Welcome to 2009. I’m excited to be bringing the Friday Night Double Feature back as a regular, weekly column, after what could best be described as a sporadic offering in 2008. Each week I’ll give you a double feature of movies that are somehow linked, whether it’s by actor, director, writer, theme, etc. Sometimes they’ll be blockbuster films, other times they’ll be cult flicks, but I promise they’ll keep your Friday Nights entertaining to say the least. If you think you can do better, e-mail me your suggestions. I might just use them in a future column.
Our annual Flaming Hobbit awards came out this week, celebrating the kind of movie you love to watch, but hate to admit to watching. To me, that’s where this column started - with double features inspired by movies I love to watch, but have difficulty explaining to others why.
All of this year’s nominations were worthy candidates that I fully expect to see offered as part of a Double Feature sometime in the future. The final winner, however, instantly reminded me of so many other movies, I couldn’t help but pair it up this week. Join us in celebrating the Flaming Hobbit of 2008 by holding your own Friday Night Double Feature.
Hamlet 2
Hamlet 2 is a movie that is both full of meaning and devoid of any meaning at the same time. It’s almost a post-modern experiment in making a movie that is simultaneously entertaining and embarrassing, and I have to admit for falling for it hook, line, and sinker. Between the high school drama teacher who creates adaptations of hit movies, the Barthes quoting criticism of a little kid, and the random appearance of Elizabeth Shue, Hamlet 2 has just about everything. What it lacks, unfortunately, is more of the play within the movie, “Hamlet 2.” People in the movie are embarrassed, horrified, offended, and enlightened by the creation within the movie. I just wanted to see more of it. Maybe next time.
Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical
I’ll be honest, it’s primarily the “Rock Me Sexy Jesus” musical number that brought Reefer Madness to mind (which has a similar approach to Christ with a number titled, “Listen to Jesus, Jimmie”). Much like Hamlet 2, this movie has a story within the movie that’s being told. The difference is, we see all of it. Alan Cumming does a spectaular job as a propagandist who brings his anti-marajuana cautionary tale to a small town and scares the bejeezus out of them with his stories of what one toke on a joint can bring. It’s hilariously over the top, and gives quite a bit of permission for the cast to overact and overdo the musical numbers. It stays marvelously restrained though, and provides some great musical moments, such as Kristen Bell in a dominatrix outfit, or Robert Torti as a lounge singer style Jesus.
Other ideas on par as a Shakespeare sequel: Waiting for Guffman, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, High School High, Not Another Teen Movie
Enjoy our Double Feature suggestions? and maybe we’ll use them in a future column.
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