Welcome to I Have to Return Some Videotapes! Each month, film buffs Rhianna Mehta and Kevin Maguire will take you through their cinematic journeys with all of their usual insight and humour, as they take advantage of covid-induced indoor time to catch up on their favourite films and explore new ones.

With things beginning to return to previous norms in Toronto, this month was a great period of reflection for us. We started writing these monthly articles as a way to flex our creative muscles while also taking our minds off the current situation we have all been facing, even if only for a brief moment. Movies really helped us get through the toughest life event we have ever faced, and made the world a little brighter in our darkest times. We are so thankful to have found something that we both love and give us so much joy. We get to share with you our thoughts and feelings about one of our greatest passions, and we are truly grateful. This month we revisited some of our all-time favourites (Rhianna watched Sunset Boulevard twice), and movies from our childhood (spoiler alert: they were worse than we remembered). We hope you enjoy this month’s recommendations on what to watch, what to skip, and what you may want to give a shot.

If you would like to connect with us further on Letterboxd, please find us at rhirhi19 and Kevin_Maguire. If you want to get a sense of our taste, some of our favourites in each genre, and the way we approach film overall, be sure to check out our appearance on The Generalists.

Monthly Favourites:

Rhianna: Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001) David Lynch is unlike any other. This is my second time watching Mulholland Drive, and I am still trying to process everything I just watched. The film begins with a woman traveling in a car, which later gets into an abrupt accident. Afterwards, the woman stumbles from the wreckage into a Hollywood home. Betty, an aspiring actress, is residing in said home and meets the woman. They discover that the woman has suffered amnesia from the accident, and they set off to reveal her true identity. Now, a disclaimer to anyone who has never watched anything directed by Lynch before: by the end of the movie you may not understand exactly what has transpired. It may seem unsatisfying to watch a film only to be confounded by the end of it, but this is part of Lynch’s magic. The clues to unlock the mystery are like little Easter eggs within the film. They are all there, you just need to find them. When I first watched this film, I had such an intense feeling in my stomach. I was frankly more impressed that a movie could make me feel that way than I was disappointed. While it may not be clear exactly what is going on, each scene is extremely entertaining. Naomi Watts, who plays Betty, gives a truly memorable performance and it is fascinating watching Betty navigate her first foray into Hollywood while trying to aid this woman who has lost her memory. This is one of those films that just sticks with you.

Runner-up: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (Paul Schrader, 1985) A biographical film about controversial Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, this film beautifully weaves between scenes that are dramatizations of his life and stylized segments from three of his books. This film redefines what it means to make a biographical film, and is more akin to the likes of I’m Not There than to Bohemian Rhapsody. Instead of taking the audience through major life events to develop the main character and plot of the film, the film uses fictional stories (in this case, those actually written by Mishima) as the foundation to drive character development and to illustrate who Yukio Mishima really is. The film expertly uses colour to help guide the viewer through the interweaving plots and is visually stunning. If you are as sick of cookie-cutter biopics as I am, this one will be a welcome change of pace.

Kevin: Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, 1952) No other movie quite captures a quintessential moment in film history like Singin’ in the Rain. The film is set in the late 1920s and focuses on Hollywood’s transition from silent films to sound films. The story is told through protagonist Don Lockwood along with his best friend Cosmo Brown, played by Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor respectively. The pair seems to transition fairly well into the new era of film. However, Don’s studio acting partner Lina Lamont, played by Jean Hagen, will do anything in her power to remain in the spotlight. The guys’ luck begins to turn around when they meet Debbie Reynold’s character Kathy Seldon, who is every bit the performer that Lina Lamont is not. When the studio Monumental Pictures decides to turn a silent film starring Don and Lina into a sound film, it is up to Don, Kathy, and Cosmo to come up with a plan to make the movie a success without Lina getting in their way. Through many well-choreographed and hilarious music numbers, the group sets out to make a name for themselves in this new uncharted territory of film. From start to finish, the chemistry between the four main characters feels genuine and real, with humour throughout that is unparalleled. Not only are the performances unforgettable, the film also has such vivid and bright colours that makes it such a pleasure to watch. At the time this was filmed, Hollywood was going through another major transition from black and white to colour film. This context really complements the transition from silent to sound films present in the movie. Even after almost 70 years, it is clear why this is still considered one of the best films of all time.

Runner-up: Bo Burnham: Inside (Bo Burnham, 2021), Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984)

Least Favorite:

Rhianna: Rent (Chris Columbus, 2005) Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, how do you measure a waste of my time? Rent is a film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical that was loosely based on the opera La Boheme. The story focuses on young people struggling to survive in New York’s Alphabet City neighbourhood during the HIV/AIDs epidemic. This film, which I presume is similar to the theatre production, has most of the lines delivered through song, and offers little dialogue from characters speaking naturally. Unfortunately, the majority of the songs throughout the film are dull and uninspiring. Music aside, there are interesting themes about gentrification of poor neighbourhoods and the impact of a horrific epidemic on said neighbourhoods. However, the plot instead focuses largely on the romantic dynamics of its characters, leaving these important themes underdeveloped. Although I have not seen any performance of the musical, it is clear that the charm the theatre production possessed that attracted many adoring fans was lost in the film. From my perspective, Chris Columbus does not use film as a medium effectively, and he tries to emulate a stage production by simply filming it on larger sets and forgoing any sort of movie-magic. All of this aside, I must say that as someone who has never seen Frozen, Idina Menzel, who originally starred in Rent the musical and reprised her role in the film adaption, is a wonderful singer. She was inspiring to watch sing and act, and I am grateful I did not have to sit through Elsa singing “Let it Go” in Frozen to hear her voice.

