Kym’s Picks: 11/25/2008

The Obvious:

 

Hancock Will Smith stars as Hancock, a down-and-out superhero forced to employ a PR expert, Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), to help repair his image when the public grows weary of all the damage he has inflicted during his life-saving heroics. Ray’s idea of imprisoning the antihero to make the world miss him proves successful, but will Hancock stick to his new sense of purpose or slip back into old habits? Charlize Theron co-stars in Peter Berg’s action comedy.

 

24: Redemption While helping his old friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle) build houses for the poor in Africa, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) gets caught in the middle of a military coup. Back in the United States, Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) prepares to be sworn in as president. Filmed on location in South Africa, this stand-alone movie serves as a bridge between the sixth and seventh seasons of the popular show “24” and co-stars Gil Bellows and Jon Voight.

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

George Carlin: It’s Bad for Ya In his final filmed performance and 14th HBO special, counterculture comic George Carlin urges Americans to just say no to BS, serving up sharp-witted takes on society’s ridiculous obsessions, the self-esteem movement fallout and spoiled kids. Ever dubious of authority, the 70-year-old Carlin lets his antiestablishment flag fly by riffing on America’s follow-the-leader mentality and skewering politicians and other so-called experts.

 

Possibilities:

 

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All Ring in the season with some holiday truthiness! Stephen Colbert, star of Comedy Central’s satirical gem “The Colbert Report” celebrates the glory — and unyielding commercialism — of Christmas with this star-studded holiday special. Elvis Costello, John Legend, Feist, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith and Jon Stewart join America’s favorite delusional pundit for an evening of yuletide fun and cheer that’s sure to tickle your funny bone.

 

Fred Claus The joy and happiness of the holiday season is ruined for Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti) when his cranky older brother Fred (Vince Vaughn) comes to stay with him in the North Pole. Always outdone by his saintlike brother, the bitter Fred, a repo man with a rap sheet, threatens to squash the spirit of Christmas. Kevin Spacey, Miranda Richardson, Kathy Bates and Elizabeth Banks co-star in this yuletide comedy from director David Dobkin.

 

Santa and Pete Before a captive young audience of grandchildren, widower Grandpa Nicholas (James Earl Jones) recounts the story of Christian bishop St. Nick (Hume Cronyn), whose miraculous yuletide antics land him in a Spanish jail. It is there that a kindly cook named Pete (Flex Alexander) sympathizes with St. Nick’s plight, risks everything to free him and becomes his assistant in this inventive and heartwarming Christmas treat.

 

Another Life After impulsively jumping into marriage with her stodgy boyfriend (Nick Moran), Edith Graydon (Natasha Little) finds herself rekindling a relationship with a worldly friend (Ioan Gruffudd), which ultimately leads to forbidden passion … and murder. Based on a scandalous true story that grabbed the era’s headlines, this engrossing period drama (set mainly in 1920s England) also stars Imelda Staunton and Tom Wilkinson.

 

Beautiful Ohio Actor Chad Lowe makes his directorial debut with this coming-of-age drama about two brothers growing up in the unconventional household of their progressive parents (William Hurt, Rita Wilson). Eldest son Clive (David Call) struggles with expectations of being a prodigy, while William (Brett Davern) contends with living in his big brother’s shadow. Set in the 1970s, this quietly provocative film also stars Michelle Trachtenberg.

 

River Queen After her relationship with a Maori man leads to pregnancy, Sarah (Samantha Morton) — the daughter of an Irish doctor (Stephen Rea) — raises her son until he’s kidnapped by Maori tribesmen in this epic set in 1860s New Zealand. Still searching for him years later, she enlists the aid of Maori warrior Wiremu (Cliff Curtis) and soon finds herself torn between her passion for Wiremu and the security offered by an Irish soldier (Kiefer Sutherland).

 

Darker Than Black The sudden and unexplained appearance of “Hell’s Gate” — a mysterious and seemingly impenetrable field — wreaks havoc on Tokyo’s status quo. But it also adds a new element to the city’s social structure: psychics who possess supernatural abilities. The dangerous powers of these so-called “Contractors” are disturbing enough. That is, until one of them — a killer known as the Black Reaper — emerges as an even deadlier threat.

 

Dae Jang Geum: Vol.1 This historical serial drama stars Yeong-ae Lee as Jang Geum, a 16th-century Korean orphan who rises from a position of kitchen maid to become the first female physician to attend the king. As Jang Geum develops her physician’s art by experimenting with medicines and new types of cuisine, she must also learn to navigate the treacherous waters of court intrigue. Jin-hee Ji and Ri-na Hong co-star.

