A Boy and His Dog

Set in the year 2024, based on a novella by Harlan Ellison, and released in 1975, "A Boy and His Dog" has been a film on my to-watch list for many years. Alex Garland, I maintain, has a working thesis, a theme if you will, that men are violent, sex-crazed animals. Enter Don Johnson ("Miami Vice" heartthrob of the 80s) in one of his earliest roles as Vic, a violent, sex-crazed nomad living in a post-apocalyptic, post WW IV world. He has a companion, a dog, Blood (voiced by Tim McIntire) with whom with he communicates telepathically. Blood is actually smarter than Vic. Blood helps sniff out females for Vic so he can rape these women. It's dark and disturbing but the talking dog keeps it seemingly light (something out of "The Cat from Outer Space" playbook). In "A Boy and His Dog" the scavengers live in a desert wasteland, with faux generals and makeshift barter towns where guns are checked at the door. The entire look of the film is "Mad Max" four years prior to "Mad Max" and six years prior to "Mad Max 2 - The Road Warrior." The rest of the world lives underground in nuclear fallout bunkers. Jason Robards plays the leader of the clown underworld and lures Vic down for breeding purposes. Reasons to watch: 1) Don Johnson gives such a great performance you believe he is communicating with the dog. 2) Mad Max fans will be enlightened and entertained. 3) Looking at the future from the perspective of the past - what does a possible 2024 look like in 1975. 4) The Dog - he is adorable and very funny. 

Rebel Ridge

Jeremy Saulnier. If you don't know who that is, he is the writer and director of "Blue Ruin," "Green Room," and now "Rebel Ridge." If you haven't see "Blue Ruin" it is must-viewing if you appreciate action crime dramas. All of his films have fallen, so far, into this category and Saulnier has proven himself to be a master of them. "Blue Ruin" is such a phenomenal film, make sure to go watch it. Almost as good, "Rebel Ridge." What's it all about? It's basically "First Blood" but repackaged. Instead of Stallone, we have Aaron Pierre (who is black, so we get some racism thrown into the mix with cops) who is just trying to get his brother out of jail on bail. Instead of Brian Dennehy, we have Don Johnson as the corrupt sheriff. It's a formula that has been well tread so to do it well, to make it interesting, it's almost a miracle. Hallelujah! Jeremy Saulnier has performed a miracle! "Rebel Ridge" is one of the best action crime dramas of the year and everyone in it does a great job, including co-star, AnnaSophia Robb. James Cromwell even has a role as a corrupt judge. Throw on you flack jacket and catch this blast of fun now streaming on Netflix.