Sightseeing Vol. 21

You create your own reality. Truth is a malleable thing. - Roy Cohn

Back again just in time for another week. The future is sucha fickle thing is it not? Who’s to say what comes? The answer is very obviously nobody, and yet we will worry incessantly about it til the sun burns out. I suppose in these trying times we can relaibly turn to art to escape whatever ails us. Not sure what I’m even rambling about half the time so lets get to it.

Recommendation of the week:

THE APPRENTICE (2024, Abassi)

Hear me out on this one, I know the timing is ironic but I didn't plan it this way.

Borderline astonished by how un-pretentious this is and how much I liked it. A movie made for like me and 3 other people at this point in time. Described by its lead as a “True American Horror Story” it’s hard not to buy into that reading from the jump, the films opening minutes and its introduction of the true to life Dr. Frankenstein of Roy Cohn is genuinely a startling and arresting image and regardless of your political alignments I think this is well worth engaging with on its own terms. Found Jeremy Strongs take on the Cohn to be genuinely frightening. Who would’ve thought Sebastian Stan was gonna be the guy to come out of the wretched MCU looking like the most talented guy by a mile. He plays the titular apprentice here with such restraint and doesn’t give in to expected cliches and the kind of bullshit surface level imitation you’d expect from a movie. He’s very very good as Frankensteins monster here and by the end he completely disappears into the screen. Can’t believe this was shot digitally as it’s the most authentic feeling and looking textured and grimy rendition of NYC i’ve seen on a screen in some time. Have always said if a movie can pull empathy out of me for someone categorically bad it’s doing something right, fiction or not, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel something for Cohn by the end of this. What that says about me I don’t know, but I got way more out of this than expected. Check it out if you’re a level headed individual and can handle a movie for adults.

WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024, Kendrick)

Anna Kendrick absolutely has the juice behind the camera! Really hope she gets to make more cause she’s got a real sturdy foundation here and a keen eye for setting. Unfamiliar with Daniel Zovatto but he’s legitimately terrifying as Rodney. Loosely based and structured around the almost unbelievable true story of Cheryl Bradshaws’ appearance on THE DATING GAME in 1978 in which then unsuspecting and active serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared as the winning contestant. Kendricks work is at its best when she’s cutting to and from the show and some of his numerous murders, it’s a refreshing take on the type of fiction/nonfiction serial killer streamer bullshit that’s floating around Netflix in near infinite mass. Definitely recommend checking this one out.

TWO WEEKS NOTICE (2002, Lawrence)

It seems to me that I might be a sucker for the early to mid 2000’s romantic comedies. Call it bad taste call me an easy mark I don't know what to tell you. All I know is I am somehow the target audience for this. Maybe it's because even back 20 odd years ago your average rom-com looked like a real movie and starred real actors. None of this kind of movie rings false, it’s all so textured and authentic feeling. Helps to have Sandra Bullock in your movie and that Hugh Grant is giving a genuinely gut-busting performance as the dumbest man on the entire planet. If you ever need to smile this movie will get the job done.

LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE, AND BLONDE (2003, Herman-Wurmfeld)

Boldly asks the question, what if we made Legally Blonde again, and it was bad? Super bummed that this mostly didn't work for me at all. Almost worth it for the random bit where Bruce McGill has an existential crisis because his dog is gay.

THE PENGUIN - FINALE - A GREAT OR LITTLE THING (2024, Getzinger)

THE SOPRANOS pastiche is alive and well here at the end of the line for THE PENGUIN. The HBO miniseries (for now) sets itself apart from its contemporaries by feeling like an actual purposefully existing story instead of a way to connect 40 odd films and tv shows that all operate exactly the same and all look like sludge factory slop. Not to say this is some sort of revolutionary take on the mobster lifestyle story, its not, and it wears its influences proudly on its sleeve. What really sets itself apart from most of the villain origin stories you see in comic book adjacent media today is it isn't afraid to really villainize its villain. This guy goes from a somewhat charming middle man to a heartless grinder to a genuinely disturbing and sicko freak by the end of its 8 hour run. I was worried they'd leave room for the audience to root for Oz going forward but they made him out to be such a nasty cruel and evil guy that I’m not sure I’d even want to watch another season of this (complimentary). The last 20 minutes of this made me gasp in shock more than once. I’ve mentioned a few times how obvious it is that Farrell is having the time of his life in this, but by the end of this eighth hour, he completely disappears into the prosthetics and wardrobe, never seen and never thought we’d see him take on a role like this. Couldn't recommend checking this out enough.