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The Archivist: LOONEY TUNES Collector’s Vault Volume 1
Warners’ latest cartoon roundup pulls in some rare treats and character debuts
Warner Bros may be failing Looney Tunes at the box office, but their phenomenal Warner Archive home video division is still doing a great job of mining the treasure-filled archives from the Merrie Melodies to Bugs and the gang.
The latest collection marks a new Blu-ray branding nomenclature as Volume 1 of the “Collector’s Vault” – following three volumes of “Platinum Collections” (the first two of which have just been re-released after becoming out of print and difficult to find), Bugs Bunny and mouse-themed collections, and most recently, four volumes of “Collector’s Choice” which were also combined into a single set.
Why the change this round? Well, I suspect it’s because as the earlier collections leaned toward “playing the hits”; there have been so many cartoons released on Blu-ray that we’re getting to the more obscure stuff – thus the “vault” designation as an acknowledgement that they’re digging deeper.
This branding doesn’t represent a drop in quality – popular doesn’t necessarily equate to better – but it does point to a shift in content. From here on out, we’ll probably see relatively fewer appearances from the classic gang like Bugs, Daffy, Porky, and friends, and more of the one-offs and lesser knowns.
And the great thing about these various Looney collections on Blu-ray is that, despite the various name changes and editions, they have almost zero overlap, so each collection is essentially new to Blu.
Collector’s Vault Vol. 1 is a 2-disc Blu-ray collection which ties its discs to two different groupings of shorts. Disc One collects material that’s new to disc, with no prior DVD or Blu-ray releases (with the exception of “Double or Mutton”, which also appeared on the collection immediately prior – likely a mistake, albeit an ironic one). Disc Two’s cartoons have been released on home video before (for example, on DVD collections or as bonus features on a non-Looney Tunes movies), but are making their debut in a Blu-ray collection.
As with any Looney Tunes collection, you can expect a mix of shorts across several decades (in this case ranging from 1934 to 1963), and the work of legendary animators and directors like Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, and Bob Clampett.
Overview – Disc One
And after enjoying these shorts, I think I would advise watching them in the opposite order, at least if you’re mainly here for the core Looney Tunes gang. Daffy stars in one episode, while Bugs and Porky are not featured on Disc One at all, except for a brief cameo gag or two. The shorts ont his disc consist of one-offs (like the earlier Merrie Melodies which were an answer to Disney’s Silly Symphonies), or feature secondary or less familiar recurring characters like Elmer Fudd, Egghead, Sylvester & Tweety, Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk, and Claude Cat.
To me the top picks of Disc One are the cartoons that feature two of my favorite antagonistic pairings: Sam Sheepdog & Ralph Wolf, and Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote (incidentally, Ralph and Wile E. are dead ringers). I love these characters, and these cartoons represent Looney Tunes at its best: inventive and infectious slapstick with antagonists as protagonists, who always lose but just don’t know when to give up.
Some other observations and highlights:
- Animals are an unofficial recurring theme on this disc, with most cartoons featuring all manner of farm and forest critters: roosters and chickens, chicken-hawks, foxes and wolves, cats and dogs, etc – including both familiar and unique characters.
- Beauty and the Beast is the only 2-Strip Cinecolor short in this collection.
- A Kiddies Kitty features a redheaded girl who abuses Sylvester – likely an inspiration for Tiny Toons Adventures’ Elmyra.
- The Goofy Gophers is the pairing’s first appearance.
Overview – Disc Two
The second disc features more of Bugs and the gang, and notably has first appearances from several familiar characters. In terms of viewing order, I think watching Disc Two first is a more palatable choice, starting with the familiar before digging deeper. We viewed these in disc order and found got a little impatient, enjoying the cartoons but also wondering when the gang would show up.
Disc Two is definitely the big warm hug of the set, pulling in a bunch of new-to-Blu appearances from Bugs, Porky, and friends. We also get the debut appearances of several several beloved characters including Daffy Duck, Pepe le Pew, Speedy Gonzales (looking different than his refined version), and Yosemite Sam.
Another incidental theme in this set is fourth-wall breaks – there are some pretty terrific ones including a gag where a character shoots a member of the theatrical audience for causing a distraction.
Notes and highlights:
- Hollywood icon Peter Lorre makes a couple of unofficial “guest appearances” on this disc, caricatured in Birth of a Notion and Horton Hatches the Egg.
- Cat-Tails for Two features the first appearance of Speedy Gonzales.
- Horton Hatches the Egg is worth noting; a loose adaptation of the Dr. Seuss tale. The author’s work would again intersect with Looney Tunes creators, most notably Chuck Jones, over the course of his later TV specials.
- Odor-able Kitty introduced Pepe le Pew.
- Daffy Duck is often screen-paired with Porky Pig, this association goes back to his first appearance in Porky’s Duck Hunt. This short is also the only black and white film in this collection.
Full List of Shorts with Screen Captures – Disc One:
Bars and Stripes Forever (1939) – dir. Ben Hardaway & Cal Dalton
Beauty and the Beast (1934) – dir. Friz Freleng
A Day at the Zoo (1939) – dir. Tex Avery
New restoration
The Dixie Fryer (1960) – dir. Robert McKimson
Double or Mutton (1955) – dir. Chuck Jones
Each Dawn I Crow (1949) – dir. Friz Freleng
New restoration
Easy Peckin’s (1953) – dir. Robert McKimson
Feather Dusted (1955) – dir. Robert McKimson
A Fox in a Fix (1951) – dir. Robert McKimson
Good Night Elmer (1940) – dir. Chuck Jones
The Goofy Gophers (1947) – dir. Arthur Davis
I’d Love to Take Orders From You (1936) – dir. Tex Avery
A Kiddie’s Kitty (1955) – dir. Friz Freleng
Let It Be Me (1936) – dir. Friz Freleng
Of Fox and Hounds (1940) – dir. Tex Avery
New restoration
Quackodile Tears (1962) – dir. Arthur Davis
Ready, Woolen and Able (1960) – dir. Chuck Jones
Robin Hood Makes Good (1939) – dir. Chuck Jones
The Squawkin’ Hawk (1942) – dir. Chuck Jones
Terrier Stricken (1952) – dir. Chuck Jones
Tweet and Lovely (1959) – dir. Friz Freleng
Tweety’s Circus (1955) – dir. Friz Freleng
Two’s a Crowd (1950) – dir. Chuck Jones
Wild About Hurry (1959) – dir. Chuck Jones
Zip ‘N Snort (1961) – dir. Chuck Jones
Full List of Shorts with Screen Captures – Disc Two
Ain’t She Tweet (1952) – dir. Friz Freleng
Banty Raids (1963) – dir. Robert McKimson
Birth of a Notion (1947) – dir. Robert McKimson
Bye, Bye Bluebeard (1949) – dir. Arthur Davis
Cat-Tails for Two (1953) – dir. Robert McKimson
Daffy Dilly (1948) – dir. Chuck Jones
Daffy Duck & Egghead (1938) – dir. Tex Avery
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z (1956) – dir. Chuck Jones
Gonzales’ Tamales (1957) – dir. Friz Freleng
Hare Conditioned (1945) – dir. Chuck Jones
Hare Trigger (1945) – dir. Friz Freleng
Hare Trimmed (1953) – dir. Friz Freleng
Horton Hatches the Egg (1942) – dir. Bob Clampett
Little Boy Boo (1954) – dir. Robert McKimson
Much Ado About Nutting (1953) – dir. Chuck Jones
Odor-able Kitty (1945) – dir. Chuck Jones
Past Perfumance (1955) – dir. Chuck Jones
Porky’s Duck Hunt (1937) – dir. Tex Avery
Rabbit Punch (1948) – dir. Chuck Jones
Red Riding Hoodwinked (1955) – dir. Friz Freleng
Rhapsody Rabbit (1946) – dir. Friz Freleng
Snow Business (1953) – dir. Friz Freleng
Tom Turk and Daffy (1944) – dir. Chuck Jones
Two Crows from Tacos (1956) – dir. Friz Freleng
Zoom and Bored (1957) – dir. Chuck Jones
A/V Out
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Not Even the Man of Steel Can Save James Gunn’s SUPERMAN
“Your choices, your actions, that’s what makes you who you are.”
