Folks, it is HOT here in Seattle. I do not like it. This amount of heat makes me want to sit on the couch and not move a muscle. Luckily, that helps with my MovieADay goal, so I’m only kind of complaining. (Well, I’m seriously complaining because there’s no AC in our apartment, but at least the movie theaters have AC, so I have somewhere to escape to when it’s unbearable.) Anyway, I’ve reached 225 films! Woo-hoo!

This set of films really jumps all over the place - I have films that are hard/impossible to get here by any streaming or buying method, but thank goodness for Scarecrow Video in Seattle, because I can find almost anything I need there. They even will rent you non-regional players for their discs that won’t work on your home player, which is pretty damn cool. (If you have an amazing video rental in your area that has survived Netflix, support it! They are worth it!) I also have several films that just came out in theaters, because I actually think this summer has had several worthwhile movies to see in cinema, and did I mention the air conditioning? (Not on this list - I saw both ‘The Big Sick’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ for a second time, which were just as good as the first times I saw them.) Plus, as I will mention below, a sale on the Criterion Collection means more Blurays find their way home with me… and therefore must be watched.

Without further ado, let’s jump into some commentary! I wish I could talk about all 25 films without making this post a novel - I have thoughts on so many of them, but if I keep typing I’ll have to bind this together into a small novella rather than a fun, peppy blog post. Remember, you can keep track of my progress, find out more about these films, and suggest other films for me to watch on my MovieADay list here at IMDb.

‘Johnny Guitar (1954)’

I’m now seriously obsessed with the gorgeous color-saturated films of the 50s. (I can’t say Technicolor, because in this case it was Trucolor.) The color pops off the screen so beautifully, and hats off to the costume designers, because they really make the most of it. There’s a fantastic scene towards the end of this film where Joan Crawford is wearing a voluminous white dress, and it stands out in stunning contrast to the dusty wilderness and red rock surroundings. Now, there are a few sexism things about this film that rankled me a bit - one huge thing is the name. Don’t be fooled, while there is a character called Johnny Guitar in this film, he’s little more than a representation of the audience for most of the film - an outsider to view Vienna’s story through. This is FOR SURE Joan Crawford’s movie; and when it’s not hers, it’s Mercedes McCambridge’s, the woman who wants to drive Vienna out of town. Johnny of course serves his true purpose when he’s “the hero” who saves her from certain death at one point, but that still shouldn’t merit him title privileges. While there’s a lot to dissect and it would totally be worth doing so, from the costuming choices scene to scene to the ending for both women, I’m not going to go into it here (maybe a forthcoming post!)

All that being said, I totally loved this film. Nicholas Ray shows his skill as a director as he uses the backdrop of the Sedona Red Rocks to frame this badass female-driven Western. I’m pretty sure it’s still hanging around on Prime video, so if you can catch it, you should. Solid 8 out of 10.

‘Stella Dallas (1937)’

Barbara Stanwyck is such a stunning talent. And this movie is amazing, in a hugely heartbreaking way. I kind of think I saw bits and pieces of this in a women-in-film class back in college, because a couple scene felt a bit deja vu-like, but it was definitely worth seeing again in full. It’s an interesting look at the perception of high class versus the reality of it, as Stella marries up in an attempt to escape her working-class upbringing. Even with the money and the upper-class husband, Stella can’t quite fit into the gentility of the upper crust society. But as a mother, she wants her daughter to have everything she couldn’t have, and that struggle is the center of the film. The lengths Stella finds herself willing to go to for her daughter, and the heartbreak that comes with those choices, are devastatingly realized by Stanwyck’s unparalleled acting. No kidding, you can’t get through this film without shedding some tears. 9 out of 10 for the box of tissues I went through.

‘Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)’

Oh my god, I’m in love with this film. So much of it is dreamlike, especially the initial picnic scenes at Hanging Rock, and it’s just fantastically shot. You know going in that there will be a disappearance, but after that the film is an exploration of the remaining characters’ reactions to the events. Of course, there’s a feeling of unfulfillment in not knowing what exactly happened to the girls, but that feeling also makes you ruminate on the film long after the credits have rolled. The images are merged spectacularly with eerie, ethereal music during the exploration and almost possession of the girls who disappear, allowing the viewer to create their own ideas and speculations regarding the mystery central to the story. As the policeman’s wife says ‘everyone has theories’, and that in itself really can make the movie speak to anyone who wants to embrace the journey of it, rather than the end. I like the idea of the womanhood metaphor, as these girls are just on the cusp, and once you embrace that maturation, you can never come back. So many of the gauzy, voyeristic shots throughout the film, especially at the beginning, create this feeling of barely bridled sexuality, and once the girls reach the rock that sexual awakening is illustrated through the removal of gloves and shoes, and the probing explorations of Hanging Rock, the place they were specifically warned away from by their head matron.

