Day: July 29, 2018

I find that Gus Van Sant’s more recent movies tend to be unwieldy; this is no different. It’s a steady march through the accident that left John Callahan a paraplegic and his sobriety journey. The performances are great,* but the narrative meanders in a way that inspired me to watch some of this with my eyes closed.

Cost: $6.00 
Where watched: Hollywood Theater with S. North

Also consider watching: Thanks for Sharing, The Fighter

*Joaquin Phoenix is remarkable for how much his physicality transforms from role to role. Compare this with his Johnny Cash in Walk the Line and Freddie Quell in The Master.

Knowing next to nothing about Mr. Burnham, I prepped for my viewing of his directorial debut Eighth Grade by watching these two comedy specials.* I found What. to be VERY high energy–it’s amazing that someone so tall can move so much and so quickly–and I loved his use of music, especially his closing piece. In Make Happy, he’s not as frenetic and also has mastered switching microphones without embarrassment; his song “Straight White Male” was a highlight for me.

Cost: Netflix subscription ($7.99)
Where watched: at home, and Matt joined me for the second comedy special, which he enjoyed.

*After watching these two comedy specials, I have no idea what to expect from Eighth Grade.