New DVD Releases

[Earende]

Here are the new DVD releases for the week of August 10th.

Enjoy!

[Earende]

Under the Mountain - A brother and sister are chosen for a magical mission in this upbeat fantasy. Rachel (Sophie McBride) and Theo (Thomas Cameron) are twin siblings in their early teens with a special gift -- they can speak to one another without talking through telepathy. However, while Rachel is fascinated with this unusual talent, Theo is wary and avoids using it. After their mother dies under mysterious circumstances, Rachel and Theo are sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Auckland, where Theo becomes all the more determined not to abuse his supernatural powers. However, both siblings are fascinated by a strange old house not far from their new home, and when they sneak inside to get a closer look, they discover it's home to a handful of zombie-like brings living in a swampy pit. The day after, as Rachel and Theo try to figure out what they've found, they encounter Jones (Sam Neill), a centuries-old wizard who believes the twins have special powers that can defeat the dangerous creatures lurking in the old house once and for all. Adapted from a book for young people by Maurice Gee, Under The Mountain was an official selection at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival.

Say Goodnight - Three guys tell a friend the stories of how they met the loves of their lives, and how they managed to completely screw up the relationships.

Things - In this horror movie, a scientist experiments with artificial insemination and ends up creating a murderous monster who escapes and then comes back for bloody revenge.

Triage - A man bearing the unseen scars of war struggles to recover amidst a family in chaos in this drama from writer and director Danis Tanovic. Mark Walsh (Colin Farrell) is a photojournalist who has earned a reputation for working in some of the most unforgiving locations on Earth, so when his editor Amy (Juliet Stevenson) asks him to cover the fighting in Kurdistan, Mark takes the assignment and thinks little of it, though his wife Elena (Paz Vega) is considerably more concerned. Mark and his friend and fellow photographer David (Jamie Sives) head off to the war full of confidence, but when Mark comes home alone after being separated from David, he seems like a different person, gaunt and unable to relax. Elena can't get Mark to talk about what he saw that left him so traumatized, so she invites her father Joaquin (Christopher Lee), a veteran psychoanalyst with military experience, for a visit to see if he can help. But as Joaquin struggles to get Mark to open up, the father's presence ignites an old conflict between him and Elena; the doctor was a supporter of Franco during the Spanish Civil War and served under the dictator's regime, and Elena has never been able to forgive him for his actions against the Spanish loyalists. Triage was an official selection at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

Death at a Funeral - Frank Oz's 2007 black comedy Death at a Funeral is given the remake treatment with an urban spin in this Chris Rock-produced production. When a dysfunctional clan reunites to mourn the passing of the family patriarch, a respectful funeral quickly turns into an all-out fiasco marked by bitter resentment, blackmail attempts, and scandalous revelations. Dean Craig penned the script for director Neil LaBute (The Wicker Man), with Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, and Danny Glover co-starring.

Date Night - This action comedy tells the tale of mild-mannered married couple Phil (Steve Carrell) and Claire (Tina Fey), who fear their relationship may be falling into a stale rut. During their weekly date night, they impetuously steal a dinner reservation, which leads to a case of mistaken identity. Turns out the reservation was for a pair of thieves, and now a number of unsavory characters want Phil and Claire killed. If they can survive a wacky life-threatening night, they may just rediscover the passion missing from their marriage. Directed by Shawn Levy, the film co-stars Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, and Kristen Wiig.

Helen - Mostly Martha's Sandra Nettelbeck directs Ashley Judd from her own script in this drama concerning a teacher and student who bond over their experiences of severe depression. ER's Goran Visnjic co-stars in this Little Film Co. production.

Multiple Sarcasms - A frustrated architect tries his hand at being a playwright when his life hits a disheartening plateau. New York City, 1979: Gabriel Richmond (Timothy Hutton) is a family man with a high-paying job. Lately, however, he's been skirting his responsibilities -- both at home and at work. Turning introspective, Gabriel decides to pen a play about his life and his family. The goal is to be as honest and objective as possible, and the process ultimately proves somewhat therapeutic as he revisits his past decisions and ponders how he'd live his life again if given a second chance. But just as Gabriel's play starts to come together, his life starts to fall apart. Mira Sorvino, Mario Van Peebles, and Stockard Channing co-star.

