I’m watching this movie for no particular reason at all. What, did something happen?

I’ve rewatched all (or just about all) of Lynch’s movie over the past few years, but I skipped this one — and I think it’s because I was just confused? I thought that this was Mulholland Dr or something.

So I don’t think I’ve seen this since the 90s.

Ssh! Now we’re watching the movie.

After watching this now, I see why I’d forgotten about it… or at least gotten it mixed up with Mulholland Dr. It’s just this is a kind of run-through of many of the themes Lynch would explore in a better way there?

But it might also be that my problems with this movie is mostly due to the casting and the soundtrack. Bill Pullman tries to act like Kyle MacLachlan, but doesn’t succeed, and the guy playing the er “other” lead guy wasn’t much better.

Were there none of Lynch’s usual troupe except the tiny Jack Nance cameo?

The musical choices haven’t aged well (except for the Bowie track) — and what’s with the stunt casting of Henry Rollins? I wonder what the story behind all this was: Nobody wanted to finance the movie unless he made it… more… 90s? Hm, looks like it was financed by a French company, so perhaps not.

This wasn’t the final movie Lynch would get to make, but The Straight Story was, er, something quite different, and then Mulholland Drive was supposed to be a TV series, but wasn’t picked up, and then Inland Empire was done digitally on the cheap, and that was it for Lynch and movies.

It’s a tragedy that Lynch couldn’t get financing for the last couple decades.

Anyway, I’m just saying: This is probably Lynch’s least good movie. Except for The Elephant Man.

Lost Highway . David Lynch. 1997. ⚄

Heh, haven’t seen an “and introducing” thing in a movie in a minute.

So these are zany high school students! Dressed by Derek Guy!

These are the most Derek Guy looking high school students ever!

(Complimentary.)

This is very amiable. The performances are all over the place — some are playing it straight, and some are chewing anything even resembling scenery.

Oh, Cynthia Davis, who was introduced by this movie, didn’t do anything ever again.

It’s a charming movie, but it’s so episodic. And we’ve had at least two of the episodes ending with a riot and everybody fighting each other, which makes things a bit repetetive… and we’re barely half finished here.

That’s not a six-pence. That’s a three-shilling.

The fun parts are fun, but I got pretty bored with the drama in the last half. Lots of great tunes on the soundtrack, though.

Cooley High. Michael Schultz. 1975. ⚃

Yes, this does indeed seem like a very Finnish movie already.

Very Finnish!

And animal friendly.

It’s a kinda digital looking movie? That is, they seem to be dropping in CGI and compositing here and there…

People are standing very close to each other in this movie.

Yeah, it’s worrying!

It’s like… I mean, I like this movie in general, but it’s like it’s referencing things that are better, and that backfires sometimes. Like the sound design sometimes reminds you of David Lynch, but not as good, and then you’re sitting here thinking “I should watch Lost Highway”. The family drama is kinda sorta Ibsenish? So you’re thinking “wow, it’s been a while since I watched The Master Builder”…

Weeeell… The cinematography is wonderful, even with the digital flourishes. And this is apparently director’s Pirjo Honkasalo final movie? I see that she had a long career before this:

The plot seems a bit unmotivated? Unless it’s all “well, that kid was skeebee deebee from the get go”, the tragedy doesn’t quite work? I mean, it almost does? But the pivotal scene where he beats the crap out of that creep… I was going YAY, but apparently that wasn’t what you were supposed to say?

And also, I’m a bit Judy-Garland-on-Mia-Zetterling’s-Night-Games here… was all that stuff at the start necessary?

OK, I’m trying to talk it down to a ⚃, but it looks great, and the performances are totally amazing, and even the soundtrack is really on point, so I’m going with:

Concrete Night. Pirjo Honkasalo. 2013. ⚄