Cakes Out in the Rain
Plus a lot of Charli XCX
Hello again!
Has it been long enough since the Olympics that I can post my thoughts about Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal win and it will almost be novel? Everyone focuses so much on her unique personal style - the dyed hair, the piercings, the baggy clothes, the Oakland swag - and how different that is from the typical “ice princess” style, but her skating itself is still so elegant. On the ice, she wears beautiful dresses and is all graceful lines and pointed hands, but these don’t feel in contrast with her off-ice personality or like a concession to skating tradition. It feels like in taking that time away to find herself, she can now truly use skating as a way to express a part of herself. It’s not her whole self. It’s not her whole personality, but it’s something there that she clearly loves letting out. And I’m so grateful she let it out to the tune of Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park.” We all needed that song back in our lives. In case you haven’t watched this in a while…
Reading
Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller - A super funny, super sweet memoir from the Emmy-winning actor and veteran improviser. Whether it’s stories of being a bullied closeted teen in Texas or the quintessential struggling New York actor, Hiller finds just the right balance of humor and heart to let readers in. It’s almost shocking to find out that the role of Joel on Somebody Somewhere wasn’t written specifically for him when reading the chapters about his own connection the church and the fear of losing that connection once he came out. Did I mention the book is also really funny? Tons of great stories about bad day jobs and bad auditions that make for a satisfying showbiz slow burn.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley - Witty speculative fiction about time travel, displaced peoples, and unlikely love. The British government begins an experiment of gathering “expats” from across history to monitor the effects of time travel and the subjects’ ability to acclimate to modern times. Our narrator is assigned to act as the liaison or “bridge” for a naval commander from 1847 and finds herself drawn to him for more than just research purposes. This is not as romance-forward as that description might sound, but there is great banter and tension throughout. Very cleverly written in balancing the comedic possibilities of the expats learning about Spotify and vapes with the moral implications of using human beings as test subjects and the psychological effects on those subjects of finding out that everything they knew has gone.
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley - I love the concept of this book, but I wish I loved the execution more. “The Celebrants” are a group of friends who met in college, and after the tragic loss of one member right before graduation, they make a pact to a hold a living funeral for each member when they need it most, reminding them at their lowest points just how loved they are instead of leaving everything left unsaid until it’s too late for the deceased to hear it. The book covers nearly 30 years of friendship with good pacing and believable changes and challenges in each of the friends’ lives, but my biggest hangup was the friendship group itself. They all met as transfer students living on the same dorm floor, and then they were bonded together for life by trauma, but there is no other evidence of why these people would be friends or even like each other. Part of the problem is that the characters themselves do not feel fully drawn to me, so when their friends start eulogizing them, it’s like they’re describing a person I haven’t come to know at all. Rowley’s The Guncle series is filled with snappy dialogue that’s just absent here, and I think it really could’ve helped build a good group dynamic. There’s a great message throughout about living life to the fullest while you still can, but I wish the book itself felt more lived in.
Watching
Frankenstein (Netflix) - Speaking of wanting to like something. Guillermo del Toro seems like a wonderful man. He is a great ambassador of cinema, always supporting other artists and putting so much care into his work. I just wish I liked his movies more. I think this is a visually-impressive adaptation, but beyond that, there’s nothing new that drew me in. In fact, Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of Victor actively drove me away. You just created a man, and you’re instantly annoyed that you have to teach him how to speak and exist? Maybe think about that before you start gathering the body parts. Jacob Elordi is fine, and what a good sport for wearing all that makeup and crawling around, but it feels like he got an Oscar nomination for Best Acting While Tall. Mia Goth was probably my favorite part, but that feels a little unfair since I think she actually is a Georgian Era woman who’s into creepy things. I also appreciated that they went very Rocky Horror gold booty shorts with the creature’s yellow bandages, but beyond that, this just wasn’t for me.
The Testament of Ann Lee - Listen, I can understand why people maybe weren’t rushing to the box office for a movie musical about the founding of the Shaker movement, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. And I really don’t have to like how overlooked this film was during awards season. Amanda Seyfried is incredible as the title character, full of conviction and power in such a small woman’s body, which the world around her is determined to ignore. Her voice is angelic, her dancing is frenetic, and she’s always in control on screen. Director Mona Fastvold composes a beautiful, rich world around her, making every shot look like an 18th century painting come to life. Composer Daniel Blumberg blends original Shaker hymns with his original songs and score seamlessly. A really unique and impressive film all around.
The Moment - This is a funny and surprisingly candid take on fame, virality, and the expectations placed on the modern pop star - straight from the horse’s mouth. Charli XCX developed the idea for this mockumentary with writer/director Aidan Zamiri while she was in the thick of Brat summer, inspiring the film’s plot of Charli about to embark on a world tour while facing pressures from her label to make sure they’ve fully milked the Brat “moment” (a Brat credit card promotion is integral to the story). Charli’s a natural on camera and knows how to throw away the comedy in something like this. She’s also not afraid to look bad on camera, both as a character but also aesthetically. There’s a very funny scene where she looks like a frazzled mess opposite - and it pains me to admit this - a very game, and obviously perfectly composed, Kylie Jenner. The film explores the insecurity that fuels someone at the height of their powers to try to ride that wave out as long as possible. Hailey Benton Gates is very real and heartbreaking as the longtime collaborator who gets lost in the shuffle, and Alexander Skarsgård is perfectly ridiculous as the director hired to make a concert film, just not one rooted in who Charli is as an artist at all. Just a very cool swing overall.
Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man (HBO Max) - A lovely two-part documentary from Judd Apatow about the life and career of Mel Brooks, featuring a lot of great new interviews with the legend himself as he keeps chugging along. It was especially poignant to watch shortly after the passing of Rob Reiner given his and his father Carl’s significant presence in both the film and Mel’s life, but it’s beautiful to see what these people created together. Pair this with the Mr. Scorsese doc for the Bad Days Make Great Art Film Festival.
Listening
Charli XCX, Wuthering Heights - Fancy seeing you again, Ms. XCX. I have not seen the latest film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and after reading reviews, I can’t say I have any desire to, but I might re-read the book while playing through this excellent synth-pop meets orchestral strings soundtrack. Really love “Wall of Sound,” “Dying for You,” “Out of Myself,” and “Chains of Love.”
Ratboys, Singin to an Empty Chair - Excellent new album from a Chicago band alert! Indie rock with a little bit of country twang. I’m most into “Open Up,” “Penny in the Lake,” and undeniable banger “Anywhere.” It’s so 90s coded that they broke out the fish-eye lens for the music video.
Mary Chapin Carpenter & The Mountain Goats, “Put the Message in the Box” - I have to include this new collaboration between two of my faves because I feel like it was made just for me.