Anomalous Cinema

Dead Man (1995)

July 14, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Jim Jarmusch made this pitch black artsy western back when Johnny Depp still had credibility. It’s a deliberately paced film, but damn it’s good. For me, Gary Farmer is the star of the show as the native guide Nobody. He also plays my favorite character in the excellent series Reservation Dogs. I can’t leave out the killer supporting appearances from Billy Bob Thornton and Iggy Pop, plus a perfect Crispin Glover cameo. The finishing touch is Neil Young’s mournful guitar score. His music ties it all together, and it’s a great listen on it’s own. Don’t miss this beautiful descent into endless night.

Available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

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Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

July 7, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

A rich widow is murdered. A married man, whom the deceased was smitten with, gets the blame. Sounds rather dull, right? Far from it. This is a great ‘50s crime drama that keeps throwing twist after twist at you right up to the final minutes. The film is packed with great actors too. I had fun watching Elsa Lanchester, who played the title character in Bride of Frankenstein, in a role so vastly different. Younger audiences might be put off by the dated banter between the characters, but stick with it. There’s a reason that Witness for the Prosecution is considered a classic.

Available on Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.

President (2021)

June 23, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a documentary on the 2018 presidential election in Zimbabwe. 40 year old Nelson Chamisa runs against the corrupt candidate the followed ousted dictator Robert Mugabe. I had a vague recollection of events from BBC News at the time, but otherwise went in cold. That is probably the best way to watch this movie for maximum impact. If you think things were crazy in the last couple of US elections, wait until you see this. Events get very intense. President is an important experience, but definitely not a pleasant one. However I prefer to look at the world with my eyes open. If you don’t, go watch a superhero movie.

Not available on Blu-ray.

Blood & Gold (2023)

June 16, 2023June 15, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

I rarely recommend brand new Netflix titles, but this one was a blast. You’ll see other jerks reduce it to a rip off of Inglourious Basterds. I think Blood & Gold has got more going on than that. While I quite enjoyed Tarantino’s film (and the OG), this has no recognizable stars, has far less of Q.T.’s “witty banter,” and benefits from more era-correct music. The score jumps around a bit, but that’s ok. The important thing is that there were no pop music needle drops. I’m more invested in what is happening when I don’t hear David Bowie in 1940s Europe (and I love Bowie). I will admit that I watched this with many drinks under my belt, so my arty farty meter was broken, but I was throughly entertained from start to finish. Yeah there are some technical errors, but just ignore that part of your brain and watch this, IN GERMAN with subtitles, and enjoy.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

Stalker (1979)

June 9, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

I’ve avoided recommending this one for a while as it’s very well known among art film and SF fans. However I will wager that there’s a big group of people born after 1999 that have never experienced this Soviet cinematic masterpiece. This is based on the book “Roadside Picnic” by The Strugatsky Brothers and the plot is simple: There’s a place called The Zone, where magical things happen. It is very dangerous to travel there. Two men hire Stalker to guide them. Strange things occur. This is my favorite Andrei Tarkovsky film, likely because it coincides with, and reflects, the original industrial music era. Right when Throbbing Gristle was in full swing and SPK was getting started, this movie came out in theaters. Anyone familiar with those groups will see how this film looks like root industrial music sounded – dark and decayed. In fact, the early post-industrial group Laibach sampled sounds from Stalker on their fantastic song “Brat Moj.” In my universe this movie is one of the greatest ever made, and the story behind its production is totally insane. I’ll let you investigate that on your own AFTER you watch this film. One word of caution if you’ve never seen a Tarkovsky movie before, the pace is deliberately very slow. Your patience will pay off big time.

Available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2014)

May 26, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is the what someone who hates art films probably thinks all art films are like. The thing is, it works really well. Weird, funny, dark, and beautiful. If you like this one, check out Songs from the Second Floor. It’s also by Roy Andersson, but even better. Along with You, the Living, the movies mentioned here make up a trilogy. I don’t feel that watching them all in order is really essential, as they are pretty abstract.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

Milius (2013)

May 19, 2023July 10, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Streaming on YouTube (also Roku and Plex) | imdb | trailer

I just rewatched Conan the Barbarian (1982 – currently streaming on Netflix) the other day for the zillionth time, so this seemed appropriate. This is the story of John Milius, the man behind Conan, Red Dawn, the screenplay for Apocalypse Now, and a ton of other things you wouldn’t immediately connect him to. Milius described himself as a Zen Anarchist (I love it), but he often gets dismissed as merely conservative because of his war fetish. If you’re not open to a right of center perspective, you should probably avoid this documentary. For the rest of you, get ready to be entertained by many stories about the crazy genius’ rollercoaster career and life.

BONUS: Here’s a text interview that Quentin Tarantino did with John Milius back in 1982 (?!?!?).

Not available on Blu-ray.

Weekend (1967)

May 12, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

The esteemed Jean-Luc Godard’s art films are pretty hit or miss for me. However this one is excellent overall, and probably my favorite. A couple jump in their car and many strange things happen, making this (to my recollection) the first surrealistic road trip movie. Here’s the truly interesting thing about Weekend: it fetishizes traffic accidents SIX YEARS before J.G. Ballard’s book “Crash” was published. Ballard was a casual fan of Godard and saw this film when it came out. That makes it seem that a seed was planted by Weekend, however he is quoted as saying “Godard’s got it wrong.” That means if Ballard was truly influenced, it was to take the car crash idea in his own direction. Anyhow… the only thing that blemishes what would have been a perfect movie is that Godard interrupts the action with characters talking to the camera about political and social issues. Yes, this was very innovative and edgy in 1967, but those issues are so specific to late ‘60s France that they cease to function. Last time I watched the film I just fast forwarded through those bits. You might want to do the same. Otherwise this is a beautiful, dark, weird, and sometimes funny masterpiece.

Available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

The Burning (1981)

May 5, 2023February 29, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Naughty teen campers pull a prank and the victim returns for revenge. End of plot. There aren’t a lot of teen slasher movies I like, but this one is solid. It’s really straight forward, but if you enjoy ‘80s horror and have missed this, you’ll probably appreciate it. I’ve seen The Burning a few times, including a film print, and have always had a good time. Tom Savini turned down working on Friday the 13th Part 2 for this film, so you know the makeup FX are quality. Plus you get to see Jason Alexander (George from Seinfeld) with a full head of hair, and an early, very brief, appearance from Holly Hunter. So have a few drinks (or whatever floats your boat), turn off all higher brain functions, and enjoy some early ‘80s horror cheese.

Available on UHD/Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

We Own the Night (2007)

April 28, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Mark Wahlberg is a cop, his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) is a nightclub owner. The mighty Robert Duvall is their deputy police chief dad. The Russian mob complicates matters. Blood is shed. Cars are chased. This is not the greatest action / crime film ever made, but it is damn good entertainment. The car chase is probably the best of the mid-2000s. We Own the Night is worth a watch for that alone.

Available on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures.