Weekly Roundup: Two Reviews, a Playlist, and Some MYSTERY PRIZES
Always Busy, Never a Busymaid, hey, wait a minute...
Thanks again to everyone who came out to the Paris Theater last week to see Don Hertzfeldt talk to some guy with a baggy shirt and a weirdly shaped head!
Hi!
I spent most of last week preparing for an audio commentary and also writing two movie reviews; one of those reviews was published this past week (and I’m about to write the other one). The audio commentary sadly did not go off without a hitch; I hope it does tomorrow. I’m a bit nervous since this the first time I’m recording an audio commentary with another person (who also happens to be in another time zone), so you’ll have to pardon my vague-posting. Lotsa moving parts!
In any case, before I get into the usual weekly roundup, I wanted to do a little giveaway in hopes of not only attracting more readers for this Substack, but also to help me get rid of some books, DVDs, blu-rays, VHS tapes, and other things before (and likely after) I move later this year. For starters, I’d love to offer all paid subscribers a little something from my collection. I’ll message you if you’re already a paid subscriber…
As for existing free subscribers, I was thinking I could maybe entice you to either upgrade your subscription or maybe just spread the good word about this newsletter, as some of you already have (It’s very much appreciated!). The first two free subscribers to comment on this post will get a free something or other from my collection, too. I have to limit this offer to US subscribers, just for the sake of shipping. But yeah, it’s free and potentially fun, so why not?
Ok, now that that’s out of the way—it’s weekly round-up time.
Don’t Turn Out the Lights: It’s like a Choose Your Own Adventure story set in an RV!
Two movie reviews published at Roger Ebert dot com this past Friday. The first concerns a peculiar horror movie called Don’t Turn Out the Lights, a spacey body count pic that follows annoying young characters who inevitably admit that they don’t actually know what’s going on and also that most of what they know about each other is based on their stereotype-affirming behavior. Don’t Turn Out the Lights is sometimes hard to enjoy, given the protagonists’ obnoxiously sketchy behavior, but it could also make for a good hangout movie? Read on, dear, uh, reader!
“To save them, we must spoil them.”
Next up is The Greatest of All Time, a new Indian action vehicle for Tamil star Vijay, who doesn’t seem to be taking for granted the rise in popularity and interest that he’s drummed up with recent successes like Leo and Master. Is The Greatest of All Time as good as either of those earlier hits, and can it approach the ludicrous heights of a recent charmer like the 2022 Die Hard clone Beast? Valid questions are being asked, dear reader. I provide some answers in my The Great of All Time review, though fair warning: there’s a pretty major spoiler in that review. I think you can take it though. I have faith in you!
Tomorrow’s audio commentary will go well, I just know it.
I have some ideas for what I want to write about for my next round-up of short newsletter-specific reviews, but you can always give me an extra nudge—after checking my list of 2024 releases that I want to catch-up with. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something for yourself while you’re down there, too… (the notes section features info on where to rent or stream for free) In the meantime, please enjoy a freakin’ month of my favorite new music, along with a supplementary playlist.
