Dan's 20 Favourite Film Discoveries of 2021
Another year, another list of favourite discoveries!
In 2021, Carlo and I started doing the Cream of the Crud podcast in Notes From the Back Row – talking about movies we’ve been watching and news of notable BluRay announcements – and because of that I got back into buying BluRays. Well, more than I had previously but not quite to the level I was at a number of years back when I ran out of places to keep them. All this is to say, a number of the movies on this list were blind-purchases that worked out well in my favor, and a number of them will all end with me bemoaning their lack of proper releases.
Read on to find out which are which! And here’s to more first-time viewing discoveries in 2022 and beyond!
Loyalties (1987, Anne Wheeler)
Synopsis: Lily and her three youngest children join her husband David Sutton, a doctor in an isolated northern Alberta town. David conceals a dark secret which caused the family to leave England without telling anybody. Lily hires the half-Native Rosanne as a housekeeper, and eventually the two women become good friends, until the secret emerges again.
Susan Wooldridge and Tantoo Cardinal are phenomenal in this. Even on VHS you can tell Loyalties is stunningly shot and deserves to be preserved on a BluRay or restored somehow; all those backlit Canadian sunset shots, dark forest nights by campfire and backyard late night parties. All idyllic and hiding the darkness simmering beneath these tangled up relationships. Phenomenal stuff.
A perfect example of a well-regarded Canadian movie that sits barely known (only 41 views on Letterboxd) and impossible to see for the general public. A travesty.
Crossing Delancey (1988, Joan Micklin Silver)
Synopsis: Isabelle’s grandmother remains less than impressed with her love life and decides to hire a good old-fashioned Jewish matchmaker to help. Enter pickle-maker Sam who immediately takes to Isabelle. She however is irritated by the whole business… at least to start with.
What more do you need? Ya got Amy Irving. You’ve got great direction from Joan Micklin Silver. You’ve got Peter Riegert. There's a great supporting cast. You’ve got a perfectly low stakes romantic comedy plot like with plenty of NYC location shooting. You’ve got plenty of songs from The Roches. It's all just charming and delightful as heck. What a great romantic comedy!
Love Letters (1983, Amy Holden Jones)
Synopsis: After discovering a box of old love letters sent to her mother by a mysterious stranger, Anna, a young radio deejay, begins a torrid affair with a married man. Burning attraction brings them together, but the reality does not come close to the passion expressed in the letters.
Amy Holden Jones' non-horror follow-up to The Slumber Party Massacre is a painful drama about a radio DJ who finds her deceased mother's love letters from a decades old affair. She spirals into her own affair with a married man while also dealing with memories of growing up with her abusive, alcoholic father.
Love Letters is wildly overlooked - I guess people wanted more horror from Jones after Massacre? - this is well acted, observed, and directed. Loved pretty much everything about this bleak, non-romance.
Supergirl (1984, Jeannot Szwarc)
Synopsis: After losing a powerful orb, Kara, Superman’s cousin, comes to Earth to retrieve it and instead finds herself up against a wicked witch.
One of those 'this movie came out and people hated it?' moments.
Sure, there's lots to nitpick - the first act takes a while to get into gear, it's probably a bit too long and overall it feels a little... inconsistent? But it's also so much "movie!!!" that it's hard to care.
I guess it was one of those situations where there's just too much and people at the time had a hard time figuring out what to grab onto in Supergirl? Watching it now it was just a load of silly, sweet fun to me. It looks great, lots of fun effects, great score, Faye Dunaway has an amazing witch lair, a dimwitted himbo guy who needs saving, Brenda Vaccaro is just the best... there's way more to like here than there is to dislike.
Malcolm (1986, Nadia Tass)
Synopsis: Malcolm is a chronically shy mechanical genius, who has just been fired for building his own tram. He gets Frank, who has just been released from jail, to move in to help pay the bills and, with Frank’s help, Malcom turns to a life of crime.
I can't seem to put into words or explain this movie as I try and write this. It's a very very charming picture about the titular Malcolm, a shy oddball who lives alone after losing their mother, spending their time tinkering and building wacky contraptions and ultimately getting wound up in a heist with a con-man and his partner.
