#like solid. not stellar but really really solid and not half-arsed

[divinekangaroo]

got that **** assignment in tonight 2 days early DESPITE every possible thing that could have blown up happening during the assignment's duration

[ashilleong-blog]

Custom Plumbing or The Trouble with Testicles.

When Crawley first took human form he didn't bother with genitals. He didn't eat, drink or breed so he didn't see much point in adding a bit of kit that was bound to get in the way. Otherwise he'd modelled his human body on the angels and humans he saw, and assumed the angels hadn't bothered with the dangly bits either.

He hadn't been entirely right about that.

Crawley got his first set of genitals thanks to Aziraphale. 

It had been early on, and while they hadn't exactly been on friendly terms Aziraphale wasn't as openly hostile as the other angels had been. Plus the whole thing with the sword had been pretty hilarious.

Aziraphale was particularly entertaining and non-hostile when he was sloshing around an animal bladder full of fermented something that humans had made.

"They make it for ceremonies and the like. It's absolutely divine." Aziraphale screwed his face up. He seemed to be having trouble getting his features under control. "No, not actually divine. But good. Not 'Good' good. Enjoyable! You'll like it. "

The angel certainly had looked like he was having a good time, and this fermented stuff undoubtedly made Crawley's job easier when the humans drank it. Eventually Crawley found himself tempted to try a swig. It hasn't taken all that much tempting to be perfectly honest.

And another.

And several more after that.

The next morning he was left with only a handful of hazy memories. Aziraphale bopping completely out of time with the drumming. The pair of them sitting on a log overlooking the big fire, laughing hysterically at something he couldn't quite remember. He thought he might have fallen off the log at some point. Crawley remembered explaining to Aziraphale about the stars but had the distinct impression of doing a less than stellar job of it, mostly because he forgot where he started and what he was actually talking about. Few memories, but the definite impression of having one of the best nights of his life.  

But by Heaven he was paying for it now. 

There was a funny taste in his mouth, like something had died in there. The drums from last night pounded away behind his eyes, which he kept firmly closed because the morning sun was out to kill him.

"Is this what Hell feels like?" The voice came from somewhere off to his right, and soundeda bit like Aziraphale if the angel had tried to gargle rocks.

"Hnurgh," Crawley replied with all the articulation he could muster. He wasn’t sure if he'd fallen off the log or not, but he clearly hadn't made it very far judging by the blessed thing digging into his arse. Crawley also felt uncomfortably full, low in his pelvis. It was a steady, insistent sensation that he’d never felt before. He'd also never felt the strange stiffening sensation in that part of his body because...

.. body part?

Crawley must've got sand in his eyes, because they felt like gravel when he opened them. He looked down. He squealed.

Aziraphale groaned. "Be gone foul beast."

"Aziraphale!" Crawley croaked urgently "What the Heaven happened last night? I've got... I've got..." 

Aziraphale's face appeared from the other side of the log. He looked like he'd been run over by a herd of goats. The angel blinked several times, and then looked at the offending body part.

"It's just a penis, Crawley. About half the humans have one," he said, resting his forehead on the log.

"I don't. Didn't. Where'd it come from?" 

Aziraphale groaned again. Apparently he wasn't up for questioning. Crawley didn't care - he'd woken up with a brand new body part and was blessed if he wasn't going to get answers.

Aziraphale lifted his head again. "I think I am going to be in trouble for this. I've already been spoken to about inappropriate miracles."

"For what? Angel, did you miracle me a cock?"

Aziraphale nodded. "You needed to urinate. Kept going on and on about how you were going to explode. This body had one as standard, I was trying to help."

Crawley had a vague memory of standing against a tree and feeling an unholy, profound sense of relief. And wet feet. His body suggested he would need to do the same again very, very soon. Preferably, without the wet feet.

Crawley, with considerable effort, heaved himself standing. He stumbled a few steps before aiming himself at a nearby bush and releasing a stream of urine. It stank, but it felt a lot better than keeping it in. He'd seen humans do this before; he just never thought he'd have to do it for himself.

He'd seen humans do other things with their genitals as well. 

"Angel? Angel!"

Aziraphale heaved his head back up off the log. "I don't know how to banish a demon, but I'm about to give it a damn good try. What do you want Crawley?"

"Did you have sex with my genitals?"

The look of abject horror on Aziraphale's face suggested that he had not. "Don't be absurd. We've got genitals, not hormones."

"Oh. Right then. Good." Crawley staggered back to the log and sat down. He had a bit of a look at the whole set up. The hose was useful, obviously, but the dangling monstrosity down below was a bit of a mystery. He'd never taken that close of a look before.

"Do you really need to be doing that so close to my head?"

"What're these for?" Crawley asked ignoring the angel's complaint. He gave the offending organ a flick and felt an immediate, physical regret. It was an entirely new type of pain, both very localised and very encompassing at the same time. He doubled over and vowed never, ever to do that again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Crawley nodded. 

"They're testicles. Humans use them to produce sperm for mating. We don't need them but they come with the set. You just have to be a bit careful with them."

