The Matrix Viewing Order Masterlist

In preparation for The Matrix: Resurrections in December, I've been itching to rewatch the trilogy and The Animatrix. The theories about what it will be are already flying, so I've written down my viewing order master list for....research purposes. Sure. So, read on, if you're ready to fall down that rabbit hole...

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The Matrix: Resurrections trailer dropped this week, giving us our first glimpse back into the world we left behind almost two decades ago, and - oh! - what a glimpse. Can I just say that using Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" should have been too on the nose, and yet they completely pulled off this needle drop? They even updated the song a bit, and I...I need that track. 

Of course, the internet lost its damn mind immediately, and theories abound as to what will happen in the new movie: will it be a sequel to the original trilogy? is it some kind of reboot (pun totally intended)? Perhaps its an alternate timeline. And the theories go on and on. 

All this has got me wanting to rewatch The Matrix trilogy and The Animatrix in a big way, and I have just the viewing order.

Equilibrium and the Art of Dystopia

Recently, I had the opportunity to show my brother the dystopian Thought Police action film Equilibrium. We have just a bit more time these days. In the current climate, where a great deal of fear surrounds the way we interact in society, a movie about Thought Police, dystopias caused by cataclysmic events, and a focus on emotions, especially how fear destroys us as a society, seems particularly relevant. 

My brother and I watch movies and television series together. I have a list of must-see movies and television series I've wanted to show him, pieces of art that are my duty as his sister to pass on to the next generation (we have a significant age gap). He, in turn, has added to that list with some of his own favorites, things I might never have considered or known about otherwise. A fair exchange, in my opinion.

I realized partway through our viewing that it had been about a decade since I'd last watched this movie. This was not because it isn't good or worthy of repeat viewings. It is. No, it was more that this movie holds a special place in my heart as part of my list of consciousness-expanding movies, and, as such, I only really watch them when I'm in the right headspace, and the timing was right....

M. Night Shyamalan's Glass: The Mastermind's Epic

While it's not necessary to have read my previous posts ("The Eastrail 177 Trilogy Begins" and "Unleashing the Beast") on this trilogy, I do recommend them, as I refer to various themes from them throughout. 

If you still haven't seen Glass, you're missing out.

I get it. You've been hurt before, and you were suitably - understandably - upset over The Last Airbender. Who wouldn't be? And who wants to go back only to be abused over and over again? We save that kind of masochism for Game of Thrones, and Game of Thrones only.

Well, I've taken a break in my GoT binge up to the final season to finish something I started three months ago, something M. Night began two decades ago, and to show you why it's worth watching this film.

I present to you the final chapter of the Eastrail 177 Trilogy reviews.

M. Night Shyamalan's Split: Unleashing the Beast

Glass opened on January 18th, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. As such, I've been featuring a series on M. Night Shyamalan's catalog of work. Not every movie will be featured; only my favorites, and I've been sick lately delaying my schedule a bit...a lot. So welcome back, stay tuned, and enjoy part two of this peek into the mildly obsessed.

I didn't know that Split is a part of the Unbreakable franchise, now known as the "Eastrail 177 Trilogy," until Glass became a sure thing and the first trailer came out, so I'm still getting to know Kevin Crumb and his 23 alters.

I had trouble writing this post because this movie is not my favorite of the ones I'm profiling during this series. This is not to say that it isn't good. It's quite excellent, especially in the treatment of the titular disorder. I recognize now that my hesitation stemmed from a sense that I needed to highlight this representation and some of the backlash it's received. I debated, for days, whether to bother with this topic, especially as I began writing and it got long, as my rants often do. Did we need to rake this topic over the coals again? Did I need to be yet another person beating this topic with a stick? I was about to cut the whole section when I realized this is exactly the problem with the way we deal with social issues these days: it's either too much or not at all, and someone always feels like they're being told they can't talk. That's too bad. Like it or not, some things need to be said, and you might be surprised where I go with this.

