Aaron Hunter

God, it’s so painful
something that’s so close
is still so far out of reach

"I say! Are you Georgina?" The child in the opposite bed sat up and looked across at Anne. She had very short curly hair, almost as short as a boy's. Her face was burnt a dark-brown with the sun, and “Famous Five 01 - Five On A Treasure Island” By Enid Blyton 7 her very blue eyes looked as bright as forget-me-nots in her face. But her mouth was rather sulky, and she had a frown like her father's. "No," she said. "I'm not Georgina." "Oh!" said Anne, in surprise. "Then who are you?" "I'm George," said the girl. "I shall only answer if you call me George. I hate being a girl. I won't be. I don't like doing the things that girls do. I like doing the things that boys do. I can climb better than any boy, and swim faster too. I can sail a boat as well as any fisher-boy on this coast. You're to call me George. Then I'll speak to you. But I shan't if you don't." "Oh!" said Anne, thinking that her new cousin was most extraordinary. "All right! I don't care what I call you. George is a nice name, I think. I don't much like Georgina. Anyway, you look like a boy."

To give you an idea of how deranged the UK has become about gender stuff, here's Enid Blyton - the absolute avatar of classic English conservatism and a huge fan of racist "gollywogs" - casually describing a gender non-conforming kid in the 1940s and having their friends be totally cool with it.

A plaque commemorating Frederick Douglas's visit to Dublin, 1845. Located on Eustace Street, outside the Irish Film Institute.

Here's a plaque in memory of his speaking in Dublin in 1845.

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING FREE MINNEAPOLIS painted on a wall in the style of the Free Derry Corner.

This rules. I love how delighted they all look!

Hi everyone, switching gears for a personal request: my friend's cousin has been detained while trying to check in at an immigration office in Wisconsin, and is now at risk of deportation.

If anyone has links to immigration resources in Green Bay or Milwaukee, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

To everyone thanking me, much appreciated but not why I posted! Pls support your local immigrant defense group like:

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota: www.ilcm.org/donate/

Or my hometown LUCE: www.lucemass.org/donate

Or Google your city/state & “immigrant defense” to find your local heroes!

Bud Cort as Bill Ubell, dedicated company man, in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). Michael Gambon in the background.

Bud Cort as Harold, blowing bubbles in bed the night after he and Maude finally sleep together (Harold and Maude 1971).

RIP Bud Cort
It can be hard to see him beyond Harold - an indelible role in a once-in-a-lifetime film. But I loved him every time he popped up in something.

So, um, Liquid Glass sucks. Thanks a lot, Apple - for killing my battery over a translucent c.2000 cloud font and some distracting animation effects.

Yes!

Book cover with green text of Demon Possession and Sexual Violence in Post-Great Recession American Horror Cinema

Contents page of Demon Possession and Sexual Violence in Post-Great Recession American Horror Cinema

The first copy of my monograph 'Demon Possession and Sexual Violence in Post-Great Recession American Horror Cinema' arrived and it's beautiful! I'm so proud. Thank you @uniwalespress.bsky.social

Congratulations, Máiréad - it looks amazing!

Great interview (although I’d say John Fogerty’s memories of Saul Zaentz are a million miles away from Douglas’s, lol).

Extremely exciting news: We're hiring a full-time film critic to come work with me at The A.V. Club!

You probably have an idea if you're qualified for this, but if there's something that's not in the job listing, I'm sure I can answer Qs www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...

YouTube video by CRITERION Laura Dern’s Closet Picks

Laura Dern's, like, let's just pack 'em all up and send 'em to my house.

Also, I saw Laura Dern walk out of a deli in LA once and I swear to god she was floating.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2IZ...

We know by now that ravaging ecosystems never ends well - please sign!

Weird how deeply sports can burrow into your psyche. I haven’t paid attention to the NFL for years, and I’m like, ‘ooh, Pats are in the Superbowl! Let’s go!”

I don’t know a single player, the coach, or even if Kraft still owns them, but for some damned reason my heart wants them to win!

Dark and wet morning on the hill #weather #FridayFeeling #ThePhotoHour #Dublin

Money, prestige, power (to whatever extent) really messes with these people. I don't know if it's a slide from good(ish) to bad, or a mask that slowly slips to reveal what was always true - probably depends on the person. But yeesh, it sucks to have a parade of former influences revealed as fuckers.

His slide to the dark side’s been slow and horrible to watch (although w/hindsight pretty obvious). His work in the 80s/90s did a ton to switch on my brain, but fuck that guy! What a sad joke he’s made of his legacy.

Saw a Justin Hawkins vid recently where he talks about Warren Zevon's influence, and finding out how dreadful Zevon was as a drunk. Hawkins didn't want to 'separate the art from the artist' - he wanted to sit with and stew over the implications for music he loved that also influenced his own work.

Facts of Life!

Yes, for a leader and a governing party who've accomplished so dreadfully little, he holds himself in incredibly high regard.

I started watching this channel a few years ago - he explains how TVs (crt & digital) work better than anybody online.

But this is next level. 60 min on a fascinating and very precise defense of solar energy as the future, followed by 30 min of the most righteous political rant. Please watch!

Harold (Bud Cort), that sly devil, looks right into the camera. He's with you, or you're with him, but he's maybe mocking you a bit, too. His mum (Vivian Pickles) looks at him, seemingly oblivious to your 'presence.' Cat Stevens music plays somewhere.

28 Films for the 28 Days of Black History Month 28 Films to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month

What a list from @mayascade.bsky.social for the @blackfilmarchive.bsky.social!

blackfilmarchive.substack.com/p/28-films-f...

Yes, exactly. In fact (and I'm sure you get this), when they develop the patience to describe intricacies of editing (or whatever) their engagement AND their interpretive skills also strengthen.

Yes, these can be really good questions. I often tell them (prob to the point of their frustration, lol), if you find yourself bored or angry or frustrated, that's a point of inquiry. Ask yourself why. Ha ha, they hate me!

In fact, I'd disagree with Sam a bit on "interpretation" - there are a lot of ways to watch/look at film that aren't interpretive (esp. for film students, but not only). Interpretation is an important set of skills to develop, but so is discerning cuts, sound cues, color, design, etc.

We also spend a lot of time w/students across 4 years challenging 'quality' discourses, which takes work. They have a lot of expectations around performance, cinematography, the overall "look" etc. that say if it's not 'perfect' it's bad. I try to challenge that from first year.

Yes, I've found that if they're given even just a few key things to look out for - an element of style, the way a sensitive topic or a theme is handled (or some combination), anything really - then they have something to get their hooks into. Also, asking them to compare w/previous course films.