Watch Out! Tamara Likes These

Yes, all these American movies are great, but what about all the other countries? Don't they have anything to offer? Well, look no further, because while there have been a couple here and there over the last couple months, Tamara's list is 80% International, picking five movies from five different countries. One of them is obviously very near and dear to my heart, but I'll bet most of you can pick out at least one of these you haven't seen yet. So shut off the phone and pay attention this weekend, because you're going to need to do some reading. But if the rest are as even close to as good as my favorite, you'll thank Tamara for the recommendations. 

Tamara went almost entirely International this week

Point of No Return (1993) – American remake of the French film “La Femme Nikita” by Luc Besson about a drug addict named Maggie (Bridget Fonda) who is sentenced to be executed by lethal injection for murdering a police officer during a robbery, but is recruited by a spy named Bob (Gabriel Byrne) to be an assassin for the government under a new identity. Maggie is trained to become a femme fatale and given the alias “Nina” in reference to her passion for the music of Nina Simone. The story is similar to “Pygmalion” and “My Fair Lady” with the transformation of Maggie (Nina) from an unstable, violent drug addict to a more refined and composed woman. The transformation also contributes to greater inner conflict as Nina distances herself more from the violence of her past, but becomes trapped in her role as an assassin. This is one of my favorite movies partially because it introduced me to the achingly beautiful music of Nina Simone.

Available to rent in the usual places

Life is Beautiful (1997) – Italian film about a Jewish father (Roberto Benigni) who tries to shield his son from the trauma of internment in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II by using humor and pretending the camp is a game. Movies about the Holocaust can be difficult to watch and this one does have tragic moments, but these moments are balanced with moments of humor which become Benigni’s greatest weapon to counteract the brutality of the Holocaust. It’s a powerful story about the love of a father for his son and the ultimate sacrifice. I’ve often nominated this movie in Movie Madness, but it hasn’t received much appreciation from the group (except for Dustin) probably because not many have seen it. I watched this movie in the theater when it was originally released in the United States and it has remained one of my top favorite movies of all time.

Available on HBO and DirecTV

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – Chinese martial arts film directed by Ang Lee with amazing gravity-defying action scenes choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping (who was also the martial arts choreographer for “The Matrix”). Two strong female leads (Michele Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi) face off against each other in epic battles through the treetops and across rooftops in the quest to claim possession of the “Green Destiny” sword. Especially impressive considering most of the stunt work was performed by the actors themselves and computers were only used to remove the safety wires from the scenes. Some interpret the “Green Destiny” sword to symbolize the yin (female principle of the universe) and there are many elements of feminism woven throughout this film. The mesmerizing martial arts scenes are also blended with meaningful romantic and spiritual elements.

Available on Starz and DirecTV

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – Japanese anime film directed and produced by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli and adapted from the book by Diana Wynne Jones about an insecure and lonely young woman named Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons in English dubbed version) who is cursed by a witch and turned into an old woman. She meets a wizard named Howl (voiced by Christian Bale) and his fire demon named Calcifer (voiced by Billy Crystal) who see through the illusion and help Sophie recognize her inner beauty and value. Sophie also cares for Howl and Calcifer and helps them with their own curse. There are heartwarming elements of compassion and found family and subtle romance between Sophie and Howl. The instrumental soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi and beautiful hand drawn animation are exceptional. I developed a passion for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli after watching “Howl’s Moving Castle” many times with my daughter. Usually, I prefer to watch foreign films with subtitles, but I make an exception for this one because the English dubbed version is so good.

Available on HBO Max

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) – Swedish adaptation of the book by Stieg Larsson about a genius hacker and private investigator named Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) who had a traumatic childhood and was declared mentally incompetent in her youth and suffers further trauma and abuse from her state-appointed legal guardian as an adult. Lisbeth is recruited by a journalist named Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) to help investigate the disappearance and suspected murder of the niece of the patriarch of a wealthy family. This movie is intense and Noomi Rapace is stunning in her role as the damaged, but fierce, tattooed hacker. Content warning for sexual abuse and violence against women, but there are some cathartic moments of vengeance and empowerment for the victimized. I prefer this Swedish adaptation much more than the American remake with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.

