Best New to Me - August 2021

 I have been doing monthly recaps of some sort for a while and over a variety of different platforms. Most recently - and regularly - I was recapping my favorite first time watches on Facebook and the feedback I was getting on those is one of the things that led me to writing in this space. I like doing these for a couple of reasons - the short form reviews are good practice at getting to what's important about a movie and I like to be up-front about the things I've never watched before. My watchlist is huge, I haven't been the most consistent film viewer over the years, and listening to critics and podcasters can leave you feeling like you'll never catch up or that you missed the boat on something cool. None of that shit matters though - Edgar Wright said something that I've tried to internalize and make my mantra over the last few years of film watching - "It's never too late to see a great movie." So here's my list of the best new-to-me films I watched in August.

Female Prisoner Scorpion - The First Three Films (1972-73) - I could have sworn I had seen at least the first film in the Female Prisoner Scorpion series and somehow I had relegated it in my brain as not my cup of tea. I couldn't have been more wrong - these films are an absolutely delirious genre throw down with the perfectly cast Meiko Kaji. Yes, there are some hard to watch sequences but I feel that it serves a savage indictment of misogyny and authoritarian power structures rather than being purely exploitative.

The Baby (1973) - I've been dragging my heels on this one for ages and I definitely shouldn't have. The Baby is exactly my flavor of American regional, drive-in weirdness. The idea that someone really needed to bring this story of an adult baby to the screen and was willing to put this much talent and effort behind it is a wonder to me.

Blind Beast (1969) - I don't know what I can tell you that would adequately prepare you for the wildness of Blind Beast. Surreal visuals, intense drama, challenging themes, and it made me look up "sybaritic."

Doberman Cop (1977) - Brutal 70s cop picture that's also a rural/urban fish out of water story that's also about a pop star competition somehow. Sonny Chiba was truly one of the greats.

The Hitcher (1986) - Other than not growing up with HBO, I'm not sure how I can explain not seeing The Hitcher before. Masterclass of chilling nihilism from Rutger Hauer meets absolutely bonkers nightmare logic of a story resulting in pure genre perfection.

Something Wild (1986) - Demme's surprisingly dark take on the screwball set up. John Waters appears as a used car salesman, The Feelies are playing at a high school reunion that's also attended by Su Tissue - how can I not love this?

Vampyres (1974) - There's no shortage of 70s lesbian vampire movies and they are of varying quality and interest to me but this groovier, British-ier, almost folk horror take on the genre was definitely my bag. People keep coming to this old manor in the woods, women in capes run through a graveyard, copious amounts of wine are consumed!

Blood Games (1990) - The silly premise of a foxy lady baseball team playing against a bunch of hillbillies takes a hard right into Deliverance territory and make for a gritty exploitation jam that seems somewhat out of time in 1990.

Chasing Sleep (2000) - Bill Pullman plays an insomniac professor who's wife has gone missing. Anxiety ridden, paranoia fueled hallucinations follow in what I thought was a pretty effective noir riff.

Jakob's Wife (2021) - Effectively gross and wonderfully performed by Barbara Crampton. The practical effects and feminist messaging were definitely working for me here.

Penitentiary (1979) - Can your humanity be reclaimed both by beating the shit out of fellow inmates for entertainment and semi-anonymous trysts in the bathroom? Only one movie has the courage to ask!

The Oracle (1985) - Solid NYC horror flick with a familiar premise of things going wrong for yuppies in a new apartment. Some absurdly wonderful puppet effects and great location work.

Scalpel (1977) - Southern gothic thriller about a greedy plastic surgeon who alters the face of a comatose stripper to look identical to his estranged daughter so he can claim her inheritance. They also strike up a relationship of sorts. If this sounds messed up that's because it is.

Spookies (1986) - I caught a screening of this which is definitely the way to best appreciate it. You want to be in a room of horror fans when the farting muck men turn up.

Sting of Death (1966) - Kooky, low budget 60s monster mash about a killer jellyfish man-thing. There are dance numbers, secret lairs, and a surprisingly high body count. Do the jilla-jella-jellyfish!

Stone (1974) -  Sold as a precursor to Mad Max but really more of Ozploitation Easy Rider of sorts with bar brawls, drag racing, smoking grass, strip poker, and the occasional skinny dip. Take the trip!