tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62313562024-03-07T20:57:13.545-05:00Reel Times: Reflections on CinemaA moviegoing journal and other ephemeraMark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.comBlogger1246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-36619492640041640602024-02-22T21:01:00.001-05:002024-02-22T21:01:25.505-05:00January 2024 Reading List<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZsSgqsHSEIz5PsboPrMLxH648KMycl8FVJcfMhs_MSCfMXejHnESTApFYIyeJUt1wpeAU3oVxKCJ5RaEH3sKsfn6JV1m2mcpQXa7_I_BP0-1B6NnwqkGpfXUPBk-XeTLZuJGcWWjOjzqMEUnM4sai3TX4ZOTGSeiaiF86o1x6xuLJugThK2E/s2048/IMG_8192.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZsSgqsHSEIz5PsboPrMLxH648KMycl8FVJcfMhs_MSCfMXejHnESTApFYIyeJUt1wpeAU3oVxKCJ5RaEH3sKsfn6JV1m2mcpQXa7_I_BP0-1B6NnwqkGpfXUPBk-XeTLZuJGcWWjOjzqMEUnM4sai3TX4ZOTGSeiaiF86o1x6xuLJugThK2E/w480-h640/IMG_8192.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I’ve always been a reader, although my reading has tended to be done in spurts. Read a bunch in a condensed period of time and then read nothing for awhile. The last couple of years I’ve been more consistent, reaching the point where now I always seem to have a book, if not multiple, in progress.</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After a race to hit an arbitrary target number by the end of 2023, a pursuit bolstered by getting COVID over the holidays, my reading muscles are in peak condition. Still, the number of books I finished in January 2024 surprises me. Colder weather and the tail end of COVID recovery helped me reach fifteen books read during the month, and only one of them, a small book of poetry, might look like number-padding. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Unlike my moviegoing, which is influenced a lot by the commercial and repertory release calendars, there’s not much intentionality involved with determining what I read when. But that ‘s what can be fun. I wander and end up somewhere I couldn’t have anticipated. A comment in one book may inspire one of my next choices. Last year a mention of a Jack London novel in a Whit Stillman monograph led me to </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Martin Eden</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. I read Agatha Christie’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By the Pricking of My Thumbs</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and Ray Bradbury’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Something Wicked This Way Comes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> back-to-back because having the titles in that order on my list amused me. A topic or a title in a podcast, news article, or social media post might spark my interest. I may just randomly find something at the library or decide that it’s time I give my attention to a book that’s been on my shelf for years. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of January’s reads, only the first two were “planned,” by which I mean they were novels I hadn’t found time for in 2023 and decided it was their turn. I didn’t intend for all the books I read last month to be written by women, but after the first few, I thought why not? I also didn’t plan to go on such an Agatha Christie kick, but I did and don’t see that pattern abating. (It doesn’t hurt that I can read her mysteries exceptionally quickly.) I don’t expect that I’ll continue reading at a pace of a book about every two days, in part because there are some long and more complicated books I want to tackle.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, this is all a preamble to me jotting down brief thoughts about what I’ve read. I’m not interested in writing down extensive impressions about everything, but I figured I might be motivated to crank out a sentence or two for each book. If you think these insights lack depth, I agree! (It would help if I had tweeted something after finishing each. I’ll try to do better next time.) I’ve also posted my <a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2024/02/2022-reading-list.html">2022 reading list</a> and <a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2024/02/2023-reading-list.html">2023 reading list</a> if they are of interest. If not, at least I know I have them in another place for my own reference.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">January 2004 Reading List</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9DWKbkKpZ8hru1GWYpsW1eFea9ohURos2LfVohAOTKjO32aw0DoAaV6Bvu7lo_WeInFOuaZB4wW9m4VheIyuKE3BhsL_l3odWVrsBG3g8RYqnNy3wylJauLHLa9N2mOTciHMXLCR8QIEr7I7O16STzNElHHbh5s5iPU13ZE0neZNpmAXyHxV/s2048/IMG_8193.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9DWKbkKpZ8hru1GWYpsW1eFea9ohURos2LfVohAOTKjO32aw0DoAaV6Bvu7lo_WeInFOuaZB4wW9m4VheIyuKE3BhsL_l3odWVrsBG3g8RYqnNy3wylJauLHLa9N2mOTciHMXLCR8QIEr7I7O16STzNElHHbh5s5iPU13ZE0neZNpmAXyHxV/w300-h400/IMG_8193.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Birnam Wood</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Eleanor Catton, 2023)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An American tech billionaire building a doomsday bunker in New Zealand and a leftist ecological collective become unlikely partners in a highly entertaining thriller and satire. Internal group politics are sharply observed, especially in examining what happens when pure ideology rubs against personal needs, desires, and practicalities. Catton’s facility with language elevates this above nuts-and-bolts genre fiction while remaining a gripping page-turner.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HMMM8gdy-vBdIFOfvoetHfmc_Xq6ehGYs2ftxqR9X6RD4p3IsNsU9NnRo0xzmtp379lPkG3XjaIi3TMTvroGfba9TQNvpu7I0TyJ6w7ReoKrfFMtwgiXTsEDjYbRBPHdGrVXOmpFxkKo6RIjZJK6af8F-kBYlJqa8CLkZgqFDQDWQqyt-REt/s2048/IMG_8194.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HMMM8gdy-vBdIFOfvoetHfmc_Xq6ehGYs2ftxqR9X6RD4p3IsNsU9NnRo0xzmtp379lPkG3XjaIi3TMTvroGfba9TQNvpu7I0TyJ6w7ReoKrfFMtwgiXTsEDjYbRBPHdGrVXOmpFxkKo6RIjZJK6af8F-kBYlJqa8CLkZgqFDQDWQqyt-REt/w300-h400/IMG_8194.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Enter Ghost</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Isabella Hammad, 2023)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hammad’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Parisian or Al-Barisi </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was one of the best books I read in 2023, and her follow-up may be even better. I was deeply moved by the crescendo to the novel’s final words. An actress visits her sister in Haifa and becomes involved in a production of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hamlet</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to be staged in the West Bank, leading her to reexamine what it has meant for those who remained after 1948 and those who left. The defiance and hope that arise in the book might seem naive, particularly while reading this as the news of human atrocities in Gaza surface every day, but without them, how could one continue to press on?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNoHs1tSoyozm5dtI0Zmk7Z_iN0OVu7L-G5zEEp_B-nwtbBVTvDHW9fdLSuXhgeNBHTxH8bvfFsayXV5qZw9g2lUJjKym0mBbitJCkyPRahU5nTCQjVsnrJysD9Izj8UjvPnUT9y5KXBXAtSVEbmbC0vzinX0AEWzvAMXL8Kc8Q-M870zoACc/s2048/IMG_8195.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNoHs1tSoyozm5dtI0Zmk7Z_iN0OVu7L-G5zEEp_B-nwtbBVTvDHW9fdLSuXhgeNBHTxH8bvfFsayXV5qZw9g2lUJjKym0mBbitJCkyPRahU5nTCQjVsnrJysD9Izj8UjvPnUT9y5KXBXAtSVEbmbC0vzinX0AEWzvAMXL8Kc8Q-M870zoACc/w300-h400/IMG_8195.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Murder of Roger Ackroyd</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1926) - includes “A Letter to My Publisher” (1936) and “Creating Poirot” (1938)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I enjoyed reading Agatha Christie books as a kid–very fashionable, right?–and had this interest rekindled at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival upon seeing Rian Johnson’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Knives Out</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and the Johnson-introduced screening of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Last of Sheila</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. This is widely considered one of her best, a sentiment I agree with.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1J6A5xjEwFnleF3_9ALTwTq7zEXyCym8mchjQjZ4hdH_YeZLBos7IEyefIhyDatpm1Vica-rqXPhSP70ch-xA25mhDYEHIOgg34Ve8nm0iUUxCnsYoYg3QFAOTIGQwkhY4OjSKMUpVm2ENx8ma4xfR7Ke32hFTKp4pv9RG_MlNFrxEhPO6JM/s2048/IMG_8198.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1J6A5xjEwFnleF3_9ALTwTq7zEXyCym8mchjQjZ4hdH_YeZLBos7IEyefIhyDatpm1Vica-rqXPhSP70ch-xA25mhDYEHIOgg34Ve8nm0iUUxCnsYoYg3QFAOTIGQwkhY4OjSKMUpVm2ENx8ma4xfR7Ke32hFTKp4pv9RG_MlNFrxEhPO6JM/w300-h400/IMG_8198.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div></div><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Period: The Real Story of Menstruation</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Kate Clancy, 2023)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was expecting more anthropology and less science than what this turns out to contain, which is not a criticism of the book that was written but rather a note of my expectations. The history and anthropology about women’s health made for more compelling reading, especially in light of today’s political environment.. Of course the science matters and is not a separate thing from how the subject is treated in the public arena. Some of it just seemed a bit over my head.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YUX5qEspKYIWVURp1yZr_PMAOscpLWrPD3ybP_QA_RBOjhcI1yAHeClXgo2wHWJlQ2Ab6aZIVmjstvToH-k-EcafsMzPKh-imWp7QQ8CQ9NicVUQH7JW6RDEeDy-_lnqWNVweUvHfSjEZGfr9i-ATkgPkkQaaiErt0pfrLROyQWym9y3lqOo/s2048/IMG_8200.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YUX5qEspKYIWVURp1yZr_PMAOscpLWrPD3ybP_QA_RBOjhcI1yAHeClXgo2wHWJlQ2Ab6aZIVmjstvToH-k-EcafsMzPKh-imWp7QQ8CQ9NicVUQH7JW6RDEeDy-_lnqWNVweUvHfSjEZGfr9i-ATkgPkkQaaiErt0pfrLROyQWym9y3lqOo/w300-h400/IMG_8200.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Mysterious Affair at Styles</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1920)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Christie’s first published novel, which also introduces the detective Hercule Poirot, displays an Arthur Conan Doyle influence, particularly Poirot’s Hastings as a Watson-like narrator. This is a solid start to what became an unbelievably successful career for the author. I’m not reading the Poirot books in order, which doesn’t seem necessary and is too much trouble when borrowing from the library, but even as I bounce around, it’s interesting to note how her style adapts and how she references earlier books in later ones but not at the expense of spoiling the outcomes.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIZq6BmAcWMi1-8sZf9i-rIqs4BLr-oHF0vy49SvdL1jgV8MgMm8TgcPVTFeNnBfyFrLaJ_W9Xl6XjKt2ij7OtHVQE__B9bjze0enO7GM3v_R4tqZcFITHFK-vpmADbOOQjJhPecdkGiX72tnywYrcwINLgnaBYRJ9GdHlWgm1YX6eATwwxHS/s2048/IMG_8202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIZq6BmAcWMi1-8sZf9i-rIqs4BLr-oHF0vy49SvdL1jgV8MgMm8TgcPVTFeNnBfyFrLaJ_W9Xl6XjKt2ij7OtHVQE__B9bjze0enO7GM3v_R4tqZcFITHFK-vpmADbOOQjJhPecdkGiX72tnywYrcwINLgnaBYRJ9GdHlWgm1YX6eATwwxHS/w300-h400/IMG_8202.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div></div><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The A.B.C. Murders</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1936)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If all of the serial killer films, TV shows, and books don’t owe a debt to this, I would be shocked. This mystery features good dramatic momentum and, as usual, a resolution that I didn’t see coming. For what it’s worth, I don’t read Christie’s mysteries to try to crack the cases, although maybe after I’ve read enough of them I’ll detect a pattern. Or not.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV093cdFzGDi_UJkpDBqtPCt9nbocW57WVR4ai3FWJRXVUDrMEpAGFC2P1c9NQ8bC3CocKPhN2HAmmQaTkbvTyUKZazIb_WFZGarpV3un2FbCwgbocNAg3hCeUjzSKxV0t5_Tw4h1nkg_DFzKFsFEpckxW2RJQRqzQyxh4INWGTW7K76B11u5/s2048/IMG_8204.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV093cdFzGDi_UJkpDBqtPCt9nbocW57WVR4ai3FWJRXVUDrMEpAGFC2P1c9NQ8bC3CocKPhN2HAmmQaTkbvTyUKZazIb_WFZGarpV3un2FbCwgbocNAg3hCeUjzSKxV0t5_Tw4h1nkg_DFzKFsFEpckxW2RJQRqzQyxh4INWGTW7K76B11u5/w300-h400/IMG_8204.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Cat Among the Pigeons</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1959)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rex Reed griped about being <a href="https://observer.com/2011/05/evolution-in-real-time-terrence-malicks-ponderous-the-tree-of-life-ponders-the-meaning-of-existence/">forty-five minutes into </a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://observer.com/2011/05/evolution-in-real-time-terrence-malicks-ponderous-the-tree-of-life-ponders-the-meaning-of-existence/">The Tree of Life</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://observer.com/2011/05/evolution-in-real-time-terrence-malicks-ponderous-the-tree-of-life-ponders-the-meaning-of-existence/"> with no sign of Brad Pitt</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, so I want to joke about no Poirot on the scene until relatively late into </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Cat Among the Pigeons</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Murder and intrigue at a boarding school for girls make for a solid mystery.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJMKXy__uocgCsRqjx7C9MrjHop3Eagli9HzTRQBqlv6r-Fca6bNzA7G6WVstrsRXCUvOplAwKVhqFaYBG64-Dn_uAw6kyoKWeLf-5DFLWkowzyl78beemHT9rUgCKdRjfb8ivmoT6FUtL7SKSQhVkixCP0MS3dyqT-8Sn3qauJENT5xTHZ1a/s2048/IMG_8206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJMKXy__uocgCsRqjx7C9MrjHop3Eagli9HzTRQBqlv6r-Fca6bNzA7G6WVstrsRXCUvOplAwKVhqFaYBG64-Dn_uAw6kyoKWeLf-5DFLWkowzyl78beemHT9rUgCKdRjfb8ivmoT6FUtL7SKSQhVkixCP0MS3dyqT-8Sn3qauJENT5xTHZ1a/w300-h400/IMG_8206.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Catch the Rabbit (Uhvati zeca)</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Lana Bastašić, 2018) - (Translated from Serbian-Croatian by the author)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m sure some of the shadings here are lost on me. Sorry, I’m not up to speed on all the intricacies involved with the break-up of Yugoslavia and the post-war fallout. Knowing that may make for a richer read, but without that footing I was impressed with how Bastašić examines a friendship that fell out, the narratives that both women constructed about their relationship, and how these carried stories clash during a reunion road trip many years later. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7i-nnuexVl2w4rsSP-pyjbpXW0vzEMV0_iCi584GPQbjdJQzvtW212m_HY-SxVE7wy55_ZqcPLQjiaoDop5EE9s9qv77m5IYDKPOmXf6YXv_oy6xvV8gmsY7kv-jBnY1rT_sq1aeu5fjsAko7dS_l2JrcIDy9xXg22g4Lfaep_0SfF3GLakQ/s2048/IMG_8209.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7i-nnuexVl2w4rsSP-pyjbpXW0vzEMV0_iCi584GPQbjdJQzvtW212m_HY-SxVE7wy55_ZqcPLQjiaoDop5EE9s9qv77m5IYDKPOmXf6YXv_oy6xvV8gmsY7kv-jBnY1rT_sq1aeu5fjsAko7dS_l2JrcIDy9xXg22g4Lfaep_0SfF3GLakQ/w300-h400/IMG_8209.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Peril at End House</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1932)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you approach these mysteries solely as tests to be solved, this one will likely disappoint because I don’t think it’s likely you can figure it out before the reveal. The setting and cast of characters feels a bit small, but Christie includes enough twists and turns to keep things moving along nicely.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LCxP7jjWNjoXcKmUD0SNmeOk_vtluVcB4VwzOk3NZPFiE_LxO7ntQY6Jv2BPYwINJMyrvE5ipAmq9vE-AaZJnG4ZWue1R9N-0fRsLtrMEIxRu8pzsIsarkGFnk-BhvSJE6rS9lOOMvI-7AiqS8ZkFGnvR-rB7n3VprWbOC4yKmh6IX_OLqW9/s2048/IMG_8210.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LCxP7jjWNjoXcKmUD0SNmeOk_vtluVcB4VwzOk3NZPFiE_LxO7ntQY6Jv2BPYwINJMyrvE5ipAmq9vE-AaZJnG4ZWue1R9N-0fRsLtrMEIxRu8pzsIsarkGFnk-BhvSJE6rS9lOOMvI-7AiqS8ZkFGnvR-rB7n3VprWbOC4yKmh6IX_OLqW9/w300-h400/IMG_8210.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>I Was Told There’d Be Cake</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Sloane Crosley, 2008)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As a lifelong Midwesterner, I suppose it is inevitable that I felt a certain amount of animus building toward a collection of comedic essays about life as a privileged (or seemingly privileged) twentysomething in New York City. To Crosley’s credit, I think she uses self-deprecation in these stories (and the title) to signal awareness, and not in an overcompensating way, of whatever advantages she’s had. (Bonus observation: I’ve also read Crosley’s two novels and would put </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Clasp</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> at the top.)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQFrzrszUwqGyU8GH1gqSMOSjAz7d0Y1-ssExfcG5a6tnbjhCN0RKRAekroHu3DHdYJn-htNMcurIyFpCLgHGjCcG_JU8h1kKpRWVXn0R5q_kjJlTD2T8PMEQ3gvDKLawNyWxLD5ub116ZpuJGCeG7ib6w9Nfmleq_3VPq32W5LkvXH-K8V4q/s2048/IMG_8211.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQFrzrszUwqGyU8GH1gqSMOSjAz7d0Y1-ssExfcG5a6tnbjhCN0RKRAekroHu3DHdYJn-htNMcurIyFpCLgHGjCcG_JU8h1kKpRWVXn0R5q_kjJlTD2T8PMEQ3gvDKLawNyWxLD5ub116ZpuJGCeG7ib6w9Nfmleq_3VPq32W5LkvXH-K8V4q/w300-h400/IMG_8211.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Future</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Naomi Alderman, 2023)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This zeitgeist-y book shares some overlapping elements with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Birnam Wood</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">–namely tech billionaire schemes–but its near-future setting veers more into the science fiction realm with thinly veiled riffs on contemporary figures and companies. Elizabeth Hand called it <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/11/05/naomi-alderman-future-review/">“immensely readable if frustrating”</a> in a </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Washington Post</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> review</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> that tidily sums up my experience with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Future</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. To me there seems to be a big thematic contradiction in what the book calls for and how it is achieved. I’ll also note that this is the first time I recall seeing the book equivalent of a film putting a scene in the middle of the end credits. On top of that there’s also a page with an e-mail address that you can write to and get a small piece of information that fills in an important unaddressed gap in the book.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfQXizohh5MV27gFR1hhiskl5MzX9QgG37IzIvuNrZsSwhTJo3zZS6R9z970R0tnl7yxqyRyu5o1AKj50_cPk-0ufIFDFvfJtaqOCzezhIt2S3obeoL80s9nd9Wukn3EXIrgTYp7yJ66B6yl7fXNidcSxDx_AAd_zVOC71fuajNrj-kJtf-52/s2048/IMG_8212.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfQXizohh5MV27gFR1hhiskl5MzX9QgG37IzIvuNrZsSwhTJo3zZS6R9z970R0tnl7yxqyRyu5o1AKj50_cPk-0ufIFDFvfJtaqOCzezhIt2S3obeoL80s9nd9Wukn3EXIrgTYp7yJ66B6yl7fXNidcSxDx_AAd_zVOC71fuajNrj-kJtf-52/w300-h400/IMG_8212.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Death on the Nile</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1937)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I thought the Kenneth Branagh film adaptation was dull when seeing it in the theater, but maybe I need to give it another chance because the book is quite good. Then again, Branagh changes and cuts some characters while still retaining the resolution of the whodunit component. Notably, the book does not feature any backstory about Poirot’s mustaches, something I assume was invented for the screen.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfmuCNUQNjWb4uU_eMP1Ocnmz4govcoF4fUzOBaPPSD_jVQfdPmOFSyUDjHOwyiZ3lwPPVPP2RLVuoWyMkAD2xoCaja7FztuFdchID8WQ5zUK7EB50ju8rPcI7QiAKN3bXkQEFsm_iA4LdWiwQcQkSmVK6A6D0bGemc1xdRxbHUqjd1v175Z1/s2048/IMG_8214.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfmuCNUQNjWb4uU_eMP1Ocnmz4govcoF4fUzOBaPPSD_jVQfdPmOFSyUDjHOwyiZ3lwPPVPP2RLVuoWyMkAD2xoCaja7FztuFdchID8WQ5zUK7EB50ju8rPcI7QiAKN3bXkQEFsm_iA4LdWiwQcQkSmVK6A6D0bGemc1xdRxbHUqjd1v175Z1/w300-h400/IMG_8214.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Goldenrod</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Maggie Smith, 2021)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I don’t have much experience reading poetry, but I enjoyed the Columbus-based poet’s collection, which often touches on political frustrations, the challenges of parenthood, and a failing marriage.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G0kGkv7X0ybTIgYpk4yQBqd_UU5FnCRobRtGG-twuwKSp1jEDIonOFBC3v1RB-hI7XzeFExMhM7YkiBp3KA3jz73wrm5UOwUWgQzb3j-6ilM7v_nJhcC3u_c9dTk9Kz1oiN6f4RcYBHvFqnAcxf4N5b3sGUgu1pR_Q5ERqBOcFKyblEPvYEi/s2048/IMG_8216.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G0kGkv7X0ybTIgYpk4yQBqd_UU5FnCRobRtGG-twuwKSp1jEDIonOFBC3v1RB-hI7XzeFExMhM7YkiBp3KA3jz73wrm5UOwUWgQzb3j-6ilM7v_nJhcC3u_c9dTk9Kz1oiN6f4RcYBHvFqnAcxf4N5b3sGUgu1pR_Q5ERqBOcFKyblEPvYEi/w300-h400/IMG_8216.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Murder on the Links</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1923) - includes “Agatha Christie on Poirot’s Favorite Cases” (1938)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Less to do with golf than the title might lead you to expect. (The victim’s body is found on a golf course.) It’s probably worth reading this one early on, if simply to better understand a detail about Hastings’ life that is mentioned in other books.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4m5X86U2-31j6yrdDuvNAvXJIEVkfwZtphlHh7yX_i6q1IPdoDuDPelzG-isjYDNWE4vellBc44q8vdEmkK3m3GkKexX-TiP5odYHXNd2zXPWBu647BLFqjjDbe4ZZQBPxSC_2rpUuEfXsuGCkv24qqB4jv4RvtSoaV63Hn3Wq3kEC6EFMJg/s2048/IMG_8218.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4m5X86U2-31j6yrdDuvNAvXJIEVkfwZtphlHh7yX_i6q1IPdoDuDPelzG-isjYDNWE4vellBc44q8vdEmkK3m3GkKexX-TiP5odYHXNd2zXPWBu647BLFqjjDbe4ZZQBPxSC_2rpUuEfXsuGCkv24qqB4jv4RvtSoaV63Hn3Wq3kEC6EFMJg/w300-h400/IMG_8218.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Three Act Tragedy</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Agatha Christie, 1934)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Two unexpected deaths at dinner parties lead to a third get-together being thrown in an attempt to catch the killer. I’ve been impressed with how Christie plays with form. She’s not rewriting virtually the same thing every time. The plot and/or economy of characters may be on the thin side for this concept, though, even as I enjoyed seeing the author do something different.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In-progress</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights: Volume 1</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> - translation by Malcolm C. Lyons (2008)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was looking through the Penguin Classics list to spur ideas of what to read and decided this looked interesting. Which it better be because at 982 pages, it is a commitment. Not to mention that there are two additional volumes of approximately equal length if one is to polish off all of these tales. So far, so good. I have been surprised by how risqué some of these tales are. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>The One Year Bible: New Living Translation</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (2004)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’ve tried this project before and come up far short, but as I’m reading more right now, the time seems right to try again. This book breaks up the Bible into daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. Ideally I’d read a little every day, per the text’s organization, but in reality I will read a few (or more) days at a time depending on if I get behind. This month delivered a neat bit of synchronicity in reading the story of Lot, which also plays a thematic role in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Future</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-42194850382709436022024-02-22T20:57:00.003-05:002024-02-22T20:57:41.896-05:002023 Reading List<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYMPiQZZ44EMDjoDykOMLe-zvgwuMlE8e_4YfDuoOqSEtSXTe-r41BAkQtrViC04hdeK3kEM-JkgD12w1ltrHgIUImheUSAt5H5etN66IlNVDUTITy-2J16xJNrbrZa0Xuik1lMFQeqNqceFCK0HA5QOIT4RoZdffgxfO5pYfEUm-R51t2nGH/s4032/IMG_7103.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYMPiQZZ44EMDjoDykOMLe-zvgwuMlE8e_4YfDuoOqSEtSXTe-r41BAkQtrViC04hdeK3kEM-JkgD12w1ltrHgIUImheUSAt5H5etN66IlNVDUTITy-2J16xJNrbrZa0Xuik1lMFQeqNqceFCK0HA5QOIT4RoZdffgxfO5pYfEUm-R51t2nGH/w400-h300/IMG_7103.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For my own reference, and to add context as I hopefully keep up with blogging about what I'm reading in 2024, I'm documenting what I read in 2023. (I've also posted </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2024/02/2022-reading-list.html" style="font-family: arial;">my 2022 list</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.) The list is arranged in the order the books were read.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. <b><i>Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey</i></b> (Richard Ayoade, 2014)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. <b><i>In Other Words</i></b> (Jhumpa Lahiri, 2015)</span></p><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. <b><i>Cinema Speculation</i></b> (Quentin Tarantino, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">4. <b><i>The Remains of the Day</i></b> (Kazuo Ishiguro, 1988)</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">5. <b><i>The Autograph Man</i></b> (Zadie Smith, 2002)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">6. <b><i>Age of Cage: Four Decades of Hollywood Through One Singular Career</i></b> (Keith Phipps, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">7. <b><i>Sitti’s Olive Trees</i></b> (Ndaa Hassan, 2021)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">8. <b><i>Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety</i></b> (Eric Schlosser, 2013)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">9. <b><i>A Confederacy of Dunces</i></b> (John Kennedy Toole, 1980)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">10. <b><i>American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World</i></b> (David Baron, 2017)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">11. <b><i>The Man Who Died Twice</i></b> (Richard Osman, 2021)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">12. <b><i>The Bullet That Missed</i></b> (Richard Osman, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">13. <b><i>The Physics of Everyday Things</i></b> (James Kakalios, 2017)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">14. <b><i>The Switch</i></b> (Elmore Leonard, 1978)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">15. <b><i>Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius</i></b> (Nick Hornby, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">16. <b><i>The Way to the Spring: Life and Death in Palestine</i></b> (Ben Ehrenreich, 2016)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">17. <b><i>The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017</i></b> (Rashid Khalidi, 2020)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">18. <b><i>Trust</i></b> (Hernan Diaz, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">19. <b><i>Player One: What is to Become of Us</i></b> (Douglas Coupland, 2010)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">20. <b>Lethal Passage: The Story of a Gun</b> (Erik Larson, 1994) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">21. <b><i>Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic</i></b> (Simon Winchester, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">22. <b><i>American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer</i></b> (Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, 2005)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">23. <b><i>Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883</i></b> (Simon Winchester, 2003)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">24. <b><i>I Have Some Questions for You</i></b> (Rebecca Makkai, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">25. <b><i>The Man in the Brown Suit</i></b> (Agatha Christie, 1924)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">26. <b><i>Cleopatra: A Life</i></b> (Stacy Schiff, 2010)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">27. <b><i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i></b> (Thornton Wilder, 1927)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">28. <b><i>By the Pricking of My Thumbs</i></b> (Agatha Christie, 1968)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">29. <b><i>Something Wicked This Way Comes</i></b> (Ray Bradbury, 1962)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">30. <b><i>Hold Fast Your Crown (Tiens ferme ta couronne)</i></b> (Yannick Haenel, 2017) (Translation by Teresa Lavender Fagan, 2019)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">31. <b><i>Summerland</i></b> (Michael Chabon, 2002)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">32.
