Films That I Saw: September 2022

 

Well, the summer has ended and it’s still somewhat warm here in the South. I’m fucking tired of mosquitoes and I’m waiting for the cold to arrive. Well, the world is still into chaos with Italy going into the far-right which is not a good thing. Didn’t they go through that a long time ago and it went to shit? Britain just lost their queen and there’s a new king but there’s still some bullshit along the way in the way they treat Megan and yet allow Prince Andrew to be involved which is horseshit. Inflation is kicking in and man, it’s kicking everyone in the ass as my mother is just unhappy with this inflation shit. I don’t like it either as it is making things harder as whatever money I get from my EBT card isn’t enough. I don’t just buy food for my mother and I but also fruits for my niece and nephew as they just love to eat fruit. They love to eat rice and beans. They love to eat ice cream every once in a while. This is all El Pendejo’s fault.

Then there’s the world of professional wrestling as the month began with complete and total anarchy in the worst way and it left me with disappointment and anger. Labor Day weekend not only had WWE feature one of the best matches they had shown ever in WALTER vs. Sheamus for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in Cardiff, Wales for Clash at the Castle as that match is proof that HHH is doing good with the fans. AEW would follow WWE the next day with a show of their own in 2022’s All Out that definitely had a solid card and some excellent matches with the big match of the night being Swerve in Our Glory vs. the Acclaimed for the AEW World Tag Team Championship not only stealing the show but it made the Acclaimed superstars even though they lost yet they just won those tag titles at the AEW Grand Slam event in Queens, New York at Arthur Ashe stadium.

They went from being this comedy act of sorts showing up on AEW Dark during the pandemic with Max Caster doing the rapping and Anthony Bowens being charismatic as both guys could work. It was this combination of who they are, their work ethic, and connecting with the crowd even though they started off as heels. It was one of these things that can’t be scripted as not being taken seriously and injuries didn’t stop their momentum while they teamed up with Billy Gunn and his sons Austin and Colten as a faction of sorts just to help the Gunn Club get over. Instead, the fans chose the Acclaimed because of Caster’s rap disses with an injured Bowens showing more charisma in his pinky than a lot of other wrestlers these days as he came up with things like “Scissor me Daddy Ass”. It was one of the dumbest things ever yet it worked and they’re hot right now as definitely a team that fans love.

Unfortunately, what happened at All Out should’ve been this great moment and celebration for AEW. Instead, it got followed by a disastrous media scrum that really should’ve forced Tony Khan to act more like a boss and be more of a businessman instead of acting like a fan. After winning the AEW World Heavyweight Championship at All Out, CM Punk at the media scrum just unloaded on everything and everyone as he made Khan look powerless while he’s munching on pastry and air out a lot of dirty laundry. Whether he was hurting from injuries he had suffered from the match, Punk’s behavior and the things he said weren’t just disrespectful but also unprofessional. Later on while Khan was talking the press, Chris Jericho went to Khan and whispered “some shit just went down” and everything fell apart where a backstage brawl between Punk, Matt and Nick Jackson, and Kenny Omega just came in where Punk’s friend Ace Steel bit Omega in the arm while Elite cohorts Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler tried to stop the brawl along with producer Pat Buck and talent relations official Christopher Daniels.

It was an ugly event that really made AEW look bad and while I wasn’t happy with some of the creative decisions in recent time when it came to Punk. The backstage brawl and the media scrum just made me really disappointed and angry at Punk for not just acting like a whiny bitch but also not acting professionally and just spewing out things that is none of anyone’s business. While there are indeed issues as it relates to communications as well as those talking to the press in secret over things. That whole incident is just an ugly way to end someone’s wrestling career and it definitely exposed a lot of things that happened. The aftermath did have Punk, the Bucks, Omega, Steel, Cutler, Nakazawa, Pat Buck, and Daniels suspended over what happened yet Cutler, Nakazawa, Pat Buck, and Daniels had their suspensions lifted since investigators revealed that they did try to stop the fight.

I admit the reason I watch AEW is because I needed to fill something for my love of pro wrestling and they managed to fulfill it while not everything they did was great. They had growing pains and other things that showcased their flaws but what happened is a clear indication that Tony Khan needs to be more of a boss and have people in his circle to help run things. Fortunately, there had been talent meetings following All Out lead by Jericho, Bryan Danielson, and Jon Moxley who all stepped up and take charge in what should be done and not letting shit like this happen. Since then, AEW has managed to do well without the Elite and Punk as I think AEW doesn’t really need them. Moxley is clearly the Ace of AEW and has earned it while Jericho winning the ROH World Championship is a good business move that hopefully will get Ring of Honor a TV/streaming deal.

