You'd be right to detect that our staff members are not a violent people — and in fact as a whole we may be rather inept at recommending action movies. But here, in keeping with the theme of this week's "release of the week," A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, we have constructed a list of 10 notable masterworks of violence from the history of cinema...
SONATINE. *Maybe no other action flick director has garnered a cult following amongst the film snobs at the Cannes Film Festival like Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano. Schooled in the "cool hitman" motif of yakuza genre director Seijun Suzuki, and championed by American auteuer Quentin Tarantino, Kitano creates a powerful ballet of violence. He's also known for movies like FIREWORKS and BROTHER. Tellingly, not all his film fit this genre: DOLLS is a poetic romance, and KIDS RETURN is an intimate coming-of-age.
SUSPIRIA. *Forget Wes Craven. Dario Argento is the most wicked master of gory '70s horror. This one came with the tagline: "The Only Thing More Terrifying Than The Last 12 Minutes Of This Film Are The First 92." The premise involves a fancy ballet academy full of hot dancer chicks who are being offed by the coven of witches that secretly operates the school. Blood, blood, blood.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. *Co-written by Dario Argento (see above) and Bernardo Bertolucci, this fits the 'spaghetti western' genre, including a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. But it certainly transcends such a campy sounding category. From its opening of prolonged, elegant tension (director Ang Lee owes a debt here), this story unfolds into an utterly intoxicating revision of wild west history. With lots and lots of death.
SIN CITY. *Based on the graphic novel, SIN CITY features the sort of cartoonish violence that made the KILL BILL movies such a talking point. A customer browsing the new releases section at Bernal Heights was overheard saying: "I just wish I could watch SIN CITY again for the first time!"
GLORIA. *From a compelling start — melancholic, bordering on the sentimental — GLORIA takes its first unexpected twist... leading to a wicked ride of New York City chase scenes and rapid gunfire. Gena Rowlands is one tough cookie as Gloria, a private woman who must care for a six-year-old Puerto Rican kid after his family is gunned down by the mob. Still clutching a sought-after black book (his dad was the mob's accountant), this little kid talks funny, dresses like a man, and convinces Gloria to put everything on the line in order to protect him. Cassavetes movies are known for their element of surprise, but this one sneaks up and shoots you in the back.
TAXI DRIVER. *Slow burning violence, fueled by a fascinatingly devout misanthropy. The reason why TAXI DRIVER continues to be compelling to audiences decades after its release is its placement of violence within the psychological process... Less concerned with the moment of violence nor even its aftermath, the film depicts the social and internal factors which may motivate a violent act.
RASHOMON. *A highly cerebral narrative which would influence countless films to follow (including the recent martial arts hit HERO), this film is predicated on the idea that violence is subjective: Three different retellings of the same heinous crime reveal the purity of three different perspectives — nearly vanishing the notion of a reliable witness.
STRAW DOGS. *Nobody makes death by gunfire look as beautiful as Sam Peckinpah does. So, which film to choose? There are the famous westerns — THE WILD BUNCH, THE BATTLE OF CABLE HOGUE, PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (featuring Bob Dylan!). There's THE GETAWAY, in which Ali MacGraw and Steve McQueen make an incredibly handsome, dangerous couple. There's BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA, and THE KILLER ELITE. We'll recommend the Criterion Collection edition of STRAW DOGS — starring Dustin Hoffman as an American academic who moves to the English countryside with his wife. Their subsequent harrassment unleashes a harrowing spectacle of revenge.
THELMA & LOUISE. *Another escape movie where you're rooting for the bad guys (along with BADLANDS, BONNIE & CLYDE, BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID, and TRUE ROMANCE). Only this time they're both women. A modern fable of extreme feminism, or anti-feminism, or maybe nothing do with feminism whatsoever.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. *Master director Stanley Kubrick effectively shows how a dazzling touch of elegance might be the most horrifying aspect of torture, and spectacular style the most despicable aspect of fascism.
Runners-up include LA FEMME NIKITA, Seijun Suzuki's BRANDED TO KILL, Jim Jarmusch's GHOST DOG( which is in turn an homage to the Mellville masterpiece LE SAMOURAI), and Mike Douglas in FALLING DOWN.
It's scary to think how easy it is to spiel off violent movies. But it's a part of life, and certain directors have treated violence with what feels like a necessary urgency. And maybe with all this bad weather we're just induldging our pent-up aggression. So watch (with fair warning), and in the end, take it easy.
-- fourstarvideo.
............**//NEW RELEASE//**............
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
Drama/Thriller.
Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris.
Directed by David Cronenberg.
*Cronenberg must be a little frustrated... First, the Academy Awards virtually ignored this picture — what many critics called one of the most stunning of the year. Then, a movie named CRASH made off with Best Picture. (Cronenberg directed a cult hit by the same name 10 years ago.) What he can be happy about: This got great reviews. (Rolling Stone: "Other films this year will have to sweat bullets to match the explosive power and subversive wit... It slams you like a body punch and then starts messing with your head.") It stars the gorgeous Maria Bello and Viggo Mortensen (a man who, at 47, is arguably aging even better than George Clooney), not to mention a stellar supporting cast. It's a movie that cements Cronenberg's position as a god amongst film buffs, and it's sure to get a second wind as a DVD renter. (Especially when people discover: "Hey, he also directed CRASH!") Mortensen plays a quiet family man whose heroic act during a hold-up makes him into a local hero. The unwanted attention includes intimidation by some persistent mobsters. Their sudden presence suggests that Mortensen has been hiding a criminal past from his family. The New York Times: "A masterpiece of indirection and pure visceral thrills, Cronenberg's latest mindblower is the feel-good, feel-bad movie of the year." The Chicago Reader: "This masterpiece, an art film deftly masquerading as a thriller, seems to celebrate small-town pastoralism and critique big-city violence, but this position turns out to be double-edged."
see also: THE WORK OF DAVID CRONENBERG.
............//NEW RELEASES//............
DO I LOVE YOU?
Comedy/Drama/Lesbian Interest. England.
Directed by Lisa Gornick.
see also: CHUTNEY POPCORN, MY SUMMER OF LOVE.
GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK.
Drama.
David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels.
Directed by George Clooney.
* George Clooney is so popular in Hollywood! He's handsome, he's 45, he's been in a Coen Brothers movie. And here he's made the switch to director with a historical drama about a political event that's lefty in nature — but took place long enough ago so as not to get anyone too agitated. That event would be the face-off between TV news anchor Edward R. Murrow and communist-hunting Senator Joseph McCarthy. New York Daily News: "One of the best ever about the news media." Newsweek: "A passionate, serious, impeccably crafted movie tackling a subject Clooney cares about deeply: the duty of journalism to speak truth to power." Restrained and smart, with a tension sweltering like so many sucked cigarettes, all packaged neatly in cool and noir-ish black and white cinematography... This one will surely revive our renters' interest in 'serious American films'.
see also: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, NETWORK, THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
see above: "release of the week."
THE LONG WAY ROUND.
Documentary. Mini-Series. England.
Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman.
Directed by David Alexanian and Russ Malkin.
* We're not sure exactly how Ewan McGregor took time off his busy acting schedule to take 20,000 miles on a motorcycle — "the long way round" (Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and — from London to New York. But there he is, with a beard and looking all Obi-Wan Kenobi but dragged through the mud, in what has become something of a cult favorite amongst documentary fans.
see also: GO FURTHER.
THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO.
Drama.
Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern.
Directed by Jane Anderson.
*The (based on a true!) story of a 1950s suburban mom who earns money by penning commercial jingles. This is the kind of thing the British would do better, all charm and wit. As it stands, some mediocre escapism for fans of the genre.
see instead: FAR FROM HEAVEN.
SEARCHING FOR THE WRONG-EYED JESUS.
Documentary.
Directed by Andrew Douglas.
* A mesmerizing trip through the modern-day South, replete with folk art, "alternative country" musicians and an original look at the marginalized poor.
see also: WHERE ARE WE?: OUR TRIP THROUGH AMERICA, BENJAMIN SMOKE.
THREE OF HEARTS.
Documentary. Gay Interest.
Directed by Susan Kaplan.
* Ew! Look at those two dudes and the lady on the cover... That is not a three-way I'd want to jump into! But this documentary is not about casting judgement — so meet dude and dude and lady, who have constructed a three-way domestic partnership that seems really progressive at first but, you guessed it, begins to unravel at the seams. It sounds hot, but it's really not... Look at the cover! (That one guy sort of looks like Clinton's former press secretary, though, the bald, angry one.) Anyway, we're just being lame. Because this did get some pretty good reviews (the Chronicle called it "tender and revealing.") The LA Weekly, though, called it "irritating."
see instead: TARNATION.
............//SERIES//.............
BOTTOM. 'FULL BOTTOM.' (Complete Series.)
Retro British Comedy.
EARTHSEA.
Science Fiction/Fantasy Series.
INSPECTOR LYNLEY. Series 1, 2, 3.
British Crime Series.
SLEEPER CELL. Mini-Series.
Showtime Crime Series.
............//FAMILY//...........
FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON.
Family/Adventure. 1962.
Directed by Irwin Allen.
MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER.
Family/Drama/Western. 1982.
Directed by George Miller.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
ANATOMY OF A MURDER.
Mystery. 1959.
James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara.
Directed by Otto Preminger.
EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES.
Comedy/Drama. 1993.
Uma Thurman, Lorraine Bracco, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, Rain Phoenix, Ed Begley Jr, Pat Morita, Carol Kane, Crispin Glover, Roseanne Arnold.
Directed by Gus Van Sant. Based on the novel by Tom Robbins.
IMAGINING ARGENTINA.