Runner-up: Maximum Overdrive (Stephen King, 1986) I find it inconceivable that this comes from the same mind that gave us Shawshank Redemption, The Shining and It. This was just nonsensical and full of bad acting from top to bottom.

Kevin: Maximum Overdrive (Stephen King, 1986) Maximum Overdrive might be one of the worst movies of all time. This was Stephen King’s only attempt at directing a movie, and for good reason! With the campy acting and lack of a coherent premise, this movie was doomed from the start. Based on Stephen King’s short story “Trucks”, the film centers around a group of people who have been trapped inside a diner in North Carolina by sentient machines. The movie begins by telling us Earth has crossed the tail of a comet, which has caused some machines to become homicidal towards humanity. What comes after can only be described as a complete and utter mess. While most of the characters are trapped inside by multiple trucks, one of which is sporting a Green Goblin motif for some inexplicable reason, others try to flee from the chaos in their vehicles that appear completely fine. With no clear commitment as to what machinery is going to go on a murderous rampage, you are left to guess what the hell is happening. Midway through this disaster, one of the characters decides it must be aliens with not a single bit of proof or back story to corroborate this line of thinking. Yet in the post credits we learn it was aliens! This is just one of the many examples of how much this movie lacked any cohesive plot. The only thing that rivals the terrible story is the atrocious acting. Emilio Estevez and the rest of the cast did not have much to work with in this script, but also did not help the horrendous script with their stunted acting. Hearing that there could be a potential remake in the works is a much scarier premise than anything in this hour and a half train wreck.

Runner-up: Showgirls (Paul Verhoeven, 1995), Rent (Chris Columbus, 2005)

Biggest Surprise:

Rhianna: Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) “And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself, ‘Well... how did I get here?’” Stop Making Sense is a concert-film featuring The Talking Heads that was shot over four nights of performances. With seamless editing, intense close-ups, and an ever-growing band, this concert is as fun to watch as it is to listen to. The film starts with lone David Byrne performing an acoustic rendition of “Psycho-Killer” alone, and after the song is played, he is joined on stage by bassist Tina Weymouth. Slowly as the setlist progresses, the band grows one by one into a full ensemble complete with back-up singers, percussionists, and keyboardists. The performance is stripped down, yet full of energy. There is a moment where Byrne is just running in circles around the band, all the while singing. That energy is infectious – there were numerous times when I just had to stand up and dance. If you do not think you are a fan of The Talking Heads, I would tell you to give this a watch. I think it will change your mind.

Runner-up: California Split (Robert Altman, 1974) There is nothing quite like the high of a gambling hot streak. There is also nothing quite like the lows of gambling debt. Robert Altman’s California Split focuses on the blossoming friendship of Bill and Charlie over their mutual love of gambling, and their desire to always seek out the next big win. For as funny this film is, it becomes equally as dark, as Bill and Charlie keep pushing the boundaries of their gambling habits (or addiction). If nothing else, this film is worth watching for Charlie’s performance of a one-manned piccolo show (or find the clip on YouTube – it is worth it).

Kevin: The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949) What I would give to have seen this film during its original run! With so many of the brilliant storytelling methods from this film still being used today, I feel like I was not just watching a film, but a defining moment in cinema. The story takes place shortly after World War II in war-torn Vienna. The set design really brings to life what it was like to rebuild after devastating conflict while also adding a natural element to emphasize the mystery of the noir movie. The main character is fiction writer Holly Martins, played masterfully by Joseph Cotten, who is summoned for a job opportunity by his friend Harry Lime, played by Orson Welles. The movie quickly shifts from old friends reuniting after the war as Harry Lime has apparently been killed shortly before Holly’s arrival. After Lime has been hit by a vehicle, the police do not have any leads but plenty of suspects. What follows is probably the best adaptation of the “Who Done It?” theme ever presented on film. Each character is introduced providing a little more insight into the crime while also providing another suspect. As Holly learns more about the accident, he finds himself questioning whether he really knew Harry at all. Without spoiling the film, I was blown away by the revelation near the end and the subsequent final moments. If you enjoy murder mystery, this is the film for you!

Runner-up: Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku, 2000), California Split (Robert Altman, 1974)

Coming Attractions:

We are approaching a level of normalcy that would allow us to do more things with other people indoors! Hello movie theatres, hello movies nights with friends and family! We have missed you. We are eagerly awaiting watching films in theatres again – perhaps delving into films we have been waiting for since 2020 such as A Quiet Place Part II. In the meantime, we will continue watching as much as we can squeeze in between BBQs, birthdays and cottages. We are looking forward to sharing our July recommendations next month!