<b><i>Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus</i></b> (Mary Shelley, 1818) (1831
revised third edition) [Includes the short stories “A Fragment” (Lord
Byron, 1819) and “The Vampyre: A Tale” (Dr. John William Polidori,
1819)]</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">33. <b><i>The Yiddish Policemen’s Union</i></b> (Michael Chabon, 2007)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">34. <b><i>Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices</i></b> (Matthew Cutter, 2018)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">35. <b><i>Richard Ayoade Presents The Grip of Film by Gordy LaSure</i></b> (Richard Ayoade, 2017)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">36. <b><i>The Parisian or Al-Barisi</i></b> (Isabella Hammad, 2019)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">37. <b><i>Fletch</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1974)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">38. <b><i>Whit Stillman: Not So Long Ago</i></b> (Various, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">39. <b><i>Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century</i></b> (Dana Stevens, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">40. <b><i>The God of Small Things</i></b> (Arundhati Roy, 1997)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">41. <b><i>Confess, Fletch</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1976)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">42. <b><i>Fletch’s Fortune</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1978)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">43. <b><i>The Outsiders</i></b> (S.E. Hinton, 1967)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">44. <b><i>The Last Devil to Die</i></b> (Richard Osman, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">45. <b><i>Martin Eden</i></b> (Jack London, 1909)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">46. <b><i>Fletch and the Widow Bradley</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1981)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">47. <b><i>Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever</i></b> (Matt Singer, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">48. <b><i>The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession</i></b> (David Grann, 2010)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">49. <b><i>The Roaring Game: A Sweeping Saga of Curling</i></b> (Doug Clark, 2007)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">50. <b><i>The Luminaries</i></b> (Eleanor Catton, 2013)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">51. <b><i>Fletch’s Moxie</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1982)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">52. <b><i>Fletch and the Man Who</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1983)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">53. <b><i>Perfect Circle: The Story of R.E.M.</i></b> (Tony Fletcher, 2018)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">54. <b><i>Carioca Fletch</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1984)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">55. <b><i>Fletch Won</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1985)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">56. <i><b>Fletch, Too</b></i> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1986)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">57. <i><b>Son of Fletch</b></i> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1993)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">58. <b><i>Fletch Reflected</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1994)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">59.
<b><i>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vingt mille lieues sous les
mers) </i></b>(Jules Verne, 1870) (Translation by David Coward, 2017)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">60. <b><i>Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall</i></b> (Zeke Faux, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">61. <b><i>Worn: A People’s History of Clothing</i></b> (Sofi Thanhauser, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">62. <b><i>Flynn</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1977)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">63. <b><i>The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder</i></b> (David Grann, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">64. <b><i>A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster</i></b> (Rebecca Solnit, 2009)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">65. <b><i>The Buck Passes Flynn</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1981)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">66. <b><i>Flynn’s In</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1984)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">67. <b><i>Flynn’s World</i></b> (Gregory Mcdonald, 1999)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">68. <b><i>The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man</i></b> (David W. Maurer, 1940) (Read 1999 edition with introduction by Luc Sante)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">69. <b><i>The Accidental Universe: The World You Thought You Knew</i></b> (Alan Lightman, 2013)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">70. <b><i>Two Weeks in the Midday Sun: A Cannes Notebook</i></b> (Roger Ebert, 1987)</span></div>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-40792194541445540982024-02-22T20:31:00.001-05:002024-02-22T20:57:57.172-05:002022 Reading List<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWwDarEU0oXY9u3iUBr5GOUmPWymh8lgBT1VgetsuVvuCnrPB5iYoLlFaTKFgacADF8aMqaJNhBO9z-A4T-2ChXGYm7vY0TeCJ0bByOCozJs4-vMMcuySLNFASs6mvYGhK6S76Eds0xdGHACHuGSCDasDqMa6KidGqR5bHQLzPZDmz8moKoLq/s2048/IMG_6159.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWwDarEU0oXY9u3iUBr5GOUmPWymh8lgBT1VgetsuVvuCnrPB5iYoLlFaTKFgacADF8aMqaJNhBO9z-A4T-2ChXGYm7vY0TeCJ0bByOCozJs4-vMMcuySLNFASs6mvYGhK6S76Eds0xdGHACHuGSCDasDqMa6KidGqR5bHQLzPZDmz8moKoLq/w400-h300/IMG_6159.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">For my own reference, and to add context as I hopefully keep up with blogging about what I'm reading in 2024, I'm documenting what I read in 2022. The list is arranged in the order the books were read.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. <b><i>Magpie Murders</i></b> (Anthony Horowitz, 2016)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. <b><i>Whereabouts</i></b> (Jhumpa Lahiri, 2018)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. <b><i>Klara and the Sun</i></b> (Kazuo Ishiguro, 2021)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">4. <b><i>Moonflower Murders</i></b> (Anthony Horowitz, 2020)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">5. <b><i>Cult Classic</i></b> (Sloane Crosley, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">6. <b><i>The Monster's Bones: The Discovery of T.Rex and How It Shook Our World</i></b> (David K. Randall, 2022)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">7. <b><i>A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable</i></b> (John Steele Gordon, 2002)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">8. <b><i>Artemis</i></b> (Andy Weir, 2017)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">9. <b><i>The Thursday Murder Club</i></b> (Richard Osman, 2020)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">10. <b><i>Call for the Dead</i></b> (John le Carré, 1961)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">11. <b><i>The Cabin at the End of the World</i></b> (Paul Tremblay, 2018)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">12. <b><i>The Clasp</i></b> (Sloane Crosley, 2015)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">13. <b><i>The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary</i></b> (Simon Winchester, 1998)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">14. <b><i>Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History</i></b> (Erik Larson, 1999)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">15. <i><b>King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa</b></i> (Adam Hochschild, 1998)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">16. <b><i>Lucky Jim</i></b> (Kingsley Amis, 1953)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">17. <b><i>Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty</i></b> (Patrick Radden Keefe, 2021)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">18. <b><i>A Murder of Quality</i></b> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(John le Carr</span><span style="font-family: arial;">é, 1962)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">19. <b><i>The Spy Who Came in from the Cold</i></b> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(John le Carr</span><span style="font-family: arial;">é, 1963)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">20. <b><i>The Cloudspotter's Guide: The Science, History and Culture of Clouds</i></b> (Gavin Pretor-Pinney, 2006)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">21. <b><i>The Looking Glass War</i></b> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(John le Carr</span><span style="font-family: arial;">é, 1965)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">22. <b><i>Funny Girl</i></b> (Nick Hornby, 2014)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">23. <b><i>State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts</i></b> (Nick Hornby, 2019)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">24. <b><i>Heart of Darkness</i></b> (Joseph Conrad, 1899)</span></div>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-46351768174544831192022-02-15T13:12:00.003-05:002022-02-15T13:17:51.929-05:002021 Film Log<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a84caf94-7fff-08cb-f0ec-7de78ce0b5f9" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After not seeing a movie in theaters in 2020 after March 8, last year found me tentatively returning in June and then typically seeing two or three films per week. After getting back into a consistent moviegoing routine and finding theaters mostly empty, which I admit made me more comfortable, I was up to see pretty much whatever would help me maximize my AMC A-List membership. My decisions of what to watch weren’t made completely indiscriminately. In the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now Playing</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> days I still might have convinced myself to see </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PAW Patrol: The Movie</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be on top of all new wide releases but not now. Nevertheless, I was still willing to take chances on some stuff that I didn’t have high hopes for, like the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Escape Room</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sequel and programmer fare like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Protege</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or which had been bludgeoned critically, like the awards-striving dud </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being the Ricardos</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the misguided adaptation of stage musical </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Evan Hansen</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The only time I balked at going was when </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spider-Man: No Way Home</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was packing theaters amid the omicron variant’s rise. Usually I was seeing films with a handful of people around me, so that blockbuster could wait until crowds shrank after the holidays. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My limited availability to go to the movies and inconvenient showtimes meant I only made it to arthouse and repertory film venues twice in 2021. For instance, would I have liked to have caught </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bergman Island</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Velvet Underground</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Yes. At 10 p.m. on a weeknight? No. Still, I am kind of surprised that there are a decent number of smaller or more idiosyncratic films I managed to watch amid the big studios’ releases. There’s a lot of chaff on the theatrical portion of my viewing list, but then again, there always was when I was seeing more than this when the TV show was in production or <a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2019/01/2018-film-log.html">when I last posted something like this in 2018</a>.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theatrical - 2021 U.S. Releases (61)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Leos Carax, 2021, France/Belgium/Germany/United States/Japan/Mexico/Switzerland)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antlers</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Scott Cooper, 2021, United States/Mexico)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Becoming Cousteau</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Liz Garbus, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being the Ricardos</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Aaron Sorkin, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belfast</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Kenneth Branagh, 2021, United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Widow</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Cate Shortland, 2021 United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Candyman</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Nia Da Costa, 2021 United States/Canada)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Card Counter</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Paul Schrader, 2021, United States/United Kingdom/China/Sweden)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C'mon C'mon</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Mike Mills, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Copshop</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Joe Carnahan, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cruella</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Craig Gillespie, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cry Macho</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Clint Eastwood, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Evan Hansen</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Stephen Chbosky, 2021, United States/Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't Breathe 2</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Rodo Sayagues, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dune</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Denis Villeneueve, 2021, United States/Canada) - </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IMAX</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Encanto</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Escape Room: Tournament of Champions</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Adam Robitel, 2021, United States/South Africa)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eternals</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Chloe Zhao, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Eyes of Tammy Faye</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Michael Showalter, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F9: The Fast Saga</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Justin Lin, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Forever Purge</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Everardo Gout, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Free Guy</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shawn Levy, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Wes Anderson, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ghostbusters: Afterlife</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jason Reitman, 2021, United States/Germany)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Green Knight</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Lowery, 2021, Ireland/Canada/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halloween Kills</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Gordon Green, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">House of Gucci</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Ridley Scott, 2021, United States/Canada)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Heights</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jon M. Chu, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jungle Cruise</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">King Richard</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lamb</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Valdimar Jóhannsson, 2021, Iceland/Poland/Sweden)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Duel</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Ridley Scott, 2021, United States/United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Night in Soho</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Edgar Wright, 2021, United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Licorice Pizza</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2021, Canada/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Leonardo</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Andreas Koefoed, 2021, Denmark/France)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malignant</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (James Wan, 2021, United States/China)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Many Saints of Newark</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Alan Taylor, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Matrix Resurrections</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Lana Wachowski, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Night House</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Bruckner, 2020, United Kingdom/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nightmare Alley</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Guillermo del Toro, 2021, United States/Mexico/Canada)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nine Days</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Edson Oda, 2020, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No Time to Die</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021, United Kingdom/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Old</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (M. Night Shyamalan, 2021, United States/Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Pedro Almodovar, 2021, Spain)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pig</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Michael Sarnoski, 2021, United States/United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Protege</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Martin Campbell, 2021, United States/United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Quiet Place Part II</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (John Krasinski, 2020, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raya and the Last Dragon</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, and John Ripa, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rescue</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2021, United Kingdom/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reminiscence</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Lisa Joy, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ron's Gone Wrong</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine, and Octavio E. Rodriguez, 2021, United States/United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Destin Daniel Cretton, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space Jam: A New Legacy</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Malcolm D. Lee, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sparks Brothers</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Edgar Wright, 2021, United Kingdom/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spencer</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Pablo Larrain, 2021, United Kingdom/Germany/United States/Chile)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Suicide Squad</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (James Gunn, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Questlove, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Titane</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Julia Ducournau, 2021, France/Belgium)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Venom: Let There Be Carnage</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Andy Serkis, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">West Side Story</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Steven Spielberg, 2021, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zola</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Janicza Bravo, 2020, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theatrical - Older Films (2)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cooley High</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Michael Schultz, 1975, United States) - </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">35mm</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ghost in the Shell (Kôkaku Kidôtai)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Mamoru Oshii, 1995, Japan) - </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IMAX</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps the list becomes more interesting when turning to what I chose to watch at home. Here the choices are subject to my whims, like when I started an impromptu Hayao Miyazaki retrospective or recorded some murder mysteries from Turner Classic Movies.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blu-ray (21)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Brief History of Time</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Errol Morris, 1991, United Kingdom/Japan/United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bill & Ted Face the Music</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Dean Parisot, 2020, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Brood</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(David Cronenberg, 1979, Canada)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Castle in the Sky (Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1986, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chungking Express (Chung Hing sam lam)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Wong Kar-Wai, 1994, Hong Kong)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Devi</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Satyajit Ray, 1960, India)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dune</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Lynch, 1984, United States/Mexico)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eyes without a Face (Les yeux sans visage)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Georges Franju, 1960, France/Italy)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Host (Gwoemul)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bong Joon Ho, 2006, South Korea)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiki’s Delivery Service (Majo no takkyûbin)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1989, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1988, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1984, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Parallax View</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Alan J. Pakula, 1974, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1992, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hayao Miyazaki, 1997, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Le samouraï</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Jean-Pierre Melville, 1967, France/Italy)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seconds</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (John Frankenheimer, 1966, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taste of Cherry (Ta'm e guilass)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Abbas Kiarostami, 1997, Iran/France)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tenet</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Christopher Nolan, 2020, United States/United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throw Down (Yau dah lung fu bong)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Johnnie To, 2004, Hong Kong/China) (Blu-ray)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Thin Blue Line</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Errol Morris, 1988, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Streaming (6)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Elia Suleiman, 1996, Israel/United States/Germany/France/Occupied Palestinian Territory)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention (Yadon ilaheyya)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Elia Suleiman, 2002, France/Morocco/Germany/Occupied Palestinian Territory)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Elia Suleiman, 2019, France/Qatar/Germany/Canada/Turkey/Occupied Palestinian Territory)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1979, Japan)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (John Lounsbery and Wolfgang Reitherman, 1977, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time That Remains</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Elia Suleiman, 2009, France/Belgium/Italy/United Kingdom/United Arab Emirates/Occupied Palestinian Territory/Israel)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TV (3)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clue</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jonathan Lynn, 1985, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Murder by Death</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Robert Moore, 1976, United States)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ten Little Indians</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (George Pollock, 1965, United Kingdom)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve added the countries of origin as a data point I thought might be interesting to tabulate, although some of what’s listed above demonstrates how difficult it can be to determine where a film is “from.” I’ve made my best guess in breaking out the primary country of origin, so this is anything but exact in a number of instances. For example, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gets attributed to France, the latest James Bond film to the United Kingdom, and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Leonardo</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Denmark. It’s no surprise that U.S. titles lead the way, though.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Primary Country of Origin</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canada</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denmark</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">France</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 4</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hong Kong</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 2</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iceland</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">India</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iran</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Japan</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 8</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Occupied Palestinian Territory</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 4</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">South Korea</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spain</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Kingdom</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 9</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United States</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 59</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As my viewing was mostly in theaters, it’s also expected that most of what I saw were new releases. I’m a little surprised I didn’t watch anything before 1960.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Year/Decade of Release</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2021</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 61</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2020</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 2</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2010-2019</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 1</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2000-2009</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 4</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1990-1999</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 7</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1980-1989</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 7</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1970-1979</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 6</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1960-1969</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 5</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my 2021 goals was to try to watch bodies of work. Like most New Year’s resolutions, that one flopped, although I didn’t get about halfway through Hayao Miyazaki’s filmography before getting distracted by sports of British panel shows available to stream. The Elia Suleiman online retrospective was the closest I came to achieving what I set out to do, although his oeuvre is also small. Ridley Scott and Edgar Wright just happened to put out two films in 2021. While I didn’t go through all of his films, the Errol Morris films I watched filled in some big gaps of what I haven’t seen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-26d33a3d-7fff-93cc-9478-8e18b3883d63" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Directors with Multiple Films</span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-26d33a3d-7fff-93cc-9478-8e18b3883d63" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hayao Miyazaki</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 7</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Errol Morris</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 2</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ridley Scott</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 2</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elia Suleiman</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 4</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edgar Wright</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: 2</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eventually I’ll post a best of 2021 list, although I feel in no real hurry to do so. If the Academy Awards can get pushed back to almost April, I think my list, which will incorporate 2021 films seen this year, can survive a delay.</span></p>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-33722451463589786962021-08-12T23:16:00.000-04:002021-08-12T23:16:59.797-04:00Back to the Movies<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-3b6af1a1-7fff-b746-2e99-04181632bc0c" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A funny thing happened when COVID encouraged us to be at home through most of 2020. I didn’t watch many movies at home and saw none in a theater after last year’s True/False Film Festival. The latter is probably no great surprise--did going to the movies seem like a desirable or smart thing to do?--but the former would be deemed unusual based on my previous viewing patterns. And then a funny thing happened after I got the second dose of the vaccination in April 2021. I was in no rush to go back to the movies. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before the pandemic uprooted some of my habits and routines, I could be counted on to go to the movies a lot. Seeing three or four films per week in theaters was fairly common, especially with an AMC A-List membership that tempted me to get the most bang for my buck. My attendance suffered mildly when I started a new job in late 2019, primarily because I had less time and energy, but even if I were “only” seeing one or two a week, such a pace would surely put me among the top percentiles of moviegoers. At the start of a largely homebound life last year I just wasn’t in the mood to watch movies and may not have had a suitable attention span for much of that time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So why wasn’t I eager to go back to movie theaters once it was seemingly “safe” for me to do so? Fundamentally I still felt (and continue to feel) that I’d prefer to be cautious. I wanted to see Christian Petzold’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Undine</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but I checked the seating chart for the one small auditorium where it was playing in town and decided that I wasn’t enthused to see it in such close quarters, especially when I could rent an HD stream for less than the price of a ticket. I don’t think my hesitancy can be chalked up purely to guarding my health, though. I just didn’t feel like I had to go.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I pushed myself to return and saw </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Heights</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in mid-June, nearly two months after I was vaccinated. Still, I purchased my ticket with a plan, choosing to see it in what I thought was (and previously had been) a Dolby Cinema theater--meaning it was about as big of a room as exists in Columbus--and at an off-peak time with as few people as possible present. Success! Only one other person shared the theater with me. I wore a mask throughout and expected to have the experience remind me of why I have been such a dedicated theatrical viewer. But that didn’t happen. Maybe it was the film, which I thought was fine but didn’t wow me, or maybe it was the uneasiness of being out in public like this for an extended time, even though I nearly had the screening to myself. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next two weeks I ventured out to see </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sparks Brothers</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Quiet Place Part II</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Edgar Wright’s rock doc unspooled, or whatever the equivalent term is for a digitally projected file, before me alone. To my chagrin there were maybe seven or so people at </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Quiet Place Part II</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but I could deal with that. Neither the films nor the experiences renewed my previously voracious appetite for going to the movies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMC paused all A-List memberships when the pandemic hit, but as talk of things returning to normal picked up (even if they really haven’t), they resumed billing in July. If I am going to pay for it, I am going to use it, although making three per the weekly maximum allowed might be pushing it. Nevertheless, I took in ten features for the month, which surprises me in retrospect. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raya and the Last Dragon</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Escape Room: Tournament of Champions</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were effectively private screenings. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zola </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nearly was, as only one other person bought a ticket when I saw it. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summer of Soul (...Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Widow</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space Jam: A New Legacy</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were pretty sparsely attended and also played in a massive auditorium. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F9: The Fast Saga</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pig</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Forever Purge</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were in smaller rooms but not packed at all. The most I pressed my luck was an opening weekend Saturday night screening of </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Old</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but the crowd was at most half the size of what it would have been the previous evening. I suppose my curiosity, coupled with not wanting everything to be revealed on Twitter before I got to it, got the best of me that night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So far in August I’ve viewed </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Green Knight</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jungle Cruise</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Suicide Squad</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nine Days</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cruella</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. While the quantity of films I’m seeing might seem like I’m more or less back to normal, I can’t say that it feels like I am. The films I’ve liked I can judge as being fine, and those I’ve not liked have ranged from so-so to somewhat irritating. Whether good or not, they haven’t been particularly sustaining, just pleasant (or not) diversions. It’s been nice to get out of my apartment and do something, but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The closest anything has come to eliciting that blown-away reaction is Leos Carax’s weird, art-damaged musical </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Unlike most of the other films I’ve seen in theaters in the last two months, a strong artistic vision is stamped all over it. Even though it can be pretty aggressive in trying to alienate the audience, at least in some stretches, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> feels vital in a way that a lot of the studio products don’t, even the good films. (Now seems like the time to chime in to say I’m not a fan of </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zola</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which annoyed me and may be a type of provocation where I tend to break from critical consensus. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Green Knight</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a lot going for it, but I’d feel more enthusiastic about it if I had read a primer or the epic poem it’s based on before seeing it. I know </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pig</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has its strong supporters, and while I liked it, I wasn’t dazzled.) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So again, is it the movies, or is it me? I suspect it’s both. Many of the franchise films (or films in the franchise mold) feel made-by-committee, just this year’s model, sometimes with quirkiness added to give the patina of individual spirit in the work or the auteur smuggling in something more personal to the corporate widget. I had a good enough time with the family adventure film </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jungle Cruise</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but the climax has zero emotional credibility. How fitting that it is based on a ride because it was satisfying enough for the time being and hasn’t occupied my mind since it concluded. I thought </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Suicide Squad</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was put together reasonably well, but while I wasn’t bored with it, I never engaged with it either. In comparison, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Old</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I would not describe as great or rank among M. Night Shyamalan’s best, takes some big swings. Although the end result doesn’t fulfill all of Shyamalan’s ambitions, I prefer seeing something that feels like it is its own thing, not just another waystation from one film to the next.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I expect I’ve changed too. How could I not with everything in the last year and half? I’ve developed new interests and revisited older ones for which time wasn’t available with all those trips to the movie theater. I probably was seeing more than was advisable, so if I’m no longer omnivorous (or as close as is realistically possible) when it comes to new releases, that’s not a bad thing. Fifteen months without going to the movies demonstrated that something I previously did multiple times a week wasn’t as missed as I might have once thought. (To reiterate, though, I saw ten films in theaters in July. This hardly qualifies as abstention.) And to be fair, these are still strange times to be in. I haven’t worked in an office since March 2020 and, per current expectations, won’t return to one until October. That’s probably going to be feel different as well. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is all really just some throat-clearing--or what people think of as blogging in general, right?--than the wind-up to some big announcement at the end. I have found rewarding viewing this year, like the online </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2021/05/palestine-lived-in-and-observed-films.html" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elia Suleiman retrospective</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and working my way through all of Hayao Miyazaki’s films via Blu-ray, and I’m sure there is more to be done with a mental list of films I want to watch. I look forward to being able to return to film festivals. I hope more films I see in the theater will impress me to a greater degree than what I have been seeing. The </span><a href="https://filmboundpod.com/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Filmbound</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> podcast is not kaput. I’ve just been stuck in not having the motivation to edit the recorded episodes in the can, which will then allow for making new ones. But for now things are how they are, and the perspective gained in getting here isn’t such a bad thing to acquire.</span></p>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-9859473120177783892021-05-26T00:07:00.006-04:002021-05-26T00:13:15.103-04:00Palestine Lived in and Observed: The Films of Elia Suleiman<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf89xOHwWXY3q3mG6UXjCgVxKYX-2_TzS-EMRlTKmWC6770YRBxb5M3UttCvQTMqKa5KY6_vqp6nhS9Ji2zg-3XOekQZIbFPHxt4RCUAmFWGQUxwpzrI8l52Fg1V9Rzjvrfqh/s2047/89073F67-1784-4484-BBD2-870C1518056B.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="1955" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf89xOHwWXY3q3mG6UXjCgVxKYX-2_TzS-EMRlTKmWC6770YRBxb5M3UttCvQTMqKa5KY6_vqp6nhS9Ji2zg-3XOekQZIbFPHxt4RCUAmFWGQUxwpzrI8l52Fg1V9Rzjvrfqh/w383-h400/89073F67-1784-4484-BBD2-870C1518056B.jpeg" width="383" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director Elia Suleiman at the Toronto International Film Festival<br /> screening of <i>It Must Be Heaven</i> - 9/14/19 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6b16f641-7fff-2f9f-68f1-d2198b084eb4" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A year ago if one would have asked me what I know about Palestine, I probably wouldn’t have been able to come up with much. As I suspect is true for most Americans, I have been aware of the longtime tensions in the Middle East, but the best I could have likely mustered for an answer would have amounted to stumbling through some general statements defining Palestine in terms of the conflict with Israel. Frankly, I don’t know that I’d fare much better now if put on the spot, although I have been reading up on things more, particularly after the events of the last couple weeks. I’m certainly not anyone who could be characterized as possessing any deep understanding of the issues but I’m learning.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6b16f641-7fff-2f9f-68f1-d2198b084eb4" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-6b16f641-7fff-2f9f-68f1-d2198b084eb4" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why? I could say it’s to be a better citizen of the world, but it comes down to wanting to be a better friend. At work I made a terrific friend, and as we’ve come to know one another better, I’ve enjoyed what she’s shared with me about her Palestinian heritage and culture. Assuming COVID-related obstacles or other unknown issues didn’t interfere, my hopes and intentions have been to attend her wedding in the West Bank this summer. I’ve never traveled outside of North America, so in anticipation of making such a trip, I’ve been acquainting myself with practical matters for visiting this region. Then the incidents at the Al-Aqsa mosque and Sheikh Jarrah happened, followed by Hamas firing rockets at Jerusalem and Israel bombing Gaza for days. My concerns surged for my friend, her family, and her cousin, who I’ve also befriended and who flew to Palestine this week. I’m ashamed it took having personal connections, that worrying about people I care for and how they are affected, is what pushed me to become better educated. And where do I even begin? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talking with my friends and keeping a closer eye on the news are certainly important, but art can also be a valuable lens for broadening understanding. My familiarity with Palestinian films, or ones that foreground the Palestinian perspective,is pretty limited, though. I saw </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paradise Now</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I liked, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miral</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I didn’t, but remember little about either since watching them during their theatrical runs. At last year’s True/False Film Festival I was quite impressed with </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mayor</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a documentary about the mayor of Ramallah. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Viewing Booth</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, another film I saw at the 2020 True/False, has lingered with me the last year-plus as it questions the limits of active, critical viewing and the power of images to persuade. In it a perceived ideal viewer, someone whose beliefs would seem open to change, is shown Israeli occupation YouTube videos, and yet director Ra’anan Alexandrowicz seems to land at the discouraging conclusion that media literacy isn’t a cure-all in the Information Age. It may prove to be an essential document of this particular point in time.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I associate anyone with Palestinian cinema, it is the Nazareth-born filmmaker Elia Suleiman. I saw </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Columbus and, unless my memory is faulty, recall protesters at 15th and High Street outside the Wexner Center when it screened. I saw his most recent feature, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival with him in attendance. I liked both of those films, so when </span><a href="https://watch.eventive.org/arabfilmseries/play/607dd205cae17e0084781786" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a retrospective of his four features</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, plus a virtual Q&A, were made available for pay-what-you-want streaming on demand from May 21-May 30 by the Arab American National Museum, Arab Film and Media Institute, and ArteEast, in partnership with Doha Film Institute, I felt compelled to dive in. (Viewers in the United States, Canada, and Palestine can watch through May 30.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In considering these works, I want to make it clear upfront that I don’t know what I don’t know. These films surely contain nuances that slip by me. I can say for certain that there are parts in the films I had seen previously that I missed and that, in being marginally better informed, I understand better now. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1996)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suleiman begins and ends his first feature with a shot of his father sleeping while sitting up. To me the film is one rooted in resignation, and those images reinforce the notion that rest is not something engaged in to energize and restore but rather something submitted to, the weary capitulation to the state of being. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suleiman’s style uses a series of vignettes, rather than a traditional narrative, to create the sense of the people and place that mean so much to him. The technique is perhaps most poignant in this of all his features because it can seem more documentary-like, at least in the opening personal diary section. Suleiman plays “himself,” the non-speaking ES, and he uses family members and other non-actors to portray the daily life that feels like it is vanishing for Arabs amid Israel’s dominance in the land. While </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bears no similarity in form to Martin Scorsese’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Italianamerican</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--Robert Bresson’s inspiration seems more apt in creative choices--both capture tales and images that are fading or will eventually disappear. Suleiman’s film is more mournful, even as it is laced with caustic humor, and it leaves one feeling the weight of decades of a people’s erasure.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having watched Suleiman’s four feature films in less than twenty-four hours, I think there are benefits to viewing them in chronological order. This is not a </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boyhood</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-like experiment, but each film builds on the last. In using real people from one film to the next and telling their stories, most notably those dealing with his parents, he taps into an emotional power from observing the effects on people aging and dying while the struggle suspends them in stasis. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is the one that feels like it has the most I’m unable to pick up on, but revisiting this after completing the retrospective could also help to unlock it more.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention (Yadon ilaheyya)</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2002)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> felt suffused with sadness of what has been lost and is in the process of going away, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, subtitled </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Chronicle of Love and Pain</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is marked by defiance. The recurring characters of Suleiman’s ES and a woman played by Manal Khader are lovers divided and kept apart by the districts where they live in the West Bank. The only way for them to meet is for each to park at the Al-Ram checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah. Their one opportunity to go away together comes when ES inflates a red balloon adorned with the face of Yasser Arafat and sets it on a path toward the guard tower, which initiates panicked calls from soldiers about how to engage and allows them to slip by without notice.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That balloon floats all the way to the Dome of the Rock before coming to rest. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> employs other loaded images to provoke. The film begins with children chasing a man dressed as Santa up a hill, and we come to find that he has a knife plunged into his chest. In the most memorable scene, a shooting range uses a cutout featuring a Palestinian woman as a target for Israelis to aim at and hit. Unlike his more grounded previous film, Suleiman indulges in fantasy in a few other spots and here, as the woman on that target manifests as a Palestinian ninja wielding a shield in the shape of the West Bank, using it as a boomerang to fell a helicopter, and rearranging the bullets fired at her into a a halo.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the images are often charged, the humor is similarly blunt. A man throws his garbage into his neighbor’s yard. The neighbor throws it back, and the man complains about the mess she has made. You don’t need to be a scholar on the region to get the underlying message. That’s comparatively light against some other scenes. A long shot shows men cursing and beating something with a stick as a crowd watches. Eventually another man brings a gun and shoots to kill. It’s horrific based on what we expect is happening, with the nervous laughter and relief coming upon discovering they were smashing a snake. A scene with a tourist asking an Israeli policeman for directions to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre lands its punches with the clueless officer bringing a blindfolded Palestinian prisoner out of the back of the wagon to provide the assistance he cannot. While more overtly political, Suleiman’s dry sense of humor is reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch’s films, and the disenfranchised Palestinians he gives prominence share an affinity with the stuck, existentially frustrated protagonists in the Ohio-born filmmaker’s works. To winning comedic effect he even inserts the song “I Put a Spell On You,” which is strongly associated with Jarmusch’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stranger Than Paradise</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and cues it up again in </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suleiman’s style feels more refined here in linking the pieces, and the expressive boldness of this film provides a bracing counter to how the Palestinian experience is often depicted, if it is at all, in American media. The emotional journey from sadness and resignation in </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to anger and defiance in </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> makes sense. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divine Intervention</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ends with ES and his mother watching a pressure cooker and her saying, “That’s enough. Stop it now.” One wishes the simple, direct sentiment were easy to honor.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time That Remains</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2009)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Again, if I’m to make a case for watching these chronologically, there is an emotional logic that reflection and grief are next in the flow. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time That Remains</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has scenes set the earliest in any of Suleiman’s four features and unfolds the most like a regular story. He looks back to the 1948 creation of the state of Israel and how his family has been affected in the sixty years since. Subtitled </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Present Absentee</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as he would become an expatriate as a young man, the history is conveyed with a cutting wit and recognition of the common tragedies endured in this occupation. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re turning to this for a history lesson, you’re looking in the wrong place. This is history as familial and personal experience than as textbook recitations of events. If I were to concoct a straw man argument for a dissenter unmoved by Suleiman’s work, perhaps this one in particular, my imagined opponent might declare these films to be emotionally detached. Suleiman constructs his history of pain and loss as a slow, steady accretion rather than as a series of significant happenings that can be memorialized on a calendar, even if a couple dates do stand out in </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time That Remains</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Instead of relying on big swells and dips in emotions, he attunes us to the steady hum of what this kind of existence is like. The emotions are instinctively felt. They’re like breathing rather than like riding waves.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suleiman as a screen performer invites comparisons to Buster Keaton, in part because he is not demonstrative in reacting. Those less inclined to give him credit as an actor might attribute Suleiman’s success to the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuleshov_effect" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kuleshov effect</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’m not suggesting he’s Keaton’s equal, as he certainly is not at all that kind of physical performer, but by underplaying how his character responds, he invites us to see through his eyes. Except for a few words uttered in </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he doesn’t speak on camera, and it doesn’t reduce our ability to comprehend what he’s thinking.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toward the end Suleiman includes more absurdist touches, like a tank’s main gun following a man at point blank range as he takes out the trash and paces back and forth while talking on the phone. This exaggerated and blistering commentary on military presence and excessive force seems like a hard shift from what has preceded, but it gets to the point that the intervening years have made such actions common to the point where the Palestinian unfortunately knows this to be the status quo and tries to carry on.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2019)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suleiman’s most recent feature finds his protagonist ES in Nazareth, Paris, and New York City and makes him a more central character than he has been in the other films. I’ve seen Jacques Tati referenced in regard to Suleiman, which applies superficially to ES as a basically nonverbal character and justifiably as someone navigating the modern world (and as a director placing emphasis on movement through space). If I’m to make an assumption--and I’ll leave it to my friends to set me straight if I’m wrong--a major issue for Palestinians is restriction of movement within--or even into--their homeland. So Tati is a natural fit when it comes to being mindful of where people can go and how the physical environment limits them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is steeped in amused alienation and even cautious optimism. The unspoken reason for his return to Palestine--but one that can be assumed, particularly from seeing the three prior films--is his mother’s death. While he retains his parents’ home, one senses how the meaning of it has changed as he has lived abroad, and he may have lost some connections by being away. His neighbor has a better idea how to tend to his lemon trees than he does.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet Suleiman suggests that if some of his links have diminished, he remains firmly Palestinian in worldview. He can spot the clear differences between what tanks on the streets of Paris mean to those who see them versus tanks rolling around downtown Ramallah. Military jet flyovers and fireworks viewed from a distance in Nazareth at the end of </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Time That Remains </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are not cause for celebration, but in Paris they connote something less fearsome, although perhaps still carrying a stigma for those with other experiences in their homelands. Suleiman wrly assesses the American obsession with guns and what type of protest merits strong police response and grants us the ability to think how those things must look to an outsider.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This plays as the lightest of the four films in the retrospective because hope is alive. The reasons for that aren’t clear, but the man who made </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicle of a Disappearance</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, released twenty-three years earlier, strikes me as believing in Palestine’s future, whenever that may be fully realized. Maybe it’s all one can do to keep from collapsing in a depression after the last sixty-plus years of history, or perhaps it’s a reflection of when this was made. Whatever the case, guarded confidence at least reserves room for a potential solution.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has yet to receive commercial distribution in the United States, and based on scenes of him struggling to find funding for the film in the film itself, I wonder if he expected it for the reason he puts in a French producer’s mouth. ES is told his film isn’t Palestinian enough, and while the production company is sympathetic to the plight of the people and doesn’t expect the film to make money, they’re looking for something that fits into a preconceived notion of art emanating from the occupied territories. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> definitely spends the least of any of his in Palestine, although the literate viewer would be foolish to think the lens changes because the settings vary. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also think that scene attacks the notion of how art should represent certain parts of the world, something Suleiman’s films have resisted. It is easy, and perhaps comforting, to wallow in miserabilism or engage in cinematic poverty tourism by seeing depictions of suffering largely unimaginable to those of us viewers wealthy by global standards even if we are not by our own country’s. That despairing imagery can yield strong reactions, but it tends to remain foreign and can ultimately be held at a distance as not anything that touches us. Suleiman isn’t showing us refugees in Gaza or the worst abuses of police power. Instead he welcomes us to see people we may know--the sharp-tongued gossiping aunt, the diabetic elderly mother sneaking ice cream from the refrigerator at night, the buddies we can silently hang out with--and the people we are. Then he has us consider their humanity amid the conditions they live in that are different from ours and empathize with them. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My compressed time with these films won’t fill in the large gaps in my knowledge, and it would be imprudent of me to suggest that what I’ve taken away from Suleiman’s work is representative of the experiences of my friends who have spent time in Palestine and are there now. I’m also not looking for any sort of credit from them or with anyone else for attempting to raise my consciousness. Who knows how many times I’ve put my foot in my mouth across these nearly 2900 words? I’m not even really sure if there was much point in grinding out all of this other than to get it out of my head. But I’m glad I spent time with these films, two of which were new to me and gave me lots to ponder and two of which I had seen and hit me harder this time. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It Must Be Heaven</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> holds hope for a free Palestine but not necessarily in our lifetime. I pray that such hope can help bring it about as soon as possible.</span></p>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-49803382596996165252021-01-01T14:26:00.000-05:002021-01-01T14:26:19.894-05:00Social Distancing Journal: Wrapping 2020<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2020 has reached its end--and none too quickly, as common sentiment might snarkily interject with a hard nudge to the ribs--but if I’m being honest, it was a good year for me personally. Sure, there have been hard times, particularly that point in March when everything was upended and kicked off what has been the homebound status quo for the remainder of the year. The fear and uncertainty I felt then isn’t something I hope to repeat. The stress of the Presidential election and the collective tension in the country, whether that was justifiable anger over civil injustices or the ridiculous resistance to mask-wearing (as if doing so is an affront to individual liberty), wore on me. Overall, though, I feel like I came through 2020 in a better place. For the first time in nearly three years I have regained professional stability, or at least as much as I can presume to have when continuous employment rests with the will of those above me in the organizational hierarchy, and can enjoy the benefits of a “permanent” job. I’ve made new friends who have provided invaluable support through the pandemic. I’ve found new interests that expand my learning. I don’t think there’s any question that I’m happier than I’ve been in quite some time.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I suppose I feel somewhat apologetic for feeling this way, as if it’s indecent to find joy during what is a difficult time for many. Of course, this is a silly way of looking at things, but having been through a lengthy patch when each day brought worries for not knowing what was ahead, I acknowledge that I wasn’t in the mood to hear someone else be appreciative about the positive things they were experiencing. So consider this my disclaimer for recognizing that my lived reality in 2020 is mine alone. I worked hard. I caught some breaks. I got to know some people who have made my life better. The balance of the last twelve months tipped in a positive direction for me, even as I’ve been mostly isolated in my apartment. If there’s hope for others to find in my 2020, perhaps it is that I didn’t see it coming. The lesson for me is that although I will be blindsided by bad news, I can also be caught unsuspecting by blessings too, at least if I’m open to seeing them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I started the weekly social distancing entries, I hoped to keep up with them. Then I intended to catch up. And then I was going to summarize up to a certain point, consider them current, and pick up again. Clearly that didn’t happen. I have some partial drafts that maybe I’ll get around to finishing. The more likely outcome is either that I’ll pull out what still seems relevant and tack that up in a backdated post or just leave them alone unseen by anyone but me. Nevertheless, I do feel compelled to put some kind of cap on 2020.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had in my head that I would make a list of my top things of 2020, something like my friend </span><a href="http://uniontrueheart.blogspot.com" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donna</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would do each year when she was regularly blogging. I started out attempting that, but frankly it just seemed like too much work to rack my brain for everything that might flesh out a long, respectable list. But why let the perfect be the enemy of the good or, as far as I’m concerned in this case, the adequate? I could really pour the time into refining this so it somewhat resembles whatever fuzzy, platonic ideal I hold in my brain, but maybe I’m better off just getting this done and having something to show for it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what follows are things that helped make 2020 a good year for me. Suffice it to say that things that would be commonly considered as givens--family, health, etc.--don’t need to be stated on something like this. This alphabetical list is for the meaningful and the frivolous. I’ve included these things if I valued them in some way (and remembered). All right, enough table-setting...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-AirPods Pro</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bought these with the intention of renewing a commitment to exercise and making it easier to listen to music or podcasts while doing so. The exercise aspirations mostly fell flat--using shared gym equipment didn’t seem like such a great idea--but this purchase turned out to pay off as a vital tool for video meetings for work and not having the cord in the way when going for walks or doing things around my place.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing: New Horizons</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the Nintendo Switch</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This list isn’t just going to be a rundown of consumer acquisitions, but this game and console provided needed relaxation when my stress levels were at or near their highest in the spring. I’m sure my </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> residents are not pleased that recent months have featured my negligence in maintaining the island. They’ll just have to deal with it. There are only so many hours in the day and way too many things I want to do. I certainly sunk a lot of hours into hanging out in this virtual space when there were fewer demands on my free time. Even as my time with Animal Crossing has dropped off, I’ve continued to use the Switch to play something about every day, even if it’s for shorter sessions. Lately I’ve been hooked on </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Super Mario Bros. 35</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> since signing up for Nintendo Switch Online to distract me on Election Day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Baking</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I baked a lot in 2020 and mostly for others rather than myself. I can probably thank the unnecessary but useful cookie dough scoop for bringing more consistency to every batch I put in the oven. </span><a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chewy-molasses-cookies" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chewy molasses cookies</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/2014/08/flour-bakerys-intense-chocolate-brownies/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">intense chocolate brownies</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were big hits, although I did whip up other baked goods as the year went along. I know I felt better making something for friends, dropping it in the mail, and anticipating them receiving it. Who knows how much I might be able to keep this up outside of a pandemic, but I’d like to continue putting these care packages together as it was a nice way to stay connected.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Christmas lights</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bought a dwarf Alberta spruce to make my place more festive for the holidays, so of course I needed some lights for the tree. Either I wasn’t paying attention to the length of the first string of LED lights I purchased or I badly miscalculated what the tree could hold. I ended up finding something just right, but I couldn’t let that first string go to waste. I draped them around and over the sliding door to my patio. I won’t be winning any interior design awards for how I decorated, but having the colorful lights shining through the day and night pleases me. I think I’ll keep them in place for awhile. They emit more light than I would have expected, so if I’m watching a movie, it’s been enjoyable to turn off the regular lights and leave those on. In its own way, it can make my place feel a little more like a movie theater.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Dayton Flyers men’s basketball</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">To my dismay, the pandemic killed the opportunity to see what kind of historic run my favorite college team might put together in the NCAA Tournament, but I still had so much fun watching the best squad I’ve ever seen play for the university. I knew the 2019-2020 team had something special, so I’m glad I was able to get to a few big games and enjoy the others on television. Unless you root for the dominant teams that win championships on a regular basis, being a sports fan means absorbing a lot of losing. While it hurt for the chance to see the Flyers try to do the unthinkable as a mid-major program get yanked away, the 31 games they played in the 2019-2020 were a blast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Emeritus status</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Receiving emeritus status at my former place of employment had been in the works for some time, but it was still gratifying for this recognition to come through. While I’m unclear exactly what comes with it, hopefully the honor will be useful to have on my resumé. I think emeritus status is mostly given to those retiring from the university, so I’ve received it at a far younger age than when it is usually bestowed. Nevertheless, as a signal that the departure was on good terms (even if, you know, I would prefer not to have been unemployed) and acknowledgement of my contributions, it has value.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Fulltime employment</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wait, I thought I wasn’t going to include givens, right? Considering the time it took to secure this, I wouldn’t characterize it as a given. I found out I was losing my longtime job in October 2017, and it ended in May 2018. I started a job as a contractor in October 2019 and was hired on as a fulltime employee with benefits at the end of September 2020. At the start of work-from-home, I definitely worried if enough work would remain to hang on as a contractor. As the volume of work exploded, it became clear that we wouldn’t run out of things to do, although I still had concerns about meeting performance standards with a demanding workload. To wrap up the last quarter of the year with regained stability has been a massive relief.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Gardening</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">File under activities I would not have expected to take up. This never would have happened if I weren’t home nearly all the time for the majority of 2020. There I was, though, planting flowers and figuring out how to keep them alive. (Let it be known that I was not always successful.) I expanded to getting a few indoor plants and attempted to grow some herbs and vegetables in pots. The indoor plants have mostly done OK--RIP my first dragon tree, though--while what I tried to grow from seeds produced false positive sprouts from the soil. I have neither the space nor the knowledge to go bigger next year, but as the annuals in my garden have withered and the perennials suffered from damage inflicted by roofers and, I suspect, squirrels digging around them, I’m ready to refresh that little patch again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://grandadspizzaandpub.com/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;">Grandad’s Pizza</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I have preferred spots to get pizza, I will keep an eye out for others to add to the rotation. Food from this place was ordered and delivered to the office when that was still a thing, and I eventually found that one location is relatively nearby that driving to pick it up is convenient. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Knitting</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I revived my knitting hobby to make some items for friends, whether just because or in a trade for a painting. As with baking, I feel good being able to produce something that I can give away, and the activity itself helps to reduce anxiety. I also think I understand how to do it better or to read the knitting. With one scarf I saw a mistake and, to my vexation, knew that I probably ought to rip out several rows to fix it. Taking an in-progress project off the needle, undoing a bunch of work, and then getting the stitches back onto a needle correctly had me like an action movie star attempting the delicate work of defusing a bomb. But I succeeded! Not that I want to do that sort of thing with any regularity, but repairing the knitting provided a confidence boost. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Ice-Cream-Shop/Mardi-Gras-Homemade-Ice-Cream-195252517183012/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;">Mardi Gras Homemade Ice Cream</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">This area has a couple heavy hitters when it comes to ice cream, but this local, independent shop is my preferred spot. (It is currently closed for the season.) Their international flavors are a big differentiator, and I found myself gravitating to and working my way through them during the summer and fall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-New friends</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">New friends echo through a lot of these list items and for good reason. While this isn’t a ranked list, they would come in at a clear #1. They offer help and support at work, and the best of these new friends also check in with me and stay in touch outside of work. Such friendship is always valuable, but for this unusual year in particular, these connections have been really meaningful and provide some normalcy and continuity to daily life. They’ve made me feel lucky, inspired, and deeply grateful. 