Spring in San Francisco is so wishy-washy. Why not get out of town and head east, where the sun is more sure-footed? We'd like to recommend two creative new day-trip endeavors (both being run by former Bernal Heights residents)...
Tip Top Supper Club is a luxuriant 'underground dining experience.' Once a month, Niki (who is a cook at Chez Panisse) serves a three course meal (with two wine pairings) to six couples in the open kitchen of a modest farmhouse set in the rolling hills of Vacaville. What a treat. And tasty. The produce is regional, and Niki lovingly explains the origins and preparations of the foods as she serves. Spend the early evening in the clean dust of these peaceful farmlands, gazing at Highland cows grazing... And it's just about an hour out of town! Contact soulfoodfarm@aol.com for more information.
If you're feeling a little less lazy, Elizabeth's Bacchus Bicycle Tours makes for an incredible day out in wine country. Included in your package are a van ride into Sonoma, a Hybrid bicycle rental, free tastings at select vineyards and a picnic lunch featuring stuff like smoked salmon, celery root slaw, white bean salad and caviar. Whoa! If wine tasting makes you feel like you're being slothy, why not do it by bike? Ride carefully. Visit bacchusbicycletours.com.
When you're pooped from all that sun, come back to the foggy city and rent one of these....
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
TRANSAMERICA.
Comedy/Drama/Independent.
Felicity Huffman, Kevin Zegers, Graham Greene.
Directed by Duncan Tucker.
* From what you may have heard about this movie — a lonely pre-op transsexual discovers she's got a 17-year-old son who sniffs coke and hustles on the street — you may be picturing something rather sad, along the lines of the harrowing transgender film BOYS DON'T CRY. But TRANSAMERICA is actually a comedy — bittersweet and emotional, but funny most all the way through. It's actually more similar to FLIRTING WITH DISASTER... A dysfunctional family road trip, only complicated by gender dysphoria. Felicity Huffman is totally a joy to watch — impressive gender-tweaking aside, her performance is wound-up, witty, neurotic and charming. This may not be the most serious or subtle of films to come out last year, but we'd venture that it's one of the more welcome surprises. TRANSAMERICA has it's critics, who claim that a contrived set-up and obvious plot structure render the film corny. (Well, duh, the theme song is by Dolly Parton... It's going to be a tad hokey.) The New York Post reckoned, "Like a preoperative transsexual, TRANSAMERICA is neither one thing nor the other. It yanks at the heartstrings too much to qualify as edgy, but it's far too bawdy to make it to the Hallmark Channel." Well, we contend that plenty of Four Star folks fit right into that cross-section — with both heartstrings and bawdy to spare.
see also: FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, ABOUT SCHMIDT, SECRETS AND LIES, THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BLOODRAYNE.
Fantasy/Action.
Kristanna Loken, MIchelle Rodriguez, Ben Kingsley, Billy Zane, Udo Kier.
Directed by Uwe Boll.
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2.
Comedy.
Steve Martin, Hilary Duff.
Directed by Adam Shankman.
THE DEVIL'S MINER.
Documentary. Spanish language.
Directed by Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani.
* A raw but surprisingly magical documentary about two brothers, 14 and 12 years old, who work deep inside the silver mines of Cerro Rico, Bolivia. The rigor of their lives is supplemented with the ancient belief that the Devil determines the fate of those who enter the mine. Placing their faith in the mountain devil's generosity, Basilio and Bernadino hope to earn enough money to continue to attend school, their only chance of escaping a destiny in the silver mines.
see also: THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE.
LONDON.
Drama.
Chris Evans, Jessiva Biel, Jason Statham, Joy Bryant.
Directed by Hunter Richards.
TRANSAMERICA.
see above: "release of the week."
WHO GETS TO CALL IT ART?
Art Documentary.
Henry Galdzahler, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Francesco Clemente...
Directed by Peter Rosen.
* Hurrah for Palm Pictures' new Arthouse Films imprint, which has brought us great art documentaries like HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY and THE LEGEND OF LEIGH BOWERY. This newest feature is a portrait of the influential Henry Geldzahler — the very first "contemporary art" curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exclusive footage and new interviews with tons of mid-century art luminaries, plus music by The Velvet Underground, Can, Eric Dolphy and The Monks.
see also: A BIGGER SPLASH, TITLES FROM ARTHOUSE FILMS.
............//FAMILY//............
BERENSTAIN BEARS: FUN FAMILY ADVENTURES.
Animation.
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL.
Family Musical.
Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens.
Directed by Kenny Ortega.
* This Diseny Channel made-for-TV movie somehow became the highest rated program in the history of the network and a minor cult phenomenon. We say minor because this is truly kids' stuff... Although it's set in high school, the squeaky-clean star-crossed romance is really aimed at the 12-and-under crowd. It's like this: The jock character gets flack from his baseketball teammates for auditioning for the school musical — but meanwhile they are all singing and dancing to Justin Timberlake-like songs on the court. You know?
see also: CAMP, CENTER STAGE, GET OVER IT.
............//SERIES//............
DEADWOOD, Series 2.
HBO Western Drama.
DOG WHISPERER, Series 1.
Documentary Series.
INSPECTOR MORSE, Four New Episodes.
British Crime Drama.
LITTLE BRITAIN, Series 2.
British Comedy.
MIDSOMER MURDERS, SERIES 2 & SERIES 3..
British Crime Drama.
* We love those British detective series. This one's not as gritty as CRACKER, nor as violent as WIRE IN THE BLOOD. It's one of those more pastoral English mysteries — think MURDER, SHE WROTE with accents. A cute father-and-son-like relationship between the two main detectives, and good enough twists and turns. This one came recommended by Jeremy's mom, who force-fed him BBC as a tot (Basil Fawlty, anyone?).
see also: THE INSPECTOR LYNELY MYSTERIES, INSPECTOR MORSE.
WONDER SHOWZEN, Series 1.
Puppets/Satire.
.............//NEW TO DVD//.............
THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL.
War. 1978.
Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason.
Directed by Franklin J. Schaeffner.
THE CHASE.
Drama.
Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford.
Directed by Arthur Penn.
THE DIRTY DOZEN.
War. 1967.
Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland.
Directed by Andrew McLaglen.
HARLAN COUNTY USA. (Criterion Collection edition.)
Documentary. 1976.
Directed by Barbara Kopple.
LATE SPRING. (Criterion Collection edition.)
Drama. Japan. 1949.
Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu.
Directed by Yasujiro Ozu.
