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):
Bellflower (2011): Offbeat tale of two contemporary teens who build Road Warrior-inspired vehicles in hopes the apocalypse will come soon and bring adventure to their lives; a girl comes instead. Opening in New York and L.A. this week, with pretty decent coverage (dozens of US cities) throughout the remaining summer. Bellflower official site.
Cold Fish (2010): “Based on a true story,” Sion (Suicide Club) Sono’s most recent film is set in the overlapping worlds of serial killers and tropical fish retailers. Not likely to be tremendously weird, but it is reportedly quite intense and gruesome, and Sono definitely has his followers. Cold Fish official site.
IN DEVELOPMENT:
“Lotus Community Center” (est. 2012?): Val Kilmer announced on his Tumblr page that he will be playing “the WORST motivational speaker on earth” in an upcoming experimental short to be directed by Harmony Korine. In other Korine news, the alienating auteur has apparently cast Marlon Wayans as a dollar bill in his upcoming scripted (now there’s an experiment!) comedy feature Twinkle Twinkle (est. 2014).
NEW ON DVD:
“4 Film Favorites: Raw Feed Horror Collection”: Packaging four films for the price of one DVD is not a bad marketing ploy. The choices in this one are uninspiring, however: the forgotten Rest Stop (2006), it’s surprise sequel Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back (2008), and the forgotten evil suicide cult movie Believers (2007). We mention this set because it contains the definitely weird (though not all that good) hospital-horror Sublime (read our review). Buy “4 Film Favorites: Raw Feed Horror Collection”
“MST3K vs. Gamera”: If you’re a fan of Mystery Science Theater (and if you’re not, you should be), then this set is a major event. For years it was assumed that the Gamera films would never be released on DVD, thanks to Japanese reluctance to allow their giant, jet-fueled flying turtle to be mocked by uncultured Americans. Shout! Factory worked some licensing magic and acquired rights to all five of the MST3K Gamera episodes for your pleasure. Buy “MST3K Vs. Gamera: Mystery Science Theater 3000, Vol. XXI [Deluxe Edition]”
FREE (LEGITIMATE RELEASE) MOVIES ON YOUTUBE:
Santa Claus (1959): This amazing Mexican-made oddity about a Santa who lives in a castle in space and fights the devil is currently buried deep in our reader-suggested review queue, but you can get the jump on us by watching it on YouTube. Watch Santa Claus (1959) 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.