Drama. 2003.
Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson.
Directed by Christopher Hampton.
RUMI: POET OF THE HEART.
Documentary. 1998.
Narrated by Debra Winger.
Directed by Haydn Reiss.
TEN LITTLE INDIANS.
Mystery. England. 1965.
Directed by George Pollock. Written by Agatha Christie.
****
****new release list no. 55
Here's a tiny list of past Oscar losers: THE GRADUATE, CHINATOWN, BONNIE & CLYDE, GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, PULP FICTION, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD...
And now, of course, what Jon Stewart called "the elephant in the room."
The New York Times' carpetbagger message board lit up late Sunday night after the Oscars. A lot of people feel like Michael, who posted: "It wasn’t buzz or hype that killed BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN; rather it was a combination of apathy, contempt, ignorance and timidity that led 'The Academy' to confer its highest honor to a film that was remarkable for its mediocrity. However, the CRASH phenomenon will have its fleeting place in the sun and then die out. True greatness endures and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN will have a lasting legacy. As far as I’m concerned, The Academy Awards are now as negligible as The Grammies." Tony adds: "I feel exactly how I felt the year that Rick Springfield won a Grammy for Best Male Artist over Bruce Springsteen. The Academy’s opinions are no longer relevant; they’re a joke…and a sad one at that."
On Monday morning, Kenneth Turan, critic at the Los Angeles Times, wrote: "Sometimes you win by losing, and nothing has proved what a powerful, taboo-breaking, necessary film BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN was more than its loss Sunday night to CRASH in the Oscar best picture category." Full article here. Roger Ebert, on the other hand, must be pulling in some winnings, as he's always bet on CRASH to win.
So, was the CRASH win just a cop-out? (Pardon the pun.) The choice could easily appear to be a safe, pseudo-liberal way for Academy voters to avoid the topic of repressed homosexuality — still obviously a hot button issue. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN now stands as the Michelle Kwan of the Oscars... Won our hearts, but never the gold. BROKEBACK won virtually every other Best Picture prize on the planet. Maybe it was inevitable that the Hollywood industry would have to curb the enthusiasm. Think it's oversensitive to cry "homophobia"? Okay, name just one same-sex couple that arrived publicly on the red carpet, then we'll talk!
Other Oscar disgraces: Why weren't THE CONSTANT GARDENER nor Terrence Malick's THE NEW WORLD up for more awards? We loved Rachel Weisz in CONSTANT GARDENER, but we actually would've given the Best Supporting Actress award to Amy Adams for JUNEBUG, and recognized THE CONSTANT GARDENER in areas like Best Editing instead. Malick's THE NEW WORLD definitely deserved in categories such as Best Cinematography. And we've always felt that the rules surrounding the Best Foreign Picture category were too restrictive: Each participating country is allowed to nominate one film — preventing the shortlist from existing as a truly democratic poll of the stellar international output. (Notably absent this year were Wong Kar Wai's 2046 and the Korean film OLDBOY.)
Meanwhile, back in San Francisco...
When you buy an existing business, as we did with Dr. Video in Potrero Hill, you acquire something — along with, say, merchandise and fixtures — called "goodwill." This may entail things like 'positive customer relations' and 'reputation in the community'. Though intangible, it's probably the hardest element to come by — the result of blood, sweat and tears. In our case, we inherited a lot of goodwill, and maybe the most quantifiable example came in a little package named Eli. A local kid attending the School of the Arts, Eli sort of let us believe that he'd already graduated high school so that we'd agree to keep him on. But we're glad that we did... He taught us a bunch of things about the store's software program, and acted as efficient P.R. — assuring regular customers that, despite our appearances, the new guys "really are pretty cool." He's got to be the youngest dude we've ever employed, but he was also one of the most entertaining and enterprising. Eli is now moving on... He's finally going to buckle down and get on with his studies. Eli wanted us to say that he's off on scholarship to Brown University, but he's a fibber. With his departure, the end of an era feels cemented. Eli snuck his way into the history of both Dr. Video and Four Star Video. We remain very charmed.
Sour grapes, rotten tomatoes and weepy farewells aside, here we are, ready for yet another New Release List...
yours, four star video.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE.
Animation. Japan.
Voices by Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Billy Crystal.
Directed by Hayao Miyazake.
* The Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazake has always stradled kid-friendly cartoon and the artistic avant-garde. He occupies a beloved place in our customers' hearts for his genteel spirit and wide open imagination. Here, Miyazake creates something like a traditional adventure story, albeit with enough surrealistic fantasy twists to maintain the sense of enigma which gives his films so much weight. Unlike most anime, Miyazake's stories appear to be set in a mythical past rather than a theoretical future. With MOVING CASTLE, he leaves his misty, mysterious vision of Japan behind for a Victorian-esque European village — filled with startling, even gaudy, color and detail. It's not his only concession to a mainstream Western context: The film is distributed by Disney, and there's even a funny sidekick character voiced by Billy Crystal. (But, then again, this character does takes the elusive form of a ball of fire constantly on the verge of being exinguished. Much more Zen than Disneyland.) In the end, MOVING CASTLE is a delight. This is not as toddler-appropriate as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO or KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, and perhaps less brilliant than Miyazake's Oscar-winning SPIRITED AWAY. But then, the bar that Miyazake has set for himself is unusually high, and by its own merits, this is stunning stuff.
see also: SPIRITED AWAY.
............//NEW TITLES//............
THE EXONERATED.
Drama.
Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon, David Brown Jr., Aidan Quinn.
Directed by Bob Balaban.
HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE.
Fantasy/Family.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rubert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith.
Directed by Mike Newell.
IPO.
Comedy/Independent.
Directed by Daniel Gamburg.
* Another film directed by a Four Star patron, this mocumentary about Silicon Valley professionals was likened to the BBC hit THE OFFICE by The Examiner. Set in the timeframe just as the dot.com bubble was about to burst, its awkwardness and disappointment could hit too close to home for some San Franciscans.
see also: THE OFFICE, HAIKU TUNNEL.
JARHEAD.
War Drama.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper, Jamie Foxx.
Directed by Sam Mendes.
* Actor Jake Gyllenhaal has become cinema's new favorite Young American Innocent. So what's the logical next step? Send him off to war in Iraq. Gylenhaal plays a wide-eyed Marine (or "jarhead") whose approach to battle is "woo-hoo!" — as if he were off to the Homecoming game. (Or skinny dipping with Heath Ledger?) Of course, at the hands of AMERICAN BEAUTY director Sam Mendes, Gyllenhaal is destined for disillusionment. But Mendes' attempt to depict soldiers dealing with the pressures of combat through sardonic humor may not be a total victory. Though Gene Shalit called the film "a masterwork," more critics have agreed with The New York Times' A.O. Scott, who regarded JARHEAD as "remarkably irrelevant."
see instead: GUNNER PALACE.
JUST FRIENDS.
Comedy.
Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein.
Directed by Roger Kumble.
THE OVERTURE.
Drama/Music. Thailand.
Directed by Itthisoontorn Vichailak.
PAPER CLIPS.
Documentary.
Directed by Elliot Berlin and Joe Fab.
* Students at Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee, learning about the horrors of the Holocaust, launched a school project which evolved into a world-known memorial. They began collecting paper clips, because Norweigans invented the paper clip and used it as a symbol of solidarity against the Nazis. The collection helped the students visualize such vast numbers of victims. Soon enough, paper clips were mailed in from around the world, culminating in a display of 11 million, enshrined in an authentic German railcar standing in the schoolyard. Roger Ebert called this document "straightforward, heartfelt and genuine."
see also: THE CHILDREN OF CHABANNES.
PEACE ONE DAY.
Documentary.
Directed by Jeremy Gilley.
* On any given day in the world, there may exist five conventional wars, 20 civil wars and seven border disputes. Not to mention ethnic violence, drug wars and so on. To most of us, it's a level of violence that could incite hopelessness. Five years in the making, this film documents one man's hopeful attempt to persuade the global community (via the United Nations) to officially sanction a global ceasefire day.
see also: GO FURTHER.
PORNOGRAPHY: THE SECRET HISTORY OF CIVILISATION.
Documentary Mini-Series.
Produced by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.
* A series of episodes tracing erotica "from the walls of Pompeii to the Internet." This is the latest project from the guys who directed cult hits like INSIDE DEEP THROAT, PARTY MONSTER and THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE. (Jeremy worked for these guys when he lived in L.A. ... Okay, he doesn't love them, but he understands the cultural pertinence of their subject matter.)
see also: INSIDE DEEP THROAT, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
PRIME.
Romantic Comedy.
Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg.
Directed by Ben Younger.
10TH DISTRICT COURT.
Documentary. France.
Directed by Raymond Depardon.
* This documentary provides a rare glimpse behind the closed doors of one Parisian court, revealing subtle details of human behavior along with issues of law enforcement. Called "one of the best films of the year" by the Village Voice.
see also: THE STAIRCASE.
UNDERTAKING BETTY.
Comedy. England.
Brenda Blethyn, Alfred Molina, Naomi Watts, Christopher Walken.
Directed by Nick Hurran.
ZU WARRIORS.
Martial Arts. China.
Zhang Ziyi.
Directed by Tsui Hark.
............//FAMILY//............
BABY EINSTEIN: MEET THE ORCHESTRA.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE CRUISE.
Documentary. 1998.
Directged by Bennett Miller.
ENDGAME.
Drama/Thriller/Gay Interest. England. 2001.
Directed by Gary Wicks.
FALLEN ANGEL.
Noir. 1945.
Dana Andrews, Alice Faye.
Directed by Otto Preminger.
HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL.
Noir. 1951.
Directed by Robert Wise.