 

Just Sex and Nothing Else Set in Budapest, this romantic comedy follows thirty-something Dóra (Judit Schell), a playwright whose plan to have a baby without getting attached to a man is further complicated when the theater where she works hires a suave new leading actor, Tamás (Sándor Csányi). In search of a biological father, Dóra tests out the sperm bank, online dating and the cute Turkish deli guy, but Tamás’s imposing presence gets to her even when he’s not onstage.

 

The Snow Queen Hyeon Bin stars as Tae Woong, a lonely, washed-up boxer who continues to blame himself for the accidental death of his good friend years before — until he encounters the beautiful but icy Bo Ra (Sung Yu Ri). Now, Tae Woong sets out to win over Bo Ra, but first, he must relinquish the guilt that keeps him closed off to the world. Lee Hyung Min directs this emotional Korean serial drama.

 

The Weird:

 

The Donor Conspiracy Expelled from med school after rigging a cadaver with remote-control genitalia, pals Gavin (Ross Kelly) and Curt (Matt Sanford) stumble into the middle of a mafia-run kidney harvest ring. While trying to expose the ring to the doctor who kicked them out of school, our heroes are coerced by Hector the Plunger (Miguel Martinez) and his henchmen, Tiny and Bobo, to perform the kidney surgeries themselves in this bloody-good black comedy.

Kym’s Picks: 11/18/2008

The Obvious:

 

WALL-E In a futuristic world, human beings have destroyed Earth and evacuated the planet, leaving the cleanup to an army of robots they’ve programmed to do their dirty work. Due to a mishap, the dutiful WALL-E is the only one left. But with the arrival of a female probe named EVE, the monotony of WALL-E’s existence is broken — and he experiences love for the first time. Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo) directs this Pixar tale with a sci-fi twist.

 

Tropic Thunder Drawing inspiration from films like Apocalypse Now and Platoon, this war movie send-up from director and star Ben Stiller follows a group of dimwitted actors forced to become real-life soldiers when they’re abandoned in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Stiller leads an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte, with Tom Cruise in an unforgettable cameo as a rude, crude movie mogul.

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

Doctor Who: Season 4 In the fourth season of the hit BBC sci-fi series, former runaway bride Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) joins the good Doctor (David Tennant) on his intergalactic adventures, fighting for justice and solving mysteries throughout space and time. The two battle psychic powers in ancient Pompeii, evil forces that lurk in an abandoned library and menacing alien wasps from the Silfrax Galaxy. Freema Agyeman also returns this season.

 

Possibilities:

 

Flowers for Algernon Charlie (Matthew Modine), who is mentally challenged, undergoes a dangerous experimental operation to boost his intelligence. When the procedure works, Charlie becomes a new person, but he later realizes his significant intellectual gains may only be temporary. Based on the classic novel by Daniel Keyes, this heart-wrenching drama also features Kelli Williams, Bonnie Bedelia, Ron Rifkin and Cameron Bowen.  ***  This story was first brought to film as Charly (1968), and Cliff Robertson won an Oscar for the title role.  Highly recommend.

 

Mister Lonely This gorgeously lensed, slightly surreal dramedy follows a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) to Paris, where he meets a Marilyn Monroe look-alike (Samantha Morton) and accompanies her as she reconvenes with her husband and daughter (also impersonators) in Scotland. Along the way, they rendezvous with a Queen Elizabeth look-alike, among others, in director Harmony Korine’s absurdist statement about celebrity obsession.

 

Wholphin: Issue 7 The seventh volume of this anthology of short films, documentaries and cartoons includes Gus Van Sant’s first filmed work, the 1982 short film “The Discipline of D.E.” based on the story by William S. Burroughs. The compilation also includes works by Nicolas Berger (“Nutkin’s Last Stand”), Carson Mell (“Field Notes from Dimension X”), Kristoffer Joner (“Cold & Dry”), Arthur Metcalf (“Fantaisie in Bubblewrap”) and eight others.

 

Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest David Tennant and Freema Agyeman lend their voices to this animated “Doctor Who” spinoff that finds the Doctor (Tennant) and his companion Martha Jones (Agyeman) in space, searching for a way to help people make their dreams come true. If they can locate a set of all-important datachips and unlock the spacecraft Infinite, anything’s possible. But the space pirate Baltazar has his eye on the Infinite, too.

