cabin fever

For those of us in cold climates, here is where the winter starts to feel long. What better way to combat cabin fever than tramping through the snow to pick up a movie rental (and maybe a bottle of the hard stuff)?

Here are some of my picks for this time of year:

Night of the Iguana (1964)

Can't afford a holiday in Mexico? Let Tenessee Williams' screenplay, John Huston's direction and Gabriel Figueroa's beautiful black & white cinematography take you there. Featuring a racy ménage-à-trois in the moonlit waves, the logline from the trailer cautions: "Since man has known woman--never has there been such a night!" (The film is much less campy than the trailer makes it look.)

Bus Stop (1956)

This lighter-than-air Marilyn Monroe vehicle is perfect viewing if you're snowed in. A hunky cowboy falls hard for a saloon singer at the Phoenix rodeo; determined to make her his wife, he forces her onto a bus bound for his Montana ranch. On the way, a snowstorm blocks the road ahead, giving her the chance to escape--but will she take it? This film comes from the golden age of romantic comedies when pure, unselfconscious kitsch melded with three-strip technicolor to create absolute enjoyment. 

Frozen River (2008)

I adored this micro-budget crime drama, its gripping story making up for a few technical weaknesses. Melissa Leo is enthralling as a desperate single mother in need of some quick cash, who smuggles illegal immigrants across the border via the frozen St. Laurence river. This one should be taught in film schools as an example of excellent screenwriting, and scores big for its gritty atmosphere and nail-biting suspense.

Winter's Bone (2010)

My favorite film of the past year, I am glad to see it in contention for several Oscars. Similar to Frozen River, this indie suspense thriller delivers big bang on a small buck. A teenage girl in the Ozark Mountains must find her meth-dealing father or lose their farm to the bond he put against it. The mafia-like codes of the neighboring clans and the vividly-captured setting are fertile ground for drama. Fantastic performances, creative doc-style b-roll and a cliffhanger ending make it one hell of a good movie, anytime of the year.

Moon  (2009)

This one will remind you that the winter isn't so bad after all. Just think: at least you're not trapped on the moon! A third of the way in, I thought it was just an imitation of 2001: Space Odyssey (in retrospect I am sure this was deliberate) but then it veers off in another direction and becomes its own, unique entity. Major props to first-time writer/director Duncan Jones for carrying off this ambitious sci-fi project on a small budget.

My Winnipeg (2007)

No one knows winter better than Winnipegers. Guy Maddin shows us what it's like to sleepwalk through the worst of it with quirky humor and quasi-fabricated myths about his hometown. At times hilarious, at times hypnotic, this genre-bending docu-drama racked up acclaim around the world, showing that you don't have to be Canadian to be reeled in by its spell (although it can't hurt).

Fargo (1996)

This dark comedy by the Cohen brothers, set in the windswept prairie of North Dakota, is a rare combination of laughs and chills. The screenplay is magnificent and Frances McDormand's brilliant performance as a (very) pregnant cop takes the cake. My idea of a perfect movie.

The Shining (1980)

Another obvious choice, this is the definitive film about cabin fever. Forget Jack Nicholson--for me, one of the eeriest moments in all cinema is the steadicam shot of the little boy riding his tricycle through the empty hotel hallways. Even though I've seen it probably a dozen times, it still gives me goosebumps. A true masterpiece.