M. Night Shymalan's Unbreakable: The Eastrail 177 Trilogy Begins

Glass opens on January 18th, and I couldn't be more excited. As such, I'm featuring a series on M. Night Shyamalan's catalog of work. Not every movie will be featured; only my favorites. Stay tuned and enjoy part two of this peek into the mildly obsessed. In this installment, I describe how Unbreakable made the year 2000 a great year for cinema, but most notably for comic book movies.

While many today hail 2008 as the beginning of the modern superhero/comic book renaissance, I believe it came nearly one decade earlier. It was in the year 2000 that  X-Men came out, showing that ensemble superhero blockbusters could work (sorry Avengers, you didn't get there first). This grittier adaptation of the spandex-clad had some kinks to work out, but it broke ground on a more profound and relevant world. The bar would be raised even higher, though, when Unbreakable hit the screens a few months later, showing that the mythos of superheroes and the art of comic books was worthy of serious study.

Unbreakable was the follow-up to M. Night Shyamalan's popular debut The Sixth Sense. It was billed to look like another horror/thriller (Incidentally, I believe that Shyamalan's movies are often marketed wrong, contributing to the poor reception. That needs to stop.), but it turned out to be a beautifully crafted character study on the superhero genre, centering around the dynamics between two characters: David Dunn and Elijah Price. The reverence with which the story treats the comic book medium is only the base for admiration, but it is nonetheless perfectly interwoven with the plot and action. 

What Shyamalan gives us in this movie is the blueprint for becoming a superhero. You know this because you are told every step of the way. This could have been an unwieldy mess, full of too much exposition and spoon-feeding in order to fit a lot of action into a too-tight time-frame. Instead, Shyamalan focuses on character development. He wastes no dialogue. The piece builds steadily, showing only what's needed in layers, leaving you wanting more as the final twist is revealed.

A twist that we really should have known all along. 

Director Profile: What Everyone Gets Wrong About M. Night Shyamalan

Glass opens on January 18th, and I couldn't be more excited. As such, I'm featuring a series on M. Night Shyamalan's catalog of work. Not every movie will be featured; only my favorites. Stay tuned and enjoy this peek into the mildly obsessed.

Despite some very notable exceptions, I've always been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's work, and for many years, it's seemed as though I was the only one. His career has been one of controversy: once called the next Hitchcock or Spielberg, he has been alternately lauded and reviled. I've always felt that he and his work were deeply misunderstood. Still, with the opening of Glass (the final chapter in what has been dubbed the "Eastrail 177 Trilogy") and the recent success of Split and The Visit, the message is clear: liking M. Night is back in style.

How vindicating. 

A quick history lesson

As of January 18th, this unique filmmaker will have made more than 16 movies, on two-thirds of which he serves as writer, director, and producer. His breakout hit The Sixth Sense propelled him to fame overnight and set a high bar not only for his career but also for the horror genre. It remained the highest-grossing horror movie of all time for nearly two decades when it was finally knocked out of the spot in 2017 by the remake of It. Shyamalan had even greater financial success with Unbreakable, which turned the superhero origin story on its head. 

Though his next couple of movies, Signs and The Village, were also financially successful, there was a decline in positive critical reception, and fans began to turn their backs on the writer-director. Suddenly, people felt the movies were predictable, the twists were unsatisfactory, and Shyamalan's Vonnegut-esque predilection for writing himself into his movies was dubbed "douchey." The shine was off the penny, and no matter what Shyamalan did, it seemed he would never be forgiven for not turning out another The Sixth Sense.

At least that's how it looked to me.

LTC News & Updates for Autumn 2018

If you've been enjoying what you see here on The Lost Title Cards, then I have some cool news for you: you can be a part of the magic....or madness, whichever you prefer. But first, some quick news...

What I've Been Up To...