Children of Invention - A family faces the unexpected consequences of chasing the American dream in this independent drama. Elaine Cheng (Cindy Cheung) is an Asian-American single mother who has recently moved to Boston with her two kids, ten-year-old Raymond (Michael Chen) and eight-year-old Tina (Crystal Chiu). Elaine's financial situation is precarious, and when she loses her job, the family is evicted from their home and begin squatting in a flat in an unfinished apartment building. As Elaine struggles to maintain a stable home life for her children, she takes a job related to a questionable pyramid scheme; Raymond and Tina are left to their own devices most of the day, and he passes the time creating makeshift inventions he dreams will someday make him rich. When Elaine is arrested as the police shut down the pyramid scheme, Raymond becomes the head of the household and must use his wits and resourcefulness to care for himself and his sister. Children of Invention was the first feature film from writer and director Tze Chun; it was adapted from his 2007 short film Windowbreaker and was an official selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Joneses - A picture-perfect family moves into an upscale community, impressing the locals and integrating themselves into every aspect of the community until a sudden tragedy forces them to reassess their priorities. Steve (David Duchovny) and Kate Jones (Demi Moore) have everything a happily married couple could ever want: their kids, Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth), are intelligent and attractive, they live in an affluent neighborhood, and their sprawling suburban home is jam-packed with all of the coolest gizmos and gadgets that money can buy. It isn't long before the Joneses have struck up a friendship with their next-door neighbors Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer (Glenne Headly), and become integral components of their community. But take a closer look at the situation and you'll start to see something ominous lurking just beneath the surface. It's only when the Joneses are confronted with an unexpected disaster that they finally discover who they really are beneath the glossy veneer of consumerism.

My Name Is Khan - A benevolent Asperger's sufferer, Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), sets out on a journey across America on a mission to win back his one true love. As his travels continue, Khan inspires optimism and joy in the hearts of the people he encounters by spreading messages of goodwill wherever he roams.

Mission - A reformed ex-convict and lowrider car aficionado kicks his beloved son out of the house after discovering that the boy has been living a secret life in Sundance Film Festival veteran Peter Bratt's heartfelt family drama. Che (Benjamin Bratt) is out of prison and on the straight and narrow. Still, every day is a struggle as he battles alcoholism and drives a bus in order to support his family. When the workday is done, Che and his friends, the "Mission Boyz," pass the time by restoring junked cars to mint condition. Feared by his peers yet deeply respected as the toughest Chicano on the block, Che is the kind of guy whose entire existence is defined by his macho reputation. There's no one in the world that Che loves more than his adolescent son, Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez), but both father and son are about to discover that love isn't exactly unconditional. Upon discovering that Jesse has been living a secret life, Che flies into a violent rage, assaulting the boy and kicking him out onto the street. Meanwhile, Che's attractive and headstrong neighbor Lena (Erika Alexander) challenges the ultra-macho gearhead to step back for a minute and take stock of the life he thought he had.

Welcome - A young Kurdish refugee finds friendship from an unlikely source in Welcome, writer-director Philippe Lioret's dramatic chronicle of intersecting lives. The tale unfurls in Calais, a seaside community in the north of France where one can glimpse the white cliffs of Dover, England with the naked eye. Vincent Lindon stars as Simon, a local swimming instructor privately reeling in turmoil because he dreads an imminent divorce from his wife (Audrey Dana). Soon, his path unexpectedly criss-crosses with that of Bilal (Firat Ayverdi), a 17-year-old Kurdish refugee with two aspirations: swim the English Channel, and join his girlfriend in England following a lengthy separation. Despite their differing ages, the two men discover that they have a fair amount in common, and soon forge a tight bond marked by similar goals.

