Tag: drama

Act of Violence (1948)

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Streaming on HBO Max | imdb | trailer

Here’s an excellent film noir about a WWII vet seeking revenge against his double dealing commanding officer. It was rare for a movie so close to the end of the war to deal with the topic of combat damaged soldiers. This was directed by Fred Zinnemann who had a truly epic career (just look at his amazing credits). You also get to see the always impressive Robert Ryan in action, as well as a young Janet Leigh. If you like ‘40s crime thrillers and haven’t seen Act of Violence, get on it. It is one of my personal favorite noirs.

Available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive.

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Cul-de-sac (1966)

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Streaming on Amazon Prime | imdb | trailer

I avoid posting Criterion Collection films, but I rarely see this Polanski film get mentioned in the closet (or anywhere else). Two criminals decide to hide out in a castle owned by a very eccentric couple, and much like the later film Performance, things get way weird. This is a pretty surreal movie and manages to be legitimately funny as well. The stand out performance is by Donald Pleasance. I am die hard fan of his work, and here he really gets to go nuts, much to my delight. Give Cul-de-sac a try. You just might enjoy this Anomalous little gem as much as I did.

Available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

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I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

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Streaming on HBO Max | imdb | trailer

This one was new to me up until just recently, and I was very pleasantly surprised. If you think the title says it all you are dead wrong. This is a complex plot for a ‘30s movie and, amazingly enough, it’s based on a true story. I just suggest you just check it out if you don’t mind watching an old black and white film. I gave I Am a Fugitive… a 9 out of 10.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Birds of Passage (2018)

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Streaming on Amazon Prime | imdb | trailer

From the same director duo as the previously recommended Embrace of the Serpent comes another top notch and innovative film. An indigenous Wayuu family in remote Columbia deals with the clash of their traditional life and the high profit drug market. This movie pretty much blew my mind right out of the gate. I found it to be a very satisfying mix of crime drama and art film. It does have a few minor flaws, and is on the long side, but if you give this a pass for those reasons I believe you’ll be missing something special. The world needs more films like Birds of Passage.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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The Whistleblower (2010)

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Streaming on Hulu, Kanopy, and Amazon Prime | imdb | trailer

I had forgotten about this movie until just now, but it’s nice to dust off unusual films when I can. The Whistleblower fits perfectly in that category as it is a pretty nasty movie, but also deals with a serious subject, and pulls it off effectively. This is based on the real life Kathryn Bolkovac, who uncovered a sex trafficking scandal in post-war Bosnia. Critics didn’t like it very much because of the handling of the heavy subject matter, but I give it a thumbs up. Rachel Weisz is great as per usual, and if you haven’t seen her mini-series version of Dead Ringers I also highly recommend that as well (just make sure you see the OG first).

Available on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox.

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Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

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Streaming on Hulu | imdb | trailer

I’m not a big fan of modern vampire movies, but this happens to be a good one. I think my reason for giving this a try was Tom Hiddleston’s performance in High Rise. It helps that I will watch damn near anything with Tilda Swinton in it, and I also like several Jim Jarmusch films (my favorites are Night on Earth, Dead Man, and Gimmie Danger). Only Lovers Left Alive is pretty slow paced, but it never felt boring to me. The soundtrack is excellent too. Once you’re done with the film, you need to watch the What We Do in the Shadows series episode “The Trial” (Season 1, Episode 7) – trust me.

Available on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Classics.

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Mystery Street (1950)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

A skeleton is found on the beach and a local detective is out to solve the mystery behind it. Ricardo Montalban was best known as Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island and Khan from Star Trek, but here we get to watch him as the lead in a very good film noir. You also get to see the always enjoyable Elsa Lanchester (The Bride of Frankenstein) in a solid mid-career role. Mystery Street is a bit more morbid than your average crime film of the time. The inclusion of a Harvard professor using forensic techniques reminded me of a giallo film. This was directed by John Sturges who went on to make many classic films including The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. All these ingredients make for a very entertaining mid-century dose of Anomalous Cinema.

Available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives.

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Argentina, 1985 (2022)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a historical drama about the trial of the men responsible for Argentina’s “Dirty War.” Between 1974 and 1983 over 20,000 people considered part of the opposition to the military dictatorship were disappeared. Lead actor Ricardo Darín (The Secret in their Eyes, Nine Queens) is excellent as the chief prosecutor, but all the performances are top notch. Argentina, 1985 is simply a fantastic and riveting courtroom drama that deserved its win of the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Chalk this up to another movie that shined a light on a mostly overlooked chapter of world history.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Sirât (2025)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is yet another one from John Waters 2025 Top 10. I would have not bothered recommending it, but this movie is just so damned Anomalous that I couldn’t help myself. The premise sounds terrible: a father and his son are searching for his missing daughter amongst a group of desert ravers. I really dislike techno (other than when COIL touched that territory), and I despise watching dance club / raver scenes, so I will freely admit that I had to do some fast forwarding early in the film. However I want to point out that the electronic score by Kangding Ray is excellent when it’s not being overshadowed by a dance beat. Anyway, after the early dancing bullshit is done, this movie is really fantastic. I don’t want to spoil anything (maybe don’t watch the trailer), but things get a lot darker and heavier than the basic plot would indicate. Stick with it a while and I think you’ll see what I mean. Once you’re done you may get an extra appreciation of the film by reading the IMDb trivia. I definitely did. Sirât is a very good, weird, and innovative creation.

Available on Blu-ray from Decal Releasing.

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Intruder in the Dust (1949)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

A rebellious African American man in a small town is accused of murder. The odds are stacked against him, but his innocence is defended in a very risky way. This is an intense, and surprisingly complicated, story for a film made in the ‘40s. Intruder in the Dust is never dull, well acted, and the perfect length, so if you’re not allergic to pre-1960s cinema, give it a watch.

Available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives.

If you are a fan of Anomalous Cinema, please consider supporting this site by donating any amount (even $1.00 is appreciated) via Venmo @vergeoflight or Paypal at this secure link. A Paypal account is not required. Thank you.