Films That I Saw: March 2024

 

Spring has arrived yet it still feels like winter in some respects as it’s cold here in Georgia while my dreaded enemy in pollen has also arrived but thank goodness for rain. Yet, the world remains fucked up as Haiti is a state of civil unrest due to gang warfare while the continuous conflict between Israel and Gaza has definitely gotten more chaotic as I’m now getting the idea that history will not look very fondly on the former. Say what you want about the actions of Hamas in Gaza but Israel’s actions under Benjamin Netanyahu however has not given them a lot of supporters. Once again, there’s no winners in this conflict as I think the best solution for the U.S. is to just stay away and don’t get involved.

I do believe that reading the news is the best way to keep in touch with what is happening with the world though I don’t like to read too much of it as not having CNN or any news network is one of the great things into why I’m glad to be rid of cable. I just read what I can get and hopefully get some facts as I’m reading about what happened in Baltimore as the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed due to a collision as it got hit by a container ship. Why was there a ship on that river and how did it lose control? I hate reading shit like this as I know people probably have died and such as that is sad but it makes me wonder why these things happen.



Getting in touch with what is happening does keep me grounded but it also frustrates me which is why I choose to watch other things as I’m grateful for YouTube channels such as Kim Justice’s Wrestling Road as it’s a channel I’ve been obsessed with. It teaches me about the history of Japanese pro wrestling as well as a look into All Japan Pro Wrestling’s glory years in the 1980s and 1990s with the latter decade having four of its best wrestlers known as the Four Pillars of Heaven in Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue, and the late, great Mitsuharu Misawa. I also learn a lot about that period as well as why the company fell apart following the death of their founder in Giant Baba that led to a company exodus in 2000 led by Misawa and many others as they would form Pro Wrestling Noah which would help pro wrestling in Japan during the 2000s as it was a dark time with AJPW losing their TV deal and a lot of interest while New Japan Pro Wrestling was in a decline due to founder Antonio Inoki’s interest in MMA and trying to fuse with pro wrestling with disastrous results in a period known as Inokism.



I like watching stuff like that as I also discovered a video about the controversial casting of Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III and it was shocking as I was fucking pissed over one critic who called her “homely” as I wanted access to the nuclear codes and nuke that motherfucker. It was a very compelling video into what Francis Ford Coppola was thinking but also a look into Sofia’s time as an actress but only in very small parts in films for her dad. She was casted into that film without warning and preparation as it was last minute as she was absolutely out of her element to the point that her aunt Talia Shire begged Francis to pull out of the film knowing she wasn’t right for the part and trying to protect her niece. It also showed into Francis Ford Coppola’s mental and emotional state at the time he was making the film as he was still reeling from the loss of his son Gian-Carlo a few years ago as the video also made insight into why he collaborated with Sofia in writing Life Without Zoe for the 1989 anthology film New York Stories as it’s a segment that really serves more as a preview of the kind of films Sofia would make.

In the month of March 2024, I saw a total of 33 films 23 first-timers and 10 re-watches with 9 of those first-timers being films directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. A solid month as there was a lot of good things to see with one of the highlights of the month has been my Blind Spot choice in Mikey and Nicky. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for March 2024:

1. That Most Important Thing: Love

2. Dune-Part Two

3. Phoenix

4. Two Ships

5. Joy Street

6. 20 Days in Mariupol

7. Asparagus

8. Medicine for Melancholy

9. 27

10. Jefferson Circus Songs

Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I’m Watching

The Voyeurs

Sydney Sweeney is white-hot right now due to the success of Anyone But You, getting good reviews for her most recent film Immaculate, surviving the shit-storm that was Madame Web, and being a funny host on Saturday Night Live recently. In her first collaboration with Immaculate director Michael Mohan comes this film that she did a few years ago as it’s not a great film but it does have some nice moments. Even as it doesn’t require a lot of expectations for anyone wanting a nice erotic drama despite some of the flimsy elements in the plot and its twist in its third act. Of the four main actors, Ben Hardy is definitely the weakest link in the film as he’s just bland while Justice Smith as Sweeney’s husband and Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Hardy’s wife definitely pull in some strong performances. Yet, it is Sweeney that is the star of the film as she does provide a lot of wit and depth into her character while also has a funny moment as it relates to the fact that she does go nude in the film as she says, “yeah, those are my tits” in a deadpan reaction.