* The films of Yasujiro Ozu are almost uniformly about middle class families in post-war Japan. Not much happens, and what story is there is told in the barest of styles. Once, a Four Star customer returned our copy of TOKYO STORY — the Ozu film which is routinely considered to be one of the top 10 films of all time — and said, "That was the worst film I've ever seen." On the other hand, last year's retrospective of Ozu films at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley played consistently to full houses. At its close, both audiences and organizers became teary with a feeling akin to grief. If you do fall in love with Ozu, you feel like you are a part of his family. The same actors appear again and again in his tender tales, and his eloquent images — laundry on the line, a hula hoop hung on the wall — strip away the extraneous and make bountious room for the emotions of families in times of hope, sadness or transition. In LATE SPRING, just as he did with his film EARLY SUMMER, Ozu casts Chishu Ryu as a father who feels compelled to marry off his beloved only daughter, played by Setsuko Hara. The bittersweetness is pure poetry. And for those who remain skeptical about Ozu's cinematic prowess, this Criterion edition features a second disc, with the 92-minute documentary TOKYO-GA — Wim Wenders' loving tribute to his most revered director.
see also: TOKYO STORY, EARLY SUMMER, TOKYO-GA.
MICROCOSMOS.
Nature Documentary/Family.
Directed by Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou.
VIRIDIANA. (Criterion Collection edition.)
Experimental/Satire. Spain. 1961.
Directed by Luis Bunuel.
****
****new release list no. 64/65
We are lamenting the loss of Cafe Commons (on Mission St. at Precita), a truly special small business. For years, Soonae and Jong brightened our mornings: They knew our names, knew our orders, knew pretty much all of our business, and made a scrummy mushroom quiche that was never too fluffy or buttery. Cafe Commons was the real deal, an unpretentious family-run establishment, and we are just sending a shout out: We will miss you. A party at the old locale is being thrown on the afternoon of Saturday May 13 in honor of Soonae and Jong.
A reminder: Colter Jacobsen art exhibit at our 18th Street shop this Thursday, May 11. Because we are expecting a large crowd, we'll be starting the reception at 7pm rather than 8... Show up early if you want to actually see the art, and snag some of that mighty Anchor Steam (brewed in Potrero Hill!)... The band Steeplechase will play acoustic around 9pm.
From last week: "The exhibition includes a series of Colter's memory diptychs — in which he completes detailed figurative drawings, and then challenges himself to recreate them from memory the next day. Colter has shown extensively in group shows around the city. His installation at the White Columns gallery in Manhattan garnered a positive review from critic Roberta Smith at the New York Times. But this marks his very first solo show... We're proud to host it!"
Please join us. The night also roughly marks our one year anniversary in our Potrero Hill digs. Yay, us!
........................4star.
p.s. Thanks for all those nice yelp.com reviews... You guys are the best.
p.p.s. Bernal customers, you've probably noticed by now that Sara is back from Turkey! It is so good to have her smile in the store again.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THE NEW WORLD.
Epic Drama.
Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale, Q'orianka Kilcher.
Directed by Terrence Malick.
* Marketing executives may have banked on the presence of megastars Colin and Christian, and positioned this as a sweeping, sexy adventure, and it is all that, but once you've started watching, there's no denying that THE NEW WORLD is still a Terrence Malick film — slow-paced and dreamlike, filled with ruminative images of raw and lonely landscapes. It's a pretty amazing movie, although those of you without big widescreen TVs may regret not seeing this at the cinemas, considering how much emphasis is placed on the glorious cinematography. THE NEW WORLD tells the tale of Captain John Smith's arrival in just-colonized America, and speculates on an intense romance between him and the Native American heiress Pocahontas. Some have criticized the film for giving in too much to the Pochahontas mythology, basking in actress O'orianka Kilcher's chaste and exotic beauty, rather than rigorously revising the story for historical accuracy. Compared with the Disney animation, however, this will read like Howard Zinn. And in the end, even if the tale is tall, you may just give in, because it is so sumptiously told.
see also: THE WORK OF TERENCE MALICK.
BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE 2.
Comedy.
Martin Lawrence, Nia Long.
Directed by John Whitesell.
FATELESS.
Drama. Hungary/Germany/England.
Directed by Lajos Koltai.
* A semi-autobiographical tale of a 14-year-old Jewish boy from Budapest in 1944. Variety: "Profoundly moving. A genuinely new way of looking at the Holocaust." Village Voice: "Mystically translucent... Will be ineveitably compared to SCHINDLER'S LIST and especially THE PIANIST. It's more sustained than either."
see also: AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS.
GRANDMA'S BOY.
Comedy.
Allen Covert, Doris Roberts, Linda Cardellini.
Directed by Nicholaus Goossen.
MUNICH.
Drama.
Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.
ON THE OUTS.
Drama.
Anny Mariano, Judy Marte, Paola Mendoza.
Directed by Lori Silverbush.
* A "fierce and gripping new film" (New York Times) about three girls in juvenile jail. From Film Journal: "Nothing short of awe-inspiring: riveting and real, a truly important work which is, blessedly, about something, and against which most American films seem trifiling and trite."
see also: STRANGER INSIDE.
RUMOR HAS IT.
Romantic Comedy.
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley Maclaine, Mark Ruffalo.
Directed by Rob Reiner.
............//SERIES//............
BLACK BOOKS, Series 1.
British Comedy.
DR. KATZ, PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST, Series 1.
Animation.
THE GOLDEN GIRLS, Series 5.
Retro Comedy.
THE OMEGA FACTORY, Complete Series.
Retro British Sci-Fi.
THE WEST WING, Series 6.
Political Drama.
............//FAMILY//............
NANNY MCPHEE.
Family/Fantasy.
Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury.
Directed by Kirk Jones.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE NYMPH.
Drama. Italy. 1996.
Directed by Lina Wertmuller.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.
Disaster Thriller. 1972.
Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowell, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters.
Directed by Ronald Neame.
RONIN.
Thriller. 1998.
Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgard, Sean Bean.
Directed by John Frankenheimer.
* This heist movie was released in 1998 to some acclaim, and while other titles that promise to deliver the same goods — car chases, machine guns, a hot chick — eventually fell by the wayside, RONIN has remained a consistent VHS renter. It's the kind of thing that you catch a half hour of on TV late one night, get hooked, then want to rent on $1 Wednesday so that you can see the whole story.
see also: PATRIOT GAMES, CITY OF GHOSTS, LEON THE PROFESSIONAL, THE SCORE.
SUMMER NIGHT.
Drama. 1986.
Mariangela Melato.
Directed by Lina Wertmuller.
THE TOWERING INFERNO.
Disaster Thriller. 1974.
Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, OJ Simpson.
Directed by Irwin Allen.
****
****new release list no. 63
If you haven't taken advantage of the newly revamped San Francisco International Film Festival, be sure to check their program listings; there's only a couple days left.
Meanwhile, Jamie and Jeremy spent last week down in LA, where they saw one of the worst films ever made — the 1980 horror/exploitation flick DON'T GO NEAR THE PARK — at the New Beverly Cinema. In attendance were a couple hundred of the world's geekiest, creepiest cult movie fans, making the J's wonder if they'd innocently wandered into a ritual sacrifice. Four Star alumnus Diego came along, wearing a Four Star t-shirt. Represent! Jeremy commented, "The people of LA are a religious people. It's not just the Scientologists. There are people all across this town worshiping in the temples known as movie theaters. And we have chosen to attend the church of Hell." Still, they emerged safely, and a good time was had by all.
