Films That I Saw: October 2020

 

Two more months left in this horrific year and I wish it would end right now. It’s bad enough that Eddie Van Halen died of cancer as he was one of my first idols growing up in the age of MTV (when it played music). Now this fucking election between two old farts I could care less about as everyone is saying “vote for this guy” or “vote for that guy”. Having been through two awful experiences in 2000 and 2016, not only have I made the decision to not vote again and sit out for good. I realize that the two party system is a fucking joke. It’s really just choosing two evils and why would I want to vote for the lesser of the two? Especially in light of the fact that more than 220,000 have already died here in America with this pandemic. I have people from my mother’s family to say not vote for Joe Biden because he would make the country a communist state. I’m like “are you fucking serious?” This shit is giving me a headache already as it just makes me want this year to fucking end.

In the year of October 2020, I saw a total of 16 films in 11 first-timers and 5 re-watches with one first-timer being a film directed by a woman as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. Underwhelming though this is expected when you’re dealing with an 18-month old nephew who is already drawing things around the house and keeps pulling my DVD copy of Apocalypse Now and throw it on the ground. The highlight of the month for me is my Blind Spot pick in Phantom of the Paradise. Here are my top five first-timers that I saw for October 2020: 

 1. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons

2. Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell

3. The Invisible Man

4. Ready or Not

5. Creature from the Black Lagoon

Monthly Mini-Reviews

South Park: The Pandemic Special

I’ve been a fan of the show since it first aired on Comedy Central back in the fall of 1997 and I’ve seen every episode but I will admit the last few seasons have been a mixed bag. At times, there’s some funny episodes but other times. Their approach to satire has been underwhelming. The last season was definitely the weakest as I began to get tired of the Randy Marsh character. I liked him in small doses but him being front and center made me not enjoy the show as this special relating to his stupid weed sale and the fact that he might’ve caused the pandemic all because he fucked some animal in China is just fucking stupid. I don’t know if it will lead to a new season though I really wish they get rid of the satire, a lot of the discussions of political correctness, and other things as it’s just not the same show that I loved back in the 90s and 2000s.

Oasis: Return to Rockfield



The 29-minute documentary short film about the making of Oasis’ landmark sophomore album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? in celebration of its 25th anniversary that has the band’s songwriter Noel Gallagher return to the studio where the album is made. Featuring interviews with Gallagher as well as those who worked on the album, the film showcases the process of making the record as the contributions from the band members at the time with Gallagher having praise for them including his estranged younger brother in vocalist Liam. It’s something fans of the band need to see while Gallagher talks about the album’s legacy as well as the fallacy of critical acclaim in which he admits to not giving a fuck about what they had to say.

Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind

From Marina Zanovich is this documentary about the life of Robin Williams who remains one of the most beloved entertainers that ever lived. Featuring interviews with those that knew him including comedians Billy Crystal, Bobcat Goldwait, Whoopi Goldberg, and many others. The film does show a man who just made people laugh and smile any way he could but underneath that lively personality was a man in pain. Even as it features commentary from his first ex-wife, kids, and sibling as they all reveal the struggles he had with addiction and sobriety while he would also cope with depression later in his life that sadly lead to his suicide in 2014. It is an entertaining but also somber film about a man who made everyone bring joy but was unable to do that for himself.

537 Votes

From HBO Films and in perfect timing considering what Americans are going through right now is this documentary film about the disaster that was the 2000 U.S. presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore which I remembered as that was the first time I voted and well, that was a shit show. Yet, the documentary is more about Florida including Miami-Dade County and how it fucked everything up for everyone as it all relates to those 537 votes between Bush and Gore. It also play into the events prior such as the Elian Gonzalez incident and how it was used as a political tool for the Republicans that was supported by the Cuban-American community in which they made their then-mayor look more spineless than he was. It is at times entertaining but also shocking in what happens with some of the people who worked for the Bush campaign admitting to what they did but I at least appreciated their honesty unlike Roger Stone who appears in the film as he’s so full of shit that even those who worked in the Republican party admit they don’t like him and know he’s full of shit.

Top 5 Re-Watches 

 1. Blue Velvet

2. Somewhere

3. The Others

4. The Waterboy

5. Spider-Man 3

Well, that is it for October. Coming next month will be a return to normal film-watching with an anything goes approach that include films from my never-ending DVR list. I’m also going to catch up on some 2020 releases for films like On the Rocks, First Cow, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm though I remain unsure if I’m going to get back on track on working on my Auteurs piece for Kelly Reichardt as I think it’s likely I’ll push it to early next year. Along with my Blind Spot choice, I will make an announcement for the films that will be part of the 2021 Blind Spot Series as I’m close to making a final decision.

On a final note, I’m sure many heard the news on the passing of Sean Connery at the age of 90. This one hurts just as much as anything as for anyone that watched the James Bond film series know how big of a deal he was. I would say he’s my favorite James Bond though it changes all the time but he was my dad’s favorite James Bond. He loved that film series more than anything and it saddens me that he would never see No Time to Die in person as it’s a film that my mother and I hope to see in the theaters when it’s safe again. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off and god speed 007…

© thevoid99 2020