Wednesday, March 31, 2010

March 2010 DVD's

It takes a few weeks for our new materials to make their way through processing which gives me time to blog about it without getting too far behind. This March I began by going after a list of classic Anime and of course it's about time I got caught on some of the more recent releases. I was going through the films of some of the current hot stars like Edward Norton and Jessica Biel, and while I was perusing Owen Wilson I realized I hadn't done Jackie Chan so I picked up some of his earlier pre Hollywood work including Supercop with Michelle Yeoh of Tomorrow Never Dies and the Mummy:Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. And for some reason I'm still stuck on Noir. I found a great list that included some highly rated Noirs I didn't have so if you're into it I think I may be approaching the definitive collection. As always I'm looking for classics I've missed. This month it was Fahrenheit 451. I thought for sure I already owned it but I guess not. Maybe it's been out of print. There was a request for more Silent Era and EGADS! I missed Hitchcock's later work.

THE MOVIES
Ghost in the shell
Ghost in the shell 2: Innocence Mamoru Oshii anime of the Manga classic.
Spirited Away Hayao Miyazaki's celebrated anime. The Japanese Wizard of Oz.
Evangelion Movie: 1.01 you are [not] alone Movie version of the television series and not just for giant robot loving mecha - heads. (?)
My Neighbor Totoro Another Miyazaki favorite.
Girl who leapt through time based on a novel turned into Manga and now on DVD.
Tokyo Godfathers Anime. Three homeless in Tokyo try to find the parents of an abandoned baby.
Cowboy Bebop Movie version of the popular anime TV show.
Raising Helen Kate Hudson is a busy corporate assistant suddenly thrust inot motherhood.
Four Feathers Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson in a remake of the 1939 classic of a British officer in the Sudan fighting the Victorian era's Osama bin Laden.
Failure to launch. Mathew McConaughey won't leave home until Sarah Jessica Parker lures him out.
You me and Dupree. Owen Wilson is the old high school buddy from hell with Matt Dillon, and Kate Hudson.
Stealing Beauty Bertolucci directs Liv Tyler, Rachel Weitz and Jeremy Irons in an Italian villa.
Point Blank Lee Marvin is shot and left for dead with Angie Dickenson Keenan Wynn and Carrol O'Connor in a Noir rapidly gaining stature.
Primal Fear Richard Gere and Ed Norton. Gere is a lawyer that defends choir boy Norton in the role that put Edward Norton on the map.
Rounders Matt Damon and Ed Norton are pokers players. with Martin Landau and John Malkovich.
American History X Edward Norton is the ex white supremest trying to go straight.
Heist Gene Hackman is a career criminal in a David Mamet script with more twists and turns that a sidewinder.
Score Marlon Brando's last role with Robert DeNiro Brando Ed Norton and some great Jazz.
Death to Smoochy Robin Williams and Edward Norton. You'll never eat cookies in this town again.
Illusionist Illusionist Ed Norton falls for royal beauty Jessica Beil in period piece with Paul Giamatti.
Cellular Kim Bassinger is kidnapped with only a cellphone to to save her. With Jessica Beil and William Masey.
Next Nicolas Cage, Jessica Biel, Julianne Moore. Nicolas Cage saves Los Angeles by looking two minutes into the future.
Orphans of the Storm D.W. directs Lillian Gish in a silent classic.
True Heart Susie/Hoodoo Ann Two more Lillian Gish D.W. Griffith silents.
My Best Girl Mary Pickford, America's Sweetheart is a shop girl who falls in love with the boss's son.
Tess of Storm Country The evil landlord's son falls for poor noble Tess. With Mary Pickford.
Wind and the Lion Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, John Huston, and Brian Keith. Connery is a Moroccan Sheik that kidnaps an American Woman. Bold, noble, romantic adventure so naturally the critics hate it.
Wonder Boys Michael Douglas is a literature professor with a writers block with Tobey McGuire, Francis McDormand Robert Downey Jr. Katy Holmes and Rip Torn.
Gift Uneven southern Gothic with Kate Blanchett as a psychic with Hillery Swank Katie Holmes and Keanau Reeves.
Simple Twist of Fate Steve Martin Gabriel, Byrne Steven Baldwin and Laura Linney in a modern day adaption of Silas Marner.
Shanghai Noon Owen Wilson, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Comedy Kung Fu on the high plains.
Rush Hour/Rush Hour 2 Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan try the mismatched buddy cop picture thing.
