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samdukewieland · 4 years

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Stuck Inside Media Diary Week 9

It was sometime during this week, very possibly the week before that I realized why egg-zacktly Mad Men has been so (”comforting” seems like a big word here, but let’s just say) comforting during this period of time. Well I guess there’s a couple of reasons, time being one of them: being able to escape to other peoples’ problems and not have them be (overtly) contemporary. The second just as obvious being that this show spends probably 95% of its settings indoors. Maybe once a season do you see these people outside for whatever reason; season 3 was probably the height of having scenes outdoors, between Sally’s teacher and those scenes and then the Roger/Jane Old Kentucky Home wedding. Surely I’ve been outside more hours than watching Mad Men these past 7 weeks, but at this point I don’t really know. Hasn’t made me want a cigarette, so that’s something.

Sunday, May 17

Sour Grapes, Rothwell & Atlas 2016 [as of now this is available on Netflix]

Pretty neat little telling of rich people getting scammed. Definitely better than the Fyre Fest docs that came out last year, though you can see this as almost a model for it, however my problems with those are the same problem here, being I don’t really care that these insanely rich people got duped. I mean I care because it feels good, but rarely do you get someone in that position (especially from a financial standpoint) admitting they got duped or doing it in a way where they’re trying not to come across as a victim. And like I get it, I know that’s the point of some of these where it’s “look at their lack of self-awareness” but that’s not particularly satisfying. What’s satisfying is seeing the person do this and explain how they did it (the why is pretty obvious) and what their process is. You wouldn’t want to see a documentary about Terry Benedict having his casinos robbed and act like he doesn’t know why (I mean I would, because I invite almost anything from the Ocaen’s-verse, but you get my point).

Mad Men, “Collaborators”, “To Have And To Hold”, “The Flood”

Season 6, upon this viewing, appears to be the weakest or second to weakest season of the series; I don’t really know for sure. It’s definitely not bad, but lacks the sense of urgency to watch. It’s a little repetitive in some of its storytelling choices with Don, but does explore the motives of the men who want to be him, but lack that Dick Whitman/Don Draper drive that only he has (in the realm of Mad Men). Pete, not unlike Don, decides to keep up his habit of having an affair (with another married person too) and keeps it close to home feeling very in tune with Pete Campbell mentality: not seeing the dangers of shitting where he eats. Sure he keeps his affair to the confines of his Manhattan apartment, but it’s with a woman who not only lives in his neighborhood, but someone who is friendly enough with his wife. It backfires instantly and because no one has ever had a frank discussion with Pete about the consequences of his actions, this might be the first time Pete has actually had to learn a lesson. But because no one talks him through “this is where you messed up and this is how you can become a better and bigger person from this” it almost feeds his outwardly victimhood. Once again, props to Vincent Kartheiser for playing Pete Campbell perfectly for 6 straight seasons (and beyond).

And here’s something Season 6 decides to ponder: how about Bobby Draper? How about Bobby Draper deals with the assassination of MLK through seeing Planet Of The Apes? Probably the toughest look Mad Men took in its run (besides Hamm losing every year to Cranston for best actor) that it totally asks for.

The Last Dance, Parts 9 & 10

The end. This thing went out how it lived: absurdly entertaining while still being confounding in what it decided to say and how to present itself. There’s probably a lot to be taken from it, but my brain will forever linger on “eat the pizza.” (partly due to The Ticket, partly due to it being one of the funniest lies I’ve ever been told) Also I’m not a Pearl Jam listener (this genre of rock is my absolute biggest blind spot), but uh, that song’s pretty cool that they played there at the end; good sports montage moment-reminded me of a montage to close out a season of The Wire. No “Right Here, Right Now” though.

Monday, May 18

Circus Of Books, Mason 2019 [as of now this is available on Netflix]

Pleasant enough li’l entry of history about an important cultural landmark in LA; it really banks on the notion of “you’d never assume these people run this store” which isn’t ineffective. But it doesn’t come from an impartial place, it comes from the daughter of the store owners, which you could argue makes her the most qualified person to tell this story. But when your subjects are so unassuming and almost bothered by your insistence to tell this story it comes across as more (unintentionally) uncomfortable rather than trying to prove a point. But that’s kind of the looming question over all of this too-what’s the point? The titular bookstore closed last year, implying that there’s importance to this instantaneously being a historic document, when really it’s just a love letter to your parents and also your brother to tie it together just a little bit nicer.

