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🕑 Added 2024-01-14 16:06:36 +0000 UTChey gang, sorry i missed my deadline yesterday. i have zero excuses, except that I was tending to my children for some of the day... but I also managed to somehow watch 4 episodes of that new world war 2 docu-series on Netflix, most of that Chiefs game, half of The 3rd Pirates of the Caribbean and half of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
What's that all about??? That Netflix doc is really good - they took the Peter Jackson approach he did to the WW1 Doc and colorized and added lots of Foley to a bunch of war footage, many of which I had not seen before. A pretty good overview of the war if you're not familiar with the ins and outs... not really a deep dive into any of the politics or strategy but mostly told through soldiers and victims of the war - a lot of new stories. It choked me up a few times... the color and new sound really brought things to life....
I watched some of the Chiefs-Dolphins game just to see how cold everyone was! Why is that interesting? I don't know, but it seems crazy to me to do anything in short sleeves for hours at that temperature. Isn't there a point where you WILL get frostbite on any exposed skin? And can you imagine being in that audience? I guess you can find ways to keep warm by going to get a hot dog every 20 minutes. The game itself was pretty lackluster and lopsided. VERY cool to see shots of Taylor Swift. Speaking of, I saw that clip of her at the Golden Globes and I don't know if it was a bit but, jeez, how about being a little gracious and polite and smile through the dumb, harmless joke? Something bothers me about her - or at least her place in the culture - or her fandom. I just don't see it - but I know it's not for me, but I don't think the music is that particularly great and she sorta seems like a bore... the popular girl in high school who's literally dating the football player. I guess she got people to vote last election?
We watched the THIRD Pirates of the Caribbean because it's something I'm doing with the kids - we watched the first 2 last weekend. I'd never see those movies - why would I have? They all came out when I was firmly not a dad and deep into making stuff and not checking out a lot of family movies. They're pretty good! A little confusing I think... lots of in-world lore to just sort of immediately accept and apply to the logic of the movie and I sorta zone out in parts but what can you say, it's a pretty effective series: Looks great, the action scenes are well done, Johnny Depp looks to be having a blast which works on my kids who cackle at him... And I love the use of the great British actors Jonathan Pryce (maybe my favorite living actors?) Bill Nighy... Geoffrey Rush (Australian) / I didn't make it through the third one though, as my kids had a friend over for a sleep over and I ducked out so they could settle into bed...
I snuck upstairs (my wife was out for a birthday party) and put on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance... I'd seen it years ago but it came up in conversation last week and I wanted to revisit it. It's a CLASSIC and also feels modern... but I was zonked and nodded off 30 minutes in.
This weekend I also finished Steve Hyden's book about Born In The USA which he sent me so I could write a blurb for the back cover... I could NOT put it down, it was so great. A really nice follow-up to the Nebraska book I read over the summer (a little overlap actually) The book goes beyond a making of/history of the album and becomes a really beautiful and often sad examination of what happened to America in the 80s and beyond... As a diehard Bruce fan it was really illuminating and moving but I'd venture anyone with an interest in music, politics and American culture could find value in reading this one. It also turned me on to one of the funniest, weirdest clips of Bruce I've ever seen:
As I said on the show, apparently after this one take (which is pretty cool as an idea) he walked off set and split. Bye bye...
Anyway, watch anything good this weekend?
P&L, T
PS - have you checked out Maya's YouTube yet? It's got a real Twin Peaks: The Return vibe to it! I like it! Loved that Maya call! It's impossible to manufacture that kind of call, but I love when it happens.
Comments
Will Ochs
There's a G.B. Shaw quote: "If more than ten percent of the population likes a painting, it should be burned, for it must be bad." The Beatles and "The Godfather" are the only two exceptions to this rule.
Will Ochs
Shhhh... Popcorn Spotlight!
Super Sanjayan
I've just been watching a shitload of Ma and Paw Kettle
Jamie Babs
I have never liked Swift. She’s so fake to me. “Oh I won this award. Oh gee golly me? Really? You really like me???” 🤮 I’m currently watching one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen. Spenser For Hire. Watching it solely because it was filmed in Massachusetts where I’m from and I do extra work in movies here and have always heard of it from the older union members that they were extras in it. It fun to see the locations. But my god the dialogue is so awful! Is this guy a cop? A detective? Why are they trying to kill him??? Will I ever find out? It’s streaming free on Tubi.
Heath Gardner
Yo T. I watched Cassavetes’ “Husbands” because I’ve always heard it was terrible, and thought it’d be enjoyably so. I was wrong. It was like watching paint get drunk and then dry.
Max Goranson
Hey T, I was inspired by your praise of the new szn of for all mankind and checked it out... good shit! Love good engaging TV. Peace and love.
Brian
🙃
Joss Humberstone
Just gonna drop a rec in here: Jon Ronson's podcast 'Things Fell Apart' - a deep dive into the 'culture wars' that popped up during Covid. Think he would be a great OHL guest! Blitz (pardon the pun) my way through that WW2 doc - amazing footage.
