40: Punk's Not Dead

Punk's Not Dead: On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

This is a pretty all encompassing look a the last 30 years of punk rock told by those who were there through every step of the way. It was nice to see interviews with people like Ian Mckaye, Henry Rollins, and Mike Ness intercut with Fat Mike, Tim Armstrong and members of My Chemical Romance. It really gave you a sense of how far from the original scene punk rock has come. My only complaint is that, much like American Hardcore, this doc. really lacked a narrative. It was all over the place from the beginning. Some would say that it's a good way to do documentaries like this. I found it a bit annoying.

#39: Hollywood Rocks!

Cheaply done documentary about the 80's L.A. glam scene. Not even worth your time.

#38: Mystery Train

Mystery Train: Three stories are connected by a Memphis hotel and the spirit of Elvis Presley.

You really can't go wrong with Jarmusch. The three stories are simple yet poignant and take you in completely different directions. One thing I've always loved about Jarmusch is how he puts non actors in acting situations and make them steal the show. This one is no exception. Screamin' Jay Hawkins as the night clerk at a hotel was definitely a standout in this. Having Joe Strummer and Tom Waits in roles as well didn't hurt.

#37: Hell Ride

Hell Ride: The story deals with the characters Pistolero, the Gent and Comanche and the deadly, unfinished business among them.

The cast is top notch in this. I'm a huge fan of Michael Madsen so it's always great to see him in bigger roles. Vinnie Jones, Dennis Hopper and David Carradine can't hurt either. Unfortunately, this is really painful to watch at times. I really like old biker movies but the difference between this and Hells Angels on Wheels is that in the 60's the biker movies used real bikers and non actors so it made sense that the dialogue was cheesy and the plot was lacking. Here, you have seasoned actors deliver awkward, sometimes ridiculously stupid lines. At times, this just seemed like a movie trying to ride the Grind House coat tails.

I'm sure I'll change my mind next time I see it and decide that I love it though.

#36: The Filth and the Fury

The Filth and the Fury: A film about the career of the notorious punk rock band, the Sex Pistols.

There's nothing in this flick that anyone who is a fan of The Pistol's doesn't already know but it is a decent overview of the band's short lived career. The areas where John Lydon talk about Sid Vicious get pretty intense with the singer breaking down at one point over his guilt about Sid's death. It's nice to see this side of the otherwise dickish Lydon come out. It also features some really good live footage and, at least to my knowledge, a previously unseen Sid Vicious interview with Julien Temple.

#35: Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises: A Russian teenager living in London who dies during childbirth leaves clues to a midwife in her journal that that could tie her child to a rape involving a violent Russian mob family.

I really like Cronenberg's early stuff and even enjoyed History of Violence despite its blatantly obvious 3 act arc. I couldn't really get into this though. Mortenson's performance is great and the infamous bath house fight is one of the best movie fights in recent memory but that's about it. The plot is kinda weak and doesn't make much sense, the twist is completely unnecessary, and the love subplot is both unnecessary and nonsensical. And we don't even get to see Naomi Watts' freakishly long nipples.

#34: Sex & Death 101

Sex & Death 101: A guy's life is turned around by an email, which includes the names of everyone he's had sex with and ever will have sex with. His situation gets worse when he encounters a femme fatale (Ryder) who targets men guilty of sex crime.

It's written by the guy who did Heathers and features Patton Oswalt so I thought it would at least be watchable for a bit. Not so much. Not to self: Next time you think of renting a movie that features Natalie from The Facts of Life in a main role, just pass on it.