Red Dead Redemption is and how i wish to high heaven it came out for the Switch. 11/8/18 This time of year when the cold comes out, the stuff you like to do seems impractical. I have a vehicle that I cant use until i get it titled, and a nephew coming in 1 week who may not even see me a bunch. Lone thing giving me some solace, the black Friday Ads popped up today. So many possibilities. 11/9/18 Winter has shown in full force, proof being, those 2 dopes stuck here. Me having to suffer through it until I head to work. Holding off on Grinch until next week, possibly seeing it with Mom and Eli. 11/10/18 RWBY Continues to astound. Salems storied history with Oz, wholly molly. Christmas season always seems to bring out the best when it comes to treats. Lately my favorite seems to be those nougats. Fresh and gooey all in one sweet package. Badgers sure do stink. That guy getting revenge on Pete Davidson especially the Ariana Ringtone that was worth it to see during SNL, Liev Schriber sure is not funny though. 11/11/18 Vets, heroes who give thier daily lives to defend all that we hold dear and sacred. Also fitting its the centiniel of said remeberence. New guy on Cap 2 Tristan, I'm really liking, seems to hold his own quite well. 4 days until Eli comes looking forward to it. 11/12/18 Why does family make the easy things so difficult, once again those 2 dopes. Store had Black Friday stuff being assembled today. Be glad to use debit card tomorrow when i get bulk of my funds back. Last few days have been rough. 11/13/18 GameFlip, an app ive been using to buy mainly Amazon cards is really having it both ways with me. Great to find digital codes for almost nada, but this one guy who i bought a card from on Sunday has been really screwey. Really miffed on that front. Said digital codes allows me to rewatch The Meg during work lunch. 11/14/18 Final Project for class has me creating a full training seminar. Stinks knowing that I have to do it on too broad a subject issue. Mobility in the workplace, having to do with wheelchairs and other devices. Wow city this is hard. Christmas box has been dug out, begining decorating tomorrow before Eli shows up. Hunters at play this weekend. Also glad store discount expands to food for rest of year. 11/15/18 Dad is 60 feels weird to say that. Well Eli, a little bit intimidated by me, but we have a week to fix it. Got A debt collection thing from WITC On the same day i finaly knocked off tuition. I know i wanted to not have autopay on tuition but this is ridiculously overkill. Likley watching Fantastic Beasts Saturday when we get back from Rice Lake, glad like the Queen movie this is in town. 11/16/18 Nora and Eli, weird combo that sends him into his Grandmas arms. Glad thats occuring while im not at home. At least my and Erics Grandma got to see him, just not sure how much longer that will be a possibility. One week to Black Friday and the trucks for delivery have tripled. The sales will be worth it but the work on the other hand, wish that just came faster. 11/17/18 Stags day, the first day of hunting season a little less crowded around the area. Went with mom and Eli to see Grinch but showing ended up being sold out. Eli for being 4 is just a near ball of energy, even if we never gave him sugar Wish he could calm down, mom somehow seemed chill with it, might have to take her advice on this issue. Cute when he has to be, bullet like mom put it on all other fronts. As for Fantastic Beasts, it seemed overstuffed for its own good a two hour episode like youd see on Netflix or somewhere else. Though Depp did win me over as Grindlewald. 11/18/18 Eli was better today, and we managed to actually get some stuff done. He ended up being major help with placing ornaments on my tree. Work however was a mess, misinformation abound. Thursday outside better not be a bigger mess. Oh wait its the Black Friday sale yeah it will be. 11/19/18 The thanksgiving week is always wacky, Monday somehow is wackiest. Eli went with Mom to meet Rafe while I mainly spent it finishing decorating the room. Green Light Strand isnt working will have to replace it. Cayedn surprsingly got a deer and Eric is really helpful on that front. Work meanwhile was nuts, this time however, with Split Pants. May have to get new ones before Thursday Night. Glad this week a lot of stuff on Itunes and Amazon is on sale. Will likely take big advantage of this. Andy possibly thew wrench in plans, hopeful that i dont have to cancel. 