The Hudsucker Proxy (dir. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 1994) That's right. New York. It's 1958. Anyway, for a few more minutes it is. Come midnight, it's gonna be 1959. A whole other feeling. The New Year. The future. Yeah, old Daddy Earth's fixin' to start one more trip ‘round the sun. Everybody hopin' this … Continue reading The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The Hebrew Hammer (dir. Jonathan Kesselman, 2003) Mordecai Jefferson Carver (Adam Goldberg) is an Orthodox Jewish private investigator or—as he prefers it—a certified circumcised dick. He’s got a whole theme song that doesn’t infringe on Isaac Hayes’s copyright because parody is protected speech under the first amendment in the United States.  After a coup against … Continue reading The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

200 Cigarettes (dir. Risa Bramon Garcia, 1999) Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (1993) was not the first of its kind. Robert Altman had his epic ensembles like MASH, Nashville, The Player and Short Cuts, released the same year as Linklater’s film. There had been numerous coming-of-age films, period pieces reflecting the filmmaker’s youth, and movies … Continue reading 200 Cigarettes (1999)

Bloody New Year (dir. Norman J. Warren, 1987) A group of young British people and an American tourist find themselves shipwrecked on an island after fleeing an incredibly dismal looking theme park. There’s a hotel that’s done up with Christmas decorations and is advertising that they’ll be celebrated New Year’s Eve 1959. It’s July, by … Continue reading Bloody New Year (1987)

New Year’s Evil (dir. Emmett Alston, 1980) “For Christ’s sakes, Diane, do you know what time it is?” “Ernie, baby, do me a favor. Drop a lude and relax, huh?” That’s how we know we’re in 1980--not even a minute into New Year’s Evil, we’re talking about quaaludes. Diane Sullivan (Roz Kelly)--better known by her … Continue reading New Year’s Evil (1980)

About a Boy (dir. Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, 2002) Will (Hugh Grant) is living his best life. 38 years old. Never held a real job or had a relationship last longer than a couple of months. Has a ludicrously nice place in London. Looks like Hugh Grant. His father had a one hit wonder … Continue reading About a Boy (2002)

Brazil (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1985) The problem with the fictional dystopia is that we seem to invariably live in them. Most writers are drawing upon something they see in the real world as inspiration to begin with. Stalinist Russia with Orwell and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Eugenics, class structures, and narcotizing mass media with Huxley and Brave … Continue reading Brazil (1985)

Children of Men (dir. Alfonso Cuaron, 2006) 16 November 2027. No child has been born in eighteen years. Every woman in the world is infertile. The species is doomed to extinction within a couple of generations. The planet is reeling against this reality. Britain has gone all in on nationalism and fascism. The borders are … Continue reading Children of Men (2006)

Carol (dir. Todd Haynes, 2015) December 1952. Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), a young woman in her twenties, lives alone in her New York apartment, where she has to light the oven for warmth. She works the counter at Frankenberg’s, a department store that offers a whole two weeks vacation after five years employment, an entire … Continue reading Carol (2015)