Valentine's Day is a torturous time for most. It puts added pressure on everyone, whether you're in a relationship or not. So, I recommend doing something that requires no interaction with whoever you're with, of course, watching a movie. And the following lists provide the best recommendations whether you're looking for romance, hooking up or wallowing in self pity.

Films for Lovers...
When typical film critics, (generally older white guys in their fifties who don't get laid all that often or enjoy life for that matter), mention the best romantic films, the same list of movies emerge—Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Love Story, Annie Hall, blah, blah, blah… yes, we all know those are great movies. Tell us something we don't know? This list contains great romance films you may have forgotten but all of them deserve a special place among your favorite movie memories. Now, if you find yourself alone on the 14th, just mentioning that you've seen some of these movies to someone new could make that connection with a potential future romance. Or a future break up, you never know where those things lead. I'm just trying to be realistic.


Harold is a suicidal young man who falls for a vivacious 80 year-old woman named Maude. They connect when they both discover they enjoy attending funerals for people they don't even know. But don't let this dark description stop you from seeing this emotional milestone from the 70s. Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort star in this classic May-December romance that is perhaps the most unlikely love story ever made. The result is a life-affirming tale often leaves viewers in tears. Not me, but other people.

West Side Story
This is a musical that even men aren't afraid to admit they love. This Romeo and Juliet retelling is set in 1960s New York with rival gangs influencing the fate of the great love between Tony and Maria. If your girl’s name is Maria, you may find yourself singing this song by the end.

Before Sunrise and Before Sunset
Writer/director Richard Linklater has delivered two films that provide an intimate glimpse into an emotional affair. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have long conversations that delve deep into love, politics, superficiality and fleeting romance. In Sunrise, the two meet and fall for each other instantly and we bear witness to their short time together. In Sunset, the two meet again after a decade while Hawke, now an author, is signing a book that documents their initial meeting which, for him at least, was a life-changing event. These two boldly honest films provide a realistic look at relationships from both sides.

King Kong (original and Peter Jackson version)
Men love Kong for the action, women love Kong for the beast. You will believe a monkey can make a woman cry.

The African Queen
Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn are reluctantly paired in this action-romance for classic film buffs. Sure, Bogart isn’t much to look at, but most likely, neither are you, which certainly offers a glimmer of hope.


Marlon Brando and French hottie Maria Schneider begin a torrid affair involving hot sex and only one rule—no names. Featuring scintillating sex scenes and raw eroticism, this film should only be seen by couples who've already ventured into the “naked zone.” Save it for after the third date…or beyond. WARNING: You’ll never look at butter the same way again.

As Good as it Gets
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt prove that even the mentally ill can overcome adversity and learn to love. Simultaneously uplifting, sweet and outrageously funny.

The Princess Bride
The words, “As you wish,” seem so hot after the steamy opening scenes between Robin Wright Penn and Cary Elwes. This fairy tale has a chewy and sweet romantic center appealing to the whole family.

The Bride of Frankenstein
Most film lovers might not consider a mad scientist who re-animates sewn together body parts in the interests of finding a bride for his monster as romantic, but look at the results! Elsa Manchester is absolutely gorgeous as the female companion intended for Frankenstein's monster. Her entrance is breathtaking and oddly sexy. If Goth is your thing, than there’s nothing more chilling and sentimental.

Lost in Translation
A modern May-December romance that takes Bill Murray to Japan where hilarity ensues. There he meets a young and vulnerable married girl played by Scarlett Johansson. This subtle romantic comedy provides perhaps the best opening shot for a film ever—Johansson’s behind in sheer underpants.

Moulin Rouge
This tragic musical features Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in an operatic tale of forbidden love. This glamorous modern fable is a feast for the eyes and the heart. Yes, there’s a lot of singing and dancing, but guys, don’t let that scare you off—this film is guaranteed to leave female viewers in tears—and that’s where you come in…


Okay, this is not a traditional romantic film, but at it’s heart, this is like two romantic comedies—one starring Bill Murray and PJ Soles and the other with Harold Ramis and Sean Young. Murray is the suave ladies man who will stop at nothing for a laugh and to top it off, he’s a complete loser who has no other choice but to join the army. His casual cool gains the attention of PJ, apparently the hottest MP in the US Army. The two discover additional uses for kitchenware in one of the film's sweetest moments. You will never look at a spatula in the same way again.

