Tag: sabbatical

I’m off work for a few weeks till my new job starts! Since I’m watching movies as a hobby this year, and since I like having some structure in my freedom:

• Finish up Fassbinder’s BRD Trilogy (I’ve seen The Marriage of Maria Braun)
• Finish up the Black Society Trilogy, by Fassbinder’s spiritual child, Takashi Miike (I’ve likewise seen the first movie, Shinjuku Triad Society)

A brief pause. How is there not an essay out there discussing the similarities between these two directors? A few people have mentioned their similar prolific tendencies, and okay, Miike isn’t out there working in experimental theater, but they’re both making movies about outsiders scraping to get by in an unjust society and at their best, they’re both cynically lyrical. I don’t think Miike was heavily influenced by Fassbinder and as far as I know Miike didn’t ever recalibrate his style after watching a lot of Douglas Sirk, but come on! They’re practically brothers!

Where was I?

• Take advantage of Scarecrow Video to watch some of the movies on my Criterion Challenge 2022 list that aren’t streaming on any services I have
• Do the usual run through some of the movies leaving the Criterion Channel this month
• Depending on my comfort level going to theaters:
  • August 5-11: The Heroic Trio at NW Film Forum
  • August 5-17: Medusa at Grand Illusion
  • August 12th and 15th: La Notte at the Beacon
  • August 17-21: Executioners at NW Film Forum
  • August 18th: Miracle Mile at the Beacon
  • August 19-25: Guillermo del Toro Auteur August at SIFF
  • Maybe Nope somewhere, maybe Thor somewhere

Man, when I lay it out like that it’s more being around people than I’m totally stoked about. We will see; the trends are in the right direction around here right now.