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Brüno
BR
- Brüno is the host of an Austrian TV show called
Funkyzeit, where high fashion and what is or is not fashionable
is laid bare and laid waste by its arbitrary host. When he is
fired for disrupting a fashion show in Milan, Brüno goes on a
quest for even greater celebrity, starting with making a pilot
for a celebrity interview show in which he critically comments
on a celebrity's fetus. As in Borat he finds his way to the
United States where he tries to get a talent agent (Lloyd
Robinson) to make him an "overnight star;" he adopts a black
African baby to take advantage of the charity business; he
interviews presidential hopefuls (real ones, like Ron Paul); he
interviews Dallas Cowboys, goes out shooting with rednecks,
tries to covert to heterosexuality, even joins the Army. Despite
his over-the-top gay persona, he is always taken seriously until
the bubble bursts and homophobia kicks in.
Blu-ray
Release
date: November 17th, 2009
Funny People
BR
- George Simmons is a famous stand-up comedian
who learns that he has a terminal illness and less than a year
to live. When, he meets Ira, a struggling comedian at a comedy
club where both the comedians are performing, George hires Ira
to be his personal assistant and opening act at his
performances. The two forge a close friendship as George helps
Ira with his career and Ira helps George find closure in his
legacy. However, when George learns that his disease has gone
into remission and an ex-girlfriend re-enters his life, he's
inspired to reevaluate what is important to him and what truly
gives meaning to his life.
Blu-ray Release date: November
24th, 2009
The Answer Man
BR
- Twenty years ago, in 1988, Arlen Faber (Jeff
Daniels) published his book "Me and God," a
quasi-autobiographical dialogue with God that some took as
Gospel, others philosophical. The book immediately became a best
seller, was translated into a halfzillion languages, spawned
dozens of books by other writers spinning off on its ideas, and
pretty much cornering the "God market."
Blu-rayRelease date:
November 3rd, 2009
The Way of the Gun
BR
- Many will undoubtedly remark upon the
similarities between The Way of the Gun and the films of Quentin
Tarantino. However, while it would be disingenuous to assume
that writer/director Christopher McQuarrie was not influenced by
the likes of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, the real source of
his inspiration seems to be coming from another direction.
Watching The Way of the Gun, there are times when the presence
of Sam Peckinpah's ghost is almost palpable. Although McQuarrie
(the screenwriter for The Usual Suspects making his directorial
debut here) lacks Peckinpah's polished style, the setting,
characters, and unvarnished, visceral violence all pay homage to
the late, great filmmaker.
Blu-ray Release date: November
24th, 2009
Food Inc.
BR
- For most Americans, the ideal meal is fast,
cheap, and tasty. Food, Inc. examines the costs of putting value
and convenience over nutrition and environmental impact.
Director Robert Kenner explores the subject from all angles,
talking to authors, advocates, farmers, and CEOs, like
co-producer Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan
(The Omnivore's Dilemma), Gary Hirschberg (Stonyfield Farms),
and Barbara Kowalcyk, who's been lobbying for more rigorous
standards since E. coli claimed the life of her two-year-old
son. The filmmaker takes his camera into slaughterhouses and
factory farms where chickens grow too fast to walk properly,
cows eat feed pumped with toxic chemicals, and illegal
immigrants risk life and limb to bring these products to market
at an affordable cost.
Blu-ray Release date: November 3rd,
2009
The Elephant Man
BR
- Lynch's follow-up to his 1978 cult classic ERASERHEAD is a striking blend of art and entertainment, which
earned the film eight Academy Award nominations in 1980. Freddie
Francis's breathtaking black-and-white cinematography combines
with John Morris's score to re-create Victorian England with a
deeply haunting beauty. It is the compassionate performances of
Hurt and Hopkins that lift THE ELEPHANT MAN to a more emotional
level, however, bringing an inspired sadness to Lynch's striking
vision.
Blu-ray Release date: September 18th, 2009
Two Girls and a Guy
BR
- Except for a brief bit at the beginning
of the movie when a passing lothario tries vainly to pick up Lou
(Natasha Gregson Wagner), there are only three characters with
speaking parts: Lou, Carla (Heather Graham) and Blake (Robert
Downey, Jr.) Once inside the building, the action takes place on
just a single set, more or less in real time. Graham and Wagner
are gorgeous and tomboyish; Downey is astonishing as he tries to
make sense of himself; and, in case there was any doubt in your
mind, we see here how our species has survived despite the basic
weakness of male ego and his (i.e., our) ability to lie his way
out of or into anything.
