Entertainment
Movies on TV this week: ‘After Yang’ on Showtime; ‘Finding Nemo’ on Freeform; ‘Glory,’ Epix
4 Star Movies, Field Workplace Hits, Indies and Imports, Motion pictures A – Z
FOUR STAR FILMS
High rated films and made-for-TV movies airing the week of the week of March 20 – 26, 2022
Alien (1979) TMC Solar. 3:30 p.m. TMC Mon. 4:30 a.m. TMC Sat. 11:10 a.m. TMC Sat. 7 p.m.
Aliens (1986) TMC Solar. 5:30 p.m. TMC Fri. 9:30 a.m.
The Greatest Years of Our Lives (1946) TCM Sat. 4:45 a.m.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) TCM Sat. 2 p.m.
Casablanca (1942) TCM Sat. 8 a.m.
Dances With Wolves (1990) Ovation Solar. 4 p.m.
Dersu Uzala (1975) TCM Fri. 3:30 a.m.
The Discreet Attraction of the Bourgeoisie (1972) TCM Fri. 6 a.m.
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) TCM Fri. 5 p.m.
Discovering Nemo (2003) Freeform Sat. 11:30 p.m.
A Humorous Factor Occurred on the Technique to the Discussion board (1966) TCM Thur. 3:30 a.m.
The Homosexual Divorcee (1934) TCM Mon. 9:15 p.m.
Glory (1989) EPIX Wed. 12:10 p.m. EPIX Wed. 12:25 p.m.
The Godfather, Half II (1974) Paramount Sat. 11 p.m.
The Godfather (1972) Paramount Sat. 7 p.m.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) TCM Mon. 5 p.m.
Grand Lodge (1932) TCM Solar. 2:45 a.m.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) TCM Tues. 5 p.m.
His Woman Friday (1940) KVCR Wed. 8 p.m.
How Inexperienced Was My Valley (1941) TCM Tues. 7:15 p.m.
It Occurred One Night time (1934) TCM Solar. 4:45 a.m.
The Final Emperor (1987) TCM Sat. 8 p.m.
Lawrence of Arabia: Director’s Lower (1962) TCM Sat. 10 a.m.
A Letter to Three Wives (1949) TCM Tues. 9:30 p.m.
The Lifetime of Emile Zola (1937) TCM Mon. 2:15 a.m.
Native Hero (1983) KCET Fri. 8 p.m. KCET Sat. 4 p.m.
Lust for Life (1956) TCM Wed. 7 p.m.
Mr. Deeds Goes to City (1936) TCM Sat. 2:30 a.m.
The Music Field (1932) TCM Mon. 6:15 a.m.
On the Waterfront (1954) TCM Wed. 9:15 p.m.
Odd Individuals (1980) EPIX Tues. 12:45 p.m.
The Piano (1993) TMC Thur. 8 p.m.
Planet of the Apes (1968) TCM Thur. 11:15 p.m.
Pulp Fiction (1994) Showtime Tues. 1:30 a.m. Showtime Fri. 10:35 p.m.
The Quiet Man (1952) EPIX Mon. 4:35 a.m.
Raiders of the Misplaced Ark (1981) CMT Solar. Midday
Rocky (1976) Cinemax Solar. 1:49 p.m. Cinemax Fri. 12:30 p.m.
The Search (1948) TCM Tues. 8:30 a.m.
The Shining (1980) BBC America Solar. 1:30 a.m.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Freeform Sat. 7 a.m.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) TNT Thur. 5:15 p.m. TNT Fri. 4:28 p.m. TNT Sat. 2:28 p.m.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Again (1980) TNT Fri. 7:13 p.m. TNT Sat. 5:13 p.m.
A Streetcar Named Want (1951) TCM Wed. 11:15 p.m.
There Will Be Blood (2007) TCM Solar. 9 p.m.
Tom Jones: Director’s Lower (1963) TCM Thur. 6:45 p.m.
2001: A Area Odyssey (1968) TCM Thur. 2:30 p.m.
