Happy New Year (approximately)! We wish you the very best from Culver City, where we have returned for one final victory lap after our sabbatical year in Iowa City. We hope all of you find peace and fulfillment in the coming year.
Here are some things we enjoyed this past year that we hope you also find and enjoy. Let us know what we missed!
Aaron Caplan & Leah Lee
MOTION PICTURES
To compare our opinions to those of a superior intelligence, we have paired our descriptions of this year's picks with ones written by ChatGPT. In most cases, we asked it to “write a short review of [motion picture]. The review should be insightful, amusing, and make readers curious to see it.” Sadly, the artificial intelligence sometimes provides the sorts of insights you could also get from undergraduate English Lit majors who haven’t done the reading.
While Irish factions fight on the mainland, two old friends on the isolated island of Inisherin realize they can’t escape each other either. Worst of all, Jenny the donkey gets caught in the crossfire.
ChatGPT: "The Banshees of Inisherin" weaves a wickedly charming tale where small-town gossip and the supernatural collide, creating a delightful brew of laughter and eerie surprises. Prepare for a rollercoaster of whimsy and spine-tingling hilarity that leaves you questioning if your next-door neighbor might just be a banshee in disguise.
Two people made cranky from living in LA get into a escalating feud spurred by wealth disparities, sexism, snobbery, self-defensiveness, and car culture.
ChatGPT: "Beef" on Netflix is a sizzling blend of drama, humor, and a generous dose of culinary chaos that elevates the art of beef to new heights. This series isn't just about steaks; it's a juicy exploration of human relationships, rivalries, and the high-stakes world of competitive barbecue. With characters as rich as the marinade they use, "Beef" offers a rare and delectable treat for viewers, leaving them marinating in anticipation for the next episode. If you're craving a well-done mix of laughter, drama, and a touch of smoke, this series is definitely worth sinking your teeth into.
This documentary follows a Macedonian woman, living in a (medieval? post-apocalyptic?) village, as she harvests honey from wild hives – until annoying neighbors move in.
ChatGPT: "Honeyland" is a mesmerizing journey into the buzzing world of Macedonian beekeeper Hatidze, where the sweet pursuit of honey becomes a tale of nature's delicate dance and one woman's un-bee-lievable connection with her hive. Prepare for a honey-dipped adventure that's as sticky-sweet as it is buzz-worthy, offering a captivating glimpse into the secret lives of bees and the extraordinary woman who tends to their kingdom.
Two movies imagine the consequences of recreational spending by the very rich (the ones who don't start their own rocket ship companies, that is). The Menu focuses on lavishly sculpted food experiences, like you can get at Vespertine -- just down the road from us in Culver City -- or the Salmon Eye floating in a Norwegian Fjord. In Triangle of Sadness, influencers and oligarchs discover that their status isn't as useful when the rules of their society change on them.
Us to ChatGPT: “Write a short review of the movies The Menu and Triangle of Sadness to show that both movies involve rich people getting into trouble after spending their money foolishly.”
ChatGPT: "The Menu" and "Triangle of Sadness" share a delicious common thread as they plunge deep into the perilous pitfalls of the rich and reckless. In "The Menu," the film serves up a cinematic delicacy by showcasing the consequences of extravagant culinary pursuits, proving that money can indeed burn a hole in both pockets and palates. On the flip side, "Triangle of Sadness" ingeniously weaves a tapestry of wealth-fueled misadventures, blending tragedy and comedy to create a satirical symphony of excess. Both movies serve as cautionary tales with a side of laughter, inviting audiences to feast on the folly of the affluent and leaving them hungry for more cinematic escapades in the world of opulent absurdity.
Two stories (by women writers and directors, yay!) where carefully constructed communities fray in unexpected ways. In Deadloch, a left-wing utopia in Tasmania run by feminists, vegans, and stoned teenagers is flummoxed by corpses that keep popping up. Funny! Don’t Worry Darling follows life in a company town as spic-and-span as mid-century Palm Springs, where the houses are a little too similar, the streets a little too clean, and the housewives a little too intent on drinking the day away. Not funny!
ChatGPT: "Deadloch" is a gripping TV series that turns the quaint town of Deadloch into a hotbed of secrets, scandals, and more twists than a pretzel factory. With a darkly comedic touch and characters as enigmatic as the town's name, it's a binge-worthy ride that leaves you guessing and chuckling in equal measure.
ChatGPT: "Don't worry, darling," they say, but worry not about catching this film—it's a mesmerizing thriller that weaves a web of mystery and glamour. With a Hitchcockian flair and a modern twist, this cinematic gem is a stylish rollercoaster that will have you on the edge of your seat, both captivated and questioning everything.
Uncomfortable feelings surface when an actress is assigned to portray a woman made famous by a forbidden relationship.
ChatGPT: "May December" unfolds like a cinematic calendar, blending the seasons of life in a quirky dance of romance and wisdom. With humor as timeless as its title suggests, this film explores the delightful chaos when love defies conventional timelines, leaving audiences both charmed and contemplating their own seasonal affairs.
Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on Top of the Pops (1991)
By 1991, the BBC decreed that bands appearing on Top of the Pops could not play live and would have to mime, but with the occasional exception for a lead singer who could get a working mike. Kurt Cobain sang Nirvana’s hit in the style of Morrissey – just ‘cause – while the rest of the band plays at their instruments.
Kevin Burt, "Eleanor Rigby"
While in Iowa City in 2023 we got to see Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, and Booker T. Jones – plus Coralville’s own Kevin Burt.
