Criterion Channel Diary: December
By Austin Johnson
Holy shit, even though 2020 sucked, that went by fast. Here’s what I watched through Criterion during the last month of 2020.
Paris Is Burning (1990)
Badlands (1973) - 9
Days of Heaven (1978) - 9
The New World (2005) - 8
Cahuenga Blvd. (2003)
Black Panthers (1968)
Ornette: Made in America (1985)
Antonio Gaudi (1984)
12 O’Clock Boys (2013)
Town Bloody Hall (1979)
New Jerusalem (2011) - 8
The Comedy (2012) - 8
Entertainment (2015) - 8
I started December off by watching Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning from 1990, which is a stellar documentary about the ball scene in New York. I’ve been meaning to check it out for quite some time and it jumped out at me on the top of the home page on the Criterion Channel app. Paris Is Burning is a full on immersive experience that I won’t ever forget because it’s daringly authentic and the individuals who are interviewed have so many things to say.
After Paris Is Burning, I took some time to visit the “Three by Terrence Malick” section which includes Badlands and Days of Heaven from the 70’s and then A New World from 2005. I’ve now seen almost all of Malick’s feature length films and it’s safe to say that he’s one of my very favorite filmmakers. Of these three, Days of Heaven swept me way off of my feet. I didn’t know True Romance from 1993 took so much from Badlands so that was really fun. The New World is three hours long, but extremely rewarding and necessary to watch because it tells the story of Pocahontas in a truly magnificent way. The Malick train never stops!
A few months back, I checked out Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years from 2015 through Criterion and it kind of blew me away. In December, I watched one of his shorts from the early 2000’s called Cahuenga Blvd. and the aesthetic was cool but it was kind of underwhelming. Shit happens.
The “Black Lives” section just keeps getting stronger as the months go by, causing me to consistently visit what it has to offer. I finally watched Agnes Varda’s genius documentary Black Panthers which is some of the most riveting 30 minutes of footage I’ve ever set my eyes on. Well fucking done, Agnes. Right after Black Panthers came Ornette: Made in America, which is a super groovy and bizarrely made documentary directed by Shirley Clarke when she was in her mid 60’s. I’ve become a fan of Ornette Coleman’s album The Shape Of Jazz To Come because of the doc. It’s always nice to take art away from watching art.
In 2009 and 2013, I was able to visit Barcelona for a few days and the architecture of Antonio Gaudi is of course one of the many things that pops within the city. Criterion sends out these cool email newsletters with lists of shit that’s about to become available or is being highlighted. One of the emails had a bit about the Gaudi doc from 1984 directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara. It took me back to a city I adore and wowed me with its subtlety. I would like to own it as a sort of memory card for Barcelona.
After Gaudi, I checked out a documentary in the “Leaving December 31” section titled 12 O’Clock Boys. Lofty Nathan directed and a young dude from Baltimore named Pug is the main focus as he shows off his dirt bike lifestyle with a confidence that is mesmerizing. The 12 O’Clock Boys are a group of dirt bike riders in Baltimore who find a sort of peace while riding and I got to say, it looks fucking invigorating to roll through the streets on those 150cc dirt bikes.
I went to the “Criterion Edition” section next with an absolute mind melter in Town Bloody Hall from 1979. The events taking place are actually in 1971 with Norman Mailer hosting a panel of feminist advocates named Jacqueline Ceballos, Germaine Greer, Jill Johnston, and Diana Trilling. I was on the edge of my fucking couch the entire hour and a half of Town Bloody Hall!
December got finished off with a trip into the “Three by Rick Alverson” section which contains shit from this past decade. Alverson certainly isn’t a filmmaker for everyone, but I found New Jerusalem, The Comedy, and Entertainment to be pretty heavy and uniquely directed. Rick has a patience that is rare and an admiration for his actors that is key to his craft. The Comedy is my favorite of the three films, mainly because Tim Heidecker is the star and he is relentlessly sarcastic. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the rest of Rick’s work.
December was mostly used for watching 2020 releases like Mank and Soul through streaming services, but I got around to 6 films, 6 documentaries, and 1 short through Criterion. I picked 3 personal favorites and 3 recommendations for every film buff. See ya next year!
