The Red Chapel (2009)

This is a documentary made by Danish journalist Mads Brügger. Under the pretense of a cultural exchange, Brügger brings two Danish-Korean comedians, Jacob and Simon, to North Korea to perform a vaudeville comedy show. They tell the dictatorship government that they are a pro-socialist group called The Red Chapel. However, the real intention of the visit is to explore and expose the closed society of the country. Every night the footage that is shot must be reviewed by official censors but since Jacob is physically handicapped, he is able to get away with saying things about this society that cannot translated and understood by the North Koreans. This film gives a glimpse into a tyrannical nation that is both funny and terrifying.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Paul (2011)

This homage to the Science-Fiction blockbuster films of the 1980s is written by and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of Spaced fame. The duo play a couple of comic book nerds from Great Britain who are on a road trip in mid-western America to visit places of extraterrestrial sightings. During their journey they encounter an actual alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogan). Wise-cracking Paul is on the run from the United States Government. It seems that after over 50 years of being a secret specimen for the Feds, his usefulness has come to an end. The two friends agree to help Paul escape from the Washington agents (which includes Jason Bateman) and get him to his rendezvous with his people.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

One of Marvel's oldest superheros comes to the big screen in this latest film. This is a somewhat faithful adaption of Captain America's long history is based on the ULTIMATES version.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Super Seven Calling Cairo (1965)

Roger Browne plays Martin Stevens, a James Bond-like agent. He is sent to Egypt to retrieve a movie camera that has accidentally been sold to a tourist. The lens of the movie camera is made of some new radioactive, but stable, super metal. Of course the baddies are also in hot pursuit. The only problem is that only one woman knows what the man who bought the camera looks like and she's under Stevens' protection. However it's really not too hard to get to the agent since he can't say no to a beautiful woman, and there are plenty of those in this film.

Alternate Titles:  Superseven Chiama Cairo, Höllenhunde Des Secret Service

Available: Atlas Visuals, Twisted Anger

Black Friday (1940)

Professor George Kingsley (Stanley Ridges) is accidentally run down by a gangster's car as he is crossing the street. Luckily his friend Dr. Ernest Sovac (Boris Karloff) is a brilliant brain surgeon who saves his life. However Sovac's intentions are not as benevolent as they would seem. While talking with Red Cannon, the crook injured in the accident, Sovac learns that he has a fortune hidden somewhere. The good doctor has already done brain transplants on animals and figures that this would be a good time to try it on a human. He takes the brain of Cannon and puts it in his friend's body. Then he tries to get the part of Cannon's brain that is still active to lead him to the dough. However when Cannon's part takes over, he goes on a rampage murdering his former gang members (which includes Bela Lugosi). Sovac must desperately try to find the money before he cops learn who is really doing the killings.

Available: Amazon

The Ballad Of Cable Hogue (1970)

This western directed by Sam Peckinpah is actually more of a love story than anything else. It stars Jason Robards as Cable Hogue who was abandoned in the desert by his companions because he hesitated to shoot them when he had the chance. He is left to wander the desert for days with no salvation. Just when he is about to give up hope, he discovers water by digging at some moist sand in the wasteland. Things get even better when he discovers that this oasis is right along a stagecoach line. Industrious Cable decides to lay claim to the land and open up a way-station. With the help of a dubious clergyman (David Warner) and a prostitute with a heart of gold (Stella Stevens), Cable is quite successful until the appearance of a horseless carriage changes his happy existence.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Mansion Of Madness (1972)

This film is one of only a few directed by Mexican director Juan Lopez Moctezuma. It is loosely based on the story "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" by Edgar Allan Poe.

The movie opens with journalist Gaston LeBlanc (Arthur Hansel) traveling to a sanitarium for the insane in a remote location in France to talk with the director. Once there, LeBlanc meets with Dr. Maillard (Claudio Brook) who talks about his new "soothing method" as a way to treat the mental patients. The more that LeBlanc sees, the more it seems that the lunatics are taking over the asylum. When LeBlanc is eventually held against his will, he realizes that things are out of control. He quickly makes a plan to escape with the lovely Eugenie (Ellen Sherman) who is there looking for her father.

