Friday, November 26, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!



We've begun our BIG HOLIDAY SALE!
Between Thanksgiving and New Year's,
it's buy-one-get-one-free on
all previously-viewed VHS & DVDs!!





New to our shelves this week:

Eat Pray Love
Julia Roberts stars in this adaptation of the bestseller, directed by Glee's Ryan Murphy and also starring Javier Bardem, James Franco, Billy Crudup, Viola Davis, and Richard Jenkins.

The Expendables
Sylvester Stallone assembles a large number of action stars and a massive amount of testosterone for this throwback actioner.

I'm Still Here
Casey Affleck's "documentary" chronicling the so-called lost year of Joaquin Phoenix. Elaborate performance art or obnoxious hoax: you decide!

Flipped
Rob Reiner directs this coming of age / family portrait that features Aidan Quinn, Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards, Penelope Ann Miller, and John Mahoney.

The Winning Season

Sam Rockwell stars in this inspirational sports story.

Countdown to Zero

No-nonsense doc about the alarming state of atomic affairs.

The Red Baron


That Evening Sun

If You Could Say It In Words


The Disappearance of Alice Creed

Martyrs

Lennon Naked

Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss

Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth

North and South (2004)

Foyle's War - 6th Season

The Pillars of the Earth
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Thursday, November 18, 2010



New to our shelves this week:

The Kids Are All Right

Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon, Cavedweller) wrote and directed this story of a strained marriage between Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) whose lives are further complicated when their children decide to find and meet their sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo).

The Last Airbender
M. Night Shyamalan's latest is a big-budget adaption of the popular animated series.

A Christmas Carol (2009)
Robert Zemeckis uses his motion-capture style of animation to re-adapt Dickens' classic holiday tale, featuring the vocal talents of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright, and Cary Elwes. (Also check out any of the eight other Christmas Carol adaptations we've got oh so conveniently located on our theme shelf!)

The Extra Man
Kevin Kline is on his comic game in this odd and amusing (if a little uneven) tale of an eccentric "extra man" by the writer/director team of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (American Splendor, The Nanny Diaries). Also stars Paul Dano, John C. Reilly, and Katie Holmes.

Metropolis
Hailed as one of the cinematic events of the year, this is the "complete" version of Fritz Lang's silent sci-fi masterwork, which includes restored footage discovered in Argentina in 2008. This marks the first time the complete film is being released since its premiere in 1927.

Metropia
Speaking of sci-fi dystopias, this 2009 Norwegian animated feature involves giant corporations, subway tunnels, and mind control via exotic shampoo.

Vengeance
Another revenge tale, this one from Johnnie To (Election, Exiled, The Pacific), starring Johnny Hallyday (Man on the Train).

Trash Humpers

A new provocation by Harmony Korine, about... well, the title kinda says it all.

Barking Water
A Native American film about a man trying to return home before dying.

The Lightkeepers

Richard Dreyfus, Blythe Danner, Bruce Dern, Mamie Gummer, and Julie Harris star in this romantic drama set in 1912 on Cape Cod.

Lottery Ticket

16 Wishes


Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Don't Look Back (2009)

Brotherhood
(2009)

A Crime

Czech Dream
Produced by Morgan Spurlock, this documentary follows an elaborate hoax surrounding the opening of a (non-existant) superstore.

The Edge of Never
Just in time for the winter-sports season, this documentary features a son's decision to ski the trail where his father died years before.

South of the Border
Oliver Stone's documentary featuring interviews with several South American presidents and politicians.

Best Worst Movie
A documentary about the notorious Troll 2, directed by that film's young lead, Michael Stephenson.

Jean-Michel Basquiat: Radiant Child
Tamra Davis' compelling documentary portrait of the prolific, influential, and troubled artist. (Also check out Julian Schnabel's biopic, Basquiat, and the underground film, Downtown 81.)

New Arrivals:

The Night of the Hunter (Criterion)
Charles Laughton's only directorial effort, the haunting story of an evil preacher (the creepily perfect Robert Mitchum) looking to steal a widow's money is given the Criterion treatment. Features a 2 1/2 hour documentary about the making of the film.

The Battle of the River Plate

aka Pursuit of the Graf Spree - a long unavailable Michael Powell / Emeric Pressburger collaboration about the British Navy's attempts to find and destroy a powerful German warship.

The Endless Summer (Director's Cut)
Bruce Brown's seminal surfing documentary, re-released in an extended version with additional footage.

Cleopatra (1963)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Big Town


Cool Runnings

Degrassi High - Complete Series


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Wednesday, November 10, 2010


New to our shelves this week:

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

The most recent offering by the man behind Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz is an energetic blast. As one staff member remarked, "Watching an Edgar Wright movie makes most other directors just look lazy." Plus, music by Beck!

Antichrist
The latest provocation by Lars von Trier is audacious, unsettling, and sure to inspire plenty of debate, disgust, and discussion.

Grown Ups

Ramona and Beezus

Charlie St. Cloud

Trade Routes
A political thriller, penned by a former Clinton aid, about globalization and free market economics.

Lovely, Still

Love Ranch
Joe Pesci is back in action, in this Taylor Hackford film based on a true story. Also starring Hackford's wife, the "wizard" Helen Mirren.

Three and Out


Colin
A no-budget take on the zombie horror bloodbath 'genre.'

Destricted
An odd assortment of filmmakers, including Gaspar Noe, Larry Clark, & Matthew Barney, contribute short films on themes of sex and pornography.

Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives

The title kinda says it all.