I've been working on some big things for all my projects, so you might have noticed a dip in my posting here. I apologize for that. Know that I haven't been idle. I've had a lot of projects going this year, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. You can see the result of my endeavors from the last quarter on my sister blog: System Andromeda. That, of course, doesn't leave much time lately for posting here. I can't wait to return, though, which I will be doing in earnest in November, and get some new content going. I've got a lot planned for 2019, and I'll be jumping on that before this year is out, so stay tuned. In the meantime, check out last year's holiday posts. I re-worked them for this year:

• Top Halloween Picks: A List For Just About Everyone [EDIT]
• Thanksgiving: The Perfect Time...to Sit on Your Ass [EDIT]
• The Big, Happy, Merry Winter Holiday Movie-List Post [EDIT]

Patreon

Now, the big news while I've been so busy is the creation of my Patreon page...and you can be a part of it! Patreon connects creatives with the audience that loves them. It allows them to engage more with each other through exclusive content on a membership-based platform for as little as $1/month. I love it. It means I get to keep creating, and you get to keep getting the benefit. Note the orange button up on the left-hand side? Go check out my page, see what you think, and if you like what you see, if you like what I do here, I encourage you to become a patron. Remember, patrons will not only keep getting posts here, but they will also get exclusive and advanced content that is only on Patreon!

Coming Soon...

And that is all for now. Stay tuned for more stuff coming in the future, such as:

• More Behind-the-Screen posts
• Video review/rant posts
• Updated pages and fave lists

Fade to Black.

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SystemAndromeda.com - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

UPDATE: The Case of the Ruby Slippers SOLVED!! | Behind the Screen

EXTRA! EXTRA! 

READ ALL ABOUT IT!!

MILLION DOLLAR RUBY SLIPPERS FOUND!!

EXTRA!

Back in June, I posted a story about the disappearance of a pair of authentic ruby slippers from a museum commemorating Judy Garland and the Wizard of Oz.

These slippers had been missing since 2005, and it seemed as though they would never make their way "back home"...until now.

On September 4 of this year, FBI officials revealed that the slippers have been found. An undercover operation based on a lead from 2017 lead to the eventual recovery of the slippers.

Perhaps the most dramatic thing about this story is the rumors that have continued to abound in this case. I mentioned some of these in my previous post, and it seems the trend of outlandish attempts to get the slippers back, dubious stories as to their whereabouts, conflicting facts, and more have continued throughout this saga. You can read more about it here.

...I wonder if it would be bad form to point out that - technically - Dorothy stole those shoes first.

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SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

Dress-Up Time: Omaha Comic Con This Weekend!

I'm prepping for Omaha Comic Con (O-Con) happening this weekend. Last year's was my first official Con (don't ask me why it's taken this long for me to get to any kind of Con; wait until you hear about all the Ren Faires I've never been to...), and I'm going for a little dress up this year. That means it's costume building time.

And who, you might ask, is the character in question...?

Zazie Beetz as Domino in Deadpool 2
Source

Yup. Domino from Deadpool 2.

I needed a character I could pull off with minimal effort, and Domino seemed like a good fit...

I'm laughing at myself right now, because minimal effort doesn't exactly fit in my vocabulary when it comes to projects. I seem to have an "eyes are bigger than my capacity to make something" mentality when it comes to such ventures, and I always pay the price. Most of the time, it's worth it regardless of time and effort sunk in, but there are times I wonder...like now, as I have so many other things going, including painting two pieces for an art show that opens the following weekend. (If you want to know more about that, check out the Totems Art Show page on Facebook) So, yes, expect pics, but don't expect anything fancy. At this point, I'll be impressed if I can get it put together in time, hah.

This also means I'm a little lax on posting right now until these couple weeks are up. I should still be able to get some "Behind the Screen" posts up for the next couple of weeks, but my more in-depth posts have gone by the wayside for now.

I'll have more happening in August and into the Fall, so stay tuned, and stay shiny!

Quote:

"Lady Luck, take the wheel."

