ISSUE #85
BEAM FROM THE BOOTH | GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY
[EDITED BY: GRIFFIN SHERIDAN & SPENCER EVERHART]
Hello and welcome back to an all-new, very special installment of BEAM FROM THE BOOTH brought to you by GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY!
We have another packed issue ahead of us, so let’s get right into it.
MOVIES AT THE MUSEUM continues THIS THURSDAY (1/23) at 7pm with CLÉO FROM 5 TO 7. Join us for another exciting screening at the GRAM!
Then, NEXT MONDAY (1/27) at 7pm, our MICHEAL MANN-UARY series comes to a close with the 2004 thriller COLLATERAL. Come witness how digital tools changed the way Mann makes movies.
Lastly, we must share our grief over the passing of David Lynch. While we will save further words for a future occasion, it feels important to remember that — in Lynch’s own worldview — his energy has always, still is, and will forever be with us.
We ran a poll last week to help us determine how we will celebrate Twin Peaks Day this year. We appreciate everyone who participated, but of course, we will be taking more time to further consider how we want to celebrate Lynch this year in the wake of this news. Stay tuned.
Last issue, the GRFS Committee shared our favorite cinematic experiences of 2024. Now, we’re pleased to share PART II — featuring a wonderful collection of companions and compatriots of the Film Society community. Enjoy!
PAIGE ADAMS [Summer of Sequels Punch-Card Winner]
The Year I Joined Letterboxd
After the last couple of years spent logging my films in a physical notebook, my curiosity of what others around me were watching finally got the best of me.
I watched 150 films this year (surpassing my original goal of 100). I broke down my best of the year into three categories:
Best new release in theaters
Best discovery
Best GR Film Society screening
Fallen Leaves (Kaurismäki, 2023)
The romantic comedy might be dead in Hollywood, but it is still alive and well internationally. I watched this in theaters in early January (although the film was technically released the year prior), and throughout the year this was consistently on the top of my mind. I laughed out loud multiple times during my viewing, it was so refreshing with its dry wit and deadpan delivery. Fallen Leaves was everything I needed. The story is an honest one at its core. I could see this film very easily shape up to be a timeless classic. The filmmaking can speak for itself, shot on 35mm, and its use of color amidst a bleak world and somewhat ambiguous timeframe is intriguing for any casual moviegoer. If you take anything away from my entry here it should be this film. I cannot recommend it enough!
I’m sort of bending my own rules with this next pick (sue me!). These two writers/directors Susan Seidelman (left) and Nicole Holofcener (right) captured my attention this year and made for two great discoveries. I honestly was barely aware of their existence, and now I regret how little I knew.
I had heard of Desperately Seeking Susan (Seidelman, 1985) starring 26 year-old Madonna and decided to watch it on a whim. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it. The exploration of different women’s identities really rang true for me. Overall, just a fun time with wonderful costume design and features a demo version of “Into the Groove” by Madonna (one of my favorites by her).
Smithereens is Seidelman’s directorial debut which is absolutely incredible and made its way to Cannes in 1982; such a testament to low-budget independent filmmaking for the time and even now. Having watched this second, it was very cool to see how the themes explored in this film built up eventually to make Desperately Seeking Susan. Smithereens is somewhat of a meandering and unglamorous tale. The setting is gritty and cynical amidst the backdrop of the fading punk culture in NYC. Wren, as the protagonist, is frustrating and unlikeable but makes for such an interesting watch as she uses anyone and everyone around her to get by. I also discovered Holofcener’s Walking and Talking on a whim. I came across it on Kanopy (free subscription with a library card!) and was totally blown away by it. I felt very connected to the story and laughed at how relatable it still is nearly thirty years later concerning adult friendships and dating. Easily one of my favorite films now.
You Hurt My Feelings is such a wonderful portrait of a writer grappling with an uncomfortable truth coming to light within her marriage. Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives an incredible performance across from Tobias Menzies. A truly endearing story that I found refreshing in the way the conflict challenges each of them but does not end their relationship. Hollywood take note!
Ultimately, discovering each of these directors reignited my passion for these kinds of stories and the kind of filmmaker I want to be!
She is Conann (Mandico, 2023)
It was incredibly difficult to narrow down to just one of the countless great screenings at Wealthy Theatre this past year. She is Conann is truly singular filmmaking, and I’m so grateful to have spent the experience amongst an audience of other curious weirdos. This film is not for the faint of heart. Possibly one of the most grotesque films out there, but easily one of the most unique I have ever seen!
Honorable mentions include: the Summer of Sequels screenings. My favorites were Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (Miller, 1981) which was a nostalgic and all-time memorable watch for me and, surprisingly, The Color of Money (Scorsese, 1986). The highlight of my year was winning a full year of GRFS events after attending all of the Summer of Sequels screenings. Let the record show I spoke that win into existence!