Blu-ray Release date: November 3rd,
2009
Aliens in the Attic
BR
- Rare in this environment of political
correctness, and given every opportunity to be otherwise, Aliens
in the Attic is unabashedly message and irony- free. It's a fun
piece of completely frivolous, though not particularly silly
family entertainment. It's a sort of Invaders from Mars meets E.T. by way of English-speaking Gremlins – but without the
terror or the tears. On the other hand, it's really not much of
a movie. It has little suspense or punch, and it takes too long
for the lead character, Tom Pearson (Carter Jenkins), to find
his worth. Even so, I enjoyed the time I spent with it, though I
doubt it has strong rewatchable credentials.
Blu-ray Release
date: November 3rd, 2009
The Black Pit of Dr. M - Asylum director Dr. Mazil (Rafael
Bertrand) is obsessed with discovering what lies beyond death.
He rushes to the deathbed of his former partner Dr. Aldama to
remind him of their pact that whoever died first would return to
tell the other about the "mysteries beyond the tomb." After
Aldama's death, Mazil holds a seance to contact his dead friend
who warns him of the price he will have to pay to learn these
mysteries. Mazil insists that he wants to know and Aldama's
spirit tells him that in three months a door will open that will
allow Mazil to discover for himself what lies beyond death
setting off a chain of events involving Aldama's
damsel-in-distress daughter, a madwoman, an acid-scarred madman,
premature burial, and grisly murders. Aside from its
acid-scarred madman, THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M is a more reserved
gothic horror film compared to THE BRAINIAC's brain-sucking
alien or German Robles' impressive cloaked vampiric aristocrat
in the EL VAMPIRO films. The black and white photography is
wonderfully moody, cloaking Mazil's asylum in deep shadows. The
studio-bound exteriors are reminiscent of old Hollywood horror
films (note the impressive torchlit funeral sequence early on).
The film was produced by prolific Mexican director Arturo
Ripstein (THE CASTLE OF PURITY). DVD Release Date: September
29th, 2009
M. Hulot's Holiday - Pipe-smoking Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati’s
endearing clown, takes a holiday at a seaside resort where his
presence provokes one catastrophe after another. Tati’s wildly
funny satire of vacationers determined to enjoy themselves
includes a series of precisely choreographed sight gags
involving dogs, boats, and firecrackers. The first entry in the
Hulot series is a masterpiece of gentle slapstick. BFI's
Jacques Tati Collection Release Date: November 2nd, 2009
Mon Oncle -David Kehr calls “Mon oncle” a transitional film,
between Tati’s fame as Hulot and the ideas of “Playtime”. Hulot
is not as central as in “Les Vacance de Mr Hulot”, nor is the
films as idyllic French in style, and, we now can say thanks to
the restoration of “Jour de Fete”, Tati again used colours, but
this time more to underline the graphic design of the scene. But
all that and Tati's comedy techniques aside, “Mon oncle” is a
film with heart. BFI's Jacques Tati Collection Release Date:
November 2nd, 2009
Jour de Fete - I had the opportunity to se the color version of
this film for the first time. There is nothing in resent film
history, that give me as much, as "Jour de fete". It's not
simply a comedy from one of the genius in the film history - but
much more. Today the prints condition is quite poor with
vanishing colors of life and people in a small French village.
Some directors need three hours of murders and death to make a
similar kaleidoscope of life, but Tati manages in a very short
time to paint a rich background for many individuals desires and
dreams. BFI's Jacques Tati Collection Release Date: November
2nd, 2009
Gomorrah
BR
- Based on the book by Roberto Saviano, Garrone's
crime epic is a powerful indictment of the corruption that is
running rampant in Italy. His decision to present such a wide
spectrum of characters enables him to show just how deeply
everyone is impacted by this terrifying, unchecked display of
criminal power. Cinematically, he employs a dizzying array of
styles in order to further establish the frighteningly
ungoverned atmosphere that pervades this community. GOMORRAH
succeeds as both visceral entertainment and thoughtful social
commentary. Criterion
Blu-ray Release Date: November 24th,
2009
Say Anything
BR
- For the two or three of you that didn't catch
this iconic movie at its theatrical release or since on the tube
or in its many incarnations on video, what we have here is a
20th anniversary excuse for its appearance on high def. And why
not? We have Cameron Crowe, the man who began life at Ridgemont
High as writer – Say Anything would be his first whack at
directing and writing both, and I guess he took his title
seriously. His cast, as it was with Ridgemont High, perfection:
John Cusack at his most self-effacing, Ione Sky at her most
lovely and disarming girl-next-door, and John Mahoney before
Frasier's cane.
