CineVibez Magazine Issue #2
Catching Up
We’re Back:
Welcome back to CineVibez Magazine, where every movie has a vibe. I published Issue #1 in August or September … it’s been a bit. I have a day job that takes up too much of my time, but I think I found a solution:
You’re looking at the newest, state-of-the-art filmgoing experience presented by the good folks at XReal. The sunglasses project a 100-300 inch screen in front of me to simulate the silver screen. Most people just plug phones into their glasses and rely on apps, but I wanted to take it a step further. I purchased a big-ass battery and an HDMI to USB-C adapter to connect the glasses to an Amazon Firestick. Now, I have a television inside my glasses without all the added bloat that comes with phones.
My current setup has two serious flaws: 1) I can’t bring this to the airport for obvious reasons, and 2) I need to rely on my phone’s wifi hotspot during dog walks. Otherwise, it’s a great setup. Not only does this allow me to watch more movies, but the immersive experience it provides is a great way to watch movies uninterrupted.
FYI: This isn’t a paid advertisement, but it should be. If the folks at XReal read this, please pay me money. Thank you.
Since its been a bit, I’ll catch you up on what I’ve been watching lately.
The Holdovers (2023 - Amazon and Apple TV):
I’m a big Alexander Payne fan, and I just recently learned that he did a stretch in softcore porn. Inside Out III, in particular, looks like a fun watch. The quadrilogy’s tagline is “… where The Twilight Zone meets the erogenous zone,” and the posters are works of art:
Somehow, I missed the Inside Out series, so please let me know if it is any good. Payne also directed an episode of Hung - the HBO show about a guy with a big dick. Anyway, I discovered him a few years later when I saw 1999’s Election. What a picture … I still don’t understand why people find Tracy Flick annoying. It makes no sense. And, come on, Reese’s performance was incredible. The scene where Tracy tears down the himbo’s posters compares to the Possession subway scene.
BOOB TOOB TIME (2020-present Apple TV Plus): Currently, Witherspoon is one of the leading ladies on Apple TV Plus’s The Morning Show. This season’s storyline has Reese channeling her character in 1996’s Freeway as the FBI closes in on her for her involvement in January 6. Yes, that’s right. Imagine an Aaron Sorkin script interpreted by Tommy Wiseau, and you have The Morning Show. It’s so good.
Back to Alexander Payne: The Holdovers, his newest movie, lacks some of Election’s satirical edge, but that’s okay. This movie is still very funny, but it’s more sincere than Election. I think that’s because Payne genuinely cared for these characters. The snowy New England setting certainly set the right vibes as well.
The movie focuses on three misfits who get left behind for Christmas break - a professor, a cook, and a student played by Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa - respectively. And holy cow - all three took me on separate yet equally wonderful emotional rollercoaster rides. Paul Giamatti had me laughing one minute and in tears the next.
This movie will probably join my annual Christmas movie rotation. It’s out on demand now, but go see it in the theater! The cinematography is beautiful on the big screen.
Quiz Lady (2023 - Hulu):
Speaking of Alexander Payne, his ex-wife, Sandra Oh, stars in Hulu’s Quiz Lady with Awkwafina and Will Ferrell. Awkwafina and Ferrell showed incredible restraint (for them) in their performances, allowing Sandra Oh to shine. It’s a solid, easy comedy to throw on when you’re looking for a distraction.
Burial Ground (1981 - Arrow Video):
Burial Ground is my Fall 2023 cult movie pick. It’s my favorite Italian grindhouse zombie movie (it’s more competitive than you’d think) for reasons unrelated to zombies. You see, there is a much more interesting B-story about a mother and her 8-year-old son. Naturally, a 25-year-old man plays the son and, like any 25-year-old, he really wants to have sex with his mom. I can’t describe the feelings I felt during this film because I had never experienced them before. Let’s just say it’s unique.