~Domino, Deadpool 2

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Title: Deadpool 2
Based on: Deadpool comics; Domino comics for character
Released: May 18, 2018
Genre: Superhero / Comic Book
Director: David Leitch
Writer: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds
Music: Tyler Bates
Actors/Actresses: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand

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© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

Jaws: Jumping the "Bruce" | Behind the Screen

The Story:

Jaws is one of the most popular and well-known movies of all time. The tale of an enormous great white shark gone berserk tapped into some of our most primal fears, and the film itself captured the imagination as only a Spielberg picture can. But it might not have worked out that way.

Among a host of problems with a film shoot that included an unfinished script, unwelcoming waters, and uncooperative studio executives, Steven Spielberg was having trouble with the most important character/prop of the entire movie: the shark itself.

Training a shark to do the necessary stunts would have obviously been impossible, and the rubber props that were suggested to the rookie film director rang false. He decided instead on a mechanical shark designed by none other than Bob Mattey, best known for creating the squid in 20 Leagues Under the Sea. 

Spielberg received one of three requested sharks (all named Bruce, after his lawyer), and immediately began experiencing problems after it sunk to the bottom of Nantucket Sound on its very. first. day. It rusted up, and the mechanisms didn't work properly. Worse, the shark had to be hosed down every day to keep the corrosion from getting worse. This great white shark was turning into a great white elephant.

Spielberg got creative, though. He started figuring out ways to essentially tell the story without the shark. He took inspiration from Hitchcock, putting the shark under the water, in shadow, and revealing only a few tidbits here and there to titillate the senses, adding to a general sense of growing dread throughout the film. The shark became a spectre, embodying that deep-seated fear far more than it could have done were it front and center in every scene.

The result is a tense suspense thriller that - coupled with the collaborative script-writing process - became a critical and popular success (7th highest grossing movie of all time in the US & Canada), and catapulted Spielberg from a novice TV director to one of the most lauded filmmakers of all time.

Can you imagine what would have happened if the shark had worked?

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Title: Jaws
Based on: Jaws by Peter Benchley
Released: June 20, 1975
Genre: Suspense/Horror
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb
Music: John Williams
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton


What kinds of Behind the Lines stories would you like to hear? Comment below!

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SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

The Case of the Ruby Slippers | Behind the Screen

"They're gone! The ruby slippers. What have you done with them?"

~ The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Story:

In one of those bizarre twists of reality mirroring art, this week's story is about the disappearance of one of cinema's most iconic props: the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz. 

Note that when I say "one of," it has a double meaning. You see, there was more than one pair of those slippers, at least five that is known of, and there has been a lot of lore surrounding the fate of the many pairs of ruby slippers. Since studios had not started keeping a tight rein on costumes until the '70s, many of the pairs had been sold to collectors or given away to well-connected persons over the years; some were auctioned. One particular pair ended up on loan from a collector in a Minnesota museum...and that's where things got really weird.

One night in late August 2005, shortly before the infamous shoes were to go back to the collector, someone broke into the museum and stole the ruby slippers. They have never been found.

Even stranger, the stories that have surrounded this theft could be ripped right out of a conspiracy movie. The theft happened on a night when the alarm and video cameras weren't working, pointing to a possible inside job. At one point, authorities believed they had found the slippers, only to discover later that they were replicas. The insurance company paid out $1 million to the collector, and then offered a reward to anyone able to locate and return the pair. Even the circumstances surrounding the theft were drama-worthy: "They took nothing else and left behind no fingerprints or clues—only a trail of broken glass from the door to the case and a single red sequin." (Source)

It's been more than a decade since the theft and the ruby slippers remain at large. What happened to them? Did they get taken back to Oz? We may never know.

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Title: The Wizard of Oz
Based on: Frank L. Baum's book of the same name
Released: August 25, 1939
Genre: Fantasy
Directors: Victor Fleming, King Vidor, Mervyn LeRoy, George Cukor, Norman Taurog
Writer: Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, Edgar Allan Woolf
Music: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart
Actors/Actresses: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton

What kinds of Behind the Lines stories would you like to hear? Comment below!

