Hot Summer Nights is an awful movie – see it for yourself if you don’t believe me.

This past Sunday – as previously mentioned – we had a family lunch to commemorate my Favorite Ex’s birthday – think she tuned 40 – anyway – got into it with my Favorite Son and Favorite Grandson over two movies – Hot Summer Nights and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – They thought both movies were good.

I never saw Hot Summer Nights – tried to watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood two weeks ago but quit 7 or 8 minutes into the movie.

Now – please understand – neither of them is as discerning as I am about movies – neither knows back-projection when he sees it – I hafta explain the economics involved to breaking down a car in the studio – shooting a couple angles – then running film in the background to make it look like the car’s actually driving – instead of taking the equipment, crew, & actor out on location – paying for food – perhaps lodging – & trying to shoot on-the-move.

But – since I respect their opinions – decided to watch both movies.

I hate to use the term “garbage” – but Hot Summer Nights is close. At first I thought two people were responsible for the almost-garbage – the writer and the director – the writer didn’t write enough plot – the director didn’t shoot enough film.

But today I found out only one person was responsible – Elijah Bynum wrote & directed the movie – first & only directing credit – first writing credit – and it shows.

Not enough plot because the movie has no ending – I think this person did that & was never seen again – over & over again – hey, Elijah – try this – “So-and-so went to Long Island – went off on a boat hunting the Great White – and Jaws ate him.” – then I could say “Man, that’s pretty fuckin’ hard to believe – but at least I know what happened to him.”

And since there’s no ending – there’s also no denouement.

He didn’t shoot enough footage – resulting in cutting back & forth – flashback – back to present – flashback – cutting back & forth – where in the hell are we now? – this ain’t Pulp Fiction – and you ain’t exactly Tarantino.

You cannot – in good conscience – ask someone to invest 2 hours in watching your movie – and not provide an ending.

Plus not one actor in the film is worth watching – this little wimp I never heard of hooks up with the hottest thing on the planet – which she ain’t.

Love to have a sit-down with that producer.

I’ll get into Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tomorrow.

I’m America’s Best Crime Writer

and I approve this message.

Warner Books published Born to Be Wild in 1992 & it still sells every day at Amazon & Kindle. True story about certain members of the Warlocks motorcycle gang.

The story takes 21 years to play out – with many twists & turns – an amalgam of Sons of Anarchy & Breaking Bad – but these outlaw bikers make the Sons look like Cub Scouts.

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