This week’s double feature is all about the best damn country in the world! By which I mean, whichever damn country happens to own your sorry ass.

I’m going to keep this one short and sweet because I believe you’re intelligent enough to draw your own connections here. (And I’m busy and lazy. Beat it.)

I Am Cuba

I’ll be honest. This came on Netflix after the Supreme Being recommended it and I was unenthused about putting it on. Two hours and twenty minutes of Cuban pro-revolutionary propaganda?

Then I watched it. Ho-ly fuck is it good. Amazing tracking shots. Gorgeous compositions. Completely involving even in full-on melodrama mode. You get four vignettes that’ll make you want to grab a rifle and change your name to Ché.

Seriously. Don’t be an ass. Watch this movie.

Made by Mikhail Kalatozov in Russian/Spanish/English, the whole thing feels like Fellini with a pint of rum in him. It is gorgeous and so are you. ¡Viva la Revolución!

This is England

You dirty foreigner: what in hell do you think you’re doing stinking up my country?

Maybe this one’s a little different than I Am Cuba? Maybe this one is taking the whole national pride thing too far? Does that mean that Cuban pro-revolutionary propaganda is the good stuff?

Well misters and misses. I leave it to you to consider Shane Meadow‘s semi-autobiographical descent into skinhead society on your own. You can think for yourself, right? You don’t need no blogger to tell you what’s up and what’s down, do you? You don’t need to listen to no talking head, politician, el presidente mo-fo!

You’ve already got your 2012 voting strategy all sussed out. I can tell. I see it in your eyes. You’ll just walk in there, pretend to vote, and then those suckers will give you a free goddamned sticker! A sticker! FOR FREE. Suckers.

This is the best country in the world. Whichever one you think I mean.

Anyway, you should watch I Am Cuba and cheer on the revolution you’re supposed to loathe and then head to old blighty to further explore the relative merits of national pride with This Is England. You should also eat more fresh vegetables. They’re really good for you.

Safe travels, kid. Send me a postcard.