I’m truly grateful for the GRFS community and here’s to many more!
BLAINE BROWN [Beam Contributor]
Four Notable Cinematic Experiences of 2024
Best Wide-Release Theatrical Experience: The Substance at Celebration Cinema North x2
So nice I saw it twice. This one really satisfied my craving for good old-fashioned body horror with incredible practical effects, gut wrenching sound design, and a bumping soundtrack that kept the rhythm flowing and all senses on high alert. A significant component of this film that stood out to me were the props used for the process of consuming the titular product, where each piece felt purposefully crafted and added so much to the world we’re thrust into. It was fun to see with friends and also a surprisingly great time on a first date, which was a risk worth taking for a chance to see it again.
Best Film Festival Experience: Vulcanizadora at Tribeca Film Festival
I was fortunate enough to be able to make it to the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Joel Potrykus’ latest feature, which was an exciting experience in so many ways. Firstly because it is the first film I’ve worked on that made it to a major film festival, so it was a wonderful celebration of all of our hard work and dedication. I had also never been to New York City before, so I took it as an opportunity to check out a new place and bask in the fruits of our labor. Seeing and listening to the film on the big screen with most of the cast and crew was surreal, and the amount of talent that was poured into this production really showed — it looked and sounded amazing! Add the fact that it’s also just a fun movie to watch, it was an all-around unforgettable trip to the movies.
Worst Theatrical Experience: Oddity at Celebration Cinema North
You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain, so I thought I would include an experience that wasn’t ideal but still stands out in my moviegoing adventures this year. I caught a late night showing of this new horror flick to cure my boredom when, about halfway through, some teenagers walked into the theater and were audibly surprised to see that I was the only person in the showing. They hung out for a bit before blaring TikToks on their phones, waving their flashlights around, and generally being obnoxious. I get that they were just kids blowing off steam late on a Sunday night, but since I was the only one there and didn’t appreciate the disruption I decided to say something. They sort of laughed at first...then one came right up to me with the flashlight on their phone on and put it right up to my face while mockingly saying “What’s that, sir?” I wasn’t sure if it was recording or not, but I just told him to get outta here, and they thankfully left immediately after that while telling me to have a good night. I was honestly pretty worked up after that and could not focus on the movie whatsoever — so I couldn’t tell you literally anything about it, but what I did retain wasn’t anything to write home about. Maybe I’ll give it another shot some day, but until then if anyone sees me on TikTok getting berated in a dark theater by children, my lawyer will be in touch.
Best Local Theatrical Experience: “OPN Halloween Edition” at Wealthy Theater
The Halloween Edition of Open Projector Night at Wealthy was such an electric event! So many great shorts by friends and members of our amazing little film scene made this a night to remember for so many people. The quality of the submissions was unbelievable, and the event itself is better than ever. Thinking about where it is now to where it was when I first submitted work to the last one before the pandemic makes it so special, and I am thankful that we have an event like this to show how much talent Grand Rapids holds. Definitely looking forward to future OPNs and the other plethora of events put on by the great GR Film Society.
RYAN COPPING [Beam Contributor]
Returning to Cat People
In the fall, I teach a course on American Cinema at Grand Valley State University. Like every teacher, I make changes in the class each time I teach it, but one of the films that has always stayed in the syllabus is Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People (1942). I find that my annual viewing and teaching of this film is something I look forward to. This is a film that stays with me. I certainly thought about it more than most of the new films released in 2024. Stating that Cat People is a great movie is hardly controversial, but I want to take this opportunity to discuss this movie’s remarkable emotional impact, and of course, encourage you to view it — preferably in the best possible transfer to best appreciate Nicholas Musuraca’s gorgeous black-and-white cinematography, immediately.
For those who have not seen it: Cat People has a very simple, and seemingly silly, premise. During World War II, Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a Serbian immigrant to New York, falls in love with Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), about the most typical and ordinary person that could conceivably exist. They marry but find their relationship troubled due to Irena’s seemingly ridiculous belief that if she is kissed or is otherwise intimate with a man, she will turn into a cat monster and kill him. Oliver begins to take solace with his workplace friend Alice (Jane Randolph), and things quickly unravel. And of course, Irena can’t really be turning into a panther, right?
This idea sounds so stupid I put off seeing it for some time, despite its certified “classic” status and my love for older horror films. When I finally did watch it about fifteen years ago with my friend Kristen, our jovial interactions for the evening ceased. We both became quietly hypnotized by the movie’s psychological tone and its ability to deliver its premise entirely seriously. There is no trace of camp, no winking at the audience. This movie knows just how to take itself seriously without becoming pretentious or unintentionally funny, and the audience becomes enchanted by its odd beauty and editorial cadences that border on that of music.