When We Have been Kings (1996) TCM Solar. 7:15 p.m.
You Can’t Take It With You (1938) TCM Mon. 2:45 p.m.
4 Star Movies, Field Workplace Hits, Indies and Imports, Motion pictures A – Z
BRAVO, IFC & SUNDANCE IN PRIMETIME
Bravo, IFC & Sundance in primetime, airing the week of the week of March 20 – 26, 2022
American Sniper (2014) ★★★ IFC Fri. 8 p.m. IFC Sat. 2 a.m.
Arachnophobia (1990) ★★★ IFC Solar. 8:15 a.m.
Child Mama (2008) ★★ E! Wed. 2:30 p.m. E! Thur. 2:30 a.m. Bravo Fri. 5:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 11:30 a.m.
Again to College (1986) ★★★ IFC Sat. 6 a.m. Sundance Sat. 1:30 p.m. Sundance Solar. 2 a.m.
Large Daddy (1999) ★ Bravo Sat. 3:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 8 p.m.
Bride Wars (2009) ★ Bravo Fri. 8:30 a.m. Bravo Sat. 4 a.m.
The Change-Up (2011) ★★ Bravo Fri. 10:30 a.m. Bravo Sat. 1:40 a.m.
Crocodile Dundee II (1988) ★★ IFC Solar. 10:45 a.m.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) ★★★ IFC Sat. 5:30 p.m. IFC Solar. 12:15 p.m.
The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) ★★ BBC America Tues. 8 p.m. BBC America Tues. 10:15 p.m. IFC Sat. 7:45 p.m.
Erin Brockovich (2000) ★★★ Sundance Sat. 8 p.m. Sundance Sat. 11 p.m.
Everest (2015) ★★★ IFC Fri. 11:30 a.m.
Fury (2014) ★★★ IFC Fri. 5 p.m. IFC Fri. 11 p.m.
Grown Ups (2010) ★ Bravo Sat. 5:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 10:05 p.m.
Warmth (1995) ★★★ Sundance Solar. 7 p.m. Sundance Solar. 11 p.m.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) ★★ Sundance Solar. 10:30 a.m. Sundance Mon. 3 a.m.
The Jerk (1979) ★★ Sundance Sat. 11:30 a.m.
Kingpin (1996) ★★ IFC Sat. 10:15 a.m.
A League of Their Personal (1992) ★★★ Bravo Fri. 7:30 p.m. Bravo Fri. 10:35 p.m.
Lone Survivor (2013) ★★★ IFC Fri. 2:15 p.m.
Man on Hearth (2004) ★★ Sundance Solar. 1 p.m.
The Cash Pit (1986) ★★ IFC Solar. 6:15 a.m. Sundance Sat. 6 p.m.
Mom’s Day (2016) ★ Bravo Fri. 6 a.m.
Mr. 3000 (2004) ★★ IFC Sat. 1 p.m.
Workplace Area (1999) ★★ Bravo Thur. 1:30 a.m.
Fairly Lady (1990) ★★★ Bravo Thur. 10:30 p.m. Bravo Fri. 1 a.m. E! Sat. 8 p.m.
Robin Hood: Males in Tights (1993) ★★ IFC Solar. 1:15 p.m.
Silent Home (2011) ★★ IFC Fri. 7 a.m.
Sleepy Hole (1999) ★★★ IFC Fri. 9 a.m.
The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) ★★ E! Wed. 2 a.m. E! Thur. Midday Bravo Fri. 1 p.m. Bravo Sat. 7 a.m.
Tremendous Troopers 2 (2018) ★★ IFC Sat. 10 p.m.
Tammy (2014) ★ Bravo Fri. 3:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 9:30 a.m.
Coaching Day (2001) ★★★ Sundance Solar. 4 p.m. AMC Solar. 12:45 p.m.
Trainwreck (2015) ★★★ E! Wed. 4:30 p.m. E! Thur. Midday Bravo Solar. 2:35 a.m.
Twins (1988) ★★★ Sundance Sat. 3:30 p.m.
