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To Live and Die in L.A.
BD - Spectacularly
photographed by Robby Muller and atmospherically scored by the
duo Wang Chung, ''To Live and Die in L.A.'' is resolutely
modern. It is most involving when Mr. Friedkin keeps it
mindlessly kinetic, least so when it even begins to consider the
moral implications of its characters' behavior. The occasional
flashes of feeling here - for instance, the surprising
tenderness Eric Masters shows for the beautiful dancer (Miss
Feuer) who is his accomplice and lover - are as enjoyably
gratuitous as a car chase or shootout might be in another sort
of movie. Blu-ray Release Date:
February 1st, 2010
The Red Balloon
BD - Most of French director
Albert Lamorisse's films celebrate the miracle of flight, but
few were as a landmark as his 1956 short subject The Red
Balloon. The story, told with a minimum of dialogue, concerns a
little boy (played by the director's son Pascal) who comes
across a helium-filled balloon. As he plays with his new
acquisition, the boy discovers that the balloon seemingly has a
mind of its own. The little red orb follows its new 'master' all
through the streets of Paris, and then dogs the boy's trail into
the schoolroom, which drives the teacher to comic distraction.
Towards the end, it seems as though boy and balloon will be
parted forever....but director Lamorisse has a delightful
surprise in store for us. Blu-ray
Release Date: January 18th, 2010
The White Mane
BD - A lesser-known short by
the French master filmmaker Albert Lamorisse, whose Red Balloon
is an all-time classic, White Mane is a beautiful but somewhat
disturbing allegory that looks at first glance like a boy's
adventure story, but actually contains real good vs. evil
battles that can only be interpreted as a reflection of
Lamorisse's own post-war angst. Blu-ray
Release Date: January 18th, 2010
Bad Girls of Film Noir Vol. 1
- In the 40's and 50's the juiciest roles for actresses in
Hollywood were often in B-pictures that explored the dark side
of life: starring roles as cool, calculating gals who could
stick a knife in a man's back and make him like it. Lizabeth
Scott, Gloria Grahame, and Evelyn Keyes were some of the best of
the period, and are among Noir fans' favorites for their roles
in such classics of the genre as
Dead Reckoning and
The Racket (Scott),
The Big Heat and
Human Desire (Grahame),
99 River Street and The Prowler (Keyes). Here's your chance to
see them at work in some great films straight out of the vault,
newly restored and re-mastered, for the first time on DVD.
Co-starred with the likes of Edmund O'Brien, Charleton Heston,
and Vittorio Gassman these dames shine a like the brightest
stars in Hollywood, and each film packs in plenty of the best
bad girl behavior.' DVD Release Date: February 9th, 2010
Bad Girls of Film Noir Vol. 2
- Cleo Moore, Audrey Totter, Jan Sterling, Ida Lupino and Janis
Carter. Forgery, adultery, theft, blackmail and murder. The
Bad Girls of Noir are back, in Volume 2, and these gorgeous
gals with malice in their hearts are sure to thrill hard-boiled
fans of Noir. Fan favorite Cleo Moore finally gets her due in
three films that highlight the talents of the beauty who was
compared to Marilyn Monroe, but whom fans love for her earnest,
if stilted portrayals of dim-witted gals who can't catch a
break. Four films, restored and re-mastered are all new to DVD,
and sure to provide plenty of excitement for the noir
aficionado. Watch out for these gals, they're dangerous--which
makes them oh, so fun to watch.' DVD Release Date: February
9th, 2010
You the Living - Andersson
takes his title from lines by Goethe: "Be pleased then, you, the
living, in your delightfully warmed bed, before Lethe's ice-cold
wave will lick your escaping foot." "Lethe" is the destination
of a tram glimpsed in a typically enigmatic scene. Those lines
have the gloomy compassion and northern European black humour
that permeates Andersson's films. Are these people actually the
"living"? Or the demi-zombie dead? Tragically, they cling to the
scraps of life allowed to them in this wretched world. Tartan
DVD Release Date: January 12th, 2010
Suspiria
BD - Argento's masterpiece
of horror, with its assault of garish colors, booming soundtrack
and horrifically dreamlike set pieces, is the cinematic
equivalent of an exceptionally scary fun house. It tells the
story of Susan (Harper) a young, impressionable American who
travels abroad in order to study at a prestigious European
ballet academy. From the first day, however, she begins to
realize that frightening things are afoot at the hallowed
institution. Enduring a rain of maggots, poisoned food and other
unpleasant occurrences, she discovers that the school is a
secret convening place for an ages-old witches' coven.
