The Last Days of Emma Blank (2009), dir. Alex Van Warmerdam (available on Netflix Instant)
Do NOT watch the trailer or read a review — all chock-full of spoilers — before seeing this movie. The pleasure is in the plot surprises revealed casually. I will tell you that it’s set in the Dutch countryside near the seashore at a gorgeous, understated villa. The mistress of the household is dying, and everyone else is waiting around for her to expire. Dark, bizarre, funny, shocking — a treat for Harold Pinter and Joseph Losey fans. — Tim Wager
Rollin Hunt, The Phoney (2013)
Rollin Hunt has created an album of music called The Phoney. I cannot stop listening. It is perfect, beautiful, overwhelming, distressing, and infectious. Without hyperbole, I think I can call it unique and yet perfectly derivative. I want you to listen to it so you’ll feel what I feel when I listen to it. I can’t pick one track. The whole album is only 31 minutes. So sit and listen to the whole thing. (Stream here; or buy here.) — John Wood
Take a hike — at Chantry Flat
We West Coasters are pretty lucky to have so many hiking trails to choose from, but my favorite discovery so far (via John Wood) is Chantry Flat, in the Angeles Crest Forest. It’s the home of the only remaining pack station in Southern California, which means that there are donkeys available for rent and you can pack out to your camp site or, if you’re lucky, to one of the 1900s-era private cabins. The pack station’s tagline: “Haulin’ Ass since 1936!” Plus, there’s a summer concert series, waterfalls, and spruce groves galore. Oh, and there’s one cabin for sale at 50K. Who’s with me? — Lisa Tremain
P.S. For those of you who have an aversion for surprise vomiting scenes, there’s one in The Last Days…. If you want to be prepared, it’s right after the mistress eats an eel for breakfast.
Chantry Flats! Such a gorgeous place. Funny, J-Man and I went there on a cabin-hunting expedition a few years ago. One inhibitor is that banks won’t loan on those cabins, so they’re cash-only deals.
Will check out the Rollin Hunt record, too!
Let’s go camping!
People, spoiler alerts please!
No doubt the psa for the squeamish is well intentioned but we surprise vomiting connoisseurs are now going to have to try and, um, digest that eel eating scene as if we didn’t know what was coming.
I get it though, you never know what will throw people.
Adriean hates head injuries. When Donna Martin hit her head in pool, well, that was a tough night around here.
And i’m not even going to tell you what freaks me out…but surprise vomiting? Ever since goldblum in the fly I say bring it on!
Apologies, Ruben, but I happen to know that a couple frequent reader/posters are traumatized by puke in their movies and TV shows. I didn’t want them to go unwarned. Oh well, one person’s trash is another’s treasure.
4: Noted and appreciated.
The warning is totally appreciated!
Who the fuck is this “John Wood” person? Sounds like a pseudonym. Or a bot.