HALLE BUTLER
MOVIES
2000-Now
Rotting in the Sun, Sebastian Silva (2023)
Simply put, this movie was made by a troupe of geniuses! Just see it.
Smoking Causes Coughing, Quentin Dupieux (2022)
I'd like to see this one again. It's like if the Power Rangers did anti-smoking PSAs and had to go on a corporate trust building retreat, which sounds "craaaaayyzyyy, where on earth do you get your ideas??" but in the end it's genuinely chilling and relevant.
The Kingdom reboot, Lars von Trier (2022)
I regret to inform you that, yes, you will have to watch all of the original Kingdom series, all of Lars von Trier's films, the original Twin Peaks and Twin Peaks the return, and then familiarize yourself with Lars von Trier's public persona before you will be able to truly, properly enjoy The Kingdom reboot, which I absolutely loved, and I believe you should do this, especially if you've ever told anyone they needed to watch 3 seasons of some random Breaking Bad type bullshit before it "got good" but that they should "really do it" in fact they "had to" because it really does get good, I promise! If you've said that to anyone ever, you have penance to perform, you need to get your brain right, and this is a good enough place to start.
Pearl, Ti West (2022)
If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that X was better than Pearl, or that Pearl was only "ok" but that X was truer to "the genre" or that they knew "everyone loved Pearl" but them, and they just didn't get it or like it that much "sorry, I know that's the minority opinion" I'd have about 50 whole goddamn cents!! Get out of here with this weird straw man shit! People are not walking around talking about how great Pearl was. This movie was criminally underrated, and I have no idea why (or maybe I do...). Pearl is an art film about repressed and isolated sexuality, covid, intergenerational insanity, German Midwestern shit, putting on a happy face during horrifying times, and it's gorgeously shot, filled with the craziest monologues, there's a dream ballet, and Mia Goth--who has a scene where she dry humps a scarecrow then runs away and screams "I'm married!!" like it was the scarecrow coming onto her or something--co-wrote it. It's one of the best films of the 21st century.
Loony Porn, Radu Jude (2021)
Love being made to laugh while the claustrophobic horror of society bubbles up in the background! Unless there's something wrong with you, this one is guaranteed to get the brain churning. It's funny, it's scary, the teachers at the PTA meeting are infuriating and familiar. Saw this one in a diner theater and was eating the house salad during the first 10 minutes.
Personal Shopper, Olivier Assayas (2017)
World's scariest texting scene. I love Kristin Stewart. This movie gave me both thrills and chills. I feel like if you're into that Haneke/The Vanishing philosophical Euro horror shit (and who isn't???), you'll love it (it's less upsetting than The Vanishing). Or if you were into Irma Vep, another excellent Assayas film. I heard that people used to go and laugh at this one in theaters. There's no justice in this world. Realizing my recommendations are coming off a little aggressive, so maybe I'll tone it down. It's just the coffee. In the end, I'm only yelling at myself.
The Love Witch, Anna Biller (2016)
Everything Anna Biller touches is gold, just see it. It's for the boys as much as the girls! It's for the dreamers and the smarties.
Mommy, Xavier Dolan (2015)
Feeling hard pressed to think of a film with better dramatic performances--and I'm including (I brace even myself) Gena Rowlands. What amazes me about the acting in this film is how deeply everyone embodies the entire aesthetic, and what that does to my whole body while I watch this movie. I'm like, nearly crying at Oasis, Counting Crows, Dido....SARAH MCLACHLAN. The three leads, when they feel something, I feel it in my heart, and I feel it with the total sincerity of the soundtrack. Some truly crushing and transcendent moments in this film. I love melodrama. I think that Dolan does something new with it in the same way that Almodovar did something new with it in the 80s. I love all of Xavier Dolan's movies, but this is my favorite. I would love it if he made another.
Uncle Kent 2, Todd Rohal (2015)
MOTHERFUCKING UNCLE KENT 2!!! I wish more movies brought the Uncle Kent 2 energy. You definitely don't need to see Uncle Kent to get this movie (a passing knowledge of mumblecore or Joe Swanberg will do). This movie starts off real normal, and then gets weirder and more stressful with every scene, but in a way that is really delightful and liberating. Once he starts shaking that salad, buckle up, babies.
Right Now, Wrong Then, Hong Sang-soo (2015)
I like them all, but I like this one best. Claire's Camera is a close second. I went into it not really knowing what to expect, and what I found was way more (the phrase that popped into my head is "off the chain" but I'm just not used to writing things like this, so I probably shouldn't say "off the chain") artistically free than I expected. Really funny and self deprecating. If you like drunk acting, you should see this! I'm a huge HSS fan now.
P'tit Quinquin, Bruno Dumont (2014)
This one is really great. Excellent child actors and surrealist elements. The murder, racism, poverty, and Zola references balance out the "charm" of the kids--especially the musical numbers--very nicely, I say that in case you're worried it will be quirky in the pejorative sense. Kind of an unbelievably specific tone, now that I think of it. The detective is amazing. I think this movie says a lot about what's hidden from view, but it's been too long since I've seen it to remember exactly what I mean by that, but there are literal landmines in the town. Now that I think of it, I'd like to see it again.
Wrong Cops, Quentin Depieux (2013)
A bunch of unhinged cops, many of whom love techno, run around doing crazy shit. Really funny. I love Quentin Dupieux, and this was an early favorite (I like it a bit better than Wrong and Rubber--but it's been a while since I've seen those).
Video Diary of a Lost Girl, Lindsay Denniberg (2012)
THIS MOVIE IS SO GOOD. The cast and the script are astoundingly charming and compelling--I dare you not to fall in love with everyone in this movie. It also looks like nothing that came before it. Like a dreamy lo-fi mash up of Beetlejuice, Liquid Sky, and Kenneth Anger, with a lot of fealty (is that a weird word choice? it feels right! one should have fealty to the muse!) to both VHS culture and silent film (especially Louise Brooks). I feel so good when I watch this movie. The soundtrack is great, too.
The Future, Miranda July (2011)
The Paw Paw scenes in this movie are so upsetting to me* that I can never watch this movie again, which is a shame, because this is Miranda July's masterpiece, and it is one of the most CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED FILMS OF ALL TIME!
*this might be a "me" thing
Las Palmas, Johannes Nyholm (2011)
A cute baby dresses up as a drunk middle aged woman, complete with stuffed bra, and trashes a bar full of puppets. Just do it. If you need to laugh, this one gets me every single damn time.
Life During Wartime, Todd Solondz (2010)
I was randomly in Rotterdam when this film screened there. Totally blown away. I've been a longtime fan of Todd Solondz. Happiness was my favorite movie in high school. I'd never seen disdain and sympathy so rearranged like that before and I found it incredibly captivating--funny and sad and scary but in ways that felt totally mixed up. Don't see this if you haven't seen Happiness, and maybe a few of his other films, but if you already like Happiness, this is like the eerie hallucinatory dream that happens as the film's sort of sequel. Love it! I went to a press screening of Weiner Dog (I wasn't press, I was just working at a bookstore, and a guy came in and was like "Do you want these tickets?" and I said "Yeah.") and near the end, when people were laughing, a woman stood up and shouted "What is wrong with all of you???" It was crazy.
Viva, Anna Biller (2008)
The thing that's so impressive about Anna Biller is that she can create these Valley of the Dolls style worlds with the accuracy of an obsessive devotee and simultaneously make films that are contemporary and worthy in their own right--I mean, to be distracted by how amazing this stuff looks, and how perfect the performances are would be understandable(ish), but these are true feminist masterpieces. She's a national treasure. Watch it or be damned!!
The Death of Mr Lazarescu, Cristi Puiu (2006)
Wowowow in some ways, this is my favorite kind of movie, a deliberate, pathos driven tour of some horridly uncaring bureaucracy churning some poor soul through a vulnerable moment. When I was having my baby, my husband and I kept saying "this is Lazarescu shit." Feel like if you're into Cache and Kid with a Bike you'll like this one.
Forest for the Trees, Maren Ade (2005)
This is the first of Maren Ade's films. I think she's my favorite filmmaker. Kids, if you like "cringe" do I have a treat for you! The experience of watching this movie is just like "no, no, no, oh god, stop, please don't do that, just ease up"--it's so socially painful but funny in a really specific way (cringe, of course, is reductive). I felt like every character, I felt totally implicated, and totally desperate, it was hard to take a breath, and hard to find a place to rest my sympathy. No one is awful, I don't think. I don't want to say more--except maybe watch her films in reverse chronological order, starting with Toni Erdman, then the excellent Everyone Else, then this one. I just googled Maren Ade, and she has another movie soon (thank god).