Mad Men, “For Immediate Release”

The episode where it starts to find its footing again; as interesting an idea as it is to separate Don and Peggy on paper, the execution leaves so much to be desired. Peggy needs a force to push up against and while I’m sure she might have with Jim Cutler, but that’s not super interesting. Teaming up Ted and Don, maybe the only person to respect Don as an artist, but openly questioning his method to him on the show and not taking his excuses at face value.

Tuesday, May 19

Platoon, Stone 1986

Yeh, I don’t think I like Oliver Stone movies. I think I like the ideas of them, but ultimately I just don’t think it’s a match (heartbreaking for him). Part of this was I was on a massive Apocalypse Now high chose this as a chaser for that, which is mistake, and I knew this as I was watching. Or maybe it’s just that, explicitly, Vietnam movies set out to punish you for watching them, both in trying so hard to prove its authenticity while still being heavy-handed in other regards. Oliver Stone kind of feels like your cousin who insists on telling you that Dr. Strangelove is *actually* a farce and satire (yeh, I’ve used this before-guess what, it’s happened to me).

Mad Men, “Man With A Plan”, “The Crash”

Mad Men does its Sopranos karaoke best when drugs are involved, plain and simple. Though truly wild and Tony Soprano-levels of insanity when Don forces Lindsay Weir Sylvia to stay in that hotel room for like two days straight (or maybe a day, I don’t remember).

Wednesday, May 20

Blown Away, Hopkins 1994

I can 100% guarantee you that the only reason I thought I should see this movie is because it’s been lodged in my brain and marked as “important?” because Bill Simmons mentioned it offhandedly in a podcast once saying it’s a “_____ Boston movie.” So when I was scrolling through local listings, as I’m wont to do, and I saw that it was on, almost like a Pavlovian response, I immediately hit set to record. I’ve fallen for the trap of “record movie that should only be watched if it just happens to be on-do not go out of your way to watch it” and this is just the latest entry into it. This thing’s a quintessential dad-movie that has a wayyyy better poster than it should. I should probably be mad that I watched it, but this thing is so beautifully stupid that I’d be betraying myself by acting like it isn’t entirely in my wheelhouse. I was just happy to see the marble machine pop back up when it did.

Mad Men, “The Better Half”

“Hey, uh....how about Bobby goes to Bible Camp and we just use that as an excuse to bring Don and Betty back together for a one-night fling? Yeh, I think it’s pretty good too.” Tough break for the loss of Abe, though-they always kept him far enough to want you wanting more of him, which was probably the right decision, ultimately.

Hearts Of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, Bahr & Hickenlooper & Coppola 1991

Was this good for Coppola’s image in 91? It’s coming kind of off the heels of Godfather III, which is maybe the most damning way to start off a decade. Maybe the biggest knock against this is that there’s probably still a lot unsaid, or the thing that’d be better is if you could’ve been a fly on the wall during the actual production or the editing of the documentary.

Thursday, May 21

S Is For Stanley, Infascelli 2016 [as of now this is available on Netflix]

You have to wonder if the Kubrick estate was pulling some strings to have this made as a preemptive strike against Filmworker. Yeh, yeh, we all know Stanley was difficult (man geniuses tend to be!) but what if I told you that he had a friendly side with his sweet old Italian driver who he kind of held hostage? I guess because Emilio D'Alessandro had the benefit of not working directly on the movies/Art Kubrick was making a professional/personal distance was able to be established. It’s cute and charming (small, old Italian men have that effect on me)-there’s not much more you should demand of it.