2020 could have been a difficult year being as isolated as I’ve been, but my new friends did a lot so that I will think of this time with fondness for all they’ve done for me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Painting</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">As with gardening, this is not something I would have predicted I would start doing, but a friend suggested participating with this group. I’m certainly no master, nor do I expect to ever reach that level, but I’ve enjoyed doing something creative that always seemed beyond my capability.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://truefalse.org/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;">True/False Film Fest</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">As shocking as it might sound based on how often I typically go to the movies, I didn’t miss movie theaters despite not being in a public space to see a film after attending this festival in Columbia, Missouri in early March. For that matter, I didn’t watch many movies after this. Maybe it’s because I prematurely ended my theatrical moviegoing in 2020 with a really fun time taking in a well-curated selection over four days. The event happened on the edge of everything changing in public life in 2020, so while there were signs of what was on the horizon, they weren’t fully understood. Hand sanitizer was plentiful at venues while attendance was noticeably lower. I was just glad to have a few days to catch my breath away from work after putting in an intense stretch heavy on overtime and little time off. It remains a good memory that has sustained me through a time when I’ve been less immersed in films.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">-UGG men’s ascot slippers</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Working from home definitely means dressing for comfort. Ordinarily I wouldn’t have shelled out as much for a pair of slippers, but these met the specifications of what I was looking for. Plus, I figured they would get a lot of use. No regrets.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the better part of the year I worked a lot of overtime. I also didn’t have a desire to watch a lot and don’t think I had the focus to read. I did have more time for listening to music, although weirdly the amount of that I did diminished later in the year. Who knows why? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Books</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If memory serves, I only finished three books in 2020, so I guess if I’m to name one, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Grann, 2017) would be it. I enjoyed re-reading Agatha Christie’s 1939 mystery </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Then There Were None</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I think I last read when I was in junior high. I didn’t care for </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Austin Channing Brown, 2018), a memoir that struck me as axe-grinding more than anything. I’m still working on </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Erik Larson, 1999).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Film</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ordinarily I’d have a couple hundred new films to sift through to come up with a best of the year list. That is definitely not the case for 2020. While I will still try to cobble together a list for critics group voting and podcast purposes, as of this moment such a list doesn’t exist. What I’m enumerating is at best a rough draft and is loaded up with documentaries seen at True/False.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boys State</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">City So Real</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Steve James, 2020) (festival version)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Collective (Colectiv)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Alexander Nanau, 2019)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dick Johnson is Dead</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Kirsten Johnson, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emma.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Autumn de Wilde, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mayor</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (David Osit, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soul </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tesla</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Michael Almereyda, 2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Vast of Night</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Andrew Patterson, 2019)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two older films new-to-me that stood out:</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phantom of the Paradise</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Brian De Palma, 1974)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story (Ging chaat goo si)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jackie Chan and Chen Chi-Hwa, 1985)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And one I’d seen before but really enjoyed revisiting:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chungking Express (Chung Hing sam lam)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Wong Kar-Wai, 1994)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I usually listened to podcasts when going on walks or driving somewhere while music dominated when I listened to anything while working or doing other things. Nearly half this list is dance pop released in 2020. The genre isn’t something that makes up the bulk of my collection, although its appeal has grown on me in recent years. If I were to guess, the big sounds, upbeat tempos, and overall catchiness created the kind of escapist atmosphere I wanted in a year where the physical space I occupied was small. Sorry Radiohead, love your albums, but bleak, futuristic despair wasn’t really what I was in the mood for in music in 2020. I’ll take a closer listen to Taylor Swift’s quarantine albums eventually, but autumnal, introspective music wasn’t really on the menu either. (Ignore what I just said when seeing that Fleet Foxes album listed, though. It is a balm.)</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Scottish indie pop/rock band Belle and Sebastian ranks among my favorites, yet I don’t know that I’d given their seventh studio album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write About Love</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or their three-EP compilation </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How To Solve Our Human Problems</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as many listens as their earlier work when they were shrouded in mystery and existed more of a word-of-mouth phenomenon. Maybe I latched onto these two albums because they are more buoyant. As with any band that manages to last--</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tigermilk</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came out in 1996--consistency over time means later work gets taken for granted, so it’s been nice to grow more familiar with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write About Love</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a stronger album than I recall it being, and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HTSOHP</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a listening casualty of the more recent phenomenon of new music having mayfly life spans in the cultural discourse.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Bowie’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scary Monsters</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> may be here by virtue of being at the top of my Recently Added from the last time I could get music from iTunes on my computer transferred to my phone. Regardless, I found it highly relistenable. Billy Joel has been a longtime favorite, which probably comes with the territory when you start playing piano in second grade like I did. He’s not someone I’ve listened to a lot in recent years, but it was comforting to return to his music and its pop sensibilities rooted in early rock ‘n’ roll. I don’t recall </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turnstiles</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ranking among my favorites or being as heralded--it isn’t as loaded with radio-dominated hits--so it was a pleasure to rediscover. Sloan’s discography is remarkably consistent, but I kept returning to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navy Blues</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> perhaps because I saw them play it in full for their first set at the A&R Music Bar in early March and because it may have their strongest single collection of songs.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annie </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dark Hearts</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Bowie </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scary Monsters</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1980)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belle and Sebastian </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to Solve Our Human Problems</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2018) and <i>Write About Love</i> (2010)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dua Lipa </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Nostalgia</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fleet Foxes </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shore</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carly Rae Jepsen </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dedicated Side B</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Billy Joel </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turnstiles</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1976)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kylie MInogue </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DISCO</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2020)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sloan </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navy Blues</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1998)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I know 2020 will have a negative connotation for many, but hopefully this explains in some small but long-winded way why it won’t for me and what helped me get through it. May 2021 improve those things that didn’t go well as well as enhancing and expanding the joys from the previous year.</span></span></p>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-31413797548145371722020-10-12T21:33:00.003-04:002020-10-12T21:42:32.605-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 13 (June 8-June 14, 2020)<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e177a905-7fff-2c1a-e26c-8496c852c068" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU_zvmKjv5FQSg9WDZVGkyD2jajIQdilG1oncaSKN6Cbz3Y69MfeeOY8mx7F0uVAKe2cE4Bxml9SAoRVwgYGn72fPW8wBTk7olCHYTot3GZI-lzKIRF57HyePcQwUTHNZ5q34/s2048/79FCD28B-C3B9-4044-A14B-AEC751B50509.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEU_zvmKjv5FQSg9WDZVGkyD2jajIQdilG1oncaSKN6Cbz3Y69MfeeOY8mx7F0uVAKe2cE4Bxml9SAoRVwgYGn72fPW8wBTk7olCHYTot3GZI-lzKIRF57HyePcQwUTHNZ5q34/w480-h640/79FCD28B-C3B9-4044-A14B-AEC751B50509.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>On the Heritage Trail - 6/8/20 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e177a905-7fff-2c1a-e26c-8496c852c068" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the weather has improved, I’ve wanted to make more of an effort to get some exercise. I could (and will) keep walking around my neighborhood, but I also got it into my head that I ought to check out some other area parks to add some variety. I ended up visiting one in Hilliard that I believe has a loop around it but which also has a point to get onto the Heritage Trail. I assumed the loop was shorter, so rather than doing laps, I decided to check out the trail.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Heritage Trail runs from old downtown Hilliard all the way to Plain City and is reportedly 6.1 miles long. I didn’t know what to expect along the way, so I figured I’d walk until it seemed like a good idea to turn around. The park where I began was a little ways after the trail’s start. At first I was walking behind typical suburban homes. Then there was another park, although one that looked to be more for dogs. The view shifted to farmland. Where I decided to reverse course, as the trail crossed a country road, it looked like I was indeed in the country. Round trip, I logged about seven miles on foot.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV1j0rhF1bEcNJU0btm8XuCQIyv7srsKB-q07kT3WMPAcmaBI3avgaeG2_CSx9WoS1fmiwWMgpxkQ2dPpD1t04Fyx6cmG9xXF7PdXTzx6MhIfK5ixheRRmNl4SNs9ve_kaJk7/s2048/31FD2D87-2A3C-4762-952F-B4E26036E104.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV1j0rhF1bEcNJU0btm8XuCQIyv7srsKB-q07kT3WMPAcmaBI3avgaeG2_CSx9WoS1fmiwWMgpxkQ2dPpD1t04Fyx6cmG9xXF7PdXTzx6MhIfK5ixheRRmNl4SNs9ve_kaJk7/s320/31FD2D87-2A3C-4762-952F-B4E26036E104.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Leaving Hilliard on foot - 6/8/20<br />Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m tempted to conquer the entire trail, from Hilliard to Plain City and back, before the summer’s over, just as long as I can get an earlier start and on a day with a moderate temperature. I found that this trail, while easy in the sense that the section I walked was almost entirely flat, doesn’t really have services along the way. The park where I hopped on has locked up the drinking fountains and closed the restrooms because of public health concerns. I spotted a port-a-john at the dog park. So it would appear that you better bring whatever you need with you if you’re going to walk the whole trail and hope nature doesn’t call because, in a pinch, there’s not really any cover if you need to relieve yourself. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Spoiler alert: I walked the whole trail a week later.)</span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-----</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This week also marked the biggest step back into pre-pandemic life. I was supposed to have a dental check-up on March 23, but that was canceled for obvious reasons. I had some reservations about whether I should keep this rescheduled appointment, but a friend who was once a dental assistant felt that I shouldn’t have reason to worry about it. The protocol was different--fill out forms before arriving, wait in the car until getting a text to come in, have my temperature taken upon entry--and the workers were wearing more protective gear than in the past. I trust my dentist and his team, and while the dentist’s office isn’t a place that I would say I look forward to visiting whenever the time, I didn’t feel uneasy about doing this.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don’t know whether I felt emboldened knowing that I was venturing into the public in this particular way so a line of risk had already been crossed or obligated to see a friend, but a couple hours after the dental appointment, I met up for lunch at a restaurant. I had just learned this friend had lost a longtime job, and while I wasn’t especially keen about dining out, he wanted to do so and didn’t think there was reason to be concerned. I don’t know that I was concerned so much as I felt like people in general were becoming too lax in remembering that we’re still in this situation. I’ve remained vigilant--I wear a mask whenever I go away from home--but noticed that even I was softening in the number of times I might leave my place. Having faced a lengthy stretch of unemployment myself and been treated to a meal here and there, I felt compelled to give in even if a big part of me thought this was a bad idea.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We had a later lunch, and the handful of people in the restaurant were spread out in a way that put considerable distance between everyone. Still, even with a reservation, an outside table was not available. Oh boy, what am I doing? I kept a mask on until it was time to eat. Menus and payment were contactless. In that regard, this visit was probably about as “safe” as it can be. I still didn’t feel great about having done this, though. Yes, I wanted to return a favor and provide some support. I also suppose I was tempted to talk to someone in person who isn’t a service worker for the first time since mid-March. If I’ve been cautious yet gave in here, it doesn’t bode well for the situation we’re in, especially when I see other people behaving like we’re back to how things used to be.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-----</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fdJgZmnSVxxul2LkZojrzyDoTciDNG_5pfrKuC5awtNXFI8-eVk73WK8UcTXpox5Zcy3vuZVYeVtMaXw0NtW5Wpvp_Y8Bajt136bY6HAtcrIsfU_C2ipLxqz4Y1AEqO424rC/s2048/901173C9-FE21-4BCA-8E18-DB99827957B5.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fdJgZmnSVxxul2LkZojrzyDoTciDNG_5pfrKuC5awtNXFI8-eVk73WK8UcTXpox5Zcy3vuZVYeVtMaXw0NtW5Wpvp_Y8Bajt136bY6HAtcrIsfU_C2ipLxqz4Y1AEqO424rC/w400-h300/901173C9-FE21-4BCA-8E18-DB99827957B5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting no. 7 - 6/9/20 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The cosmos painting was one of the challenges before I was in the group. As I was looking for additional ideas to turn my brushes toward, I reached back to this one. I think what I’ve produced looks like something that might get slapped on a cheap science fiction novel. Maybe that adds to the charm? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-----</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The problem in catching up on these weekly entries well after the fact is pinning down what was happening when or misremembering. (Note: it’s even worse having left this unfinished a few months ago.) As I was sketching out topics for these updates, I knew that I wanted to touch on what I was feeling when the protests in response to the killing of George Floyd were at their peak. As I complete this entry on October 12, it is safe to say that I am too far removed to have anything meaningful to write. I recall being angry about yet another injustice and the lack of accountability by those in authority. That certainly hasn’t gone away even as the headlines have changed or coverage has faded. For a few days I would be jolted by the screech of the city curfew alert that emerged from my phone. I remember that it felt like maybe we were on the verge of protests initiating some real change, but the subsequent months don’t seem to have revealed that silver lining. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-----</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look at me, just watching multiple movies in a week like someone who’d been doing that forever until a pandemic came along and switched up his routine. OK, so I was watching these for films for the podcast, but I was interested in both. Call it synchronicity if you will, but in light of what was in the news, some weird dynamics were cast on the romantic comedy/crime mystery </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lovebirds</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while Spike Lee’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Da 5 Bloods</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> felt especially pointed and urgent. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a blatant but nevertheless effective bit of ViacomCBS synergy, the Paramount Pictures release--or intended theatrical release until the pandemic saw </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lovebirds</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sold to Netflix-- opens with a discussion of the long-running CBS reality TV series </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Amazing Race</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and follows the arc of an episode of the globetrotting show while containing the action to New Orleans. The appealing lead performances from Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae go a long way in making this the kind of light entertainment that is especially welcome when you just want to escape. Although this is not a film with the makers looking to engage in a lot of social commentary, the driving force behind the characters starting their adventure to clear their names is because as a Pakistani-American man and African-American woman, they don’t feel they can go to the police and be believed that they didn’t run over a man on a bike. It’s no fault of the film’s that some of the upending of conventions seemed ill-timed--it’s certainly nowhere in the league of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s Be Cops</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> coming out on the heels of the events in Ferguson, Missouri--but some of what would otherwise have been more innocuous moments required putting the news out of mind. Anyway, it’s a funny movie that, in the video store days of “if you liked that, watch this” recommendations, has some broad similarities with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game Night</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that could make for a good double feature at home.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Da 5 Bloods</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Treasure of the Sierra Madre</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-esque drama about four Vietnam veterans reuniting in Ho Chi Minh City decades later to search for buried gold and the remains of their fallen leader, considers the Black experience at war and in this country back to its origin, so seeing it as protests were at their peak this year surely made this a more potent viewing experience. In diving into history and bristling against what’s happening now, Lee lands gut punches whose power doesn’t rely on the timing in relation to real life matters. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Da 5 Bloods</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can meander too much at times to place this among the director’s best films, but it’s a vital work of fury and historical education even if I feel it can be ungainly for stretches.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’ve been egregiously slow in editing these, especially the latter, but you can hear the Filmbound podcast episodes on <i><a href="https://filmboundpod.com/116-the-lovebirds">The Lovebirds</a></i> and <i><a href="https://filmboundpod.com/117-da-5-bloods">Da 5 Bloods</a></i> for other thoughts I had on these films.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">-----</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I started writing this entry in mid-July and have now picked it up again in October to get it into the world. While it would have been nice to have kept up week-by-week, I’ve simply not been able to do so. Call it the curse of having too much to do. My intention is to write the next entry to catch up on the last, gulp, four months but with nowhere near the comprehensive nature I’ve tried to capture in these weekly pieces. From there I’ll try to keep up with them periodically as it certainly doesn’t seem like a return to something resembling pre-pandemic life is imminent. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-4ffcd2fb-7fff-7011-8c20-b787948b05db" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-8-may-4.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 8 (May 4-10, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-9-may-11.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 9 (May 11-17, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-10-may.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 10 (May 18-24, 2020)</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-11-may.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 11 (May 25-May 31, 2020)</span></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-12-june.html"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Week 12 (June 1-June 7, 2020)</span></a></span></p>Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-57255274214003936422020-07-14T20:26:00.000-04:002020-07-14T20:26:48.948-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 12 (June 1-June 7, 2020)<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-01fb0456-7fff-ee1d-2328-2ead3dc8931f" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I started a contract job in October that, thankfully, has provided me with steady employment. My work week goes Wednesday-Sunday, which isn’t my preference, but as with many aspects of the position, I’ve adapted to it. From one perspective, why should it make any difference? It’s not like there’s a natural law bestowing special qualities upon Saturdays and Sundays. Having two consecutive days off is what matters, not which days of the week they are. So, not wanting to work Saturdays and Sundays is more about mindset or the perception that those days are more worth defending. Granted, the cultural and societal values ascribed to the traditional weekend mean they seem more like days when work should be out of the picture. Also, if most people follow a “normal” Monday-Friday work week, then having your schedule out of alignment may feel like a greater imposition on the freedom to do what you want to do. Not that my calendar is an unceasing competition among social events. Instead, the circumstance of my non-standard schedule conjures the illusion of restrictions or loss of choice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, between working from home and lacking events these last couple months that might fall more on weekends, every day tends to be indistinct anyway. The date on the calendar and the day of the week have increasingly been freed from significance and meaning. Generally I’ve done well keeping track of what day it is, but I’m starting to lose that. A couple times this week I woke up and had to pause for a moment to remember what day it was. I suppose that’s not a big deal, but the experience of time has grown increasingly strange. At least here the seasonal changes help to distinguish that indeed I’m not stuck in some </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Groundhog Day</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> scenario. Nevertheless, I find it hard to believe that this is the twelfth week of the current normal of social distancing. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbs1QxMjY8HWlRVwzJxwBA2Pmf_rqOKWynB3ctyr4bMkyc5ah8kZ52f-ZixXhSge2cahkvCJKSvAD3vcRO_G3fdDqWIwWEFrgUynhvlPACiJ1ol3qFgoPRSQba4c_-i0hL-ds/s1600/F84ABD05-C229-4754-A3B8-C9C9FF1B6515.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbs1QxMjY8HWlRVwzJxwBA2Pmf_rqOKWynB3ctyr4bMkyc5ah8kZ52f-ZixXhSge2cahkvCJKSvAD3vcRO_G3fdDqWIwWEFrgUynhvlPACiJ1ol3qFgoPRSQba4c_-i0hL-ds/s400/F84ABD05-C229-4754-A3B8-C9C9FF1B6515.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting no.6 - 6/5/20 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPmQUASbtg_AoVDlyp9Mni4FPf2GnlcC9mI2pvcNEO0NEe5n2iEkVMvOUGwQgLA0gIFgU4M1fJnIIpSfB2TYnhvx7PQkJtl1J3g4nF5YR-4roNq73Kayz0cAnASysd5yNODBE/s1600/IMG_8527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPmQUASbtg_AoVDlyp9Mni4FPf2GnlcC9mI2pvcNEO0NEe5n2iEkVMvOUGwQgLA0gIFgU4M1fJnIIpSfB2TYnhvx7PQkJtl1J3g4nF5YR-4roNq73Kayz0cAnASysd5yNODBE/s400/IMG_8527.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 12.32px;">Bonneville Salt Flats - Tooele County, Utah - June 26, 2019<br />Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was tasked with choosing the week’s painting challenge. Wishing to stick with something aligned with my newbie skill set, I suggested an inspiring landscape. I dipped into my photos taken from my 5,000-mile round trip drive out west that was almost a year ago. That trip was semi-planned but featured a lot of making it up as I went along. My destination was Colorado Springs to visit family. From there I thought I might use it as a springboard to visit other states out west that I hadn’t been to. If something popped up with a recruiter or potential employer that required coming back, then I’d come home. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recruiter’s initial contact turned into silence, so I decided to keep going west to visit friends in Boise, Idaho. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">They wouldn’t be ready for me when I was looking to leave Colorado Springs, so I ended up stopping in Salt Lake City for a few days. When leaving SLC, in a completely nonsensical decision in terms of travel efficiency, I drove north of the city to Antelope Island State Park to see the lake and other sights, like bison that were freely roaming. Then I drove back to Salt Lake City and headed west to be able to see the Bonneville Salt Flats before cutting across Nevada en route to Boise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bonneville Salt Flats are such an unusual landscape to come across along the highway. One can be forgiven for thinking all the white dusting the ground is snow, but no, it’s salt. (Like a character on a salt planet does in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Star Wars:Episode VIII - The Last Jedi</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I too dipped my fingers and took a taste. I don’t know why, and yes, it was probably a stupid thing to do.) There isn’t a park, so to speak, just an area you can pull off and then walk onto that great expanse. I’ve never been anywhere at all like this. While I had to backtrack a fair bit and added a good amount of time onto my drive to be able to see the Great Salt Lake and the salt flats, I’m glad I saw both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I based my painting on one of the photos I took at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The foreground was giving me fits until I started messing with texture and discovered that doing so came close to achieving the kind of look and effect I hoped to achieve. I’m inclined to believe it’s the best painting I’ve done to date.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The garden is coming along, so I decided to plant some broccoli and arugula seeds to see if I can produce a little bit of food in addition to beautifying the space. This week I also added a bird feeder to my (mostly) enclosed patio area. I filled it up and proceeded to be annoyed that the birds didn’t seem to show any attention to it. Dinner’s ready, birds! Where are you? A friend suggested putting some seed on the ground below the feeder, so we’ll see if that entices them to check out the area. It’s almost as though the birds are punishing me for sweeping the patio. Until now, I would see them pop by to check out what was on the ground. I set out a meal, and these avian ingrates decide to stop flying by. We’ll see if they make their way back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m not sure why, but I’m still in more of a TV or undemanding viewing mood. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space Force</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a Steve Carell-starring satire about the newest U.S. military branch, debuted on Netflix and was an easy choice of something to watch. (There’s a marketing campaign for Netflix: It’s There, So You Might As Well Watch It.) The reviews I came across characterized the show as middling and I agree. The series struggles to find a tone. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space Force</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is supposed to be funny but also possesses some Prestige TV aspirations that I don’t think are to its benefit. I would have been happy if the creators utilized this setting along the lines of the short-lived, single-camera 2014 sitcom </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enlisted</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that had fun with misfits in the military. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space Force</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> indulges some fairly broad, scattershot humor--the topical jokes are particularly half-hearted--while attempting to take on some more serious character beats. Unless I missed the explanation, I don’t know what the point is of playing coy about why Lisa Kudrow’s character, the wife of Carell’s Space Force-leading general, is in prison after the “one year later” time jump in the pilot episode.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s nice to see John Malkovich in this, strange as his participation is to me. I don’t recall coming across him in much recently even if a review of his filmography does pull up a decent number of films I have seen. Bringing him up allows me to share that, when seeing actors and actresses in real life, it is common for them to be smaller than you imagined. Whether it’s Sylvester Stallone or the great French actress Isabelle Huppert, the largeness they convey on screen can be jarring when seeing them in person. On the other hand, Malkovich, who I encountered a couple times at Roger Ebert’s Film Festival and was in line with at the University of Illinois student union coffee shop , is a fair bit bigger than I expected. That’s it. That’s the observation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-8-may-4.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 8 (May 4-10, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-9-may-11.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 9 (May 11-17, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-10-may.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 10 (May 18-24, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-11-may.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week 11 (May 25-May 31, 2020)</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-84241636913444240642020-07-07T15:42:00.000-04:002020-07-14T20:30:55.745-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 11 (May 25-May 31, 2020)<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b0bc0194-7fff-bb70-101a-34645200e0fb" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A quick note: I haven’t had enough time to accomplish everything I want to do, so I gave myself permission to let some things slide, including these weekly journal entries. I am going to try to get caught up by writing these as I can, which defeats the purpose of documenting at the moment but is better than nothing. Have I forgotten some things I might have wished to put in these? Most likely. Does this mean some of these will be shorter? Definitely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love getting mail. Let me qualify that: I love getting good mail. Lately it seems like I’m not getting much in the mail period, whether it’s fun mail, bills, or junk. I don’t miss the absence of the two latter items, but a package from an online order can still be exciting to anticipate. My fascination with getting things in the mail started as a kid. My hometown didn’t have home mail delivery, so my family had a post office box that was shared with the family business and my grandmother. You needed to turn a dial to enter the combination to be able to get what was inside, an element that might have made utilizing this public service seem more thrilling. I always looked forward to taking a break from working at the grain elevator to pick up the mail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a kid and teen I sent letters, mostly to current and former professional baseball players, seeking autographs. I used the reference book </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=irKAUlPO5TMC&source=gbs_book_other_versions" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sport Americana Baseball Address List</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which provided the addresses for “virtually every player to debut in the major leagues since 1910.” I’d drop a letter in the mail, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope that raised the chances of a response, and then wait to see if anything came back. </span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-b70590db-7fff-7feb-5dd1-390e0a67d2d1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I learned that sending baseball cards to be signed was probably a fool’s decision, as there was no guarantee you’d ever get them returned. Sometimes the athlete would simply sign an empty space on the letter I hand wrote and send that. Some were more generous in providing a signed memento while others used a stamp or autopen. I haven’t looked through all that correspondence in ages, although it occurs to me that one of the weirder things I have is a letter from pitcher Bob Knepper, which, if I recall correctly, addresses why he didn’t think a woman should be an umpire. (He made some </span><a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1988/06/20/some-say-no-leica-astro-lefty-bob-knepper-has-a-decidedly-controversial-focus-on-the-world-but-his-pitching-this-year-is-right-on-target" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">controversial statements</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about the role of women as it pertained to Scripture and, in this particular situation, about a woman making calls in baseball games.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In college a care package from my parents or grandmother was always welcome, and this week I was reminded of the simple pleasure of getting homemade baked goods in the mail. As everyone has been isolating, a friend and I have been exchanging photos of what we’re making in the kitchen. She’s also shared recipes with me, which I’ve had fun making. While these are small things for friends to do to stay in touch, they help me feel more connected and regain a sense of normalcy amid this strange time being physically disconnected from everyone but service workers at the grocery or drive-through windows. She offered to send me some cookies she and her family made for Eid, and I wanted to reciprocate by baking some things to mail her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s nothing noteworthy about getting cookies in the mail, especially when they’re not even from out of town, but awaiting and getting that package lit up my day. I also really enjoyed the time I spent making molasses cookies and mini apple and strawberry rhubarb pies to send her. I think I’ve said it before--and this is not intended to sound like I’m patting myself on the back--but during this time of social distancing, I have found doing nice things for others has been a great way of spreading some happiness and getting out of my own head. I was happy to receive cookies in the mail, but I also found it really rewarding to spend time making desserts to give away too. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0ULVNjrG93EvZLtnqUS-Gmf-CXBfl4Klf7IuEhz399e9Vvw_AwY_RO8sQfH9q1lAkxOdNSRlv134jadAI-PAIKsDgPhadfmABauOj7URgKwgY9fbcwpn7yRd8-q_1o-NQ94D/s1600/4718E8F3-07F3-4205-9FD6-AA76BBFDA5CB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0ULVNjrG93EvZLtnqUS-Gmf-CXBfl4Klf7IuEhz399e9Vvw_AwY_RO8sQfH9q1lAkxOdNSRlv134jadAI-PAIKsDgPhadfmABauOj7URgKwgY9fbcwpn7yRd8-q_1o-NQ94D/s640/4718E8F3-07F3-4205-9FD6-AA76BBFDA5CB.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting no. 5 - 5/28/20 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flowers were this week’s painting challenge. I thought this assignment would be easier to tackle--the video tutorials always make it look so effortless--but this one tested me quite a bit. I put more paint on the canvas than was probably beneficial and kept trying to correct from these early missteps. Texture is where I attempted to salvage what I began. I don’t think this is my best painting out of the few I’ve completed, but it didn’t end up the total mess that I worried it was headed toward being.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I’m writing this in early July, I don’t specifically recall what I was listening to or watching during this week. It’s likely I was still in a mode of not watching much at all. I’m going to assume that David Bowie’s </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was among what I was spinning as it’s something I’ve turned to regularly. The album ranks among his best, but it’s also near the top of Recently Added in the library on my phone, which is as responsible as anything for it racking up plays. After his death in 2016 I bought several of his earlier albums to fill in gaps in my knowledge, mainly anything that wasn’t a single or rock radio staple, of his discography. This album was a more recent acquisition as I’d been holding out for a deluxe reissue that I don’t think manifested. It features “Ashes to Ashes”, one of my favorite Bowie songs. This album sounds to me like a significant influence on Nine Inch Nails, but that may be less of a sharp observation and more of me remembering reading that when Trent Reznor’s band toured with Bowie. I’ve never had much interest in NIN, but of concerts that were nearby that I wish I’d seen, that’s one high on the list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-8-may-4.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 8 (May 4-10, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-9-may-11.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Week 9 (May 11-17, 2020)</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/social-distancing-journal-week-10-may.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 10 (May 18-24, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-79994568299222016592020-07-05T23:40:00.000-04:002020-07-05T23:40:11.156-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 10 (May 18-May 24, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My first garden - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part of the adjustment to working from home was figuring out how to be situated during the day. I had previously fired up the work laptop from my place on a few occasions and had tried planting myself at the dining room table and in a recliner. The former was functional and generally suited for the work to be done but definitely limited me to using one screen; the latter was more comfortable for sitting but not ideal for some of the tasks I need to complete. There was also another complicating factor: my background during Webex meetings when we are asked to have our cameras on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t remember how long I worked in a compromised set-up. Eventually I shifted to an arrangement that surely must violate feng shui principles but has been a satisfactory solution. I set the laptop on what I can only think to call a collapsible TV dinner table and rolled a desk chair in front of it. My CD shelves are behind me to provide a more compelling view for my coworkers than a blank wall or my kitchen. As I sat in this spot, one thing started to gnaw at me: my view, specifically the unused patch of dirt by my patio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so I began considering planting a garden in this approximate 2.5 feet by 6.5 feet rectangle. I asked for advice from one of my brothers who has done some serious gardening at his homes, and his answer was almost enough to have me punt the idea entirely. The flood of information and news that it might be too late for some things I had considered planting was not what I had hoped to hear as someone who has never planted a garden. It also seemed like the weather was still too cold here to put anything in the ground without having to cover it at night, among other issues.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1u3FKI9CVJhfd4bixAeBeii7GlUiEb0_ssfSjTewCYJZd9kY2rHvNRd_k_Y0Cs-abKZ_8cbj_-MkhLjsUd5XrIr3Rkh5WDI4gF54BX6y059_WKOu1kswVGmfcwq4a0_INHpA2/s1600/D5B35BC1-9F9D-4EAA-8C89-2263F8CE3995.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1u3FKI9CVJhfd4bixAeBeii7GlUiEb0_ssfSjTewCYJZd9kY2rHvNRd_k_Y0Cs-abKZ_8cbj_-MkhLjsUd5XrIr3Rkh5WDI4gF54BX6y059_WKOu1kswVGmfcwq4a0_INHpA2/s400/D5B35BC1-9F9D-4EAA-8C89-2263F8CE3995.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Impatiens, begonias, and hosta - Phoo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">After asking around some more, I developed a garden plan that seemed more feasible for someone without the experience. I still had no idea what I was doing when wandering around the nursery and asking for help, but at least I had the guidance needed to get started. I selected three different hostas, two begonias, and two impatiens for my first garden. Aside from a tree root that may ruin a perfect line of plants across the front, you can see above that, at minimum, I have successfully planted the flowers. I’d never given any consideration to how this space is lit during the day until I was told that this detail matters. Now I’m more aware of my surroundings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As my movements have shrunk and interactions limited, I’ve also become more aware of how meaningful small things can be. The noise and clutter of normal pre-pandemic life have fallen away to where a text from a friend or a flavorful meal have more significance in a day. This garden is literally not big, yet I have already taken a lot of enjoyment from being able to look out and see these flowers as I work. Already the flowers seem to have attracted more birds. I intend to put in a bird feeder and some herbs. It might seem a little silly to get excited about how I might transform this space. Still, I am curious to see how I can bring it along as work-from-home appears to be extended until at least early fall.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6T43O4yG4i-NiTJMXqVR2C0D4jD1rn7cX_9DvcMprKf30e-8lgHP1cbmqYLchoO72r7mXEn_jzX0wnCIC0cYGGOdABB_8tPrwUCVTlWXCqvQ-1ng_t8krouz9bFwjhzTwNki/s1600/CA1C4B44-6677-43E9-BA47-474943497F2F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6T43O4yG4i-NiTJMXqVR2C0D4jD1rn7cX_9DvcMprKf30e-8lgHP1cbmqYLchoO72r7mXEn_jzX0wnCIC0cYGGOdABB_8tPrwUCVTlWXCqvQ-1ng_t8krouz9bFwjhzTwNki/s400/CA1C4B44-6677-43E9-BA47-474943497F2F.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harissa - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the baking front, a friend shared a recipe for harissa, an Arabic semolina cake. The batter itself is easy to prepare and much denser than I expected. I asked for clarification about the instruction to cut the cake into diamond-shaped pieces before baking it because the batter I’m used to wouldn’t stand for that. All it took was mixing the ingredients to discover that the shredded coconut and yogurt help to give the cake its thickness. I think it’s possible that the cake is perfectly good as is, but after baking you pour a sweet lemon sauce onto the cake for it to absorb. I quite liked this finished baked good and can certainly see myself making this again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Painting went on the back burner this week as the latest challenge in the group was announced near week’s end while I was in the middle of my work week. I had hoped to paint something anyway, but getting the garden in the round, baking, podcasting, and, yes, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> got in the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve talked about getting hooked on this game for a few weeks now, and if you’re not playing it, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. For me the game’s appeal is as simple as its promotion of being nice. Yes, I suppose there is a darker economic message underlying the way Tom Nook exploits you as the resident representative to improve the island to line the pockets of him, his nephews, and the other vendors. Overall, though, the game boils down to enjoying this digitized nature and making friends with the other residents and visitors. A game whose play involves fishing, catching bugs, digging up fossils, harvesting natural resources, and beautifying the landscape, all while expanding one’s home and belongings and bonding with your animal pals, sounds ridiculous and maybe even tedious. I wonder, though, if it hasn’t rubbed off on me to a degree. I’ve been planting flowers in the game for awhile. Now I’ve done it in real life. I need to do a better job of straightening up my place, and it seems more enticing based on doing it in this game. What has become of me?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m listening to more music now while I work than I did when in the office. Playing through a discography--or what I have in my collection that fits on my phone--has become a common approach that also means not having to tax myself with more decisions. (Work can require making one snap judgment after another so that I can reach a point of not wanting to have to choose something else.) I’m digging into music that, for whatever reason, I may not have listened to for a good long while.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Apples in Stereo were on deck this week. The sugary melodies and peppy tempos of their indie rock filtered through The Beach Boys and, increasingly, Electric Light Orchestra are good for providing a boost when speed is an important part of the work I’m doing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the tail end of last week I was mildly tempted to go to a drive-in movie theater to rewatch one of the films for a podcast episode we recorded this week. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Vast of Night</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be available on Amazon Prime on May 29, but prior to its online debut, the studio released it to drive-in movie theaters. One here was playing it with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Super 8</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is a nice pairing of small town alien invasion films. I first saw </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Vast of Night</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Midnight Madness sidebar in 2019. While I was curious how this might play outdoors and thought it might be good to be away from home for a stretch, staying put won out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part of what kept me away is that going to the drive-in sounds like a fun novelty activity but has limitations in the audio-visual experience. I last went to the drive-in in 2017 to see </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at Melody 49 in Brookville, Ohio. That’s also likely the last drive-in I attended somewhere more than twenty years prior. While there were aspects of the atmosphere I enjoyed, the image and sound simply don’t match what I’ve come to expect in modern auditoriums. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I ended up rewatching </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Vast of Night</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on a screener link that didn’t handle a lot of the dark scenes as well as I would have liked. Regardless, I’m a big fan of this film. Sure, the story is highly derivative of any number of sci-fi sources, with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">War of the Worlds</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> being a clear influence. I love how it observes small town life in a manner that feels more accurate to me than how movies tend to portray it. I love the analog nature of it, including having the two main actors operating a switchboard and threading a reel-to-reel and the sound of conversations on wired phones. I love the visual flourishes, like a thrilling tracking shot from one side of town to the other. I love how it creates suspense primarily out of people talking, going so far as to fade to black while we listen to a caller share secrets he knows from secret government work. Moments like that replicate what it can be like listening to the radio late at night with the lights off and inhabiting the theater of the mind, something I don’t do now but reminds me of being a kid and tuning in to the radio while in bed. I love the confidence of the director in the performances and the actors’ abilities to pull off often lengthy monologues or unbroken action. Order it up online late at night, turn off the lights, and let this small movie work its magic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-8-may-4.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Week 8 (May 4-10, 2020)</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-9-may-11.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 9 (May 11-17, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-63734383385873502912020-05-19T23:58:00.000-04:002020-05-19T23:58:54.178-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 9 (May 11-May 17, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauQqGbeZkY9ZtdChNlPtwGHSiUTfMcS1zpNqSpRNPm0ISTKbok-nJS21TflZjhJjxPpqqwiZH8n3Xlx4GPbxCZmW29IdBsq_igZHCvKOtY0RPrT-3TDJmnnP9uJUSuKpqM8Zh/s1600/D9D14F44-B8D2-4D55-B20B-ACE22508E0B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauQqGbeZkY9ZtdChNlPtwGHSiUTfMcS1zpNqSpRNPm0ISTKbok-nJS21TflZjhJjxPpqqwiZH8n3Xlx4GPbxCZmW29IdBsq_igZHCvKOtY0RPrT-3TDJmnnP9uJUSuKpqM8Zh/s400/D9D14F44-B8D2-4D55-B20B-ACE22508E0B1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting No. 4 - 5/13/20-5/15/20 - Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The painting challenge this week was to make something that represents your culture. But what if you don’t really think of one having a culture? Sure, I’m aware of the heritage of ancestors who immigrated to the United States (whenever that was), but that’s never been something that had any particular importance in my family. At best it’s been a “fun fact” rather than a part of identity. I have two guesses as to why this is. First, while I’m uncertain when my great-grandparents came to this country, I’m going to estimate this happened somewhere between 1900-1915, which strikes me as a time when there would have been more social pressure to integrate and lose one’s heritage. Second, I imagine a German heritage was something one didn’t want to play up around World War I, so that, whether on its own or combined with the other factor, seems like a reasonable conclusion.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve known my father’s side of the family better because we lived close to them, so I painted the farm where my paternal grandmother was raised and where three of her siblings lived (and where one of them still resides) for their entire lives. My dad and his mom ran the grain elevator, the family business that his dad built as physical structures and as a company, so farming and agriculture-related things are a significant part of my background. I worked at the grain elevator after school in junior high and high school. We didn’t live on a farm, although a corn field bordered our backyard. I’ve lived more time away from this area than I did in it, but as this was what I grew up around and what probably informs more of who I am than I might realize, it seemed fitting to depict this part of me.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54yadaTIfIroBfilS8vA7M331mSEy70f41GKkCjHleyu6exg74ukqWz3llGKRHceLe-GHvE2EW66VhGAEtgm4uVlOfNCXfK77wbrCtja14gXVoRI9SVpO6WxI4YtDUbwh-eHB/s1600/IMG_1853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54yadaTIfIroBfilS8vA7M331mSEy70f41GKkCjHleyu6exg74ukqWz3llGKRHceLe-GHvE2EW66VhGAEtgm4uVlOfNCXfK77wbrCtja14gXVoRI9SVpO6WxI4YtDUbwh-eHB/s400/IMG_1853.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The farm" - 8/1/15 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before starting the painting I knew that I wanted to use a photo as a reference. The only one I could find was not taken from an ideal angle, but you use what you have. I also wanted to figure out how I could get something house-like on the canvas rather than slopping paint onto it and attempting to correct for all the mistakes. I know I placed the house too high vertically and didn’t leave much room for other buildings on the same plane. I added a cornfield, which is on the property but not in relation to the way I’ve painted it, because I thought there was too much empty space at the bottom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does it work? Well enough, I think, considering my lack of training. Unprompted, my mom asked if this was the farm I was attempting to paint, so I must have done something right for it to seem familiar. My friends in the painting group were supportive and complimentary, which is really what the group is about, and made me feel better about the finished result than I did in the immediate aftermath of completing it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">One thing I was reminded of from blindly jumping into painting is that making art, even works with competent-at-best or (in kinder terms) less technically accomplished results, is challenging. My fourth painting may not look like I put a lot of effort into it, but this wasn’t something haphazardly created. I fussed over how the grass looked for much longer than you would assume. (Never mind that I proceeded to cover a lot of it.)</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course I already knew plenty of time and energy go into creative efforts even if they may widely be viewed as unsuccessful. After all, a bad film still requires a lot of work to bring it to life. I’m not suggesting the attention and care put into making something renders criticisms irrelevant. Rather, the lesson for me is that the struggle to get that ideal version out of one’s head and into a consumable form is where masterful artistry is found. I can envision a better version of what I produced. Right now I’m not equipped to transfer my vision into a painting others can see as I fully intend. Maybe I will never reach that point. For me painting is primarily a process-driven endeavor. I would like for the finished pieces to be assessed as good--who creates something and desires otherwise?--but for me the fun comes in making them and, more often than not, being able to appreciate the good qualities despite aspects that didn’t turn out as I hoped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Painting is supposed to be a relaxing activity, so that calls for chilled out music. Air’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talkie Walkie</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pocket Symphony</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> proved to be the right soundtrack, even as a French duo’s electronica is quite unlike the subject I was working on. It does occur to me, though, as I write this that Air has collaborated multiple times with Sofia Coppola, whose films often study characters in isolation. My situation isn’t dire or tragic like they can be for characters in her movies, but I am amused by the synchronicity that could be read into listening to music with those associations at a time of social distancing. (As an aside, the live version of “Cherry Blossom Girl” embedded above really misses the flute on the album, but if you’re unfamiliar with the band, this is representative of what they sound like.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Intense chocolate brownies - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/2014/08/flour-bakerys-intense-chocolate-brownies/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intense chocolate brownies</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were the big baking undertaking this week. Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve made brownies from scratch. Box mixes were a staple growing up, and when I’ve made them since then, that’s what I’ve used. This does take more effort, especially with chopping the chocolate and melting it per the recipe, but I can safely say they’re the best brownies I’ve ever made. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the tail end of this week I managed to squeeze in one film in preparation for podcast recording. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Half of It</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> slots very comfortably among Netflix’s original content aimed at young adults. I don’t say that to be particularly critical. This version of </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyrano de Bergerac</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which turns the tale into a high school movie with an LGBT twist, has a big heart, can be wise about the loneliness and longing many feel, and develops a sweet friendship between the letter writer for-hire and the second string football player paying her to give a more eloquent voice to his feelings. The film also makes some missteps, especially later on, but I’ll leave those comments for the upcoming episode.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, going by an admittedly small sample size in my viewing, </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Half of It’s</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Netflix-y essence comes in being more thoughtful and contemplative about teenagers’ insecurities and fears while also having an Instagram sheen and, I hypothesize, a subdued directorial voice. (I mean no offense to writer-director Alice Wu, whose only other feature film I saw fifteen years ago and have essentially no memory of. I’ll reiterate. I liked </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Half of It</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.) Like other Netflix originals that aren’t prestige titles, the film has a prefab quality that doesn’t diminish it as a narrative delivery vehicle but also doesn’t distinguish it. The industry has a history of cranking out product, so this isn’t anything new. In general, these films tend to be good enough. It’s just funny that one of </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Half of It</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> characters mentions that what separates great paintings from the rest is five bold strokes, which is exactly what many of these Netflix films lack.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><br />
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-8-may-4.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 8 (May 4-10, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-17344936678683781382020-05-13T23:16:00.000-04:002020-05-15T20:40:18.309-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 8 (May 4-May 10, 2020)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Painting No. 2 - 5/4/2020 - Mark Pfeiffer</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">My work schedule is Wednesday through Sunday, so I’ve become accustomed to being on a different calendar than those with a typical work week. Saturdays and Sundays ceased to feel like those days once I was on my current schedule. Mondays and Tuesdays might be my equivalent of a weekend, but with the rest of the world operating differently, they never felt like broadly observed weekends but just days off. While it was strange to adapt to living on a timeline that most aren’t on, it happened eventually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having my week shifted from what most follow meant that it’s been easier for me to know what day it is. This week is when I started losing track of the days. I would wake up knowing if I had to work, but I needed a second or two to recall what day of the week it was. If anything serves as a marker of what day it is, it’s the TV schedule. With seasons winding down, it may only get more difficult to keep from feeling completely unmoored from time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m writing this on May 12 and can hardly believe we’re nearly halfway through this month. Not that I’ve been going outside much, but knowing where we are on the calendar isn’t helped by the colder spring we’ve had. I’ve entertained the notion of planting a garden in the small patch I have by the patio. I’ve been told that it’s both too late if I want to grow something from seeds and too early, atypically, because we’re still getting overnight freezes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although I’ve received no indications on when we might return to the office, I’m beginning to think I’ll still be working from home until the fall at least. I can handle that emotionally--at least I believe I can--but time may lose all meaning if it extends that long.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting No. 3 - 5/4-5/6/20 - Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I painted two more pictures this week. The lavender field at the top of this entry was one the painting group did before I joined. Because I was eager to do more, I went back and attempted this one. The tutorial made painting clouds with a trowel appear much easier than it was. I ended up doing something different after one repeated failed bids to render cirrus clouds in the sky. I’m still proud of how it turned out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had my reservations about this week’s challenge, which was Disney-themed and did not come with a tutorial. Drawing is not a strength when I have more control over the tools than I do with painting, so I was intimidated by this assignment. I really liked </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wall-E</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--it was my top film of 2008--and thought his boxy dimensions would be easier for me to replicate in a way that wasn’t embarrassing. I was probably right in thinking that, although getting him to look like something a grade schooler drew was still a test.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first thing I learned was that trying to use lighter colors on top of a dark background isn’t very easy, especially if the paint is still wet. I ended up letting this dry overnight before trying to paint the plucky robot. Even then, I had some trouble, particularly when adding Mars black to line the sides of his body. I was more frustrated doing this painting but still enjoyed trying to overcome the setbacks I created. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Layali Lubnan - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I tried making Layali Lubnan for the first time but didn’t cook the layers until they were thick enough, so I ended up with a runny mess. My friend provided some additional advice, including how to crush the misk without spreading it everywhere or have the crystalized resin stick to the tool being used to do so. (A mortar and pestle would have been advantageous.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you can see, this time I made what I will declare a credible version of the dessert. The misk (or mastic) and rose water give this a flavor unfamiliar to me. It’s more perfumed than what I’m accustomed to. Still, the delicate flavors of the pudding or custard-like layers with some pistachios and honey to top it make this a cool, light treat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For whatever reason I didn’t listen to music nearly as much while working this week. As </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing: New Horizons</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> continues to overtake what appears on my television, it was back to watching very little other than the usual TV shows. We would have been due to record new podcasts this week, which would mean I had to watch a couple films, but as I had fallen behind in editing, that’s been delayed a week. I have a lot I’d like to watch, but at least for now, painting, dessert-making, and video game-playing took precedence. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-7-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-25915293791070124862020-05-12T14:15:00.000-04:002020-05-12T15:31:00.168-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 7 (April 27-May 3, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigM1cYeVwYKbGRdVfHe3RH3Sv70cOtElkph9IxLS-jCFiHmUhhyphenhyphenPIjEY_7kV-d6ipcub3T3QuAskGT1mQRJdCxpfMjIUDeMYoLs71du8ooOpwec5Vj3V2rxl7__76P9DO_qCr/s1600/1750A9CF-FFA1-4A15-B95D-B4EAD2D39C8C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigM1cYeVwYKbGRdVfHe3RH3Sv70cOtElkph9IxLS-jCFiHmUhhyphenhyphenPIjEY_7kV-d6ipcub3T3QuAskGT1mQRJdCxpfMjIUDeMYoLs71du8ooOpwec5Vj3V2rxl7__76P9DO_qCr/s400/1750A9CF-FFA1-4A15-B95D-B4EAD2D39C8C.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting No. 1 - 4/28/2020 - Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-d83b9881-7fff-f35a-b0c8-1820ad3954aa" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’ve mentioned feeling pinched for time to do everything I’d like to do, so of course, the right choice for me to make is to pick up something else. I joined a painting group started by friends at work, which isn’t something I would have thought I would ever do. I’ve never felt like I was especially good at drawing, and in my mind, painting seems like it would be even more difficult. But sure, why not give a shot?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We’re working from YouTube tutorials, which make producing these pictures look easier than they can be for someone with zero training. Whether in an educational setting, at work, or in life in general, I think we all have some fear about learning by doing. Who likes to make mistakes? I certainly can be hard on myself for not doing things perfectly or not achieving the Platonic ideals in my head. A funny thing happened as I painted, though. I just did the work and didn’t get caught up in whether I was doing it right or realizing the better version I envisioned.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When it comes to painting, my lack of self-criticism--OK, fine, highly reduced self-criticism--likely is because I hold no great expectations of what I can do. I don’t know that it’s healthy to approach everything as though you have no belief in your abilities so you are then pleasantly surprised at the outcomes, but in this particular case, freeing myself from self-judgment allowed me to just do it and enjoy the intrinsic value of making art. Using acrylic paints grants some forgiveness for errors. I learned through accidents, some of which yielded results I liked and some I didn’t. Mistakes could be easily covered, for the most part. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hold no illusions that what I’ve made compares with the paintings done by people with even a semblance of knowledge, but I’m happy with what I completed and to feel the support of the group, which has a wide range of experience among its members. I also really enjoyed having something different to focus on that, for a change, didn’t require riveting my eyes to a glowing screen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A friend and I have been texting pictures of what we’ve been making in the kitchen during this time, and I expressed interest in trying my hand at some of the desserts she has shared. After tracking down some ingredients at a Middle Eastern grocery store, I attempted to make Layali Lubnan, which translates as Lebanese Nights. I will not bother posting a picture of my failed first attempt, which has the consistency and appearance of a plate of glue, but I got the general idea of what it should taste like while also learning how I botched this so thoroughly. Spoiler: the second attempt the following week was a success.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guided By Voices ranks as one of my favorite rock bands, but I haven’t listened to them much in recent years. Getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume that Robert Pollard’s project released has as much to do with it as anything. I have a certain fondness for artists who produce a lot for fans to enjoy, but the indie rock legend from Dayton can push the limit because he cranks out new music with such frequency that it can be hard to keep up. (Take a look at </span><a href="http://www.gbvdb.com/artist.asp?artistsort=Guided%20By%20Voices" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the GBV discography alone</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, never mind side projects and solo material.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was inspired to listen again after reading, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, </span><a href="https://uproxx.com/indie/guided-by-voices-alien-lanes-oral-history-25th-anniversary/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">an oral history of </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alien Lanes</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, one of the band’s finest albums. (To humblebrag, I went with a friend to the infamous album release concert at Gilly’s in Dayton, later released as </span><a href="http://www.gbvdb.com/album.asp?albumid=1005" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the bootleg vinyl double album </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Benefit For the Winos</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.) What struck me most during this fairly lengthy reacquainting with a good bit of the band’s output was there was more consistency and purpose than I recalled even among the songs that hadn’t always worked for me. GBV has a lot of great songs--they have a lot of songs, period--and at some point I think I began to wonder if there was any quality control. This extended listening session didn’t venture into the latter days leading to 2004’s then-”final” album or the all of the reunion and post-reunion releases, but I’m curious to revisit (or hear for the first time) this music.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can put me down as thoroughly hooked on playing </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing: New Horizons</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Once I finished my long work days, I turned to my peaceful island for some fish and bug catching, fossil and shell collecting, and home and community expansion. At some point I’ll have to write more extensively about the game’s appeals. I foresee there being plenty of time for that as it seems like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> contains.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Podcast recording was on the calendar, so I actually watched some movies this week. Again, I marvel at how steeply my viewing has dropped off during this time because of everything else I want to do, limited unplanned time, and little impetus to need to watch anything. I suggested the 2002 inspirational baseball drama </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rookie</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to tie into the lack of sports currently and because I recalled it being a solid film that has maybe become a little forgotten.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got a little worried when the film begins deep in the past with a story suggesting it’s going to lean hard on the earnest tone that professional baseball and its fans frequently invoke about the noble game and tradition, especially as a proxy for American exceptionalism. (Football and its supporters do something similar while adding a healthy dose of militarism and war veneration.) If you like soaking in all that nostalgia, you can have it. I imagine I ate up that stuff as a kid in the time of Reagan, but a lot of it rubs me the wrong way now. Maybe it’s because I see wallowing in the good ol’ days deployed as a way of not addressing the present. As a Cincinnati Reds fan who has seen the franchise flog memories of the Big Red Machine while enduring more down years than up ones, I recognize the method of asserting past glories to distract from today’s shortcomings. I don’t object to remembering the past, but solemn reminiscences of how things used to be make me cringe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortunately Hancock tends to dial back the most syrupy conventions sports filmmakers indulge. While this is unquestionably a feel-good movie aimed at a family audience, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rookie</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is also clear-eyed about the lack of glamour involved in a mid-thirties pitcher nearly a decade removed from competition trying to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a Major League Baseball player. An even tougher film could be made from this material, particularly in examining how this pursuit challenges the protagonist’s marriage, but as I’m pretty sure this is the version signed off on by its subject, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rookie</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> presents a credible look at the situation. Still, the end title mentioning how he played two seasons in MLB is technically true but extremely generous when time at the top level was closer to two months over two seasons.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also suggested we do an episode featuring Jafar Panahi’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This Is Not a Film (In film nist)</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I first saw at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011. I wasn’t being glib in pitching a movie made while the director was under house arrest by the Iranian government--his circumstances and the ones we’re currently under are not comparable, to be completely clear--but I thought it might be interesting to watch in light of staying at home far more often than not. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you do when a defining part of how you live is inaccessible is the urgent question that emerges in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This Is Not a Film</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Artists feel compelled to create, and the title, which references Magritte, provides a cheeky denial that Panahi has violated the filmmaking ban imposed on him at this time. Again, his house arrest and staying at home during a pandemic are not at all equivalent, but the yearning to be able to resume what one loves doing and frustration in having it withheld is common between the experiences. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/05/social-distancing-journal-week-6-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 6 (April 20-26, 2020)</span></a></span></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-32415129217291138712020-05-07T23:03:00.000-04:002020-05-07T23:03:26.723-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 6 (April 20-April 26, 2020)<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-0c5d4982-7fff-aebb-4d8e-0251eb3591cf" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I didn’t make a morbid but sarcastic joke in a previous entry about this journal functioning as proof of life, it was one I considered making. If I did, I suppose that failing to keep up with posting entries in a timely manner for weeks six and seven might not be the greatest thing to do. I don’t think anyone who might read this believed I succumbed or anything, but I recognize that if I’m going to commit to weekly documentation of my thoughts, activities, and media consumption, I need to try to be consistent. My reason for not writing new entries in a timely manner is not an exceptional one. Simply put, free time has been at a premium, and if I haven’t been able to fit this in on my off days, time and will have been in short supply. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an ironic twist a la </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Twilight Zone</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I have gone from being a high capacity viewer of films, television shows, and sports in normal times to someone who has reduced consumption of those things by a massive amount while being home nearly 24/7. Obviously I’m watching fewer sports--OK, zero sports--because games aren’t being played, but I wasn’t starving for the NFL draft and haven’t been turning to airings of classic competitions. Movie theaters aren’t open, so that rules out one place to see them. Still, I have more than enough films on hand, whether with physical media or streaming options, that access is not an issue. I have squeezed in some TV shows a little more regularly, in part because they are less of a time commitment.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I haven’t lost interest in movies or sports. Maybe what’s missing is the urgency. Without a slate of new releases that will leave theaters before long, there’s no rush to watch anything in particular. Without scheduled games, why bother getting agitated that they aren’t there? Am I living more in the moment? I think there’s some truth to that, even if it isn’t the whole story.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Molasses cookies - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If my television is getting a break, then what am I doing to pass the small window of free time I have? Cooking--baking in particular--has been a good way of stepping away from a glowing screen and being present in the task at hand. This week I made </span><a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chewy-molasses-cookies" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">molasses cookies</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Week six of social distancing also marks when precious spare hours start to be devoured by the Nintendo Switch. The preorder bundle I managed to snag arrived, and I can tell you that video games have been an enjoyable way of unwinding after some particularly long work days. I began with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and was amazed at the vastness of the digital world the game creates. I also had to log some time behind the wheel for </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mario Kart 8 Deluxe</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which was also the only Switch game I’d played before buying one. Then </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Crossing: New Horizons</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was delivered two days after the console. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wasn’t really sure what the seemingly hottest game of this social distancing time was, but I knew friends were enthusiastic about it. I don’t know if I can explain it all that well other than to say you help build up and tend to your own island, but I can certainly see how this game can fuel obsessive playing. This week I didn’t get all that far in developing my island, but the laid-back nature of it underlined with the need to perform tasks to unlock more modifications provide fiendishly clever motivations to keep hanging out in this world to discover more and tailor it to one’s liking. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here’s where the media log information would go, but as I’ve already said that my viewing has fallen off a cliff, I don’t have anything to talk about in that area. I watched zero movies this week. I can’t recall the last time a week passed with that occurring. Nothing I listened to jumps out at me to document here. Truthfully, without having written it down, I also don’t remember what might have stood out. This was not the most exciting week to talk about, but as I’m writing this in week eight, I can say that week seven gives me more to write about.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-5-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 5 (April 13-19, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-43007479639219387022020-04-21T11:57:00.000-04:002020-04-21T11:57:22.501-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 5 (April 13-April 19, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegouU12X3zHXz6qRjksFObfuYR1_ola2KErf0CmEAHdfahZCdpyhZpJbErpzMGUONt0l5s2CEq5v2xCv8HcFOcNV6w8jQHC0fw8zI9S-wkAKtnmuFSao9KnVyk_nEIbMHOg-q/s1600/31479164-5B99-4DEE-88C1-2030BE932A3F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegouU12X3zHXz6qRjksFObfuYR1_ola2KErf0CmEAHdfahZCdpyhZpJbErpzMGUONt0l5s2CEq5v2xCv8HcFOcNV6w8jQHC0fw8zI9S-wkAKtnmuFSao9KnVyk_nEIbMHOg-q/s400/31479164-5B99-4DEE-88C1-2030BE932A3F.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roger Ebert's Film Festival - Virginia Theatre - Champaign, Illinois<br />April 13, 2019 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If these were typical times, I would have spent April 15-18, or some portion of it at least, in Champaign, Illinois for Roger Ebert’s Film Festival. I’ve been attending since 2001 and had been hoping to make it back for the full festival after having to miss part of the event three out of the last four years because I was taking graduate school classes. Work might have interfered this year, but I had a plan in mind to get me there for as much of the fest as possible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, requesting time off became a non-factor when the 2020 Ebertfest was canceled because all large gatherings were called off and we’re supposed to be staying home. As with a lot of things that would ordinarily be happening, initial news of the cancellation was felt more than the absence. For me this reaction is likely the product of being unusually busy. I clocked sixty hours of work from home this week. What time is there to dwell on what I’m missing if I barely have time to think about much of anything? Is that healthy? It probably is in that I have more purpose every day and probably isn’t in that I recognize I am working too much, even if plugging away for up to thirteen hours a day can be necessary to get the job done and is lucrative.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bonneville Salt Flats - Tooele County, Utah - June 26, 2019<br />Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A yearning to travel hasn’t emerged yet, but if staying at home, aside from essential trips to the grocery, becomes the smart choice for months, I imagine I’ll feel the allure of going somewhere else. Right now I’m especially glad that I made a 5,000-mile round trip drive from mid-June to early July last year that took me as far west as Boise, Idaho. I went on the journey because time was one thing I had in abundance, and I didn’t know when the opportunity to do something like it might be possible in the future. That’s also why I made a short trip to Annapolis, Maryland and northern Virginia about a month later and stopped for a night at Niagara Falls in Ontario before attending the Toronto International Film Festival. I didn’t know what employment I might have and how my time off might be limited, so I tried to take advantage of what was available. I think I needed to travel then and certainly don’t regret doing it, especially when I have no idea when this can be indulged next.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a hotel reservation for this fall’s </span><a href="https://tiff.net/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TIFF</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but if I’m being honest with myself, I have a hard time believing the film festival will be held. Even if it is, I doubt that attending would be a responsible decision regardless of how much I’d like to be there. I’m guessing that for most people one of the hard parts of social distancing is the growing imbalance between what makes sense and what we want. If we’re being rational, our internal scales are tilted toward knowing it is wise to reduce the risks for ourselves and others no matter how long it takes, yet as this goes on without a clear resolution, the desire for things to return to normal threatens to tip the scales. I’ve stayed focused on each day rather than thinking down the line, and I feel like doing this has kept me level. Will that be true if this situation endures through the summer and into the fall? I can’t say, but it works here and now. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last night I realized that I’ve gone five weeks almost entirely free of in-person face-to-face interactions except for checking out at the grocery store. What a weird way to live. We recorded new episodes of </span><a href="http://filmboundpod.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the podcast</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> this week via Webex. Previously we recorded </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Filmbound</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a studio. I wasn’t sure how this would work remotely or if the technical qualities would be where I would like for them to be. Using the Webex recording for editing demonstrated that the tech is good enough but far from perfect as we probably sound at varying times like a vocoder effect has been applied to our voices. While editing I could tell that changing the medium of our discussion also altered how the discussion unfolded. Our dialogue overlapped less, something I was a thankful editor for, especially when I switched up to cutting this week’s episode from our separate phone recordings. (Episode 111 sounds much better than Episode 110.) Still, I think it does illustrate that while remote interactions are worthwhile, they are far from perfect replacements.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Checkerboard Dishcloth - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Work on the podcast soaked up a good bit of my free time this week, but I managed to fit in some other activities. It’s been a long time since I knitted anything, but I was bound and determined to make something this week. A dishcloth was the ideal project, as it was something I could complete relatively quickly while relearning skills that have eroded from non-use. Years ago I took up knitting as a stress reducer. Making this useful item was a nice reminder of the relaxation that comes from engaging in the craft. I can say the same for spending time in the kitchen. Baking was also limited, but I whipped up some </span><a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2868-jordan-marshs-blueberry-muffins" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blueberry muffins</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so I would have something quick to pair with a smoothie for work day breakfasts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Music-wise, I listened to a lot of the same stuff I’ve been spinning, so there isn’t really anything to say about that this week. Actually, there wasn’t much that I watched either, which strikes me as fairly strange when considering my viewing habits pre-social distancing. Going to a movie theater isn’t an option right now, but usually I went two to three times a week, with some of those trips including two or three movies. Since I’ve been staying at home, I’m watching a lot fewer films than I have in a long, long time. It’s mainly a time thing--I don’t have enough--but it still seems weird that in these circumstances that my viewing has reduced so dramatically.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In terms of films, the only one I saw this week was </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I watched for the podcast. (The episode is now available </span><a href="http://filmboundpod.com/111-indiana-jones-and-the-temple-of-doom-the-last-starfighter" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/111-indiana-jones-temple-doom-last-starfighter/id1344683266?i=1000472128786" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, among other places.) My co-host had never seen it, much to my surprise, and I felt like the adventures of Harrison Ford’s archaeologist were sufficiently escapist to part ways with my intention to stick primarily to comedies. That’s not to say this movie lacks humor. In many regards it’s a looser, funnier film than a lot of today’s event movies. I don’t recall when I last saw this film, but I was stunned at how much of it came flooding back to me. It’s my least favorite of the Indiana Jones films of the 1980s, so I assume the over-the-top violence and gross-out humor in the form of disgusting delicacies and creepy crawlies made an impression when I saw this as a kid. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Temple of Doom</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> holds up better than I expected and than I think its reputation is, so it made for fun viewing in spite of the scenes of human sacrifice that helped spur the PG-13 rating’s creation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In television, I watched the finale of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Schitt’s Creek</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Like a lot of people who found the sitcom, I caught up with early seasons on Netflix and watched the last two seasons as they aired after locating Pop in my cable channel guide. I’m still not sure that the show’s name was the best choice, as it suggests a cruder and broader show than this warm and generous comedy is, but ultimately it didn’t prove to be an impediment to success. It doesn’t hurt that </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Schitt’s Creek</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is highly meme-able and GIF-able, qualities that I feel have become critical for TV shows to catch on. I don’t really have anything of consequence to say about the series other than to give it a chance if you haven’t heard of it or if the name puts you off.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve mentioned watching </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Survivor</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I just want to chime in about a part of this episode that producers must think is crucial and which I find very uninteresting. This week featured visits from the cast members’ loved ones, a segment that took up way more of the episode’s time than was necessary and had no visible influence on players’ strategies. I understand that taking part in this reality show/game show must take an emotional toll on people as trust is something inherently in flux, if not outright absent, while living with the other players. And yes, I suspect that reactions are amplified for the sake of cameras as much as the charged circumstances. Maybe it’s because right now so many of us are separated from people we would like to see--and for a longer time than this season’s <i>Winners at War</i> returning players have been away from their friends and families--that the segment hit such a wrong note. The situations are not comparable, obviously, but for a segment that has increasingly become a disposable one on the show, this one really was a clunker. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-4-april.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Week 4 (April 6-12, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-65053482621438215292020-04-13T18:28:00.000-04:002020-04-13T18:28:31.090-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 4 (April 6-April 12, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHMGhlP7zmBLARFz0S9MkKsnNt_IpEVdcibK52Fhp_ceuHzhueBLIpauRkPQCoWzkuaOLPbGP7bH0czOqX7btzDjxSkQr1FTJ3uUo-I61HtbepYVZpRPGPYUOCoD8ToP8gBdc/s1600/46B9F0FA-D738-4D2C-A435-18DF767E2D1C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1523" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHMGhlP7zmBLARFz0S9MkKsnNt_IpEVdcibK52Fhp_ceuHzhueBLIpauRkPQCoWzkuaOLPbGP7bH0czOqX7btzDjxSkQr1FTJ3uUo-I61HtbepYVZpRPGPYUOCoD8ToP8gBdc/s400/46B9F0FA-D738-4D2C-A435-18DF767E2D1C.jpeg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pink moon - April 7, 2020 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-ecf1164a-7fff-966a-f965-b396d6087e1b" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Four weeks into social distancing I feel as though I’ve generally adjusted to how things are. That doesn’t mean I prefer to be at home almost twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I’m just saying that I suppose I have accepted this as normal for the time being, however long it will last, and figured out how to deal with it as best I can. Maybe that statement makes me sound resigned or defeated, but I hear it as a net positive. I wrote the first four entries in this series over a day and a half a week ago, so hindsight surely mitigated what I wrote about how I felt the first week or two of social distancing. The first week especially was rough, not in any way that should be cause for serious concern but rather in a manner probably similar to grieving. And why not? Collectively I think we are mourning even if we’re not certain what exactly we’ve lost.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I can recognize that incremental emotional progress even if I would be happy with not having to have gone through it to arrive at this place. Keeping busy and maintaining a routine have been part of that. Texting and Slack messaging through work have provided a considerable boost to my mood as well. Whether the conversations are substantial, whatever that means, or not, they provide connections and support that I think we all need--OK, fine, I’ll be direct and say that I need--when there’s so much uncertainty. I worry about seeming too earnest when telling friends I’ve made at work that I appreciate them, but it’s better to let others know you value who they are and how they help you than not do it, right?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I called my 88-year-old great-aunt this week to check on her, although to my surprise it required making two phone calls to reach a voice on the other end. No one picked up the first time I called, which let my mind wander a little because surely she must be at home. As it turns out, she was walking down the farmhouse lane to the mailbox when I first called, so I demonstrated impeccable timing in giving her a ring at about the one moment when she wasn’t near the landline phone. I forget if she said she’d only driven somewhere twice this year or twice per month, but seeing as the doctor’s office, the grocery store, and possibly church are her only destinations, two times away from home for 2020 would not be a stretch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s funny then that she of all people would lament feeling housebound. She’s never liked going that far from home anyway, so she should be perfectly suited for when we’re all being advised to stay put. I believe she has more contact with people over the phone than with visits, so the times shouldn’t affect that. My guess is that she’s reacting to the perceived loss of choice. If she wanted to stay home all the time before, that was her decision. Now that doing so is recommended, does it feel less like exercising her own will?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWlYgOfv2UKF-F2MJshW_yA55H5TL-Dwr6OwqKNGuODdpa1JWGggj8mklCOog5HPCIOEhRkd-kzYnTxoNXilCNTzYJ4q0PKReo8TWOQIY6pGVJkmWdjfXDOcrZdLNtj2Mjp1r/s1600/E32B6EFC-1603-4488-A202-21944B47A6A1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWlYgOfv2UKF-F2MJshW_yA55H5TL-Dwr6OwqKNGuODdpa1JWGggj8mklCOog5HPCIOEhRkd-kzYnTxoNXilCNTzYJ4q0PKReo8TWOQIY6pGVJkmWdjfXDOcrZdLNtj2Mjp1r/s400/E32B6EFC-1603-4488-A202-21944B47A6A1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rabbit practicing social distancing - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the number of hours I logged working this week, I didn’t get out much myself. I did drive to a supermarket on the chance that they had a Nintendo Switch that I decided I wanted to get. I came up empty with that search but did come across toilet paper, one of the other seemingly rare items in the market right now. (Eventually I purchased a Nintendo Switch preorder bundle online, meaning I have to be patient waiting for it to ship by month’s end, which feels like an eternity.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other than that my time outside for the week was limited to popping out to look at April 7’s pink moon and going for a post-work walk as the sun was going down. Outside my apartment I came across a rabbit that definitely wanted to ensure at least six feet of social distancing. In regard to nature, I’ve become more aware of the Canadian geese honking outside my place in the morning and afternoon, and I like to watch the squirrels and birds that skitter across my small patio area.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On my walk this week, regrettably just the one, I noticed the caution tape around the playground equipment in the park and realized that the rims were not on the basketball backboards likely to avoid tempting anyone to shoot around. The park in my neighborhood is adjacent to an elementary and middle school, places where no one is expected to be, so imagine my surprise after 8 p.m. on a Saturday night to see someone under a light in the parking lot dribbling a basketball with his right hand and tossing a ball in the air with his left. There was nothing exceptional about this. Would I have even paid any attention under normal circumstances? It just seemed so strange as I passed by under the cover of night while wearing my <a href="http://blog.japanesecreations.com/no-sew-face-mask-with-handkerchief-and-hair-tie">improvised face mask</a>.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dalgona coffee - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t do as much baking as I did last week, but I tried making pancake muffins, which probably looked better than they tasted. I blame the frozen blueberries, which were virtually tasteless, and me substituting milk for buttermilk the recipe called for. Hey, you use what you have on hand. I also made </span><a href="https://kimchimari.com/dalgona-coffee/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dalgona coffee</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the social media phenomenon. That turned out better, although drinking it out of a mug had the effect of the coffee foam sliding away from the milk. Stirring it into the milk as a kind of latte was more effective.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talking Heads’ greatest hits compilation </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was among what I listened to this week and made the biggest impression. I’m very familiar with their hits, and of course I’ve seen the joyful Jonathan Demme concert film </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stop Making Sense</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Somehow their albums eluded my attention, though. Revisiting this best-of overview was revelatory in how timeless their music sounds even as it can also be pegged to when they made it and how I’d been overlooking a lot of great songs that weren’t singles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“(Nothing But) Flowers” was familiar to me, but the lyrics landed differently now. David Byrne sings of a new Eden that has overtaken (or retaken) a landscape of fast food restaurants and highways while feeling wistful for a 20th century world subsumed by nature. I think the song expresses a lot of what many of us are feeling in this specific time. Those things we took for granted--going to a movie theater, window shopping at the mall, driving any distance, working in a cube farm--aren’t available to us and feel like they may fundamentally change. Even if we felt indifferent about or disliked boxy suburban developments and nondescript exit ramp dining and shopping centers, they were the world we knew, which provides its own familiar comfort. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t watch much this week because I didn’t have the time, and what I did carve out hours for was necessary viewing for the podcasts we’re planning to record tonight. (If you’ve not listened, 109 episodes of </span><a href="http://filmboundpod.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Filmbound</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are currently available on </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/filmbound/id1344683266?mt=2&ls=1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple Podcasts</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7KhKWk6DNlDes0A4GzUWMn?si=BUaHm2xHTc2taQooKIonFQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spotify</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and probably wherever else you subscribe to podcasts. Some episodes are better than others, but isn’t that a given for everything?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I need to finish prepping for recording, I won’t say much about </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Onward</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Starfighter</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I squeezed in this week. I didn’t see </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Onward</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> during the one week it was in theaters before they all temporarily closed, so I had to catch up with it on Disney+. I don’t think this is going to be anyone’s favorite Pixar film or animated movie under the Disney umbrella--the formula seems too apparent to me--but its message of acknowledging and being grateful for what you have rather than fixating on what you’ve missed out on strikes me as coincidentally well-timed and not hammered too hard.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the most part the podcast has focused on new releases, but those aren’t really in the mix right now. I liked </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trolls</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but am not dropping $20 to stream </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trolls World Tour</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so we can have a wider release film to discuss. Plenty of indies are out there too and available for streaming rentals in conjunction with local theaters, but the Brazilian film </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bacurau</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Ken Loach’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry We Missed You</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, both of which I saw at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, are political hot potatoes I don’t want to touch. I liked </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bacurau</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but can only imagine the fireworks that might result from that discussion, and I much prefer </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I, Daniel Blake</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sorry We Missed You</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> among recent Loach portraits of the modern economy’s cruelty toward the working class, not that I’m in the mood to watch either right now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I suggested we discuss a couple more escapist films from the 1980s. I pitched </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> mainly because I couldn’t believe my co-host had never seen it. I offered </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Starfighter</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as an option because it seemed sufficiently frivolous. Both films should yield some good talk, if just about how movies have changed since these came out in 1984. I vaguely recall liking </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Starfighter</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a kid, an evaluation that doesn’t hold up today. It’s not necessarily the film’s fault, but when I think of how many 1950s science fiction films look silly to a young audience seeing them decades later, the same is true of this movie. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last Starfighter</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> copies the skeleton of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Star Wars</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--teenage nobody is the hero the galaxy needs--while lacking the filmmaking chops and grandeur from the source it pilfers. I appreciate that there is sincerity here emblematic of the era, a quality that has shifted to favor grittiness in similar films today, but beyond nostalgia, I don’t know that there’s much to take from this.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-3-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-60780864226463839192020-04-07T17:39:00.000-04:002020-04-07T17:39:04.777-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 3 (March 30-April 5, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLUKdzuQgPZGdCvJUX052AzaP4sIk_2YMFkNOFxpd9S3azuAt4TKbZ5cQkQuogF3TJWEFEgkkoi5Ujd2g1uNLspxIa7vvPovtL2RCcwqxci9BTwS9UxtQlHXLWPy26Sd3IXFN/s1600/3D5888CE-75AD-413E-BB5E-F00E9FDF9B0B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLUKdzuQgPZGdCvJUX052AzaP4sIk_2YMFkNOFxpd9S3azuAt4TKbZ5cQkQuogF3TJWEFEgkkoi5Ujd2g1uNLspxIa7vvPovtL2RCcwqxci9BTwS9UxtQlHXLWPy26Sd3IXFN/s400/3D5888CE-75AD-413E-BB5E-F00E9FDF9B0B.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Social Distancing Baking - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three weeks into social distancing, I can’t say I like it, but I feel as though I’ve come to terms with it if this is the foreseeable short term future. This arrangement will be the case through April, but let’s not fixate on an end date, please. Taking the situation day by day rather than anticipating when things can return to some degree of normalcy is how I deal with it, even though I suspect this is going to last longer than I want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On my days off I’ve been doing some baking, which can be a good distraction and (hopefully) produces something worth eating. In an unexpected turn, on lockdown I’ve been making better choices in what I eat, but perhaps the baking offsets any positive strides. This week in the kitchen I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with pecans and cinnamon rolls. Yeast is among the things local supermarkets haven’t had available, but I found some this week and was eager to make the rolls. They turned out well, but wow, the amount of butter in the recipe was significant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In keeping with listening to more upbeat music, I revisited Fountains Of Wayne’s catalog. I don’t recall if I started doing this before or after seeing the news that </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/arts/music/adam-schlesinger-dead-coronavirus.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adam Schlesinger was ill and died from coronavirus</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but at some point in listening to the funny, poignant, and ridiculously catchy songs he contributed as one of the band’s main songwriters, doing so was tinged with sadness at the loss of at a clever and tuneful artist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fountains of Wayne is best known for </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLfasMPOU4" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Stacy’s Mom,”</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a synth-rock earworm reminiscent of The Cars and which gave the group their biggest mainstream hit, likely thanks to a risqué music video that’s an homage to </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Fans of the band and Schlesinger’s work for film, television, and theater have been quick to stress that his legacy is greater than a novelty hit that mass culture may remember him for, an irony when considering he wrote </span><a href="https://youtu.be/Dsi-eF6-uOY" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the song for a fictional one-hit wonder</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the Tom Hanks’ film </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That Thing You Do!</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I don’t think there’s a weak spot in Fountains of Wayne’s five albums, plus their two-disc rarities collection, so rather than point you to anything from there, I’ll highlight Schlesinger’s perfect pastiche of ‘80s pop with “PoP Goes My Heart,” a delightful Wham! imitation from the underrated romantic comedy </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2007/02/music-and-lyrics.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music and Lyrics</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sheer volume of new music and a busy schedule mean it’s impossible for me to pretend to keep up, so as online music coverage has tilted toward poptimism in recent years, it follows that I’ve gravitated toward what is receiving positive attention. For the uninitiated, the rockism vs. poptimism debate can be reduced to perceptions of authenticity vs. artifice, with the former being considered more worthy of respect. (The </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockism_and_poptimism" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wikipedia page on rockism and poptimism</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gives a good overview if you want to know more.) For me, greater critical appreciation for such music, which I liked when I heard it but may have dismissed as disposable, too slick, manufactured, or artistically unserious, was a key to opening my ears to performers whose work was catchy but didn’t fit a prescribed notion of “good music,” whatever that is. As with any critical theory, poptimism can overreach and overcorrect in pushing against the rockist mindset. I find it useful in dismantling the idea of guilty pleasures, </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2009/01/on-guilty-pleasures.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which I’ve expounded on before</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You like what you like. What’s the harm in admitting it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, that’s all prelude to saying Dua Lipa’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Nostalgia</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> earned the most spins from me this week. I have a weakness for strong melodies--I know, what a rare opinion--and disco, and both are prominent elements on this album. Social distancing or not, you will not see me dancing at clubs--or at clubs, for that matter--but I enjoy the hooks, uptempo beats, and sonic landscapes on this album quite a bit. The single “Physical” is more evidence that the </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drive</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> soundtrack and ‘80s pop continue to wield major influences on those chasing a chart-topping spot. The bouncy </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4az-Q9k4-E" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Levitating”</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is my current favorite on the album. </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4mzEgCGa4Q" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Love Again”</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sounds like a surefire contemporary hits radio smash, at least if it gets an edit snipping the profanity that, at least in my college radio days, the FCC would have frowned upon. I don’t know if listening to it while working helps with my speed, an important part of the job, but it keeps the minutes flying by.