10/5-10/9

Wim Wenders' PERFECT DAYS //

Unexpected gem from late-career Wim Wenders. Better review coming soon?

John Carpenter's THEY LIVE //

It's a science fiction film, it's horror, it's an action comedy, it's a conspiracy thriller—actually, I'm calling it, it's a "Dudes Rock" movie. Roddy Piper and Keith David are one of the great Dudes Rock duos of all time, and they play some of the best Dudes Rock hits here with great zest, including "Stick It to the Man," "Let's Fight the Cops," and "Time To Kick Each Other's Ass (Semi-Affectionately)." Drape this over one of the bluntest (and most memorable) anti-capitalist narratives in all of cinema (much of it literally rendered in stark, indelible monochrome), throw in a handful of great one-liners, top it off with some imaginative creature design, and you got yourself a winner. Admittedly rough around the edges, and makes poor use of Meg Foster's character, but the mix of goofball spirit, righteous anger, and B-movie inventiveness animating the goings-on here makes it easy to overlook its minor issues.

Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo's INSIDE //

Satisfyingly nasty piece of extreme French horror. The white-knuckle sequences occasionally lose momentum inexplicably, and we have the usual problem where characters in peril sometimes make the dumbest possible decision just to keep the narrative going, but the film largely delivers on both the psychological suspense and visceral yuck of its admittedly unpleasant premise. I took a bath afterward.

John Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS //

I can't really count this among my favorite John Carpenter films—it lacks the iconic minimalist menace of HALLOWEEN (1978) and it also lacks what you might find at the opposite end of the spectrum: the relentlessly anarchic practical-effects genius of THE THING (1982). It also could benefit from a dose of the screen charisma that, say, Kurt Russell brings to the table in his many Carpenter roles, or, heck, even Roddy Piper in THEY LIVE (1988). Donald Pleasance, no offense, just isn't the same! There are interesting details and quirks throughout this, though—its lore, though barely developed, is satisfyingly unhinged—and I will admit that I stayed entertained through its brisk runtime.