Netflix Update

Been a while since I pimped some rentals, so as I sit here, day after Thanksgiving, a bit hungover with nothing better to do, I figured I'd do just that.




Masked & Anonymous -- So this one has been on my mind a lot lately as I've been listening to his autobiography. Most critics have been pretty cruel to this one but I really got into it. Co-written by Dylan himself (though you get the feeling that a good majority may have been improvised), it really is like taking one of his songs and stretching it out into a 90 minute movie. It's a dis-jointed almost sci-fi plot, rambles a bit at times, jumps around with free-association, is filled with other-worldly characters, and well--like I said, just like one of his songs. I loved it's disregard for standard movie conventions (like another movie below). This movie has it's own agenda and couldn't be bothered concerning itself whether or not you're up for following along. Let the movie wash over you, enjoy the excellent live songs Dylan plays that are scattered throughout and the 5 star cast that you can tell is having a good time just letting loose. There's a lot going on and trying to be said in this movie. Though critics disregarded it, NYU and probably some other schools immediately started featuring this in their film classes--and for good reason. They just don't make movies like Masked & Anonymous at major studios with a cast like this. It is an oddity to be sure, but a rather enjoyable one.

Ali G Indahouse -- It's Friday night, you have your beverage of choice within reach, you've smoked a bowl or two, now press play. That's the ideal way to enjoy this movie anyway. Now of course it isn't as brilliant as the show is, but did you really expect it to be? It starts off amazing and slowly goes downhill from there--but there are moments of hilarity sprinkled from beginning to end. If it was as smart as Anchorman it would have thrown the plot out the window and just come up with random excuses to deliver the jokes, as the whole Ali G becomes member of parliament thing seems forced and lame from the moment you see it coming. But no matter, there's a lot of bug laughs in there to make this worth checking out.

Also, if you haven't seen it--check out Ali G's speech to this years graduating class at Harvard. Laughter will ensue.

Blueberry (Renegade) -- This one's the weaker of the bunch but I still recommend giving it a shot. I'm into Vincent Cassel's work lately. Birthday Girl, Irreversable, Read My Lips, all top notch stuff that I recommend checking out. Anyway, this is, to my knowledge, the first psychedelic western. Very strange existential revenge movie based on some obscure comic book with lots of peyote consumption going on and even a five minute freak-out at the end. There's some good performances by the eccentric cast, but what really hooked me was the photography. I'm not familiar with the French director who made this but some of the cinematography going on here is amazing. The ending is a bit of a let-down though. The big pay-off seems to be Juliette Lewis' bush. But as I said, this is an existential revenge movie--if you can deal with that concept then you may have a good time with this one. And I refuse to call this by it's US DVD title of Renegade. There's no Lorenxo Lamas involved and Blueberry is a very apt title to this bizare movie--as well as the name of the main character and the comic book. Who do they think they're fooling with Renegade? Ick.

Bubba Ho-Tep -- A classic in my book. I love The Chin, and he was born to play geriatric Elvis and I pray to whatever god decides which movies are green-lit that there is indeed a sequel to this movie as the end credits suggest. A lot of you are probably already hip to this one, it's been out for a while now--but if you're not, it's Elvis and JFK in a nursing home fighting off an evil soul-sucking Mummy. From this plot they manage to make a movie that is both flat out hilarious and oddly touching. Bruce Campbell proves he's got plenty of acting chops as he gives us an elderly Elvis who's pretty much lost his will to live until Ossie Davis' black JFK gives him purpose in saving their home. And Ossie, lordy... by the end of this he actually has you believing that JFK could be alive, black, and living in Texas. Highest honors go to this one.

Well, that's it for now. These aren't the best of movies ('cept Bubba), but they've stuck with me for some reason or another so I figured I'd give them the shout out. Feel free to bitch me out if you disagree.