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 at the official site links.

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

High-Rise (2015): A satire set in an ultra-lux high-rise apartment building where a class war breaks out between residents of different floors. Britain’s prolific Ben Wheatley strikes again with another weird one. If it’s not playing near you, you can stream it on demand. High-Rise official site.

The Lobster (2015): Set in a magical realist dystopia in which everyone must be in a government-mandated two-person romantic relationship; singletons must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal of their choosing. Giorgos Lanthimos‘ unabashedly weird first English-language feature unexpectedly garnered accolades and a limited release (helped, no doubt, by a bankable cast led by Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz); at the official site, you can take a quiz to see what kind of animal you would be turned into. The Lobster official site.

SCREENINGS – (Videology Bar & Cinema, New York City, Friday, May 13th, Midnight):

Being John Malkovich (1999): Read the Certified Weird entry! Between Videology, Spectacle, IFC Center, and Lincoln Center, it’s the rare week when a Certified Weird choice is not screening somewhere in the NYC area (and that’s not even counting The Rocky Horror Picture Show). Being John Malkovich at Videology Bar & Cinema.

FILM FESTIVALS – Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France, May 11-22):

Cannes is an odd duck. Not known as a “weird-friendly” festival—movies like David Cronenberg‘s Crash and Antichrist have been famously hooted at by Cannes crowds who were having none of that—it aims to flatter the mainstream arthouse crowd with middle-of-the-road dramas (and, rarely, dramadies, so long as they are not too funny to be taken seriously). Cannes programmers revel in the dry, the conventional, and the pompous; Cannes’ juries’ tastes resemble those of Academy Awards voters, but with an even higher premium placed on boringness. Still, one or two movies worth looking at always seem to find their way onto the card. In many years a Cannes debut will end up Certified Weird: three films in the past five years, including, most recently, 2012’s Holy Motors. Movies at Cannes may either be screened “in competition” for the big prize, the Palm D’or; screen out-of-competition; or be entered in the “Un Certain Regard” section (a sort of also-ran competition for films that are either from first time directors, or are considered too daring or different to have a shot at the Palme d’Or). Recently, several major filmmakers have been debuting their films in the parallel festival called Directors’ Fortnight, which runs contemporaneous to Cannes proper but does not hand out awards for individual films. We indicate which section each of the three films we highlighted is playing in. Also playing at Cannes this year, but of only marginal interest two us: two from Jim Jarmusch (a typical Jarmushian drama and a documentary about the punk band the Stooges) and one from Chan-wook Park (a period lesbian romantic drama). Also of note: a special screening of a new restoration of the Certified Weird classic Solaris on the 14th of May.

• Endless Poetry [Poesia Sin Fin] – Alejandro Jodorowsky‘s second installment of the autobiographical project that began with the Certified Weird The Dance of Reality, concerning his experiences as a young bohemian artist in Santiago. Director’s Fortnight, March 14th & 15th.
• The Neon Demon – An aspiring model (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles and is menaced by a cabal of mysterious women in what looks like Nicolas Winding Refn‘s glamorous take on Starry Eyes‘ Satanic scenario; one of the most buzzed-about films at the fest (not just here). In competition, screening May 20.
  
• Slack Bay [Ma Loute] – Tourists disappear in a north France beach resort; since the stills are aimed at the “Downton Abbey” crowd, we might not have noticed Bruno Dumont’s latest this if not for the Variety reviewer who complained of it’s occasional use to the beloved “weird for weirdnesses sake” aesthetic. In competition, screening today, May 13.

Cannes Film Festival official home page.

Director’s Fortnight official home page.

NEW ON DVD:

Eisenstein in Guanajuato (2015): The imaginary story of Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein’s ten day trip to Mexico, where he gives in to his homosexual yearnings while gathering material for a movie which is ultimately never made. This fantastic homoerotic biopic sounds like Peter Greenaway‘s attempt to make a Ken Russell movie. Buy Eisenstein in Guanajuato.

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974): A female chemist is haunted by visions of a woman in black. A giallo-esque psychological horror sleeper. Buy The Perfume of the Lady in Black [Blu-ray].

FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:

Love Me If You Dare (2003): Read our review. Do you dare to watch this anti-romantic black comedy about a couple whose escalating dares lead to bitterness and tragedy? Watch Love Me If You Dare 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.