I want to say "slight" but that would be underselling it. Malcolm made me laugh and smile a lot. Part of me wishes there was a little more focus pulled towards Malcolm in a "coming of age" kind of way, as the movie hints at this stuff but leaves it just beneath the surface for the heist ending. I think that's fine because of how much I dug this.
Limbo (1999, John Sayles)
Synopsis: Unconventional narrative about the interactions amongst a group of people in a small town in Alaska, each of whom guards a secret.
Always been a huge fan of John Sayles' script-work in the 80s but his directorial output is for sure a blind spot personally. I love that Limbo bucks expectations at every turn – it's an Alaskan ensemble drama until it is very much not... and yet the themes and characters it sets up are so key to where it ends up. This kind of thing must be so hard to pull off, but it's almost effortless from Sayles.
The idea that there were critics calling the ending to this movie a "non-ending" or a "cop-out" is just bananas to me. How hard to you have to try to misinterpret an ending such as clear as this?
Memory Run (1995, Allan A. Goldstein)
Synopsis: The year is 2015, and big brother is everywhere. The search for immortality is over. Science has finally achieved the impossible, undermining the most basic aspect of life: that Mind, Body, and Soul must be one, Those who benefit from this new technology will wake up to a new and youthful beginning - the rest of humankind must live a bad dream and wake up to a living nightmare that goes beyond life, beyond death, and beyond redemption.
Very cool Toronto-shot sci-fi movie based on a novel written by a trans author.
The arc of the main character is fascinating and I was into all the turns the story took – from a tragic but dirtbag capitalist opportunist framed for murder, to future-prison sisterhood and prison-break through to the evil corporation's plan for eternal youth. Memory Run was genuinely interesting and even if the pace wasn't firing on all cylinders, there was something intriguing happening at most times. Plus, Lazar Rockwood (Beyond the Seventh Door) shows up in a fairly important, but mostly silent role!
The Kirlian Witness (1979, Jonathan Sarno)
Synopsis: A woman communicates with a houseplant that was the only witness to a recent murder.
Unique psychotronic 70s thriller about a plant-obsessed woman's murder and her sister who is investigating what actually happened. She turns to her sister's plants for "help" via Kirlian photography to figure out if her hot-head asshole husband has something to do with it, or her sister's weirdo handyman friend from the plant shop.
This whole movie has a great vibe - dusty, dirty lofts full of lush greenery, lonely New York streets, occult sections of the local bookstore and SoHo rooftops. Great NYC location shooting and cinematography from João Fernandes (who started their career on movies like Deep Throat and Devil In Miss Jones before working on The Prowler, Invasion U.S.A., Children of the Corn and more, often working with Doris Wishman and Chuck Norris.)
EXIT (2019, Lee Sang-geun)
Synopsis: When an unknown toxic gas strikes Seoul in an unprecedented act of terror, Yong-nam has just met Eui-ju from college by chance at his mother’s birthday banquet. The city falls under sudden noxious gas attack and together, they must escape the panic-stricken city.
So great! EXIT starts with some solidly funny awkward family comedy and becomes a disaster movie about deadly toxic gas. Has a fantastic hold on keeping things contained to a location by location basis without sacrificing big moments of suspense or the sense that it's a widespread city-wide disaster. Plus the characters are fun and the emotional beats well executed. Had a real good time with this!
Iron Thunder (1989, Anthony Elmore)
Anthony "Amp" Elmore writes, produces, stars and directs this vanity project based on their own life as a "5 time World Karate/Kickboxing Champion" and incorporates real footage of their kickboxing fights into the film (the entire climax is basically one shot from the crowd of a real fight, haha.)
Ya gotta hand it to Anthony because this is pretty ballsy and clearly comes from an incredibly passionate place (not only is it about Amp's path to becoming a champion, there's asides about Vietnam vets and black power) but it's also frequently hilarious. George M. Young as Kingfish steals the show - all of his line readings are amazing.
I have to assume that Anthony was sponsored by Coors in real life because Iron Thunder is stuffed with Coors merchandise and advertising.
Get Rollin’ (1980, J. Terrance Mitchell)
Synopsis: A documentary about Pat the Cat and other roller disco skaters who want to make it big doing what they do.
