Movie Time with Benjamin III: The Reckoning

Oh. Snap.  It’s that time again, kids!  Grease up your Netflix queue, Benjamin’s about to take his shirt off.

1. Twin Peaks: Season 1

Too obvious a suggestion?  Ehhh I dunno.  But I like to make sure we’ve got the basics covered.  If you haven’t seen the Twin Peaks series, you haven’t seen one of the top 5 series ever to be on television.  Is this series better than The Twilight Zone, for me?  Holy shit… it might be.  I never considered that until just now.

Watch these late at night.  When you’re alone.  In an unfamiliar place.  David Lynch understands how nightmares work.

2. Echoes from a Somber Empire

This month’s gem from the Herzog vault…  A documentary about the former Emperor of the Central African Empire, Jean-Bédel Bokassa. Toward the end of his life, Bokassa proclaimed himself the 13th Apostle and claimed to have secret meetings with the Pope. He also murdered and tortured hundreds of political rivals and… ate them!  That’s right.  He was a cannibal emperor.

The film follows journalist Michael Goldsmith, as he revisits the ruins of the empire where he was imprisoned and tortured.

This one is mostly missing Herzog’s awesome narration, but does feature one of the most brutal, soul-crushing scenes in the history of film. I stared blankly into space for about 20 minutes after watching that fucking monkey smoke.

3. Dog Day Afternoon

Second only to the Godfather movies, in terms of Pacino.  I’ve got a soft spot for this movie.  Maybe because it’s the kind of thing I dream about happening to me all the time.  Maybe because I’m one sex-change operation away from screaming “ATTICA!” outside the nearest Citibank branch… but ain’t we all?  Watch this movie on a hot summer day when you’re tired of thinking about the bailout.

4. Rock the Bells

Aw helll no.  I knew it!  I knew this blog shit was just a thinly veiled way for SFR to push their fucking merchandise.  Movie time with Benjamin fell the fuck off.  Laying down.  Selling out.  Sucking up to the man!

Well, I’ve got some advice for you, little buddy.  Sure, you can buy this DVD directly from Strange Famous Records by clicking on this sentence, but that’s beside the point.

This happens to be a damn good movie.  Even if you didn’t give a shit about hip hop, this documentary would still hold water.  White knuckle tension. Ambition. Drama. Physical danger. Broccoli.  A landmark moment in the history of rap.  For reals, see this movie.

And nevermind the fact that Sage Francis and I will be appearing on select Rock the Bells Tour dates this summer.  Check our myspace and facebook pages for info.  That’s got nothing to do with this.

Alright… one more.  I haven’t dropped this installment’s H-Bomb yet, and I know you’ve been waiting for it.  So here it is, baby.  Just remember that you asked for it.

5. 2LDK

“Imagine, if you will, two Japanese directors who meet at a film festival, each familiar with (and appreciative of) each other’s work. Then imagine a night of binge drinking that leads to the gauntlet being thrown down – a little friendly competition to see who can make the best “Duel to the Death” film. Then throw in a few rules like 1) The script can contain no more than 2-3 characters 2) The film must be shot in seven days and on a small budget 3) the film can only take place in one setting, and most importantly 4) at least one character must die. Thus, the Duel Project was born.” -eFilmCritic

In my opinion, Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s 2LDK is the big winner.  I don’t even want to tell you too much about this one.  I just want you to hunt it down, buckle up, and enjoy the fuckin ride.

P.S.  If you want to judge for yourself who won the duel, the other entry is Ryuhei Kitamura’s “Aragami.”

Well, there it is folks.

I saw The Hangover last night and dug it, but I’m saving my heart for Bruno this summer.

Happy viewing,

b

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