Media Mix-Up #4: The Movies on Planes Edition
Media Mix-Up #4: Movies to watch while you're hiiiiiiiigh.
I took an extremely long trip in September 2024, but before that, my music partner and I put the work in on our new Supercrime record. We did that so I could grab several stickers and sling them all over Japan and Thailand to get new people to check us out.
Once that was over, it was plane time. I started with a nonstop, 13.5-hour flight from Houston, Texas to Tokyo, Japan. When you're trapped in a middle seat between two friends, what is left for you to do other than watch movies? That's just the start. I had a 6-hour flight to Thailand, then I had another 6-hour flight back to Japan to start my final 13.5-hour flight to Houston—an entire... week... of flying.
So when you're trapped on planes and these planes have media, you're going to check out as much as you can just to make the time go by. For me, that's where the magic happened. Here is a list of the movies I was finally able to see while up in the air.
Let's start with the best!
Track 1: Música: A movie about a guy who thinks like I do.
We all know you hot people want to do it. That's why we brought this popcorn.
Música is about the Brazilian community in New York City starring Rudy Mancuso, Veronica from Riverdale, and Rudy's first girlfriend Haley. Rudy ends up in a two-timing situation, but that isn't the good part. The good part is how Rudy sees the world. That is what makes this movie sing... literally.
Everywhere Rudy goes, he has difficulty paying attention. This struggle happens because he's plugged into the musical tapestry of the world. All the sounds cry out to him. When he zones out, everything turns to music. It's like a more rhythmic version of synesthesia that Pharell Williams has. Rather than beats making beautiful colors, Rudy sees every beat and sound in a musical way and he takes us along with him. Every sweep of a broom, every fork pushing food on a plate, every press of an espresso machine button, everything he experiences transforms into music. It's like Rudy is watching Stomp every day of his life.
Rudy has been dating Haley for four years, but she breaks up with him because Rudy isn't paying attention to her. Rudy's mom, Maria is on his ass to date more Brazilian girls but Rudy thinks that's weird until he meets Veronica from Riverdale. From there it's puppets and music and this movie is a musical masterpiece that reminded me of all the musicals I've ever loved. Go see it as soon as you can.
Speaking of musical movies...
Track #2: Hairspray (2007): AKA The 60s Black Community Loves Tracy Turnblad Cause She Does All Their Dances
The star of the movie is positive, but John Travolta must have been a hell of a star in 2007 to get all that space on the poster.
Hairspray (2007) is a fun movie. The remake was made in 2007 from the 1988 John Waters version. I think the 1988 version of Hairspray edges out the 2007 version in terms of greatness, but I haven't seen it since speech class Freshman year of high school. Both of these films are amazing, but making this kind of movie in 1988 has a more radical nature to it.
If you've seen the OG Hairspray, you likely know the plot of the newer one too. Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonski) is a pleasantly plump teen girl who's obsessed with Cyclops from X-Men's afternoon dance show. Her father is Christopher Walken and her mother is John Travolta in drag who gets a lot to do in this movie.
Due to showing off the dances she learned from the scores of black kids in detention, she gets the attention of Cyclops and becomes a featured dancer on his show. This really upsets Catwoman from Batman Returns because she's the manager of the TV show trying to get her daughter, Amber (Brittany Snow) famous. It's 1962 so skinny minnie blond women are in, but Catwoman didn't have to be so mean about everything or try to seduce Christopher Walken. But hey... it's how people solved problems in the 60s. From there it’s a cancelation of “Negro Day,” a protest, then a racism-dissolving dance-off. If only everything worked like this movie makes it seem…
Hairspray (2007) also features Jerry Stiller from the OG Hairspray, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, and Amanda Bynes. Also, John Waters plays a flasher which is a hilarious place for the director of the first film and writer of this new one to show up.
Track #3: No Hard Feelings: Unless you're flying on an airplane.
I'm not a fan of Jennifer Lawrence either, but look how uncomfortable that kid is!
This movie was uncomfortable to watch. Why would a slightly over 30-year-old woman start dating a 19-year-old? Because that boy's parents offered her a car to get their son out of his shell.
Percy (the boy) doesn't have any friends. He's been bullied and treated terribly by the kids at his old high school. His only friends are on the internet. He only leaves to house to volunteer at an animal clinic. Beyond that, it's just video games and loneliness. Who among us has not been there?
Mattie (Jennifer Lawrence) has sex with many people, then quickly disappears. She doesn't want a relationship. She wants to keep the house her mother left her despite the fact that her town is being filled with people much better off than she has ever been like Percy's parents. Her sexcapades cause her car to get towed by a guy she ghosted. Her disdain towards people gets that car a one-way ticket to the ocean. It's only through this weird offer of a new (to her) car from Percy’s parents that might include sex with a 19-year-old that puts Mattie back in the game.
