Strange Thoughts on Films. Turn Off Your Mind, Relax & Float Downstream.
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Films That I Saw: December 2023
2023 is coming to an end as it was a crazy year though the past few months have been rough for my mother although things are looking up for now. The Christmas holidays were good as I just wanted to relax and wind down as I got some good stuff this year. Yet, it is more about niece and nephew as they love Christmas as they continue to maintain that chaos in the house as the year is about to end. I’m hoping next year is a much better year all around while I definitely do not look forward to the upcoming U.S. elections because I don’t believe in democracy. I don’t like the idea of stupid people having the right to vote because they will fall for anything.
In the month of December 2023, I saw a total of 24 films in 12 first-timers and 12 re-watches with 5 films being directed/co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge with a trio of those films being shorts by Kelly Reichardt that I was able to watch for her Auteurs essay that I was finally able to complete after starting work on it more than 4 years ago but was delayed due to family matter, the pandemic, and writer’s block. That was the highlight of the month as well as my Blind Spot choice in The Seduction of Mimi. Here is the top 10 first-timers that I saw for December 2023:
This short by Charlie Kaufman in collaboration with writer Eva H.D. is an experimental short that has H.D. reciting her own poetry as she walks around New York City amidst its many wonders including beautiful and ugly moments. Shot on an iPhone, the short is 20 minutes long with not a lot of plot. Yet, H.D. does have some unique poetry that plays into her surroundings and her love for New York City.
Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies
This documentary on the history of nudity in cinema isn’t as well-researched in comparison to some late 2000s documentaries IFC did about sex and cinema. It is an entertaining documentary that does explore cinema’s history with sex and nudity in films though it does omit a lot of important films that do play into its history that includes several post-war European films from the late 1940s/early 1950s. There are several people including filmmakers, actors, and historians that do provide some unique insight with some of it to be funny as it is something worth watching for anyone interested while it also touches upon the recent conflict about sex in cinema in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
Obsessed
This drama by Kim Dae-woo about a South Korean colonel who falls in love with his new neighbor’s wife as he deals with PTSD during his time in the Vietnam War is a compelling drama despite being overlong at times. Notably as it features several sequences in which a circle of officer wives gossiping and saying some awful shit as they would stir trouble with the colonel’s wife also being part of that circle. Still, the leading performances of Song Seung-heon and Lim Ji-yeon are fantastic while also doing some amazingly hot sex scenes in the film.
Times Square
This 1980 cult film by Allan Moyle that is produced by Robert Stigwood is a film I’ve heard about for many years as it’s about this unlikely friendship between a mentally-troubled poor girl that wants to be a punk rock singer and a young rich girl whose father is running for office in the hopes he can clean up Times Square in New York City. Starring Tim Curry as a radio deejay who reads the letters from the rich girl as he would enable their behavior, the performances of Robin Johnson and Trini Alvarado are incredible as they really do a lot to keep the film exciting as it also features a tremendous music soundtrack. Plus, the fact that it was shot on location in New York City and in Times Square when it was dirty, unruly, and chaotic makes it even better as it’s a film everyone needs to see.
Here Now
From Gregg Araki in collaboration with KENZO is this odd short film that definitely recalls some of the films he did in the 1990s starring Avan Jogia, Jane Levy, Jacob Artist, Grace Victoria Cox, and a few others as they all wear KENZO clothing. It plays into this young man who is dealing with the chaos around him involving his girlfriend, a young woman he hadn’t seen in a while as she’s become a nun, a couple making out at the restaurant and all sorts of shit. It is a comical short as it’s something fans of Araki should see.
Elemental
From Pixar and Peter Sohn is a film that really makes the case that Pixar needs to focus on creating original projects instead of latching on towards sequels and spin-offs as this is definitely one of their finest works. Notably as it feels like a really personal film from Sohn as it plays into a world where elements such as earth, wind, fire, and water all live in a city though the fire people live in a small section of their own as it does play into immigration and prejudices yet it is largely a love story between a young fire woman and a water city inspector who tries to help the former from having her parents’ shop not get shut down. It is a film with a lot of heart as well as playing into what this young fire woman could do and why she is filled with a lot of anger as it’s a great film that was initially dismissed following a disastrous opening weekend when it was released this past June only to find its audience throughout the summer.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians (season 1 episodes 1-3)
It is clear that the film versions of Rick Riordan’s young adult series were a bust as not only did they seek input from Riordan but also tried to be like every other YA film franchise that was all over the cinemas in the early 2010s and they all sucked. Thank goodness Disney decided to have Riordan be involved with his creation into a TV series for Disney+ and three episodes have been released so far and it is amazing already. Not only does the series take more time to develop the characters as Walker Scobell’s performance as the titular character really has the nuances of a young kid dealing with growing pains, dyslexia, and still trying to find himself as he had just learned he is the son of Poseidon. Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri’s performances in their respective roles as Annabeth and the satyr Grover are also compelling as they too bring in some depth while the ensemble has also been powerful. In this format, not only do they bring in the stakes of what Percy, Annabeth, and Grover have to do but also help them become friends and learn more about themselves as I look forward to the rest of the season.
What If…? (Season 2)
The second season of Marvel’s animated series is phenomenal in its 9 episode run with a third season set to come soon thanks to a preview that features Bucky Barnes, the Red Guardian, and T’Challa in a high speed chase. It all plays into the multiverse with Captain Peggy Carter being at the center of these conflicts where she goes into different timelines while having a close friendship with Natasha Romanoff and having interactions with the show’s narrator in the Watcher. The series has some amazing animation with the sixth episode being its major standout as it relates to a time period in the late 15th Century in which Spanish conquistadors tried to find the Fountain of Youth only to encounter Mohawk warriors including Kahhori who went into this fountain leading to a parallel universe with powers that are far more incredible than she could imagine. It is definitely a standout moment as she would appear in the season finale as the show also has Cate Blanchett doing voice work as Hela in a few episodes where Hela gets to have her own moment. Given the very difficult year Marvel had this year, this show does end the year on a good note.
Well, that is all for December 2023. Next month will be the beginning of a new year as I will make a final post for the year that will involve a lot of new things as well as catching up on some 2023 releases. I will also make a list of the best in pro wrestling for 2023 in a separate post as the year is not finished with a lot of things happening in what has been an insane year. Not sure what film in my 2024 Blind Spot Series will start the new year as I will also take time in doing work on 2 essays for the Auteurs series as the only announcement I’ll make for now is that I’ve added Damien Chazelle as the 76th subject of the series coming later in 2024. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…
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