"How do you know all this?" Crawley asked, still feeling tender and more than a little wary. 

"There was a seminar when I got the body. It was very interesting. Your lot didn't do one?" They hadn't. Crawley had sort of winged it as he went.

 "Look, "Aziraphale continued, "Do you want me to miracle the genitalia away again?" He didn't sound enthusiastic about it.

"No, " Crawley waved him off, "I'll figure it out myself. Save you from having to explaining it to upstairs."

Aziraphale grunted his thanks, rubbing his eyelids. "But honestly Crawley, please go away."  

He did, but he didn't magic away the genitalia because his body hadn't quite finished removing the night’s drink. In a few years’ time Crowley would figure out how to sober up with a miracle, and excitedly share the trick with Aziraphale, but right now they both had to deal with the physical aftermath the human way. It wasn't all bad. While watering a nearby bush he got talking with a young man from a neighboring clan and discovered a good, solid lead on some potential mischief.

Read the rest on Ao3

[thefutureisplywoodbikes]

The “My Top Films of 2018″ post positively no-one has been crying out for

Hi friends, it’s been a while.  I’ve been meaning to do a little monthly film round up / review thing for a while now (A suggested enterprise that I should say I have received specific encouragement for) but it felt a bit weird starting in the middle of the year so maybe consider this a warm up for that.  I HATE spoilers so rarely read any kind of detailed review for anything I feel inclined to see until after I’ve watched it, so the usual format here will be a sentence whether you should bother to go see a film, a few films that might have a similar feel of characteristics if you’re still undecided or looking for more of the same, and finally I might give some extra details or specific opinion.  If you’re a spoiler pedant like me you might want to skip this last part but I imagine most of you will be OK.

As what follows are what I consider the best films of the year, it should be a given that I suggest you seek them out and watch them.  If you can’t be arsed with or don’t want the details and discussion, of which there’s a lot below, skip down; I’ll put the list near the bottom, along with a selection of other highlights that didn’t make the cut.

Anyway, onto the business at hand.  To qualify for my long-list films had to be new releases that I’ve seen in a cinema this year.  I’ve not counted any Netflix or Amazon fare, or any classics, some of which obviously are some of the best films I’ve seen in the cinema this year, but you shouldn’t really need specific encouragement to go see Rear Window, Once Upon a Time In The West or The Apartment if you get the chance.  I did have a solid 10, but had forgotten something important, so you’re getting a top 11 and a best of the rest section instead.  

11 (also 10)

- You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay)

- A Woman’s Life (Stéphane Brizé)

Two very different films share 10th place.  You Were Never Really Here is a bruising tale of a damaged person not so much seeking redemption as just getting by.  Set in contemporary New York, it features a superb central performance from Joachin Phoenix and is beautifully shot by Lynne Ramsay.  Has a similarly feel, in terms of the editing at least, to her earlier film We Need To Talk About Kevin.  There was a lot of talk about this being a modern day Taxi Driver which is an understandable comparison given the subject matter but might unfairly raise expectations if you’re not careful; it isn’t and it isn’t trying to be.  It does however have a bit of a Paul Schrader feel to it so if you enjoyed First Reformed this would be worth a look.  Currently on Amazon Prime, if you’re not boycotting Bezos.

A Woman’s Life I saw pretty much solely on the strength of how much I liked Stéphane Brizé’s previous film, The Measure of A Man which covers similar territory to I, Daniel Blake but with considerably more subtlety and sharper focus and is for me more successful for it.  An adaptation of Guy de Maupassant first novel, Une Vie, the story as the title suggests, takes you through the life of a woman in 19th Century France.  It‘s a slow, measured and intelligent film, sympathetic, naturalistic and moving and slyly shines light on the inherent cruelty of the pervasive limitations of the patriarchal society of the time.  Not sure what to recommend for comparison since it was early in the year I saw it and I don’t think I’ve seen much else like it.  If you’re a fan of Bresson give it a look.  If you enjoyed Jacques Rivette’s The Nun maybe.  If you liked Barry Lyndon but think it needs toning down in terms of flair and mood.  Tolstoy was a big fan of the novel if that floats your boat, Mostly I’d say watch Measure of a Man and maybe track this down if you liked that.

9 

Let The Corpses Tan (Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani)

From the Brussel-based French duo behind Amer and The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears, if you’ve seen either of their earlier films you’ll have some idea of what you’re getting here.  It’s not going to be to everyone’s tastes; if you want a straightforward plot, narrative resolution or ultimately to fully understand what the fuck is going on, you’re in the wrong place, but if you like the sound of a pristinely crafted and gorgeously shot amalgamation of spaghetti western and Poliziotteschi aesthetics, this is likely very much up your street.  If you liked Mandy as a film that is effectively an homage to the mood a variety of 80′s films, I think this does similar for a different period more smoothly.  If you’re not sold by now I’m not sure what else to say but you can watch it on Amazon Prime if you’re curious.