Titanic
Who knew that James Cameron’s epic recounting of the sinking of the Titanic would turn into the ultimate tragic teen movie for girls? This movie has it all—heartthrob Leo DiCaprio teaches Kate Winslet how to spit, Billy Zane goes bonkers, tons of rich snobs dying, and there’s even sex in a car. And to satisfy the guys, Leo dies in the end.


Not every relationship is going to end well, unless it’s in a movie. But if a dose of reality is something you don’t mind in a film every once in a while, Woody Allen’s movies are rife with doomed affairs. While most would recommend something sweet from Woody like Annie Hall, his real gem is Manhattan. Allen’s black and white classic delivers sweet depression like nothing else.

Movies Guaranteed to Get You Laid...
Maybe you plan to spend the 14th indoors with that special someone? Kick off the evening with a movie to set the mood for romance—one that leaves the entire room a complete mess. Because, when romance ends up in a gooey mess, isn’t it the best kind? I mean, if you aren’t cleaning up the clothes scattered everywhere, doing laundry paying special attention to newfound stains, massaging sore muscles, applying a few band-aids in really awkward places, then did you really have a romantic evening at all?

Of course, all of this is possible, as long as you select the right film. The best part of watching a DVD at home is the ability to take full advantage of the pause button when things get too heated…off screen. The following films are absolutely guaranteed to set the mood evoking tears, laughs and all those warm feelings necessary to get the juices flowing in all the right places. And the best part of watching a romantic movie on DVD, talking during the film is completely optional. Of course, one would hope your lips would not be doing much talking at the end of the night.


Pottery-making was never portrayed more erotically in any film before or since. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore sizzle in this romantic-action-fantasy that often leave even men in tears or at least a little choked up. This film proves that really less is more, there’s really no need for an expensive dinner or gifts. Candlelight, soft music and some clay can be the ingredients for a perfect evening.

The Notebook
You know your man loves you if he’ll sit still for this melodramatic epic that pairs Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Yes, it’s hot for women, and dull at times for men, but it’s only 123 minutes until the credits roll and you’ll be rolling with the person next to you, so sit back and enjoy.

Serendipity
Fate intervenes in the lives of John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. Cusack is simply shopping for a Christmas gift for his fiancé when he meets—the one! Or is she? That’s what he wants to find out as he begins a nationwide search. As Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything, Cusack melted teenage hearts and here he proves that being a hopeless romantic is something women just cannot resist.

When Harry Met Sally
Sure, Billy Crystal is no looker, but Meg Ryan more than makes up in the beauty department in this epic romantic comedy that made it okay for women to orgasm in public. And it’s about time!

Groundhog Day
Bill Murray has the uncanny ability to woo women with his biting sense of humor, which is a lesson most men would benefit from learning. This fantasy-comedy-romance allows Bill to relive the same day over and over until he finally becomes less of a jerk and more of the man that Andie MacDowell is really looking for. It’s sweet fun all around.

Pretty Woman
It’s said that men desire both the virgin and the whore. In Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts plays both as Vivian, an actual Hollywood prostitute, who deep down, is just an innocent girl just trying to make her way in the world. Richard Gere is her millionaire knight in shining armor. The onscreen chemistry between the two is undeniable in this must-see modern romantic fable. And you can see the two go at it again in Runaway Bride.

About a Boy
It’s no secret that women love men who can nurture a child. Hugh Grant plays an unscrupulous man who poses as a single dad to bag unsuspecting women. The real twist is when the young boy teaches Grant how to be a real man.

Meet Joe Black
Death learns how to love as Brad Pitt plays Joe Black, basically Death coming to visit Anthony Hopkins. Things get complicated when Claire Forlani enters the picture giving Mr. Black reason to question his own motives. There’s no doubt that chicks dig Pitt, so let them and just enjoy the opening scene in which Brad is mercilessly run down by a slew of cars.


I don’t care what anyone says, Janeane Garofalo in glasses is way hotter than Uma Thurman any day. I may be in the minority on this one, but glasses are just sexy. Anyway, this tale of pets and mistaken identity is cute to the core.

Family Man
Nicholas Cage’s character faced a choice—stay with his high school sweetheart or take the job of his dreams. He took the job. But, what if he had stayed with his girlfriend? Well, he gets to find out in a twist of fate. Jeremy Piven provides welcome comic relief as the perfectly annoying best friend. It’s a sappy holiday tale that will warm even the coldest heart.

