Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs, and on more distant horizons…

Trailers of new release movies are generally available on the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

The Duke of Burgundy (2014): Peter Strickland’s followup to his giallo-tribute Berberian Sound Studio is a strange erotic melodrama about sadomasochistic relationship between an aristocratic butterfly collector and her servant. We have no idea where it’s playing or even how to access the advertised VOD release (UPDATE: it’s been spotted on Comcast cable systems), so we’ll likely have to wait for a DVD. The Duke of Burgundy official site.

R100 (2013): A sadomasochistic sex comedy from Hitoshi Matsumoto about a businessman who joins a secret club that arranges for dominatrices to attack its members in public places. We’ve been waiting on this one since it’s North American debut at TIFF last year; Drafthouse makes sure it hits all the major metro areas. R100 official site.

SCREENINGS – (Cinefamily, Los Angeles, Friday January 23, 8:00 PST):

R100 (2013)/Symbol (2009): Speaking of R100 (see above), the Cinefamily is hosting a Hitoshi Matsumoto double feature to celebrate the film’s release, pairing it with Symbol, the auteur’s bizarro 2009 comedy about metaphysical emptiness and Mexican wrestling. R100 gaijin co-star Lindsay Kay Hayward will be there, and there will be a “sushi eating whipping” contest with prizes. Los Angelinos rush out there now, ’cause it starts at 8:00 PST. R100 (2013)/Symbol (2009) at Cinefamily.

FILM FESTIVALS – Sundance Film Festival (Park City, UT, Date):

The 2015 movie season officially kicks off with Sundance, where a hundred hopeful independent movies, including some off-the-wall ones, come to vie for a handful of distribution contracts. Last year brought us The Double, and the previous year’s Sundance sensation was Escape from Tomorrow, so there is almost always at least one weird winner to be found here. Here are the ones we’ll be keeping an eye on:

• Beaver Trilogy Part IV – A documentary about the making of Trent Harris‘ Beaver Trilogy, an odd movie about an oddball kid from Beaver, Oregon. Screens the 23rd, 27th and 31st.
• The Forbidden Room – This might possibly be of interest: a new Guy Maddin movie, with a cast of Mathieu Amalric, Charlotte Rampling and Udo Kier. Try to catch it on the 26th, 28th, 29th or 31st (but expect to be put on the wait list).
• H. – The story of two women named Helen in Troy, NY who descend into madness, or the end of the world, or something. Screening 1/25, 27, 30 & 31.
  
• The Tribe – A graphically violent and sexually explicit Ukrainian film, with no dialogue, about students at a school for the deaf who run a prostitution ring.  Screens the 24th, 26th & 27th.
• White Dog – There’s been some buzz about this allegorical movie about dogs who go to war with the city of Budapest after it enacts a tax on mixed-breed canines. 1/23, 25 or 31 are your chances to check it out.

Sundance Film Festival official site.

NEW ON DVD:

La Belle Captive (1983): A man finds a beautiful woman lying bound in the road, takes her home, makes love to her, and sees visions of the paintings of René Magritte.  The belated interest in the sadomasochistically surreal films of Alain Robbe-Grillet continues, with Olive taking the torch passed by Redemption Video. Buy La Belle Captive.

Coherence (2013): Read our review. This “Twilight Zone”-y story about a comet that metaphysically disrupts a dinner party isn’t the weirdest out there, but it was one of last year’s very best ultra-low-budget sci-fi features. Buy Coherence.

Lucy (2014): Read our review. Luc Besson‘s dopey sci-fantasy about Scarlett Johansson using 100% of her brain was inexplicably popular; at least the visuals are trippy. Buy Lucy.

My Winnipeg (2007): Guy Maddin‘s fantastical, surreal documentary about his hometown of Winnipeg. Maddin and the Criterion Collection are a match made in movie heaven. Buy My Winnipeg.

Winter in the Blood (2013): An alcoholic Native American wakes up in a ditch, then returns to his home on a Montana reservation to discover his wife has left him, taking his beloved rifle with her. A modern vision quest with surreal elements. Buy Winter in the Blood.

Zero Theorem (2013): Read James Harben’s review. Terry Gilliam‘s latest didn’t make mucho weird waves, but it’s always good to watch the master at work. Buy The Zero Theorem.

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

La Belle Captive (1983): See description in DVD above. Buy La Belle Captive [Blu-ray].

Lucy (2014): See description in DVD above. This is a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. Buy Lucy [Blu-ray/DVD].

My Winnipeg (2007): See description in DVD above. Buy My Winnipeg [Blu-ray].

Zero Theorem (2013): See description in DVD above. Buy The Zero Theorem [Blu-ray].

What are you looking forward to? If you have any weird movie leads that I have overlooked, feel free to leave them in the COMMENTS section.