This Week’s Underappreciated Movies

Every Monday, each of us will suggest a film that we feel too few people have seen.

freaked

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Freaked

Okay, so, once upon a time, Alex Winter (the other guy from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) remade Todd Browning’s Freaks, except it was a zany comedy with Randy Quaid as the villain and Bobcat Goldthwait as a man with a sock puppet for a head and all the makeup effects looked like they erupted from MAD Magazine and there’s a character named Oritz the Dog Boy who sounds suspiciously like an uncredited Keanu Reeves having the time of his life. Oh, and Mr. T was there, too.

If you’re wondering why I’m typing while having a fever dream, I assure you, this film exists, and you should see it.

brideandprejudice

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Bride & Prejudice

A Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel! All the romance, with Bollywood dance numbers – but no kissing (Jane Austen would’ve approved). If you’ve never watched Bollywood, this is a good entry point. The film is mostly in English, it stars the stunning Aishwarya Rai, and it’s telling a quintessentially Western story. In this retelling, the central conflict between Lalita (our Elizabeth analog) and Darcy is his ignorance of and lack of respect for Indian culture – an apt and relevant point of contention that also allows for a satisfying resolution. The Bollywood song/dance numbers are not as polished and amazing as some other films, but they are charming and catchy, and the Indian twist on beloved characters is delightfully fresh.

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: