Will Pfeifer's Blog

And finally, we come to this, the end of a much-despised year and the final seven books I consumed during those notorious 12 months. At least my reading list ended well ...

"What Are You Looking At?"
I used to be an art major, and huge chunks of modern art still mystify me. Will Gompertz has a clear understanding of the topic, though, and he manages to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with no small amount of wry humor and genuine appreciation. (This isn't one of those books that claims "My kid could do that!") Pretty much every movement of the modern era is covered, and if you wonder why Monet (or Picasso or Jeff Koons or Jackson Pollock or whoever) is such a big deal, you'll get your answers here. 
"Low Life"
Luc Santa descends into the depth of Manhattan, circa pre-Civil War to early 20th century, and emerges with tales of rampaging gangs, corrupt political dynasties, lethal watering holes and terrifying children. It's all fascinating, of course, and an antidote to anyone bemoaning the passing of the good ol' days. The detail gets a little overwhelming at times, but if you're looking for the book on how bad things used to be, this is the definitive volume.

"The Rescue Artist"
How easy is it to steal one of the world's most famous paintings? If you're talking about Edvard Munch's "The Scream," it's surprisingly easy, requiring only a ladder, a getaway car and the urge to do so. That's the mystery that confronted "rescue artist" Charley Hill, who specialized in finding -- and safely returning -- stolen masterpieces. In this book, Dolnick tells the story of the hunt for the missing Munch as well as Hill's story, and the story of art theft in general. It's a fun, fast-paced read, and it might even leave you wondering if that "Mona Lisa" hanging in the Louvre today is the genuine article. (Actually, it probably is. Never mind.)
"Pastoralia"I always enjoy George Saunders' collections of warped shorts stories and novella,s but I can only read them so often because, as well-written and entertaining as they are, they're almost always jaw-droppingly bleak. This collection is no exception, with sharp little tales of sad little people trapped in sad little lives, whether it's a guy portraying a caveman in some sort of theme park (the title story), a male stripper trying to earn a buck or a barber trying to find love. Good stuff, but not exactly life-affirming. 
"The Skies Belong to Us"
The 1970s really were a crazy time in many ways, not the least of which was that not only was skyjacking a surprisingly common occurrence, it was so common that, after a while, people just sort of took it in stride and didn't get too worried when it happened to their flight. This book tells the entire history of the phenomenon, but focuses on Catherine Kerkow and Roger Holder, who seized a flight and weren't quite sure what to do with it when they got it. Fascinating, strange stuff. (Reminds me a bit of Bryan Burrough's "Days of Rage," another book about how the world (and American in particular) seemed to go a little mad in the swingin' seventies.)

"A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear"When libertarians from all over the country descended on Grafton, N.H., figuring it would be the perfect place to prove that libertarianism was the ideal political system, they didn't count on the actual logistics of civic government. They also didn't count on the bears. Those bears wandered into town and scavenged garbage, and when the funding to keep them out was cut, the wandered in a lot further and a lot more frequently. Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling tells the whole sordid (and funny and tragic) story -- and delivers plenty of bear-related knowledge to boot.
"Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas"
Ever since I heard Glenn Kenny was working on this book, I saved a spot on my shelf for a copy. "Goodfellas" is one of my favorite movies, and paging through this book was like watching a great documentary and listening to the best-possible commentary track. The centerpiece of the book is a scene-by-scene (sometimes shot-by-shot) walk-through of the entire film, with interviews, anecdotes, trivia and analysis threaded throughout. It's great fun, and a fascinating look at how a movie -- a movie masterpiece, to boot -- gets made. After reading this, all I want to do is watch the movie again.

The year drags on, there's no end to the plague in sight, and on top of everything else, I find myself out of work. More time to read, I guess, right? Right?

"The Big Sleep"
I've seen the movie several times, but never read the book. I figured this version -- which I got for Christmas in 2019 -- was the perfect way to not only experience Chandler's story but also the world of late 1930s Los Angeles. Full of maps, photos and constant commentary about even the smallest details, it might not be the most straightforward way to take in the narrative (admittedly, it gets pretty distracting) but it's very educational. For example, I had no idea that the underground pornographic novel publishing industry was such a big deal back then. Ah, the good ol' days.
"Scoundrels & Spitballers" 
And speaking of Los Angeles in the '30s (and the '20s and '40s), this excellent volume collects hundreds of anecdotes from that era about screenwriters you've heard of and many, many more you have not. One of my favorite books of the whole year, it pulls off the impressive trick of taking you back decades and somehow making it all feel current and modern. My favorite chapter was probably the one focusing on defunct Los Angeles bookstores, but heck, every chapter is good. Check this one out.
"American Madness"Like more than a few people in the past several years, Richard McCaslin went a little mad, fueled by every conspiracy theory he could latch onto, then convinced himself that he alone could save his country. Dressing up and calling himself the Phantom Patriot, he became a part-time costumed "hero," invaded the legendary Bohemian Grove and descended deeper and deeper into the title of the book. Journalist Tea Krulos tells his whole story, and though it's not a happy one, it's definitely timely. More timely now, in fact, than when I read this book a few months ago.
"The Invention of Sound"
Another one from the advanced copy pile at my wife's library. It's an entertaining but fairly slight read from Palahniuk (which, to be honest, is a relief after his previous novel, the interesting but too long "Adjustment Day.") The story focuses on a sound engineer famed in Hollywood for her ability to create convincingly blood curdling screams, and if you don't suspect a horrible secret at the heart of her work, you haven't read enough Palahnuik. Not as good as "Consider This," but not a bad way to pass an afternoon or two.