When Evil Lurks (2023 - Shudder):
When Evil Lurks is a really clever, unique spin on possession movies. In this universe, possessions become an everyday experience the townspeople just deal with. It’s been happening for so long that there are established rules for how to handle possessed people. But like real life, an incompetent bureaucracy ignores the rules in favor of quick, poorly thought-out solutions. It’s impossible to ignore the parallels to how governments handled Covid-19, but it’s still a fascinating take you likely haven’t seen before.
You’re going to get grossed out and scared, but it’s a fun ride. I highly recommend When Evil Lurks.
Stop Making Sense (1984 - Remastered in 2023 by A24):
I saw the A24 Stop Making Sense IMAX Experience in September or October, and wow! What an experience! My face hurt by the end because I was grinning the whole time. If it’s still showing in a theater near you, go see it now and prepare for a euphoric, joyful evening.
Priscilla (2023 - A24):
I did not enjoy Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022) because it felt bloated and incomprehensible. And Tom Hanks’ performance was …. umm … shitty. But Priscilla is a real treat. The superficial beauty will pull you in, yet you’re still constantly reminded of the layers underneath that Tiffany blue aesthetic. Once you pull back the layers, you get an honest, sincere depiction of a difficult marriage. I felt sad and angry throughout the film, and I suspect you will too.
FYI: This movie has a lot of funny scenes! Don’t be scared to laugh.
May December (2023 - Netflix):
May December is my favorite movie released in 2023. Where to begin with Julianne Moore? I love the lisp, and she delivered her lines so well. Plus - watching Natalie Portman absorb Julianne’s character felt so satisfying. You can’t beat the script, either. The dialogue is smart in a multi-layered way and oh-so funny. The camp is turned all the way to 11.
You’ll be having a blast up until Todd Haynes finally lets Charles Melton loose. Throughout the movie, he dances this fine line between an adult man and a traumatized child. It all comes to a head near the end of the movie when Melton’s character tries to understand what happened to him. This scene will break you, and you’ll feel horribly insensitive for laughing. It’s a brilliant performance.
Oh, and the score! The dramatic piano bars are expertly timed. I love it when a score moves the narrative forward (ie Halloween and Jaws).
CineVibez Magazine Issue #3 will dive into the awards race, but I’ll call it now - May December deserves Best Picture. Charles Melton deserves Best Supporting Actor.
Saltburn (2023 - Prime this December):
Saltburn really, really wants to shock you. Emerald Fennell goes to great lengths to upset pearl clutchers, but to what end? I don’t really understand what she intended to say. My best guess is she was going for an anti-Eat the Rich message (quite literally in some scenes), but rich, aristocratic families aren’t the most sympathetic protagonists.
Promising Young Woman was missing an edge, but Fennell overcorrected in her sophomore outing. If you must watch, you’ll likely feel disoriented and horny, followed by long stretches of uncomfortableness. The final dance sequence is a treat, though.
Dr. Sleep (2018 - MAX):
Mike Flanagan loves adapting other peoples’ work. He kind of reminds me of David Gordon Green in that way. The problem here is that Dr. Sleep is a great Stephen King movie adaptation, but it's a terrible sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Don’t get me wrong - it’s a gutsy move I respect, but it didn’t work. You just can’t go from the greatest film of all time to bohemian CGI-soul suckers. Flanagan should have adapted the book or made it a sequel to the Mick Garris TV movie that is tonally more like King than Kubrick.
By the end of the movie, I felt satisfied in a way I feel satisfied by a TV show that reveals some season-long secrets. You’ll receive a lot of information that you can think about and process, but that’s really it. You’re not going to learn much about yourself after watching Dr. Sleep. I certainly don’t think it will get the Room 237 treatment.
What’s Next?
I’m already hard at work on CineVibez Magazine Issue #3. I’m going to explore the vibes of (almost) all the award contenders. Keep your eyes peeled for it sometime around late December. Until then, check out my Letterboxd to see what I’m watching in real time.
Happy Watching,
Murray
Hey this article had some great transitions between topics!
Did you rewatch The Holdovers and see the part where Paul Giamatti throws a football? In case you went to the bathroom and missed it?
All I can say is it was about time!