Homocon

2. An understated and yet thoroughly engrossing film, Primer is a minimalist, talky little flick about two science-geeks who build their own time-machine, and then grow entirely paranoid toward each other as they use it over and over and over again for their own purposes. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, it's a high-concept story in a low-budget wrapper. Perfect for you if you liked the movie Pi.

3. Battle Royale had me turning Japanese in, like, a minute. Violent and compelling (in a live action, anime kind of way), it tells the story of a future where Japanese society has been hijacked by teenagers run amok. Adult society strikes back by kidnapping the sassy little brats and isolating them on an island, then forcing them to fight each other to the death. There can be only one. The little brats, of course, go at it with gusto, except for the typical Romeo and Juliet who attempt desperately to escape the island prison rather than savagely murder one another. They find unexpected help in the shape of a mysterious fellow player in the game who knows more than he's letting on.

4. In the documentary department, Devil's Playground is a fascinating examination of Amish teenagers during the tumultuous period which the Amish call "rumspringa", a period in which the Amish allow their teenagers to experience what life is like in the outside world so that they can make their own decision as to whether they want to remain Amish, or go "English" (outsider). This documentary shows the Amish teenagers drinking, smoking, dancing, getting jobs, dealing drugs, ditching their Amish wear and hanging out at the mall. I never knew that Amish teenagers were given a grace period in which to make up their own minds about remaining Amish or joining the outside world.

5. Colossus: The Forbin Project is one of the B.F.'s favorite movies. It, too, deals with the topic of Artificial Intelligence, and pre-dates War Games by, like, 13 years. Colossus is the story of a computer program developed by the military for defense purposes, but once it's activated, it realizes that it has a counterpart in the Cold War era Soviet Union, and demands access to its equal. Humans are doomed. Funny.

6. Cypher: Okay, I just love Jeremy Northam ("Emma", anyone?). That's reason enough, mmkay? What? It isn't? Fine -- mind control, corporate spying, explosions and Lucy Liu. What more do you need? Rent it! Now!

7. Friends and Family: The only gay movie I would ever recommend (because most gay movies are horrendously written, acted and produced), and the only gay movie the NRA might possibly endorse. The two protagonists balance their loyalty to each other against their loyalty to the mafia boss who thinks they're the best employees he's ever had. The gay leads are (relatively) strong and sexy instead of stereotypically faggy, dying of AIDS and whiny about their oppression at the hands of straight society. Need I say more?

ADDENDUM:
I realized with horror that I hadn't included a single Bruce Campbell movie on my list. The Shame! With the conviction firmly planted in my heart that no true entertainment list can be compiled that leaves off the likes of Mr. Campbell, I must therefore recommend . . . uhm . . . erm . . . something that he's barely in, like, say, "The Hudsucker Proxy" -- which is my favorite Cohen Brothers' movie (even though it stars the execrable Tim Robbins). The rest of the cast is terrific (Paul Newman, Charles Durning, John Mahoney, Jennifer Jason Leigh), the computer graphics are dandy and the story is a wildly entertaining stand-off between good and evil. And it has Bruce Campbell in it!