"Kent State"
Derf Backderf's graphic retelling of the National Guard shootings of May 4, 1970, is my pick for book of the year, though I might be a big biased, having graduated from the college in question in 1989. Backderf does a mesmerizing job of relating the events, delivering plenty of background on the people involved and the forces at play, then depicting the shootings themselves in stark, unsparing detail. It's historically revealing and emotionally devastating. And, more than that, he depicts the campus the city itself in incredible detail, with the building, backgrounds, streets and scenery all astonishingly accurate. I spent years at Kent and trust me, he got it all right. An incredible piece of work.
"Wasteland"
Just the sort of movie book I love: one that takes a period of film -- in this case, silent and early sound horror -- and then examines in fascinating detail the forces at play behind the scenes (and deep in the subconscious). With World War I more than a century in the past, it's hard to imagine how it changed the world, introducing the idea of thousands of people being slaughtered in just a few hours. But the echoes of those horrors reverberated throughout Europe and America (and, specifically, Hollywood) in the decades since, and Poole's intelligent examination of the era and its films inspires a whole new look at those black-and-white chillers.

"Red Harvest"
Having (finally) read Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon" in 2019 (review -- it's really good!), I pulled this long-owned book off the shelf in 2020. It might be even better. The Continental Op travels to Personville (aka Poisonville) on a half-assed assignment and proceeds to turn the whole place upside down, deftly pitting everyone against everyone else and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Fast paced and surprisingly funny, it's the inspiration for everything from "Yojimbo" to "A Fistful of Dollars" to "Last Man Standing." But the story is at its best -- and purest -- in these pages.
"The Glass Menagerie" 
My daughter was assigned this Tennessee Williams play for class, and seeing as how we read it together, I'm slipping it onto this list. Typical jolly, lighthearted romp from Mr. Williams, but with some great, meaty dialogue and a character who is a big movie fan (or at least pretends to be just to get out of the house.) 

Up next: We wrap up the year with two books devoted to art (modern and theft of), some warped short fiction, the romance of skyjacking and a detailed look at one of my favorite movies.

At this point in 2020, we were firmly in the COVID era, meaning I barely left the house and had plenty of time to read. So here's how I passed the time...

"Among the Thugs"
Back in the 1990s, Bill Buford's grim examination of soccer (sorry, football) hooliganism was a constant presence on bookshelves of young men exploring the darker side of life. So, naturally, I had a copy but, for reasons I can't explain, never read it until last year. Glad I finally did. It's beautifully written (really) and frequently jaw-dropping, both for the scenes it depicts and the fact that Buford managed to stay in one piece while reporting it.

"In Cold Blood"
As a huge fan of the 1967 movie, I can't explain why it took me so long to read the actual book. (Do you sense a theme here?) Anyway, as you probably already know, it's a fascinating bit of reportage, with Capote doing a breathtaking job of taking you to Holcomb, Kansas, introducing you to the Clutter family, and then relating the horrible events as they play out. Still one of the best true crime books ever written.
"Make My Day: Movie Culture in the Age of Reagan"
The third in J. Hoberman's trilogy of books examining recent decades as seen through their movies (following "The Dream Life" and "Army of Phantoms"). This one obviously focuses on the 1980s, and it's the most personal of the bunch, given than Hoberman was an active critic during that decade. It's an angry book full of bile toward Reagan and many of the movies of the era, but for a guy like me, who came of age in the 1980s, both as a person and a movie lover, it hits home.
"Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style"
Suzanne McConnell, a student (and friend) of the late, great Kurt Vonnegut, shares lessons from his classes, personal advice and life history in an excellent book that's part Vonnegut bio, part writing guide. It's an impressive book, covering plenty of territory and delivering some solid advice. More than anything, it made me want to go back and re-read some Vonnegut.

"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist"
Adrien Tomine's sketchbook-style (right down to the binding and the graph paper) collection of autobiographical anecdotes is very funny and, of course, beautifully drawn and designed, but if I'm being honest, I found it a little, I dunno, light? I'm sure that was his intention, but for all the dramatic moments between these covers, I chuckled to myself more than I actually got involved in the situation. Still, as a day-to-day depiction of what a cartoonist on the rise goes through, it's plenty revealing and (like I said) plenty amusing. Just not what I expected, I guess.
"The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood"
I loved this detailed, warts-and-all, beautifully written examination of the making of "Chinatown" and how it turned out to be one of the last gasps of the glorious Hollywood era of the 1970s. My favorite parts involved the writing of the movie, with Robert Towne and Roman Polanski fighting over what stayed and what went and, in the process, turning out one of the great Hollywood screenplays. Full of great anecdotes and character portraits, it's one of the best books about Hollywood I've read in a long time. (And trust me, I've read a lot.)
"Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics"
Maybe, it turns out, a comic book is the best way to tell the story of the most influential comic book artist of all time. Tom Scioli delivers the good, covering Jack's life from before his birth to after his death. And even though I was familiar with a lot of the stories within, Scioli both uncovered some new ones and told the old ones in refreshingly different ways. (His portrayal of the transformation of Stan Lee from mild-mannered bald guy to open-shirted hipster is worth the price of the book.) 
"Improv Nation"
I liked "The Big Goodbye" so much that I tracked down another book by Sam Wasson, this extensive history of improv in America. Nichols and May, Second City, the Compass, SNL, SCTV -- it's all there, with tons of anecdotes and a great historical sweep. I might have even liked this one more than "The Big Goodbye," which is saying something. Highly recommended.
Up next:Raymond Chandler gets annotated, Chuck Palahnuik makes his second appearance of the year and the best graphic novel of 2020 takes a grim look at my alma mater.

