Beautiful Darling (Corinth Films DVD)
Lou Reed mentioned Candy Darling in several songs. They were both part of Andy Warhol’s circle and hung out at The Factory. Through interview with survivors and archival footage, Beautiful Darling examines the brief life of the trans-star of Warhol films such a Flesh and Women in Revolt. Darling spoke like Marilyn Monroe and affected the look of old Hollywood glamor. According to Fran Leibowitz, she was “living with someone else’s past.” Paul Morrisey disagrees, seeing her as aware of the irony. Darling had her moment with Tennessee Williams cast her in Small Craft Warning, but he moved on and Warhol also left her behind. Darling died of cancer in 1974, age 30. (David Luhrssen)
Bliss (Streaming, Friday February 5 on Prime Video)
Recently divorced and fired from his cushy, white-collar job, disillusioned Greg (Owen Wilson) meets Isabel (Salma Hayek). She's a middle-aged beauty living on the streets, who asserts that Greg lives in a computer simulation. Isabel shows him parallel realities, and teaches him to bend them to his will. Greg's exploration endangers the loss of his 18-year-old daughter Emily (Nesta Cooper), who is angry and feels abandoned. When he exlains his experiences, Emily thinks he’s losing it. But Isabel prompts Greg to question whether Emily actually exists. Writer/Director Mike Cahill (Another Earth and I Origin) once again upends the nature of reality against the backdrop of romantic entanglement. (Lisa Miller)
The Kid Stays in the Picture (Kino Lorber Blu-ray)
Robert Evans was selling women’s sportswear when he landed a couple of acting roles in 1950s Hollywood. “Luck doesn’t happen by mistake. Luck is an opportunity that meets preparation,” he way. Evans tells his story in The Kid Stays in the Picture in a hardboiled, wise-cracker voice; he realized that his talent was on the business side of the rapidly changing movie industry. As a producer, Evans shepherded three of the greatest films of all time: Rosemary’s Baby, The Godfather and Chinatown, as well as a host of other hits. He survived many ups and downs, but in the end was sustained by the intervention of loyal friends such as Jack Nicholson. The Kid Stays in the Picture is entertaining and illuminating for anyone interested in late 20th century Hollywood. (David Luhrssen)
Payback (Limited Theatrical Release and Streaming, Friday February 5 on Video OnDemand)
While working as a stockbroker for a Russian-mob-backed New York brokerage, Mike Markovich (Matt Levett) learns something he shouldn’t know. His boss sends Mike to Los Angeles, setting him up for a mob hit, and when that fails, ensuring that Mike does prison-time. Six years later, Mike is out and determined to get revenge. His wife Judi (Anna Baryshnikov, daughter of ballet star, Mikhail Baryshnikov) admonishes Mike leave well-enough alone. It’s the same advice Mike gets from his mob-familiar friend Pappy (Rade Serbedzija). If Mike listened, the film wouldn’t be called Payback, so he cozies up to his old boss in order to compile his hit list. Levett, an Aussie recalling a rounder, less snappy Viggo Mortensen, is an unexpected choice for revenge-seeker. (Lisa Miller)
The Underneath (Kino Lorber Blu-ray)
Steven Soderbergh deserves credit for working in and beyond many genres. In his 1993 film The Underneath, the director tries on neo-noir in a tale of a ne’er do well, a femme fatale and the men she attracts in one of his lesser projects. Michael (Peter Gallagher) is hopelessly in love with Rachel (Alion Elliot), who’s married to a mobster rock club owner and stalked by Michael’s psychotic cop brother. The story has intriguing aspects and makes ironic asides about the role of chance and the predominance of gambling in our society. Dinner conversation in Michael’s family circles around the question: “What if you won the lottery?” (David Luhrssen)
