The July Heat
The best thing I’ve seen recently is Dave Chappelle’s 8:46 stand up special on Youtube. It’s a 27 minute rough cut of a short set he did at his house in Ohio inviting members of his community to let him do a show for them. He has a notebook and looks at it throughout. Acknowledging how strange it is he is doing this: it divulges into some of the most passionate words I’ve seen spoken from any celebrity. It wrestles with the fact that a celebrity isn’t the one who should be saying these things. He trusts the younger generation. They are loud and fighting for justice. I trust them too. I hope to do my part to be one of them. Black Lives Matter. Keep donating what you can and supporting important causes. Check in with those you love and ask how they are doing. I know I should.
Movie theaters (and many other things) should not reopen for a long time. I know they need to make money and I know people want to get out and see them. I am one of them. I don’t like watching movies at home very much. It’s fine, but every movie is at least a little bit worse for having watched it at home. Both are a luxury, and I love the opportunity to watch anything. But I will always prefer a big. dark, and quiet room. I am glad they pushed reopening back again. I hope they keep pushing it. Money isn’t more important than peoples lives.
Now, the VOD releases for this month.
July 3rd
THE OUTPOST (on VOD)
Directed by Rod Lurie (The Contender, The Last Castle, Straw Dogs) and Starring Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood, and Caleb Landry Jones
A war film about a small team fighting the Taliban. This director has done quality work in the past. Honestly, Caleb Landry Jones being here is the only reason I’m interested at all.
MR. JONES (on VOD)
Directed by Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, Spoor) and Starring James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, and Peter Sarsgaard
One of the greatest female directors in film history is still going after 50 years. This is the true story of the journalist who revealed the famine in the Soviet Union to the western world during the 30s.
THE TRUTH (on VOD)
Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (Shoplifters, Nobody Knows, Still Walking) and Starring Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke, and Catherine Deneuve
After the fantastic Shoplifters two years ago, one of the great world filmmakers is back with some international stars and a dysfunctional family drama about daughter and mother.
July 7th
INMATE #1: THE RISE OF DANNY TREJO (on VOD)
Directed by Brett Harvey (Ice Guardians, The Culture High) and Starring Danny Trejo
A documentary about the legendary character actor talking about how he went from crime and addiction to movie star.
July 10th
FIRST COW (on VOD)
Directed by Kelly Reichardt (Certain Women, Wendy & Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff) and Starring John Magaro, Orion Lee, and Toby Jones
Reichardt is one of the great humanist filmmakers and her movie was out in March when theaters shut down. It won’t ever get the love it deserves in the moment, but I’m hoping it gains that affection when it hits this month and beyond. A simple movie about the titular first cow in an area. It’s a part heist movie, part frontier comedy. I liked it a lot.
RELIC (on VOD)
Directed by Natalie Erika James and Starring Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin
The feature debut by an exciting young filmmaker that is playing in a few drive in’s around the country on July 3rd will be online the week after. A horror drama about dementia and three generations of women in one home. It got good reviews out of Sundance. I am excited to watch this late one night to give myself nightmares.
PALM SPRINGS (on Hulu)
Directed by Max Barbakow and Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons
Two people at a wedding can’t escape the hotel or each other in what sounds like another Groundhog Day style romcom but from the Lonely Island guys so I’m sure it’ll be fresher than this sounds. It sold for a lot out of Sundance and I’ve been looking forward to this for awhile. Milioti is a star and the sooner everyone figures that out the better movies will be.
THE OLD GUARD (on Netflix)
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights) and Starring Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Matthias Schoenaerts
A secret team of immortal mercenaries fight to keep their existence covert. Based on a graphic novel, and directed by the woman who brought us the sublime Love & Basketball, I will check this out because I think it will be better than it sounds.
GREYHOUND (on Apple TV+)
Directed by Aaron Schneider (Get Low) and Starring Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, and Stephen Graham
Based on a novel that is adapted by Hanks himself, this WWII story aboard a US Navy ship being attacked by Nazi submarines sounds like the daddest thing this year.
NOTHING STAYS THE SAME: THE STORY OF THE SAXON PUB (on VOD)
Directed by Jeff Sandmann
The story of the last 30 years of the Austin music scene through the view of the famous pub.