Mark your calendars for next Thursday, May 11, as we'll be hosting a reception for the new art exhibit at The Attic (in our 18th Street shop). Artist Colter Jacobsen has shown extensively in group shows around the city. His installation at the White Columns gallery in Manhattan garnered a positive review from critic Roberta Smith at the New York Times. But this marks his very first solo show... We're proud to host it! The exhibition includes a series of Colter's memory diptychs — in which he completes detailed figurative drawings, and then challenges himself to recreate them from memory the next day. The opening night event, starting at 8pm, will feature live acoustic music. The night also roughly marks our one year anniversary in Potrero Hill. We'll remind you about the party next week.
We have received several positive reviews on the website yelp.com, but we still need your help... to compensate for the two naysayers (they're just haters posting inaccurate information). It only takes a minute to sign up for a new account, and we would really appreciate any kind word-of-mouth you might have to share. (Note that there are two listings, one for each shop.) As we don't have a big budget for advertising (we set aside that money to support local schools, amongst other things), this site is a great opportunity for us to attract potential customers. We don't ask for all that much, do we, so we will go ahead and stoop to solicit a yelp from y'all. Spread the love.
cheers, four star.
.............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
THE FAMILY STONE.
Comedy/Drama.
Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Dermot Mulroney, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams.
Directed by Thomas Bezucha.
* Sentimental, predicatble and typical, maybe. But then again, this just may hit the spot... Especially if you haven't seen an all-star family comedy in a while, and if that genre tends to help you escape and unwind. It got "two thumbs up," and it proves again that Diane Keaton remains one of the most enduring familiars in Hollywood. (Is this exactly what Alfie Singer feared would become of his beloved Annie Hall?) SEX AND THE CITY fans who miss Carrie Bradshaw in their lives will be stoked to see Sarah Jessica all heeled-up again and in a movie. And those pining the loss of SIX FEET UNDER may find some comfort in the similarly macabre title, THE FAMILY STONE. The counts against it: It's a holiday film, inexplicably being released in May. Lord knows we San Franciscans are ready to revel in some summer sun. And at their worst, reviews were painful. San Francisco Chronicle called it "a feel-bad holiday film about a repellent family."
see also: SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, IN HER SHOES.
............//NEW TITLES//............
THE FAMILY STONE.
see above: "release of the week."
HOODWINKED.
Animation.
Voices by Jim Belushi, Glenn Close, Anne Hathaway.
Directed by Cory Edwards.
JARGO.
Drama. Germany.
Udo Kier, Constantin Von Jascheroff.
Directed by Maria Solrun.
LAST HOLIDAY.
Comedy.
Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Gerard Depardieu, Alicia Witt, Giancarlo Esposito.
Directed by Wayne Wang.
24 HOURS ON CRAIGSLIST.
Documentary.
Directed by Michael Ferris Gibson.
* Sounds intriguing. You maybe have spent an hour on craigslist. This film crew spent a whole day, and documented the lives with which they intersected. That means random hook-ups, compulsive roommates, doors for sale, and an Ethel Merman drag queen searching for the perfect backup band for her Led Zeppelin covers. Film Threat wrote, "it's an aboslute blast... the ultimate people zoo." Wired News adds: "fun and titillating, mesmerizing, poignant."
THE WARRIOR.
Epic Drama. India.
Directed by Asif Kapadia.
............//SERIES//............
BLACK BOOKS.
British Comedy.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING, Mini-Series.
Crime Drama.
Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland, Robert Carlyle.
Directed by Christian Duguay.
HUFF, Series 1.
Showtime.
I LOVE LUCY, Series 6.
Classic Comedy.
RED DWARF, Series 8.
Comedy/Sci-Fi. England.
............//RECENT ACQUISITIONS//............
DELICATESSEN.
Comedy/Fantasy. France. 1992.
Directed by Jeunet et Caro.
FAREWELL, HOME SWEET HOME.
Comedy. France. 1999.
Directed by Otar Fosseliani.
FERDIANANDO AND CAROLINA.
Epic Drama. Italy. 1999.
Directed by Lina Wertmuller.
MONDAY MORNING.
Comedy. France. 2002.
Directed by Otar Iosseliani.
MOVIES BASED ON TENESSEE WILLIAMS PLAYS:
BABY DOLL. 1956. Karl Malden, Carroll Baker. Directed by Elia Kazan.
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. 1958. Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman. Directed by Richard Brooks.
THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA. 1964. Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr. Directed by John Huston.
THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE. 1961. Vivien Leigh, Warren Beatty. Directed by Jose Quintero.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. 1951. Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando. Directed by Elia Kazan.
SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH. 1961. Paul Newman, Geraldine Page. Directed by Richard Brooks.
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS' SOUTH. Documentary. 1973.
****
****new release list no. 62
62
Note: We've posted the new release list for Tuesday, April 25, earlier than usual. Here it is...
What we're watching in theaters...
FRIENDS WITH MONEY. We say director Nicole Holofcener takes the 'ick' out of 'chick flick.' She makes incisive comedies about smart, confused, complicated, worried, tentative, generous women, and this newest film continues that tradition. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand. Check out Holofcener's previous works, WALKING AND TALKING and LOVELY AND AMAZING, in our video collections.
L'ENFANT. Ok, it's probably not every day that you're in the mood for a relentlessly gritty Belgian drama about an immature father who sells his newborn son on the black market. If today happens to be the day you are in that mood, we do recommend L'ENFANT, winner of the 2005 Palme D'Or at Cannes. Directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have established themselves as the new auteurs of social realism, though they have also been compared to 'transcendentalist' directors such as Renoir and Bresson. The Dardenne brothers are now the second in history — after radical Japanese director Shohei Imamura — to win the Palme D'Or twice.
I AM A SEX ADDICT. San Francisco experimental director Caveh Zahedi has long been a fixture on the local underground scene, and this unexpectedly charming piece may be his big breakthrough. Well, at least it won "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" at the Gotham Awards. It's an auto-documentary, in the vein of TARNATION, but with more irony and sense of play. As for the genre, The New Yorker's Anthony Lane put it: "Auto-documentary [is] a genre of which we will be seeing a lot more — thanks to the advances in digital technology — as the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted, and the downright narcissistic venture to bare their lives on film."
As for video, here's an exuberant list for cinema lovers: The newest from Woody Allen! The newest from French avant-gardist Claire Denis! Reissues of ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS! THE PASSENGER! 1978 Anthony Hopkins puppet horror movie MAGIC! Robert Altman! Marco Bellocchio! Encore!
love, four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
MATCH POINT.
Suspense.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Matthew Goode, Emily Mortimer, Scarlett Johansson.
Directed by Woody Allen.