Then there’s Punk and the Elite as it relates to what happens to them. Punk’s friend Ace Steel should definitely be fired as he had gotten AEW into trouble with the censors and biting Omega in the arm is just ridiculous. While there have been reports that Omega was trying to stop the fight and was trying to get Punk’s dog Larry out of the chaos. Omega should remain suspended for the time being as he had been helping out behind the scenes with their upcoming video game as he had last been seen in Japan hanging out with Kota Ibushi. Yet, Omega unfortunately didn’t make himself look good during a talent meeting weeks before All Out due to a bad joke he said as it only made whatever relationship between talent and the Elite tense. Matt and Nick Jackson definitely should’ve restrained themselves but they didn’t do that and ended up making a mess into the brawl as they too were unprofessional in their actions. If there is some truth to them leaking things to media sources and such, they need to stripped of their powers as EVPs and remain suspended.

They have a reputation of acting immatures at times dating back to their time in New Japan as they really shouldn’t be talking to Dave Meltzer or anyone and leak shit. There is truth to what Punk had said at the media scrum as well as what Malakai Black has been saying as he is taking an extended leave of absence from AEW to deal with personal issues. Then there’s Punk as it is clear he started all of this and didn’t make himself look good in front of everyone. People will point the finger at Hangman Adam Page over a promo made back in May towards Punk but that is really Tony Khan’s fault for not telling Page to not say those things. Punk however didn’t act well to that promo and there were plans for him to feud with a returning MJF throughout the rest of the year but that is pretty much dead.

After Double or Nothing this past May, this should’ve lead to another Summer of Punk but because of a stupid stage dive that he did. Punk ended up injuring his foot and creating a mess with the AEW World Championship after his match with Moxley for that championship. His actions following All Out not only forced AEW to strip him from the title but also forced the company to have the title vacated leading to a tournament that was recently won by Moxley who never should’ve lost the match at All Out as he had been the one carrying this company this past summer and was the one busting his ass off which is why he earned that title as Ace. The Trios championship was also vacated after what happened as it was recently won by Death Triangle (Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta el Oscuro) as it was created for the Elite but it really should’ve belonged to Dark Order.

I think in all of this, it is clear that there’s some talent that is willing to step up and prove to everyone that they don’t need Punk and the Elite while there are still things behind the scenes that need to be taken care of. WWE had every right to shit on AEW over what happened and it’s all in fair game. The Elite should not be around for a while and let other talent gain their spots while Punk should just fuck off. He has no business being a top champion since his body is unable to carry all of that responsibility while he is also someone that clearly has a lot of anger issues and often finds something to bitch about. There is no fucking way he will return to WWE and I don’t think HHH would want him as I’m sure a lot of the things HHH said about Punk are true and doesn’t want to deal with him. I don’t want to see Punk in New Japan as it is likely he wouldn’t catch up with any of the talent physically and mentally as he would be bitching about being in pain all of the time. I was excited when Punk made his return to wrestling but I am disappointed in how he chose to end it as I really don’t want to see him back in professional wrestling ever again. In fact, I would rather not see him anywhere anymore as I don’t want to see or listen to someone that is filled with bitterness and anger who is never happy over anything. I don’t need that shit in my life.

In the month of September 2022, I saw a total of 28 films in 17 first-timers and 11 re-watches with two of those first timers being films directed/co-directed by women as part of the 52 films by women pledge as it is down from last month mainly because I’m taking care of my niece and nephew as they’ve become unruly in all sorts of fun ways. One of the highlights of the month has been my Blind Spot in Devi. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for September 2022:

1. Moonage Daydream

2. I Am Love

3. Rejected

4. World of Tomorrow

5. The Meaning of Life

6. The Staggering Girl

7. In the Darkness of Time

8. Hail, Sarajevo

9. This Much I Know to Be True

10. I Like Life a Lot

Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I’ve Been Watching

Unauthorized



A short film by Evan Rachel Wood in collaboration with choreographer Angela Trimbur as a love-letter to songs from Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters is a great piece that expresses the love for Apple but also dance. Wood’s direction definitely help capture the intensity of the dancing lead by Trimbur and others as it is set in different locations. Trimbur’s dancing definitely has that sense of movement that is unconventional but also with an air of grace as it is good to see ERW showing that she can do more than just act, sing, and kick ass.