 

Priceless Irène (Audrey Tautou), who makes a fortune sweet-talking rich men, puts the moves on klutzy Jean (Gad Elmaleh), unaware that he’s just a hotel bartender. But by the time she realizes her mistake, Jean is smitten with her. Letting men down easy has never been Irène’s strong suit, but she finds a way to mend Jean’s broken heart that ensures he’ll never have to mix cocktails again. Vernon Dobtcheff co-stars in this wacky French farce.

 

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Inspired by author Yasutaka Tsutsui’s novel, this anime follows the adventures of Makoto Konno, a seemingly ordinary high school student who makes a startling revelation when she learns that she’s been endowed with the ability to travel back in time. Following a series of frivolous “time leaps,” Makoto learns that her powers have a negative impact on the people around her and sets out to correct the effects of her actions.

 

Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special Live from Milwaukee, ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and his collection of colorful puppet characters — affectionately known as the “suitcase posse” — delight sold-out crowds with this unique Christmas special from the stages of the Pabst Theater. Loaded with extras, this release features behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, the uproarious “Ask Santa-Walter” skit and the side-splittling music video “Christmas Roadkill.”

 

Documentaries and Music:

 

Encounters at the End of the World Celebrated documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog takes you on a wild and woolly journey to the South Pole, from the National Science Foundation’s headquarters on Ross Island to some of Antarctica’s most remote and dangerous terrain. With a keen eye for the wonders and sometimes hilarious peculiarities of this icy land’s animal and human inhabitants, Herzog offers an astounding look at the world’s most inhospitable landscape.

 

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Always willing to hurl himself right in the middle of the action, journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson was fearless as well as reckless. This documentary looks beyond his wild antics to focus on the courage and principles that made him a success. Rare home movies, audiotapes and unpublished materials offer added insight into this complex man, who was well-known for his fondness for sex, drugs and alcohol.

 

I, Caesar: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire The first in a six-part series focusing on men who reigned over the Roman Empire, this superb program explores the life and rule of Julius Caesar, examining the battles, vast reforms and conspiracies of his reign. After gaining control of the Empire, Caesar was declared the dictator of Rome. But his policies and political intrigue within the Senate eventually led to Caesar’s assassination by a group led by his former friend and ally, Brutus.

 

Philip K. Dick: The Penultimate Truth This in-depth biography chronicles the personal life and professional career of iconic science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which inspired the movie Blade Runner, and other influential works. Recounting how Dick’s history of hallucinations and paranoia contributed to his genius, the program also celebrates the singular vision this uniquely gifted writer shared with the literary world.

 

The Who: At Kilburn 1977 In December 1977, rock gods the Who met at the Gaumont State Theatre in Kilburn, North London, to record a set for the film The Kids Are Alright, but the show would prove to be one of drummer Keith Moon’s final performances. The rare concert, shot in 35mm, features “I Can’t Explain,” “Substitute,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Dreaming from the Waist,” “Pinball Wizard,” “My Generation” and more.

Kym’s Picks: 11/04 and 11/11/08

The Obvious:

 

Kung Fu Panda When China’s Valley of Peace is threatened, lazy Po the panda (voiced by Jack Black) discovers his destiny as the “chosen one” and trains to become a kung fu hero. Master Monkey (Jackie Chan) and Master Viper (Lucy Liu) impart their knowledge to Po, but transforming this slacker into a brave warrior isn’t going to be easy. Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane and Michael Clarke Duncan also provide voices.

 

Get Smart When the identities of secret agents from Control are compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) promotes hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and teams him with stylish, capable Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), the only spy whose cover remains intact. Now, they must work together to thwart the evil plans of KAOS and its crafty operative Siegfried (Terence Stamp). Based on the classic television show, this comedy caper co-stars The Rock.

 

Hellboy II: The Golden Army The identities of Hellboy (Ron Perlman), Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) are exposed as they face a new threat: The Golden Army, assembled of long-hidden mythological creatures, is prepared to attack. As fantastic monsters and paranormal phenomena begin to take over, the trio races to destroy the army’s leader, the vengeful Prince Nuada (Luke Goss). John Alexander co-stars in Guillermo del Toro’s spellbinding sequel.