With not much else to do last year but hunker down, hoard toilet paper and wait out the apocalypse, I managed to get some reading done. Here are quick recaps of the books I read for the first time in 2020. 

"Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary"
Justin Green's 1972 autobiography remains one of the truly legendary comic books ever published, and one that still has the power to astonish almost 50 years after its first publication. Brilliantly, imaginatively drawn and deeply (deeply) personal, it's a genuine work of troubling, transformative art. (You can listen to Ben Tiede, Zack Kruse and me discuss "Binky Brown" on our Pictures Within Pictures Podcast by clicking here.)

"Astounding"Alec Nevala-Lee traces the roots of science fiction in these United States through the lives of four groundbreaking, generally screwed-up guys: John Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard (I'll leave it to you to guess who was the most screwed up out of that quartet). Fun stuff, with crazier behind-the-scenes stories than you might be expecting.
"The Downtown Pop Underground"
Kembrew McLeod traces the pop cultural history of Manhattan in the 1960s and 1970s through the musicians, poets, actors and artists who made it all happen. I'd heard plenty of tales about the Ramones, Blondie, Lou Reed and others, but whole sections of the book -- especially the off-off-off-Broadway stages where groundbreaking theater was born -- were a revelation. Highly recommended.
"Outrageous Conduct"
The background on the horrifying helicopter crash on the set of the "Twilight Zone" movie that took the lives of Vic Morrow and two children is told in painstaking detail. No one comes out looking good, especially director John Landis, anyone at the studio or even producer Steven Spielberg, who distanced himself from the whole mess as soon as he possibly could.

"Antkind"
My dear wife snagged me a copy of Charlie Kaufman's debut novel from her library's advance copies table, and since COVID hit soon after and the actual release date was delayed by months, this copy turned out to be very advanced indeed. I'm a huge fan of Kaufman's screenplays, and this movie features the same sort of hyper-smart writing and endlessly twisted plotting, but I have to admit, it lost me in parts. Maybe a two-hour time limit is a good thing for a guy like Kaufman. Seven-hundred-plus pages turns out to be a little too much. Still, there are enough flashes of brilliance and laugh-out-loud moments to make it worth a look.
"The Box"
I've had Jeff Kisseloff's oral history of TV for years, but something made me finally pull it down of the shelf, and I'm glad I did. It's full of fascinating anecdotes about the development of television, from the early pre-radio days to the last hurrahs of live TV. My favorite bit might be when engineers would stand on a yard-wide platform atop the Empire State Building and shimmy up a pole to grab a crossbar 10 feet up. That was the initiation into their little club. It's amazing TV ever survived in the first place.
"Consider This"
I've read almost everything Chuck Palahniuk has written, and though I run hot and cold on his fiction, I found this fairly straightforward autobiography/writing guide to be top-notch. Full of anecdotes from his own experience in writing classes and on book tours, it's full of surprisingly concrete (especially for Palahniuk) advice regarding the nuts and bolts of fiction writing. I'm sure I'll read this one again soon.
"The Stars My Destination"
When I read Alfred Bester's "The Demolished Man" a few years back, I couldn't believe how good it was -- smart, funny, exciting, epic -- everything you look for in a science fiction novel. And this one was just as good. In the future, people develop the ability to "jaunt" -- to teleport, in other words -- and it changes everything about society. It took me forever to read this (it was first published way back in 1956), and I wish I'd done so sooner. Don't you make the same mistake.
Up next: Soccer hooligans, Dick and Perry, two new graphic novels and more writing advice, this time from Kurt Vonnegut.

Here's part two of my list of my favorite films I saw for the first time in 2020, with several runners up at the bottom...

Fish Story

I saw some incredible movies in 2020, but this 2009 Japanese film was my favorite discovery of the year. Bouncing back and forth in time from the recording of a forgotten punk rock song in 1975 to a record store in 2012 when a comet is five hours from destroying the world, with a failed romantic encounter and a hijacked cruise somewhere in between, it manages to be funny, exciting and oddly inspiring, with one of the best “tying it all together” endings I’ve ever seen. Best of all, the title song – which you hear over and over – is truly great, never wearing out its welcome. A wonderful tribute to the power of music. 

A Ghost Story

If you know anything about this movie, you probably know that (a) Casey Affleck plays a ghost in a white sheet, Peanuts-style, and (b) Rooney Mara eats an entire pie in real time. Both of those things are technically correct, but they don't come close to conveying the weird, wonderful almost mystical power of this movie. Affleck and Mara are a young couple who hear strange noises in their small house. Then, one day, Affleck dies in a car accident. He wakes up as a ghost, goes back home, and watches Mara grieve, recover and move on with her life. And then, he watches much, much more. I don't want to spoil anything, because this is one of the most surprising, most unusual movies I've seen in years. It's not a horror movie, and it's not a romance, but it has elements of both -- and a lot more besides. It's amazing.

Black KKKlansman

Spike Lee got a lot of (much-deserved) praise in 2020 for his epic Vietnam drama "Da 5 Bloods," but I liked this 2018 movie even better. Based on some genuinely bizarre true events, it's the story of an African-American detective who infiltrates the Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. The strong cast is headed up by John David Washington, Adam Driver and Topher Grace (as David Duke!), and Lee manages an impressive balance of comedy (it's surprisingly funny), suspense and, when the story calls for it, stark political horror. Great stuff, and with a powerful, terribly timely ending.

Fail Safe

Somehow, I’d never seen this, the other 1964 movie about an errant nuclear attack that threatens to destroy the world, and I assumed it was a weak imitation of “Dr. Strangelove.” Wrong. Though I still prefer Kubrick’s film for its jet-black humor, this Sidney Lumet film is no slouch. Filmed on stark, stylized sets that crank the claustrophobia up to 11, it’s a deadly serious take on the same story, with an all-star cast (Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, Fritz Weaver) trying to prevent Armageddon. I knew how the story ends, and I was still on the edge of my seat. 