I really, really enjoyed this film. I want to put it on a loop and just float in the diffused dream state for a while longer. “What we see and what we seem are but a dream, a dream within a dream.” 9 out of 10, until I watch it again and realize it has to be a ten.

(For the record, it’s based on a book, and the author wrote an explanatory chapter of what happened to the girls, but her editor suggested leaving the chapter out. It was published separately after her death, but after reading the synopsis of it, I think the story is definitely better left open-ended.)

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)’

First, I have to get this off my chest – why is there a hyphen in his name? Iron Man just has a space. Superman is all one word. A hyphen just makes you high maintenance.

Anyway. For the record, Spider-Man is pretty much my least favorite ‘major’ comic book character that they keep making movies about. However, this version really knocked it out of the park. Peter Parker is always a bit annoying, but when put in the context of a 15 year-old, that annoyance becomes more understandable. So many little touches with the story felt like perfect examples of what would actually happen if you put a nerdy, 15-year-old boy into those situations. He just happens to also have weird spider superpowers. The film was funny, and didn’t serve as an origin story THANK GOD because we’ve had enough of those with Spidey, and Tom Holland was really great casting. Also great casting: Michael Keaton, as the fabulous villain, which he made a lot more complex than typical superhero villains. Opening the movie with him, rather than Spidey, was a great call. 8 out of 10.

Plus massive bonus points for the phone video sequence that recapped Spider-Man’s trip to Berlin as seen in ‘Civil War’. That was seriously hilarious.

‘Road House (1989)’

Somehow this popped up on a ‘Recommended Watching’ list from the NY Times – maybe because it was one of the movies that just came to streaming in July? I dunno, but I was bored and it was on Hulu, so why not. Dude. This movie is ridiculous in the best way possible. It starts with a hopping bar/entertainment hall, where people are having a good time, and the guy who plays Ian Blackpoole in ‘Leverage’ (he’s in a ton of other things, but that’s where I immediately placed him from) is wandering around observing the place. Suddenly there’s some sort of tussle, the bouncers step in, and then the drunk patron pulls a knife, but nuh-uh, you don’t do that in Patrick Swayze’s place! Even after getting slashed with the knife, Swayze doesn’t break a sweat; instead, he tells the guy to meet him outside, presumably to fight him… but once there he just smirks, walks back inside, and the troublemaker is now outside the joint staring down six huge bouncers. Then Swayze proceeds to stitch up his own knife wound like a boss.

The observing dude who watched the whole tussle (Kevin Tighe, if you’ve never seen ‘Leverage’) hires Swayze (name of Dalton, just Dalton) to clean up his bar that he has in another town. Which is apparently Dalton’s job, going from town to town, cleaning up dive bars and making them respectable. Somehow everyone on the dive bar circuit has heard of him, and they all think he’s essentially a god. With the fantastic appearance of Sam Elliott as his mentor Wade Garrett, Dalton gets to work cleaning up the riff-raff, but encounters a super corrupt town structure that was built to serve a super-rich asshole who decides Dalton needs to get lost. Lots of bar fights, arson, macho threats, weird 80’s fashion, and super-greased up muscles ensue. At one point I’m pretty sure Swayze basically Hulks out and pulls out a guy’s throat, which, like, how??

Oh right, he also falls for the pretty lady doc who staples up yet another knife wound he gets later in the movie. Which apparently is too deep for him to stitch himself, or something. AND! They get it on to ‘These Arms of Mine’, which is apparently Swayze’s seduction song, because it’s the same song playing in ‘Dirty Dancing’ when Baby comes to his cabin. (Not the one they dance to later, but the one that’s playing when she’s giving her “I’m scared” speech.) So yeah, go Otis Redding.

Two thumbs up for a ridiculously sweaty, over-the-top macho man movie. (6 out of 10 on the IMDb scale… because it was entertaining, but not cinematic gold, who are we kidding.)