Alternate Titles: Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon

Available: Amazon, Netflix

Baadasssss! (2003)

Mario Van Peebles directs and stars in this docudrama about his father Melvin Van Peebles. The movie tells the story of how Melvin went about creating the first truly independent African-American film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. The drama is beyond anything that could be made up. Roadblocks of all sorts keep popping up: from Union workers stopping production, SAG fees making the use of those actors totally cost prohibitive, the money-man being arrested, no distribution company daring to even touch it, etc. It's an incredible and a true tribute to the man who would never give up.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)

This film, directed by Melvin Van Peebles, is credited with being one of the first African-American focused films. Unlike the Blaxploitation films that were to follow, Van Peebles' film was one in which the black man "won" in his battle against The Man.

This almost surreal movie starts off with a couple of "friendly" cops looking for a black guy to bring in for questioning concerning a murder. They just need a body to make them look like they're doing their job. Quiet Sweetback (Van Peebles) is volunteered by his boss Beetle (Simon Chuckster). On the way to the station, the cops get involved in the arrest of Mu-Mu (Hubert Scales), a young black dude. They decide to take him somewhere secluded and beat the crap out of him. After a while Sweetback just lashes out and assaults the cops, hitting them with the handcuffs until they are left bloody and unconscious. After that Sweetback is on the run.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Operation Nam (1986)

It's ten years after the end of the Vietnam War and a bunch of old army buddies have gotten together to talk about old times. While hanging out at a bar, they see a news story about a POW who has just been returned from Vietnam. The guys decide that they should go back to Vietnam and liberate any remaining American soldiers that are still held there in prison camps. However they come up against some resistance when they try to recruit professional soldier Major Morris (Italian director Enzo Castellari) and find that he has been ousted from the army by Colonel Mortimer (Gordon Mitchell). Seems the military doesn't want anyone snooping around over there. The guys decide to go anyway and get assistance from French priest Father Lenoir (Donald Pleasence). However it seems that someone has tipped off the North Vietnamese army. The guys have an uphill battle as they fight the soldiers and the Vietcong who still have resentment for the Americans.

The cast includes Christopher Connelly, Ethan Wayne (son of John Wayne), Richard Lester, Oliver Tobias.

Alternate Titles: Cobra Mission, Commando Cobra

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Robber (2010)

This Austrian film is loosely based on the true story of Johann Kastenberger, a marathon runner and bank robber. It starts off just as Johann (played by Andreas Lust) is released from prison after serving a seven year sentence for robbery. Upon discharge, he starts a relationship with Erika (Franziska Weisz), an old family friend. Being a highly trained athlete, Johann enters and wins several marathons becoming a bit of a celebrity. Unknown to everyone though, he continues to hold-up banks all over Vienna. 

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Death Raiders (1984)

This Philippine action film starts off (as these bottom of the barrel films usually do) with a guns-blazing, explosion-laden extravaganza. I'm not really sure what's going on but I think we are supposed to be witnessing a jungle rebel group at their violent best. Soon afterwards, this revolutionary force kidnap the governor of some region during his daughter's birthday party. The young adult daughters are also held hostage by the renegades. The army decides to re-form the "Death Raiders" commando team to rescue the Governor and his girls. We are introduced to each of the team members as they show off their skills of martial arts and cunning battle strategy. And while they are gearing up for the mission, there are those within the guerrilla camp that also have plans to save the hostages. Looks like the captives really don't have anything to worry about.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Attack The Block (2011)

This is a British science-fiction adventure film written and directed by Joe Cornish. The story revolves around a street gang of young teenagers who are out on Bonfire Night looking to get into trouble. While they are involved in mugging a young woman (Jodie Whittaker), an object flies out of the sky totally destroying a nearby parked car. While the boys are investigating, their leader Moses (John Boyega) is attacked by an alien creature. The boys quickly chase it down and kill it. Soon though, more flaming objects fall from the sky. The boys, still pumped up from the triumph of their encounter with the initial extraterrestrial, decide to go out and kill the others. Unfortunately, these other beasts are nothing like the first. These monsters are killing machines that will stop at nothing to get to the boys and destroy them. Will the gang be able to survive or can they defend their housing estate and possibly save the world?

