by Sam Juliano
Labor Day 2018. Stateside this inexplicable holiday when everything is closed down is the official announcement of summer’s end, but it is rarely acknowledged by Mother Nature who has her own scorching agenda. Yet, the beginning of the month still signals a new school year, the start of the quality film season, the football season launching, and the lead-in to the Fall and the fun associations with Halloween. On a personal note my wife Lucille will be in Engelwood Hospital for a partial knee replacement necessitated by severe arthritis (not MS related) on the 10th of the month. All should be well, but of course this less-intrusive-than-a-full-knee-replacement will keep her out of the Principal’s office for 10 days to two weeks it seems.
Jim Clark and J.D. Lafrance continue to treat Wonders in the Dark readers with masterful film reviews, keeping the site marvelously relevant.
Two films were seen over the past two days in multiplexes – Aneesh Chaganty’s “The Searching” forwards an original point of view utilizing smartphones and computer screens (especially FB) and “Operation Finale” is a mixed effort with a great subject but ineffective pacing and a dearth of deeper context, wasting strong performances by Ben Kingsley as Nazi monster Adolf Eichmann and Oscar Isaac as the Israeli who uncovers his hiding place in 1960 Argentina.
The Searching **** (Saturday) Secaucus multiplex
Operation Finale *** (Sunday) Edgewater multiplex
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Yes the autumn transition is upon us….Cool and cloudy for the holiday and then 83’F for the first 3 days of school. At least it is cool at night now – here. I hope it is a good school year for your family and I wish Lucille well and a speedy recovery. We have been exploring knee remedies here too. I was invited to see Christopher Robin which I totally thought was wonderful. It was great to match up the Taoist thinking with the original works for me I Disney did not ruin the stuffed animals by making the babyish. The little girl seated next to me was totally bored – I would not count it as a successful children’s film.
We say LBJ the other day too and I thought that was a good portrayal and I have been watching recaps of the McCain Services and A. Franklin services.
Reviewing Christmas books now for the October run and there are some fine newcomers on the list. Some powerful Women’s fiction thrillers coming out this fall.
Hope all are well….want to see Active Measures ( on HULU) do not know how to do that. and just got tickets for Michael Moore’s 11/9 movie showing 30 miles away.
Wow lots of typos sorry…..Works for me. Also Disney making them babyish We saw LBJ
Patricia, happy to hear the autumn weather is moving in on the Pacific northwest. Over here it has been very hot or least up until Friday when rain move in to cool off things. I haven’t yet seen CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, though I have noticed the middling reviews. Also watched the McCain services here. So fantastic that you have been keeping the literary torch burning at your place with more of your excellent reviews. Good to hear you liked LBJ. The knee replacement surgery is set for around 11 A.M. Thank you so much my great friend, and have a special week.
Sam — Please tell Lucille I wish her well as she undergoes a partial knee replacement.
On a side note… when are you going to start the Caldecott Medal Contender series this year? I’m looking forward to it!
Thank you so much Laurie!! Will relay your exceedingly kind words.
The Caldecott series will be starting up very soon, perhaps in a week. Wishing you a special upcoming week too!
After reading critics’ complaints about the desaturated color in Luca’s new Suspiria, I wonder: A monochromatic giallo is a contradiction in terms, no? Argento’s DP on Suspiria, Luciano Tovoli, is Vittorio Storaro on steroids. (And I’d almost forgotten that Storaro photographed Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.)
Gorging on the movies of Joan Crawford, from flapper to bitch-slapper: Our Dancing Daughters, Possessed (with Gable), Rain, The Women (I swear, Mary Boland steals the picture, but then I’m a Mary Boland nut), Mildred Pierce, Humoresque, Sudden Fear, Harriet Craig and finishing up with Torch Song (grotesque) and West Point (obvious gay subtext, with Joan in a supporting role).
Hope Lucille breezes through the knee surgery.
Gay subtext involving two cadets, not Joan.
I wonder: A monochromatic giallo is a contradiction in terms, no?
Mark, you’d certainly think so. Yes Storaro did a wonderful job as DP on CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and of course is one of the best in his trade. Nice work on all the Crawfords! I count myself as a huge fan of MILDRED PIERCE, SUDDEN FEAR, HARRIET CRAIG, POSSESSED and THE WOMEN, and agree that Boland is fantastic in the latter. HUMORESQUE, JOHNNY GUITAR and STRAIGHT JACKET are also recommended but heck by now you’ve probably seen those an plenty more. Great stuff! Thank you so much my friend. Have a special upcoming week.