Halloween is upon us. With an apparent lack of any good new horror movies, the film industry is instead offering up gloom and doom of a more cerebral nature. There's LAST DAYS, Gus Van Sant's intimate account of the mortal demise of a wasted rock star. Another queer director, Gregg Araki, gives us a sensitive but violent story of abuse called MYSTERIOUS SKIN. Even fashion photographer David LaChapelle's RIZE — ostensibly a movie about a new dance craze — conveys an expressive sense of tragedy and aggression.
It's like trick-or-treating at the arthouse.
On a more traditional note, both stores will be supplying community kids with candy on the evening of the 31st. And at 8pm that night, the fantastic Walk-In Movies will be showing THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS at the Potrero HIll Neighborhood House, 953 DeHaro (@ Southern Heights). So much more fun than the crowds in the Castro! Predictably, Four Star is helping sponsor the event.
Also this week: New seasons of ALIAS and THE L WORD! The arrival of the Alain Delon classic LE SAMOURAI, finally on DVD! Plus lots and lots of other older movies on DVD — from CLUE to CLUELESS, THE DARK CRYSTAL to DELIVERANCE!
Boo!
team four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
MYSTERIOUS SKIN.
Drama. Gay Interest.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, Elizabeth Shue, Michelle Trachtenberg.
Directed by Gregg Araki.
* Gregg Araki is known for lewd punk movies as unrestrained as their titles: THE DOOM GENERATION, TOTALLY F***ED UP. Though they contained some beautiful images and a wry humor, they were often stifled by a juvenile desire to shock. Now we find Gregg Araki seasoned. Like Pedro Almodovar's BAD EDUCATION, this film regards two young men and the very different ways in which they've responded to a shared memory of childhood molestation. In fact, "the new Araki" harkens to Almodovar in his fine craftsmanship and compelling visual style. MYSTERIOUS SKIN is able to simultaneously play as a dream-like mood piece, a serious emotional drama and a thriller. The film is sensitive even in its most disturbing aspects — indeed, exactly the places where sensitivity is most urgently required. Images range from the magical — UFOs, Christmas, a rainfall of Fruit Loops — to the very gritty. (Be forewarned that the scenes of abuse and rape are unsparing.) Well-acted by the smouldering Joseph Gordon-Levitt — yes, he was the kid on 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN — as well as the contagiously nervous Brady Corbet, who appeared in THIRTEEN. With a score by electronic music pioneer Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, plus songs by shoegazer bands like Ride, Curve and Slowdive. Premiere: "one of the best of the year." Roger Ebert: "The most harrowing and, strangely, the most touching film I have seen about child abuse." The New York Times: "A gorgeous, heartbreaking, utterly convincing work of art."
see also: BAD EDUCATION, L.I.E., MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE DOOM GENERATION.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BEWITCHED.
Comedy.
Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Scwartzman.
Directed by Nora Ephron.
BOMB THE SYSTEM.
Drama.
Mark Webber.
Directed by Adam Bhala Lough.
see also: THE GRAFFITI ARTIST, STYLE WARS, WILD STYLE.
BUDDY BOY.
Drama/Thriller/Independent.
Aidan Gillen, Emmanuelle Seigner.
Directed by Mark Hanlon.
FACE.
Drama/Thriller. England.
Robert Carlyle, Ray Winstone, Damon Albarn.
Directed by Antonia Bird.
see also: LAYER CAKE, SEXY BEAST, TRAINSPOTTING, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS.
5X2.
Drama. France.
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Stephane Freiss.
Directed by Francois Ozon.
see also: UNDER THE SAND, SWIMMING POOL, SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, TWO FOR THE ROAD.
HERBIE FULLY LOADED.
Comedy.
Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon, Breckin Meyer, Justin Long, Cheryl Hines.
Directed by Angela Robinson.
HOUSE OF WAX.
Horror.
Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton.
Directed by Juame Collet-Serra.
* Our favorite comment comes from Noah on the Internet Movie Database message board: "Great gore & suspense... But NO Paris (Hilton) touching wax and saying THAT'S HOT!??? ... How could they resist?"
LAST DAYS.
Drama/Music/Experimental.
Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas, Asia Argento.
Directed by Gus Van Sant.
* This could feasibly be lumped with Van Sant's last two films, ELEPHANT and GERRY, into a trilogy of young male martyrdom. Each evinces the director's supposed reinvention as an acolyte of "pure cinema" — wherein he has perfected a languid, homoerotic gaze, telling doomed stories through impressionistic details, and generally apologizing to film critics for his feel-good phase and that ill-advised PSYCHO remake. LAST DAYS, which regards the demise of a wasted rock star very much like Kurt Cobain, may be the most overrated of the bunch. The New York Times called it "one of the year's indisputably great films," but we're not so sure about that. Some will find it deeply beautiful; others will deem it boring and pretentious. It must be said: It can sometimes feel like a bunch of priviledged white movie people playing at being priviledged white music people on drugs. There are cameos from Harmony Korine and Kim Gordon, and a lot of elegant wasting and falling down. In fact, we suggest it as a drinking game: Drink every time the Kurt-type character falls down. Fell down because he's on a muddy hill, fell down because he's wearing a ladies' nightie, and so on.
see also: ELEPHANT, GERRY, THE BROWN BUNNY, GUMMO.
MELINDA AND MELINDA.
Comedy/Drama.
Will Ferrell, Amanda Peet, Radha Mitchell, Chloe Sevigny, Jonny Lee Miller.
Directed by Woody Allen.
MILWAUKEE, MINNESOTA.
Drama/Independent.
Tony Garity, Alison Folland, Randy Quaid, Bruce Dern.
Directed by Allan Mendel.
MYSTERIOUS SKIN.
see above: "release of the week."
RIZE.
Documentary/Music.
Directed by David LaChapelle.
WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE: GEORGE W. BUSH AND THE RISE OF THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT IN AMERICA.
Documentary.
Directed by Calvin Skaggs and David Van Taylor.
............//SERIES//............
ALIAS, SERIES 4.
DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH, SERIES 2.
IN LIVING COLOR, SERIES 4.
THE L WORD, SERIES 2.
............//FAMILY//............
CAILLOU'S FAMILY FUN.
HELLO KITTY'S ANIMATION THEATER: FAR AWAY LANDS.
THE SANDLOT.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK!
............//NEW TO DVD//............
Andy Warhol's FLESH.
Drama/Experimental/Gay Interest. 1968.
Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis, Candy Darling.
Directed by Paul Morrissey.
Andy Warhol's HEAT.
Comedy/Drama/Experimental/Gay Interest. 1972.
Joe Dallesandro, Syliva Miles.
Directed by Paul Morrissey.
Andy Warhol's TRASH.
Drama/Experimental/Gay Interest. 1970.
Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn.
Directed by Paul Morrissey.
CAREER GIRLS.
Drama. England. 1997.
Directed by Mike Leigh.
CLUE.
Comedy/Mystery. 1985.
Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Chritopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren.
Directed by Jonathan Lynn.
CLUELESS.
Comedy/Teen. 1995.
Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd.
Directed by Amy Heckerling.
COOL HAND LUKE.
Drama. 1967.
Paul Newman.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.
THE DARK CRYSTAL.
Animation/Fantasy. 1982.
Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz.
DARLING LILI.
Musical. 1970.
Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson.
Directed by Blake Edwards.
DELIVERANCE.
Drama/Thriller. 1972.
Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty.
Directed by John Boorman.
DONNIE BRASCO.
Drama/Thriller. 1997.
Johhny Depp, Al Pacino.
Directed by Mike Newell.
KIDS.
Drama. 1995.
Chloe Sevigny, Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce, Rosario Dawson.
Directed by Larry Clark. Written by Harmony Korine.
KILL! (Criterion Collection.)
Action/Comedy/Drama. Japan. 1968.
Directed by Kihachi Okamoto.
MILLER'S CROSSING.
Drama/Thriller. 1990.
Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Albet Finney.
Directed by The Coen Brothers.
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. (Criterion Collection.)
Thriller. 1932.
Directed by Irving Pichel and Ernest B. Schoedsack.
THE NEVER-ENDING STORY.
Fantasy. 1984.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
ROCCO & HIS BROTHERS.
Drama. France/Italy. 1960.
Alain Delon.
Directed by Luchino Visconti.
LE SAMOURAI. (Criterion Collection.)
Drama/Thriller. France. 1967.
Alain Delon.
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville.
SAMURAI SPY. (Criterion Collection.)
Action/Drama. Japan. 1965.
Directed by Masahiro Shinoda.
SAVE THE TIGER.
Drama. 1973.
Jack Lemmon.
Directed by John G. Avildsen.
SECRETS & LIES.
Drama/Comedy. England. 1996.
Brenda Blethyn.
Directed by Mike Leigh.
SISTERS. (Criterion Collection.)
Thriller. 1973.
Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt, Charles Durning.
Directed by Brian De Palma.
THE STATIONMASTER'S WIFE.
Drama. Germany. 1977.
Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS.
Drama/Noir. 1946.
Barbara Stanwyck.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.
SWORD OF THE BEAST. (Criterion Collection.)
Action/Drama. Japan. 1965.
Directed by Hideo Gosha.
TEOREMA.
Drama. Italy. 1968.
Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano.
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.
WAGES OF FEAR. (Criterion Collection new edition.)
Drama/Thriller. France. 1953.
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot.
(Note: Certain NEW TO DVD titles are stocked in only one location. We can transfer between stores upon request.)
****
****new release list no. 35
Sage advice: If you want to be listened to, always make a suggestion by including a compliment!
We were doing a little narcissistic web surfing — checking out online mentions of Four Star Video — and getting psyched on the positive reviews we've received on various sites. So we were all buttered up and open to constructive criticism when we came across this reviewer's comment: "My only complaint is that alot of the older videos are only stocked on VHS. If this is not a problem for you, then Four Star is as perfect a video store as you're gonna get."
We are listening! We've actually been steadily adding older titles since the inception of DVD. We get anywhere from a few to a few dozen per week. But this newest batch reflects a renewed bid to fill in some of the gaps. In particular, you'll notice that this week we've consciously curtailed the artsy stuff in favor of pure entertainment. There's FOUL PLAY, with Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase and a string of sappy Barry Manilow songs. TOY STORY starring Richard Pryor on a string. And three riotously funny Dolly Parton movies. Believe us! We know all too well what a good time can be had with good friends on the couch in front of STRAIGHT TALK — which is dripping with some of Dolly's best pearls of wisdom.
So, with all those camp classics, plus new movies including BATMAN BEGINS, MAD HOT BALLROOM and the erotic romp MA MERE (pictured), this just feels like a good time for cheap thrills.
Have fun.
four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
BATMAN BEGINS.
Action/Comics.
Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy.
Directed by Christopher Nolan.