Every child has their Superman. My boyfriend and I were of the Christopher Reeve generation, while others had Brandon Routh. Henry Cavill certainly has his legions of young fans, as do Tom Welling and Tyler Hoechlin. Having followed Corenswet’s career for a while now, I’m glad that this generation will be looking at him as their Superman. The actor’s movie star looks and genuine talent shows he has the goods to do right by the beloved character, carrying on the tradition of those who came before him while also putting his own stamp on the iconic hero and all that he symbolizes in terms of hope, optimism and everything that’s good about America. It’s just a shame that this generation’s Superman is saddled with a movie that’s the very definition of cinematic kryptonite.
Writer/director James Gunn’s take on Superman sees the titular Man of Steel (David Corenswet) trying to grapple with a rapidly changing Metropolis as it endures numerous threats to humanity at the hands of powerful mega mogul/quintessential evil villain Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). With fellow reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and various other allies, Superman fights to save Earth from Luthor’s diabolical hands.
Technical problems abound in Superman. The pacing is severely mishandled, with only a handful of scenes actually given the proper time to breathe the way they deserve. The tone, meanwhile, is all over the place. Somber scenes feel incredibly hollow, and some of the more “innovative” attempts at trying something new come off as just random (monkeys, anyone?) Elsewhere, the characterizations are largely a mess for anyone who isn’t one of the three main characters. This includes Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, whom we only see once or twice in the entire movie. That being said, the initial Lois and Superman scene is an exception, and a standout one at that. The two generate enough classic sparks that manage to channel the spirits of Tracy and Hepburn. However, moments of pathos and emotion happen too sporadically, and only one makes any kind of impact. This, coupled with a color palette that should pop but only fizzles, and effects that are passable at best, makes this one of the most lackluster Superman incarnations ever.
It’s the narrative that proves the biggest hurdle for Superman to overcome. Gunn, to his credit, wastes no time in letting the outside world’s problems find their way into his script. However, with an approach that’s too ham-fisted with its real-life parallels and yet somehow also too safe, any chance for insightful social commentary never goes beyond the surface. Beyond that, Gunn’s take feels like episode four from a limited series rather than a whole complete entry, with almost no exposition given to us as we find ourselves plunging straight into the movie’s third act within the first opening moments. A crawl text tries to rectify this and fill us in on what we’ve missed, but does an incredibly poor job at doing so. This wouldn’t be an issue if the movie were called Superman Returns, but this movie’s title is Superman. More was needed to make this iteration of the character genuinely feel like his own stand-alone entity rather than the third entry in a trilogy. But Gunn is more concerned with DC character cameos and base ideology for that. Still, they put Lois in the driver’s side of an alien spacecraft. I guess that’s progress?
Corenswet does what he can with the role, despite the limitations of the script. He carries the essence of the character’s belief in the land he’s fighting for while trying to fight off the reasons for giving up. It’s an internal struggle that the actor manages beautifully and ensures his Superman will win over audiences. Meanwhile, Brosnahan brings such spark and life to Lois, giving the movie a shot in the arm whenever it’s so desperately needed. It’s Hoult, however, who walks away with the movie’s most dynamic performance, giving enough panache to Lex to make him fun to watch, but grounding him so that he always feels dangerously credible. Otherwise, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent try their hardest (with varying degrees of success) in criminally underwritten roles.
If nothing else, Superman does feature Krypto, Superman’s adorable canine sidekick, who is always a welcome presence and is easily given more development than some of the human characters. I remember once many years ago, having a dream with a version of Superman playing out starring Brendan Fraser as the title character, Winona Ryder as Lois Lane, Steve Martin as Perry White, and Justin Timberlake as Jimmy Olson. I sadly woke up before I found out who I had cast as Lex Luthor, but I do remember the movie (as I dreamt it anyway) embodying the all-American aesthetics from yesteryear while having contemporary sensibilities. Years later, those in creative command are still trying to capture a spirit akin to what they think Superman means to them. It’s just unfortunate that even in my literal dreams, it still plays much, much better.
Action, Brandon routh, Brendan Fraser, Christopher Reeve, Clark Kent, David Corenswet, DC, Dc Universe, Drama, Guy Gardner, Henry Cavill, James Gunn, Jimmy Olsen, Justin Timberlake, Katherine Hepburn, Lois Lane, Man of Steel, Movies, Nathan Fillion, Nicholas Hoult, Perry White, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rachel Brosnahan, Review, Skyler gisondo, Spencer Tracy, Steve Martin, Superman, Superman Returns, Tyler Hoechlin, Wendell Pierce, Winona Ryder -
LOST IN AMERICA: Albert Brooks 101 [Two Cents]
![LOST IN AMERICA: Albert Brooks 101 [Two Cents]](https://i0.wp.com/cinapse.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-06-at-4.48.28-PM.png?resize=1140%2C763&ssl=1)
Criterion Collection Two Cents is a Cinapse original column akin to a book club for films. The Cinapse team curates the series and contribute their “two cents” using a maximum of 200-400 words. Guest contributors and comments are encouraged, as are suggestions for future picks. Join us as we share our two cents on films we love, films we are curious about, and films we believe merit some discussion. Would you like to be a guest contributor or programmer for an upcoming Two Cents entry? Simply watch along with us and/or send your pitches or 200-400 word reviews to cinapse.twocents@gmail.com.
The Pick: Lost In America (1985)
The Team
Ed Travis
It is my shame that has led us here.
Albert Brooks is simply one of my great cinematic blind spots, and it was my idea to take a look at some of his films so I could scratch a few of them from my list of shame and hopefully bring a few friends, fans, and fellow cinephiles along with me. I mean sure, I’ve seen the Nemo movies, and of course I’ve seen Drive, which we’ll be covering later in this series. But those are the films that utilized Brooks because he was ALREADY a legend. So I’m excited to dive into some of his earlier work that is very highly regarded.
Co-written, directed by, and starring Brooks, Lost In America is at one level a breezy and funny comedy about a couple who leave it all behind and hit the road on a wing and a prayer. And on that level it’s pretty funny, zips by at roughly 90 minutes, and more or less entertains front to back. But man, are Brooks’ character David Howard’s neuroses on full display here. A sort of an “ugly American” type of story, David and Linda (the great Julie Hagerty that I mostly only know from Airplane) aren’t the most likeable or sympathetic protagonists in the world. Sure, they’re fulfilling a fantasy that countless others have had, perhaps also inspired by Easy Rider, as David is. But David is selfish and impulsive, and rather than face the consequences of a well deserved firing, they hit the road wildly unequipped for the journey ahead. So Lost In America does seem to have a bit of a desire to lampoon this type of American who thinks they can perhaps escape the consequences of their actions by simply running away into “freedom”.
