The Return of Jezebel James

I managed to Netflix 5 Parker Posey movies over the summer, plus a whole season of Six Feet Under. My one-line review of Six Feet Under: Disturbing, except for the parts that are morbid, but with deep characterization.

But back to the Parker Posey movies. Here’s my first batch of one-line Parker Posey reviews.

1. Broken English - A “too much like real life” film about a woman so desperately lonely, she gives up on real life. My top pick (tied with I’m Reed Fish for summertime movie of the year, as though that meant anything. 5 out of 5 stars. (Bonus: a more-than-one-line review that reflects my feelings oh so closely, from Big Screen Little Screen.)
2. The OH in Ohio - A cheesy sex comedy about a frigid woman and a pool guy, with a deep story swimming beneath the surface. Proves that sex comedies are like pizza: Even when they’re bad, they’re still pretty good. 5 out of 5 stars.
3. The House of Yes - A morbidly funny, but crazy movie about a (sane) woman who gets caught up in her financé’s crazy family and his crazy relationship with his crazy sister. Parker Posey plays the sister. 4 out of 5 stars.
4. Henry Fool - 3 out of 5 stars. The story of how writer-adventurer Henry Fool taught Simon Grim, plagued by an inferiority complex, how to become a famous poet, with plenty of Hal Hartley, depends-on-your-taste humor. Parker Posey plays Simon’s whorish (read: nutso) sister, Fay, who somehow manages competency before…
5. Fay Grim - … which takes place 10 years later, after Henry has escaped and Simon is in prison for helping him, and reveals that Henry Fool is actually a secret agent, with even more Hal Hartley humor, parodying spy films (I think). 4 out of 5 stars.

-TimK

A word about my rating system: I use a variant of the Netflix rating system.

1 star = I hated it. This is not necessarily bad, because it means it inspired fierce emotion in me. Negative emotion, yes, but emotion nonetheless.

2 stars = I didn’t like it. Also didn’t hate it. The only thing worse than being hated is finding out that no one gives a damn.

3 stars = I liked it, but I probably wouldn’t watch it again.

4 stars = I really liked it, and I would watch it again.

5 stars = I loved it, and I want to watch it again and again and again.