Miscellaneous Movie Moments XCI (April 2023)

We've reached the time of year--long days and mild weather--when I will go see pretty much any film that's not a horror movie. I am largely omnivorous.



Although I've got to confess: I did not diligently take notes on the miscellaneous films I watched this month, so it's mostly bullet-ish points to go along with the usual GIFs.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | A Thousand and One | Suzume | Air | Renfield | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Chevalier | L'Avventura | Star Wars: Episode VI--Return of the Jedi | Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.

Could You Repeat That? CLXXXIX

Everybody should read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic and Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow immediately.


Transient Desires, Donna Leon
'Ah,' Brunetti exclaimed, forcing his voice into a deeper register, 'The voice of love responds, and my heart opens, brimming with the joy of...?'
'What is it, Guido?'

Murder in the Sentier, Cara Black
Every poem has an unwritten line. In this case, Aimee thought, a tragic one.

and

The small room didn't hold more than fifteen people. All men. And as much ethnic variety as bechamel sauce.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Julia Quinn
Penelope turned to her sister in disbelief. "Surely you're being a little melodramatic."
Felicity's overblown shrug was worthy of the stage. "Am I? Am I?"

TV Tellings VI: The Mandalorian S2

I did Season 1 of The Mandalorian just a few months ago, if you didn't catch it then. Now we shall continue on! I have watched the Ahsoka episode multiple times, but the rest of these, just the first time around.

Logline
"I've been quested to bring this one back to its kind."

Could You Repeat That? CLXXXVII

I have been reading so many Star Wars and Stargate books, guys. I am living in all timelines at once.


Stargate SG-1: Survival of the Fittest, Sabine C Bauer
"Daniel Jackson. What are you doing?" Teal'c used the exquisitely cautious tones of someone dealing with a raving lunatic.

Stargate SG-1: Alliances, Karen Miller
Daniel radiated concern the way Chernobyl radiated...all right, radiation. You could toast marshmallows on the warmth of his regard.

Stargate SG-1: Roswell, Sonny Whitelaw & Jennifer Fallon
"Ten blocks," Daniel whispered in her ear, which was both informative and a rather pleasant sensation. She should make Daniel whisper vital information into her ear more often.

Star Wars: A New Dawn, John Jackson Miller
"But seeing and doing nothing isn't the worst thing," Hera had said. "The worst thing is to see and not care."

TV Tellings III: The Mandalorian Season 1

This is actually my third watch-through of the first season. Guys, it's possible I don't know how to watch TV without writing about it anymore.

Logline
A stranger comes to town;

Or,

An ambivalent bounty hunter discovers his latest quarry is the most adorable magic baby in the galaxy. Ambivalence becomes untenable;

Or,

It's cowboys! In space!

Could You Repeat That? CLXXXVI

Star Wars: Master & Apprentice, Claudia Gray
"Surrender?" Pax said. "Give up before the battle's even begun? Why would I do that?"
"Because you're not holding a blaster in your hand, only a shovel," Qui-Gon said patiently.

City of Ghosts, Victoria Schwab
If we were in a comic book, this would be our origin story.
Some people get a spider bite, or a vat of acid.
We got a river.

Tender is the Flesh, Agustina Bazterrica
While they smoke, she says, "I don't get why a person's smile is considered attractive. When someone smiles, they're showing their skeleton."

This Is My America, Kim Johnson
An AK-47 in a white hand has more rights than a Black kid with Skittles.

Miscellaneous Movie Moments LIX (March 2021)

Raya and the Last Dragon, 10 March 2021, streamed via Disney+
SOUTHEAST ASIA REPRESENT. Y’all, it’s really hard to describe what it feels like to see a Disney protag that looks like me. (We got close with Moana, as well as Lilo & Stitch, but not quite.) I mean, not just one, but a BUNCH of them. Like, Raya’s hair is what my hair has been for most of my life.

Miscellaneous Movie Moments LVII (February 2021)

The Cinderella project took up so much time!

Sundance Film Festival Shorts, 01-03 February 2021, streamed via Sundance
So most of the film passes were sold out once I realized they, y’know, existed. I snagged an “Explorer Pass,” though, which meant I could watch the shorts, the indie series, and New Frontier, which is basically the performance art category. Ish. Anyway, I can’t write full blurbs for all fifty of the short films I watched (yikes). And I only saw half of the program! So here’s, uh, very quick reactions to what I managed.

Could You Repeat That? CLXXXIII

Exhalation: Stories, Ted Chiang
All my desires and ruminations are no more and no less than eddy currents generated by the gradual exhalation of our universe.

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Austin Channing Brown
I stare at her blankly, my warm coffee reminding me that I am not in the sunken place.

Darth Vader Volume 2: Shadows and Secrets, Kieron Gillen et al
THANOTH: What actually brought you to Anthan 13?
VADER: I pursued a rebel cell there. I dealt with them.
THANOTH: It wasn't reported.
VADER: I do not consider eliminating a few rebels a matter that requires comment.

Movie Moments XXV: May 2020 (Star Wars Edition)

After watching all the Harry Potter movies in a row, I decided to move on to all the Star Wars movies. It was...an adventure.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, 04 May 2020, streamed via Disney+
This whole shebang started because the Trade Federation wants to cancel the galactic post office or something, so this is, uh, shockingly relevant for our time? Also, so, like, do you think Senator Palpatine is already playing clones now? Do you think he keeps his Sith robe next to the holo-phone and sometimes mixes up who he’s calling and ends up telling the Jedi Council that he just came out of the jacuzzi? Also, Jar-Jar would have been at least half-again bearable if they hadn’t had him do the “how wude” thing over and over. Also, there’s totally a rich vein of Amidala/Handmaiden fic out there, right? There’s gotta be. Anyway, “Anakin was fathered by midichlorians” remains insultingly ridiculous, but “Duel of the Fates” still slaps.

Movie Moments XII: March & April 2018

Twenty-one for two months!

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, 01 March 2018, DVD
We finished watching A New Hope in my lit class today. (Alderaan's destruction to the end.) Excerpts from the notes I took:

• All of Chewbacca's closed captions read, "Argh. ARGHHHH."
• Leia sleeps like she's ready to kick a dude in the face as she wakes up.
• It's possible Luke cares nothing about the Rebellion except he has a couple of friends there.
• I would 100% watch a cooking show hosted by Chewbacca and Han.
• We could have 20 more minutes of Obi-Wan tiptoeing around the Death Star and it would still be hilarious every time.
• Why does Luke have a Batman utility belt? Why does he have a grappling hook?
• Are droids accorded status as sentient beings?
• Luke is the best at compartmentalization.
• Why doesn't R2 get a medal? WTF, Rebellion?

Movie Moments X: December 2017 and January 2018

Two months and twenty-nine movies!

Lady Bird, 02 December 2017, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema

• The diegetic music choices for #LadyBird are possibly my favorite thing about it. “Crossroads,” “Crash Into Me,” “Cry Me A River”? <3 li="">I think my second favorite bit of #LadyBird was the coach staging The Tempest. I kind of wish we'd been able to see the tech rehearsal.
• Oh, the POC count for #LadyBird: three secondary characters of import and six incidental characters (two who spoke).
• #LadyBird is very much paired with #20thCenturyWomen in my mind--overlapping locales, prickliness, and specifically detailed authenticities.

Girls Trip, 02 December 2017, DVD via RedBox
This movie is so fun, y’all. It’s 100% a movie I would recommend if you're hosting a movie night but have an eclectic bunch of invitees.