Californication - 3rd Season

Lie to Me - 2nd Season

The Boondocks - 3rd Season

Doctor Who - 5th Season

Men of a Certain Age - 1st Season



This week, Lyric Theatre Company presents the perennial favorite, Peter Pan, on the Flynn mainstage. Hundreds of local community members contributed countless hours to bring the much-loved musical back to the stage, which will run this Thursday through Sunday. Get your tickets while they last!

And to help get you in the mood - or, perhaps, to keep you in the mood - we've gathered all our Pan-centric films together on our "Speaking Of..." shelf. Some of these include:

The oldest film adaptation of the tale, 1924's Peter Pan - a silent rarity that features impressive production design and technique. Photographed by James Wong Howe (who would go on to lens such classics as The Thin Man, Seconds, and The Sweet Smell of Success).

Disney's classic animated version, 1953's Peter Pan, has aged well and remains exciting and endearing. We also have the Disney sequel, 2002's Return to Neverland.

A third feature-length adaptation, 2004's Peter Pan, is a live-action, big-budget affair that was largely ignored upon its release but has since found plenty of fans on DVD.

We also carry two versions of the stage production. 1960's Peter Pan with Mary Martin is unfortunately not yet available on DVD, but luckily we still have our trusty VHS copy! For a more recent take, there is 2000's Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby.

Steven Spielberg's 1991 Hook offers a re-imagining of the tale that features an adult Peter Pan (Robin Williams) who finds himself back in Neverland trying to rescue his son. The excellent cast also includes Dustin Hoffman, Bob Hoskins, Charlie Korsmo, and Maggie Smith.

Another re-imagining, this one a darker, more adult-oriented take, can be found in 2003's Neverland.

For those interested in the background of the story and of the author, J.M. Barrie, we have several selections: a new documentary, Peter Pan and J.M. Barrie: The Boys Who Wouldn't Grow Up, takes an academic look at the writer and his subject. The critically acclaimed 1978 BBC series, The Lost Boys, features Ian Holm as Barrie. And 2004's Finding Neverland, with Johnny Depp as the writer, imagines the way the classic story was first inspired.



Also opening this week:
Josh Bridgman (Silent Invasion) has a new play, Concrete Kingdom, that opens at the Off Center For the Dramatic Arts this Thursday (11/11) and runs through next Sunday.


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Thursday, November 4, 2010



New to Our Shelves This Week:

Toy Story 3

The third installment in Pixar's much-loved series is one of the best films of the year. Thrilling, funny, intense, and sweet - with imagination and heart to spare. Also released this week: Pixar's Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales.

The Pacific

The Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks produced follow-up miniseries to the excellent Band of Brothers. This one follows several soldiers as they endure the relentless battles and challenges of the Pacific campaign.

Centurion

Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) directs this tale of bloody Roman war adventure.

Once Fallen


ExTerminators


The Broken


Flame and Citron

The Hungry Ghosts


Love & Distrust

Please Remove Your Shoes

An interesting, often infuriating, look at airport security - particularly its failures and shortcomings in the times before and since 9/11.

The Way We Get By
Documentary about three senior citizens who greet U.S. troops at a small airport in Maine. Scored by Zack Martin, former Waterfront Video employee!

Don't Forget to Re-set Your Clocks this Sunday!
As we prepare to collectively travel backwards in time an hour this weekend, we thought we'd take a gander at this very common science-fiction motif...
From ridiculous comedies (Bill & Ted; Austin Powers) to earnest romances (The Time Traveler's Wife; Kate & Leopold; Somewhere in Time), from suspense thrillers (Time After Time; Frequency) to action adventures (The Terminators; The Time Machines), time-travel has provided fuel and fodder for a surprising range of movies and television series. Here, we spotlight some favorites:

Twelve Monkeys -- along with its source inspiration Chris Marker's 1962 short, La Jetee -- is easily one of the best of its kind. Terry Gilliam's thriller is equal parts sci-fi headscratcher, eco-suspense tale, and offbeat comedy. Features great turns by Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe, and a host of Gilliam regulars. His 1981 adventure yarn Time Bandits - an exuberant, comic romp - also deserves mention here.

Back to the Future Trilogy - a generational classic that just received a 25th Anniversary special DVD release. (Among other fascinating tidbits, the extra features include footage of the "original" Marty McFly: Eric Stoltz!)


Donnie Darko
- Richard Kelly's audacious debut film is an engrossing, strange, fun film that toys with time in innovative ways. (Warning: the longer director's cut spends time trying to explain its own machinations... not necessarily to the benefit of the movie.)

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
- the animated tale of a teenage girl who discovers she has a special gift... a gift with potentially disastrous consequences, of course. New to our shelves!

Primer - this low-budget sleeper has quickly taken a place of pride in the subgenre's canon.

Timecrimes
- another low-budget entry, this Argentinian thriller does quite a bit with very little.

Groundhog Day - Harold Ramis' unique take on the time-travel trope finds Bill Murray's reporter living the same 24 hours repeatedly.

Time-travel tropes have also been a staple of t.v. series from the early days (The Time Tunnel; The Twilight Zone) to the current day (Life on Mars; Stargate) and everything in between (Red Dwarf; Voyagers; Quantum Leap). Some of the best:

Star Trek - no other show has explored the theories and implications of time travel more than Gene Rodenberry's classic sci-fi series (in all its iterations). And for your convenience, we have a DVD set that packages some of the best episodes together. See: Star Trek - Time Travel.

Doctor Who - the British cult favorite not only uses time-travel as part of its basic premise, the show itself has lived through many decades and changes. Its current incarnation is about to release Season Five on DVD next week.

Futurama
- Matt Groening's knowing, hilarious animated series has been resurrected and continues to make great use of temporal conundrums and the potential absurdities they contain.


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