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Work days ran long this week, so my viewing lagged a fair bit. I polished off Criterion’s Jackie Chan set and watched </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story 2 (Ging chaat goo si juk jaap)</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The sequel is not as good as the first, in part because it gets distracted with additional characters and the plot. There’s enough of the parts one wants from Chan’s films for it to still be worthwhile, but seen in close proximity to its predecessor, I found it a little disappointing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having finished the Korean TV series </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sound of Your Heart</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I moved on to </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sound of Your Heart Reboot</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. True to the title, it offers more shenanigans with webtoon artist Cho Seok and his family but with the roles all recast. Based on a couple episodes, I prefer the cast in the initial series. We’ll see what I think as I make my way through it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This journal isn’t intended to be comprehensive, but I’m keeping up with new episodes of </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black-ish</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brooklyn Nine-Nine</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superstore</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brooklyn Nine-Nine</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has had some strong episodes of late, and I hope this strong ensemble comedy continues to flourish now and find fans when it got a boosted profile switching to NBC last season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-2-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-80236030506879233802020-04-07T00:45:00.001-04:002020-04-07T17:42:02.412-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 2 (March 23-29, 2020)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUjaQ_GPTRON-uOjqAFhoxFO0tOU9Yig04XUW_O-LWFojdqFrewTq9KiBKoQLsMdV2Y05DDFYCGNFoP4iYavAjfcw5aO0runTulVOAq33d30LewkEdSaIN3MpcZDtQ3X_gu3G/s1600/5900C890-272A-4F47-9EC7-7A70AEC1BB7E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUjaQ_GPTRON-uOjqAFhoxFO0tOU9Yig04XUW_O-LWFojdqFrewTq9KiBKoQLsMdV2Y05DDFYCGNFoP4iYavAjfcw5aO0runTulVOAq33d30LewkEdSaIN3MpcZDtQ3X_gu3G/s640/5900C890-272A-4F47-9EC7-7A70AEC1BB7E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs. Dayton Flyers - January 14, 2020 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m a big sports fan, so it was a crushing blow for me when the NCAA Tournament for men’s basketball was canceled this year. The University of Dayton was enjoying the best season I’ve ever witnessed the Flyers have, and the previously unthinkable was possible as they had a legitimate chance to be a #1 seed and win the whole thing. Then just like that, it all evaporated. More than the postponement of the start of Major League Baseball--go figure, there’s reason to believe the Cincinnati Reds could contend for the title if this season happens--or another Columbus Blue Jackets playoff push, March Madness going bust this of all years was a major letdown.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet here we are, and I’m not missing sports. I reckon that will change as the weather improves and it seems like games should be there to watch or have on in the background at night. This feeling may stem from being pretty busy as it is and follow in the steps of having reduced some sports consumption because of school and work obligations the last two years. (It also probably didn’t help that the Reds were lousy and the Bengals were being their bungle-iest in recent years.) I haven’t lost interest, but for the time being, I’m not feeling the hole that is there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a week of social distancing under my belt, I decided it was important to establish a daily routine and, on off days in particular, maintain some kind of purpose. It’s not necessarily about being productive, although that does factor in with catching up on editing the podcast episodes that have been in the can for a month or more. The impulse is to foster some kind of normalcy during this abnormal time. If I don’t do what I think I might do to fill the day, that’s OK. Taking a nap instead or playing a game on my phone are perfectly valid activities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to social distancing I’d been listening to podcasts more than music, but that came to a screeching halt when a commute was no longer in the picture. About the last thing I need at the moment is paying too much attention to politics and the news. Limiting myself to how much I check the news or whatever people are fuming about on Twitter definitely falls into the self-care category, although I’ll admit to breaking this self-imposed rule at times, especially at the end of the day. Not a great idea!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I’m going to listen to music, what do I choose? For instance, I like Radiohead a lot, but I don’t think that it is well-suited when the images conjured in much of their work feel all too omnipresent and gloomy. Upbeat greatest hits collections from artists with 1980s heydays seemed like a better option, so I turned to groups like Hall & Oates, Duran Duran, and The Outfield. Tread carefully, though, because something like Duran Duran’s early ‘90s comeback hit </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqIACCH20JU" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Ordinary World”</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can hit like a hammer if hearing some of the lyrics through the filter of what’s going on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also did some extensive listening to R.E.M. from an Apple Music channel Siri created in place of ignoring my request to play a particular album. For the better part of an evening doing some baking and another day while working, I listened to tracks from all over their catalog, including some good band and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I6UpF6UHWg" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">band-adjacent</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rarities the algorithm programmed. I was reminded how strong and consistent their body of work is. But beware, “Everybody Hurts” cues up and can reduce you to a puddle just like that.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>March 27, 2020 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hadn’t left my place for four days, and a friend suggested it would do me some good to go for a walk. After a long day of working from home, I ventured into the neighborhood for a stroll in the dark accompanied by Beach House’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bloom</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Getting some air and physical activity was advisable. As twilight passed into nightfall, the soundtrack the music provided made the park and schools I circled seem somewhat magical and eerie. By this point almost everyone who had been out walking in the neighborhood had returned home. The gauzy dream pop in my ears accentuated the beauty and suburban desolation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for viewing, I’m still feeling like comedies are what I want to stick with. A friend recommended some Korean shows on Netflix, so I started watching </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sound of Your Heart (Maeumui sori)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a 2016 sitcom about a webtoon artist and his family. (This is not to be confused with the 2018 series </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sound of Your Heart Reboot</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which uses the same characters but features a different cast.) I’ve seen my fair share of films from South Korea, but as with a lot of global entertainment, the bulk of those have been genre movies or dramas that are probably easier to export to the U.S. and translate across cultures than comedies. While there are clearly some references in this lost on me, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sound of Your Heart</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> plays effectively as broad comedy about the Cho family’s hijinks and their subsequent embarrassment. I was particularly amused with the recurring gag of Cho Seok hiding from loved ones to spring a surprise on them and having the situation backfire on him. Kim Byeong-ok stands out as a prototypical sitcom dad always creating messes for himself to extricate himself from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I did branch out slightly, although Jackie Chan’s </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story (Ging chaat goo si)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> certainly has enough comedy for it to qualify as the light entertainment I’m seeking. I know Chan’s work mostly from the American edits of his films that played in U.S. multiplexes and the movies he’s made in Hollywood. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> provides a fantastic showcase for him to do what he does best. In his softer moments in this film, he comes across as so pure in his dedication as a boyfriend who makes mistakes but has the best intentions to set things right in the end and as an upstanding police officer who wants to see justice done. Comparisons to silent film stars are practically required when talking about Chan, and you can see why, whether it’s him blissfully unaware of his car rolling behind him while strolling with his girlfriend, played by Maggie Cheung, or the choreography as he tries to juggle multiple calls with phones spread around the office.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not to sound like a crank, but viewers who’ve grown up on a diet of action movies edited to smithereens and enhanced with digital effects might have their minds blown by the practical effects in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s best scenes. Cars tearing down a hill through a shanty town, Chan taking a shortcut on foot down a steep incline to cut off a bus, and the mall fight scene, with a stunt shown three times from different angles as a glorious appreciation of the daring, look incredibly dangerous through judicious and exquisitely timed edits and because they had actual risks. (Part of Chan’s status as a legend comes from end credits bloopers in his films that show the brunt he and others actually take in trying to capture something amazing.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s been a long time since I’ve dug into special features much, but the Criterion Collection set of the first two </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Police Story</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> films includes worthwhile extras that enhanced my appreciation for Chan’s craft as a performer and a filmmaker. Right now, a little awe of what people are capable of doing is welcome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</a></div>
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<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)</span></span></a></div>
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Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-36921650301989994962020-04-07T00:39:00.000-04:002020-04-07T17:40:37.998-04:00Social Distancing Journal: Week 1 (March 16-22, 2020)<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-cba0ad35-7fff-757b-70a4-29ae2041c22b" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I had been out of town and then immersed in work, I hadn’t been able to go to the grocery store to stock up for a week or two. I’d gleaned from social media that stores had been cleaned out. Sure enough, certain aisles looked like something out of a dystopian thriller. Good luck getting toilet paper, paper towels, flour, rice, and more. To me this ransacking of consumable and utilitarian staples seemed like an overreaction on the part of a public weaned on years of pop culture steeped in apocalyptic stories. You’ve seen </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hunger Games</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and scores of zombie movies; now you can play-act your own prepper and doomsday fantasies from the comfort of home! Still, I felt like I was able to get most of what I needed. Why worry too much because this will be over in two weeks, right?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So social distancing begins, and social media is there to help keep us connected. Bzzt! Look, I was already not feeling great about social distancing, and seeing how Twitter had devolved into a sewer pit wasn’t helping. (Insert joke about how it was already one before all this transpired.) Ironically, Facebook seemed like a less stressful place to check, perhaps because people were less concerned in commenting about the Presidential race and more interested in putting on brave faces for the start of staying at home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a little more time on my hands, now would mark the occasion to dig into some of the Criterion Collection Blu-rays I’ve amassed but haven’t watched. Problem is, I’m just not feeling it. Based on my mood, I quickly decided that I was going to direct my viewing toward comedies, with exceptions carved out for </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Survivor</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shark Tank</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (Blame the MBA for turning me into a regular viewer of the latter. I thought it might be useful for when I took an entrepreneurship class.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I landed on two shows available on Netflix. I rewatched </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Great News</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a 3</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">0 Rock</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ish sitcom that ran for two short seasons on NBC in 2017 and 2018. The series focuses on Briga Heelan as a cable news segment producer and Andrea Martin as her irrepressible mother, who goes back to school and starts interning on the program. It’s a shame this silly workplace comedy didn’t get any traction among the peacock network’s Thursday night comedies to earn a longer run, but the twenty-three episodes that exist are highly satisfying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also relaxed with </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shaun the Sheep: Adventures from Mossy Bottom</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a new Netflix series that continues the funny and inventive escapades of the barnyard animal and pals. The 2015 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shaun the Sheep Movie</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Aardman Animation is a comedic treasure. While this new series and the 2019 film </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, finally available here exclusively on Netflix, don’t reach the same heights, the gentle humor and setpiece creativity in both provide a soft escape from the daily news.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the film front, I rewatched </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wet Hot American Summer</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I reviewed six years ago. </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2014/06/wet-hot-american-summer.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That review</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is just mildly positive, an assessment I’d push upward based on how I feel about the film now and the goodwill it earned from the series </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I even foresaw this happening when I concluded the piece stating that the film already seemed better in my memory than the grade I was giving it. Is the lesson that things do get better over time?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Previous Social Distancing Journal Entries</u></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span><br />
<a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-2020-pre.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-Social Distancing</a></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-37773445644532249562020-04-07T00:37:00.000-04:002020-04-07T00:49:29.087-04:00Social Distancing Journal: 2020 Pre-Social Distancing<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-4e58a661-7fff-9279-3ac1-1f12f7c2811f" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hand sanitizer at the True/False Film Festival - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">How are you doing? I know that’s a nicety which often passes for conversational filler--people tend not really to be inquiring about one’s state when raising the question--but as we work from home and physically separate ourselves to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, it’s something I find myself wanting to ask and needing to ask those I’m in regular contact with. Focusing on the well-being of someone else is comforting in a way I’m not sure I can put into words. Plus, when others share how they’re doing and what they’re doing to ease their minds, maybe they can also give me some ideas for dealing with a situation none of us have been prepared for. Then again, putting it in those terms makes being interested in others sound awfully self-serving, like a value proposition for social interaction, when at heart my simple query is rooted in an earnest wish to feel connected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A writer writes for readers, but a writer also writes for himself. So what I’m going to try to post weekly, once these entries catch up with the calendar, is a social distancing journal focused on what I’m watching, listening to, reading, and doing while cooped up at home. I think it will be helpful for me to sit down and commit to scratching it down, and I hope it might provide some help for you, whether it’s a recommendation for a film or a means of escaping the news or your own thoughts for a bit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note: this first entry prior to social distancing may be more throat-clearing than those looking more for media recommendations, so feel free to jump ahead to <a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2020/04/social-distancing-journal-week-1-march.html">the first week of holing up at home</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before jumping to what’s going on now, I want to update you on what’s been happening with me. It’s been some time since I posted here with any regularity, which wasn’t a deliberate choice so much as it was the result of circumstances. With losing my longtime job, thus also bringing to an end </span><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2017/12/now-playing-1997-2017.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the movie review TV show </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now Playing</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that drove much of what I published here, along with taking classes toward an MBA, navigating the confusing and frustrating social benefits network, looking for employment, and co-producing and co-hosting </span><a href="http://filmboundpod.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a film podcast</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the time and energy to write anything that wasn’t homework or related to professional pursuits didn’t exist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Much has happened since late October 2017, which is when I learned the six-month countdown until being unemployed was starting. I doubled up the number of classes I was taking per term and graduated in April 2019. (How has it almost been a year already?) The job search felt like a perpetual exercise in futility, save for occasional freelance work, but I was contacted about a contract position in October 2019, a job that, especially now, looks like a lucky break for this particular moment in time. The podcast has yielded 109 episodes to date, with more planned as we figure out how to continue it in the time of a pandemic. Ultimately, I made it through what felt like a fairly extended rough patch.</span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, of course, just as I’m beginning to feel like things have stabilized, the coronavirus pandemic unsettles everything. </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-----</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfie4ygEg_Y_ZQPxEU8KAtnehqhyphenhyphenD2Zt6WlZ4vYTg8Z20nrqkct2HEv3rnm-DojNorEJSFvvhUhUDqOjDmk-V7roSgZZ0RkstP0t__kUP8gDdj7J7Tg2YmKCpy_5A1B3I704AI/s1600/FDF24ED2-7910-4DAC-B2C8-7BE7C9B2AF0A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfie4ygEg_Y_ZQPxEU8KAtnehqhyphenhyphenD2Zt6WlZ4vYTg8Z20nrqkct2HEv3rnm-DojNorEJSFvvhUhUDqOjDmk-V7roSgZZ0RkstP0t__kUP8gDdj7J7Tg2YmKCpy_5A1B3I704AI/s400/FDF24ED2-7910-4DAC-B2C8-7BE7C9B2AF0A.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Western Michigan Broncos vs. Miami Redhawks - February 4, 2020<br />Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first time the coronavirus changed my plans was January 28. I hadn’t been to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio to see a college basketball game in a long time and felt like I might as well go since I have Tuesdays off. Around noon I bought a ticket online for that night’s game versus Central Michigan and then called the box office for information about parking. The person on the other end of the line told me </span><a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2020/01/28/coronavirus-miami-cancels-basketball-games-wake-coronavirus-scare/4599111002/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the game had been postponed because two students had returned from China and might have been exposed to the coronavirus</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This action seemed excessively cautious to me then, but what did I know?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDO8rtnmO2KvX9vHkSQhxA9A7NVQ_fXM9hyqbp6hi2-ldWlQrXBqs2cCZhtmU-e41uZnQqLX94SNfPcpBZAH4sOuxEv-mKz1qIFM4kdR5NyXXTwpdO4jXQIQNyCS7ZxAuceYS/s1600/D25531EB-E95D-4C4E-9984-B886CFD957AF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDO8rtnmO2KvX9vHkSQhxA9A7NVQ_fXM9hyqbp6hi2-ldWlQrXBqs2cCZhtmU-e41uZnQqLX94SNfPcpBZAH4sOuxEv-mKz1qIFM4kdR5NyXXTwpdO4jXQIQNyCS7ZxAuceYS/s400/D25531EB-E95D-4C4E-9984-B886CFD957AF.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sloan at the A&R Music Bar - March 4, 2020 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jump ahead to the first week of March. Time was already ceasing to have any meaning with the work schedule I’d been keeping, but just a month ago now feels like an eternity and practically looks like another era. On March 4 I went to see the Canadian power pop band Sloan at the A&R Music Bar, and the next morning I headed west to Columbia, Missouri for the True/False Film Festival. At the time I didn’t have any significant reservations about doing either of these things even though the Arnold FItness EXPO here in Columbus, whose dates were concurrent with True/False, was severely curtailing public attendance at events. Now the Sloan concert and True/False appear to be the last time I’ll attend live music or see a movie in a public space for months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHfLjLVXboRg7yDahoL_ekbOJt7lfI9PCzSjsonmBqAyVM6aiosgw7s6AenJupXLWCsXP7Kpk_HE4q0MnuOxaboVzo_FKVEVzxl5yzJMBy_byDKazXHbYkDZIDoAvv2zFGISa/s1600/CC24B0B0-64B1-4D4E-9261-9E3AAF8732B0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHfLjLVXboRg7yDahoL_ekbOJt7lfI9PCzSjsonmBqAyVM6aiosgw7s6AenJupXLWCsXP7Kpk_HE4q0MnuOxaboVzo_FKVEVzxl5yzJMBy_byDKazXHbYkDZIDoAvv2zFGISa/s400/CC24B0B0-64B1-4D4E-9261-9E3AAF8732B0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets</b> co-directors Bill and; Turner Ross </i><br />
<i>at the True/False Film Festival - March 5, 2020 - Photo by Mark Pfeiffer</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although the film festival still had crowds at screenings, the early signs of what was to come were present. Festival organizers stressed that those who felt sick should stay home, and hand sanitizer was widely available at venues. More empty seats than usual were noticeable in the auditoriums and makeshift screening rooms, but in my observation attendance numbers were just experiencing a marginal difference.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Work has greatly reduced the amount of time I spend on social media, and while at True/False I mostly checked it to scan for opinions about what might be worth seeing at the festival. I had a mild sense that things might be starting to get more serious, like South by Southwest canceling, but the crisis still felt like something happening at a distance. After stopping in St. Louis for a quick overnight visit with family, being on the road driving home, and then returning to work, I was so unplugged from the news that what would follow in the next few days made it seem like everything was collapsing. College and professional sports stopped, schools were shifting to online learning, and grocery stores were being cleaned out of their stocks of some products. That Friday I learned work was transitioning to be done from home, and we could begin doing so the next day if we liked. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still not absorbing the gravity of what was happening or not wanting to accept it, I headed to the office on Saturday and Sunday, which are regular work days for me. As most of my co-workers elected to work from home over the weekend, the office presented a quiet, relaxed place to be. Nevertheless, in my gut I knew that I probably ought to stay home once my work week resumed on Wednesday, so I packed up everything I needed and left the office on Sunday night feeling like I was in mourning. Chalk it up to fear of the unknown, I guess, but I wasn’t ready for that reaction.</span></span></div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-18799603323976364692019-02-01T09:42:00.000-05:002019-02-28T09:43:54.840-05:00January 2019 Film Log-<b>Bird Box</b> (Susanne Bier, 2018): <i>C-</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Escape Room</b> (Adam Robitel, 2019): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Glass</b> (M. Night Shyamalan, 2019): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>If Beale Street Could Talk</b> (Barry Jenkins, 2018): <i>B</i> -- 1st and 2nd viewings<br />
<br />
-<b>Infinite Football (Fotbal Infinit)</b> (Corneliu Porumboiu, 2018): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Juggernaut</b> (Richard Lester, 1974): <i>B</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>The Kid Who Would Be King</b> (Joe Cornish, 2019): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Kill Mobile (Shoujikuang xiang)</b> (Miao Yu, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Lost in America</b> (Albert Brooks, 1985): <i>B+</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>Replicas</b> (Jeffrey Nachmanoff, 2018): <i>D+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Serenity</b> (Steven Knight, 2019): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</b> (Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, 2018): B+ -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Stan & Ollie</b> (Jon S. Baird, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Upside</b> (Neil Burger, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Zvizdal: [Chernobyl - SO FAR SO CLOSE]</b> (BERLIN, 2016): <i>B</i> -- with live performance<br />
<br />
<b><u>Viewing Locations and Formats</u></b><br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 12 (DCP: 12) (includes one live performance)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 4 (HD streams: 2, Blu-ray: 2)<br />
-<i>Live performances</i>: 1<br />
<br />
<b><u>January Totals</u></b><br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 16<br />
-<i>Unique # of films seen</i>: 15<br />
-<i>Unique # of feature films new to me</i>: 14Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-43793760869842482622019-01-01T09:10:00.000-05:002019-02-28T09:11:09.494-05:002018 Film Log<div>
<b><i><u>2018 U.S. Releases</u></i></b><br />
<br />
-<b>2.0</b> (S. Shankar, 2018): <i>B</i> -- 3D<br />
<br />
-<b>7 Days in Entebbe</b> (José Padilha, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>12 Strong</b> (Nicolai Fuglsig, 2018): <i>C-</i></div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>The 15:17 to Paris</b> (Clint Eastwood, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>24 Frames</b> (Abbas Kiarostami, 2017): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>2018 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animation</b>: (Various artists, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<i> </i>Includes:<br />
<i> </i>-<b>Dear Basketball</b> (Glen Keane, 2017)<br />
-<b>Negative Space</b> (Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter, 2017)<br />
-<b>LOU</b> (Dave Mullins, 2017)<br />
-<b>Revolting Rhymes Part One</b> (Jan Lachauer, Jakob Schuh, and Bin-Han To,<br />
2016)<br />
-<b>Garden Party</b> (Florian Babikian, Vincent Bayoux, Victor Caire, Théophile<br />
Dufresne, Gabriel Grapperon, and Lucas Navarro, 2017)<br />
-<b>Lost Property Office</b> (Daniel Agdag, 2017)<br />
-<b>Weeds</b> (Kevin Hudson, 2017)<br />
-<b>Achoo</b> (Lucas Boutrot, Élise Carret, Maoris Creantor, Pierre Hubert, Camille<br />
Lacroix, and Charlotte Perroux, 2018)<br />
<br />
<b>-Adrift</b> (Baltasar Kormákur, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>American Animals</b> (Bart Layton, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2018/03/filmbound-episode-8-annihilation.html">Annihilation</a></b> (Alex Garland, 2018): <i>A </i>-- first and second viewings<br />
<br />
-<b>Ant-Man and the Wasp</b> (Peyton Reed, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Aquaman</b> (James Wan, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Assassination Nation</b> (Sam Levinson, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>At Eternity's Gate</b> (Julian Schnabel, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Avengers: Infinity War</b> (Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, 2018): <i>C</i> -- Cinemark XD<br />
<br />
-<b>Bad Times at the El Royale</b> (Drew Goddard, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Ballad of Buster Scruggs</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2018): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Beast</b> (Michael Pearce, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Beautiful Boy</b> (Felix van Groeningen, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Beirut</b> (Brad Anderson, 2018): <i>B</i></div>
<br />
-<b>Bel Canto</b> (Paul Weitz, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ben is Back</b> (Peter Hedges, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Bisbee '17</b> (Robert Greene, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Black Panther</b> (Ryan Coogler, 2018): <i>B</i> -- first and second viewings<br />
<br />
-<b>BlacKkKlansman</b> (Spike Lee, 2018): <i>A-</i> -- Dolby Cinema<br />
<br />
-<b>Blindspotting</b> (Carlos López Estrada, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Blockers</b> (Kay Cannon, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Bohemian Rhapsody</b> (Bryan Singer, 2018): <i>B-</i> -- IMAX</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Book Club</b> (Bill Holderman, 2018): <i>C+</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>The Bookshop</b> (Isabel Coixet, 2017): <i>C-</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>-Border (Gräns)</b> (Ali Abbasi, 2018): <i>B-</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Boy Erased</b> (Joel Edgerton, 2018): <i>B</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Breaking In</b> (James McTeigue, 2018): <i>D+</i></div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>Bumblebee</b> (Travis Knight, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Burning (Beoning)</b> (Lee Chang-dong, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Can You Ever Forgive Me?</b> (Marielle Heller, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The China Hustle</b> (Jed Rothstein, 2017): <i>B-</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Christopher Robin</b> (Marc Forster, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Cloverfield Paradox</b> (Julius Onah, 2018): <i>C-</i> -- HD stream</div>
<br />
-<b>Cold War (Zimna wojna)</b> (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Colette</b> (Wash Westmoreland, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Commuter</b> (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2018): <i>B</i></div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>A Cool Fish (Wu ming zhi bei)</b> (Rao Xiaozhi, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Crazy Rich Asians</b> (Jon M. Chu, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Creed II</b> (Steven Caple Jr., 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Crime + Punishment</b> (Stephen Maing, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Damsel</b> (David Zellner and Nathan Zellner, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Deadpool 2</b> (David Leitch, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Destroyer</b> (Karyn Kusama, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Disobedience</b> (Sebastián Lelio, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot</b> (Gus Van Sant, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Double Lover (L'amant double)</b> (François Ozon, 2017): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Early Man</b> (Nick Park, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Eighth Grade</b> (Bo Burnham, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>The Endless</b> (Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, 2017): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Fahrenheit 11/9</b> (Michael Moore, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald</b> (David Yates, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Favou</b><b>rite</b> (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Fifty Shades Freed</b> (James Foley, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Filmworker</b> (Tony Zierra, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>First Man</b> (Damien Chazelle, 2018): <i>A-</i> --IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>The First Purge</b> (Gerard McMurray, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>First Reformed</b> (Paul Schrader, 2017): <i>A</i> -- second viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Free Solo</b> (Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Front Runner</b> (Jason Reitman, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Game Night</b> (John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Gemini</b> (Aaron Katz, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ghost Stories</b> (Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, 2017): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Girl in the Spider's Web</b> (Fede Alvarez, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Goldstone</b> (Ivan Sen, 2016): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween</b> (Ari Sandel, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Green Book</b> (Peter Farrelly, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Grinch</b> (Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Guardians (Les gardiennes)</b> (Xavier Beauvois, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hale County This Morning, This Evening</b> (RaMell Ross, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Halloween</b> (David Gordon Green, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Happy as Lazzaro (Lazzaro felice)</b> (Alice Rohrwacher, 2018): <i>A </i>-- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>The Hate U Give</b> (George Tillman Jr., 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hearts Beat Loud</b> (Brett Haley, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hereditary</b> (Ari Aster, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hold the Dark</b> (Jeremy Saulnier, 2018): <i>B-</i> -- theatrical viewing at TIFF 2018 and HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Holmes & Watson</b> (Etan Cohen, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hotel Artemis</b> (Drew Pearce, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation</b> (Genndy Tartakovsky, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The House That Jack Built: Director's Cut</b> (Lars von Trier, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The House with a Clock in Its Walls</b> (Eli Roth, 2018): <i>C</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>How to Talk to Girls at Parties</b> (John Cameron Mitchell, 2017): <i>D+</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Hunter Killer</b> (Donovan Marsh, 2018): <i>B-</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>I Feel Pretty</b> (Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, 2018): <i>C</i></div>
<br />
-<b>Incredibles 2</b> (Brad Bird, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Insidious: The Last Key</b> (Adam Robitel, 2018): <i>C</i></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>-Instant Family</b> (Sean Anders, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Island</b> (Bo Huang, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Isle of Dogs</b> (Wes Anderson, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection (L'empire de la perfection)</b> (Julien Faraut, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Johnny English Strikes Again</b> (David Kerr, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Juliet, Naked</b> (Jesse Peretz, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom</b> (J.A. Bayona, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Kin</b> (Jonathan Baker and Josh Baker, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Land of Steady Habits</b> (Nicole Holofcener, 2018): <i>B-</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Leave No Trace</b> (Debra Granik, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Let the Sunshine In (Un beau soleil intérieur)</b> (Claire Denis, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Life Itself</b> (Dan Fogelman, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Life of the Party</b> (Ben Falcone, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Little Stranger</b> (Lenny Abrahamson, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Love, Simon</b> (Greg Berlanti, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Madeline's Madeline</b> (Josephine Decker, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again</b> (Ol Parker, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mandy</b> (Panos Cosmatos, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mary Poppins Returns</b> (Rob Marshall, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mary Queen of Scots</b> (Josie Rourke, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mary and the Witch's Flower (Meari to majo no hana)</b> (Hiromasa Yonebayashi, 2017): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Meg</b> (Jon Turteltaub, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mid90s</b> (Jonah Hill, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Minding the Gap</b> (Bing Liu, 2018): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Mirai (Mirai no Mirai)</b> (Mamoru Hosoda, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Miseducation of Cameron Post</b> (Desiree Akhavan, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mission: Impossible--Fallout</b> (Christopher McQuarrie, 2018): <i>A</i> -- Dolby Cinema; first and second viewings<br />
