13. Octoletter (or News*****)
Octoletter (or News*****)
Don’t be thrown off by the confusing title, which simply adheres to the inane Bond theme but censored in the interests of good taste. This is the 13th of these tri-monthly missives. But rather than lapse into the old ‘unlucky’ cliché, lets lean thematically on a show that I’ve not actually seen, but which I assume is the kind of chipper and optimistic programming we all need right now. With that in mind, here are 13 things that can hopefully brighten your day along with several Reasons Why.
1. Boop – Don’t be fooled by this 2-player board game’s deceptively adorable packaging. It’s a remarkably clever but easy to play strategy game. Think checkers, but with cats. Which in case I didn’t mention, are deceptively adorable. Just like real cats. And speaking of being deceived…
2. Lebanese Iced Tea – According to the interwebs, this delicious drink is actually one of the 13 best things to originate in Louisiana. And its easy to make. Brew a few bags of black tea. Squirt in some lemon juice and a tiny tiny amount of rosewater, then ice it. And sprinkle some pine nuts on top, cuz who doesn’t like a drink with crunch?
3. Thomas Ligotti – If that last line did somehow segue into the short story works of this horrific writer, it’d be absolutely disgusting. Seriously though, I’m unimpressed by MOST horror writing, but this Poecraft-inspired lunatic has crafted an impressive array of unsettling nightmares. So, if watching the news hasn’t been scary enough for you lately, check out this wonderful collection, or…
4. Last Week Tonight – Yeah, this is old news. I mean, the news is new, but the fact that this show is great is old. But still very very true. Anyway, John Oliver’s weekly show on HBO isn’t just hilarious, it’s also wonderfully researched and brilliantly articulated, plus, after more than 10 seasons, it still features some of the best legitimate investigative journalism out there. But if you prefer your serious topics served neat…
5. Warfare – Co-directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina & Civil War) and an actual veteran of the specific battle the movie depicts, this movie is unflinchingly loyal to portraying the battle of Ramadi accurately. Turns out that waiting in interminable silence isn’t boring. It’s horrifying. Also, guns are loud. Like, really really loud. If you’re reading this live, you’ve probably got a few weeks left to see it in theaters, and dear lord, I recommend it. ESPECIALLY if you think war is ‘cool’. Cuz spoiler, it’s not! That said, no shame because…
6. Jorge Luis Borges – Known primarily for his forked-up short stories, Borges also penned an excellent essay about the psychology of famed pseudo-knight Don Quixote (the guy who went around swinging his sword at windmills under the mistaken assumption that they were trans immigrants). The TLDR is Borges speculates that IF Quixote actually killed an innocent person it wouldn’t snap him out of his delusion but would instead increase its hold on him through the threat of destroying his moral self-image. To me, this helps illustrate why someone might double down on an absurd belief rather than you know, voting for someone else! And hopefully with this empathy can come compassion, because the worse this thing gets, the more embarrassing it’s going to become for people to admit that they didn’t just drink the Kool-Aid but went back for seconds and thirds (which I know, in the original Kool-Aid scenario would’ve been impossible, but hey, it’s a mixed drink metaphor). My preachy point is, when someone finally gets out of a toxic relationship (or punchbowl), even if it was long overdue, it’s better to be supportive than to keep screaming ‘what were you thinking!’ OK, enough politics. But speaking of forgiveness…
7. HALF LIVES (and also THEY WHISPER and VIRIDIAN) – Yep, those are the three movies I directed back in the first term. And yep, they’re finally out on Amazon and iTunes and Tubi and other places I’m too old to understand. So yep, I’m plugging myself again. And final yep, if your mind went someplace dirty with that last sentence, you should watch Half/Lives first. The point is, forgive me for the self-promotion, but I hope you enjoy the movies, because yes, I do have a favorite child. Why? Because I love its spicy, colorful finale! Just like…
8. St. George’s Spiced Pear Liqueur –I’m not generally a pear person, but mixing a splash of this christmassy flavor in white wine, whiskey, or a more complex cocktail is nearly magical enough to make me believe in Santa (then pondering what kind of trade deficit we must have with the North Pole (but no, I’m done with political commentary))
9. Commentary Tracks – Remember DVDs and Blu-Rays? Well, other than just taking up shelf-space (if you’ve been to my place, you know) they often feature audio tracks of the filmmakers blabbering rudely through the movie. These run the gamut from Sam Mendes explaining the intricacies of his technical decisions to Ben Affleck shredding Armageddon to David Fincher shredding Ben Affleck. These tracks make for fascinating masterclasses on filmmaking and also a great way to dive deeper into films you know and love.
10. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud – This one’s not only a craft deep dive, but also is an example of the thing it explores, which to be clear is a comic book (don’t look for answers about what’s wrong with Louis CK or Dave Chappelle). Its intensely entertaining and packed lessons on narrative and aesthetics are easily applicable to ANY form of art or storytelling. But if a whole book is too paneful…
11. Daily Poetry and Daily Art (woah! A twofer!) – Nothing like a few pinenuts of eclectic culture to keep life interesting and offset the bleakness of current events. Plus, the two apps/subscriptions linked here do a wonderful job of diversifying their offerings to help you find a personal foothold against the administrative avalanche carrying us back down the mountain of culture, arts and education. But if you don’t like diversity (and yet are still reading this (in which case I’m genuinely impressed)) and prefer to stick with just one thing you know and like, try…
12. Cyberpunk 2077 Original Score – I’ve never been a big gamer (they’re so full of spoilers for whatever HBO is gonna do five years from now) but lately I’ve been playing this album on repeat to accompany my reading, writing, and DVD re-organizing. Unlike film scores which can distract with their epic swells and contrasting somber lows, game scores tend to be more about tone and mood. The music of Minecraft (NOT the movie) was designed to make you forget time, and the Witcher III’s score turns your brain into a Ligotti story, but right now, I’m loving the epic energy of Cyberpunk 2077, which I’m told is set in a dystopian future, so as a silicon lining, it may also be prepping me for the world we’re creating with our increasingly nonsensical poli-
13. Accountability – I said I wasn’t gonna keep talking politics. But then I changed my mind. So now… I’m ADMITTING it! And that’s OK. One of the things that has been driving me most insane lately (cuz no, it’s definitely not the peach liqueur or the sci-fi album on repeat) is the tendency of people on BOTH SIDES of the political aisle to make ridiculous claims and then, when confronted with logic or facts, simply change the topic. Maybe it feels empowering to leap from one blustery hyperbolic condemnation to another and maybe the ‘likes’ of your like-minded friends are worth more than any dissenting opinions, but its incredibly intellectually lazy, not to mention destructive, both to your own credibility and to our society. There’s nothing wrong with being wrong. In fact, being wrong, then recognizing it is arguably the best way to become less wrong in the future. Admitting it isn’t weak. What’s weak is saying ‘I never said that’ or ‘But what about…’ or ‘I don’t care about your *insert political/racial/cultural/etc affiliation here* opinion’. Instead, get a mental workout, have a discussion, and if it turns out you were wrong, be strong enough to admit it. Don’t be afraid of the question ‘why?’ Cuz if you can’t answer it, maybe it’s time to stop whacking at the windmills. And now, cuz of that ‘why’ thing, I’ve brought the theme full circle and can finally end this rant.
Except…
Because I shamelessly encouraged you to check out my movies (Half Lives, They Whisper & Viridian) did I mention they’re available online???)) I need to take a step back in the interests of accountability and get ahead of some of your ‘why’s.
Why?
I have mixed feelings about these films, but here I am recommending them to you.
On the one hand, I’m incredibly proud of the incredible performances and creative contributions from the casts and crews (Fran Kranz, Malcolm Goodwin, Tadasay Young, Kim Daugherty, Matt S. Bell, and so many more) and I think all have some excellent set-pieces and story elements, especially Half Lives (did I mention, it’s my favorite?).
But I’m ambivalent, or even embarrassed, by other aspects.
Of course, shooting conditions were insane for schedule, budget and COVID reasons, and I don’t love some of the decisions made without me in post, but also, now 5 years removed from the shoot, there are things in all three movies that I would do differently now.
I worry that some of you lovely lot might lose a bit of faith in my filmmaking or storytelling abilities, or worse yet, in the quality of my newsletter recommendations.
All of that to say, there’s a lot to enjoy there, and I genuinely hope you do. And regardless, I’d love to hear what you think!
And that, I suppose is how you oxymoronically claim/disclaim your work!
Much love to you all!
Cheers!
David X. Bush