There is a fair bit of lore surrounding the title of Werner Herzog’s entry into this year’s awards soup. Rumor has it that Werner didn’t bother to watch Abel Ferrara’s original 1993 Harvey Keitel starrer – and neither did I – so let’s not dwell on that. Regardless of remake (or sequel) status, Werner’s version is unlike any movie you’ve probably ever seen. This film blasts you into the realm of the absurd and then just as you are starting to lose touch with reality, hits you right in the teeth with the cold steel barrel of a .44 magnum. Werner has managed to make it both extremely uncomfortable yet utterly satisfying. He does this by masterfully drawing the audience’s puppet strings – knowing exactly what we expect, what we want, and when to give us either. It is easy to forget Nicolas Cage is a serious actor – but his Terence McDonagh is one of most dynamic portrayals on screen this year and he should seriously be considered for awards. With superb performances by the supporting cast which includes Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Xzibit, and Jennifer Coolidge, BL:PoCNO is easily one of my favorite films of the year. Maybe we can talk Werner into directing the next Ghost Rider.