NO WAY OUT.
Noir. 1950.
Sidney Poitier.
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
PRIX DE BEAUTE.
Drama. 1930.
Louise Brooks.
Directed by Augusto Genina.
TAISHO TRILOGY:
ZIGEUNERWEISEN.
Mystery/Thriller. Japan. 1980.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki.
KAGERO-ZA.
Mystery/Thriller. Japan. 1981.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki.
YUMEJI.
Mystery/Thriller. Japan. 1991.
Directed by Seijun Suzuki.
THE THING CALLED LOVE.
Drama/Music. 1993.
River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney, Sandra Bullock.
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich.
TRAFFIC. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Crime Drama. 2000.
Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid, Benecio Del Toro.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
TOUS LES MATINS DU MONDE.
Drama/Music. France. 1991.
Gerard Depardieu.
Directed by Alain Corneau.
VALLEY OF THE BEES.
Historical Drama. Czechoslovakia. 1967.
Directed by Frantisek Vlácil.
WHISPER OF THE HEART.
Animation. Japan.
Directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. Written by Hayao Miyazaki.
****
****new release list no. 54
Our exhibition of Todd Bura drawings was listed as "pick of the week" in the Guardian. Writer Johnny Ray Huston wrote, "I heartily approve." The show will be up through April at The Attic (18th Street shop.)
It's not every day you get celebrity gossip about Werner Herzog. Or is it?... Check out these links, as posted on the blog snorezville: "First this, and now this. Too deliche."
What we like in theaters... TRISTRAM SHANDY: A COCK AND BULL STORY. It's kind of like BEING JOHN MALKOVICH crossed with Truffaut's DAY FOR NIGHT. A beautiful disaster, organized chaos, a blast! And for a postmodern movie about making a movie out of a metafiction novel... what more appropriate than a 'metawebsite'? Check it out... The joke's on you!
This week's a whopper! WALK THE LINE and PRIDE & PREJUDICE are both out, just in time for the Oscars. Vintage stuff new-to-DVD includes classic '70s Sidney Lumet movies, the unpredictable cinema of Lina Wertmuller and the weirdo Dutch horror of Alex Van Warmerdam. And more, more, more. We're talkin' "j'aime le cinema!"
Word is that the next big music biopic is going to be on Patti Smith. But who will play the dark poetess of punk? Lili Taylor? Angelina Jolie? We bet they're mussing up their hair and spitting out polysyllabic sentiments as we speak.
A special small business R.I.P. to Harrington's furniture shop on Valencia. We've always found this gigantic place to be filled not only with funky antiques, but a romantic sense of intrigue. Browsing at Urban Outfitters — the corporate fashion chain which (rumor has it) will be taking over the space — just won't be the same kind of experience.
Keepin' it real, 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
WALK THE LINE.
Drama/Music Bio.
Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon.
Directed by James Mangold.
* A standard music biopic — replete with performances to make your spine tingle, and rock stars pill-popping until they've gone fetal. Formula aside, this is a good entertainment, served generously by the excellent lead actors. Joaquin gives Cash a sexy swagger, making the demon-chased songwriter ripe for the Hollywood big screen. As Cash's on-and-off-again lover June Carter, Reese is a little cartoonish, but absolutely contagious. She could be the safe bet to win the Best Actress Oscar. Thankfully, the story focuses more on the musical sweep of their slow burning romance than on Cash's various addictions. Both actors perform their own songs impressively. And vintage country music fans will delight in depictions of intimate events like The Carter Family interacting with Cash's skeptical, non-celebrity parents. This is sure to soar off our shelves from here through the Oscars and then some, so we've ordered it in extra high volume. You'll be singing "Ring of Fire" for days and days...
see also: RAY, WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, BOB DYLAN: NO DIRECTION HOME.
............//NEW TITLES//............
THE HOBART SHAKESPEAREANS.
Documentary.
Ian McKellan, Michael York.
Directed by Mel Stuart.
THE ICE HARVEST.
Comedy/Thriller.
John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Randy Quaid.
Directed by Harold Ramis.
* In a year of Oscar contenders filled with earnest emotions and sweeping romance, this title feels a little out of style — and subsequently went unnoticed. You'd think it'd be a big crowd pleaser: It's a darkly comic thriller along the lines of FARGO, and an anti-holiday holiday movie (think BAD SANTA). It was directed by Harold Ramis (whose stellar credits include CADDYSHACK, GROUNDHOG DAY and ANALYZE THIS) and it stars John Cusack — a dude so beloved that he's got college students trying to elect him President. Will it have a second life on DVD? It's kind of weird that they didn't wait until next Christmas to release this, but it does have a lot going for it besides that. Entertainment Weekly: "In a season of bulging Movies Earmarked for Importance, it is almost startling to come across something as unhyped — and perfectly swell — as THE ICE HARVEST."
see also: BAD SANTA, FARGO, THE GRIFTERS.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF FRIDA KAHLO.
Documentary.
Narrated by Rita Moreno.
Directed by Amy Stechler Burns.
PRIDE & PREJUDICE.
Drama/Romance. England.
Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFayden, Jena Malone, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn, Simon Woods, Judi Dench.
Directed by Joe Wright.
* When a story as done-to-death as this one gets remade yet again, it boils down to the performances. This one features the becoming Keira Knightley, who is nominated for an Oscar for this role. Entertainment Weekly calls hers a "witty, vibrant, altogether superb performance." Roger Ebert points out: "like many British films, it benefits from the genius of its supporting players." They include Matthew MacFayden, the good looker from the hit British series MI-5, the talented young Jena Malone (DONNIE DARKO), screen icon Donald Sutherland and, of course, the English grande dames Brenda Blethyn and Judi Dench.
see also: EMMA, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, PRIDE & PREJUDICE (MINI-SERIES VERSION STARRING COLIN FIRTH).
3 EXTREMES. (ANTHOLOGY OF ASIAN HORROR MOVIES).
* Good macabre fun for fans of extreme East Asian horror... Features BOX directed by Miike Takashi, DUMPLINGS directed by Fruit Chan, and CUT directed by Park Chan-Wook.
see also: AUDITION, OLDBOY.
THE UNTOLD STORY OF EMMETT LOUIS TILL.
Documentary.
Directed by Keith A. Beauchamp.
WALK THE LINE.
see above: "release of the week."
WHERE THE TRUTH LIES.
Drama.
Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, Alison Lohman.
Directed by Atom Egoyan.
* We all know about "six degrees of Kevin Bacon," but how many inches? The director Atom Egoyan (THE SWEET HEREAFTER) underachieves with this erotic murder mystery set in vintage Hollywood. Yet another film intended to press the boundaries of sex scenes, with limp results.
see instead: MULHOLLAND DRIVE.
YOURS, MINE & OURS.
Comedy/Family.
Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, Sean Faris.
Directed by Raja Gosnell.
............//SERIES//............
THE AVENGERS: THE COMPLETE EMMA PEEL EPISODES.
Vintage British series.
BLEAK HOUSE.
British BBC Drama.
Gillian Anderson.
Directed by Justin Chadwick and Susanna White.
............//FAMILY//............
THE LADY AND THE TRAMP.
Classic Disney Animation.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
DOG DAY AFTERNOON.
Crime Drama.
Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, Charles Durning.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
THE DRESS.
Dark Comedy/Thriller. Netherlands. 1996.
Directed by Alex Van Warmerdam.
FOUR FILMS BY MIKE MILLS.
Shorts/Independent/Experimental/Skateboarding.
Directed by Mike Mills.
* Four earlier, shorter works from the graphic designer-turned-filmmaker who did THUMSUCKER. Includes his piece on American suburbia, THE ARCHITECTURE OF REASSURANCE.
see also: PAPERBOYS, THUMBSUCKER.
KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS. (Criterion Collection.)
Comedy. England. 1949.
Valerie Hobson, Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Alec Guinness.
Directed by Robert Hamer.
LITTLE TONY.
Dark Comedy/Thriller. Netherlands. 1998.
Directed by Alex Van Warmerdam.
NETWORK.
Drama. 1976.
Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.
LINA WERTMUELLER FILMS:
FERDINANDO AND CAROLINA. 1998.
THE NYMPH. 1996.
SUMMER NIGHT. 1986.
SEVEN BEAUTIES. 1975.
SWEPT AWAY. 1974.
****
****new release list no. 53
Jeremy and Jamie are back from New York City! The blizzard had just blown away, leaving behind a romantic winter wonderland. You should've seen Central Park! Then the pure white snow became filthy with urban grime in, like, a New York minute. We spent quality time with our NYC friends — small business owners and creative types working in film and art. They gave us some fresh ideas for the stores. New Yorkers are like "do it! do it!" (The Brooklyn hipsters also say they wish they had a Four Star Video in Williamsburg!)
The liberals amongst you will be pleased to find some very liberal movies this week. There's a new documentary, LEFT OF THE DIAL, that's all about Air America — the shock jock radio station for radicals. Also of note is THE TAKE: Written by cultural critic Naomi Klein of NO LOGO fame, it documents a grassroots workers' movement in Buenos Aires. There are more disguntled trade workers in NORTH COUNTRY (pictured). There's the exposé of anti-abortion terrorist groups in SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY OF GOD. There are also queer-friendly titles like RENT and DORIAN BLUES.
Also out this week is THE WEATHER MAN starring Nicholas Cage. Oh, and the ever-popular Simon Evans t-shirt is now restocked in most colors and sizes. We're also introducing a women's XL size, since the sizes run so small, as well as a new women's model — a low neck, cap sleeve style in navy.
a big old liberal new york kiss, 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
NORTH COUNTRY.
Drama.
Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Sean Bean, Woody Harrelson, Sissy Spacek.
Directed by Niki Caro.
* The Hollywood version of 'social realism,' this stars Charlize as a young woman determined to overcome sexism in the workplace and in the trade unions. A pretty tepid response from the critics, but many folks will probably want to tune in to watch Charlize's performance. She's not wearing "ugly" makeup like in MONSTER, and neither is she playing gay, so she probably won't go home with the Oscar this year. (Oh, how cynical we've become!) But seriously, the subject matter is worthwhile, and the Dallas Observer writes: "Happily, NORTH COUNTRY is not all social-realist grit or straight sermonizing. Not only is Theron achingly real, the fine supporting performances here lend even more dramatic reach and human scale. "
see also: NORMA RAE, SILKWOOD, ERIN BROKOVICH.
............//NEW TITLES//............
DEATH IN GAZA.
Documentary.
Directed by James Miller.
* An intense look into political martyrs and resistence fighters that transcends the safe distance of cinema. From imdb.com: "The harrowing documentary that portrays the horror of the Israeli conflict and the resulting death of its director, James Miller."
see also: GRIZZLY MAN.
DOMINO.
Action.
Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Liu, Mena Suvari, Christopher Walken, Jacqueline Bisset, Delroy Lindo.
Directed by Tony Scott.
* Movie buffs will want to know that this one was written by Richard Kelly, the director of DONNIE DARKO. Unfortunately, unlike that tight underground favorite, this one is full of unrealized potential. The violent and glamorous story matter seems irresistable, but perhaps director Tony Scott was too close to his subject: The movie is loosely based on the true story of his late friend, former model and famous bounty hunter Domino Harvey (1969-2005). Roger Ebert: "It's fractured and maddening, but it's alive." The New York Times: "A lollapalooza of delectable cheap thrills." Rolling Stone: "The movie is full of possibilities. Frustratingly, only a few of them are realized."
see also: DONNIE DARKO, SIN CITY, LA FEMME NIKITA.
DORIAN BLUES.
Comedy/Independent/Gay Interest.
Directed by Tennyson Bardwell.
* The Onion: "DORIAN BLUES covers extremely familiar territory, but does so with low-key wit and ingratiating charm." The New York Post: "Eschews the heavy sexual content (and most of the clichés) of so many gay films — it also has a lot of heart." The New York Times: "With some gentle humor that will delight the NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE set, DORIAN BLUES lights a natural little footpath between two ways of living."
see also: THUMBSUCKER, THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, ALMOST NORMAL.
A FATHER... A SON... ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD.
Documentary.
Directed by Lee Remick.
* OK, we got to be honest with y'all... We think we got this HBO doc about Kirk and Michael Douglas by ACCIDENT! Oh well, if anyone sees it and thinks it's just absolutely fantastic, let us know so that we can spread the word.
see instead: SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER.
LEFT OF THE DIAL.
Documentary.
Mark Walsh, Al Franken, Katherine Lanpher, Randi Rhodes, Janeane Garofalo.
Directed by Patrick Farrelly and Kate O'Callaghan.
THE MEMORY OF A KILLER.
Action/Crime Drama. Belgium/Netherlands.
Directed by Erik Van Looy.
NAKED WORLD.
Documentary.
Directed by Arlene Donnelly Nelson.
NORTH COUNTRY.
see above: "release of the week."
RENT.
Musical.
Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Wilson Jermaine Heredia.
Directed by Chris Columbus.
SEPARATE LIES.
Drama. England.
Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett, Hermione Norris.
Directed by Julian Fellowes.
* A romantic mystery full of dangerous liasons, this may appeal to those who liked Woody Allen's newest, MATCH POINT. The Onion: "This material could easily have devolved into soap opera or romantic melodrama, but Wilkinson and Watson's superb, subtle performances lend it tremendous depth and gravity." Chicago Reader: "At 85 minutes the movie is beautifully focused, reaching deep into its characters as they confront terrible secrets but never sacrificing momentum as the mystery unravels."
see also: IN THE BEDROOM, CLOSER, PROOF.
SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY OF GOD.
Documentary.
Directed by Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson.
THE TAKE.
Documentary.
Directed by Avi Lewis. Written by Naomi Klein.
TWIST OF FAITH.
Documentary.
Directed by Kirby Dick.
* From imdb.com: "A man confronts the trauma of past sexual abuse as a boy by a Catholic priest only to find his decision shatters his relationships with his family, community and faith." Oscar nominated documentary.
see also: BAD EDUCATION, MYSTERIOUS SKIN, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS.
THE WEATHER MAN.
Comedy/Drama.
Nicholas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis.
Directed by Gore Verbinski.
* A promising but ultimately unexceptional study of male emotional crisis. The LA Weekly: "Begs to be taken seriously and can't easily be dismissed; it kicks around in your mind for a good long while after you've seen it. Cage, who does his finest work since "Leaving Las Vegas," has stripped himself bare of the patented tics and mannerisms he honed in one Jerry Bruckheimer movie too many." The Portland Oregonian: "A sour, deflating and ultimately unlikable black comedy about how awful life can be."
see also: LEAVING LAS VEGAS SIDEWAYS.
............//FAMILY//............
STUART LITTLE 3: CALL OF THE WILD.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE CHAMPAGNE SAFARI.
Documentary. 1952.
Rita Hayworth, Prince Aly Khan.
Directed by Jackson Leighter.
DADDY LONG LEGS.
Musical. 1955.
Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron.
Directed by Jean Negulesco.
ROBERT BENCHLEY AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE ALGONQUIN.
Vintage Comedy Sketches. 1928-1945.
Robert Benchley, Donald Ogden Stewart, Alexander Woollcott.
****
****new release list no. 52
Fun fun fun: For hot photos from the Potrero shop's February 8 art party, click here. Todd Bura's curious exhibit of minimalist drawings stays on view through April.
Other than that, it's been a very busy week... So please pardon that we've skimped on the reviews.
to the point, 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
NINE LIVES.
Drama/Independent.
Glenn Close, Sissy Spacek, Robin Wright Penn, Holly Hunter, Dakota Fanning.
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia.
* The official press release: "NINE LIVES is a moving exploration of the individual experiences of nine women, as told through nine single unbroken takes. As characters from one story reappear in supporting roles in others, [director] Garcia interweaves a grand tapestry of universal resonance that hinges on performances from an incredible ensemble." Entertainment Weekly offers: "What could have been a parlor game becomes a surprisingly rich sketchbook, boosted by the work of fine actors." The New York Times says that it "may be the closest movies have come to the cinematic equivalent of a collection of Chekhov short stories."
see also: THINGS YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT HER, LOVELY & AMAZING, SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER.
............//NEW TITLES//............
EMMANUEL'S GIFT.
Documentary.
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey.
Directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern.
* A portrait of a young disabled man in Ghana who embarks upon a bike ride across his native country.
HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON: THE IMPASSIONED EYE.
Art Documentary. Switzerland.
Directed by Heinz Butler.
THE JOURNEY.
Drama. Gay Interest. India. (Malayalam language.)
Directed by Ligy J. Pullappally.
* Two girls fall enchantingly in love. Their idyllic Indian village still dictates arranged heterosexual marriage. A sweet, lyrical film and a festival award winner.
THE LAST VICTORY.
Documentary. Netherlands (Italian language.)
Directed by John Appel.
* A depiction of the crazy Palio Horse Race — and the effect this annual tradition has on the people of the city of Siena. For those who couldn't get enough of those Olympic opening ceremonies...
LIE WITH ME.
Erotic Drama.
Lauren Lee Smith, Eric Balfour.
Directed by Clement Virgo.
* In which Eric Balfour — the troubled boyfriend of the teenage daughter on SIX FEET UNDER — bares all and engages in some of the most explicit sex ever seen in an American movie. We gather that the plot has something to do with him having all this sex in order to "cure" his girlfriend of her nymphomania... or some such nonesense like that.
see also: 9 SONGS.
LOST EMBRACE.
Comedy. Argentina.
Directed by Daniel Burman.
MIRRORMASK.
Fantasy.
Directed by Dave McKean. Story by Neil Gaiman.
NINE LIVES.
see above: "release of the week."
PROOF.
Drama.
Gwenyth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Hope Davis, Jake Gyllenhaal.
Directed by John Madden.
* Based on the play of the same name, this starts with an intellectual premise, but is treated more as psychological thriller than math problem. Received very mixed reviews... Film Threat called it an "extraordinary and powerful dissection of genius, jealousy, madness and serenity." The New York Times: "It's funny how movies about smart people often play so dumb." Stars the reed-like golden girl Gwenyth, along with hamburger-eyed cutie Jake Gyllenhaal and the extremely talented and devestatingly unknown Hope Davis — an actress whose raw luminosity will appeal to fans of Laura Linney.
see also: CLOSER, PI, SYLVIA.
REEL PARADISE.
Documentary.
John Pierson.
Directed by Steve James.
* A portrait of an American indie film producer who takes his family to Fiji for one year to run the world's most remote movie theater. The New York Times: "Thoroughly absorbing! A family diary, an exploration of interacting cultures and a mediation on the impact of movies on a population unfamiliar with modern mass media."
SAW 2.
Horror.
Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith.
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman.
SOUTH FROM GRANADA.
Romantic Comedy. Spain.
Directed by Fernando Colomo.
SHE'S ONE OF US.
Drama. France.
Directed by Siegrid Alnoy.
THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS.
Comedy.
Peter Falk, Paul Reiser, Olympia Dukakis, Elizabeth Perkins.
Directed by Raymond De Felitta.
TROUBLESOME CREEK: A MIDWESTERN.
Documentary.