Diving into the ending, though, after failing decisively at living off of their nest egg for even a single night, the film says a lot with the conclusion, in which David “eats shit” and runs back to the corporate job he had brazenly rejected before, and all lived happily ever after. Lost In America speaks to the longing everyone has to be free, the delusion many have that they can make it on their own, system be damned, and the ridiculous white, straight, male privilege that is afforded so that our leads can be accepted back into the fold, albeit with their tails between their legs.
Criterion Collection Frank Calvillo
[Culled from Frank’s full Criterion review of Lost In America.]
Lost in America is classic Brooks in every way possible, from the character he’s given himself to play, to the endearing heroine, to the witty script (“What do you think,” Linda asks David upon entering their gaudy hotel room. “I think if Liberace had children, this would be their room,” he replies.) As a road movie, Lost in America is less about the sort of quick, gag-filled moments that are usually found in the genre, but rather about the situations which develop organically, snowball, and become incredibly involving as a result.
It is easy to spot and understand what David and Linda are running away from by quitting their jobs and heading out for a life on the road. Their actions speak to an incredibly real fear of becoming full-fledged members of the yuppie culture, consumed by materialism in every way, shape and form while remaining slaves to their slow-moving careers. The possibility of both David and Linda, former members of the hippie culture, wanting to return to an existence built on the more naturalistic side of life is easy to imagine given the epiphany both go through. But there’s a real fear about the decade that moves the couple; a fear of climbing up the social and corporate ladder and being dehumanized by it. One of the ultimate themes of Lost in America remains the idea of finally having everything you’ve ever strived for and then asking: Who am I now?
What David and Linda hope to find through this radical change is a re-connection with the people they once were before the stylish trappings of the decade took hold of them. The desirable 80s lifestyle that the decade ushered it has gotten to them so much, that the couple begins to feel that they literally can’t become the people they’re trying to be without being swallowed up by the times. Despite the best of intentions, it’s heartbreaking and funny to watch fate rear its ugly head at David and Linda. Key moments, including Linda blowing their life savings at a Las Vegas casino to the two eventually taking the most menial of jobs, and pretending they’re happier as a result, shows how futile their efforts of escape are. Ultimately however, David and Linda’s 80s existence is so much a part of them now, regardless of who they might have been once that it flat out prevents them from being able to make it on their own, inevitably pulling the two back in.
Criterion Collection Eddie Strait
The thing that immediately stands out about Lost in America is that David (Albert Brooks) and Linda (Julie Hagerty) are lost long before Linda gambles away their nest egg. They lead lives with no fulfillment, no satisfaction. Linda’s worked in a windowless office for years, and David’s so settled in his ad exec life and so used to getting his way that the first time (in a loooong time) something doesn’t go his way, his first inclination is to run away and she’s all too ready to go along with his absurd plan.
David is the kind of guy that I simultaneously fear and feel bad for: he has a good job, a loving wife, a very comfortable life and it’s not enough for him. He values money and status more than anything and that’s how he defines himself. Even when he loses those things, he doesn’t lose the sense of entitlement that came with his previous life. That drives a lot of the film’s humor, and Brooks gets a lot of mileage out of making David the unwitting butt of so many of the film’s jokes. The ultimate joke of the movie is that David’s initial plan to get lost is built on a failsafe. When all the chips are really down and he and Julie are forced to find new jobs (with her immediately finding a better job than him), their first reaction is to abandon that and go get their old life back.
I’m writing this moments after finishing the film, a first-time watch for me, and I feel like my thoughts are swirling. The movie is a really, really funny, but the bits that are rising to the top as I work through my thoughts are the most acidic parts of Brooks’ commentary. Great movie, a particularly great performance by Hagerty, and a damning portrait of entitlement.
IMDb
ALBERT BROOKS 101
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And we’re out.
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Black on Blu: Steven Soderbergh’s Espionage Thriller BLACK BAG Comes to Home Video
A stellar cast delivers an absorbing, relationship-diven spy drama
While plenty of modern spy movies have considered the situations of love and marriage in the world of espionage, it’s usually filtered through the lens of comedy and action with fun fare like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, True Lies, Knight and Day. Steven Soderbergh’s new spy thriller Black Bag takes a harder look at “the spies who loved”, from among a team of British intelligence officers.
Unlike those other films mentioned, Black Bag is a not a fast-moving crowd-pleaser. It’s relatively light on action and instead concerned with character-driven conflict (even more so than the mystery at the center of its plot).
As several characters lament, it’s not easy for a spy to maintain a romantic relationship. It’s difficult to meet people, dangerous for your partner, poisoned by constant secrecy, and too easy (and sometimes even part of the job description) to cheat.
Stable couple George and Kathryn (Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett) have seemingly beaten the odds by remaining honest and open with each other, and both working at the same agency, Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre. But even their ideal romance is threatened when George is tasked with a critical directive to find a mole in their midst. With increasing pressure from a gruff director (Pierce Brosnan), he must investigate a list of likely suspects – his colleagues and friends – where one name in particular stands out: that of his wife.
The film’s cast is stellar and thoughtfully assembled. It’s worth noting in particular that there are two major veteran players from the world of James Bond, both playing against type. In addition to Brosnan, Naomie Harris (Moneypenny in the Daniel Craig Bond films) also appears as Dr. Vaughan, the agency’s acerbic psychologist.
Joining the veterans are rising actors as the up-and-coming agents. An early scene in which George invites his colleagues/suspects to a dinner date not only provides a nod to an old favorite plot device among whodunits, but gives the audience a chance to observe these characters, who also happen to be couples, and their dynamics: Tom Burke (The Musketeers, Furiosa) and Marisa Abela (Industry, Back to Black), whose relationship is in a rocky state due to suspicions of infidelity, and Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton) as a young officer paired with Harris, who, like her, seems cool and calculating. As an argument unfolds, the camera frames in on close-ups of each character, providing a glimpse into their internal mechanisms.
While George is the protagonist, the film takes time to focus on other characters and dialogues among the other characters, most interestingly in their individual meetings with Dr. Vaughan, who professionally peels back at their attitudes, and not without some attitude of her own.
George’s investigation of his colleagues – and particularly of Kathryn – reveal new surprises and clues, red flags and red herrings, misread cues, and surprisingly high stakes: the leaking of their top secret project could lead to the deaths of thousands.
And as the situation tightens, so too does the suspicion that he may be in a trap.
Slick, beautifully photographed (with a heavy emphasis on blooming light), and full of razor-sharp dialogue, Black Bag is another smart thriller from Soderbergh that demonstrates his skilled hand. As Brosnan mentions in the bonus features, some directors waffle around and try to find the scene, whereas Soderbergh is impeccably attuned to executing a vision, and you can definitely get that impression when watching this.
The Package:
Black Bag has arrived on 4K+Blu-ray+Digital and Blu-ray+Digital editions from Universal & Focus Features. I am reviewing the 4K edition. Physically, the discs are housed in a standard black Elite 2-disc case. My copy included a slipcover which features the same art as the case. Both releases include a Movies Anywhere digital copy of the film.
Special Features and Extras
- The Company of Talent (10:12) – Cast and crew describe the excitement and professionalism of working with the stellar troupe and Steven Soderbergh.
