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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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

There's so much going on in town this weekend... including:

The final weekend of the 25th annual Vermont International Film Festival. Lots of great films and events still to catch! Report back either here or on our Facebook page to let us know what you saw and what you thought...

The Rocky Horror Puppet Show has three more days (& five more performances) left. Read the glowing 7 Days review here. And be sure to save your ticket stubs - they'll get you a free rental from our Horror, Musicals, Sci-Fi, or Cheese & Sleaze sections!

The Shape of Things, Neil LaBute's acerbic drama, opens this weekend and runs through the next, presented by Champlain College Theater at FlynnSpace.

And on Friday night, prolific Burlington-based playwright Stephen Goldberg's work is showcased in the city's newest venue, The Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, located at 294 N. Winooski St. The event is billed as Goldberg: Scenes, Monologues, and Other Disturbances.

And as if all that's not enough to keep everyone busy, there are also a ton of great new releases on DVD to check out...
New to Our Shelves This Week:

The Girl Who Played With Fire
Catch the second installment of this worldwide phenomenon before the third and final film hits theaters next week.

Winter's Bone
A neo-realistic, Appalachia-set thriller with a forebodingly authentic sense of place and great, understated performances. A festival favorite.

You Don't Know Jack
Not a biopic of Jack Kevorkian, but rather a dramatization of the issue of self-determination. Barry Levinson directs; Al Pacino, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, & Brenda Vaccaro star.

Sex and the City 2

Everyone Else
A young couple's relationship receives close scrutiny in this Swedish character study.

Wild Grass
Octogenarian filmmaker Alain Resnais shows no signs of slowing down...

Passenger Side
Road trip, indie style. Starring Adam Scott.

Kisses
Two kids spend Christmas night on the streets of Dublin.

Searchers 2.0
The latest from Alex Cox sounds intriguingly odd.

Nice Guy Johnny
The newest movie by Edward Burns.

Clapham Junction
A group of gay men decide to end the bullying and harassment they face in this British film.

The Chaser
My favorite DVD cover of the week.

Eleventh Hour
Patrick Stewart plays a scientist in this British mystery mini-series.

Venture Bros. - Season 4.1

In Treatment - Season 2
New city. New patients.


The Twilight Zone (original) - Season 1
What's your favorite episode of this classic series?


The Royle Family - Season 1

Lady in White
An offbeat horror-esque tale from the 80's.


Paths of Glory (Criterion)
Kubrick's great WWI picture gets the Criterion treatment.

House (Hausu, 1977) (Criterion)
A fascinating curio - pure lunatic cinema! Part comedy, part fantasy, part horror, and all nutzoid.




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Tongue-in-Cheek-of-a-Severed-Head:

In honor of the season of horror, we throw the spotlight on some flicks that combine wicked senses of humor with healthy doses of genuine gore and thrills...

Shaun of the Dead
Edgar Wright's brilliant rom-zom-com is perhaps the pinnacle of this particular sub-genre. Loving homage, sharp parody, and true horror offering, this one will make you laugh and cringe in equal measure.

Evil Dead Trilogy
Sam Raimi's much-loved cult trilogy gets progressively wackier and more satirical as it goes along, but has an abundance of great gags and gross-outs all through.

Slither
It remained under the radar when first released, but this clever, OTT throwback deserves better. Knowing performances (by Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Rooker, and others) are matched by great effects in this funny/gross alien/mutant tale.

Parents
Another often-overlooked cult gem, this Bob Balaban directed oddity is rich in disturbing atmosphere.

Dead Alive
Once hailed as "the goriest films of all time," Peter Jackson's early work may not still hold that title -- but it can't be far behind! Featuring that wonderfully quirky kiwi humor and gallons of gore, this is the flick that put Jackson on the map. (Also worth checking out - for the comic/horror fans - are Jackson's Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles.)

I'm pretty sure that James Whale's Bride of Frankenstein belongs on this list as well, but (shame on me!) I haven't seen it yet... something I need to remedy soon.

Other honorable mentions:

Zombieland, Black Sheep, Gremlins, Severance, Drag Me to Hell, Tremors, Teeth, Cemetery Man, and An American Werewolf in London... So tell me: what movies have I overlooked?


The Vermont Film Fest starts this week!
Be sure to check out all the great offerings - both films and events - happening as part of the 25th annual Vermont International Film Festival.