The Waterboy (1998) ★ E! Wed. 9:30 p.m. E! Thur. 7:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 1:30 p.m. Bravo Solar. 12:35 p.m.
The Marriage ceremony Planner (2001) ★★ Bravo Mon. 6 a.m. E! Fri. 6:30 p.m. E! Sat. 3 p.m.
Weekend at Bernie’s (1989) ★★ IFC Solar. 3:45 p.m. IFC Sat. 3:15 p.m.
What About Bob? (1991) ★★★ IFC Sat. 8 a.m.
4 Star Movies, Field Workplace Hits, Indies and Imports, Motion pictures A – Z
BOX OFFICE HITS
Motion pictures that scored huge on the field workplace, airing the week of the week of March 20 – 26, 2022
Airplane! (1980) ★★★ EPIX Thur. 6:30 p.m.
Aliens (1986) ★★★★ TMC Solar. 5:30 p.m. TMC Fri. 9:30 a.m.
American Sniper (2014) ★★★ IFC Fri. 8 p.m. IFC Sat. 2 a.m.
Apollo 13 (1995) ★★★ BBC America Thur. 8:30 p.m. BBC America Fri. 3 a.m.
Armageddon (1998) ★★ AMC Mon. 5:30 p.m. AMC Tues. 1:45 p.m.
As Good as It Will get (1997) ★★★ POP Mon. 8 p.m. POP Tues. 1:35 a.m.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) ★★★ TBS Solar. 1 p.m.
Again to College (1986) ★★★ IFC Sat. 6 a.m. Sundance Sat. 1:30 p.m. Sundance Solar. 2 a.m.
Unhealthy Boys II (2003) ★★ Syfy Sat. 10 p.m.
La Bamba (1987) ★★★ Encore Sat. 5:21 p.m.
Beetlejuice (1988) ★★★ CMT Sat. 2:30 p.m. CMT Solar. 12:30 p.m.
The Greatest Years of Our Lives (1946) ★★★★ TCM Sat. 4:45 a.m.
Large (1988) ★★★ Encore Thur. 7:12 p.m.
Large Daddy (1999) ★ Bravo Sat. 3:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 8 p.m.
Black Panther (2018) ★★★ FX Thur. 7 p.m.
Boomerang (1992) ★★ BET Mon. 6 p.m.
Bull Durham (1988) ★★★ FS1 Solar. 6 p.m. FS1 Tues. 4 p.m.
Captain America: Civil Warfare (2016) ★★★ Syfy Tues. 10 p.m. Syfy Wed. 6:45 p.m.
Automobiles (2006) ★★★ Freeform Sat. 9 a.m.
Cliffhanger (1993) ★★★ BBC America Solar. Midday BBC America Mon. 4 a.m.
Con Air (1997) ★★ TBS Solar. 12:30 p.m.
Contact (1997) ★★★ BBC America Thur. 5 p.m. BBC America Thur. 11:30 p.m.
Crocodile Dundee II (1988) ★★ IFC Solar. 10:45 a.m.
Dances With Wolves (1990) ★★★★ Ovation Solar. 4 p.m.
Despicable Me 3 (2017) ★★ FX Tues. 6 p.m. FX Wed. 9:30 a.m.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) ★★★ Nickelodeon Thur. 5 p.m. Nickelodeon Fri. 3 p.m.
Die Laborious (1988) ★★★ AMC Wed. 8 p.m. AMC Thur. 2:30 p.m.
Soiled Dancing (1987) ★★★ E! Fri. 2 p.m. E! Sat. 8 a.m.
Double Jeopardy (1999) ★★★ Cinemax Mon. 12:22 p.m. Cinemax Thur. 9:12 a.m.
The English Affected person (1996) ★★★ TMC Solar. 8 p.m.
Eraser (1996) ★★ TNT Sat. Midday
Erin Brockovich (2000) ★★★ Sundance Sat. 8 p.m. Sundance Sat. 11 p.m.
Quick & Livid 6 (2013) ★★ HBO Mon. 3:45 p.m.
The Destiny of the Livid (2017) ★★ FX Wed. 4 p.m. FX Thur. 1 p.m.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) ★★★ Showtime Sat. 7:05 a.m.
A Few Good Males (1992) ★★★ AMC Solar. 11:54 a.m. AMC Mon. 9:30 a.m.
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) ★★★★ TCM Fri. 5 p.m.
Discovering Nemo (2003) ★★★★ Freeform Sat. 11:30 p.m.
First Blood (1982) ★★★ BBC America Mon. 6 p.m. BBC America Tues. 4 a.m. AMC Solar. 3:45 a.m.
Flatliners (1990) ★★★ EPIX Sat. 2:20 p.m.
Free Man (2021) ★★★ HBO Mon. 7 p.m.
The Fugitive (1993) ★★★ AMC Fri. 8 p.m. AMC Sat. 1:45 a.m.
Ghost (1990) ★★★ BBC America Sat. 10:30 p.m.
The Godfather (1972) ★★★★ Paramount Sat. 7 p.m.
The Golden Little one (1986) ★★ EPIX Mon. 6:25 p.m.
Good Will Looking (1997) ★★★ Ovation Sat. 8 p.m.
Grown Ups (2010) ★ Bravo Sat. 5:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 10:05 p.m.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) ★★★ TNT Mon. 6 p.m.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) ★★★ Encore Solar. 8:08 a.m. Encore Solar. 11:09 p.m.
Hannibal (2001) ★★ Encore Tues. 2:37 a.m. Encore Tues. 9 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Hearth (2005) ★★★ Syfy Solar. 2 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ★★★ Syfy Solar. 8:30 p.m. Syfy Mon. 4:55 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) ★★★ Syfy Solar. 5:29 p.m. Syfy Mon. 1:50 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) ★★★ Syfy Solar. 10:57 a.m.
Hitch (2005) ★★★ E! Fri. 11:30 p.m. E! Sat. 12:30 p.m.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the 5 Armies (2014) ★★ BBC America Fri. 6 p.m. BBC America Fri. 9:15 p.m.
The Starvation Video games: Catching Hearth (2013) ★★★ EPIX Wed. 8 p.m.
The Starvation Video games (2012) ★★★ EPIX Wed. 5:35 p.m. EPIX Thur. 9 a.m.
The Hunt for Purple October (1990) ★★★ BBC America Solar. 2 p.m. BBC America Mon. Midday
Independence Day (1996) ★★★ Paramount Wed. 7 p.m. Paramount Thur. 12:30 p.m.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Cranium (2008) ★★ CMT Solar. 9 p.m.
Indiana Jones and the Final Campaign (1989) ★★★ CMT Solar. 6 p.m.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) ★★★ CMT Solar. 3 p.m.
The Jerk (1979) ★★ Sundance Sat. 11:30 a.m.
Jurassic World (2015) ★★ FX Solar. 5:30 p.m.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) ★★ FX Solar. 8 p.m. FX Solar. 11 p.m.
The Karate Child Half II (1986) ★★ CMT Fri. 11 p.m. CMT Sat. 7:30 p.m.
The Karate Child (1984) ★★★ CMT Fri. 8 p.m. CMT Sat. 4:30 p.m.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) ★★ BBC America Wed. 2:58 a.m. BBC America Wed. 2:58 p.m.
A League of Their Personal (1992) ★★★ Bravo Fri. 7:30 p.m. Bravo Fri. 10:35 p.m.
Legends of the Fall (1994) ★★ Encore Tues. 2:24 p.m. Encore Tues. 11:15 p.m.
Madagascar (2005) ★★★ TOON Thur. 5 p.m. TOON Thur. 6 p.m.
Maleficent (2014) ★★ Syfy Mon. Midday Syfy Mon. 8:30 p.m.
Maverick (1994) ★★★ Encore Tues. 8:47 a.m. Encore Tues. 12:27 p.m. Encore Tues. 4:40 p.m.
Males in Black (1997) ★★★ POP Fri. 8 p.m. POP Sat. 1 p.m.