* Yes, it's a tad overwrought, takes itself a little too seiously, and bewilderingly casts apple dumpling actress Katie Holmes in the female lead. But if it's a superhero movie you're after, this is as good as you're gonna get. The BATMAN saga has come a long way from the comic book purism of Tim Burton's kooky 1989 outing. The superhero is now introspective, reluctant and loaded down with family history. BATMAN BEGINS, directed by English thrill-inducer Christopher Nolan (he did MEMENTO), is less dependent on action and special effects, and instead emphasizes dark mood and thick character development. Said Roger Ebert: "This is the BATMAN movie I've been waiting for; more correctly, this is the movie I did not realize I was waiting for, because I didn't realize that more emphasis on story and character and less emphasis on high-tech action was just what was needed. The movie works dramatically in addition to being an entertainment. There's something to it."
see also: SIN CITY, THE INCREDIBLES, MEMENTO.
............//NEW RELEASES//............
BATMAN BEGINS.
see above: "release of the week."
BOLIVIA.
Drama. Argentina.
Directed by Adrian Caetano.
* Like a throwback to the neo-realist film movement, which told stories of the poor and unemployed, this film studies — in stunning black and white — Argentina in a state of social emergency. The New York Post: "The gritty photography is a perfect match for the film's harsh realities, the script is taut (not a word or motion is wasted) and the acting is raw and realistic."
see also: THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, THE SEA INSIDE, CARANDIRU, CITY OF GOD.
DOT THE i.
Drama/Romance. Spain.
Gael Garcia Bernal, Natalia Verbeke, James D'Arcy.
Directed by Matthew Parkhill.
see also: THE CRIME OF PADRE AMARO, BAD EDUCATION, IN THE CITY.
LAND OF THE DEAD.
Horror.
Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Asia Argento.
Directed by George A. Romero.
LOVE IN THOUGHTS.
Drama/Romance. Gay Interest. Germany.
Daniel Bruhl.
Directed by Achim von Borries.
see also: GOOD BYE, LENIN!
MA MERE.
Drama. France.
Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel.
Directed by Christophe Honore.
* Actress Isabelle Huppert is wiry and weird and astonishing. She is so artful that she is currently the subject of a major film retrospective at the MOMA in New York. But most critics have contended that even she can't raise MA MERE up from mediocrity. Instead, this film more heavily reflects the screen presence of its male lead: The young actor Louis Garrel, blessed with Byronic good looks and a photogenic physique, appears aesthetically pleasing but vapid. If you're in the mood for balls-out (literally) erotica, this is it. (It's based on a Bataille novel, and the packaging explains its NC-17 rating is due to "aberrant sexuality.") After his father's death, a young man is cared for by his polyamorous mom, who hotly insists that her son is in dire need of advanced-level sex education. MA MERE is filled with all the gratuitous flesh and incestuous overtones that we've come to expect from provocative French films. It doesn't go much deeper than that. So don't say we didn't warn you. But then again, if it's a bit of scandal you're after, this could do the trick.
see also: THE DREAMERS, SWIMMING POOL, THE PIANO TEACHER, BRIEF CROSSING.
MAD HOT BALLROOM.
Documentary.
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo.
see also: ROCK SCHOOL, SPELLBOUND, STRICTLY BALLROOM, SHALL WE DANCE.
SAVING FACE.
Comedy/Romance. Gay Interest.
Directed by Alice Wu.
see also: THE WEDDING BANQUET.
TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE.
Documentary.
Directed by Mark Wexler.
* The son of acclaimed cinematographer Haskell Wexler confronts his complex father by turning the camera on him. Includes appearances from big names like Billy Crystal, Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda, John Sayles, George Lucas, Ron Howard, Milos Forman, Dennis Hopper, Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier...
see also: MY ARCHITECT, Z CHANNEL, THE BALLAD OF RAMBLIN' JACK.
............//SERIES//.............
THE COUSTEAU ODYSSEY, COMPLETE SERIES.
* Watch it to see just how many details Wes Anderson swiped for THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU — from coolly designed boat and plane to the iconic red cap. Jacques Cousteau and the Team Cousteau conduct marine-based research, and writer/narrator Theodore Strauss extrapolates on their work in a manner that merges natural history with cultural anthropology — not to mention a great sense of adventure. The English-language narration and a handsome pilot named Philippe help make the show surprisingly accessible. Rent the first DVD, a two-part trip through remote regions of the Nile. After all those lions, hippos, giraffes and primitive fishing techniques, this series just may get you hook, line and sinker. A must for ecology-heads and vintage TV addicts.
UNSCRIPTED, SERIES 1.
see also: ENTOURAGE, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS.
Comedy. 1982.
Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, Dom DeLuise, Charles Durning.
Directed by Colin Higgins.
FOUL PLAY.
Comedy. 1978.
Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith.
Directed by Colin Higgins.
ILE AIYE.
Documentary/Music/Experimental. 1989.
Directed by David Byrne.
LIFEBOAT.
Drama. 1944.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM.
Drama. 1955.
Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak.
Directed by Otto Preminger.
MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN.
Comedy. 1936.
Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, George Bancroft.
Directed by Frank Capra.
9 TO 5.
Comedy. 1980.
Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman.
Directed by Garry Marshall.
OVERBOARD.
Comedy. 1987.
Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Katherine Helmond.
Directed by Garry Marshall.
STRAIGHT TALK.
Comedy. 1992.
Dolly Parton, James Woods, Griffin Dunne.
Directed by Barnet Kellman.
TENT CITY: A SOCIAL ANTIDOTE.
Skateboarding Video. 2004.
THE TOY.
Comedy. 1982.
Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason.
Directed by Richard Donner.
TOOTSIE.
Comedy. 1982.
Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Terri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray.
Directed by Sydney Pollack.
TRADING PLACES.
Comedy. 1983.
Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy.
Directed by John Landis.
(from the series "UNSEEN CINEMA: EARLY AMERICAN AVANT-GARDE FILM, 1894-1941"):
THE AMATEUR AS AUTEUR.
PICTURING A METROPOLIS.
INVERTED NARRATIVES.
LIGHT RHYTHMS.
THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING.
THE MECHANIZED EYE.
VIVA LA DANCE.
****
**** new release list no. 34
This is a real movie lover's week. It marks the release of the documentary Z CHANNEL, which tells the story of the coolest station ever to hit the airwaves. It played esoteric movies that even we have never heard of before. There's also another documentary out this week called THE CUTTING EDGE: THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING. The low-budget 1940s films of Edgar G. Ulmer, an "indie director" before there was such a title, are finally available on DVD. So is Jane Campion's AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE. There are lots of new kids' movies, and tons of other stuff — great ones, mindless trash, and in between.
This week also marks the departure of Diego. He was a trooper of a staff member and remains a special friend. Diego is a film lover — from SPIRITED AWAY to SANS SOLEIL to this week's new release ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. His broad cultural curiosity and enthusiasm for the good stuff became symbiotic with the philosophy of the store. Diego has taken his mustard-colored vintage Benz down to LA, where he'll be working, of course, in film production. We wish him all the great things he deserves and will miss him lots and lots.
Finally, this week introduces the new "see also" feature, which, ascribed to select films, will direct your attention to similar or topical titles. We will generally only mention stuff that is available at one or both of our shops. Links will now pop up in a separate window, so that you don't lose your place.
Enjoy!
xo, four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW.
Comedy/Romance/Independent.
Miranda July, John Hawkes, Miles Thompson, Brandon Ratcliff, Tracy Wright, Hector Elias.
Directed by Miranda July.
* Just before Banana Republic launched its new "find the art in the everyday" ad campaign, a little-known experimental video artist named Miranda July released her deubt feature film, inclusively entitled ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. The point of the film is, in so many words, to "find the art in the everyday." And you don't even need to be wearing a name brand sweater. In the role of Christine, Miranda July wears funny thrift store blouses and a pair of pink shoes — which she labels ME and YOU and plays with like puppets. If this sort of wide-eyed whimsy leaves you uncharmed, this is probably not the movie for you. An artist and cab driver, Christine is romantic, gawky, optimistic to the point of overbearing. She commands, in an art experiment which opens the film: "Live each day as if it was your last. Fantastically. Courageously. With grace." She actively searches for the poetic in the mundane, in an anonymous mid-size town full of special people whom she may be destined to meet. These include: A young girl who collects household appliances for her hope chest, an elderly couple in an old age home who have only just met and fallen fatefully in love, an internet-savvy little kid whose parents are going through a divorce, two hormonal teenage girls, an overworked art gallerist, and so on. The disparate characters' fates are woven together in a format much like other recent independent films. But this one is totally unique. It is unabashedly tenderhearted, but too alert to lapse into sentimentality. In its directness, generosity and deliberate smallness, it could be considered the movie equivalent of a pop song by Belle and Sebastian, a Frank O'Hara poem or an 'instruction piece' from Yoko Ono. This is one for the gentle folk.
see also: GHOST WORLD, RUSHMORE, LOVELY & AMAZING, HAROLD AND MAUDE, GOOD MORNING, 13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING.
............//NEW TITLES//............
11:14.
Thriller.
Rachael Leigh Cook, Barbara Hershey, Patrick Swayze, Hilary Swank.
Directed by Greg Marcks.
THE CUTTING EDGE: THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING.
Documentary.
Narrated by Kathy Bates.
Directed by Wendy Apple.
* Who knew that the action flick XXX was edited with the Cubist art movement in mind, or that the editor of STARSHIP TROOPERS felt that he was making an anti-war statement? The selected editors in this documentary are given reign to wax philisophical. The likes of Quentin Tarantino and Jodie Foster offer their two bits. And we're left with another solid movie about moviemaking, especially ripe for aspiring filmmakers.
see also: VISIONS OF LIGHT, A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES.
FACE.
Comedy. Japan.
Naomi Fujiyama.
Directed by Junji Sakamoto.
see also: ADRENALINE DRIVE, TAMPOPO, FEAR AND TREMBLING, NOBODY KNOWS.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
Comedy. France.
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Yvan Attal, Emmauelle Seigner, Alain Chabat, Anouck Aimee, Claude Berri.
Directed by Yvan Attal.
see also: MY WIFE IS AN ACTRESS, L'ENFER, HUSBANDS AND WIVES, VA SAVOIR, LA BUCHE, A MAN AND A WOMAN, BITTER MOON.
KICKING AND SCREAMING.
Comedy.
Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall.
Directed by Jesse Dylan.
see also: THE LONGEST YARD, ANCHORMAN, FEVER PITCH, OLD SCHOOL.
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
Epic/Action.
Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Liam Neeson.
Directed by Ridley Scott.
MAIL ORDER WIFE.
Comedy/Independent.
Directed by Huck Botko & Andrew Gurland.
see also: STRANGER THAN PARADISE, SWINGERS, THE DAYTRIPPERS, IN THE COMPANY OF MEN.
ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW.
see above: "release of the week."
THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS.
Comedy/Drama.
Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel.
Directed by Ken Kwapis.
see also: DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA YA SISTERHOOD, NOW AND THEN, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, MYSTIC PIZZA.
THE TUNNEL.
Drama/Action. Germany.
Directed by Roland Suso Richter.
see also: DOWNFALL, KONTROLL, ROSENSTRASSE, HEAD-ON, DAS BOOT.
UNLEASHED.
Action.
Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins.
Directed by Louis Leterrier. Screenplay by Luc Besson.
