Saturday, December 13, 2008

What's In the Netflix Queue #21

I apologize for light posting this week. It's been a busy one. I've got some reviews I've been meaning to bang out (especially one on "Let the Right One In"), so hopefully next week provides the opportunity. In the meantime, next 10 titles in my queue:

1. Expect the Unexpected- Late 90's Patrick Yau film about a group of Hong Kong thieves whose bank robbery goes "horribly awry". I remember quite a bit of art house buzz about this.
2. The Free Will- German film released earlier this year about a rapist released back onto the streets. The subject matter sounds harsh, and everything I've read about this paints it as a rather unpleasant viewing experience. Time to see for myself.
3. Bang the Drum Slowly- Yes, the DeNiro I'm-dying-male-baseball-weepie from the 70's Never seen it.
4. The Boost- 80's film starring James Woods as a drug addict. Directed by the workmanlike Harold Becker whose made his share of watchable adult dramas.
5. Ace In the Hole- Classic Kirk Douglas film about a journalist fanning the flames of a mining accident in New Mexico. Directed by Billy Wilder. I know I've seen this film on TCM years ago, but its due for a re-visit.
6. Bashing- Masahuro Kobayashi's 2005 film about: "a woman released after being kidnapped and held hostage in Iraq, Japanese aid worker Yuko (Fusako Urabe) faces a hostile reception back home in this drama based on true events. Feeling that she's shamed the country, strangers consider her a pariah. Even her family members, friends and former co-workers show no sympathy, greeting her with awkwardness or jeers. The film received a nomination for the Palme d'Or at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival."
7. The Power of Nightmares- (3 discs) British documentarian Adam Curtis's highly acclaimed '06 series about the relationship between fear in the media and politics. I had no idea this thing was out there on DVD. As respected as it was by so many people, one would have thought lefties would be clamoring to the hills about it.
8. A Boy and His Dog- The great L.Q. Jones directs this cult classic about the apocalypse.
9. Classe Tour Resquis- Claude Santet's 60's crime drama about two hoods bonding on the lam. I'm a sucker for most any French crime film.
10. Knightriders- Another one that seems to have been slipped onto DVD without much fanfare. This is the early 80's George Romero flick about a group of touring Renaissance fair jousters? Yes, it is true. Sounds like campy fun.

3 comments:

TALKING MOVIEzzz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bob Turnbull said...

As soon as I read your synopsis for "The Power Of Nightmares", I ran to zip.ca to add it to my queue - as it turns out, I already had it in there...B-) I did raise it up higher on the list though.

Thanks for the tips on "Expect The Unexpected" and "Bashing" - both sound great, though in completely different ways.

Joe Baker said...

Moviezzz,

I don't know how this one slipped by me. I guess it was last year when I went through and added every Romero I hadn't seen- stuff like "Martin" and "Season of the Witch" (very bad, by the way), but I don't recall "Knightriders". Maybe Netflix just started carrying the Anchor Bay re-release?

Bob,

I've been waiting for "The Power of Nightmares" after reading a great article on it by Cineaste. I understand director Curtis has already released a second documentary so I've got some catching up to do.