Melissa Kaercher

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

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Cover Girl

Everybody’s seen Singin’ in the Rain, but this gem with Rita Hayworth gets overlooked. If all you know of Hayworth is her stop-a-bus sexuality, you might not know she was a helluva hoofer. Also, Gene showcases his inventiveness doing a dance number with his own reflection. Bonus points for the Xanadu connection: Gene Kelly’s character name in this is Danny McGuire.

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: The Bus 174 Trilogy (Bus 174, Elite Squad, and Elite Squad: The Enemy Within)

Okay, I’m not trying to cheat by bringing up an entire trilogy of films. I’m doing this because Jose Padilha directed these three amazing movies, and I feel like I need to clear his name in the wake of the fanboy grousing about the Robocop remake (which he also directed).

The Bus 174 trilogy is the only trilogy I know of that consists of both documentary and fictional films. Together, the three take a microscopic and kaleidoscopic look at systemic corruption in Rio de Janeiro. The three movies are also highly engrossing, packed with action, intrigue, and fascinating people.

Bus 174 is a documentary about an incident in Rio de Janeiro where a man took a city bus hostage; it investigates both what makes a person do such a thing, as well as how the city botched the response. Elite Squad takes the narrative into a fictionalized (but highly researched) study into how and why the cops in Rio de Janeiro behave as they do. The final film, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, plunges into the political machine that keeps the whole corrupt system in place.

The L.A. Times likens the three films to Dog Day Afternoon, Dirty Harry, and Serpico, respectively. I can think of no better endorsement than that.

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

Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Stingray Sam (2009)

Stingray Sam is a delightful micro-budget black-and-white sci-fi western comedy musical (!) from the mind of cult director/musician Cory McAbee. It was initially released as a six-episode series via the Internet, but as a film, Stingray Sam plays like an old serial, with a black-clad space cowboy and his space cowboy sidekick chasing down an interplanetary kidnapper in a string of imaginative and often hilarious vignettes. The whole shebang is narrated by David Hyde Pierce, who manages to steal the movie every time he says, “Durango.” The music is great, too. Stingray Sam is easily available on most streaming video services.

Windy’s Pick of the Week: Trick ‘R Treat (2007)

A delicious horror treat that harkens back to the Creepshow anthology vibe of the 80’s!  Several interwoven tales of Halloween horror, and the most adorable nightmare ever, named Sam, roams through them all dragging his little bag behind.  Anna Paquin is the big name here, but there’s some satisfying scenery chewing by Brian Cox and Dylan Baker. Tahmoh Penikett also makes an appearance! If you like your horror satisfyingly bloody, but with a wink and a nod to the classic movie monsters, turn out the lights and turn on this gem!