Males in Black II (2002) ★★ POP Fri. 10:25 p.m. POP Sat. 3:25 p.m.
Minions (2015) ★★ TOON Fri. 5 p.m. TOON Sat. 4 p.m.
Distress (1990) ★★★ TMC Wed. 8 p.m.
Mr. Deeds (2002) ★ E! Thur. 5:30 p.m. E! Thur. 9:30 p.m.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) ★★★ Freeform Solar. Midday
The Mummy (1999) ★★ HBO Fri. 7 a.m.
My Large Fats Greek Marriage ceremony (2002) ★★★ HBO Tues. 8:40 a.m.
The Nutty Professor (1996) ★★★ BET Mon. 9 p.m. BET Tues. 4 p.m.
Odd Individuals (1980) ★★★★ EPIX Tues. 12:45 p.m.
Philadelphia (1993) ★★★ TMC Mon. 11:30 p.m. TMC Fri. Midday TMC Fri. 8 p.m.
Pocahontas (1995) ★★ Freeform Tues. Midday
Predator (1987) ★★★ AMC Thur. Midday AMC Fri. 9 a.m.
Fairly Lady (1990) ★★★ Bravo Thur. 10:30 p.m. Bravo Fri. 1 a.m. E! Sat. 8 p.m.
Pulp Fiction (1994) ★★★★ Showtime Tues. 1:30 a.m. Showtime Fri. 10:35 p.m.
Raiders of the Misplaced Ark (1981) ★★★★ CMT Solar. Midday
Rambo III (1988) ★★ BBC America Tues. 5:30 p.m. BBC America Wed. 12:30 p.m.
Rambo: First Blood Half II (1985) ★★ BBC America Mon. 8 p.m. BBC America Tues. 3:30 p.m.
Ratatouille (2007) ★★★ Freeform Sat. 6:20 p.m.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) ★★★ FXX Solar. 9:30 a.m. FXX Mon. 7 a.m.
Highway to Perdition (2002) ★★★ Showtime Solar. 8:15 a.m. Showtime Sat. 11:30 p.m. Showtime Solar. 5 a.m.
The Rock (1996) ★★★ BBC America Solar. 5 p.m. BBC America Solar. 9 p.m.
Rocky (1976) ★★★★ Cinemax Solar. 1:49 p.m. Cinemax Fri. 12:30 p.m.
Rocky IV (1985) ★★ Cinemax Wed. 9:57 a.m.
Rush Hour (1998) ★★★ TRU Wed. Midday
Rush Hour 2 (2001) ★★ TRU Tues. 10 p.m.
S.W.A.T. (2003) ★★ Syfy Solar. 1:05 a.m.
Scary Film (2000) ★★★ VH1 Wed. 3 p.m. VH1 Thur. Midday
Scream (1996) ★★★ BBC America Thur. Midday
Scream 2 (1997) ★★★ BBC America Thur. 2:28 a.m.
Seabiscuit (2003) ★★★ Showtime Sat. 10:35 a.m.
The Shining (1980) ★★★★ BBC America Solar. 1:30 a.m.
Brief Circuit (1986) ★★ Ovation Mon. 9 p.m. Ovation Tues. 4 p.m.
Shrek 2 (2004) ★★★ Nickelodeon Solar. 3 p.m.
Sister Act (1992) ★★ Freeform Mon. 1 p.m.
Sister Act 2: Again within the Behavior (1993) ★★ Freeform Mon. 3:30 p.m.
Skyfall (2012) ★★★ EPIX Solar. 2:45 p.m.
Sleepy Hole (1999) ★★★ IFC Fri. 9 a.m.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) ★★ TNT Solar. 1:58 a.m.
Sophie’s Selection (1982) ★★★ TMC Thur. 10 p.m.
Velocity (1994) ★★★ HBO Tues. 1:05 a.m.
Spider-Man 3 (2007) ★★ TOON Solar. 6 p.m. TBS Mon. 1:30 a.m.
