Film Club: David Lynch, King of Kong, No End in Sight and Colma

Tom Fudge: We start by reviewing a new documentary film about America's involvement in Iraq. Many documentaries related to the Iraq War have examined part of the conflict, or one aspect of it. But No End in Sight takes on the whole thing. From the planning for the war to the multiple-year occupation, the movie provides facts and narrative. Many of the people interviewed were involved in the occupation. And many of them went in with good intentions, only to be alienated by top administration officials who were calling the shots. No End in Sight makes a convincing argument that our experience in Iraq is a story of lost opportunities and poor decisions. 

Inland Empire is a new movie by film maker David Lynch. Lynch is known for disturbing movies like Eraserhead and Blue Velvet . The assumption in most Lynch films is that the surface of society, and people that we see, hides something much more evil or dysfunctional.

The story of Inland Empire is difficult to explain since its narrative is complex and non-linear. It involves an actress, played by Laura Dern, who ends up in a movie within a movie. The film features talking rabbits, a Polish hooker and a film maker played by Jeremy Irons.

King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters is a documentary about a rivalry between two video gamers. One of the interesting things about this movie is the game is one that most people haven't thought about for years. It's Donkey Kong, which allows gamers to score hundreds of thousands of points, as long as their ape continues to dodge hazards. 

In King of Kong, there is a recognized Donkey Kong master named Billy Mitchell. But he is challenged by a newcomer, a teacher and family man named Steve Wiebie. 

The last movie we're going to talk about is Colma . Colma is a musical that features the lives of three teenagers in a town near San Francisco. The town is known for its large number of cemeteries. And it may have more dead people than living people. Our three teens sing songs about being teenagers. Like all small town kids, they long for the day when they get to leave. This is a movie from first-time Director David Wong. It's written by H.P. Moreno who also plays one of the characters. Moreno also wrote the songs.

Guests

• Beth Accomando, KPBS film critic .

• Scott Marks, film critic for the Gay and Lesbian Times and author of the blog Emulsion Compulsion .