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Who would've guessed that a surprise sequel to 2006's "Borat" would be the most politically timely release of the year, and not just because it played a part in Rudy Giuliani's (much-deserved) fall from grace. Naturally, with the character of Borat world-famous after his first movie, Sacha Baron Cohen had to change tactics this time around, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. By adding the character of his daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), the film shifts the focus to someone else and finds a way to spotlight the horrible treatment of women in the world today. Laugh-out-loud funny and consistently surprising (just like the original), "Subsequent Moviefilm" also has a real heart, and Bakalova deserves an Oscar nomination (at least) for one of the bravest performances I've ever seen. And, as a bonus, the ending features the COVID joke we didn't even know we needed, with the perfect cameo appearance (which I wouldn't think of spoiling).

Report to the Commissioner 

Bracingly gritty 1975 cop drama about a hippie-ish rookie (Michael Moriarty) plunged into a complex, dangerous case involving a female detective (Susan Blakely) who is deeply undercover. The great Yaphet Kotto (years before "Homicide: Life on the Street" -- or "Midnight Run," for that matter) plays a none-too-friendly experienced cop, and Hector Elizondo, Bob Balaban, William Devane and a young Richard Gere fill out supporting roles. Best of all, director Milton Katselas makes the most of the Manhattan locations, with a wild chase around and above Times Square that I'm still not sure how they managed to shoot.

The Aerial

This visually astounding 2007 Argentinian reminds me a bit of Guy Maddin’s early work, but without the psycho-sexual obsession that sometimes drives Maddin (and I mean that as a compliment). “The Aerial” is more in the vein of a mostly kid-friendly fairy tale, taking place in a city that has “lost its voice” where a brave family tries to save the day and defeat the minions of “Mr. TV.” Filmed in lush black and white and chock-full of imaginative and breath-taking images, it has the sort of low-tech special effects that are deliberately awkward while conveying a real sense of wonder. It’s streaming on Amazon Prime – check it out! 

Runners Up: "Lake Mungo," "All That Jazz," "The Color Out of Space," "Uncut Gems," "The Undertaker and His Pals," The Vast of Night," "Border," "It Follows," "The Cassandra Crossing," "The Lodge," "The Ritual," "Christine," "Suspense," "There's Always Tomorrow"

I watched a lot of movies in 2020 (a whopping 172 to be exact), the vast, vast majority of them on my TV or laptop screen. (Wonder why that was?) Though some were old favorites, like "The Apartment," "Cat People" and "Remember the Night," plenty were either brand-new (thanks, streaming revolution) or brand-new to me. Here's a list (part one, actually), of the movies I saw last year. Let's hope, when I make this list in 2022, that a few more theatrical experiences are included...

What Did Jack Do?

I half-jokingly posted early last year that I didn't expect to see a better movie in 2020 than this black-and-white David Lynch short, and though I wound up seeing some fine films in the past 12 months, this remains one of the very best. Only 15 minutes long, it's a gorgeously shot, atmospheric interrogation scene between a detective (Lynch) and the titular murder suspect, Jack Cruz (a monkey, playing "himself.") The dialogue manages to be hard-boiled and poetic at the same time, and just when you think it can't possibly get any better, Jack breaks out into glorious, glorious song. Simply amazing.

Little Women

Saw this one on New Year's Day 2020, so it just missed making the previous year's list, but it deserves a spot on this one. I really enjoyed how writer/director Greta Gerwig rejiggered the timeline to make certain sections of Louisa May Alcott's venerable story bounce off each other in interesting ways, and the cast -- Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern and others -- is top-notch, finding new ways to play some pretty old characters. Bonus points for a couple of non-Women cast members: Chris Cooper, revealing a sad humanity he rarely gets a chance to play, and Bob Odenkirk, well, just for being Bob Odenkirk.

Weathering With You

The last movie I saw in an actual theater was this epic anime. I took Allie to a few weeks before the world shut down. In the not-too-distant future, Tokyo is a flooded city, drenched by non-stop rains. But thanks to an almost mythical "sunshine girl," the rain occasionally stops and people can have parties, play outside and go back to semi-normal life (at least in select areas and for limited times). All of this comes to head in a love story where two crazy kids have to decide whether their romance is worth the damp hell of a flooded world. And, the answer wasn't quite what I expected. It's all beautifully animated, with a solid soundtrack and a vibe unlike any other movie I saw last year. If this had to be the last film I saw in an actual theater, at least it was worth remembering.

Top of the Heap

After Christopher St. John co-starred in the blaxploitation blockbuster "Shaft," he spent his paycheck (and cache) it in the best possible way: writing, directing, producing and starring in this dark, surreal, consistently surprising story of an African-American police officer who struggles with his job, his family, his fellow cops and his place in society. Full of fantasies, dream sequences and offbeat touches, it’s like no other blaxploitation movie -- or any movie, period. (I heard about this one, by the way, on the always entertaining, always essential Pure Cinema Podcast.)

The Sting

Is it possible that I somehow had never seen "The Sting"? A blockbuster movie, a multiple Oscar winner and a piece of pop culture that was omnipresent during my childhood? But I can't think of a time I actually sat down and watched the movie itself. And that's too bad, because while it lacks the weight and grit of the other classic '70s movies, the damn thing is a perfectly tuned entertainment machine. It looks great, it's flawlessly cast, it has just enough tension (but not too much) and it delivers the fun, scene after scene after scene. Can't believe I waited this long to finally watch it.

