(Criterion/HBO MAX/VOD)? A fine melodrama bolstered by an amazing performance by Chaplin (who also wrote, directed, and composed his own swan song) — basically playing the Little Tramp and himself as a washed up clown — and features Claire Bloom as the young ingenue he aids. The theatrical numbers, while certainly self-indulgent, are not unwelcome, especially since the later ones also include Buster Keaton.
Film
THE LADY IN RED (1979)
(tubi) Penned by John Sayles — his second screenwriting credit — it tells the story of Ana Cumpănaș, aka the last woman to be involved with John Dillinger before his death. The film’s an odd amalgam of genres, including: cathouse, women in prison, and gangster, but yet manages to be more than the sum of its parts.
Please note: the trailer below is NSFW.
AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN (2018)
(Netflix/VOD) A little too aggressively idiosyncratic for my tastes, although Hosking is clearly talented and one hell of an auteur. Regardless, Matt Berry has a rather lush role, and he gets to sing some Dr. Demento-worthy songs, which made it worth my time.
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (2018)
(VOD) Criminally underseen docudrama about Lee Israel, but less focused on telling her story than telling the story about the inherent selfishness of telling the story of others.
LADY OF BURLESQUE (1943)
(epix/Paramount+/tubi/VOD) LADY OF BURLESQUE is a delightfully self-aware adaptation of Gypsy Rose Lee’s sensationlist detective novel regarding the murder of a stripper in a burlesque stage show (the original novel was called THE G-STRING MURDERS). Barbara Stanwick leads, clearly loving the role. Honestly not sure if the Hayes code restrictions help or hurt the film.
HERBIE: FULLY LOADED (2012)
(HBO MAX/VOD) A surprisingly horny take on the HERBIE THE LOVE BUG franchise, penned by THE STATE’s Thomas Lennon and directed by DEBS’ Angela Robinson. Despite the story existing mostly to sell ESPN, NASCAR, Volkswagons, and Cheetos, it’s silly fun. While the cast is vastly over-qualified — including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him Scoot McNairy — they give it their all.
THE GROUP (1966)
(epix/Paramount+/VOD) It’s an anachronistic mess, and certainly not one of Lumet’s finest, but I can’t get enough of this sort of epic sensationalism. Also, it’s the role that launched Candice Bergen’s career!
LOW DOWN (2014)
A brutal account of growing up surrounded by addicts, some genius and some not, handled with a fair amount of grace and buoyed by a tremendous cast that includes John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Peter Dinklage and, yes, FLEA.
BUMBLEBEE (2018)
(epix/fubu/Paramount+/VOD) Yeah, it’s technically a TRANSFORMERS film, but it’s actually a winsome teen film, the modern HERBIE THE LOVE BUG we deserve. Also, unlike other TRANSFORMERS films, the action scenes are actually comprehensible, as opposed to a slurry of cuts, motion blur, and sound effects.
COHERENCE (2013)
(fubu/Prime/VOD) A smart and well-produced high-concept indie about living with the choices you’ve made in the past, the choices you could have made, and the choices you wish you had made.