Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 189

August 11, 2020: Chocolate covered jalapeños, bunker-mode, and the Crime Club convenes to discussion Confessions!

Whoa.  How’s this for a culinary Yes/No?

Chocolate-Covered Jalapeños? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/uacvfCw2RC

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 11, 2020

Now as much as I love chocolate and jalapeños and peanut butter (Yes, that’s a peanut butter liquid center and not cheese) I’m not sure I can get behind this.  The combination is weird.  Apple pie and cheddar cheese slice weird.

(Hmm.  I seemed to have lost half of today’s post.  Partially restored above.  Will have to rewrite the rest from memory for tomorrow’s blog entry.  Good catch, Gary).

Alright, fellow Crime Clubbers, let’s talk about today’s movie: Confessions.

One of the things I love about foreign films is their ability to surprise – in both a good ways and a bad.  It’s a double-edged sword.  For every annoyingly nonsense film (Dogtooth, anyone?), there is…well…a Confessions, a movie that instantly engages you with its premise and then proceeds to subvert your expectations.

I had no idea what this movie was about when I sat down to watch and, 30 minutes in, after the first shocking twist, I had to check to make sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped ahead to the end.  But the tainted milk was just the first of many unexpected turns I didn’t see coming.

Ultimately, a reflection on motherhood – and murder – Confessions is “out there” in everything from its story structure to its singular characters pushed to brink of moral bankruptcy and beyond. It’s weird and won’t be for everyone, but I loved it.

What did you think?

Tomorrow, the Crime Club reconvenes with something a little more Hollywood – Clooney, Wahlberg and Ice Cube in the Iraqi War heist pic Three Kings.

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August 10, 2020: Heroes, Villains, and Hot Cheetos King Crab Legs! The Crime Club convenes to discuss Hard Boiled!

So, Yes/No?

Hot Cheetos King Crab Legs

August 9, 2020: Suji Sunday!

 

Gearing up for her walk.

Hmph!

Keeping an eye on you.

Enjoying the sunny spot.

Yo, Babushka!

Snooze mode.

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August 8, 2020: Choose your universe! Zoom chatting! And the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss Kahaani!

Narnia, Middle-Earth, Star Wars – You get to live out your days in any fictional film world/universe.
Which one do you choose, and why?
Answer with a gif – and an explanation.
For me – a rare hopeful and progressive view of the future (created for t.v. but featured in film). pic.twitter.com/dXQrMebOnn

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 7, 2020

So, what do you think?

Good zoom chat last night with boo readers Lori, Kevin, and Shane.  Topics covered included Stargate’s SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe, Dark Matter, writing, and standing out on your lawn under the sprinklers on a hot summer’s day.  A great time was had by all (I can only assume!).

The Crime Club reconvenes to discuss…

A Hindi-Indian mystery-thriller about a pregnant wife who travels to Kolkata in search of her missing husband, this movie offers up a terrific premise and a fantastic performance by lead Vidya Balan.  She is nothing short of terrific, offering up a character who is sympathetically vulnerable and yet, at the same time, surprisingly capable.  Our protagonist, Vidya (sharing a name with the actress who plays her) doggedly pursues the truth about a man no one seems to know.

I enjoyed the movie for its unique heroine and setting, but bumped on some of the very weird directorial and editorial choices, as well as an all-too liberal use of computer chyrons that felt better suited to a late 90’s spy movie.

The big break in the investigation hinges on a convenient coincidence (a personal pet peeve in storytelling), with a young witness just happening to catch sight of a crucial suspect at the appropriate moment.  Equally convenient, as someone pointed out on twitter, was a sequence in which an armed assassin is chased through back alleys by an unarmed police man – and never once things to turn around and use the weapon he is holding.

As an aside, I thought that, next to Vidya, the hitman character was my faovorite – sort of a disarming Eeyore personality with a psychotic twist.

The big twist ending, while interesting, was ultimately a little too reminiscent of two more notable films of the same genre (I won’t spoil them here as they are on our Crime Club to-watch list) and that fact muted the thrill of the reveal.

Still, not a bad little movie given that it was shot on a shoestring budget.

Anyone else check it out?  Thoughts?

If you missed it, don’t worry because we get to do it all over again tomorrow (or probably Monday since tomorrow is Suji Sunday)  when the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss the John Woo classic Hard Boiled.

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August 7, 2020: Fruit Loop doughnuts, great comedians who are no longer with us, and the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss Reservoir Dogs.

Well, today’s the day of our big group zoom chat.  Because all four participants are in four different time zones, looks like we’ll be kicking things off at 9:00 p.m. my time.  Yes, we’ll be eating into my bedtime, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it!

This morning, Akemi was incensed to learn that despite the fact that it IS, technically, “cold” “slaw” it is actually pronounced “cole slaw”.

