Diandra: A Life in Movies
Films that shaped my movie life, either when they were released in theaters, or much later on some smaller screen. I hope you don’t mind the brevity of my comments on the titles.
1988: Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓)
The saddest movie ever made.
1989: Leningrad Cowboys Go America
The “worst band in the world” finally gets out of Finland for a road trip in the land of the free. Laid-back absurdity that entertained my preteen self with its downbeat groove. I still laugh when I recall the final twist and closing line.
1990: Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Slimy satire that I probably didn’t understand when I first watched it. I enjoyed the film anyway. Gizmo shooting flaming arrows! An appreciation for late night horror! And the scares! Back when I was a little girl in the now gone Warner Brothers stores, the Gremlins figures near the ceiling made me suspicious. What if they only wanted you to think they were statues?