* This has been broadly touted as Woody Allen's return to form. It is certainly a huge departure from recent drivel like MELINDA AND MELINDA. And while many of us on staff found this to be an engaging suspense story, we're not sure that it ranks amongst his very best. For one thing, his take on courtship — once charmingly derived from neurotic arguments, bad driving, kitchen mishaps, et cetera — is now all about gorgeous beauties ripping each other's clothes off (in a rainstorm! in a room lit by a thousand candles!). So gross. Leads Meyers and Johansson are kind of bore, especially compared with supporting players Mathew Goode and Emily Mortimer, who are right on point. Other than that, MATCH POINT is an elegantly constructed study of ruthless social manuevering. Allen makes a rather adroit transition to upper class England from his usual Manhattan milieu. And then the second half really takes off as a tense psychological thriller, full of taut scenarios nearly worthy of Hitchcock. Our staff members were split on this one: Half of us found it shallow and predictable. Others were, like, gripping the armrest until they got white knuckles. All in all, this is definitely recommended, especially for those who like erudite murder mysteries along the lines of Patricia Highsmith, and of course Woody Allen films.
see also: CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, PURPLE NOON, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN.
............//NEW TITLES//............
AEON FLUX.
Action/Sci-Fi.
Charlize Theron,
Directed by Karyn Kusama.
CASANOVA.
Adventure/Romantic Comedy.
Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons.
Directed by Lasse Hallström.
THE INTRUDER.
Drama/Experimental. France.
Michel Subor, Gregoire Colin, Béatrice Dalle.
Directed by Claire Denis.
* Check Google: The director Claire Denis is again and again referred to as a maker of "pure cinema." Her poetry of image and sound can become so metaphysical and elusive as to infuriate viewers. Others will take pure delight. Put it this way: If you like Tsai Ming Liang, THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE and other brooding, elliptical foreign stuff, you have got to check this director out. THE INTRUDER makes for an epic place to start: It is a sprawling, sometimes violent, totally dreamlike work. The story roughly follows an aging loner living in rural isolation, and his quest for a heart transplant on the black market. His journey takes him from the endless snow blankets of the Swiss border to Busan, South Korea and Tahiti, with some suspected diversions into his own fantasyland on the way. This is ambitious, ravishingly beautiful, beguiling stuff — sure to put many off, and hold enraptured a particular few. Nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
see also: THE WORK OF CLAIRE DENIS.
There may be a slight delay in the arrival of our copies of this title.
MATCH POINT.
see above: "release of the week."
SHOPGIRL.
Drama/Romance.
Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman.
Directed by Anand Tucker.
............//SERIES//............
AMERICAN DAD!
Animation/Satire.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
CHAN IS MISSING.
Crime Drama. 1982.
Directed by Wayne Wang.
CRUMB.
Documentary. 1994.
Robert Crumb.
Directed by Terry Zwigoff.
ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Crime Thriller. 1958.
Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly.
Directed by Louis Malle.
* This is the movie to show 16-year-olds who want to know what "cool foreign films" are all about. We're talking Miles Davis soundtrack, the luminous Jeanne Moreau, thieving and deceiving, and suspense held magnificently through simple plot twists rather than aggressive special effects. There's a formalism here — probably influenced by Hitchcock and Fritz Lang — that would in turn inspire American chase thrillers of the '70s. There's also a looseness and naturalism, the type of which we'd later see in films by John Cassavetes. Basically, watching this movie is like going to cool school.
see also: LE SAMOURAI, SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER.
FISTS IN POCKET. (Criterion Collection DVD.)
Drama. Italy. 1965.
Directed by Marco Bellocchio.
LOVERS OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.
Drama/Romance. Spain. 1998.
Directed by Julio Medem.
MAGIC.
Horror. 1978.
Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith.
Directed by Richard Attenborough.
THE PASSENGER.
Drama. 1975.
Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider.
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.
* We've been waiting for this forever! It's one of Antonioni's more accessible films — as ruminative as other works, but starring charismatic Jack Nicholson, and driven by the underlying pulse of a thriller. Never has a fugitive-on-the-run road movie done European architecture such justice — particularly the dazzlingly romantic scenes built around Gaudi's structures in Barcelona. From the film's mysterious, sweltering start in North Africa to its legendary ending — filmed in a single continuous long shot — this is movie magic: Both an art film and an adventure, it's a film that intends to lock you in and take you for a ride.
see also: EASY RIDER, LAST TANGO IN PARIS, ZABRISKIE POINT.
ROBERT ALTMAN FILMS:
M*A*S*H 1972.
A PERFECT COUPLE. 1979.
QUINTET. 1979.
A WEDDING. 1978.
****
****new release list no. 61
Coincidence or rip-off? The cover of the current issue of Premiere magazine looks a tad familiar... Some would say it resembles the collage-style Four Star advertisement which Jamie designed almost a year ago. Note the exact same image of TOOTSIE, and the inclusion of a boxing figure. Jamie capped his pyramid-like collage with an image of Alain Delon from LE SAMOURAI; the Premiere designer chose Johhny Depp from THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. We think Jamie's is far more elegant!
Wooo, do these beautiful days mark an end to all that rain? It would also imply an end to the recent video rentals boom, but that's OK: Frankly, we're just really ready for some sun! If you can't pull yourself out of the stay-at-home habit, here's a new batch of titles to browse...
love, four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
BREAKFAST ON PLUTO.
Drama/Gay Interest. Ireland.
Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea, Liam Neeson.
Directed by Neil Jordan.
* Cillian Murphy is an actor of such bright beauty that it's almost unbearable to look at his face. He's played a zombie slayer (in 28 DAYS LATER) and a slick villian (in BATMAN BEGINS). Now he does the logical thing and puts on a dress to play a glam-rock era tranny named "Kitten." We know what you're thinking: Sounds like a campy drag queen movie. Actually, this is a gritty and politically charged drama, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering director Neil Jordan's intense previous work, such as THE CRYING GAME. Jordan infuses the lives of unknown heroes with the weight of cultural context: His characters represent grander issues of identity and social unrest. But they are not used like chess pieces. Because at its heart, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO is a passionately wrought, compelling story. Murphy gives a brave performance — openly vulnerable in his search for love, coy and perhaps too cloying. The end result is not a particularly tight movie; rather, it's a kind of wonderful mess.
see also: THE CRYING GAME, VELVET GOLDMINE, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BREAKFAST ON PLUTO.
see above: "release of the week."
DANDELION.
Drama/Independent.
Vincent Kartheiser, Taryn Manning, Arliss Howard, Mare Winningham.
Directed by Mark Milgrad.
GAMES OF LOVE AND CHANCE.
Comedy. France.
Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche.
HOSTEL.
Horror.
Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eythor Gudjonsson, Barbara Nedeljakora.
Directed by Eli Roth. Produced by Quentin Tarantino.
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS.
Comedy. England.
Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest, Kelly Reilly.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
* Ignore the generic 'sexy' packaging — This is actually a well-reviewed period piece about an English dame who inherits an old theater, and resorts to producing topless cabaret acts in order to keep it alive. The amazingly talented director Stephen Frears (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, THE GRIFTERS) pits the frivolity and controversy against a solemn backdrop of encroaching war. This is the kind of feel good movie that only the English can pull off. As the Boston Globe put it: "MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS is a very old hat, and Judi Dench wears it beautifully." She earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.
see also: CALENDAR GIRLS, BEING JULIA, CABARET.
ONE BRIGHT SHINING MOMENT: THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER OF GEORGE MCGOVERN.
Documentary.
Howard Zinn, Gore Vidal, Gloria Steinem, Warren Beatty, Ron Kovic, Dick Gregory.
Directed by Amy Goodman.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
A BIGGER SPLASH.
Experimental/Art Documentary. 1971.
David Hockney.
Directed by Jack Hazan.
* Again, ignore the generic 'sexy' packaging — This is actually a strangely beautiful film, an unusual portrait of the painter David Hockney. What began as a fictional movie project organically transformed itself into an intimate chronicle of Hockney's break-up with his young lover. Film Comment wrote: "Startling, unique, astonishing, defies comparison." Filled with awesome '70s fashion, interior design and pop artifacts. And, of course, lots of attractive men in swimming pools.
see also: DOWNTOWN 81.
THE CHESS PLAYERS.
Historical Drama. India. 1977.
Directed by Satyajit Ray.
****
SPECIAL
Thank you, Four Star customers! As of April 14, we have raised over $1,500 for local public schools through our BUCK A BLOCK program.
****
****new release list no. 60
This must be the tiniest new release list we've seen in years. But it's kind of like phew, considering how many movies we still have to catch up on. Think of it as the tapas of new release lists. In keeping with the smallness, each movie simply gets a haiku instead of a full review.
As for Avi, we'll miss that guy. Avi's presence at the Bernal shop meant weird folk music, Marx Brothers movies and enthusiastic discussions about Jewish cinema — from THE PLOT AGAINST HARRY to HESTER STREET to USHPIZIN. For now, Avi is back in New York City — regrouping, preparing for his graduate studies and, of course, celebrating passover.
xx, 4star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
AN UNFINISHED LIFE. (pictured)
Drama.
Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.
* MY LIFE AS A DOG/And that corny CHOCOLAT/Now he did this one
............//NEW TITLES//............
DEEP BLUE.
Documentary.
Directed by Alastair Fothergill.
* More marching penguins/Plus turtles and polar bears/Animals are fun
FUN WITH DICK AND JANE.
Comedy.
Jim Carrey, Tea Leoni.
Directed by Dean Parisot.
* The first one fell flat/Will the remake be better?/It's got Jim Carrey
THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED.
Drama/Sports/Family.
Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane.
Directed by Bill Paxton.
* Isn't golf boring?/This Disney movie says no/May be crowd pleaser
LITTLE FISH.
Thriller. Australia.
Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving.
Directed by Rowan Woods.
* All have a secret/In Australian suspense movie/Starring Cate Blanchett
AN UNFINISHED LIFE.
see above: "release of the week."
............//FAMILY//............
POOH'S GRAND ADVENTURE: THE SEARCH FOR CHRISTOPHER ROBIN.
Disney Animation.
* Eeyore, Piglet, Roo/Rabbit, Winnie, Tigger too/Where is Chris Robin?
............//NEW TO DVD//............
JEREMY.
Teen Drama. 1973.
Robby Benson, Glynnis O'Connor.
Directed by Elliott Kastner.
* Jeremy bought it/Duh. But turns out to be good/Seventies nerd film
****
****new release list no. 59
Now that BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is on DVD, the question is: How will it play to straight dudes? Actor Tony Curtis told Fox News that he refused to see the movie (despite being a voting member of the Academy) because "John Wayne wouldn't approve." Remember SOME LIKE IT HOT, Tony? Um, SPARTACUS? Satirist Larry David wrote that he had no plans on seeing the critically acclaimed movie, because he feared the cute cowboys might tempt him to "turn gay." (Chances are that watching BROKEBACK won't make you turn gay. But if you're worried, there's always KING KONG, which is about a lady who's in love with a big monkey.)
If you're in the mood for yet another modern western directed by a foreign filmmaker, check out Wim Wenders' latest, DON'T COME KNOCKING, out now in theaters. As usual, Wenders excels at creating an evocative sense of place. This newest project is a collaboration with writer/star Sam Shepherd, their first since 1984's landmark PARIS, TEXAS. It features a striking comeback from Jessica Lange, let alone a spunky-as-ever Eva Marie Saint, who starred in NORTH BY NORTHWEST back in 1959. Like Ang Lee did with BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Wenders has created a lonely, sprawling western landscape, filled with both naturalistic detail and a cinematic sense of romance.
We recently caught up with Four Star alumnus Diego, who is now living in LA and working in film production. His recent recommendations include GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and THE BEST OF YOUTH. He's also of the opinion that HUSTLE & FLOW is one of the most overlooked movies of last year. Dripping with the sweat of the humid deep south, it is simultaneously entertaining and traumatic, in the vein of BOOGIE NIGHTS. Look out for Terence Howard's knockout performance. Not all viewers will sit well with the aggressive depiction of pimps and prostitutes, but others will sink into this dark world and find themselves wowed by the gritty drama.
Hey, hey, hey, we've got a nice start to a store web site... Check it out. No, there's no online catalog yet. But in the meantime, if you hit the refresh button, you can check out a variety of illustrations from some of our favorite films! Thanks to Smooches Inc. for the design work.
xo,
four star video.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**............
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.
Drama/Western/Gay Interest.
Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Randy Quaid, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams.
Directed by Ang Lee.
* David Lipsky of ROLLING STONE recently wrote, "BROKEBACK has become a cultural moment, a film to take sides about, the toll charge for entering the national conversation." It's a big burden for this little film to bear. Even those who haven't seen it yet are probably familiar with its iconic look and snippets of dialogue. Many of us who saw the film when it was just out in theaters agreed that it felt like an 'instant classic.' Now that 'classic feel' already threatens to read as a cliché. At its core, BROKEBACK is a well-crafted love story, sparsely told, nicely scored and shot. Of course, the performances are what fueled a lot of the attention: Jake Gyllenhaal is full of goofy charm. Heath Ledger's mumble is already legendary. We were keen to see Linda Cardellini — yes, that's Lindsay Weir from FREAKS AND GEEKS — sink so comfortably into the skin of her supporting role, which was virtually ignored in the shadow of Michelle Williams' sympathetic performance. Director Ang Lee once again proves himself a master at conveying the ache of repression, as with previous works as diverse as THE ICE STORM and CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. The reason why fans took it so personally when BROKEBACK didn't win the Best Picture Oscar is because they really love this movie, and it's not often you're rooting for a movie you love to win. The challenge now is to wade past all the controversies and jokes and take this for what it is: A very good American drama.
see also: THE ICE STORM, BOYS DON'T CRY, THE LARAMIE PROJECT.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BALTIC STORM.
