Good article (for a change) from The New York Times on how the right uses the rhetoric of free speech to engage in stochastic terrorism at the University of Chicago.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/03/us/university-of-chicago-whiteness-free-speech.html

I finally got around to watching I Saw the Devil (2010) over the weekend. It is beautifully produced, thematically rich, and deeply, deeply, deeply messed up. Even though I admire it, I don't really know anyone I can recommend watch it!

I don't know if The Lincoln Project ads helped in 2020, But I enjoyed them and I think they helped morale. Anyway, my favorite of their ads never really took off. To me, this is really what Trump is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMIxMUYWH8Y

I just re-read Rick Perlstein's great article "The Long Con." I hadn't remembered that the framing for it was Mitt Romney's lying. But I wrote extensively about the 2012 campaign at the time and I definitely remember that Romney lied more than any candidate I could remember. Yet most people today treat him like some platonic ideal of a statesman. He's horrible and the fact that Trump is even worse shouldn't blind us to this.

https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-long-con

Dead of Night (1945) is a great anthology horror film -- especially known for the ventriloquist story. Its copyright status is... complicated. But here's a reasonable free print (weak sound).

https://archive.org/details/dead-of-night_20210519

I just watched The Devil's Doorway (2018). It's a superb horror film from Ireland. I can't recommend it enough. It's available on AMC+, but you can watch it for free with commercials on Tubi. It stars
the great Irish actor Lalor Roddy, who is just wonderful.

https://tubitv.com/movies/680566

I overall liked the original John Wick but the 3rd act was terrible. So I figured the 2nd film would be better. Nope. It was even worse -- devoid of everything good in the first one. Same for the 3rd. Now that the 4th one is out, I'm just filled with sadness. I can't imagine it's any good because the filmmakers have learned that their dreck is golden. There's no point in changing anything.

I just watched Consecration (2023). It stars Jena Malone and Danny Huston. I thought it was wonderful. It's on Shudder.

CBS News: "The NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida on Saturday in response to what the organization described as Gov. Ron DeSantis' 'aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools.'"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/naacp-travel-advisory-florida-says-state-hostile-to-black-americans/

I just watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995). It's pretty good. Interesting to see the reviews. As with the original, the critics don't seem to understand that it is a comedy. They also don't seem to have much familiarity with the original film other than that it is "great."

This is a wonderful print of Soylent Green (1973). The film is much better than you probably remember -- and far more than its iconic line.

https://archive.org/details/soylent-green-1973_20210310

It was quite good. And the sequence with the box and the finger was magnificent.

Based on this, I'm watching From the Dark (2014) by the same writer-director. It's not a comedy but does seem to be about a vampire.

Capsule review of Let the Wrong One In (2021)

Some Irish gals on a trip to Transylvania get turned into vampires. Back at home, they turn the no-good brother of Matt, a fine young man who lives with his mother and works at a grocery store. Poor Matt has to thread the needle and fight the vampire hordes (and hunters) while respecting his familial duties.

Funny/sweet horror-comedy.

Streaming for free all over including Tubi.

Capsule review of Knife + Heart (2018)

Many excellent films attempt to recreate the Giallo, But few succeed. This one does. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking that the film was made in 1979. It features exceptional and horrific gore as well as lots of lesbian and (mostly) gay sex that tends toward softcore but is often hilarious. It is only available in French, which isn't surprising -- it's probably a bit much for most Americans.

Free with library card: https://www.kanopy.com/en/sonomalibrary/video/5743161

Capsule review of Oh, God! You Devil (1984)

I really wanted to see this film because I think Andrew Bergman is the best comedic screenwriter of his generation. But this was tough to get through. Horrible direction. And Burns? Ugh.

But if you still want to watch it, there is a good print on Archive for free:

https://archive.org/details/oh.-god.-you.-devil.-1984-vose

Capsule review of Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970)

D: Mario Bava

The head of a wedding dressmaker kills his models when they leave to get married. He uncovers more of a boyhood trauma with each murder.

This one is fun enough. But to be honest, I’m not as fond of Giallos where we know the murderer at the start. But as always there is something very compelling about this direct storytelling.

Stream free: https://archive.org/details/HatchetForTheHoneymoon

Stream with public library card: https://www.kanopy.com/video/hatchet-honeymoon

I just watched Ticket to Paradise (2022). I feel like I met it on its own level. But there's a connection between writer and viewer that misses here. The script is far too predictable. And it has less emotional depth than Pyramus and Thisbe. Soulless professionalism.