10 Quirky Comedies: ‘Better Off Dead…”

“Better Off Dead…” (1985) – This teen comedy cult-classic features John Cusack – in his second leading role – as Lane, an ordinary Los Angeles kid who does not cope very well after his girlfriend dumps him.  He only sees one way out: suicide.  The premise does not seem like a winning formula for laughs, but writer/director Savage Steve Holland packs mountains of oddball gags, quips and characters that underscore and overscore the ridiculous nature of our high school years. “Better Off Dead…” feels like John Hughes wrote the script…

10 Quirky Comedies: ‘Frances Ha’

“Frances Ha!” (2013) – Frances (Greta Gerwig) is a genuine soul. This 20-something New York City bohemian simply loves what she loves, and her roommate Sophie (Mickey Sumner) and dancing are the objects of her affection.  They have been best friends since college, and they share all their secrets, commiserate about bad sex with old boyfriends, play backgammon, and play-fight.  Play-fight?  Apparently, play-fighting is really “fun”, and the occasional fake tussle is part of their routine. What are best friends for? When Frances isn’t plotting – with Sophie – to take…

10 Quirky Movies: ‘O’Horten’

“O’Horten” (2007) – In the middle of a snowy winter in Oslo, Odd (Baard Owe), a train engineer, turns 67 and reluctantly faces his impending retirement.  A quiet loner, he’d prefer zero fanfare, but his coworkers plan an honorary dinner.  After he steps down, Odd runs into a series of odd circumstances that depart from his normal routines, ones that he has safely enjoyed for decades. In this delightful comedy/drama, writer/director Bent Hamer presents a 90-minute feast of eccentric visuals and soft, caring moments with an unlikely hero placed front…