Drama/Suspense. Germany/UK (English language).
Greta Scacchi, Jürgen Prochnow, Donald Sutherland.
Directed by Reuben Leder.
BEE SEASON.
Drama.
Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Kate Bosworth.
Directed by Scott McGehee & David Siegel.
* This one has an appealing title, strong cast, the look of a quality American drama. It's even got spelling bees, which audiences went bonkers over with the documentary SPELLBOUND. So went wrong? As a study of contemporary suburban angst, the New York Post spells out, this is a "F-A-I-L-U-R-E."
see instead: SPELLBOUND.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.
see above: "release of the week."
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE.
Fantasy/Family.
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, Jim Broadbent.
Directed by Andrew Adamson.
THE DYING GAUL.
Drama/Gay Interest.
Patricia Clarkson, Campbell Scott, Peter Sarsgaard.
Directed by Craig Lucas.
* Here's another love triangle involving two dudes — although this one is set not amidst the Wyoming wilds, but the luxe living of Hollywood power players. In actuality, it's more menage-á-trois than love triangle, and to an effect that is more chilling than sentimental, largely reliant upon the great talents of actor Peter Sarsgaard. The Washington Post: "A small, self-contained gem of incisive writing, superb acting and rich, expressive visuals."
see also: WHERE THE TRUTH LIES.
FAR SIDE OF THE MOON.
Drama/Experimental. Canada.
Directed by Robert Lepage.
* Whoa, what's up with Robert Lepage? He created "KA," one of those CIRQUE DU SOLEIL shows, and he has been called "reminiscent of a French-Canadian Woody Allen." We're trying to imagine Woody Allen in CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. Maybe try thinking ADAPTATION meets WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW? Lepage himself pays the dual roles of two brothers facing existential crisis, bringing them into a sort of sci-fi experience. The Village Voice called it "one of the year's 10 best," but they must be a bunch of stoners.
see also: ADAPTATION, WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?, THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD.
Documentary.
Directed by Deborah Koons.
* Criticized for its somber tone and easy answers, THE FUTURE OF FOOD should no doubt still appeal to picky Bay Area consumers, us devotees of the local, fresh and organic. Koons investigates the story behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that line American grocery store shelves. The Boston Globe jokes that it serves as "a more practical horror film than THE FOG."
see also: SUPER SIZE ME.
NEW YORK DOLL.
Documentary/Music.
Directed by Greg Whiteley.
NIGHT WATCH.
Drama/Gay Interest. Argentina.
Directed by Edgardo Cozarinsky.
THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG.
Comedy/Crime Drama. South Korea.
Directed by Sang-soo Im.
* Another extreme Asian action flick, but this one also offers dark humor and a bit of history. It tells the story of the fateful night in 1979 when the president of South Korea was assassinated at his own dinner table. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "The funniest film you'll see this year about a political assassination."
see also: OLDBOY.
USHPIZIN.
Drama. Israel.
Directed by Giddi Dar.
............//SERIES//...........
DAVID COPPERFIELD.
BBC Charles Dickens Teleplay. Mini-Series. 1979.
GUNS, GERMS & STEEL.
Documentary. Mini-Series.
Directed by Cassian Harrison & Tim Lambert.
THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.
BBC Charles Dickens Teleplay. Mini-Series. 1979.
TAKE ME.
Robson Green.
British Crime Drama. Mini-Series.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
THE HILLS HAVE EYES.
Horror. 1977.
Directed by Wes Craven.
****
****new release no. 58
The Roxie theater on 16th, a wonky little thing with a nice big screen and old school feel, has always been on the verge of bankruptcy, which would be a damn shame. Smart idea, then, that they've morphed into the Roxie Film Center, a not-for-profit affiliated with the New College. Congratualtions to them for getting through all that paperwork!
Somewhat surprisingly, the Sundance organization has bought the Kabuki theater, which was previously owned by AMC. This is the beginning of a bid by Sundance to run a national chain of art house cinemas, or at least a sort of postmodern megaplex version. We're hoping that means that all those state-of-the-art stadium seats will be turned towards a more selective repertoire... This could be very exciting, right? The venue will re-open as the Sundance Kabuki in early fall.
A new shipment of Simon Evans' Four Star t-shirts has arrived — more women's cap-sleeve cut in navy blue, and a restock of sold out sizes in men's brown-on-creme style. Simon recently finished a solo show at the Aspen Art Museum, exhibited alongside a retrospective of Richard Tuttle!
Speaking of art, one of our favorite living artists, Colter Jacobsen, has confirmed his show at the Attic gallery at our 18th St. shop. Colter has shown widely all over the city and beyond, but this marks his very first solo exhibit! It'll begin in early May, and of course will kick off with a little party. We'll keep you posted.
If you notice a new face behind the counter at the 18th St. shop, that's Adrian, our dapper new clerk. Besides a very natty wardrobe, Adrian has got a good working knowledge of American independent film, especially the well-written, dialogue-heavy stuff. Adrian also works with the San Francisco Public Library, so he's got a good handle on all this borrowing and lending stuff. Welcome, Adrian.
Yes, it's true, the final season of SIX FEET UNDER arrives this week. Reservations will be taken 'waiting list' style only. (In other words, we cannot place an advance reservation for a certain date, due to high demand.) Call up your local Four Star shop and one of our accomodating lovelies will get you on the list.
take it easy....
team four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**...........
SIX FEET UNDER, SERIES 6.
* Who would've predicted that HBO television series would become a major sustenance in the video rental industry? And who would've predicted that at the head of it all would be a darkly comic and emotionally dramatic show about a family of undertakers? SIX FEET UNDER is prefaced on the truth that death is an inevitable part of life. And this seemingly moribund premise — filled out with sexy encounters, strange adventures and dark humor — actually appears to offer viewers a sort of comfort. Fragile and complex, the main characters of SIX FEET UNDER never fail to amuse and surprise us with their personal interactions and life decisions. We know that many, many, many of you can't wait to tune in to this season on DVD, to find out what will happen next, and who's doing what to whom. Addictive viewing.
............//NEW TITLES//............
BE HERE TO LOVE ME: TOWNES VAN ZANDT.
Documentary/Music.
Directed by Margaret Brown.