Z CHANNEL: A MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION.
Documentary.
Directed by Xan Cassavetes.
* Of course we video store clerks would be fascinated by a documentary about what came before us — a Los Angeles-based pay TV station called Z Channel. Regarded as "a film festival every night," Z Channel was an early competitor with HBO and Showtime, but it was always one step ahead, off the beat and left of field. Xan Cassavetes, daughter of John, used to stay up all night watching the strange foreign films, documentaries, independents and sexploitation flicks that were being shown. She wasn't alone — the likes of Robert Altman and Quentin Tarantino were right there with her. So when Xan decided to make a documentary about the channel, she recruited their insights, along with those of everyone from Jim Jarmusch to Jacqueline Bisset. For the sake of her film's intrigue level, it doesn't hurt that innovative programmer Jerry Harvey, the heart and soul of the station, was also a paranoid lunatic who eventually murdered his wife and commited suicide. But besides mere scandal, his tragic story places obsessiveness into a grander sociological context. Recommended.
see also: CINEMANIA, A DECADE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, INSIDE DEEP THROAT, MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP.
............//SERIES//............
ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, SERIES 1.
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, SERIES 2.
SOAP: SERIES 4.
WILD PALMS, COMPLETE SERIES.
............//FAMILY//............
ALL GROWN UP: R.V. HAVING FUN YET?
BIONICLE 3: WEB OF SHADOWS.
CHRYSANTHEMUM (...AND MORE KEVIN HENKES STORIES).
CORDUROY (...AND MORE STORIES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP).
DORA THE EXPLORER: DANCE TO THE RESCUE.
GOOD NIGHT GORILLA (...AND OTHER BEDTIME STORIES).
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON (...AND MORE HAROLD STORIES).
LITTLE EINSTEINS: OUR BIG HUGE ADVENTURE.
THE PARENT TRAP/THE PARENT TRAP II.
PETE'S A PIZZA (,,,AND MORE WILLIAM STEIG STORIES).
SHELLEY DUVALL'S FAERIE TALE THEATRE. (3 DVD RENTALS.)
* Oh gosh, remember these? Kooky Shelley Duvall in, like, full princess attire, hosting a series of classic faeirie tales. With awesome guest stars like Liza Minelli, Bud Cort, Susan Sarandon, Eric Idle, Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger, Robin Williams, Vincent Price, Vanessa Redrave, and so on. Guest directors include Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola and Roger Vadim. Holy moly! Is this beginning to bring back memories? Don't you totally want to love these all over again, but this time with your little kids along for the ride? They're going to love it! Either that or they'll think that you're totally nuts and tripping on nostalgia yet again. Like, "Come on, mom. No more MUPPETS, no more SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK, no more FAERIE TALE THEATRE." But you'll be like, "Shush! That's Jeff Goldblum as the wolf!"
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (...AND OTHER MAURICE SENDAK STORIES).
............//NEW TITLES//............
AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE.
Biography/Drama. 1990.
Directed by Jane Campion.
* Originally produced as a TV mini-series and then compressed into one long feature film, this is a loving biography of the Australian writer Janet Frame. Both fantastically imaginative and realistically gritty, it may still stand as director Jane Campion's greatest achievement.
see also: THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, I'VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, SYLVIA.
EDGAR J. ULMER: ARCHIVE.
(5 films + special features on 2 DVD rentals.)
(THE STRANGE WOMAN, STRANGE ILLUSION, BLUEBEARD, DAUGHTER OF MR. JEKYLL, MOON OVER HARLEM.)
* These two DVDs collect five early works from the director who made the noir classic DETOUR. Martin Scorsese calls Ulmer "an inspiration to low-budget filmmakers." The Village Voice calls him "a hero." His early works from the '40s are renowned for their small scale and outsider appeal. The titles alone — THE STRANGE WOMAN, MOON OVER HARLEM — seem like they could be straight from the catalogs of John Cassavetes or Jim Jarmusch. The films feature performances from some Hollywood heavyweights, like Hedy Lamarr and John Carradine.
see also: DETOUR, THE LETTER, THE STREET WITH NO NAME.
****
**** new release list no. 33
Hey, Potrero Hill folks... You should feel guilty if you have not yet purchased your raffle tickets to benefit the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House (NABE). This beloved place has been generously serving the community for nearly a century! You owe them 5 bucks! Tickets are 5 for $5 — with a chance to win everything from an i-Pod to local gift certificates — and they're available at our shop.
Also benefiting the NABE is the "happy hour" at Sports Basement, this Thursday from 6-8pm. Everything is discounted, and a portion of all sales go to the NABE. There's even free beer! So head down, stock up on yoga gear, and contribute to your special neighborhood.
Good customers, please welcome our newest staff recruits, Matt and Dana. Matt hails from Chicago, where he attended art school and tended to patrons as a host at fine dining restaurants. We figured his skills juggling tables would come in handy when juggling videos on those busy weekends in Bernal Heights. And Dana is yet another recent Oberlin grad who has come to San Francisco to be liberal and hang out in dive bars and attend Japanese heavy metal shows. Actually, she's a pretty focused young lady who has worked for all sorts of media libraries and film festivals. Dana is developing a career in film archival and restoration.
Please give them a big four star welcome, or at least be patient while they learn the ropes!
yours........ team four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK**//............
THE INTERPRETER.
Suspense/Political Thriller.
Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener.
Directed by Sydney Pollack.
* The '70s were a good moment in American cinema history — a time when political thrillers were coolly elegant and sneakily smart. We're talking about stuff like ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN and THE PARALLAX VIEW. One of the era's notable auteuers was director Sydney Pollack, and he has returned to form here — with a film that the Seattle Post Intelligencer describes as: "very much a '70s-style paranoid thriller, with a mood, tone and cascade of plot twists that are highly reminiscent of his 1975 classic, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR." One cool thing about the movie is that it uses the real United Nations as its prime location. And we always like seeing the actress Catherine Keener in action. Responses have been generally favorable, and with its glamorous cast and evocative setting, it is sure to be a popular rental. The dissenting opinions? For one, the critic at salon.com maintains that THE INTERPRETER is "so intent on reminding us that it's a QUALITY piece of work that it forgets to give us the very thing we thought we came in for: a story."
............//NEW TITLES//............
AMITYVILLE HORROR.
Horror.
Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Philip Baker Hall.
Directed by Andrew Douglas.
GRIMM.
Fantasy/Comedy. Netherlands.
Directed by Alex van Warmerdam.
* Not the Terry Gilliam flop starring Matt Damon. This is a recent work from the Netherlands that attempts to put a darkly humorous, contemporary, adult twist on Brothers Grimm fables. Okay, so this has been done before: By Neil Jordon in IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES, by Matthew Bright in FREEWAY, by Francois Ozon in LES AMANTS CRIMINELS. And this one did not receive especially good reviews. However, that probably won't keep away the adventurous viewer who enjoys sinister tales set in foreign places. If that's you, check it out.
HOUSE OF D.
Drama.
David Duchovny, Robin Williams, Tea Leoni, Erykah Badu.
Directed by David Duchovny.
THE INTERPRETER.
* See above: "release of the week."
MY SUMMER OF LOVE.
Drama. Gay Interest. England.
Directed by Paul Pavlikovsky.
* Let's face it. There are way too many so-so gay movies for every SHOW ME LOVE or BEAUTIFUL THING. So, is MY SUMMER OF LOVE that rare queer cinema gem? Opinions are split over MY SUMMER OF LOVE. Some have said that it offensively equates lesbianism with insanity, definitely an outdated Hollywood cliché. But many critics have bestowed adjectives like: lyrical, nuanced, captivating. It's an atmospheric study of two young women spending the summer in the West Yorkshire countryside. The Chicago Reader describes it as "fraught with unresolved issues of class, sexuality and spiritual need." The New York Times calls it "a triumph of mood and implication." So this could be — depending on the viewer — that great gay movie that comes along only once in a while. Or it could be considered great regardless of its gay themes. (The critic at LA Weekly contends: "To call this a lesbian love story would be unforgivably reductive.") Or you may consider it a lemon altogether. Watch and decide for yourself.
SILENT WATERS.
Drama. Pakistan.
Directed by Sabiha Sumar.
............//SERIES//............
THE STAIRCASE, MINI-SERIES.
* This one was singled out as a special pick by editorial staff at The Onion, as well as by our beloved customer, the filmmaker Cayce Lindner. The Onion and Cayce are two of our favorite sources for reliable DVD reviews, so this one comes well recommended. Word is: Innovative, riveting, dark. This is an 8-part Sundance Channel documentary that is all about "he said, she said." Eight episodes may sound like a stretch, but when "she" is dead, and "he" claims he didn't push her down the stairs, this becomes an absorbing chronicle of the criminal justice system and the search for truth. A totally unique viewing experience, recommended for fans of real life mystery movies like PARADISE LOST and CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS.
UPRIGHT CITIZEN'S BRIGADE, SERIES 1.
............//FAMILY//............
CINDERELLA, SPECIAL EDITION DVD.
POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER: BUSTER'S GOT THE BEAT.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
Tons of ALFRED HITCHOCK MOVIES NEW TO DVD! We love Hitchcock. The new DVDs are...
SABOTEUR.
SHADOW OF A DOUBT.
ROPE.
REAR WINDOW.
THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH.
VERTIGO.
PSYCHO.
THE BIRDS.
MARNIE.
TORN CURTAIN.
TOPAZ.
FRENZY.
FAMILY PLOT.
ANDY WARHOL'S DRACULA (BLOOD FOR DRACULA).
Horror/Comedy/Experimental. 1974.
Joe Dallesandro, Udo Kier.
Directed by Paul Morrissey & Antonio Margheriti.
ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN (FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN).
Horror/Comedy/Experimental. 1973.
Joe Dallesandro, Monique Van Vooren, Udo Kier.
Directed by Paul Morrissey & Antonio Margheriti.
CARLITO'S WAY.
Suspense. 1993.
Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo.
Directed by Brian De Palma.
ELECTION.
Comedy/Independent. 1999.
Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Molly Hagan.
Directed by Alexander Payne.
THE FLY.
Horror/Sci-Fi. 1986.
Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis.
Directed by David Cronenberg.
THE FOG.
Horror. 1980.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, John Houseman, Adrienne Barbeau.
Directed by John Carpenter.
IN THE YEAR OF THE PIG.
Documentary. 1968.
Directed by Emile de Antonio.
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE.
Drama/Romance/Suspense. 1976.
Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen.
Directed by Nicolas Gessner.
* This one has been a constant customer request for years, and now it is finally available on DVD. Jodie Foster plays a brilliant, orphaned young teen who is acting on her pact with her father — to become "very small in the world" and grow up by herself in a house on the edge of town, rather than surrender her fate to anyone else. When a dirty old man and local busybodies begin to suspect she is alone, she and her new boyfriend must plot drastic measures in order to save her independence. Atmospheric and suspensful, a lesser-known favorite!
MASCULIN FEMININ.
Drama/French New Wave. France. 1966.
