For this Friday Movie Night, you wanted a Palestinian movie, so here we go, the highest-rated one on Letterboxd: Farha (2021). It is a tale of a Muslim girl who finds herself witnessing the events of the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland by the settler regime. This movie made a bunch of Zionists very mad, so it probably does something right. Excellent reviews for this one, so let’s watch. After that is Safe (1995), one of the best-regarded films of American auteur Todd Haynes. It is a satirical drama-horror-black-comedy starring Julianne Moore as a bougie housewife who literally becomes allergic to suburbia. God Damn America: The Movie. Great reviews for this one, so we’re watching it.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• Farha: https://letterboxd.com/film/farha/
• Safe: https://letterboxd.com/film/safe/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• Farha: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/803140
• Safe: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/20699

CWs for Farha:

• Vomiting.
• Death of child.
• Suicide.
• Death of parent.
• Claustrophobia.
• Crying baby.
• Blood and gore.
• Gun violence.

CWs for Safe:

• Blood.
• Coughiing fits.
• Seizures.
• Vomiting.
• Needles.
• Hospital scene.
• Anxiety attacks.
• Ableism.
• Sex. Pretty tame.
• Chronic illness.

Links to movies:

• Farha: https://vimeo.com/885483371
• Safe: https://vimeo.com/885843121

Reddit is a fascist shithole.

🇵🇸

For this Saturday Anime Night, first up is Swan Lake (1981), based on the classic fairy tale and featuring a score straight from Tchaikovsky’s ballet. Get ready for some high melodrama. This is supposed to be a good version, and the track record for these Toei fairy tale films has been great, so let’s check it out. Director is Kimio Yabuki, who also did Puss ‘n Boots (1969), which kicked ass. After that is Stormy Night (2005), from renowned auteur Gisaburo Sugii (Night on the Galactic Railroad). which is about a goat and wolf who become friends. Will their bond overcome their natural enmity? I guess we’ll find out. This one has an awesome aesthetic.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• Swan Lake: https://letterboxd.com/film/swan-lake-1981/
• Stormy Night: https://letterboxd.com/film/stormy-night/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• Swan Lake: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/1030221
• Stormy Night: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498465/parentalguide?ref_=tt_stry_pg

CWs for Swan Lake:

• Suicide.
• Character deaths.
• Natural bodies of water.
• Interspecies romance.

CWs for Stormy Night:

• Blood and gore.
• Deaths of animals.
• Death of parent.
• Carnism.

Links to movies:

• Swan Lake: https://vimeo.com/852226260
• Stormy Night: https://vimeo.com/852805736

This is a special Tuesday edition of Anime Night by popular demand, following on from the A-ko 1&2 night we did back in June. It’s the legendary inexplicably-superpowered schoolgirl OVAs Project A-ko 3 (1988) and Project A-ko 4 (1989)! They are pretty much Chicks Rock: The Movies. 3 has been remastered, but 4 will have to settle for a VHS rip.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• Project A-ko 3: https://letterboxd.com/film/project-a-ko-3-cinderella-rhapsody/
• Project A-ko 4: https://letterboxd.com/film/project-a-ko-4-final/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• Look, I'm just gonna link the page for the first one, since all of them feature similar stuff: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/886553

CWs:

• “Man in a dress” jokes. The aliens look like men who dress as women. The characters barely acknowledge this fact directly, but the depiction is still problematic.
• Bugs.
• Stalking.
• Mention of sexual assault (but no depiction).
• Someone struggles to breathe.
• Kidnapping.
• Bath scene.
• Flashing lights.
• Plane crash.
• Gun violence.
• Nuclear explosion.
• Objectification of female characters.
• Panty shots of high-school-aged girls.

Links to movies:

• Project A-ko 3: https://vimeo.com/852226260
• Project A-ko 4: https://vimeo.com/852805736

For this Sunday Slop Night, first up is Oppenheimer (2023), the latest cinematic megahit from Christopher Nolan, in theatres now – or, should I say, on Hextube. The camrip I have is acceptable quality, so we’re watching it. The one caveat is that there is a watermark that migrates around the frame for the whole movie. Whatever, it adds to the slop aesthetic. After that is French Claymation comedy-drama My Life as a Zucchini (2016), about a foster child who finds a new home following the death of his mother. He meets other children, and laughs and tears ensue. Cool visual style for this one, and rave reviews everywhere, so we’re watching it.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• Oppenheimer: https://letterboxd.com/film/oppenheimer-2023/
• My Life as a Zucchini: https://letterboxd.com/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• Oppenheimer: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/1031479
• My Life as a Zucchini: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/16686

CWs for Oppenheimer:

• Child abandonment.
• Stalking.
• Gaslighting.
• Smoking.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Suicide.
• Drug abuse.
• Someone is held underwater.
• Someone is burned alive.
• Drowning.
• Body horror.
• Asphyxiation.
• Unconsciousness.
• Deaths of children.
• Drug overdose.
• Cheating.
• Natural bodies of water.
• Jump scares.
• Spitting.
• Vomiting.
• Needles.
• Mental illness.
• PTSD.
• Self-harm.
• Hallucinations.
• Crying baby.
• Sudden loud noises.
• Flashing lights.
• Obscene language.
• Shaky cam.
• Someone is watched without their knowledge.
• Babies.
• Antisemitism.
• Sex scenes. Pretty tame, from what I can tell.
• Nudity.
• Male character ridiculed for crying.
• Sad ending.
• Nuclear explosion.
• Blood and gore.

