Today’s random DVD is The Magic Christian (HU DVD 7940) starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. This black comedy is completely littered with celebrity cameos (see Wikipedia), and looks fully ridiculous. But supposedly it’s terribly madcap! So I suppose that’s fine. Also, I mean, Peter Sellers in anything, really. How can you resist? Here’s our summary: […]

Today’s random DVD is Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (HU DVD 1097). A 1991 action gangster film, Wikipedia makes it sound like there’s some disagreement about just how anti-gangster this film is, and Time Out London called it “a superior example of what used to be called blaxploitation.” The IMDB trivia page on this […]

Masked Rider The First (HU DVD 11528) has got to be one of the more intriguing things I’ve pulled off the shelf in a while. Like a lot of live action movies based on anime, the plot sounds completely bizarre when you read it. According to Wikipedia, the movie is based on a popular manga that […]

Today’s random movie is De-Lovely (HU DVD 12337). Kind of mixed reviews according to Wikipedia, but hey, Kevin Kline is in it so how bad could it be. Also, Kevin Kline sings in it so it’s worth watching just for that. Here’s our summary: A musical portrait of American composer Cole Porter. The film imagines […]

Today’s random movie is Mizoguchi’s Sansho the Bailiff (HU DVD 5910). There are some super interesting essays on Criterion about this film, and I learned on Wikipedia that apparently Terrence Malick wrote a stage play based on the film! Here’s our summary: Based on a medieval Japanese folktale, this is a story of an aristocratic […]

Today’s film is Rithy Panh’s 1994 film Rice People (HU DVD 6120). According to Wikipedia, this film was the first Cambodian film submitted to the academy awards. Here’s our summary: In order to grow a successful rice crop, Poeuv and Om fight disease, snakes, and more. When Poeuv dies, Om must forge on to take […]

To call this selection random would be basically a lie. BUT unless you’re psychic you probably weren’t thinking of it, so it’s random for you! Moonfleet (HU DVD 7928) is a 1955 Fritz Lang film that, according to Wikipedia, was a critical and financial failure upon release, but was rated among the 100 most essential […]

Today’s random movie is Gus Van Sant’s Elephant (HU DVD 790). This 2003 film was briefly blamed for a school shooting, but otherwise was highly regarded. According to Wikipedia, the film starred mostly new or non-professional actors, which entailed much of the improvisation that gives the film its feel. Here’s our summary: Elephant takes us […]

Today’s random movie is Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (HU DVD 1944). This critically acclaimed film starring Catherine Deneuve is considered one of Polanski’s greatest works. Here’s our summary: Carol, who works in a beauty salon in London during the 1960s, is both repulsed and fascinated by men. She is unsure of how to handle their advances, […]