There are many reasons Cat People is worth repeated viewings. It is loaded with great and memorable scenes, like the intimate moment when Oliver spontaneously tells Irena he loves her for the first time without planning to, something that reminds all of us those perfect moments at the start of relationships that are so fleeting and precious in retrospect. Or consider Alice’s silent stalking by Irena — if it is Irena — on the streets of New York, which is generally credited as the first jump scare in movie history. Of course, there’s the climax, when Irena (cat or not) finally unleashes her inner rage on someone who really, really deserves it. The entire cast is magnificent — one gets the sense that these are actual, psychologically complex people who are, with one exception, essentially sympathetic.
But if there is one reason I keep returning to the film, it is Irena’s inner turmoil, delivered to us by Simon in the greatest performance of her career. By the end, Irena is betrayed by everyone: her husband, her only friend, and her doctor (Tom Conway). She is pathologized, gaslit, and generally not taken seriously by anyone, even those who love her (that Oliver really does love her ultimately makes this film a tragedy). She has a deep-rooted and honest belief that there is something wrong with her, that she is fundamentally bad and that anyone who loves her is destined for doom. Those around her have some distant insight into her pain but cannot react appropriately or provide any real empathy. They just want her to go to the doctor and get better as soon as possible so everything can be normal. If you’ve ever silently suffered while well-intentioned people obliviously ignore what you really need, you will respond to this film.
Whenever I teach the film, there is always a vigorous discussion as to whether Irena is really transforming or her belief that she can turn into a monster is part of her mental illness (if she even has a mental illness). There are defensible arguments based on filmic evidence for both positions, and it’s clear that Lewton and Tourneur kept this question ambiguous. Eventually, I realized that although this would appear to be the central question of the film, resolving it does not change what is most important. In both interpretations, Irena is locked in a world where she either has a huge problem and no one takes her seriously or sincerely believes she has a huge problem for which no one takes her seriously, and both are equally as painful — the real horror. We are not afraid of Irena, we are afraid for her.
In his excellent book on Cat People for the BFI Classics series, novelist and critic Kim Newman comments that “The repeated viewings...necessary to write this book have not worn out the film’s mysteries for me: each viewing has revealed some new aspect, some unnoticed detail carefully crafted, some resonance perhaps unintended.” I can safely say that I agree with his assessment; repeated viewings of this movie are a pleasure. I haven’t figured it out after seeing it at least six or seven times. There are a lot of worse things you can do with seventy-three minutes of your time than enter the ethereal, very human dream of Cat People.
ANNA DAVIS [Beam Contributor]
Favorite Indie Release: Dìdi (dir. Sean Wang) | Trailer
In the summer of 2008, I was 12, going on 13. I talked to my crushes on Facebook and AIM, agonizing over everything I typed, wanting to be perfect. Chris Wang, a.k.a. Dìdi, does the same in Sean Wang’s directorial debut. I had the pleasure of catching Dìdi at the (online) 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and though I watched it in January, I immediately knew it would be one of my favorites of the year.
Despite it being a reminder of my progressing age, it’s exciting to see films telling stories that directly reflect my adolescent experiences. Dìdi reminds Zillennials of low-def YouTube clips and our desperation to fit in as the digital age exploded around us. The film also illuminates internalized and externalized racism through the lens of a tween who knows he is angry at his world but doesn’t yet understand why. We see Chris deflect his pain when his crush says he is cute “for an Asian,” and lash out when his mother, played by a remarkable Joan Chen, reveals his Taiwanese heritage to his skater-bro friends. It’s a heartbreaking yet hopeful snapshot of growing up mostly, but not yet entirely, online.
Favorite Movie Theater Experience: Twilight (Catherine Hardwicke) | Trailer
When Dìdi and his friends were making skateboarding videos in 2008, I was watching, reading, and thinking about Twilight. Part of a swath of YA adaptations in the 2000s, Twilight remains a staple of noughties pop culture. When I entered Wealthy Theatre in April 2024 to see the movie for the first time in years, I thought I was in for a classically good time. Instead, I got to have one of the most delightful movie theater experiences I’ve ever had.
Twilight has endless moments for raucous crowd participation, and everyone in the sold-out theater was ready to play along. Women wearing “TITSOAK” shirts whooped at the screen every time Bella’s hot-cop dad Charlie appeared. They booed Bella’s endless bad decisions. They gasped in mock-awe at Edward’s torso sparkling in the sun. My experience was made even better by watching it with a friend who had never seen any of the Twilight movies before. When she questioned Bella’s often perplexing actions, I simply responded each time: “Because he’s hot.” The experience was so much fun it left me asking: “Bella! Where the hell have you been, loca?” I could relive that movie theater experience year-after-year and have a blast every time. Team Edward for life.
