Viewing Journal: 6/26/2015

238) MAX
(2015 dir. Boaz Yakin) Date Seen: June 26 2015

"Lassie Come Home From War"

I hate to poo poo a film with such good intentions, but I found the proceedings dull as hell. Hoping for an animal picture as thematically rich as Sam Fuller's WHITE DOG (1982), I was disappointed. A much more nuanced film about humans & animals with PTSD could've been delivered. But at least the genuine sentiment is there.

Where's the Boaz Yakin that once gave us FRESH (1994) ??

237) UN CHANT D'AMOUR 

            [A SONG OF LOVE]
(1950 dir. Jean Genet) 2nd Viewing: June 26 2015

this viewing was in honor of the Supreme Court's historic Marriage Equality ruling! The pictured film being one of the earliest examples of proud Queer Cinema I can think of & a triumph for the moving image. A hypnotic dream of stark contrasts. Unapologetic.

I've just been in a state of elation ever since the news this morning & wanted to watch something in praise of love. Truly one of the great civil rights triumphs of our time, & something I thought I would never ever see in my home state. Thank god my cynicism was proven wrong. 

So here's to you, LGBT friends & family! You've earned this victory.

A big step in the right direction for our Republic. Now, with a renewed sense of optimism, let's extinguish the many other faces of inequality that remain.