Available to stream on [cracks knuckles] AMC, Hoopla, Tubi, Kanopy, DirecTV, Crackle, Sundance Now, Popcornflix, Mubi, Fandor (Amazon Channel), and Plex

Watch Out! Pat Likes These

You know that guy who's relatively new to the group and seems to crap on all of our favorite movies? No, not Ed. The other guy. Well, I wanted to know exactly what the biggest (or second biggest) cynic in the group actually likes, so I challenged Pat Kenney to give me five movies he can say something nice about. And the results were a little surprising. Actually, I don't know Pat very well, so I probably would have been surprised by anything (except Stardust - we're on the same page there). So here are Pat Kenney's five recommendations for your viewing pleasure.

Some fantasy, some horror, some feel-good stuff - a decent array of different genres in this batch

Boogie Nights (1997): – Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights is one of the most daring and intriguing movies of the 90’s and is often overlooked 25 years after its release. Many people do not give this movie a chance due to the graphic nature of the film’s premise, but the real story of this amazing film is dealing with the people behind this sordid industry. It offers a slice of multiple lives during the late 70’s and early 80’s pornography boom. Wahlberg does a phenomenal job playing the star Dirk Diggler (a John Holmes type of character), conveying the wide eyed kid turned into a “star” who falls due to drug addiction, but with a degree of redemption that fits the appropriate mold for the character. Though the true stars of this movie are the supporting cast. This is the movie that made Julianne Moore, John C Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Don Cheadle true stars. Reilly’s innocent imbecile plays perfect in tandem with Dirk’s star power, while Cheadle and Hoffman nail their characters. Cheadle is a man dealing with trying to make a name for himself outside of the industry while Hoffman is coming to terms with his true nature, forming a friendship which turns askew. Both characters - despite their good or bad actions - are amazing, nuanced, and engaging. Julianne Moore absolutely steals the show as the maternal Amber Waves and bears it all - including her soul - with her raw, fully committed performance. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Burt Reynold’s Golden Globe winning performance as Jack Horner, the producer and defacto father figure for so many of these wayward souls. This movie was the vehicle that brought back a Hollywood icon after nearly 2 decades of irrelevance. I highly recommend everyone give this movie a chance if you had passed on it originally, or just have not caught up with this 90’s gem recently.

Available on Netflix

The World's Fastest Indian (2005): Many people like me probably missed this hidden gem back in the early 2000’s. The name is very confusing, but once you watch the first 5 minutes it makes complete sense. Anthony Hopkins gives a touching performance as a New Zealand man on a mission, rebuilding his 1920’s Indian Motorcycle and treks to the Bonneville Salt Flats to test his work. The movie is about his trek from New Zealand to the US where he meets a diverse cast of characters led by Chris Williams as the transvestite Tina forming friendships on his quest to Bonneville. This is an under the radar low budget feel good movie in the vein of October Sky and honestly one of the few movies to bring tears of happiness to my eyes. Hopkins completely disappears into the role of the eccentric Kiwi and you’ll find yourself cheering along as he races for his dream. A phenomenal movie that is appropriate for most of the family excluding younger children.

Available on Dox, Magnolia Selects (holy guacamole, I've never heard of either of those)

Stardust (2007): This is the movie I have nominated about 100 times trying to get into the tournament and anyone who has seen it agrees with me that it is the best fantasy movie of the last 20 years. Based on and IMO surpassing a Neil Gaiman short novel, the film is much like the Princess Bride where we follow along on a quirky fairytale. The movie follows the story of Tristan (Charlie Cox – Dare Devil) a boy from an English village starts an adventure tracking down a fallen star Yvaine (Claire Danes – Homeland) in hopes that once he retrieves the star, he can marry the town beauty (Sienna Miller – Layer Cake). He begins a trek which takes him all over the fantasy world filled with magic, evil witches, and dangerous sky pirates, all while being tracked by a villainous prince trying to take his father’s throne. Outside of Cox and Dane’s performances, we see some enthralling turns from the supporting cast. Pfeiffer nails it as the beautiful witch set on collecting the star to restore her and her sister’s youth and beauty, but the real star of the show is Robert Deniro as the infamous pirate Shakespeare giving a truly touching performance and adding quite a bit of humor to this non stop fantasy adventure. We also see a brief turn by Superman Henry Cavill in the role of Humphrey who is also vying for the hand of the town beauty. What starts as an innocent display of adoration turns into an epic quest for Tristan and Yvaine and delves into the true mystery surrounding Tristan’s life. I highly recommend this movie to all people and is appropriate for everyone. I have probably watched this movie 20 times, introducing it to dozens of people and will probably watch 100 more times.