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SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

Introduction: The Dedication of Leonardo DiCaprio | Behind the Screen

Leonardo DiCaprio, for me, belongs in the same category of actor as Brad Pitt: always play someone who is at least "mildly insane." I've always found those roles to be their most compelling, the ones that stretch them as actors and get the best results. So it should be no surprise that I include among that list of roles Leonardo's portrayal in Django Unchained, in particular, the now famous scene of Leonardo DiCaprio's lengthy speech that resulted in an injured hand.

The Story:

Leonardo plays his nastiest role: the incredibly racist "Monsieur" Calvin Candie - plantation owner, phrenology enthusiast, and all-around insanely evil shithead. Leo took the role as an opportunity to play someone who is decidedly evil, and he nails it. I won't go on about that, as it is his great dinner table speech that bears particular note.

In it, Candie has discovered that he is being played by the two main heroes of the movie, and rather than confront them immediately, sets about to terrorize them in a slow, disturbing reveal. At a critical moment in the action, Candie slams his hand down on the table, a movement meant to keep attention on him. Though rehearsed, in the passion of the moment, DiCaprio accidentally slams his hand on a crystal glass, shattering it and severely slicing open his palm. Any actor might call cut at that moment, but not Leo.

What's remarkable about this is the sheer concentration that DiCaprio displays as he continues through the scene. He barely reacts, though you can see his body subconsciously react to the wound for a fleeting second. Leo keeps his presence of mind, even using the wound to his advantage, and playing off of it as his character inspects said wound, removes the piece of glass, and even uses his blood to terrorize another character (and the actress, poor thing). It's a moment of sheer acting brilliance. And did he get acknowledgement for it at the Oscars? No.

Not that I'm bitter.

Check out the scene here.

Introducing "Behind the Screen" 

Each week, I hope to bring you a new story; a behind-the-scenes look at some of our favorite moments in cinema history. This could be a scene, a quote, or just a tidbit about film history in general. I'll keep 'em short and sweet, and may include video or other tidbits.

Sources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantinos-django-unchained-how-404160
https://variety.com/2012/film/news/leonardo-dicaprio-in-django-unchained-1118062924/

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Title: Django Unchained
Based on: Original work with reference to a 1966 Spaghetti Western named Django
Released: 2012
Genre: Drama/Action/Blaxploitation
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Music: Multiple artists
Actors/Actresses: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson...


What kinds of Behind the Lines stories would you like to hear? Comment below!

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SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.

Supernatural Music - Issue #1: "The Road So Far" Playlist

THEN

A television series about two ghost-hunting brothers looking for their father (who "went hunting" and "hasn't been home in a few days") airs on the CW to little fanfare or acclaim. While it carries similarities to other CW shows, it sets itself apart by placing its two *ahem* very good-looking leads in "monster-of-the-week" episodes that feel like horror mini-movies. These two "hunters" travel around the back roads of America, listening to classic rock in the most gorgeous black '67 Chevy Impala you've ever seen. The scenes of small towns and small roads work because it is reminiscent of every road trip I - and everyone like me - ever took with my family as a child.

The requisite CW angst works really well between the brothers, perhaps moreso than it does on any other show on the CW lineup. Also, these guys hunt monsters. It's fun, grittier, and less polished than most CW shows. Despite the inherently formulaic nature of the show, it soon reveals a larger plan, and the season finale cliffhanger leaves people itching for more.

NOW

Thirteen seasons later, this plucky little show has a cult following (seriously). Sitting at a 2-3 million viewership, Supernatural has respectable enough ratings to keep itself on air, but only just. Yet this show has turned into a phenomenon that shows no signs of stopping...and this has everything to do with its rabid fan base.

As a fandom, Supernatural can only be described as...scary. We besiege pollings for awards, influence plots of episodes, are one of top two fandoms on fan fiction sites, have successfully lobbied for the return of beloved characters, and have even successfully campaigned for a spin-off that caters to our preferences. We appear to be everywhere, taking over Tumblr memes and Reddit threads with a speed that terrifies other fandoms.

