Flashing Palely in the Margins
Media Diet: July and August
A quick look at the movies, television shows, and books that have captured my attention over the past two months.
Julia
When I was reading 1984 in middle school, I never really considered what the story would look like from another character’s perspective. Julia is a captivating shift of perspective on the classic, and the first half of this novel brilliantly acts as exposition to a side of the Orwellian world that was sorely missing. The second half languishes a little, and the ending doesn’t quite land the way that Orwell’s does, but I was glad to have had this glimpse into a different side of a story that is part of the modern canon.
Drops of God
This series is sumptuous and beautifully shot and tells a compelling story with suspense so deftly that I’m curious why it hasn’t come up in more conversations of standouts for the year. The ending resolved itself a bit too quickly for my taste, but otherwise the storytelling was filled with intrigue and a subtle intensity that lingers long after watching the show. And of course: setting any show among lush vineyards is a plus in my book. Will be recommending this to friends, oenophiles or not.
The Bear, Season 3
Let’s be honest: this season wasn’t as good as the first two. But let’s also be clear: this was a very good season of television. The acting is sublime and the visuals (especially of food) are remarkable and there’s definitely a deft hand guiding this show along. This season lacked the narrative propulsion o was looking for, but it still had moments of honesty and profundity and beauty—and that’s all you can really ask for, right? (But I was driven mad by how many gorgeous dishes, that I would eat in a heartbeat, Carmy threw in the trash this season.)
Killers of the Flower Moon
This movie is many things—a drama, a western, a police procedural, a character study—and instead of losing itself through all of its genres, it finds a powerful middle that makes it compelling in so many different ways. It may not be Scorsese’s best, but it’s high up there: a gorgeously shot, well-written, impeccably acted, and poignantly paced (despite its extremely long runtime) film that captures the Osage Reign of Terror with appropriate depth and deftness. Maybe not a masterpiece, but pretty darn close.
Romeo & Juliet, Stratford Festival
I have seen this play staged at least a dozen times, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Sam White’s production this year and how it would stand out. But stand out it did, and that’s mostly because the performances were so good: each actor brought not just gravitas, but a visceral quality to their role that made the dialogue come alive. The whole Capulet family, in particular, was especially good; I could watch those actors in anything and I’m sure I’d be impressed. I wasn’t enamored by the sound design of the production, often finding it discordant and jarring, but this was a very good staging of something that could have been much more stale if delivered by less-capable performers.
Presumed Innocent
I hadn’t read the book or watched the movie before jumping into this show, so I had no clue what to expect. Going in with no expectations meant I was easily wowed by the pacing of the story, the acting (Ruth Negga and Peter Saarsgard were phenomenal), and the plot machinations. The parts focused on the Sabich family lagged a little, but the courtroom and legal drama side of things was enthralling. I’m definitely in for another season.
Rupaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, Season 9
I’m very glad that Drag Race did a season for charity, but that, along with the non-elimination format (and especially the multi-badge chicanery of the finale episodes) meant that there were no real stakes to this season. The queens were fun and talented, and they kept the season watchable, but there was no real narrative propulsion to this season and it felt somewhat lifeless. The filler finale “part one” episode was a perfect encapsulation of the show: not much substance to say or show, so we’ll manufacture some drama. I still had fun because the queens are inherently likeable, but this season definitely wasn’t indicative of how much fun the show can be.
Twisters
We don’t get out to the movie theatre often, but I’m glad we found a babysitter so we could see this one. Sure, it was over-filled with science speak and the romantic subplot was wholly under-explored and lacked any resolution, but it was still a rip-roaring spectacle that was great experienced on a big screen. The story isn’t the strongest, but the characters are captivating enough that there’s enough to be invested in. A fun popcorn flick, and an excellent watch if you don’t expect too much from it.
Dune: Part Two
This film is a visual marvel. I’m still in awe, all these weeks later, at what I saw on the screen: the action was immersive, the cinematography gorgeous, and the sound resonant. I perhaps wasn’t as enthralled with the story as I was with the first one, but the majesty on the screen in front of me was all-encompassing. What a feat; what a treat.
Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs the World, Season 2
Not much to say here: a solid group of queens made it an entertaining season, but we all knew who was going to win by the first episode of the season (and I’m not mad, she was my favorite of the bunch!) so there wasn’t much intrigue or suspense going into this one. I had fun, but it wasn’t the strongest installment of the Drag Race franchise.
Hit Man
This movie lived up to every expectation I had of it: a fun time with some good comedy, a perfect amount of camp, and some sizzling chemistry between the two leads. (From having seen him in a handful of movies now, Glen Powell really is as electric on screen as people say he is.) The film was funny, weird, hot, and ridiculous all at the same time. A perfect summer evening diversion.