Friday, January 20, 2012

New Releases - Week of 1/17/12


New to Our Shelves This Week:

The Ides of March
George Clooney directs and stars in this political drama about a presidential hopeful and his campaign team. Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, and Paul Giamatti also star.

Abduction
Twilight's werewolf goes action hero while trying to figure out his true identity.

Toast
Food plays a pivotal role in nine-year-old Nigel Slater's life, in this late-60s-set British film.

Thurgood
Laurence Fishburne's one-man show about the country's first African-American Supreme Court Justice.

Special Treatment
A prostitute and a psychiatrist discover they have more in common, personally and professionally, than they realized. Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher; I Heart Huckabees; The Story of Women) stars.

Mysteries of Lisbon

Raul Ruiz's final film is an adaptation of a 19th century Portugese novel. Read Margot Harrison's enticing review of it here.

Caterpillar
The limits of a severely injured soldier's wife's devotion are put to the test in this Japanese drama.

Dirty Girl
An 80s-set coming-of-age flick starring Juno Temple, Jeremy Dozier, Milla Jovovich, and William H. Macy.

Killing Bono
Two young Irish bands. One becomes U2. The other one... doesn't.

Age of Heroes

Based on the British 30 Commando unit (the precursor to the SAS), this WWII actioner stars Sean Bean and James D'Arcy.

Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star

Yep.

Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain

Eat This New York
Documentary following two aspiring restaurateurs.

The Forgotten Bomb
An examination of both the history as well as the current state of nuclear weaponry.


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Friday, January 13, 2012

New Releases - Week of 1/10/12

New to our shelves this week:

Moneyball
Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing; The Social Network) and Steve Zaillian (Searching for Bobby Fischer; Schindler's List) adapt Michael Lewis's best-selling book about Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A's, and his shift towards a statistic-based, sabermetric approach to baseball. Directed by Bennett Miller (Capote; The Cruise) and starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, and Robin Wright.

Higher Ground
The directorial debut of Vera Farmiga (The Departed; Up in the Air) follows the journey of a young woman in the 70s who finds faith and community in a pentecostal sect, but soon comes to question her beliefs and path.

Killer Elite
Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert DeNiro star in a remake of Sam Peckinpah's 1975 action thriller.

There Be Dragons
Don't be misled: there are no actual dragons in this drama about a journalist investigating one of his father's former comrades in the Spanish Civil War who is now being vetted for sainthood. Directed by Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields; The Mission).

What's Your Number?

Anna Faris is the lead in this rom-com about exes.

The Man From London
Lauded Russian directed Bela Tarr adapts Georges Simenon's novel. Tilda Swinton stars.

Film Socialisme
Godard.

An Idiot Abroad
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send titular idiot Karl Pilkington around the world.



Boardwalk Empire - 1st Season
Another superlative series from HBO. Steve Buscemi stars as "Nucky" Thompson, Treasurer of Atlantic City, equal parts politician and gangster, who is forced to contend with new Prohibition laws as well as the accompanying rise of organized crime. Also stars Kelly Macdonald, Michael Pitt, Michael Shannon, and Michael Stuhlbarg.



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Friday, January 6, 2012

New Releases - Week of 1/3/12


New to Our Shelves This Week:

Contagion

Steven Soderbergh's tensely structured viral-infection thriller will leave you wary of subways and beernuts, but don't let that stop you from checking out the film! A great cast includes Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, John Hawkes, Bryan Cranston, and Jude Law.


The Guard

A sharp, profane comedy written and directed by John Michael McDonagh (brother of playwright/filmmaker Martin McDonagh). Stars Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle.


Mildred Pierce
Kate Winslet takes on the titular role first made famous by Joan Crawford in 1945, in this five-part HBO mini-series helmed by Todd Haynes (Far From Home; I'm Not There) and also featuring Guy Pearce, Melissa Leo, James LeGros, and Brian F. O'Bryne.

Puncture
A lawyer takes on the medical supplies cartel. Read Margot Harrison's review of it here.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce headline this remake of the 1973 fright flick.

I Don't Know How She Does It
Or Why.

Shark Night
Don't know about you, but my interest in this one would increase dramatically if it was called Shark Knight.