Roxanne
Steve Martin has a really, really big nose in this modern update of Cyrano De Bergerac. Martin fills in as words behind Chris who falls for Roxanne (Daryl Hannah). Little does Chris know, Martin’s words are what Roxanne is really falling for. Let that be comfort to all of us ugly guys who are really well spoken.

My Best Friend's Wedding
Julia Roberts has a smile that could stop traffic and that toothy grin is in full bloom in this wildly unrealistic, but completely enjoyable comedy. However, as likeable as Roberts is, the entire cast is completely upstaged by Rupert Everett, who is sadly, unavailable.

You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle
Meg Ryan is just too damn cute for her own good and when paired with the most likable movie star of our time, Tom Hanks, the result is romantic gold in the shape of a heart. In Sleepless, the two have only one scene together but this story of longing will leave your heart warm. Mail pits the two as rival booksellers who find common ground in the end. What you’ll find with these two films is the perfect double feature for an evenin’ of lovin’.

...And Flicks for When You're All By Your Lonesome
So, if hooking up is not going to happen, you'll need a flick to either make you laugh or spiral you deeper into depression. Any one of these will fit the bill.


Wouldn't it be amazing if you could erase the memory of a love gone wrong? This is the bizarre set up for this instant cult classic. Director Michel Gondry pairs Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in a doomed yet passionate affair as they fall for each other a second time. It's perfect for anyone spending Valentines' Day all alone.

American Pie
Yes, intercourse with a cream-filled confection is something that has crossed the minds of teenage boys. Really, when you’re that desperate, anything looks good. This vulgar comedy has a sweet center that appeals to both boys and girls—like a co-ed restroom—you’ll each find something for you in there.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High
Fast Times is not just a great teen movie, it’s a milestone in the genre. There are so many classic moments, from Sean Penn’s performance as the stoner Spicoli, to Judge Reinhold’s solo performance, to Phoebe Cate’s slow motion rise from the pool in which she loses her top. But none of these come even close to my personal favorite scene—Jennifer Jason Leigh teaching oral sex using a carrot.

Say Anything
John Cusack will forever be loved by women for playing Lloyd Dobbler—the sweetest boyfriend who ever lived. This teen classic shows what lengths men will go for love. Now, remember ladies, it’s only a movie. In real life, Lloyd would be arrested as a stalker.


Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder get all gothic in this beauty and the beast tale. Depp is sympathetic as the “monster” who creates sculptures that change the world and the normal people around him. It’s a fairy tale with a tragic ending that will leave your heart filled with warmth.

Last American Virgin
It’s more than just a typical teen romp, this is a male rites of passage. For any teen who has ever been a virgin, like all of them, this one is your movie.

Dirty Dancing
Patrick Swayze falls for Jennifer Grey and the world finally learns that dancing is about a lot more than moving your feet. If you know what you’re doing on the dance floor, a lot more should be moving. If anything, this film should be inspiration for men who sideline themselves when the dance floor opens up. Get this movie, get a dance instructor, get your girl and get it on. You can thank me later.

Sixteen Candles
Molly Ringwald owned female teen angst in the 1980s, and here she shines as the girl pursuing the wrong guy. Or is she? Okay, Molly may not be the hottest female on the planet, but her virginal good girl looks made her the unattainable girl everyone wanted both on and off screen.

Risky Business
Rebecca De Mornay is a hooker with a heart that takes Tom Cruise’s innocence in more ways than one. In addition to a killer soundtrack, Risky Business has the hottest sex scene on a train ever put on film.

Pretty in Pink
Molly Ringwald is a little more grown up, but still as innocent in this.

Valley Girl
Nicolas Cage is a bad boy who ends up with a Valley girl played by the cuddly cute Deborah Foreman. Cage and Foreman are opposites and you know how those attract. The inclusion of the 80s hit song "Million Miles Away" makes this a memorable

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
It’s a modern day twist on a Shakespeare classic. Leo DiCaprio woos Claire Danes and while the results are mixed, there’s no doubt that chicks dig the Leo.

Porky’s
It’s refreshing to hear Porky’s referred to as a classic, because upon release of this nudity-filled teen romp, it was dismissed as juvenile drivel. Nothing could be further from the truth as the film contains deeper layers than one would admit upon first viewing. This film was the inspiration for movies like American Pie and the nudity is completely innocent. Really, it is.