It’s like that time she found it wasn’t “Happy Delayted Birthday” but “Happy Belated Birthday”.  She argued that “delayted” was superior because you were delayed in your well-wishes.

Today’s Culinary Yes/No…

Fruit Loop Doughnuts? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/xtDmSD6qSu

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 7, 2020

And our film-themed question…

Who is a comedian you dearly miss?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/Ay0dkw9WB1

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 6, 2020

Some great answers for on twitter – and a lot of love for the great Robin Williams.

Okay, convening our Crime Club.  What did you all think of our third movie: Reservoir Dogs?

Quentin Tarantino’s first and, arguably, best film is atypical of the heist genre, totally skipping over the heist itself in favor of a focus on its aftermath. It almost unfurls like a stage play, jumping backwards and forwards in time to fill in the backstory gaps. A tight script, inspired direction, and stand-out performances establish it as a seminal work, but it’s Tarantino’s pop-infused dialogue that really breaks the mold.

This movie stands the test of time, proving just as great today as it was eighteen years ago when I first saw it on the big screen.  Another Highly Recommended entry.

Tomorrow, we’ll check out something a little different – a 2012 Hindi movie called Kahaani…

The post August 7, 2020: Fruit Loop doughnuts, great comedians who are no longer with us, and the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss Reservoir Dogs. appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

August 6, 2020: Hostage messages, floral doughnuts, and the Crime Club convenes to discuss Green Room!

Hey, I volunteered to babysit my friend's kids today! We're eating fresh fruit, watching musicals and talent shows. Later, I'm going to watch the Oscars because I feel awards are an apolitical and objective measure of an artist's talent and worth. Can't wait for the singing! https://t.co/6E25RQQRIC

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 6, 2020

So, what’s your secret hostage message?

Received word today on one of the pitches.  We’re graduating to full take (!) meaning I’ll be fleshing out that original 5 page summary into a full 12-15 page overview covering the pilot, the series, the world and its characters, and, of course, my vision for season 1 and beyond.  Should be fun because this was one of my funnier pitches – always the most fun to write.  Now, well, I just have to write it.  And I’ll get on that right away.  Next week.

But first, I have to finish this brief overview of that fantasy series adaptation.  This one would be a blast (in more ways than one), but it’s still very early going so I’m going to stay focused, and will be tempering expectations.

And tonight, I have a late night conference call to discuss another near/far future sci-fi project.  This one will be tricky, but a lot of fun…provided I can pull it off.

Floral Doughnuts? Yes/No
Best doughnuts in Tokyo? Sweet floral creations cause a stir on social media https://t.co/6Sv4SXl8rO via @RocketNews24En

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 6, 2020

Normally I would say no, but if it’s a Japanese bakery, I’d be willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Okay, our Crime Club convenes to discuss…

Spoilers abound!

This one is a terrific thriller headlined by Patrick Stewart as the leader of a neo-Nazi group, and the late Anton Yelchin as a musician in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It’s a simple premise (The members of an independent punk band become loose ends after witnessing a murder at a remote skinhead venue). but it’s executed to perfection.  The movie ratchets up the suspense to 11 and doesn’t release until the film’s closing moments.  It’s visceral and downright terrifying at times, but never strays from its character-driven grounding – which is what makes Green Room so memorable.  You care about these kids, so their seemingly hopeless and horrifying predicament hits all that much harder.

Patrick Stewart is brilliant as the ruthless Darcy and the rest of the cast proves equally great.  Macon Blair (who starred in Blue Ruin, writer-director Jeremy Saulnier’s previous feature) is fantastic as the conflicted Gabe.  And it’s heartbreaking to consider what a career the talented Anton Yelchin could have had if not for the tragic accident that ended his life at an all too young 27.

No quibbles or questions, minor or otherwise, with this one.  Green Room was a true edge-of-your seat thrill-ride.  But not for the squeamish!

So, anyone else check it out?  If so, what were your thoughts?

Tomorrow, the Crime Club reconvenes to discuss our next selection: Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.

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August 5, 2020: Checking in with Robert Picardo. And our Crime Club convenes to discuss The Invisible Guest!

Cheetos Mac and Cheese? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/yccd1rvFTT

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 5, 2020

I come firmly down on the side of maybe.  Seems more of a side dish to be enjoyed with a good smashburger which is, by the way, my latest food craze.  I flatten the burgers with a heavy saucepan, then pinch the edges (as per the advice garnered from the internet) and fry them up in butter and a touch of oil before topping with cheese.  The edges come out nice a crispy.  Serve on a potato bun and, as they say, Bob’s your uncle.

Speaking of Bob, check out Robert Picardo’s new youtube channel for inspiring music videos…

And the exploits of his alter-ego, Alphonso…

“Y’know, these meatballs are made of turkey.  You’d never know it, right?”  I was on the floor.

