Animals at events and lacking substance
On upcoming days and last night
Morning darklings,
Happy birthday to my hubs. Also Happy Valentine's Day to all who celebrate. Also Happy Anti-Valentine's Day to all who prefer this. I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the phases one can with a day like today—finding it to be the most important day of the year in a relationship, holding too many expectations in one day, being disillusioned with it, raging against anything pink or red for just 24 hours, reverting to my baby goth days to make a point, indifference, sort of caring, finding it nice, wondering why it's so expensive and limiting to eat out at fine dining restaurants on a day basically built to do such, hopelessly in love and celebrating the man I love instead of the day.
Last night I watched The Substance. I know that everyone has talked this film to death, they've ranted and raved and awarded and gushed. But I postponed what I wrote for today's newsletter, pushed the time it's delivered to your inbox, rushed to finish this before the hubs woke up just to talk about it.
Aside from the Substance, I found little in. The amount of times my friend and I said, "But if they'd only done X" or "If they'd done X, that would have made much more sense" is overwhelming. Good movies may have a few—a wish fulfillment not met. But this? Not ten minutes in, and we're off to We Missed Opportunities Island.
It's easy to think I'm just putting this movie down, but it brings up a lot in me that's connected to a larger, systemic issue. Making movies is for fun, but times have changed. There is a gravity to every choice you make in the public eye.
The moment when Demi flipped out on herself, smearing her makeup and smacking her face was pretty powerful, as so many of us have done that. But the reason felt cheap and hollow. Seeing something she's seen dozens of times. I have body dysmorphia, and it's with me 100% of the time. But I acknowledge that may be how it shows up for others.
SPOILER IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH:
Sue's face when she's holding Elisabeth's hair is another standout moment to be sure. Watching yourself as you smash someone's face in is the best depiction of vanity I've seen in ages, to be honest.
SPOILER TIME OVER.
Still, with only two real wow that did it for me scenes and a few that was neat or interesting or good ones, I'm left with a lot of questions.
If you feel moved to do so, I'd love it if you hit reply or commented with some answers‚ real or sarcastic. Because honestly, I want to know.
What did I miss? How did we get to a point where seventeen missed better plot lines wins awards? Why would anyone hire Demi Moore and not feature her in literally every scene talking or just making facial expressions? What happened to social commentary that followed through, that didn't need an explosive and ridiculous ending, that could just stand strong and comfortable in its own statement? Why did I get an hour of zoom-in shots of someone's body parts to make a film long—is this the Midsommar effect, and if on the subject, why was that movie such a thing? How did no one in the entire filmmaking process go, "I think we maybe don't know much about humans inserting needles into themselves, how IV drips work, or maybe any of this, should we ask someone"?
Now, it's possible you're thinking, Elizabeth, suspend your reality, everything doesn't have to be realistic, people don't know, people don't care, it's not that deep. But, like, isn't it?
People can be impressionable. It why drug commercials exist, why the algorithm says, Buy This, and some businesses make a lot of money. It's why MAGA isn't just a thing said by the bumbling old man who wants to see us at war. It's why it's a movement, a group, a cult. They see, they do. They hear, they believe.
So, sure, The Substance is just a movie. But beyond being so annoying my friend and I talked through the last third or so, watching only because we assumed something magical would happen at the end to deserve the awards, the writer said it meant something. Shouldn't we read into it then?
Or maybe I just thought it was super boring most of the time. It didn't freak me out, didn't gross me out either. More importantly, illogical movies don't do it for me—no matter how many times you show me that ass.
Oh My Stars
Animal Noir is coming out in 10 DAYS (Feb 24th)! That means there are only 10 days to go before our online event with Vintage Books. The authors are so excited to read their work to you! That's not to mention the March 6th in-person event at Bold Coffee & Books where we'll be all dressed up!
I'm taking pre-orders for the ebook and paperback in the new shop, and the ebook is available for pre-order everywhere!
Speaking of, drumroll please... I have a new website! It took me a long time to build, lots of false starts and help and failings and whydididothis and learning and confusion, and I'm still optimizing its speed for mobile. But it's done! And it makes my heart sing.
When you go to pre-order Animal Noir, you'll see some new offerings and discussion of ways to manage this newsletter. I'll be talking more about them in the next two week's updates email—information overload if I said it all today. The short version is I now have everything in one place—my store, my blog (aka, this newsletter), information on my books/art/events. You don't have to leave the justanotherelizabeth.com! It feels really good.
So, go forth—buy the book, explore the website, see what's coming, and keep an eye out for the next few newsletters. More on The Little Periodical and all the Animal Noir author's websites because you should buy everything they've ever written, made, or been a part of next week! What did I say, a lot happening right now, right?
Until next time, harness the Little darknesses and embrace the Little things.
*artist for cover images is Marisol Muro
