HBOMAX

FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003)

October 25, 2020

(HBO MAX/VOD)? I love original recipe FINAL DESTINATION — Wong & Morgan took everything they learned from THE X-FILES and expertly applied it expertly to the slasher genre, all while introducing teens to counterpointing via John Denver (Rocky Mountain High makes a brief muzak appearance in this film as well) — but goddamn, the opening sequence is one of the most memorable set-pieces of the last twenty years, and the kill scenes are astoundingly convoluted.

I’m not going to say it’s as good as the first FINAL DESTINATION, but it’s exactly what you hope for from a sequel. Also, ONE DAY AT A TIME’s Justina Machado is a supporting player!

If you haven’t read it, ‘Death Is Not the End: An Oral History of Final Destination’ is well-worth your time, if for no other reason than learning about how influential the ‘bus kill’ scene was for effect techs: https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/03/final-destination-oral-history/

THE HONEYMOON KILLERS (1970)

October 23, 2020

(Criterion/HBO MAX/VOD) Very loosely based on a true story, it’s a very straight-forward thriller about a con-man and unrequited love, but also a prototype film for similarly fraught couple killer films to come. It has a distinct rawness to it makes it far more engaging and interesting than it sounds like on the page.

WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE (1994)

October 13, 2020

(HBO MAX/VOD) Proto-90s post-modern horror. I’d say SCREAM before Wes Craven’s SCREAM, but that infers that it’s a lesser film than SCREAM whereas I think it’s one of the smartest self-reflexive horror films ever made; it’s an author reckoning with the perils of creating a horror film franchise that spirals out of their control, while still being an absurdly entertaining, winking, surreal and horrifying film. Smartly shot and absolutely ruthlessly paced — every scene expertly blends into the next — it’s Wes Craven besting himself.

A brilliant film, even if you haven’t seen prior NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET films, but so much better if you have.

CAST A DEADLY SPELL (1991)

October 8, 2020

(HBO MAX/YouTube) There was a weird time during the late 80s/early 90s in which studios were keen on peculiar supernatural/weird neo-noir films (see: ANGEL HEART (1987), WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988), DOG CITY (1989), etc.), which apparently resulted in this strange, surprisingly expensive, made-for-HBO TV film that merges the two. It’s an extraordinarily exacting love letter to those who love strange fiction and noir — the lead is named H. Phillip Lovecraft, blood occasionally rains from the skies, TWILIGHT ZONE-ish gremlins clog car engines, and magic is everywhere.

The dialogue is whip-smart, the plotting intersects with all your favourite Chandler and Hammett novels, and the casting is (mostly) perfect, with Fred Ward as a fantastic Marlowe, and Julianne Moore as the quintessential noir woman of interest.

Honestly, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this film before stumbling upon it while scanning HBO MAX’s recent additions. Speaking as someone who has penned my own Lovecraft/Hammett mashup and has the rejection letters to prove it, this film knocks it out of the park, and the fact that they did so in ’91 is to be applauded. Hell, even without the supernatural hokum, it’d still be an entertaining Chandler fanfic.

As you may expect from a 90’s Lovecraft mashup, it’s a pretty problematic film when it comes to race, but it also features some transphobia that I’m pretty sure writer Joseph Dougherty originally thought was very clever, but has aged very poorly.

Fun Fact: Apparently there’s a 50s-centric sequel, WITCH HUNT (1994) also penned by Joseph Dougherty, but directed by Paul Schrader, and stars Dennis Hopper. I have yet to hunt down a copy, but I’d appreciate it if anyone could lead me to one.

BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

September 22, 2020

(HBO MAX/VOD) Tim Burton’s sequel — which seems to be unfairly forgotten, even more than the Schumacher sequels — manages to give us the best on-screen version of Catwoman, as well as the most intriguing and spectacular art and production design (sorry, not sorry Nolan) of the film franchise. Also, it’s more disturbing than you remember, and still goth as fuck.

GUN CRAZY (1950)

September 16, 2020

(HBO MAX/VOD) Undersung misfit noir that directly inspired and influenced the major French New Wave directors, and you most certainly wouldn’t have BONNIE & CLYDE without it.

Filmed in a vivid cinéma vérité style, it’s a surprisingly complex character piece, while still managing to be a satisfying caper. The heist scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28aPxWtdaGY) is one that will feel familiar, simply because so many filmmakers have cribbed from it, Scorsese in particular.

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975)

September 14, 2020

(Criterion/HBO MAX/VOD) Peter Weir’s fascinating, gauzy adaptation of the classic Australian novel makes the source material even more enigmatic. A masterclass in evoking dreamy and hallucinatory imagery, and a quintessential ‘lost girls’ tale.

Amazon also released a six-episode adaptation of the novel recently, a surprisingly different — and welcome — take on the material.

SMITHEREENS (1982)

September 11, 2020

(Criterion/HBO MAX/kanopy)? The directorial debut of Susan Seidelman (DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, SHE-DEVIL) focuses on a woman trying to get by and create an image of herself in NYC. Also features punk impresario Richard Hall, if that’s your thing.

WAR & PEACE (1966)

September 6, 2020

(HBO MAX/Criterion) This WAR & PEACE is a beast of an epic — featuring over ten-thousand extras and allegedly costing anywhere from (adjusted for inflation) $200-$700 million dollars — and best when it’s spectacle, as the actual story gets a tad muddled within the adaptation. (After all, at the end of the day it’s still a state-made piece.) Watching it at home, be it on your phone, a laptop or even a decently sized flatscreen TV, does a major disservice to the film. Find a projector, screen it on your cleanest wall for best results, and make a day of it.

Vulture has a quality piece regarding the production of the piece, which took years to film. https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/the-wild-story-behind-sergei-bondarchuks-epic-war-and-peace.html

(HBO MAX has a surprising back-catalog of films for some reason and, if I were a film history teacher, I’d pitch an entire class around its offerings. It’s definitely worth scanning through their entire catalog for buried gems.)

JUBILEE (1978)

September 3, 2020

(HBO MAX/Criterion) Scrappy, queer, surprisingly melancholy British alt-timeline art-punk film from Derek Jarman, featuring a rather disconnected Adam Ant. “As long as the music’s loud enough, we won’t hear the world falling apart!”

Please note: the following trailer is NSFW.