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Zadie Smith recommended Their Eyes Were Watching God in Books (curated)

"This is a deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don’t know how to live properly. Hurston is a lyrical writer, and lyricism is not usually my cup of tea, but there are talents that go beyond genre and taste. Her greatest claim over me is that she never was ashamed of the novel as a form—she believed in the transformative power of storytelling, and she took risks with sentiment that few contemporary writers are prepared to make. This book is a part of my character now—that’s how many times I’ve read it. I don’t look to fiction to find heroes, but I have to admit that Janie has meant more to me than any other character. She’s singing my song, somehow. And you realize the breadth of Hurston’s talent when you find out how many other people feel exactly the same way."

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Awix (3310 KP) rated A Week Away (2021) in Movies

Mar 28, 2021

A Week Away (2021)

2021 | Drama, Family, Musical

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Fiercely innocuous Netflix family musical. Too cool for school (NB he's not actually that cool) bad-boy (NB nor is he that bad either) is given a choice between Juvie and going to church camp for a week. Cue lots of cute romance, gentle comedy, dancing and singing about the grace of God, and, wouldn't you know it, religious conversion.

A ruthlessly cynical grab at the juicy faith-based-movie market by Netflix. This one is better than most, I suppose: the songs aren't painful to listen to and everyone is clearly trying their hardest. But its determination to be completely non-threatening and wholesome renders it bland to the point of absurdity - the sentiments expressed are mostly inoffensive (although the subtext is inevitably authoritarian, as with most movies about finding God), but it's almost totally lacking in drama, grit, tension and any genuine sense of threat. Passable entertainment if you want to watch something totally unchallenging. But why would you?

Kudos

Nicky Wire recommended Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy in Music (curated)

"I was later than James on Public Enemy, he’d be copying all the raps. You’d go down his house and he’d be rapping ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions’ to the record, like I’d be singing along to Ian McCulloch, which was really disconcerting - he really nailed it. I guess <>i>Fear Of A Black Planet is the bigger, more obvious album but it just felt like the rap equivalent of London Calling to me. It was really extensive and scattershot, obviously ‘Fight The Power’ was the main point of entry, but ‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ and ‘Who Stole The Soul?’ in particular are some of the best angry lyrics ever written. It felt like some sort of peak. I love the idea of NWA being the nihilistic, horrible Sex Pistols and Public Enemy being The Clash. I always loved those comparisons, and that album reminded me of a time when you thought things were possible. Before you were defeated."

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Augustine Frizzell recommended Long Day's Journey Into Night (2003) in Movies (curated)

Long Day's Journey Into Night (2003)

2003 | Drama

(0 Ratings)

Movie Favorite

"This felt like a dream, like being on acid again, like a new and technically ambitious cousin of “Last Year at Marienbad.” I enjoy thinking about the experience of watching it, probably more than the film itself. I was distracted, I kept looking for seams — where did they cut and stitch this together? How can it possibly be a single take? I’d rather have gotten lost in the world, which only happened after the fact as we drove home and tried to put into words what the film was actually about (and for weeks, I tried to figure out what the synopsis would be if I were to write one). I’m still not sure I love this film, but I am in awe of the ambition involved, and of the eerie tone, which never faltered. In particular the sound of those distant singing children. They were so haunting and dreamlike, I can’t recall the melody but I can still hear the feeling."

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