Cinematic Distractions

[dulcedemon]

Fallout (2024):
The greatest worry about movies and shows based upon video games is that they won't live up to the expectations of the players. That is not the case with Fallout, which as per my expectations is near perfection.
I've played only Fallout 4 and Fallout: New Vegas, but season one draws heavily from both in terms of style and story. It was a joy to see certain elements of the game fleshed out and realized.
Codsworth, the Mr. Handy domestic servant robot appointed to the player in Fallout 4, gets a backstory as does canine companion Dogmeat. Dogmeat also accompanies several different characters throughout season one.
The show starts out much like the opening to Fallout 4. It's a lovely sunny day in the suburbs of a major American city, when flash, bam, there goes civilization and a large chunk of humanity. Same as with the game, that's one of two parts where I always cry. The scene when it happens is so well rendered. Walton Goggins and Teagan Meredith give a heartfelt performance.
Despite the similarities, the show does its own thing when it comes to plot and character development. It's complex and engaging enough to stand on its own as a post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy series about the perils of nuclear war and corporate greed. It has a lot more to offer those who have. From a Grognak the Barbarian comic book to a Mr. Pebbles the first cat in space poster, every scene has some object or reference bound to amuse fans of the game.
Then there is the music. Many of the songs are taken straight from the radio station playlists in the games. Of the handful that aren't, I was most pleasantly surprised by Ladyfingers by Herb Alpert. It's perfectly matched to the mood of the scene and the action taking place. It's a little cheeky given what happens to Lucy prior to that scene. Instrumentals can seem timeless, and it fits though I might appreciate it more because I like Herb Alpert.
Another perfect fit is Keep That Coffee Hot. I regret that it was new to me despite my familiarity with its genre and era. I only knew Scatman Crothers from his acting roles in The Shining, and Chico and the Man. I knew he started out as a musician, but I hadn't heard any of his songs until now. Crawl Out Through The Fallout is a novelty song that sounds like it was written just for Fallout, but it was put out by Sheldon Allman back in 1960.
I have a request list of songs from the games for any subsequent season(s):
Grandma Plays The Numbers - Wynonie Harris
Johnny Guitar - Peggy Lee
Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo) - Danny Kaye and The Andrews Sisters
Butcher Pete - Roy Brown
As for characters, there is an unmistakable The Good, The Bad and The Ugly vibe coming from the trio of main characters. It helps that one of them is more or less a cowboy turned gunslinger. Walton Goggins has said that he studied John Wayne and Clint Eastwood westerns in preparation for his role. It's not the Man with No Name AKA: The Good that he appears to be channeling as the The Ghoul. Given the story so far, he has a righteous cause and legitimate grievances, but he is perhaps too ruthless and hungry for vengeance to be truly just. He enjoys killing, especially when he is getting paid for it. That puts him more in line with Lee Van Cleef as The Bad. It's most obvious in the scene with Erik Estrada. He is even missing a finger, albeit for only one episode.
Fresh from Vault 33, Lucy (Ella Purnell) can only be The Good at this point. Like all good vault dwellers, she seeks to de-escalate conflict rather than resort to violence. She is compassionate and believes everyone is basically decent and reasonable. She looks for the goodness in everyone, and she is glad to help others. When push comes to shove, she is more than capable of defending herself and her companions. Lucy is the character that most accurately reflects the player at the start of game. She is naive but adapts quickly. Her catch phrase, "Okey dokey!", points to her optimistic, can-do attitude. Always being glad to help in the game will land you up to your ass in side quests, and so it goes with Lucy, who just wants to find her dad. When Lucy explains her motivation and priorities to The Ghoul, his response sums it up nicely: "The Wasteland has its own golden rule: Thou shalt get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time."
I have mixed feelings about designating Maximus (Aaron Moten) as The Ugly. While fundamentally a good person, he is susceptible to the enticements of power. He admits that he is sometimes jealous of the success of others. He seeks recognition and accolades and uses his strength to command respect. As a member of the militaristic Brotherhood of Steel, he is provided with ample opportunity to achieve his aims. Some of his actions are less than honorable. Overall, Maximus left me with a sense of sadness and foreboding. I want him to have a happy ending, but the path he is on right now won't lead there.
