What’s going on in here?
Welcome back to Leave Me Alone! I’m in Here!
Every other week, I invite you into my room, where I’m watching, reading, listening, and dreaming. The door only stays open for a little while, so get comfy while you can…
What am I watching?
Honestly, I’ve been so preoccupied with my Nashville rewatch I’ve barely been logging anything else. When I start rewatching something with a lot of episodes, I tend to plow through it, angry at myself for committing to so many seasons and desperate to be free. I’m almost there!
Here’s what I’ve managed to watch when I’m not binging a country music soap opera:
All That Heaven Allows. As a lover of melodrama and critiques of 50s social mores, it’s ridiculous that I hadn’t seen Douglas Sirk’s best known film until now. I’m also obsessed with Todd Hayne’s Far From Heaven, which pays homage to All That Heaven Allows, so it really was about time. It’s stunning?? The colors are so vivid?? Are we not allowed to have colors like this anymore???
The Ring. The Criterion Channel has a great VHS series running right now, featuring films like Videodrome, Clerks, and yes, The Ring. It’s such a good movie, even for an American remake! I’m still into the blue/green wash, the story of Samara, and Naomi Watts’s freaky little kid.
The Drama. I’ve been looking forward to Kristoffer Borgli’s next film after really enjoying Dream Scenario a few years ago. A friend and I went this weekend and had a blast! It’s sharp, nasty, and funny, with great performances from Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
I watch a movie every day, and this year I’m really hoping to see more international films, more classic films, and more queer films. Follow me on Letterboxd to see what I’m logging every day!
What am I listening to?
I have a job that involves a lot of tasks that I get to sit and do by myself mostly without interruption. Currently, these songs are on repeat while I do my little tasks:
Promise by Eve 6
Hackensack by Fountains of Wayne
Dog Song by Mountain Man
Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron
What am I crying about?
My late thirties have become a time to cry, and I’m embracing it. Here’s what’s getting me this week:
Paul Schrader’s post about the death of his wife, Mary Beth Hurt, this week.
Big good news that I’ll expand upon in the next block.
I hate to admit it, but more than one song on Nashville.
A family giving their dog a quinceñera.
What am I thinking about?
This week, other things I feel like talking about include:
Last week, my federal student loans were forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. I’ve been working in nonprofits since graduating from college fifteen years ago, and this February marked ten years of eligible full time employment. In those ten years, I barely made a dent in the actual balance. There were many times I thought I would die with this loans. Now they’re gone. I am relieved, and thrilled, and angry that so many people are still tied to massive debts. Millions of young people were raised on the idea that a college education is the only path to a successful career and a comfortable life, but starting adulthood with tens of thousands of dollars in debt in an increasingly dire job market is just cruel. As new rules around student debt start to take effect this summer, countless people will be hit with increased monthly payments and risk of default. If you have student loan troubles, or if all this just pisses you off, check out Debt Collective.
Back at Booths! I was so excited to share one of my favorite places with my great friend (and MovieJawn Editor-in-Chief) Rosalie Kicks. I knew she would appreciate the weird and wonderful world of Booths Corner. In addition to my usual food haul, I picked up one of my best DVD stacks yet, pictured below. I’ve already watched The Dreamers, and I’m so excited to fire up Notes on a Scandal soon. $6 well spent!
What am I working on?
Rosalie and I (and fellow MJ staff writer Kevin Murphy!) will be headed to Salem Horror Fest at the end of the month to sling zines and watch movies. This will be my fourth time attending Salem Horror, and my second time with MovieJawn. It’s my favorite trip of the year, and Salem really feels like a home away from home. Stay tuned for dispatches from Witch City!
The spring issue of MovieJawn is selling fast! I love this issue, and I contributed a piece about Jeanne Deckers, once known as the Singing Nun, and the contrasts between her story and the film adaptation starring Debbie Reynolds. Check it out if you’d like MovieJawn in your mailbox.
This week I put my column, Viewers Like Us, on hiatus. I wanted to run it for a year, and I did that. I’m really proud of it, and glad I got to spend the year shining a light on PBS programs.
VideoJawn goes live on April 28! Join me and my MJ colleague, Genevieve Radosti, for our monthly Instagram Live show where we celebrate all things physical media. We’ll be live on MovieJawn’s Instagram at 8pm EST. In honor of his 80th birthday on April 22, we’ll be celebrating John Waters, the movies that influenced him, and the ones that he influenced.
This week, I’m feeling nostalgic for the days of coming home from school and watching whatever was on TV. For better or worse, these are ten movies Comedy Central made me watch in the early 2000s. Check out my list, and let me know if you watch anything!
Now get out of my room!
That’s it for this edition of Leave Me Alone! I’m in Here!
If you’ve read any part of this, I am so grateful! I hope to see you back here again soon.