I was lucky enough to go to the launch of the Victoria international film festival last weekend and attended a talk by actor Madeleine Sherwood. Born in Montreal, Sherwood escaped from a mental institution and moved to New York and studied under Elia Kazan at the Actors Studio with many Hollywood greats such as Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, and playwright Tennessee Williams. The studio encouraged actors to dig deep into their personal pasts to make their characters come to life. Sherwood was black-listed during the McCarthy era for her friendships with other actors and playwrights suspected of Communist leanings. She worked mainly on Broadway and is famous for her role in The Crucible. At CPL, you can see her as sister woman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a smaller role in The Changeling. She appears also in Alfred Hitchcock presents in Season 6 Episode 37 "Make my Death Bed" (1961). Sherwood is the subject of a new documentary by Miriam Lawrence. It is an inspiring short film for actors and fans, so catch it if you can at a film festival.
Starting very soon we will be giving away free tickets for advance screenings to new theatrical releases. In order to be eligible to win these tickets you will have to have a valid library card and be a member of the CPL Community. To join the community, go to any Movie Maniac post, scroll to the bottom of that post and find Please leave a comment. Click on it and follow the directions to register. See below for example:
STEP 1
STEP 2
Then check back here regularly and when you see the contest posted, be prepared to answer a skill testing question (based on our catalogue) to win a double pass to advance screenings at local Calgary movie theatres. Seating is on a first come first served basis and the pass does not guarantee a seat; but if you are early enough, you get in. Take the time to register now so that you will be ready to go when the first contest begins, which is shortly.
A big thanks to Alliance Films for providing us with the tickets. Our first contest will be for tickets to Defendor, premiering exclusively in Toronto and Calgary on Februay 19th. It is directed by Canadian Peter Stebbings, stars Woody Harrelson and was featured in the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
(Feb 02 2010) This morning, nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards were announced. 'The Hurt Locker' and 'Avatar' (the least expensive and most expensive of the Best Picture nominees) lead the overall nominations with 9 each. When the winners are announced, I can only hope that the Academy picks quality ('Hurt Locker' or 'A Serious Man') over bloated excess (I'm looking at you 'Avatar'). But I am prepared to be disappointed again.
A full list of the nominees can be found here.
In preparation for the big show (March 07, 2010) here is a list of films that are available (or [On Order]) at the Calgary Public Library. Most of the nominated films are still being shown in theatres around the city.
Click the links to place a hold:
The Hurt Locker - 9 nominations including: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Jeremy Renner)
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - [On Order] 6 nominations including: Best Picture & Best Director
UP - 5 nominations including: Best Picture & Best Animated Feature
District 9 - 4 nominations including: Best Picture & Best Adapted Screenplay
Star Trek - 4 nominations including: Visual Effects & Makeup
Princess and the Frog - [On Order] 3 nominations including: Best Animated Feature
A Serious Man - [On Order] 2 nominations: Best Picture & Best Original Screenplay
Julie & Julia - 1 nomination: Best Actress (Meryl Streep)
The Cove - 1 nomination: Best Documentary Feature
Coraline - 1 nomination: Best Animated Feature
Coco Before Chanel - [On Order] 1 nomination: Costume Design
Bright Star - [On Order] 1 nomination: Costume Design
Food, Inc. - 1 nomination: Best Documentary Feature
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - 1 nomination: Cinematography
Happy Viewing and good luck with your Oscar pools!
As I watched the Golden Globes last Sunday, I couldn't help but feel a little saddened when the nominations and winners for the best performance by an actress were read out. Sandra Bullock won the "Best Dramatic Performance" for her work in "The Blind Side" and Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia Child in "Julie & Julia" won her the "Best Comedic Performance" prize. Both performances were very strong, especially Streep giving yet another master class in mimicry. What saddened me was the fact that Tilda Swinton was not recognized for her work in "Julia".
I saw many movies last year, but I saw no performance from any actor that matched what Swinton did in "Julia". In this film Tilda shreds her image of an icy, confident, classy British dame. This is a fearless performance.
"Julia" is the story of an out-of-control alcoholic (Swinton) who is caught in a spiral of ever increasing bad decisions. Drunken decisions that lead from losing her job, to theft, to kidnapping, to extortion, to murder, to... well, you get the idea. At times this can be a difficult movie to watch, but Tilda Swinton makes for a fascinating study as she abandons herself to the wanton destruction of her character. Oscar nominations come out on Feb 2nd. I only hope that enough Academy voters get to see this film before that time and let Tilda Swinton have the nomination she deserves.