Blu-ray Release date: November 3rd, 2009
The Limits of Control - The fun here is in the experience of
simply watching and listening, each of equal importance. "The
Limits of Control" has one of the most evocative ambient
soundtracks I have ever heard. In almost every scene, we are
made privy to the bustle of the surrounding neighborhood. Even
when The Lone Man lies in bed staring at the ceiling, we hear
cars and voices from outside. Even in a simple shot where The
Lone Man watches The Mexican (Gael Garcia Bernal) walk to his
truck, the soundtrack is filled with barking dogs and chirping
birds. The only silent moments are when The Lone Man does his
meditation exercises. DVD Release Date: November 17th, 2009
sex, lies and videotape
BR
- With smoldering sensuality and
biting humor, the surprising relationship between the three
title subjects is revealed in sex, lies, and videotape, the
most-talked about erotic comedy of the decade. James Spader (Stargate)
ran away with the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival
for his brilliantly understated and seductive performance as
Graham, a long-lost college friend who drifts back into town and
into the lives of John, a self-involved philanderer, his angelic
wife, Ann, and her saucy sister, Cynthia. One by one, each is
drawn into the very personal project Graham is working on,
leaving the relationships between them forever transformed. A
monumental debut effort from first-time feature director Steven
Soderbergh.
Blu-ray Release date: November 17th, 2009
Luxury Car - In this award-winning drama, an old
schoolteacher travels from his small village to the city of
Wuhan in search of his missing son, who his dying wife wants to
see one last time. But instead of finding their son, he
discovers his daughter working as a karaoke bar escort, and her
mobster boyfriend might be linked to his son's disappearance.
Fast-paced and suspenseful, with a beautiful performance by
Chinese star Tian Yuan, Luxury Car illustrates the painful
reality of parents who have lost contact with their children
through rural exodus and political upheaval in China. DVD
Release Date: November 17th, 2009
Erotic Daughters of Emmanuelle - Lusty Nobel Prize
winning Professor Muller (Jacques Insermini) flees the city for
the countryside where he becomes a pimp called The Lumberjack
and opens up an exclusive brothel. His son Jean-Marc (director
Jean-Marie Pallardy) disapproves and just happens to fall for
Isabelle (Willeke van Ammelrooy) who happens to be a police spy
who abruptly switches sides ("Being a cop doesn't stop me from
being a woman") when she discovers that the police are only
concerned with the operation because it is attracting the top
tier of beautiful girls away from Paris. Internal rivalries are
resolved with a bit of blackmail, voyeurism, rape, and a scuffle
in a muddy quarry and the protagonists must then face off
against the police. DVD Release Date: September 29th, 2009
The Deer Hunter
BR
- Looking at “Deer Hunter” as a
whole, it has many scenes or sequences, which one can pick out
and dwell upon or talk endlessly in enthusiasm, like grandeur of
the wedding sequence, the Widerbergian drop of wine on the
wedding dress, the close-ups of de Niro hunting, the fragility
of Streep, despite that most would pick the “I love you baby”
scene as their favourite. “Deer Hunter” is a film with so much
detail in each scene and every scenic detail, that it steals our
attention. It is larger than any single statement about how
great its direction, cinematography, acting and storytelling is,
as each element enriches the other. It is a film that with time
has unfolded its greatness to become one of the greatest
American films ever made.
