Strange Brew, Rachel Getting Married, Merce Cunningham's Split Sides

Gaaron Varner
The Cinema Drinker

I recommend Strange Brew. Disclaimer: This movie does not accurately depict the brewing process...just a warning to all those home brewers out there! On to the movie, eh? Any movie that starts out with the MGM lion burping instead of growling deserves an honorable mention. Plus, it was written and directed by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas with NO supervision by Disney! The story is basically a Hamlet plot soaked in strong beer stirred up by insane hockey players “medicated” by...beer. If the plotline doesn’t grab you, be assured, it’s Canadian.

Strange Brew (Canada) 1983, MGM

Troy Johnson
Senior editor, Riviera Magazine

Going contrary to the notion of recommendations…Rachel Getting Married: Because I nearly forgot that “powerful and gripping” means that in the first five minutes I will either be sound asleep dreaming of psychotic ex-girlfriends paper-cutting themselves with my old love letters or too depressed to turn off the movie and have relations with my current girlfriend.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop was directed by a skinny Frenchman who thinks Americans are drooling mouth-breathers that get their kicks watching cellulite ride a Segway. We proved him right. (I actually have no idea who directed this movie.)

Rachel Getting Married (USA) 2008, Sony Pictures Classics
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (USA) 2009, Sony Pictures

Michael Trigilio
Media artist and UCSD Visual Arts faculty

Merce Cunningham’s Split Sides presents two performances of a gorgeous dance production featuring the Cunningham Dance Company. I was struck by Cunningham’s exhaustive authorship as choreographer, even so late into his life.

Michel Gondry 2: More Videos is a collection of music videos and short-film ephemera. I love that Gondry has an almost obsessive point-of-view as an experimentalist. Big is small! In is out! Over there is over here! Sometimes he seems solely interested in ornate visual puzzles, which is charming if not a little tedious at times.

Merce Cunningham’s Split Sides (USA) 2009, Artpix
List price: $40.00

Michel Gondry 2: More Videos (USA) 2009, Partizan
List price: $17.95