Let that sink in for a moment. Other fandoms are scared of us.

What inspires such devotion in a television series...or anything, for that matter?

Well, for one...music. ...and lots of it.

MCU: Phase 3 - Infinity and Beyond

Phase 3 seems rather less cohesive than the earlier phases and, like everything else in the MCU, I feel that this was intentional. Part of this lack of cohesion comes in the fact that we spend very little time dealing with Infinity Stones as compared to the previous two Phases. Instead, we focus on more introductions to fill out our roster of heroes: Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and others. More confusing yet, it turns out these movies are all out of order, with some even happening before the end of Phase 2's timeline.

To add a little more depth to this chaos, we get the introduction of new heroes is juxtaposed with the scattering of our established heroes, divided and broken after the events of Ultron and Civil War. This is a time of soul-searching for all involved. The theme of Phase 3 up to Infinity War (and probably beyond) would seem to be "sacrifice", as each of the characters in this lineup has to give up something, whether it be identity, home, a loved one, or their illusions.

This is a good thing, because, as I keep mentioning, Thanos is coming. And they will never make it if they aren't ready to give up everything and everyone they hold dear. As we have come along on this journey of characters, the real question will likely be: Are we, the viewers, going to be able to do the same?

MCU: Phase 2 - Branching Out and Adding On

Here we are, just one week away from the opening of Avengers: Infinity War, and I'm losing my mind every day, you know, in that quiet way where all anyone notices of it is a small twitch or sudden giggle for no reason. Yeah. Like that.

So it's time to do my "short" analysis of Phase 2 MCU movies (if you missed my Phase 1 post, you can read it here). 

Sequels to movies have a sordid history, usually as failed copies of the original movie. Sometimes they are a bridge to something better, typically the third part of a trilogy. While I won't claim that Phase 2 fits into either one of these categories, I will note that it has a connection to one very famous sequel: Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back.

Phase 2 pays homage to one of Empire's most iconic moments: the severing of Luke Skywalker's hand. This moment (and its subsequent line "I am your father"), has been referenced and parodied in almost every way imaginable, but Marvel decided to do something special: 

In every movie of Phase 2, someone loses an arm. 

I'm certain I'm not the only one excited about the upcoming Incredibles 2. The original remains one of my favorites. Here's the official trailer just released. Enjoy!

MCU: Phase 1 - Getting to Know All About You

Avengers: Infinity War is upon us. It's been a decade since the MCU came into being, and it's all been leading up to this moment. That's right. Infinity Wars was always a kind of end game in getting the Marvel Cinematic Universe going. Getting to this point is why Iron Man started back in 2008; it's the reason for the entire series of movies. And, oh, what a ride.

I, for one, am ridiculously excited about this. In fact, to prepare for the upcoming movie, I've been subjecting my family to a re-watch of all movies preceding Infinity War since the beginning of April in preparation. I have seen each of these movies more than three times each (most of them way more than that), so I didn't expect anything out of it walking in. Still, I had my trusty "Movie Notes" Reporter Moleskine at the ready and, as usual, I couldn't help jotting down the many impressions that arise when I see these surprisingly high quality movies. Rather than do an intense study of each one (that's rainy day work, my friends), I decided to do a re-cap of each Phase leading up to A:IW with some of the thoughts that popped into my head this time around weaving with themes I'd already explored on previous viewings. Suffice it to say, if you've never heard of the movies...well, you've been living in the quantum realm...but you should by now. Even Kamar-Taj has internet. But really, you should see the movies before reading this. There's still time to get them all watched before Infinity War if you start now. Go ahead. I'll wait...

Back? Good.