Available on Netflix

The Manchurian Candidate (1962): Frankenheimer’s tale of brainwashing, intrigue, and assassination is a true 60’s gem. Much like Old Boy, please ignore the remake and let us never speak of it again. It is utterly worthless. This was a movie my film loving mother had begged me to watch for nearly 6 years before I finally relented and sat down to watch, and it quickly became one of the top 10 movies I have ever seen. The film itself is so far ahead of its time and was truly groundbreaking, even being censored and prohibited shortly after its release. The film focuses on Korean war veteran Raymond Shaw’s (Laurence Harvey) return home after receiving a medal of honor for his actions rescuing POWs. Maj. Bennet Marco (Frank Sinatra) keeps having recurring dreams of brainwashing and murder after his team's rescue by Shaw and is convinced something is wrong with Shaw. The story delves into the cat and mouse between Shaw and Marco and has great turns from the supporting cast led by everyone’s novelist and sleuth (Angela Lansbury) in a truly terrifying turn as Shaw’s mother. I do not want to add much more to the description of the movie as to not ruin the story, but events in this book eerily mirror some aspects of the real life tragedy of President Kennedy’s assassination just a year after the film’s release. For those who watch for the first time, you will notice some details that pop up in pop culture even now 60 years after its release. The only bad thing I can say about this film is that the romance between Marco and Chaney (Janet Leigh) is a bit ridiculous and love at first sight garbage that 60’s movies were fond of, but if you overlook that bit of cheesiness, you will find this is one of the most remarkable films ever made.

Available to rent in some places

Dawn of the Dead (2004): Going against what I just stated with the last movie, this is a remake that takes a great original film and improves on it in every way. Zombies were introduced to the world through the iconic George Romero back in the late 60’s, but had always been a minor subgenre in the horror movie world. But 28 Days Later (yeah I know it’s not a zombie movie, but a disease, blah blah blah, it’s a zombie movie) followed by a DoTD remake (Zack Snyder) kicked of a resurgence and started the push that led to zombies taking over the entertainment world, followed by the World War Z novel and movie and truly thrust into the limelight with the Walking Dead comic adaptation in 2010. This is a bit of a sore spot with me, and I understand how true comic book aficionados feel when their nerdy true love goes mainstream and they feel like something has been taken from them. That is how I feel with the zombie genre. On the night of release in mid-March 2004, my brother and I eagerly sat down with a theater full of a whole 20 people to watch the much-anticipated remake of our childhood favorite Dawn of the Dead (1978). My siblings and cousins have always been super nerds around the world of zombies and have had discussions as young children about our plans if the zombie outbreak ever occurred decades before the rest of the world caught on. The movie starts in a generic suburb showing nurse Ana (Sarah Polley) going through her daily life with her husband following her shift at the hospital where some odd things were occurring and culminates in a truly terrifying scene where she wakes up to the worst imaginable nightmare and barely escapes with her life. Now this is the one point I will say the remake did not follow up well. Where the original DoTD was a commentary on Americans consumerism, this movie offered a very weak explanation for why people were seeking refuge at the mall. Outside of that, this movie did everything right. We follow a rag tag group of survivors seeking refuge in the mall and are introduced to everyman Michael (Jake Weber), tough guy trying to protect his family (Mekhi Phifer), rugged police officer (Ving Rhames), and IMO the star performance and breakout role by the security guard (Michael Kelly). We also see amazing divergence of his typical role from Ty Burell of Modern Family fame playing the despicable self-centered asshole Steve. The film ranges from terrifying to hilarity while the group initially seeks refuge, tries to make a go of survival and the ultimate decision to search for another safe haven. It is a really fun ride and I highly recommend to any fans of horror. This movie continually lands as my favorite horror movie of all time and has amazing rewatchability.