Good Heart - Dagur Kari's character study The Good Heart follows crusty old bar owner Jacques (Brian Cox) as he trains a generous young homeless man named Lucas (Paul Dano) to take over his beloved bar. Jacques suffers from a very bad heart, and understands that any day could be his last. However, this does not stop him from chain smoking, drinking nonstop, and hurling an endless stream of poetically vulgar insults at the regulars who gather at his establishment every night. As the two begin to slowly influence each other, Lucas falls in love with April, and Jacques insists that women have no place in his bar.

Crumb - So well-regarded was the documentary Crumb (1994) that the failure of it and of the same year's equally acclaimed Hoop Dreams (1994) to result in Oscar nominations caused a media furor which forced the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to revamp its documentary nomination process. Robert Crumb is a respected but controversial underground comic book artist and writer whose creations include the popular "Keep on Truckin'" and Fritz the Cat (1972). Crumb's adult subject matter includes weird sexual obsessions, social criticism, and personal, confessional observations about abnormal human psychology. The genesis and meaning of Crumb's work is explained through a series of interviews with his colleagues, former lovers, and especially family members, which reveal a horrific upbringing that has crippled both Crumb and his siblings -- but has also fueled the artist's groundbreaking work. A long-time friend of the film's subject, director Terry Zwigoff followed Crumb (1994) with another comic book-related project, Ghost World (2000), a drama based on a story from the anthology series "Eightball" by Daniel Clowes.

Lucky Days - A young woman seeking freedom from her abusive boyfriend, her embarrassing family, and her own self-constructed cage encounters a long lost childhood sweetheart who taps into her inner turmoil during the course of an explosive weekend at the Coney Island amusement park. All Virginia wants is to live life on her own terms, but something deep within is preventing her from truly striking out on her own. Now, as Virginia reaches a crucial turning point, life as she knows it is about to end. The only choice for Virginia now is whether to resign herself to the fact that the greedy developers intent on tearing down the boardwalk will accomplish their goal regardless of what she does, or allow herself to disappear right along with the only world she ever knew

We Have To Stop Now - This web series follows the lives of lesbian power couple Kit and Dyna - two therapists who have recently published a book called How to Succeed in Marriage Without Even Trying. Unfortunately, the publishing of their book has coincided with their relationship hitting the rocks, so they're forced to stay together for the sake of their reputations, keeping up the ruse that the advice offered in their book is sound.

Sea of Dust - First time director/screenwriter Scott Bunt pays tribute to the classic Hammer Studio films of yesteryear and the stylish shockers of director Mario Bava with this gruesome tale of an oppressive evil that washes over a small village of innocents. Inspired by the gruesome legend of Prester John, Sea of Dust traces the monstrous villain's efforts to sacrifice the "psychologically vulnerable" at the alter of evil. A diabolical ideology has been unleashed on the land, and as the young and pure of heart are forced to suffer unimaginable torture, a desperate few set out in search of answers. But time is running out fast, because Prester John (Tom Savini) and his sadistic disciple Anna (Ingrid Pitt) are hell bent on wholesale slaughter. An epic social satire disguised as a blood-soaked Grand Guignol horror film, Sea of Dust features gruesome special effects work by Josh Turi (Wendigo, Unfaithful), and supporting performances from Stuart Rudin (Silence of the Lambs) and Bill Timoney (All My Children).

Tapped - Documentarian Stephanie Soetchtig makes a stunning debut with this inquisitive and whip-smart address to the questions posited and yielded -- directly and indirectly -- by the big business of bottled water. Is clean drinking water an inalienable right, or is it a privilege like every other commodity? This question and many others are at the center of Tapped.

[Tessa Noel]

Bravo to you for showing not only the popular videos but the quiet indie pics as well.

[Maxim Oleksyn]

Are you kidding me? I never heard of this docu before (Crumb). Huge fan of his work and pretty sure I will be renting this one!

I'm in agreement with Tessa!