Favorite Rewatch: Hereditary (Ari Aster) | Trailer
Like any good horror fan, I’d seen Hereditary a couple of times before A24’s announcement of an IMAX re-release. My first watch was during a drizzly summer night at Muskegon’s Getty Drive-In. A second watch was with a group of friends just days before COVID lockdowns were enacted. The uncertainty of our impending doom paired really well with the dread that seeps into every moment of the movie. On my third watch — this time seated in a sold-out IMAX theater — I came to Hereditary with new perspectives on grief.
Following a death at the end of the first act, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. I held my breath in the dead silent theater, afraid to make a single sound. I noticed figures creeping in the shadows that I’d missed before. Paimon and his cult drive the family at the center of the story to extreme measures, quite literally losing their heads. But when you’re overtaken with grief, you already feel like you’re bursting into flames. Grief is insidious and, like many emotions, it can consume you if you let it. Aster’s double whammy of trauma-infused horror in Hereditary and Midsommar has led to endless imitators, but they still stand above the rest. Saying a rewatch of Hereditary was “fun” isn’t exactly the right adjective, but it was a great reminder of how a movie can impact you differently at various points in your life. Hail, Paimon!
Favorite First-Time Watch: The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese) | Trailer
I had many favorite first watches in 2024, but I know The Last Waltz will be what I revisit most. Scorsese is not only a fan, but a historian of popular music from the 20th century. His connection to music colors nearly all of his feature films. The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” moves us through Goodfellas’ iconic long take, and Jack Nicholson’s narration paired with “Gimmie Shelter” expertly pulls the audience into the world of The Departed. Marty’s interest in the impact of this music has bled into his documentary work, including The Last Waltz.
Crafted as a farewell concert for Canadian folk/rock group The Band, Waltz brings in a star-studded cast of musicians. A coked-up Neil Young takes the stage as an invisible Joni Mitchell provides soaring vocals offstage. Van Morrison is so incredible you almost forget he isn’t the headliner. Later used to similar (and incredible) effect by Jonathan Demme in Stop Making Sense, Scorsese’s direction ignores the audience almost entirely, favoring lingering close-up shots and roving cameras that feel like another player in the band. I popped in the deliciously remastered 4k Criterion edition on a hot, stormy summer night. Midway through the runtime, lightning struck across the street from my house. The humid air buzzed with electricity, and I thought I saw a tree catch on fire (all was well). I imagine the energy in San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom felt the same on that Thanksgiving night in 1976. The film’s title card tells you: “This film should be played loud!” If you follow instructions, you’re certain to be jamming to “The Weight” for days after.
CALEB DILLON [Front of House Manager, Wealthy Theatre]
How do you do, fellow kids? I don’t have a lot to say this year; my Top 10 list most likely looks pretty similar to yours, I have a hard time giving recommendations (fear of disappointment is my personal anxiety), and honestly...I’m exhausted from all the dang curated playlists, signature cocktails, personalized bar menus, and Letterboxd reviews! Just wanted to give a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone that showed up, brought the enthusiasm, added to the dialogue, and advanced the culture by attending events at Wealthy Theatre in 2024. And a special thanks to the Grand Rapids Film Society; some of my absolute fondest memories this past year were from GRFS screenings, including:
Griffin having his head shaved live on stage during the intro to THX-1138; incredible commitment to the bit
Twin Peaks Day (oof, ouch, hits different)
The truly boundary-pushing and industry-disrupting glory of The People’s Joker and Hundreds Of Beavers
A massive variety of film eras represented — from 1922-2024!
The ongoing Underrated Scorsese Reclamation Project continuing with The Color Of Money
A dream come true seeing some personal favorites on the big screen for the first time: Fulci’s The Beyond, Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead, and Weill’s Girlfriends
Carrie Prom (thanks for not burning the place down!)
The perfectly anti-Christmas vibes of Eyes Wide Shut
…and many, many more. I promise to keep doing my best to inject unique ideas, accoutrements, decor, and overall vibes whenever I can to as many screenings as possible in 2025. Just keep showing up (preferably early), bring your friends (unless they suck), give us a shout on Letterboxd (we’re HQ status now!), and stay open-hearted. Cinema is magic; communal cinema can be transcendent.
NATE FISCHER [OPN Halloween Edition 2024 Audience Vote Winner]
Horror Movies I Enjoyed in 2024 That You May Have Missed
Oddity (dir. Damian McCarthy); watch it on Shudder
Oddity was a movie that I knew absolutely nothing about going in, and the experience was all the better for it. With that in mind, I’ll keep the plot a mystery. What I will tell you is that it has a thrilling opening scene that could almost serve as a short film on its own, the central location is as beautiful as it is haunting, and all of the performances are top notch. If you’re in the mood for a creepy atmosphere, a fun mystery, and one of the weirdest and scariest props I’ve seen in a long time, this one's for you.