July 17th
SAINT MAUD (VOD? not sure now, probably not)
Directed by Rose Glass and Starring Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle
A nurse with a dark past becomes obsessed with a dying patient. A good horror movie I had the chance to see in Toronto last year (humblebrag) and is stupidly going to theaters in two weeks. It’s one of my favorites of the first six months of the year and I hope others get to see it but not in a theater in July. It most likely won’t be out but I’m putting it here anyway.
THE CLIMB (on VOD)
Directed by Michael Angelo Covino and Starring Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, and Gayle Rankin
A friendship between two guys over many years. A bromance dramedy that has some good reviews and sounds like a good buddy movie.
DIRT MUSIC (on VOD)
Directed by Gregor Jordan (Buffalo Soldiers, Ned Kelly, Unthinkable) and Starring Kelly MacDonald, Garrett Hedlund, and David Wenham
A novel adaptation with two great leads telling a love story in the western Australia landscape. I would watch those two leads do almost anything.
July 24th
THE RENTAL (on VOD)
Directed by Dave Franco and Starring Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, and Toby Huss
The younger Franco brother finally decided to make his own after watching his brother make dozens of movies in a few years. His first is a thriller/horror about young couples on a getaway dealing with killers. Co-written by his Easy creator Joe Swanberg. I expect this to be fine at worst.
July 31st
SUMMERLAND (on VOD)
Directed by Jessica Swale and Starring Gemma Arterton & Gugu Mbatha-Raw
A reclusive writer takes in a refugee during WWII. A drama about being open and willing to help that also seems to have some romance involved. Those two stars are great so you won’t go wrong watching them for 90 minutes.
THE INFORMER (on VOD)
Directed by Andrea Di Stefano (Escobar: Paradise Lost) and Starring Joel Kinnaman, Ana de Armas, and Rosamund Pike
One of those movies that has been pushed a year and then got caught in the closures so maybe now after about two years it will be seen by those who like crime and prison movies. The Shea Serrano movie lovers of the world. That’s what it looks like this is for. So there’s a chance it’s good and becomes this year’s Shot Caller (an underrated prison movie you should check out)
UNHINGED (theaters? VOD? eh who knows)
Directed by Derrick Borte (The Joneses, London Town) and Starring Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius and Jimmi Simpson
After a traffic confrontation with an unstable man, a woman becomes a target of his rage. Crowe gets to be the titular mental state and this was supposed to be the first movie back in theaters but they pushed it back. I imagine it will be again. I really hope the theaters don’t reopen.
TV
July 1st
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES (first season of reboot) - Netflix
Not much should need to be said here. Bringing back a classic and giving it the modern upgrade of production. I’m ready.
July 2nd
WARRIOR NUN (first season) - Netflix
I have to be honest, 90% of my interest is on the name alone. It looks exactly like what it says so that interest is peaked.
July 3rd
JU-ON: Origins (first season) - Netflix
The Grudge side sequel they released this year didn’t totally work so now they try again as a series but this looks good and like they figured out a new take on the story. I’m excited to try it.
July 8th
STATELESS (first season) - Netflix
Don’t know much besides it is co-created by Cate Blanchett and it’s a true story about people unlawfully detained in Australia.
July 10th
GREATNESS CODE (first season) - Apple TV
Doc series about athletes. Looks like cat nip for a dumb sports boy like me.
July 24th
ROOM 104 (final Season) - HBO
A very up and down show that at worst usually delivers strange ideas.
July 28th
LAST CHANCE U (season 5) - Netflix
More sports boy stuff. This season is the last of the football, taking place in Oakland at Laney. Starting in 2021 we get Last Chance U: Basketball
MUSIC
The only album I saw that I’m interested in this month was
July 10th
JUMP ROPE GAZERS BY THE BETHS
If you see anything else good that is coming out musically let me know, please!
This is a weird month. Things have been reopening when they shouldn’t have because our country puts money and productivity over safety and wellness. There’s a lot of great things to watch and listen to while we wait for a vaccine.
I’ll be posting my favorites of the first 6 months later. Stay safe, stay home, wear a mask, and don’t be an asshole.