A 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 (WIDE RELEASE):

Watchmen (2009):  The big-budget adaptation of the cult comic book series set in the late Cold War era, in an America where comic book superheroes are part of the normal fabric of society.  Visually impressive and violent, it looks headed to be a small blockbuster.  Watchmen Official Site. 

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Tokyo! (2008):  A suite of three fantastic, surreal short stories directed by three different international directors (Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Joon-Ho Bong), all set in Tokyo.  Not surprisingly, the stories appear to focus on the theme of urban alienation.  Tokyo! Official Site (in Japanese)

NEW ON DVD:

Ashes of Time Redux [Dung che sai duk redux] (2008):  Wong Kar Wai’s re-edit of his 1994 martial arts epic finally gets a proper DVD release, after a very limited (in the US, at least) theatrical run.  May not be strictly weird, but it’s a classic entry from an oft-weird genre (the wuxia film) by an occasionally weird director, and it’s something of a milestone in recent world cinema.

Treasures IV: American Avant-Garde Film, 1947-1986:  This 2 disc, 5 hour collection of avant-garde shorts (live action, documentary and animated) is a must for serious students of the subject.   Includes a film from the prolific and provocative George Kuchar (I, an Actress) and Andy Warhol (Mario Banana (No. 1)) alongside the work of many more obscure experimental filmmakers.

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.

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Birdsong [El Cant dels Ocells] (2008):  Nearly silent, nearly plotless tale about the Three Kings journey to visit the newborn Jesus.  This minimalist approach won’t bring in the punters, but the critics believe it to be a work of high visual art.  No official site.  Birdsong IMDB link

Dillinger is Dead [Dillinger è Morto] (1969):  A sixties absurdist/existentialist/leftist drama about an engineer who discovers a gun that may have belonged to John Dillinger.   Art film archivists Janus films have given this film a belated American release, to play at very select theaters throughout the country this spring and summer, beginning this week in Brooklyn. Dillinger is Dead press release from Janus Films

NEW ON DVD:

Four Flies on Grey Velvet [4 mosche di velluto grigio] (1971): From Dario Argento, the master of stylish grue, comes this twisty early giallo about a rock musician who is blackmailed for killing a stalker. It’s described as one of Argento’s odder films. A very belated and highly anticipated (by Argento fans) DVD release.

Requiem for a Vampire (1971):  Another of Jean Rollins surreal, cheap, and unabashedly exploitative vampire sex films. 

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

Akira (1988):  This mindblowing cyberpunk feature about a mystical apocalypse in Neo-Tokyo helped launch the anime cult in America.  Definitely weird stuff.

The Bird with Crystal Plumage (1969): Another early giallo by Argento (see the Four Flies on Grey Velvet entry). Many consider this straightforward thriller debut to be one of Argento’s best, although it’s not weird.

Vanishing Point (1971):  Another in the short-lived cycle of Western existentialist road movies (see also Two-Lane Blacktop) inspired by Antonini’s Zabriske Point (1970).

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.

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

NEW ON DVD: 

Choke (2008): Black comedy about a sex-addict and his demented dying mom (Angelica Huston) doesn’t sound especially strange, but in a slow week for the weird the fact that it’s another adaptation from cult novelist Chuck (Fight Club) Palahniuk makes it worth mention. Also, this may be the most heavily advertised movie on IMDB ever, and the first I’ve seen to come with its own MySpace-style layout–an unwelcome marketing trend.

Dead Like Me: Life After Death (2009): A feature length film revival of the short-running Showtime comedy about ordinary folks who become Grim Reapers.  Seems squarely aimed at fans of the now cancelled TV series. 

The Outrage (1964): This is a remake of the classic Japanese film Rashomon, with a screenplay by Kurosawa himself, set in the old West.  Four witnesses give vastly different, incompatible accounts of a rape.  The intriguing cast includes Paul Newman, Claire Bloom, Edward G. Robinson, and William Shatner!

Rachel, Rachel (1968):  This low-key drama with some fantasy interludes was the directorial debut of Paul Newman, who gave the lead role of the melancholy middle-aged spinster to wife Joanne Woodward.

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.

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

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

Polanski [Polanski Unauthorized]:  The controversial director of Repulsion (and other weird flicks) gets his own limited-release biopic.  The trailer makes it look like a hatchet job focusing on Polanski’s sex scandal… not that that’s necessarily an unfair tack to take on the subject.  Polanski Official Site

NEW ON DVD:

Blindness: An English language film with Julianne Moore by Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, this fable about a town where (almost) everyone is suddenly struck blind escaped notice in its theatrical run.  A long, brutal rape scene in this otherwise philosophical picture seems to have alienated mainstream critics.

The Exterminating Angel (1962):  Cause for celebration: The Criterion Collection has released a 2-disc special edition of the 1962 Luis Buñuel surrealist classic about guests who can’t seem to leave an opulent dinner party.

My Name is Bruce: Directed by cult star Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead series), starring Bruce Campbell as Bruce Campbell, this horror-comedy about Bruce Campbell saving a Bruce Campbell fan from an ancient Chinese demon is like a Valentine from Bruce Campbell to Bruce Campbell.  Needless to say, it’s by a Bruce Campbell fan, and squarely aimed at Bruce Campbell fans.

Simon of the Desert (1965):  Not content with bestowing The Exterminating Angel on the weird masses (see above), The Criterion Collection also gives Buñuel’s bizarre pseudo-religious short feature the special edition treatment, and adds a 50 minute documentary on Buñuel in Mexico as an extra.

NEW ON BLU-RAY:

Donnie Darko (2001):  This lovably fascinating mess of a movie (see review) gets its Blu-Ray debut.  The good news is that both the Theatrical Cut and the Director’s Cut are on the disc!

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.

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

IN THEATERS (WIDE RELEASE):

Coraline:  An animated fantasy film about a little girl who discovers a parallel universe in which her childish desires are satisfied, but at a price.  Previews look “visually stunning.”  Also showing in 3-D in some venues.  From Henry Selick, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, with the voices of Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher.  Coraline Official Site 

IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):

2008 Academy Nominated Animated Shorts:  Ten of the Academy-Award nominated shorts will be shown as a program in a limited number of theaters (probably on the coasts),  an interesting concept that I don’t remember happening in other years.  Directors often have far more latitude to be as weird as they want with shorts, which are often self-produced and not subject to studio demands to normalize things for a mass audience.   The slate includes 5 animated films and 5 live actioners.  The British This Way Up, a macabre stop-motion animated film about two funeral home workers, may be the biggest draw for fans of the unusual.  No official site.

Memorial Day:  Feature length film debut of experimental theater director Josh Fox.  Young revelers engage in shameful debauchery at a Spring Break style party, then are magically transported to the Iraqi battlefield where they continue in the same style.  Lambasted by critics for being morally and politically simpleminded and uninsightful.  No official site.

NEW ON DVD/BLU-RAY:

Being There (Deluxe Edition):  Hal Ashby’s enigmatic satire about a simple minded gardener (the great Peter Sellers) who becomes elected President.  A great weird movie, but there doesn’t seem to be much special about this special edition, which includes no commentary, only a 15 minute documentary and a few deleted scenes and outtakes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: XIV: The fourteenth box set release of the cult-TV phenomenon wherein a man marooned in space and his wisecracking robots make live-time jokes at the expense of some of the worst movies ever made.  The movies skewered are The Mad Monster (1942), Manhunt in Space (1956), Soultaker (1990), and Final Justice (1985).

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.