In A Violent Nature (dir. Chris Nash); watch it on Shudder
In a Violent Nature flips the slasher genre upside down and puts us — the audience — in the shoes of the Jason Voorhees-like killer, aptly named Johnny. This is an oddly quiet and meditative viewing as it spends a lot of its time following the lumbering killer through the woods, using little to no music at all. The motivation is simple but clear and you almost (just almost) sympathize with Johnny. The film takes patience, and it might not be the hack-and-slash some are looking for, but I will say it has one of the best kills I have ever seen in a horror film. So there’s that.
The Substance (dir. Coralie Fargeat); watch it on MUBI
This is the one you’ve probably heard of the most, especially because Demi Moore won the Golden Globe for her performance, but boy does she deserve it. Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid are superb as well. This was one of the most beautiful, disgusting, shocking, amazing, funny, crazy, and wholly original movies I’ve seen in a long time. I won’t say anything about the plot — just go in blind and enjoy the ride. But be warned: if you’re squeamish about needles, this one could be tough for you...but it’s worth it.
ERIK HOWARD [Beam Contributor]
Dìdi — Deconstructing Doubt
My relationship with films is...complicated. When I look back at a year’s worth of movies, and people share their Letterboxd totals with movies watched in the hundreds, I can’t help but feel as if I’m always missing out on essential cinematic experiences with friends, family, and even myself. 2024 became a truly challenging year as I pushed myself to get words down for a screenplay I’ve long had on the backburner; a reflective piece focused on how I grew up a terrible skateboarder to fit in with a group of friends I frankly had no business being part of. For my fellow screenwriters and directors out there, it’s a very vulnerable process that can really push you towards overwhelming feelings of doubt and, personally, left me considering my place in my community of filmmakers.
As the feelings of doubt got stronger, I knew I needed to get out of the house as a rogue trailer for a film that spoke to my youth as a skateboarder and wannabe videographer came across my feed. With two showtimes available across the entirety of Celebration Cinema’s lineup, I made my way out to Rivertown Mall and sat in a theater with two other people for Sean Wang’s Dìdi. I’m not sure what I was hoping to get out of this story or visit to the theater, but I walked out of that screening feeling not just heard but celebrated. Sean Wang’s touching directorial feature is exactly what a film about skateboarding should be; deconstructing the self-doubt so prevalent in our youth that sets the uphill battle we face on the road to acceptance.
Chris “Wang Wang’s” journey from being a lighthearted thirteen year-old kid making YouTube videos during an era where that platform represented expression to seeking validation beyond the status of a MySpace screen as he makes the jump to high school is not revolutionary. We’ve seen coming-of-age stories across cinema’s entire history, but Chris’ journey now speaks to a new generation; a generation of young adults, and of course MySpace-era adults, who could feel the world closing in around them. A time when human connection became conditional, or the ability to hide our doubts became easy with the power of the internet just a couple clicks away. Chris’ life exists on two fronts: the outside world where he’s skateboarding with a group that he believes cares for him but really only care about his camera, and the inside where he is balancing his pursuit of a romance with someone who is attracted to who Chris seems to be. Sean Wang’s tight understanding of youthful skateboarding culture and blending that pathway with someone who is relatively ahead of the curve on the internet creates this character that doesn’t serve as a nostalgia trip but rather one that truly exists in the world. It’s easy to reminisce about the era that Dídi captures, but to actually see someone live within said era and find independence is a difficult task for any filmmaker.
Dídi triumphs in its ability to tell complicated stories amidst a recognizable backdrop still bursting with youthful excitement and ignorance. Its opening scene of raw video footage of a young brace-faced Chris blowing up a mailbox just immediately places you back in that era where just about anything would make you laugh. But it’s how Wang approaches the difficult conversations that make this film stand out from the rest. Joan Chen and lead actor Izaac Wang have one of the most dynamic relationships between a mother and son I have seen in years. At one point in the film, a heated conversation in a car between the two brought me right back to a parking lot at Woodland Mall where my own mother and I had reached out lowest point. I can’t stress this enough: Sean Wang’s writing here is top calibre. Every single character bleeds personality and acts accordingly. I find when comparing this to Jonah Hill’s Mid90s it features a more robust group of characters that exist outside of traditional film roles and stereotypes because of their actions. The jealousy between characters is tense, the romantic interest feels awkward yet entirely believable, and the conflict feels earned and genuine. All of Chris’ family, including the quiet standout Vivien Chen, are at their lowest as a family — yet build back in a way that captures the all-too-real humanity left out in stories of intense conflict that breeds self-discovery.