Available:  Netflix, Amazon

Special (2006)

Michael Rapaport stars as Les Franken, a parking enforcement cop who's basically a pathetic loser. One day he decides to take part in a drug study. The drug is supposed to eliminate self doubt. However in Les' case it has caused him to have delusions that he is a super hero. This unfortunate side-effect has Les thinking that he has telepathy, can hover above the ground and walk through walls. The executive brothers (Paul Blackthorne and Ian Bohen) that run the drug company are worried that these adverse reactions will put a bad light on the drug and so they try to get Les to stop taking them. But by this time Les is so convinced that he has super powers he refuses to stop and goes after the Suits like the villains that they are.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Mannigan's Force (1988)

This terrible movie stars George Nicholas as Mannigan, a mercenary that loves to scream as he double-fists a couple of machine guns. After a 9-minute opening sequence of explosions and slow-motion deaths, we fast forward to present day. Mannigan and his gang are hired to rescue some US hostages that were taken when some rebels hijacked an arms delivery in a South American country. Of course the odds are against the them as the military dictatorship closes in on them but for $1 million, Mannigan stops at nothing.

Alternate Titles: American Wardog

Available: Netflix, Amazon

I Want My Name Back (2011)

We saw this movie at its World Premiere at the DocNYC festival in New York. Director Roger Paradiso introduced the film and informed us that this work-in-progress would have a new ending which we the audience would be a part of. The film itself tells the story of The Sugarhill Gang, the first artists to record a rap record with "Rapper's Delight". Unfortunately, the group were victims of unscrupulous record producers who royally screwed them. To make matters worse, the present right-holders (the sons of the original producers) have decide to steal the identities of Wonder Mike (Michael Wright) and Master Gee (Guy O'Brien) by copyrighting their rap names and preventing them from appearing as "The Sugarhill Gang". This documentary chronicles their fight to get their names back so that they can continue to make music on their own terms.  

Last Year At Marienbad (1961)

This surreal film directed by Alain Resnais takes place at a beautiful French chateau. Among the guests is a man (Giorgio Albertazzi) who approaches a woman (Delphine Seyrig) and claims that they met last year at a similar resort.  He tells her that they planned to run away together after meeting again this year. The woman denies all this saying that she has never seen him before. Also present is a man who may the woman's husband (Sacha Pitoeff). He challenges the stranger many times to a game called Nim; a challenge that he always will win. Does the mysterious guy really have a claim on this woman or is he making it all up as part of his seduction of her?

 Available: Netflix, Amazon

El Topo (1970)

This incredible film by Alejandro Jodorowsky is credited with being one of the first Midnight Movies. It's achieved cult status with its plethora of religious symbols and Eastern philosophic imagery. 

The movie itself follows a lone gunman (Jodorowsky) who is traveling across the desert with his young son. After taking care of some bandits and their Colonel leader, he leaves his son behind and takes up with Mara, a young woman who he rescued. She demands that he challenge the four great masters of the desert. Unfortunately Mara eventually betrays the gunfighter leaving him to die in the desert. Luckily he is rescued by a group of deformed outcasts who nurse him back to health. He then takes it upon himself to dig a tunnel out of the mountain in which they are trapped, freeing them forever.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Dracula A.D. 1972

Christopher Lee returns as Hammer's Dracula yet again. Except this time he is revived in present-day swinging London!

After being thrown out of a posh party, a group of bored young adults are looking for the next big thrill. A newcomer to their group, Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame), suggests performing a black magic ceremony in a church that is about to be torn down. Not coincidentally one of the group is Jessica Van Helsing (Stephanie Beacham), an ancestor of the great vampire hunter. Johnny revives Dracula as planned but doesn't get to Jessica as the intended victim. Instead, Dracula gets Laura (Caroline Munro). After Laura's body is found, the police start an investigation with the help of Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing). It's a race against time to track down Dracula before he gets to Jessica.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Night After Night (1932)

George Raft plays Joe Anton, an ex-boxer who is now a popular speakeasy owner. But Joe isn't your typical hood; he is trying to improve himself by taking etiquette lessons from Mrs. Jellyman (Alison Skipworth) who is teaching him the proper way to speak and act.