8

Lucky (John Carroll Lynch)

On paper this shouldn’t be as good as it is.  Not a lot really happens.  It’s competently shot but not visually exceptional. It would seem to unashamedly be a vehicle to showcase the enduring charm of Harry Dean Stanton in a role that I would be astonished if i were to discovery it wasn’t written specifically for him.  And yet it’s HUGELY endearing.  It’s sweet without ever approaching being mawkish or saccharine.  Stanton is an irascible, charming and poignant delight as a man doing his best to defiantly maintain his independence while coming to terms with his encroaching mortality .  David Lynch is less convincing as a man bereft after his tortoise has escaped from the garden, yet still it all kinda works and has context.  If you’ve liked Harry Dean Stanton in anything else, but particularly Paris, Texas.  You’ll likely enjoy this.  If you’re a Twin Peaks geek, liked The Straight Story, St Vincent (As in the 2014 Bill Murray movie), Mystery Train or maybe even On Golden Pond you’ll likely be OK too.

7

Filmworker (Tony Zierra)

You’d be forgiven for not knowing who Leon Vitali, the subject of this film, is.  Some of you with better memories may place him as the actor who portrayed Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon, likely because at some point you’ve looked him up after watching his superb performance wondering whatever happened to him.  What you’re unlikely to be aware of (unless you’ve already seen this) is his immense contribution to, and sacrifices for, the work of Stanley Kubrick, an ongoing commitment that will likely persist until his dying breath.   

In awe of the auteur on the set of Barry Lyndon, he effectively abandoned his acting career at the moment it was set to take off, to work with Kubrick in whatever capacity he could, over time becoming his most trusted, and woefully overworked, assistant.  There is a sense that this a tale of one man being exploited in another man’s ruthless pursuit of their vision, which in part it is, but Vitali’s devotion is effectively religious and so he commands more respect and admiration than pity for the extent he has given over his life to his passion.  If you like Kubrick, have seen and loved any on his films at the cinema, on video, DVD or blu-ray you have a responsibility to see this, because it is extremely likely that Leon is the man who has personally checked the prints and colour gradings to ensure they are precisely as they should be.  It should also be a reminder that there are hundreds of thousands of others unsung who’ve had a hand in making the films you love.

If you’re a film geek, serious cineaste or fan of any of Kubrick films but particularly the last four (Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut), you should see this.

6

Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig)

At heart Lady Bird is a simple story, very well told.  It has suitable faith in its script to keep things simple and in doing so delivers 95 breezily delightful minutes of cinema.  I saw this immediately after having endured The Shape of Water (Superficial, predictable, indulgent, emotionally-manipulative dross, with some insultingly shallow politics shoe-horned in to bolster its credibility) so the contrast may have inflated my enjoyment but after that, this was a breath of fresh air.  It has a lean, clever script flawlessly delivered by it’s stellar cast, led by primarily by the equally excellent Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf but also featuring Timotheé Chalamet and the reliably remarkable / remarkably reliable Lucas Hedges in supporting roles.  The result is a film full of well-rounded, flawed and relatable characters.  The depiction of teenagers seem particularly sharp; the traumas of negotiating the trials of burgeoning adulthood are treated sympathetically but you’re also shown achingly absurd moments of pretension that’ll likely spark a pang of amused recognition in anyone over 20.

If you liked 20th Century Women or Greta Gerwig’s other cinematic outings (I don’t think I’ve actually seen many others but it stands to reason.) you’ll likely get a kick out of this not really sure what else compares suitably.

It’s a nice film.  Give it a go if you haven’t already.

5

Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson)

The latest offering from Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread is a curious creature and a bit of departure for the director, stylistically at least.  On the surface a dry tale of a celebrated English tailor discovering a new muse and lover and the shifting of power and negotiation of compromises as their relationship develops, I’d say the real meat here is in the subtexts but I don’t want to prejudice your viewing with my half-baked theorising so I’ll say no more.  Visually sumptuous, pristinely photographed and with a deliciously acerbic and quotably witty script, you also get a trio of marvellous performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Leslie Manville and Vicky Krieps in the lead roles.  A wry treat for all who like seductive subtlety at a steady pace and one that’s sure to benefit from repeat viewing.  (I’ve yet to rewatch myself but am keen to and in the course of writing this list I’ve been compelled to bump it up a few spots and suspect it may well have faired better if I had)

If you’re a PTA fan you’ve likely already seen this but if you need specific prompting I’d say it’s closest in spirit to The Master, but it’s still more idiosyncratic among his output than similar to the others.  If you like the barbed charm of the writing of the films of the British New Wave, or Pinter’s script for Losey’s The Servant you'll also likely find this worth your time.

4

Climax (Gaspar Noé)

Despite it's place here, I have a hard time recommending Climax. Watching it was possibly the most queasily unnerving experience I've ever had in a cinema, which is entirely it's intent.

Following the events that unfold one snowy evening at an isolated rehearsal hall where a group of dancers having a final night party fall victim to an LSD-spiked sangria, what starts out as a mesmerising display of dancing skill and exuberance slowly shifts into a hellish, decadent descent as innermost fears and desires surface and are enacted.

