in which I make a guest appearance on a movie podcast...
everything that happened at Flick Filosopher from Monday, November 8th, to Sunday, November 14th
Hello, lovely readers. Apologies for being nearly absent the past two weeks. Partly that was down to a big freelance fiction editing project I was working on. I do these occasionally and wish I didn’t have to, but the money was good and I needed it. I’d much rather have spent that time writing film reviews, and so I’m happy to announce a couple of new Flick Filosopher features that will mostly be exclusively for paid Substack subscribers and Patreon patrons, with a few free teasers for everyone else.
First is (also mentioned in the post below about the podcast) “Classic Film Virgin,” in which I watch for the first time a classic movie and review it from a right-now perspective. This will launch with a review of the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola flick The Outsiders, newly available in a restored version (this will be free for everyone), and up after that will be 1984 drama Paris, Texas, by Wim Wenders. It’s just a coincidence that the first two are 80s movies; I will be looking at films from across the history of cinema, though probably mostly from the sound era. I have a very long list of stone-cold classics that I’m embarrassed not to have seen yet, and this feature can keep me going for a long time… assuming readers are interested in that. I will announce upcoming titles in advance so that you can watch for the first time, or rewatch, before reading my coverage. (Assume there will be spoilers. I think that’s reasonable when it comes to classic movies.)
Second, over the festive season, I will be doing a daily email, “Festive Cheer,” recommending a fun and/or really great holiday movie available to stream. These will be just little tidbits, not full reviews, and I will strive to cover as many streaming services as I can, in both the US and the UK. I’ll begin this next week, timed to Thanksgiving in the US.
Third, as alluded to in the poll I sent out last week and the results of which are trending in favor it, I will be taking a dive into those sappy Hallmark Christmas movies that seem to litter the streaming services. (Though many of these movies originate on the Hallmark Channel in the US, I’m using Hallmark as a generic here. Netflix has a bunch of ’em, too, for example.) I haven’t started watching these yet, so I’m not entirely sure what shape this coverage, which I’m calling “Festive Cheese,” will take, but I suspect it will be somewhere between tidbits and full reviews.
I hope one of these new goodies may entice you to become a paying subscriber. (If you’re already a paying supporter, thank you!) I’ll share more info as each feature launches about how to fine-tune your subscription experience in case you don’t want all of these things in your in-box. But with the rough couple of pandemic years we’ve all been through, I hope at least some of it brings us all a bit of pleasant distraction.
—MaryAnn
PS: Of course, the regular assortment of reviews of new films will continue, too!
new at flick filosopher, Nov 08–14
I’m guesting on movie podcast Ribbon of Memes
I join hosts RogerBW and Nick Marsh to talk about the 1984 Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. (Plus, announcing a related new section here at the site.) [read more]
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Nov 12
Kenneth Branagh’s semiautobiographical historical drama Belfast… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Nov 12
Historical romantic drama Mothering Sunday; Clint Eastwood’s western Cry Macho… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Nov 09–12
Jungle Cruise and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are now free on Disney+; Passing debuts on Netflix; much more… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Nov 08–12
Jungle Cruise and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are now free on Disney+; Passing debuts on Netflix; much more… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Nov 05
Marvel’s Eternals and Netflix’s Red Notice are on big screens; more… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Nov 05
The Card Counter, showcasing Oscar Isaac, opens; Kristen Stewart stars as Diana Spencer; more… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Nov 01–05
Jessica Chastain vehicle The Eyes of Tammy Faye lands on premium VOD; Nicolas Cage drama Pig arrives on DVD; more… [get the full rundown]
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Nov 01–05
Teen revenge drama #Like and Peter Pan spinoff Wendy arrive on VOD; more… [get the full rundown]
what I’m bingeing
Nine Perfect Strangers [Hulu US; Prime UK]: Finished! Really enjoyed this… and even though it does all go rather pear-shaped for the strangers for a while, I stand by my contention that I’d really like to visit Tranquillum. I could use a transformative psychological experience…
Not sure what to binge next. New Doctor Who? Invasion on Apple TV+? Squid Game on Netflix? There are too many options!
Tweet of the week…
coming up at Flick Filosopher…
Last Night in Soho, from Edgar Wright
King Richard, starring Will Smith
Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast
Netflix’s Passing and Red Notice
Marvel’s Eternals
grim Icelandic fairy tale Lamb
Wes Anderson’s latest, The French Dispatch
French freakshow Titane
some London Film Festival flicks
biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye
crime thriller Copshop
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Green Knight
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins
Space Jam: A New Legacy
Mark Wahlberg as Joe Bell
Old, the latest from M. Night Shyamalan
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