Justified
- 2nd Season

Talking Heads: Chronology
A new compilation of previously-unreleased early footage (from 1975 to 1983 - plus a song from their 2002 induction into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame) that shows the progression and development of the band. In the words of David Byrne:
"This was very much a live band—at least until the late 80s. The initial recordings emerged out of what we played live, what worked in that context and how we refined our skills playing together. For a lot of musicians in the digital era this is not always the case. These days, the record often comes first and then how it is staged comes later. ... With each iteration of Chronology, you can pretty plainly see what came before as well as a hint of what was to come—all easy to spot in retrospect, of course. There are some fashion don’ts as well as some prescient looks—but what you really get is a sense of how tight this band was. Of course, there is more footage to be found from these sources but I thought to myself, “How many versions of the same songs can one view?” I think the sampler approach gives the viewer a sense of the musical and performative changes we were going through, but without the possibly tedious repetition."



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Friday, December 30, 2011

New Releases - Weeks of 12/20 & 12/27



New to our shelves in the last two weeks:

Midnight in Paris
A charming confection by Woody Allen (that also happens to be one of the biggest box office successes of his long and varied career) centers around a blocked writer (Owen Wilson) vacationing in Paris with his rather mismatched fiancee (Rachel McAdams). Some midnight strolls lead to some fantastical journeys.

Margin Call
An excellent dramatization of the financial crisis of 2008, set in a 24-hour period. Features great understated turns by Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Demi Moore, Jeremy Irons, and Stanley Tucci.

Warrior
The Fighter of the year, featuring lauded performances by Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte.

Dolphin Tale
Based on the true story of a dolphin who lost his tail and was surgically fitted with a prothesis (starring the actual dolphin!), this family friendly feature also stars Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, and Kris Kristofferson.

The Tempest
Director Julie Taymor (Titus; Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) takes on Shakespeare's final play, with Helen Mirren in the Prospero role. Also features Alfred Molina, Russell Brand, Djimon Hounsou, Ben Whishaw, David Strathairn, Chris Cooper, and Felicity Jones.

Brighton Rock

A new adaptation of Graham Greene's novel of teenage delinquency in 60s England.

Straw Dogs
This remake of Sam Peckinpah's 1971 controversial thriller stars Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, and True Blood's Alexander Skarsgard.

Catch .44

A noirish suspense tale featuring Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, and Malin Akerman.

Apollo 18
Don't worry: it'll still make sense even if you haven't seen Apollo 14 through Apollo 17.

Final Destination 5
Apparently, the final destination hasn't yet been reached and there are still more gruesome ways for younguns to die.

Burke & Hare

John Landis (An American Werewolf in London; The Blues Brothers) directs this ghoulish comedy about Victorian era grave-robbers, starring Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis (without CGI-enhancement!), Jessica Hynes, Isla Fisher, and Tom Wilkinson.

Colombiana
Zoe Saldana (Avatar; Star Trek) headlines this South American set actioner.

Trigger
Maverick Canadian director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool; Highway 61) directs this tale of two ex-bandmates (Molly Parker and Tracey Wright) who re-unite for an evening.

Pete Smalls is Dead

Black comedy featuring Peter Dinklage, Mark Boone Jr., Tim Roth, Rosie Perez, and Steve Buscemi.

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy

Jason Sudeikis headlines this comedy about aging friends who come up with a questionable plan to recapture their youth for an evening.

The 39 Steps
A new adaptation of John Buchan's novel.

Julia's Eyes
A Spanish horror thriller, produced by Guillermo del Toro.

Love Crime
Kristin Scott-Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier play two women caught up in a dangerous relationship in this French thriller.

Love Exposure
Director Shion Sono (Suicide Club; Strange Circus) helms this four-hour blend of romance, comedy, drama, and action that follows three abused and neglected youths whose lives intersect in wild and unpredictable ways.

The Tree
Charlotte Gainsbourg plays a grieving wife and mother in this adaptation of a novel by Judy Pascoe.

Island Etude

A Taiwanese drama about a deaf student who decides to cycle around the country before graduating.

Saint Nick
The dark side of Santa Claus! Read Margot Harrison's intriguing review of the Danish horror comedy here.

Tuesday, After Christmas

A Romanian drama about a married man's affair with a much younger woman.

The Piano in a Factory
A custody battle propels this Chinese drama, which finds the father attempting to build a piano from scratch in order to entice his daughter to live with him.

The First Grader
An octogenarian villager decides to attend school for the first time in this Kenyan-set film.