Joe becomes intrigued by Miss Healy (Constance Cummings), a socialite who patronizes his club night after night and just sits by herself. Eventually he has the nerve to talk to her and falls for her. He gets Miss Jellyman to step up his lessons so he can impress this high class woman. Trouble starts to brew when Joe's current girlfriend (Wynne Gibson) and a very old flame (Mae West, in her very first role) each show up and start trouble.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Last Circus (2010)

This film is directed by Spanish film director Alex de la Iglesia. It stars Carlos Areces as Javier, a clown looking for a job with a circus. Javier's father was a "Happy Clown" that was imprisoned during the Spanish Civil War. Javier wants to follow in his father's footsteps, except he is a "Sad Clown" since his life has seen so much suffering. 

Javier finally gets employment with a traveling group that includes the beautiful acrobat Natalia (Carolina Bang). Javier instantly falls madly in love with her. The only problem is that she is the girlfriend of the Happy Clown Sergio (Antonio de la Torre), a violent egotist who believes that he runs the show. When things finally come to a head Javier basically loses his mind, intent on destroying Sergio and saving Natalia from his clutches.

Alternate Titles: Balada Triste De Trompeta

Available: Netflix, Amazon

The Getaway (1972)

This excellent movie is directed by Sam Peckinpah. It stars Steve McQueen as Doc McCoy, who is serving time at a Texas penitentiary when the film opens. Doc can't take the monotony of prison life and also desperately misses his wife Carol (Ali MacGraw), so he makes a deal with the powerful Jack Benyon (Ben Johnson) to get him paroled.

After gaining his freedom, Doc is hired by Benyon to hit a small local bank. He reluctantly agrees to use Rudy (Al Lettieri) and Frank (Bo Hopkins), a couple of Benyon's men for the job. Inevitably, things go wrong and Doc and Carol are on the run with a million dollars. They are being pursued not only by the law and Benyon's men, but by Rudy who Doc left for dead after the heist.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)

This is a documentary about Conan O'Brien's 2010 "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television" Tour. After the debacle in which the NBC television network fired O'Brien as the new host of The Tonight Show, he was prohibited from performing on television for six months. Angry and impatient, he decides to embark on a stand-up comedy tour. Apprehensive to fan reaction, Team Coco quietly announce the tour on Twitter. To their delight, the shows quickly sell out. It's now up to Conan and his writers to create a production that not only will entertain, but help him work out his demons and get over his anger at the way he was treated.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

Three Ages (1923)

This is the first feature that Buster Keaton wrote, directed, produced and starred in. The film is structured as a satire of D.W. Griffith's film Intolerance in that three different time periods are being presented concurrently: prehistoric, ancient Rome, and present. The plot of each of the sub-stories is the same: Buster Keaton plays a loser who is competing for the attention of a woman (Margaret Leahy) with an Alpha-Male (Wallace Beery). Of course there is lots of signature physical comedy typical of a Keaton film.

Available: Netflix, Amazon

127 Hours (2010)

This dramatization directed by Danny Boyle is about Aron Ralston (played by James Franco), a hiker who accidentally got pinned by a rock while hiking. Ralston did not tell anyone where he was going when he went trekking Blue John Canyon in the state of Utah. A totally freakish accident occurs when Ralston falls down into a narrow passage dislodging a boulder that ends up pinning his arm against the wall and traps him there. With no way to move the rock, Aron makes the best of the situation while trying to decide what to do. He records a daily message on his camcorder with the thought that in all probability he will die stuck there. Survival instincts do kick in and he decides that to get out of there he will have to find a way to cut off his arm. With nothing but a dull blade, it doesn't look like that is a very viable option.

Available: Netflix, Amazon