Of all the other characters, Norm (Moisés Arias) is my favorite. Norm is Lucy's brother who stays behind in Vault 33, while she ventures out into the Wasteland. I didn't think much of him at first, but he quickly grew on me. He is very perceptive and has a certain nonchalance about him. Combined with his unassuming demeanor, he is like a vault dwelling Columbo, "Just one more thing...". It's fun to watch him delve into the secret underpinnings of vault administration. What I love the most about Norm is that he is braver than he realizes. He isn't physically strong, but he is smart and resourceful. He is the intelligence based "nerd rage" character I've always wanted to make in the game, but I was afraid would die too easy and often.
Thaddeus (Johnny Pemberton) is also remarkable. He becomes a squire in Brotherhood of Steel only to have his first mission go horribly awry. Most of his scenes are a blend of comic relief and gross out. He is like the player at the start of the game who has shit for luck and makes all the bad choices.
The famous line from the games, "War, war never changes.", is uttered twice in season one. It's interesting to note the differences in how and why it is said. Only one character delivers it with the same sad, jaded, PTSD laden tone that it has in the game. That would be the second thing about Fallout that always makes me cry. You can call or text the phone number for Vault-Tec displayed during the show. That's 213-25-VAULT. You might want to turn down the volume on your phone before calling. Just for the record, I would have voted for Woody (Zach Cherry).

Ojitos de Huevo [Translation: Little Egg Eyes AKA: Nothing to See Here] (2023):
This was the winner by far, and I had it slated for the top spot, but that was before I came down with ghoul fever. I discovered it late one night after a traumatic musical experience (explained in the final entry below).
My intention was to watch a single episode, then go to bed. It was so engrossing that I binged the whole series and went to bed well after sunrise. I'll admit that I'm an easy sell for stoner main characters, though I can't say I've ever smoked through an apple. Almost instantly, I fell in love with the leading duo of Alexis (Alexis Arroyo) and his best friend Charly (Kike Vázquez).
The first season of the show tells the semi-biographical story of blind comedian Alexis Arroyo, beginning with him leaving home for Mexico City and leading up to his first break into stand-up comedy. Charly, who has cerebral palsy, serves as his biggest cheerleader and eventually becomes his manager. Along the way, they make a lot of friends and meet many interesting people, several of whom are disabled.
I was particularly impressed with Azul (Paola Fernández). Her disability of inappropriate laughter is easily mistaken for deliberate rudeness. Without going into the details of my largely invisible disabilities, I'll just say that it was profoundly cathartic to witness that kind of representation. People can be really nasty toward those who have nervous or inappropriate emotional responses. I have far more serious issues than that, but the nervous laugh, which is an anxiety induced vocal tic in my case, brings out the catty side of people like no other. Maybe it's because I'm autistic but scrutinizing a person's every affectation and intonation has always struck me as the auditory equivalent of phrenology.
When it comes to Alexis's parents, Yuyo (Alejandro Calva) and Lolis (Verónica Merchant), I couldn't help but wonder, since both of them wear glasses, if their different styles of eyewear were symbolic of their contrasting approaches to parenting. Overprotective Yuyo wears thick, rigid, boxy looking frames, whereas Lolis sports enormous, round, windshield-like lenses encased in the thinnest of wire frames. Yuyo's vision for what Alexis can achieve in life is limited and rather staid, while Lolis sees all the possibilities in the world for him.
Watching this series made me feel not just validated but liberated in so many ways, or as the saying goes, I felt seen. It succeeds in depicting the imposition of constant self-advocacy, while also making it uproariously funny. It's refreshing to have disabled characters as fully realized persons with all the attendant foibles and emotions as opposed to saintly monoliths of inspiration porn. The stoner humor is a nice bonus. It's best in the original Spanish. I hope for more seasons to come.

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973):
This movie was acquired from a drugstore as part of a three-disc set of musicals that was on sale for a mere ten dollars. I could have purchased a fancier standalone version for twice that amount, which really would have cost three times as much after the shipping fee and sales tax. It was too good of a bargain to pass up.