This roller disco documentary (docudrama?) is a pure delight and a cure for whatever bad mood you happen to be in. Someone get a hold of the music rights or convince whoever doesn't want to release this and just figure it out!! The world needs Get Rollin'!
Also listen to Carlo and I talk in depth about this movie and other roller disco films over on Notes From the Back Row podcast.
Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979, William A. Levey)
Synopsis: A street-gang leader challenges a handsome young skater in a championship contest at the local roller-disco rink.
I knew this was gonna be good right away, even before the roller skate gang headed up by Patrick Swayze showed up. Another movie that sat on VHS for years (again, the soundtrack) until finally getting BluRay release in 2019. This movie has everything, from dang-nutty comedy to amazing roller-skating which is wonderfully lensed. Oh, and a DJ Wizard that shoots lightning. Skatetown U.S.A rules, go watch it right now!
Polk County Pot Plane (1977, Jim West)
Synopsis: You’ve never met two more unlucky drugs couriers, as the police are on to them every time they try something, the mafia have changed management and want money back for lost shipments, and they’re about to get stiffed for their biggest heist.
This is like the 1977 hicksploitation version of Jackass trying to make movies by fusing narratives and amateur stunts together. I loved it.
Based on a true story, shot using local talent and with the actual plane from the real event where a couple of guys flattened some Georgia backcountry and landed a DC-4 full of pot in it.
This movie has no stunt-people, just actors who I guess were OK with maybe dying. Our heroes OOSH and DOOSH hang from a helicopter with no support rigs or wires, a plane lands on dirt after clipping trees on the way in, a Winnebago gets halved after driving under a truck, etc. etc. The stunts might feel modest to some viewers, but the regional low-budget "no doubles" vibe just adds to the suspense. If you told me someone died - or was at least seriously injured - making this movie I'd be like yeah, checks out.
The rest of the movie? It's charming if not exciting - lots of mumbled "you sumbich!" dialogue and excuses for more chase scenes. Which is kinda the point.
Empress of Darkness (2020, Nick DiLiberto)
Synopsis: An Empress Slayed and a world forever cursed to Darkness. Follow Alpha as he is chased and ruthlessly hunted down by Graxus’s Evil Horde who will stop at nothing until his existence is stomped out from this world.
Amazing fantasy animation, all drawn by hand and scanned by director Nick DiLiberto. Incredible to watch knowing this, and I just generally loved the whole atmosphere of the movie. Beautiful stuff. The sound mix is off and the voices are very amateurishly done/recorded but that added to the homemade epic vibe of this, and it helped that the soundtrack was dope too.
Josh and S.A.M. (1993, Billy Weber)
Synopsis: Josh and Sam are two brothers facing change, their mother is about to marry a French accountant and the kids are sent to go live with their father in Florida. Meanwhile, Josh tells Sam that he is a “S.A.M.” that is going to be sent to fight in a war and that Canada is a safe haven for any S.A.M. unwilling to fight. Will Josh & S.A.M. make it to Canada or will they wish they should have never left home?
Offbeat, dark-comedy coming-of-age movie from film editor Billy Weber (who edited most of Terrence Malick's films).
The movie is focused around these two brothers and the different ways they are reacting to their parents divorce. Yes, it also has a ridiculous framing device (Josh convinces Sam that he's a genetically engineered government child-soldier) but I found it interesting that the movie shucks the usual brother dynamic (i.e. one is the do-no-wrong golden child and the other an underdog, etc) for something less clearly defined.
There's one moment that just punched my gut when Sam complains about being called an "alien" at school, Josh goes: "Well maybe if you didn't stare off into space all the time" to which Sam replies "I was thinking a lot about being dead." As ridiculous as the plot got, it always felt like underneath it all were these sad, scared and confused kids. Most movies like this can't manage that!
Josh and S.A.M. doesn't reach the surreal heights of something like Motorama, but also had a number of moments that cracked me up – the Pizza delivery man, the man on the tractor ("Just changing drivers!") – plus there's a wild cast of supporting talent (Martha Plimpton, Stephen Tobolowsky, Joan Allen, Chris Penn, Maury Chaykin... Udo Kier?!)
