August 2019

Other than work, August was uneventful. For the third year in a row, I flew to Chicago, rented a car and then drove to Michigan City, IN, for the boat races. BOOKS: I finished Last Words by George Carlin, A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston and The Last Lie by Alex Lake, and began reading Dangerous to Know by Margaret Yorke. The new Dick Tracy comic-strip anthology was released, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading that as well. MUSIC: Continued listening to my Elton John playlist through 1974’s Caribou.

Here are the movies I saw in August:

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (2019)—Directed by André Øvredal and produced by Guillermo del Toro, this sort-of anthology horror film is an adaptation of a popular children’s book. And though it is squarely aimed at younger audiences, it is occasionally scary (particularly a scene where a teenage girl suffers a nightmarish facial blemish from which spiders emerge. A bit too juvenile, but enjoyable enough. (8)

WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE (2019)—Director Richard Linklater adapts Maria Semple’s comedic novel about a woman whose daughter must figure out what happened to mom after circumstances prompt her to vanish. Not bad, but seems haphazardly edited. Cate Blanchett is always marvelous, and Kristen Wiig has a great supporting role as Cate’s next-door neighbor and nemesis. (8)

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT (2019)—Having only recently seen Yesterday, the Beatles-worship movie, and Rocketman, the Elton John-worship movie, and Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen-worship movie, Bruce Springsteen is next in line to have a movie built around his music. Viveik Kalra is a Pakistani high-school student oppressed by his domineering father, but when he discovers the music of the Boss, his whole life changes. In fact, virtually every aspect of his life becomes informed by songs like “Born to Run.” The movie is passably entertaining, especially when it isn’t focusing on Bruuuuuce. (7)

READY OR NOT (2019)—Comedy-horror film about a young woman (Samara Weaving) who marries into something akin to the Addams Family. Per tradition, this crazy clan welcomes any new bride or groom into the fold by making them play a game, but when Weaving draws the “Hide and Seek” card, it spells doom for her. Or does it? The movie is one long chase through the family mansion; it’s beyond preposterous, but basically hard to look away from. Weaving is a very attractive Margot Robbie clone. (8)