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Micah's January 2006 DVD Pics
1. Broken Flowers (2005) 2. Hustle & Flow (2005) 3. Red Eye (2005) 4. Roger Corman's Puerto Rico Trilogy 5. Sam Peckinpah's Western Collection 6. Transporter 2 (2005) 7. Trouble Man (1972) 8. Valachi Papers (1972) 9. Take A Hard Ride (1975) 10. Industrial Strength Keaton 11. Fearless Fighters (1973) 12. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) 13. The Aristocrats (2005) 14. My Big Fat Independent Movie (2005) 15. Let Me Die a Woman (1978) 16. Virgins From Hell (1973)Well, since I missed December, I decided to make sure January was on time. Not a lot of major releases this month, but I've found some gems that are worth checking out. Let's get started
Broken Flowers (2005)
Release Date: 1/3I'll admit right now that this is one of those strange months where it feels like all I'm recommending are movies that I haven't seen. I was fairly busy 3-4 months ago when these films came out, and I never made it to the theater to check them out. That being said, Broken Flowers is one of those movies that I heard nothing but good things about. Bill 'Mother-F'n' Murray tries yet again for Oscar Gold, and the results are appropriately tragic and funny.
Hustle and Flow (2005)
Release Date: 1/10Hustle and Flow was one of my top 5 favorite films from 2005, and I almost didn't see it. I generally don't like 'hip-hop' movies, and expected this to be a lame rip-off of the already bad 8 Mile. However, I was given a pair of free passes to an advance screening, so I decided to check it out. Except when I got there, I had to wait outside for almost an hour, and it was 90+ degrees outside. I was ready to leave - I didn't want to see the movie that bad in the first place - but my wife really wanted to see the movie. So we stayed, and I'm damn glad we did. Easily one of the funniest/heartbreaking/inspirational movies I've seen in the theaters. The main character, DJ (Terrence Dashon Howard), is completely amoral, but director Craig Brewer sets him up in such a way that you desperately want to watch him succeed. He's a small-time pimp and part-time drug dealer. Except his stable consists of a pregnant chick, a mouthy stripper, and a beat-down white girl. Hustle and Flow really isn't a 'pimp movie' or a 'hip-hop movie' as much as it is a 'you've got one shot... what are you going to do with it? movie.' I give it my highest recommendation.
Red Eye (2005)
Release Date: 1/10Here's another I haven't yet seen, but Cillian Murphy looks like a great villain. Coming of the heels of Batman Begins, I'm interested to see how he does. The real reason I didn't see this one in the theater was as a half-hearted protest at how much they gave away in the trailer. The original teaser (the one where they meet in the airport bar, get on the plane, and Murphy's eyes turn red) was really engaging and made the film look interesting. The full-scale trailer, however, gave away what appear to be some fairly major plot points, and as a guy who likes zero spoilers with my movies, I was kinda pissed. So I didn't go. But I'll be picking it up on DVD, so I guess my protest is useless. Oh well.
Roger Corman's Puerto Rico Trilogy
Release Date: 1/10Great package here - you get Corman's The Last Woman on Earth, Creature from the Haunted Sea, and Battle of Blood Island - for $13 and some change. Last Woman on Earth - the story of three deep-sea divers who surface to find the rest of the world dead - is my favorite of the trio, but they're all entertaining movies from the legendary producer/director. The DVD is also loaded with trailers from other Corman films, like Beast with a Million Eyes, Not of This Earth, and A Bucket of Blood.
Sam Peckinpah's Western Collection
Release Date: 1/10This is an amazing box set. You may already own some or all of these films - The Wild Bunch: Special Edition, Ride The High Country, Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid: Special Edition, Ballad Of Cable Hogue - but if you don't, they are must owns. Although Wild Bunch is obviously the most well-known, I may actually prefer Ballad Of Cable Hogue. Known as a 'softer Peckinpah movie,' Jason Robards's performance as Cable Hogue is absolutely outstanding. Packed with all the elements you'd expect in a western - double-crossing partners, a hooker with a heart of gold, beautifully shot empty expanses - but done in a surprisingly sophisticated manner. Great set.
Transporter 2 (2005)
Release Date: 1/10I can't believe I missed this one in the theater, and I'm kinda at a loss as to how it happened. I thought Jason Statham was great in the original Transporter, and the oil-slick fight in that film is one of my favorite fight scenes in any movie. I specifically heading out to see this movie 2 or 3 times during its theatrical run, but somehow something always sidetracked me at the last second. So now I'm stuck with seeing it on a (slightly) smaller screen. Transporter 2 is apparently exactly what you'd expect it to be - one hell of a good Saturday afternoon popcorn movie where the girls are hot, the cars are fast, and the Stathams are badass.
