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johncarvill

@realjohncarvill.bsky.social

440 followers 810 following 1.5K posts

“Living inside the System is like riding across the country in a bus driven by a maniac bent on suicide" Likes: Old movies, old music, old books Dislikes: Fascism, Zionism, Centrism, Racism, Islamophobia, Transphobia, Misogyny, Bigotry, Monday

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · Dec 16

Bogart. Yes, again. Can't have too much Bogart. He fought fascism and was as cool as any man who ever lived. This is a worthwhile documentary on the great man. Here's looking at you, Kathryn, Eleanor, and @mickmahon.bsky.social

www.theartsdesk.com/film/bogart-...

Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes review - a Hollywood legend, warts and all

It might be a push to call this documentary a feminist slant on Humphrey Bogart, but it wouldn’t quite be a shove. Northern Irish filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson’s work has often concerned itself with iden...

www.theartsdesk.com

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4h

Genocide Rock! Party on.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 5h

At last! A critically acclaimed film I actually enjoyed. Insightful writeup from @grahamfuller.bsky.social too.

57 year old man + 161 minute film + no pee break = Rave Review

theartsdesk.com @theartsdesk.bsky.social · 8d

★★★★★ ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER - #LeonardoDiCaprio #TeyanaTaylor and #SeanPenn star in a rollercoasting political thriller, as #PaulThomasAnderson satirises America's culture wars - 'It might be the best Hollywood film of 2025', says @grahamfuller.bsky.social www.theartsdesk.com/film/one-bat...

One Battle After Another review - Paul Thomas Anderson satirises America's culture wars

Paul Thomas Anderson’s frantic One Battle After Another is a storm warning for a fascist America and both a lament and a rallying call for revolutionary fervour.

www.theartsdesk.com

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 1d

But I love Vineland and am currently half way through yet another reread of it. It’s underrated.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah I recognise some of what you’re saying. But I think the book just doesn’t work, it runs out of momentum really early on. And then it’s just diminishing returns. Shadow Ticket is like that only more so.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

Yep. That and their Zionism. I can't buy the paper any more.

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

They were all in on smearing him, in cahoots with Mandelson, McSweeney etc. Denied it for ages, then eventually ran a big article crowing about it - how they conspired with the Right to rid Labour of all progressive policies and people.

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

@tompynchon.bsky.social

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

I love Pynchon btw it pains me to have to say anything negative. In fact, the very first piece I had published online was a celebration of the great man:

www.popmatters.com/thomas-pynch...

(Please ignore the crappy subeditor-imposed title, and the cringey construction "Think Henry Miller ...")

The Fuss About Thomas Pynchon » PopMatters

Cast aside synthetic substitutes, junk food for the soul, and take a bite of the pungent, organic mushroom offered up by the man from Oyster Bay, Thomas Pynchon.

www.popmatters.com

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

Shadow Ticket starts out ok. And I mean ok, not great. I enjoyed some early passages but couldn’t relax with it due to increasing sense it wasn’t getting better. Then we get to Europe and it reads like it’s a Pynchon parody written by AI.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

Things are much, much worse than he realises.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

And Corbyn

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

Too dialogue based (and that dialogue too stylised), not enough poetic prose. Mundane, stale treatment of theme. Too many wacky characters and plot lines. Just generally a big step down from IVice.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 2d

Enjoyed this. Only point of disagreement is I thing Bleeding Edge is terrible. And sadly Shadow Ticket is, in many respects, worse.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 3d

Word is the Nobel committee we’re going to give him the prize years ago but feared he’d turn it down. Which he should: the prize is a joke and it’s been given to a genocide denier. Not really Pynchon‘a scene.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 3d

Drive

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

Tories and Labour trying to out-Fash each other, seemingly unaware that Farage is a lock for PM at next GE.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

True. But Bleeding Edge is… not fabulous.

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

I like it better than the US cover.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

Israel, with the backing of about 99% of Western media and politicians, may continue to get away with all this for some time. But Israelis will find that they are persona non grata with actual people, everywhere, forever.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

It didn’t mention the fact that the Guardian is a Zionist publication which has consistently downplayed Israel’s genocide.

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

This is shit. Just sayin'. Yet another bum steer from @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

The Studio review – Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire is fast, furious and beautifully fun

An unimpeachably brilliant cast, plus astonishing guest stars (Efron! Theron! Scorsese!) create wonderful chaos in this tale of a movie studio executive’s calamitous attempts to climb the greasy pole

www.theguardian.com

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 4d

Ah don't worry, I have more blind spots than a cat has fleas. I always recommend Vineland as a way in, if you're inclined to try.

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johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 5d

You a Pynchon fan? Agog for Shadow Ticket?

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 5d

Yeah I think I gave up before p100

johncarvill @realjohncarvill.bsky.social · 5d

I never made it through Heartbreak.