11/20/18 Lone day off this week has me stopping at WITC to finish work i have assigned since i have no class tomorrow. Had to pick up pants as my others split. Will hold off on game or blu ray until thursday night after work. Mom and Skillet cookies glad she makes them but could wonder what else around here might break as stove is going. Our turkey is set for tomorrow as Eric and compay leave before parade on thursday. Hopin to get Eli once more to do craft project, want to surprise mom on that count. 11/21/18 The day before, aka the busiest travel day of the year. Made rudolph feet with Eli, a lot bigger than i pictured him to be. Had to wear split pants as replacements didn't fit. Turkey was good, unexpectedly tried Moms squash that was really tasty for some odd reason. Back outside for carts tomorrow, first time since the summer and i get thrown to the wolves on the big one. Colder than usual i will admit. 11/22/18 Eli seemed sad to leave us, but at least i got him the ornament he made ready before he did. Another thanksgiving the parade in full glory. Lions crappy game, Cowboys decent game, and Wal-Marts annual 6pm sale. Cole really needed to be slapped. He must think im dumber than i look. Best part is always the low price movies and tv shows. Annual pickups of Flash, Arrow and Big Bang Theory. Handmaids Tale DVD counts too this time along with Jumanji and a film i personally wanted to see but heard crap about, Assassins Creed. Not looking forward to the rain tomorrow. 11/23/18 Quieter than usual actual Black Friday. Couple that with Rain that washed away snow, pretty off day all around. 11/24/18 Plans for Basketball with Andy and Carynn are officially scrapped, could remedy that in another surprise way. Something about today that just felt so much more off than usual. Lingered at Library, lingered at Store, even lingered at McDonalds stuff i would not normally do on a day like this. Ralph Breaks the Internet I'll hold off on for now. Really still want to see Grinch. Badgers finally lost the Ax after 15 years, really makes you think. 11/25/18 Finally got Wolfenstien 2 downloaded for Switch, will look forward to play something else besides Zelda for a bit Smash Bros awaits in the wings. Christmas gifts are starting to take abit of idea form. UCF continues to climb, will need upsets by Texas and Northwestern to have a shot at Playoff but without QB is risky. 11/26/18 Mom threw out her back, not sure if it was from picking up Eli but she seemed more out of sorts than usual. Other replacement for Cap 2 joined, liking him so far. Small issue with Chyenne who was on phone for nealry 15 minutes in the middle of the aisle, and nobody said a peep. If it was me, would have been fired. Privelege indeed. Guy at McDonalds may be homeless, was tempted to report him but with all the white calling blacks for doing normal stuff no way id risk it. 11/27/18 This day always seems to be the quietest when it comes to stuff coming out, almost nothing. One movie I wanted to get for Eli when he was here finally showed up. Wrapped up DVD's as gifts for Eric and them. 15% extra coming Thursday. Not sure what itll be used for. 11/28/18 Rare Wednesday I had store duties as well as class. Got extra 15% card for the even 25%. Glad ill be able to use it this time. Unlike what I originally had intended for The 30th. Could use some more snow around here. 11/29/18 25% discount thankfully goes 2 days so held off on that. Visited WITC the Christmas decorations are great as usual. Visited Menards but the so called enchanted forest seemed lacking. At least I was able to get bulbs and another set of blue lights. Sold ticket, hopeful Andy can get in tomorrow and enjoy himself. 11/30/18 Contigency Plan #2: Animated Grinch, OK Cumberbatch was excellent and Pharell ups Anthony Hopkins but the movie was just simply Ok. 25% got used well for Moms clients and Connor and Amber. Andy and Carynn got in and enjoyed themselves. Also got thier save the date and details on the  Weddding. Looks like a fun 4 day trip next May. Last Part of Year begins, lets see if this can finish strong. Never  figured at start that id be blogging this but just goes to so. 334 Days down 31 to Go.