Wow! Woo! The best film about cheerleading ever! Yeah! Kirsten Dunst’s chemistry with Jesse Bradford oozes with innocence, longing and stolen glimpses of underpants.

And, if all else fails, try one of my favorite, and very rare, porn standbys on DVD...


Let My Puppets Come!
Puppets and sex, what could be better?

Gore gone!

Chris_Gore is an author, a filmmaker, the creator of Film Threat, and plans to spend the 14th kicking the brown door in and painting it white on the way out.

Pornography is always the first to push the limits and test the boundaries of any new technology. When the camera was invented in the 1800s, “nude photography” made its debut almost simultaneously. When the motion picture camera was developed, those nude images could finally move. And when talkies debuted, you could finally hear the humping.

It’s no secret that VCR sales were driven by the ability to watch X rated videos in the privacy of one’s own home. The result? Guys could finally jerk off in private to moving images of people pumping. I guess that means women could "jill" off too. Amazing.


I am not a prude. I believe porn to be a healthy part of any media junkie's regular diet, especially if you get a dose right here on SG. And I certainly admire the innovation that seems to follow each new advance in adult content. To me, pornographers have always been pioneers. But let’s be honest, since those first few images of a couple having sex illuminated the moving picture screen, not much has changed. Sure, a few cosmetic changes like shoes or muff-hair styles. Goofy-looking high-heeled shoes with straps (1970s) are now replaced by black patent, thigh high boots (1990s). Overgrown hairy crotches that looked as if a tumbleweed landed between a woman’s legs are now substituted by carefully shaved landing strips or nothing at all. Droopy boobs (or no boobs) have been replaced by standard-issue fake tits.

But while fashions and trends may change, fucking is still pretty standard stuff. In and out, in and out, nothing new. I guess the DP could be considered a recent innovation. (D.P. – Double Penetration – the insertion of a penis into the vagina and anus simultaneously giving expanded meaning to threesome.) But again, a DP is just another variation of the same old in and out.

It’s no surprise that the most profitable venture on the web is porn -- adult sites rank among the most highly trafficked. But if your idea of pushing the limits of technology is jerking off to jerky images, I suggest you discover something new. The most incredible innovation in the world of porn can be found on a very few DVDs. The new innovation I am talking about is commentary.

I am a DVD addict, and my personal favorite feature is commentary. I not only do most of my film viewing via DVD, I listen to DVD commetaries like talk radio. There's so much you can learn about the filmmaking process, the inside scoop on the cast, camera tricks and some are even hilariously entertaining. (Just listen to any commentary with Bruce Campbell and you'll know what I mean.)

This feature has mainly been relegated to legit Hollywood films, but a very few adult DVDs contain commentary and… oh… my… God… porn will never be the same. Skin flicks with commentary tracks recorded by porn stars is unlike anything I have ever experienced in all my years of viewing adult cinema. In fact, it's hot!

Now why would this add so much to the experience? Sporting events are made so much more exciting by the thrill, the enthusiasm and the pure emotion of passionate announcers. Try watching a game without one. A great sports announcer will have you on the edge of your seat. Most porn flicks feature bad music with looped sound and fake moaning that barely matches the action on screen. With commentary, it’s as if a hot woman is sitting next to you enjoying the experience and offering her innermost thoughts.


Take, for example, the commentary from DMJ6 (The Devil in Miss Jones part 6, VCA Interactive) which comes courtesy of porn starlets Stacy Valentine and Tina Tyler. Imagine the voices of these two sexy women making intimate remarks about everything on the screen. Sure, some of their insights are just plain lame-brained as they seem to voice their inner monologue or when they read any text that can be seen on screen. This, in itself, is entertaining. However, it gets really good when the conversation becomes like entering the private women’s locker room men only dream about. Here’s just a sample of Stacy and Tina's ramblings:

“Her pussy is so pretty. Very symmetrical. I like her boobs too. And I like how he splits her like that so you can see everything.”

“You know, that’s one thing I hate about threesomes with two guys, one guy always gets left out. Well, he didn’t get left out for long.”


“If I was in that scene, I’d go right where that finger is.”

"I just love to see a guy’s balls hang. There’s something sexy about that. And his balls are so big you can feel them on your asshole when he’s doin’ ya. Mmmmm… that SLAP, SLAP, SLAP on your butt.”

“Oooh, she squeezing her hand around her lips. I’ll have to try that.”