You can place a hold on "Julia" by following the link here.
Some of Tilda Swinton's other fine performances available at the CPL include:
1993 - Orlando {Based on the novel by Virginia Woolf}
2005 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
2007 - Michael Clayton {For which she won an Oscar for Best Support Actress}
2008 - Burn After Reading
2008 - The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Meryl Streep's Golden Globe winning performance in "Julie & Julia" can be found here.
Ah, that quirky old conundrum---if I could time travel back and change an event in the past, would it alter the present enough that I am now not able to go back and change that event in the past? In other words, can I be my own grandmother? A common movie theme for decades (even the 3 Stooges had a time travel episode), there are almost too many to mention but here are some of my favorites. All you have to do is suspend disbelief, and go along for the ride---and if it starts to break apart plot-wise, remember, this isn't an astrophysics lesson- this is just fun.
Deja Vu from 2006 with Denzel Washington. What starts out seemingly as a murder investigation quickly becomes so much more. I quite enjoyed this, even though visually I occassionally got overloaded with everything happening on the screen.
Final Countdown A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. From 1980 with Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen.
Groundhog Day " He's having the worst day of his life... over, and over." Bill Murray stars is this 1993 offering from Harold Ramis. Lots of good goofy fun- watch this one with the whole family.
Back to the Future 1-2-3. Anybody out there who hasn't seen at least the first installment? Grab the 3-pack and go everywhere with Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd---the past, the present and of course, back to the future. Number one is my fave.
Somewhere in Time-1980. So far we've had tragedy and comedy, so how about weep into your hankies sad? With Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer. This is lovely to look at---a quiet, gentle movie that tells a sweet, sad story. It has a wonderful instrumental sound track featuring the haunting 'Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini'.
Kate and Leopold---time travel is often used to bring star crossed lovers together, as in this offering from 2001. Starring the ever adorable Meg Ryan and the ever hunky Hugh Jackman. No serious plot twists to follow here- just a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
For the serious Sci-fi devotee who likes to see all the loose ends tied up (as if that is possible in time travel), we have all 1-2-3-4 of the Terminator series, wherein Arnie utters those famous three words "I'll be back". The first two are directed by James Cameron of Titanic and Avatar fame. Violent, gory, and bleak, they still manage to be fun !??. A Cameron trademark , they showcase some pretty ground breaking CGI's. One is good, two is better, three is just okay, and four features our favorite maggot eating, yo-yo dieting uber-intense method actor, Christian Bale.
We have two very different interpretations of H G Wells' classic tale The Time Machine---the 1960 version with Rod Taylor and the 2002 with Guy Pearce. My money is on the Rod Taylor version---which as a child scared the milk and cookies out of me! Although hokey monsters by today's standards, I rewatched this within the past month, and am happy to report it still has a lot of appeal. This version is on a Turner Classic Movies sci-fi compilation that also includes Solyent Green-worth a look (Charlton Heston), Forbidden Planet-worth a laugh (Leslie Nielsen), and 2001: A Space Odyssey, which depending on your way of thinking is either deeply profound or highly inscrutable. It is considered by many to be the ultimate space-time movie.
Of course, almost any sci-fi series will heavily feature the space-time continuum as a recurring theme. Star Trek did it often and did it well, as in the latest release, Star Trek. Also check out Star Trek fan collective:time travel which pulls all the best of this theme from across all the series into one 4 disc (644) min) set.
Two previously reviewed space-time movies are Peggy Sue got Married and Next (see Mel's earlier post by clicking on Nicholas Cage found on left hand side of screen under TAGS).
Although CPL does not currently have this, see if you can get your hands on 1995's 12 Monkeys. This is a very good time travel movie with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. Again, depressing and dark, but it has my favorite performances by both these actors. Brad Pitt in particular is excellent playing a crazy eco-warrior.
Well---these 20 plus recommendations took up a lot of space---I just hope you can find the time!
It's time to 'fess up and admit that lately I have not been watching a breadth and depth of quality feature length-films to review for you. I have been lured into watching the complete tv series Prison Break available on dvd at CPL.
