Sunday, February 25, 2007
See Theaters for Listings
I am not too good at seeing the Oscar movies before the big night, which I suppose is tonight. I did see that Sunshine movie, which, as a suicidal gay motivational colorblind cokehead juvenile stripper, I found a bit derivative. But that’s me.
Which got me thinking: ME! Yes, what about the movies I have actually seen, and even enjoyed? Well there have not been big honking scadloads of those lately but that’s mostly my fault, I am spending too much of my time rebuilding quake-ravaged villages in Bhutan or some goddamn thing or other instead of going out to see movies.
That means that a lot of my favorite movie experiences were experienced way back when I was seeing a lot of movies, which turns out to have been the ‘80s. But then there were also a bunch of older flicks I stumbled over at some point or other and really enjoyed, and even some more recent releases that just hit me the right way.
But the main thing is, Me. I have actually seen some good movies, though most of them not too recently. I decided to make a list of them to share with you, because reading a list of my favorite movies is exactly how I expect most of the rest of the world to want to spend its leisure time on-line.
In light of the skepticism with which I had to view the above proposition, I decided to make a smaller, more interesting list: obscure movies I’ve liked. For this purpose, I’m using a broad definition of “obscure”: “likely as not that most people reading this have not heard of it.” Maybe it was a big hit when it came out but no one remembers it anymore; maybe it’s a mindless series of ridiculous jokes and sight gags that flew under the commercial/critical radar; maybe it’s an actually arcane piece of foriegn goods, or maybe it was just a really cool art-house way to spend a chunk of time. There’s a broad range, but the thing that links them together is that, for whatever reason, I enjoyed all of them, and I’m guessing you haven’t seen them yet.
Making such a list as this has the ancillary benefit of making me look sophisticated and cultured, because I’ve seen so many interesting films you’ve never heard of. It doesn’t mean that I’m so uncultured that the only movies I’ve even seen are ones no one else has ever heard of. How could you even think that, it’s an outrage. I weep with fury. I accept your apology. Let’s move on.
Some of these movies, I’ve seen four or five times; some, only once but I’d watch them again in a heartbeat. Some are probably really hard to find but several are probably spontaneously generating in your sockdrawer as we speak, which is more an indictment of your sock management skills than an inspirational story of technology run amok. ANYWAY. I hope you spend your post-Oscar season compulsively renting all of these movies and enjoying the hell out of them. The nominees (in random order as generated by my brains) are:
The Runaway Train (1985)
This one is really exciting. Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca DeMornay. ON A RUNAWAY TRAIN. Oops, spoiler alert.
The Crazy Family (1984)
I saw this in a theater in LA and laughed my ass off. Japanese comedy is to comedy as japanese candy is to candy. Keep an open mind and you’ll be richly rewarded.
The Stunt Man (1980)
Haven’t seen this in a long time, but really enjoyed it. Peter O’Toole as some kind of freaky movie dude. I tell ya, the man can make you believe anything.
F/X (1986)
This is a fun suspense flick about using movie effects to BEAT THE TERRORISTS AT THEIR OWN GAME! Brian Dennehey, too. Gotta love the Dennehey.
Goyokin (Official Gold) (1969)
This is a really beautiful and gripping samurai movie - as I recall, the best I’ve seen. The final fight is on a snowbank, and the visuals have stuck with me for twenty years.
Wings of Desire (1987)
(and not the more recent nick cage remake) This is a visually stunning movie and has a cool story with a great cast. Also, it’s German, so the morality issue is nice and opaque.
Tapeheads (1988)
It’s risky to recommend a comedy I haven’t seen in so long, but come on, John Cusak and Tim Robbins? Mid-eighties music video technology? The lead singer from the Bonedaddies, Don Cornelius, Jello Biafra and Sam Moore? Don’t expect high art and you’ll have a great time.
Highway 61 (1991)
Typical road movie, but this time with a drug-stuffed corpse, the devil, and Falco. Lots of fun.
Mystery Train (1989)
Jarmusch in a lighter mood - this movie was beautifully constructed, highly entertaining, and had some great lines with even better delivery.
Ran (1985)
Probably the biggest production in this list, a gorgeous retelling of the story of King Lear in feudal Japan. Acting, cinematography, script, and of course direction are unparalleled. An incredible epic.
Bowfinger (1999)
Just like Ran, but set in the U.S. and with poop jokes. A movie I fully intended to dispise and wound up laughing at nonstop. I’m not proud but I’m honest - this one was pretty damn funny.
Go (1999)
Some people get distracted by the surfiet of WB starlets and starlings, but I never watched that crap so I could enjoy it on its own terms. Obviously inspired by Pulp Fiction, but with a lighter touch and better sense of humor.
Super Troopers (2001)
If you enjoyed Harold and Kumar, this will leave you gasping for breath. We kept having to rewind to hear stuff we were laughing over. Again, not a movie to be proud of liking, but sometimes what you really need are shenanigans.
UHF (1989)
A risky listing - this is a niche film and for the record I’m not a huge Big Al fan. But this movie is really a great vehicle for him. Raul’s Wild Kingdom is a great bit, and Michael Richards hits the high point of his career - years before Signfield.
Shakes the Clown (1992)
I just remembered this one as I was typing up the blurb for UHF. Shakes is a funny movie. Funny “ha-ha,” and the other kind too. Florence Henderson as the clown-hungry skank and Robin Williams as a mime instructor, back when he didn’t feel guilty about all the cocaine. That’s entertainment!
Russkiy Kovcheg (Russian Ark) (2002)
Two thousand actors portray 300 years of Russian History in a single two-hour shot. Bonus: spot Waldo! No, sorry, really, kick-ass movie. As they say in mutha Russia.
Chronos (1985)
Cheating! This is an IMAX movie, and only 40 minutes long. The “actors” are places so beautiful as to be unnerving, filmed in super-high resolution and with various film-speed variations to render stone and cities almost sentient. I don’t know how it would translate from a football-field-sized screen to my little home system. Back in the day, it was truly mindblowing.
Evil Dead II (1987) and III (Army of Darkness) (1992)
As I recall, ED-I was not as great - it took itself much more seriously. ED-II begins to have some real fun with the “revenge of the creepy house” genre, and then AOD takes it to a whole new level. Bruce Campbell really chews the scenery. I’m surprised how many people have not seen these; that’s why they made it on the list.
Tengoku To Jigoku (High and Low) (1963)
Another Kurosawa movie (he also directed Ran and wrote a screenplay on which Runaway Train was based). This is a very Hitchcock-esque movie, suspenseful and emotionally charged - and all modern, no swordplay or pagentry. Mifune gives a rich performance as a man forced to choose between prosperity and morality. Great movie.
Hauru No Ugoku Shiro (Howl’s Moving Castle) (2004)
Not at all like High and Low - pretty much the opposite, a very trippy cartoon about time-space travel and redemption, somehow. I had some trouble following the story but the visuals more than make up for it. My favorite of the recent big-screen japanese animation masterpieces.
The Big Hit (1998)
The movie where I stopped having such a ‘tude about Mark Wahlberg. A heartwarming goofball hitman comedy - something for the whole family, plus sex and violence and Lou Diamond Philips. A fine slice of escapism.
Additions to this list are welcome. I can’t promise I’ll get to them right away, but I promise I will keep an eye open for them. Meantime, I hope you don’t hate any of the movies above. It would dishonor me, and that would mean a big showdown with the smacking and the whacking and the kicking and so forth. I just don’t have the energy for that right now. For God’s sake, people. For God’s sake.