DOCUMENTARIES:
Woody Allen: A Documentary
An excellent portrait of the prolific writer and director (44 films and countin!), featuring candid interviews with colleagues, friends, and the man himself.

Eames: The Architect & the Painter

Documentary about the husband and wife team of Ray and Charles Eames, two of America's most influential and important industrial designers.

Bobby Fischer Against the World

A great examination of the famed chess player and his troubled life.

Life After Tomorrow
An interesting look at various women who starred in professional productions of the popular musical Annie when they were young and how the experience has shaped their lives - for better or worse.

Jane's Journey

After establishing herself as one of the world's foremost primatologist, Jane Goodall stepped away from her science career to devote herself full-time to environmental and philanthropic causes.

Armadillo
On the ground perspective of a group of Danish soldiers in Afghanistan in 2009.

Worst in Show
Ugly dogs need love, too.


SERIES:
The Borgias - 1st Season

Shameless - 1st Season (US & UK)

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret - 1st Season

Futurama - 6th Season

Archer - 2nd Season


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Friday, December 16, 2011

New Releases - Week of 12/13/11


New to our shelves this week:

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A surprisingly lively and entertaining update of the Apes franchise, starring Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, and John Lithgow.

Kung Fu Panda 2
The gang's back for more... with a script allegedly doctored by Charlie Kaufman!

Fright Night

A remake that actually works! Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette, and David Tennant star in this vampire-next-door comic horror tale.

Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

A martial arts actioner from Tsui Hark (Once Upon a Time in China). Check out Margot Harrison's review of it here.

The Black Power Mixtape 1967 - 1975

A hit at this year's Vermont International Film Festival, this documentary uses previously unreleased footage from Swedish filmmakers.

Margaret Cho: Cho Dependent
Another solid stand-up offering from the sassy, envelope-pushing comic.

The Smell of Success

Michael Polish (Twin Falls Idaho; Northfork) directs this comedy about a family manure business starring Billy Bob Thornton, Kyle MacLachlan, Tea Leoni, Ed Helms, & Frances Conroy.

Tanner Hall
Coming of age tale set at an all-girls boarding school, starring Rooney Mara (The Social Network; The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).

Circumstance
Two Iranian girls fall in love.

Daddy Longlegs
A divorced father displays incredibly questionable parenting techniques in this indie feature.

A Serbian Film
Quickly earning a notorious reputation as one of most extreme films out there, this horrific tale follows the exploits of a faded porn star who's lured back into the business only to find himself at the mercy of some truly depraved sickos.

No Woman No Cry
A documentary by Christy Turlington about health care issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth.

Steve Jobs: One Last Thing


Family Guy - 10th Season

The Life & Times of Tim - 2nd Season

Daria - Complete Series


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Thursday, December 8, 2011

New Releases - Weeks of 11/29 & 12/6



New to Our Shelves:

The Help
The adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's best-selling novel has already garnered a lot of Oscar buzz for its performances, particularly for Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.

The Debt
A period-jumping espionage thriller starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Chastain, and Ciaran Hinds.

Hangover II
The wolfpack's at it again... this time in Thailand.

Cowboys & Aliens
Jon Favreau (Iron Man; Elf) helms this high-concept sci-fi actioner starring Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Sam Rockwell, and Olivia Wilde.

30 Minutes or Less
Ruben Fleischer follows up his Zombieland with this black comedy heist thriller starring Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, & Nick Swardson.

Friends With Benefits

aka No Strings Attached, Pt. 2

Our Idiot Brother

Paul Rudd plays the titular idiot brother, sibling to Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, & Emily Mortimer.

One Day
Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess star in the adaptation of the popular romance book. Lone Scherfig (An Education; Italian for Beginners) directs.

The Future
Performance artist Miranda July (Me, You and Everyone Else) returns with this odd, oddly endearing film about... well, many things. Read Margot Harrison's review here.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Werner Herzog play tour guide in this documentary about the ancient paintings of the Chauvet caves.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Hillbilly horror with a comic twist. Read Margot's review of it here.

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Jim Carrey stars in one for the kids.

The Smurfs
The latest iteration of the famed Belgian blue creatures gives them the CGI treatment.

Another Earth
A duplicate planet is discovered.

The Art of Getting By
Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts star in a tale of young love.

5 Days of War
An American journalist and his cameraman are caught up in the crossfire during the war between Russia and Georgia.

The Wave
A teacher trying to impart a lesson about fascism develops an experiment that quickly gets out of hand.

