I Saw the TV Glow
Written and Directed by Jane Schoenbrun
Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine star as Owen and Maddy, classmates who form a bond over their shared obsession with a TV show called The Pink Opaque. As years pass, the two begin to question reality when they realize their lives may be more intertwined with the show than they ever could have imagined.
I Saw the TV Glow is the most mesmerizing film I’ve seen this year, both from a visual and storytelling standpoint. Thematically, there’s so much to chew on, and I feel like the film can be interpreted in several different ways. It very much encourages self-discovery, and taming the hurdles that can come along with embracing who you are. At the same time, it can almost be viewed as an anti-nostalgia movie. Our main character, Owen, is desperately holding onto something from his past that is not only long gone, but may not even be how he remembers it. Justice Smith provides an immersed performance, conveying his character’s inner turmoil to a tee.
Visually, the film packs a vibrant color palette of pinks, blues, and purples which contrasts its eerie tone. In a recent article, cinematographer Eric Yue spoke about wanting to evoke a feeling of sensory overload through color and lighting, reflecting the characters’ clouded view of reality. This results in a fervent aesthetic that keeps your attention drawn to the screen.
The fictional show within the movie, The Pink Opaque, feels like a spot-on recreation of children’s programming from the 90s. The scenes of Owen and Maddy watching it took me back to the days of watching my Goosebumps and Power Rangers VHS tapes ad nauseam. It also reminded me of one of my favorite films, Brigsby Bear, whose director Dave McCary served as producer on this film.
I Saw The TV Glow will linger on your mind long after it’s over, and I encourage everyone to check it out!
Brats
Directed by Andrew McCarthy
In this new Hulu documentary, Andrew McCarthy examines his complicated association with the Brat Pack, a phrase that defined a group of up-and-coming actors in the 1980s. Featuring interviews with Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, and Rob Lowe among others, McCarthy delves into how the term originated and the effect it had on him and his co-stars.
As someone who grew up loving 80s teen movies, I was immediately interested in watching this film. Going into it, I had no idea that the actors had such negative connotations towards being coined the Brat Pack. I also wasn’t aware of the term’s origin story, in that it came from a 1985 New York Magazine article that McCarthy describes in the doc as “scathing.”
This film feels very personal for McCarthy, who attests that the article hindered his career and painted the group of actors as entitled and unprofessional. His interviews with former co-stars almost feel like therapy sessions, as they each unpack their own perspective on how the term affected them and what it means to them now.
What was also interesting to learn is that most of these stars have not seen or spoken to each other in decades. Following the NY Magazine article’s publishing, many of them were encouraged by their agents not to work or associate with each other. Watching the actors reunite was endearing, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of emotional restraint from the interviewees, many of whom have seemed to come to terms with the Brat Pack more so than McCarthy. Particularly awkward was his interview with the article’s author, David Blum, where McCarthy attempts to gain closure, yielding mixed results.
Overall, Brats is a worthwhile watch for fans of 80s teen films. Stream it now on Hulu!
Conventional Relations 