Jean-Pierre Leaud, Chantal Goya, Marlene Jobert.
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard.
THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE.
Thriller. 1946.
Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore.
Directed by Robert Siodmak.
* When people ask us to recommend a scary movie, we think of stuff like the sinister Dutch film THE VANISHING and the creepy haunted house movie THE CHANGELING. And then there's THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, previously unavailable, a 1946 classic likened to Hitchcock and called "superb" by the Time Out Film Guide. The tone is Gothic: It's a small town at the turn-of-the-century, and a manic killer has dedicated himself to beauty by ridding the world of maimed and disfigured women. Dorothy McGuire is Helen, a mute housemaid who thinks she could be next. Ethel Barrymore is her unsympathetic mistress who reacts to the threat by banning Helen from the house. But even as she packs, the terrified Helen can feel the murderer lurking nearby and ready to pounce. Chilling! Made into a tawdry 1975 remake with Jacqueline Bisset.
THREE O'CLOCK HIGH.
Comedy. 1987.
Directed by Phil Joanou.
THE WARRIORS.
Drama/Action/Cult Classic. 1979.
Directed by Walter Hill.
****
****new release list no. 32
The word of the week is patina — the thin greenish layer that forms on copper as the result of corrosion, the surface sheen produced by use and age. Patina has got a romantic charm, a San Francisco kind of charm, like the charm of dilapidated old Victorians and summer fog. The architects Herzog & de Meuron built the new De Young Museum with a copper surface specifically intented to patinate. We can't wait for the opening, October 15. And we can't wait to watch its colors change. Likewise, the creators of this week's big animation release, ROBOTS, fashioned their heroes with faded colors, patina and dings. Piper Pinwheeler's rubbed-off cheeks make her look flushed, and Fender's got so much scruff that you know he's been around the block and has something to say. It's as if the producers of the film were hoping for something that would look "timeless" and be built to last, rather than the "futuristic" stuff that looks expired by the time it hits the video store shelf. Also out this week is CREATURE COMFORTS, an animated series from the creators of WALLACE & GROMIT that's as cozy and homespun as a cup of tea. Again, the artists are going for something that looks soft and worn. We're grateful for that — a little patina, a little charm. It goes well with our slightly scruffy business, which has been around 20 years —one of the oldest independents in the city, if not anywhere. The shop's current owners — Jamie, Jeremy and Dave — embrace that well-worn quality, which some have called "shabby chic." We never considered the rough around the edges to be something we should hide. Heck, these days it's something others are trying to fake.
xo, four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
ROBOTS.
Animation.
Voices of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Robin Williams.
Directed by Chris Wedge.
* Oh, let's admit it. At first we felt that we had to resort to ROBOTS as "release of the week" by default. It's a small batch of new releases, so there's not a lot to choose from. And, with its PG rating and its celebrity cast, ROBOTS just seemed like the crowd-pleaser of the bunch. Good for families, good for fans of TOY STORY and FINDING NEMO, good for business. Then we began to hear some genuine enthusiasm for the movie. Blas, one of our resident animation students and an afficionado of fantasy film, gave it a discerning thumbs up. The Baltimore Sun assured us: "It's full of wit, charm and wonder." Many reviewers have commented on the "timeless" look of the film (as "timeless" as robots can be). With their muted colors and patina, these robots look like the tin toy variety — like the ones that kids grew up with in the '50s, or something you could build yourself. That's a welcome relief after all this cheesey CGI stuff that already looks dated by the time it hits the video store shelf. This is an animated endeavor that's meant to charm as much as impress. Roger Ebert describes the special aesthetic: "It looks happy, and more to the point, it looks harmonious." So there it is, your "release of the week," by default... and then some.
............//NEW TITLES//............
FINISTERRE.
Documentary/Experimental.
Featuring the music of Saint Etienne.
Directed by Paul Kelly and Kieran Evans.
* There are few films that are coined as 'psychogeographical' on the DVD cover. The term (often contextualized within the radical 1970s French intellectual movement Situationist International) refers to an emotional exploration of a particular place. In the case of a 'psychogeographical' film, the location becomes the main character. Here the leading role is played by London. This is a loving and atmospheric tribute to the city in all its contemporary glory and ruin — as conceived and scored by the dazzling English band Saint Etienne. A few other characters show up too, and they are the very coolest of the English underground, such as musicians Vashti Bunyan and Vic Godard, and artist Julian Opie. If you've got an experimental itch, give this one a try. It may be refreshing to watch a film about a whole city, and not just the solipsistic problems of a few humans who happen to live there! The Daily Telegraph wrote that the film is filled with "beauty, pathos, magic..." Sight & Sound reported that it is "an inspiration to London-lovers everywhere." And even Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, concurs: "Anyone who loves London will love FINISTERRE." Also recommended: Patrick Keiller's 1997 'psychogeographical' film about England, ROBINSON IN SPACE, which is stocked in both stores (and pictured above).
GUERRILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST.
Documentary.
Directed by Robert Stone.
LORDS OF DOGTOWN.
Drama/Sports.
Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, John Robinson, Heath Ledger.
Directed by John Linson.
MODIGLIANI.
Drama/Biography.
Andy Garcia, Elsa Zylberstein, Eva Herzigova.
Directed by Mick Davis.
ROBOTS.
Animation.
Voices of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Robin Williams.
Directed by Chris Wedge.
See above: "release of the week."
............//SERIES//............
CREATURE COMFORTS, SERIES 1.
THE DICK CAVETT SHOW, ROCK ICONS: 9 EPISODES 1969-1974.
Guests include David Bowie, George Harrison, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Sly and the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shankar, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
DUKES OF HAZZARD, 3 FAVORITE EPISODES.
MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS, COMPLETE SERIES. (16 DVD RENTALS.)
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, SERIES 3.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
BAD TIMING. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Drama. 1980.
Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell, Harvey Keitel.
Directed by Nicholas Roeg.
THE CRAZY STRANGER (GADJO DILO).
Drama/Comedy/Music. France/Romania. 1997.
Directed by Tony Gatlif.
* A longstanding foreign film favorite with our customers, this is the vibrant story of a young Frenchman being bawdily inducted into Romanian gypsy culture. The San Francisco Chronicle: "The talk is raw, the atmosphere is earthy, the drink is strong and the sex is not exactly refined." No wonder our customers dig it! The Chicago Tribune: "A great, free, emotionally powerful pageant that, at its best, makes your body and soul dance." The New York Times: "Heartwarming and hysterical!"
EAT THE RICH.
Comedy. England. 1987.
Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Miranda Richardson, Lemmy from Motorhead, Paul McCartney, Bill Wyman, Robbie Coltrane, Katrin Cartlidge.
Directed by Peter Richardson.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Music/Experimental. 1976.
David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Buck Henry.
Directed by Nicholas Roeg.
RESIDENT ALIEN.
Documentary. 1991.
Directed by Jonathan Nossiter.
* Fresh on the heels of Nossiter's acclaimed expose of the wine industry, MONDOVINO, the prestigious documentary distributor Docurama has released this earlier work — a portrait of the eccentric, androgynous personality Quentin Crisp. Sartotrial and satirical, the charming Crisp utilizes his chance in front of the camera to introduce us to a range of friends — from Andy Warhol superstars to Sting to John Hurt, who played Crisp in the film THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT. Crisp's tour of downtown New York now stands as a special document of the last days of the city's bohemian culture — a sort of addendum to the Jean Michel Basquiat vehicle DOWNTOWN 81, which was produced a decade earlier.
WHO ARE THE DEBOLTS? AND WHERE DID THEY GET NINETEEN KIDS?
Documentary. 1977.
Directed by John Korty.
* Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, this was called "the most affirmative, inspirational document ever put on film" by The Washington Post. Overly effusive, maybe, but it is admirable that this portrait of Bob and Dorothy, their six kids from previous marriages, and their thirteen adopted children (among them a victim of the Vietnam War, a blind boy and a girl born without limbs) is able to inspire and uplift but resist sentimentality. A documentary classic. The DVD includes the follow-up film STEPPIN' OUT: THE DEBOLTS GROW UP, filmed five years later as the children entered adolescence.
****
**** new release list no. 31
The 9th annual Madcat International Women's Film Festival is currently playing in town. Screenings run through September 27 at some our favorite filmgoing venues in the city.
In honor of Madcat, a short list of women we love:
Susan Sontag, whose extraordinary perceptions of cinema are explored in a recent New Yorker article entitled THE MOVIEGOER. Did you read it yet?
The eight performers who — in one of the most surreal casting decisions ever — alternate playing the main role (a 13-year-old girl) in Todd Solondz's PALINDROMES, now available on DVD.
Our neighbor and customer Kelly Duane, who deserved all the good press she got for her righteous environmental documentary MONUMENTAL, released on DVD this week.
The fantastic actress and executive producer Tilda Swinton, who is in town this week to attend the SF premiere of the new Mike MIlls movie THUMBSUCKER. The special screening is part of the chic media arts festival RESFEST, which rocks the city September 21-25.
Hey Potrero customers! This is easy and important: You can make a contribution to the century-old Potrero Hill Neighborhood House by buying a pack of 5 raffle tickets for $5 at our 18th Street shop. You are entering for a chance to win one of three Four Star blocks (20 rentals each). Other prizes include: A 512 MB iPod Shuffle, leather goods from Delirious, a baseball autographed by JT Snow, and gift certificates to Sports Basement, Axis Cafe, Christopher's Books, Yogasita, Third Street Pilates, Farley's and more more more... The Neighborhood House (or NABE) is a community center serving those in need, "from the cradle to the grave," with an emphasis on youth and education.
Go, community! Isn't San Francisco special?
love, four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN.
Documentary/Music. PBS.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.
* This is what they call "an event": Early Dylan as biographed by Martin Scorsese, over the course of four hours and two DVDs. Rousing renditions of songs such as MR. TAMBOURINE MAN and LIKE A ROLLING STONE. Intimate footage of Odetta, Joan Baez and underground folk heroes from the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene. A bunch of British teenagers who rowdily (yet intelligently) debate the merits of Dylan's musical evolution. Dylan's "screen test" for Andy Warhol. Recent interviews with Dylan himself, as well as "talking head" duty served by esteemed colleagues and friends. It's all here in this comprehensive documentary, which goes all the way back to Dylan's childhood, but focuses on the first five years of his popularity. Yet to premiere on television and never released in theaters, NO DIRECTION HOME is filled with a contagious freneticism. We put it on in the store to test it out, and it definitely drew a crowd. Whereas D.A. Pennebaker's famous piece DON'T LOOK BACK depicted Dylan as a brat, and countless writers have heralded him as a god or at least a genius, Scorsese's approach is refreshingly even-keeled: He treats Dylan as a poet and musician. But there is no denying that Dylan's rise to fame was auspicious, and his political message hugely influential. So these are four merited hours of viewing — an imperative study of a pop culture icon.
.............//NEW TITLES//............
BORN INTO BROTHELS.
Documentary.
Directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman.
* A look at the transformative journey of a group of extraordinary children in Calcutta's red light district. Michael Sragow of the Baltimore Sun assures us that: "The title captures the film's harrowing qualities, but not its energy, its limpid beauty or its spiritual grace." Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
BROTHERS.
Drama. Denmark.
Connie Nielsen, Ulrich Thomsen.
Directed by Susanne Bier.
CARTER FAMILY: WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN?
Documentary/Music. PBS.
Directed by Mark Samels & Jacqueline Shearer.
COWARDS BEND THE KNEE.
Experimental.
Directed by Guy Maddin.
INSIDE DEEP THROAT.
Documentary.
Directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.
* That would be DEEP THROAT the controversial porno movie, not "Deep Throat" the D.C. snitch. DEEP THROAT the controversial porno movie is reported to be the highest grossing film of all time! Everyone from Dr. Ruth to Norman Mailer has something to say about the film's popularity, its social impact, its place in American cultural history, not to mention the gender politics of the anatomical anomaly which provides the film's major plot device. It's all rather amusing and sometimes shocking — but actually serves less to expose dirty scandals and more to reveal the optimism and naivete of the' 70s sexual revolution.
IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG.
Comedy. England.
Directed by Michael Dowse.
THE LONGEST YARD.
Comedy.
Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds.
Directed by Peter Segal.
MINDHUNTERS.
Action.
Val Kilmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Christian Slater, LL Cool J, Patricia Velasquez.
Directed by Renny Harlin.
MONUMENTAL: DAVID BROWER'S FIGHT FOR WILD AMERICA.
Documentary.
Directed by Kelly Duane.
* Four Star customer Kelly Duane's rhapsodic biography of environmentalist David Brower focuses on how he evolved the Sierra Club from a loose bunch of hiking aficionados into a rigorous advocacy group with substantial influence on public policy. Duane's film may lack the sort of sneaky sub-plots and manipulative style which have made many recent documentaries into audience favorites. By contrast, MONUMENTAL is a rather straightforward, almost pedagogical affair. But the film is handled with a fittingly organic grace, and features a nice soundtrack with bands like American Analog Set and Beachwood Sparks. It's got style, and a raw spirit — derived both from nostalgia for more pastoral times, as well as a determined optimism for our earthly future — that will make you want to pick up litter and picket the industrial encroachment on our special wilderness.
NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN.
Documentary/Music.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.
* See above: "release of the week."
PALINDROMES.
Drama/Comedy/Independent/Experimental.
Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stephen Adly-Guirgis, Richard Masur. Debra Monk, Sharon Wilkins.
Directed by Todd Solondz.
* A quizzical affair from Todd Solondz, director of HAPPINESS, WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE and STORYTELLING. As in these other films, Solondz is relentless... Subject matter includes pedophilia, abortion and Jesus freaks — all dressed up in his peculiar vision of American suburbia: a droll mixture of the mundane and the grotesque. As with his other films, Solondz creates a plaintive form of tragedy built on characters with motivations transgressive, absurd or simply selfish. This newest project is famous for casting seven actresses (along with one young boy) in the lead role — a 13-year-old girl who is desperate to become pregnant. Each performer tackles one section of the movie. Jennifer Jason Leigh is the most famous to give the character of Aviva a spin. The formidable African-American actress Sharon Wilkins is the most breathtaking. Whether or not this experiment works depends on the eye of the beholder. PALINDROMES contains moments of great beauty and surprise, and at its best serves as an unsettling meditation on contemporary American identity. But opinions will vary greatly. Many Solondz fans will be intrigued and entertained. Others are sure to call it misanthropic and offensive. Few will find it to be a necessary film. Most will just find it really weird.
THE SIXTIES: THE YEARS THAT SHAPED A GENERATION.
Documentary. PBS.
TURTLES CAN FLY.
Drama. Iran/Iraq.
Directed by Bhman Ghobadi.
* Set in the acclaimed director's native Kurdistan on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq, and told through the matter-of-fact perspective of children. New York Post: "This isn't a war movie. Rather, it's a powerful, heart-tugging portrait of the innocent victims of conflict." The New Republic: "Masterly: It courses before us with a grace, a control that paradoxically bespeaks love and anger." Washington Post: "A soaring achievement, without ever leaving the ground."
TWIN SISTERS.
Romantic Drama. Netherlands. (Dutch, German & English languages.)
Directed by Ben Sombogaart.
VOYAGES.
Drama. Poland.
Directed by Emmanuelle Finkiel.
............//SERIES//............
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, SERIES 1.
............//FAMILY//............
BARBIE & THE MAGIC OF PEGASUS.
ADVENTURES OF SHARK BOY & LAVA GIRL.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
DON'T BE A MENACE TO SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN THE HOOD.
Comedy. 1996.
Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans.
Directed by Paris Barclay.
DOTTIE GETS SPANKED.
Experimental Short. 1993.
Directed by Todd Haynes.
KOLYA.
Drama. Czech Republic. 1996.
Directed by Jan Sverak.
L'ENFER.
Drama. France. 1994.
Emmanuelle Beart, Francois Cluzet.
Directed by Claude Chabrol.
MAJOR DUNDEE.
Western. 1965.
Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, James Colburn.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
MALLRATS.
Comedy/Independent. 1995.
Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Renee Humphrey.
Directed by Kevin Smith.
THE OUTSIDERS: THE COMPLETE NOVEL.
Teen Drama. 1983.
Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
OVER THE EDGE.
Teen Drama. 1979.
Matt Dillon, Pamela Ludwig, Michael Eric Kramer.
Directed by Jonathan Kaplan.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: BEST OF DAN AKROYD.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: BEST OF JOHN BELUSHI.
THE SORROW AND THE PITY.
Documentary. France. 1969.
Directed by Marcel Ophüls.
12 ANGRY MEN.
Drama. 1957.
Henry Fonda.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
WALLACE & GROMIT IN THREE AMAZING ADVENTURES.
Animation.
Directed by Nick Park.
WORK OF DIRECTOR ANTON CORBIJN.
Music Video Compilation.
WORK OF DIRECTOR JONATHAN GLAZER.
Music Video Compilation.
WORK OF DIRECTOR MARK ROMANEK.
Music Video Compilation.
WORK OF DIRECTOR STEPHANE SEDNAOUI.
Music Video Compilation.
****
****new release list no. 30
A couple reminders...
Our friend Jenny from Erase Errata has organized a hurricane benefit, punk rock style: The Bayou Relief Benefit takes place on Thursday the 15th at El Rio. Our very own Bobby is DJing. He says, "I have a feeling that if you like EXACTLY the same kind of music that I do, you will enjoy my set." Plus, Bobby's tireless efforts have brought in even more prizes to the giant door raffle: Red Hill Books, Streetlight Records, Goat Hill Pizza and others have joined Four Star Video, Blue Plate Restaurant, Kitchen Sink Magazine and Good Vibrations in donating gift certificates. Genuinely cool prizes! Hot music! Sweet relief.
And Satuday the 17th marks your last chance this year to catch Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema. To be screened at Saint Mary's Park, Saturday's program features 8 works by local filmmakers. Subject matter ranges from local surf culture to the gay marriage controversy to young women caught up in San Francisco's juvenile delinquency system. Congratulations to the Outdoor Cinema crew on this year's strong programming.
But, on to this week's happenings in indoor cinema...
................................ 4 star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.
Sci-Fi/Comedy. England.
Martin Freeman (pictured), Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Rockwell.
Directed by Garth Jennings.
* What you'd probably expect from putting Douglas Adams' beloved novel into the hands of a video music director: A lot of style, a little loose on the story. Even with a screenplay co-written by Adams himself, the narrative feels rushed and full of loopholes. It lacks the sharp twists and, as the LA Times put it, "forward momentum" which would have made this an adventure classic. That said, it is a largely enjoyable romp, with cool graphic design elements and an excellent cast — including the understated Martin Freeman (of the BBC series THE OFFICE), scene-stealing Mos Def, charming Zooey Deschanel and cameos from Helen Mirren, Stephen Fry and John Malkovich. Every attempt was made to maintain the charmingly droll tone of the book. Yet critics have argued that "droll" translates to "dull" onscreen. It's a little disappointing, and pales in comparison to some of the truly inspired new adventure comedies, like KUNG FU HUSTLE, DONNIE DARKO and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Stilll, it's worthwhile viewing, escapism that doesn't feel totally dumbed-down... in other words, a solid Saturday night choice.
............//NEW TITLES//............
CHILDSTAR.
Comedy. Independent.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Don McKellar, Mark Rendall.
Directed by Don McKellar.
FEVER PITCH.
Romantic Comedy.
Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon.
Directed by Peter & Bobby Farrelly.
HEAD-ON.
Romantic Drama. Germany/Turkey.
Directed by Faith Akin.
THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.
See above: "release of the week."
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE.
Thriller.
Joaquin Phoenix, Claire Danes, Sean Penn.
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg.
* A surprise entry from the Danish director Vinterberg, who so superbly crafted the intense drama THE CELEBRATION. Here he utilizes a cast of "edgy" Hollywood actors in a foray into the action/thriller genre, set in a New York City of the near future. Danes and Phoenix play a young couple on the verge of divorce, who find their domestic drama complicated by a sudden game of survival, as her championship ice skating career has embroiled them both in a deadly conspiracy. Considering the elements randomly assembled here — a futuristic setting, an ice skating controversy — the results are predictably hit-and-miss. Those who recommend the film tend to applaud its ambitious sense of imagination and liken it to the enigmatic puzzles of David Lynch.
NOBODY KNOWS.
Drama. Japan.
Directed by Kore-Eda Hirokazu.
* This would be the film purist's selection for "release of the week." A haunting tale based on true events, it is the story of four abandoned children. When their young mother moves them in to a new apartment, she treats it as a game: One of the rules is that only the oldest, Akira, can go outside. Their mother leaves — first for a month, then possibly forever. As the money runs out and the utilities are shut off, Akira struggles to keep his siblings safe. 12-year-old Yagira Yuya won the Best Actor prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of Akira. The Chicago Tribune wrote: "One of those special movies that can give us a new way of seeing."
ROCK SCHOOL.
Documentary.
Directed by Don Argott.
SCHIZO.
Thriller. Russia.
Directed by Guka Omarova.
WINTER SOLSTICE.
Drama.
Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber, Allison Janney.
Directed by John Sternfeld.
............//SERIES//...........
DA ALI G SHOW, SERIES 2.
EMPIRE FALLS. HBO Mini-Series.
Comedy/Drama.
Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Paul Newman, Robin Wright-Penn, Aidan Quinn, Joanne Woodward.
Directed by Fred Schespi.
Adapted by Richard Russo from his own Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
PEEP SHOW, SERIES 1. BBC.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: THE BEST OF GILDA RADNER.
............//FAMILY//............
ADVENTURES OF THE LITTLE PRINCE, COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES.
POOH'S HEFFALUMP HALLOWEEN MOVIE.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER.
Drama/Music. 1980.
Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D'Angelo, Levon Helm.
Directed by Michael Apted.
Based on the autobiography by Loretta Lynn.
****
****new release list no. 29
This week's big release, CRASH, features several former teen pin-ups: From Ryan Phillippe to Matt Dillon — who emerges from his "wounded puppy" image of the early '80s to play a jerk cop. Fewer of you will remember the charming Australian beauty Thandie Newton from her own spell as an adolescent actress. Yep... that's her in the tender Australian film FLIRTING (1991), playing a bookish (yet sensually liberated) exchange student from Africa. The film also stars Noah Taylor (who popped up in THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU last year), not to mention a prim young woman named Nicole Kidman.
The early 90s seemed like the ripe time for Australian filmmaking. Remember MURIEL'S WEDDING, STRICTLY BALLROOM and THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT? They were "wacky" comedies that spoke to something deeper — and they didn't so much dovetail into dramatic moments as somehow, amidst the exaggerated humor, subtly make a dramatic impact.
These days, the country that is contributing a prolific cinematic output and creating its own sub-genre is South Korea. This is a wholly different type of filmmaking: Often dark and violent, these films reflect the turbulence of their nation's past. Dozens of acclaimed Korean titles have arrived over the past couple of years, and there's more out this week — the cult hit SAVE THE GREEN PLANET, as well as 3-IRON, the latest excercise in cinematic poetry from Ki-Duk Kim, director of the beloved SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER... AND SPRING.
We at Four Star are, like everyone else, concerned about the plight of those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. For starters, our shop is participating in a relief fund-raising event organized by Jenny Hoyston — Four Star customer and magnetic lead singer of Erase Errata. The event will take place next Thursday, September 15, at El Rio. A Four Star gift certificate will be offered as a raffle prize, alongside donations from Good Vibrations, The Blue Plate restaurant and Kitchen Sink magazine. It's nice to see local businesses come together for a common cause.
Hey, hey, speaking of events... Don't forget that Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema continues these next two Saturdays. On Saturday the 10th at Bernal Playground, local films include GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP, about the Precita Eyes muralists, and PROM NIGHT, our dear friend Stephanie Miller's charming documentary about the gay prom in the east bay.
Take care of each other,
team four star.
............//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//............
CRASH.
Drama/Mystery.
Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Frazer, Ludacris, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe.
Directed by Paul Haggis.
* A cerebral soap opera set in Los Angeles, like MAGNOLIA, SHORT CUTS and GRAND CANYON before it. While critics have jabbed the film for lacking the originality of those predescessors, film audiences have generally found the movie to be a seductive entertainment. The New Yorker: "Hyper-articulate and often breathtakingly intelligent and always brazenly alive." Entertainment Weekly: "The stunning, must-see drama CRASH is proof that words have not lost the ability to shock in our anesthetized society." While others have called it overdetermined or too nihilistic, we're wagering that this one's going to be a biggie in the store — a new conversation piece for the water cooler (or internet message board).
............//NEW TITLES//............
CRASH.
See above: "release of the week."
FEAR AND TREMBLING.
Comedy. France. (French & Japanese languages.)
Sylive Testud.
Directed by Alain Corneau.
* A comedy about the calamitous career of a Japanese-born French woman, this film has called "SECRETARY meets LOST IN TRANSLATION." Washington Post critic Curt Fields found something even more idiosynchratic in its tone, likening it to the BBC comedy THE OFFICE and the comic strip DILBERT. The Onion: "A feverishly compelling film that doesn't force feed its ideals to its audience." The Chicago Reader: "A fascinating oddity." Roger Ebert points out: "May be a sardonic view of Japanese corporate culture, but that's not all it is. The movie is also subtly sexual and erotic, despite the fact that every scene takes place in the office and there is not a single overt sexual act or word or gesture or reference." Oh, Roger, you perv. Quirky and hilarious, with a delightfully expressive performance by cartoon-faced Sylvie Testud, this well-crafted film is an example of what separates the fine art of comedy from simple feel-good faire.
GIRL IN THE CAFE.
Romance/Drama. England.
Kelly Macdonald, Bill Nighy.
Directed by David Yates.
SMILE.
Adventure/Drama.
Mika Boorem, Luoyong Wang, Beau Bridges, Cheri Oteri, Beau Bridges, Sean Astin.
Directed by Jeffrey Kramer.
SAVE THE GREEN PLANET.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi. Korea.
Directed by Jun-hwan Jeong.
* Wildly inventive and over-the-top violent (in an attempt to stir an anti-violence message), this underground hit is one of the more bizarre genre-benders to arrive in our shop in a while. Salon.com: "The best film in the alien attack, conspiracy theory, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS rip-off, disgraced-cop drama, deranged circus wirwalker, anti-capitalist parable genre I've seen this year." We're glad when something this weird comes along. What would our teenage film geeks do without weird films? This one may appeal to fans of Terry Gilliam and KUNG FU HUSTLE. Revel in it.
3-IRON.
Drama/Romance. Korea.
Directed by Ki-Duk Kim.
............//SERIES//............
JAMIE OLIVER: OLIVER'S TWIST 2.
* Fantastic. Super fantastic. Absoulutely pucker! Who can resist the boyish, chubby enthusiasm of British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver? These episodes from Oliver's cooking show are perfect to watch while you're knitting, reading the paper or, of course, cooking. It's charming background noise for foodies and anglophiles. Watch Oliver cooks up flavorful meals and fresh tips for his friends — a couple of skater buddies, the macho builders working on his house, and a best mate who spends most of his life in the wilds cooking on a portable gas stove.
LOST, SERIES 1.
* A plane from Australia bound for L.A. veers a thousand miles off course before crashing on what appears to be a deserted tropical island. There are 48 known survivors — most of whom look remarkably like attractive TV actors — and many of whom are harboring as many secrets as the mysterious island. The island slowly reveals itself to be maybe mystical and definitely trecherous. But it also just might offer to each of the survivors something they'd been looking for all along. This series may lack the postmodern humor of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and the psychological complexity of SIX FEET UNDER, but as far as adventures go, we haven't seen anything this riveting in a long time. If you're not one to give in to the cheap thrills of "reality TV" like SURVIVOR, you may find yourself inclined towards intrigue of another sort — the supernatural and science fictive —which is what this show serves up. We have to admit we're hooked. Spooky moments keep giving us the chills! Starring Matthew Fox of PARTY OF FIVE as a heroic, hunky doctor, former hobbit Dominick Monoghue as a drug-addicted rocker, charming newcomer Evangeline Lily, and Naveen Andrews, the swarthy star of British teleplays like THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA.
MILLENNIUM, SERIES 3.
* The third and final installment of this underrated show from X-FILES creator Chris Carter. Focusing on the covert (and increasingly suspect) Millennium Group — an association of former law enforcement experts purportedly battling "the growing forces of evil in the world" — it is a show of constant twists, combining science fiction adventure and political ethics to an interesting effect.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE DEER HUNTER.
Drama/War. 1978.
Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep.
Directed by Michael Cimino.
THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS.
Drama/Horror. 1985.
Timothy Dalton, Jonathan Price, Twiggy.
Directed by Freddie Francis. (Based on a screenplay by Dylan Thomas.)
THE OMEN.
Horror. 1976.
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick.
Directed by Richard Donner.
DAMIEN: OMEN II. (1978)
OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT. (1981)
OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING. (1991)
PARIS IS BURNING.
Documentary. 1990.
Directed by Jennie Livingston.
* When this startling documentary first appeared in 1990, it garnered attention for exposing the true originators of the "vogue" dancing trend popularized by Madonna — the poor drag queens, transsexuals and prostitutes who populate New York City's Chelsea Piers. Viewers were further intrigued by the outlandish extent to which these performers prepare for their competition balls. Over 15 years later, "voguing" has been replaced by the likes of "rize" dancing, and the context may not feel as timely. But the content remains riveting: As "vogue" dancing emulates the body language of fashion magazines, this movie illuminates the aspirational goals held dear by some of society's most ostricized peoples. Poor, transgendered and of color, the drag queens in this movie are caught between "the American dream" and the harsh and violent reality of their daily lives. Not just a spectacle of powder and ribbons, this film reveals desperate, talented individuals struggling within the city of New York and the captitalist system at large. Filled with both celebration and disillusionment, but never judgement or conclusion. An important contribution to queer cinema and the documentary genre.
TOUKI BOUKI.
Drama. Senegal (Wolof language.) 1973.
Directed by Djibril Diop Mambety.
THE STING.
Crime/Comedy. 1973.
Paul Newman, Robert Redford.
Directed by George Roy Hill.
****
****new release list no. 28
Many of our favorite new films are less driven by plot than by character. They find magic in minute details, and make barely noticeable events seem monumental. We're talking about stuff in the theaters like JUNEBUG, ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW and BROKEN FLOWERS. Also, stuff on DVD such as SIDEWAYS, THE STATION AGENT and AMERICAN SPLENDOR. The details are deftly handled, yet the stories are left loose and untidy -- harkening to Marcel Proust's prounouncement that, "the incurable imperfection is the very essence of the present moment."
Out this week on DVD is Series 4 of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM -- a show full of incurable imperfections. It's a show that lampoons the extent to which minute details can become ridiculously monumental. It's the brainchild of Larry David, he with perennial foot-in-mouth, and the co-creator of SEINFELD. It is funny to look back on how SEINFELD changed funny. All of a sudden, a sitcom was basing its situations on digressive conversation and compulsive observation. Routed through a distinctly Jewish cadence, the show suprised "the suits" with its ability to make a mass audience laugh. The most obvious innovation of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM has been that, being on HBO, it is even more provocative, lewd and politically incorrect. But it also tinkers with the sitcom formula even further -- removing both studio audience and laugh track, hence any cues to its punch lines altogether. That's how confident the writers are that some people are just going to find this stuff really funny.
Not that we don't love sci fi and capers, but this week's list is dedicated to the prosaic and mundane. To smartly observed indie dramas, and to CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM -- a show whose first ever episode revolved around a pesky fabric "bunch-up" in the crotch of Larry David's chinos.
As they say, it's all in the details.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: love, four star.
............//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//............
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, SERIES 4.
* In which Larry David buys medical marijuana, takes a hooker to a baseball game, steals a golf club from a corpse and attempts to cash in on his tenth anniversary present with Gina Gershon. At the opening of the season, Mel Brooks invites Larry to join the cast of THE PRODUCERS. This pretext will, of course, provide a whole season's worth of faux pas, missteps and general bufoonery on the part of Larry. In the first episode alone, he manages to offend a doctor, a lesbian couple, a wheelchair user and Ben Stiller. Wonderfully nuanced social satire, but not for the easily irritated.
............//NEW TITLES//............
CHRYSTAL.
Drama.
Billy Bob Thorton, Lisa Blount, Ray McKinnon.
Directed by Ray McKinnon.
* This Southern drama is set in the Ozarks, and sets out to be "part Flannery O'Connor, part Johnny Cash." It was written and directed by Ray McKinnon, a ruggedly handsome actor who began his career playing Alabama State Trooper #1 in DRIVING MISS DAISY, and went on to bigger roles in things like DEADWOOD and O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? Somewhere along the way, he picked up an Oscar for his short film, THE ACCOUNTANT. This marks his feature-length directorial debut. The Hollywood Reporter wrote, " A grand story of redemption, laced with barbecued wit and slopped with intrigue, CHRYSTAL is a high heaping of brilliant storytelling."
FAITH OF MY FATHERS.
Drama/Biography.
Shawn Hatosy, Scott Glen.
Directed by Peter Markle.
* Go ahead and accuse us of stocking a bunch of left-leaning propoganda on our shelves. This antidote is a pointedly optmistic portrait of Republican senator and former POW John McCain, as based on McCain's own memoir. Infused with the expected patriotism and made for TV, it's not a likely candidate to become a "Four Star favorite," but nonetheless will appeal to the curious and particularly those who enjoy topical political stories.
FUNNY HA HA.
Romantic Comedy. Independent.
Directed by Andrew Bujalski.
* A sort of updated REALITY BITES for the friendster generation, in which recent college graduates struggle with a university hangover and disillusionment with the working world. Yes, it's the same "twentysomething anomie" concocted by countless first-time directors, but they say it's not the story itself, but how you tell it. And Bujalski has received the favor of many critics for his incisive viewpoint, natural dialogue and ebullient pacing.
KONTROLL.
Thriller. Hungary.
Directed by Nimrod Antal.
* Set in the labryinthine Budapest subway system, this is a fast-paced romantic thriller for fans of sleek European action flicks. A critic at salon.com suggested, "I'm not going to tell you this is the best European film of the year, but it's definitely the hottest -- it's the one you want to run out and see as soon as you possibly can." Attempting not just to jolt, stump and thrill its viewers, but also to serve as an allegorical tale (the San Francisco Chronicle dubbed it "an existential thriller"), the film picked up multiple international film festival awards. It should please those who liked international thrillers like THE INTERVIEW (Australia), INSOMNIA (Sweden) and RUN LOLA RUN (Germany).
LA PETITE LILI.
Drama. France.
Nicole Garcia, Bernard Giraudeau, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Ludivine Sagnier.
* The comely actress Ludivine Sagnier (who stole the show from Charlotte Rampling in SWIMMING POOL) is cast as Lili in this Chekhov adaptation. Spiky, well-acted and breezy, but maybe not particularly memorable. Still, a solid choice for fans of wispy French dramas set in the serene provinces.
McLIBEL.
Documentary.
Directed by Franny Armstrong.
* A supersized treat for fans of SUPER SIZE ME and THE YES MEN. Here, two ordinary British citizens dare to sue McDonald's and, perhaps more impressively, they do not give up in the face of countersuits and acts of intimidation, as several corporations and organizations have before them. A funny and suspenseful underdog tale that many viewers have actually preferred to the popular SUPER SIZE ME. (***We apologize that our copies of McLIBEL have been slightly delayed. But we're on top of it, and they will be on the shelves as soon as possible.)
MONSTER-IN-LAW.
Comedy.
Jane Fonda, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes.
Directed by Robert Luketic.
ONG-BAK THE THAI WARRIOR.
Action/Martial Arts. Thailand.
Directed by Prachya Pinkaew.
SAHARA.
Adventure/Comedy.
Mathhew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penelope Cruz, Delroy Lindo, William H. Macy.
Directed by Breck Eisner.
SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES.
Comedy. Germany.
Directed by Michael Schorr.
* Both deadpan and warmhearted, this is the story of a simple man who plays the accordian and lives a life of routine in the small town of Saxon-Anhalt near the river Saale. But when he and his mates are laid off, entropy sets in and life seems to have become a farce. This small journey of a movie is the stuff we'd call a "charmer." The New York Post labels it "a sweet and charming treat," and the Hollywood Reporter chimes in: "a quietly celebratory film about music and human kindness."
STRINGS.
Animation/Fantasy/Experimental. Denmark.
Directed by Anders Ronnow-Klarlund.
WALK ON WATER.
Drama/Thriller. Israel/Sweden. Gay Interest.
Directed by Eytan Fox.
* Eyal, an Israeli hit man, is sent on a mission to track down a former Nazi war criminal who may still be alive. His lead is the German's grandson -- a young gay man whose frankness begins to disarm Eyal's rigid values. As the two men tour Germany together, the movie unravels its secrets in a delicate manner not typical of your average hit man movie. Criticized by some for being contrived and heavyhanded, the film also received positive press for its ambitious and challenging nature. The Los Angeles Times offers: "Does not always convince, but with its interest in a range of issues that matter, it always has our full attention."
WARM SPRINGS.
Drama/Biography.
Kenneth Branagh, Cynthia Nixon.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.
* Another made-for-TV biopic for those so inclined. This one balances out the Republicanism of the John McCain movie with a portrait of FDR. Focusing on his battle with polio as much as his politics, the movie has been generally well-received, notably for the solid acting from its appealing cast.
............//FAMILY//............
CLASSICAL BABY: THE ART SHOW.
CLASSICAL BABY: THE DANCE SHOW.
CLASSICAL BABY: THE MUSIC SHOW.
Animation/Education. HBO.
* Have you already decided whether your 13-month-old kid is more suited to Brown or Wesleyan? Spoon-feeding her Proust along with her porridge? Here's a DVD series which will help you along in your pedagogical goals, as it purports to give kids some culture. The ART DVD is a crawl through a virtual museum stocked with Monet, Degas and Van Gough. The MUSIC edition features an animal orchestra playing Tchaikovsky, Bach and Mozart. We've also got the DANCE DVD coming soon!
LILO & STITCH 2: STICH HAS A GLITCH.
Animation. Disney.
............//SERIES//.............
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, SERIES 4.
* See above: "release of the week."
NIP/TUCK, SERIES 2.
(***We apologize that our copies of NIP/TUCK have been slightly delayed. But we're on top of it, and they will be on the shelves as soon as possible.)
PARANOIA AGENT, COMPLETE SERIES.
Animation. Japan.
****
****new release list no. 27
Welcome to the online edition of our weekly NEW RELEASE LIST.
For now, the brighter layout should make for easier reading. Soon, you'll be able to look up archived reviews. We'll toss in photos and links. And you can post comments! This should be fun. Big, big thanks to our customer Mike Lin, of potrerohillsf.com. He sensed our inertia -- so he went ahead and just built the site for us himself!
What's happening at the movie theaters these days: We're feeling dusty and sun-kissed and chap-lipped. This fall, you'll see coming attractions for the gunslinger DEAR WENDY -- a postmodern showdown written by Lars Von Trier, directed by Thomas Vinterberg and featuring a cast of young indie all-stars. And then there is Ang Lee's BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN -- a gay western (it's about time!) starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger. Woo-hoo!
So, it seems like we're in for a genre revival. The timing is ripe, what with W in the oval office and all. If you're in the mood, each of our locations has a good selection of classic and revisionist westerns. Some of our favorites are: ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID, THE SEARCHERS, MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER, A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS and THE OX BOW INCIDENT. If you're up for a REALLY gay western, don't forget Andy Warhol's midnight movie classic, LONESOME COWBOYS. Others might be interested in the feminist parable, THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO, a relatively little-known 1993 western about a cross dressing female cowboy. And, finally, customers can't get enough of the HBO wild west series, DEADWOOD.
Speaking of series, it's true, it's true... Season 4 of SIX FEET UNDER is out this week. Due to extremely popular demand, we cannot book reservations for specific dates, but rather will add your name to a waiting list, and call you as soon as your desired disc becomes available. Call us up at 826-2900 (Potrero) or 641-5380 (Bernal). As usual, no email reservations.
Thanks again for being a part of our film-loving community. We hope y'all have a good time with the blog. Yee-haw!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 4star.
...........**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK**//............
LAYER CAKE.
Gangster Drama. England.
Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn.
* The renaissance of the British gangster flick continues, having made a notable impression on American audiences with SEXY BEAST, starring Ben Kingsley. This one -- from the producers of SNATCH and LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS -- may not be as inspired as its immediate predecessors, and certainly not as innovative as the original masters, like GET CARTER or THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. In fact, the genre has become far removed from any accurate portrayal of criminal life, but rather has evolved into a game for film geeks seeking clever dialogue and violent action. Spurious, yes, but LAYER CAKE does have all the ingredients for a good night's escapism: Rugged British dudes in smart tailored suits, very fancy guns, tricky plot twists (hence the name) and a hot blonde in black lingerie. Think of it as a high calorie indulgence.
............//NEW TITLES//............
AUDITION. UNCUT SPECIAL EDITION.
Horror.
Directed by Takashi Mike.
* The Japanese cult hit, re-released with some 16 extra minutes of torturous, slow-burning suspense. The San Jose Mercury News likened it to "a swan dive into a pool of spikes and razor wire."
BEAUTY SHOP.
Comedy.
Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Alfre Woodard, Mena Suvari, Kevin Bacon, Djimon Hounsou.
Directed by Bille Woodruff.
THE BROWN BUNNY.
Drama/Independent.
Vincent Gallo, Chloe Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs.
Directed by Vincent Gallo.
* Pretentious hipster makes pretentious road movie by putting his camera in his car, driving cross country, ostensibly exploring the torments of male sexuality. Scores a cameo from retro hipster chick Cheryl Tiegs. Gets contemporary hipster chick Chloe Sevigny to perform a scandalous act of oral sex as the film's climax. The project gets called "the worst film ever to enter competition at Cannes" by Roger Ebert (who later rescinds after seeing a more polished edit). But does it add up to more than all that? Those who say yes will be those who respond to Gallo's grainy, contemplative landscapes, and see this listless visual style as an externalization of male identity crisis and obsessive lust. Then there will be those who eagerly fast forward to THAT scene. Still others will just sigh and groan, and not in THAT way.
HOME OF THE BRAVE.
Documentary.
Narrated by Stockard Channing.
Directed by Paola Di Florio.
* Called "one of the most important films of the year" by Film Threat, this is a portrait of Viola Liuzzo, the 39-year-old mother of five who became the only white woman killed during the civil rights movement.
LACKAWANNA BLUES.
Drama. HBO TV Movie.
S. Epatha Merkerson, Marcus Carl Franklin, Mos Def, Louis Gossett, Jr., Macy Gray, Delroy Lindo, Rosie Perez, Liev Schreiber, Jimmy Smits, Jeffrey Wright.
Directed by George C. Wolfe.
* A story of African American community and one boy's coming-of-age amidst the era of segregation. Informed by blues music and a stellar cast, this HBO made-for-TV movie, based on Ruben Santiago-Hudson's one-man play, received a four star review from USA Today and was called "irresistible" by The New York Times.
LAYER CAKE.
Gangster Drama. England.
Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn.
* See above: "release of the week."
A LOT LIKE LOVE.
Romantic Comedy.
Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet.
OLDBOY.
Thriller. Korea.
Directed by Chan-wook Park.
* This gritty revenge thriller won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. A part of the director's vengeance trilogy, this is the intense tale of a wrongly imprisoned businessman intent on finding the mysterious enemy who had him locked up. From the Chicago Tribune: "It's a movie of such jaw-dropping violence, wild improbability and dazzling style, it overpowers all resistance." From salon.com: "Anguished, beautiful and desperately alive, OLDBOY is a dazzling work of pop culture artistry."
