Welcome again to We Have Always Live the Kraken, a pop culture blog transmitted directly to you from the belly of the beast. Here in the Notes we’ll show you this month’s posting schedule, but first, here are some thoughts.
We are heading towards the end of the year, which means it is time for my yearly panic that this year is going to be a poor one for movies. This tends to happen virtually every year at some point. Most of the time these fears prove unwarranted (except for 2011, which should be burned from our memories forever). The past couple of years have been good examples of years finishing strong (last year was especially strong overall, which made last year’s Oscar results exceptionally upsetting). This year, though, has taken its sweet time as it really seems to want to pack as many so-called prestige films into the last two months of the year as possible.
Are we blind to the good movies this year or is this year actually weaker than normal?
Sure, there will be a slow trickle of movies in October, with the likes of Palme d’Or winner Parasite, Joker (sigh), Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory, Jojo Rabbit, and The Lighthouse coming out, but before this it has been pretty barren. Dreamworks and Pixar jumped into the fray with buzzy sequels earlier in the year, and of course, we got the latest offering from Quentin Tarantino with Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood, but otherwise it has been a bit light so far this year. Of course, there are some hidden gems as usual, but it has seemed even harder than normal to find them and has left me feeling far more behind than normal, but with no real will to catch up (then again, maybe that is just Green Book‘s fault, as I am still exceptionally bitter).
Still, like I said, this happens every year, and it generally works out. Movies still to come this year include The Irishman, Knives Out, Marriage Story, Ford v Ferrari, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Two Popes, Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker, Little Women, and much more, including a strangely intriguing-looking Frozen 2. So things are likely to end up being fine… but the real question is, why do I always seem to feel this way when I am proven wrong on this time and time again?
The simplest explanation is that movies are effectively unending, and every year comes forth no matter how good or bad the previous year was. It is only human to get stuck in the past, and for us to wonder if the present and future can live up to what has come before. Eventually, we all are able to move past these ideas of the past, but it always takes time. So sit back, as I am sure this year will end up on track like many past years… or it will be 2011 all over again, and we will just never speak of this year ever again.
-David
From the depths of the Kraken, here is what we are bringing you this month.
There is, unfortunately, no Killtoberfest this year, but our new wing continues to allow you to reflect on past works of ours whenever you might want, so please enjoy this month’s highlighted works from Killtoberfests past.
Here is Kyu’s look last year at John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness.
One of Kyu’s best here is his in-depth look at the modern classic Candyman.
Catch of the Week Month:
Each and every week the residents here in the Kraken will offer one recommendation for the week that we think you all would enjoy. It might be a movie. It might be a book. Who knows? This is your… Catch of the Week Month.
David: With TV back in full swing, I am going to recommend something that is light and fun: ABC’s Single Parents. This show shouldn’t work, but creator Liz Meriwether has managed to make a show that should be cringy and tired shine with a combination of smart humor and knowing when to pull on your heartstrings. Above all, though, what shines is the excellent cast, whose chemistry is off-the-charts and really gets you invested in all the characters, whether they be parent or child. If you are looking for a bit of a funny reprieve in your TV watching, this is the perfect show for you to get into as it starts its second season.
That’s it for this month’s notes. Remember, this is Halloween Season so the Kraken is known to shapeshift daily for costume effect. Please make sure to wear the special shape shifting protective gear at all times as we do not want a repeat of last year. We are still finding parts of Gary in random places to this day.