Plot summary: Think 24 meets The Dirty Dozen. Brothers Lincoln and Michael are estranged due to Lincoln' poor life choices. He's framed for the murder of a politician but Michael knows his brother is innocent. To break Lincoln out of jail, Michael plans to be put in jail first. Other inmates find out and become part of the escape plan. If you like this kind of adventure, see Moe's "Great Escapes" blog post.
There are several reasons why watching Prison Break for weeks was not a good idea. One is that some of the acting is of dubious quality (a lot of frowning and looking serious). Another is the implausibility of many of the situations that the characters find themselves in and out of. When sleep-deprived and surrounded on rough terrain by police with dogs and helicopters, they escape without so much as being grazed by a bullet. The main character tatoos his escape plan onto his body which includes the use of his mother's first name (um...in case he forgot it?). There a lot of this and discussing it is as fun as watching the series. Prison Break is also a continuity-error spotter's dream.
Here's what kept me watching: It's action packed. Lincoln and Michael can't even finish a meal without some new plot twist, usually involving either the law or the evil Company descending upon them. Some of the acting is great. Wade Williams plays Bellick the big lug of a prison Guard perfectly, and Robert Knepper is sinister yet witty as the psychopath Theodore "T-bag" Bagwell. There's all the gripping features I expect in a thriller--betrayals, thwarted love, chase scenes, conspiracy, corrupt corporations, and what drives the show is what drives all of us...the desire just to get home at the end of the day (to watch dvds, presumably).
There are only four seasons, with relatively few holds. Go on...you know you want to...
The 68th annual Golden Globe Awards were held on Sunday January17th. Honoring the best in film and television, there is often considerable cross-over between the Globes and Oscar. It was hosted by the very entertaining Ricky Gervais, who I will be blogging about in the upcoming months. Follow this link to see the big winners and don't forget to check CPL's catalogue to search for nominees and winners that we already have, or will soon be adding to the collection. Now we can count down to the Oscars.
We now have the 1975 British comedy hit The Good life, known as Good Neighbors in Canada. It is catalogued under Good Neighbors (no "u") in CPL's system.
Good Neighbors stars Richard Briers (Monarch of the Glen) as Tom Goode, Felicity Kendall (Rosemary and Thyme) as Barbara Goode, Penelope Keith as their neighbour Margo "Well, thank you very much!" Ledbetter and Paul Eddington as Margo's husband Jerry(Yes, Minister)
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Unsatisfied with his graphic design position at a plastics firm, Tom Goode decides that the cure for his malaise is a life of self-sufficiency. Tom and Barbara agree to embark on a back to the land project, but on their existing property in Surbiton in the suburbs of London. Providing all their own food and living without an income provide a host of challenges, not the least of which is the disapproval of Margo, home counties hostess extraordinaire and tory member of the local music society. Chickens, a goat, pigs, a car built from a rotary cultivator, marital strife, and laughs ensue. A few of the jokes are past their prime but most of the charm and relevance remains.
The bonus features disc with Season 1-3 includes celebrity fan interviews and one with a man inspired by the show to live self-sufficiently. Should you feel the call, CPL has plenty of back to the land books to checkout, such as The Backyard Homestead, and Barnyard in your Backyard. Try searching under "homestead" or "self- sufficient" or "raising goats." Don't come to me if you haven't checked the city bylaws first (under city living at www.calgary.ca).
Trying to recover from a hectic Christmas? Too much noise, too much activity, too much everything? Put away all those solitary new toys like your Nintendo DS' and IPod's, and kick back and reconnect with the whole gang. Here are my latest choices for worry-free family viewing---no bad language, no inappropriate themes, no embarrassing moments. If you enjoy them, there are sequels for Anne of Green Gables, Toy Story, Black Stallion and Babe---and in the case of Heidi, Dog of Flanders, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, several different versions, some considerably better than others. As always I have indicated my faves. And if you want to find even more selections, go to the tags on the left side of the screen and click on family-oriented. It will bring up all 8 previous posts and many, many more offerings. Enjoy.
Heidi---we have four English versions (featuring some big names) and a three part animated Chinese series of this beloved tale. From 1937 we have Shirley Temple as the irresistable moppet, from 1968 Maximilian Schell and Jean Simmons, from 1993 Jason Robards and Jane Syemour and from 2005 Max Von Sydow and Diana Rigg. For my money go with Shirley as the adorable orphan sent to live with a reluctant grandfather high in the Swiss Alps.
