they should tell us which celebs are going to snl before we plan on going because now theo james won't stop calling me
and i just don't have time for a relationship with a heartthrob right now i have too many things to do
It’s not “being real” if you redo your voice memo okay we’re all gonna have to deal with that one.
Happy 11 days till I go to Chicago, everyone! I hope we’re all celebrating this in some way. Chicago has definitely been calling my name for at least a month now — sometimes you just need to go back home and get a hug from your mom. And maybe a little treat, too (mom will you take me out to dinner I’m asking for a friend). Now, obviously, I’m still on a high from last weekend because why wouldn’t I be and also it’s hard to move on from it because Theo James l i t e r a l l y will not stop calling me. But because of this, I wasn’t sure what I’d write about this week that could top it. But, alas, as always (once in a Dreamworks moon), I’ve got a few ideas.
This past week, I’ve been watching a lot of movies from different decades. I watched Black Bear (2020), Almost Famous (2000), Death Becomes Her (1992), and Harold and Maude (1971). I’ve been trying to watch an equal amount of movies from different decades each week, and from that, there are some takes that I’d be more than happy to share with you all. Oh, you don’t want to hear them? Hm. Well, I totally respect that, but unfortunately, this is my newsletter and I can do whatever I want since I’m a grown woman and make my own decisions and don’t have to listen to you. Ok, great!
I’ll start with a one-liner for each of those movies:
BLACK BEAR - Aubrey Plaza aka the modern-day Lauren Bacall show her some Respect ™
ALMOST FAMOUS - the dad from Alvin and the Chipmunks looks really good in this
DEATH BECOMES HER - very important to watch Hollywood royals put 110% into a film such as this
HAROLD AND MAUDE - and you all said Harry Styles wasn’t a good actor! shame on u
The more I watch ~comedies~ from different decades, the more I recognize similarities between certain decades. Most of the comedy in the 60s was slapstick and corny, but it was still funny, which reminds me a lot of late 90s and early 2000s comedy. The 80s were really into swearing a lot in the dialogue and getting a little more vulgar, which also has similarities to the early 2000s. The 90s did a lot of parody and satirical stuff — Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Truman Show, SISTER ACT (which is separate don’t compare this one). And the 2000s got all of its inspo from all of this. But the 2010s and 2020s have been reminding me a lot of the 70s comedy. Comedy from the 70s? Hilarious. Genius. Still holds up. I get so surprised every time. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? So funny. The dynamic between the two is so good. Harold and Maude? I’m laughing out loud. The Jerk? Don’t even get me started. Monty Python and the Holy Grail? I mean…..
But what I also noticed about a lot of these comedies from the 70s is that they were really good not only making them really funny, but they also threw in sadness and serious moments very smoothly. Harold and Maude made me laugh, and it also made my throat tighten from a shot that was one second long. And these types of stories remind me so much of the ones that are made today. Lady Bird (2017) has such funny dialogue that makes the movie very fun to watch, but the way the mother and daughter are written makes it devastating to watch, as well. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) makes me tear up every time. Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)? Laughed so hard the first time I watched it and sobbed the first two times I watched it.
It’s important to expand your movie horizons to other times when you weren’t around because you might end up actually finding similarities to the ones you comfortably watch often. Watching movies that you never thought would be interesting based on the time they were released is a great way to step out of your comfort zone in a very small way. It makes it easier to relate to others, I think. It’s a good way to understand others better, I’m guessing. So weird I feel like there’s a metaphor there or something. Oh, well!
I’m gonna keep it going with the TV-watching content and talk about The White Lotus. What an insane show. What an insane cast. The season finale is tonight. Everyone but Jennifer Coolidge and Meghann Fahey are going to die. I don’t actually know that, but who does know? Does writer/director Mike White even know? Are we actually watching a live show? Are School of Rock and The White Lotus in the same cinematic universe? How many scripts for future movies and shows does Aubrey Plaza have on her desk right now? Is Laura Dern going to show up in the finale? Is she the voice on the phone of the guy from The Sopranos? Is Portia actually the mastermind behind everything that’s been happening to everyone? Will Uncle Rico die? Is this whole season a metaphor for the service industry? Are they even in Italy? Or are they at Epcot? How do I get Theo James to stop calling me? How do I get a job where I get to stay at a hotel in Sicily for five months?
Okay, so would you say that was a perfect summary of what has happened this season or not? Don’t answer that. SEASON FINALE TONIGHT. Write down who you think is going to die and then burn the piece of paper you wrote that on. I don’t want any spoilers from your mind. Put Lindsay Lohan in season three or what’s even the point.
The holla days are such a sleepy time with all of the hustle and bustle and checking lists twice and spending all of your money. There is not a moment to lose these days, which is why I have to cut this week’s newsletter short. There are only 11 days until I fly home at 6 am eastern time, which means only 10 days until I pull an all-nighter because there is no point in sleeping just to wake up at 3 am. Laguardia waits for no one, my friends. So I need to start catching up on my sleep now. Right after I finish my Christmas shopping and go get groceries and take a shower and walk to the L and then walk back home and take another shower because I was bundled up for the outside but too sweaty for the train station. Anyway, what does everyone want for Christmas? I have a meeting with the Big Man later today and can put in a good word, but only if you share my newsletter with everyone you know. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.
movie rec: Harold and Maude (1971)
music rec: S.O.S. by Sza
book rec: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
who to give a little treat to rec: me, duh, i really feel like i deserve a little treat
Have a wonderful week, everybody — same time next week?