* If you're not already familiar with the whiskey-soaked southern ballads of Townes Van Zandt, you may be about to meet your new favorite songwriter — especially if you're partial to the likes of Dylan, Nick Drake and Neil Young. If you are already a member of the Townes cult, here's a chance to glimpse the man through interviews and private footage. Always on the cusp of wider success, Van Zandt is regarded as a musician's musician. He also happens to be a lanky Texan sexpot and dangerously charming storyteller... the ultimate secret hero. He could make a veteran blues musician weep and an amative young woman scream our her devotion. At a folk concert! You might wish for him as a lover or a brother, but after seeing this movie, you may not want him for a friend. According to several accounts, he'd do stuff like jump off a balcony, just when you thought you were having a good time. Or load a bullet in a pistol, spin the revolver, put it to his head and pull the trigger. Seriously traumatizing stuff. This strongly crafted biography attempts to avoid canonization, but director Brown can't help get swept up in the mythological aspects. Guiding the film towards elegance is the poetic music, plus the devestating subject matter of unfulfilled dreams.
see also: HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS.
EXILES.
Drama. France. (French, Arabic, Romany and Spanish languages.)
Romain Duris, Lubna Azabal.
Directed by Tony Gatlif.
* Plenty of reasons why this may interest: It's a bohemian road trip movie. It stars the appealing Romain Duris, who worked his swarthy looks to brooding effect in THE BEAT MY HEART SKIPPED and exuded innocent charm in L'AUBERGE ESPANGOLE. And it was directed by Tony Gatlif, whose sensual gypsy movies LATCHO DROM and THE CRAZY STRANGER have long stood, in our shops anyway, as amongst the most popular foreign film rentals.
see also: LATCHO DROM, THE CRAZY STRANGER.
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'
Crime Drama/Music.
50 Cent, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Terrence Howard.
Directed by Jim Sheridan.
I LOVE YOUR WORK.
Drama.
Giovanni Ribisi, Franka Potente, Joshua Jackson, Marisa Coughlan, Christina Ricci, Elvis Costello.
Directed by Adam Goldberg.
* As an actor, Adam Goldberg is the kind of dude who pops up in Richard Linklater's DAZED AND CONFUSED and exclaims, "I want to dance!" You imagine that he spends a lot of time in Silverlake bars drinking Red Stripe beers and thinking about the new Nike Dunks. And, it seems, conceiving a movie! As a director, Goldberg has embarassingly chosen subject matter which only reiterates L.A.'s reputation for solipsism and nepotism: Giovanni Ribisi plays a famous young actor who finds life as a famous young actor to be really tough. He lives in the kind of shopping mall world where a video store clerk serves as a spiritual guru (well, you know). Ribisi's existential crisis may have echoes of David O. Russell's recent I HEART HUCKABEES, but the film lacks HUCKABEES' whimsy and slapstick humor. It takes itself too seriously, or as Variety critic Todd McCarthy puts it, "wallows in Hollywood hipster self-absorption."
see instead: I HEART HUCKABEES.
KING KONG.
Adventure.
Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jack Black, Jamie Bell.
Directed by Peter Jackson.
* This film is as well-intentioned and overblown as its simian namesake. It is too manipulative, overly sentimental and way too long. That said, it is likely to be the most impressively crafted epic adventure you've seen in a long time, filled with awesome sets and stunningly lifelike creatures. In fact, it's wow factor is so high that you may find yourself pining for the simpler pleasures of E.T. or INDIANA JONES. The likeable cast members attempt to contribute a human touch, but director Peter Jackson has stuffed this with a few chase scenes too many. Still, isn't this exactly why you invested in that suped-up home entertainment system? Turn up the surround sound, and get ready with lots and lots of popcorn.
see also: THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY.
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
Drama/Romance.
Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Koji Yakusho, Li Gong.
Directed by Rob Marshall.
* The translation of this beloved novel to the big screen was filled with odd choices. For starters, there's the casting of all Chinese actresses in the roles of Japanese geishas, then having them deliver their lines in a stilted English only an ESL student could understand. Reviews were tepid, and audience reactions mixed. Still, three Oscar awards (in the categories of cinematography, costuming and art direction) posit the film as good escapist eye candy.
see also: 2046, HERO, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON.
STAY.
Drama/Thriller.
Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Watts, Bob Hoskins , Janeane Garofalo.
Directed by Marc Forster.
............//SERIES//............
NOT THE 9 O'CLOCK NEWS.
Retro British Comedy.
SIX FEET UNDER, SERIES 5.
see above: "release of the week."
TRANSGENERATION.
Documentary. Mini-Series.
Directed by Jeremy Simmons.
* Called "revolutionary" by the Boston Globe and "fascinating" by Time Out, this 8-part (2-dvd) series follows four transgendered college students in various stages of their process. Intimate, confrontational, inspiring television.
...........//FAMILY//............
A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN.
SNOOPY, COME HOME.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
(Certain titles are only stocked in one location. DVDs can be transferred between stores upon request.)
THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT.
Comedy/Drama. Australia. 1994.
Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce.
Directed by Stephan Elliot.
* Do you remember how much you loved this movie? This was released back in '94, coinciding with the early mainstreaming of drag culture... You could call it TRANSAUSTRALIA — a fine road trip tale with Hugo Weaving, Terence Stamp and Guy Pearce (all three usually quite macho dudes) playing fabulous drag queens trekking across nowheresville in a tricked-out bus headed for a nightclub gig. Filled with sentimental disco ballads and Oscar-worthy costuming (remember how the designer wore a dress made out of American Express gold cards to the Academy Awards?)... this is a great 'feel good' movie for gays and wannabe gays and folks who just enjoy good stories about people discovering themselves.
see also: MURIEL'S WEDDING, PARIS IS BURNING, WIGSTOCK.
BOUND FOR GLORY.
Drama/Music. 1976.
David Carradine.
Directed by Hal Ashby.
* We can't get enough of Hal Ashby! Here the great American director departs from his quirky character studies like HAROLD AND MAUDE, and instead creates a sweeping biography of the legendary guitarist Woody Guthrie. Set amidst Western migration in 1936, this picture was called "one of the year's most admirable and triumphant surprises" by the Los Angeles Times. And considering that this was released in 1976, back when American cinema was at a spectacular peak, that says a lot. Viewers intrigued by the dustbowl era may wish to compare this with the HBO series CARNIVALE, or the film adaptation of John Fante's book ASK THE DUST, which stars Colin Farrell and is just out in theaters now.
see also: AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC, CARNIVALE, DAY OF THE LOCUST, CHINATOWN.
THE CHILDREN ARE WATCHING US. (Criterion Collection edition.)
Drama. Italy. 1944.
Directed by Vittorio De Sica.
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX *BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK.
Comedy. 1972.
Woody Allen, John Carradine, Lynne Redgrave, Burt Reynolds.
Directed by Woody Allen.
FREEWAY.
Comedy/Thriller. 1996.
Keifer Sutherland, Reese Witherspoon.
Directed by Matthew Bright.
THE GLADIATORS.
Fantasy/War. Sweden. 1969.
Directed by Peter Watkins.
THE GRIFTERS.
Crime Drama. 1990.
Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Anette Bening.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
THE ICE STORM.
Drama. 1997.
Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood.
Directed by Ang Lee.
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.
Crime Drama. 1967.
Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Lee Grant.
Directed by Norman Jewison.