Theater Happenings:

The Rocky Horror Puppet Show
Be sure to save your ticket stubs for this one! Redeem them for a free rental from our Horror, Musical, Sci-Fi, or Cheese & Sleeze sections!!

The Glass Menagerie
This is the last weekend of VSC's production of 'The Glass Menagerie' - it's a strong production of a fine play that features great design and excellent performances. Don't miss it!

The Shape of Things
Champlain College Theater presents Neil LaBute's provocative play at the FlynnSpace, Oct. 28-30 & Nov. 3-6.

Peter Pan
Lyric Theater is gearing up to present this family classic next month. To help get you in the mood, we just added the DVD of the 2000 version starring Cathy Rigby to our shelves!


New to Our Shelves This Week:

Please Give
Nicole Holofcener's smartly written comic drama features complex, nuanced characters well played by a great cast that includes Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, and Rebecca Hall.

Predators
Adrian Brody continues his bid for action movie stardom in this franchise re-boot.

Giallo
Horror maestro Dario Argento's latest, starring (ahem) Adrian Brody.

Theater of War
Excellent documentary on the staging of Mother Courage by The Public Theatre, featuring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Tony Kushner. Offers an insightful look at the vitality of theater, the processes involved in crafting a poduction, and the intersection of art and politics.

The Six Wives of Henry Lefay

Holy Rollers

Assault Girls
A live-action sci-fi adventure from the director of Ghost in the Shell.

Agora
Alejandro Amenabar (director of Open Your Eyes, Thesis, & The Sea Inside) helms this historical epic set in ancient Egypt and starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia of Alexandria.

Smash His Camera
Leon Gast's doc about Ron Galella, one of the most notorious paparazzos to ever (dis)grace the "profession."

Wallander
Kenneth Branagh returns in a new series of mysteries based on the popular Swedish novels.


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Exciting news on the local film front:

The Vermont International Film Festival has just announced the line-up for this year's fest - the 25th anniversary celebration! Starting next Friday and running through the end of the month, this year offers a wide selection of intriguing films and enticing events, including seminars, panels, and special appearances.

Mark your calendars now!



In the news this week:

As a collective sigh of relief is shared for the rescued Chilean miners, we thought it might be an interesting time to turn our attention towards some of the films that have focused on the life and plights of miners over time:

Ace in the Hole
Billy Wilder's acerbic tale of an over-eager journalist who lands the "story of a lifetime" when he covers the predicament of a trapped miner. Ethics don't make much of a stand against the promise of a Pulitzer.

Matewan
John Sayles dramatization of a mining community organizing against the brutality of an oppressive company features an excellent ensemble of actors.

North Country
Charlize Theron anchors this tale of the first successful sexual harassment lawsuit. (Richard Jenkins gives a typically solid supporting performance as her father.)

The Devil's Miner
Award-winning documentary following a 14 year old who works in a Bolivian silver mine.

Salt of the Earth
Based on a strike against a zinc mine in New Mexico, this political film was blacklisted shortly after its release. (The only film to ever receive such a dubious distinction.)

Harlan County, U.S.A.
Barbara Kopple's fearless documentary about a violent miners' strike in Kentucky. Made into a feature film, Harlan County War, starring Holly Hunter in 2000.

How Green Was My Valley
The Best Picture winner of 1941 offers a rather sanitized view of pre-union mining lives at the turn of the century.


It's also been an interesting week regarding the U.S. military's notorious policy towards gay service members. (This New York Times article explains some of the unexpected turns the most recent suit against the policy have taken.) We offer some suggestions for films addressing the subject:

Serving in Silence

Coming Out Under Fire

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Dog Tags

Gay Republicans
(One of the most unexpected aspects of this week's story was that the lawsuit in question was originally filed by the so-called Log Cabin Republicans - the openly gay chapter of the GOP.)


And speaking of civil rights issues, we also have a movie recommendation for New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino: he might find Kirby Dick's most recent documentary Outrage enlightening.


New to our shelves this week:

I Am Love
Tilda Swinton is fantastic in this incredibly sensuous Italian drama. Also features gorgeous cinematography by Yorick Le Saux and an amazing score by John Adams.

Leaves of Grass
Tim Blake Nelson wrote and directed this high times comedy starring Edward Norton and Edward Norton.

Mid-August Lunch
The popular Italian foodie comedy makes its DVD debut.

