Netflix suggestions for a weird afternoon

This morning, I walked with the Seattle Women's Chorus in the Pride Parade. It was SO fun. And exhausting. And took 5 hours. And was in 90 degree weather, which, in Seattle, is really freaking hot. So, after I managed to wrangle down a taxi, get home, and get in recovery mode, I watched two really bizarre movies on Netflix Streaming...

(1) This Must Be The Place

I've seen the icon for this movie every day for the last month, but I didn't realize something... That's SEAN PENN. Seriously. I was under the impression that this was some kind of Ozzy Osbourne documentary. 

NOPE

It's a weird indie flick starring Sean Penn and Frances McDormand. 

And this movie is WEIRD. 

You should totally watch it!  If you like weird movies. 

It has totally bizarre character work that sometimes doesn't quite make any sense. It has a wandering, jumping plot. It has Sean Penn playing a completely cartoonish version of Ozzy... or Alice Cooper... or somebody.  

And it's also about a man discovering what it means to be Jewish and the son of a Holocaust survivor.  

WEIRD, right?  Right. 

Totally worth a watch, even though it's not a perfect movie.  

You need to be patient with this one, too, because even an hour into the movie, I was wondering what the point of it all was. But there are some really great emotional moments, so it's worth the wait. However, remember that this movie is not perfect. But there's something there. Like, there were people from tons of different ethnic backgrounds, to the point that at certain moments, I wasn't sure what continent, much less country, it took place in. And, maybe it had something to say about our search for culture in a world that functions on a global level most of the time. 

So, I say, watch it. 

(2) Natural Selection

WTF? Seriously.  This movie is totally weird. 

I suggest watching this movie, if for no other reason because the amazing character actor Jon Gries is in it.  You may remember him as Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, but this dude is awesome. I always enjoy his performances. 

This movie is about a really strange UBER-christian woman whose husband dies, and she goes on a mission to reconnect with his son, whom he sired through donating sperm.  The son, of course, is a ball of problems, and they have a journey together that provides many bizarre, upsetting, and sweet moments. 

Rachel Harris, another seasoned professional with 100+ IMDB credits, delivers a fantastic performance as Linda, the sex-deprived wife of Jon Gries. 

This movie is really emotionally authentic. It has complex relationships, which are dealt with in a realistic and satisfying way. Great soundtrack. Great ending, too. 

So, here are two more ideas, if you are hoping for a day of indie-movie weirdness. 

Embrace it. It will make you feel things. Sometimes good things. But definitely things.