Video streaming has been a very good friend during the pandemic. Not only have I watched (and am watching) a lot of TV shows, I’ve seen quite a few movies too, more than I realized. And this isn’t even including rewatches of all the Harry Potter movies and the Lord of the Ring trilogy.
Rewatches
The Sure Thing. For some reason this is one of my favorite movies. I’ve rewatched other ‘80s teen comedies in recent years (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink) and I think this one holds up the best. Maybe because the main characters are in college and therefore more adult-like (although John Cusack was only 17 when he filmed this).
I love the dynamic between Alison and Gib so much. I also love the way Alison dresses. She’s very preppy but also kind of tomboyish. And you can still see she has a figure. Her wardrobe totally holds up and I would wear it now (well, not literally now because it’s almost 90 degrees). She’s just the right amount of pretty, and I love that the uptight, brown-haired girl gets the guy in the end.
One Crazy Summer. That sent me off on an ‘80s John Cusack rewatch, and unfortunately this was one of them. All I can is at least I didn’t pay for it. It is not a good movie. I mean, there’s a sweetness to it, but it’s pretty dumb.
Better Off Dead. This one is also dumb (the saxophone for instance) but holds up better, mostly because of Monique and that love story. I love Monique because she’s an outsider who gets the guy in the end. She’s tomboyish (sensing a pattern here) and skillful without being a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. I also love her sense of style.
Groundhog Day. I feel like I’ve seen this movie many times (hmm, strikes of irony), but there was a lot I didn’t remember (for instance, Rita’s favorite drink is just straight sweet vermouth). It totally holds up and is just as good, maybe better, than the first time I saw it.
The Secret of Roan Inish. The last I watched this Irish movie was around the time it came out, so the mid-90s. It’s just as beautiful as I remember. And the music is so lovely. No wonder I owned the soundtrack (and it’s still on my old ass iPod). This time around it brought tears to my eyes, making me remember the time I watched the movie, when I was so young.
Magnolia. I rewatched this after hearing it discussed on an episode of the Movie Crush podcast. I only saw this once back around the time it came out. One of my coworkers told me the ending was unexpected and bonkers, and early on I made some assumption (I thought the William H. Macy character was the grownup version of the kid quiz star) and so when (SPOILER) it started raining frogs, I was like, “Huh?”
I think I didn’t appreciate it back then (although again I bought the soundtrack). But this time around I really loved it. So much of it is so heartbreaking.
Tootsie. I enjoyed this, but I didn’t realize how many times I’ve seen it because it was as familiar as an old shoe. So ‘80s.
Sleepless in Seattle. This was dumber than I remember but again, brain candy. I cried a lot more this watch during the scenes of the kid missing his dead mom.
Christopher Guest catalog
Best in Show. This is technically a rewatch, but it sent me on a Christopher-Guest-hole-filling quest. I wanted to watch Best in Show so badly, I was contemplating paying for it on Prime, but then suddenly I saw it was available on Hulu (I think). It’s so wonderful and heartwarming and hilarious.
A Mighty Wind. I thought I had seen this one about folk singers but turns out I hadn’t, or I have zero recollection of it. Like all his movies, it’s pure delight. The last song performance made me bawl.
Waiting for Guffman. How many times can I say delightful? In this one, a theater in a small town puts on a play and anticipates the arrival of a Broadway producer. Only more fun than the play are the audience’s faces watching it.
For Your Consideration. This was great too. Different than his other films in that it’s not a mockumentary. I feel like I got a pretty good taste of the filmmaking world, and it seemed realistic, and kind of sad, in terms of film careers and vying for awards and recognition.
Mascots. This is his most recent movie. It wasn’t as good as the others, but I still enjoyed it. It also made me look up if there really is a World Mascot Association championship.
As always that was much longer than I expected. Another post for the rest!