Mad Men, “A Tale Of Two Cities”, “Favors”

Sopranos karaoke meets coke part from Annie Hall. Then maybe the most traumatic thing to happen to Sally Draper, rivaled by the most traumatic thing to happen to Pete Campbell (via Peggy relaying info). Though I will say, those small moments between Peggy and Pete, moments we don’t get a lot of, are so nice, because it is one of the few times this show’s characters are stripped of trying to have an upper hand. Honesty between people, not Mad Men’s bread and butter (it has never sought to be), but they know how to serve it up in small enough doses that you don’t take them for granted when they happen.

Friday, May 22

Chinatown, Polanski 1974

Weird how no one talks about this movie being incredible. Glad I can be at the forefront for this, clearly, little seen flick and champion it as much as possible! With that said, knife to the nostril is a very real new fear for me.

Top Chef, Season 17 episode 10

If I were a person who cared about the olympics I could see myself either being very melancholy or furious after this episode. Fine challenge, though not totally surprising. I dunno man, you gotta imagine how annoyed these contestants get every time Malarkey outlives them-or at the very least incredibly tickled by it. Looking forward to binging Last Chance Kitchen before this next week’s ep.

Mad Men, “The Quality Of Mercy”

The Ken Cosgrove eyepatch is such a weird choice, but not altogether terrible. Hard to take a guy with an eyepatch seriously, which is probably the reason they gave it to Ken, because no one in that office does. The Bob Benson is a fraud reveal is fascinating in the sense of the writers trying out an experiment of “what if Don Draper but different job” though far more obvious. And what perfect symmetry having Pete find out from Duck (the man who thought he’d be able to use this information against Don and the man who, at the top of his game, absolutely could’ve used it against Don) about Bob and learned his lesson from 5 years ago and knowing how to use that information to his benefit (the setup to it is still pretty good, because I reacted this time the same way I did in 2014 with “oh Pete, you are dumb as hell” forgetting what the reveal is).

Saturday, May 23

Cast Away, Zemeckis 2000 [as of now this is available on HBO]

Somehow made it as long as I did without having seen Cast Away and it’s pretty good and also maybe the first time a Zemeckis movie gives worth to its character being (almost) extraordinary? Like in almost all his movies these characters kind of stumble into this otherworldly, almost other plane, level of humanity and ability; there tends to be a lot of right place at the right time with his main characters. So I had no idea that Cast Away flash forwards 4 years in the middle of its story (I’m kind of amazed with how little I knew about the bigger plot points of this movie, like no idea that it takes place in 1995 to start off) and not just making him instantaneous amazing hermit-man. It’s a fun movie, though I’m sure if I’d seen this in high school or early college I’d be all in a huff because of the whales, which is clearly just Zemeckis not being able to help himself. Whatever, pretty good and I’m glad he and Helen Hunt don’t end up together (though it does raise an incredible hypothetical). Though if you’re throwing a “welcome back from nowhere” party to a guy, wouldn’t you want to stick to specifically turf food as the delicacy you deliver to him? Like you’re already in Memphis, which is a pretty suspect location to have crab-give the man some BBQ, something without a shadow of a doubt he didn’t have access to on a deserted island.

Mad Men, “In Care Of” [season 6 finale], “Time Zones” [season 7A premier], “A Day’s Work”, “Field Trip”

The birth of “Not Great Bob!” truly a landmark. Season 6 is weird, it’s all a build-up, but Don’s descent has been going on for so long it’s hard to pinpoint what led to it all (maybe his divorce with Betty? Signing a contract? Anna passing away? there are so many chaos dominoes on the table that contribute to it all). Man needs therapy or to be reminded of who he is or how he got here. He’s brought down several, several pegs and he stays there and lingers in it, but he’ll be dammed if he isn’t loyal till the bitter end, or at least loyal to what he can be in control of and what he cares about (he does not care about Megan’s acting, though he does care about Megan and how much of her life he has put on halt).

Minority Report, Spielberg 2002 [as of now this is available on Netflix]

Steven Spielberg makes perfect Saturday movies. This is the sort of thing that if you had put it in anyone else’s hands it’d be without that crucial Spielberg twinge of hope or love that is the motivation behind its lead’s actions. It’s fun and pulpy and washed out and dark and takes Spielberg back to his feature debut: it’s a chase movie. It’s almost 2½ hours that flies by.

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