Spider-Man: Far From Dwelling (2019) ★★★ FX Solar. 2:30 p.m.
Star Trek (2009) ★★★ Paramount Thur. 7 p.m.
Suicide Squad (2016) ★★ TBS Sat. 2 a.m. TBS Sat. 11:30 a.m.
Candy Dwelling Alabama (2002) ★★ Freeform Solar. 3 p.m. Freeform Thur. 3:30 p.m. Freeform Fri. 10:30 a.m.
Tango & Money (1989) ★★ Ovation Sat. 1:30 p.m.
High Gun (1986) ★★★ Paramount Wed. 10 p.m.
Buying and selling Locations (1983) ★★★ Encore Mon. 2:53 p.m.
Transformers (2007) ★★★ Cinemax Solar. 9:57 p.m. Cinemax Tues. 5:35 p.m. Cinemax Sat. 5:35 p.m.
Twins (1988) ★★★ Sundance Sat. 3:30 p.m.
Tornado (1996) ★★★ AMC Solar. 5:24 p.m. AMC Mon. 3 p.m.
2 Quick 2 Livid (2003) ★★ HBO Sat. 10:25 a.m.
2001: A Area Odyssey (1968) ★★★★ TCM Thur. 2:30 p.m.
Up (2009) ★★★ Freeform Sat. 4:10 p.m.
Vanilla Sky (2001) ★★ Cinemax Solar. 3:50 p.m. Cinemax Sat. 1:10 a.m.
The Waterboy (1998) ★ E! Wed. 9:30 p.m. E! Thur. 7:30 p.m. Bravo Sat. 1:30 p.m. Bravo Solar. 12:35 p.m.
What About Bob? (1991) ★★★ IFC Sat. 8 a.m.
What Lies Beneath (2000) ★★ Showtime Tues. 4:15 a.m. TMC Wed. 5:50 p.m.
What Ladies Need (2000) ★★ Cinemax Fri. 4:15 p.m.
Wolf (1994) ★★ TMC Sat. 2:45 p.m. TMC Solar. 5 a.m.
Surprise Lady (2017) ★★★ TBS Sat. 8:30 a.m. TBS Sat. 9:27 p.m.
Wreck-It Ralph (2012) ★★★ Freeform Sat. 11:35 a.m.
XXX (2002) ★★ Paramount Sat. 1:30 a.m.
Zootopia (2016) ★★★ Freeform Sat. 1:40 p.m.
Book Review
Hello Stranger: Musings on Modern Intimacies
By Manuel Betancourt
Catapult: 240 pages, $27
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It’s telling that Manuel Betancourt’s new book, “Hello Stranger: Musings on Modern Intimacies,” grounded in queer theory and abolition, takes its title from a line from the 2004 film “Closer,” about two messed-up straight couples.
The choice of “Closer,” “a bruising piece about the rotting roteness of long-term intimacy,” as Betancourt puts it, is an experience familiar to many. 2024 was a year in which marriage, specifically heterosexual marriage, was taken to task. Miranda July’s most recent novel, “All Fours”; Sarah Manguso’s scathing novel “Liars”; nonfiction accounts such as Lyz Lenz’s “This American Ex-Wife”; Amanda Montei’s “Touched Out”; and even the late entry of Halina Reijn’s film “Babygirl” all show that, at the very least, women are unsatisfied with heterosexual marriage, and that some are being destroyed by it.
The straight male experience of sexual promiscuity and adventure is nothing new. It has been well trod in novels by writers such as John Updike and Philip Roth and more recently, Michel Houellebecq. In cinema there are erotic thrillers — think “Basic Instinct,” “Fatal Attraction,” “Eyes Wide Shut” — in which men are the playboys and women the collateral damage. Betancourt tells us that “Hello Stranger” begins in “a place where I’ve long purloined many of my most head-spinning obsessions: the movies.” But this book isn’t interested in gender, or heterosexuality. It’s an embrace of what makes us human, and the ways in which we avoid “making contact.” Betancourt wants to show that the way we relate to others often tells us “more crucially” how we relate “to ourselves.”