The film is technically spectacular, largely composed of a single twisting shot that woozily drifts among the action and skilfully approximates the helpless intoxication of the characters. Prior to this the film opens with a series of interviews with the dancers, shown on a tv flanked by videos and books, the theme of which would appear to be transgression in its various forms. It's a simple, smart device that foreshadows events to come but also lays out the story's influences and inspirations. The overall result is the sense that experience you receive has been carefully and precisely crafted, something all films obviously aim to do but that this actually delivers, extraordinarily well. Even when things slow and drag in the last 20 minutes (which they undeniably do) you feel like you're being made to endure the comedown of the preceding proceedings. It's not going to be for everyone and I'm not sure the visceral unease of seeing this in the cinema will translate to small screen viewing, but it's a brilliant affecting piece of cinema for those prepared to brave it.

If you didn't like Enter The Void, you're probably not going to like this but if you did, you probably will. The content isn't necessarily especially graphic but there's a sense of callous disregard and cruelty that made for uneasy viewing for me at least, similar to the darker moments of Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer or Man Bites Dog. You probably know by now if you're gonna watch it or not, so let's move on.

3

Utøya: July 22 (Erik Poppe)

Not to be confused with the Paul Greengrass Netflix film (Which went into production a year later than this then stole it’s working title) Utøya: July 22 is the second film on this list to centrally feature an extended tracking shot.  This one was shot in one interrupted take and, much like Climax, is a harrowing film elevated by the directorial decisions that informed and shaped its creation.  

Unfolding in real time the film shares the experience of Kaya, a teenage girl attending the summer camp on the Norwegian island of Utøya during the 2011 terrorist attack there.  It’s a heartbreaking watch.  Less generous reviews suggest it to be manipulative, others, which I am obviously  moreso inclined to agree with, feel that the films choices place the victims in the forefront of the story and in doing so highlights failings within the usual handling of such events on film and more broadly in the media, failings which, while I haven’t seen it, I have heard the aforementioned Netflix film is guilty of. While the characters in this film are fictional, their stories are based on the testimonies of survivors and survivors were heavily consulted both during the writing of the script and the filming.  The terrorist is not named and is only shown once in the distance which, given the intention of his murderous assault was to draw attention to himself and his toxic political views, is very effective at both resisting unwitting complicity in advancing these aims and preventing the victims and the horror of their experiences from being shifted into peripheral significance.  They are not merely a notorious individuals tragic statistics and  they, or any other victim of mass murder, should never be allowed to be seen in such terms.  This film has been painstakingly and thoughtfully constructed to honour them and the gravitas of their suffering and is intelligent and powerful film that deserves far greater attention.

It feels somewhat ridiculous to offer comparative suggestions for this one; it’s not an enjoyable viewing experience, so if you’re not already moved to watch it maybe you shouldn’t bother.  If you’re still undecided this does feature perhaps the most effective and emotionally involving uses of the single shot proximal viewpoint, a technique employed in a number of titles of recent years (Birdman, Victoria, The Revenant, Gravity etc.) that I’ve seen.  It something which Son of Saul was celebrated for, where the intent was similarly a claustrophobic immersion, but which, in that instance, I found somewhat distracting.  This succeeded for me where Son of Saul did not.

2

Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski)

I still haven’t seen Pawlikowski’s previous film Ida but the strength of esteem that it garnered led me to see this without knowing anything about it.  (And if you really want to enjoy it, you should skip the rest of this and do the same.  Actually you should do that anyway, because I likely create an unreasonable high expectation by the end of this.)

The film covers a love story as it unfolds and transforms over the space of 20 years under the shadow of the Cold War.  At various points the romance is  frustrated either by the ubiquitous demands and expectations of the Soviet state apparatus or by the lovers diverging fates negotiating it.  Given the tale is loosely based on the story of his own parents, one would be forgiven for fearing this might be a melodramatic tale of predictably plucky triumph, but the nuance and complexity of the central relationship, challenged as it is by not only external forces but internal conflicts, has a suitable quantity of bitterness and disappointment to feel like a truthful portrayal.  It’s refreshingly unsentimental, as is the depiction of life under totalitarian rule and in some ways this is as much a film about the potential for lives to be crushed by oppressive regimes as it is about loves ability to resist them.

Also of note; the film is gorgeous.  The black and white photography is pristine throughout and subtly shifts with the films location.  The soundtrack comprises  Eastern European folk and 50s Jazz and, with music forming a central role in the plot, the scenes where it features most heavily stand out and are at times breathtaking.  The acting too is great with Joanna Kulig proving a particularly enchanting screen presence.  It’s a manifoldly beautiful film.

If you still need persuading (though you really shouldn’t, because by this stage I’m just over-egging the pudding) if you liked Ida obviously this’ll be up your street, if you’re a Tarkovsky fan in general you’ll likely appreciate some of the framing and pacing here but if your especially fond of Ivan’s Childhood (And if you’re not you probably should be) the look and feel of this should prove particularly appealing.  