Black Stallion--- this was a very popular movie back in 1979, and deservedly so. The cinematography is beautiful and the story is timeless. The opening with the fire and resulting ship wreck might be a little intense for younger ones, but once you get to the boy and the horse on the island it is watchable for all ages.
A Dog of Flanders---this might be a little slow compared to what children are used to these days, but stick with it. It is a lovely, heart warming story of a boy, his grandfather and the mistreated cart dog they take into their lives.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth---again,we have several versions of this popular Jules Verne story. I would go with the big release from the summer of 2008, starring Brendan Fraser. The CGI's in this are very impressive, and you should find yourself pretty freaked out by the T-Rex chase.
Anne of Green Gables- hard to believe it is 25 years since this first aired on television. You would be hard pressed to find a better way to spend time than with this multi-award winning Kevin Sullivan production. Beautifully filmed on location in PEI and starring Megan Follows as the irrepressible Anne. Both of the sequels are equally engaging.
Toy Story---join Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potato Head and others in this delightful Disney offering from 1995. The story is very engaging, many of the characters are toys you will recognize and there is plenty here for the adults. Toy Story 2 is every bit as much fun as the first. Avoid reading the credits and see how many real life actors you can match to the toys voices.
Babe---Farmer Hoggett wins Babe at the local fair, and the little pig soon befriends all the other creatures on the farm. He becomes special friends with one of the sheepdogs and soon Babe embarks on a career in sheepherding. You'd swear the animals are really talking-the film took home an Oscar for best visual effects.
Actually, this post began it's life as something else entirely--- it was going to be an accidential film festival, linking several actors across a variety of movies. But when I got going on Kenneth Branagh I realized he needed an entire post to himself. I have always been a big fan---after all, what's not to like? The man is versatile in the extreme, managing everything from Shakespeare to Harry Potter, hero to villian---convincing as any nationality, dashing in period pieces and showing a deft hand at light comedy. He can also swashbuckle with the best of them! Let's take a look at what CPL can offer established or soon-to-be Branagh fans.
In the made for television movie Conspiracy from 2001, I simply could not tear my eyes away from his performance -- he commands attention every moment he is on screen. He is terrifyingly evil, not because he is frenzied but because he is controlling and relentless. Here is an actor at the top of his craft. The movie is the historic retelling of the infamous 1942 Wannsee Conference, where in just under three hours the Nazi's worked out the 'legal' justification for the annihilation of Europe's Jews.
Equally comfortable behind the camera, he has donned the director's cap many times---as in the first film I ever saw him in. It is 1991's Dead Again with then wife Emma Thompson and Sir Derek Jacobi. Actually all three actors rank high on the versatility meter. Branagh credits Jacobi as the reason he wanted to get into acting in the first place and the two have appeared several times together (see Mel's earlier post "Are you a Derek Jacob-ian"). This is a very smart 'whodunit' with a lot of Hitchcock overtones.
Valkyrie--- from 2008, Branagh is one of many highly recognizable stars in this true story of the attempt by several high ranking Nazi's to assasinate Hitler. Tom Cruise is actually the headliner in this and while he can often be over the top in some of his roles, he gives a very tightly controlled performance here. Branagh is as always, excellent. Rounding out the cast is Bill Nighy (even if you don't recognize the name, you will know him when you see him---lately he seems to be in everything); and Tom Wilkinson---another face you will easily recognize.
Shackleton- 2002 A&E mini-series. The true story of British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his 1914 expedition to the South Pole. Their aptly named ship,The Endurance, became stuck in pack ice and after 8 months was finally crushed. Shackleton took to the ice and led the 28 men crew across the Antarctic in what is one of the most amazing true tales of survival ever. This production is excellent, and the mini series was nominated for many awards and won a BAFTA for Best Drama Serial.
He is wonderful as the vacuous and vain Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Based on the very popular mysteries by best selling Swedish author Henning Mankell, we have a 3 episode set featuring Branagh as Detective Kurt Wallander.
Try any of the Shakespeare productions he adapts, directs and appears in, including: Loves Labours Lost; Othello; As You like It; Hamlet; Much Ado About Nothing;Twelfth Night. Half the fun of these offerings is seeing Branagh direct what would be considered unusual choices for Shakesperean roles- Keeanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Denzel Washington anyone? This is very accessible Shakespeare.
He has a small role in Rabbit Proof Fence, a movie I previously recommended under Guaranteed Embarrassement Free 5. Find it by going to tags on the left side of the page and looking up 'family oriented'.
