Try not to die tonight! No car crashes, drunk driving, overdoses, alcohol poisoning. Try not to be too close to people involved in any of those activities if possible. Maybe stay at home and reflect a bit. That’s what I usually do. I think I’m getting old. Just be careful, will ya?
I’m sitting here looking out at the Jemez Mountains from my room in Santa Fe. It’s been a good trip. I head back to LA tomorrow. I like coming back to my home state. It’s a complicated bunch of feelings that come up in me being here. There’s nostalgia and a grounding feeling from the air and space I grew up in but there’s also the reality of time passing. I see it in the city and in the faces of people I knew growing up. I think it’s good to sit in that. Assess where I’m at. What I’m thinking. How do I want to live the rest of my life or, at the very least, the next few days? I like being here. I’d like to be more in line with the space here. Turn down the noise in my head and the noise I fill it with and the noise of the life I have chosen. Seems like those are all areas where choices can make a difference. I have no choice about time passing and whatever that is doing to my heart and mind and body but I can choose how I want to maneuver those things in the future. I guess I’m reflective. Always trying to figure out what’s important. It’s different when you don’t have kids. Probably too much Me Time. Me and cities of dread I’ve built in my head.
I’ve eaten a lot of chile here, both red and green. I’m leaning towards red as I get older. Green was my thing as a younger man. Red seems to be my thing (conscious of not using the word ‘jam’) now. Though I do both when I’m here. Watched a few screeners. Here some quick reviews.
Green Book – Okay. Satisfying. Not great. Predictable.
A Star is Born – Watched the first 15 minutes. I get it.
Boy Erased – Great story. Well acted. Efficiently executed.
Bohemian Rhapsody – About as a good as a biopic can be. Little schlocky. Satisfying.
The Favourite – Mind-bending genius assault that may have lasting a effect on what you are made of.
On the Basis of Sex – Didn’t know the story. Glad I do now.
Destroyer – Gritty solid depiction of LA. Couldn’t get past Kidman’s wardrobe and make up. She did great though. Didn’t love the story.
Vice – McKay doesn’t always seem clear on whether he’s making a comedy or drama. Great parts. Acting is solid.
Mary Queen of Scots – Watched about 15 minutes of the middle of the movie. Seems good for that kind of thing.
I’ll watch more later.
Oddly, the two films that have moved me the most recently were not ‘up for consideration.’ One was the doc Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars. I watched it on Showtime. I have always had a bit of inner conflict with how I feel about Clapton. I think he was amazing early on, through Derek and the Dominos but after that, scattered, if not boring. This doc reveals who he is and where he comes from. Struggles public and private. It’s deep and moving. A real recovery movies and a deep look at the blues from a very personal point of view. The other film was a 25 minute doc I saw at The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture here in Santa Fe. It’s called Maria Martinez: Indian Pottery of San Ildefonso. It’s on YouTube too. Blew my mind. The organic process and tradition and authenticity and commitment to history and craft just moved me somehow. Seemed to indicate almost everything we’ve lost and/or destroyed as a culture. Made me want to pull out. Get into the real dirt and out of the dirt dirt of our garbage culture.
It lead me to some of my resolutions. Which I will keep to myself here. I think I said them on the show.
Today I talk to Reinaldo Marcus Green about his film Monsters and Men which is great. On Thursday I talk to Seth MacFarlane about a lot of things. Both great talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron