I WANT MY TV NOW

 

I had a fun conversation on the iwantmyTVNow youtube channel to chat about movie comparisons, twitter, my favorite underrated films and so much more.

Enjoy...

A FEW MORE (POSSIBLE) VISUAL REFERENCES ON SKINAMARINK...

Hotel Monterey /
Skinamarink

Before going any further make sure to read my initial thoughts on Skinamarink by clicking here. Below are a handful of additional visual references that didn't make the initial post. I didn't want them linger on my shadowbanned twitter timeline or on my phone forever so I felt like posting them here. I also love visual comparisons and appreciate Kyle Edward Ball's openness about his cinematic influences...

Chantal Akerman's work definitely influenced it, and other experimental filmmakers like Stan Brakhage, Maya Deren, and even one-off stuff like the short film Wavelength (Michael Snow, 1967). Getting a bit more mainstream, David Lynch was a huge influence on me, Stanley Kubrick, and even little odd parts of cinema - Kyle Edward Ball, Fangoria

The Shining /
Skinamarink

The Shining /
Skinamarink

The Shining /
Skinamarink

Hotel Monterey /
Skinamarink

Hotel Monterey /
Skinamarink

Hotel Monterey /
Skinamarink

Inland Empire /
Skinamarink

Inland Empire /
Skinamarink

Inland Empire /
Skinamarink

Inland Empire /
Skinamarink

Lost Highway /
Skinamarink

Lost Highway /
Skinamarink

Lost Highway /
Skinamarink

Meshes Of The Afternoon /
Skinamarink

Meshes Of The Afternoon /
Skinamarink

I...Dreaming /

Skinamarink

Wedlock House, An Intercourse /

Skinamarink

There's one shot towards the end of the movie that's based on the end pull-out shot from Solaris by Tarkovsky - Kyle Edward Ball, Fangoria

Solaris /

Skinamarink

I think Ozu had a rule. In Tokyo Story, the camera never goes higher than about there, [three feet off the ground, the same height as someone kneeling on a tatami mat.] - Kyle Edward Ball, Rogerebert.com

Tokyo Story /

Skinamarink

Then I did something where I stole something from The Twilight Zone movie - Kyle Edward Ball, theinverse.com

Twilight Zone: The Movie /

Skinamarink

This one is a complete speculation on my part but considering the surreality of both films (and similar imagery), I thought it looked interesting...

The Blood Of A Poet / Skinamarink

SKINAMARINK

Skinamarink taps in to my newest fear as a first time parent which is my son being alone somewhere in potential danger without any help. I’m not a helicopter parent and I don’t let my fears get in the way of me enjoying fatherhood but on the inside I feel like I worry about being a parent 24/7. Skinamarink feels like the kind of worry-dream I would have about my son. The film follows a brother & sister trying to navigate through their home at night which transforms & shapeshifts room by room (the fuzzy 90's aesthetic makes the experience even more disorienting). 

Skinamarink plays off of the fears many of us had growing up like something/someone hiding under the bed, trying to make out what we think we see when the lights go out, or having to shut the lights off downstairs then immediately run upstairs to escape the dark. This is a fairly ambiguous movie so there are bound to be lots of interpretations...

Skinamarink is getting a lot of well-deserved buzz but it isn’t for everyone. There are some obvious nods & visual similarities to more recognizable things like Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Shining and Black Christmas:

Then I did something where I stole something from The Twilight Zone movie - Kyle Edward Ball, theinverse.com

Twilight Zone: The Movie / Skinamarink

The Shining didn't necessarily get the response it gets today and that's because it's not scary. It's creepy, and creepy only gets creepier with age. Scary fades. Creepy is forever - Kyle Edward Ball, Rogerebert.com

The Shining /
Sinemurian

The Shining /
Skinamarink

The Shining /
Skinamarink

a lot of the scenes in the movie, when I was talking with my DOP, I’m like, “Okay, so this is my Black Christmas shot - Kyle Edward Ball, Knotfest.com

Black Chritsmas /
 Skinamarink

Director Kyle Edward Ball has also cites Maya Deren and David Lynch as inspirations...

Blue Velvet /
 Skinamarink

Meshes Of The Afternoon /

 Skinamarink

But Skinamarink gets a lot of it’s inspiration from unexpected sources like Chantal Akerman & Michael Snow. These aren't the most " deep cut" filmmakers but I doubt the average/casual movie-watcher is familiar. But for someone like me who has dedicated a large portion of this blog to Akerman's work - this is a dream...

Chantal Akerman's work definitely influenced it - Kyle Edward Ball, Fangoria

La Chambre /
 Skinamarink

An entire separate study could be done about the visual & thematic similarities between Hotel Monterey and Skinamairnk. Both films rely heavily on the potential creepiness of the unknown...

Hotel Monterey /
 Skinamarink

Hotel Monterey /
 Skinamarink

even one-off stuff like the short film Wavelength (Michael Snow, 1967) - Kyle Edward Ball, Fangoria

Wavelength /
Skinamarink

Sidenote - this is the third horror film in a row that I’ve covered on here to draw inspiration from Chantal Akerman (click to read my thoughts on Earwig & We’re All Going To The World’s Fair). At this point I would rather Akerman's work influence something new instead of another straight up arthouse imitation. 

I said something similar in my last two horror reviews and I’ll say it again - this film takes patience. It’s boring in a great kind of way. And similar to when Jeanne Dielman unexpectedly kills her john, when something frightening happens in Skinamarink - it’s worth the wait. And you probably won't even see it coming...

WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR

This is a film I enjoyed but I don’t completely know why. There’s almost nothing left to say about it that hasn’t already been said about other voyeuristic internet-based movies on a surface level. Social media, the internet, “main character syndrome”, etc have all warped our brains to some degree. We're All Going To The World's Fair travels down the same path as stuff like Benny's Video & Afterschool. with connections to urban legend horrors like Candyman or The Blair Witch Project (in the film people participate in an online challenge that's supposed to slowly transform you).

The Blair Witch Project /

We're All Going To The World's Fair

This movie really doesn't go anywhere. It just kind of lingers from beginning to end. I know this isn't exactly a glowing recommendation or a rave review of something I claim to have enjoyed but at the same time this isn't anything that I would really recommend to most folks in the first place. 

But I swear I like this movie...

One thing that absolutely fascinates me about World’s Fair were the influences along with director Jane Schoenbrun’s openness about said influences. Anyone familiar with me or this blog should know that’s right up my alley. I love the idea that Chantal Akerman played a small part in influencing a horror movie:

One of the primary references I was looking at was Je Tu Il Elle by Chantal Akerman, especially the beginning of that movie, there's a 30-minute sequence of her just rotting away in her room, alone - Jane Schoenbrun, rogerebert.com

Je Tu Il Elle /
We're All Going To The World's Fair

One of the more memorable scenes from World’s Fair also has an eerily similar tone to another famous Akerman scene (similar to Suate Ma Ville, a large chunk of We're All Going To The World's Fair takes place in a room):

Saute Ma Ville /
We're All Going To The World's Fair

I wouldn't be surprised if later period Akerman rubbed off on World's Fair even on a surface level...

No Home Movie /
We're All Going To The World's Fair

There’s even a few quick Bergman-esque moments:

Persona /
We're All Going To The World's Fair

Persona / We're All Going To The World's Fair

Again - a film about the potential horrors of living on social media isn’t new territory. Perhaps this is, in my opinion, the best at tackling the subject in recent years? But that’s just one person’s opinion (an opinion I stand by, but nothing I would try to bully anyone in to agreeing). This movie is quite boring in parts. And that’s a good thing. Boring isn’t always bad and in the case of World’s Fair it’s a compliment. This is an Akerman-influenced horror film so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nothing much happens. But, like Jeanne Dielman stabbing the john, when something traditionally creepy or scary does happen in World’s Fair, it’s worth the wait.

There are so many scenes that could have gone the traditional jump scare route but instead Schoenbrun just lets the camera linger until slowly fading out in to the next seemingly “boring” scene (again - boring is a good thing here). There’s even a moment in the film that pokes fun at the often copied Videodrome/Poltergeist/Braindead/Ringu moment where the creepy entity comes through the screen to grab the unsuspecting victim.

The last thing I want to do is use twitter/letterboxd speech to describe a movie but World’s Fair really is a "vibe". I cringed a bit writing that but at the same time - that’s the most accurate description. I’m trying my best not use the term “lo-fi” which, like the term “Lynchian”, I find to be lazy. 

Although speaking of Lynch - World's Fair director Schoenbrun is an unofficial student of his (I encourage anyone reading this to follow her on social media for her opinions on cinema):

I’m a big fan of thinking of a film as infinitely deep. I think I got that from [David] Lynch - Jane Schoenbrun, letterboxd.com

Inland Empire /
We're All Going To The World's Fair

Lynch is a director that’s very vague & evasive when it comes to talking about the plot or meaning of his films. But when it comes to how a scene was shot or how a set was built, he’ll talk for hours.