Rapt
A French thriller about a kidnapped industrialist.

Life, Above All
A South African story about a mother and daughter.

Seven Days in Utopia
A failed golfer finds guidance in Utopia, Texas.

Sons of Perdition
A compelling documentary that follows a couple of teenage boys who have escaped from the FLDS (a Mormon sect) and are trying to assimilate to "normal" life.

Becoming Chaz
A profile of Chaz Bono, directed by Fenton Baily & Randy Barbato (The Eyes of Tammy Faye; Party Monster; Inside Deep Throat).

Histoire(s) du Cinema
Jean-Luc Godard's epic and idiosyncratic 8-part examination of cinema.

Design For Living
A delightful, sassy & saucy pre-Code comedy from Ernst Lubitsch (Trouble in Paradise; The Shop Around the Corner) that follows the ups & downs of a menage-a-trois. Stars Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins (who also appeared together in the great 1931 Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde) and Gary Cooper.

Portlandia - 1st Season
Oh, the funny! Here's the opening couple of minutes:


Big Love - 5th Season

30 Rock - 5th Season

Smallville - 10th Season

Lie to Me - 3rd Season

The Simpsons - 14th Season
"All my life I've had one dream: to achieve my many goals."


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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sales, Birthday Parties, & New Releases...


Happy Thanksgiving from Waterfront Video!!

Starting the Friday after Thanksgiving and running through Wednesday, Nov. 30th, we're having a huge sale on all previously-viewed DVDs -- as low as $4!!


Then, on that Wednesday, we're going to culminate our 15th Anniversary with a Birthday Party! There will be special deals and discounts all day and, from 6:00 - 8:00pm, there will also be cake and goodies as well as a special performance by Allan Nicholls at 7, who will be playing music he wrote for some Robert Altman films and sharing movie-related stories.
Stop on by!!



New to our shelves this week:

Super 8
An exciting character-driven sci-fi concoction from J.J. Abrams that playfully evokes The Goonies, E.T., Red Dawn, Gremlins, and a host of other beloved 80s gems.

Page Eight
Bill Nighy and Rachel Weisz headline this spy thriller written and directed by David Hare (Wetherby; The Reader) that also features Michael Gambon, Judy Davis, Alice Krige, and Ralph Fiennes.

The Devil's Double
Dominic Cooper (An Education; Captain America) pulls double duty as both Saddam Hussein's psychotic son, Uday, and the Iraqi soldier chosen to act as his body double.

Conan the Barbarian
Robert E. Howard's iconic comic character gets another film adaptation, this time without Ah-nuld.

The Family Tree
Hope Davis plays a wife and mother who suffers memory loss after an accident and must come to terms anew with her dysfunctional family. Also stars Dermot Mulroney, Christina Hendricks, Selma Blair, Chi McBride, Jane Seymour, and Keith Carradine.

Sarah's Key
Kristen Scott Thomas plays a modern-day journalist who attempts to uncover the disappearance of a young girl in 1942 in this French drama.

Arranged
Two women - one an Orthodox Jew, the other Muslim, both of whom are slated for arranged marriages - develop a friendship while teaching in a Brooklyn school.

The Horseman
A brutal revenge flick from Australia.

Without a Home
Filmmaker Rachel Fleischer spent four years creating this documentary about the lives of several homeless individuals in L.A.

Dirty Pictures
Documentary profile of Alexander 'Sasha' Shulgin, the chemist who discovered more than 200 psychedelic compounds, including MDMA.

Making the Boys
An interesting, insightful look at the history of the landmark gay hit-play-turned-film, The Boys in the Band, that explores the social context which gave rise to its success as well as the shifting perspectives which then gave rise to its backlash.

Spy Kids 4
Robert Rodriguez's latest installment of his family-friendly action franchise stars Joel McHale, Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, & Danny Trejo.

Law & Order UK - 2nd Season
Taking the format of the long-running American show and transplanting it across the Atlantic turned out to be a successful gambit, especially given the strong British tradition of mystery shows.

The Legend of Billie Jean
Long unavailable on DVD (or VHS) because Pat Benatar (who provided the title track) hated it and refused to grant music rights, this 1985 cult fave finally gets an MOD release. Featuring Helen and Christian Slater, the story involves two siblings (who just want to go to Vermont!) forced into a desperate situation by a group of bullying teens.


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