 

Sukiyaki Western Django In a strange land where East meets West, two rival gangs, the Heike Reds and the Genji Whites, are locked in a deadly feud over a fortune in gold. A lone hero (Hideaki Ito) comes to town, meets the gangs’ various victims and tries to restore order to the chaos. Director Quentin Tarantino guest stars as a gunslinger in this visually stunning Japanese spaghetti Western from cult film director Takashi Miike.

 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars On the battlefield of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his friend Anakin Skywalker — the future Darth Vader — fight to keep the republic together in this feature-length animated addition to the Star Wars franchise. Joined by Padmé Amidala and Anakin’s new apprentice, Ahsoka, our Jedi heroes do battle against a formidable range of opponents led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous.

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

Arabesque When American professor David Pollock (Gregory Peck) deciphers a cryptic ancient Arabic text, he suddenly finds himself entangled in a labyrinthine plot to assassinate a foreign head of state, with femme fatale Yasmin (Sophia Loren) offering him her dubious help. With killers on his trail and an untrustworthy companion, Pollock must discover why the message in the text is worth killing for. Stanley Donen directs this stylish mod thriller.

 

Mirage Gregory Peck stars as an accountant named David Stillwell, who loses his memory, then discovers that those who try to help him regain it mysteriously turn up dead. As Stillwell fights to remember who he is, he must also unravel the conspiracy that is ensnaring him in its dangerous web. Edward Dmytryk directs this tense thriller that co-stars Diane Baker, Walter Matthau and Kevin McCarthy.

 

Get Smart: Season 2  **  NOTE:  Seasons 3, 4 and 5 are also released this week.  **  Inept CONTROL agent Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) and sharp, sexy Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon) continue to take down the bad guys of KAOS with the help of their crazy gadgets in the second season of this popular satirical spy sitcom. Max has to step in when KAOS programs CONTROL robot Hymie (David Gauthier) to murder the Chief (Edward Platt); Max becomes the leader of the spy labor union; and Max and Agent 99 try to expose a circus smuggling ring.

 

Primeval: Seasons 1 & 2 Thanks to an unexplained wrinkle in time, prehistoric creatures are running amok through the modern age, prompting evolutionary zoologist Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) to spring into action. With his small team of experts, Cutter takes on the anachronistic beasts and tries to keep a global crisis at bay. But the sudden reappearance of his wife, whom he long believed to be dead, only adds another piece to a very complicated puzzle.

 

Route 66: Season 2 Friends Tod (Martin Milner) and Buz (George Maharis) hit the road and help many strangers on their way, including a dying jazz singer who wants to reunite her old group, a recently released mental hospital patient and a Jewish boy coping with a family tragedy. The second season of this Emmy-nominated 1960s TV series features talented guest stars such as Robert Duvall, Robert Redford, Lee Marvin and Martin Sheen.

 

The Sally Lockhart Mysteries: Shadow in the North When the disappearance of several ships triggers the collapse of a British shipping venture, feisty young sleuth Sally (Billie Piper), photographer Frederick (JJ Feild) and streetwise Jim (Matt Smith) set out to determine who’s behind the mysterious plot. In the midst of their investigation, Sally and Frederick discover that the feelings they have for each other run deeper than they ever imagined.

 

Quo Vadis Mervyn LeRoy’s Hollywood epic recounts the sweeping saga of star-crossed lovers General Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) and Lygia (Deborah Kerr). The smitten Marcus pursues Lygia, but to no avail. At the behest of Nero (Peter Ustinov), Lygia is given to Marcus, who makes it his mission to prove to her that his intentions are pure and true. But just as it seems love will prevail, Nero’s atrocities threaten to destroy them and Rome forever. …

 

Sounder Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield both earned Academy Award nominations for their performances in director Martin Ritt’s poignant drama about the trials and tribulations of a family of black sharecroppers living in the deep South in the 1930s. Based on William H. Armstrong’s Newberry Award-winning novel of the same name, Ritt’s adaptation also earned Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

 

The Hanoi Hilton Michael Moriarty, Paul Le Mat, David Soul, Doug Savant and Jeffrey Jones co-star in this Vietnam War-era drama chronicling the horrors of the so-called “Hanoi Hilton,” the infamous Hoa Lo prison compound that housed hundreds of American POWs. Extras include a bonus interview with Sen. John McCain, who candidly discusses his own harrowing experiences as an inmate there with writer-director Lionel Chetwynd.