I hadn't seen the other two musicals (listed below) before now, so this one was my sole motivator. Of all the musicals in the world, why Jesus Christ Superstar? It sits at a peculiar intersection of Catholic upbringing and sentimentality. Since the first of those reasons is self-explanatory, I'll detail only the sentimental one.
Many years ago, when I was too young and foolish for certain things (but did them anyway), I met a couple of guys while I was ducking a pack of mean girls who were intent on bashing in my face. Maybe someday I'll tell the full story of how I met Jeff and Rod. It's much too much for a movie list entry, and they deserve better.
For our purposes here, jumping in a car with a couple of strangers car to go who knows where to do who knows what seemed like the safest choice at the time. What transpired is a long story for which I'm fairly certain the statute of limitations has expired. It was better than getting beaten and left for dead in a mall parking lot by a bunch of bitches.
Jeff had a thing for this particular musical, so did Rod but to a lesser extent. Rod was happy to sing along with just about anything, especially when they were drunk and high, and they usually were. I never asked Jeff why he was so into it. I supposed his reasons were similar to my own.
It presents a different perspective on Christianity. It puts forth the message of Christ without sermons, guilt trips, judgement or threats. It's full of catchy tunes aimed at enticing young people to the faith. It's pretty heavy stuff if you're stoned. We were disillusioned, bored young people in a small industrial town, you can bet your ass we were stoned.
I had already been acquainted with Jesus Christ Superstar prior to meeting those two. Sometime during first or second grade, I was at home sick with the flu. While I was lying on the couch at my great grandfather's house, Jesus Christ Superstar came on after whatever cartoon or game show I had been watching. This was back in the days before everyone had a remote control to change television channels. My great grandfather had gone out to the store for something, and I couldn't be bothered to get up and turn the dial. Little did I know my conceptual continuity was about to be radically altered.
By the time Judas dropped down from the sky in a white-fringed leisure suit to reprise the theme song, my notions of Jesus, his relationship with Mary Magdalene, the motives and personages behind his arrest and crucifixion had all been overturned. My understanding of Judas was completely transformed. The concepts of Herod as more buffoon than menace and Pontious Pilate as sympathetic blew my tiny six-year-old mind.
All I had known up to that point was formal, stern, behave yourself or else Catholicism. Mandatory church attendance was part of my Catholic school education. The songs had more power and meaning than any hymn I had ever been forced to sing in church. Mass was never the same after that.
It was also the first musical apart from the Wizard of Oz that I had ever seen. I remember being kind of freaked out by the Pharisees bare chests and bizarre chess piece hats. When I was much older, it occurred to me that my discomfort had a lot to do with the fact that Caiaphas was smoking hot. My appreciation for Yvonne Elliman as Magdalene, and Josh Mostel as Herod has only grown over the years. There was a time when I wondered why this movie wasn't recommended or touted by the church as a way to get kids excited about their faith. Looking back on it now, I think they simply couldn't handle black Judas.
Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson are the driving forces. Yvonne Elliman is an oasis of calm. Josh Mostel provides sorely needed comic relief. I had the most interesting "Where are they now?" when I looked up Paul Thomas (Peter). He went on to have an illustrious career as a porn actor and director.
As far as I know, Rod is still alive out there somewhere and has several children and grandchildren, but Jeff is dead. When he died, no one had the courage to tell me. I don't know what happened or why. I only know when. I found out by searching his name on the internet out of idle curiosity one night. It was eleven years after the fact. At the time, Jesus Christ Superstar was streaming on Netflix, so I played it in memory of my dear friend.
I made it as far as Judas running ahead of the Israeli tanks before I collapsed on the floor and had what I think was a seizure. I hadn't had one before, and I haven't had one since. I don't really know what it was other than the most intensely emotional moment of my life. When I finally snapped out of it, I heard the chorus singing, "So long Judas. Poor old Judas."
I cry every time I watch it now, but my tears have nothing to do with religious fervor. This most recent time, which was just in time for Easter, I had trouble again with those scenes of Judas. The whole production took place in Israel. In the lead up to his end, both Israeli tanks and fighter jets appear in the film, and it just hits different.