<br />
-<b>Monrovia, Indiana</b> (Frederick Wiseman, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Monsters and Men</b> (Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mortal Engines</b> (Christian Rivers, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Mule</b> (Clint Eastwood, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Never Goin' Back</b> (Augustine Frizzell, 2018): <i>D+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Night School</b> (Malcolm D. Lee, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Nobody's Fool</b> (Tyler Perry, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Nun</b> (Corin Hardy, 2018): <i>C+</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>The Nutcracker and the Four Realms</b> (Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Oath</b> (Ike Barinholtz, 2018): <i>D+ </i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ocean's 8</b> (Gary Ross, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Of Fathers and Sons</b> (Talal Derki, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Oh Lucy!</b> (Atsuko Hirayanagi, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Old Man & the Gun</b> (David Lowery, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>On the Basis of Sex</b> (Mimi Leder, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Other Side of the Wind</b> (Orson Welles, 2018): <i>(no grade)</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Overlord</b> (Julius Avery, 2018): <i>C</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>Pacific Rim: Uprising</b> (Steven S. DeKnight, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Paddington 2</b> (Paul King, 2017): <i>A</i></div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>Papillon</b> (Michael Noer, 2017): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Party</b> (Sally Potter, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Peppermint</b> (Pierre Morel, 2018): <i>D-</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Peter Rabbit</b> (Will Gluck, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Pope Francis: A Man of His Word</b> (Wim Wenders, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Possession of Hannah Grace</b> (Diederik Van Rooijen, 2018): <i>D-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Predator</b> (Shane Black, 2018): <i>C+</i> -- Dolby Cinema<br />
<br />
-<b>Private Life</b> (Tamara Jenkins, 2018): <i>A-</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>A Private War</b> (Matthew Heineman, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Project Gutenberg (Mo seung)</b> (Felix Chong, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<div>
<br />
-<b>Prospect</b> (Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br /></div>
-<b>Proud Mary</b> (Babak Najafi, 2018): <i>D+</i></div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>Psychokinesis (Yeom-lyeok)</b> (Yeon Sang-Ho, 2018): <i>B-</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Puzzle</b> (Marc Turteltaub, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>A Quiet Place</b> (John Krasinski, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ralph Breaks the Internet</b> (Phil Johnston and Rich Moore, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Rampage</b> (Brad Peyton, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>RBG</b> (Julie Cohen and Betsy West, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Ready Player One</b> (Steven Spielberg, 2018): <i>C</i> -- 70mm print<br />
<br />
-<b><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2018/03/filmbound-episode-10-red-sparrow.html">Red Sparrow</a></b> (Francis Lawrence, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Rider</b> (Chloé Zhao, 2017): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Robin Hood</b> (Otto Bathurst, 2018): <i>D+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Roma</b> (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018): <i>A </i>-- one screening with Dolby Atmos; first,second, and third screenings<br />
<br />
-<b>Searching</b> (Aneesh Chaganty, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Second Act</b> (Peter Segal, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Set It Up</b> (Claire Scanlon, 2018): <i>A-</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Shirkers</b> (Sandi Tan, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku)</b> (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018): <i>A </i>-- theatrical viewing at TIFF 2018 and HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Sicario: Day of the Soldado</b> (Stefano Sollima, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>A Simple Favor</b> (Paul Feig, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Sisters Brothers</b> (Jacques Audiard, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Skate Kitchen</b> (Crystal Moselle, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Skyscraper</b> (Rawson Marshall Thurber, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Smallfoot</b> (Karey Kirkpatrick and Jason Reisig, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Sollers Point</b> (Matthew Porterfield, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Solo: A Star Wars Story</b> (Ron Howard, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Sorry to Bother You</b> (Boots Riley, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</b> (Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>The Spy Who Dumped Me</b> (Susanna Fogel, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>A Star is Born</b> (Bradley Cooper, 2018): <i>B+ </i>-- Dolby Cinema<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Superfly</b> (Director X, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Support the Girls</b> (Andrew Bujalski, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Suspiria</b> (Luca Guadagnino, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Tag</b> (Jeff Tomsic, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Teen Titans Go! To the Movies</b> (Aaron Horvath and Peter Rida Michail, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Terminal</b> (Vaughn Stein, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Third Murder (Sandome no satsujin)</b> (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2017): <i>B+</i> -- 2nd viewing; grade revised from C<br />
<br />
-<b>Thoroughbreds</b> (Cory Finley, 2017): <i>B+</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>A Thousand Thoughts</b> (Sam Green, 2018): <i>A-</i></div>
<br />
-<b>Three Identical Strangers</b> (Tim Wardle, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</b> (Susan Johnson, 2018): <i>B- </i>-- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Tomb Raider</b> (Roar Uthaug, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Truth or Dare</b> (Jeff Wadlow, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Tully</b> (Jason Reitman, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Uncle Drew</b> (Charles Stone III, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Unfriended: Dark Web</b> (Stephen Susco, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Unsane</b> (Steven Soderbergh, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Upgrade</b> (Leigh Whannell, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Venom</b> (Reuben Fleischer, 2018): <i>C</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>Vice</b> (Adam McKay, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Vox Lux</b> (Brady Corbet, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Welcome to Marwen</b> (Robert Zemeckis, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Where is Kyra?</b> (Andrew Dosunmu, 2017): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>White Boy Rick</b> (Yann Demange, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Whitney</b> (Kevin Macdonald, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Widows</b> (Steve McQueen, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Wife</b> (Björn Runge, 2017): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Wildlife</b> (Paul Dano, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Won't You Be My Neighbor?</b> (Morgan Neville, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2018/04/filmbound-episode-11-wrinkle-in-time.html">A Wrinkle in Time</a></b> (Ava DuVernay, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Year of Spectacular Men</b> (Lea Thompson, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<div>
<i><br />
</i></div>
-<b>You Were Never Really Here</b> (Lynne Ramsay, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
<b><i><u>Older Films</u></i></b><br />
<br />
-<b>The 7th Voyage of Sinbad</b> (Nathan Juran, 1958): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>13th</b> (Ava DuVernay, 2016): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>2001: A Space Odyssey </b>(Stanley Kubrick, 1968): <i>A+</i> -- 70mm "unrestored" print; 3rd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Age of Innocence</b> (Martin Scorsese, 1993): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>American Splendor</b> (Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, 2003): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm; 2nd viewing<br />
<div>
<br />
-<b>Belle</b> (Amma Asante, 2013): <i>B</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>La belle noiseuse</b> (Jacques Rivette, 1991): <i>A- </i>-- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>The Big Lebowski</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 1998): <i>A</i> -- 35mm; repeat viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Birds</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963): <i>A</i> -- 35mm; repeat viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo)</b> (Dario Argento, 1970): <i>B-</i> -- 4K restoration<br />
<br />
-<b>Caddyshack</b> (Harold Ramis, 1980): <i>B </i>-- HD stream</div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>Call Me by Your Name</b> (Luca Guadagnino, 2017): <i>A- </i>-- DVD<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Les carabiniers</b> (Jean-Luc Godard, 1963): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm print<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Choose Me</b> (Alan Rudolph, 1984): <i>B </i>-- projected DVD<br />
<br />
-<b>Christmas in Connecticut</b> (Peter Godfrey, 1945): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach)</b> (Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet, 1968): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Cold Water (L'eau froide)</b> (Olivier Assayas, 1994): <i>B </i>-- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova)</b> (Sergei Parajanov, 1969): <i>B</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Columbus</b> (Kogonada, 2017): <i>A</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Le corbeau</b> (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1943): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Coeur fidèle</b> (Jean Epstein, 1923): <i>B</i> -- w/ Alloy Orchestra accompaniment<br />
<br />
-<b>The Crime of Monsieur Lange (Le crime de Monsieur Lange)</b> (Jean Renoir, 1936): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Daughters of the Dust</b> (Julie Dash, 1991): <i>B</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Dead Man</b> (Jim Jarmusch, 1995): <i>A</i> -- repeat viewing (first theatrical viewing)<br />
<br />
-<b>Deep Red (Profondo rosso)</b> (Dario Argento, 1975): <i>B-</i> -- 4K restoration<br />
<br />
-<b>Dementia 13</b> <b>(Director's Cut) </b>(Francis Ford Coppola, 1963): <i>B-</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Dial M for Murder</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954): <i>B+</i> -- 3D; 3rd viewing<br />
<i><br /></i>
-<b>Elf</b> (Jon Favreau, 2003): <i>B+</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>A Fantastic Woman (Una Mujer Fantástica)</b> (Sebastián Lelio, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>A Fistful of Dollars (Per un pugno di dollari)</b> (Sergio Leone, 1964): <i>B+</i> -- 2nd viewing; 4K restoration<br />
<br />
-<b>The Fog</b> (John Carpenter, 1980): B -- 4K; 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>For a Few Dollars More (Per qualche dollaro in più)</b> (Sergio Leone, 1965): <i>B</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Fugitive</b> (Andrew Davis, 1993): <i>B</i> -- repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo)</b> (Sergio Leone, 1966): <i>A</i> -- 2nd viewing; 4K restoration<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Halloween</b> (John Carpenter, 1978): <i>B+</i> -- repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Handsworth Songs</b> (John Akomfrah, 1987): <i>(no grade)</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>The Hidden</b> (Jack Sholder, 1987): <i>C+ </i>-- HD recording</div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>Hostiles</b> (Scott Cooper, 2017): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Hudsucker Proxy</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 1994): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray; 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Interstellar</b> (Christopher Nolan, 2014): <i>A</i> -- 70mm; 3rd viewing (2nd in 70mm)<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>The Insult (L'insulte)</b> (Ziad Doueiri, 2017): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>King of Hearts (Le roi de coeur)</b> (Philippe de Broca, 1966): <i>B-</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div>
-<b>Lady on a Train</b> (Charles David, 1945): <i>B+ </i>-- HD recording</div>
<div>
<br />
-<b>The Last Days of Disco</b> (Whit Stillman, 1998): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray; repeat viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Last Movie</b> (Dennis Hopper, 1971): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Lifeboat</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1944): <i>B</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>Loveless (Nelyubov)</b> (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2017): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Married to the Mob</b> (Jonathan Demme, 1988): <i>C-</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Mary Poppins</b> (Robert Stevenson, 1964): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Memories of Murder (Salinui chueok)</b> (Bong Joon-ho, 2003): <i>B+ </i>-- HD stream</div>
<div>
<br />
-<b><a href="https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2018/04/filmbound-episode-12-minority-report.html">Minority Report</a></b> (Steven Spielberg, 2002): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray; repeat viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Monkey Business</b> (Howard Hawks, 1952): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Night of the Living Dead</b> (George A. Romero, 1968): <i>B+</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>North by Northwest</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959): <i>A</i> -- 4K restoration; repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>One Sings, the Other Doesn't (L'une chante l'autre pas)</b> (Agnès Varda, 1977): <i>C+</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>A Page of Madness (Kurutta ippêji)</b> (Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926): <i>(no grade)</i> -- with Alloy Orchestra accompaniment<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Persona</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1966): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Phantom Thread</b> (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017): <i>A</i> -- first and second viewings<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">-</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta)</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1992): </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">B-</i><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
-<b>Rambling Rose</b> (Martha Coolidge, 1991): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
-<b>Rear Window</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954): <i>A</i> -- 35mm; repeat viewing</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
-<b>Remember My Name</b> (Alan Rudolph, 1978): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
-<b>The Revolt of Mamie Stover</b> (Raoul Walsh, 1956): <i>B</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World</b> (Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana, 2017): <i>B-</i></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">-</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Schindler's List</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> (Steven Spielberg, 1993): </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">A</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> -- 2nd viewing</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Selena</b> (Gregory Nava, 1997): <i>C</i> -- 35mm</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1957): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm</div>
<div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-<b>Sherlock Jr.</b> (Buster Keaton, 1924): <i>A </i>-- with live musical accompaniment by Sue Harshe</div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-<b>The Shop Around the Corner</b> (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940): <i>A-</i></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
-<b>Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi</b> (Rian Johnson, 2017): <i>A</i> -- third viewing</div>
</div>
</div>
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Strangers on a Train</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1951): <i>A</i> -- 35mm; repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Summer with Monika (Sommaren med Monika)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1953): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Suspiria</b> (Dario Argento, 1977): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>They Live</b> (John Carpenter, 1988): <i>B+</i> -- 35mm; 2nd viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Through a Glass Darkly (Såsom i en spegel)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1961): <i>B</i> -- 35mm<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>To Catch a Thief</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1955): <i>A</i> -- 35mm; repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Tom Jones</b> (Tony Richardson, 1963): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Trouble Every Day</b> (Claire Denis, 2001): <i>B- </i>-- 35mm<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Vertigo</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958): <i>A+</i> -- 70mm; repeat viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Wanda</b> (Barbara Loden, 1970): <i>B</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
-<b>Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin)</b> (Wim Wenders, 1987): <i>B</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Winter Light (Nattvardsgästerna)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1963): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Wormwood</b> (Errol Morris, 2017): <i>B+</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Yellow Submarine</b> (George Dunning, 1968): <i>B+ </i>-- 2nd viewing<br />
<i><br />
</i> -<b>Zombie (Zombi 2)</b> (Lucio Fulci, 1979): <i>B</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i><b><u>Shorts</u></b></i><br />
<br />
-<b>#TheLateBatsby</b> (Lauren Faust and Jennifer Kluska, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
-<b>Aspirational</b> (Matthew Frost, 2014): <i>B</i><br />
-<b>Baby Brother</b> (Kamau Bilal, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
-<b>Balloonfest</b> (Nathan Truesdell, 2017): B+<br />
-<b>Bao</b> (Domee Shi, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
-<b>Graven Image</b> (Sierra Pettengill, 2017): <i>B+</i><br />
-<b>Lick the Star</b> (Sofia Coppola, 1998): <i>B</i><br />
-<b>Take What You Can Carry</b> (Matthew Porterfield, 2015): <i>B </i>-- projected HD video<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>Shorts Compilation Programs</u></i></b><br />
<br />
-<b>Saving Orphan Films: The Amateurs and Others</b><br />
-<b>Home movie of French Quarter, New Orleans, before Katrina</b> (Helen<br />
Hill, ca. 2002)<br />
-<b>Venus and Adonis</b> (J. V. D. Bucher and Harry Dunham, 1935)<br />
-<b>The Inner World of Aphasia</b> (Edward R. Feil and Naomi Feil, 1968)<br />
-<b>Përjetësi (Eternity)</b> (Dhimitër Anagnosti, 1973)<br />
-<b>Long Binh Post Exchange [South Vietnam]</b> (Marcellus Hartman, ca. 1971)<br />
-<b>EPH 4/27/16</b> (Ephraim Horowitz, 1979)<br />
<br />
<b><u><i>Not Yet Released in the U.S.</i></u></b><br />
<br />
-<b>3 Faces (Se rokh)</b> (Jafar Panahi, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Adriana's Pact (El Pacto de Adriana)</b> (Lissette Orozco, 2017): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>América</b> (Erick Stoll and Chase Whiteside, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>American Dharma</b> (Errol Morris, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ash is Purest White (Jiang hu er nv)</b> (Jia Zhangke, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Biggest Little Farm</b> (John Chester, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Blind Spot (Blindsone)</b> (Tuva Novotny, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Everybody Knows</b> (Todos lo saben) (Asghar Farhadi, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Flight of a Bullet (Polet Puli)</b> (Beata Bubenec, 2017): <i>(no grade)</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Her Smell</b> (Alex Ross Perry, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>High Life</b> (Claire Denis, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Hotel by the River</b> (Hong Sang-soo, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>"I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians" ("Îmi este indiferent daca în istorie vom intra ca barbari")</b> (Radu Jude, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>In Fabric</b> (Peter Strickland, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Innocent (Der Unschuldige)</b> (Simon Jaquemet, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Killing (Zan)</b> (Shin'ya Tsukamoto, 2018): <i>D+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Long Day's Journey Into Night (Di qiu zui hou de ye wan)</b> (Bi Gan, 2018): <i>C</i> -- portions in 3D<br />
<br />
-<b>Lovers of the Night</b> (Anna Frances Ewert, 2017): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Maya</b> (Mia Hansen-Løve, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Meeting Gorbachev</b> (Werner Herzog and André Singer, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Non-Fiction (Doubles vies)</b> (Olivier Assayas, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Our New President</b> (Maxim Pozdorovkin, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<i><b>Secret Screening Gale</b></i>: <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b><i>Secret Screening Mistral</i></b>: <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b><i>Secret Screening Zephyr</i></b>: <i>B-</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-<b>Taming the Horse</b> (Tao Gu, 2017): <i>C</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
-<b>Transit</b> (Christian Petzold, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Vita & Virginia</b> (Chanya Button, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Agaci)</b> (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
<u>2018 Totals:</u><br />
<br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 303 (DCP: 283, 35mm: 15, 70mm: 4, projected DVD: 1) (includes three live accompaniments and one live performance)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 28 (HD streams: 15, Blu-ray: 10, HD recordings: 2, DVD: 1)<br />
-<i>Live accompaniments</i>: 3<br />
-<i>Live performances</i>: 1<br />
<br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 331<br />
-<i>Unique # of films seen</i>: 322 features, 2 shorts compilation programs, and 8 shorts<br />
-<i>Unique # of feature films new to me</i>: 290<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>2018 Format Breakdown</u></i></b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>35mm<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>American Splendor</b> (Shari Springer Berman and Robert
Pulcini, 2003)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Big Lebowski</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen,
1998)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Birds</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Les carabiniers</b> (Jean-Luc Godard, 1963)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Rambling Rose</b> (Martha Coolidge, 1991)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Rear Window</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Remember My Name</b> (Alan Rudolph, 1978)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Selena</b> (Gregory Nava, 1997)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet)</b> (Ingmar
Bergman, 1957)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Strangers on a Train</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1951)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Summer with Monika
(Sommaren med Monika)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1953)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>They Live</b> (John Carpenter, 1988)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Through a Glass
Darkly (Såsom i en spegel)</b> (Ingmar Bergman, 1961)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>To Catch a Thief</b> (Alfred
Hitchcock, 1955) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Trouble Every Day</b> (Claire Denis, 2001)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>70mm<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>2001: A Space Odyssey </b>(Stanley Kubrick, 1968) --
70mm "unrestored" print</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Interstellar</b> (Christopher Nolan, 2014) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Ready Player One</b> (Steven Spielberg, 2018)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Vertigo</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>Projected DVD<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">-</span><b>Choose Me</b> (Alan Rudolph, 1984)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>HD Stream <o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>24 Frames</b> (Abbas Kiarostami, 2017) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Ballad of Buster Scruggs</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Caddyshack</b> (Harold Ramis, 1980) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Cloverfield Paradox</b> (Julius Onah, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Happy as Lazzaro (Lazzaro felice)</b> (Alice Rohrwacher, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Hold the Dark</b> (Jeremy Saulnier, 2018)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Land of Steady Habits</b> (Nicole Holofcener, 2018)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Memories of Murder (Salinui chueok)</b> (Bong Joon-ho, 2003) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Minding the Gap</b> (Bing Liu, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Private Life</b> (Tamara Jenkins, 2018)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Psychokinesis (Yeom-lyeok)</b> (Yeon Sang-Ho, 2018)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Set It Up</b> (Claire Scanlon, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku)</b> (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</b> (Susan Johnson, 2018) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Wormwood</b> (Errol Morris, 2017) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>HD Recording<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Hidden</b> (Jack Sholder, 1987) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Lady on a Train</b> (Charles David, 1945)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>Blu-ray<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Age of Innocence</b> (Martin Scorsese, 1993)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>La belle noiseuse</b> (Jacques Rivette, 1991)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Cold Water (L'eau froide)</b> (Olivier Assayas, 1994)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova)</b> (Sergei
Parajanov, 1969)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Hudsucker Proxy</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 1994)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>The Last Days of Disco</b> (Whit Stillman, 1998)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Lifeboat</b> (Alfred Hitchcock, 1944)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Married to the Mob</b> (Jonathan Demme, 1988)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Minority Report </b>(Steven Spielberg, 2002)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Suspiria</b> (Dario Argento, 1977) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><u>DVD</u></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
-<b>Call Me by Your Name</b> (Luca Guadagnino, 2017)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-75307192291416469832018-12-31T23:45:00.000-05:002019-01-02T14:18:17.760-05:00December 2018 Film Log-<b>2.0</b> (S. Shankar, 2018): <i>B</i> -- 3D<br />
<br />
-<b>24 Frames</b> (Abbas Kiarostami, 2017): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Aquaman</b> (James Wan, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>At Eternity's Gate</b> (Julian Schnabel, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Ballad of Buster Scruggs</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2018): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Ben is Back</b> (Peter Hedges, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Bumblebee</b> (Travis Knight, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Burning (Beoning)</b> (Lee Chang-dong, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Christmas in Connecticut</b> (Peter Godfrey, 1945): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Cold War (Zimna wojna)</b> (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>A Cool Fish (Wu ming zhi bei)</b> (Rao Xiaozhi, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Destroyer</b> (Karyn Kusama, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Elf</b> (Jon Favreau, 2003): <i>B+</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>The Favou</b><b>rite</b> (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Happy as Lazzaro (Lazzaro felice)</b> (Alice Rohrwacher, 2018): <i>A </i>-- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Holmes & Watson</b> (Etan Cohen, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Hudsucker Proxy</b> (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 1994): <i>A</i> -- Blu-ray; 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Married to the Mob</b> (Jonathan Demme, 1988): <i>C-</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>Mary Poppins Returns</b> (Rob Marshall, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mary Queen of Scots</b> (Josie Rourke, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Minding the Gap</b> (Bing Liu, 2018): <i>B</i> -- HD stream<br />
<br />
-<b>Mirai (Mirai no Mirai)</b> (Mamoru Hosoda, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Mortal Engines</b> (Christian Rivers, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Mule</b> (Clint Eastwood, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>On the Basis of Sex</b> (Mimi Leder, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Porco Rosso (Kurenai no buta)</b> (Hayao Miyazaki, 1992): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Possession of Hannah Grace</b> (Diederik Van Rooijen, 2018): <i>D-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Prospect</b> (Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Roma</b> (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018): <i>A</i> -- 3rd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Schindler's List</b> (Steven Spielberg, 1993): <i>A</i> -- 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Second Act</b> (Peter Segal, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Sherlock Jr.</b> (Buster Keaton, 1924): <i>A </i>-- with live musical accompaniment by Sue Harshe<br />
<br />
-<b>The Shop Around the Corner</b> (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku)</b><i> </i>(Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018): <i>A</i> -- HD stream; 2nd viewing<br />
<br />
-<b>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</b> (Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Vice</b> (Adam McKay, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<i><br /></i>-<b>Vox Lux</b> (Brady Corbet, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
-<b>Welcome to Marwen</b> (Robert Zemeckis, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
-<b>Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin)</b> (Wim Wenders, 1987): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
<u>The top films new to me (current releases):</u><br />
<br />
-<b>Happy as Lazzaro (Lazzaro felice)</b><br />
-<b>Cold War (Zimna wojna)</b><br />
-<b>The Favourite</b><br />
-<b>Vox Lux</b><br />
-<b>Burning (Beoning)</b><br />
<br />
<u>The top films new to me (repertory):</u><br />
<br />
-<b>Sherlock Jr.</b><br />
-<b>The Shop Around the Corner</b><br />
-<b>Christmas in Connecticut</b><br />
-<b>Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin)</b><br />
<br />
<u>Viewing locations & formats:</u><br />
<br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 32 (DCP: 32, 35mm: 0, 70mm: 0)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 7 (Blu-ray: 2, HD stream: 5)<br />
<br />
<u>December Totals:</u><br />
<br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 39<br />
-<i># of unique films seen</i>: 39<br />
-<i># of feature films new to me</i>: 35<br />
<br />
<u>Year-to-date Totals:</u><br />
<br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 303 (DCP: 283, 35mm: 15, 70mm: 4, projected DVD: 1) (includes three live accompaniments and one live performance)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 28 (HD streams: 15, Blu-ray: 10, HD recordings: 2, DVD: 1)<br />
-<i>Live accompaniments</i>: 3<br />
-<i>Live performances</i>: 1<br />
<br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 331<br />
-<i>Unique # of films seen</i>: 322 features, 2 shorts compilation programs, and 8 shorts<br />
-<i>Unique # of feature films new to me</i>: 290Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6231356.post-45290526446131958092018-11-30T23:06:00.000-05:002019-01-02T14:07:28.649-05:00November 2018 Film Log-<b>Beautiful Boy</b> (Felix van Groeningen, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Bohemian Rhapsody</b> (Bryan Singer, 2018): <i>B-</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>Border (Gräns)</b> (Ali Abbasi, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Boy Erased</b> (Joel Edgerton, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Can You Ever Forgive Me?</b> (Marielle Heller, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Cold Water (L'eau froide)</b> (Olivier Assayas, 1994): <i>B</i> -- Blu-ray<br />
<br />
-<b>Creed II</b> (Steven Caple Jr., 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald</b> (David Yates, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Front Runner</b> (Jason Reitman, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Girl in the Spider's Web</b> (Fede Alvarez, 2018): <i>C-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween</b> (Ari Sandel, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Green Book</b> (Peter Farrelly, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Grinch</b> (Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The House That Jack Built: Director's Cut</b> (Lars von Trier, 2018): <i>D</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Instant Family</b> (Sean Anders, 2018): <i>A-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Nobody's Fool</b> (Tyler Perry, 2018): <i>C+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>The Other Side of the Wind</b> (Orson Welles, 2018): <i>(no grade)</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Overlord</b> (Julius Avery, 2018): <i>C</i> -- IMAX<br />
<br />
-<b>A Private War</b> (Matthew Heineman, 2018): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Ralph Breaks the Internet</b> (Phil Johnston and Rich Moore, 2018): <i>B+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Robin Hood</b> (Otto Bathurst, 2018): <i>D+</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Roma</b> (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018): <i>A</i> -- 2nd viewing; upgraded from B<br />
<br />
-<b>Suspiria</b> (Luca Guadagnino, 2018): <i>C</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Wanda</b> (Barbara Loden, 1970): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Widows</b> (Steve McQueen, 2018): <i>B-</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Wildlife</b> (Paul Dano, 2018): <i>A</i><br />
<br />
-<b>Zombie (Zombi 2)</b> (Lucio Fulci, 1979): <i>B</i><br />
<br />
<u>The top films new to me (current releases):</u><br />
<br />
-<b>Wildlife</b><br />
-<b>Roma</b><br />
-<b>Instant Family</b><br />
<br />
<u>The top films new to me (repertory):</u><br />
<br />
-<b>Cold Water (L'eau froide)</b><br />
-<b>Zombie (Zombi 2)</b><br />
-<b>Wanda</b><br />
<br />
<u>Viewing locations & formats:</u><br />
<br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 26 (DCP: 26, 35mm: 0, 70mm: 0)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 1 (Blu-ray: 1, HD stream: 0)<br />
<br />
<u>November Totals:</u><br />
<br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 27<br />
-<i># of unique films seen</i>: 27<br />
-<i># of feature films new to me</i>: 26<br />
<br />
<u>Year-to-date Totals:</u><br />
<br />
-<i>Theatrical viewings</i>: 271 (DCP: 251, 35mm: 15, 70mm: 4, projected DVD: 1) (includes two live accompaniments and one live performance)<br />
-<i>Home viewings</i>: 21 (HD streams: 10, Blu-ray: 8, HD recordings: 2, DVD: 1)<br />
-<i>Live accompaniments</i>: 2<br />
-<i>Live performances</i>: 1<br />
<br />
-<i># of screenings</i>: 292<br />
-<i>Unique # of films seen</i>: 285 features, 2 shorts compilation programs, and 8 shorts<br />
-<i>Unique # of feature films new to me</i>: 255Mark Pfeifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12098023129216356791noreply@blogger.com0