Those cookies look good for scarfing.
Pop Culture Ephemera
- Parasite (2019) (Directed by Bong Joon Ho): “If I had all this I would be kinder.” – Chung-sook. The tour of recent Academy Award winners settled in Korea this week. The film landed at the top of the NYT’s Best Films of the 21st Century, so there’s a bit of a weight on it now. Bong had made some good films up to this point, like Snowpiercer (2014), but this is at a totally different level. First, I love films that defy genre classification. This one doesn’t really defy as much as slip in and out of about five different genres. It is a social commentary film that plays like a caper film that turns into a horror film with comedic elements throughout. For me, the film shines as a comedy of manners in the best British tradition. The lower-class family infiltrating the upper-class home with wide eyes and jealousy. Then slowly seeing the ugly side of wealth.
The twists and turns of the plot reminded me of the Coen Brothers at their wacky best. The middle act is full of equal parts shock, horror, and over-the-top comedic moments. This is also where the film shoots into the upper echelon of movies. It’s great for a viewer to think they know the environment and then to find out that there is a lower level below the lower class. I’m in full support of a Top Ten ranking for this film because of all of these elements. There are few films of the past 25 years that you will remember beyond the week you watch it like this one.
- Agatha Christie’s Poirot – “The Third Floor Flat” (1989) (S.1 E.5) (ITV): “Mademoiselle Patricia, I once knew a beautiful English girl who resembled you greatly. But alas, she could not cook. So, our relationship withered.” Hercule Poirot. After a few lackluster episodes, this adaptation hit the exact spot that I love in Poirot stories. Hercule has been sick, and he’s worried that he’s losing brain cells because he hasn’t had a case in three weeks. Hastings and Japp are really being fleshed out as supporting characters. The mystery is satisfying, but I get the biggest kick out of Hastings taking Poirot to a mystery play and Hercule trying to guess whodunnit at the intermission. The other observation is that I love the flats where Poirot lives. There’s so much going on with the stairwell, elevator and beautiful rooms. This is the type of episode that makes me into a huge fan.
- Heart – “(Love Me Like Music) I’ll Be Your Song” (1975) (from Dreamboat Annie): “Sometimes I’m not so strong / And even now I could be wrong.” A song about how music makes everything better. That’s about as universal a topic as they come. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man” on this first album. Nancy Wilson’s acoustic guitar shows off her talents as much as she does on the electric. It’s a little sugary sweet, but I love how this topped off such a wonderful debut album. It’s a good way to musically tuck in at the end.
- Manchester by the Sea (2016) (Directed by Kenneth Lonergan): “I can’t beat it. I can’t beat it. I’m sorry.” – Lee Chandler. Another film set in the neighborhoods that I will find myself living before the end of this year. I hope that living there is half as good as the films that are set there. Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) has not had an easy life. The current timeline starts with him finding out that his brother has died and that he is the guardian of his teenage nephew. Lee is quiet and troubled. He’s got anger issues, and no one thinks this is a good idea, including Lee and his nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges). The trope of the uncle being the cool relative was present in my last review of The Tender Bar (2021). This film refuses to go down that road. It also pulls back just when it’s getting too melodramatic. The only complaint I come away with is the same that I have with lots of films. The story plays loose with the flashbacks. There isn’t much of a reason they couldn’t have happened in order or to be pulled together in a single part of the film. The reveals aren’t particularly necessary to the dramatic turns in the film. For a film that progresses along at a fine clip, the best moments are when it takes a moment to breathe and listen to the wind or the waves on the ocean. There’s much more to love here than to hate.
- Parthenope (2024) (Directed by Paolo Sorrentino): “At the end of life only irony will remain.” – Bishop. Italy is a beautiful country. Naples is one of the most beautiful spots in Italy. Italian women are beautiful. Celeste Dalla Porta is one of the most beautiful Italian actresses. Blue skies and blue waters and buildings with high-vaulted ceilings all lend themselves to one of the most beautifully filmed movies of the past few years. Parthenope is born of the water in Naples (literally). The film’s story is in the disguise of a coming-of-age movie although it takes Parthenope into much more mature years than such a film might. It’s more of a poem on beauty, intelligence, love, and aging. The story doesn’t live up to how beautiful the film looks. The initial love stories give it the feeling of some of the best Italian New Wave films. The film can’t sustain the correct balance between happiness and tragedy. The double endings should have felt more triumphant than they did. The message is ultimately too bleak for my liking. I just love looking at the sea.
Best of the Rest
- I’m supportive of film/product relationships that make sense. In the first Happy Gilmore (1996), one of the biggest laughs was Happy’s Cold Cut Combo line, “I eat three every day to keep me strong.” The upcoming Happy Gilmore 2 (2025) debuts later in July on Netflix. It’s only natural that Subway will debut a Happy Gilmore meal.
- Entertainment Weekly (3/28/97): “Best Commercials of All-Time” #14: Hallmark “100th Birthday” (1990): “She’s actually 101.” The same company that has a whole television channel dedicated to being unabashedly schmaltzy, decided to set up a touching ad but add just a hint of humor to take the edge off of the ad. It’s a good commercial that has the feel of what we see in longer holiday ads these days. The two-minute spot couldn’t have run too often in prime time. I barely remember it, but I respect the longform ads that feel like small movies.
- It popped to the top of my news feed that there was a real-life “snakes on a plane” in Australia. It turned out to be a non-venomous green tree snake. It was in the plane’s hold, but was just inches from getting into the panels and caused the plane to be evacuated. Trust me, seeing the snake removed outside of my plane window, I would have evacuated anyways. In the “where are they now?” category – the snake was adopted by a vet. It is planning its next escape as we speak.
