Double Trouble

I had another double feature (forever ago), but I figured I would still do a blog about it. I may not remember all of the details, but it was still a fun time. I find it super important to remember the good times, especially when you are alone, which is often what I have been doing with my double features this summer.

First, I went to Chick-fil-A. Inside, I read Hamlet, a required reading for my upcoming study away. This leads me to a quick mini-rant.

Anywhere Can Be Your Coffee Shop

I know the appeal of a coffee shop is a quiet, yet bustling vibe. The atmosphere is also a part of the deal. But it doesn't have to be a coffee shop to still fuel productivity.

I think the aura we have over productivity leads to a lot of internal questioning and pressure. To a certain degree if you don't feel like you look professional, are you really professional? At least my peers and myself have discussed this.

I also think we often talk down our work. "Oh, I'm just reading something for class, I can do that anywhere," or "I'm just doing x, y, or z." I feel like now we are so obsessed with how others views us that we have created expectations from what is and what is not work enough to do in public.

Personally, I'm trying not to go anywhere fancy if I can help it for time and money reasons. Sometimes, I also want a meal to mix things up from my dining hall's food. Yes, fast food is greasy and embodies the exact opposite of productivity to many. BUT I loaded my brain with caffeine from a coffee at the Chick-fil-A, sugar from a Frosted Peach Lemonade (it was SO good), and of course my water bottle I bring everywhere.

I was productive in a Chick-fil-A. I have been productive in a McDonalds. I completed tasks even if it wasn't the hardest task in the world, or the fanciest most perfect place for productivity in the world. Sometimes the best work is done in your bed, but it can also be in a library or coffee shop. Setting expectations tied to location only causes me to be more in my head. We should of course try to prioritize supporting local businesses, but don't be afraid to take up space even in a fast food restaurant. Get that work done not matter how small, or large wherever you please!

Okay, that wasn't really that mini of a rant, but I wanted to say it. Moving on to one of the actual topics of my blog, movies.

Backrooms directed by Kane Parsons

Image from Backrooms.

I have to address the elephant in the room. All of the shit posting that came from this movie is beautiful. I love the "He is only 20 years old" tweets even though they are so old in terms of internet culture nowadays. I also saw a video on TikTok by @mrambitioo recently with the caption "clarks nose is itchy" and it just repeated him rubbing his nose for a solid 30 seconds. It's simple, but so funny.

On the comments about his age (yes another mini-rant, but this time it is actually mini). There is a fine line between fascination and fetishization. We look at age as this sole determiner of how much knowledge you possess. The sheer amount of comments on his age felt like a human observing a bug captured in a glass, oohing and awing at what they can never be. People view his accomplishment in spite of his age, when I would argue it is actually because of it.

Robert Eggers, Ti West, Zach Cregger, and so on could never touch the world of the Backrooms. It isn't that they aren't talented, but it is because he is young. In my MayX/Maymester on horror movies, we talked about how the time a horror movie is released reflects societal fears. Who knows societal fears better than someone in a period of transition literally becoming a decade older, like Parsons? He is in a period where many of his peers are worried about jobs, and he passed on college in order to pursue this film.

I thought the film was utterly beautiful, and although it wasn't as terrifying as I hoped it was much deeper than I ever anticipated. This film, which relies on visually copying reality, fits extremely well with our current fears surrounding GenAI. This film also has nods to apartheid, fitting well with ongoing genocides currently occurring.

On another note, I saw a video online by @reel.takes describing how the casting of Clark and his blackness enriches his story even further. Clark's white therapist and wife ignoring the issues of institutional racism and incredibly white industry of the architecture world. I think Backrooms is an excellent portrait of this time, and I can't wait to watch it again with fresh eyes, hopefully years down the line reflecting back.

Carolina Caroline directed by Adam Rehmeier

Image from Carolina Caroline.

I had an awkward amount of time in between my showings, but I did a classic look around in TJ Maxx. I arrived in my theater with an absurdly early because I had nowhere to go and I finished my reading.

Onto the film. I thought this wasn't a masterpiece by any means, but it kept me hooked. The two leads are such strong actors, and the romantic tension between them was great. I think this film fulfilled the Bonnie and Clyde fantasy this era needed. It was sexy, sweet, and a love letter to the South.

I really don't have much to say about it. I think the best parts however were the coloring, editing, and cinematography. It was a visual feast. I truly felt like I was regaining memory of what saturation on camera even looks like. It felt warm like home, much like the characters' relationship. The ending bar scene was also just heartbreaking, and I didn't expect it to make me as emotional as it did.

Overall, these were two pretty compelling movies for my double feature. I have another one coming soon. Fun fact, the next day after this double feature my Dad came to town and I watched the movies I briefly detailed in my previous blog. Those movies were pretty good too! I went to the movie theater three days in a row and saw four movies. Worth it.