“Mulholland Drive” (Amazon)

This early 21st Century (can you believe I’m saying that?) David Lynch film still holds up as surreal noir and possibly the quintessential Hollywood critique (and there are a lot of them) So much has been written about it, in both scholarly and popular culture journals that it feels redundant to discuss it much in depth here. Check out the excellent Wikipedia entry with lots of references. But just to mention some of the topical questions: Does it “normalize queerness” or is it stereotyping? Is it “neo-Noir” or just plain Noir? What is Lynch’s saying about Hollywood? What is the story really about? And much, much more. The film is a great deal better than, but equally gripping as, Twin Peaks (anyone out there old enough to remember that craze?) Vertigo, Sunset Boulevard (the wonderfully talented and very young Naomi Watts bears an uncanny resemblance to Tippy Hedron). It’s considered a 21st Century masterpiece and listed in Sight and Sound as one of the top 28 films ever made! Watch it and let’s discuss!