What I've Been Watching: April 1-April 6

This week, I went one whole day without watching a film. Felt like a lifetime when I finally got around to watching one the day after. Here's another consistently good batch, if not great.

DEAD RINGERS (1988), one of David Cronenberg's most highly-regarded films, I found it to be a bit of a shallow exploration of insanity and addiction. There's no denying the fabulous direction and central performance by Jeremy Irons, and one especially cool moment of body horror, but the whole thing never coalesces in the way you want it to. Stream on Tubi or Amazon Prime, or rent on Amazon Video for $2.99.

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (1985), based on the classic novel by Manuel Puig, this adaptation is a really strong rendering of Puig's original vision. A fascinating deconstruction of one's own fantasies and homoerotic love, it's also a surprisingly political film that argues the real world is anything but conducive to one's fantasies. Rent on Amazon Video for $1.99.

JACKIE BROWN (1997), a "hang-out movie" as proclaimed by director Quentin Tarantino, the film follows an ensemble of incredible performances, specifically those of Pam Grier and Robert Forster. Proved to be one of my favorite Tarantino films, focused less on the sensory pleasures of action than it is on complicated characters and a compelling narrative. Stream on Starz, or rent on Amazon Video for $3.99.

LE SAMOURAI (1967), one of legendary filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville's most celebrated films, this crime saga following the silent warrior, played exquisitely by Alain Delon, is a fantastic exercise in plotting and style. The film has a chilly air of mystery and detachment, mimicking that of our lead character. But make no mistake, the film is anything but uninvolving. Stream on the Criterion Channel, or rent on Amazon Video for $2.99.