Flower Drum Song (1961):
This musical was full of pleasant surprises. The first and last which were the opening and closing title sequences featuring the art of watercolor artist Dong Kingman. The most stunning of which was the almost all Asian cast. It was something truly groundbreaking for the time and place this was made. There are no white people in this movie apart from a handful of nightclub patrons and the voice actress behind Nancy Kwan's singing voice.
I felt bad for Miyoshi Umeki being billed below Nancy Kwan, when her character is the one we are supposed to root for in the romantic rivalry. Her face is the first to be seen after the opening credits. She plays the flower drum! She is by all rights the lead actress, but she wasn't as well-known as Nancy Kwan, who at that time was riding on the success of her starring role in The World of Suzie Wong (1960). Worse still, Nancy Kwan kind of upstages her. Really, she upstages everyone except Juanita Hall and Jack Soo.
Initially, I was tepid toward the tradition versus assimilation plot, but the story grew on me with subsequent viewings. I thought the songs were just okay. The flower drum theme, A Hundred Million Miracles, is not particularly memorable apart from its titular refrain. While Fan Tan Fannie is a great number for the nightclub scenes, it's a bit too silly. The strongest is Chop Suey sung by Juanita Hall during a party scene that features some brilliant choreography.
Juanita Hall was another surprise. I mistakenly assumed she was at least part Asian or perhaps a Pacific Islander. I had no idea she was black until I looked her up as I was writing this. I watched the movie three times, and one of those times was just for her. Once I knew, I couldn't unsee it.
All the characters are supposed to be Chinese, but not all of the actors were. Casting seemed to be based on anyone Asian or non-white who could be construed as Asian available at the time of production. It's an interesting assemblage of actors, including Kam Tong, James Shigeta, Reiko Sato, James Hong, Patrick Adiarte, and others in addition to those mentioned above. One of the nightclub patrons (uncredited role) was George Bruggeman who was a stuntman for the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Almost every role he had in his entire lengthy career was uncredited.

Mamma Mia! (2008):
This was watched only because it was packaged along with Jesus Christ Superstar and Flower Drum Song. I vaguely recall the media buzz when it was new. People expressed surprise at such a serious actress as Meryl Streep choosing to be in something so frivolous.
It's frivolous and fun, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's just not my kind of fun. Too cute, and not only that, but it's the kind of cute that feels forced and fake.
The fact that it's a musical aside, I don't know in what universe people act like this in real life. I just know that I never want to go there. I like musicals, but I prefer the classics. Mamma Mia! has that Hallmark feel I so often complain about in family friendly entertainment. The way everyone in village surrounding the hotel would drop whatever they were doing to sing, dance, and even jump fully clothed into the bay whenever a main character would break into song was too much. I think the target audience for this might be moneyed middle-aged ladies who like to get wine drunk and wax nostalgic for their sorority days. They can watch it along with their daughters who are likely to follow suit.
I actually like ABBA. I wouldn't describe myself as a fan, but I'm familiar with more than just the few songs that get radio play. Most of the songs are well placed. I thought there were a couple awkward clunkers, but it could have been because I hadn't heard them before. I was disappointed that they didn't use Eagle, which is my favorite ABBA song.
The best use of song, best choreography, and best acting all happen toward the end of the bachelorette party when they do Voulez-Vous. The sickening sweetness of the rest might be too much to endure for some, but I'm tough. I can take it and all the earworms it inflicts. I'm so tough that I streamed the sequel a week later. The only thing I have to say about Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) is that it's more than anyone should have to suffer for a music video of Cher covering Fernando.
I don't recommend the sequel. I don't even recommend the original. For those who would subject themselves to one or both anyway, I suggest having an after movie planned as sort of a cleanser not unlike an eye wash but also for the ears. In my case, I chose Rob Zombie's The Munsters (2022). As a chaser to the sequel, I went with Ojitos de Huevo (listed above). That's probably why I binged it. I needed to hit a certain dosage of antidote. For a pure ABBA experience, I recommend ABBA: The Movie (1977).