CWs for My Life as a Zucchini:

• Child abuse.
• Abusive parents.
• Domestic violence.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Drug addiction.
• Implied (but not depicted) sexual assault in child’s backstory.
• Someone falls to their death.
• Someone falls down stairs.
• Death of parent.
• Destruction of child’s toy.
• Shower scene.
• Spitting.
• Bed wetting.
• Vomiting.
• Copaganda.
• Suicidal ideation.
• Suicide.
• Abuse of autistic person.
• PTSD.
• Flashing lights.
• Babies.
• Childbirth.
• Ableism.
• Fat jokes.
• Discussion (but not depiction) of sex acts.
• Incest.
• Nudity.

Links to movies:

• Oppenheimer: https://vimeo.com/851969806
• My Life as a Zucchini: https://vimeo.com/851970719

For this Saturday Anime Night, first up is Toei’s The Little Mermaid (1975), adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. A mermaid gives up her voice to pursue a human prince. Surely she will live happily ever after, right? I guess we’ll find out. We are inching ever-closer toward seeing every anime feature film released before 1980; there are not that many left. After that is A Letter to Momo (2011), from director Hiroyuki Okiura (Jin-Roh), concerning a preteen girl who befriends a trio of goblins to cope with her dad’s death. Hijinks ensue. Looks pretty cool, and reviews everywhere are great, so let’s give it a whirl.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• The Little Mermaid: https://letterboxd.com/film/hans-christian-andersens-the-little-mermaid/
• A Letter to Momo: https://letterboxd.com/film/a-letter-to-momo/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• The Little Mermaid: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/11971
• A Letter to Momo: Sorry, nothing on DTDD or IMDB. The movie is rated PG.

CWs for The Little Mermaid:

• Deaths of dogs.
• Nude mermaids throughout the movie, but their chests are drawn in a vague Barbie-doll way whenever their hair doesn’t cover them.
• Suicide.
• Blood.
• Sad ending.
• Death of child.

CWs for A Letter to Momo:

• Death of parent.
• Depression.
• Cartoon violence and mischief.
• Farting.

Links to movies:

• The Little Mermaid: https://vimeo.com/851969806
• A Letter to Momo: https://vimeo.com/851970719

For this Sunday Slop Night, first up is Barbie (2023), the latest cinematic megahit, in theatres now – or, should I say, on Hextube. The camrip I have is decent quality, so we’re watching it. After that is Paul Schrader’s highly-acclaimed union drama Blue Collar (1978), concerning a trio of assembly line workers who plot to rob their union’s headquarters. The lack of class consciousness is the point; Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, First Reformed, Mishima) said that he arrived at a “Marxist conclusion” while writing the film. Imagine a good version of Gung Ho (1986). Excellent reviews across the board for this one, so let’s check it out.

We’ll start at 9PM EST on Hextube, right here: https://live.hexbear.net/c/movies

Be there, comrades!

Letterboxd:

• Barbie: https://letterboxd.com/film/barbie/
• Blue Collar: https://letterboxd.com/film/blue-collar/

Doesthedogdie.com links:

• Barbie: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/381345
• Blue Collar: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/205689

CWs for Barbie:

• Gaslighting.
• Someone is physically restrained.
• Sexual assault: Barbie’s butt is smacked by lecherous man.
• Catcalling.
• Slapping.
• Head squashing.
• Choking.
• Unconscuousness.
• Destruction of child’s toy.
• Kidnapping.
• Jump scare.
• Mannequins.
• Natural bodies of water.
• Ghosts.
• Shower scene.
• Vomiting.
• Hospital scene.
• Mental illness.
• Body dysmorphia.
• Body dysphoria.
• Unstable reality.
• Anxiety attacks.
• Sudden loud noises.
• Flashing lights.
• Crying baby.
• Obscene language.
• Broken fourth wall.
• Someone is watched without their knowledge.
• Pregnancy.
• Ableism.
• Objectification of female characters.
• Discussion of sex acts.
• Ridicule of male character for crying.
• Homelessness.
• Existentialism.
• Car crash.
• Honking horn.

CWs for Blue Collar:

• Stalking.
• Drug use.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Someone is physically restrained.
• Someone struggles to breathe.
• Finger gore.
• Tooth damage.
• Asphyxiation.
• Broken bones.
• Cheating.
• Destruction of child’s toy.
• Spitting.
• Vomiting.
• Body dysmorphia.
• PTSD.
• Claustrophobia.
• Obscene language.
• N-word.
• Racial slurs.
• Black guy dies first.
• Objectification of female character.
• “Sexual content” in a party context.
• Nudity.
• Sad ending.
• Car crash.
• Honking horn.
• Guns.
• Blood.

Links to movies:

• Barbie: https://vimeo.com/847607151
• Blue Collar: https://vimeo.com/847603537

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) has to be up there. Literally glorifies the stock market and presents a finance bro job as the key to happiness. There's a scene near the start where Will Smith is outside the NYSE looking at all the suits going in and out and narrating how he was inspired by how happy everyone was, and how this inspired him to bootlick his way into some internship, the pursuit of which literally requires him to alienate his friends and family and sleep in subway bathrooms with his five-year-old son. Everyone in the movie is a lazy, unscrupulous asshole, except for the rich people, of course, who are portrayed as generous and open-minded for allowing Will Smith in the door after he kisses their asses the whole movie. All of his struggle with homelessness and poverty etc. is portrayed not as injustice but as the ideal scenario, rewarding the hardest, most dedicated worker with a job. It is literally r/upliftingnews: the movie.