Perhaps in 1986 Allie would be recognizable as a human, but in 2024 this guy is wholly alien. A grab bag of grandiosities that don’t all seem make sense in one person simultaneously, it mostly makes this about one guy who sucks.

And not even a guy who’s wrong! Some of those grandiosities are indulged in a way that undercuts the characterization. As if Allie is largely correct that he’s in the right and it’s the world dragging him down.

I saw セカチュー early in college, probably an ideal time, and so I’m primed for the terminally-ill-young-love story. I also used the 青春18切符 while I was living in Japan. I’m also very similar in age to the protagonist. I was ready for whatever this was gonna do. Plus i’m on a plane, my tear glands are prepared.

Watched in optimal rom-com setting, on a plane, where I’m most likely to be deeply moved.

This did nothing for me. I appreciate how their relationship felt real, but if a romcom’s success hinges upon the viewers desire to see a couple end up together, I just didn’t care. I don’t really like either or these people, and don’t care about their future.

Ultimately I’ll remember this as a handful of excellent scenes or shots seasoning a bland dish.

Watched with a 3 year old who wasn’t actually that interested. I don’t blame him. Woody is insufferable.

Free screening at the Metrograph, which I visited for the first time after a 3+ years of (distant) membership. The guy at the box office was so surprised by my allegiance that he gave me a free pass to use during my visit, which I used the very next night.

Took me some time to adjust to the stitled dialogue, but somewhere around “that’s very inter­disciplinary of you” I got on its wavelength.

Reveals its (possible) thesis towards the end on the “exhiliration of navigating a disorienting space”, which recontextualized everything prior, and made me want to rewatch as soon as I got home.

Watching things on a plane, where I’m far more susceptible to melodrama, means everything gets graded on a curve.

Kate’s redemption story of taming storms worked for me! And always psyched to see predatory (redundant) real estate be made the true villain. Ramos’ character gets off light, though, that dude’s a vulture. Fuck him.

I’d read that climate scientists asked for global warming to not be cited as a reason for increased tornados, due to inconclusive studies. I’d read a fair amount of complaining about that absence. But a tornado swelling in the fires of an oil refinery is not subtle.

I wish the segments in Fon were subtitled as well, but I respect the choice.

The university debate called to mind the discussions of students in A Night Of Knowing Nothing. Seeing people around the world congregate and deliberate in democractic spaces is invigorating. All power to the people.

At a recent book event, I saw Ta-Nehisi Coates say “oppression isn’t ennobling. It just makes you oppressed”. I get the sense that the creators here disagree.

Beams with satisfaction at ascribing all number of pathologies to First Peoples, and then declaring those pathologies beautiful. Despite this, Trilby remains compelling. As an inheritor of a long lineage of questions regarding assimilation and aspiration, I long for a story of Trilby written by her confederate, rather than her oppressor.

Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever and Mo’ Better Blues actually come close.

Watched to distract myself from following election results. Worked well!

Watched to distract myself from following election results. Mostly worked.

Evoked a very specific hope about reconnecting with one’s brother that is, in fact, actually kind of about the election after all.