Directed by Steve Ascher and Jeanne Jordan.
* A young filmmaker travels back to Iowa to depict her family's valiant struggle to keep their small farm.
WILLIAM EGGLESTON IN THE REAL WORLD.
Art Documentary.
Directed by Michael Almereyda.
............//FAMILY//............
ZATHURA.
Fantasy/Family.
Tim Robbins.
Directed by John Favreau. Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg.
............//SERIES//............
THE GOLDEN GIRLS, SERIES 4.
Retro Comedy.
* "Which one are you? I'm Dorothy."
WIRE IN THE BLOOD, SERIES 3.
Crime Drama. British.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
LA BETE HUMAINE.
Drama. France. 1938.
Directed by Jean Renoir.
METROPOLITAN. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Drama. 1990.
Directed by Whit Stillman.
RAIN.
Drama/Independent. 1997.
Melora Walters, Kris Park, Diane Ladd, Jamey Sheridan.
Directed by Katherine Lindberg.
THE STRANGER.
Drama/Thriller/Noir. 1946.
Directed by Orson Welles.
YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Drama/Biography. 1939.
Henry Fonda.
Directed by John Ford.
****
****new release list no. 51
A couple of fun, free events this week... for when you're taking a break from watching vids and attending the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
There's a new art show in The Attic at our 18th Street shop! LAA LALA LA, OOH OOHOH THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MUSIC is an exhibition of drawings by Todd Bura. Watercolors and pinholes are applied on found papers, often torn from aged books. Abstract shapes hint at familiar objects; minimal patterns suggest a fantastical parallel universe. But such references are incidental. Todd will tell you that the works are actually built upon references to certain songs (hence the title of the show). His process is labored, maybe even ritualistic, but in the end all deliberation gives way to a mysterious charm. Todd studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York. This is his first West Coast exhibition. To celebrate, we'll serve wine and play records on Wednesday the 8th, starting at 8pm. Come join us... Bernal customers, why not use the opportunity to check out our Potrero digs?
What movie is Bobby screening this week at his biweekly film & music event DONKEY BABY? Of course he is screening GREY GARDENS! "Whoa" is what you'll say if you've never seen the Maysles brothers' documentary about a decadent, dilapidated, depraved mother and daughter pair — relations of Jackie O, refugees from high society, stubbornly holed up in a crumbling East Hampton mansion. Watch the eccentric masterpiece at 9pm; shake off the weirdness to the dj stylings of Jenny Hoyston and Bobby all night long. It all happens Thursday the 9th at El Rio, on Mission near Ceasar Chavez.
Come hang out with us! We're all about art, movies, music and a little hooch.
xo---------------------4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THE BEST OF YOUTH. (pictured)
Drama. Italy.
Directed by Marco Tullio Giordana.
* For those of you who missed the legendary run of THE BEST OF YOUTH at the Balboa Theater — or were only able to get to one of its two parts — here's a chance to watch the six hour family epic as a TV miniseries, which is how it was originally produced in Italy. THE BEST OF YOUTH will almost surely sweep you up into its easy gait right from the start. It moves — from soaring scenes of trans-Euro travel to the most intimate family moments — with an imperceptible grace. Those family moments include the most hopeful joy and deepest agony, as the film sprawls over 30 years, starting in 1966. The social tumult of this era infiltrates the characters' more adventurous storylines: violent protest, natural disaster, earnest idealists resorting to terrorism, religious upheavel, a riveting court battle over reform in mental hospitals. At the core of the story are two soulful brothers, portrayed by the enormously appealing actors Luigi Lo Cascio and Alessio Boni. They anchor a family history that sweeps richly like a full course dinner — think THE GODFATHER trilogy without the mob. Actually, along with everything else, there's some mob in there, too. The film's two parts will each be stocked as a separate rental... You can watch it over the course of a few nights, or perhaps in one all-day marathon while you're in bed with the flu. Highly recommended.
see also: ROCCO & HIS BROTHERS, YI YI, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, THE GODFATHER.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BEST OF YOUTH.
see above: "release of the week."
DALTRY CALHOUN.
Comedy/Drama.
Elizabeth Banks , Johnny Knoxville.
Directed by Katrina Holden Bronson.
DOOM.
Action/Sci-Fi/Games.
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak.
ELIZABETHTOWN.
Comedy/Drama.
Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin.
Directed by Cameron Crowe.
* What went wrong? Look at that cast. Cameron Crowe, director of beloved stuff like SAY ANTHING and ALMOST FAMOUS, assembled that cast, along with another "irresistable" soundtrack full of Americana rock. He made cool posters with Orlando and Kirsten in road trip photos looking all cute and vaguely grungey. Ebert & Roeper turned both thumbs up. Everything was set. Then... Other reviewers came along and called the film disastrous and a bore. Audience members blogged: "unwatchable." ELIZABETHTOWN became a bona-fide flop. But it's one that will probably get a second life on DVD... It's just such a renter: "Can it really be that bad?" "Orlando is eye candy, after all." "I always like Cameron Crowe." We predict the film will have a decent run on video, given that everyone's expectations are now set so low.
see instead: JUNEBUG.
JUST LIKE HEAVEN.
Romantic Comedy.
Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo.
Directed by Mark Waters.
L'AMOUR DANGEREUX.
Drama. France.
Directed by Steve Suissa.
STATE OF MIND.
Thriller. British TV. England.
Directed by Christopher Menaul.
SUCKER FREE CITY.
Drama. Showtime TV.
Directed by Spike Lee.
* In his own way, Spike Lee is as synonymous with NYC as Scorsese or Woody Allen. DO THE RIGHT THING is a masterpiece, maybe the masterpiece, of racial tensions in New York. So you may be curious as to how Lee depicts urban San Francisco in this Showtime drama about rival gangs from Chinatown, the Mission and Hunter's Point. The show may offer some thrills, but locals could be frustrated by its lack of verisimilitude. We'll quote an imdb.com user named Jayrocc, who points out Spike Lee's missteps: "Very disappointing. Props to Spike Lee for his attempt, but it was far from accurate. If he wanted to be accurate, he should have chosen some Frisco natives and not a bunch of NY actors who know nothing about the Sucka Free (not Sucker Free). I've lived in SF my entire life, and folks here do not talk or act the way these actors did. Everything was over-dramatized, and the only cat I saw from the Bay was JT the Bigga Figga with his little cameo as a rapper. No shock that he was the only one in the film who really dressed like cats out here (ie his Warriors jersey). Not once did I notice anyone wearing any Giants or 9ers gear; instead he fitted them in some cheesy made-up SF or Oakland jerseys that aren't even sold around here. HP has no bowling alleys, black and Asian gangbangers do NOT wear head or wristbands with the colors of Africa or China's Olympic team, nor does every Chinese gangster wear a Yao Ming jersey and try and sound black while shooting hoops. Further, while there now is a significant yuppie community that has invaded the Mission, all that was shown was some white dude and a self-proclaimed "100% West Coast Boriqua." This is NOT New York! Puerto Ricans here are few and far between, and the Latinos in the Mission are very, very different from the ONE that was shown here, who was without a doubt from NY. Also, HP is not the only black neighborhood in the City. An accurate depiction would have shown the drama between HP sets in their own hood as well as vs. Fillmore, Sunnydale, Lakeview, etc."
see instead: STRAIGHT OUTTA HUNTER'S POINT.
WAITING.
Comedy.
Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long.
Directed by Rob McKittrick.
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT.
Animation.
Voices by Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter.
Directed by Steve Box and Nick Park.
* There's rarely a misstep in the wonderful claymation of Nick Park's WALLACE & GROMIT films. In this world, whimsical adventure erupts from within a genteel sensibility that's as British as a cuppa tea and marmite on toast. If, after the famous three shorts and charming CREATURE COMFORTS, you were disappointed with Park's feature film project CHICKEN RUN, you may consider this a return to form. Basically, if you love bald, nervous Wallace and his mouthless, wise canine counterpart Gromit, you're gonna love this goofy romp. It's got adorable bunnies, a Frankenstein spoof, and clever noir-inspired chase scenes. Children will marvel at its inventiveness, and take comfort in its overriding quality of warmth. And, refreshingly, the little ones are not condescended to with any of those kids' movie clichés: a wisecrackin' sidekick voiced by Billy Crystal, for instance. Instead, WERE-RABBIT is a triumph of imagination. Adults will delight in the labor-intensive stop-motion work — so remarkable in this age of lazy computer graphics — down to, as one critic pointed out, the visible thumbprints of the meticulous animators. Just like the tell-tale flaws evident in handcrafted objects, they serve as a mark of quality.
see also: THE WORK OF NICK PARK.
............//FAMILY//............
BAMBI II.
Disney Animation.
THOMAS & FRIENDS: THOMAS AND THE REALLY BRAVE ENGINES.
Animation.
THOMAS & FRIENDS: THOMAS COMES TO BREAKFAST.
Animation.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
MY BEST FIEND.
Documentary. Germany. 1999.
Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Claudia Cardinale, Werner Herzog, Mick Jagger.
Directed by Werner Herzog.
RYAN'S DAUGHTER.
Drama/Romance. England. 1970.
Sarah Miles, Christopher Jones, Robert Mitchum.
Directed by David Lean.
SLIGHTLY PREGNANT.
Comedy. France. 1973.
Catherine Deneuve, Marcello Mastroianni.
Directed by Jacques Demy.
THE TRIAL.
Drama. 1963.
Anthony Perkins.
Directed by Orson Welles. Based on the novel by Franz Kafka.
THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING.
Drama. 1988.
Daniely Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin.
Directed by Philip Kaufman.
W DJANGO!
Spaghetti Western. Italy. 1972.
