August 21, 2012 (Bowie, dictators and political subversion)
Five Plastic Discs Released Today:
Obviously not to be confused with the hit comic book and television series – this “totally unrelated to Robert Kirkman’s ‘The Walking Dead’ property” shambles on to the list this week just because I’m genuinely curious – what fucking movies are included in this set? It seriously does not mention that one small fact anywhere.
Fuck these companies that just slap a popular and confusing name on a box and shit it onto store shelves hoping to befuddle and fool people. blahhhrrrg.
A documentary about two decades of Tetris champions? Sure, I’ll give it a go.
For some reason I’ve really enjoyed the last few documentaries I’ve seen which were centered on video games (and more importantly, the people who play them), so I’m all for one that focuses on the most mainstream game of all time.
This film won some award that no one has ever heard of earlier this year… an Oscar? Sounds like it is made up.
Regardless of its officially recognized accolades, I must say it is rare and good to see an Iranian film have this much exposure in our little, compressed American worldview. The last Iranian film I saw was by Jafar Panahi – so my hope is that A Separation, helps me to better respect the Iranian government. To see this film, about unjust class structures come out of the country, intact and the filmmakers undamaged, gives me a small glimmer of faith that the Iranian government may be evolving.
Now take all that semi respectable cineaste talk from before and throw it out the window. Here is Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest. I enjoyed the hell out of Borat and Bruno, but I’ve never gone back to watch either again…. what does that signify? Who knows and who cares. I’m sure I’ll laugh my tits off watching The Dictator.
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The Calm Before The Storm
This defaults to my top pick of the week just because it’s Bowie. I’m sure this is a terrible, unauthorized piece of shit doc… but dammit… Bowie. I just can’t help it, I have an uncontrollable love for the man.
This documentary supposedly focuses on his second third and fourth albums, which means it eventually turns its focus on Hunky Dory, which happens to be one of my favorite Bowie albums. We’re talking insane god-level song-writing here, folks. Any documentary about this oddly charming and transformative period in Bowie’s career has me sold out of hand. I’m ready to be let down now.
Comics Astonish 