THE RING TWO.
Horror.
Naomi Watts, Simon Baker, David Dorfman, Elizabeth Perkins, Sissy Spacek.
Directed by Hideo Nakata.
............//SERIES//............
SIX FEET UNDER, SERIES 4.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
BOUDU SAVED FROM DROWNING. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Satire. France. 1932.
Michel Simon, Charles Granval.
Directed by Jean Renoir.
THE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Drama/Experimental. Italy. 1950.
Directed by Roberto Rossellini.
Co-Written with Federico Fellini.
FOR EVER MOZART.
Drama. France. 1996.
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard.
HARAKIRI. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Samurai Drama. Japan. 1962.
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi.
THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE.
Drama. Gay Interest. 1968.
Beryl Reid, Susannah York, Coral Browne.
Directed by Robert Aldrich.
* It received an X rating in 1968, but was "downgraded" to an R in 1972, after $75, 0000 worth of court battles from director Robert Aldrich. His 1967 film THE DIRTY DOZEN featured guns, bombs and Nazis, but this one had something to really upset American audiences: lesbian sex. The film, which includes a scene filmed in The Gateway Club, an actual lesbian bar in London, is a catty backstage melodrama in line with some of Aldrich's earlier work, like WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? and HUSH... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE. In fact, rumor has it that Bette Davis was keen on playing Sister George, but the role went to Beryl Reid, who won a Tony for her portrayal of the character on Broadway. Both an interesting historical document and a fun choice for a dinner party.
VINCENT & THEO.
Drama. 1990.
Tim Roth, Paul Rhys.
Directed by Robert Altman.
* Jeremy would like to point out that this is the very first "art film" he went to see at the theaters, at age 16, a full year before he attended the opening night of MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO in downtown San Jose. Things were changing in little Jeremy's little brain, a cinematic awakening which helped inform the "video store guy" he is today. Watching Tim Roth stand in a field of sunflowers (just like Van Gough!) seemed very arty!
WEEKEND.
Drama/Experimental. France. 1967.
Mirielle Darc, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Jean Yanne.
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard.
............//RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS//............
(These films have been on our shelves for a while now, and are getting good feedback. Have you seen them yet?)
DIRTY FILTHY LOVE.
Romantic Comedy. England.
Michael Sheen, Shirley Henderson.
Directed by Adrian Shergold.
* Lots of positive comments from customers on this quirky take on the romantic comedy, wherein the leading man is a thirty-something architect with obsessive-compulsive disorder, not to mention Tourette's syndrome. The critic at Aisle Seat wrote: "You may have to look hard to find DIRTY FILTHY LOVE on the video shelf, but this is an affecting film that deserves to be discovered."
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.
Comedy. Australia.
Paul Hogan, Michael Caton.
Directed by Dean Murphy.
* If you have always wanted to see Crocodile Dundee masquerade as a gay dude, this one's for you. There's a pretty good buzz on this buddy comedy, in which two men pose as a homosexual couple in order to qualify for a new tax break. (This film SO does not take place in America!) A writer for efilmcritic.com proffers: "I want to yell at the filmmakers for sticking to such a tired formula, but I just can't. They made me smile too much."
****
****new release list no. 26
The newest film from beloved Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai is called 2046, and it will open in theaters soon. His previous work, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, is a nostalgic period piece about unconsummated passion. As a quasi-sequel to that story, this newest film is a surprise: A surreal foray into the science fiction genre.
If you haven't already, be sure to watch the gorgeous IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, available on Criterion DVD in both stores. And -- filling a big void in the Potrero Hill library -- we are happy to announce the arrival of early Wong Kar-Wai films on DVD: AS TEARS GO BY, DAYS OF BEING WILD, CHUNGKING EXPRESS, FALLEN ANGELS, and HAPPY TOGETHER. Kar-Wai's masterful combination of slick visuals and tender poeticism is already a favorite amongst Bernal Heights customers. Time magazine calls Kar-Wai "the most romantic filmmaker in the world." His films may redefine your notion of romance altogether.
Climb upstairs to the ATTIC at our Potrero HIll location, and check out STILL LOVES -- our exhibition of drawings by staff members based on scenes from favorite movies. Reflecting the far flung tastes of our personnel, the selected films are: THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT, COFFY, GREY GARDENS, THE APARTMENT, SANS SOLEIL, METROPOLIS and WAR OF THE WORLDS. Besides a chance to show off the creative inclinations of our staff, this show inagurates the use of the ATTIC as a venue for art related to film and video. We'll keep you posted on future exhibitions.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
SIN CITY.
Action/Thriller.
Jessica Alba, Benicio Del Toro, Britany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood.
Directed by Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez, with Quentin Tarantino.
* Expectations for comic book movies are pretty low. Audiences have become numb to the barrage of mediocre adaptations. SIN CITY ups the ante a little -- it has generally pleased graphic novel geeks and impressed film critics. It's a blood-soaked noir which Roger Ebert described as "a comic book brought to life and pumped with steroids." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote: "The worst thing I can say about this savage, sexy and ferociously funny screen translation of Frank MIller's graphic novels is that it's too much of a good thing." Maybe it's just those lowered expectations, but the Washington Post went so far as to call it "a guaranteed must-see for its generation." The critic at Newsweek opted for a more visceral brand of hyperbole: "A blitzkrieg with action so bare-knuckled you'll leave the theater spitting out teeth." We are predicting numerous "discussions" at our checkout counters between toothless 11-year-old boys and their pacificist moms over whether this is "appropriate viewing." Just so you know, we don't wanna get involved.
............//NEW TITLES//............
ALIEN PLANET.
Documentary/Animation. (Discovery Channel.)
Featuring Stephen Hawking, Craig Venter.
Directed by Pierre de Lespinois.
THE BALLAD OF JACK & ROSE.
Drama.
Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Keener, Camilla Belle.
Directed by Rebecca Miller.
BEACH CAFE.
Drama. France (French & Arabic languages).
Directed by Benoit Graffin.
Based on the story by Paul Bowles & Mohammed Mrabet.
BRAKHAGE.
Documentary/Filmmkaing.
Directed by Jim Shedden.
DAVE CHAPPELLE: FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH (LIVE AT THE FILLMORE.)
Stand-Up Comedy.
GIRL PLAY.
Romantic Comedy. Gay Interest.
Robin Greenspan, Lacie Harmon, Mink Stole, Dom DeLuise.
Directed by Lee Friedlander.
* Dom De Luise (remember him?) plays a theater director whose two female leads are falling passionately in love. Called "vivacious, sexy, clever!" by Curve magazine, it also stars MInk Stole (remember her?) as a hilariously distraught mother.
THE MAN WHO COPIED.
Comedy. Brazil. (Portguese language.)
Directed by Jorge Furtado.
MEMORIES OF MURDER.
Thriller. Korea.
Directed by Bong Joon-Ho.
* Based on the true story of South Korea's first and most notorious serial killer, this film was called "a tense, old school crime pic with a dark edge that's not for the squeamish" by BBC Films.
MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS.
Animation. Japan. Studio Ghibli.
Directed by Isao Takahata.
* Not what we've come to expect from Japanese animation, this family satire does not include monsters that morph into jewelry or hemaphradite spirits that take the form of lightbulbs. It may actually be more comparable to THE SIMPSONS, and is drawn in a sketchy vstyle reminiscent of something you'd once find in the Sunday funnies. Called "a wise and comedically freewheeling look at suburban family life" by Brad Bird of Pixar studios, this unusual little film has been charming and entertaining our staff when we put it on in the store.
PLATFORM.
Drama. China. (Mandarin language.)
Directed by Jia Zhang-Ke.
* Those interested in the culture of post-Cultural Revolution China will be intrigued by PLATFORM, the precursor to Jia's film UNKOWN PLEASURES. Set in the 1980s, the film follows a troupe of state-sanctioned performers whose work praises Chairman Mao. As China moves towards Western-style capitalism, the newly privatized group switches to spandex, electric guitars and a compelling experience of disiullusionment.J. Hobberman of The Village Voice noted this important work as being "one of the riches films of the past decade."
POM POKO.
Animation. Japan. Studio Ghibli.
Directed by Isao Takahata.
* Unlike MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS, this week's other new entry from anime director Takahata DOES indudge the whimsical and bizarre style more typical of Japanese cartoons. The adorable raccoons of the Tama Hills are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. So they ban together in the name of preservation and survival. Takahata treats the common Japanese theme of balance between nature and the modern world with enchantingly weird humor. The racoon's secret weapon? They are working to perfect the ancient art of transformation (such as emulating humans or turning their crotches into roadways, for instance).
SIN CITY.
(see above: *release of the week*)
TEN.
Drama. Iran/France. (Farsi language.)
Directed by Abbas Kiarostami.
* Heralded as a new masterwork of cinematic simplicity, TEN is shot on digital camera within the confines of a single vehicle -- a Tehran taxi cab driven by a chador-clad divorcee. Director Kiarostami, renowned for works such as ATASTE OF CHERRY, allows the driver's conversations with various female passengers and her young son to provide a snapshot of modern life in Iran. New York magazine wrote: "A hypnotic portrait of a modern woman's life in Iran and a minimalist wonder that will awe many."
THE WEDDING DATE.
Romantic Comedy.
Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney.
Directed by Clare Kilner.
............//SERIES//............
THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, CHRISTMAS SPECIAL.
LITTLE BRITAIN, SERIES 1.
* This is classic British comedy: Stuff that would just seem obvious or over-the-top if it wasn't being played at such a perfect pitch. Set in a parallel universe very similar to England, the tone is sometimes reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut or Douglas Adams. A teenage boy lusts crudely for his best friend's grandma. A dutiful caretaker does not realize that his demanding, wheelchair-bound charge can actually walk -- even jump off the high dive. And the Prime Minister (played by Anthony Stewart Head of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) has got to deal with a snippy male assistant who fancies himself some Monica-style hanky panky. Will he get what's coming to him? Tune in to find out, and laugh, comedy fans, laugh.
............//FAMILY//............
IT'S THE PIED PIPER, CHARLIE BROWN.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.
Drama/Thriller. 1976.
Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden.
Directed by Alan Pakula.
THE BALLAD OF THE SAD CAFE.
Drama. England. (Merchant Ivory.) 1991.
Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, Rod Steiger.
Directed by Simon Callow.
Based on the novella by Carson McCullers & play by Edward Albee.
THE LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS.
Drama. Germany. 1971.
Directed by Werner Herzog.
MY LEFT FOOT.
Drama. Ireland.
Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker.
Directed by Jim Sheridan.
SIGNS OF LIFE.
Drama. Germany. 1968.
Directed by Werner Herzog.
WONG KAR-WAI FILMS:
(new to Potrero; already stocked in Bernal)
AS TIME GOES BY. 1988.
DAYS OF BEING WILD. 1991.
CHUNGKING EXPRESS. 1994.
FALLEN ANGELS. 1995.
HAPPY TOGETHER. 1997.
****
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