Directed by Edoardo Mulargia.
****
****new release list no. 50
What's up in the world... You gotta respect the young Kansas rancher who backed George W. Bush into a corner by asking him if he'd seen BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. The amusing interaction can be reviewed here.
What's up in the community... Many of you are now acquainted with our new 'buck a block' program: We donate one dollar to local public schools every time we sell a pre-paid block of 20 rentals. Well, since January 1, Four Star has already raised $137 for Potrero area schools and $226 for Bernal area schools. Thanks to everyone for taking part in this community-building effort... It definitely feels like a strong start to this year-round fundraiser.
As for movies...
What we've been loving in the theaters: THE NEW WORLD — which reads like an epic poem about the real Pochahontas, directed by cinema's great lyricist and iconoclast, Terrence Malick. A gorgeously detailed historical drama, it is sure to be loved by fans of Malick's earlier works, such as DAYS OF HEAVEN and THE THIN RED LINE. CACHE is the latest from French "sadist" Michael Haneke, who traumatized us with THE PIANO TEACHER. It's a voyeuristic thriller that's been getting rave reviews, and may remind you of SEX LIES AND VIDEOTAPE or LOST HIGHWAY or even REAR WINDOW. Many of us found Woody Allen's lastest, MATCH POINT, to be an intense psychological thriller, if not quite the return to flawless form we've been hoping for. Gripping? Just wait for that last half an hour... You may be literally gripping the armrest.
What we're going to see as soon as it gets here: TRISTRAM SHANDY: A COCK AND BULL STORY. It's a postmodern romp about a failed attempt to make a movie of the "unfilmable" 18th century book by Laurence Sterne. It stars Steve Coogan and was directed by the English innovator Michael Winterbottom. Entertainment Weekly calls it "the first great, mind-tickling treat of the new movie year." We think it'll appeal to fans of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and Truffaut's DAY FOR NIGHT. Tasty!
What's buzzing in current rentals: JUNEBUG is quickly becoming a Four Star favorite, for its tender drama, delicate twists, beautiful images of the deep South, and wonderful cast — notably Amy Adams, our vote for Best Supporting Actress. Pretty much all positive response for THE CONSTANT GARDENER, written by John Le Carre and directed by Fernando Meirelles, who also did CITY OF GOD. Riveting stuff. And Rachel Weisz may be, like, our runner-up for Best Supporting Actress! Call it a tie. Many customers have disagreed with the critics on THE ISLAND, arguing that it is actually a smart sci-fi along the lines of THE MATRIX. People are saying skip FLIGHTPLAN and go for the streamlined thrill of RED EYE instead. Those who can handle heavy, complex drama have been slowly coming around to MYSTERIOUS SKIN, a story of abused children which is as delicate as it is perturbing, and a definite step forward for the independent director Gregg Araki. Another disturbing but beautiful picture is GRIZZLY MAN, the Werner Herzog documentary about an amateur naturalist who deceived himself into believing he could co-exist with grizzlies in the wilderness. A low key word-of-mouth follows FEAR AND TREMBLING, a comedy about a young French woman working in Tokyo that has been compared with both LOST IN TRANSLATION and SECRETARY. And the "quirky little movie" ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW has remained on our top renting list for what seems like a record-breaking stint, definitely outselling the big mainstream blockbusters.
Onward!
.................... 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
BUBBLE. (pictured)
Drama/Experimental.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
* So this movie is like the fastest ever to go from the cinema to DVD — five days to be exact. And while traditionally going fast from cinema to DVD connotes "a bomb," this is actually a new marketing strategy — releasing BUBBLE simultaneously in theaters, on cable and on DVD. While this new scheme may benefit the video industry, it is, as John Fithian — president of the National Association of Theater Owners — put it to USA Today, "the biggest threat to the viability of the cinema industry today." The film's distributors are attempting to promote this as some sort of high concept cinematic innovation rather than a mere marketing strategy. Compounding this "avant-garde angle" is the film itself: A bizarre piece starring non-professional actors that's been compared with the work of Robert Bresson and late Gus Van Sant. It is ostensibly a murder mystery set in a toy factory in a small Ohio town. But, as the Washington Post points out, "Soderbergh and screenwriter Coleman Hough aren't interested in creating a coy whodunit so much as evoking the deeper, less romantic mysteries of people — and it's riveting." Roger Ebert opines that "everything about the film — its casting, its filming, its release — is daring and innovative." So you may want to just go with it, for curiosity's sake, especially if you prefer Soderbergh's earlier, experimental works, such as SCHIZOPOLIS.
see also: DANCER IN THE DARK, FARGO, HUKKLE, SCHIZOPOLIS.
............//NEW TITLE//............
BUBBLE.
see above: "release of the week.
CORPSE BRIDE.
Stop-Motion Animation.
Voices by Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Paul Whitehouse, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee.
Directed by Tim Burton.
* The kind of film Burton was born to direct, the kind he seems to want to direct, unlike, say, his PLANET OF THE APES re-make starring Marky Mark. Here instead are Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, predictably, playing into their idealized selves, or themselves as Burton sees them: Wide-eyed, raven-haired clay creatures. The story: From his 19th century European village, Victor is a young man whisked away to the underworld, where he is wed to a mysterious corpse bride, while his intended bride waits bereft in the land of the living. Basically, very Tim Burton. The Hollywood Reporter: "A wondrous flight of fancy brimming with imaginative characters, evocative sets, sly humor, inspired songs and a genuine whimsy that seldom finds its way into today's movies."
see also: the films of Tim Burton.
IN HER SHOES.
Comedy/Drama.
Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine.
Directed by Curtis Hanson.
THE LEGEND OF ZORRO.
Adventure.
Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Directed by Martin Campbell.
TROPICAL MALADY.
Drama. Thailand.
Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethaku.
* A unique new experience from a maverick Thai director, this film follows the mystical love affair between a young soldier and the country boy he seduces — soon to be disrupted by the boy's sudden disappearance. SF Chronicle: "An entirely unconventional, hypnotic, meandering film."
see also: MY SUMMER OF LOVE, HAPPY TOGETHER, MYSTERIOUS SKIN, UNDER THE SAND.
THE ULTIMATE LESBIAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL.
Short Film Compilation. Gay Interest.
THE WAR WITHIN.
Drama.
Directed by Joseph Castelo.
* A Pakistani involved in a planned attack in New York City experiences a crisis of conscience. Dallas Observor: "One of the strongest — and sure to be controversial — films of the year... Goes places that other films wouldn't dare go."
see also: WALK ON WATER, LORD OF WAR, THE CONSTANT GARDENDER.
...........//SERIES//............
MAGNUM P.I., SERIES 3.
MI-5, SERIES 3.
* A customer favorite in the action TV genre — right up there with THE WIRE and 24 for intense, addictive pacing. Being a British show, MI-5 appeals to fans of CRACKER, PRIME SUSPECT and of course Le Carre espionage stuff like TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY. One user on imdb.com posted: "Will go down in history as one of the best dramas. Kiss BOND goodbye... A more realistic, better story is here. Enjoy one of the most memorable security-service dramas ever! Season III is especially brilliant."
see also: THE WIRE.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS.
Adventure. 1937.
Freddie Bartholomew, Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas.
Directed by Victor Fleming.
THE CHAMP.
Drama. 1979.
Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Rick Schroder.
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
CIMARRON.
Western. 1931.
Richard Dix, Irene Dunne.
Directed by Wesley Ruggles.
DUNE. (Extended Edition.)
Sci-Fi. 1984.
Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Sting, Alicia Witt, Max Von Sydow.
Directed by David Lynch.
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL.
Comedy/Drama. England. 1994.
Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas.
Directed by Mike Newell.
THE GOOD EARTH.
Drama. 1937.
Paul Muni, Luise Rainer.
Directed by Sidney Franklin.
HEAVENLY CREATURES.
Drama. New Zealand. 1994.
Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet.
Directed by Peter Jackson.
JOHNNY BELINDA.
Drama. 1948.
Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres.
Directed by Jean Negulesco.
SON OF THE PINK PANTHER.
Comedy. 1993.
Roberto Begnini.
Directed by Blake Edwards.
THE YELLOW SUBMARINE.
Animation/Musical. 1968.
Voices by The Beatles.
Directed by George Dunning.
****
****new release list no. 49
There are those too-short days that you sometimes get in the middle of a San Francisco winter... Bright with unseasonable sun, peeling off into evenings that smell like bonfire and blossom. We feel so lucky to be San Franciscans! We love the winter, it's like summer! We ride our bikes and drink beer on patios in the afternoon. In case you haven't noticed, we've been having a couple of those days lately. 60-something degrees, and charming! We say: Stay away from our shops! Take a walk in a park instead. But if you really must cap your day off with a DVD, there are plenty of new ones this week. Take a gander...
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THUMBSUCKER. (pictured)
Comedy/Drama/Independent.
Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kelli Garner, Keanu Reeves, Vince Vaughn, Benjamin Bratt.
Directed by Mike Mills.
* They'll be trying to tout this one as "the new NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE," but it just isn't as catchy as that recent teen hit. Neither does THUMBSUCKER completely succeed at being Napolean's quieter, more contemplative little brother. For one thing, the movie is simply too clean. Director Mike Mills' background in graphic design becomes a stumbling block here: The movie looks beautiful, but adolescent angst isn't beautiful... It's zitty and caked in red Doritos goo. THUMBUCKER is just a little too stylish, a little too neat. Plus, of all teen stories — kids in the projects, gay kids, handicapped kids — isn't it a lot to ask of us to care about this priviledged white suburban dude who sucks his thumb? Ok... So then why is it our release of the week? Because it is still a cut above the rest: It is well-crafted and very well-acted. The soundtrack juxtaposes The Polyphonic Spree with Elliot Smith. And both Keanu Reeves and Vince Vaughn turn in surprisingly endearing performances in modest supporting roles. In other words, if you don't set your standards too high, you won't be disappointed by this little film. The Philadelphia Inquirer called it "a quiet, quirky gem." Empire magazine: "a refreshingly low-key treatment of teenage trauma." And the Austin Chronicle proposes: "It's the kind of movie that lives and dies by a viewer's own idiosyncrasies."
see also: RUSHMORE, THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, LOST IN TRANSLATION, NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE.
