I have two sets of wonderful friends who show movies in their backyards during the summer. There are drinks and snacks and sometimes a curated program of obscure shorts beforehand (living in LA does have some benefits). Selecting these movies is a fine balancing act of old favorites, fun, must sees and should sees. So here are my recommendations that slant girl friendly and just obscure enough to make people think you used to hang out in the cool section of the video store. I suppose you could show these inside your house too.
I am not kidding. This movie is FANTASTIC. It got a bad rap because Elaine May (certified genius by me) pulled a bit of a Terry Gilliam and shot a mile or two more film than was strictly necessary. She unfairly languished in movie jail because of the Hollywood politics surrounding the release, but the film itself is a delight. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman are at their most likeable and adorable. There’s singing, camels, a Middle Eastern bazaar and from an artists point of view a truly interesting look at ambition and its relation to talent. It is hilarious.
Another gem from filmmakers Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon this beautiful, colorful movie is funny and sweet and weird. Their work is often compared to Jacques Tati and while their work is fresh and new it is an apt comparison. This movie is mostly in French but there isn’t a lot of dialogue so children or people who’ve had too much sangria should be fine.
I know we’ve all seen this movie 1000 times but seeing it fresh with friends will just remind you how brilliant it is. If you are planning a crime you should definitely watch this with your co-conspirators and keep an eye on them during the movie to see how they react. It could save your bacon.
I think I might have gotten the wrong message from watching this movie because I see Tracy Flick as the hero. I’ve always admired her confidence. But if you want a pre Walter White anti-hero you can’t go wrong with some Matthew Broderick and that bee sting. This is a great movie and if you were in student government you can use your old skills and make some posters for your screening and tear them down with your guests. Fun.
Another meditation on fame, this time from Belgium. Like Ishtar this movie has some brilliant ‘so bad it’s good’ performances by its main character. With the cultural hegemony that America holds over the entertainment industry it’s pretty interesting to see it from another perspective. If you have a karaoke machine you have to whip it out after showing this movie. Will anybody sing though?
About Etta Devine
Etta Devine is an actor, filmmaker, and writer with a script on the 2017 Blacklist and one of 2017's Movie Maker Magazine's 25 Screenwriters to watch. With partner Gabriel Diani she directed, wrote, produced and starred in the feature film “Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse” which premiered at the 2016 Austin film festival and won awards from the Mill Valley Film Festival, Spokane International Film Festival, Omaha Film Festival, San Luis Obispo Film Festival, and many others. She co-produced and starred in the horror comedy “The Selling,” ruined classic literature by creating “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Robotic Edition” and is a member of the Antaeus Classical Theatre Company in Los Angeles and the Film Fatales. She recently recorded voices for the popular Frederator cartoon “Bee and Puppycat“ and wrote multiple episodes of its upcoming second season.