...I usually lean towards high voltage action, suspense. and/or weird films. It's a diversion.
Me too. I thought you might. That’s why I asked.
I think I’ll jump down some of these black-and-white/classic film rabbit holes for a while. They can definitely be weird.
Lunch break check in.
For CDB and Juanita, personalized recommendations from the vintage nerd's rabbit hole.
If
Singin' in the Rain is the sunny, happy side of inside Hollywood,
Sunset Boulevard (1950) is its dark side. Typically ranked as a top 40 film of all time, of any genre, this noir is special for its plot, dialogue, cinematography, and acting. And--without giving anything away--the lead actress actually was that silent film star, and all those photos and films are really her. (And what the butler eventually confesses... was 80% also true.)
Detour (1945) Bad decisions made on top of bad luck, plus a femme fatale with a tongue like a razor blade. A film from a "Poverty Row" studio with a budget so small the director resorted to flipping negatives to maintain continuity--even though that put cars driving on the wrong side of the road! And yet,
Detour was the first "B" movie chosen by the Library of Congress for its National Film Registry. And never was an actor's face more appropriate for his role...
Gun Crazy (1950) A gun-obsessed pacifist marksman meets the gunslinging girl of his dreams, then wakes up too late. But his love still runs strong, so "til death do us part." Before
Bonny and Clyde, there was
Gun Crazy.
But "weird" can also be positive, endearing, and delightfully quirky. So, just in case Tennessee loses another game in 2022 and you need something thoughtful but uplifting...
Mon Oncle [My Uncle] (1958)
I never dreamed I'd
ever like a French film, but there is little dialogue in this one so only a few subtitles. It's creator and director, Jacques Tati, began in silent movies, so he knows how to tell you tons without words.
His purpose for making
Mon Oncle was the post-war French government's obsession with replacing the old, war damaged France with Modernist styles and embracing American cars and consumerism. So Tati made this comedy to mock that, while showing the human social values they were about to lose in their pursuit of "modern efficiency." I think all of us who grew up country, or at least have great childhood memories of time away from the city, will get it immediately.
The gags (and commentary) are in the details, so you can watch this movie dozens of times and notice new bits or connections, like... why does his brother-in-law's house--and suit--look just like his factory? And why is the local school's name in the same script as the factory's name? And why so much gray?
Old and new are juxtaposed, the "messiness" of human interactions are observed, but the dogs and kids tell us about the real joys of life. And the ending is happy!
I'm sure I won't live that one down for a while. Having to replace everything is as bad as watching that mess this weekend in the miserable weather. On top of all that I rode my motorcycle so fun times in the rain.
. I like the idea of Burns for game 1, piggy backing Blade and Dollander for game 2 until both are closer to 100%, and then Drew for game 3. Our bullpen is so loaded as I’d hate to figure out the proper formula for giving those guys innings to keep them sharp. Good problem to have for sure. 