“Oh, this is rarely seen, a double pussy penetration. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but never for the first time on camera.”

“Nice sloppy blow job. Nice stringer.”

“He’s a champion pussy eater, in fact, it’s his favorite thing to do. He breathes through his ears.”

“Look at his feet curled up, he’s having a good time!”

“There’s the money shot, look at her clit sticking out.”

“Now see guys, ha shaves his balls. So, if you want to get your balls sucked, shave ‘em! I shave my pussy lips.”

“Is he going to land it on her other tit or in the middle? Ooops, both!”

Imagine watching a sporting event without the benefit of an announcer expressing his passion about the game. You can’t. And I can’t imagine watching another adult talkie on DVD without a blow by blow commentary track.

Gore gone!

Chris_Gore is an author, a filmmaker, the creator of Film Threat, and has a pile of adult DVDs he'd like to take to Amoeba in exchange for cash or credit.

Mondo Macabro's latest DVD release, The Devil's Sword, is a jaw-dropping, eye-popping fantasy/horror/martial arts adventure from Indonesia starring Barry Prima, that country’s answer to Chuck Norris. Prima plays the stoic warrior Mandala, who must locate the title weapon and use it to defeat the Crocodile Queen, a sexually voracious lake goddess who lures young men to her underwater castle for unholy orgies (on an amazing rotating bed that’s thronged with fire). Opposing Mandala’s quest are a quartet of evil warriors, including his former friend Panu Jaggar (Advent Bangun), who gets the most incredible introduction in motion picture history when he kicks a boulder into the air, rides it into a nearby village, and then slaughters an entire wedding party. Mandala must face off against his old friend as well as soldiers with floppy crocodile heads and a monstrous Cyclops (whose eye looks suspiciously like a car headlight) before he can take The Devil’s Sword to the Crocodile Queen’s lair – but will he be able to resist her scaly charms?

Like most Indonesian fantasy and horror titles from the ‘70s and ‘80s (includingVirgins from Hell, which is also available from Mondo Macabro), The Devil's Sword is a madhouse masala of different cinematic genres and styles, all blended together and set to boiling by a barrage of action set pieces and a delirious storyline. You get the kitchen-sink martial arts of ‘70s and ‘80s Hong Kong, with outrageous characters performing super-human feats with a dizzying array of weapons (including a decapitating coolie hat that’s swiped from Master of the Flying Guillotine); the heavy black magic-mumbo jumbo and absurd monsters of Indian fantasy; and the obsession with dismemberment and spurting blood so popular to Asian exploitation. That all of this is accomplished using the crudest of special effects (lots of visible wires), some outlandishly outré sets (the Crocodile Queen’s lair is a miracle of Styrofoam architecture) and some genuinely weird touches (like when the Queen turns into a big rubbery croc in the middle of her underwater lovemaking session with Panu – and he keeps fondling her…) only add to the gleefully surreal fun. Suffice it to say that if you’re a cult movie fan who thinks you’ve it all, you really haven’t until you eyeball The Devil's Sword.

Mondo Macabro’s widescreen DVD includes the original trailer, a lengthy bio on Barry Prima by label head Pete Tombs (who also contributes an interesting essay on the history of magical swords), and best of all, a truly weird interview with the elusive Mr. Prima himself, who dodges questions or gives eccentric answers (when asked about a former co-star whom he married, he flashes a wide grin and says, “I don’t know who she is”) like the superstar he truly is. Brad Pitt should be half as interesting as this guy.

Joe Dante's “Homecoming,” which he directed for the Showtime anthology series Masters of Horror, is a potent reminder of how the horror genre can be an effective outlet for political and social commentary. Jon Tenney stars as a world-weary political flack hired by a struggling Republican administration to put a positive spin on an unpopular foreign war and win an upcoming election. While on a nightly talk show, Tenney delivers what sounds like a conservative coup de grace: he wishes that the dead troops could return to America to tell the population just how proud they were to serve in this war. His moment of false piety is granted when the corpses of recently killed soldiers rise from their coffins and marches en masse to the voting booths to make sure that the president’s plans are halted for good. What follows is a black and bitter blend of Romero-esque zombie splatter and satire of Bush-era shenanigans, with spinmeisters refusing to count the votes of the dead and a venomous Ann Coulter clone getting her just desserts from the wrong end of a shotgun.

