It’s been a minute so there’s a bit to catch up on.
First, the podcast: the latest episode of The Last Thing I Saw looks at one work that’s really five films: the Small Axe series. Each film looks at a different slice of West Indian life in London, primarily in the 1970s and ’80s. The dramas range from around one hour to two hours (with excellent music along the way, including the song “Silly Games”). It’s a lot of ground to cover, and you can dip in and out, so I divided it up into two parts with two critics, arriving at a kaleidoscopic look at this richly detailed work from filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave).
You’ll also want to take a look at the delightful year-end lists at Screen Slate, a terrific site devoted to the full range of movies. In better times, that means the latest at repertory cinemas and beyond, and for now, it’s the vast virtual realm of streaming. I helped out with the lists and I’m particularly proud of the “First Viewings” section where people shared the older movies they watched for the first time this year.
Other scribblings are below, and I’ll also indulge myself for a moment to mention an honor in Sight & Sound: The Last Thing I Saw is on its list of the 10 best film podcasts. Cheers, friends! Seems I am not just cackling into the void. If you, too, like what you hear, please subscribe and tell a friend about it so I can reach my phase one goal of one billion subscribers by year’s end. More to come!
LATEST PODCAST NOTES
Links to movies, books, and other things mentioned on The Last Thing I Saw.
Episode 19: Steve McQueen's Small Axe with Jonathan Romney and Nicholas Russell
1. Lovers Rock and Mangrove, with Jonathan Romney (Screen Daily, Sight&Sound, etc.)
2. Education, Alex Wheatle, and Red, White, and Blue, with Nicholas Russell (Reverse Shot)
Also available on Spotify and on iTunes
Movies discussed:
Small Axe films (click on EPISODES for the individual movies)
The Wasteland
Inside the Red Brick Wall
Gorbachev. Heaven
Fellini’s The Voice of the Moon
Readings:
Jonathan Romney on Inside the Red Brick Wall at IDFA
Jonathan Romney visits Jean-Luc Godard
Nicholas Russell on Let the Right One In and Scandinavian cinema
NEW WRITING
For The New York Times, I wrote about two innovative films starring animals: Gunda and My Octopus Teacher
I wrote the introduction to Screen Slate’s Best of 2020 poll, which I guest-edited. As part of the poll, I put together this list of people’s favorite first-time viewings, starring many fine movie lovers
I interviewed Mank DP Erik Messerschmidt about working with Gregory Crewdson, and with David Fincher on Mindhunter and Mank
I entered a fugue state over Tangerine Dream’s synth score for Thief (at SSense)
THIS CRITIC’S PICKS
The best last things I saw. New or new-ish, via streaming and/or DVD.
Belly [HBO MAX]
Hong Sangsoo’s Tale of Cinema [MUBI]
Donbass [Film Movement Plus]
The Belovs [Film Forum]
City So Real [Hulu]
Maybe the most intense month of Criterion Collection releases ever:
Restorative mayhem:
Zazie dans le métro (1960) [Criterion]
THE END
Here I might wrap up with a song.
The Last Thing I Saw newsletter and podcast are my way of staying in touch. In case we haven’t met: I’m a writer and an editor. I’ve worked as the editor-in-chief of Film Comment where I assigned and edited both web and print, hosted its podcast and talks and screenings, learned from brilliant writers, and wrote a lot myself. Since the dawn of this mighty millennium, I’ve written features, interviews, and reviews for assorted fine establishments including The New York Times, Artforum, Sight & Sound, and dearly departed publications such as The Village Voice, Stop Smiling, The New York Sun, and The L Magazine.
I miss going out to the movies, especially repertory cinemas, and milling about and chatting, and so the natural response is to inflict a podcast on friends and strangers alike.
As always, feel free to contact me re: writing, editing, moderating, podcasting, etc.
nicolas.rapold@gmail.com