Through chapters focused on cinematic tropes such as the “meet cute” (“A stranger is always a beginning. A potential beginning,” Betancourt writes) and investigations of sexting, cruising, friendship, and coupling and throupling, “Hello Stranger” is a confident compendium of queer theory through the lens of pop culture, navigating these issues through the work of writers and artists including Frank O’Hara, Michel Foucault and David Wojnarowicz, with stories from Betancourt’s own personal experience.
In a discussion of the discretion needed for long-term relationships, Betancourt reflects: “One is about privacy. The other is about secrecy. The former feels necessary within any healthy relationship; the latter cannot help but chip away at the trust needed for a solid foundation.” In the chapter on cruising, he explores how a practice associated with pursuit of sex can be a model for life outside the structure of heteropatriarchy: “Making a queer world has required the development of kinds of intimacy that bear no necessary relation to domestic space, to kinship, to the couple form, to property, or to the nation.”
The chapters on cruising and on friendship (“Close Friends”) are the strongest of the book, though “Naked Friends” includes a delightful revisitation of Rose’s erotic awakening in “Titanic.” Betancourt uses the history of the friendship, and its “queer elasticity” using Foucault’s imagining of friendship between two men (“What would allow them to communicate? They face each other without terms or convenient words, with nothing to assure them about the meaning of the movement that carries them toward each other.”) to delve into Hanya Yanagihara’s wildly successful novel, “A Little Life.” He quotes Yanagihara, who echoes Foucault when she says that “her interest in male friendships had to do with the limited emotional vocabulary men (regardless of their race, cultural affiliations, religion, or sexuality—and her protagonists do run the gamut in these regards) have.”
Betancourt thinks about the suffocating reality of monogamy through Richard Yates’ devastating novel of domestic tragedy “Revolutionary Road” (and Sam Mendes’ later film adaptation), pointing out that marriage “forces you to live with an ever-present witness.” In writing about infidelity, he explores Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company” and quotes Mary Steichen Calderone, former head of Sex Information and Education Council of the United States, in her research on adults who engage in extramarital affairs: “They are rebelling against the loneliness of the urban nuclear family, in which a mother, a father and a few children have only one another for emotional support. Perhaps society is trying to reorganize itself to satisfy these yearnings.” These revelations are crucial to Betancourt’s argument — one of abolition and freedom — that call to mind the work of queer theorists like the late Lauren Berlant and José Esteban Muñoz.
Betancourt ultimately comes to the conclusion popularized by the writer Bell Hooks, which is that amid any discussion of identity comes the undeniable: our humanity. He quotes Hooks’ quotation of the writer Frank Browning on eroticism: “By erotic, I mean all the powerful attractions we might have: for mentoring and being mentored, for unrealizable flirtation, for intellectual tripping, for sweaty mateship at play or at work, for spiritual ecstasy, for being held in silent grief, for explosive rage at a common enemy, for the sublime love of friendship.” There’s a whole world outside the rigid structures we’ve come to take as requirements for living.
“Hello Stranger” is a lively and intelligent addition to an essential discourse on how not only accessing our desires but also being open about them can make us more human, and perhaps, make for a better world. “There could possibly be a way to fold those urges into their own relationship,” Betancourt writes. “They could build a different kind of two that would allow them to find a wholeness within and outside themselves without resorting to such betrayals, such lies, such affairs.” It’s the embrace of that complexity that, Betancourt suggests, gives people another way to live.
When asked how he could write with such honesty about the risk of promiscuity during the AIDS epidemic, the writer Douglas Crimp responded: “Because I am human.” “Hello Stranger” proves that art, as Crimp said, “challenges not only our sense of the world, but of who we are in relation to the world … and of who we are in relation to ourselves.”
Jessica Ferri is the owner of Womb House Books and the author, most recently, of “Silent Cities San Francisco.”
