I can't be seen at Club Skunk
Six-String Samurai (1998)
Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic alternate 1950s world where the Russians have dropped an atomic bomb on the USA, Elvis is King. But his sudden death calls for a new king in the rock n’ roll capital of “Lost Vegas”. Enter Buddy (Jeffrey Falcon), the guitar-playing, samurai sword-swinging hipster badass extraordinaire who is determined to make it to Vegas in time to be crowned king. On the way, he meets “The Kid” (Justin McGuire) whom he saves in an epic battle (the movie’s fast-paced opening scene), a gang of crazy bowlers (The Pin Pals) who try to kill him, and a weird midget, all the while on the run from death, personified as a heavy metal band. (According to Fiona)
What We Think: For some reason, Brigid absolutely refuses to watch this movie (and I have no idea why, I mean, you read the description). She thinks it’s too weird, I guess, and it kind of is. That is what’s so great about it. The entire movie is so ridiculous that I have never seen anything that manages to be this weird while remaining a good movie. Some scenes are simply too random to follow. Its bizarre concept and laughable randomness are also perfectly balanced by intense action scenes. Plus the main character does his own stunts, so it’s really hardcore. There are also a plethora of good quotes, my favorites being “Nice tuxedo. Nice tuxedo to DIE IN!”, “Float away, little butterfly. Just flutter away. I got a gig in Vegas. And the wastelands ain’t no place for kids”, “If I were you, I’d run!” “If you were me, you’d be good lookin’”, and “Cross that line, kid, I’ll cut your little teddy bear in half”. Six-String Samurai is what all low-budget action/ science fiction movies should be. Why is this not a cult classic? I don’t understand.
The band who does the soundtrack, The Red Elvis’, also makes a cameo as minions of death who are slaughtered by death after they fail to kill Buddy. So that’s original. They are a Russian rock n’ roll band based in California and they are PERFECT. Seriously, check them out. You’re welcome.
But the best part, by far, is that in the last 10 minutes or so, the movie simply turns into The Wizard of Oz. You’ll see what I mean.
Anyone who likes distopian movies, music, crazy cool martial arts fight scenes, or simply movies that are super weird will like this film. Or if you’re on drugs.
awesomepeoplehangingouttogether:
Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg
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Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Plot Summary: In which the Nazis have occupied France, and they kill the family of certified bad-ass Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent), a Jewish woman who poses as a cinema owner after she escapes. She is hiding from the Nazis, especially Hans Lada (Christopher Waltz), the fucking CRAZY colonel, nicknamed the “Jew Hunter.” However, Nazis are being killed by a group of renegade Jewish-American soldiers, The Basterds, led by the unbelievably awesome Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). The Basterds and Shosanna both have plans to kill Hitler and they collide in the epic ending of this awesome movie. (According to Brigid)
What We Think: We LOVED this movie. Definitely Top Ten material here. The first time we watched it, we were kind of just silent for a few minutes and then we were just like, “Shit.” Cause it’s fucking awesome. I mean, I didn’t really expect anything less with a Tarantino film, but I loved how this combined crazy alternate universes with history and made this explosion of amazement. Another fantastic thing about this film: the cast. God, I love this cast. We’ve got Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, B.J. Novak, Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, and so many more. Also, tell me how Mélanie Laurent could be anymore GORGEOUS.
The plot of this film was amazing too, and I never got bored, even during the really long scenes. It had a really dry sense of humor to it, like NBC shows dry. Plus it was perfectly sculpted and everything just fit together and I barely talked the entire time except to laugh at Brad Pitt’s terrible Italian accent (“Bawjorno”) and to comment on the bad-assery going on here. And that’s saying something, cause I’m a huge movie talker, so a movie that can make me shut up is magnificent.
I don’t really know what else to say. If you haven’t seen this film, WATCH IT. It’s not the type of movie you can just not watch. It’s fabulous. I can’t even.
I’m Not There. (2007)
Plot Summary: Six incarnations of Bob Dylan: an actor, a folk singer, an electrified troubadour, Rimbaud, Billy the Kid, and Woody Guthrie. Put Dylan’s music behind their adventures, soliloquies, interviews, marriage, and infidelity. Recreate 1960s documentaries in black and white. Put each at a crossroads, the artist becoming someone else.
What We Think: We watched this movie for the first time this weekend, and I really enjoyed it. The first thing you should know about this movie: it’s super artsy. It’s a crazy surrealist film that switches from black and white to color every other scene with a lot of different types of mediums. If you’re a hipster hater, first of all, get off this blog, and second, don’t watch this movie. But if you’re just impartial to that kind of thing (which I happen to love), I still recommend you check out this movie because it’s extremely inventive and interesting and each Dylan is totally unique yet exactly the same. Although they are all played by different actors in different time periods, they all have the same attitudes and ideals.