‘Blow-Up (1966)’

So twice a year, Barnes & Noble has a sale on their Criterion Collection films - 50% off everything. Which, considering films from the Criterion Collection basically cost a kidney, this is a great deal, and I can’t resist it. I went in, I browsed for waaaay too long, and I came out with seven new films that I hadn’t seen. ‘Blow-Up’ was one of them. This film has been on my to-watch list for ages, for three reasons: It was about a photographer, the still frames were gorgeously sharp and saturated, and it was Antonioni who not only is an arthouse director I haven’t watched but who is also mentioned in the lyrics of ‘La Vie Boheme’. Oh, and the Bluray had pretty packaging.

Anyway, it really is a beautiful film - again, the colors are just stunning, and as a photographer I’m super jealous of his winding studio house thing. The story focuses on a fashion photographer who, during a walk in a park one day, believes he caught a murder on camera. The film is both sensual and vibrant, with a cool mystery to it that echoes the mystery central to the plot. I say plot in the loosest terms, because while there is a driving narrative through a large portion of the film, there’s little to no resolution, rather some gorgeous long shots and interpretive story telling that effectively wraps up the film while leaving the feeling of the film lingering on. I also adore the setting of ‘Swinging London’, as the mod fashions are fun and eye-catching, and if I could style a photoshoot I’d probably pick the mod world as inspiration, hands down.

One last fun fact about the film - this is largely considered to be the final nail in the Production Code’s coffin, because it was considered far too sexually explicit (it’s very tame by today’s standards) and yet a major Hollywood studio defiantly released it, to critical and box office success. Two years later the MPAA rating system was adopted and the Production Code abandoned. Solid 9 out of 10 for a visually stunning film.

‘Blow Out (1981)’

A few days before watching ‘Blow-Up’, I was trying to beef up my seen movies from the year 1981 (long story), and a brief scan through available films on Amazon Video led me to watch ‘Blow Out’, a Brian de Palma film starring John Travolta. The story follows a film sound effects technician who, while recording ambient noises for a film one evening in a park, believes he recorded evidence of a murder. Sound familiar? Yeah, me too. De Palma doesn’t attack the story in the same way as Antonioni, obviously, because they are very different directors, but it’s definitely inspired by Antonioni’s film.

‘Blow Out’ takes more of a neo-noir approach, combining a political cover-up with a suspenseful thriller as Travolta struggles to convince others of what he knows he heard, while also trying to stay alive as a killer tries to tie up loose ends. It also must become a film about film, exploring the connection between sound and images, and how those are related to the way people (and audiences) connect with and believe in what they are seeing and hearing. It’s a well executed film, as de Palma demonstrates command over his visual style and direction, and one I would recommend checking out. 9 out of 10 for me.

Other quick thoughts…

‘A Ghost Story’ has a schtick, and definitely sticks with it. If you don’t like art films, this probably won’t work for you… because you need patience, and the ability to not let a person draped in a sheet distract you. For me, the film was visually stunning… but I’m not sure I drank the Kool-aid, if you know what I mean. ‘An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power’ is something you should see. Go. See it now. And for the record, I didn’t see the first one, so don’t let that stop you. ‘Dunkirk’ is visually impressive, and expansive in the sheer scope of the film (think ‘Lawrence of Arabia’), but as it took me way too long into the film to understand the collapsing timeline, I need to see it again. Maybe in IMAX this time. And finally… ‘Solaris’ is a fantastic example of how weird, wonderful, artistic, and mind-bending sci-fi can be.

All Watched Films: 201 through 225

201. Donkey Skin (1970)
202. Like Stars on Earth (2007)
203. Stella Dallas (1937)
204. Solaris (1972)
205. Une Chambre en Ville (1982)
206. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
207. Love Me Tonight (1932)
208. La Femme Nikita (1990)
209. Chungking Express (1994)
210. 3 Idiots (2009)
211. This Is England (2006)
212. Blow Out (1981)
213. Jagga Jasoos (2017)
214. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
215. Woman of the Year (1942)
216. Johnny Guitar (1954)
217. Blow-Up (1966)
218. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
219. Raising Arizona (1987)
220. Dunkirk (2017)
221. Band of Outsiders (1964)
222. A Ghost Story (2017)
223. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)
224. Road House (1989)
225. The General (1926)

Well, that’s all for now everyone! If you’ve missed any of my MovieADay updates, you can find them all here. I hope you’re all surviving the summer heat - remember, movie theaters are nice and cool, and there’s a ton of good-looking films hitting the screens in August!