Zine Revue 07

This is a movies movies movies typa selection, not because the Oscars are soon or whatever but because I do just like movies and like getting zines about them. I think I got these from York Zine Fest last year and maybe also online? Let's dig in...

Title: Not Likely: A fanzine of unlikely film couples

Author: Leah Cameron

Category: Movies

I used to hate romcoms but was won over to at least bewildered fascination with the genre by my current partner, who has written extensively about them, so zines comparing and contrasting different romcoms or recurring themes are always interesting to me. There are some interesting and also truly groanworthy picks rightfully flagged here... I actually totally forgot that Elf had a romance element to it, it seems so unsuitable to the subject matter lol. But ultimately I think I am a little more open to mismatched couples than the author of this zine is. Otherwise the genre can feel so enclosed by people with only superficially different appearances/class positions/careers/etc meshing perfectly in the end that it proceeds almost nightmarishly in favor of predestination or something. That two totally different weirdos can find they have something in common is what's so wonderful about ie Moonstruck. And also... even when I was in my romcom hater phase I loved The Holiday! Youngish Jack Black was definitely one of the most charming looking guys in Hollywood... I M O of course...

Title: For the Love of Gregg Araki

Author: Mattazine Society

Category: Movies

A fun, old-school collagey zine full of visual tributes to the work of Da Master himself, Gregg Araki, along with some interesting interviews with a filmmaker influenced by Araki's work and an actor who appeared in one of his early films. It even has a mini-zine centerfold with lovely sketched illustrations. Generally just a big goodiebag of stuff if you like any of Gregg Araki's movies. I've watched a lot of them, but still have a few stored away for a rainy day... though this made me want to go full completionist.

Title: Fags Smoking Fags: John Waters

Author: Nathan Walker

Category: Movies

A very luxe 8-page color zine compiling some rare selected photos of badass director John Waters (you know I love some Cecil B Demented) caught in the act of having a smoke. I like these sorts of zines; as the Internet's period of protean abundance ends and is enclosed by image search engines only retching up a page or two of the most basic results interspersed with ugly AI, the middle school binder ethos of printing out random cool images you found online seems to renew its relevance... I know I will always be chasing that image of Steve Albini in JNCOs I am kind of sure I definitely saw once, and will definitely immortalize it in zine form if I do find it.