Everything and nothing happened this month, it seems. I paid my taxes. I trained for my half-marathon. It got hot and then cold again. I think I learned the origins of Tumblr’s obsession with the Ides of March? Eventful, I guess.
This month’s playlist:
The Before Trilogy
Though I haven’t seen much of his filmography, I’m an appreciator of Richard Linklater’s work. I liked School of Rock, loved Bernie, been meaning to see A Scanner Darkly, and though Boyhood did not resonate with me, I respect the dedication in creating it. And Boyhood--with its choice to simply wait for its actors to age into their roles drawing out production for over a decade--is closely related to my biggest blind spot: The Before Trilogy.
Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight--each made and set roughly a decade apart following the same characters portrayed by the same actors--were formative films for many of my friends. So a triple feature on a Sunday afternoon seemed to be the perfect opportunity to experience them for the first time. These movies are all walking and talking. In lesser hands, with lesser actors, the afternoon at the movies would have become an afternoon nap. Instead, I spent six hours getting to know a pair of beautiful, messy people. I shared in their love and excitement and wept with their grief and distress. Stunning.
The X-Files & Twin Peaks
I finished both shows this month. Revival seasons included. A months-long endeavor. One ran longer than it should, the other cut short.
I’d seen a good portion of The X-Files before, maybe up to season six? I’ve heard many arguments this is where one should stop. But I wanted to see it through. My enjoyment faded after season eight. But the show had already begun to turn into a parody of itself by season seven and only got worse. The revival was particularly atrocious fanfic. Do not subject yourself to the later seasons like I did. Thankfully, my love for the show and its characters remains intact.
Twin Peaks, on the other hand, was canceled after only two seasons on a brutal cliffhanger. I can’t imagine how devastated the fans were at the time. Fortunately for me, I was able to roll right into the movie and revival. While The X-Files seemed to be obsessed with preserving its formula in later seasons--only becoming more creatively incestuous as a result--Twin Peaks improved by allowing Lynch’s sorcery to evolve it. The two seasons, movie, and revival are distinct but form a cohesive, challenging creative work. Twin Peaks isn’t my favorite series, but I admire it quite a bit.
Poor Things
I used to be a hardcore book before movie guy but two recent experiences changed my mind. One I have already written about with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner. An amazing example of one piece of art giving rise to another.
The most recent experience is Poor Things. I decided to read the book after watching the movie because the characters were so charming. The two works’ presentations are different but equally endearing. Reading the book now makes me appreciate the omissions and condensation necessary for film, and the director’s visual choices and additions. It’s like I watched a creatively interpreted abridge version and now I’m reading deeper in the expanded volume.
I think being so staunchly book-first made me approach movie adaptations with a lot of judgment. Now it’s like I’m tasting a sample of a story and can choose to dive into the full course if it’s compelling enough.
Sparrow Solitaire
I first encountered Mahjong Solitaire on my Game Boy. It came on one of the bootleg carts, which were all that were available in Thailand, that claimed “100 games in 1!” but just had the same ten games repeated across ten pages with slightly different names. This version of Mahjong Solitaire did not include a tutorial. I was able to discern that the goal was matching pairs but did not understand why some tiles could be selected and others not. I grew frustrated quickly, the young lad I was, and abandoned it. But the stacks of tiles rendered in 1-bit graphics with dithered shadows clung to my memories and surged to the surface when I saw Sparrow Solitaire for the Playdate.
This version mercifully contains a tutorial and my mature and more patient mind enjoys finding pairs and strategically freeing blocked tiles for future matches. I keep my Playdate at work and Sparrow Solitaire is the perfect mental break. The charming 1-bit graphics and lo-fi music and low-stakes gameplay are soothing and draw me into a meditative state. Lovely.
Little Simz
I was recently recommended the music video for Gorilla by Little Simz. A visual feast I thoroughly enjoyed. And I was quite taken with the music too. I’ve been listening to her albums--all distinct with their unique textures and experimentation--and started a Pandora station which has introduced me to a host of other musicians I’d never heard before. I should watch more music videos. After all, they’re the regular vector for introducing me to my favorite bands.
This month I mainly kept returning to the theatre to watch Dune: Part Two. I got to see it in 70mm IMAX. Hearing the projector whir and be overshadowed by those giant images is something else. I also made an infusion from Blood Oranges, a Blood-cello. Reviews have been good.