............//NEW TITLES//............
ADDRESS UNKNOWN.
Drama. South Korea.
Directed by Ki-duk Kim.
THE ARISTOCRATS.
Documentary/Stand-Up Comedy.
Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Stewart, George Carlin, Eddie Izzard, Sarah Silverman, etc.
Directed by Paul Provenza.
* That you could make a movie featuring over 100 comedians retelling the same joke ("the world's dirtiest") is kind of weird. That it could become something of a phenomenon is somehow not surprising. The Portland Oregonian: "In the wake of everything we've seen on TV and in movies in recent decades, it's amazing that something as harmless as language can still stupefy us. As THE ARISTOCRATS demonstrates, there is real humor in the confrontation of taboos." The Hollywood Reporter: "Obscene, disgusting, vulgar and vile, THE ARISTOCRATS might be the funniest movie you'll ever see." Others were less impressed by the one joke movie. Christian Science Monitor: "Mighty monotonous after a while." Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "It wears thin."
see also: COMEDIAN, MAN ON THE MOON, THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE.
CAFE LUMIERE.
Drama. Taiwan.
Directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou.
FINGERSMITH.
Drama. Gay Interest.
Directed by Aisling Walsh.
FLIGHTPLAN.
Thriller.
Jodie Foster.
Directed by Robert Schwentke.
THE FOG.
Horror.
Tom Welling, Maggie Grace, Selma Blair.
Directed by Rubert Wainwright.
THE GREAT SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE.
Documentary. (American Experience/TV.)
Directed by Stephen Ives and Ben Loeterman.
KINGS & QUEEN.
Drama. France.
Catherine Denueve.
Directed by Arnaud Desplechin.
MAKING GRACE.
Documentary/Gay Interest.
Directed by Catherine Gund.
THE N WORD.
Documentary.
Directed by Todd Williams.
OLIVER TWIST.
Drama.
Ben Kingsley, Barney Clark, Leanne Rowe.
Directed by Roman Polanski.
THE RASPBERRY REICH.
Comedy/Experimental/Gay Interest.
Directed by Bruce LaBruce.
THUMBSUCKER.
see above: "release of the week."
............//MUSIC DVD//............
(Some titles are only stocked in one location, but can be transferred between stores upon request. Some titles were previously only available in Bernal and are now also stocked in Potrero.)
BLANK GENERATION.
Documentary/Music. 1976.
Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, Patti Smith Group, Richard Hell, etc.
Directed by Ivan Kral and Amos Poe.
FESTIVAL.
Documentary/Music. 1967.
Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Donovan, Peter Paul & Mary, Mississippi John Hurt, etc.
Directed by Murray Lerner.
GALAXIE 500: 1987-1991.
Videos from Galaxie 500.
GIGANTIC: A TALE OF TWO JOHNS.
Documentary/Music. 2002.
They Might Be Giants.
Directed by A.J. Schnack.
KILL ROCK STARS: VIDEO FANZINE III.
Videos from Unwound, Quix*o*tic, xbxrx, Deerhoof, Gravy Train!!!, LiLiPut, etc.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: ALL I WANT.
Videos from Rufus Wainwright.
WILCO: I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART.
Documentary/Music. 2002.
Wilco.
Directed by Sam Jones.
............//NEW TO DVD//.............
(Some titles are only stocked in one location.)
DAYS OF HEAVEN.
Drama. 1978.
Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz.
Directed by Terrence Malick.
DEATH ON THE NILE.
Agatha Christie Crime Drama. 1978.
Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, David Niven, Maggie Smith.
Directed by John Guiillermin.
DIM SUM.
Comedy/Independent. 1985.
Directed by Wayne Wang.
EVIL UNDER THE SUN.
Agatha Christie Crime Drama. 1982.
Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely, James Mason, Roddy McDowall, Sylvia Miles, Diana Rigg, Maggie Smith.
Directed by Guy Hamilton.
FARENHEIT 451.
Sci-Fi/Drama. 1966.
Oskar Werner, Julie Christie.
Directed by Francois Truffaut.
THE FARMER'S WIFE.
Silent Comedy. 1928.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS.
Thriller. 1978.
Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy.
Directed by Philip Kaufman.
* There's a whole family of film buffs who will tell you that this '70s San Francisco version is as good — if not superior — to the 1956 original. The familiar urban location hits close to home: A whole cable car full of passengers with glazed expressions? Freaky! Furthermore, the protagonists are not merely "victims" played by stock actors, but complex characters, socially aware and versed in pop psychology, cognizant of the fact that this is all a little unbelievable. With this ironic twist, INVASION manages to translate from 1950s suburban America to the educated, liberal milieu of '70s San Francisco. And it still works well today as a metaphor and cautionary tale... Ever feel isolated from your social surroundings? That the powers-that-be want you to become just another sheep? Playing on these notions, director Kaufman (he also did stuff like THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING and HENRY AND JUNE) finds a way to really hit a chord with a new audience — in a manner similar to the recent success of comic zombie movie SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Ultimately, this is a lot of fun to watch, and pretty damn scary.
see also: TIME AFTER TIME, THE CONVERSATION, SHAUN OF THE DEAD.
KESTREL'S EYE.
Documentary. 1998.
Directed by Mikael Kristersson.
LOCAL HERO.
Comedy/Drama. 1983.
Burt Lancaster.
Directed by Bill Forsyth.
SMALL CHANGE.
Comedy/Drama. France. 1976.
Directed by Francois Truffaut.
AN UNMARRIED WOMAN.
Comedy/Drama. 1978.
Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy, Cliff Gorman.
Directed by Paul Mazursky.
THE VIRGIN SPRING. (Criterion Collection DVD)
Drama. Sweden. 1960.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.
WOMEN IN REVOLT.
Comedy/Experimental. 1971.
Candy Darling, Jackie Curtis, Holly Woodlawn.
Directed by Paul Morrissey.
XANADU.
Musical. 1980.
Olivia Newton-John.
Directed by Robert Greenwald.
****
****new release list no. 48
Oh, come on, you thought WE could resist mentioning that the Golden Globe Awards were totally GAY? It's awesome! So this is our own little shout out to all the nominees and winners associated with queer-oriented projects. Here's a link to the New York Times' red carpet coverage. Don't miss the "AND THE NOMINEES SHOULD BE" audio slide show, which highlights the critics' Oscar picks. (It's nice to see them give props to last year's overlooked greats — like 2046, MYSTERIOUS SKIN, and the work from directors Claire Denis and Michael Haneke.)
We are proud to announce that we've finalized plans for our "BUCK A BLOCK" program... From now on, one dollar from every pre-paid "block" of 20 rentals will go to public schools in Bernal Heights and Potrero Hill. We estimate this will raise hundreds of dollars annually. It's a great cause. And, hey, for those few of you who are holding out on renting through the "block" — what's keeping you? It's customer preferred, gets you cheaper movies, doesn't expire, and now you'll be a part of this cool fundraising effort. Thanks to Dave for his valiant altruistic efforts in getting the project cemented.
You can't help but wanna give our new staffer Adrianna a big Four Star welcome. She's got that bright smile, Midwestern twang and resembles a young Madonna. She's another one from Chicago, a real hard worker who's ready to give you superb rentals service. Hey hey, Adrianna!
Lots of good stuff this week. JUNEBUG is our top pick for a bittersweet little independent movie. There are a few new documentaries, with subjects ranging from the Enron execs to the Dalai Lama to an adult film actress. Older movies now on DVD include a couple of Richard Pryor comedies and some heterosexual cowboy movies from master director Sam Peckinpah.
cheers................. 4star!
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
JUNEBUG.
Comedy/Drama/Independent.
Amy Adams, Embeth Davidtz, Alessandro Nivola, Celia Weston.
Directed by Phil Morrison.
* This is the kind of movie we love: Intimate, intelligent and tender, with complex characters in unpredictable situations. The story begins when a sophisticated art gallerist travels to remote North Carolina in order to woo one of the rural "outsider artists" who keep her in Jil Sander pantsuits. While she's in the area, she'll also be meeting her new husband's working class family: Skeptical mom, introverted dad, angsty brother and exuberantly pregnant sister-in-law. It's funny to think that this is essentially another "meet the parents" movie, and yet it is very different — "so pure and moving" as Entertainment Weekly put it. Painterly images (Southern landscapes, empty bedrooms full of mystery) and a delicate soundtrack by Yo La Tengo provide a contemplative setting for the poignant plot twists. And then there's the knockout performance by Amy Adams — who, as the woefully cheery and tremendously pregnant Ashley, plays a put-upon wife very different than teary Michelle Williams in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, but equally deserving of a Best Supporting Actress award.
see also: ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW, IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL.
............//NEW TITLES//............
ASYLUM.
Romance/Suspense. Ireland.
Natasha Richardson, Ian McKellen, Hugh Bonneville, Marton Csokas.
Directed by David Mackenzie.
LE CHIGNON D'OLGA.
Comedy. France.
Directed by Jerome Bonnell.
ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM.
Documentary.
Directed by Alex Gibney.