[buytabletsonline]

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In 1993, TV—and TV writing—were much different entities than what we know today.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Exhibit 5,768: the current golden age of TV has clearly inspired a golden age of TV writing. And if you follow today’s TV criticism at all, chances are a handful of names immediately come to mind (people like Emily Nussbaum at The New Yorker or James Poniewozik at The New York Times, for instance). But time and time again, stories on the rise of this format in recent years end up pointing to one writer—Uproxx’s Alan Sepinwall—as the dean of modern TV criticism.

While landmark TV writing sites like TV Without Pity (1998) wouldn’t come along until the Internet matured, Sepinwall was on the Web back when “Lynx and Mosaic were the only two browsers and you had to drive uphill through the snow both ways to get to the Yahoo! homepage,” as he once put it. Back in 1993, long before he started his own blog or went on to contribute to the Star Ledger and Hitfix, Sepinwall was just a college sophomore posting about NYPD Blue to Usenet.

DS9 recapper / physics teacher, Tim Lynch.

MKA.org

Ask Sepinwall about the origins of modern TV writing, however, and he has something different in mind: Usenet’s rec.arts.startrek.current and a certain Deep Space Nine recapper extraordinaire named Tim Lynch.

“Tim was, I think, a CalTech prof by day. I tried tracking him down once to thank him for inspiration, to no avail,” Sepinwall tweeted when reflecting on his 20 years as a critic in 2016.

Luckily, Sepinwall ultimately got his chance. In fact, the underground TV writing/DS9 legend recognized the name. “I remembered Alan Sepinwall from my days on Usenet,” Lynch told Ars recently. “He didn’t tend to post to the Star Trek newsgroups all that much, but I remember seeing his stuff here and there. And when I later moved back to New Jersey, The Star-Ledger is where he was writing for years. I read that column and I said ‘I know him.’ He found me a few years ago when someone was doing a feature on him, and he ended up sending me a signed copy of his book.”

Enlarge / Ah, a delightful Usenet terminal.

Ground zero(ish) of Internet TV writing

Ahead of the recent anniversary of his start with DS9, Lynch happily revealed he didn’t start modern TV criticism, either—he actually got into it because his college buddy Mike was already reviewing Trek on mailing lists and Usenet back in 1988. “After about half a season [of reading], I said, ‘You know, I can do that,” Lynch said. “So very early in The Next Generation S2, I started writing reviews.”

This was the late ‘80s, and Lynch would review TNG all the way through S6. His early work doesn’t resemble what you’d necessarily read in Entertainment Weekly or on The AV Club today: the pieces include recaps of the main plot and any notable subplots before getting into how he feels about the episode (see an early review from 1989 for TNG’s “The Icarus Factor” as an example). Each ends with a rating out of 10, sometimes rating individual storylines or performances even.

But in January 1993, things changed. That’s when, 25 years ago this month, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered.

“I even said it in one of my reviews, I wasn’t planning on reviewing DS9. The time suck was too large,” Lynch said. He had just started his first year of teaching (which was “also not a time-light activity”). “I warned people not to expect reviews, but then the show premiered. I thought ‘I can’t not talk about this.’”

Here, Lynch’s writing evolved into the forebear for modern TV writing. To start, Lynch didn’t shy away from or hide his personal preferences. For instance, slapstick Ferengi episodes? No thanks, see his review of S6’s “Profit and Lace”—“I wrote something to the effect of: ‘There were some nice moments of pathos, some nice cliffhangers, and Armin Shimerman did a great job, but enough with this week’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” Lynch recalled. “That got a lot of people’s attention.”

Lynch skipped his prior recaps in favor of individual episode discussions involving themes, writing, and performances. His pieces got longer, and separate season wrap-ups emerged. For another example, Lynch looks back at DS9 S2 as a high point, and a late-season review like his take on two-parter “The Maquis” demonstrates that reverence. While all the reps (Lynch imagines he penned well over 100,000 words in total between TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, and some film reviews) clearly helped him develop a certain style, Lynch acknowledges DS9 also provided a richer text to engage with.

“From early on, DS9 struck me as something with so much meat in the premise. There was an awful lot of stuff they could do with it, and I got very into its potential,” he said. “TNG was depicting a very utopian society, which was challenging for the writers at times. But DS9 and later Voyager dealt more with, ‘How do you maintain a utopia’ or, in Voyager’s case, ‘How do you build one?’ Voyager ran away from that premise as fast as it could, but DS9 mostly tried to keep that. In the end, I wasn’t 100 percent thrilled that they decided to go on a war footing instead, but there was a lot of stuff they did that spoke to more complexity of character and theme than TNG. I love TNG, but DS9 usually gave me more to think about.”

Sisko explains to Bashir that humans of the 21st century rebelled against the government that kept impoverished people in ghettos.

The actors who played Bashir and Garak on Deep Space Nine played up the romantic chemistry between the two men.

CBS

CBS

Deep Space Nine is on the wormhole front in the Dominion Wars, yet its main characters remain fundamentally humane and strive for peace.

Deep Space 9

A genuine Internet impact

Though he covered TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, and some films/books, Lynch’s writings on DS9 are what ultimately earned him a lasting place in TV criticism lore. If the Sepinwall namecheck isn’t enough proof, his work eventually inspired fans to create an entire wikia just for these reviews, and his writing decisions (like when he took on Enterprise or eventually retired) made TrekToday headlines just like the announcement of a new film would. (No, he insists his work didn’t inspire the First Contact character, though.)