The Holy Girl, Lucrecia Martel (2005)
Horny teens, theremin, misplaced religious fervor, medical conferences--what more do you people want?? This was my introduction to Lucrecia Martel, and I didn't know anything about this movie going in, and I think that was a good thing. I think it's still my favorite! For a while you could only get it on DVD, but maybe it's streaming now. I also love La Cienega.
Dogville, Lars von Trier (2004)
I think Nicole Kidman is my favorite actress and why yes of course I love LvT. If you're in the mood for something in the venn diagram overlap of fucked up, cerebral, and totally watchable, this would be the one. And the ending is simply heartwarming!
Security Anthem, Kent Lambert (2003)
This is a short, and so weird. I think it's aging really well. I feel pretty panicked but in a ha-ha funny way when I watch it.
Yiyi, Edward Yang (2000)
I'd like to watch this one again, too, before giving it a proper recommendation, but I remember loving the dad character, and feeling completely absorbed. It's funny and odd and moving, and the little kid is amazing.
1961-1999
Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrik (1999)
It feels like it's just one big effort to emasculate Tom Cruise. My favorite scene (everyone's favorite scene) is the Nicole Kidman (Nicole 4EVA) weed scene. He's acting the way he always does--like he's in Top Gun or something--and she's running circles around him, giving one of the best and most memorable performances of all time. His version of "man" feels really wooden and artificial. Then he goes on this crazy fairy tale mission to find his masculinity and ends up at some kind of corny orgy (a Scientology diss, I assume?), then gets KICKED OUT of the orgy, and then tries to retrace the steps of his erotic journey, but everyone he could have banged in the first half of the movie is basically dead. This is a cool one. I think they do it every New Year at Metrograph.
Happiness, Todd Solondz (1998)
As I said earlier, this film does some incredibly bold and nearly unbelievable things with empathy and scorn. There's nothing like it. Not for the faint of heart, but if you can go there, it's a real ride with a ton to talk about after. Todd Solondz is always himself as a filmmaker, and all of his films add up to a pretty scathing critique of 90s American sentiments. I feel like this would be an interesting one to pair with American Beauty in some class, but I will not be teaching that class.
Irma Vep, Olivier Assayas (1997)
Hey, if you like movies, this is a really really good movie about them! Staring the kid from the 400 Blows as a deranged and out of it New Wave director who wants to remake a silent film but starring Maggie Chung, because he has some kind of addled idea about action films, and everyone in the production is just kind of going along with it, and what he makes is....I mean, you should just watch it, I love this movie so much. I love Zoe. Does google auto complete "Olivier Assayas" with "demonlover" for anyone else, or just me?
Crooklyn, Spike Lee (1994)
I cry every time I see this movie. I think it's underrated! (Unless I'm wrong and everyone else loves it too, which I would be happy to learn.) All of the kid actors are killing it, perfect soundtrack, really beautiful. I wonder if they could unsmoosh the Georgia scenes. Spike Lee's sister wrote the script, and it's fucking beautiful. I watched it many times as a kid, and then rewatched it right after having a baby, while he was asleep on me. I feel like the best things grow with you, and this movie definitely does that. If you need to cry, but you also want to watch an excellent movie, this is it!
Hyenas, Djibril Diop Mambéty (1992)
The summer I watched this movie, the first thing I said to anyone I saw was "have you seen Hyenas???"
Lair of the White Worm, Ken Russell (1988)
There are so many great Ken Russell movies, but this one just seems guaranteed to please.
Purple Rain, Albert Magnoli (and I feel Prince should get credit, too) (1984)
Purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, you sexless dweeb!!! The last time I watched this, it felt deeply symbolic on a godlike level. Prince is simultaneously the muse and grappling with the muse. Apollonia is simultaneously a stand in for Prince (she has to choose between pure art/Prince and commercial success/Morris) and Prince's most important devotee. If you see Apollonia as Prince's stand in, and Prince as the stand in for the muse, all of what he puts her through is an exploration of total submission to your true calling. Is it kind of messed up? Yyyyeeeessssss. Is it incredible? Yyyyeeeessss. Everyone in Minneapolis dresses like Prince to a degree that makes it seem like a dream, or surreal like Being John Malkovich, or like 1st Ave is Prince's temple and everyone in the club is in his cult. Does any other movie end with the lead declaring that he's your new god while you JUST AGREE??? The 80s were intense.
Ringing Bell, Masami Hata (1983)
A Sanrio produced feature length cartoon about a sheep whose family is murdered by a wolf. He vows to study under the wolf until he is strong enough to counter-murder his new pseudo father figure. It's like they were thinking "Ooooh, Bambi, cool, I see what you guys are into...let me just turn up the dial a bit." It's for kids. Hello Kitty's shadow side.
