Hello, Tuesday
You'll find enclosed, movies, movies, and more movies...
Checking in…
If I could afford it, I’d go to the cinema every day. I’ve been twice this week— once for Until Dawn (one-and-a-half-star review below), and once for Thunderbolts* (four-star review below as well). The cinema has always been, in my mind, the ideal environment to watch movies. The size of the screen— the bigger the better— the surround sound, reclining seats, air-conditioning, a vast, pitch-dark room. I’m still reliving my Sinners moviegoing experience over and over again in my head.
I’m ridiculously excited for the new Mission Impossible later this month, along with Friendship; a gonzo absurdist comedy from the delightfully unhinged Tim Robinson and the stalwart Paul Rudd. This year’s horror releases look extremely promising as well: the creative minds behind one of the scariest movies in recent memory, Talk To Me, return this year with their new film Bring Her Back. My hopes couldn’t be higher for 28 Years Later, having personally loved both of its predecessors. Zach Cregger’s upcoming film Weapons features the most terrifying marketing campaign since last year’s Longlegs. The Conjuring series continues with Last Rites, and Jordan Peele’s stellar producing streak continues with the Justin Tipping-directed horror/sports movie Him.
If you couldn’t already tell, I’m practically champing at the bit to get back to the cinema again. And another time after that. And another time after that. Maybe I should buy Regal Unlimited. Or maybe I should just ask if they’ll let me set up an air-mattress and live in Screen #7.
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Songs That Should Be In Movies
Every week, I highlight one track from my behemoth Spotify Playlist.
Most famously appearing in the opening moments of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1, Nancy Sinatra’s haunting rendition of Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), is an ominously simple tune with a child-like refrain that makes it all the more disturbing.
Infantilizing violence as a form of play works as a melodramatic description of spurned love, or— in the more popular reading— signify the psychological effect of a cycle of abuse. Either way, the song and its binaural mix (listen with headphones, it’s a must) makes for a truly chilling listen.
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…
Sicario A stellar crime thriller from Denis Villeneuve which features measured, electric performances from Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Daniel Kaluuya, and a brief yet memorable appearance from Jon Bernthal. The third act features astonishingly fresh visuals which, in retrospect, provide the inception for Villeneuve’s use of infrared photography as seen in Dune: Part Two. ★★★★
Until Dawn A rote, illogical, blue-gray showcase of hot people getting killed in the same three uninventive ways over and over again. Doubtlessly entertaining, but somehow devoted to over-explaining itself, despite the fact that there is very little to explain in the first place. ★1/2
I, Robot Will Smith leads this sci-fi/action/mystery which shares more in common with 2002’s superior Minority Report than it does with the Isaac Asimov short story collection of the same name. I, Robot features memorable moments and impressive early-aughts special effects, but seems itself to suffer from Asimov’s so-called ‘Frankenstein Complex.’ ★★★
Thunderbolts* Devoted to its characters, compelling in its narrative, unique in tone and explosive in style, Thunderbolts* flips the Marvel script on its head, dealing directly with the self-deprecating underpinnings of the “Trademark Marvel Humor” and offering meta-commentary which satisfies as well as entertains. ★★★★
The Sugarland Express The first theatrical release of Steven Spielberg’s career builds off of the momentum and techniques employed in his TV movie Duel, while beginning to show signs of the brilliant background diegesis and character-driven cinematography of his next film, Jaws. Goldie Hawn excels with a tall order; becoming equal parts unbearably resolute and irresistibly endearing in the lead role. ★★★★
For more of Elliot’s film reviews, follow him on Letterboxd.
The Ant-Bullies
The adventures and exploits of some ne’er-do-well 20-somethings.
On Friday night, Phin, Scott, Grace and I stayed up well past 2am to watch Transformers (review coming next week). Despite being 7 years old in 2007 (perhaps that movie’s target demographic), I had never seen it, and was therefore deprived this masculine Gen-Z right-of-passage. In fact, I had never seen a single Michael Bay-directed flick, and was unfamiliar with the scope of the trademark Bayhem (my portmanteau fans, where you at?)
Scott however, had seen the movie during its original theatrical release, and always spoke of the experience as akin to having his third-eye opened. Therefore he had been pleading with Phin and I to watch it with him for the better part of five years.
Needless to say, we had been missing out all those years. While Grace and Scott fell asleep on the couch (did I mention that it was past 2am?), Phin and I stayed up, our attention rapt and our eyes glued to the screen as buildings toppled, giant metal robots shot giant metal guns, and Shia LaBeouf ran around with a sustained manic energy that could only be described as relentless.
When it was all over, and Phin and I looked around to discover that we had watched the final 25% of this immense action-blockbuster by ourselves, we nodded in that silent way that people do when they have shared something transformational and nonpareil.
Autobots, roll out.
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A Question
Which upcoming 2025 movie are you most looking forward to? Send me an email with your one-sentence answer for a chance to be featured in next week’s newsletter: elliotnoelpeters@substack.com
Your Answers:
Last week I asked: Do you have a favorite musical artist? Here’s what you sent me:
“Joni Mitchell - her metaphors! - and even though I’ve moved on, her work and metaphoric competence remains unmatched.”
“Well, Kacey Musgraves has been my daily soundtrack for the past two years....that voice!”
“Yes.”
“Masayoshi Takanaka has some of the absolutely heavenly vibes out there, highly recommend.”
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 on Thursday. ♥
Hey I wonder if there's gonna be movies in here?