Good Movies Day

Today is Friday, and we're about to launch off into the weekend. I thought it'd be a good day to share some of the films I've enjoyed. Maybe you can find something you haven't seen and then I'll have contributed in a small way to your having a good weekend. (I vote yes.) So, here we go.

Animation: Frankly, if you haven't seen any of Hayao Miyazaki's films you should drop everything and rent all of them now. Speaking as a person with an animation degree, they're absolutely gorgeous. My current favorite is Kiki's Delivery Service. 

Yes, it's a kid's movie. Watch it anyway. It's beautiful, heart-warming, and perfect for when you're stuck in bed with a virus or have simply had a bad day. Mind you, some would jump on my case for not opening with My Neighbor Totoro or Princess Mononoke.[1] They wouldn't be wrong in doing so (I love both of those too), but I did say watch all of the movies, right? :) Miyazaki is my favorite animator, and I adore just about everything his studio does. So if it's time to get in touch with your inner kid, you can't go wrong with a Studio Ghibli film this weekend.

Science Fiction: My favorite SF films are kind of old, I admit, but you may not have seen them. So, I'll mention them anyway. First on the list is always Bladerunner.[2]

Alien and Aliens are, of course up there with Bladerunner, but I don't really need to discuss them, do I? (Well, outside of the fact that they're the most well known Feminist SF property in all of SF.)[3] Another SF film I recommend is Outland (1981). This is the wonderful thing that happens when someone takes a western (High Noon), files off the serial numbers nicely, and sets it in space. (There's even a scene with the stereotypical swinging doors on the saloon.)[4] Good stuff. Also, if you missed Interstellar, Star Trek: Beyond, Arrival, Moon, and Ex-Machina...they're all worthwhile. (Just in case you thought I haven't seen a SF movie since 1983.) If you're tired of super hero films, I urge you to try out Mystery Men (Janeane Garofalo's Bowler is price of admission.)

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[1] For the record, Neil Gaiman did the translation for Mononoke. You know, if you need another selling point.
[2] Time for some trivia: the song More Human Than Human by White Zombie is a reference to Bladerunner. The film Soldier (1998) starring Kurt Russell is an unofficial prequel. (If you pause during one scene, you can read the tattoos listing the battles in which he participated and Tannhäuser's Gate is there.) Personally, I liked Soldier very much and happily recommend it, but as with a number of films I enjoy--it didn't do well at the box office. I suspect because it was too thinky and subtle for an action film.
[3] For fuck's sake, stop there. The rest of the series abandons the Feminist heart of the story and therefore, sucks ass. Worse, Alien 3 (the film that doesn't exist) is downright misogynist. Fuck that movie.
[4] Another bit of trivia: my novel contains a tip of the hat to Outland in that the grumbletonian medic that patches up Nels, Kaija Westola, is actually Doctor Lazarus. ;) I love Frances Sternhagen so much.


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