Available to rent in even more places

Watch Out! Richard Likes These

What's that? You want to see more than just the same boring crap you passed over the first time because it looks so tired and formulaic? Well, you've been heard. Our resident classic movie aficionado, Richard Barr, tells us which of the greatest generation's movies we should be looking out for. And if you haven't heard of any of these, you aren't alone. And he threw in a couple from my lifetime just to keep the kids paying attention. I'm not sure if these will be everybody's cup of tea, but chances are that if you loved Lawrence of Arabia, you'll love these too.

Richard's picks range from 1927-2015, spanning 88 years of movie-making

A Thousand Clowns (1965): – I have a friend who claims Zorba the Greek changed his life. I’ve read the book and seen the movie without being much impressed. My perspective on life was permanently altered by A Thousand Clowns. The casting was superb. Jason Robards was brilliant as the iconoclastic Murray, a writer for a children’s TV show who hates his job and quits. Robards’ chemistry with Barry Gordon who plays his 12 year-old nephew, Nick, is the emotional center of the film. Or maybe not “Nick.” Murray raised his sister’s out of wedlock son and said since she didn’t give the boy a name he wouldn’t either. “Nick” could pick his own name, so over the years, the kid has tried on many. Meanwhile, Child Protective Services, in the person of William Daniels, doesn’t think Murray is providing a proper home. At a minimum, Murray has to be employed and get his job back. Barbara Harris is adorable as the social worker who is charmed by Murray’s passions. Personally I remember Murray’s phone greeting every time my phone rings or whatever phones do these days: “Hello, is this anyone with good news or money? …No?” And then he hangs up.

Director: Fred Coe
Cast: Jason Robards, Barry Gordon, Martin Balsam, Barbara Harris, William Daniels

Updated: Available on YouTube!

Blow-Up (1966): A movie that literally changed my life. Like a great many young men, it inspired me to seek a career in photography. And like David Hemmings in the film, my quest took me on a totally unforeseen path. In the picture, Hemmings’ character, Thomas is a successful, trendy London fashion photographer who drives a white Rolls Royce convertible. While taking random shots in a park of Vanessa Redgrave and an apparent lover, he accidentally captures on film what, in the darkroom, appears to be a murder. Redgrave tracks him down to steal the incriminating film. The movie is less about the mystery than it is about Thomas’s vapid life coming in conflict with harsh reality. Of course, rolling about on studio background paper with two wannabe models revealed an upside to his ennui.

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Cast: David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles

Available to rent most places

Sunrise (originally Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans) (1927): One of Hollywood’s last silent films. As production was wrapping up, it was converted to a sound film, but not a “talkie” because there still isn’t any spoken dialogue. F.W. Murnau created a tone poem by substituting horns for speech and it works. The plot is melodramatic, maybe even over the top, but the soundtrack and camerawork raise the movie to fine art. Example: while the movie was shot entirely within a studio, there are city street scenes when the streets appear to stretch for miles. Murnau achieved this effect by making buildings and vehicles progressively smaller to create perspective. It deserves to be seen.

Director: F.W. Murnau
Cast: George O’Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston

Available on Classix (yeah, I never heard of it either) and to rent most places

Tampopo (1985): A manju of a movie—in other words, a sweet delight. It’s called the first Japanese noodle western. It pokes fun at Japanese practices and attitudes toward food blended with a Shane-type western story. A stranger in a cowboy hat rides into town in a truck and helps Tampopo, a struggling noodle shop owner, compete in a showdown with a rival noodle purveyor. Among the memorable asides are the proper way to slurp noodles, a housewife who rises from her deathbed to make dinner, and a mob boss who amuses his girlfriend by overturning a bowl of live prawns on her bare belly so they can tickle her as they scramble about inside their domed enclosure. A noodle sensei reminds us to gently caress the ramen in our bowls with our chopstick tips to show affection.

Director: Jûzô Itami
Cast: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto

Available on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel

1944 (2015): This is a portrayal of an Estonian dilemma that echoes even today. The advent of the Second World War offered hope to Estonians that they could escape the Soviet yoke. To that end many in this Baltic nation joined the German military to drive out the Russians. Other young men joined the Soviet army to drive out the Nazis. The movie shows a battle and it’s aftermath when two Estonian units on opposite sides meet without animus toward each other but in conflict with the juggernauts they serve. As war movies go, it’s on the smallish side, but as we get to know the characters, the weight of their situation becomes overwhelming.