- Designing Black Bag (5:28) – an analysis of the film’s sophisticated and elegant style, including the locations and set designs, costumes & makeup, and how the designs inform the characters
- Deleted Scenes (6:25)
- George and Freddie have a Chat (1:53)
- Anna Calls Kathryn (3:15)
- Clarissa Meets with Dr. Vaughan (1:16)
A/V Out.
Get it at Amazon: 4K UHD | Blu-ray | Watch digitally
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The Best Show On TV Just Had Its Best Season Yet
British Game Show TASKMASTER Keeps Finding New Comedic Heights
Great TV is rarely in short supply, but over the past few years no show has provided the same consistent super-charge of joy as an oddball British gameshow available, in its entirety, for free, on YouTube. Like any long-running creative endeavor, Taskmaster has had its ups and downs over the years, but even at its weakest this is a program that delivers television, comedy, and humanity at its warmest, silliest, and best.
The premise is simple perfection: Each series (season) a line-up of five comedians compete against one another doing a number of ridiculous tasks. The tasks range from the fiendishly complex (order a pizza without saying ‘pizza’) to the diabolically simple (get this egg as high as possible without breaking it). Later, the contestants have their performances scored from 1-5 by the titular Taskmaster, the hulking physical avatar of Done With Your Nonsense teachers everywhere, Greg Davies.
Controlling all the levers and layers of the game is creator, task mastermind, and in-show sycophantic assistant (Little) Alex Horne. Horne and company have, for 19 seasons (series) delighted in devising tasks that are as entertaining to watch as they are maddening-bordering-on-torturous to perform. Early series (seasons) occasionally strayed too close to hidden camera/prank show territory, but the longer Taskmaster has gone on, the more the show has created its own comedic universe, cut off from the public world and free of any encumbrances like good taste or personal dignity. The Taskmaster house is increasingly a space where contestants feel liberated to indulge their most gonzo impulses and ideas. Sometimes those ideas succeed, and sometimes they implode in gloriously silly fashion. Either way, you’re laughing. And usually laughing pretty damn hard.
Without trying to get overly deep on this very silly show, part of the ongoing success of Taskmaster after almost twenty seasons (series) is the way that the very simple set-up creates a space for boundless creativity. No matter how rudimentary a task might seem (fill this glass from the furthest distance away; unroll this ball of string) Horne and his team can find ways to insert devious complications and trapdoors. Even when there are no tricks in place, no two contestants ever approach the same task in the same way. On Taskmaster, ingenuity and idiocy sit side by side not just within the same episode, but within the same person. You never quite know which outcome a given task will inspire: A contestant who has humiliated themselves week after week might suddenly dazzle with the perfect out-of-the-box approach to the latest challenge, while a contestant who has done well all series (season) might completely faceplant on an assignment the others breezed through.
While Taskmaster has never been afraid to go grandiose (one Covid-era season [series] saw the show treat an empty airport like the world’s largest playground), Taskmaster is forever at its best when the tasks are the kind that can be easily replicated with your own household items. Pineapples, eggs, balloons, marbles, arts and crafts supplies, random nonsense you might find in any shed, all have been put to legendary use on this show. Even as you laugh hysterically at another adult shredding every last scrap of dignity in the name of scoring arbitrary points in a meaningless contest for a silly TV show, you also can’t help but wonder: “How would I fill that glass? How would I stop that soccer (football) ball from scoring? Would I spot the trick Alex planted in the background and beat the task? Or would I miss it and end up exhausted, half-naked, shame-faced, and covered in goo of varied and indeterminate origin?”
Taskmaster chugged along for 18 seasons (series) with a remarkably consistent record of success. Of that run, the only ones I don’t love to revisit are the episodes produced during the Covid pandemic. Through no fault of the production team or the various cast members, the empty studios and enforced social distancing put too much of a damper on the raucous and communal atmosphere of the show.
Even by Taskmaster’s high standards, though, the recently finished season (series) 19 was something special. The combination of comedians Fatiha El-Ghorri, Mathew Baynton, Rosie Ramsey, Stevie Martin, and especially Jason Mantzoukas proved to be a lightning bolt of energy that made Taskmaster’s weekly episode drop absolute appointment viewing.
Series (seasons) often take a few episodes for the cast chemistry to really gel, but here the whole gang fired on all cylinders from the very jump. Whether it was El-Ghorri alternating between abject dismissal of the show and barely restrained lust for Davies or Baynton steadily losing his mind even as he racked up multiple wins, each contestant had a clear comedic game that only escalated as the season (series) progressed. More than that, the chemistry between the cast was the sort of magic that can’t be predicted or planned. For ten weeks, Taskmaster viewers got to enjoy a group of people who truly seemed to be having the time of their lives, a feeling that proved infectious.
And no one appeared to be having more fun in this, or any, series (season) than Jason Mantzoukas. A well-known actor, comedian, and podcaster, Mantzoukas has built a legendary reputation for himself in certain comic circles as a fearless improviser and force of unhinged anarchy. His stock and trade on programs like The League and Brooklyn Nine Nine is bug-eyed psychopathy, with a seemingly limitless reserve of maniac energy he can tap into at will. Turning him loose on a bunch of Brits and the rigid format of Taskmaster was the equivalent of the proverbial bull in a China shop, assuming the bull had just done a bunch of cocaine and was strapped with a belt of lit firecrackers for some reason. (Little) Alex Horne is known for building tricks into the tasks, to which Jason responded with an approach that can best be described as, “I’m not trapped in here with you, you’re trapped in here with me”. Whether he was demolishing the set every chance he could, holding Alex hostage for hours, begging to get onto the roof or allowed out into oncoming traffic, or breaking tasks easily via various tools and gadgets he brought, Mantzoukas treated Taskmaster as a license to run amok in the margins of British politesse, and it could not have been funnier. Unless he somehow gave a bull a bunch of cocaine and strapped it with lit firecrackers and set it loose in a China shop, which I honestly by the end of this season (series) would not have put past the man.
So what have we learned today? Well, we’ve learned that some things do get better with age, and that sometimes Americans treating foreign nations as an excuse for a multi-stage demolition derby can actually yield positive results. But really, the main takeaway from Taskmaster is that right now there is no way to quantify or qualify the value of delivering uncomplicated joy to an audience. On Taskmaster, you see us at our silliest, our cleverest, at our most happily shameless and exuberant. And if this most recent run was any indication, we can expect the show to keep delivering on that front for many series (seasons) to come.
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CFF 2025: EXORCISMO: THE TRANSGRESSIVE LEGACY OF CLASIFICADA ‘S’ offers up a Dense Deep Dive into Spanish Cinema
Severin Films offers up yet another masterclass on genre cinema.
This was totally by coincidence, the one film I HAD to see at Tribeca was a Severin produced doc on one of my favorite genre directors Andy Milligan, and the first thing I decided to click on to view on the virtual edition of the Chattanooga Film Festival was yet another Severin produced doc directed by Alberto Sedano – Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada ‘S’. Which I originally clicked on first – because it was a doc, and second – it had some bonkers artwork (See above) – which is how you sometimes have to pick things when doing a virtual festival. The description, honestly for this one just didn’t do it justice because little did I know, I was about to be taken to school yet again by my favorite boutique label.
