SLEEPER MOVIES

Great Movies you probably never heard of...

FEAR OF A BLACK HAT

Fear of a Black Hat  is a fake documentary about a fictional rap group called NWA 'Niggas with Hats'.  The movie follows the exploits of bandmates Ice Cold, Tasty Taste, and Tone Def as they describe their lifestyles. Some of the rap songs are insanely funny. My favorites tunes include "Booty Juice", "Fuck The Security Guards" and "Granny Says Kick Yo Black Ass".

I'm very surprised  this movie is not more well known. The Amazon.com summary says "an undiscovered gem that somehow slipped through the cracks during its meager theatrical release".

Discussing their Album Title:

Ice Cold: Right, but see actually that shit was supposed to be NWH - Fear of a Black Hat, then subtitled Don't Shoot Until You See The Whites.

Nina Blackburn: Of their eyes?

Ice Cold: Who's eyes?

Nina Blackburn: Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.

Ice Cold: Nah, don't shoot until you see the whites, period, that's it, end of story.

STRICTLY BALLROOM

This is one of the rare movies that is a Chick Flick that Guys like. This Australian sleeper works on many levels; the dancing is hypnotic, the characters and the costumes are all delightfully over-the-top and the story itself is a lot of fun.

The movie walks a delicate balance between zany and endearing. Strictly Ballroom is filled with many comic-book type characters; the pushy, oppressive mother, the scheming head of the Dance Federation, and the gaudy and intellectually vacant dancer, (Tina Sparkle!) to name a few.

The story is about a young dancer who is torn between dancing as he wishes, or repeating the same boring steps which will almost guarantee him a championship.

Look for standout performances by Bill Hunter as the despicable Barney Fife and the late Pat Thomson (her last movie) as Shirley Hastings, a nightmarish 'Stage Mother'. Be sure to notice that the two little kids are the most rational people in the movie. Strictly Ballroom is the first movie directed by Baz Luhrmann, who would later go on to direct Moulin Rouge.

According to IMDB.com, when it played at the Cannes Film Festival, Strictly Ballroom received a 15-minute standing ovation.

DEATH TO SMOOCHY

Original, DARK, Inventive, Daring, Honest. This movie definitely has a New York vibe to it. Robin Williams steals this movie because he gets a role that's PERFECT for him; as a legendary child's TV show host named Rainbow Randolph, a sex crazed, degenerate who gets busted in a payola sting, publicly humiliated and fired. He is replaced with SQUEAKY clean Smoochy the Rhino. (Ed Norton) Rainbow Randolph, now broke and desperate becomes obsessed with orchestrating Smoochy's downfall.

Aside from Randolph trying to kill him, Smoochy also has trouble with the Mafia and the Irish Mob who are interested in profiting from the Smoochy Show. In this movie almost everyone involved in Children's Television programming is either a gangster or sexual deviant. There is a real film noir quality plus some very well written and snappy dialog.

Tommy: This I guarantee: That fuckin' Randolph has seen his last rainbow. We're going to find him, cut off his balls, and shove 'em up his ass.
Sheldon: Well, maybe we should leave that for the cops, Tommy.
Roy: Cops won't do the ball thing, it's against procedure.

Burke: You're gonna be so rich you'll be pissing on hundred dollar bills just to see the look on Franklin's face!
Sheldon: I don't think I could do that. I have much too much respect for the things that man has accomplished.

MY FAVORITE  YEAR

This is a magical, Television Age fairy tale.

This is one of the best movie stories to come around in a long time. It's obviously based in part on Producer Mel Brooks' experiences as a writer for Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows. In fact, there are so many real life similarities, you're tempted to assume this is a true story.

Alan Swann, a fading but legendary movie matinee idol (think Errol Flynn) is to appear on a 1950's TV show called King Kaiser (think "Your Show of Shows") however, Swann is now a depressed and inveterate drunk. Benjy Stone, one of the shows' writers (think Mel Brooks) is given the job of making sure Swann stays sober long enough to make rehearsals and the show.

Sure this movie has a lot of great performances (O'Toole was nominated for an Oscar for this role) but I love it because it's a great story and it is funny as hell.

Lil: Hey, this is for ladies only!
Alan Swann: [unzips fly] So is this, ma'am, but every now and then I have to run a little water through it.
 

Benjy Stone: Catherine, Jews know two things: suffering, and where to find great Chinese food.

THE FIRST NUDIE MUSICAL

I'm amazed that this movie was ever even made!

This is a full frontal, soft-porn musical from the mid 1970s.

A film maker decides to make his studio go for broke by producing a pornographic musical. The musical numbers are hilarious.

This movie stars Cindy Williams, who played Shirley on TV's Laverne & Shirley and a cast of unknowns. However, look for a very brief cameo by a very young Ron Howard. Also, Diana Canova of Soap has a supporting role.

Look for the scene with the 'Stunt Cock'

MARS ATTACKS

I'm not a big Tim Burton fan, but he hits the mark with this one.

Just look at some of the stars in this movie; Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Danny Devito, Pierce Brosnan, Pam Grier, Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jim Brown, and Tom Jones.

This movie is not an all-out, comedy, rather it is a funny homage to sci-fi movies of the 1950's. Much of the humor is very subtle, so it is easy to miss. If you're expecting to see another 'Airplane' you'll be disappointed. But, if you are a fan of 50's sci-fi and you pay close attention, I think you'll end up loving it.

JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY

On the whole, this movie isn't perfect. It doesn't 'hang well' together as the story line is basically a bunch of hooks to hang jokes. Some of these jokes are a little 'too 80s' and tend to date the picture.

But some of these jokes are classic.  You know a movie has something special when you and your friends still spout silly quotes from it two decades later.

Plus, there are a bunch of familiar faces; Michael Keaton, Danny Devito, Joe Piscapo, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner, Maureen Stapleton, Bob Eubanks, Griffin Dunne, and one of the last roles of Alan Hale Jr., the Skipper from Gilligan's Island.

Also, there are some great absurdist moments, like when Johnny is labeling puppies with a pricing gun, or the Pope making a surprise appearance in Johnny's neighborhood. Also, the scene where the fake priest makes up a lot of words in Latin is excellent. ("Summa cum laude, magna cum laude, the radio's too louda... Post meridian, ante meridian, uncle meridian, all the little meridians").

RONIN

Robert Dinero in a spy-thriller, action movie?

Believe it or not, Dinero really surprises in this Euro-thriller.

The demise of the Soviet Union put a lot of spies out of work. Now, these displaced specialists, hit men, bank robbers, must sell their services to the highest bidder. This depresses Dinero and Reno because they no longer are fighting for any political ideology, just for money.

This movie has tons of action including some of the best car chases in any movie. (Over 80 cars were destroyed making this movie.)

There are a few plot holes in this one, but you won't mind. The movie moves along at a brisk pace. Reno and Dinero are excellent together and Natasha Macalhone shines as well.

Who would have thought Dinero could have pulled off this role? Dinero is fine as a thug or a gangster, but as an international spy? Believe me, he more than pulls it off. In fact, this is one of his best roles in an already legendary career.