Okay, so, who’s joining our Crime Club?  Did you get a chance to watch our first movie…

The Invisible Guest

SPOILERS ABOUND!

Well, what a great start to our Crime Club.

I have to admit, I guessed the twist some ten minutes in.  More specifically, as the first ten minutes unfolded I thought to myself “Hey, you know what would be a fantastic twist?” and filed it away in the hopes that, if the movie didn’t go there, then I could in a future script.  But, of course, it did.  And it was no less great.

I’m not usually a fan of the unreliable narrator as I find the blurring of the line between truth and fiction can sometimes be a little too convenient, resulting in clumsily manipulative misdirects or frustrating (in hindsight) withholding of key facts, but I thought it really worked well here.  As the movie progresses, we peel back the layers on the various narratives to reveal the a few surprises – on the way to the big surprise at movie’s end.

Some really great suspenseful sequences, my favorite being the moment Laura realizes she is being hosted by the dead kid’s parents…and still has his cell phone in her possession.

There were a couple of things I didn’t quite understand.  The first was the significance of the fake newspaper photo.  Not sure what purpose it served (so, if you know, please enlighten me).  The second was Adrian’s eleventh hour admission to the lakeside murder of Daniel, his sealing of the trunk to ensure his victim’s drowning.  While I liked the twist, I didn’t buy he would reveal the truth, even to his lawyer.  If it had been a guilt-wracked Laura, I would have more readily bought in, but Adrian, especially in the late goings, seemed pretty indifferent, even callous, to what had transpired.

But these were minor quibbles.  Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and would love to hear your thoughts.

This one gets a Highly Recommended from me.  If you haven’t seen it, there’s still time.  Watch and leave a comment in the comments section of this entry.

Or, if you want to look ahead, tomorrow’s #CrimeClub movie will be Green Room, starring Patrick Stewart and the late Anton Yelchin.

 

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Welcome to the Joseph Mallozzi Crime Club!

So, yesterday, I posted the following film-themed question to twitter:

Your Top 3 Favorites – Crime Film Edition!
Answer in the form of movie posters! pic.twitter.com/d7grwOPrsM

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 3, 2020

The responses I received were so great that it has inspired me to start The Joseph Mallozzi Crime Club!

Moving forward (for as long as I’m able to maintain my viewing discipline)  I’ll be announcing a new crime-themed movie every blog entry covering everything from the black and white classics to contemporary foreign cinema.  I’ll watch and then weigh in with my thoughts the following day.  Yes, that’s a movie day for the foreseeable future.  You’re all free to join me in screening whichever of the movies I announce happen to catch your interest, hopping on and off this crime train as you see fit and joining in any discussion.

So we’ll kick things off with the Spanish thriller Contratiempo (The Invisible Guest).  Check out the trailer to gauge your interest…

“A young businessman wakes up in a locked hotel room next to the body of his dead lover. He hires a prestigious lawyer to defend him, and over the course of one night, they work together to find out what happened.”

It’s available on Netflix (in my region of Canada).  If you can track it down, great!  I look forward to hearing your thoughts.  If you’re unable to source it, fear not.  Plenty more movies to come!

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August 3, 2020: Ugly Mugs, Rom Coms, and Suji celebrity impressions!

I do love me a good midday dark cloud heavy rainstorm!

Today’s burning question…

What is the worst mug you own? That mug that’s so ugly or ill-designed you keep it in the back of the cupboard for dire emergencies only? Check out this cumbersome monstrosity.

Its forward-weighted for easy tipping and the lip is concave so as to ensure consistent dribbling.  The sloth’s head is just big enough to prevent satisfactory sipping.  It’s also just slightly too big for the dish washer top rack and too shallow for the bottom.  Otherwise – great!

Well, heard back from Line Noise and am now in the process of scheduling our group zoom.  A little trickier this one as all four participants are from different time zones: EST, CST, PST, and AMT (Australian Melboune Time).  Luckily, I came across this terrific site…

Meeting Planner – Find best times across time zones

Just input your city or time zone and it will automatically generate a list of times.

One step closer to zoom chatting!

My most recent film-themed question…

Your Top 3 Favorites – Romantic Comedy Edition!
Answer in the form of movie posters! pic.twitter.com/yhxhbauTqI

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) August 2, 2020

Over on instagram, Suji has been offering up her daily lucky number and colors.  Lately, she has also been included a daily celebrity impression.  Two days ago, it was Nic Cage as Captain Morelli in Captain Morelli’s Mandolin…

Yesterday, it was Harrison Ford as Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back…

Today, it was Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club…

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August 2, 2020: Suji Sunday!

Poised to pounce.

She loves her banana chips.

Pizza Party!  Pizza Party!

After party.

So tired she fell asleep before she was halfway on her bed.

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