Splice
Part genetic horror tale, part dysfunctional family story.

Jonah Hex

S&Man

The Lost Boys: The Thirst

Manson: My Name Is Evil

Arn: The Knight Templar

Dumping Lisa
Shot in Burlington, VT!

Oliver Twist (2007)
We now have eight different adaptations of Dickens' classic! (Plus at least three movies inspired by the tale.) Perfect for brushing up on the story before Vermont Stage Company's upcoming production.

White On Rice

I Am Comic

Kimjongilia

The Age of Stupid

Baseball: The Tenth Inning
Ken Burns' two-part follow-up to his Emmy Award-winning series.

The Tudors - 4th Season

Dollhouse - 2nd Season

The League - 1st Season

Being Human - 2nd Season

Wives & Daughters (1999)

The Magician (1958)
Criterion continues to do right by Ingmar Bergman.

Murder in Mississippi

The Vikings


Coming out on Friday:

How to Train Your Dragon


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There's been a lot of discussion recently surrounding the tragic spate of teen suicides in the past few weeks. Because we believe the subject is so important, we compiled a list of documentaries and films that address some of the issues raised by these unfortunate events.

Out in the Silence
Perhaps the film that most directly addresses these issues, this recent documentary follows the struggles of a gay teenager and his mother as they enlist a sympathetic lawyer to help them combat the pervasive bullying and harassment (not to mention "official" indifference of the school administration and others) which permeates their small town.

The Laramie Project
Based on the tragic death of Matthew Shepherd, this was originally a theater production developed by a group of artists and journalists who traveled to Laramie after the murder to interview the townspeople and schoolmates.

The Question of Equality
A four-part documentary series from the mid-90's that raises questions of civil rights, many of which still have not been adequately addressed.

For the Bible Tells Me So
Examines the ways in which religion can complicate the issues of coming out and finding acceptance.

Beyond Hatred
After an openly gay man is murdered by skinheads, his parents try to understand the social and psychological roots of hate crimes.

Bully
Larry Clark's film shows the dark side of repression and misplaced aggression.


Here are a number of films that deal with the processes and difficulties of coming to terms with one's sexual orientation at a young age and which also present positive perspectives:

...But I'm a Cheerleader

The Edge of Seventeen

Beautiful Thing

Get Real

C.R.A.Z.Y.

Show Me Love

The Mudge Boy

Lilies

The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love

The Truth About Jane

Ma Vie en Rose

Trevor

If there are other films or documentaries you think should also be mentioned - or if you have other points to raise, feel free to add your thoughts in a comment below.





Local theater happenings:
Congratulations to our customers, Gypsy & Rosy, who each won a pair of tickets to the upcoming production of Death of a Salesman at the Flynn Theater, starring Christopher Lloyd!
The show is Saturday, October 9th. Tickets are still available, but selling fast. Get yours soon!
And for those who can't make it, check out one of the adaptations we have: Volker Schlondorff's 1985 version starring Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich & a 1966 version starring Lee J. Cobb and George Segal.

Speaking of classic American theater, The Vermont Stage Company's production of The Glass Menagerie opens this Wednesday (10/6) and runs through the 24th.
We also have two adaptations of that one: the Paul Newman directed 1987 version starring Joanne Woodward and (again) John Malkvoich, as well as a 1973 version starring Katharine Hepburn and Sam Waterston.

Steel Magnolias, a perennial hit, is also being staged locally, mounted by the new company, Girls Night Out Productions, and featuring a cast of local favorites.

Oh, and speaking of really classic theater, have you heard of the upcoming production of The Rocky Horror (Puppet) Show? It promises to be a pretty fun - and saucy! - time. (Photo by Brent Harrewyn)...

Tickets are on sale now - be sure to save your ticket stubs to redeem for a free rental from our Horror, Sci-Fi, Musicals, or Cheese & Sleaze sections!



New to our shelves this week:
The Karate Kid (2010)
An update of the 80's favorite starring Jaden Pinkett-Smith and Jackie Chan.

Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
'Tis the Season!

The Secret of Kells
An imaginative, endearing telling of the ancient Irish tale that wound up as a surprise contender for last year's Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

The Oxford Murders
John Hurt & Elijah Wood star in this thriller about math and murder.

The Human Centipede
The gross-out horror that's gotten everyone talking... do you dare?

