Movies Obscura

""Cycle of Jordan"

2010-07-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

2010-07-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

"Unearthed" (1994)

Unearthed. Jaime & Gretchen are two sisters who one day dig up a strange rock from their yard. Everything is fine til a week later 5 year old Jaime is speaking several languages & 3 year old Gretchen is solving the New York Times crossword puzzle. Their parents are about to take them to the hospital to have them checked out, but the girls unleash a terrifying chain of events that threatens the whole town. "A Horrifying Fairy Tale Not To Be Missed" -New York Entertainment Times (90mins.)

2010-07-15T01:24:00.001-07:00

The Contents" (2005)

"The Contents" Robert Cannon's film version of the Kell Maxwell novel. A young woman recieves a mysterious box in the mail with nothing but a key in it. With no return address on the package, she dismisses it as junk mail & throws it out. The next day the package reappears on her kitchen table. This tautly directed thriller features a stellar performance by Lynn Jennings. (111 mins.

"The Clue"

2010-03-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

"The Clue" A research lab assisitant (played by Carolyn Vardo) recieves a package in the mail from her father, a scientist who disappeared 20 years ago. In it are 7 items, each of which is a clue that will lead to the discovery of an ancient Chinese potion that promises immortality. A low budget film by newcomer Lei Ling-Robinson, this has a feel of a big budget Hollywood production through the clever use of San Francisco locations to recreate settings of Hong Kong, Paris, & incredibly Egypt. Winner of the 1997 Oceanside Independent Film Festival.

"Tramps Like Us" (1979)

2010-03-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

"Tramps Like Us" (1979) Gary Hullet’s hour long documentary on the fanaticism of Springsteen fans back in the 70’s. Today Bruce Springsteen is considered one of the true icons of Rock & Roll and his place in the history of music is well established. However, back in the 70’s, the world was not yet aware of Bruce & the E Street Band, and were considered an East Coast phenomenon. In those days his followers were not merely admirers, they were fanatics. Where many music fans are satisfied with seeing one performance of their favorite artists, his fans would attend multiple concerts, night after night. The reason for this devotion had to do with the band’s performances, four hour long demonstrations of pure Rock & Roll frenzy, the involvement between the artist and audience, and the feeling of when it was over that one had just gone through a religious experience which left you feeling emotionally high for days after. Hullet reportedly got the idea for this film, after a friend of his came up to him in 1978 and asked, "What’s this thing about Bruce Springsteen that makes everyone so CRAZY?". Not much actual footage of the band here, as the focus is on the fans who attended these shows and who in those early days seemed to be in on the best known secret of Rock & Roll.. (60 mins.) B&W

"Book Of Tomorrows"

2010-03-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

A fantasy film from the mind of director James Kane. Residents of Lincoln, Nebraska wake up one morning to find themselves thirty years in the future and experiencing what their life would have wound up being like had they not made certain wrong choices when they were younger. Based on the novel "One Day Too Late". Starring Kenneth Dennotto and Fay Nero. 112 mins.

"Beginnings" (2010)

2010-03-21T03:56:00.000-07:00

"Beginnings" (2010) Director Kim Ri Shurihara's ode to life's struggle of redeeming one's soul. Juna, a young woman played by newcomer Yuki Sakamuri, awakens one morning to find her present family gone only to be replaced by a different family. Trying to understand what is happening to her, she is confused to the point of madness as the process keeps happening every morning when she wakes up. Memories of each new family pop into her head at various times during the day, making it difficult to interact with the family at hand. Aided by her best friend Daniel, the two try to unravel the mystery of her metamorphosis each day. Shurihara's brilliant style puts him again at the top of the Independent Film world.

"Spider & The Diamond Of Death" (2006)

2009-08-25T00:19:00.000-07:00

Based on the novels by Christopher Musgrave, this film chronicles the exploits of Spider Jackson, a renegade treasure hunter who breaks all the rules in the book of archaeology. An old Professor of Spider's old Alma Mata is killed, but not before sending him a package containing one piece of a diamond. A Diamond that legend has it gives the possesor the ability to will his or her enemies dead on sight. A race through the jungles of the Amazon, with an ancient deadly cult on his heels, has Spider leading viewers on a non-stop, heart thumping adventure. Starring newcomer Jason Harris as Spider Jackson. (95 mins.)