This is because Severin is content simply releasing niche films from forgotten corners, but also producing docs such as this – that delivers the context to properly enjoy and discover them, allowing their fans to follow along with the label down these esoteric rabbit holes together. While this no doubt encourages sales, I feel like these forays come from a better place than simply late-stage capitalism.
While the film does tackle this S Classification as promised – which were films that contained sexual, violent or political content, and how they came to be in Spanish cinema after relaxed censorship laws. This ability to show things previously forbidden was primarily due to the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. While the film’s title and description would lead you to believe it was more about the ‘What’, I was more curious about the ‘Why’- and thankfully the doc doesn’t shy away from the fascinating deep dive into Spanish history to explain just that. Having already fallen down this rabbit hole of Spanish Genre film history thanks to Eloy De La Iglesia’s Quinqui (pronounced ‘kinky’) films I was already a bit deep in the weeds and looking for the kind of clarity this doc offers.
I recall one frustrating night of bouncing from one Wikipedia post to another trying to really understand, just what would push and influence Eloy de la Iglesia (Cannibal Man, No One Heard The Scream), to craft some of the most graphic juvenile delinquent films you will ever see.
With a vibe akin to Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched, Exorcismo powers through a dense masterclass of Spanish socio/political history to deconstruct how once censorship was laxed, it created a raging thirst for this unfettered content. This in turn influenced its genre film output — this is broken down in informative sound bites with talking head interviews with the likes of Gaspar Noé, Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Álex de la Iglesia. Narration on the doc is by Iggy Pop, whose gravely and weary vocals add an interesting weight to the information unfolding on screen. The film offers nothing short of a semester’s worth of Spanish film history, that leaves the viewer with a better comprehension of the history and market that fueled these graphic and sometimes extreme cinematic forays, while also suggesting titles for those that have yet to travel this path.
While I feel like I have a better grasp of the film’s subject matter than I ever had before, I feel like I really HAVE to see this film again to really soak it all in. Like All the Haunts the film hits on an almost academic level with its exploration of Spanish genre cinema and the history behind it. ItItss something I appreciate as a cinephile, to have that history and context curated in such a way that it’s much easier to digest and understand. While this isn’t going to be for the more casual genre fans, I think it will definitely help those like myself better understand some of these works and the environments that helped forge them. Severin is simply out there killing it with this work and it’s something that needs to be done sooner rather than later before the people who experienced these even’t can no longer tell those stories.
I feel like a broken record, but if Spanish horror is your jam, you NEED to see this doc and unlock that whole new level of context and understanding that is just waiting for you.
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Spinema Issue 77 – GIVE ME A WORD: THE COLLECTIVE SOUL STORY
Lend an ear to SPINEMA: a column exploring all movie music, music related to movies, and movies related to music. Be they film scores on vinyl, documentaries on legendary musicians, or albums of original songs by horror directors, all shall be reviewed here. Batten down your headphones, because shit’s about to sound cinematic.
Give Me a Word: The Collective Soul Story hit digital platforms today, and arrives on Blu-ray and DVD home video tomorrow, July 8. The source of this review and screen captures is the Apple release, and the compressed images and are not representative of actual picture quality.
Over 30 years since exploding onto a grunge-dominated rock scene with their uplifting single Shine and debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, Collective Soul is still going strong, continuously touring and putting out new albums. The Georgia outfit experienced massive success early, charting their first single as a demo before even solidifying a lineup, but also weathered numerous trials and challenges, both internally and in the shifting music industry.
Give Me a Word: The Collective Soul Story, filmed in 2023 as the band records what would become their double-album Here to Eternity at Elvis Presley’s west coast estate in Palm Springs, CA, finds the group introspective and grateful as they approach their 30th anniversary.
Speaking personally as the reviewer, I’m a big fan of this band, especially their first four records – Hints was followed by Collective Soul, Disciplined Breakdown, and my personal favorite Dosage – which were all an integral major part of the soundtrack to my high school years. And I’ve stayed with the band and continued to enjoy their new music, though not with the same level of impact or interest as in my youth.
As the band’s creator, frontman, and primary songwriter, Ed Roland gets the most attention in the film, but each current member is featured prominently and former members are also included. While the band’s lineup has had some changes, its core is a family affair, anchored by a core trio almost from the beginning: preacher’s kids Ed and younger brother Dean (rhythm guitar), and their childhood friend Will Turpin on bass.
For many fans like myself, the first iteration of the band, with lead guitarist Ross Childress and drummer Shane Evans, is the one that we are most attached to. I was very pleased to see that both members were interviewed and included in the doc – and then surprised to learn the “terminated with cause” circumstances behind each of their departures, which I was not aware of. (It’s worth noting that we don’t really hear about their departures from their own perspectives, and their interview segments are recorded separately, providing no indication that any reconciliation has taken place, and suggesting the opposite).
The film does get into some raw moments and painful memories, not only on the conflicts that broke up the original band, but personal struggles, the deaths of close friends, and an embattled divorce from the band’s original manager Bill Richardson, someone they regarded fondly as a friend but who also failed as a manager to protect their interests. I was shocked to learn that at the height of their commercial fame, the band members were were living on poverty wages despite selling multiplatinum records.
The film also devotes a segment to another Bill, honoring Bill Turpin (Will’s father, who passed away in 2018), who served as a mentor and teacher to the boys, which is great bit of backstory I wasn’t aware of. Bill owned a recording studio which served as an indispensable backdrop for the developing musicians learning and honing their craft. The band calls their initial breakout a “nine year overnight success” – their sudden arrival was prefaced by nearly a decade of Ed tooling around and learning everything he could about making, recording, and producing music at Real to Reel Studios.
His tireless dedication as a musician is definitely a theme, and one particular segment I found really interesting was Ed reviewing a library of his own brainstorm recordings on his phone – like many musicians he jots down or records his song ideas constantly, reviewing them later to see what sticks. While not unusual, it’s a nice candid(ish) moment looking into his process.
The film has an unenviable task of trying to cram three decades of history into a feature length documentary, and does its best. While I would have liked to see certain things expounded on more, I can’t argue that it didn’t focus on the most important areas: the band’s background and formative years, rise to stardom, first couple of albums, implosion, rebirth, and current status. It’s a good balance: unfortunately the later period (as an independent entity, post-Youth) is glossed over, but in the context of a feature-length film, that’s the right stuff to cut out – instead, the doc honors this era by highlighting the newer members, lead guitarist Jesse Triplett and drummer Johnny Rabb. In addition to the band, the film also highlights some other key team members who are a part of the family, supporting them in other areas like production and marketing.
One omission that truly did surprise me was the band’s collaboration with Elton John on “Perfect Day” (on Blender, the fifth and final record from the Atlantic era with the band’s classic lineup) – doubly surprising since it’s often highlighted by the band as a key milestone.
Aside on the subject of Blender, Ed gave another shocking statement that its (oft hated) Backstreet Boys-esque album cover was an inside joke that backfired. Even now after hearing his take, I kind of question whether he actually understands how much this design choice hurt the band’s image and credibility among fans who didn’t get the joke.
Anyway for the most part that this film is edited pretty well given the challenging constraints. Excusing one jarring instance in which Ed is shown loading a record onto a turntable – even from a brief, obscured view of its cover it’s obviously The Clash’s Combat Rock – and then cutting to him dancing to a completely unrelated tune. This transition just feels like an underestimation of the audience.