Director: Elmo Nüganen
Cast: Kaspar Velberg, Kristjan Üksküla, Gert Raudsep, Maiken Pius

Available on Hoopla, Tubi, Kanopy, and Film Movement Plus

Watch Out! Jeff Likes These

Jeff Higgins hasn't even been with us for a year AND he has good things to say about Goonies when prompted, but he's still managed to win over our hearts with a combination of gentle humor, clever wit, and a mutual hatred for Kevin Costner. This week, he actually tells us a few things we didn't know about him. What was the first Rated R movie he ever saw? What movie does he like that 88% of critics do not? And does he have the - oh yeah, there it is. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is actually the first entry. Well, he tells us four things we didn't already know about him. Check out this romp through the 90s and catch one that may have slipped through the cracks.

Jeff submits his "Movies you've heard of but can't remember if you've seen" entry familiar to this column

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: – I will continue recommending this movie until enough people have seen it that it makes its well-deserved appearance in a Movie Madness Tournament. It’s a neo-noir crime comedy, written and directed by Shane Black, that is full of genuine laughs as well as a substantive plot that will keep you guessing, and it is the best movie to employ a fourth-wall-breaking narrator since Ferris Bueller (even better than Deadpool). Robert Downey, Jr. said it’s the best movie he’s ever made. He’s right. It’s the best movie ALL participants have ever made and you will not regret watching this.

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, and Corbin Bernsen

Available on Tubi or to rent on Amazon

Bowfinger: Two of Hollywood’s greatest comedians, Steve Martin (who also wrote the movie) and Eddie Murphy (in hilarious dual roles), star in this comedy that’s a send-up of modern movie-making and the celebrity cult of personality. Not only is it really funny, but Eddie Murphy is acting harder than he normally had to at this point in his career, and this is the movie where he perfected his dual characters bit. Great humor, easy watch.

Starring: Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, and Terence Stamp.

Available on HBO Max

Crimson Tide: This isn’t a hidden gem, I know, but it’s too good to leave off this list. The first ‘R’ rated movie I got to see in a theater set a really high bar. Full of smart dialogue, a stacked cast, and high-stakes tension that slow burns into a big explosion, I will watch this movie, no matter where it is, anytime it is on. Denzel and Hackman going toe-to-toe is something you have to witness.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, George Dzundza, Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini

Available to rent on Amazon and AppleTV

Grosse Pointe Blank: Back to comedies. John Cusack plays a hitman whose next hit takes him back home, just in time for his 10-year high school reunion where he is reunited with family, old friends, and his ex-girlfriend that he stood up at prom. Hilarity ensues. Witty script, great cast, even better soundtrack. Works as a romantic date night movie, with guns and explosions. Did I mention THE SOUNDTRACK?

Starring: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Jeremy Piven, Alan Arkin, Joan Cusack and Dan Aykroyd 

Available to rent on Amazon and AppleTV

Oscar: This will be the movie I’m mocked for. It has a 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I still stand by it. Sylvester Stallone tried to break out of action and get into comedy. It didn’t work, but he is really good in this movie as he is actually trying to play a character vs. different versions of his meathead persona. To keep a promise to his dying father, “Snaps” Provolone tries to give up the life of a gangster and become a respectable banker. Chaos breaks out the morning he decides to go straight: family tensions, rival gangs, surveillance by the Feds, mistaken identities, double crosses, bag swaps – it all snowballs as the movie unfolds. Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s enjoyable and Stallone is funny here. And the cast is absolutely STACKED. Stupidly stacked. Pre-My Cousin Vinny Marisa Tomei is amazing, and Tim Curry shows up mid-way through for a few scenes. You’ll be saying, “They’re in this, too?” throughout the flick.  

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Marisa Tomei, Chazz Palminteri, Tim Curry, Don Ameche, Peter Riegert, Vincent Spano, Kurtwood Smith, Martin Ferrero, Harry Shearer, and Kirk Douglas. (STACKED)

Available to rent on Amazon and AppleTV. If you absolutely hate it, Dustin will reimburse you from the MM budget. (Ed note: No he won't. He already blew the entire FY21-22 budget on a small bag of lightly salted almonds.)