Listed in the order in which I saw them.
THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949)
(seen on FilmStruck)
Like many, I was prompted to watch this by Paul Thomas Anderson as a companion piece to last year’s Phantom Thread. I don’t like most love triangle stories, because most of them just use what should be incredibly complicated feelings and emotions as a plot device, without dealing with those feelings at all. The Passionate Friends reminded me a bit of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where a character is torn between two lives - one with a lover for whom they cherish a deep passion and understanding, and one with a spouse with whom they are genuinely happy. Ann Todd is heartbreaking in this, and the end of the film, while simple, blew me away. This is truly Claude Rains’ best work apart from Casablanca and I’m mad at myself for not knowing about this film when I was filling out my BNAT application in 2014 (where we had to take a character actor from Casablanca and list our favorite non-Casablanca role of theirs). (Available to rent on Amazon - if FilmStruck were still around, it would be there as well (*sniff*).)
PEPPERMINT SODA (1977)
(seen at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their women filmmakers marathon event)
Probably my favorite entry in Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers’ “films directed by women” marathon, this movie is an utter delight. A stunning feature film debut by Diane Kurys (who went on to direct the Oscar-nominated Entre Nous), it is somewhat autobiographical and centers on two Jewish sisters, one 13 and one 15, who split their time between their separated parents in the early 1960s. They spend most of the year with their mother in Paris, where they attend a strict boarding school, and they spend summer break at the beach with their father. There’s an obvious element of nostalgia here, but it’s not precious about the pain of growing up. This is one of those movies I’d love to live in, if only for the beautiful pastel color palette. (Not available right this second, but Cohen Media is releasing a Blu-Ray in February.)
LIQUID SKY (1982)
(seen at Quad Cinema)
In the world of punk films, there is Liquid Sky and there is everything else. Like Rocky Horror Picture Show before it, this movie inspired a cult following that includes midnight screenings and fans willing to dress up as the film’s oddball characters. Set in present-day (1982) New York, Liquid Sky follows several characters, including male model Larry and Connecticut beauty Margaret (both played by the film’s star, Ann Carlisle). And the closest thing resembling a plot in the film is a group of aliens that land on top of a building and feed off the energy released when people get high on heroine (or have orgasms). It is an assault on the senses in the best way. (Available to stream on Shudder, and for rent on Amazon.)
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967)
(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Hammer retrospective)
Not without its controversial aspects (particularly when viewed through a modern lens), this is nonetheless a fascinating take on Hammer studio’s Frankenstein mythos -- with a transgender twist. Cushing’s Frankenstein is intent on trapping the human soul of a recently deceased person, believing he can transfer it to the body of another recently deceased person. His eventual subject is Christina, a woman who has drowned herself in despair over her lover’s death. Frankenstein transfers the soul of this lover, Hans — a man unjustly accused of and executed for murder — to Christina and nurtures her back to health. But hijinks (and death) ensue when Christina is compelled by the spirit of Hans to avenge his death. Again, not without its issues, but still one of my favorite Hammer offerings. (Unfortunately not available to stream anywhere and physical copies are hard to find, unless you’re prepared to give an arm and a leg for them.)
OLD ENOUGH (1984)
(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)
Don’t let this movie’s title put you off! It is a thoroughly engaging coming of age drama about a friendship between an 11-year-old from an upper class family and an older girl from the lower middle class (in true New York fashion, their wildly different worlds are only a couple blocks from each other). The two become friends and learn about each other’s different lifestyles. Like Peppermint Soda, this feels achingly honest and the film’s two leads feel very much like real girls and have a great chemistry. (This movie is also the film debut of a very young and adorable Alyssa Milano.) I got to see this as part of Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series, and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)
BABY FACE (1933)
(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)
This is another entry in Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series. Barbara Stanwyck is a stone cold badass in this movie and doesn’t give a hoot if you don’t find her “likable.” Her character, Lily, sleeps her way to the top, both socially and financially, and thinks little of the lives she steps on along the way. I love that you can’t pass judgement on Lily’s actions in this movie without also examining what her options are as a woman in this time period. Not only did this movie have to be edited with extra moralizing in order to pass the New York State Censorship Board, it also is one of the handful of films that brought an end to the Pre-Code era in Hollywood. It also features a very young John Wayne in a small role. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)
STAR 80 (1983)
(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Fosse series)
I watched this and was so impressed by it that I bought it, but I’m not sure I ever want to watch this again. This is the last film directed by the great Bob Fosse and it is brutally ugly. The movie tells a semi-fictionalized version of the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten, who was a celebrated Playboy Playmate and burgeoning actress before she was murdered by her husband Paul Snider. Mariel Hemingway is great as Stratten, but the film centers on a truly brilliant performance by Eric Roberts, who gives Snider a surprising amount of humanity without losing any of his sliminess or giving him one iota of forgiveness. The end of this film is a gut punch, and you can tell Fosse utterly loathes the men in this movie, who treat Stratten — even after her death — as a product. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)
WELCOME HOME, ROXY CARMICHAEL (1990)
(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn as part of their Winona Forever event)
Where has this movie been all my life?! When it comes to iconic female role models played by Winona Ryder, Heathers and Beetlejuice are the movies you probably think of first. Oh, and Little Women, of course. But Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael reigns over them all, and I truly wish I’d known about this movie when I was a teen and could have identified with this scruffy dog lover who doesn’t need a guy in her life bad enough to put up with not being treated like the queen she is. All hail Dinky Bossetti! (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)
LOS SURES (1984)
(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their I Love Old New York event)
I don’t watch a lot of documentaries, but this one knocked me out. Part of the Yonkers Drafthouse’s “I Love Old New York” marathon, this is a doc about the Brooklyn neighborhood that is now known as Williamsburg. It’s almost unfathomable that the area of Brooklyn seen in this film is the same as the upscale hipster haven that Williamsburg is today. Los Sures was one of the poorest neighborhoods in NYC when this film was made and was once called the worst ghetto in America. The film follows five individuals and is an incredible portrait of a community that struggles with crime and disenfranchisement but also has people who are willing to fight to make it better. (Available to rent on Amazon.)
ANGUISH (1987)
(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of Dismember the Alamo)
It’s been a couple of months since I first saw this and I’m still not sure what I saw. What begins as a creepy mother-son psychic revenge plot with major eye squickiness (and top-billed Zelda Rubinstein!) takes a HARD left turn about thirty minutes in. The trick this movie pulls is one that should definitely be used sparingly, but it really works here and becomes (for me, at least) a much more relatable nightmare. I can’t really say much more without spoiling, and I can’t imagine how they advertised this movie, but it’s a very solid slasher that isn’t like a hundred slashers you’ve seen before. I’m so glad I got to see this in an actual movie theater, and that I think is the ultimate way to see it. Provided you can handle the eye squick. (Hard to find, unfortunately - there’s a Blu-Ray but it’s Region 2. Some Region 1 DVDs for sale by some collectors on Amazon, but you’ll probably get a better price on eBay.)
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