As a longtime fan who loves this band, I also loved this documentary and was at times moved to tears, and I actually did learn a lot I didn’t know. Maybe that puts me in a sweet spot; it’s hard to say how more detached or objective viewers would react without being as emotionally invested in the subject. On the other hand, more hardcore fans might not find it as informative as I did. But I can’t imagine any music lovers not finding something of value with this inside look at one of America’s most earnest, original, and enduring rock bands.
A/V Out
Get it at Amazon: Blu-ray | DVD
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LETHAL WEAPON 4K Review: The Action-Noir Classic shines on UHD
Richard Donner and Shane Black made movie magic
Review disc provided by Warner Bros. Home Video, images captured by reviewer and subject to copyright. 1987 was a real watershed year for action cinema. A year before he would redefine the action star with a little movie called Die Hard, John McTiernan released Predator – still regarded as one of superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best films – with a supporting character played by a young screenwriter named Shane Black. And while he didn’t boast a ton of screen time, by the time his jokes about large female reproductive organs were reaching audiences, Black had become one of the hottest up-and-comers in Hollywood because of a different movie that released three months earlier.
Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon.
There were movies in the “buddy cop” action genre before Lethal Weapon, but there’s a clear line of demarcation between those, and the ones that came after. Much the same way John Carpenter codified the slasher with Halloween, the alchemy of Shane Black’s neo-noir script, Donner’s command of visual language and tone, and the blistering chemistry between stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, Lethal Weapon became a template that action movies have been chasing for nearly 40 years.
The film’s story is a prime example of Black’s fascination with “knights in tarnished armor,” pairing loving family man and straight-laced police sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Glover) with wild card Martin Riggs (Gibson), a narcotics cop whose grief at the loss of his wife has manifested in suicidal behavior and explosive violence. That’s a hell of a 50th birthday present for Murtaugh (he’s too old for this shit), but when the daughter of an old army buddy is murdered, both sergeants find themselves up to their necks in a web of corruption and hunted by special forces mercenaries, and wouldn’t you know it? They’re gonna have to work together despite their differences and bring out the best of each other to survive.
Yeah, they’re not wild about it at first.
While this film is a proven quality, that cliche elicits a wince for a reason – there’s an important balance to the “bickering partners” (be they romantic or otherwise) that you need to strike for the dynamic to be exciting rather than tiring or shrill. Riggs and Murtaugh work together because there’s a miniature 3-act play in the first act of the movie where they meet, air out all their shit to each other, and bond over Riggs saving Murtaugh’s life so that they’re having dinner at Roger’s house before the 45 minute mark. It keeps the relationship an evolving thing throughout the film, but it establishes it and invests the audience in the stakes of it as it pushes the partners through their mystery. Black’s snappy writing and the actors’ natural patter create a situation where each conversation is as much a set piece as the next shootout or explosion, but Donner’s direction is what really puts things over.
Richard Donner was no stranger to big productions (having infamously helmed 1/2 of the gargantuan two-part Superman adaptation that the Salkinds hired him on for, and delivering a pop culture touchstone with 1978’s Superman: The Movie), but there’s a bullish energy combined with clean confidence to his direction here. Donner handily steps up to plate to handle the run and gun action of police detectives having shootouts and car chases with mercenaries, and teaming with cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt let them create a hyper-real version of L.A.’s sun-baked days and neon-soaked nights for the cast to live in. The frame captures a version of the 1980s with room for the seedy bars and desert vistas out of a ’40s gangster or western serial as well as the holiday warmth of the Murtaugh family home. Donner employs snappy editing when needed, but also positively luxuriates in “Spielberg oners” where his camera with glide around actors for an entire short scene without cutting.
Going back to this after the bombastic mayhem of filmmakers like Michael Bay and the rise of the digital blockbuster era, Lethal Weapon remains a rollicking action thriller on a refreshingly intimate scale. The tactile grace of Donner’s filmmaking and Black’s crackling script hold up so well that the only elements that feel at all dated are the occasional moments of casual racism, sexism, and/or homophobia. While the franchise went in a decidedly sillier direction later, this film’s laser focus on the aching pathos behind the characters’ fun banter assures its place in the canon of action cinema.
(I’ll cover Theatrical vs. Director’s Cuts in Bonus Content, but the short answer is there’s no wrong way to watch this classic.)
Presentation:
This is the first time Lethal Weapon has been remastered in 4K Ultra HD for a home video release. Warner Bros. may not have a spotless record when it comes to their 4K releases (the North Remembers Fury Road), this release is a genuinely gorgeous transfer. Color saturation is beautiful but never garish, and detail is sharp against gorgeous blacks while never getting washed out in bright daylight scenes. There’s no over-scrubbing of grain to be found, resulting in a texture and level of detail that would make for demo-disc material if not for the lack of Dolby Vision.
In spite of that, I’m a big fan of the balance of grounded realism and heightened (often literally) pulp achieved here visually. I’m just going to let a few of these grabs speak for themselves.
Donner’s helicopter photography rival’s even Cameron’s at times, imo. I mean, damn.
This release includes a new Dolby Atmos remix audio track for both Theatrical and the Directors’ Cuts, as well as a DTS HD original 2.0 track for the Theatrical cut only. The Atmos mix is a little beefier with added directionality at times, but the 2.0 track still works as the definitive mix.
Both the Theatrical and the Director’s Cuts are presented in their original 1:85:1 widescreen aspect ratio.
Bonus Content:
Theatrical vs. Director’s Cut
Interestingly enough, Lethal Weapon was one of the early examples of a “legacy” franchise getting Director’s Cuts widely released. The first three entries all had VHS releases with previously deleted footage, before their DVD releases did the same, and it’s always been an enticing additive rather than a necessity. However, its inclusion here is more than welcome for longtime fans.
The extended version of the film is only 7 minutes longer than the original’s svelte 110, and is functionally similar to the Special Edition of Aliens. The theatrical versions of both films are machines of pacing, but the extra beats here and there make for an enriching repeat viewing.
Two of the scenes rhyme with theatrical counterparts, like Murtaugh going to the shooting range to reassure himself of his skills (and setting up the Neck Pop Quickdraw, making its use in the finale a rather clever rule of three), or Riggs taking down a school shooter in a near-suicidal confrontation.
I personally prefer the schoolyard showdown to its theatrical counterpart where Riggs takes down a cocaine ring in a Christmas tree sales lot, as it shows Riggs’ reckless nature stemming in part from a genuine desire to help the vulnerable.
There’s also a scene that walks a razor’s edge between creepy and sweet when Riggs picks up a working girl, but only so he can pay her $100 to watch “The Three Stooges” with him.
Look, there was a lot of cocaine in the ’80s.
Specifications:
Disc – 4K UHD Bluray
Theatrical Cut of the Film (110 minutes)
Director’s Cut of the Film (117 minutes)
- A Legacy of Inspiration: Remembering Dick Donner (7 minutes) – new retrospective with cast and crew about late director Richard Donner (1930 – 2021)
- “I’m Too Old For This…” A Chemistry That Became Iconic (6 minutes) – new retrospective with cast and crew on the chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover
- Dolby Atmos remix audio track
- Dolby HD 7.1 audio track
- DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track (Theatrical Cut only)
- Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
On the whole, the special features on this release are fairly disappointing, lacking even the ported-over bonus features from the 2012 Blu-ray box set release. It’s a worthy audio/visual upgrade, but it’s also worth wondering how long it’ll take them to get the other three films out for a collection if you’ve already got the previous franchise set.