Lynch kinda, sorta even had an idea at the time that he was gaining more readers than just his other Usenet pals. Early in his DS9 review, Lynch taught science at a school in California “and I was teaching Rick Berman [Gene Roddenberry’s successor]’s son, just luck of the draw,” he said. “I don’t know that his dad was reading my reviews all that much, but his son certainly was. And he asked me for copies of a couple of them from Voyager and DS9 to print out and show dad.”

Lynch would later hear from people like writer Brannon Braga (TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, and now The Orville) and artist Michael Okuda (supervisor on many films and Enterprise), plus fellow TV writers like Bad Astronomer Phil Plait. A UK magazine called TV Zone asked Lynch to review Trek books based on the strength of his DS9 work, studios approached him with sci-fi scripts to review, Tor nearly published a compilation, and the Marc Alaimo (DS9’s Gul Dukat) fan club even asked him to attend an official farewell dinner at the end of DS9 (both Alaimo and Casey Biggs, DS9’s Damar, chatted Lynch up that evening).

Yet the pièce de résistance of his impact seems clear in retrospect—the TNG writers room once invited Lynch to pitch an episode based on the strength of his work near the beginning of DS9. Lynch recalls he wrote an episode following up on Data dreaming as laid out in TNG’s “Birthright;” the writer dug into Trek dream symbolism and Data’s emotions or lack thereof.

“Obviously, I wasn’t taken, but that was very flattering,” Lynch said. “I’m flattered and still somewhat amazed that the decade or so of writing I did was seen as so valuable.”

Born at the wrong time?

If Lynch came up reviewing Trek during today’s TV writing culture, it’s quite likely he would’ve been scooped up by some major outlet (if not a sci-fi show writer’s room directly) to write full-time. But his experience came during a different era of recaps and reviews, so Lynch still teaches science to generations of young students. And if he were to shift careers back to writing, he’d rather pursue science writing than entertainment writing at this point anyway. Yet, today he has no regrets about how it all played out.

“Those reviews made me realize my writing was somehow valuable, and it encouraged me to keep doing it in some shape or form,” Lynch said. “It made me better as a teacher, and it leads to the occasional moment of hilarity when students stumble upon it and say, ‘Wait, is this you?’ A friend who was dean of students at one of my previous schools referred to me as her favorite science nerd, and she said it was because I didn’t write like one.”

A few years have passed since Lynch rewatched any DS9, but he keeps up with new Trek films and intends to follow Discovery once its distribution method becomes a bit more viewer-friendly. Given how much a certain series shaped his life, however—Lynch’s DS9 writings spanned the entire run of the show, which coincided with ages 22 to 29 for the teacher—it’s unlikely his answer to “what’s the best Trek?” will ever change.

“As much as I tended to ride DS9 for not living up to its potential at times, in a lot of ways it was a high-water mark for writing in the Star Trek Universe,” Lynch said. “The advantage of being in a stationary setting versus a starship setting is, you couldn’t run away from the consequences, which is something virtually every other series did quite a bit. In DS9, they really had to push themselves in different ways, so some of the cultural questions and political questions it brought up are still to this day very, very strong pieces of work and things I think about.

“I would love to have some other Trek series come up where I can say, ‘I think we’re finally equalling the strengths of DS9—and without the occasional lows.’ But that remains a pipedream.”

Lynch joked he likely won’t be so eager to chat when Voyager hits its 25th anniversary in 2020. So as far as legacies go, he notes, DS9’s is not a bad one to have after all these years.

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[youthvoicesblog]

What a month!

By Tonya 

Today marks the last two weeks here in South Africa. A lot has happened in the past month.