Eighth Grade

I was reluctant (though not as reluctant as my then-8th grader) because I thought it might be just as grim and miserable as the grade itself can be at times. But two years after its release (and when middle school was safely in the rear-view mirror), I gave it a shot. And surprise, it was awkward and sad and embarrassing and cringe-worthy and all the other things that 8th grade is, but it was also funny and touching and hopeful. Elsie Fisher gives a brilliant performance as Kayla, your average kid going through average things. One of the strengths of Bo Burnham's film is that it never goes too far -- the kids are never too mean, the drama is never too dramatic and the plot is never too twisty. It's just a refreshingly real look at a tough time -- and how times can indeed get better.

The Lighthouse

I named Robert Eggers' "The Witch" my favorite movie of 2016, so it's no surprise that his follow-up would find a place on this list. Even wilder and more insane that the movie with a goat named Black Phillip, "The Lighthouse" is one of the most outrageous viewing experiences I had in 2020, and that's a compliment of the highest order. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are pitch perfect in roles that slip further into insanity with every frame, and the breathtaking black-and-white cinematography is the best I've seen since, well, since "What Did Jack Do?" Reminds me of Guy Maddin (specifically "Brand Upon the Brain," his lighthouse epic), which is a very good thing.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

I read Charlie Kaufman's brick-thick debut novel," Antkind" last spring, and though I wasn't wild about it*, I thought this Netflix mind-bender was an excellent return to form. Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons star in what starts as a fairly typical tale of a couple visiting his parents and then, surprise surprise, goes way off kilter and becomes something else entirely. There are the usual Kaufman tricks with structure, time and alternate realities, but there's also something else, namely the way the movie reframes its entire story and gains a whole new power near the end. If there's one movie on this list that merits a second viewing, it's this one (though, if you ask me, they all do).  

*Check out my 2020 book recap coming up in this blog, well, one of these days.

UP NEXT: A movie about a guy in a sheet, a movie about guys in sheets, a Japanese movie about the power of punk rock and more!

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I saw a total of 125 movies in 2019, in theater, on blu-ray, on DVD, on TV and on various means on the internet. Some were old favorites (a year doesn't go by that I don't watch "Cat People"), some were movies I hadn't seen for years (the original "Fright Night" was so much better than I remembered -- blog review here ) and some were brand-new -- or at least, new to me.

Which brings us to this list. Here, in no particular order, are my 10 favorite movies (new or not) that I saw for the first time during the 365 days of 2019.

Hereditary One of the most unnerving, most surprising horror movies I've seen in years. Not one I'll be rewatching frequently, but one I'll never forget. And not the last time writer/director Ari Aster will show up on this list. Blog review here.

UsFor his follow-up to "Get Out," Jordan Peele really swung for the fences, and that's the reason I loved this movie. Crazy, bold and built around an amazing performance by Lupita Nyong'o (which, if there's any justice, will be nominated for an Oscar). Blog review here.

The TenderfootI may be one of the only living fans of Joe E. Brown, but I think he's still hilarious decades after his death (way back in 1973), and this fish-out-of-water comedy where a naive cowboy (Brown, naturally) somehow ends up as producer of a Broadway show was one of the best old movies (it's from 1932) I saw all year. Watched on TCM, of course. Blog review here.

Bathtubs Over BroadwayFunny and touching documentary about the big-budget theatrical productions that promoted cars, bathroom fixtures, consumer products and other commercial interests. Based on the book "Everything's Coming up Profits" by former Letterman producer Steve Young (with Sport Murphy), it's consistently entertaining, surprising and heartwarming. Check it out on Netflix by all means. Blog review here.

Some of My Best Friends Are...This strange artifact of the post-Stonewall era takes place in Christmas Eve in a gay bar in Greenwich Village. Secrets are revealed, relationships are destroyed and everyone, in general, is pretty miserable. It's dated but compelling, with an offbeat cast that includes TV stalwarts Rue McClanahan, Fannie Flagg, Gary Sandy and Gil Gerard. Blog review here.

MidsommarThe other Ari Aster movie I saw this year. Florence Pugh plays a young woman whose family dies (in a horrible way I shant reveal here) then travels with her boyfriend to a Swedish festival that gets weirder and weirder as the days go by. Not quite as intense as "Hereditary," but still not for the faint of heart. I loved it, though. Blog review here.

Once Upon a Time in ... HollywoodMy favorite film of the year (hell, the only movie I've seen twice in theaters in I don't know how long), and one that confirms my theory that Quentin Tarantino isn't just an interesting filmmaker whose career I've been following for my whole adult life, he's one of the greats. This is a rich, complex, heartfelt film that works on several levels, managing to be funny, contemplative, scary, thrilling and even touching. I've never seen a movie quite like it, and it's full of performances, moments and visuals (those neon signs lighting up!) that I know I'll return to, again and again. As a bonus, it has the best soundtrack album I've heard in years.

Dolemite Is My NameAs someone who has four Rudy Ray Moore blu-rays sitting proudly on my shelf, I was waiting breathlessly for this one ever since I heard it announced. A biopic of Mr. Moore written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (the guys behind "Ed Wood") and starring Eddie Murphy? My hopes were sky-high, and they were not crushed. Like "Ed Wood," it wisely focuses on a specific window of time -- in this case, the making and release of 1975's "Dolemite." It's very funny, of course, but also genuinely inspiring. And it's a real pleasure to see Eddie Murphy at the top of his game, obviously enthused about the project and his performance. It's on Netflix right now. Why aren't you watching it?

