MOTM: "Carlos - The Miniseries" (2010)

There are two versions of Oliver Assayas’s epic, slow-burn, globe-trotting examination of the terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, better known by his nom de guerre, “The Jackal”.

I'm opting for the bigger, badder, meaner cut.

The inspiration for numerous villains in countless spy films and novels, the title character at the center of this 326-minute roadshow version of the French-produced drama (originally aired in 3 parts for the Gallic tube) is at once a producer and product of his times.

Movie of the Month: "Castaway on the Moon" ('Kimssi pyoryugi')

I first saw a pirated print of this movie (I know, *gasp*, right?) about two years ago with my roommates. To my everlasting chagrin I never got the chance to finish it (thank you, senior thesis paper).

Until now, that is. And as someone who doesn’t get out enough or sate my senses with enough positivity, I can honestly say I’m glad I was finally able to because it’s not often that you get a chance to see a reverse-engineered flick that turns out to be this damn good.

Movie of the Month: "All Dogs Go to Heaven"

 

Don Bluth’s 1989 classic about a huckster canine who is killed and returns to Earth by cheating death is part of a small collection of animated gems that are oft forgotten.

And if that description sounds a bit heavy for a kid’s movie then you would be right. It is heavy. It’s also fun, unashamed and features Burt Reynolds. Oh, and did I mention that, among others, this film helped spark the Disney Renaissance?

Movie of the Month: "Alien 3 // The Assembly Cut"

Though the exact date hasn’t been established publicly, it must have been some time during the second or third re-write in early 1990 when actor Michael Biehn was gearing up for his expected role in the upcoming sequel to the 1986 hit “Aliens”. The producers had at least outlined a part for him since Sigourney Weaver was reluctant to come back for another go. And in his mind, at least, there was this sort of white bread nuclear vision—comprised of the survivor trio that left LV-426—battling the alien menace across the galaxy as one big happy family. Just like Weaver’s famed heroine Ellen Ripley would have wanted.

But when he was alerted to the fact that his character would be killed off in the third installment of the “Alien” franchise his disgust was genuine. And he wouldn’t have been the only one.

Movie of the Month: "Lifeforce"

“Lifeforce” could not be considered a good movie in even the loosest version of the classical sense. Its troubled past would at least suggest as much.

Klaus Kinski, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Terence Stamp either refused to participate in the project or simply fell through the cracks altogether. James Horner was approached for the soundtrack but passed. The roughly $25 million budget recouped only about half of that during its box office run. Over 1,000 actresses (pardon my anachronism?) were screened before the role of “Space Girl” was filled, which is odd considering she only has about four lines of dialogue and spends the great majority of the film in her birthday suit. Oh, and did I mention that the alien ship was modeled after an artichoke? 

Movie of the Month: "Brother from Another Planet"

Before John Sayles broke into his groove as a director of social message flicks, like “Lone Star” or the upcoming “Amigo”, he worked as a co-writer and script doctor throughout the industry. Mostly for genre pictures under such directors as Guillermo del Toro, Joe Dante or Roger Corman.

This might explain the odd fusion in his first feature-length film, “The Brother from Another Planet”, which he produced himself with money out-of-pocket.

Movie of the Month: "Hachi: A Dog's Tale"

 In spite of we Yankees’ proclivity to remake everything for practically no reason, I’ll make an exception for this month’s movie just because it’s so damn cute.

Essentially a white-washed version of the 1987 film “Hachiko Monogatari” (The Tale of Hachiko), it’s no wonder that the self-proclaimed dog lover and director Lasse Hallström chose to retell (yet again) the true life story of the Akita dog known only as Hachiko.

For Your Consideration: Movie of the Month

Don't believe in "isms".

Anybody familiar with the work of director Billy Wilder knows right off the cuff that he was a man who understood that nothing, despite of his occasional dramatic proclivities, can be taken too seriously. Not even a war.

You know, that cold one.

And if there was ever a man who could see the bright side of a German POW camp or the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, it was him. Take for instance this month's highlight: the 1961 motor-mouthed comedy of communists, commercialism and Coca-Cola, “One, Two, Three". 

For Your Consideration: Movie of the Month Feature

(Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be experimenting with various features so bear with me here)

Cue trumpets: Salutations fellow film buffs!

It's my pleasure to introduce you to the "FYC" monthly feature. In it I shall recommend lesser known movies for your viewing pleasure. As many of you know I watch a lot of movies. Not all of them good. And in so doing, I go through the trouble of sifting out the chaff so you don't have to. That said, each month I'll showcase a film from any number of genres so as to stir the pot. I draw no distinction between past or present, "high art" or "low art", classy or exploitative. Here I will attempt to provide you with the best recommendation that I can.

So, without further ado, here is this month's selection: "Devils on the Doorstep" (or in Chinese, 鬼子来了).