Ravenous (1999)

Dir. Antonia Bird

Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential), Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting) and David Arquette (Scream) must fight brutal elements of the Sierra Nevada wilderness -- as well as their own murderous instincts -- when the inhabitants of an isolated military outpost have go up against a marauding band of cannibals in a deadly struggle for survival.

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Dir. Mel Brooks

Shot in glorious black and white, writer-director Mel Brooks' finest work both parodies and salutes the 1930s Frankenstein movies. Co-writer Gene Wilder soars as mad scientist Frederich Frankenstein ("Fronkensteen!" he insists), with hilarious support from Marty Feldman as Igor, Peter Boyle as the monster, Teri Garr, and the late, great Madeline Kahn.

Superstar (1999)

Dir. Bruce McCulloch

Reprising her popular "Saturday Night Live" role as Irish-Catholic schoolgirl and proto-nerd Mary Katherine Gallagher, Molly Shannon is a comic delight. Deemed the ugly duckling of her high school, Mary Katherine resolves to attain her twin dream: become a "superstar" at a school talent show and kiss the class stud, Sky Corrigan (Will Ferrell). With the Lord Jesus and her wheelchair-bound grandmother as inspirations, how can she miss?

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (L'Uccello dalle piume di cristallo) (1970)

Dir. Dario Argento

Witnessing a brutal attack on a woman but unable to help her, Sam (Tony Musante), an American traveling in Rome, soon finds himself the target of an elusive killer. The deeper Sam delves into the mystery, the more at risk he becomes. This highly stylized thriller marks the directorial debut of horror master Dario Argento (Suspiria, Opera), who would later become known as the Italian Alfred Hitchcock.

Grindhouse (2007)

Dir. Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino

Two directors with a huge cult following -- Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino -- roll out a horror double bill that pays homage to grind house cinema, complete with an intermission screening fake trailers. Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Marley Shelton, the Black Eyed Peas' Stacy Ferguson and Josh Brolin co-star in Rodriguez's Project Terror. Tarantino's Death Proof features Rosario Dawson, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo and Naveen Andrews.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Dir. Joel Coen

The writing-directing Coen brothers serve up their signature brand of offbeat comedy here. L.A. slacker "The Dude" (Jeff Bridges) suffers the indignity of having the favorite rug in his house peed upon by two thugs. (They've mistaken him for a millionaire whose wife owes on some bad bets.) From there, the plot contorts more than a rubberized freak at a circus sideshow. But it's all good fun.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

Dir. Russ Meyer

Film critic Roger Ebert penned the screenplay for this Russ Meyer classic, which isn't so much a sequel to the original (based on the Jacqueline Susann novel) as an ebulliently vulgar remake. Chronicling the adventures of a trio of female rockers who find their way from the heartland to Hollywood, the film features all the Meyer staples: bountiful breasts, lesbian love scenes and drug-fueled descents into murder and madness.

Deep Red (Profondo rosso) (1975)

Dir. Dario Argento

Deep Red stars David Hemmings as Marcus Daly, a jazz pianist who witnesses the murder of his neighbor, a psychic who had read the mind of her murderer. Marcus soon teams up with a resourceful reporter (Daria Nicolodi), and the two set out to track down the killer.

Kite (1998)

Dir. Yasuomi Umetsu

College student by day, vigilante by night, Sawa protects the innocent and mercilessly kills criminals in this intense Japanese anime. Sawa's parents were murdered when she was young, and she was adopted by policeman Akai, who teaches Sawa to kill and assigns her to dangerous missions. Friend and fellow mercenary Oburi convinces Sawa that the two should leave Akai and stop killing, but escaping won't be easy.

March Update

March Total = 15

2007 Total = 46

Stats:
Rent - 9
Own - 5
Theater - 1
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 13

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Dir. Stanley Kubrick

One of the most authentic portraits of warfare ever captured on film, Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket teems with howling madness, stark images and troubling questions about duty, honor and sacrifice. Raw recruits (including Matthew Modine) suffer the grueling ordeal of basic training and battle with the Viet Cong over the city of Hue during the Tet Offensive.

Children of Men (2006)

Dir. Alfonso Cuaron

Alfonso Cuaron directs this film version of P.D. James's classic dystopian novel (and Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay), a futuristic drama set in a world in which humans have lost the ability to reproduce and subsequently face certain extinction. Things change when a single woman mysteriously becomes pregnant, prompting a conflicted government bureaucrat (Clive Owen) and his ex-wife (Julianne Moore) to join forces to protect her. Michael Caine co-stars.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Dir. Gabriele Muccino

Will Smith (in an Oscar-nominated role) and his real-life son Jaden star in this tearjerker about a struggling single parent determined to build a better life for himself and his child. Chris Gardner is smart and talented, but his dead-end salesman job barely pays the bills. When he and his 5-year-old son are evicted from their apartment, they face trying times as Chris takes on an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm with hopes of getting rich someday.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Dir. Robert Rodriguez

Robbers-on-the-lam Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gecko (Quentin Tarantino) take an ex-preacher (Harvey Keitel) and his kids hostage. On a race to the Mexican border, they rendezvous at a cantina, not knowing the owners and clientele are bloodthirsty vampires. That's when director Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) abruptly switches from hostage drama to tongue-in-cheek, vampiric melee, creating a blood-stained ode to 1960s Mexican horror movies.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Dir. Tim Burton

Lucky Charlie Bucket's one of five golden-ticket holders treated to a tour of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory in Tim Burton's reimagining. Along with the other four (rather naughty) contest winners, good-hearted Charlie (Freddie Highmore) visits the factory and encounters Oompa Loompas, eats wonderful candy creations and meets the fascinating Wonka (Johnny Depp) himself. From the time he enters the factory, Charlie's life changes forever.

Inside Deep Throat (2005)

Dir. Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato

This fascinating documentary by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato examines the goings-on behind the porn film that grew to become an icon: Deep Throat. Released in 1972, the film made more money than its producers anticipated and ignited a sexual and social revolution. Features interviews with the movie's stars, Linda Lovelace and Harry Reams, plus commentary by director John Waters and writers Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Dir. Jim Sharman

Come to the lab, and see what's on the slab! This notorious horror parody -- a fast-paced potpourri of camp, sci-fi and rock 'n' roll, among other things -- tracks the exploits of naïve couple Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) after they stumble across the lair of transvestite vampire Dr. Frank-N-Furter (a brilliant Tim Curry). The film bombed in its initial release but later gained a cult following at midnight showings.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Dir. Terry George

Amid the holocaust of internecine tribal fighting in Rwanda that sees the savage butchering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, one ordinary man (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) musters the courage to save more than 1,000 helpless refugees by sheltering them in the hotel he manages. Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix co-star in this powerful film (sort of an African version of Schindler's List) directed by Terry George.

Love Object (2003)

Dir. Robert Parigi

This horror movie follows introverted technical writer Kenneth (Desmond Harrington), who can't bring himself to reveal his feelings for co-worker Lisa (Melissa Sagemiller). Attempting to get over his fear, he purchases a realistic doll named Nikki that looks like Lisa and eventually works up the nerve to talk to his dream girl. Unfortunately, the doll soon becomes jealous of Kenneth's affection for Lisa and reveals her violent tendencies.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Dir. Larry Charles

Fans of the HBO comedy series "Da Ali G Show" will be delighted to join one of their favorite characters -- the Kazakhstani reporter Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen, in a Golden Globe-winning role) -- as he travels to America to report on the "greatest country in the world." Camera in tow, the boorish journalist sets off on his cross-country road trip, but his original purpose is soon subsumed by a much greater quest -- finding and marrying actress Pamela Anderson.