Jo Jo RabbitWhen this movie started, with its "Hard Day's Night"/"Triumph of the Will" mashup, I honestly thought it might be a little too light in tone to bear the weight of the story it was going to tell. I should've trusted writer/director Taika Waititi. The story of a boy (Roman Griffin Davis), his mother (Scarlett Johansson) and his imaginary friend (Hitler, played by Waititi himself) straddles all sorts of moods and tones, but never stumbles. Hilarious and harrowing (at one point, Rebel Wilson straps bombs to a kid and tells him to go hug an allied soldier), it's just what I hoped it would be. Great use of Sam Rockwell and Stephen Merchant, too.
The IrishmanSure, it's three-and-a-half hours long, and yes, the de-aging effects are less than perfect, but what can I say? I was blown away. I've already watched it twice, and I have no doubt I'll return to "The Irishman" again and again. Scorsese shifts the focus from the sudden death of the gangster life (though there's plenty of that) to the slow demise that old age brings to all of us. Robert De Niro is top-notch in the title role (especially that phone call scene towards the end), and Al Pacino reminds us how good he can be with his portrayal of Jimmy Hoffa, but it's Joe Pesci who steals the show, playing a mob boss who's the quiet, calm exact opposite of the character he played (and won an Oscar for) in "Goodfellas." A million small moments add up to a monumental story, and the final image is devastating. Just a stunning achievement.

Runners up: Avengers: Endgame, Chuck Norris Vs. Communism, Knives Out, Train to Busan, Won't You Be My Neighbor, Bone Tomahawk, Slave Boys, Atomic Blonde, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, The Blackcoat's Daughter, Can You Ever Forgive Me

Haven't seen yet: Parasite, The Lighthouse, Ford Vs Ferrari, Marriage Story, One Cut of the Dead, Crawl, Ad Astra, High Life, Uncut Gems. Saw "Little Women" and loved it, but I saw it on Jan. 1, which means it technically misses the cut for this "seen in 2019" list. It's great, though. Go see it!


Worst movie of the year: "Joker," by a long shot. Read my blog review here.

At long last, X-Ray Spex returns, just in time for that most cliche of posts, the year-end recap. First up, my favorite shows of the past year. Two things: Once,  I'm not using the word for a very specific reason: Some of the shows I watched most avidly this year weren't made for TV or even watched on my TV. In other words, in this, it's 15th year (!) X-Ray Spex has finally acknowledged the Internet. And two, I should note that I haven't watched a lot of the most acclaimed shows of the year, which is why they're not on this list. Sorry "Fleabag," "The Good Place," "The Mandalorian" and a lot of other programs I've heard raves about. Maybe next year.

So, without additional further ado, in no particular order....


Mindhunter (Netflix): I loved the first season, but this one was arguably both even better and even more risky. By focusing on the search for the Atlanta Child Murders, the show devoted much of its running time to frustration and failure, which can be deadly boring in the wrong hands. Thankfully, David Fincher and crew are most definitely the right hands (as Fincher proved with the fascinatingly frustrating "Zodiac"), and this season was nothing less than mesmerizing. Can't wait for the third.


VCR Party Live (You Tube): At this point, while we're waiting for the glorious return of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," there's really only one show our family watches ever single week, and this is it: A refreshingly low-budget, low-key, high-laugh-quotient look at the absurdities of home video. Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher have been showcasing their VHS oddities for 15 years (hey, they started the same time as this blog!) in live performances and DVD collections, and more than a year ago, they started showing selections on this weekly show that "airs" Tuesdays on You Tube. There are lots of guys making fun of lots of old videos, but Nick and Joe are genuinely funny, which makes "VCR Party" worth a look. With the addition of musician/fellow funny guy George Pasles, the show hit a new level of humorous obsession, as George put his internet detective skills tracking down such folks as, say, the lead actress in a '80s Wendy's training video. Watch it here.


Veep (HBO): With all the pissing and moaning about how "Game of Thrones" ended on a disappointing note, this pitch black HBO political comedy wrapped things up perfectly -- and managed to be even darker and more brutal than "Game of Thrones" as a bonus. Julia Louis Dreyfuss proves cements her rep as one of the all-time greatest comic actresses, and the supporting cast was one of the best ever assembled. "Veep" is a show that will definitely be worth a rewatch -- and I'm talking about the entire series.


Barry (HBO): While I'm sad to see longtime HBO favorites like "Veep" and "Silicon Valley" end, it's great knowing shows like "Barry" are (hopefully) just getting started. The second season was even better than the (excellent) first, and the action-packed "ronny/lily" episode is like anything I've ever seen on TV -- and trust me, I've seen a lot of TV. Can't wait until Season 3 arrives sometime this year.


Cartoonist Kayfabe (You Tube): I was never a fan of Wizard Magazine, but I am a huge fan of this You Tube show, wherein cartoonists Jim Rugg and Ed Piskor dissect each issue in hilarious detail, creating what turns out to be an alternate history of the modern comics era. They've since grown to include reviews of legendary comics (Return of the Dark Knight, Miracleman), classic cartoonists (Dan Clowes, Los Bros Hernandez) and tours of collections and comic book stores. The fact that Ed and Jim are both top-notch cartoonists adds a revealing level to their videos. If you're into comic books -- any sort of comic books -- I guarantee that something they've covered will be up your alley. Watch it here.


Reruns of 'Police Story' (COZI TV): After gleefully watching the entire run of "Kojak" a few years back, I've since discovered another '70s cop show worth seeking out. This anthology series based on the work of Joseph Wambaugh airs on one of the many boomer-targeted old TV repositories lurking on my cable system, but it's still thrilling and surprising almost 50 years after first airing. With no (or at least very few) continuing characters or settings (except for beaten-down Los Angeles), "Police Story" features dozens of well-known actors (including Gabe Kaplan!) in suspenseful stories where you don't know how things will turn out. I have yet to see a bad episode, and I've seen several genuinely great ones.