Skateboarding put me on the wheels towards self-discovery. Rebellion, independence, and passion are three things that come to my mind when I think about the lifestyle so prevalent in my youth: rebelling against my family who just wanted to see me succeed beyond attempting to go pro as a skateboarder; independence from people whom I believed didn’t have my best interests in mind as I sought my own path; but passion, that journey towards finding my future on the tattered streets of Grand Rapids with an ever-solid group of friends for years...was what truly set that journey apart. Dídi reminded me that while my childhood was full of personal and external challenges, it ultimately was a journey from standing on a piece of wood to standing on stage at my college graduation with a film degree still using that little camera I had bought to film my friends skateboarding. To this day, my doubts in my abilities always remain — but it was the understanding that my doubts truly are my doubts means that my family, friends, and art speak to the journey that hasn’t quite ended yet but rather continues to roll on.
HAILEY JANSSON [GRPL Partner Picks Creator]
Thanks to GRFS for including me in this year-end compilation and for being great partners to the work I do for the Grand Rapids Public Library. For my contribution I’d like to celebrate a few 2024 narrative features directed by women. Unranked and non-exhaustive, these three spoke the loudest to me in what was a great year for women behind the camera.
Alice Rohrwacher
“Making a film is like carrying out an archeological excavation that begins with only a hint,” says Rohrwacher about La Chimera, her latest feature, in an interview with Film at Lincoln Center. This framing tosses auteur theory out the window and humbly puts both hands to the earth, asking for a story. While the film is best experienced with minimal prior knowledge, I’ll share just a few notes. La Chimera stars Josh O’Connor as Arthur, a suit-clad and Italian-speaking Englishman who has a gift for finding and fencing Etruscan treasure. There are elements of Greek mythology: Arthur follows a mysterious red thread and a musical troupe spins tales and sings songs about Arthur’s band of grave-robbers that push the story forward much like a Greek chorus. If filmmaker is archeologist, piecing together stories from found fragments, our responsibility as audience is investigating what’s being revealed. Luckily, Rohrwacher is generous in her assembly of fragments and La Chimera is full of treasures to interrogate.
Annie Baker
Janet Planet is playwright Annie Baker’s directorial debut. With naturalistic dialogue and hyper-specific time and place, it feels like a playwright’s movie in the best way. Set in the summer of 1991, a young and introverted Lacy refuses to stay at summer camp and instead spends summer in the orbit of her mother Janet. While the film is structured around Janet — much like acts in a play, the film is split into chapters, each one named after Janet’s friend or lover of the moment — it is experienced through Lacy. She is quiet but always present, leading to one of the funnier moments of the film: two adults have a drug-addled conversation, self-absorbed in their way, and suddenly Lacy gets up from a couch, appearing to have been there during the entirety of the adult conversation. Aided by warm, nostalgic cinematography, Baker creates a contemplative and tender world in which a young girl begins to recognize that her mother doesn’t solely belong to her. After all, there is no chapter titled “Lacy.”
Zia Anger
“This probably shouldn’t be a film ... but it is.” These are the words typed on screen in the first moments of Zia Anger’s My First Film. This line summarizes the two extremes in response I’ve seen to this work. On one hand, folks agreeing this probably shouldn’t be a film. On the other, folks glad that it is. Zia Anger has been on my mind since I first came across her music videos. Maybe you’ve seen her work for Maggie Rogers or Mitski and are familiar with her ability to capture powerful emotion or make self-referential nods to the act of filmmaking. Check out the first and final moments of Mitski’s “Your Best American Girl” to see what I mean. My First Film is essential viewing for anyone who keeps returning to the same project, attempting to finish it, and leaving it undone or in a changed state. It’s a film for anyone who creates, who brings things into existence. On paper it’s a meta-textural, auto-fictional account of Zia’s first attempt at making a feature film in 2010. In reality, it’s a labor of love that reframes a personal failure as a righteous act of creativity.
CHRIS KOTCHER [Director of Wealthy Theatre]:
SOME FAVORITES OF 2024…
Hundreds of Beavers — One of my all-time favorite screenings at Wealthy Theatre (June 3rd, presented by GRFS!). An avalanche of comedy spectacle and a new textbook example of a film that is a must-see with a crowd. If you don’t believe me, come through: we’re screening it again soon on January 21st as part of the Tuesday Night Movie Series at WT. The cult audience this movie has grown in a short amount of time is wildly impressive, and for being a self-distributed true Midwest indie film shot in Wisconsin (and part of the UP!) it’s awesome to see the love it has been getting. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so consistently throughout a film, and I can’t wait to see it again.
Dìdi (弟弟) — Finding yourself, finding others, fitting in, and trying like hell to not fuck it all up in the process. The slings and arrows of being an adolescent in early 2000s are so authentic and moving here, resonated for me at least. Special kudos to how the characters’ online life is presented on-screen in a cinematic and honest way I have never seen in a film before. Brutal, hilarious, heartfelt. Being a person is hard, you guys! But damn, maybe we can do it. I loved this movie.
Vulcanizadora — Floored me. Couldn’t shake it for days. A very dark comedy where the dark hits hard, but so does the heart. My new favorite from Joel Potrykus & Sob Noisse.