Blu-ray Release Date: September
28th, 2009
Ice Age 3 - Dawn of the Dinosaurs
BR
- "Dawn"? Shouldn't
that be "Return"? Even the characters in this movie know these dinocritters have been extinct for some while now. Title aside,
Ice Age 3 has two things going for it that were pretty much
absent in the first two movies: serious color and up-to-date
animation. You'll remember that the first two movies had a great
deal of blue sky and white snow and ice on which to place their
perilously two-dimensional movement – not that this was a fault,
at least not in the original. On the contrary, I took it all as
something of a breath of fresh air – a kind of return to the
roots, as it were. But by Ice Age 2: The Meltdown the lack of
visual substance was becoming a liability, especially in terms
of color. Enter the dinosaurs, who, if nothing else, demand an
entirely new lost world in which to lose our characters – and it
is a world rich in saturated color. Hurrah!
Blu-ray Release
date: October 27th, 2009
Thirst - When priest Sang-hyun (Song) volunteers for a
medical experiment, a transfusion turns him into a vampire. Soon
he’s drawn to Tae-ju (Kim), the put-upon wife of an old friend.
The couple kill her husband, and Tae-ju turns into a
bloodthirsty creature... The whole world seems to be intent on
turning out vampire movies, TV shows and novels at the moment.
Yet Park Chan-wook, the Korean director who made Oldboy, has
still managed a fresh spin on the subgenre in this lengthy,
quirky tale. DVD Release Date: November 17th, 2009
The Exiles - THE EXILES chronicles one night in the
lives of young Native American men and women living in the
Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles. A formally wealthy
neighborhood of decayed Victorian mansions and skid-row
apartment buildings. Gritty, realistic and far ahead of its time
made in a period when Hollywood films featured Native Americans
as noble savages. Using a script created exclusively from
recorded interviews with the participants and their friends, the
film follows a group of exiles transplants from Southwest
reservations as they flirt, drink, party, fight, and dance.
DVD Release Date: November 17th, 2009
Saturn Drive-In - THE VELVET TRAP's femme-noir setting
is a world where "Love is the king of four letter words" where
women don't so much "get what they deserve" for being tempting
so much as they are from the outset assumed to be whores and the
rightful prey of conniving men and complicit women. Without
exception, the men in Julie's life use and abuse her for money
and kicks. Things are grim and stay grim. Nudity is rather
chaste for the most part. The shower scene is the film's big
peekaboo moment in which what seems to be a hose sprays water
onto a glass plate in front of the nude Julie (who never seems
to get wet). DVD Release Date: October 13th, 2009
Can I Do It 'Til I Need Glasses - Not even
intermittently funny, CAN I DO IT... TIL I NEED GLASSES is as
low-brow as seventies comedy can get. A random series of comedic
sketches with no framing device, most of the skits are
protracted enactments of jokes that could have been told in two
or three sentences. For instance: a husband answers his door and
finds a naked man on the doorstep with a bag over his head
holding a gun. The husband begs the man not to kill him. The man
reveals he's not a robber but a rapist. The punchline: the
husband shouts to his wife "Honey, it's for you." That's it, end
of sketch. It's like R-rated visualizations of pages from those
politically incorrect joke books from the sixties and seventies
you find on the bookshelf in your uncle's den (which hasn't been
remodeled since presumably the seventies).
Contempt
BR
- I can remember how puzzled Iwas by this
gorgeous film as an undergraduate. Though it was Godard's sixth
feature, it was only the third to be released in the United
States, preceded by Breathless in 1961 and by Vivre sa vie in
1963. The first of these was a cheap American-style thriller in
black and white, the second a cheap French-style art film in
black and white; Contempt, in glorious Technicolor and 'Scope,
clearly didn't belong to either category. A big international
coproduction (starring Brigitte Bardot and Jack Palance) that
even played in my hometown in Alabama, it virtually began with a
scene in which Bardot was stretched out nude on a bed beside a
fully clothed, then-unknown Michel Piccoli while they engaged in
a curious romantic dialogue about how much he loved her various
parts; a seemingly unmotivated use of red and blue filters
punctuated the full-color shots. Coproduced by the vulgar
American showman Joseph E. Levine--best known at the time for
his distribution of Italian-made Hercules movies with Steve
Reeves and his subsequent involvement with Federico
Fellini--Contempt could only seem the grotesque marriage of
crass exploitation and high art. (In fact, all the nude shots of
Bardot were ordered by Levine after Godard considered the film
done; acceding to the producer's request as literally as
possible, he even clarified the commodification process in the
opening evaluation of Bardot's body.)
Blu-ray Release Date:
September 18th, 2009
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