First, I think it's worth noting that this hasn't ever been done before. I don't mean sequels to movies, nor do I mean a series of films planned ahead of time. It's the scale that's been accomplished that is impressive. With few breaks in production (and those only early on), the Marvel Cinematic Universe managed to pull off 18 movies in 10 years, and the upcoming Avengers 3rd installment seeks to contain most of over 75 characters introduced since Iron Man.

Furthermore, this cohesiveness inspired the DCEU to follow suit, a venture that has had quite a few bumps along the way, but may finally be settling into it's own with Wonder Woman and Justice League. But we're not here to talk about DC. So let's get on with the show...

Groundhog Day: A Movie About Second Chances...and Third...and 432nd...

In older times, tribes, villages, and towns, followed the seasons using nature's cues as to when to perform certain duties. Observing when certain plants appeared, or herds of animals migrated into or out of the area were a clock different than the hands that meter out every second of our modern day. It worked rather well; those kinds of deadlines actually meant something - because knowing when to plant crops meant the difference between eating and dying - whereas today...well, a lot of times we're just counting down the seconds until...what, exactly? Until the next presentation? Or sale? Or disturbingly short vacation time? Do you ever wonder if we're doing it wrong? If we lost something in our fervor to move on from the past? After all, the rest of nature had been getting by with those same clocks for millennia.

Now, sure, these observations get a little bit iffy, and at some point in the past, perfectly logical reasoning can often become insane ritual. Through the co-opting of tradition by conquering religions and cultures (not to mention the times when the past simply got it wrong), time can whittle away any sense of the past's logic and beauty till it appears ridiculous and comical, a grotesquerie of what it once was.

...And that's how you get to the point where you use rodents to tell you when winter will end. That's right. It's Groundhog Day. But Groundhog day may be more magical than we think.

Winter Movies: A Course in Survival

Well...it's over. The holidays and the mad rush that accompanies the last three months of the year, have given up the ghost for another nine months. The sparkly lights come down, the tree heads to the curb or the closet. And the elation and stress of the new year ebbs into a post-holiday malaise. 

Now, come this time, you fall into one of two categories:

• You love winter and will happily wallow in the icy darkness for its remaining months
• You've been wishing it was spring since October

I know of at least two people who may not have made it this far because they hate, nay, revile, winter so much. Perhaps next year, I will do a list of "warming" movies to get those folks through winter, but this year, I'm focusing on the wallowers. So, if winter makes you think of bleak cabins in the mountains, AT-ATs destroying shield generators, and gothic noir...and that doesn't depress you, read on....

The Big, Happy, Merry Winter Holiday Movie-List Post [EDIT]

The world is turning away from the sun here in the northern hemisphere. It gets dark sooner. Leaves have dropped. Bare limbs reach up like claws silhouetted against the pale gray of the sky. People have retreated from the unwelcoming chill of outdoors into the safety and warmth of the indoors. Winter is here. But it doesn't all have to be beheadings and Night Kings. There's always revelries to be had. And revelries need a good flick to accompany them.

Since many of my holiday movie lists have so far diverged from what most would consider "popular", "normal", or even sane, it should come as no surprise that my Christmas list would follow suit. Rather than the more treacly holiday fare, I find myself turning to the sarcastic, bizarre, and downright disturbing. Enjoy.

Solstice...and a word on the holiday monopoly

Did you know that there aren't any films out there focused on the Winter Solstice? Or Hannukah...or Kwanzaa...or Diwali, or any others. I looked. That's sad to me...but maybe it's not. As Westerners, and especially humans, we assume that our way should be others' way. Perhaps the need to express our ideologies through popular media is the province of Western religion, and Christianity in particular. Perhaps those of other faiths are okay with not having their own faith-themed movies or TV specials. And maybe they're not. Either way, the lack of representation is overwhelming.

So, here in the Northwestern hemisphere, don't count on finding any movies celebrating the darkest night or the return of the sun. Christmas, as you may have suspected, has the monopoly on this time. That said, you can always celebrate by watching films set in winter. I'll be doing a "winter" list come the new year, but in the meantime, I do have one pick for this dark, quiet little holiday: