So have you watched any movies with the new “D Skins?” They are really cool. They are a plastic skin with a little orange rim that snaps onto the DVD and stays on forever if possible. Please do not remove them as they cost nearly a dollar a pop. We are working on some policy text which will go something like this:
You may notice bright orange borders to your DVD. These are D Skins, a protective cover that fits onto your disc. The hope is that the D Skin, and not the disc, gets damaged, and these D Skins will prolong the life of our DVDs and enhance your viewing experience as a result.
These covers are meant to STAY ON. You put the disc into your machine with the COVER ON. Please DO NOT TAKE THESE COVERS OFF! If there is a problem with a DVD that has a D SKIN on it, bring it into the store.
If the DVD is returned to the shop without the D SKIN, you will be charged $1.00.
We are very hopeful that these things, which will go on every DVD we buy from now on, will up the percentage of good viewings per disk. Let us know what you think.
We have a big batch of films this week. I didn’t get a chance to watch many (being still totally obsessed with DAE JANG GEUM), but I heard from Shila that CHARM SCHOOL (a teen rebellion tale set in Mexico City) was awesome. I also heard from my cousin Zach that ROCKET SCIENCE (super indie growing up tale in the style of Rushmore) was amazing. Amy and I watched LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON, which is a very interesting heist film set in Los Angeles. One thing about it that is interesting is that it is a foreign film (somewhat) in that the entire thing is in Spanish with English subtitles. There are some very significant philosophic subtleties in the film about immigrants and their invisibility. The film highlights entire communities spanning multiple classes that are communicating completely in Spanish within the USA. It is refreshing to see this represented in a cinematic release. The film itself is nice…nothing earthshaking, but a fun robin-hoodish story about a cheating thief getting his comeuppance.
Other highlights of this weeks releases are CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: 6TH SEASON, HALLOWEEN (Rob Zombie’s version), Showtime’s THE TUDORS, INVASION (as in, of the body snatchers, starring Nicole Kidman), DADDY DAY CAMP, THE KING OF CALIFORNIA (produced by Alexander Payne of SIDEWAYS fame), and the much awaited THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (following the world championship of the video game Donkey Kong…I dropped more cash on Ms. Pacman myself, but I liked Donkey Kong, too). There is also some great music such as the new AC/DC anthology featuring two discs with the Bon Scott years on one and the Brian Johnson years on the other; and also a DVD of a live performance by the local kid-rock stars the SIPPY CUPS called ELECTRIC STORYLAND. They rock and so does this DVD.
Thanks for supporting your local video store. Word up to all of you.
Love and kisses,
Ken
............//NEW TITLES//............
AUTOMATONS.
Sci-Fi/Kooky.
Christine Spencer/Brenda Cooney.
Directed by James Felix McKenney.
* This is a freaky-deaky black and white sci-fi flick with evil robots. It is said to be kinda 50’s-ish Twilight Zone-ish. Somewhat un-related, but the star of this (Spencer) is also in a new movie by same director (McKenney) called SATAN HATES YOU. So there.
BORDERTOWN.
Drama.
Martin Sheen/Jennifer Lopez/Antonio Banderas.
Directed by Gregory Nava.
* Lopez plays a journalist raking up some muck on a series of murders happening on the Texas/Mexico border. The murders involve young Mexican women working at a factory in Juarez. This is evidently based on real events regarding an as-yet unsolved slew of murders.
CHARM SCHOOL.
Comedy/Foreign (Spanish).
Martha Higareda/Camila Sodi.
Directed by Fernando Sarinana.
* The story of a rebellious teen at an all-girls rich kid school in Mexico City. It’s a feel-good movie about the age-old tale of pain and anger in the teenage years. Did you see CATARINA IN THE BIG CITY? Sounds similar…that one was awesome.
THE COMEBACKS.
Comedy/Spoof.
Lara Greenlee/Kevin Sabbe/Michael Schreiber.
Directed by Tom Brady (not that Tom Brady).
* In the vein of SCARY MOVIE and all those other spoofs, this one lampoons inspirational sports movie. This is probably not for your young teenager. Speaking of sports – baseball’s right around the corner!!
DADDY DAY CAMP.
Family/Comedy.
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Directed by Fred Savage.
* The sequel to Eddie Murphy’s DADDY DAY CARE, this one is directed by Fred Savage from THE WONDER YEARS. That’s so cool! He certainly knows about child actors, having been placed in that arena at the crazily young age of 4. At the core, this is a cute film with a bunch of fart jokes about some dad’s who start a day camp.
HALLOWEEN (07).
Horror.
Daeg Faerch/Sheri Moon Zombie/Malcolm McDowell.
Directed by Rob Zombie.
* Mr. Zombie (I think it is only appropriate to call him that) has a special take on horror. In this, he revisits the sad and psychotic tale of Michael Myers.
THE HUNTING PARTY.
Suspense.
Terrance Howard/Richard Gere.
Directed by Richard Shepard.
* A journalist team goes on a secret mission to find a Bosnian war criminal. Soon, however, the hunters become the hunted.
THE INVASION.
Suspense.
Nicole Kidman/Daniel Craig.
Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel.
* An updated version of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, with Kidman playing a psychiatrist in DC who discovers the epidemic is extraterrestrial and she and a colleague rush to find a cure before the whole world DIES!
IRA & ABBY.
Comedy/Romance.
Chris Messina/Jennifer Westfeldt/Judith Light/Jason Alexander!
Directed by Roberty Cary.
* Young experimental love in the form of a couple who marry soon after they meet to see how it will work out. Sounds like kind of a New York/Woody Allen type thing.
KING OF CALIFORNIA.
Comedy/Drama.
Michael Douglas/Evan Rachel Wood.
Directed by Mike Cahill.
* Produced by Alexander Payne (SIDEWAYS) comes this film in the vein of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and other quirky Americana comedies. Douglas plays the mentally barely fit father of Miranda (Wood) who upon his release from a hospital, determines there is buried gold under the local Costco and embarks on a plan to excavate it..
LADRON QUE ROBA A LADRON (TO ROB A THIEF).
Suspense/Foreign (Spanish).
Fernando Colunga/Miguel Varoni.
Directed by Joe Menendez.
* A heist film in the vein of THE STING, if this film were in English and starred George Clooney it would be huge.
MOVING MCALLISTER.
Comedy.
Rutger Hauer/Jon Heder/Mila Kunis/Ben Gourley.
Directed by Andrew Black.
* A sort of a road trip movie about a lowly legal associate who does the big boss a favor by driving his most valuable possessions (including his hot niece and her pet pig – yes you read that correctly) across the country.
ROCKET SCIENCE.
Comedy/Drama.
Reece Daniel Thompson.
Directed by Jeffrey Blitz.
* Critically acclaimed RUSHMORE-ish sounding tale of a stuttering teen struggling to find a space in a world that is totally dumping on him.
TRADE.
Suspense/Drama.
Cesar Ramos/Alicja Bachleda/Kevin Kline.
Directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner.
* Totally crazy and upsetting sounding tale of a 13-year old abducted into the human sex-slave trade and her 17 year-old brother on a desperate mission to find her. He is helped by a cop from Texas who has had experience in this type of loss.
TWITCHES TOO.
Teen/Comedy/Disney.
Tia Mowry/Tamera Mowry/Kristen Wilson.
Directed by Stuart Gillard.
* A couple of twin witches who were separated have now been reunited and are getting ready for some every day activities (after saving the world from Darkness, of course).
............//TELEVISION....
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON.
Television.
Larry David/Jeff Garlin/Cheryl Hines.
* Season six in this incredibly popular series starring the creator of SEINFELD playing himself, kind of.
HANNAH MONTANA: ONE IN A MILLION.
Television/Pop Fantasy World/Lip-Synch.
Miley Cyrus.
* I’m man enough to say I don’t think I understand this show, regarding the reality and unreality involved. The only thing I am 100% positive about is that Lindsay Lohan is not involved in any way.
THE TUDORS: SEASON ONE.
Television/Showtime.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
* A series about King Henry VIII (Meyers) and his loves, outfits, strengths, libido, and much much more. I picked this up based on a customer recommendation and I think everyone who watches it will be psyched.
............//MUSIC//............
AC/DC: PLUG ME IN.
Music.
AC/DC.
* Very thorough two-disc set featuring the Bon Scott years on one disc and the Brian Johnson years on the other disc.
............//DOCUMENTARY//............
ARTS AND MYTHS.
Documentary/Series/Foreign (French).
Directed by Philippe Truffault and Ludovic Segarra and Jean-Loic Portron.
* I think my mom would really love this documentary which features six episodes on such subjects as “White Kayapo Headdress”, “Mongolian Horse-Head Fiddle”, “Dogon Heddle Pulley”, “Maori Pendant”, “Fang Reliquary Head” and “Effigy from the Marquisas Islands”. International art and mythology education here, folks.
JACKIE GLEASON: GENIUS AT WORK.
Documentary.
Jackie Gleason/Marilyn Taylor Gleason.
Narrated by Jeff Garlin
* Featuring unseen comedy sketches and interviews with Gleason’s widow, this in-depth doc is a must see for fans of the comedy great.
THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS.
Documentary.
Steve Wiebe/Billy Mitchell.
Narrated by Seth Gordon.
* Here is a direct quote from someone on imdb: “If you have ever played the original Donkey Kong arcade game, or on the original Nintendo, you have to see this movie. I have never beaten Level 3 on the third cycle - the spring on the elevator stage, if you know what I'm talking about, is going extremely fast. These guys get beyond 20 cycles”. My god man, beyond 20 cycles!!!! People have been asking about this film for six months; we are proud to finally present it.
MR. UNTOUCHABLE: GODFATHER OR SNITCH.
Documentary.
Nicky Barnes.
Directed by Marc Levin.
* One of the many stories that inspired the soon to be released “American Gangster”, the real Mr. Untouchable was Nick Barnes, heroin drug-lord in 1970’s New York. This film brings you inside his violent and volatile world leading up to his arrest and incarceration.
............//FAMILY//............
THE SIPPY CUPS: ELECTRIC STORYLAND.
Music.
The Sippy Cups.
* Have you ever been (have you ever been) to Electric Storyland? Local kids rock outfit, The Sippy Cups, engage kids and parents alike with their delightful rock creations. Slipping wonderful Velvet Underground covers in with compositions of their own, this DVD features the group live in concert. Rent this for your little one, or even better, go see this band before they blow up and become a national act.
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: TO LOVE A PATTY.
Family.
Spongebob Squarepants.
* Another in the series from the lovable sponge.
............//RECENT ACQUISITIONS//............
MARS ATTACKS.
Action/Comedy.
Jack Nicholson/Annette Bening/Glenn Close/Pierce Brosnan/Danny DeVito/Martin Short/Need I go on? Yes? - Sarah Jessica Parker/Michael J. Fox/Rod Steiger/Lukas Haas/Natalie Portman/Pam Grier.
Directed by Tim Burton.
* First DVD copy of this movie as we continue our revamping of the library.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION.
Drama/Dance/White Suit.
John Travolta.
* First DVD copy of this movie as well.
****
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