Night on Earth

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Year Released: 1991
Rating: 2.5

Jarmusch is one of those guys that take me a while to "get" - I like his films when I first see them, but after more viewings they really grow on me. Ghost Dog came to me pretty quickly - I'm still wondering what the hell Mystery Train has to offer. Night on Earth is awkward and long, but intriguing as an experiment (I do love experiments!): film five different cab rides in five different cities all over the world at the same time. The conversations tend to be profane and loud (the NYC segment, easily the best, has Rosie Perez and Giancarlo Esposito exchanging insults in the most abrasive tone possible) and drawn out - each segment, none of which (besides the last) are about all that much (they're all small parables, either moral or ethical or just silly).  I will inevitably revisit it one day.