A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Thanks to the rise of Donald Trump, this film is on the minds of a lot of people. Lately I’ve heard a lot of people claiming that it’s time to add A Face in the Crowd to the continually growing list of films that were once considered satires, but are now defacto documentaries. But as ‘Becca’lise pointed out to me after our most recent viewing, regardless of how dark this film is, it is actually pretty optimistic. I’m not sure if Lonesome Rhodes' downfall was mandated by the production code or what, but the idea that a demagogue like that could be brought down by a few offhand remarks is actually wishful thinking. As we have seen over and over again with “The Donald”, shocking statements are not enough in today’s America. People decry our “Outrage Culture” and the ways that it can destroy lives over trivial faux pas, but it has somehow yet to put an end to that man’s candidacy. In fact, those outrageous statements have only made him stronger. Perhaps we should instead move this from the “satire” column to the “fantasy” column?

Dogtooth (2009)

Beneath the political, sexual and familial layers at play in Dogtooth, this film is first and foremost about control and how hard it is to maintain. Logically, the film is told in a very controlled manner. The camera very seldom moves and the entire production was shot with a single lens which gives a subconscious feeling of uniformity. Yet, in spite of that rigid visual structure, the viewer is given a lot of freedom with regards to various aspects of the narrative and are thus allowed to find their own interpretation of them. When you are shown only very specific moments from very specific angles, it is on you to come up with what happens outside the frame and in-between the scenes. Like Christina, we are that little bit of chaos that is being thrown into the mix. Merely by watching this family, we are throwing them into absolute chaos with our judgements and observations. They were all so much happier before we came along and ruined everything.

The Bling Ring (2013)

When Sidney Lumet made Network, he and cinematographer Owen Roizman used lighting to enhance their story. Since the film was about corruption, they decided to have the camera become corrupt as well. In the early scenes they used very little light and a hand-held, documentary approach. By the end, everything is lit "like a commercial". That's the lighting that The Bling Ring begins with. The world of slick commercialism is this film's baseline. It's not a film about "good" kids getting seduced by fame. These kids were born into that world and know no other. Aesthetically, this is the cinematic equivalent of a selfie. Does this film glamorize its subjects? It sure as hell does. But no more than the reality television they were raised on. Just try to not be chilled by Emma Watson's interview at the end. The only place to go from here is the absolute anarchy of Spring Breakers.

Showgirls (1995)

Outsiders often have a unique perspective on things. They notice stuff that others might miss. This applies to filmmakers too. They can see our faults and shine a light on them. Or in some cases, cast an artful shadow on them. It is no coincidence that of the major tributaries to the river we know as "film noir" is the cinematic output of foreign filmmakers like Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang and Roman Polanski. They were able to see the sickness that America was either oblivious to or actively ignoring. While I'll agree that Robocop is clearly the greatest American satire of Paul Verhoeven's career, Showgirls is a pretty great one too. When he directed Robocop, he was still brand new to this country and made a film that was most heavily influenced by the America he had experienced through media while growing up in the Netherlands. Showgirls is a film that comes from having actually lived and worked in America for the better part of a decade. This decadently ugly depiction of a violent and treacherous world where  there are no good guys came as the result of careful study. Of course it bombed. You can hold a mirror up to society, but you can't make them look.

Being There (1979)

I will take this movie over Forrest Gump any day of the week. We like Gump because it is easy to digest: a man of limited mental capabilities is able to succeed in America by not thinking, doing as he's told and being nice to people. That's a reassuring message. But it's also not the world we live in. If it were that simple, we would all be shrimping millionaires. It's the type of message that pacifies and keeps us from getting angry about the state of things. Being There isn't afraid to state the hard truths. Former maid Louise lays it right out on front street: 

"It's for sure a white man's world in America. Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a piss-ant. And I'll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th' ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass. Look at him now! Yes, sir, all you've gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!"

This film is particularly relevant in an election year. If you haven't seen it in a while or have never seen it before, give it a watch before heading to the polls. Satire doesn't get much more biting.

Little Children (2006)

It's so weird seeing which films get Oscar "heat" and which ones do not. When director Todd Field's debut feature In the Bedroom came out in 2001, trade ads were ubiquitous. Eventually garnering five Academy Award nominations, it was the little movie that could. When I finally saw the film, I found it to be simply OK. But all that industry attention had me wondering if I had missed something. What was I not seeing? As a result, I avoided seeing Little Children in theaters. When I finally caught up with it on DVD, I was blown away. This was a film! Strong performances, a distinct (yet subtle) visual style, a clear point of view, biting humor and disturbing insights into human nature. For me, this was the complete cinematic package. So of course there was no hype for this film and despite three Oscar nods, it is largely forgotten. But then again, In the Bedroom has been forgotten too. Time makes equals of us all.

10 Reasons to Rewatch Heathers (1988)

I'm sorry everybody, I don't have time to write a properly beautiful and insightful (ha!) review for this dark comedy classic. I had an extra long day at work and I need to marathon "Orange Is The New Black," so here's a quick rundown of 10 things that make Heathers great.

1. "What's your DAMAGE?"

2. Shoulder pads, shoulder pads, SHOULDER PADS.

3. The bitchiest croquet game ever.

4. "I don't patronize bunny rabbits!"

5. Veronica's angry journaling monocle.

6. Heather demonstrating the proper use for holy water.

7. Christian Slater's Jack Nicholson impression (basically the entire movie)

8. Father Otho!

9.  Mineral water.

10. "Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw!" and every other delicious quote from this wickedly twisted movie.