1

Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda)

It’s unlikely that I’m alone in placing this at the top of my list.  I don’t think I’ve spoken to anyone who hasn’t liked this film.  Most have loved it.  This is very rare.  In fact, if you haven’t yet seen this, don’t bother reading further, just go see it in the cinema while you still have the chance.  (I don’t want to hear any shit about spoilers or whinging about missing it.) If you’ve seen any of Kore-eda’s other recent films (with the possible exception of The Third Murder) you will have had some idea of what to expect with this.  He is a master of tender, low-key tales of everyday life and the drama contained within.  Our Little Sister was my first encounter with his work and was my favourite film of 2016. It features the intertwining lives of three sisters who live with their grandmother and the half-sister they effectively adopt when their estranged father dies.  It’s a simple, wonderfully uplifting film that unceremoniously shows you the progressing lives of a loving family in rural Japan.  After The Storm looks at another family, this time in Tokyo and more fractured and dysfunctional but still observed with compassion and though flawed, prove deeply sympathetic and relatable.  In Shoplifters we are again presented with a family, this time a gathering of humble misfits and miscreants predominantly bonded by solidarity in the face of poverty, hardship and neglect.  Their love for each other is evident in their actions but as the film progresses it is brought into question by figures of authority and more broadly a society that though unwilling to help them when in need is more than prepared to judge and condemn them regardless of their circumstances.

This is both an overtly political film and a deeply philosophical one but fundamentally it’s an achingly sensitive and compassionate drama.  It brings to light rarely discussed economic disparity in Japan and the difficulties of those struggling to get by.  It examines what constitutes a family and questions the value of traditional familial and societal bonds when they don’t encompass a duty of care.  It lead you to reflect on you own fortunes compassion and morality.  And it does all of this simply by presenting you with a group of characters with complex stories.  Acts that might be considered otherwise outrageous are given suitable context to leave you entirely capable of empathising with the decisions to undertake them.

A devastatingly moving and humane film, this is beautifully shot, scripted, edited and brilliantly performed by a hugely talented cast.  An irrefutable masterpiece.  Must watch.

Right, below is a recap of the list then below that will be a list of notable highlights that made the long-list, for those of you not already bored shitless

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OK, welcome back slackers. Here’s the list.

10. - You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay)

      - A Woman’s Life (Stéphane Brizé)

9.  Let The Corpses Tan (Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani)

8.  Lucky (John Carroll Lynch)

7.  Filmworker (Tony Zierra)

6.  Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig)

5.  Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson)

4.  Climax (Gaspar Noé)

3.  Utøya: July 22 (Erik Poppe)

2.  Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski)

1.  Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda)

And now for the best of the rest.  You should maybe try to watch these before reading the details too

The Rider (Chloé Zhao)

This was unquestionable beautiful and does an excellent job of showing the limitations of investing in an outmoded code of masculinity, in this instance that of the cowboy.  The amateur cast effectively play versions of themselves in the thinly disguised the story of lead actor Brady Jandreau’s struggles to adjust after a severe rodeo injury curtails his career and hopes. Why it’s not in my top 10: This is a cinematic love letter to Brady and while it’s effective in display the depth of the directors affection for him and his, admittedly very endearing, family, it’s less so as a means to convince you to share it’s viewpoint if, like me, you don’t share Chloe Zhao’s unquestioning sympathy from the outset.  Questions about animal welfare, the validity of cowboy traditions, practices and iconography in the modern world and whether that imported culture dominating life on a Lakota reservation can ever be anything but a toxic cul-de-sac, all go unasked and unanswered.

The Wild Pear Tree (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)

This probably should be in my top ten.  It’s absolutely spectacular.  Beautifully naturalistic and expansive in scope and ambition.  One regular customer at the cinema where I work said it authentically encapsulates the experiences of everyday Turkish life and so if that sounds up your street and you have a spare three and a bit hours to invest this is richly rewarding watch.

Why it’s not in my top 10: It’s just soooo long.  It’s 188 minutes but feels like longer, which I’d actually say is a good thing because it covers so much ground at such a measured pace you’re surprised when it’s over that you’ve experienced so much in such a, relatively, short space of time.  But it’s still exhausting.  While lengthy discussions work within the context of the film their inclusion teeters on the brink of indulgence and the main character, a youthful and arrogant would-be intellectual, is frankly a bit of a dick, and that’s a long time to spend in the company of someone you don’t necessarily like.  So in essence, while this is a masterpiece, it is a demanding one, and it’s because I found the physical experience of watching this to be more challenging than either enjoyable or invigorating that it slipped into the runners-up.  Once Upon A Time in Anatolia, which I rewatched earlier this year, manages to cover similar territory but still leave you enlivened so I was hoping this might do the same.

Leave No Trace (Debra Granik)

A well-paced, great looking and emotive little drama featuring exceptional central performance from Thomasin McKenzie and the dependably compelling Ben Foster as a father and daughter living on the margins of society in contemporary America.  Comparisons with with the work of Kelly Reichardt seem justified.