I'm popping into Moe's blog column to look at the many faces of Wuthering Heights on dvd. Each adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel has its own attractions, and we have five to compare here at the library. Is WH a story of eternal love or the annals of the world's most dysfunctional relationship? You tell me. Pick your favorite craggy Heathcliff and moorswept Catherine and away you go...
BBC Wuthering Heights CPL just introduced this 1967 version starring Ian McShane (Lovejoy, Deadwood). You'd be hard pressed to find a hairier Heathcliff.
Wuthering Heights starring Timothy Dalton (1970): This version is true to the novel and the setting is darkly appropriate. It emphasizes how the family dynamic leads to all the conflicts between the players.
Masterpiece Theatre's 1998 Wuthering Heights
: Heathcliff is not a nice man in this tv version. The focus is his and Cathy's obsession with one another and the ensuing destruction they wreak around them--starring Orla Brady and Robert Cavanah. It's a compelling adapdation and my favorite of the ones listed here.
Wuthering Heights (1992) with Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes. If you ask me, these two are just too nice looking for these roles, but they are fine actors.
Masterpiece Theatre strikes again with Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley in Wuthering Heights (2008). This one will appeal to younger viewers, with younger actors, but it didn't sustain my interest.
You can't beat the cast in this 1939 version with Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven. However, it is not true to the novel's plot or feeling and is largely responsible for Wuthering Heights' dubious designation as a romance novel. It is not in our collection yet.
This could become the blog post that never ends...according to IMDB, two new versions are on their way. I'm still trying to find the tv version with the very affected blond Edgar Linton...anyone?
Of course you can not do any such list without having the quintessential Great Escape from 1963. It is the incredible true story of the mass escape of 76 Allied POWs from Stalag Luft III in March of 1944. This has a huge all-star cast, featuring many of the heavy hitters of the day--- Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn (incidentially McQueen, Bronson and Coburn appeared together in the Magnificent Seven, one of my favorite westerns). This movie appears fairly regularly on television (actually they both do), but if you missed it, or just want to revisit it, now is the time. It is a great story.
Rescue Dawn from 2006. This film tells the real-life story of U.S. fighter pilot Dieter Dengler, a German-American shot down and captured in Laos during the Vietnam War. He was the only known POW to escape from a Laos prison. It features Christian Bale (Batman Begins) as Dengler. Bale looks rail thin here, but not as bad as in The Machinist, a role for which he lost an astonishing 63 pounds. Bale, an actor known for fully embracing his characters (as witnessed by what he regularly puts his body through) does in fact, eat those maggots.
Papillon from 1973 again with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman as inmates of the notorious Devil's Island in French Guiana circa 1930's. This movie was incredibly popular at the time of its release, and being a period piece actually stands up well. Ocassionally a little campy, it still tells a remarkable tale of hardship, endurance and ultimate triumph.
The Killing Fields--- Covering the U.S. pullout from Vietnam in 1975, this is the story of two men---a New York Times correspondent and his Cambodian friend and translator Dith Pran. The reporter coerces his friend to remain behind in order to keep filing news reports. As Saigon falls the correspondent is released, but Pran is captured by the dreaded Khmer Rouge. The rest of the film details Pran's harrowing experiences at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, and his attempt to escape. This is an excellent movie but has very graphic scenes of violence.
These first four are all movies based on real life events. For some good fictional 'triumph over adversity' stories, try Cast Away with Tom Hanks from 2000---the plane crash is amazing, as is the self dentistry!
Or how about the popular television series Prison Break from 2005.
Want to get your head bent? Try any or all of the 17 near psychedelic episodes of The Prisoner from 1967. Not into the 60's groove? How about Alexander Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo--- we have two versions---French with Gerard Depardieu and the quite stylish 2003 with Guy Pearce and Jim Caviezel---who is currently starring on tv in a remake of----The Prisoner.
The Odds:
Satirical comedy can be a quite useful antidote for nearly anything; sickdays, seasons of endless reruns, Christmas party recovery days, my 'The Ends' film suggestions to follow etc. etc. Although many films in CPL's collection fit this bill (Spike Jonze's Adaptation and Being John Malkovich, or Rob Reiner's This is Spinal Tap come to mind) we have a few hidden ones worth picking up that may have snuck past you on your way to checkout.