Lethal Weapon is available now on 4K UHD from Warner Bros. Home Video.
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Two Cents: BPM Dances in the Face of Death and Discrimination
Robin Campillo’s ACTUP Docudrama celebrates Queer resistance with joyous sound and fury
Two Cents is a Cinapse original column akin to a book club for films. The Cinapse team curates the series and contribute their “two cents” using a maximum of 200-400 words. Guest contributors and comments are encouraged, as are suggestions for future picks. Join us as we share our two cents on films we love, films we are curious about, and films we believe merit some discussion. Would you like to be a guest contributor or programmer for an upcoming Two Cents entry? Simply watch along with us and/or send your pitches or 200-400 word reviews to cinapse.twocents@gmail.com.
The Pick:
Cinapse closes Pride Month with a powerful reminder of the importance of resistance at every level of life. Winner of the Cannes Grand Prix and Best Film at France’s César Awards, BPM (120 Battements Par Minute) is a stirring, joyful docudrama about Paris’s ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Confronting the Mitterrand government’s indifference and a heteronormative society, ACT UP channels righteous anger into dramatic, nonviolent protests to disrupt public complacency toward the AIDS crisis. Decades after the epidemic’s peak, LGBTQ+ communities still face discrimination and stigma—making BPM’s portrait of resistance, both through protest and the defiant joy of living in the face of death, as urgent and resonant as ever.
The Team
Ed Travis
Towards the end of BPM, a film set in and around the AIDS epidemic era (early 1990s) in France, a truly sacred scene unfolds.
Through most of the film we follow activist group ACT UP as they apply pressure on big pharma and the French government to speed AIDS research. Most of them are Positive themselves, so their activism isn’t performative…it’s life or death. The film takes us inside planning meetings, getting deep into the weeds on how they coordinate their disruptive demonstrations, how they determine the right levels of pressure to apply to get real results, and when they’ve gone too far in ways that might negatively impact the movement. It’s passionate and insightful, bold and yes, disruptive. It’s through these demonstrations and meetings that we get to know Sean (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), who is HIV positive, and Nathan (Arnaud Valois), who is negative.
As these men meet, fall in love, and navigate the nuances of sex and protection in a terrifying era, the audience is exposed to very intimate relational dynamics. We fall in love with Sean and Nathan even as watch Sean’s health deteriorate. Ultimately Nathan aids Sean in his death, and we’re invited into the aforementioned sacred space of Sean’s immediate death, the care taken around his body, and the gathering of friends and community who join Sean’s mother, and Nathan, to be together, to remember, to mourn, and to encourage. The scene goes on for quite a while, and when each new friend arrived at the apartment in solidarity with Sean, to pay respects, to lift up his mother, and to comfort Nathan, more and more tears escaped my eyes.
My own mother passed away on March 31st of this year, and I was present with her when she passed. My whole family was. We stayed with her, we mourned, we read scriptures, we talked to her, we talked to one another. It was sad, yes… but more than anything, it was sacred. Hallowed. An unforgettable moment of seismic meaning that our beloved mother, my Dad’s wife of over 62 years, had passed forever from this plane to the next. The gathering of my family and community around me in and around the death of my mother was profoundly meaningful, and I’m more deeply attuned to the sacred nature of death, and the profundity of coming together, mourning in community, and solidarity.
All of this is to say that BPM is potent empathy cinema that I was uniquely positioned to receive powerfully. It lets viewers in to see the challenges, fears, and desperations of the gay community at a time when they were facing existential threat. It allows us to fall in love with our brave, vulnerable, and profoundly human characters, and deeply feel their loss. It allows us to gather around Sean’s body, along with his community, his family, and mourn for him, not to mention the many thousands that we tragically lost (and are still losing) to this illness.
Julian Singleton
BPM opens with an emotionally charged ACT UP Paris debate over a protest-gone-awry—messy, impassioned, full of clashing ideologies on how best to be heard. Robin Campillo’s LGBTQ+ masterpiece quickly reveals itself as more than a political drama: whether its audience is Queer or not, it’s a visceral meditation on how to live fully when life itself is under siege bon both societal and cellular levels.
Drawing from his and co-writer Philippe Mangeot’s own experience in the HIV/AIDS resistance of the 1980s, Campillo follows a vibrant ensemble of gay, lesbian, and trans activists channeling grief into action. Nathan (Arnaud Valois), a HIV-negative man haunted by loss, finds purpose in ACT UP’s confrontational, nonviolent protests against government inaction. There, he meets Sean (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), an outspoken, HIV-positive firebrand who embraces both his rage and his zest for life.
Unlike many sanitized, rainbow-driven portrayals of Queer liberation, BPM embraces the chaos of collective action: electric, funny, tense, and rarely unanimous. It’s as hard for everyone to get on the same page even when they’re on the same side, to say nothing about the unified oppression they face. The group’s unspoken yet fiercely visible diversity—trans, immigrant, hearing-impaired, children infected through transfusions—underscores the universality of AIDS and the necessity of solidarity: as one character intones, “you can’t split responsibility.” Campillo also contrasts societal reactions to ACT UP: from homophobic dismissal, to bureaucratic apathy, to quiet moments of allyship—reminding us how vital loud, visible activism is for those who don’t yet have the resources or will to speak up for themselves.
The most searing reason why I love BPM so much is its refusal to let tragedy eclipse joy. Amid the protests and planning, there are club nights and cheer lines, watering balcony gardens or lovers sneaking AZT doses amidst midnight embraces. Even through the death of one of their own, the ACTUP group channels that pain into action, chanting in his name through their tears. The film celebrates intimacy and humor, depicting a community that refuses to let AIDS define how they live or love. As one says, “we’re either dead or alive:” existence is resistance.
As the story narrows to Nathan and Sean’s romance, their relationship becomes a microcosm of the struggle: tender, defiant, shadowed by mortality yet never surrendering to it. Their love unfolds in caretaking and quiet milestones, from the intimacy of sharing their infection stories, to a handjob in a hospital to relieve tension, to the milestone act of moving in as a couple tied to Nathan assuming a hospice caretaker for Sean. It’s a domesticity tied to death, yet refuses to be defined by it, living fully even when time feels short.
The climax of BPM is framed as Nathan’s ultimate act for Sean–and the following Wake sequence is the most devastating and triumphant sequence of Campillo’s film. Sadness and joy arrives in waves as ACTUP members show up to remember Sean with Nathan and Sean’s mother, who in the loss of her son takes over being a mother for everyone else. There’s quiet, powerful moments of process–from making coffee to re-dressing Sean’s body. The most heartwrenching moment is when Hélène shares a beat with Sean’s mother–a peaceful one overshadowed with the memento mori that she’ll likely go through the same experience with Marco someday. But even here there’s humor and joy–in honoring Sean’s wish to have his ashes thrown at a pharmaceutical gala, Sean’s mother jokingly questions the ratio of remains she’ll get to keep for herself (50/50? 80/20?).
The last scene, fulfilling Sean’s last request, is a remarkable collapsing of death and life, resistance and fate. Protest and ashes and the club and the beat. As Campillo notes about the film’s full title, 120 Beats Per Minute refers to the rhythm of a human heartbeat as it does to most club dance tracks. It’s the pulse of life and protest intertwined, a sweaty, joyous rage against the dying of the light.