Blu-ray Release Date: January 18th,
2010
Two Evil Eyes - The masters
of modern horror - George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you
an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar
Allan Poe. In Romero's "The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar,"
a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of THE FOG) and her
lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying
husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the
grave. Then in Argento's "The Black Cat," a deranged crime scene
photographer (Harvey Keitel of RESERVOIR DOGS) is driven
to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new
pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening
twist of its own? DVD Release Date: February 15th, 2010
The Fallen Sparrow -
Ex-Spanish Civil War POW Kit McKitrick (John Garfield) is
investigating the death of his childhood pal. But the brutality
he endured at the hands of his fascist captors has left more
then physical scars. Maureen O’Hara, playing an elusive beauty
who knows more then she’s telling, matches her cool elegance
with Garfield’s electric intensity in this highly regarded
psychological thriller. As Kit careens from swank Manhattan
soirees to covert Nazi spy nests, he discovers if he does have
the guts to confront men who lie, torture and murder in the
service of Germany’s crazed Führer. DVD Release Date: May,
2009
Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition
BD - Streetwise San
Francisco police detective Harry Callahan will nail the serial
killer Scorpio…one way or the other…no matter what “the system”
prescribes. Don Siegel directs one of the best police thrillers
ever made. MAGNUM FORCE: Sharpshooting rookie motorcycle
cops have turned vigilante, eliminating crooks the courts can’t
touch – thereby venturing into Harry’s cross-hairs. Written by
future directors John Milius and Michael Cimino. THE ENFORCER:
When terrorists rob an arms warehouse and go on a bloody
extortion spree, city leaders seek out Callahan, who’s now
teamed with a lady partner (Tyne Daly) with two jobs: tracking
down the terrorists – and winning Harry’s confidence. SUDDEN
IMPACT: On an out-of-town assignment, Harry tracks a
traumatized rape victim (Sondra Locke) coldly gunning down her
bygone attackers. Fueled by the line that became a national
catchphrase: “Go ahead. Make my day.” THE DEAD POOL: Fame
isn’t Callahan’s style. He’d rather not be lumped in with a
rocker, a film critic and a talk-show host. They’re slain
celebrities named in a mysterious betting pool. And Harry just
joined the list. Blu-ray Release
date: June 3rd, 2008
Kill Bill Vol. 1
BD - Much has already been
written about Quentin Tarantino and his extended essay in the
ultra-violent: Kill Bill, the two volumes conceived as a single
film, but released theatrically just six months apart. I imagine
it's no accident that the second part doesn't really have a
title card. The movie begins with a brief recap of the opening
of Volume 1 where Bill shoots The Bride, then a quick cut to
where that film leaves off: Ms Thurman driving in her
convertible declaring that she's killed a lot of people to get
to this point and she finds him, she's gonna kill Bill. Then the
title card: Vol. 2. Cool, huh. Blu-ray
Release date: September 9, 2008
Kill Bill Vol. 2
BD - But I digress. Taken
together, the two parts of Kill Bill sets up the how and, later,
the why, of The Bride's revenge for Bill having let loose her
former assassins in arms (I like to think of them as Charlie's
Devils) on the day of her wedding, killing everyone in the
church, and leaving the place a lot more holey than they entered
it. The first volume is as bloody as a manga: lots of killing –
and for good reason. The second volume is a philosophical essay
by comparison. Blu-ray Release
date: September 9, 2008
Cars
BD - It's moral is both simplistic and in your
face. The motivation for the protagonist to change direction is
not compelling, as it is with other Pixar films. It's as if
Pinocchio went out in search of his father because he thought he
went out without his coat. That said, Cars is by far the
densest Pixar film to date. It is worth one's while to watch the
movie repeatedly just to sort out it textures, references and –
not least – to identify the inspiration for each of the many
vehicles that inhabit this human-free world.
Blu-ray Release date: November 6th,
2007
Bright Star - From Jane
Campion, Academy Award winner of The Piano, comes a
sweeping love story that will carry you back through time to
experience the passion and romance between acclaimed poet, John
Keats and his beloved muse. London 1818: a secret love affair
begins between 23 year old English poet, John Keats, and the
girl next door Fanny Brawne, an outspoken student of high
fashion. This unlikely pair began at odds, he thinking her a
stylish minx, while she was unimpressed not only by his poetry
but also by literature in general. DVD Release Date: January
26th, 2010
Michael Clayton
BD - Michael Clayton is an
in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in
New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of
Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the
firm's co-founder Marty Bach. Though burned out and hardly
content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business
venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to
the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen
Crowder rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class
action suit that Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly
successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and
guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens sabotages the U/North case,
Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.