Saturday Night — Being a big fan of SNL and BTS stories in general, I had a great time with this one. From all the history I’m familiar with and have read, I thought this film did an excellent job of recreating the journey of bringing this show to life. INCREDIBLE attention to detail. The stories, the people, the studio...the energy of collaborating with a group of massively creative humans...the ambition driving toward building something new...reckoning with problems left and right while clocks are ticking and tensions are growing...packed full of wicked fun performances throughout...and a lot of love for the humans who built something that brought multiple generations of laughter and light over the past fifty years; AND an impeccable Dan Akroyd to boot. I loved it.
Dune: Part Two — Did you see Dune: Part Two? That was awesome.
KYLE MACCIOMEI [Beam Contributor]
Best Netflix Movies of 2024
Looking at my Letterboxd, it seems like I watched 362 films in the 2024 calendar year, with 79 of those being fresh releases. While those numbers do make me question how broken my brain must be, the upside is that I feel like I have a relatively strong grasp on what films entered the cultural zeitgeist in the last year. So when I look at my ranked list to try and find recommendations for this article, I end up coming across a number of Netflix films that I think too many people missed out on even though the vast majority of us have instant access to this incredible library of new features.
Hit Man and Rebel Ridge, The Piano Lesson, and His Three Daughters are all examples of spectacular films which went completely under the radar due to Netflix’s online-only release strategy. I believe Hit Man is one of the best Rom-Coms of the past decade that also anoints Glenn Powell as a leading man to look out for. I also love how Rebel Ridge is the strangest combination of John Wick, First Blood, and a John Oliver Last Week Tonight segment, yet it somehow works in all the best ways. The Piano Lesson sparks joy knowing that the Washington family are committed to this project of adapting all of August Wilson’s plays from his Pittsburgh Cycle series (Fences, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and now this are the first three of ten). And His Three Daughters features three of my favorite performances of the year as three sisters played by Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne — all trapped in a claustrophobic New York City apartment while their father slowly dies in hospice care.
The over-saturation of media is a defining double-edged sword for anyone looking to immerse themselves in culture; everything available at the push of a button while simultaneously drowning in a sea of options. Finding ways to curate your own taste amidst a sea of content is now the new struggle for cinephiles, but given the right circumstances it truly is a superpower to have instant access to the world’s most comprehensive cinema archive known to humankind. Hopefully we can all rely on each other to navigate the maze set before us to find the greatness lying within.
ishkwaazhe SHANE MCSAUBY [OPN Audience Vote Winner, Nov. 2024]
Top New Releases of 2024 (in no order)
Caught by the Tides (dir. Jia Zhangke)
I never expected to call this a top film, but every Jia Zhangke movie I’ve seen has a way of staying with me over the years. The images and moments from this one have definitely stuck with me since seeing it last year.
The Substance (dir. Coralie Fargeat)
My biggest movie regret of 2024 was not seeing this in theaters. Honestly, what’s left to say that hasn’t already been said?
Speak No Evil (dir. James Watkins)
The trailer for this was everywhere — in theaters, on YouTube — and I was so sick of it. But since I’m working on a feature script with a similar vibe, I figured why not give it a shot? I went in super hesitant, and wow was I surprised. What a ride. I was squirming in my seat the entire time. Even though you can tell where the movie is headed, it still managed to surprise me, make me uncomfortable, and keep me anxious. Seriously, such a blast! (And yes, I promise to watch the original this year.)
Top non-2024 releases:
The Holdovers (2023, dir. Alexander Payne)
Perfect Days (2023, dir. Wim Wenders)
Heat (1995, dir. Michael Mann)
After Hours (1985, dir. Martin Scorsese)
My friends and I always joke about the perfect movie length being 90 minutes. It can join the ‘Perfect Movie Club’ if it’s within range. But 90 minutes...perfect movie. Now, just to ruffle some feathers, here’s my list of 2024 movies that I felt were too long and would love to see in the Perfect Movie Club (or even shorter):
Wicked, Trap, Twisters, Bird, The Substance, Anora (that’s right, I said it)
JOEL POTRYKUS [Beam Contributor]
The one movie that has stuck with me most from 2024 is In a Violent Nature. I was a little bugged when I first read the premise in the Sundance announcement — an arty take on slashers, but not in a self-conscious Scream way but a Gus Van Sant Gerry way. A slow cinema slasher told from the undead killer's perspective sounded exactly like a Friday the 13th spec script I'd written and pitched around for a few years. But that's the business: make it before someone else does, or shut up. So, I eventually got over the idea that some guy named Chris Nash beat me to the punch, and finally watched. I was hooked from the opening shot. Twenty minutes in I realized that I would not have pulled this off with the same precision and imagination. It's a complete commitment to the premise but still honors the genre. It transcends it. The kills feel like a work of art. Turns out, Chris Nash is also a make-up effects artist, which explains the meticulous and grounded take on the gore. He's got the vision. I read later that they decided to re-shoot the entire film after four weeks because they had to re-cast the killer at some point and the replacement didn't match up. Again, Chris Nash is a better man than I.