Personals
1. Badlands
2. Ornette: Made in America
3. The Comedy
Recommendations
1. Black Panthers
2. Paris Is Burning
3. Days of Heaven
Paris Is Burning (1990)
Badlands (1973) - 9
Days of Heaven (1978) - 9
The New World (2005) - 8
Cahuenga Blvd. (2003)
Black Panthers (1968)
Ornette: Made in America (1985)
Antonio Gaudi (1984)
12 O’Clock Boys (2013)
Town Bloody Hall (1979)
New Jerusalem (2011) - 8
The Comedy (2012) - 8
Entertainment (2015) - 8
I started December off by watching Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning from 1990, which is a stellar documentary about the ball scene in New York. I’ve been meaning to check it out for quite some time and it jumped out at me on the top of the home page on the Criterion Channel app. Paris Is Burning is a full on immersive experience that I won’t ever forget because it’s daringly authentic and the individuals who are interviewed have so many things to say.
After Paris Is Burning, I took some time to visit the “Three by Terrence Malick” section which includes Badlands and Days of Heaven from the 70’s and then A New World from 2005. I’ve now seen almost all of Malick’s feature length films and it’s safe to say that he’s one of my very favorite filmmakers. Of these three, Days of Heaven swept me way off of my feet. I didn’t know True Romance from 1993 took so much from Badlands so that was really fun. The New World is three hours long, but extremely rewarding and necessary to watch because it tells the story of Pocahontas in a truly magnificent way. The Malick train never stops!
A few months back, I checked out Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years from 2015 through Criterion and it kind of blew me away. In December, I watched one of his shorts from the early 2000’s called Cahuenga Blvd. and the aesthetic was cool but it was kind of underwhelming. Shit happens.
The “Black Lives” section just keeps getting stronger as the months go by, causing me to consistently visit what it has to offer. I finally watched Agnes Varda’s genius documentary Black Panthers which is some of the most riveting 30 minutes of footage I’ve ever set my eyes on. Well fucking done, Agnes. Right after Black Panthers came Ornette: Made in America, which is a super groovy and bizarrely made documentary directed by Shirley Clarke when she was in her mid 60’s. I’ve become a fan of Ornette Coleman’s album The Shape Of Jazz To Come because of the doc. It’s always nice to take art away from watching art.
In 2009 and 2013, I was able to visit Barcelona for a few days and the architecture of Antonio Gaudi is of course one of the many things that pops within the city. Criterion sends out these cool email newsletters with lists of shit that’s about to become available or is being highlighted. One of the emails had a bit about the Gaudi doc from 1984 directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara. It took me back to a city I adore and wowed me with its subtlety. I would like to own it as a sort of memory card for Barcelona.
After Gaudi, I checked out a documentary in the “Leaving December 31” section titled 12 O’Clock Boys. Lofty Nathan directed and a young dude from Baltimore named Pug is the main focus as he shows off his dirt bike lifestyle with a confidence that is mesmerizing. The 12 O’Clock Boys are a group of dirt bike riders in Baltimore who find a sort of peace while riding and I got to say, it looks fucking invigorating to roll through the streets on those 150cc dirt bikes.
I went to the “Criterion Edition” section next with an absolute mind melter in Town Bloody Hall from 1979. The events taking place are actually in 1971 with Norman Mailer hosting a panel of feminist advocates named Jacqueline Ceballos, Germaine Greer, Jill Johnston, and Diana Trilling. I was on the edge of my fucking couch the entire hour and a half of Town Bloody Hall!
December got finished off with a trip into the “Three by Rick Alverson” section which contains shit from this past decade. Alverson certainly isn’t a filmmaker for everyone, but I found New Jerusalem, The Comedy, and Entertainment to be pretty heavy and uniquely directed. Rick has a patience that is rare and an admiration for his actors that is key to his craft. The Comedy is my favorite of the three films, mainly because Tim Heidecker is the star and he is relentlessly sarcastic. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the rest of Rick’s work.
December was mostly used for watching 2020 releases like Mank and Soul through streaming services, but I got around to 6 films, 6 documentaries, and 1 short through Criterion. I picked 3 personal favorites and 3 recommendations for every film buff. See ya next year!
Personals
1. Badlands
2. Ornette: Made in America
3. The Comedy
Recommendations
1. Black Panthers
2. Paris Is Burning
3. Days of Heaven