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 ABCs of Death (2012): 26 directors each tell a short story about death based on an assigned letter of the alphabet. Some of the auteurs whose work is featured: Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani (Amer), Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun), Noboru Iguchi (RoboGeisha—he does the tasteful “F is for Fart”), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl), Marcel Sarmiento (Deadgirl), Srdjan Spasojevic (A Serbian Film), and Yûdai Yamaguchi (Yakuza Weapon). The letter “T” was reserved for a contest winner. Also available on your computer on demand
FILM FESTIVALS – South by Southwest (SWSX) (Austin, TX, March 8-16):
Housed in the belly of Southern hipsterdom—Austin, TX—South by Southwest began as a music festival in 1986, and by 1994 expanded to include films. Today, it is probably the second most important venue for independent films in the United States; and, judging by the number of pictures choosing to premiere at SWSX, it’s gaining ground on Sundance every year. While we’ve already noted several of these films playing at other festivals—including Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers (making its official U.S. debut), Belgium’s magical realist feature The Fifth Season, Nick (son of John) Cassavetes’ Yellow, and Calvin Reeder‘s latest surreal horror, The Rambler—here are some other movies of weird appeal appearing at SWSX for the first time:
- Evil Dead – A Sam Raimi-approved modern remake of the 1981 cult horror about demonic possession in a cabin; it seems like a pointless endeavor, but it’s understandably creating a buzz amongst horror fans. Screening March 8.
- I Am Divine – A documentary on the world’s favorite 300-pound copraphagiac transvestite, Harris Glenn Milstead, better known as Divine. March 9.
- The Lords of Salem – This modern-day witchcraft story from notorious goremeister Rob Zombie reportedly takes his breed of horror in a new, artier direction. March 11 (at midnight, natch).
- Swim Little Fish Swim – The two teasers tell us nothing about this indie (in one a guy sings a blues number about the hallucinogen DMT), but the synopsis describes a “dreamlike journey from childhood to adulthood.” Screening March 11.
South by Southwest official site
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
“A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection”: Hellish Freddy Krueger stalks teenagers in their nightmares in this series that was the most inventive and by far the best of the slasher craze of the 1980s. The early films contained some genuinely creepy dream sequences, while later “dream warrior” installments became increasingly campy and ridiculous as Freddy turned more into a bad pun factory than a figure of menace. Contains seven movies spread across five Blu-rays. Buy “A Nightmare on Elm Street Collection” [Blu-ray]
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Deep Red [Profundo Rosso] (1975): Read our capsule review. Somehow, Dario Argento‘s convoluted giallo about a psychics, scary dolls and brutal set piece murders is available to watch (for now) on YouTube. It’s a bad, full-frame print, true, but hey, it’s free! Watch Deep Red free on YouTube.
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.