BAY OF ANGELS (Demy, 1963)

in

(Written and directed by Jaques Demy; starring Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers, Henri Nassiet, and Conchita Parodi. Released 01 March 1963; watched 2023w16 via Criterion Channel)

Another (qualified) win from Tycherion's random Criterion Channel selection (this time without any decision data entered; I simply "accepted my fate"): first Demy film which, while a deeply moving – painfully so, at times – daylight noir (though this isn't considered a noir, I consider it one as it follows two people falling victim to the temptation of their addictions) owes its elevated position not only to Demy's writing and directing but to the magnificent lead performance by Jeanne Moreau: her Jackie is one of the great, unsung noir characters, a bright light forever chained to the dark cloud above her. As for why it’s a qualified win: the suddenness of the jarring, flick-of-a-switch turn at the end kills the noirness of the previous 88 minutes for me – though I suppose it doesn't preclude Jackie and Jean from beginning their destructive cycle anew on the other side of the credits.

three quick ((+/-) spoiler-free) notes on PICARD, 3-10

in

  • While I still hate that it took the show this long to get this good, I'm glad it got there eventually – though it was so very, very close to losing me at multiple points in the first two seasons. Seven and Raffi saved it both times for me.

  • Which means I'm all there for the next next generation – be it a series or a standalone film.

  • I'll miss the TNG'ers, but what a sendoff. Glad they finally got the farewell they deserved; as they said once before, “All good things…”

/20230420

in

... {mowed}:: the lawn... {inexplicably obsessed with}:: OCD-compulsive display heights of creepy DT masks... {wrote}:: something very cool and very surprising that opened another set of avenues to PRESS(A) 02's story but leaves me requiring space to figure out how to begin exploring them (begin at the beginning and...)... {read}:: THE BOOKS OF JACOB, 348-312... {played}:: BREATH OF THE WILD (for the first time since November; will play the next one when I get to the end of BREATH sometime in the next decade or so)... {celebrated}:: new Caterina Barbieri album on the way / the return of LUPIN, on 05 October... {this has been}:: a day in the life of; tomorrow will be another. Until then...