Weasel's Top (nine) Entertaining (off the wall) Movies

These are in no particular order, since they all come close to the top:


Pocketful of Miracles.

Frank Capra in Color. Betty Davis, one of those beautiful women who look not quite all there. Plot: Boozy old bag lady has been sending her money to her daughter in Spain, who thinks her mum is a wealthy socialite. The daughter is about to visit, with her aristocratic husband to be and the subterfuge will be blown. Step in, Dave the Dude, a local bootlegger with a heart of gold..

Withnail and I
Students. Shitty flats. Predatory Homos. Too much drink. Druggies who spout cod philosophy. Story of my life.

Night of the Demon

Yes, it's a "horror" movie, but I have watched it about 20 times now and every time there is something new that makes me enjoy it a little bit more. It wonderfully encapsulates the post war ethos, most cleverly sent up by Mr Cholmondeley Warner; fabulously condescending, grossly sexist, thinly veiled homosexual references, photographed like a German Expressionist film, ghastly special effects, but over all, a driving steamroller of a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. Niall MacGinnis is masterly as the Aleister Crowley-inspired Karswell.

Portrait of Jennie

A wonderful film all the family can watch. Impoverished artist interested in adolescent girl he meets in the park and asks her to pose for him. You can't do that anymore. Seriously, it's a fantasy film. Joseph Cotten stars with Ethel Barrymore, possibly the sexiest post menopausal woman in movies.


Team America - World Police

When you have seen that sex scene, all the others seem so plastic and fake. Thunderbirds on MDMA

Bad Santa
He's a department store Santa. (and a safecracker) He drinks. He pees himself. He abuses his sidekick elf who is a black dwarf. He hates kids. Can he redeem himself? Billy Bob Thornton at his absolute best.

Coneheads

Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin as two aliens stranded on earth. The running joke is, people are too PC to mention the obvious. Dare you Gnarfle the Garthok?

Run Lola Run

Watch it in German, without the terrible English dubbing. It needs no translation. Lola's boyfriend, Manny, loses a lot of money that belongs to a very bad man. Lola sets out to raise the cash, but she only has an hour...
The movie is a "what if" thing. It plays with outcomes based upon tiny little changes of circumstance. Delightful, made sublime because the lead goes to Franka Potente.

The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (aka Dr Syn)

Filmed by Disney, simultaneously as a mini series and feature film, it's a tale of a heroic Robin Hood figure, The Scarecrow, who leads a band of smugglers on the Coast of Kent. The lead is played by Patrick McGoohan, who doubles as the urbane local priest and the masked swashbuckler. It's the quintessential Saturday Morning serial, in wonderful Disney Color, with a raft of distinguished British actors.