Once more DVD technology comes through by making available an older film no longer in general theatrical release, this time Peter Jackson’s 1994 HEAVENLY CREATURES.
All in Quirky
Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson's THE INVENTION OF LYING
What a subversive little film this is. And sweet. And funny. And unexpected.
Timur Bekmambetov's DAY WATCH
I see elements from The Matrix, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Resident Evil. And vampires, of course.
Don’t be misled. This is one scary movie.
The Polish Brothers' NORTHFORK
This is a beautiful, entrancing, enigmatic, and mesmerizing movie about death.
Quentin Tarentino's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
This is some movie. It’s scary, emotionally draining, funny, exciting, tense, thoughtful, violent, whimsical, cruel, and in a few places, just plain weird.
Although visually arresting, I thought Tarsem Singh’s THE CELL was inuman, inhumane, and tawdry. THE FALL is also visually gorgeous. It’s also clever, imaginative, and touching.
Mamoru Oshii's “THE SKY CRAWLERS”
Wonderfully animated, this moody anime adventure combines elements of 1984 (perpetual warfare), Blade Runner (androids with fuzzy memories), Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise (alternate history and retro-futuristic aircraft), and Dark City (constant recycling of character experiences and events).
Alex Proyas' “DARK CITY”
This is what I wrote in my blog when, once upon a time in Indiana, I found myself working late at night with the TV turned on:
This is a sweet comedy that doesn’t, for the most part, descend into mawkishness or treacle.
What a delightfully twisted little film this is! What could have been a run-of-the-mill mystery is pumped up immensely by clever dialog, crisp editing and direction, and most of all, by terrific performances by Kevin Costner and William Hurt.
Powell & Pressburger's A CANTERBURY TALE
I admit to being somewhat of an Anglophile, so I was prepared to like A Canterbury Tale as delivered by the crisply produced Criterion DVD.
MirrorMask
These are the words I would use to describe this gorgeous-to-look-at film:
Higuchinsky's UZUMAKI
Things in this town are so weird that we cannot take it seriously, yet they are familiar enough to generate a sense of foreboding.
What a refreshing film this is! It's unlike any kids' movie I've ever seen.
Jim Jarmusch's “MYSTERY TRAIN”
This 1989 movie tells three stories about people in Memphis whose lives almost intersect based on their staying one night in the same seedy hotel. The first story is about a young Japanese couple, visiting Memphis by train, who are paying homage to the roots of rock and roll. The young woman reveres Elvis while the young man reveres Carl Perkins.
Katsuhiro Ôtomo's “STEAMBOY”
At the end of Steamboy the credits roll over a series of detailed pictures that project the main characters of the movie into the future. We see Ray Steam’s inventions unfold even further, and they include flight and airplanes. And we see Scarlett defiantly staring into the camera as well as she shares Ray’s future.
Lucky McKee's MAY
So don't just expect blood and guts with this movie. There's serious well-made weirdness going on here.
Lynn Hershman-Leeson's TEKNOLUST
This movie is like a breath of fresh air. The story is original, the acting is uniformly engaging, the dialog is witty, and it looks cheap in all the right places. It’s an in-your-face-reminder that you don’t need a bezillion dollars to create something fresh, entertaining, and original.