"The Osaka Plan" (2006

2009-08-17T02:40:00.001-07:00

"The Osaka Plan" (2006) Henry Matsudo's political sci-fi thriller. Yuko (Olivia Koshino), a young girl who buys an out of print video game called "Assasination". After playing the game, she begins to notice government officials around the world are getting killed off. When she tries to alert a high ranking official (played by Hisako Seto, star of televisions "Kayoko's Gang") that he could be the next target, Yuko suddenly finds herself plunged into a conspiracy that threatens her life. The Sankei Shinbun calls this movie "The First Great Sci-fi Film of the Twenty-First Century" (92 mins.)

"Feary Tales" (1982)

2009-08-17T02:38:00.001-07:00

"Feary Tales" (1982) Vladimir Chevski’s quartet of fairy tales with a twist of horror and suspense. Tiara Switzer plays a baker who gets an unexpected visit from two not so innocent children in "Gunsel & Gretal", Gaylord Hucks as a exiled prince in "Sinderella", Francis Alexander as "The Boy Who Fried Wolf", and in one of the scariest short films ever, 4 year old newcomer Kelley York, as the creepiest Jill ever in "Jack Never Came Back" A spinetingling film from this acclaimed Russian director. (80 mins.)

"Salvation Alley" (1949)

2009-08-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

"Salvation Alley" (1949) Malcolm Poe’s post World War II fantasy. Jessica, a 12 year old German girl, suffers from traumatic depression in the days following the end of the war. Her parents missing, she is left to fend for herself in what is left of her former neighborhood. Her friends gone and no family to speak of, she is all alone...until one day she meets a young boy who can not remember his name and has no recollection of his past. As their friendship developes, Jessica starts to piece together the mystery about the boy that leads to a very surprising revelation. "Fans of M. Night Shyamalan and Guillermo Del Toro might want to take a look at Poe’s early cult masterpiece" -the London Cinema Almanac. (86 mins.) B&W

"Corruption" (2001)

2009-08-06T01:09:00.001-07:00

French director Claude LeCroix's American political thriller. Amidst the background of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, LeCroix weaves a tale involving the murder of a senatorial aide, the CIA, various members of the Mafia, and local inhabitants of O'Malley's Southside Bar. When Jimmy Callahan (Frank Wesler) stumbles upon the notebook of the murdered victim, he is suddenly thrust into a serious of cryptic events that seem to indicate a future assasination plot. Even more upsetting is the realization that he is being set up as the assasin! Fine performances by all, especially newcomer Natasha Wu's chilling portrayal of a psychotic hit woman known only as "the Nun". Filmed in Black & White. (143 mins.)

"The Dream Reaper" (Director's Cut) (2009)

2009-08-06T01:04:00.000-07:00

Sakiki Rei's director's cut version of his 1989 Japanese horror film about Ryuu, an accountant, who meets Yioki, who seems to be the perfect girl. After several dates, Ryuu begins to realize there is something terribly wrong with Yioki, and soon understands the real meaning of undying love. While not as graphic as "Audition" this new version, with 23 additional minutes, will have you squirming in your seats. The Teddy bear scene is not for the faint-hearted. (117 mins.)

*(note- originally scheduled for a 2009 release, the director's cut version has been pushed back to 2011 amidst legal disputes between Rei and his production company the Manami Film Group).

Roma Roma (2003)

2009-08-06T00:47:00.000-07:00

Independent filmaker Carlo Petrocelli directs in his own surreal style, a film of love, hate, revenge & murder. Lina, a waitress in Rome, has been dumped by her drug dealer husband, robbed of her savings by her brother, mentally abused by her mother, and otherwise having one terrible life. That is till she meets the mysterious stranger Gina. Gina seems to have miraculous influences and powers over everyone she meets, and soon turns the tables on all of Lina's adversaries. But Lina eventually realizes there is a terrible price to pay for all this new found happiness. A taut thriller from one of Italy's unknown masters of suspense. Starring Gina Rosetta as Lina and Tino Grecco as the spinetingling Gina. 104 mins.