Classic Albums: Suede: Coming Up

The Classic Albums documentary series is something I enjoy watching as it has musicians talking about great albums and those who created it as this episode is the one I’ve been looking forward to since its announcement last year. Often overlooked when compared to albums by Pulp, Oasis, and Blur, Suede’s third album is really a crown jewel of Britpop in terms of a band not only being re-energized following the departure of a key member and the struggle to find themselves after a difficult second album. Especially as they aimed to create an album with nothing but hits as Brett Anderson, Mat Osman, Simon Gilbert, Richard Oakes, and then-new member Neil Codling are interviewed in how they created some of these songs and how the album brought new life to a band many in the press thought were finished after Bernard Butler’s departure.

Remembering

A short film from Disney+ that is mainly an advertisement for a virtual/artificial app. The short film is still an interesting one that features Brie Larson as a young woman trying to get ideas while a young child is meeting a mysterious thing that plays as an idea. It isn’t a great short but it does at least feature some superb performances from the newcomer Dusty Peak and Larson.

The Girl Chewing Gum

This avant-garde from 1976 by John Smith that I watched on MUBI is a fascinating though pretentious short film shot entirely on one location where the camera moves at a certain part of that location with Smith being this voice of God commentating on everything as if he is the director. It has some interesting moments but it’s just something only fans of the avant-garde might really enjoy.

Hail, Sarajevo



One of three short segments from Jean-Luc Godard that I saw on YouTube (the other was a segment from an anthology film) is this 2-minute short film made in the early 1990s relating to the Yugoslav wars of that time. It is really Godard narrating over an image of the war in Sarajevo and how it was disconnected with the rest of the world in the aftermath of the Cold War as if nothing is happening except in Sarajevo.

ASSEMBLED: The Making of Thor: Love & Thunder

The next film in MCU documentary series showcases not just what Taika Waititi wanted to do in terms of the technical aspects of the film such as shooting in a 360 degree studio set that mixed practical sets and visual effects to give a scene a lot of room for the action to occur. It also play into the story and how Waititi was able to get Natalie Portman back into the franchise as she underwent some physical training to play the Mighty Thor. The documentary also revealed Chris Hemsworth’s evolution in playing the character from his first audition to him wanting to do something different but also maintain a big physique for the character.

In the Darkness of Time



From the anthology film Ten Minutes Older: The Cello is a piece from Godard that is definitely a late-career highlight in terms of his love for cinema but also his own views on life in the 20th Century. Featuring clips of his own work as well as images of violence and historical events, the film is really a collage that is narrated by Godard as he talks about the world in general and humanity as it is a must for fans of Godard must see.

I Like Life a Lot

This 8-minute short film consists largely of animated drawings from children living in the Roma section a small town in Hungary as they discuss about their lives at home. Notably in what the adults do in their time at work and out of work as well as things that aren’t so good. It is a film filled with imagination as its final shots involve the kids creating these drawings as it showcases a lot of truth as it is a gem worth seeking out.

Rejected



One of three short films by Don Hertzfeldt that I had never seen before at all yet I had heard of him for a long time. The short is essentially a collection of rejected animated bits Hertzfeldt created for commercials and organizations who found his hand-drawn animated work to be a bit too extreme. Honestly, I thought they were great and hilarious as it had a lot of truth in what these companies wanted. Unfortunately, it’s clear that they don’t have a sense of humor as the drawings themselves get more depressing as it goes on as it play into a humorous take into rejection.

World of Tomorrow



Another short that is really a marvel in animation as it play into a young girl who meets herself from the future who shows her a unique and strange future. A world in which cloning is part of the norm where they would upload their memories into their new bodies and such. The animation showcases a mixture of hand-drawn and 3D computer animation where Hertzfeldt definitely does more but also find new ways to tell a story that transcends genre as the short is the first of a three-part trilogy.

The Meaning of Life



The third and final short by Hertzfeldt that I saw on YouTube is an absurdist take on the idea of life itself. It is a film that isn’t about humanity but also about aliens and all sorts of creatures in how they live and how they try to be part of something. Even when things go wrong as it has an air of crudeness in its look while there are also bits that are just fucking hilarious. Hertzfeldt is someone that needs to be seen for those who had never seen any of his work.

