Movies
The Pledge
The wife and I watched this the other night. I was surprised to see it was directed by Sean Penn. The story was great, the setting, every frame looked good. Jack Nicholson is playing a real character and not just a caricature of himself, really showing he’s a pro. Mickey Roarke has one of the best scenes for only appearing for about one minute.
If a movie like this came out now I wouldn’t shut up about it. And to think stuff like this came out like once a month from the 1980’s to the early 2000’s.
Arlington Road
A movie that’s perfectly in the realm of my interests - terrorism and college professors gone rogue. Jeff Bridges plays a college professor who teaches a class on terrorism and conspiracy. Tim Robbins is his neighbor. Jeff Brides suspects something aint right about Tim Robbins.
I just learned what the term Neo-noir is and realized its my favorite kind of movie.
The Vanished (1993)
Another Jeff Bridges classic. He plays a weird, pseudo-European murderer. What’s interesting is the movie gives this up right away.
The Ring (American)
Fresh off watching this 20 minutes ago. The first time I saw it I was nine years old and it terrified me. Growing up as an unsupervised child I’ve had this experience with a few movies.
Watching it now I can say the jump scares don’t hit as well as intended, but overall the creepy feel and story hold up. I think it’s an allegory for how video journalism causes mass trauma and hysteria. It came out in 2002 which is good timing for that kind of criticism, genius actually. It went into production in November 2001.
One Battle After Another
Why do BPD-psycho-bipoc-chicks love quirked up white boys?
There has to be some Freudian angle to this phenomenon, because the types of chicks portrayed in this movie, especially the main terrorist-turned-rat is exactly this archetype. Shes a case study of a fiery, overzealous bipoc that rants and raves about white privilege, but can’t seem to not fuck every white guy she meets.
Not my favorite PTA movie, but it was entertaining. I think the left wing hype with this movie was overblown. PTA is a master director and understand subtleties and nuance. Perhaps its my own bias, but I think its more of a parody of modern activism. The movie begins with a fetishization of terrorism (and the terrorists are clearly immature and cheezy) and ends with the daughter going to a BLM protest that she saw on an Instagram info-graphic. I don’t see how this couldn’t be mocking of how people see themselves “fighting fascism”.
I’d like to see a spinoff movie of DiCaprio and Del Toro. All their scenes together were really good.
Other Things
Betwixt - Dayz of Noah
Dayz is one of my favorite conspiracy theorists. His new series Betwixt is a good explanation of our society as currently stands, by way of Marshal McLuhan and Neil Postman.
REBT
Rational Emotive behavioral Therapy was created by Albert Ellis and is essential a methodology for practicing stoicism. It’s extremely practical and I’ve found it very useful, like an instant panacea since practicing it.
I find Albert Ellis’ voice irritating, but he explains the principals well here.
Later.