TrashVHS
On Swift, how often is something popular good? Rarely, how often is the most popular thing good? Almost never ever. She is bland and boring as is her music and that is the appeal. Probably comforting in the wacko hellscape weve been stuck in for the last decade.
Padraig Glennon
I just watched a Burt Reynolds Movie called "Stick(1985)", Wow!!! incredibly bad but also amazing.
Shempin Jack Flash
Started watching "1883" based on the rec and have been really enjoying it. I never watched Yellowstone, but my Deadwood itch is getting scratched a bit. Though they repeat a plotline twice within the first four episodes along the lines of: "Someone's bin stealin. Who? Them! Thieves beaten up and left behind the group." I also started "The Curse" which combines trademark Safdie anxiety with Nathan Fielder awkwardness for a new formula of peeking through the fingers screen watching.
Shane Cooper
Just watched early 80s British gangster film 'The Hit' with John Hurt, Terence Stamp, and Tim Roth. Very gritty, and brilliant acting.
seiyoung lee
https://youtube.com/shorts/UhWf6FRbKZ8?si=ehTNQvWYSItVq_Q- I’ll just leave this here without context. Wish there was a way to translate, he’s basically saying he can’t taste the flame. Oh and totally on board with TSBS. It’s not even her reaction per se, it’s the whole “leave her alone” uproar from her fan base 🙄
Magic
The New Zealand series has been incredible too, looking forward to the champions of champions 3!
Anima
Did a short bing of VH1 Naked Dating
Jim D.
I am watching the Sopranos series again (might be third time). I watched Killers of the Flower Moon on Friday and was so upset I had to watch the Cannonball Run just to reset my mind and fall asleep. Martin S is a master and it is a beautiful haunting masterpiece (mostly, Leo C doing a Slingblade was points off). I just picked up Quantum Criminals because I am a Steely Dan head. I'll be spinning The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tonight.... thanks T. Loved Friday's episode.
Jeff Oakley
I’m not calling you a misogynist and I know you are not one at all. Just that particular take came off that way to me. She doesn’t seem that funny to me, either, but I don’t think that’s relevant. To me it just seemed like she was awkwardly trying to do something fun for the cameras in the moment. Based on the internet-breaking confusion that resulted, I think her bit was about as successful as the joke she was reacting to. But it didn’t read to me like she was offended by or too good for the joke. It’s the hyper analysis of her reaction and declarations of how she should have behaved that feel weird to me.
Arlo Lyle
Taskmaster is great I watched all the series a second time before the most recent one. The new Champion of Champions is tonight!
William Riley
Loved “Deliver From Nowhere” so I’m anxiously awaiting this new one. Don’t have a watch recommendation, but I really enjoyed season 2 of Jon Ronson’s “Things Fell Apart” podcast. He looks at the orgin of a bunch of the culture war clashes of the past several years. Really well done and an easy binge.
Tim Heidecker
i take offense to you calling me a misogynist. i didn't say she NEEDS to smile through any joke. and yes maybe she's doing a bit but she doesn't seem that funny to me. I just don't get the idea of attending something like the golden globes and not expecting some kind of goofing on the attention you receive.
Goose
Bruce-heads should check out the Adam Scott Aukerman deep dive podcast. Lots of fun!
William Riley
Yeah, I mean she’s a literal billionaire, so I’m not losing sleep over it, but I feel like she’s not obligated to fake laugh at some tired, lazy joke she’s been probably hearing versions of for weeks. Especially since the underlying context is kinda “ugh, what’s this billion dollar GIRL thing doing at our billion dollar BOY thing?!” My daughter likes her. She’s 8. That’s who’s supposed to like it. I don’t think she’s some musical visionary by any stretch, but I feel like she’s at least a flip side to the hyper sexualized female pop stars of 90s and early aughts. The fact that she ruffles the feathers of the far right, stand up comedy bros and barstool sports types is gravy.
Jeff Oakley
I’m not a TS fan but it’s a hardcore misogynistic and disappointing thing to say that she needs to smile and be polite through any joke. Also it seemed obvious to me that she was doing a bit and playing along, taking an exaggerated swig of her champagne. At the same time, the joke was fine (if clumsily delivered) and the NFL was the butt of the joke, but the entire internet somehow misunderstood it. But perhaps her fans’ kneejerk protective instinct is in part a response to the “she should just smile and take it” stuff she gets all the time.
Magic
I've been obsessed with the British gameshow Taskmaster, I don't know what it is about it but it really hits for me and they've recently started putting the entire series on YouTube and it's just been a blessing.
Samantha M
I'm not a Swiftie but I think people are into her reaction because it's a meme-able encapsulation of the rejection of women's socialization to prioritize male comfort. Like, that women don't have to laugh at unfunny jokes or smile at men on the street. Obviously there's more to it than that, because she's a megastar and perhaps has an ethical duty to be a bit more gracious.
