Tuesday, April 6, 2010

****new release list no.262

It’s close to midnight, and I am still working today. Well, the sun was shining, and it was a pretty fine day in the neighborhood, so I’m not complaining. I just spent a week in NY where it was rainy and cold and lovely and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and life was popping out all over. Sometimes it takes a cold grey city to remember how irrepressible nature is. I love the spring, no matter where I am.

There are a bunch of movies this week, and some of them look pretty cool, but there are no blockbusters, in stark contrast to the last month or so, and especially to two weeks from now when we get CRAZY HEART, THE LOVELY BONES, AVATAR and YOUNG VICTORIA. Don’t be confused, though, that is NOT this week. This weeks we have THE YES MEN: FIX THE WORLD, THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS, PARTY DOWN (television), THE LORD OF THE RINGS on Blu-Ray, and some other off the beaten track stuff. Scroll on down to read about it.

The flier at the top of this post is for Succulence’s first event of the spring. Long time Four Star customer, international activist and all around great person Rachel Kesel is leading a Wildflower walk on Bernal Hill. We will have snacks at Succulence afterwards. The start time is 11am, and it will be canceled if its raining hard. Read Rachel’s blog here.

Hey how about some culture? It turns out that a Bernal neighbor, Katita Waldo is retiring from dancing with the San Francisco Ballet – now is your last time to see and support her as she ends this portion of her career. Even if you don’t know her, the ballet is a pretty amazing thing to see. Get details here.

Incidentally, there is a Led Zeppelin song linked in the blog below, and I strongly suggest if you have a moment, to click it, and turn up the volume and let the music take you away for 4 minutes and 35 seconds, I really think it will be worth it.

Alrighty then, see you down at the store.

Love and Kisses,
Ken

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............//NEW TITLES//............

THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS .
Action.
Nicholas Cage/Eva Mendes/Val Kilmer.
Directed by Werner Herzog.
* I hear this is a pretty good remake-ish film about a bad cop on the take. But my friend Eric thought a really great sequel to the original would have been THE BAD POPE about a cussing, gangster pope…No? Bad idea? Yeah, I’ll shut up now.

BOY CRAZY.
Shorts/LGBT.
* Six funny, romantic, dramatic and poignant short films about gay men.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: ORIGINAL ANIMATED CLASSIC.
Fantasy/Animation/Gollum (and the evil one, crept up and slid away with her, her, her yeah).
Directed by Ralph Brakshi.
* This 1978 version of the incredible kids books is actually the only one I ever saw! Filled with very little star talent (save John Hurt as Aragorn), and old school animation, this is a pretty great film. On this release, it has been given the once over.

SHALL WE KISS?
Comedy/Romance/Foreign (French).
Virginia Ledoyen/Emmanuel Mouret/Julie Gayet.
Directed by Emmanuel Mouret.
* A very theatrical tale of a whimsical romantic encounter.

YESTERDAY WAS A LIE.
Drama/Noir/B&W.
Chase Masterson/Kipleigh Brown/John Newton.
Directed by James Kerwin.
* Neo-Noir (which I hope catches on) film about a young woman on a mission. This film won a lot (like 11 or something) awards on the film festival circuit.

............//DOCUMENTARY//............

CANYONLANDS.****ALSO ON BD****
Documentary/Nature.
* Have you been to the canyon lands? Ranging from south Nevada to west Colorado and including northern areas of Arizona and New Mexico. Canyonlands National Park is in Utah and contains some of the world’s most breathtaking beauty in its rugged and desolate landscapes.

DIRT!
Documentary/Humus/Crushed rock/Sand/Clay.
Narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis.
* This doc takes a look at the ground beneath our feet.

PLUNDER: THE CRIME OF OUR TIME.
Documentary.
Wall Street/Side Streets.
Directed by Danny Schechter.
* From Amazon: A hard-hitting investigative film by Danny Schechter. The “News Dissector” explores how the financial crisis was built on a foundation of criminal activity uncovering the connection between the collapse of the housing market and the economic catastrophe that followed. To tell this story Schechter speaks with bankers involved in these activities, respected economists, insider experts, top journalists including Paul Krugman, and even a convicted white-collar criminal, Sam Antar, who blows the whistle on intentionally dishonest practices.

THE YES MEN: FIX THE WORLD.
Documentary/Comedy/Political Commentary.
Written/Directed/Produced by Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno
* In their follow up to 2003’s THE YES MEN, Andy and Mike create more havoc by exposing people in power who are up to no good.

YOUSSOU NDOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE
Documentary/Music.
Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.
* This doc takes a close look at 20 years of fame in the life of Senegalese musical sensation Youssou Ndour.

............//TELEVISION//............

LUCY CALLS THE PRESIDENT.
Television/Comedy.
* This is a Lucille Ball Special about Lucy, calling…the President.

PARTY DOWN: SEASON ONE.
Comedy.
* I’m not sure about this show that appears to be starring the actors who’ve played supporting roles in many recent films. I think it is about a catering crew or a restaurant staff. Not sure, but I will say this, everyone on this show is young and attractive, so it has that going for it.

THE UNUSUALS.
Television/Cops/Dark Comedy.
Jeremy Renner/Amber Tamblyn.
* Dysfunctional cops in NYC…ha ha ha.

............//NEW ON BLU//............

DREAMSCAPE.
* Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw and Christopher Plummer starred in this somewhat campy 1980’s era thriller about a nutty professor who sends bad guys into people minds...

THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY.
* 9 discs, 557 minutes of pure Elven ecstasy.

THE NATURAL.
* Harriet: Are you gonna be the greatest? – Roy: Not without steroids, or some strong western medication.

THE PROTECTOR.
* This Thai action extravaganza is about this protector dude who protects people.

............//FAMILY//............

GNOMES AND TROLLS: SECRET CHAMBERS.

MY FRIENDS TIGGER AND POOH: SUPER DUPER SUPER SLEUTHS.

SESAME STREET: BEING GREEN.
* Uh…

WOW WOW WUBBZY: WUBBZY GOES GREEN.
* I just edit jokes in this section.

............//NEW ADDITIONS//............

THE GODTHUMB.
* Another brilliant thumb parody, this one skewering THE GODFATHER, with Steve Oedekerk as the Godthumb.

............//REPLACEMENT DISCS//............

NORTH AND SOUTH.
* Patrick Swayze period piece from the mid-80’s about events surrounding the Civil War. Also starring Kirstie Alley. Is this a replacement, or a New Addition? I am not certain. And the store is closed, so there is no one to ask.

SHORTBUS.
* I can’t believe the flexibility of that guy at the beginning. I’m sure he does yoga.

TOTAL RECALL.
* Seriously though, I hope I totally do not recall his governorship.

****

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