Watchmen (HBO): As someone who read "Watchmen" issue-by-issue when it first hit the stands and has re-read it dozens of times since, I was more than a little skeptical of this series, which is set in the year 2019 but in the world where the event of the comic book series occurred. (It completely ignores the movie). And, now that its first (and possibly only?) season has ended, I sit astonished at how well it worked. Extrapolating from the ideas of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, it depicts a fully lived-in world that's just a few crucial steps sideways from our own. What's more, by focusing on Sister Night (Regina King, amazing) and the echoes of a real-life massacre of black citizens in 1921 Tulsa, it takes a long, hard look at race, which is one of the (few) concepts not explored in detail in the original comic. Great cast, great look and at least two of the episodes -- Hooded Justice's origin and the courtship of Sister Night and another character -- were some of the best TV I've seen in a long time.



What We Do in the Shadows (FXX): The 2014 movie is one of my favorites of the entire decade (you heard me), and this spin-off TV show, which features new vampires and relocates them to Staten Island, is a fitting sort-of sequel. Brutally funny (and, at times, just plain brutal), it manages to wring  hilarious twists from its vampire reality show premise, and I can never quite guess where it's going to go next. The episode where our heroes were brought before the Vampire Council featured some of the most surprising -- and well-considered -- cameos I've ever seen. I wouldn't think of spoiling them here -- just watch. Trust me.

Runners up: Silicon Valley, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Documentary Now!, Black Mirror, Brooklyn 99, Stranger Things, the Eddie Murphy episode of "Saturday Night Live," CBS Sunday Morning, Game of Thrones (it was fine), etc.

Once again, inspired by the latest episode of the (highly recommended) Pure Cinema Podcast, here are the movies I'd schedule for my own Halloween dusk-to-dawn horror movie marathon, this time around focusing on all black-and-white films. There are more films in this marathon because, as it turns out, old low-budget black-and-white movies tend to be a lot shorter. (The color counterpart to this list can be found here.)

Imagine sitting back in a vintage movie palace as the sun goes down, a couple of vintage spooky Betty Boop cartoons set the mood, and then, the show gets underway...

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960, 1 hour 12 minutes)One of my all-time favorite movies (and I'm not just talking horror), it's the perfect film to kick things off. It's fast-paced, genuinely (and intentionally) funny, and it has a lot of crowd-pleasing moments to get people into the swing of things. Plus, anyone who is only familiar with the big-budget musical version is going to be surprised by the dark subversive comedy, the brief flash of goofy gore (Seymour squeezes the blood from a hand into Audrey's maw) and, I'm guessing, the appearance of a very young (and very enthusiastic) Jack Nicholson.

Homicidal (1961, 1 hour 28 minutes)I knew I wanted to get some William Castle into this black-and-white marathon, and I figured rather than one of his more obvious horror films like "The Tingler" or "The House on Haunted Hill," I'd go with this "Psycho" rip-off, mostly because the big plot twist is very obvious from early on, but at the same time it's so outrageous that you can't believe he's actually going to try and pull it off. I've got a real fondness for Castle's smooth, professional filmmaking style, and I think it's the perfect sort of thing to screen early on before things go seriously off the road.

The Hypnotic Eye (1960, 1 hour 19 minutes)This low-budget shocker isn't a great movie, but it is a surprising one, willing to go further than other horror films of the era would into genuinely unsavory territory. (Things would be different, of course, in a few months, when "Psycho" opened and changed the game entirely.) Beautiful women are mutilating themselves (setting their hair on fire, burning themself with acid) and no one knows why ... unless, of course, it has something to do with the oily hypnotist who happens to be performing locally. Like a lot of movies of the era it has some annoying slow spots and doesn't make a ton of sense, but when it works, hoo boy, does it work.

The Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962, 1 hour 22 minutes)Famously mocked on "Mystery Science Theater 3000," this is the movie with the woman's head barking out orders from a pan on a table. And yes, it's as goofy as hell, but late at night (and without any wisecracking robots), it's also surprisingly effective and, when you consider the implications, genuinely disturbing: a disembodied head needs a body (well, of course), so her fella goes out and seduces women for the sole purpose of decapitating them. Creepy ... and sleazy as hell.
Dementia (1955, 1 hour 1 minute)It's getting later, so it's time to screen the most dreamlike movie of the night, this ultra-obscure arty effort from one-time-only writer/director John Parker. Almost indescribable but completely mesmerizing, it follows a woman (Adrienne Barrett) through a nightmarish journey involving murder, graveyards, masked men, mutilation and jazz music. I've never seen anything else like it -- not even close -- and the only familiar presences are dwarf actor Angelo Rossitto (also seen in this marathon in "Freaks") and frquent B-movie heavy Bruno Ve Sota. By the way, "Dementia" is, believe it or not, on Amazon Prime at this very moment under its alternate title "Daughter of Horror," with narration provided by none other than Ed McMahon. WATCH IT NOW!
Maniac (1934, 51 minutes)One of the oddest movies ever to hit screens, "Maniac" came straight from the mind of director/producer/con man Dwain Esper (along with an invaluable writing assist from his wife, Hildegarde). It's full of the sort of stuff the studios wouldn't touch, including cat fights (both actual and metaphorical), genuinely unhinged acting, obviously drunk performers, a scientist pretending to pop the eyeball out of a cat -- then eating it! (don't worry -- it's fake), a man describing his elaborate plan to feed cats to rats and vice versa, selling the cat skins for a nice profit, a surprising amount of nudity, and frequent title cards explaining arcane psychological terms. Perfect movie to either wake up the audience or convince them that they're still dreaming. Also, obviously a lot of cat-related content.

