April 2022: Resurrections
Not religious but feeling FOMO with April resurrections? Here are some films to raise your spirits.
Kirk’s Rec
Hellraiser (1987)
Nothing says Resurrection like Jesus. And nothing says Jesus like Heaven. And nothing says Heaven like Hell. And nothing says Hell like Hellraiser, the feel-good family movie for all ages about stopping your evil sadist uncle’s resurrection from the lower depths of Satan’s torture chamber!
Dylan’s Rec
Cats (2019)
Tale as old as time: a collective of anthropomorphic cats hold a special vote to determine which of them are reborn through the Heaviside Layer. While I personally would have chosen Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, the Jelicle Wish recipient Grizabella the Glamour cat is a worthy winner. The movie implies she was slutshamed by the other cats, but then they learned about respecting sex workers so they decided to send her to heaven.
I’ve seen this movie 4 times and I think that’s the plot.
Jesse’s Rec
Alps (2011)
One of the more dark/absurd movies by one of my favorite directors, Yorgos Lanthimos, takes a peculiar look at resurrection. It is Lathimos at his best; designing a set piece in his narrative that’s disconnected from our world but presented as a very normal element of the one he presents. In Alps, this set piece is a company that provides people who pretend to be a recently deceased relative for grieving families to interact with and ideally assist in their healing process. This idea of resurrection isn’t necessarily bringing the dead back to life, but involving the living to facilitate the final moments loved ones may have not had the opportunity to share with their dearly departed. The movie not only looks at the many ways life can exist after death, but also at the effect it has on the hired proxies and the dangers of conjuring memories of those who may better be left to rest.
Chris’ Rec
The Wraith (1986)
Unfinished business - be it chasing a lost love, righting a wrong, revenging/avenging, or simply getting another chance at a proper goodbye - sometimes rips a character from the sweet embrace of death. Usually they take on one of the aforementioned duties, maybe two. For this staff pick, I offer you a movie in which the protagonist does all of the above! If that isn’t enticing enough, did I mention he’s played by a young Charlie Sheen? As the titular Wraith, Sheen returns from the dead to reclaim his girlfriend, say bye to his little brother, and brutally murder the members of the teen gang who stabbed him in the back, one of whom is a 30-year old Clint Howard! Sheen’s weapon of choice: an indestructible car. His method of choice: drag racing. Fasten your seatbelt dear reader, you’re in for a bumpy night.
Stephanie’s Rec
The Mummy (1999)
Not one, but two potential resurrections?! Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz stumble into a decades old love story, accidentally resurrecting the High Priest Imhotep, who in turn attempts to resurrect his love, Anck-su-namun. Fantastical action and adventure ensue! This movie was so great, it spun off a series of sequels and - more importantly - my favorite roller coaster at Universal Studios, Orlando!