30 Days of Night: Dark Days

The Last Rites of Ransom Pride

Fade to Black

Mystery Team

Penguins of Madagascar: I Was a Penguin Zombie

Bones - 5th Season

Caprica - Season 1.0

Ugly Americans - 1st Season

Sanctuary - 1st Season


New Arrivals:

Little Monsters

Life-Size

Hand in Hand





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A sad week for the film industry. Several notable filmmakers and performers passed away recently.

Arthur Penn (1922-2010)
"Start your shoot with something unimportant and work too fast. You have to inculcate a sense of recklessness in the crew."
First established in the days of live television, Penn transitioned easily to feaure film directing, helming several classics in the 1960's (such as The Miracle Worker, Mickey One, and The Chase) and helped to usher in the New Hollywood movement with Little Big Man, Alice's Restaurant, and the iconic Bonnie & Clyde.

Sally Menke (1953-2010)
A talented editor who cut every one of Tarantino's films, from Reservoir Dogs to Inglourious Basterds.



Eddie Fisher (1928-2010)
A crooner and occasional actor who received a great deal of publicity for his scandal-laden marriages (including to Debbie Reynolds and Elizabeth Taylor).

Greg Giraldo (1965-2010)
Comedian who appeared on several series (including as a judge on Last Comic Standing) as well as in the documentary Comedian. Also a staple of Comedy Central's Roasts.

Tony Curtis (1925-2010)
A true star and fine actor who began his acting career in the late 40's and continued working right up till his death. A charismatic presence, some of his memorable films include Some Like It Hot, Sweet Smell of Success, and The Defiant Ones - among many others.




In lighter news, the week saw the release of a good number of new releases, including:

Iron Man 2

Get Him to the Greek

The Killer Inside Me
(based on a novel by Jim Thompson - it's also worth checking out these other adaptations of his books: The Grifters, Hit Me, After Dark My Sweet, Coup de Torchon, & The Getaway.)


Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky

Babies

Good

The Oath

I'm Gonna Explode

Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema

Perrier's Bounty

Frozen

7 Days

Legendary

Chasing 3000

Les Doigts Croches (Sticky Fingers)

Todd P. Goes to Austin


New Series:

Party Down - 2nd Season

Tim & Eric Awesome Show (Great Job!) - 4th Season
(coming to Higher Ground, November 28th!!)

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - 5.1st Season

Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment

Scrubs - 9th Season


Just a few more days to enter for a chance to win tickets to see Christopher Lloyd in Death of a Salesman at the Flynn! Stop by the store to fill out an entry form. Drawing will be held on Monday, Oct. 4th.


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Want a chance to win tickets to see Christopher Lloyd starring in Death of a Salesman at The Flynn? Stop by the store to fill out an entry form; winners will be announced Monday, Oct. 4th.







New to our shelves this week:

The Secret in Their Eyes
This year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar is a gripping thriller involving violent crime, government corruption, unrequited attractions, memory, history, and time.

Robin Hood
Ridley Scott's new take on an old legend, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

The Experiment
Oliver Hirschbiegel's excellent 2001 film based on the notorious Stanford Prison Experiment gets an American remake.

Ondine
Neil Jordan's latest involves an Irish fisherman (Colin Farrell) and a woman who might possibly be a selky.

Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl
The fact that Portugese director Manoel de Oliveira is now 102 years old doesn't seem to be slowing him down at all, as evidenced by this new mysterious love story.

The Legend of Bruce Lee

Calvin Marshall

(untitled)

Stripped Naked

Stomp the Yard: Homecoming

Rolling Stones: Stones in Exile

John Oliver: Terrifying Times

Scottsboro: An American Tragedy

The Secret of Moonacre

Tinker Bell: The Great Fairy Rescue


Plus, one of the biggest weeks we've ever seen for Series releases. Some great shows, both new and old:

30 Rock - 4th Season

Modern Family - 1st Season

Community - 1st Season

Bored to Death - 1st Season

How I Met Your Mother - 5th Season

Gossip Girl - 3rd Season

Spartacus: Blood & Sand - 1st Season

Desperate Housewives - 6th Season

Warehouse 13 - 1st Season

Castle - 2nd Season

Law & Order: SVU - 11th Season

Tiny Toon Adventures - 1st Season

Star Trek: Original Series - 2nd Season (Remastered!)

The Best of Soul Train


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