Why it’s not in my top 10: It’s a great film, I just personally think I saw at least 10 better ones this year.  You might feel otherwise.  (But you’d still be wrong)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

I found this to be really sweet and engaging and similarly effective to Lady Bird in giving dignity and truth to the voices of youth.  It felt a bit like a modern day update of a John Hughes film (but with the startling misogyny and casual racism excised obviously)

Why it’s not in my top 10: It’s good, but not that good.

Marlina the Murderer In Four Acts

Indonesian.  Feminist.  Western.

What more do you need to hear.  A great little film that deserves a wider audience.

Why it’s not in my top 10: You’ve got the gist of this by now surely?

A Fantastic Woman 

I think this did a really good job in highlighting the various forms of conspicuous everyday cruelty that hinder the lives of trans women and more broadly the harmful prejudices that nestle within normative society.  The film is far from perfect and is not without it’s justifiable criticism; I have heard it said that this represents a CIS gendered persons idea of what trans experience is like rather than the reality and it is true that the central character is pretty much entirely defined by her victimhood rather this being a more nuanced portrait.  So, yes, it’s maybe more than a little melodramatic but the central performance of Daniela Vega is i think still suitably engrossing to warrant your attention.

Why it’s not in my top 10: and nor are the films below

Faces / Places (Agnès Varda, JR)

This was a really lovely film.  I tend to overuse the word charming (You’ll likely notice a bunch of equally overused synonyms of it where I’ve attempted to avoid doing so above.) but it’s really apt here.  This is a delightfully playful look at the collaboration and friendship of it’s creators, filmmaking legend Agnes Varda and photographer/muralist JR as they travel around France making work.  And that pretty much it.  It’s smart, fun and funny but mostly it’s nice.  Refreshingly and unashamedly pleasant.

This was one of 3 Agnès Varda films I saw in the cinema this year and I’m deeply disappointed both that I didn’t catch more but also that I’m so late in being introduced to her work.  The other two I saw were Cleo From 5 to 7, a truly stunning piece of work that effortlessly makes many of it’s French New Wave contemporaries look painfully austere, and One Sings, The Other Doesn’t, whose first 5 minutes alone are so deliciously, guilefully political as to make this, and discovering Varda’s films in general, one of my highlights of the year.  

While the ship has sailed for the folks of Manchester to catch the Gleaning Truths season, the lucky folk of London still have a chance to catch them all and suitable time to plan as they’re all showing in early 2019 at the Prince Charles Cinema.  I heartily recommend you do so (or at the very least see Cleo From 5 to 7 then see how you go) Link here.

Lastly I want to mention a trio of horror films that stood out this year.

Hereditary was hokey, divisive and derivative of a bunch of late 70′s horror but had a great cast, some surprising twists and I found it to be a great deal of fun.  Others did not.  The choice is yours.

Mandy was a more maniacally entertaining treat, again derivative but as it’s effectively an adoring pastiche of 80′s genre films it can’t be judged too harshly on those terms.  I still think Let The Corpses Tan covers similar territory better, but this has some spectacular visuals, a superb soundtrack and a gloriously unhinged Nicholas Cage to keep you amused along the way.

The new Halloween marked an entertaining return to for the long-suffering franchise and, pleasingly, a box office success but what I found most interesting about it were the sly touches in the screenplay that suggest changes may be afoot in Hollywood.  The key protagonists are all women, they’re surrounded by a parade of shitty men who show themselves to be either abusive, untrustworthy or impotent when the time comes to face up to the embodiment of senseless murderous misogyny, Michael Myers.  There was a similar vibe in Widows, and with both it was encouraging to see politics being injected into successful mainstream offerings.  Lets hope it persist.

Celebrated films I haven’t seen that may be notably absent above:

I’ve heard good things about both Wajib and 120 BPM but haven’t seen them, so obviously can’t comment on them.  Also I haven’t got around to watching Cuarón’s Roma yet.  Or Sweet Country.  I missed that one too.

Alternative facts

In the interest of fairness and balance and the spirit of sharing here’s an alternative top 10 from my learned colleagues at HOME: https://homemcr.org/article/top-10-films-of-2018-ushers-choice/ 

(Just because their reviews are more thorough and better written, it doesn’t make them right)

And a 2018 highlight podcast if you’re really keen: 

https://homemcr.org/media/the-home-film-podcast-special-2018-round-up/

Things I’m looking forward to seeing next year:

The Favourite looks deliciously vicious and entirely up my street so I can’t wait to see that.  Green Book I very much like the look of too and is an intriguing shift for Peter Farrelly that I hope pays off.  I also have high hopes for If Beale Street Could Talk, like the sound of Destroyer, the look of Vice and am intrigued by Burning.  Anyway that’s more than enough for now.  I’m gonna go do something else.  So should you.  See you in the new year.