Freaks (1932, 1 hour 4 minutes)"Maniac" is such a genuinely warped indie film that I figured we'd segue back to the relative safety of the studio system with one of the most notorious studio films ever released. Almost 90 years (!) after it first hit theaters, "Freaks" may feel a little creaky around the edges, but it still hasn't lost its power to shock, thanks, of course, to director Tod Browning casting actual sideshow performers in the title roles. By the end of the movie, when they stop being lovable and turn their terrible vengeance on the villains, you know why this one brought Browning's career to a screeching halt, along with MGM's attempts to start a horror division.

I Walked With a Zombie (1943, 1 hour 9 minutes)I knew I had to put some Val Lewton in this lineup, but rather than go with one of my two standards ("Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim," both still highly recommended, as are all the Lewton movies), I decided to go with this ultra-moody Caribbean chiller. Breathtakingly atmospheric and bleak in that classic Lewton manner, it's also oddly beautiful, full of unforgettable, poetic images.

Zombies on Broadway (1945, 1 hour 9 minutes)And I'm following that subtle horror masterpiece with this goofball comedy because, believe it or not, it's sort of a stealth sequel. Sure, the story involves a couple of Abbott and Costello wannabes (Wally Brown and Alan Carney) searching for a zombie to promote a new nightclub, (no kidding, that's really the plot!) but the movie co-stars Sir Lancelot playing the same Calypso singer he plays in "I Walked with a Zombie," and the visually unforgettable Darby Jones (also from the Lewton film) plays the zombie they find. As a bonus, you get Bela Lugosi as (what else?) a mad scientist and TV producer/"It's A Wonderful Life" bartender Sheldon Leonard as a nightclub owner.

The Invisible Man (1933, 1 hour 11 minutes) Obviously, I could've packed this black-and-white marathon with nothing but Universal monster movies and delivered an excellent dozen hours, but I wanted to explore some of the stranger, less well-trod back alleys of horror. Still, there no reason not to include a Universal classic, and this James Whale-directed thriller is one of the most purely entertaining. Claude Rains (not seen until the film's final seconds) is both threatening and amusing, and the rest of the cast -- including Henry Travers, Gloria Stuart and Una O'Connor -- are top notch. Fast-paced and funny, it's the perfect movie to give the audience its second wind and send them out into the dawn, energized and ready for a new day.

Inspired by the latest episode of the (highly recommended) Pure Cinema Podcast, here are the movies I'd schedule for my own dusk-to-dawn horror movie marathon, just in time for Halloween. (These are the color movies -- I'll do a marathon of black-and-white horror flicks in the next few days.) Imagine getting in your seat around 7 o'clock or so, watching a few seasonably suitable trailers and short subjects (including the crazy doll segment from "Trilogy of Terror") and then seeing the following films unspool before your eyes. Hell, I'd buy a ticket -- and I've already seen all these movies!

Tremors (1990, 1 hour 36 minutes)We start the marathon off with this one for two reasons: One, it's extremely entertaining, the perfect combination of humor, suspense and (mild) gore. Perfect for watching with a crowd, and it gets the evening off to an energetic start. Two, it's probably the only movie on this list that you can bring your children to, so it makes sense to schedule it first. After this one, take the kiddies home.

Return of the Living Dead (1985, 1 hour 31 minutes)We keep the momentum going with this bloody comedic tribute to the works of George Romero. Packed with gore, nudity and profanity, it's fun in an entirely different way than "Tremors." Personal note: I first saw this movie a few weeks before it opened when it sneak-previewed after a showing of "Fright Night." That late-night showing remains one of the best times I've eve had inside a movie theater.

Suspiria (1977, 1 hour 32 minutes)Keeping the energy high but getting into distinctly weird territory, we show Dario Argento's mind-blowing, eye-popping head trip about witches in a German dance school. One of the most visually stunning movies -- horror or otherwise -- ever made, it's the perfect movie to take us into the later hours.

House/Hausu (1977, 1 hour 28 minutes)And, as the perfect oddball companion, here's a Japanese film that makes "Suspiria" look normal by comparison. I've seen it several times, and I'm still not sure what quite happens, but the visual style -- a combination of low-tech special effects and crazed green screens -- is like nothing I've ever seen. If you doze off during this, you'll wonder if you're dreaming or not.

Phantasm (1979, 1 hour 28 minutes)Speaking of dreams, everyone thinks of that nasty little silver ball or The Tall Man when they hear "Phantasm," but for me, the most memorable thing about the movie is the mesmerizing dreamlike mood it manages to convey. One of the most interesting (and most oddly personal) low-budget horror movies of the last few decades, it's best experienced late at night. Which is when I'm screening it.

Messiah of Evil (1973, 1 hour 30 minutes)Continuing the dreamlike theme, here's a genuinely strange and troubling creation from Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, the duo that wrote, among other things, "American Graffiti." This one takes place in California, too, but it's that's the only similarlity those two movies share. "Messiah of Evil" is like a nightmare come true, with dark streets, zombie-like strangers and a terrifying scene set in a grocery store, of all places.

Dawn of the Dead (1978, 2 hours 7 minutes)The sun should rise sometime during the screening of this Romero epic, which is appropriate given both its title and for the way it somehow manages to put a (slightly?) happy ending on a zombie movie. Plus, the combination of ground-breaking gore, suburban satire and slam-bang action should get the audience on its feet and ready to face whatever horrors await them outside the theater.