Shawn Piller & Scott Lew's SEXY EVIL GENIUS -- a well-written/-directed/-acted hoot-and-a-half

One of those little movies that go straight-to-DVD (in April 2013) and that consequently rush right by you, SEXY EVIL GENIUS (and who can resist finding out a little more about a title this upfront?) may just be the oddball streaming evening you've been craving. It's alternately funny, creepy, silly and surprising, written and directed with skill and just the right amount of reticence to keep you watching, and then cast and acted with equal aplomb.And now it's yours to peruse via Netflix streaming.

As directed by Shawn Piller (shown at right and new to me) and written by Scott Lew (who earlier gave us a hugely under-rated delight called Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas (find it and watch!), the movie, because it is mostly set in a single location (a little dive bar in L.A.) looks like it might have been based on a stage play. But, no -- evidently not. In any case, it is not stage bound. It works just fine as a sharp, funny comedy about.... what? The poster notes that "Revenge is a bitch," but that's not nearly the whole of it. Within the first few minutes, the plot begins to come clear: A young woman named Nikki (no, not Finke) has invited several of her former lovers -- men and a woman -- to this little get-together, though she herself has yet to put in an appearance.

The build-up is very nice. We first meet the slightly nebbishy  Zachary (Seth Green) and then very hot Miranda (Michelle Trachtendberg). They are soon joined by jazz band man Marvin (Harold Perrineau), and finally by Nikki and her latest boyfriend, a somewhat sleazy lawyer named Bert (William Baldwin).

Nikki herself, a very long-time coming, is played by Katee Sackhoff (above, right, and below), whom I have seen a few times, I guess, but never really noticed before. Ms Sackhoff co-produced the movie -- a smart move, considering that it gives her quite the plum role, which she handle well enough. However, because Nikki takes such a long time to appear here, and as described by the other characters sounds like an incredible and beautiful femme fatale, we're maybe expecting someone like a 1940s "noir" anti-heroine possessed of the beauty of a young Elizabeth Taylor.

That's a lot to live up to, and Ms Sackhoff doesn't quite make it (who could?), though she is, as they say, close enough for jazz. She make Nikki strong, smart, pretty and just a little crazy, too. No wonder her exes (and we, as well) are ever on guard. Try as you might to guess what's going on, you probably won't figure out all of it. Which should just add to your fun.

The movie is available now via Netflix streaming, Amazon Instant Video and on DVD.-- for purchase or rental.

Peretzes/Schisgal's OUR IDIOT BROTHER: Paul Rudd & ensemble shine in sweet film

"It's a sweet little movie" probably sounds like the kiss of death for a small independent film. That's unfair in this case because, for all its raunch  (there's a lot of it) and unpleasant family dynamics, OUR IDIOT BROTHER also delivers a wealth of good humor, charm, excellent performances from its ensemble cast, and another terrific one from the movie's linchpin Paul Rudd. What a smart and appealing actor this guy is!

The movie's opening is loose, easy and genuine, and the scene between Rudd's character, Ned, and a local policeman is just about perfect in terms of acting and writing, while this initial give-and-take lays out Rudd's character to a tee. Whatever else happens in the film, this scene acts as a touchstone for who Ned is (as well as a very canny use of police entrapment).

Directed by Jesse Perretz (shown at left) and written by David Schisgall and Evgenia Peretz, the film details a truckload of extremely passive-aggressive family antics and how the lead character of our "brother" impacts on this. In the process, family "values" get a good working over. (There is actually a fine example of active-aggressive in the movie, too. She is played by Kathryn Hahn, shown above, and she gives the film an extra energy jolt of anger whenever she appears -- which is just often to wake up the movie's pleasant demeanor.

Ned's sisters are played by a bevy of talented and smart beauties: Elizabeth Banks (above, left), Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer (above, right), and their significant others, are played respectively by Adam Scott, Rashida Jones and Steve Coogan (below). Ensembles don't come much more talented than this, and each actor brings home the bacon.

With all the characters heavily into denial -- including brother Ned to some extent -- it takes awhile to sort it all out. (Not too long, though: the film runs only 90 minutes).  In the process, we learn, yet again, that all is finally right with the world and there's a lid for every pot. While this discovery is hardly new and clearly not true, the filmmakers make it seem so, and getting there proves great, good fun. Mr. Rudd adds yet another fine role to his resume -- in fact, along with his great work in the under-seen (Two Days), this is one of his best.

Our Idiot Brother opens on Friday, August 26. Click here, here or here to see where the film is playing and perhaps procure tickets.