[spicynbachili1]

Premature Evaluation: Shortest Trip to Earth

Untimely Analysis is the weekly column during which we discover the wilds of early entry. This week, Fraser has been forged adrift in house in roguelike spaceship sim, Shortest Journey to Earth. Anticipate alien rats, explosions and… respecting the setting.

Developer: Interactive Destiny Writer: Iceberg Interactive

Launch: Out now! On: Home windows From: Steam and Humble For: £15.49, $19.99, €16.79

Rats reduce my first stellar journey brief. On nautical voyages, they used to unfold illness and eat provides that have been wanted for the lengthy, lengthy journey. Up right here, in house, they’re a ache within the arse for very completely different, however much more troublesome, causes. The rats have solid an empire, you see; an empire constructed on strict hierarchies, xenophobia and robbing travellers. In addition they blew up my lovely ship.

Like FTL and Out There, Shortest Journey to Earth is a cosmic roguelike that duties captains with flying by hostile house, system by system, till the crew reaches security, on this case, Earth. In between, chaos reigns, with random ship encounters, malfunctions and worlds throwing their total nuclear arsenal at you. Whenever you ship some crew all the way down to a planet on an expedition, you by no means know what they’re going to uncover; perhaps it’s simply assets, however it may additionally be a colony of worm monsters with ravenous appetites.

My crew was made up of six people, one cat and one drone. The ship (considered one of two out there at the beginning, with extra that may be unlocked), which seems an terrible lot like FTL’s Kestrel, begins out with the fundamentals: a mixture of missile launchers and laser turrets, an engine, a warp drive, a number of reactors, shields, sensors and loads of storage. The fundamentals, it seems, embody rather a lot. Initially of the journey, I upgraded a couple of parts and picked up some additional assets, spending perk factors and a few money. It was largely at random, not realizing what to anticipate on the market.

It’s lots to soak up, at first look. And the subsequent 100 glances. The fast however useful tutorial is welcome, however The Shortest Journey to Earth is densely packed and never the form of factor you may get a really feel for on a take a look at run or by studying the pretty complete encyclopedia. Some expertise with different space-faring roguelikes will definitely make these early moments go down a lot smoother, however on high of the acquainted are plenty of different layers that may inevitably throw you a curveball. However that’s OK! There’s nothing like an surprising catastrophe to get the blood pumping.

The primary system the ship jumped to was, I used to be shocked to seek out, extraordinarily chill. We mined a gasoline big and nabbed some additional gasoline, we extracted assets from a forest world whereas taking care to not destabilise the ecosystem and we discovered an insectoid dealer who gave us an excellent deal on some meals, together with a barrel of blood. Who doesn’t desire a barrel of blood? Other than a minor collision with an asteroid, it was a particularly light introduction to house exploration.

Planets and anomalies scanned and visited, we took off for the subsequent system. Every sector incorporates a number of stars, related by way of warp paths. The aim is to get to the ultimate star system after which journey by an historical gateway to the subsequent sector, however the path isn’t linear. You would possibly need to go to each star, and all of the planets spinning round them, buying and selling, preventing, mining and usually making an attempt to bleed every system dry earlier than shifting on. That will increase your probabilities of getting wealthy in each assets and fancy ship parts, however it additionally makes it much more doubtless that you simply’ll run out of meals or gasoline, or simply get blown up by some pirates.

You may dawdle in a system or sector for so long as you need. As an alternative of being pushed, you’re being pulled, ever so barely, to the gateway, however by yourself timeframe. There’s a lot extra room for exploration, then, when in comparison with FTL, and every procedurally generated galaxy is bursting with tales. You by no means fairly know the place they’re going to steer.

Within the second system, we encountered an industrial civilisation that warned us to depart them alone. We didn’t. I commanded the crew to fireside off some drones to spy on our new associates, not anticipating the pre-spaceflight thickos to note. They completely did discover, nevertheless, and so they reacted poorly. They launched all of their nukes at us, one tiny spaceship, however being lots slower than a ship that may journey at faster-than-light speeds, they shouldn’t have been a risk. Sadly, I used to be nonetheless feeling cocky, so I made a decision it might be an excellent concept to try to catch some nukes. Why not, proper? It labored! Kinda. Those we didn’t catch managed to hit us, doing fairly a bit of harm to each ship and crew.

Even when the choices are binary – and so they often aren’t – like selecting to tear assets out of a world with out defending the indigenous natural world or cautiously taking solely what you want, they will have lingering results or kick-start one other spherical of vital choice making. You would possibly simply see a couple of bins of temporary however well-written, playful textual content, however there are all these paths not taken, hidden from view. I’ve come throughout related planets to the one above since that unlucky assembly, however the end result has been completely different every time, not simply because I picked completely different choices, however as a result of the RNG additionally labored its fickle magic to conjure up a brand new anecdote.

I promised rats however have but to ship, so let’s discuss rodents. My first encounter with the Rat Empire was a shakedown. I used to be flying by their territory, apparently, and needed to pay the toll. They accepted xenodata, the galaxy’s fundamental foreign money, and exotics, a rarer foreign money that that’s particularly helpful for those who anticipate bribing loads of folks. I went for choice three: blow them up.