 

Night Gallery: Season 2 Producer-host Rod Serling’s follow-up to “The Twilight Zone,” this anthology series revels in the macabre, with well-known names on both sides of the camera. This season, John Astin (“The Addams Family”) directs a tale of arachnophobia, John Badham helms the story of a young psychic (Clint Howard), Zsa Zsa Gabor becomes trapped in an antique mirror, and Richard Matheson and Robert Bloch write chilling stories of vampires and black magic.

 

The Streets of San Francisco: Season 2: Vol. 2 With drastically different approaches to police work, veteran cop Mike Stone (Karl Malden) and his young partner, Steve Keller (Michael Douglas), keep the residents of San Francisco safe from snipers, rapists, kidnappers, thieves and cold-blooded murderers. Notable guest stars featured in this collection of episodes include Larry Wilcox, Tyne Daly, Cheryl Ladd, Nick Nolte, Sam Elliott and Harry Carey Jr.

 

Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union: Season 1 Golden Globe winner Tracey Ullman channels an array of famous faces in her new Showtime sketch comedy series that pokes fun at America’s culture of celebrity worship. In addition to impersonating headline grabbers like David Beckham, Dina Lohan and Cameron Diaz, Ullman also creates a collection of hilarious original characters, with some help from recurring guest star Scott Bakula and narrator Peter Strauss.

 

Possibilities:

 

Flashbacks of a Fool Daniel Craig stars as Joe Scott, a Hollywood star past his prime, who, in the wake of his best friend’s death, reminisces about his troubled childhood in England and retraces the path that led him to a life of loneliness and self-indulgence. Written and directed by Baillie Walsh, this poignant tale also features exceptional supporting performances from Harry Eden, Eve, Olivia Williams, James D’Arcy and Claire Forlani.

 

When Did You Last See Your Father? When his father (Jim Broadbent) becomes terminally ill, Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) struggles to come to terms with the charming but duplicitous man he really was, reliving the memories that shaped their relationship through a series of flashbacks. As Blake travels between his wife and two children in London and his childhood home, his emotional difficulty is mirrored in the agony his father confronts as he succumbs to the cancer.

 

The Good Life In this coming-of-age drama — a 2007 Sundance selection — a young movie theater employee (Mark Webber) has trouble adjusting to life in a small football-crazed Nebraska town. He finds a kindred spirit in the form of Frances (Zooey Deschanel), who pushes him to forge his own path. The supporting cast includes Chris Klein as a onetime high school football star, Harry Dean Stanton as the movie theater owner and Bill Paxton as a Judy Garland fan.

 

Transsiberian An American couple (Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer) seeking to smooth out their rough marriage buys a ticket on the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway. But a chance meeting with two other passengers ends in an accidental murder and high intrigue. Ben Kingsley and Thomas Kretschmann co-star as two Russian police officers trying to solve the baffling case in Brad Anderson’s taut and gritty thriller.

 

Fraulein Three women in Zurich have one thing in common: a life they left behind in Yugoslavia. Reza has spent 30 years reinventing herself as a single businesswoman. Mila, her employee, longs to return home. Ana, new to Switzerland, comes to Reza looking for work — and maybe to shake things up at the café Reza runs. The resulting relationship makes each of them reflect on the war-torn landscape of their past.

 

Katt Williams: It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’ Red-hot comedian Katt Williams brings his outrageous comedy to the stage in this live performance from his sold-out, 100-city 2008 tour. It’s a hilarious, no-holds-barred commentary on relationships, sex, politics and more — all raw and uncut. Pimpin’ his controversial and edgy humor, Williams lampoons life’s absurdities with his street thug persona and point of view that keeps audiences whooping for more.

 

Opium: Diary of a Madwoman Shortly after taking a position at a mental institution, morphine-addicted psychiatrist Dr. Jozef Brenner (Ulrich Thomsen) finds an unusual connection with a gifted yet disturbed writer named Gizella (Kirsti Stubø), whom he’s tasked with treating. Before long, Jozef and Gizella engage in a torrid and destructive affair that threatens to drive them both insane. Directed by János Szász, this disquieting tale also stars Zsolt László.

 

Mojave Phone Booth The lives of four strangers — all at a turning point — intersect when they’re drawn to a mystical phone booth in the middle of the Mojave Desert in this episodic tale directed by John Putch. After reading about the booth on the Internet, the divergent Las Vegas residents (Annabeth Gish, Tinarie Van Wyk-Loots, Christine Elise and Robert Romanus) camp out at the site hoping to get the most important call of their lives.

