Saturday Speaks (and Links): Cabin Fever Edition

On Saturday Morning

I'm getting out of the house today. That's for sure. I haven't worked in two weeks. Here in my little section of East Tennessee, snow has accumulated on five separate occasions in the past 13 days. Yesterday, the sun came out. We broke 45 degrees. The melt began.

But I'm getting out of the house to see my first movie released in 2015, though I'm not sure what yet. Don't worry, you'll know soon enough.


Let me tell you about my week:

Like I said, I was off all the week before last and this past week. Why?

Tuesday Morning

Two Inches + of the cold, powdery kind

Thursday Morning

Five inches of thick, wet, snowman snow

Needless to say, my back hurts. I have sat around more in the past two weeks than ever in my life. In all my years involved with the school system for which I work and studied as a student, we have never had so much snow in such a short period of time and been cancelled so many consecutive days. And, by the time we got this big, snowman snow, we really didn't feel like playing in the snow anymore.

Speaking of snowmen, I just wanted to once more share the beautiful job my wife did on the "Courtesan au Chocolat" as seen in Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014). They were astounding. These were the hit at our Oscar party. 

Watched Klaus Kinski prove, once again, that he is the craziest maniac to ever grace the movie screen in my February Blind Spot pick, Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" (1982).

Since "Whiplash" dropped on Blu just two days after the Oscars, where it picked up a few in Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound Mixing, I had to pick it up. It's so great. So great looking. So perfectly edited (amazingly so). So great sounding (All That Jazz, man!!). So powerfully acted by Simmons and Teller (who could've easily been nominated in a lesser year for leading men).

Since I just wrapped up my essay on the "Back to the Future" trilogy. I thought I'd move right on into the next one on my list. Wes Craven's original "Scream" trilogy ("Scream 4" not included, though I wish it was). Watching this movie again (after many years), I am still astounded by its equal parts wit and violence. It's almost as much fun as it was when I saw it in the theater on a Friday night in seventh grade.

Speaking of my Blu-ray trilogy project, I changed it up a bit and created this banner. The "Back to the Future" piece is one of my favorite things I've done for this blog. Check it out, if you haven't already.

I found a new podcast, and, man, is it good. I listen to Podcasts (mostly "WTF with Marc Maron", "This American Life", "Radiolab", "Stuff You Should Know") while cooking. Yeah, I cook around here. The kitchen is my domain. The lady does laundry. Fair deal, I think. Anyway, this podcast features interviews with great actors and other movie and TV people. The first one I listened to was recommended by a friend of mine. It's with Matt Damon. Seventy minutes of Matt Damon talking about his craft, his process, his shared bank account with Ben Affleck in the late 80s/early 90s, and working with many of the best directors of the last forty years. Plus, he shouts out Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Netflix's "House of Cards" returned with season 3 yesterday. We binged the first three episodes rapidly. It is as dark and ominous as ever. I can't wait to continue. But I'm taking my time, so I'm not so disappointed when it's over and I have to wait another year. Kevin Spacey is a beast!

In Movie Trailers News: 

Finally caught the trailer for Judd Apatow's forthcoming "Trainwreck," written by and starring comedienne Amy Schumer, whom I really have no knowledge of. I get really excited about Apatow's directorial work, even though I think he could do better as a director if he tuned his movies up a bit more with his editors. Still, this one looks hilarious as usual with great cameos. This trailer lets you in on some of that, and Tilda Swinton is gonna be the best thing about this one without a doubt. Beware! This is the R-rated trailer. 

Paul Dano and John Cusack will be playing Brian Wilson in Oscar-nominated producer Bill Pohlad's directorial debut, "Love & Mercy." I love The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson lore, Paul Dano, and John Cusack, so we'll see...

Here's a link to the trailer from Entertainment Weekly. 

In Politics: 

This moron may be running for President. 

I fear for my country. 

Links: 

Wendell at Dell on Movies reviewed "Dear White People."

Jenna and Allie at Flick Chicks throw down some cool movie trivia. 

Abstew at The Film's the Thing continues his "Year in Advance Oscar Predictions" with Supporting Actor.

Irene at Mysterious Bibliophile reminded me of a movie I never saw in "The Music Never Stopped."

Nathaniel at The Film Experience discusses the Birdman Oscar win.