To quote Lynch’s daughter:

For him the doing is the joy. Sure, the product is important but he's very inspiring to me because the act of creating is what he so cherishes. And I think that that makes everything and every day more important - Jane Lynch, Pretty As A Picture: The Art Of David Lynch

This ideology applies to my enjoyment of World’s Fair. I care less about the plot and more about how Jane Schoenbrun achieved the overall “vibe”. 

This isn’t really a “ review”. It’s just the ramblings of someone who’s watched We’re All Going To The World’s Fair twice in 24 hours that wanted to share some initial thoughts. Now that this is available on HBO Max I’ll probably revisit it a few more times potentially and update this post in the coming months. 

A CONVERSATION WITH TONY BUBA

 

I had the pleasure of chatting with the great Tony Buba.

Listen as we talk about everything from his filmography and Braddock, PA to pseudo-documentaries and George Romero.

This interview was years in the making so it brings me immense joy to share this with you all. Click here or the image above to listen.

Enjoy…

Zebras In America · PINNLAND EMPIRE: A CONVERSATION WITH TONY BUBA

THE SCHOOL OF TARKOVSKY: NINA MENKES

I guess I see myself more in the tradition of filmmakers like Andrei Tarkovsky - Nina Menkes, Sensesofcinema.com

"My Tarkovsky Homage" - Nina Menkes, Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power

The Mirror /
Phantom Love

Nina Menkes is very much her own filmmaker. She has one of the most unique visions and it has been a pleasure discovering & re-discovering her work over the years.

One thing that stood out to me while clicking around & reading about her online is the open praise she's given to certain specific filmmakers that came before her (some directors can be evasive when it comes to any talk of influence). 

Names like Chantal Akerman & Agnes Varda make perfect sense...

I love Vagabond, by Agnès Varda. When I first saw it, I related so completely that I felt I could have practically shot that film myself! - Nina Menkes, Film Comment

Vagabond /
Queen Of Diamonds

We carry trauma intergenerationally via DNA. It’s literally in our genes. So the combination of a Holocaust personal history and a fiercely feminist consciousness makes my connection to Chantal Akerman’s work very clear - Nina Menkes, criterion.com

Jeanne Dielman /
Queen Of Diamonds

But it was her multiple Tarkovsky namedrops over the years that really raised an antenna. Nina Menkes would be a dynamic filmmaker without Tarkovsky's work. I just find the visual similarities between their films compelling...

I had the pleasure of interviewing her last year (click here to go to the interview) and she referred to Tarkovsky's book; Sculpting in Time as "water in the desert" (she even refers to the comparison above as her "Tarkovsky homage" in her latest film; Brainwashed). 

That was the final confirmation I needed.

Below are some of my favorite interview excerpts of Menkes shouting out Tarkovsky along with some visual comparisons I put together (while some of these are intentional, I'm sure others are just me reaching for something that might not be there).

Enjoy...

One thing I find dull about most traditional narratives is the depiction of time. The standard cinematic construct is that you, say, start in the morning and then this and that happens, and there might be a flashback or a flash-forward, but there’s an essential fixed concept of how time “moves forward”. Tarkovsky has talked about this, he calls that “horizontal time”, whereas “vertical time” is a more transcendental or ever-present concept. In my work, I try to express the place where horizontal time intersects with vertical time which is, to me, a more accurate expression of where this mystical force-time-really exists - Nina Menkes, Sensesofcinema.com

The Mirror / Phantom Love

I think of the name of Tarkovsky’s book Sculpting in Time … Tinka always managed to bypass any known laws of editing and just zero in on the essential quality of the experience. So in Queen of Diamonds, instead of five or six shorter casino/dealing scenes interspersed throughout, she understood the power of making one monster dealing scene - Nina Menkes, Talkhouse.com

Sacrifice /
Queen Of Diamonds

Menkes comes back to this shot/idea a few times in her work...

Sacrifice / 
Phantom Love

Solaris/ 
Phantom Love

Stalker / 
Phantom Love

Sacrifice / 
Phantom Love

Andrei Rublev / 
The Bloody Child

Andrei Rublev / Dissolution

Solaris/ 
Phantom Love

Andrei Rublev / 
Dissolution