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Simon Abrams

@simonsaybrams.bsky.social

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Film Critic at Roger Ebert dot com, New York Times, New Yorker, Hollywood Reporter, Village Voice, The Wrap, Vanity Fair, and so on. Author of THE NORTHMAN: A CALL TO THE GODS (Insight Editions). Alt weekly kid. Let the monkey drive.

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Luke O'Neil's avatar Luke O'Neil @lukeoneil47.bsky.social
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Gotta be so cool to be a centrist or a fascist. You get to take turns being in power while crying the whole time about how the left kept you from power (?)

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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ESCAPE! A North Korean military guy tries to flee the country after a decade of service! An obsessed superior officer chases after him! The ensuing drama is a bit uneven! More at Roger Ebert dot com: www.rogerebert.com/reviews/esca...

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Meanwhile, I’m wondering why Polly McIntosh is so committed to doing a (pretty good) Danny Huston impression.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Jene thinks that “this whole [series] is very satisfying.” I didn’t realize she was so invested in the Michonne character.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Jene and I just finished watching HANDLING THE UNDEAD—mixed, mixed!—which inspired Jene to put on THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE IS THAT THE TITLE GOD I HOPE SO. We’re the fun couple!

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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ESCAPE! A North Korean military guy tries to flee the country after a decade of service! An obsessed superior officer chases after him! The ensuing drama is a bit uneven! More at Roger Ebert dot com: www.rogerebert.com/reviews/esca...

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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WHY DO WE SET UP THEM THE BOMB WE SET UP THEM THE BOMB WE SET UP THEM THE BOMB?!

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Jene awake. She agrees that the fights are strong despite the drawn out child trafficking stuff. Jene also thinks that one of the child trafficking guys looks like Nick Offerman. I said he looks more like Tom Segura and she sees my point. 😌

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Also, while I’ve read about the unpleasant sounding child trafficking stuff, I also liked the Malaysian beatemup WALID despite all that…stuff…WALID was one of my favorite movies of last year, so trying to keep an open mind.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Jene and I have been enjoying a relaxed holiday together, watching SECRETARY (2002) and Don Rickles late night show appearances. Jene’s taking a little nap, so I’m catching up with LIFE AFTER FIGHTING, a nice action showcase that’s also a surprisingly tender melodrama.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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WAR’s big climax definitely stands out. Didn’t care for PATHAAN—at all—but am still hoping for more where TZH came from

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Right? You’d think that after that, they’d realize how to press forward. Guess not.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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I can particularly recommend: -Junglee, directed by Chuck “The Blob 88” Russell -Saaho, whose motorcycle stunts made me wonder if these guys are big MI2 fans… -Tiger Zinda Hai, still the best Yash Raj Spy Universe movie

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Going through Oh and Sheikh’s joint credits, you’ll find some of the best action and stunt choreography in recent Indian cinema. They improve even so-so star vehicles and single-handedly make others worth watching.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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KILL! I’m not just yelling, it’s also a new Hindi language Indian beat-em-up set on a train to New Delhi! A National Security commando & his buddy take out a few dozen hijackers, w/fight choreography by Se-yeong Oh & Parvez Sheikh. Ok! More at Roger Ebert dot com: www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kill...

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Trying to gently nudge Jene towards seeing one of the two* Ralph Bakshi movies that IFC Center is showing at midnight this weekend…she hasn’t said no yet…. *AMERICAN POP or HEY GOOD LOOKIN’

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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One of his prompts was “I think you’re afraid of success.” I used to try to see the sense in that. If I squinted, I could kind of see it? But inevitably, I’d realize….but I’m not! (Not saying you are or aren’t) Anyway, I’m glad he went out of network.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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My 1st therapist used to “challenge” me by asking or restating same prompts repeatedly to see what I would say. Stuff like “So, I’m having trouble understanding…why did you try to kill yourself?” Or “Sounds to me like what you’re describing…is like an addition.” (He specialized in addiction therapy)

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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It’s the song of the summer. Scat your way to the charts, little cat!

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80KV's avatar 80KV @eightykv.bsky.social
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I basically agree entirely with your review. As with almost every Indian movie, I left wishing I knew more about the cultural context and how things would be understood over there. The religious element seemed more overt than usual, which still manages to be surprising to my American sensibilities

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Casual reminder that the Telugu language Indian scifi epic KALKI 2898 AD was one of this past weekend’s five highest grossing movies at the US box office, so why not read or re-read my review? www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kalk...

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Casual reminder that the Telugu language Indian scifi epic KALKI 2898 AD was one of this past weekend’s five highest grossing movies at the US box office, so why not read or re-read my review? www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kalk...

1 replies 6 reposts 8 likes

Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Halftime list of my favorite new music of the year. There’s more, of course…

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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(What, watching movies is physiological, too!)

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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I finished watching Ken Loach’s THE OLD OAK, which didn’t exactly hurt from the timing.

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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I asked JCVD what he learned from working with HK action filmmakers. He expressed a ton of gratitude for Ringo Lam, particularly for his taking JCVD taking him to the next level as an actor. (Particularly on the movie IN HELL)

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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New (to me) June Faves: -Adagio (2023) -American Hunter -Any Number Can Win (1963) -The Feeling That the Time to Do Something Has Passed -Final Score (1986) -Have I the Right to Kill? -Hit Man (2023) -Power (2024)

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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About halfway done with the year. Here’s my regularly updated list of favorite 2024 releases, featuring notes with where to watch, wherever applicable (unless it’s like a $20 VOD rental or in theaters): boxd.it/s3WLe

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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About halfway done with the year. Here’s my regularly updated list of favorite 2024 releases, featuring notes with where to watch, wherever applicable (unless it’s like a $20 VOD rental or in theaters): boxd.it/s3WLe

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Lockdown over. Of course it was about the parade a block away. Embarrassing!

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Simon Abrams's avatar Simon Abrams @simonsaybrams.bsky.social
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Uh, the law school building is on "lockdown"? No idea what that means, but the security guard made it sound like a campus-wide...thing...? I just want to be able to clock out and go home at 8pm!

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