GENDERNAUTS.
Documentary.
Directed by Monika Treut.
THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Documentary.
Directed by Christine Fugate.
JUNEBUG.
see above: "release of the week."
LORD OF WAR.
Thriller.
Nicolas Cage, Bridget Moynahan, Jared Leto.
Directed by Andew Niccol.
THE MAN.
Comedy.
Samuel L. Jackson, Eugene Levy.
Directed by Les Mayfield.
SHORT CUT TO NIRVANA.
Documentary.
Directed by Maurizio Benazzo & Nick Day.
* Another acclaimed film from Bernal Heights filmmakers! Called "extraordinary" by the New York Times, this documentary won multiple awards at international film festivals. Every 12 years, over 70 million pilgrims (!) gather at the meeting of India's holy rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna, for a spiritual festival called the Kumbh Mela. Benazzo and Day take you on a voyage through this colorful event. Featuring encounters with some of India's most respected holy men and exclusive footage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Village Voice: "Evinces ecstasy!" San Francisco Chronicle: "Radiates good cheer."
see also: WHEEL OF TIME, TRAVELLERS AND MAGICIANS.
SUENO.
Comedy/Drama. Argentina.
John Leguizamo, Elizabeth Pena, Ana Claudia Talancon.
Directed by Renee Chabria.
TWO FOR THE MONEY.
Drama/Thriller.
Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Armand Assante.
Directed by Dan Gilroy.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE BAD SLEEP WELL. (Criterion Collection DVD).
Drama. Japan. 1960.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.
THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE.
Comedy/Western. 1970.
Jason Robards, Stella Stevens.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM.
Comedy/Drama. 1987.
Robin Williams.
Diirected by Barry Levinson.
IN COLD BLOOD.
Crime/Drama. 1967.
Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, John Forsythe.
Directed by Richard Brooks. Based on the novel by Truman Capote.
PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID.
Western. 1973.
James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY.
Western. 1962.
Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
SILVER STREAK.
Comedy. 1976.
Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh.
Directed by Arthur Hiller.
STIR CRAZY.
Comedy. 1980.
Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder.
Directed by Sidney Poitier.
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING.
Comedy/Drama/Independent. 1999.
Directed by Giuseppe Andrews.
THE WILD BUNCH.
Western. 1969.
William Holden.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
****
****new release list no. 47
THE CONSTANT GARDENER is out this week, along with a kazillion others. So let's not dawdle.
One quick reminder: Bobby's biweekly film & DJ night, DONKEY BABY, takes place Thursday the 12th at El Rio. Bobby will be showing MISTER FREEDOM, William Klein's 1969 pop art gem. Radical politics, hot fashion and an appearance by Serge Gainsbourg! Then take it to the dance floor and get radical yourself. So much fun.
Enjoy!
.......................... 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THE CONSTANT GARDENER.
Drama/Thriller.
Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz.
Directed by Fernando Meirelles.
* A rare thing: A "big movie" that's worth its weight. Ralph Fiennes plays a gentlemanly but timid diplomat who is frantic to discover the truth behind the murder of his wife. Before her death, she was about to blow the lid off a major drug company and its scheme to exploit ill people in Africa. Written with intrigue and grace by the popular espionage novelist John Le Carré, and directed by the man behind CITY OF GOD, this one will will surely capture a slew of Oscar nominations. It deserves to be a contender in the cinematography category: The scorched, gritty visual style is a groundbreaking approach to shooting such epic international landscapes. USA Today: "A masterwork of suspense, romance and political intrigue." The Chicago Tribune: "A sweaty, vital masterpiece that's always one step ahead of its audience." Gripping stuff — deeply disturbing but also full of adventure.
see also: CITY OF GOD, THE END OF THE AFFAIR, HOTEL RWANDA, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, THE INTERPRETER, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.
............//NEW TITLES//............
ASSISTED LIVING.
Comedy/Drama.
Directed by Elliot Greenebaum.
THE CONSTANT GARDENER.
see above: "release of the week."
THE CHUMSCRUBBER.
Comedy/Drama.
Jamie Bell, Glenn Close, Ralph Fiennes, Carrie-Anne Moss.
Directed by Arie Posin.
* It's been consistently compared with the cult hit DONNIE DARKO, but also consisently derided as being more smug and less heartfelt than its predecessor. THE CHUMSCRUBBER is yet another surreal suburban teen satire that may appeal to fans of the genre, but honestly looks slated to be truly beloved by only an obscurist few.
see also: PRETTY PERSUASION, MYSTERIOUS SKIN, UNDERTOW, DONNIE DARKO.
THE GIRL FROM MONDAY.
Comedy/Sci-Fi/Independent.
Directed by Hal Hartley.
HUSTLE & FLOW.
Drama.
Terrence Dashon Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, DJ Qualls, Ludacris.
Directed by Craig Brewer.
* One of the year's more talked-about releases, HUSTLE & FLOW won some rave reviews, particularly for Terrence Howard's performance as a Memphis hustler attempting to find redemption through a hip hop career. The film also garnered much disdain for its apparent misogynism. Some regard it as "a crowd-pleaser" and "an explosive entertainment." But then salon.com — giving the film one of its most elevated reviews — stated: "In a world of movies that try far too hard to move, entertain and dazzle us, the artistry of HUSTLE & FLOW lies in the way it waits for us to come to it. We can walk as slowly as we want, but sooner or later, it's going to get us." Truly mixed reviews for this undeniably fascinating release.
see also: FOUR BROTHERS, CRASH, REDEMPTION.
MISSING IN AMERICA.
Drama.
Danny Glover, Ron Perlman, Linda Hamilton.
Directed by Gabrielle Savage Dockterman.
MY DATE WITH DREW.
Documentary.
Directed by Jon Gunn, Brian Herzlinger, Brett Winn.
* When the concept is: A hapless independent film director trying to score a date with Drew Barrymore, whom he's had a crush on "since I was six years old." And the concept is better than the actual film... You know you're in big trouble. Still, it may appease those addicted to stuff like US Weekly and "reality TV."
see also: UNSCRIPTED.
RED EYE.
Thriller.
Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox.
Directed by Wes Craven.
SARABAND.
Drama. Sweden.
Liv Ullmann, Marianne Erland Josephson.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.
* The final film from legendary auteur Ingmar Bergman is a sequel — over 30 years later — to his classic SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE. Roger Ebert: "Powerfully, painfully honest." The Wall Street Journal: "Sublime."
see also: SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE.
TONY TAKITANI.
Drama. Japan.
Directed by Jun Ichikawa.
* Considering the immense popularity of neo-pulp novelist Haruki Murakami, we've been wondering if and when he'd be translated to film. A bizarre adaptation of THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLES by avant-garde filmmaker Shohei Imamura? A sweet retelling of NORWEIGAN WOOD, transplanted to San Francisco and directed by Sofia Coppola? But here it is: Murakami's debut on the screen, and it is a quieter affair, based on a short story rather than one of his surrealist tomes, highlighting the delicate side of the writer's work. Director Jun Ichikawa is a very Japanese director (previous works include OSAKA STORY, TOKYO LULLABY and THE TOKYO SIBLINGS). He treats this tragic story of a doomed romance and a woman's destructive addiction to high fashion with an ethereal grace. Entertainment Weekly: "It's a quiet dream of a movie, a vision of loneliness giving way to love, then to loneliness again; it's like VERTIGO remade in a sedately haunted style of Japanese lyricism."
see also: NOBODY KNOWS, 2046, FEAR AND TREMBLING.
TRANSPORTER 2.
Action. France. (English, French and Italian languages.)
Directed by Louis Leterrier.
TRIPLE AGENT.
Drama/Thriller.
Directed by Eric Rohmer.
TWO MEN WENT TO WAR.
Comedy/Drama. England.
Directed by John Henderson.
YESTERDAY.
Drama. South Africa. (Zulu language.)
Directed by Darrell Roodt.
............//SERIES//............
MEN BEHAVING BADLY, SERIES 3 & SERIES 4. British.
............//FAMILY//............
DORA THE EXPLORER: SAVE THE DAY.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
CARMEN JONES.
Musical/Drama. 1954.
Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Olga James, Pearl Bailey.
DEAD POETS SOCIETY.
Drama. 1989.
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke.
Directed by Peter Weir.
HERSTORY OF PORN.
Documentary/Performance/Saucy. 1999.
Directed by Annie Sprinkle.
* A comprehensive DVD release from adult film actress, sexual health educator, performance artist, all-around cult icon and Four Star customer Annie Sprinkle. At 18, Annie was subpoenaed as a witness for the prosecution in an obscenity trial —because she happened to be selling popcorn in a Tuscon movie theater that was showing DEEP THROAT. Guess she decided to just go with it. Many scandalous turns of career later, Annie is credited by imdb.com as appearing in 82 films, from MONDO NEW YORK to BEST OF BIG BUSTY. She's even been called "one of the top 25 wicked women in history" by Camille Paglia. This new DVD includes performances, scholarly film commentary, and of course the documentary HERSTORY OF PORN — in which Annie takes us into seven different movie theaters and interacts with the best (and worst) clips from her film career. "A fascinating testament to the sexual imagination," said The Village Voice. "I was shocked," said John Waters. Whoa.
see also: INSIDE DEEP THROAT.
ISLAND IN THE SUN.
Drama. 1957.
James Mason, Joan Fontaine, Dorothy Dandridge, Joan Collins, Harry Belafonte.
Directed by Robert Rossen.
PINKY.
Drama. 1949.
Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore.
Directed by Elia Kazan.
STORMY WEATHER.
Musical. 1943.
Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller.
Directed by Andrew L. Stone.
****
No comments:
Post a Comment