Donnie Darko (2001): I’ve written about Donnie Darko several times, but this is the first time I am actually watching it during the right season – in more way than one. The movie is set in October, around Halloween, with American elections around the corner, so it was easy to set myself in the same frame of mind. I mentioned last time how the generational aspects of the movie struck me and on this viewing I just couldn’t evade the same connection – that Donnie is both a harbinger and a victim of generational cycles. There is a political disconnect, a social disconnect, a religious disconnect between him and the world, as those whom he should be looking at for guidance prove misleading at best and hypocritical at worst. After this week, I am more convinced than ever that Donnie Darko is timeless. 9
Smile 2 (2024): A rare case of the sequel hitting harder than the original, which I thought didn’t quite stand on its own two feet, Smile 2 has some wobbles, but is generally deeply uncomfortable and features scenes that have the chance to become iconic. The story follows a singer whose career is about to be rebooted, just as she encounters the demonic presence that we’ve grown to know and (not) love. We walk similar paths, encounter situations that make it impossible to discern between reality and manipulation, highlighting the embeddedness of trauma and the way it is all entangled with our perception of the world. As such, we end up freely electing to do things that ultimately harm us. Huh. 7
The Apprentice (2024): Tomorrow’s the big day across the pond, so I thought I would warm up with this Trumpian origin story. I can’t talk much about the facts and historical accuracy of Ali Abassi’s movie, but it was at the very least entertaining. Following a traditional structure, The Apprentice stands out with its 80s look and feel, as well as the eye-catching performances of Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. I don’t think it’s generous with either of its subjects, but presumably Cohn comes off better given the way his story wraps. Trump’s transformation into what we’ve come to identify as today’s top merchant in the politics of division is an effective one, but it doesn’t go into any significant depth, which is why I think the movie falls a bit short of its ambitions. 7
My Old Ass (2024): Following up from her solid and widely appreciated directorial debut with The Fallout (2021), Megan Park proposes a kind of time travel story that’s small scale and rich with the things that make life worth experiencing. Unfortunately, it isn’t consistently captivating, so if you are not taken by the meandering storyline and conversations, only the phenomenal vistas of British Columbia have a chance to keep you engaged. But when it is captivating, it’s almost special, with Aubrey Plaza stealing the show. All around around agreeable performances and glimpses of authentic truths make MOA worth watching, even if it doesn’t live up to its promise. 7
Bully. Coward. Victim: The Story of Roy Cohn (2019): To follow-up on The Apprentice, I watched the HBO documentary on one of they key power brokers in the US during the post-war period, Roy Cohn. The movie is directed by Ivy Meeropol, who is the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the couple sentenced to death for “giving the bomb to the Soviets”, after Cohn’s prosecutorial efforts. So the bias is implicit, but in spite of this, I thought Cohn got a lenient treatment. To such a degree, even, that the accusations of him being one of the most evil men of the 20th century didn’t quite stick. The documentary was interesting, but structured loosely and without a strong emotional core, which made it feel more like a curiosity, than a revelatory expose. 6
tributary stu 