Here’s what I watched and read last week:
MOVIES
Chinatown (1974) is one of the great films of the New Hollywood wave. It helped usher in the neo-noir era—a term used because filmmakers in the 1940s and 1950s didn’t realize they were creating what would later be called “film noir.” The label “noir” came from French critics, most notably Nino Frank. I still consider Robert Towne’s Chinatown one of the best screenplays ever written.
Needful Things (1993). Three hours and 8 min version. It was hard to tell exactly what was new, but I did enjoy it more than the theatrical cut. I’ve read King’s novel, which I like a lot—though the ending is a bit messy. Perhaps that has to do with the madness that takes over Castle Rock in the final part. King’s multi-character perspective novels are some of my favorites—The Stand and Under the Dome, for example. Needful Things definitely fits into that storytelling style. I thought the extended cut did a better job of capturing the ensemble cast than the theatrical version. It would’ve been interesting if the story had taken place over the course of just one day. That might have made it even more powerful. I also appreciated that they didn’t explain why the devil shows up in Castle Rock—it’s more unsettling that way. They left out Ace Merrill (the villain from The Body) from the novel. I thought he might show up in the extended version, but I’m guessing that would’ve made the film way too long. The standout performance was J.T. Walsh—he pretty much stole the show. Overall, a fun film to kick off the Halloween season!
Devo (2024) is a good documentary. However, I wished it had gone more in-depth about how the band got into songwriting and how they learned to play their instruments. I also would have loved to learn more about what the other musicians—besides Mark Mothersbaugh—did after Devo during their hiatus. Still, it’s definitely worth checking out. Director Chris Smith has made some great documentaries, especially American Movie (1999), which is one of my favorites.
Triumph: Rock and Roll Machine (2021) is a very good documentary about the rock band from Toronto. It was directed by Sam Dunn of Banger Films, who has made many great documentaries—especially in the metal genre. What I particularly liked about this one was the fan-focused aspect.
Five Corners (1987) – I watched this on Criterion and thought it was a very good film. It was written by John Patrick Shanley, who also wrote Moonstruck (1987) and Doubt (2008). The movie features a great ensemble cast, and John Turturro delivers a chilling performance as a particularly scary character. There were some genuinely shocking moments that caught me off guard.
TV
Episode 3 of Task is beginning to take on a labyrinth-like structure, effectively blending suspense, noir, and whodunit mystery.
Black Rabbit is messy (maybe its supposed to be), but I’m still enjoying it.
BOOKS
Departure 37 (2025) by Scott Carson is an excellent sci-fi novel. The story blends elements of The Twilight Zone with Cold War-era paranoia, offering thoughtful reflections on technology that resonate with both the past and the present. I also recommend Carson’s other two books, The Chill and Lost Man’s Cave.