This movie is strange.
It has heart, but you have to look very deep to find it. It's a little raunchy and you'll spend much of your time asking why such a hot actress made a movie like this so late in her career. Cameron Diaz did this with Bad Teacher, but she was in Something About Mary and The Mask before that. No Hard Feelings wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either.
Track #4: DUNE: I didn't want to like it, but...
This is the 1984 Dune film and this image is timeless.
Because it was mentioned and beloved by my buddy Alondo that I saw in Pattaya, I finally had to give this series a chance. All 4.5 hours of it that I watched back to back in an aisle seat.
I didn't want to say this, but Dune is legitimately incredible. Director Denis Villeneuve knows how to put a movie with an obscene budget together. He must have been putting this together for a decade before they started filming. Dune is a high-tech, desert set masterpiece.
My experience with Dune was sparse. I never read the book, though I heard that it too was a masterpiece. For me, Dune was a game on the Sega Genesis I played as a young teen.
Beyond that, nothing. Well, I know they made a movie in 1984 that had Sting in it, but that's it. Dune got rid of any first-time jitters with the quickness. Dune 2 moved at an even faster pace. I won't waste time explaining it here, but Villeneuve directed his ass off.
The Impossible to Finish Film List
There were many movies available on this trip that I started but didn't have the heart or humor to finish. In no particular order, here they are.
Unfinished Track #1: Ricky Stanicky: Even the premise is gross.
I wanted to like you so much, but you failed.
I tried to watch this movie and it didn’t do it for me As children, three friends set up a fake friend to take the rap for all their mischievous dealings and they call him "Ricky Stanicky."
They keep doing it as they age into husbands and fathers, and one of them misses his baby being born. So rather than confess to what they've been doing their whole lives, they hire John Cena to pretend to be Ricky Stanicky. Cena does everything they tell him to do incorrectly and you can guess where it goes from there. In any case, I could not watch it.
Unfinished Track #2: Equalizer 3: Denzel Washington is always great, but I didn't have the stamina for it.
I wanted to... but I couldn't...
With these "dad movies," you already know what the plot will be. Older dude likes somebody. That somebody gets in trouble. The older dude has to use unspeakable violence to save that person. “Dad Movies” are the films that are perfect for watching on a lazy afternoon at home. I tend to enjoy these movies, but only the first one. I don't need to see Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, or Denzel Washington kill people for my amusement. I'll watch Keanu Reeves do it, but only because he doesn't do anything else other than be nice to people in real life.
Eh... maybe I'll try to watch it later.
The TV Shows That Captured My Imagination
I didn't watch these on the plane, but really enjoyed the following television shows:
Girls5eva Season 2 & 3
I love shows about pop groups using nostalgia hits to try and get back out there. I waited a long time to see more of this and Peacock provided. One of the funniest parts is Wickie's background is nowhere near as hard as she is always saying. If you haven't seen it, go watch it.That 90s Show Section 3
I love watching the nice characters from That 70s Show team up and make more funny television. It would have been nice to see Eric Foreman again, but Redd and Bob are enough for me.Supacell: I mentioned this last time, but it's a must-watch show, so you must watch it as they are coming back for a second season.
Batman: Caped Crusader: I was ready to hate everything about this show. I know Batman can't help but be a fascist, billionaire, tech bro. Where does he get those wonderful toys? He invents them in his Bat Cave and only he gets to use them.
Still, I gave this show a look and appreciated the old-school feel of it. It's like the Batman: The Animated Series show those guys wanted to make in the 90s (cause there’s light profanity). Batman is doing his dramatic detective thing, Commissioner Gordon and his daughter Barbara are Black AND she's a District Attorney. Everybody uses radios because there are no cell phones, and all the cops in Gotham City other than Commissioner Gordon are corrupt, though he's kind of corrupt because he uses a vigilante to solve his problems.
I didn't want this show, but I can admit that it's cool. Plus we get to see Harvey Dent use the whole first season to be a bastard with a heart of gold, but until his face gets messed up by the mob which lets him go full murderous Two-Face bastard. Batman: Caped Crusader is a solid show and it's streaming on Amazon.
Media Mix-Up #4 Complete
Supercrime will find you, and help you... Unless you're a billionaire.
Well... that's it. Watching movies on planes sucks, but there are many gems if you take a look. I used to think I hated musicals until Música and Hairspray showed me how that's never been true. I should have known better as someone who has seen Rent, The Lion King and Sasha Velour in real time.
As always, some movies are terrible and are not worth finishing. You can try, but you could lack the heart or the humor for it and have to deal with that. Obviously, I think you should try everything I said was good and avoid everything I said was not. However, I respect your desire to do what you please.
As always, if you like it, share it.
If you love it, subscribe.
If you can't live without it, put a few dollars on it.