Sunday Morning Tuneage Flashback
- Sunday Morning Tuneage from 8/23/2009, there wasn’t much to report as the last half of August was wall-to-wall working and no time for anything else. I was looking forward to Caleb’s first ever football game the upcoming weekend. My Quick List is one that I have educated myself much more on since 2009, I’ve reassessed it below.
My #98 Top TV Show of All-Time was Remington Steele (NBC) (1982-1987). There’s no doubt I probably wouldn’t put this into a Top 100 any longer. It’s interesting that I thought that highly of it in 2009. It’s thought of as a James Bond audition for Pierce Brosnan, but it’s really a Stephanie Zimbalist vehicle. She did the majority of the mystery solving and propelled the plot of most episodes. - BEST PROG ROCK ACTS OF ALL-TIME (2009)
- 10. Yes
- 9. King Crimson
- 8. Frank Zappa
- 7. Kansas
- 6. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- 5. The Moody Blues
- 4. Marillion
- 3. Genesis
- 2. Roxy Music
- 1. Pink Floyd
- BEST PROG ROCK ACT OF ALL-TIME (2025)
- 10. Hawkwind: I didn’t know about these guys until the last few years. Their early ’70s output was early electronic with heavy guitar elements mixed with some of the era’s psychedelic sound. Best known for debuting Lemmy on bass. Start with “Silver Machine”.
- 9. The Moody Blues: They don’t carry the same street cred after their switch to almost pure pop. Those early albums were something though. Start with “Tuesday Afternoon”.
- 8. King Crimson: I will agree with those who say that King Crimson and Robert Fripp are the fathers of prog rock. The generally undefinable genre has a touchstone with their early albums. Start with “21st Century Schizoid Man”.
- 7. Emerson, Lake & Palmer: I might listen to this group as much as any that will make this list. They are approachable but arty. Their combination of classical music influences with prog rock features is great for the average listener. Start with “Karn Evil 9”.
- 6. Supertramp: I mostly knew them as a pop band from their later albums. Recently I dove deep into their earlier albums. There is some debate as to their prog status, but it’s clearly there outside of the hits. Start with “School”.
- 5. Yes: It’s hard to follow the family tree of this band. If you don’t like the lineup, just wait an album, and there will be a new formation. My heroes are Wakeman, Anderson, and Howe or variations thereof. Start with “Close To The Edge”.
- 4. Jethro Tull: My appreciation has grown for this group. You can debate that they flowed back and forth through multiple genres, often in the same song. I used to put them more into that folk/Renaissance category. They push along album after album keeping the genre alive. Star with “Minstrel In The Gallery”.
- 3. Frank Zappa: You could argue me in or out of this classification any day. It’s art, it’s avant-garde and it’s just straight hard rock. When Frank and the Mothers of Invention were really rolling, this was some of the most interesting rock of any decade. Start with “Inca Roads”
- 2. Pink Floyd: They initially fit more into the psychedelic vein. By the ’70s, they were full of all the prog elements. The selling point for me is the need to listen to a side at a time to really appreciate the connections. Start with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”.
- 1. Genesis: Prog rock fans have attitude about the Phil Collins era of this band. It’s hard to fault a band for following the money, especially in the MTV era. The Peter Gabriel era is as strong as any group on this list. I might not listen to it as often as some of the artists above, but the list was the best and not just my favorites. Start with “The Battle of Epping Forest”.
1975 in Review
- July – Fantastic Four #160 (Marvel Comics): Cover by Gil Kane. Written by Roy Thomas. Art by John Buscema. From a design element, the faces of the team will now appear in the title for the rest of the decade. This is an all-star team on the book, but when they start getting into multiverse versions of each other, I start to quickly lose interest. At some point, Reed signs over the rights to the Fantastic Four Inc. to another company.
- July 9 – The Rolling Stones started the first of five sold out shows at the Los Angeles Forum as part of their Tour of the Americas for the rest of 1975.
- July 14 – Sports Illustrated: Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win at Wimbledon with a four-set win over #1 Jimmy Connors. Even though he was a #6 seed, this is still considered one of the biggest upsets in Men’s competition at Wimbledon. Ashe also defeated Bjorn Borg in the Quarterfinals.
What the Hell Did I Put in My Mouth?
Wavy Lay’s: Magic Masala
I’m not sure what in the name of alliteration that “magic” is doing in the title of this bag of chips. The Magic Masala flavor has been around at your local India grocery stores for years. They disappeared a couple of years ago. They’ve reappeared and I’m fairly confident they are the same but maybe dulled in heat for the American audience. I taste a barbecue chip with a heavy does of cumin and maybe the odd buttery aftertaste. I don’t love these enough to make a return trip to the store.
Frosted Flakes: Cookies & Creme Milkshake
The Strawberry Milkshake Frosted Flakes from a couple of years ago weren’t exactly barn burners. I’m surprised to see this flavor show up in the cereal aisle. I enjoy cookies and creme as a flavor, but milkshake and creme seem redundant. The flakes look and smell fake. The chocolate dots are not appealing. The flavor is too subtle and it’s the adding of the milk that seems to be the catalyst to make it a milkshake? There just wasn’t anything unique about this combination to make me think anything other than, I wish I had spent my money on regular Frosted Flakes.
Doritos: Twisted Queso
The packaging tells you that this is a 4th of July ready release. These are pretty good. The taste isn’t in the same queso family as other releases with that in the name. I found it to be closer to a hybrid of the Nacho Cheese and the Salsa Verde chips. I like that there was the upfront cheese flavor with a hint of a peppery salsa at the end. I will buy a couple bags of these because they aren’t going to be around long. We are just a few weeks away from the fall flavors hitting the aisle.
“We keep coming apart
And it’s a wrong thing
We gotta look right at each other and say it
Turn on the radio and play it
And fall in love again” – Heart
