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Tag Archives: British comedies

New and Featured DVDs for 03/15/12:

Posted on

Come and check out these and some of the other new DVDs and materials (or at least new to us) added to our library collection…

FICTION:

Sunset Boulevard

The Trip

2010, directed by Michael Winterbottom. A compilation film from a short British television series featuring comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing fictionalized versions of themselves, as friends and rivals, on a road trip to review restaurants in the north of England. But it’s about so much more than that. And it’s hilarious. Check out the trailer below:

And if that’s not enough for you, go to YouTube and check out the clip of Coogan and Brydon’s compete Michael Caine impressions.

Stop-Loss

The Last Starfighter

Vantage Point

To Sir, With Love

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1

and

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Splice

Where The Wild Things Are

Julius Caesar

1953, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

L’Avventura

Under The Mountain

The Town

The Hidden Fortress

1958, directed by Akira Kurosawa

The first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, was based on this film as a primary influence. But beyond that, this is another great film from Kurosawa, and another great release from the Criterion Collection.

Cousins

Synecdoche, New York

2008, directed by Charlie Kaufman. This is a personal favorite of mine, and partly because of that, I can’t say too much about it. It’s not a film for everyone, mostly because it’s a very difficult movie, with a lot of meanings on a lot of levels. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives the performance of his career as a playwright trying to capture the sadness and infinitely mundane aspects of every day life in a new work that seems to be growing more and more epic (that’s putting it lightly) with each passing moment. I know that’s a very vague plot description, and I apologize. I’ll just put it this way: This is one of the bleakest and most depressing movies I’ve ever seen in my life, but it’s also one of the best films I’ve ever seen, and one of the most uplifting. Check out Roger Ebert’s review and an interview with writer/director Charlie Kaufman.

NON-FICTION:

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson

How Art Made The World

F For Fake

1975, directed by Orson Welles. This is the last major film by Welles, and it’s partially a documentary, focusing on the life of art forger Elmyr de Hory, and partially an essay work, dealing with the ideas of authorship and authenticity, and the value of art. This is a truly enchanting work, and for proof of that, check out the film’s introduction:

Mysteries Of The Garden Of Eden

Secret Origin: The Story Of DC Comics

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Please note that DVDs could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

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Previous New/Featured DVDs:

02/14/12.

02/07/12.

12/30/11.

Previous New/Featured books:

03/01/12.

02/02/11.

01/27/12.

12/27/11.

New and Featured DVDs for 12/30/11:

Posted on

Come and check out these and some of the other new DVDs and materials (or at least new to us) added to our library collection…

FICTION:

The Other Guys

Takers

The Box 

2009, directed by Richard Kelly. Based on a short story by the brilliant writer, Richard Matheson, who was responsible for a lot of great, classic episodes of The Twilight Zone, and in fact Matheson’s original story that this movie is based on, “Button, Button” was previously adapted into an episode of the newer version of The Twilight Zone in the 80s.  The film stars Cameron Diaz, Frank Langhella, and James Marsden, and looks a little silly, but also fun. I really enjoyed Richard Kelly’s first film, Donnie Darko, but didn’t care much for his follow up film, Southland tales, so I’m really curious how this will turn out. Check out the trailer below:

The Kids Are All Right

Hopscotch

The Conspirator

Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Series 1

Videodrome

The King’s Speech

2010, directed by Tom Hooper. This movie was the big winner at last year’s Oscars, taking home the Best Picture prize, as well as Best Director for Hooper, Best Screenplay for David Seidler, and Best Actor for Colin Firth, who plays King George VI.

Broadcast News

1987, directed by James L. Brooks. Starring Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks, and William Hurt. This is one of the best and smartest romantic comedies that I’ve ever seen and I really wish that they still made movies like this.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Joe Versus The Volcano

In The Mood For Love

2000, directed by Wong Kar-wai and starring the ever glamorous Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung. I’ve got to warn you: This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I will hype it endlessly. Set in Hong Kong in 1962, it’s the story of a man and a woman who become neighbors and friends and not long after realize that they’re spouses are having an affair together. They develop a longing and an affection for each other but refuse to give in to the same temptation that their married partners succumbed to. The plot sounds horribly sad, but it’s also beautiful, and much credit is owed to cinematographer Christopher Doyle’s visuals. You could literally take any frame from this film and hang it on your wall as art.

NON-FICTION:

Guns, Germs, And Steel

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed The World And More Stories About African American History

Grizzly Man

Soundtrack For A Revolution

The September Issue

Ken Burn’s Prohibition

This 2011 television documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick has been highly anticipated amongst several of our library patrons so I hope that everyone gets a chance to look at it. It apparently draws very heavily from a book by Daniel Okrent called Last Call: The Rise And Fall Of Prohibition, which we also have. Check out the trailer below:

Life After People

Doomsday 2012: The End Of Days

America: The Story Of Us

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Please note that DVDs could be checked out between the time they end up on the blog and when you come to check them out. If you don’t see the items you’re looking for then please come up to the front desk and we’ll put your name on the reserve list for when the item returns.

* * *

Previous New/Featured books:

12/27/11.

12/23/11.

12/19/11.

12/17/11.

12/16/11.

12/15/11.