Hello, Tuesday
You'll find enclosed, dedication, Piauí, and a Masterclass...
Checking in…
I’m looking for time, and failing to find it. It feels like most of my days lately have been burning faster than matches; I barely have time to strike one before it’s crisp and finished, dropping out of my hand with the sting of an insect bite.
In the past, the days most filled with activities were the days that lasted longest, but those days have been blasting past me too; often with such a restless trundle that I end up feeling like a windswept passenger left behind on the platform, watching a train receding far into the tunnel. I guess I’ll catch the next one, I mutter. But the next one whooshes past me too.
I recently watched an interview clip from Michelle Williams in which she talks (lovingly) about the period of her life in which she knew what she wanted to be doing, but wasn’t doing it “and it burned.” I’m feeling that burn daily. Williams claims the burning is “generative,” and I really have no choice but to believe that. Believe that, or drop down and curl up into a cubicle-shaped fetal position of financial safety, because by god do I want this friction to result in a gorgeous spark.
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Songs That Should Be In Movies
Every week, I highlight one track from my behemoth Spotify Playlist.
With a peppy rhythm and an astronomically fantastic brass section, ‘Take Me Back to Piauí’ features in the new film How to Make A Killing, my review of which you can check out below.
The star of the track is really those damn horns— blasting their way through a delicious John Barry Bond flavor with reckless abandon. But don’t count out the vocals, whose chant of “hey hey” and “dee dee” insist over and over again on the importance of returning to the gorgeous Brazilian coastline of Piauí...
You can follow the full playlist here.
The Movies Watched List
I watch a lot of movies. A LOT. Here’s the highlights from the past week:
This week I watched…
How to Make a Killing (2026) When I saw Emily the Criminal back in 2022, I knew John Patton Ford most certainly had that dawg in him. Now, with three years past and a dramatic increase in budget, I am so glad to have been proven right. This thing is brash it is dark and it is funny. Its moral ambiguity is timely and welcome, and the cast is simply stellar. A more lighthearted and stylistically tame cousin to Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice. I only wished for more of the nail-biting tension Ford proved he could create with Emily. ★★★1/2
Inside Out 2 (2024) Elegantly develops the themes and ideas of the original without straying far enough to get truly subversive. The animation is simply gorgeous, and some gags are genuinely hysterical. Voice performances continue to be stellar, especially the always-reliable Poehler and newcomer Hawke. Color symbolism is off the chain. Wish I had seen this in cinemas— Pixar still has sauce. ★★★★
Crime 101 (2026) Excellently edited crime thriller with some great texture and a whole lot of tension. Feel like Hemsworth was a miscast here but the rest of the cast is pulling their goddamn weight— especially Ruffalo and Berry. Some really well-designed action sequences here as well, felt intentionally grounded without losing too much style, and the noir influences are very much worn on the sleeve. Might not become a modern classic in any real sense, but a solidly entertaining non-derivative self-serious action thriller these days should be celebrated. ★★★★
For more of Elliot’s film reviews, follow him on Letterboxd.
Curation + Inspiration
Fascinating videos about writing, film, or anything under the sun...
It is no secret that Steven Spielberg is one of the most successful film directors of all time— his expertise might be best summed up by the events of the year 1993: Spielberg tops the box-office with Jurassic Park, and only a few months later sweeps the Academy Awards with Schindler’s List. Generational.
Below you can watch the master at work. These clips are priceless: no narration, no through-line, only moments out of context in which you can catch glimpses of one man’s passion, brilliance, and collaborative skillset. Take a look.
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And that’s it! Thanks so much for reading Under the Paperweight, I’m glad you’re here. Please consider subscribing if you haven’t already, and I’ll see you next time. ♥