My favorite Dylans were Marcus Carl Franklin’s Woody, Heath Ledger’s Robbie (of course), and Cate Blanchett playing Jude Quinn, which was absolutely fabulous. Woody is this little kid who’s on the run from foster care and just rides around on trains, playing music and killing fascists (you’ll get it). Robbie is this film star who falls in love and gets married to Claire, and they have kids and the most complicated relationship ever. Eventually, fame and shit gets to his head, because he turns into a huge asshole, and then she wants a divorce and he wants custody and it’s sad and then a little happier. And then there’s Cate Blanchett, who rightfully got an Oscar nod for her role as Jude Quinn, a folk singer whose fans become angry when he goes electric. He is hilarious (“Either be groovy or leave, man!”) and overly dramatic (“This is Lorne, my executioner.”) and overall weird (“God, I’m glad I’m not me.”). This was my favorite Dylan, because in my (Brigid) opinion, it was the one who represented the most who Bob Dylan really was. I agree (Fiona). You go, girl. The other versions, Christian Bale’s Jack Rollins, Richard Gere’s Billy, and Ben Wishaw’s Arthur Rimbaud, were more removed and far away, and I think that was the whole point of the movie.
My (Fiona) only criticism is that they recorded Dylan’s songs. Da fuck? This isn’t Across The Universe, in which having the actors sing the songs was both interesting, because they wove the songs into the story and used them to construct the plot, and necessary, because chicks don’t sound like the Beatles. It would have been really interesting if they had used Dylan’s originals, linking the distant characters. I get what they were trying to do- represent the different sides of his personality and career through unique characters- but they’re forgetting that this really all comes back to one person and his music. Although I did enjoy the scene in which Woody Guthrie is sitting on the porch playing his guitar with the two old men, because that child is adorable and has an amazing voice. Brigid agrees.
But really, go watch this. It’s interesting and beautifully done and kind of weird. It had a very unique look at this musician who most people who don’t get, and it’s still making me think. And if none of that convinces you, let this: David Cross (Tobias Funke) plays Allen Ginsberg. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Ten Things I Hate About You (1999)
Plot Summary: Kat (Julia Stiles) and Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) are crazy sisters living with their equally crazy father (Larry Miller) in this modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Daddy is super overbearing and “kept up to his elbows in placenta” every day from his job as a gynecologist and therefore won’t let Bianca date until Kat does. But Kat is an outspoken femenazi senior with a big stick up her ass who hates people and spends her time reading The Bell Jar and listening to “angry girl music of the indie persuasion”, so this sucks for obnoxiously cutesy sophomore Bianca, especially because she already has two guys chasing her- toolish model prettyboy, Joey “Eat Me” Donner (Andrew Keegan) and adorably nerdy new student, Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). So Cameron convinces Joey to pay an Australian-accented badboy, Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), to take Kat out so that he can make his move on Bianca, but then Kat and Patrick actually start to fall for eachother. Blah blah blah, shit gets fucked up and everyone is ridiculous. Basically it’s super ironic and witty and perfect. (According to Fiona)
What We Think: This movie is the best. I mean, the ultimate high school film- it has a ton of completely ridiculous cliches that are handled so expertly. It is completely believable that there is a group of people at Padua who truly think that they are cowboys, and a bunch of stoner “white rastas”, and peach Fruit Roll-ups (“Because you don’t see many of those…”). It’s hilarious, but not in a “let’s mock this movie” sort of way. It is a legitimately funny movie with interesting and ridiculous, yet real, characters. Also, Shakespeare adaption? Love that shit. Maybe people who watch this will actually want to read a Shakespeare play. Which is always good.
While I love this movie as a whole, there are definitely parts that stand out above the rest. First of all, little Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This movie is when I fell in love with him and then I saw him as he is now, so obsession ensued. He plays Cameron and it’s adorable and perfect. I love him. Also, some awesome secondary characters: Ms. Perky, the ridiculous guidance counselor (“Bratwurst? Aren’t we the optimist?”), Mr. Morgan, the crazy awesome English teacher (“Someday, you gonna get bitch-slapped, and I’m not gonna do a thing to stop it.”) and, wait for it, Bogey Lowestein (“That must be Nigel with the brie!”, which by the way is how I now answer the doorbell- do it).
So basically the cast, besides fucking BIANCA (“I happen to like being adored, thank you!”), is fabulous. But one member rises above the rest: Heath fucking Ledger. There are no words for how many times my ovaries explode during this movie because of this man. He is so unbearably perfect and amazing that I would advise you not to watch this movie if you don’t want to ruin your expectations of men forever (re: paintballs scene). From his singing to the accent to the paint in his hair, this man is perfection and he’s a perfect Patrick Verona.
I don’t know what else to say. Best movie ever.