Dante, who is best known for his affectionate tributes to B-movie horror like The Howling and Gremlins, is no stranger to political satire – his 1997 TV movie The Second Civil War imagined a United States at the brink of internal conflict over immigration – and his barbs here are sharp and focused as they dig deep into the backroom politicos that encourage war for the sake of electoral votes. And the gore, while plentiful, isn't overwhelming – it’s safe to say that non-horror fans will be able to watch this without hiding behind their hands. “Homecoming” is about as perfect a blend of commentary and terror as we might expect from the genre in this prolific but not particularly profound period; it’s certainly the best that’s come from the otherwise woeful Masters of Horror. Let’s hope that their second season produces at least one episode as memorable and forthright as this one.

Anchor Bay's DVD of “Homecoming” includes interviews with Dante and Jon Tenney, a making-of featurette, commentary by scriptwriter Sam (Batman) Hamm, and the shooting script (in DVD-ROM).

Bummer vibes abound in Cop Killers (Shriek Show), a grimy slice of drugsploitation circa 1973 about a pair of wooly-headed coke dealers who develop a taste of offing the fuzz. Ray (Jason Williams) may look like a foxy dude with his blond curls and denim duds, but he’s got a mile-wide hate streak for the law and anyone else who stands in his way of delivering a shipment of five kilos; his partner Alex (producer Bill Osco) is turned off by Ray’s blood lust, but is in too deep to do anything about it. The ugliness spreads like a fungus as they cross the blazing Arizona desert, with Ray’s murder jones upping the body count at every pit stop, until things reach a white heat head at the home of their weirdbeard connection. Anyone assuming that things turn out well for Ray and Alex by the film’s conclusion is hereby requested to get it together but quick.

Cobbled together by Osco and co-producer Howard Ziehm, two veteran Los Angeles adult filmmakers, to raise some quick cash to complete their cornball softcore sci-fi comedy Flesh Gordon (which starred Williams), Cop Killers taps the bummer irony and casual violence of freak-era downer films like Easy Rider and Vanishing Point, but the end result is no mournful coda to the Summer of Love. It’s just a mean, raw-boned junkfilm, designed solely to give grindhouse and drive-in patrons a vicarious thrill from seeing the Man catch a bad one. The pace feels a bit draggy in the second half, and the performances (save Williams) are across-the-board awful, but Cop Killers serves up lean and bloody bargain nihilism for retro-minded sleaze beasts with a taste for jaded kicks.

Shriek Show’s DVD includes a 16-minute interview with Williams, who discusses the film’s conception (as well as a lengthy treatise on the legalization of drugs); he also kicks in a commentary track that’s long on reminiscences about the amateur cast (mostly culled from strip joints and local acting schools). Trailers for other Shriek Show DVD releases, including 1983’s nuclear waste monster movie The Being (another Bill Osco production, and a real lulu to boot), round out the extras. Dig it.

Note to Spike and Mike fiends – there is definite and palpable art lurking in the ten short animated films compiled on Other Cinema's Anxious Animation DVD, but there’s no need to get all Stalin-esque and reach for your revolver at the mention of the word.

While some of the shorts are dense and, on occasion, obtuse, all are visually fascinating and even beautiful. The dizzying array of patterns and textures in Janie Geiser’s “Immer Zu” evokes the chiaroscuro lighting of classic film noir. Lewis Klahr's celebrated cut-and-paste technique manipulates advertising and pop culture images from the ‘40s and ‘50s to suggest Superman sidekick Jimmy Olsen’s exploration of his homosexual side and the pressures exerted on women by society. Jim Trainor's simple hand-drawn ink sketches imbue his animal subjects – bats in a 14th century Mayan temple in “The Bats,” and a bovine prehistoric animal in “Moschops” – with surprising tenderness and humanity.

But if all that makes your head swim, you can also groove on the manic energy of Eric Henry, Syd Garon, and Rodney Ascher who, as Henry Garon Ascher, bring a great deal of irreverent humor and cutting-edge style to the disc, especially with “Somebody Goofed,” a hilariously dead-pan adaptation of a fire-and-brimstone comic by the notorious religious cartoonist Jack Chick, and “Spokes from the Wheel of Torment,” which sets the apocalyptic art of 15th century painter Hieronymus Bosch to dancing with the weirdcore music of Buckethead. For those who like their animation with an adventurous flavor, Anxious Animationis a satisfying and self-contained festival unto itself, and best of all, there aren't any drunks in the audience or high merch prices to endure.