Oh, also, something you're going to really have to get past with this movie: Jake Gyllenhaal shows up in the opening stretch to speak almost exclusively in homophobic slurs. The way that stuff is handled is wrapped up a bit by the end, but they certainly could have managed getting to that point without executing it like... that. Yikes.
Boardinghouse (1982, John Wintergate)
Synopsis: Resembling a cross between “The Amityville Horror” and a Playboy Playmates video, this film tells the terrifying tale of a cheesy video special effect that stalks bikini-clad women. In between scenes of them playfully splashing each other and wrestling with each other’s bathing suit tops, they’re murdered and/or terrorized by horrific hallucinations.
Truly wild to watch this seminal SOV transmission for the first time on bluray, scanned from a theatrical print. Such a perfectly bizarre textural experience. And yet I am going to have to come back and watch the home video cut's scan that looks more traditionally SOV too.
Anyway Boardinghouse was just outrageous; at once a vanity fever dream but also effective in moments and I liked the weird computer screen wrap around for setting up the story??? Despite walking and talking a lot like other movies in the genre, it somehow also feels so singular? This mix of supernatural stuff, 70s hangover new-ageiness and black glove slasher pushed through a demonic video toaster. One of the best BluRay releases of the year.
All-American Murder (1991, Anson Williams)
Synopsis: When Tally Fuller is brutally killed by a blowtorch-wielding maniac, Artie Logan - the new guy on Campus with a shady past - is wrongfully arrested. Despite protests from other Police officers, detective P.J. Decker believes Artie’s story and gives him 24 hours to track down the real killer.
There’s a huge K-Mart AOR soundtrack on this mix of 90s-wishing-it-was-the-80s college movie turned offbeat murder mystery yarn turned pseudo-giallo kinda-slasher. Red herrings and mysterious pov shots abound as this becomes one of those 'clear my name before time runs out and bodies pile up' movies.
Also, everyone talks in non-stop quippy 90s too-clever-for-its-own-good dialogue that goes from quirky to explicit so fast you'll get whiplash. Walken shows up and eats pickles out of the fridge in an apartment he's searching for evidence. He brings great unhinged energy to All-American Murder, but even without Walken, this landed on my 'every scene feels like a wildly different movie' wavelength in a way I loved.
Jeremy (1973, Arthur Barron)
Synopsis: Jeremy is learning cello at an arts school in New York. At school he spots Susan, who practices for a ballet audition, and he falls in love.
Slice-of-life, coming-of-age drama, Jeremy is set in NYC about the titular O.G. New York Lonely Boy. Everything about this movie is just… gentle. It feels very lived-in and emotionally honest. The grime of NYC serves as a perfect backdrop to these shy and sweet kids falling in what they can only assume is true love. There is beauty and depth in its simplicity, and the BluRay presentation from Fun City serves as the ideal way to experience this movie in 2021.
The Blue Iguana (1988, John Lafia)
Synopsis: The IRS sends Recovery Specialist Vince Holloway south of the border to the dangerous town of Diablo to rob the outlaw bank where criminals launder their cash.
Quirky cartoon-ass noir-comedy written and directed by John Lafia. This kind of thing is very easy to fuck up, but this was thoroughly entertaining and the finale knocked things up for me by at least half of a star. Twisty and turny without being confusing, offbeat in a way that isn't grating. That’s actually a hard thing to pull off because you've probably seen a movie or two (at least) that tried to do this tone but was just boring or completely fucking annoying.
The Blue Iguana has a real "I worked with Alex Cox" vibe going on which makes sense because John Lafia…. worked with Alex Cox in the Art Department on Repo Man.
Bingo (1991, Matthew Robbins)
Synopsis: Bingo, the runaway circus dog, is off the leash and saving Chuckie’s life! Bingo and the boy become the best of friends in this canine comedy featuring doggy disguises and skateboarding, pinball and prison.
Bingo sits in the driver's seat of a truck and drives it like a human being and that's the least unbelievable thing in this wildly unhinged cartoon-ass movie full of non-stop what the fuckery. Thank you to Viva Physical Media! for finally getting me to watch this thing again. I had wildly vague memories of watching it on VHS as a kid, but nothing could prepare me for facing down BINGO as an adult. Bingo is an essential entry in the WTF kid movie canon.