Berenice

From Eric Rohmer is the first short film he ever did back in 1954 that is based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe. Shot and edited by Jacques Rivette and set at the home of Andre Bazin, the film is an example of some of the attributes that would define the French New Wave as it has Rohmer play a man obsessed with his fiancée’s teeth to great extremes as it features narration, strange close-ups and other bits that would be part of that movement.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (episodes 3-7)

The hate this show is getting from a bunch of whiny fanboys with sand in their vaginas is proof that they just can’t handle anything in which women are at the helm. You have them complaining about this, that, this, and that. Oh, they also have a problem with She-Hulk twerking with Megan Thee Stallion. I think agree with one of those people who were shown on the film among those who complained as that one guy said “I don’t know about y’all but I’d smash”. I’m with you buddy. This show is awesome as it play into Jennifer Walter’s internal conflict in being She-Hulk but also wanting to be accepted as herself as Tatiana Malsany really brings a lot of complexities to the character as well as having some strong supporting work. Notably Jameela Jamil as Titania as this hilarious antagonist who is trying to make money off of the She-Hulk name and be a thorn in Jen’s side.

Andor (episodes 1-4)

The new show from the Star Wars franchise that is a prequel to Rogue One as it focuses on the character of Cassian Andor and how he joined the Rebellion. Four episodes in so far and it is definitely a different show in comparison to the other shows from Disney+ as it is more about drama and character study with a small emphasis on action and suspense. Yet, Diego Luna reprising the role as Andor not only feels right but we get to know more about his character and what he is trying to find while there are subplots about key individuals such as Genevieve O’Reilly reprising her role as Mon Montha who is aware she’s being watched by the Empire. It is a show that doesn’t just explore Andor’s early life but also the world of corporations controlled by the Empire as it is definitely a show Star Wars fans need to watch.

Wrestling Match of the Month: Swerve in Our Glory vs. the Acclaimed w/ Billy Gunn for the AEW World Tag Team Championship at All Out 2022

This was a match that came into the event with little build as it was one of the last matches added to an already stacked card. While the duo of Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee have had a good run as the tag team champions since beating the Young Bucks and Team Taz for those belts. There was no question that the Acclaimed have become fan favorites for months as their association with wrestling legend Billy Gunn and his sons the Gunn Club have increased their popularity with Gunn favoring them over his sons who have been annoyed in being called the Ass Boys prompting them to turn on their father and join the Firm lead by MJF and Stokely Hathaway. The match at All Out was expected to be just a typical tag team match or maybe the sleeper match of the night.

Yet, it ended up being the moment that the Acclaimed had arrived as more than 10,000 people at the Now Arena in Chicago were chanting “oh scissor me daddy” or “whose house? Daddy’s house!” as they were rooting for the Acclaimed. It would prompt Strickland and Lee to act heelish that only had the people rooting for the Acclaimed even more. The real surprise was in the fact that the Acclaimed had found ways to really prove that they can go with any team out there as they had near-falls and moments where they really surprised everyone including wrestling fans, skeptics, and peers. Even though they didn’t win the match, it is a major breakout moment for the duo with some hoping for Tony Khan to have called an audible for a change in the results but thankfully the Acclaimed are now the AEW World Tag Team Champions as the only real challenge they have is against another popular team in the current ROH/IWGP/AAA World Tag Team Champions in FTR to see who is really the best and most over team in AEW and professional wrestling.

Top 10 Re-Watches (that isn’t Lost in Translation)

1. Secretary

2. The Old Mill

3. Enchanted

4. Bao

5. The Goddess of Spring

6. Beezy Bear

7. Ferdinand the Bull

8. The Ugly Duckling

9. Lambert the Sheepish Lion

10. The Strongest Man in the World

Well, that is all for September as fall is starting to arrive. In October, it is Halloween season meaning I will be watching some horror, suspense, and other weird shit as well as some new releases like the already-polarizing Blonde and whatever films I can find. My next Blind Spot will be Pedro Costa’s Letters from Fontainhas trilogy while I will be re-watching some Halloween-themed stuff. Before I close, I want to express my condolences to the friends of family of those we lost this month in Louise Fletcher, Coolio, Antonio Inoki, and of course, Jean-Luc Godard. We will miss them for what they’ve done for us and hope to see them in the afterlife. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…

© thevoid99 2022