267 of 1001 Movies: Cyclo (1995)

There may have never been a more appropriate moment to play Radiohead's Creep than in this movie! Seriously, the depressing song fits despite the English lyrics and the Vietnamese language spoken in the movie. Anyways, Cyclo is quite a venture into the dark. It's not for a late night viewing, or for those easily bummed out. Tran Anh Hung directed this movie. Now I'm not sure if this qualifies as a French movie or Vietnamese because the director is from France, and even directs French movies, but set out apart from his other works when he directed this one that shows more of his heritage and cultural background.

Summary: A young man who is a cyclo driver is struggling to earn money for his family after the loss of their father. In order to provide more money after losing his cycle to thieves he gets swept into the world of crime by a group of criminals. One the man, the Poet, also leads his sister into the same world through prostitution. So she won't lose her virginity though she mainly caters to fetishes including feet washing. The families' problems have only just begun though as not everything in the crime world goes as planned.

Wednesday Movie Night: Tommy Boy (1995)

This movie came out in 1995 when I was 6, and not allowed to watch adult movies. It's understandable though. Even though I do believe I would have laughed more then than I did as an adult, as slapstick humor has become less appealing with age. What works though is the friendship between David Spade and Chris Farley who don't ever have to force the humor. For some reason Farley's character seems like a poor schmuck you just feel for.

Summary: Tommy is not too smart, he's immature, and isn't aspiring to much. He's also a heir to an auto part company, but after his father dies he's left having to battle out his relatives who are married into the family. His father has married a woman who's only goal is basically to earn more money from the empire, whether that means selling it and losing it from the family, she doesn't care. Tommy is determined to keep his dad's name alive through the business though, and sets out to keep it alive with the help of the man also working for his dad, Richard.

260 of 1001 Movies: Dead Man (1995)

So I did't know what type of Western Dead Man might be when I put it on to watch. It's definitely different and meshes the aspects of Western well with the unique way that Jim Jarmusch was also trying to convey his film. It also has these smaller stars who pop up throughout the movie who are recognizable faces, but if you're like me you're trying to place what movie you saw them in before, except unless those faces were John Hurt or Johnny Depp. The movie though has some really long and drawn out scenes though, so it could have been shorter.

Summary: Accountant's, William Blake, journey into the west has been anything but simple. After first not finding a good welcome at the place he was hoping to work he meets a lady that lifts some minor hopes, but after her fiance arrives home he finds her in bed with William, and shoots her dead. To defend himself William shoots her fiance, killing him. John though is upset at the death of his son and is determined to find William and bring him to justice. William meets a North American man, Nobody, who helps him though on the run, and guides him into a world unknown.