vergeoflight

The Territory (2022)

March 29, 2024July 4, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

In this documentary indigenous people struggle to save their protected land in the Brazilian rainforest. It also shows the other players involved so you get an overall understanding of what is going on. This is a gorgeously shot movie, so much so that National Geographic acquired it. As you would expect, things get very heavy towards the end. You might be tempted to avoid The Territory for your own comfort. You should watch it anyway. Sometimes the truth hurts. Mildly painful awareness is better than comfortable ignorance in my book.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021)

March 22, 2024March 21, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Streaming on Netflix | imdb | no real trailer available – sorry

I grew up in the ‘70s and early ‘80s so Bob Ross was very familiar to me. In fact when I took up oil painting I used some of his videos to help me get started (no happy little anything was painted by my hands though). I knew very little about the man other than his TV show. Wowza this documentary was an eye opener. It turns out Bob was a pretty dynamic person, and the drama around his “empire” and legacy is infuriating but weirdly compelling. Seriously. This movie is a lot more fascinating than you would ever imagine. You will never joke about Bob Ross Cha-Cha-Cha-Chia Pets ever again.

Not available on Blu-ray.

Navalny (2022)

March 15, 2024March 14, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Streaming on Max | imdb | trailer

This recommendation is for those of you that did not see this before Alexei Navalny’s death. The importance of this documentary cannot be understated. Navalny was Vladimir Putin’s strongest critic in Russia and it cost him everything. The filmmakers managed make a thoughtful and intelligent doc that also holds your attention. It’s heavy stuff, but has some surprisingly entertaining moments too.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

The Train (1964)

March 8, 2024March 7, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Normally I do Amazon Prime this round, but I messed it up (I apparently have that Starz / MGM+ add-on to Prime). Thankfully the movie is available on Tubi and other plaforms.

A train carrying Nazi looted art must be stopped by French resistance fighters. The story is not based on true events, but you will not care. This is a surprisingly heavy action flick for the mid ‘60s. Damn near everything you see was done using real trains and military gear. Get ready for many suspenseful moments, as well as some dark turns. The Train is high quality entertainment that I am astonished escaped me until now.

Available on 4K UHD from KL Studio Classics.

The Oxford Murders (2008)

March 1, 2024March 31, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Alex de la Iglesia is probably my favorite living Spanish director. I fell in love with his first film Accione Mutante (the Severin 4K/UHD release is highly recommended) and have enjoyed almost everything he’s made since. His work ranges from gory horror to innovative comedies. The director’s big break for English language audiences was The Oxford Murders. Unfortunately it didn’t advance his career much, but it’s still a very good mystery/thriller starring Elijah Wood and John Hurt. The only flaw is that it is so complicated it gets bogged down, but damn if I wasn’t engaged throughout. Check out Iglesia’s other work, including his recent series Thirty Coins on Max.

Available on Blu-ray from Magnolia Entertainment.

The Novice (2021)

February 23, 2024May 21, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

I am not a sports person, so I do not like movies that revolve around the subject. You could say The Novice is about rowing. However this is a very intense experience way beyond what most athletic films have to offer. The tension reminded me of a horror movie at times. Lead actress Isabelle Fuhrman is fantastic in this. You probably won’t like her character much, but it all clicks together in the end. This is a challenging watch, sometimes infuriating. When the credits roll though, I hope you will see it is also a work of seriously thought provoking and original filmmaking.

Not available on Blu-ray.

All Recs Are Active

February 19, 2024February 29, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Good News Anomalous Cinemaphiles,

All 330+ recommendations I’ve done over the past four years are now active (including the very first one, pictured above). All older posts now have links to JustWatch unless they are on YouTube or are a Netflix / Hulu / etc. original (all links updated as of 2.29.24).

Thanks for your interest in my whacky taste in films, and happy viewing! -Jonathan

Space is the Place (1974)

February 16, 2024May 16, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a cult classic psychedelic movie starring one of the most eccentric musicians in history, Sun Ra. Even if the sounds of Space Jazz do not appeal to you, there’s no way to take your eyes off this bizarre introduction to the universe of Sun Ra. You old weirdos keep an eye out for Jack Baker who played drums in Richie’s band on Happy Days and was the comic highlight of several ‘80s XXX films. Look at the bottom of his IMDb page and you’ll see he was in a ton of TV shows and weird non-porno films as well. However his finest performance was in The Devil in Miss Jones 3 and 4 where he guided the titular heroine thru HELL. Sadly Jack passed away far too young from cancer. [Bow your heads.] Ok back to the subject at hand, watch Space is the Place, maybe under the influence. Be prepared though, your consciousness just might teleport to another galaxy.

BONUS – If you enjoy this one, check out the documentary Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

From Beyond (1986)

February 9, 2024May 8, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is director Stewart Gordon’s second H. P. Lovecraft adaptation starring Jeffrey Combs. If you’ve read the original story then you know that it’s an extremely loose adaptation, like Re-Animator. However unlike Richard Stanley’s Color Out of Space this is still a great horror movie. Some of the practical FX look dated, but if that deters you from watching, you are going to miss a surrealistic, morbid, pervy, sometimes funny, cult classic. The recent restored versions of From Beyond showcase the awesome saturated colors, which was a real pleasure to see compared to the old VHS tape. Keep an ear out for some classic Skinny Puppy samples too. If you enjoy this, make sure to see the Gordon/Combs collaborations Re-Animator (duh – essential ’80s horror) and The Black Cat episode of the Masters of Horror series.

Available on 4K UHD from Vinegar Syndrome.

Fire of Love (2022)

February 2, 2024April 22, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a beautiful documentary on the lives and work of a married couple of volcanologists. Dull? No way. Their story and the stunning footage they captured make this essential viewing. It sounds great too, especially if you have a subwoofer.

Not available on Blu-ray.