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
For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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


For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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.


For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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.


For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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.




For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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.


For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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


For more news, updates, and exclusive deals,
find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!