Welcome to I Have to Return Some Videotapes! Each month, film buffs Rhianna Mehta and Kevin Maguire will take you through their cinematic journeys with all of their usual insight and humour, catching up on their favourite films and exploring new ones.

It is our one year anniversary! Since we started writing this article, we have watched approximately 385 movies…damn! It has been an absolute blast writing about our favourites, surprises and duds of each month, and we are so grateful for the Eklectish team for keeping our collaboration going. We hope in the next year we continue to find some hidden film gems, and share our favourites with all of you!

If you would like to connect with us further on Letterboxd, please find us at rhirhi19 and Kevin_Maguire. If you want to get a sense of our taste, some of our favourites in each genre, and the way we approach film overall, be sure to check out our appearance on The Generalists.

Monthly Favourites:

Rhianna: Red Rocket (Sean Baker, 2021) Something I have always loved about Sean Baker’s films is that he taps into specific American subcultures that feel honest, authentic, and unpatronizing in every facet of the film. Red Rocket is no exception to this. After returning to his hometown of Texas City, ex-porn star Mikey Saber seeks to reconcile with his estranged wife and her mother. Just as things between him and his wife begin to cool down and settle back to normal, Mikey meets a young girl nicknamed Strawberry who he thinks he can groom into a porn star. Similar to Sean Baker’s other recent feature films, there is a focus on sex work and the impact it has on communities, people, and their loved ones. While there are so many things about this film I loved, the biggest standout is the unbelievable performance of Simon Rex as Mikey. Mikey is narcissistic and opportunistic - a deadly combination. He is constantly trying to smooth talk and insert himself in situations for his own personal gain. More than anything, Mikey will remind you of the friend you have who is always asking you for money or to crash on your couch, but somehow they are still charming and loveable. I cannot recommend this film enough - it is so funny and humanizes an industry and lifestyle many of us are unfamiliar with.

Runner-up: Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977) I have wanted to re-watch this movie ever since I watched it for our Halloween horror article, and naturally I decided Valentine’s Day would be the perfect day to revisit Eraserhead. The film centers around Henry Spencer as he struggles in his relationship with his girlfriend and their newly born, mutated child. The film is a surrealistic, dark exploration into Henry Spencer’s insecurities and fears, all of which is set in a haunting, industrial landscape complemented with a booming, terrifying soundscape. This is yet another Lynchian masterpiece!

Kevin: Scream (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, 2022) I will start by saying the original Scream is my all-time favourite in the horror genre. It hit every note I look for in a horror film. So needless to say my expectations were very high. I was apprehensive because I found the third and fourth installments to be pretty weak in comparison to the first film. I can tell you that I was much more impressed with this sequel than anything else this franchise has released since the original Scream. By still using the original framework of the series, as well as the characters that have survived the previous incarnations, you get the sense of nostalgia that longtime fans would be looking for in this film. It has been over a decade since the fourth movie, so I was excited to see the likes of Sydney Prescott, Gale Weathers, and Dewey Riley back in action. They are played by the returning cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette. Each one is able to bring their original character back to the big screen, while also showing the audience enough growth to really add depth to the characters. Even while using the previously introduced characters, Matt Bettinelli-Olson and Tyler Gillett were still able to provide ample screen time to the new cast members to really help build the new characters and establish the film’s narrative. While Scream still has a lot of the original framework built in, the directors were able to take this film in new and interesting directions. It had been 25 years since the original murders and Woodsboro has been able to get back to relative normalcy. Now a new killer is on the loose, and it is up to those who have confronted Ghostface before to come back and finish this once and for all, with the help of a new group of horror-loving high school students. I absolutely love the overall chemistry between the older and younger generation. On one side you have those who have faced this adversary before, and on the other you have the new generation that is loaded with knowledge about the killings, both real and in the fictional Stab film series. The meta aspect from the first film is prevalent throughout this movie, which is a beautiful nod to what really made the original so special. I could not have asked for a better follow up to one of the best horror franchises. Wes Craven would be proud!

Runner-up: Red Rocket (Sean Baker, 2021), Uncut Gems (Benny & Josh Safdie, 2019)

Least Favorite:

Rhianna: Kate & Leopold (James Mangold, 2001) There is little to like about this movie. The film begins in 1876 Albany, where Leopold, played by Hugh Jackman, is an inventor and is poised to get married as soon as possible. While at a public ceremony unveiling a piece of the Brooklyn Bridge, Leopold notices someone taking photos with a 21st century camera. He follows this person, who turns out to be a time traveler from the 2000’s, and Leopold inadvertently ends up in the 21st century alongside the time traveler. Leopold meets the time traveler's ex-girlfriend, Kate, played by Meg Ryan, and the two continuously encounter each other in modern Manhattan and slowly fall in love. As far as romantic comedies go, this one is neither very romantic nor funny. The chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan is virtually non-existent, even when they are supposedly falling in love. The gags in the films include your typical time-traveling gags, and few of the other attempts at jokes land. Although most of the film was a snooze, the film does include a few cameo performances by now-stars such as Viola Davis and Liev Schreiber that are pretty entertaining to watch for the few minutes they are on camera. Honestly, this film was not bad per se, but it was pretty forgettable and boring.