Tristram Shandy: a *** and bull story is a 'documentary' of the ambitious and artsy attempt at the adaptation of Laurence Sterne's classic novel from 1760. Michael Winterbottom directs Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in the convoluted task of playing themselves as they tackle the unfilmable self-narrative that is Tristram Shandy. This is a worthwhile film, especially if you like films about films and the tribulations of filming unfilmable classic novels with difficult actors and the quest for achiving high art in film.
The Boss Of It All is a Danish film from Lars von Trier in which an IT business owner hires an actor to fill in as 'the boss of it all'. For the past ten years Rown has been using the fictitous boss to deliver bad news and handle awkward situations with his employees. Now the charade is up and Rown must produce this boss in person to finalize a big deal. Complications arise when the Gambini- obssessed actor must keep up the role for a couple of weeks.
*a word of caution: please check the ratings!*
The Ends:
If you're not known for your sea legs Buried at Sea will give you even more reason to remain landlocked, resist peer pressure to take up snorkelling or scuba diving and perhaps never leave your house, although I don't encourage anyone to become a recluse because of this film. Buried at Sea details the aquatic destiny of the munitions and chemical stockpiles left over from the end of the second World War.
Need to fuel your cyncism regarding the benefits of suburban life or big business? Look no further than the End of Suburbia or The Corporation. How about Manufactured Landscapes? This title was suggested before and although it displays remarkable composition and visual beauty, thinking long and hard about the subject matter is guaranteed to leave you as depressed as Eyore.
We are pretty much landlocked here in Calgary (no, rivers and prehistoric seas don't count) so some ocean viewing is essential.
Behold these watery wonders
The Ebb Tide
Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's fiction, The Ebb Tide stars Robbie Coltrane in a 19th Century adventure on the high seas. Coltrane is famous for his role as a forensic psychologist in the British series Cracker, and he's great in this role as a fortune seeker with a leaky ship.
Ah, the Kraken!...Watch National Geographic's Devils of the Deep: the Jumbo Squid and you'll question whether "jumbo squid" sounds like a tasty dish. This documentary explores squid communication and intelligence but also exposes their violent side. They'll eat ya as soon as look at ya with their great, staring eyes.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Based on fashion editor Jean-Dominic Bauby's memoirs transcribed by a therapist, the movie gives insight into a man trapped in his own body after a stroke. In his hospital beside the sea, Bauby has time to reflect on his past loves.
We could do a whole post (at least) on naval movies. In the "let's question the captain's judgement" category of cinema, one of the best is The Bedford Incident starring Sidney Poitier. Poitier plays a journalist sent to work aboard ship with a taciturn captain (Richard Widmark) obsessed with destroying a Soviet submarine.
The Piano. Holly Hunt stars in this award winning film in colonial new zealand. Hunt's character is a mute pianist with a daughter from a forbidden love affair sent to New Zealand to marry a colonist in want of a wife, played by Sam Neal. Harvey Keitel is unforgettable as the rival for Ada's affections. The ocean features prominently.
If you like pirates, watch The Pirate Queen: Grace O'Malley (part of the Warrior Woman series) and National Geographic's The Pirate Code: Real Pirates ,which examines the wreck of the Wydah and the life of Samuel Bellamy. We learn from these documentaries that O'Malley was a chieftan protecting her clan's rights to resources while Bellamy stole from slave traders to raise money to win his lady love.
Speaking of pirates, try Johnny Depp in the three fun Pirates of the Caribbean movies if you missed them in the theatres: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End.
We also have two versions of Mutiny on the Bounty, with Clarke Gable (1935), or Marlon Brando (1962), The Horatio Hornblower series, based on D.S. Forrester's novels and, of course, Spongebob Squarepants.
You know what this means folks---it's getting close! I did a comprehensive list this time last year, so to check out those recommendations go to Tags on the left side of the blog and click on Christmas. To search our entire catalogue including all the new additions of the last 12 months, from our homepage enter Christmas DVD in the Enter Catalogue Search here box and it will bring up 217 titles. There is something for everyone in this list. But my favorites from last year are still my favorites this year.
In conjunction with Casablanca Video CPL is showing "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on December 17th from 1:00-3:30 in the John Dutton Theatre at the Central Library. No registration required, but everyone attending must have a valid library card; and of course there is no charge for a card for children12 and under. What a deal! It's also not too early to start picking up your children's holiday books. Demand gets high this time of year.
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