Blu-ray Release date: February
19th, 2008
Superman - Batman Public Enemies
BD - A desperate solution
for a troubled country: Lex Luthor for President with the
Justice League in the service of the government. Only Batman and
Superman stand against the new regime – and their disloyalty
proves to be exactly what Luthor intended. Using their outcast
status to instigate a scandal against Superman, Luthor finally
tastes a victory in his vendetta against The Man of Steel. From
Executive Producer Bruce Timm and voiced by the cast from both
hit Batman and Superman animated TV series including Kevin
Conroy, Tim Daly and Clancy Brown, this DC Universe Original
Animated Movie of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness’s popular graphic
novel seethes with political intrigue and action-packed battles
between heroes all believing they’re on the right side of the
law. Blu-ray Release date:
September 29th, 2009
Hot Fuzz
BD - In Hot Fuzz, the
story and characterization charms and repels us by turns. The
film displays that subtle sense of English sense of humour we
know so well, but it also contains a few frightfully grisly
moments. It's a little like Lindsay Anderson's "if…." on crystal
meth. Much is made in the press about this being a parody of the
buddy cop genre, but the film is so dense with distractions that
you could be excused for ignoring that particular line of
thought. The casual moviegoer might find the proceedings
exceedingly off-putting; but the seasoned veteran, especially
those who appreciate off-the-wall black humour, will likely find
much to amuse and titillate. Blu-ray
Release date: September 22nd, 2009
The Music Man
BD - A con man, masquerading
as a music professor, convinces a small town to form a brass
band as a way for him to pocket some dough. Although he knows
nothing about music, somehow he is able to magically transform
the townsfolk into acceptable performers. This joyful film of
the 1,375-performance Broadway smash remains irresistible.
Robert Preston recreates his winning Broadway triumph as con
artist Harold Hill. Meredith Willson’s sassy, brassy score –
featuring the unforgettable "Seventy-Six Trombones" and "Till
There Was You" among other marvelous melodies – is orchestrated
to brilliant Oscar effect by Ray Heindorf.
Blu-ray Release date: February 2nd,
2010
Generation Kill
BD - There's an emotional
punch to "Generation Kill" that war buffs and informed readers
know is coming, but the series manages to build the inevitable
nature of combat weariness into a compelling (and often damning)
narrative. When we first meet the characters in "Generation
Kill," they are clamoring to get in the action. They are tired
of faux war games. They want to "get some." Part youthful
exuberance, part pent-up warriors, they believe in the cause.
They believe in kicking ass. There is a bursting-to-kill element
that you know will, soon enough, come bluntly face-to-face with
reality. It's the varied reactions when it happens that carry
"Generation Kill" to great heights.
Blu-ray Release date: June 16, 2009
Terror Express - The
intruders of TERROR EXPRESS are no common street hoods;
well-dressed and deceptively well-mannered, they are "Valued
offspring of degenerated nouveau riches. Fine clothing, good
manners, and absolutely empty in the brain department" (and it
is perhaps appropriate that Pierre makes that remark rather than
the any of the more "respectable" characters). Likewise, most of
the terrorized characters are despicable in varying degrees (a
father pays Giulia to wear his daughter Elena's silk gown and
calls her by that name) while Anna objects to the presence of
escorted convict Pierre in the dining car but is amused by the
antics of the disruptie trio. DVD Release Date: October 20,
2009
Shaun of the Dead
BD - You'd a thought there
wasn't much more that be said for the zombie genre. I mean, what
are these films but a bunch of humanoids with a serious case of
psychomotor retardation dragging themselves about until they
find the living who are too panicked or accidentally cornered to
find high ground. The Romero films center themselves on a small
group of individuals who with and/or against one another while
slugging it out with the dead. That's about it. Imagine my
surprise, then, when I found myself thoroughly enjoying and
admiring this movie from one end to the other.
Blu-ray Release date: September
22nd, 2009
Streamers - The 1980s are
known as being a dark period for Robert Altman. Having been
branded uncommercial by the New post-Star Wars, post-Jaws,
post-Heaven's Gate Hollywood, the creative freedoms he and
others like Coppola enjoyed during the seventies, as provided by
the studio tit, were largely stripped from him as he found
himself unable to find studio backing for his projects. Altman's
work in the '80s greatly reflected this ostracization, as films
like Secret Honor and Come Back to the Five and Dime,
Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean found him moving away from the
freeform mosaics that distinguished his 1970s work and adapting
stage plays most of which were chamber pieces restricted to a
single set. Streamers, adapted by David Rabe from his
Tony-nominated play, is as revealing of this dynamic as any of
Altman's work from this period, its drama confined to an army
barracks at the eve of the Vietnam war, its characters all
existentially and ideologically "trapped" by the tenets and
schemata of military life. Shout! Factory DVD Release Date:
January 19th, 2010
The Alcove - Although
regarded as one of Joe D'Amato's best works of erotica
(specifically in the eighties Filmirage period), THE ALCOVE
is a bit of a frustrating view. The period detail is
well-handled, the cast is attractive, and Gemser is an effective
presence as usual but the first two thirds of the script lean
towards Zerbal giving these decadent, racist, and hypocritical
people (Alessandra only questions how history is shaped by the
victors and neglects the perspective of the vanquished after she
has had her way with Zerbal) what they deserve to Velma
appealing to Elio's gallant son Furio (Roberto Caruso, THE
CHURCH) to save his father and stepmother from Zerbal's evil
influence without a hint of irony. DVD Release Date: February
23, 2010
Coming Soon - Although
certainly an improvement over the director's script for the
overrated SHUTTER (the Thai version, not the even worse
American remake), COMING SOON is overly derivative of
both the Asian horror resurgence as well as the American remakes
and spin-offs. The pacing of the 83 minute film (78 if you don't
count the closing credits crawl although imdb also cites a 95
minute running time in addition to the 83) is uneven.