Network (1976)

I know that what the modern era is supposed to take from Network is how eerily prescient it was regarding our current media landscape, but on this most recent re-watch all I could think about was the 2008 financial crisis. At it's most basic Network is a film about shortsighted decisions. Every single character in this film is only concerned with the here and now, future be damned. What will bring our ratings up? What will make me happy right now? When you think about it in that way, this becomes a much more important film. It's no longer just about how awful and depraved television is becoming, it's about how awful and depraved we are becoming. What will win me this election? What will yield the largest profit? This kind of thinking is how we end up with things like the Tea Party and Global Climate Change. The media is not the sickness, the people who make it and consume it are. We are the sickness.

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

The American Dream is the idea that anybody can rise from abject poverty to unbridled prosperity. This is what makes America great. This is also why poor people vote Republican. The allure of wealth is so great that people will vote against their own present self-interest if they think that it will benefit their hypothetical, well-off, future self. We want the big house and five cars (in charge). We want it so bad that we will pay a scumbag like Jordan Belfort to teach us his secrets. We don't care that he's a pathetic, misogynist, drug addict who robbed countless people of their livelihoods and beat his wife (and Lord knows how many other women). All we care about is striking it big so that the money can wash away all of our troubles. Oh, and isn't he quite charming as well? This is why you are still poor and the real Jordan Belfort is engaged and living well in Manhattan Beach, CA. God Bless America!

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

A ton of scaly mischief making creatures run wild in a giant corporate building in downtonw Manhattan.

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Growing up in the 1980's was a weird time. After the runaway success of Star Wars, literally every film became a cartoon and/or was marketed to children in the form of coloring books, action figures, fruit snacks, etc. So what if the film was rated PG-13 (or in some cases R)? Though I didn't end up seeing this film until I was probably fifteen, six-year-old Craig was very familiar with this film thanks to the book section at the local Pic 'N' Save. I particularly remember the spider-Gremlin. And boy was the marketing effective. Oh how I desperately wanted to see this film, but alas my parents didn't want to waste a Friday night with such "childish" fare.

Having watched this film again recently, I guess my parents were partially right in labeling this film "childish" as it is the cinematic equivalent of Mad Magazine. Yet the satire going on inside is aimed squarely at adults. Released in 1990, this film is a poison pen letter to the excess and corporatism of the Reagan-80's. So vicious is some of the satire, that I don't even think it would be out of line to see this film on a double-bill with Fight Club.

And so in the interest of sequelism and capitalism, this wild little film was marketed to children all over the world. God bless Joe Dante for taking a blank check from Warner Brothers and choosing to use it as a means of corrupting young minds and inspiring cinematic irreverence for generations to come!

Fight Club (1999)

A lost young man (Edward Norton) meets a lovable rogue (Brad Pitt) and together they embark on fantastical adventures involving bare-knuckled brawls, plastic explosives and liposuctioned human fat.

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In terms of art, fashion, music, design, etc. each decade has an arc. In the beginning it feels very much like the one before. Change is gradual since nobody is going to throw out their entire wardrobe and redecorate overnight. But slowly after a few years, the zeitgeist starts to find its own voice. New and exciting works emerge which spark innovation in others and we are riding high. Then comes the imitation. What was once new and interesting eventually becomes a "house style". Once something  has reached the point of self-parody, it is necessary to burn everything to the ground and start again. Thanks to the late-90s reign of increasingly safe, epic-romance films like The English Patient, Titanic and Shakespeare In Love, absolute demolition became necessary so that the cycle could start anew. Kind of like those controlled burns they do in forests. Thankfully David Fincher and Chuck Palahniuk were more than happy to strike the match. It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything.

They Live (1988)

A magic pair of sunglasses allow a drifter (Roddy Piper) to see the aliens who have taken over the world! He must now choose between chewing bubble gum and kicking ass, fortunately he's all out of bubble gum!

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While it's absolutely not the scariest John Carpenter movie ever, this might be my favorite. Only here can you find the perfect combo of epic fistfights and vicious satire. Two great tastes that taste great together! Carpenter's decision to invert the Eisenhower paranoia of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, was a true masterstroke. In the 80's it was no longer the commies who wanted to make us all the same, now it was the yuppies we need to watch out for! Without this film there is no Shepard Fairey. Definitely not a clothing line called Obey. Homeboy seriously owes John Carptenter a phat check! At least next month the film is finally getting the special edition blu-ray that it deserves...BUY! OBEY!

Bamboozled (2000)

Fed up with the stereotypical "black" sitcoms his network is producing, frustrated TV writer Pierre Delacroix (Damon Wayans) decides to give them precisely what they want: a minstrel show...complete with black face. Things get really interesting when (lo and behold) the show is a hit.

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Spike Lee films are hard to categorize. He crams a LOT into each one. From the very beginning his films were loaded with diversions and non-sequiturs. Each and every movie he makes is a chance to unload his brain onto the screen. Race, sex, the media, etc. Spike has opinions on EVERYTHING. Sometimes this kitchen-sink mentality yields a masterpiece (Do The Right Thing) and other times it produces a mess of interesting moments, scenes, shots, ideas and performances that never really comes together as a convincing whole (Jungle Fever). Fortunately Bamboozled is one of the former. This is brutal, cutting satire at it's (pardon my diction) blackest. The laughs stick in your throat. Funny as it is, this movie is an emotional undertaking. By the time the it's over, you are drained, but it is absolutely worth the trip.

Oh and on a Spike Lee-esque side note: It is CRIMINAL that composer Terence Blanchard hasn't won an Oscar!