Elise Rainier has been one of the most fleshed out horror movie heroines of the modern era and I’ve enjoyed her quest throughout the “Insidious” series. After dying at the end of the first film, every subsequent film has backtracked to not only explore Elise more, but also give us a bigger wider bridge to the first film. “The Last Key” is perhaps the most personal quest featuring Elise as it does fit in to the general mythology of “The Further” but is more intimate and lower stakes. The movie can be seen more as a stand alone one shot featuring Elise in where she not only garnered full control of her powers, but also foresaw her fate in the first “Insidious.”
The Bootleg Files: Stevie
BOOTLEG FILES 835: “Stevie” (1978 British film starring Glenda Jackson and Mona Washbourne).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On VHS video.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Hello, Criterion Collection?
The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby can be credited with writing the single most irresponsible and the single most beneficial movie reviews of all time. The irresponsible review was his November 1980 slam of “Heaven’s Gate” – the vitriolic fury that he hurled at Michael Cimino’s Western epic was the ultimate example of critical overkill, and his wrath was so powerful that it set off the chain reaction that brought down the film’s studio, United Artists.
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“My Adventures with Superman” is a Great Addition to the Superman Lore
While I spent the last week finding time to finish the first two seasons of “Superman & Lois,” I set aside time to watch the highly anticipated “My Adventures with Superman,” which stealthily premiered on Cartoon Network’s adult programming block Adult Swim. That in and of itself is bizarre, as there’s nothing adult about “My Adventures with Superman.” The series is highly stylized to look like anime, but there’s no swearing, or intense violence, or any kind of sexual content. This is as wholesome and pure as Superman’s been in a long time, and it’s actually a series I’d recommend to literally any Superman fan young or old.
Joy Ride (2023)
There’s been this subtle movement to break all of the stereotypes of Asians in cinema and fiction in general, and I’m enjoying it. “Joy Ride” is one of the newest entries in this new wave of mainstream Asian cinema that appeals to a niche audience but is also broad enough for everyone to relate to. “Joy Ride” is a film I liken very much to “Bridesmaids” and “The Hangover” to where four friends go through a sense of self realization, all while wreaking havoc on one big road trip. The foursome in “Joy Ride” are all wonderfully fleshed out individuals that are seeking fulfillment and a sense of purpose, and they end up finding it. This is all in service of their friend Audrey whose attempts to seal a big deal at her law firm send her on the journey she didn’t know she needed.
The Academy Museum Celebrates Silent Cinema This Summer
As a nod to Turner Classic Movies (TCM)’s “Silent Sunday Nights,” hosted by Academy Museum Director and President Jacqueline Stewart, the museum is launching a series of silent film screenings this summer. Historian David Pierce has concluded that only 26% of American silent features survive in complete form.
Both TCM and the Academy Museum are dedicated to showcasing the films of this important period in filmmaking history as part of our cultural heritage. Taking place on Sundays at 2pm, Silent Sundays will showcase iconic movies from the silent era as well as forgotten gems and international classics.
Among just some of the films being screened are Earth (Zemlya), the ever first screening of the film outside of Europe with a new soundtrack for the film created by Luke Corradine by order of the UFACE association, Flesh and the Devil with Live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla, and the 100th Anniversary screening of the Harold Lloyd masterpiece Safety Last!
“Silent Sundays” will screen at the Academy Museum at Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, for more information on the programming, movie times, and purchasing tickets, visit the Academy Museum Website.
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: What’s Cookin’ Doc? (1944)
2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
What’s Cookin’ Doc? (1944)
Directed by Bob Clampett
Written by Michael Sasanoff
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Bob McKimson
“What’s Cookin Doc?” is one of the few times where Warner tried to mimic Tex Avery, as where Avery had a knack for creating shorts that featured various facets of society and satirizing them, Bob Clampett and Bob McKimson go for that same method. With the narration, cuts to various sight gags, clever subversions of jokes, and implementation of live action footage to help land a joke, it’s hard not to compare this to a Tex Avery/MGM creation. That’s not a criticism per se, but more an observation, as it’s obvious what they’re aiming for here. Their primary goal is to satirize Hollywood and the Hollywood climate of the time. They also inject their big star Bugs Bunny in to the proceedings, which adds an extra spice that makes it all the better.
Shortbus (2006) [LA&M Film Fetish Forum]
Director John Cameron Mitchell’s “Shortbus” is a movie I’d only ever heard about since its 2006 release but never actually sat down to watch. Nothing really prepared me for what he had to offer in terms of not only commenting on sexuality but on sex in general. “Shortbus” is unabashedly shocking in its presentation, offering up a movie about a group of New Yorkers, all of whom are seeking human connection. Some of them think that sex will grant them that connection, while some of them are just seeking emotional connection that may or may not allow them that desire with sex and various sexual acts.