Game Changer Review: The highly anticipated film Game Changer, directed by Shankar and featuring Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, and Anjali alongside SJ Suryah and Srikanth in pivotal roles, is a political action drama that delves into the murky waters of corruption within the Indian political system. Shankar, renowned for his grand storytelling, makes his Telugu directorial debut with Game Changer. His signature style is evident in the film’s lavish production and narrative structure. The story, penned by Karthik Subbaraj, weaves together action, drama, and social commentary, though it occasionally leans heavily on familiar tropes.
Ram Charan delivers a compelling performance in dual roles, seamlessly transitioning between the principled Ram Nandan and the rustic Appanna. As the central figure of the story, he carries the narrative with remarkable ease. While his portrayal of Ram Nandan is high on style and swag, it is his heartfelt performance as Appanna that truly resonates with the audience.
Kiara Advani, as Deepika, plays Ram Nandan’s love interest. Her character moderates Ram’s anger and inspires him to take up the IAS. While Ram and Kiara light up the screen, their love track feels somewhat clichéd. Anjali, as Parvathy, gets a meaty role as Appanna’s wife, championing his principles and cause. The emotional depth she brings to the story bolsters the film’s core.
Srikanth, as Bobbili Satyamurthy, surprises with his antagonist role. His dynamic interactions with Appanna add layers to the narrative. SJ Suryah, known for his distinct style and mannerisms, delivers yet another solid performance as Bobbili Mopidevi.
The film opens with Ram transitioning from an IPS officer to an IAS officer, featuring a stylish action sequence where he settles old scores. The first half chronicles his journey from a fiery college student to a committed civil servant. Although it employs some usual tropes and forced humour, the first half ends with an interval twist, setting the stage for an engaging second half. The latter part of the film takes a different trajectory, transitioning into a politically driven narrative rooted in the soil. The screenplay, treatment, and even the colour palette shift to complement this transformation.
Thaman’s musical score elevates the film, with a soundtrack that complements its themes. Tirru’s cinematography captures both the grandeur and grit of the story, employing dynamic visuals that enhance the viewing experience. Editing by Shameer Muhammed and Ruben ensures a cohesive narrative flow. The production values reflect Shankar’s commitment to high-quality filmmaking, with grandiose visuals in the song sequences. “Jaragandi” stands out as the highlight track, while the popular “Naanaa Hyraanaa” is yet to make its way into the final cut. The team has announced its inclusion starting January 14.
While Game Changer impresses with its grand visuals and socially relevant themes, it falters in areas that detract from its overall impact. The narrative occasionally veers into predictability, relying on familiar tropes of love, political corruption, and systemic injustice. The screenplay’s didactic tone, though impactful at times, can feel heavy-handed, leaving little room for subtlety.
Overall, Game Changer is a well-executed commercial film. Shankar’s grand scale and Ram Charan’s brilliant performance, combined with strong supporting roles and technical excellence, make it a compelling watch for enthusiasts of the genre.
Amid the devastation of downtown Pacific Palisades caused by this week’s firestorm, the Bay Theater has emerged relatively unscathed.
While nearby buildings were reduced to ash, developer Rick Caruso, who owns the Palisades Village retail-restaurant-residential complex that includes the movie theater, confirmed in an email to The Times on Thursday, “The theater is fine.” Palisades Village sustained damage in the fire but remains standing.
Netflix operates the five-screen luxury theater and uses it as a showcase for its original theatrical films, often in exclusive engagements, along with curated classic movies. The theater’s design pays homage to the original Bay Theatre, which operated just a few blocks away from 1949 until its closure in 1978, after which it was repurposed as a hardware store.
Mexican theater chain Cinépolis opened the current location of the Bay Theater in late 2018 as a dine-in theater with a full bar and specialized kitchen to cater to the area’s affluent community.
“The Bay is one of those rare places that’s modern but also feels like a throwback experience of your local Main Street cinema,” Scott Stuber, then-head of global films at Netflix, said in a statement when the streaming giant took over the theater in 2021.
Netflix also operates the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, which like the Bay, remains temporarily closed due to the fires.
Times deputy editor Matt Brennan contributed to this report.
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