LOSKOP

On February 10, the research team (Relebohile, Lisa, Khethiwe, Felicia and I) drove to Winterton for a workshop with the Loskop girls that was taking place the next day. As we woke, bright and early, excited to work with the Loskop girls, we started the day with delicious breakfast prepared by the hotel we stayed at. After breakfast, we started our journey to Loskop which is roughly half an hour away from Winterton. We had made a stop to the local grocery store in Winterton called Super Spar to pick up lunch, snacks and drinks for the girls. As we arrived to Loskop we drove over to the community hall, where a bunch of the girls were waiting outside. We were welcomed with big smiles and warm hugs from the girls. At that moment, I felt a sense of release. It was the first workshop I was attending and in the beginning, I felt a bit of nervousness. We all gathered in the community hall (there were 22 of us, including the research team) and formed a circle, introducing ourselves. The girls are from grades 10-12, between age 15-22, and all have lovely names. They were a bit shy at first, but as soon as Lisa started the next activity (ice-breaker) called Agree/Disagree/Not which was based on various statements relating to relationships, rights, etc and I was surprised on how they are strong negotiators. The next activity that the girls participated in was Community Maps and this activity is basically drawing, writing about couple problems in their community and then writing how they would prevent those problems. That activity practically took all day, when they were finished we hung them up as an exhibition for everyone to take a look. Their work is amazing! I still have a fresh memory on how beautiful the exhibition looked. After everyone has look at their peers work, Relebohile had a discussion with the girls then later the girls were negotiating on what they would call their group. They have decided on the name, The Social Killers (Creative!). Before the day was over, Felicia and I took pictures on their hands forming a heart with the Networks 4 Change name and logo as the background for an activity that would take place the next day. We said our good byes (see you tomorrow) to The Social Killers girls and before they left they wanted to take group photos. I am happy they wanted to take pictures because I have a couple in my phone and I get to never forget what they all looked like. Also, I get to show my family and friends back home. We (The Research Team) made our way back to the hotel and ate a home-cooked meal then later, relaxed before another busy day ahead with The Social Killers girls.

Sunday, February 12, 2017 we started the day with a warm breakfast meal that was prepared from hotel we stayed at. Drove over to the local grocery store to get lunch, snacks, drinks for the Social Killers girls. Made it to Loskop and this time we went to the primary school where we were the workshop was being held. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining, we had a lovely view of the village from the school and even better the girls were laughing and talking (not as shy anymore). We continued from the day before, (the hand hearts activity) and the girls sticked the picture onto a piece of paper and wrote what their dreams are for their village. It was shocking because 90% of the girls wrote down that they do not want to see girls getting married at a young age anymore. It is a major issue in their village and I cannot imagine as it was something that was believed for many years and still going on today as in my culture it has stopped long ago. We hung the pictures up and had it as an exhibition. The next activity was photo voice and the girls were formed into 4 groups. Each group had an tablet and took pictures of what problems there is in their village and ways they could fix the problems. Once they were done, it was end of the day and it was time for all of us to leave. We said our good byes and Felicia and an awesome idea to buy roses for the girls as it was a couple days before Valentines. I cannot even describe how happy they were! It was priceless! They were taking selfies with the rose, showing off and wanted to take one more group photo. Sadly, the workshop was now over and it was time for the girls to go home and we (Research Team) started our journey back to the city. I must say, it was such a short time to be around the girls and wish it were longer.

My job over the weekend was to take pictures, take notes and be the right-hand for Relebohile and Lisa.

Winterton

February 20-24, Felicia and I followed Lisa and our colleagues to Winterton. The purpose for Felicia and I to follow was to observe the workshops they were facilitating so that when Felicia and I go back home we could be experts. It was a pretty long week, the small-town feel of Winterton made me feel a little homesick as the towns were about the same size. Again, my job over the weekend was to takes pictures, take notes and be the right-hand for Lisa.

Khetani (Winterton)

This is it. This is the last workshop that Felicia and I have participated in. From February 25-26 the workshops took place in the Winterton community hall with the Young Women’s Success Group from Khetani. It was good to see them once again.

On Satudary, at first we were not sure if any of the girls were going to show up but thankfully they were just a little late because some of the girls had to attend school (on a Saturday?! I know. Crazy). They were happy to see us again and welcomed us with warm hugs. They have reintroduced themselves and later, we all rewatched the Cellphilms they have created from a few months back. It was great, everyone was either smiling or laughing. Once we were done watching the Cellphilms, Relebohile and Lisa told the girls the plan for that day. First, they were told to recreate their Cellphilms. That activity lasted all day.

On Sunday, we went back to the community hall for the last day with the Khetani girls and they continued with their Cellphilms. Once they were done, we watched their new Cellphilms. It is amazing with what they could come up with. Also, they are awesome actors! We ended the day with the girls singing a song for us which gave me goosebumps from head to toes! I will never forget the feeling I had when they sang. Sadly, it was time to go. We took a group photo and hugged each other good bye. 

After a long week in the rurals, I was ready to come back to the city and video chat with my family to tell them about my week. The next day, 2 days ago, Felicia and I were being interviewed by the film crew from IAYI. Yesterday, they also filmed us doing our daily activities.

This morning they took portraits of us from outside our landlords place. Nevertheless, the film crew was a couple from Yukon, Canada and they had brought their 6 month old baby along and I couldn’t get enough of her! She’s too cute! 

Thanks (Ma’na),

Tonya