I saw Straight Time for the first time. Aside from what I see as a somewhat unconvincing and unnecessary romance subplot, this story of Dustin Hoffman returning to crime mere days after getting out of Folsom prison had me locked in from the opening scene. It's filmed with naturalistic performances, especially from his accomplice played by Gary Busey and his real-life son, five-year-old Jake Busey. Nothing is heightened with a big score or dramatic lighting. The entire film feels so naturalistic that it almost feels like Hoffman is going to get legit arrested at any moment. I later read that Hoffman was hired to direct as well as star, but after only one day of shooting and not completing a single shot, everyone realized that he was too much of a neat freak and so they hired Jerry Ziesmer to take over and get the damn thing done. There's an economy to the scenes that I'm sure needed a more efficient approach.
I was wrapping up this non-list when I bumped into Spencer Everhart on campus at GVSU where we both teach. He mentioned his love for The Beast. I generally find he and I are on similar wavelengths, so I dove in. He's right. It's one of the best of the year. Director Bertrand Bonello is fully assured here. Technical and emotional perfection. No spoon-feeding. The film is heartfelt but cold and distant at the same time. Bonello sustains a steely tone for the entire two hour-plus runtime, absolutely locked in. I found myself wanting to steal pieces from it the entire time.
All this being said, The Brutalist has yet to come to GR and prove itself as the best of the decade.
PATRICE SCOTT [OPN audience vote winner, June 2024]
Three Favorite Films from 2024
The Substance
Easily my favorite film and theater experience of 2024. My jaw was dropped for almost the entire runtime, and it will forever be ingrained in my mind how everyone in the theater reacted audibly in horror, disgust, and disbelief as the story progressed. The Substance strikes a perfect balance of horrific body horror/thriller and absurd comedy in a way I didn’t know was possible, and Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley’s performances are fantastic! If you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s a 2024 film that shouldn’t be skipped — if you’re okay with body horror that is!
I Saw the TV Glow
An amazing psychological and existential horror film that explores a reality that many people face: sacrificing one's identity to fit into traditional societal norms. This one is as emotional as it is unsettling for me (the ‘moon man’ scenes are soooo uncomfortable), and “emotional” is not a way I usually describe horror films. Such a unique experience of a film and a powerful trans allegory. Its message is one we should hang onto as we enter deeper into a period of time when the trans community continues to be targeted, misunderstood, and mischaracterized.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
As a lifelong fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, I’ll be the first to admit that the first two films were just OKAY movies at best (a lot better than many other video game film adaptations have to offer, though). However, that didn’t stop me from appreciating them both because you could tell that the crew cared about Sonic and his fans. The third movie pulls no stops this time around as it was made almost completely for the fans but manages to also make it a fun time for general audiences. The humor is better, the game references are nostalgic, the story is stronger, and these elements all come together to make the BEST Sonic movie out of the three — and one of my top three movies of this year. I mean, Shadow does an ‘Akira slide’ sideways off of a building! How can you not love that? Also, I should add that this movie was based on the first video game I've ever played, soooo I may be a little biased with this one...
UPCOMING EVENTS
CLÉO FROM 5 TO 7 (Vardas, 1962)
WHAT: MOVIES AT THE MUSEUM CONTINUES! Agnès Varda’s Cléo from 5 to 7 follows its effervescent, titular heroine as she traipses around Paris, anxiously awaiting the results of a biopsy she fears might lead to her death or deformity.
WHEN: Thursday, January 23rd, 7:00pm
WHERE: The Grand Rapids Art Museum
COLLATERAL (Mann, 2004)
WHAT: MICHAEL MANN-UARY CONCLUDES! After a long day, LA taxi driver Max is about to knock off when sharp-suited Vincent offers him $600 to make five stops. Sounds good until Vincent turns out to be a merciless hitman and each one of those stops involves a hit. As the night goes on, Max starts to wonder if he'll live to see the sunrise, as the pair are hunted by the police and the FBI.
WHEN: Tuesday, January 27th, 7:00pm
WHERE: The Wealthy Theatre
62nd ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL TRAVELING TOUR
WHAT: Selections from the 62nd Ann Arbor Film Festival are played across two programs. Arrive early to make your own 16mm film loops!
WHEN: Friday, January 31st, 7:00pm
WHERE: The Grand Rapids Art Museum
And so we’ve arrived at the end of another BEAM FROM THE BOOTH! We appreciate you taking the time to read it and truly hope you’ll continue to do so. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to get each issue in your inbox every week, and stay up-to-date on all things GRFS.
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Until then, friends...