Au Revoir Chris Hemsworth



From Simon Pegg and Pom Klementieff is a music video of sorts directed by the former yet is sung by the latter as a challenge towards Chris Hemsworth as part of a fantasy league competition. Singing a song by Serge Gainsbourg, Klementieff brings in a lot of personality and charm while also revealing the people in her fantasy league team in Pegg as well as a couple of co-stars from the most recent Mission: Impossible film.

I Am the Beauty of Your Beauty, I Am the Fear of Your Fear



The 27th entry in Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales anthology short film series is from Tan Chui Mui as it explores a group of women including a Chinese woman who are in Malaysia as they deal with their issues as they get ready to take part in an underground fight. Many of the women in the short would wear these Miu Miu track suits as they all look good in them while also proving to be fucking badasses as it is definitely another winner in the film series.

Lost Girls & Lost Hotels

If I do have a bucket list, going to Tokyo would be one of them as it is hard to make that place look bad. Sadly, the only thing film has going for it is its cinematography and that is it as it’s just a fucking dull erotic drama that doesn’t really have a lot of sexiness. It had a decent premise on paper in this story of an American woman trying to teach budding Japanese stewardesses in how to speak English as well as take part in having sex with men in these love hotels. Yet, it never really does anything as Alexandra Daddario suffers from many of the script’s shortcomings as does her co-star in Takehiro Hira who plays a Yakuza member as he is given little to do. The film also wastes Carice Van Houten as a European visitor who does nothing but get drunk and parties as the film also suffers from its soundtrack as it’s barely audible at times.

27

One of several shorts that I saw on MUBI is an animated short by Flora Anna Buda as it plays into the anxieties of adulthood as it plays into a woman who has just turned 27. It is a film that really plays into this woman trying to find some connection whether it is emotional or sexual. It is a film filled with wondrous animation as it showcases the many difficulties in becoming an adult as it is a short that people need to see.

Jefferson Circus Songs

One of the seven short films that is part of a retrospective for animator Suzan Pitt from MUBI is this strange mixture of animation and live stop-motion animation. Notably as it plays into a woman riding on a train as she watches kids perform in a circus as it is this weird collage of sorts where children are in loop in this live action presentation while it is the animation that is watching the live action. It is truly a marvel to watch.

Crocus

The 2nd of four shorts that I saw from Suzan Pitt on MUBI revolves around a couple ready to have sex while there are all of these things happening. Even as their child would interrupt them wanting some water as there are things floating around this couple while they’re fucking. It’s not a short for children to watch but the animation is so full of imagination.

The Spider Within



From Sony Animation and Jarelle Dampier is this seven-minute short made last year as it was meant to be a prequel short to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as it plays into Miles Morales’ growing anxieties in not just being Spider-Man but also as himself. It plays into this kid just dealing with so much and having a hard time talking about this even though his dad is at the apartment who is concerned and is offering to help. It’s an excellent short film that fans of the animated film series should see.

Two Ships

Having just won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay with her husband/co-writer Arthur Harari, Justine Triet is definitely hot right now as three of feature films are currently streaming on MUBI with Anatomy of a Fall now available on Hulu as I’m planning to do a mini-marathon of her films. This 31-minute short film from 2012 that she made is proof that she is for real as it something anyone interested in her work should see. It revolves around an artist who is broke who goes to a party where he meets a struggling actress who is also going through personal issues as they connect through their mutual personal issues with their families. The performances of Laetitia Dosch and Thomas Levy-Lasne are phenomenal as well as music soundtrack that sounds similar to Kraftwerk as it’s a must-see.

Asparagus

The third of the four shorts on MUBI that I saw from Suzan Pitt is among one of her best in this 17-minute opus as it plays into a woman’s world as it is abstract in its imagery while also showing a sense of identity that is quite liberating. Even as the images of asparagus add to this visual tone as there are moments that is definitely not for kids. From some of the opening minutes to the film to some of its final moments. Still, this is truly a short that many need to see.