This Filthy Earth - On the
evidence of This Filthy Earth, director Andrew Kotting is
no storyteller, but the film exhibits so bold and singular a
talent that it hardly matters....For his first stab at
full-length fiction, however, he has chosen to adapt Emile
Zola's 1887 La Terre, a chunky 19th-century novel full of
outsized characters and thumping melodrama....This Filthy
Earth is a true phantasmagoria inhabited by rural monsters
and grotesques so backward they seem prehistoric. It's virtually
impossible to find one's bearings in this floating nightmare.
DVD Release Date: June 22nd, 2009
The Gigolos - A highly
original and understated comedy set in London's male escort
scene. The smooth and charming Sacha is a favourite among the
wealthy but lonely over-50s (his 'regulars' played by Susannah
York, Anna Massey, Sian Phillips and Angela Pleasance). When an
injury puts Sacha out of action, his younger live-in valet and
manager Trevor stands in, with consequences that shake up their
close and dependent partnership. DVD Release Date: February
9th, 2009
Chris Welsby - The BFI's
British Artists' Films series produced in partnership with arts
documentary producers Illuminations and Arts Council England
features a wide selection of important film and video work by
British artists from the last thirty years. The second release
focuses on the work of Chris Welsby, landscape artist and
pioneer of the moving-image installation in Britain, whose
subtle meditations are exhibited in museums and galleries around
the world. DVD Release Date: April 24th, 2006
Mystic River
BD - On the surface “Mystic
River” is a crime thriller, but beneath, it is an allegory
about how pain from the past plays in on our lives, about how
things never spoken about publicly eats us up inside. Each of
the three men, once childhood friends, carry an unspoken pain
and fear within them: Jimmy, because of the loss of his
daughter, Sean, having worked his wife out of his life, and
finally Dave, who was abused for four days as a child. Towards
the end, Sean contemplates: “In reality, we’re all just 11-year
old boys, locked in a cellar, imagining how our lives would have
been if we’d escape.” Blu-ray
Release Date: February 2nd, 2010
Viva Las Vegas
BD - But most of all,
Viva Las Vegas has Ann-Margret. I think it's no exaggeration
to say she's the star of the movie. Mr. Pond notes that Colonel
Parker was particularly concerned with this, and her glory may
have contributed to the fact that Elvis's movies from then on
had no competing females. Ann-Margret seems to get most of the
screen time with more costume changes than a rattlesnake in a
time warp. Besides her jaw-dropping good looks and sex appeal,
what boggles the mind about Ann-Margret is her boundless energy
– evident not only in her spirited dancing but in her limitless
facial expressions, not one of which isn't gorgeous or
portentous of . . . well, you know.
Blu-ray Release date: September 18th, 2007
Seabiscuit
BD - The movie interweaves
the stories of owner Charles Hunter (Jeff Bridges), trainer Tom
Smith (Chris Cooper), jockey Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) and the
horse himself (more like eight different horses, depending on
the mood and traits required in a given scene). It was an
unlikely confluence of troubled lives - redeemed, as it were, by
the horse himself. Blu-ray
Release date: May 26th, 2009
Black Hawk Down
BD - As we are informed in
pseudo-documentary fashion before the movie proper gets under
way, American special forces units were dispatched to Mogadishu
in the summer of 1993 to remove Aidid and restore order. On
October 3, during what was expected to be a 30 minute operation,
140 soldiers approaching from the ground and by air, run into a
perfect storm of resistance that went on for hours and resulted
in 19 Americans and countless Somalis dead. The movie follows
the downing of the two helicopters and the attempts to rescue
the crews that resulted in its spiraling casualties.
Blu-ray Release date: November
14th, 2006
Good Night and Good Luck
BD - George Clooney made his
film in black & white so as to maintain our focus and not be
distracted by pretty sets or too much verisimilitude, not only
because TV in the fifties was in black & white. [cf. notes on
Image, below.] There is a deliberate documentary feel to the
film: Dialog seems to actually emanate from the actors instead
of looped and dubbed later. Dianne Reeves is actually singing,
and what we hear is the recorded track of what we see. That's
novel. The projected images of McCarthy and others is archival
footage from the time. Blu-ray
Release date: August 1st, 2006
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