Variety, Bette Gordon (1983)
This is the closest any film has come to portraying my experience of my 20s, and I don't think I'm alone. I love it when she meets up with her boyfriend at the diner and just spaces out and starts narrating smut and he's like "Uh, helloo, what are you doing?" Genius, genius!! I'm so glad this one is getting more attention now!
Star 80, Bob Fosse (1983)
Bob Fosse is a great director! A true crime film that explores different layers of complicity in a Playboy Bunny's death. If you've totally numbed yourself out on formulaic dead girl bullshit on Netflix, but that's the kind of thing you like, definitely try this one--it's a real, actual movie, and (if this is your genre) it'll leave you feeling incredibly satisfied. The editing and art direction are really stylish, and Fosse's angle on exploitation is provocative and gave me a lot to think and talk about. It really stayed with me.
Smithereens, Susan Seidelman (1982)
Guaranteed you'll have a crush on everyone in this movie. The lead actress is so charming, and behaves so, so badly in such a relatable and forgivable way. Richard Hell is great. So many amazing shots of New York in the early 80s.
The Shining, Stanley Kubrick (1980)
I don't really feel like this one needs a "reccommendation" becasue people know how good it is, right? Every time I watch it I think it's perfect.
Casanova, Fellini (1977)
This movie is completely out of control. I almost couldn't believe it. Fellini goes out of his way to make Casanova look like the grossest dweeb of all time, and the result is really funny. Every time Donald Sutherland (yes as Casanova) gets an erection, there's this weird like steam punk bird going off in the background. A Valentine's Day must. If your date disagrees you can just say "Ohhhhh, I'm sooooooorry, did you want to watch 1998's Wiiiild Thnings?? People like you make me sick."
In the Realm of the Senses, Oshima (1977)
Another V-Day must. Come for the wtf, stay for the surprisingly poignant. And if your date doesn't want to watch this young couple bang in incresingly deranged ways for 102 minutes, just get out your iPad, some noise cancelling headphones, and cue up an episode of Bluey, and let that dumbdumb just enjoy somethign their speed for once.
Opening Night, John Cassavettes (1977)
This feels like a movie about how intense it was to make A Woman Under the Influence, which I love, and which you really should watch first, but this one has a really special place in my heart. Another perfect performance by Gena Rowlands. Definitely will hit home for people who have done anything creatively intense.
Black Christmas, Bob Clark (1974)
Four years before Halloween came out! Margot Kidder is ruthless. The pervy phone calls are excellent. Perfect art direction--very giallo. I'd say this movie is easily the best American slasher. EASILY. I grew up on Halloween and Scream, but this one is really special.
The Conversation, Coppola (1974)
I have a crush on Gene Hackman. RIP!
Heartbreak Kid, Elaine May (1972)
Everyone knows Elaine May is amazing, and her daughter Jeannie Berlin is too.
Cabaret, Bob Fosse (1972)
Oh, it's so sad! They're just trying to live!
Boy, Oshima (1970)
I can't tell you my favorite part about this one, but I will tell you after you watch it. When you're on your inevitable Oshima kick, this one should be on the list. It pairs well with Kurosawa's Dodeskaden.
Black Girl, Ousmane Sembène (1969)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Mike Leigh (1966)
The gold standard of "haggard but, in a fucked up way, kind of hot old chubby academics yelling crazy shit at each other while some young people watch in horror and you watch in a weird mix of like horror, pathos, and amusement, until everyone reaches some kind of bizarre catharsis somehow involving a porcupine." Viva Sandy Dennis!!!!!
Lady in the Cage, Walter Grauman (1964)
An overbearing mother bullied in a cage for 90 minutes by a young, shirtless James Caan, you say? Sure, what else am I doing!
Viridiana, Bunuel (1962)
Some say Tristiania, but me I say VIRIDIANA!!!!
Ashes and Diamonds, Andrzej Wajda (1961)
This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's the moment WW2 officially ends. People have to decide if they want to keep pushing forward (it follows two guys in the anti-communist resistance) or if they want to stop and allow themselves to be human again. Fuck, it's so good.
1940-1960
Suddenly Last Summer1960
Psycho1960
Odds Against Tomorrow1959
Don't Bother to Knock1952
Shadow of a Doubt1943
Rules of the Game1939
Boudou Saved from Drowning1932