Whitney Commercial



Another piece from Suzan Pitt though it’s not on MUBI is a surreal animated commercial that revolves around a machine asking for donation to the Whitney Museum. This 3-minute short is filled with wondrous editing in the way it plays into the demand for donations as it’s another winner from Pitt.

Joy Street

The fourth and final short of Pitt that I saw on MUBI is probably her best one that I’ve seen so far as there’s only 3 more to watch I will see next month. This 24-minute piece revolves around a woman’s despair as she does a suicide attempt while a mouse from her ashtray comes to life and bring her back to life. It is filled with all of these dazzling images and a fun jazz-like soundtrack by Roy Nathanson that features a closing song sung by Debbie Harry. It is definitely a great short to watch as it Suzan Pitt is truly a filmmaker worth seeking out.

Dark Side of the Ring (season 5 episodes 1-4)

The fifth season of Vice’s documentary series on pro wrestling returns with more new subjects with five more coming in April and one more in May on the infamous incident known as Black Saturday. The two episodes on John “Earthquake” Tenta and Terry “Bam-Bam” Gordy are definitely among the saddest as these are two men who have both died through tragic circumstances. Tenta was famous for his work in the early 1990s in WWE while also gained the respect of many in the industry during a wrestling match in Japan in 1991 when Koji Kitao tried to shoot on Tenta who wouldn’t take any of Kitao’s bullshit as the event would prove to be disgraceful on Kitao. Tenta was known as a good man who would tragically die of cancer while Gordy’s story was equally as sad as someone who was a devoted family man but also loved to party as he was part of the Fabulous Freebirds with Michael “P.S.” Hayes and Buddy Roberts in the 1980s while going to All Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 1990s with a lot of success both as a singles wrestler and as a tag wrestler with his partnership with “Dr. Death” Steve Williams being the best as they were dominant. Then in 1993, Gordy’s life changed when he nearly died of an overdose on a flight to Japan as he was never the same wrestler as he would later die in 2001.

The other two episodes are less tragic though the most recent one on Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake did have its share of tragedy as it relates to the moment in 1990 when his face was smashed into pieces because of a parasailing accident. His face would be repaired yet his career struggled through the 1990s despite his close friendship with Hulk Hogan but Beefcake revealed that he and Hogan lost money in the early 2000s which affected Beefcake while the two later had a falling out in the late 2000s/early 2010s as Hogan didn’t like Beefcake’s wife. Then there’s the episode on Marcus Alexander Bagwell aka Buff Bagwell as it is the most entertaining with a lot of what the fuck moments.

Bagwell isn’t a bad person but he’s also full of shit as he was a star in WCW in the 1990s due to the people he was associated with as he was also part of the now faction in the late 1990s. Yet, his wrestling career wasn’t the same in 1998 after a tag match in which his neck broke during a botched move from Rick Steiner as he could’ve become a sympathetic babyface only to remain a heel. It is entertaining although there were things I wish I didn’t need to hear including a story about what former WCW referee saw involving Bagwell’s mother Judy in what she was doing for her son.

Top 10 Re-Watches

1. Manchester by the Sea

2. Young Adult

3. Lick the Star

4. Fernando Nation

5. Black Book

6. Romeo & Juliet

7. Luca

8. Nimic

9. A Pure Spirit

10 The Princess and the Frog

Well, that is all for March. Next month, there will be a focus on films by Justine Triet and Mia Hansen-Love as well as whatever stuff I have pre-written for review. My Blind Spot film choice for next month will be Greed as it is available on YouTube for free as it now on public domain. As for theatrical releases, I’m not sure what I’ll watch though Civil War might be the most likely film I’ll see as there hasn’t been a lot of films I’m eager to see other than films by noted auteurs as I kind of prefer to stay home.

Before I bid adieu, I want to express my condolences on those who passed this month in such noted individuals such as Eric Carmen, Louis Gossett Jr., M. Emmet Walsh, songwriter Mark Spiro, casting director Dianne Crittenden, Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull/Cat Stevens percussionist Gerry Conway, sculptor Katsura Funakoshi, film producer Paula Weinstein, Ron Harper, Steve Harley, screenwriter David Seidler, Emmet Bergin, John Blunt of the Searchers, Robyn Bernard, Karl Wallinger of World Party & the Waterboys, Steve Lawrence, Chance Perdomo and Akira Toriyama. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…

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