PatC
Man nice to hear someone sum up my feelings on TSwift so well. Really does feel like the popular high school kid dynamic applied to a macro scale. And I didn't think that joke was super funny but it was weird that everyone (including her) acted like it was offensive to lightly tease her??
CB
The sound design on "Heat" is so good. Not just the shooting parts.
lilula9
Looks like we’re really into our music stuff, because musical head me is excited to share My Fair Lady with a friend (her first time) while it’s -6 F outside. Nothing like an asshole redemption arc to warm the cockles of your heart (I’m not indiscriminate and had to drop Hello Dolly, sorry Streisand fans)
Bark Lord Blood
The video quality makes Bruce look like he's foaming at the mouth
Tim Heidecker
my god, it was so good. i hope people are watching this show
Dan Reeter
Great blog as always tim. My girlfriend and I tried to watch season 2 of Loki and it stinks so bad we couldn't make it past the first episode. We've moved on to season 2 of the traitors reality show on peacock which is kind of trashy but very entertaining
Jenny Schmidt
i was hoping the cameras would catch taylor doing the tomahawk chop
noah m koebler
I rewatched “the long goodbye” last weekend since they put it back on criterion, I wonder if Tim’s an Altman fan. There’s some very goofy and cartoonish humor in alot of his movies
Tommy nono
Watched Fitzcaraldo for the first time the other day. Mesmerizing! Going to check out the making of documentary. My better half talked me into watching holdovers at midnight last night after the kids conked. Paul giamatti is a gem of an actor.
ToddUmptious
I don't want to talk about that For All Mankind finale either Tim, it's okay.
Angelo Mike
I couldn't really know what Swift was thinking, which I don't mean as a criticism. I literally mean I don't know. Maybe she was caught off guard by the joke, maybe she was thinking about something else, maybe she wasn't even that cognizant of the joke. Maybe she wasn't offended at all and just didn't find it funny and it was an awkward moment. Or maybe she was offended, I can't really know and wouldn't judge. Maybe she heard so many insults and jokes about her that this came on the heels of that and it wasn't fun. For all I know, she regrets making it appear that she objected to Koy's joke, or not. That's not inherently any statement about Swift one way or the other. I just think we could afford to interrogate ourselves and be a little gracious as we ask graciousness in others. As for movies, I saw The Whale. What a bummer, though pretty enjoyable and admirable, even if I felt its stage origins were too evident and that it could've gone through more rewrites to make use of the movie medium. But it made a strong impression and I really appreciate what it went for.
Mary Newman
Maya's video was fantastic, I really wasn't expecting that! On Swift, I do like the album she did during covid but the rest I have to psych myself up for, which is possible.
Rob Smith
Watched Sick of Myself on your recommendation, so dry and biting, obviously influenced by King of Comedy which is one of my favorites. The Curse finale was incredible as well.
Brian Rooney
For me, Taylor Swift is similar to Beyonce. Similar to our presidential candidates really... They begin as individuals then become subsumed by wealth and notoriety. Whether it's Biden or Swift, they represent a large conglomerate. It's difficult to separate the person from the machine. But that's exactly why Swift does so well.
Pappyland
I also don’t get the Swift thing. Part of it for me is that her entire career and PR feels so manufactured and manicured - in a way that other pop acts haven’t for me. Supposedly moving to Nashville at age 11 with the intent of starting a singing career? Seems incredibly weird to me. 🤷🏻♂️ Then again, I don’t know how much of that to believe, either - pop culture PR fits nicely with that great line from Liberty Valance: “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
oddoption
She’s a walking, talking billion dollar business.
Johnnee
Talk more about listening to Suicide! It's so awesome you're listening to them!!!
Toby Poole
I recommend Bingo (1991) Best movie about a dog I’ve ever seen. https://youtu.be/VSlvO4SP5uA?si=tPmpHvrFRM9QqjAN
Garrett Schwindt
Maya’s YouTube videos are way better than anything I did that age. Though I think Brother Pyle is the creative force behind that endeavor.
Steve LeGrow
I don't understand the Taylor Swift fandom either. That joke was harmless and then all her devoted fans call Jo Koy sexist for it. It wasn't even offensive, let alone sexist. The blind faith for her really irritates me.
Steven Meltzer
Glad to hear Katt Williams didn’t throw you under the bus and you and Kimmel weren’t on Epstein’s list, and what about all those aliens in Miami, what a crazy start to the year.
Mertie
Aww I remember watching Pirates of the Caribbean with my dad growing up, I’m 24, I watched a lot of movies with him! Once you’re done with Pirates of the Caribbean, you should throw it back more and watch Pippi Longstocking (1988) or Matilda with them! The old live action Peter Pan (2003) was a good one I watched growing up too. If you’re looking for non animated movies.
Bil
The Curse 🤯❤️