Battles can contain greater than two ships, however this time I simply needed to fear about one piddly little vessel, lower than half the dimensions of my very own. They play out in real-time however with a number of pace settings and, thank god, a pause button. The bridge can management all the pieces, however placing crew on shields and weapons makes them more practical, so everybody on my ship was working exhausting because the rat lasers prodded and probed. My very own lasers have been weakening their shields, however I wished to flex my muscle groups a bit. Missiles can bypass shields, so long as they don’t get shot down earlier than hitting their goal. Sadly for the rats, my missile made it by, setting hearth to the bridge and killing their dastardly captain.

Broadly, fight is lots like FTL’s. It’s essential fear about powering the weapons, they’ve all received cooldowns, so the aim is to disable vital parts like shields and engines, and regardless of the fights being real-time, there are positively some turn-based sensibilities. Dig down one other layer, nevertheless, and the variations turn out to be extra obvious. Regardless of the moniker of spaceship simulator, Subset Video games’ sensible roguelike usually took an RPG method to development, however as an alternative of expertise, there was scrap that might be spent on upgrading techniques just like the shields or the reactor. In Shortest Journey to Earth, for those who want extra energy, you purchase a greater reactor. Or simply plonk one other reactor right into a spare slot. Ships are extra modular, and there’s much more house to boost them. It nonetheless gained’t be sufficient house, after all; greater than as soon as I discovered myself having to decide on between two equally worthy weapons.

The victory made me bolder, flying by asteroid belts, risking an empty to tank to hunt for house mysteries, sending my crew out on probably perilous missions. So after we lastly floated as much as the gateway to the subsequent sector, I didn’t even think about paying off the rodent guards barring my ship’s manner. It was a mistake.

I regretted my boldness instantly. This Rat Empire ship was a beast, bristling with missile launchers, lasers and level defence turrets. My lasers impotently needled their protect, whereas my few remaining missiles have been neutralised earlier than they even received shut. I began to panic, and that’s when the boarding social gathering appeared. Lasergun-toting rats skittered by my ship’s corridors, however placing up a combat additionally meant taking my crew off the weapons. They are often managed remotely from the bridge, which might have been nice if the one member of the crew on the bridge wasn’t useless. It was proper then that I remembered I may customise my crew’s loadouts, making them more practical in fight. Oh properly! You reside and be taught. Effectively, you be taught.

The ship was burning, its mangled insides have been uncovered to house and the final member of the crew was placing up a valiant final stand, together with the ship’s mascot, our kitty. Does the RSPCA have something to say about bringing cats on lengthy house voyages by hostile alien territory? It must stay a thriller. Seconds later an explosion ripped the ship aside, the detritus briefly swallowed up by a blinding flash. It was over.

My first journey might have ended abruptly and with hearth and loss of life, however Shortest Journey to Earth is a uncommon roguelike that doesn’t really feel endlessly adversarial. There are many methods to keep away from battle, and I’ve spent significantly extra time having a nosey round alien planets than entering into fights, even once I was making an attempt to explode each rat I got here throughout. The roguelike parts aren’t ancillary, although. The specter of being caught in house with a ravenous crew and empty gasoline tanks looms over each journey, and the inevitability of loss of life is clearly a boon for a sport that has so many alternative tales to inform.

I’ve but to get by all 5 sectors – I’m a horrible captain – however I’m greater than content material to muddle by at my very own rambling tempo. There are many planets to discover, aliens who aren’t rats to fulfill, and do I actually need to return to Earth? It’s terrible! There are one other 5 sectors in improvement, anyway, so Earth should wait, regardless. It’s actually not half a sport, nevertheless, and probably the most notable indicator that it’s in early entry isn’t some large hole in its techniques, it’s the garbage UI, or extra particularly, the garbage system map.

The interface is unobtrusive, more often than not. It’s all hidden away and squashed on the peripheries of the display, all tiny numbers and icons. And it’s not like the sport makes use of all of this additional actual property. The ship display is busy, certain, however whenever you’re flying by house, it’s largely simply an empty void, peppered with the occasional and likewise very tiny planet or ship. It’s wonderful that something attention-grabbing occurs in these empty stellar maps.

Fascinating issues occur on a regular basis, although. One thing’s been consuming at me on my present journey. We stopped at a planet stuffed with contemplative students who have been prepared to be interrupted from their contemplations for just one go to, throughout which they provided us considered one of two presents: supplies or data. No strings. We have been operating low on provides, our bellies have been empty and there have been extra holes within the ship than appeared secure; I needed to choose the previous. And so they weren’t mendacity. They gave us plenty of assets and doubtless saved the entire ship. However once I answered, they have been smug, and so they boasted that they knew what I used to be going to select. That ruffled my feathers, however I’m additionally questioning concerning the door I didn’t open.

I’m really trying ahead to beginning once more.

from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/premature-evaluation-shortest-trip-to-earth/