Trouble Man (1972)
Release Date: 1/10This obscure blaxploitation movie is going to kick your ass. Trust me. You're not going to believe how badass Robert Hooks is as Mr. T, PI. It's under $9, so buy it, watch it, then laugh at author Harry Medved's idiocy for including it in his book of Fifty Worst Films of all Time.
Valachi Papers (1972)
Release Date: 1/10Billed as "The Film the Mafia Did Not Want You To See," Valachi Papers is a hardcore mob movie with Charles Bronson as Joe Valachi, a tough-as-nails hitman turned informant. Bronson has just gotten out of a 15 year sentence, and because he turned state's evidence, Don Vito Genovese has a $100K contract out on him. Valachi must stay alive long enough to testify before the senate in this based-on-a-true-story film. Its an amazing film about one of the guys who really helped herald in the end of the golden days of the mafioso.
Take A Hard Ride
(1975)
Release Date: 1/17Take a Hard Ride receives my highest non-new release recommendation this month. Get this: A western starring Jim Brown (the trailboss), Fred Williamson (the gambler), Lee Van Cleef (the bounty hunter) AND Jim Kelly (the mute(!) martial arts master), all of whom are trying to be the first to track down a horde of gold in Mexico. Anchor Bay gets my eternal praise for finally releasing this on DVD... and with a MSRP of <$9, you have no reason not to buy this Spaghetti Western/Blaxpoitation/Kung Fu flick. Exploitation heaven, pure and simple.
Industrial Strength Keaton
Release Date: 1/17Focusing on Buster Keaton's small-screen appearances, this collection has assembled a fairly comprehensive array of shorts, commercials and guest spots. It's a good companion piece to the Keaton Comedy Legend box set.
Fearless Fighters (1975)
Release Date: 1/17Movies like this sell themselves, but for the record, here's what the box says: "Kung Fu Masters Wielding Incredible Devil Weapons! High-flying action, outrageous stunts and stupendous flying appendages are just a few of the sights in store as mighty warriors face off in a battle that can only leave one side standing! The mighty Eagle Claw Clan is torn apart when evil member To Pa instructs his followers to rob honorable Almighty Imperial Lightning Whip, whose children avenge the crime with the aid of a clan member disillusioned by his friend's wicked deeds." Sweet.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Release Date: 1/17Haven't seen it, but I'm told it is an amazing look at the corruption behind one of the biggest scandals of the last 10 years.
The Aristocrats (2005)
Release Date: 1/24OK, I know I gave Hustle & Flow my highest recommendation, but this one's getting to too. It's my list, and if I wanna go all Cannes-Palme d'Or I can. I saw the Aristocrats twice this year - once with the filmmakers and Sarah Silverman in attendance, and once with my buddy over a couple of buckets of Schlitz - an both times I was stupified. The concept of the film - 100 comedians, 1 joke - seems like it has the potential to be a major bore, no matter how good the joke. That Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette managed to make this movie not just not-boring, but actually engrossing, is a testament to their talent as filmmakers. This seriously may be the best documentary that was made last year. And yes, it is as funny as everyone says. In an age where so few movies are actually 'controversial,' its nice to see a movie that just doesn't give a shit. A word of warning though: You'll never look at Bob Saget the same way again.
My Big Fat Independent Movie (2005)
Release Date: 1/24I missed this one at SXSW this year, but people who saw it told me it was a funny send up of the biggest 'indie' movies of the last several years. A look at the DVD cover gives you a pretty good indication of what you're in for. If you recognize more than 3 of those characters, this is probably a movie for you. Everything from Swingers to Pulp Fiction to Donnie Darko to The Good Girl. Here's the trailer.
Let Me Die a Woman (1978)
Release Date: 1/31At BNAT 7 there was a rumor that Tim League was going to run this movie in the infamous '4AM Exploitation' spot. Sadly he didn't (although re-watching Drum more than made up for it), but it would have fit in perfectly alongside movies like Teenage Mother and Children Shouldn't Play with Toys. It's a trans-gender-bender flick from the godmother of exploitation, Doris Wishman. And, like Teenage Mother, the film uses actual horrific medical footage. This time, instead of a bloody forcepts-induced birth, you get graphic footage of a sex-change operation. Ewwwww. This sequence is sure to separate the men from the boys (actually it separates the man from... you know... but you get the picture). Perfect movie to show your friends to watch them squirm.
Virgins From Hell (1978)
Release Date: 1/31Another one I haven't seen, but given what I know about it ("The film opens with a gang of Asian biker babes in leather hot pants attacking a casino") I'd say buying this Indonesian exploitation is pretty much a no-brainer.
See you in 30!
- Micah
