Movies I Watched in September, Part 1

I'd really like to make X-Ray Spex more than a blog where I recap my monthly movie intake, but until I find more time or less laziness, we'll stick with that content plan. Here's the latest...


Great, of course. One of the greatest movie comedies of all time, in fact. I'd seen it before and own the (highly recommended) Criterion DVD, but it was airing on TCM and I just fell right into that seductive, amusing Preston Sturges groove. Joel McCrea (at his best) plays a director who wants to move away from the lighter fare and direct a bold drama called "O Brother, Where Art Thou" (and yes, that's where the Coens got the name). After dressing up as a hobo and hitting the back streets of 1940s California, he meets a down-on-her-luck would-be actress (Veronica Lake, also great) and, after some slyly romantic misadventures, he finds himself in a very, very bad situation and learns a little lesson about the value of simple laughter. The script is brilliant, full of surprising twists and wonderful characters, and Sturges (who wrote and directed) knows just when to get serious -- the scenes of McCrea and Lake handing out money to the poor folks they met earlier are some of the best  parts of the movie, stark reminders of how the other half lives. If you've never seen this one, definitely check it out -- highest possible recommendation.


And speaking of the economic disparity, this stylish adaptation of J.G. Ballard's classic novel takes the split between rich and poor (well, rich and less rich) and uses it to fuel an apocalyptic battle for dominance of a modern (well, circa 1970) brutalist-style apartment building. As brought to life by Ben Wheatley (who also directed "Kill List," which I loved), "High Rise" is a breathtaking vision, not exactly plot-driven, but full of imaginative, unforgettable imagery. Tom Hiddleston (aka Loki) plays the new guy in the building, and though he starts out sane, before long he's hoarding grey paint from the embattled supermarket and using it to cover his entire apartment and a good percentage of himself to boot. "High Rise" is a sensory experience more than a straightforward movie (like the novel that inspired it), but if you're in the right frame of mind and looking for something more than a little offbeat, I think you'll like it. In other words, don't sweat the details. Best to let this one just wash over you.


Took Allie to this one (against her wishes -- she's weird about not wanting to see movies she ends up liking) and the whole family wound up enjoying it. Gorgeous stop-motion animation (with a well-applied computer assist) is used to tell the story of a young boy searching for the components of a suit of armor so he can defeat his (evil, scary, almost-all-powerful) grandfather. It winds up becoming more a story of family that it first appears to be, and even though Matthew McConaughey voices a warrior who delivers the comedy relief, it's never too silly or (thank god) reliant on modern references, like "Shrek" or something along those lines. It's exciting, surprising and, in the end, almost defiant in the way it's willing to avoid certain cliches of both action movies and modern animation. Of course, because America is full of idiots, it didn't do gangbusters at the box office and left theaters before it should have. When it hits home video, be sure to check it out.


Exceedingly mediocre (is that possible) documentary about a cult that developed in Hollywood in the 1980s, all revolving around a guy named "Michel," who is referred to as "the Teacher" by his followers and couldn't give off a more creepy vibe if he wore clown makeup. Favoring plastic surgery and speedos (oh, the endless speedos in this movie), Michel somehow convinced a bunch of seemingly normal people to move into a big house, pool their resources and spread the word of "Buddhafield." In the end, as these things usually go, Michel got a little too controlling and touchy-feely, and most of the people walked away. The film was directed by Will Allen, who was sort of the propaganda minister of the cult, responsible for recording everything on video. That means we get footage of the cult's entire run, but it also raises a few questions about why Allen didn't see the obvious signs that Buddhafield wasn't on the up-and-up. The movie would have been more compelling had it raised these issues; instead, it's like a lot of other cult documentaries you've seen with the added twist that nothing much happens. Skip it, and wait for "Killing of America" to hit Blu-ray later this month. Now there's a movie with a cult connection that will knock you off your seat.

Up next: A truly great devil movie, a truly great media movie and one of the darkest 1970s movies I've ever seen.