Justin Harlan
Is there a better way to wrap up our PRIDE/RIOT month than this? I can’t imagine one right now. And, even though this isn’t necessarily the type of movie I generally choose to watch myself, I kinda loved it. I feel like I need a second viewing to really take it in and offer anything much of value to the conversation here, but I want to offer a short personal anecdote instead…
I went to a small Christian university outside Philadelphia for college. I have mixed feelings about the church, the school, and my experience, but one very positive impact it had on me as a Freshman was when I volunteered as a program in Philadelphia called “We the People Living with AIDS”. Every Freshman was required a certain number of hours in “service learning” and I did mine at this soup kitchen/food pantry program. Early on in my visits there, I met a Black gay man who shared his story with me. He was shunned by his family, kicked out of his church, and cut off most of his friends when he came out. He fell deep into alcohol and – eventually – crack cocaine. This led to losing his job and living on the streets. He contracted HIV when prostituting to make ends meet. What struck me, besides the lack of compassion from the Christians in his story, was how grateful he was for every day he woke up alive again. His positivity was infectious, but so was his desire to help others. Despite having so little to give materially, he was so willing to give of his time, his experience, and his honest desire to help others. He really left an impression when he spoke of how society and politics needed to evolve – and, to him, changing those things started with fixing our hearts.
I found out he passed away a few years later, I was pretty struck by it… and, I definitely think it was one of the major things that pushed me away from the bullshit “love the sinner, hate the sin” mindset of the Evangelical church settings I grew up in. This film, while obviously far different in tone from this story, reminded me of the first HIV positive gay man I got to know personally. And, I’m thankful for meeting him and for films like this.
Two Cents Celebrates the month of July with ALBERT BROOKS 101
Join us this July while the team fills some blindspots and discovers exactly why Albert Brooks is so widely respected among his peers and fans.
7/7: Lost In America (Available on VOD)
7/14: Defending Your Life (Available on VOD)
7/21: Broadcast News (Available on Starz and VOD)
7/28: Drive (Available on VOD)
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JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH – Episode VII: The Saurus A-Rakin’s
I’m a huge fan of the Jurassic Park series, and while there’s some sequels in the franchise that I hold in lower regard (III in particular), the simpler fact of the matter is that our family has watched them all many times and always enjoy returning to this world.
Which is why it’s felt a little odd this time around to have ambivalence about a new upcoming entry in the franchise. The last film, Dominion, seemed to tie up all the loose ends and finish the franchise in a good place with a “bringing the gang back together” last hurrah with the stars of both trilogies, together at last. Symbolically, I finally picked up a 4K box set of the now completed series.
But this is a big-money franchise, and as long as that’s true we can probably expect more. Maybe that cynical truth is why it’s getting harder to care.
And yet.
And yet, the new film, Jurassic World Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) and written by original JP scribe David Koepp (who wrote the original Spielberg entries in the series), is a blast. I went in pretty blind and was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this entry, which, returning to a theme from the Spielberg films, is clearly inspired by King Kong, and introduces a new set of characters who are compelling and fun to watch.
For anyone (and I know there are many of you out there) who has ever wanted the series to get away from the established characters and park-related incidents and just tell a new story in this world, well, this is exactly that.
Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali are among the small team of mercenaries, along with a scientist (Jonathan Bailey), hired by a biotech developer (Rupert Friend) to journey to a dino-inhabited island to obtain samples from three of the island’s largest species, for developing a revolutionary new drug. A hefty payday, and to a lesser extent the chance to do something good for the world, are motivation enough to stake out on a dangerous and illegal mission to the highly restricted area.
Early on though, an unexpected wrinkle changes things significantly: they come to the rescue of the Delgado family, whose boating vacation was cut short by a mosasaurus encounter, adding four civilians – a worried father (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his teen and primary-age daughters (Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda), and the older girl’s boyfriend (David Iacono) to the mix. The younger girl, who totes a backpack and befriends a baby dino, seems deliberately – and sincerely, not as a joke – modeled as a tribute to Dora the Explorer in the same way that Indiana Jones’ fit was a wholesale copycat of Harry Steele.
Interestingly, the film feels like a one-off adventure. Whereas Jurassic World was clearly dropping breadcrumbs and Fallen Kingdom and Dominion ushered in a new era delivering on the “World” element of the franchise’s new title by releasing dinosaurs into the wild, Rebirth feels like a relatively self-contained chapter in the saga, more along the lines of the entries of the original Jurassic Park trilogy. We could totally see surviving characters returning, but it doesn’t feel deliberately set up as the first chapter of a new trilogy, if indeed that’s what it is.
Critical to this direction is a narrative scaling back of the world established in the last couple of films: the reintroduction of dinosaurs to the planet proved unsustainable to them, and after a few years most have died out – those that remain are largely concentrated in equatorial regions. On the one hand, this feels like a walk-back of the of promise of the last couple films, but putting the genie back in the bottle allows once again for more specific storytelling where the planet isn’t teeming with dinos – picking up on a theme for the summer, 28 Years Later notably performed precisely the same kind of refocus (and with a far less satisfactory explanation).
Rebirth gets off to kind of a slow setup with some expository “boat time” establishing both parties getting to the island and, frankly, I kind of mentally checked out for a bit, but once they approach the island (while being attacked by a swarm of hungry predators), the action picks up and for the rest of the movie, this thing cooks.
While it’s never referred to as a “Site C”, that’s exactly what this island is: an offsite InGen research lab from the early 2000s supporting Jurassic World – the park, that is. However with mounting failures from various testing and experimentation, it became a Dr. Moreau’s Island of misfits and monsters where genetic failures and abominations were stashed away, alongside an assortment of more recognizable dinosaur species.
With its Thailand shooting location and a new spin on an old franchise, Rebirth actually feels pretty fresh despite rebooting a film series that’s now past 30. The gorgeous Southeast Asia environs are more evocative of Kong: Skull Island (which was shot in Vietnam) than of past Jurassic movies, the new crew is pretty likable, and there’s more of a sense of “going on an adventure” than has been true of the other movies which were more about crisis response.
Aside from the slow start, my other big criticism might come off as little mean-spirited, but I stand by it. Rebirth has too few characters and, relatively speaking, too many survivors. Spielberg understood that part of the appeal of these movies is the horror aspect – watching people get killed by dinosaurs. The Lost World, which is stylistically and narratively the closest parallel to Rebirth, was teeming with idiots and schmucks to serve up as t-rex fodder, often as a humorous comeuppance. By focusing on a smaller cast, Rebirth just doesn’t have as much opportunity for carnage (especially of the “he had it coming” variety which is sorely lacking).
Overall, though? We had a great time. I’m not a fan of the utterly absurd “people are bored of regular dinosaurs” premise posited by Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom which prefaced the lab-created “Indominus Rex” and “Indoraptor” species, and while Rebirth also has a “fake dinosaur” as its reptilian kaiju heavy, its explanation as a “yeah, that thing didn’t go as planned” is a simpler but far more satisfying origin.
And while the film is channeling a new direction, it’s also chock full of franchise lore and love, with little visual Easter eggs which fans will absolutely pick up on, like a neat tribute to creator Michael Crichton that rolls by within the first few minutes.
I had zero expectations entering Jurassic World Rebirth, but left pretty satisfied. It’s a great one-off adventure with big action and suspense set-pieces that we’ll doubtlessly be adding to the rotation.
A/V Out
