the groundhog day project

SPOILERS. Let us just get that out of the way immediately. I do not aim to SPOIL specific elements of the latest Star Wars but, inevitably, a meaningful discussion about The Last Jedi will entail SPOILERS. (Also, I saw the movie last night and again this morning, and by one of the only rules I have for this blog, I must write about the movie today (or never focus on it at all). (At least until I see it again... Which, given my multi-day thing with The Force Awakens --which you really must read because it was fucking amazing--arguing against claims of all its plot holes (and you can find those entries here and here , but also and especially here , here , and here ) and the usual practices of nerds on the Internet (which, on a typo, just autocorrected to internment and I almost wanted to leave it because that feels so damn appropriate sometimes) I expect I might be forced into this film again later. But just in case...) Again, SPOILERS are coming. I'm already involved in ...

Took a break from Charlie Kaufman today, was going to try to see one of the few Golden Globe-nominated films I haven't seen yet (the awards are tomorrow), watched Star Wars The Force Awakens again, instead. While there is always room to say more about any given film, I actually do not have much to comment on today. I had considered a response to Andre Seewoods's IndieWire piece about Maz Kanata and what he calls the "othering of the black female body"--in short, I don't totally buy his argument and think he deals a little too much in attractiveness (and winning an award as experience, but that's not that big an issue). I also was thinking about all the plot holes--my three days ( 1 2 3 ) picking apart Seth Abramson's Huffington Post pieces--and getting a little bitter because the Groundhog Day Project doesn't get much play online, people don't get excited by my insights here enough to share all over Twitter or Facebook or what have you... No...

The last recap post had themes of puberty and werewolves, and transformation of self in general. Ultimately, I think that has been the biggest theme in this blog. Even when a particular entry, or a particular film, has not been about that the writing of this blog has been . For me, I mean. And, I don’t need to quote that in my master’s thesis because that is an idea I’ve already promoted many times. Still, for my own edification or some researcher’s future use, this entry will get a “thesis” tag at the bottom because I try to be thorough. That being said, Groundhog Day is playing because it’s the 2nd, and Phil just met Ned for the second time (not counting when they knew each other in school, of course). I’ve written before about how it can be comforting returning to this film each month. Today, it’s more like background music, a favorite song I’ve listened to many, many times. The winter quarter begins in two days, I’m teaching three classes and taking two, and winter quarter is t...

The internet always includes a bit of backlash to any film that people love. Whether it is deserved or not. Whether more voices speak positively or not. I am here, for the third day in a row to speak against some of that backlash. Like Michael Hiltzik at the Los Angeles Times , who describes Star Wars The Force Awakens as "depressingly unimaginative and dull in long stretches" then just a sentence later says, "This isn't to say that it's not an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours." That kind of contradictory bullshit pisses me off. Does The Force Awakens hit a few too many of the same plot beats as A New Hope ? Of course it does. But, here's the thing... Or my thing, anyway--I still watch A New Hope sometimes. Those plot beats are worth hitting because they're good. In fact, I'm thinking of watching The Hidden Fortress tomorrow to see those same plot beats even earlier than Star Wars . There are only so many plots available to wrap stor...

I've got Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure --one of the two Ewok movies that showed up on television in the years after Return of the Jedi . Really, while I might have some comments on how bad this movie is (it's been a long while since I've seen it, and just a few minutes in, I'm thinking I'm going to hate this voiceover combined with lack of subtitles), this is really an excuse to continue with yesterday 's Blog Wars . That fact that Ewoks have no no movement to their faces is also going to be a little annoying as this thing keeps going. They don't even move their mouths to talk. Couldn't have hooked up some Chewbacca-style mask that actually moves? Cheap. In the meantime, while Deej (Daniel Frishman) and his kids inspect the crashed spaceship--and I think I hate both Mace (Eric Walker) and Cindel (Aubree Miller)--how about an exercise in plot holes, part two? Abamson 's #21 plot hole in The Force Awakens , is that Kylo Ren can sense "w...

I want to cheat a little bit. I will not be watching Star Wars The Force Awakens today, but this blog entry will primarily be about that film. Imagine, if you will, this is part two to yesterday 's entry (since Wesley never got the rest of his commentary to me). Really, I've got Kiss Kiss Bang Bang playing again, and I might watch TROOPS after. There will, of course, be SPOILERS. But, it's time for some blog to blog business. Namely, this blog--the Groundhog Day Project --and Seth Abramson's blog at Huffington Post . Specifically, while looking back at his recent entries, movies are not his thing, he recently posted two entries about Star Wars The Force Awakens because he apparently just became the expert on "plot holes." David R at Unreality magazine made a good point three years ago, and we we should get out of the way: There's a lot to like about the way the Internet has affected the film industry. It's given us new filmmakers, new ways to f...

Winter quarter starts next week, but I had to go to campus today to sort out some stuff. Ran into fellow TA Brian in the parking lot and then fellow TAs Wesley and Alex in the office. We hung out there for a bit--after getting that stuff sorted out. Then, we decided to go. See Star Wars The Force Awakens . Third time for me, of course (previously blogged: 1 2 ), second for Wesley, first for Alex and Brian (and Brian may not have even seen the previous films-- I know . That's just awful). Anyway, so we head off and we the film and get some dinner afterward. And, I told them all they could write something for this entry. Only Wesley took me up on that. His bit will come later. Meanwhile, Alex loved it and wondered aloud how he would keep it to himself until his brother saw it. Brian liked it and amusingly, had comment after I brought up my primary complaint with the film upon seeing it the third time: They've been flying together for like forty years, and Han has never fired Ch...

I was prepared to make some sort of joke about Carol relating to Christmas because, you know, Christmas Carols, and then not ten minutes into the movie I realize it's actually set around Christmas and Carol (Cate Blanchett) first meets Therese (Rooney Mara), she (Therese) is wearing a Santa hat. My actual Christmas movie for today is In Bruges --it's playing now. I didn't expect to really be arguing that Carol is a Christmas film.. Note: This blog has had a few extra views of late, probably because of my one two Star Wars The Force Awakens entries. I wanted to note for new readers that I do not generally review films. If you want a review of Carol , try NPR or the International Business Times or the Boston Herald or Screen Crush or wherever you like to find movie reviews. I don't know what to call what I do. I take a movie and maybe deconstruct it, or maybe tie it to some... other thing, or link two movies ( Carol links really well to yesterday 's Brook...