Babel Kate Blanchett and Brad Pitt in a Morocco Mexico Japanese we've all got to communicate the critics loved it but no one went to see it post 9/11 movie. I think.
Invincible Mark Wahlberg and Elizabeth Banks in a true story of a regular that tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles Pro football team and makes it.
Big Hit Action adventure gangster movie with Karate and stunts galore. Mark Wahlberg Lou Diamond Phillips and Christina Applegate.
Rumble in the Bronx. Pre Hollywood Jackie Chan.
Young Master. Jackie Chan
Druken Master Woo-Ping, Jackie Chan
Supercop Jackie Chan, Michelle Kahn (Yeoh)
Shine Australian film of pianist pushed to the breaking point by dominating parents. Based on a true story.
Cheaper by the Dozen Clifton Webb Myrna Loy Jeanne Crane based on the real life family of the efficiency expert Galbraith.
Cheaper by the Dozen Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt have 12 kids but it's not really a remake.
Take the Lead Antonio Banderas To Sir with love meets "Dancing with the Stars".
Fahrenheit 451 Julie Christie Oscar Werner. Truffaut's only film in English, based on the Ray Brabury novel.
Hitch-Hiker a groundbreaking thriller directed by Ida Lupino.
Shadow of Doubt Alfred Hitchcock thriller currently undergoing renewed interest, with Joseph Cotton.
Detour Low budget thriller now regaled as the prototype noir.
Scarlet Street Fritz Lang Directs Edward G Robinson as a henpecked husband lured into a life of crime with Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea.
Brute Force Brutal prison movie with Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, and Yvonne De Carlo.
Film Noir Classic Collection Vol.2 Crossfire and Clash by Night we already own but Dillinger, Born to Kill and Narrow Margin are strong underrated noirs.
Ace in the Hole Billy Wilder directs Kirk Douglas as an unscrupulous reporter exploits a man trapped in a cave.
Killing Stanley Kubrick's breakout film about a race track heist with Sterling Hayden.
Helter Skelter Made for TV movie of the Manson Family. Based on the book.
Rat Race An updated version of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. With John Clese and Rowan Atkinson among others.
Cocoon Ron Howard directing Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, and Jessica Tandy, is a Geezer's ET.
Killer's Kiss Another early Kubrick.
Eyes Wide Shut Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star in Stanley Kubrick's last film.
Family Plot Mild almost comic suspense with Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris in Hitchcock's last movie.
Frenzy Classic Hitchcock elements, suave murder and falsely accused hero in an underrated late Hitchcock film.
Topaz Hitchcock does spies and spying in New York, Cuba, and France.
Wrong Man Henry Fonda is falsely accused of robbery in a very un-Hitchcock documentary style.
Dial M for Murder Ray Milland Robert Cummings and Grace Kelly are directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
I Confess Montgomery Clift, Ann Baxter, and Karl Malden in one of Hitchcock's lesser films.

Monday, March 08, 2010

February Music

Each January Billboard magazine publishes the final year's charts which I use to order music. This year my music "best seller's" purchase will be spread over several months orders starting with February Pop. But it's not all best sellers there's some classic Rock and Disco I've been working on. This years Billboard was also the decade ending issue and they had several articles celebrating the career of Madonna. She's never been one of my favorites so I never realized all the top ten hits she's had. So if this order is heavy on Madonna, that's why.

The Music

Straight Up by Badfinger. If they sound like the Beatles its because they were produced by the same studio with some of their music and arrangements by John Lennon.
Chickenfoot by Chickenfoot A super-band with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony from Van Halen, Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and guitarist Joe Satriani.
True Blue by Madonna
Bad Girls by Donna Summer
I am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce
E.N.D. by the Black Eyed Peas
Hard Candy by Madonna
Confessions on a Dance Floor by Madonna
Music by Madonna
Like a Prayer by Madonna
Justin Moore by Justin Moore
One of the Boys by Katy Perry
Funhouse by Pink
Circus by Britney Spears
Journey: Very Best of Donna Summer
Dark Horse by Nickelback
Mad Dogs and Englishmen By Joe Cocker
Stand Up Jethro Tull
For Those About to Rock We Salute You by AC/DC