* "They call me MISTER Tibbs!" Unquestionably one of the most elegant crime dramas ever filmed — as well as one of the most potent studies of racial tension — this is graced by yet another elegant performance by Sidney Poitier. Add to that a theme song by Ray Charles, soundtrack by Quincy Jones, deft editing by Hal Ashby, and a supporting performance from the inimitable Lee Grant... What you get is a sweltering suspense movie with an influence that would be felt everywhere from CHINATOWN to TWIN PEAKS. The story — a top-notch Philadelphia homicide detective (who happens to be black) finds himself aiding in a tricky murder case in the deep, deep South — is told in such dark, claustrophobic, sinister tones that you'll wake up the next morning still feeling like you're trapped in that sketchy small town. We dare any Academy member who voted for CRASH to look this film in the eye.
see also: BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK, TO SIR WITH LOVE, GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER.
LAST TANGO IN PARIS.
Drama/Romance. 1972.
Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider.
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
LOUIS MALLE MOVIES:
MURMUR OF THE HEART. 1971.
LACOMBE, LUCIEN.1974.
AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS. 1987.
PLYMPTOONS: THE COMPLETE EARLY WORKS OF BILL PLYMPTON.
Animation Shorts. 1990.
Directed by Bill Plympton.
****
****new release list no. 57
What a literary new release week! There's the acclaimed author biopic CAPOTE, the well-read family drama THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, and the film version of bestselling novel EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED.
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE is set in Brooklyn's Park Slope — a neighborhood that has been referred to (because of its working class heritage, bohemian mythologies, and recent inundation of fashionable young families) to "the Bernal Heights of New York City."
If, after THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, you can't get enough of Park Slope... then we can't recommend enough a 1970 movie called THE LANDLORD — the first film from Hal Ashby (who went on to direct HAROLD AND MAUDE and BEING THERE). It's the story of a rich white kid who buys a tenement building in Park Slope. Beautifully crafted and hysterically funny (thanks largely to the presence of Lee Grant and Pearl Bailey in stellar supporting roles). It also serves as a study of racial tension with increasingly high stakes. THE LANDLORD is only available on VHS... And, yes, we have a copy in our Potrero Hill shop. What a gem!
We always encourage our customers to seek out imaginative old films like THE LANDLORD. Or you could always read the book. But in the meantime, there are, as always, a bunch of intiguing new movies to keep you distracted...
yours, team four star.
............**//RELEASE OF THE WEEK//**.............
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.
Comedy/Drama/Independent.
Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, William Baldwin.
Directed by Noah Baumbach.
*Bounded together by fine performances and a wonderful soundtrack (featuring British folk and '70s pop), this is a solo effort from Noah Baumbach, who has previously collaborated with the idosynchratic director Wes Anderson. While Anderson's films (RUSHMORE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, etc.) are stylistically exuberant, populated by characters overstuffed with charming eccentricity, this is an altogether quieter, more realistic, even charmless family story. Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney play an academic couple with two young boys, a Volvo, a bohemian-preppy wardrobe and a brownstown in Park Slope. Their separation is fueled by manifold factors... Not the least of which would be the tense irony that mom has recently been published (to much acclaim) in The New Yorker, just as dad — her one-time mentor — seems to be losing his original touch, and can't even secure an agent to take on his latest novel. Daniels plays the mid-life crisis in a pretty unique way — fraught with literary pretention and an unwittingly sexist attitude, he is both contemtible and pitiable. The film includes a lot of uncomfortable details — mom has a nervous bowl movement before announcing the divorce to the kids, dad can't muster a personal inscription when autographing one of his hardcovers for his adoring son, the youngest kid has begun vandalizing school property with his own semen. The tone is tender and there are plenty of laughs, but the dramatic events are unrelenting... It's as if THE SQUID AND THE WHALE is unwilling to take solace in some untruthful optimism. Instead, it serves as a gentle reminder that sometimes life can really suck.
see also: JUNEBUG, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, THE LANDLORD.
............//NEW TITLES//............
CAPOTE.
Drama.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr, Chriss Cooper.
Directed by Bennett Miller.
* A man of bizarre mannerisms and a writer of engrossing prose, Truman Capote befriended two convicted killers as he researched what would become his novel IN COLD BLOOD. This retelling of those meetings is suitably dark and fascinating. Hoffman made off with the Oscar for Best Actor. Catherine Keener transitions from her usual 'modern sardonic woman' roles and dons a period hairdo to play the novelist Harper Lee. We'd include a list of the awards this movie received, but it would clog your inbox.
see also: IN COLD BLOOD.
DEAR WENDY.
Drama/Independent/International.
Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman.
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Written by Lars Von Trier.
* Perhaps the strangest in the new canon of experimental westerns, this was written by Lars Von Trier and directed by fellow Scandinavian avant-gardist Thomas Vinterberg. Jamie Bell (that's Billy Elliot almost all grown up) plays a loner who disovers a vintage handgun and forms a secret club with other town misfits. Their obsession with antique weaponry incites what Time magazine describes as "a potent fable about America's history of violence." Dazed & Confused magazine called this "brilliantly original and darkly cool."
see also: DOGVILLE.
DERAILED.
Suspense.
Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel, RZA.
Directed by Mikael Haestrom.
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED.
Adventure/Comedy.
Elijah Wood.
Directed by Liev Schreiber. Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer.
GOOD MORNING, NIGHT.
Suspense/Drama. Italy.
Maya Sansa.
Directed by Marco Bellochhio.
PARADISE NOW.
Crime/Drama. Israel/International.
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad.
SEQUINS.
Drama. France.
Directed by Eleonore Faucher.
* Called "gorgeously textured" by New York magazine and "deeply moving" by the Christian Science Monitor, this is the story of a teenaged mother-to-be who seeks anonymity in the French countryside. There she finds refuge with an older woman, who works as an embroiderer for haute couture designers. Their friendship provides mutual healing. You should know by now if this is the type of movie for you: It's got beautiful farmland, cute French guys and, yes, sequins, all set to all set to a haunting score by Michael Galasso (he did IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.)
see also: IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE.
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.
see above: "release of the week."
.............//SERIES//............
SOUTH PARK, SERIES 7.
............//FAMILY//.............
CHICKEN LITTLE.
Disney Animation.
DREAMER: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY.
Family.
Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth Shue.
Directed by John Gatins.
............//NEW TO DVD//............
BUSBY BERKELEY MOVIES:
42ND STREET. 1933.
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933. 1933.
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935. 1934.
DAMES. 1934.
FOOTLIGHT PARADE. 1933.
THE BUSBY BERKELEY DISC. Musical selections, 1933-1937.
STALAG 17.
War Classic. 1953.
William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger.
Directed by Billy Wilder.
TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Biblical Classic. 1956.
3 DVD set includes original 1923 silent version.
Charlton Heston, Yul Bryner, Anne Baxter, Vincent Price.
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
****
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