Jan 26 2015
This Week’s Underappreciated Movies
Every Monday, each of us will suggest a film that we feel too few people have seen.
Melissa’s Pick of the Week: R100
I don’t think I can describe this film adequately, but I’ll give it a shot. See, there’s this lonely Japanese businessman, and he finds he’s turned on by being humiliated by women. So he finds out about this secret bondage club, which basically has this subscription service where they randomly send out dominatrixes to humiliate their customers in unexpected ways. Well, our protagonist finds this great for a while, but then when he learns that he might want to unsubscribe, he finds himself stalked by a herd of really creative dominatrixes. Just when you think this film couldn’t get more bizarre, it does.
R100 contains a perfect scene, by the way. It involves sushi.
Drafthouse Films just brought this one out on disc and various streaming services, so, if you’re into relentlessly bizarre filmmaking, this one is for you.
Windy’s Pick of the Week: The Most Dangerous Game
With The Hunger Games series of movies coming to its conclusion, whet your appetite for the classic that (arguably) inspired it! The trope of men hunting men is well-established now, but Richard Connell’s 1924 short story is still being taught in classrooms because the power of the story still gets the blood pounding.
Joel McCrea stars as Bob Rainsford, the victim of a shipwreck. When he washes ashore on a nearby island, he is saved by Zaroff – who saves a lot of shipwreck survivors, it seems. Rainsford quickly learns exactly what entertainments Zaroff pursues on his lonely island, and soon he and Fay Wray are the prey in Zaroff’s sick game.
At only 63 minutes, it’s a shame to miss the story that started a sub-genre!
Jan 22 2015
Episode 50: Rock You Like a Muse
, with special guest: Gordon Smuder, Sharon Stiteler
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In today’s very special episode, dear listeners, we celebrate our first year of podcasting with an episode all about XANADU! That’s right, friends, it’s all leg-warmers and ribbons and magical Olivia Newton John today! And for this grand event, we called up some fellow Xana-fans and former guests, namely Gordon Smuder (of the Puppet Forge and Transylvania Television) and Sharon Stiteler (aka Birdchick).
(In fact, Gordon is such a Xana-dude that he sent me an e-mail full of puns prior to recording the episode. What is Colridge’s favorite soft drink? Mountain Xana-dew. The sequel to Xanadu? Xanadeux. Colridge’s favorite Saturday Morning Cartoon? Xana-Scooby-Doo. Paul Atreides’ favorite musical movie? XanaDune. Frank Sinatra’s favorite musical movie? Xanadoobie-doobie-doo. And what do you smoke while watching Xanadu? A Xanadube.)
As you might notice while you listen to the episode, we have been drinking. If you want to join our inebriated joviality, we recommend Lagavulin 16. Or Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco. Or sake screwdrivers. Really, they all worked pretty well when we were recording. (hic)
Further show notes and links behind the cut!
Jan 19 2015
This Week’s Underappreciated Movies
Every Monday, each of us will suggest a film that we feel too few people have seen.
Windy’s Pick of the Week: May
Unless you went to BNAT in 2001, you may have missed this delightful character-study/horror film. Lucky McKee directs Angela Bettis (who I wish popped up in more movies – she’s fantastic) as the titular May: an awkward girl who just wants to make a friend. Looking for a relationship, any relationship, May’s overtures are painfully realistic (we’ve all done or witnessed these scenarios), but May eventually overcomes in a truly creative fashion. Bettis anchors the film with her vulnerable and quirkily humorous performance – May is unabashedly optimistic and open to any path that looks promising. She’s joined by Jeremy Sisto and Anna Faris, so she has some solid and entertaining support.
Melissa adds: Whatever you do, don’t read the description on the back of the DVD box before watching this movie!
Melissa’s Pick of the Week: Trucker
Try this description on for size: the main character of Trucker is a semi-truck driver who finds himself forced into parenting an 11-year-old kid that he abandoned ten years previously. That sounds like it might be an okay 1970s-style melodrama, right? Well, try the real description instead: the driver in question is a woman. Played by Michelle Monaghan, Diane Ford is a unusual, deeply engaging, sometimes infuriating character. In her career of choice, she has become as battle-hardened as possible, and she is completely unthrilled at the prospect of being forced to be a mother again. It is Monaghan’s performance that turns this film from something ordinary to something extraordinary. Beyond that, director James Mottern manages to balance the melodrama so it never becomes saccharine. It’s a fine little film, and worth the work to track down. Also, bonus points for Nathan Fillion content. You want that, right? Sure you do!