Runner-up: Mystery Men (Kinka Usher, 1999) Most people who know what kind of films I enjoy know that superhero films are usually not my cup of tea, so I was excited to watch a film that parodies the genre. However, every joke in this film felt like it was trying so hard to be absurd, and mostly relied on ridiculous superpowers to be funny as opposed to real jokes. I guess most superhero movies (even the ones that make fun of superhero movies) aren’t for me.

Kevin: Mystery Men (Kinka Usher, 1999) I am not going to waste much time here, I did enough of that watching this movie. With such a famous ensemble cast and a decent enough premise of a superhero parody, this movie should not have failed as spectacularly as it did. Choosing a director who only had success with television commercials shows the lack of faith that was put into this movie from the onset. The movie itself follows a group of wannabe superheroes who lack the powers and abilities to actually be superheroes. When the real hero of the city goes missing, it is up to this rag tag group to try and save the day. While I actually love the premise and felt there was a good movie buried somewhere deep inside this abomination, I refuse to believe I was getting anyone’s best efforts here. The jokes were lazy or just did not land, even bordering on cringe worthy. With a cast that includes Ben Stiller, William H Macy, Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, and Paul Reubens, I was hoping to have a few good laughs. At the very least, I wanted to see an interesting comedic performance from Geoffrey Rush and Wes Studi. But none of that happened, and what you are left with is a boring, lifeless movie. If you are interested in multiple talented performers giving their worst performances simultaneously, this is the movie for you! Otherwise skip it and save yourself the pain.

Runner-up: Hackers (Iain Softley, 1995), Kate & Leopold (James Mangold, 2001)

Biggest Surprise:

Rhianna: Miller’s Crossing (Joel Coen, 1990) Set at the end of the roaring 20’s, Miller’s Crossing is a noir gangster film that follows Tom Reagan, who falls out of favour as the right hand man of an Irish-mobster, and subsequently begins to pit his old boss against a rival gang’s leader while playing both sides.. This is one of the Coen brothers films I had never heard of before, and had stumbled upon it accidentally on the internet - and I am so glad I did. The dialogue in Miller’s Crossing is as sharp and savvy as you would expect from a gangster film, but what really struck me was the production design. Everything from the set design to the costumes seemed authentically of the time period, while also not feeling old fashioned. Often when I watch gangster films set in the late 20’s or early 30’s, I find that so much is vastly different from our modern day world that it can be hard to relate to - the fast talking, the style of clothing, even the haircuts that were in style at the time seem so eccentric. It was in watching Miller’s Crossing that I felt the aesthetic and design of prohibition-era cities had been fully realized in a visually pleasing way. There are also some pretty obvious nods to other gangster and noir films such as The Godfather and The Third Man - it is so clear that this film was crafted from a real love of these genres. This is one of the films from the Coen’s catalog that I think is a must-see!

Runner-up: Holy Motors (Leos Carax, 2012) Wow - this movie was really fascinating and took me completely by surprise. The film follows the life of an “assassin” moving between “hits”, but these hits are not necessarily about killing his targets. Instead, the assassin assumes new identities and inserts himself in each of his target’s lives and aims to have some end result that may not be murder. I am aware that the way I described the plot of this film is vague and confusing, but to be honest that’s because the film itself is vague. It is this vagueness that is also so intriguing - the film is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and does not follow any convention of story-telling. Just to give you a sense of how bizarre this film is, there is one amazing, memorable scene where our main character plays the accordion through a castle with an accompanying band, but this has nothing to do with either the preceding or subsequent events of the film. I would not recommend this movie to everyone given how unconventional it is, but if you want to see something truly unique, give this a shot.

Kevin: Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchcock, 1951) I was very excited to watch this movie since it has had such a wide influence on a variety of genres in film, and has been referenced so many times in popular culture. The movie centers around two main characters, Bruno and Guy, played by Robert Walker and Farley Granger respectively. They meet by chance on a train and Bruno tries to persuade Guy to each commit a murder for one another. Since they would have no motive for the murder they commit, neither would be suspected and both would get away with it. What transpires is truly one of the best psychological thrillers I have seen. Alfred Hitchcock brilliantly uses visuals and editing techniques to demonstrate the crisscross interaction between characters. There are multiple scenes where Hitchcock has subtly added pairs or doubles to a shot that help illustrate the connection between the two. If you had a drink every time a pair or double showed up on screen, you would almost certainly be ending the movie a little bit tipsy. While definitely different from the novel the film is based on, the main theme of the doppelgänger is kept intact. Although many of the characters’ attributes and even the ending were changed, I really enjoyed Alfred Hitchcock’s interpretation. I think he took an interesting approach that most probably would not have gone with. This movie is one of the best representations of his ability to not lose the heart of the material while making it his own. It is something I find lacking in most movies based on existing material, especially today. This is probably why this remains one of the all-time classics and best psychological thrillers.

Runner-up: Miller’s Crossing (Joel Coen, 1990), The Cameraman (Buster Keaton & Edward Sedgwick, 1928)

Coming Attractions:

Awards season is upon us! Now that we have caught up on a lot of the films from 2021, I think it is safe to say some of our favourite contenders were snubbed by the Oscars. We would have loved to see a nomination for Simon Rex for his performance in Red Rocket, or a nomination for the cinematography in C’mon C’mon. Aside from waiting to see what the Academy deems the best picture of 2021, we are really excited to see the new Batman and the first-ever Pixar film set in Toronto - Turning Red!