Our weekly look at what’s weird in theaters, on hot-off-the-presses DVDs and Blu-rays (and hot off the server VODs), and on more distant horizons…
Trailers of new release movies are generally available at the official site links.
IN THEATERS (LIMITED RELEASE):
The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017): Our own called it “stuffed to the gills with both narrative and visual humor. (And wonderment. And surrealism. And drinking).” GKids put this out in a Fathom Live screening last week (which we neglected to mention), but now it’s in a regular limited release. Find locations and showtimes at The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl official site.
The Wild Boys [Les garcons sauavges] (2017): Five boys (all played by girls) are exiled to an island due to crimes they commit while under the influence of a mystical being called TREVOR. A French reader nominated this for review last year, but, weird as it sounds, given its limited limited release schedule we’ll probably have to wait until it gets to home video to check it out. The Wild Boys page at Cineuropa.
FILM FESTIVALS – Venice International Film Festival (Venice, IT, 8/29-9/8):
The world’s oldest film festival, Venice is still one of the most prestigious movie events of the year, although it has been losing ground in late years as many producers who miss the chance to debut at Cannes choose to premiere at the better-attended Toronto Film Festival instead. Like Cannes, its tastes tend towards the vino e formaggio crowd, but they always scoop Toronto for some adventurous high-profile debuts, as seen in our list below:
- The Favourite – Giorgos Lanthimos turns his attention to a period piece set in England in the 18th century; we suspect he will find some way to weird up the hoary history. Screening 8/20-8/31.
- Last Year at Marienbad (1961)- A special screening of the Certified Weird classic about two people who may, or may not, have met lats year at Marienbad. See it 9/5 or 9/6.
- Suspiria – This witchy horror is the rare remake (of a Certified Weird classic, no less) that has us intrigued. Screens 9/1 and9/2.
- The Tree of Life (extended cut) – Terrence Malick‘s 3+ hour directr’s cut of his insanely ambitious (and Certified Weird) feature can be seen on 9/6 or 9/7.
- Zan [Killing] – Shinya Tsukamoto turns his lens on a period piece, setting his latest in 19th century Japan and focusing on the adventures of a ronin and a peasant girl; if the treatment isn’t at least a little weird, it will be a huge departure for Tsukamoto. Screening 9/6-9/8.
Venice International Film Festival home page.
NEW ON HOME VIDEO:
The Tingler (1959): Read the Certified Weird entry! Cinema’s first acid freakout, plus a monster that lives in the human spine, plus Vincent Price, on Blu-ray for the first time! (Percepto not included). Buy The Tingler
Wild at Heart (1990): Read the Certified Weird entry! Shout! Factory upgrades David Lynch‘s “weird on top” road trip to Blu-ray, with a new interview with original novelist Barry Gifford added to features recycled from older DVD releases. Buy Wild at Heart
CERTIFIED WEIRD (AND OTHER) REPERTORY SCREENINGS:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We won’t list all the screenings of this audience-participation classic separately. You can use this page to find a screening near you.
- Chicago, IL. 8/24-8/25, 8/29 – Hour of the Wolf [Vargtimmen] (1968). At Gene Siskel Film Center.
- Los Angeles, CA, 8/25 – Solaris [Solyaris] (1972). At the Aero.
- Los Angeles, CA, 8/26 – Stalker (1979). At the Aero.
- Los Angeles, CA, 8/30 – Belladonna of Sadness (1973). At the Aero.
- Louisville, KY, 8/24-8/25 – Yellow Submarine (1968). At Speed Art Museum.
- New York City, NY, 8/24 – Mind Game. At the Metrograph.
- New York City, 8/24-8/30 – Suspiria (1977). At IFC Center.
- New York City, NY, 8/24 – Belle de Jour (1967). At Videology Bar & Cinema.
- New York City, NY, 8/39 – Akira (1988). At the Metrograph.
- Silver Spring, MD, 8/24-8/26 – Yellow Submarine (1968). At AFI Silver Theater.
- Silver Spring, MD, 8/24-8/30 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). At AFI Silver Theater.
- Silver Spring, MD, 8/25 – The Black Cat (1934), with Re-Animator (double feature). At AFI Silver Theater.
- Tuscon, AZ, 8/24-8/25 – Donnie Darko (2001). (director’s cut). At the Loft.
- Vancouver, BC, Canada – Belle de Jour (1967). At the Rio.
FREE MOVIES ON TUBI.TV:
Cube Zero (2004): Read our review. You’ve seen the other two, now find out how the series ends in its B-moviest installment. Watch Cube Zero free on Tubi.tv.
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.