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 (LIMITED RELEASE):
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans: I don’t know how weird it will be, but if you know your movies you’ll immediately see that the concept is totally crazy: the great Werner Herzog remakes Abel Ferrara’s singular, bleak Bad Lieutenant, but as a self-aware action parody, with Nicolas Cage going wild (maybe channeling Klaus Hinski?) as the titular drug-crazed cop. Even if it wasn’t getting excellent reviews, it would be worth seeing just for the talent mashup involved. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans official site.
Mr. Sadman: The interesting premise is that one of Saddam Hussein’s body doubles loses his job and moves to Los Angeles immediately before Iraq invades Kuwait in 1990. The press release describes the impersonator’s journey as a “surreal quest to rediscover the love, adoration and fame he once knew;” we suspect that’s a “small s” surreal, but it sounds offbeat at the very least. Playing Los Angeles this week before heading off to DVD land. Mr. Sadman official site.
SCREENINGS (NEW YORK CITY):
I Can See You (2008): Read our review of this “psychedelic campfire tale.” Here’s your chance to see one of the weirdest movies of 2008 on a big screen in high definition, along with the 3-D short The Viewer. Playing at NYU’s Cantor Film Center at 36 East 8th Street tonight only!
The Sun [Solzne] (2005): It contains at least one crazy dream sequence, but this minimalist biopic about Emperor Horohito’s defeat from Russian director Alexander Sokurov is only a borderline weird pick; it’s still a noteworthy off-the-beaten-path choice for New Yorkers. Playing at the Film Forum.
NEW ON DVD:
Franklyn (2008): This weird-sounding film tells two converging stories, one set in modern London and the other in a fantastical Meanwhile City, which is ruled by religious fanatics. The films fans compare the visual look to a low-budget City of Lost Children. Another one we’ll need to take a look at down the road. Buy from Amazon
The Limits of Control (2009): From Jim Jamursch, who brought us the anti-western Dead Man, comes this anti-thriller about a mysterious nameless, assassin in Spain meeting with enigmatic strangers in pursuit of an unknown mission. Buy from Amazon
Thirst [Bakwji] (2009): Korean ultra-stylist Chan-wook Park + vampirism; sounds like a match made in heaven (or hell) to us. Buy from Amazon
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
Fight Club (1999): David Fincher’s anarchic, very nearly surreal satire features brilliant performances by both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. It’s a weird movie favorite that’s long overdue on Blu-ray. Buy from Amazon
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.