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.
SCREENINGS – (Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York City, Mon., Dec 1):
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971): Read the Certified Weird review! The Lincoln Center programmers call it “a perennial cult favorite that’s just as odd as you remembered” and are offering free popcorn to trick kids into attending! Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory at Film Society of Lincoln Center.
SCREENINGS – (Multiple Theaters, Mon., Thurs, Dec 4):
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus (1959): Rifftrax takes on K. Gordon Murray’s Mexican Santa Claus import (you know, the one where Santa lives on a cloud next to Merlin and fights the Devil). This kiddie matinee monstrosity was previously skewered on Mystery Science Theater, but the accompanying short, “Fun in Ballonland,” is all new and looks even weirder than the feature, if that’s possible. Correction: Fun in Ballonland is not a short that accompanies Santa Claus, it’s a full-length feature available for download. Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus.
IN DEVELOPMENT (POST-PRODUCTION):
Devils in Disguise (2015): Lesbian lovers kill their shared boyfriend in a movie that moves back and forth between past and present, fantasy and reality. The film was made for $4500 in 11 days and is now seeking $9,500 in crowdsourcing funds for post-production and promotion. It’s going to make its goal, too, because it stars two very hot actress/models who act the entire movie in bathing suits. Devils in Disguise Indiegogo campaign.
NEW ON DVD:
The Conformist (1970): A man finds himself in the strange situation of arranging for his mentor’s assassination, on his wedding day. Hal Hinson said that this visually stunning film about a man’s lifelong quest to be average embodies “a sort of haunted surreality in which sex, Freud, politics and philosophy are flung together in a spirit of aesthetic exuberance and daring.” Buy The Conformist
“Mystery Science Theater 3000”: The Turkey Day Collection (XXXI) [Limited-Edition Collector’s Tin]: Four more episodes from the movie-mocking cult TV series: the white-male-reality propaganda film Jungle Goddess, the “Lassie” dog The Painted Hills, the dreadfully dull horror of The Screaming Skull, and the earthworm-attack thriller Squirm. None of the films in this collection are particularly weird (OK, killer earthworms are a bit bizarre), but we traditionally list these sets when they come out. Bargain hunters may want to wait until the vanilla version is released sans collectible tin. Buy “Mystery Science Theater 3000”: The Turkey Day Collection [Limited-Edition Collector’s Tin]
Nymphomaniac Vol 1 & 2: Extended Director’s Cut (2013): Read our review. We note this one for fans of Lars von Trier—and for fans of extended nymphomaniacs. Buy Nymphomaniac Volume 1 & 2: Extended Director’s Cut 
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013): Read our review. This reservation-set revenge drama isn’t terribly weird, but may be appreciated by those who enjoy having their blood boiled. Buy Rhymes for Young Ghouls
NEW ON BLU-RAY:
The Conformist (1970): See description in DVD above. Buy The Conformist [Blu-ray]
Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 & 2: Extended Director’s Cut (2013): See description in DVD above. Buy Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 & 2: Extended Director’s Cut [Blu-ray]
The Wizard of Oz 3D: Read our review of Wizard of Oz. Can’t say we’re in favor of this pop-out update of a classic: is 3-D adaptation about to become the new colorization? Still, all 500 people in the world who own a 3-D Blu-ray player will consider this an essential buy. Buy Wizard of Oz 3D
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.