 

The Murdoch Mysteries Peter Outerbridge stars as Det. William Murdoch in this Canadian TV series based on the best-selling mystery novels by Maureen Jennings. Set in 1890s Toronto, the show follows Murdoch’s attempts to solve an ever-changing roster of crimes. While his colleagues are content to accept evidence as “irrefutable,” Murdoch prefers to look beyond the obvious — with help from coroner Julia Ogden (Keeley Hawes) — to find out what really happened.

 

Documentaries and Music:

 

Secrets of the Deep: Ocean Phantoms Head far beneath the ocean’s surface to explore a mysterious world where time has stood still for ages. In this dark and rarely seen region, witness an amazing variety of actual sea monsters, strange and wondrous creatures with incredible features. Captured by accomplished nature filmmakers using advanced technology, this undersea documentary provides a wonderful opportunity to visit a primordial kingdom normally inaccessible to humans.

 

Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound Why do comic-book heroes translate so well to film? Some of the biggest names in both industries, including Marvel Comics guru Stan Lee and Hollywood producer Roger Corman, discuss the reasons behind comics’ crossover appeal to movie audiences. Actors Ron Perlman and Selma Blair, director Richard Donner, comic-book illustrator Paul Pope and other insiders also weigh in with their views in this hourlong documentary.

 

Whaledreamers This award-winning documentary centers on the Mirning of Australia, a tribe whose bond with whales is jeopardized by a variety of outside forces. Throughout human history, whales have been featured in the mythology of cultures around the world. Hosted by musician Julian Lennon, the film takes viewers on an odyssey into their natural world, revealing their inextricable connection to human civilization of the past, present and future.

 

Futurama: Bender’s Game Matt Groening’s Emmy Award-winning sitcom blasts into the realm of feature film in this animated adventure that traps the Planet Express crew in a fantastical world where anything can happen — and does. Billy West is back as the voice of hapless pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry, with John DiMaggio and Katey Sagal reprising their roles as Bender the potty-talking robot and Cycloptic captain Turanga Leela. Rich Little and George Takei guest star.

 

DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation Experimental hip-hop musician DJ Spooky remixes D.W. Griffith’s controversial 1915 silent movie Birth of a Nation in this innovative film project, deconstructing its distasteful caricatures of slaves and carpetbaggers in the post-Civil War South. Spooky’s manipulation of the images, as well as his addition of a new soundtrack, emphasizes the racist elements of the film while creating fresh stories from the fragments of the original.

 

Operation Valkyrie: The Stauffenberg Plot to Kill Hitler Produced in collaboration with the German resistance organization Forschungsgemeinschaft 20 Juli 1944, this fascinating documentary recounts the story behind the plot led by Claus von Stauffenberg to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Combining expert interviews, dramatizations and even home movies shot by Hitler’s girlfriend, Eva Braun, the program offers a definitive account of the events surrounding this captivating chapter from World War II.

 

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era.. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

 

Live From Abbey Road: The Best of Season 1 In this British television series, contemporary musicians perform live at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles and others recorded their masterpieces. Interviews with the artists shed light on their creative process. Musicians include John Mayer, Norah Jones, Wynton Marsalis, The Goo-Goo Dolls, Iron Maiden, Dave Matthews, LeAnn Rimes, Dr. John, Primal Scream, Amos Lee and many more.

 

Pink Floyd: The Great Gig in the Sky: The Album by Album Guide Packed with concert footage, analyses from noted music journalists and candid interviews with each member of the band, this mammoth release offers a comprehensive review of every album recorded by rock legends Pink Floyd. Featuring insights from Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and David Gilmour, as well as rare performance clips, the exhaustive collection is a must-see for all Pink Floyd fans.

 

Rock Milestones: Pink Floyd: Meddle The release of “Meddle” in 1971 launched Pink Floyd into the rock stratosphere: This retrospective examines the creative forces behind the album, its role in the band’s history and its far-reaching influence. Rock journalists and historians discuss the importance of “Meddle,” while live clips feature Pink Floyd performing “One of These Days,” “Fearless,” the 23-minute tour de force “Echoes” and other seminal songs from the album.

 

Smashing Pumpkins: If All Goes Wrong Six years after the band broke up, Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin rebooted the Smashing Pumpkins in 2006 for a new creative exploration. This documentary and performance film chronicle the process through interviews and live footage. At the heart of this anthology is the first full concert ever released by the band, a show from San Francisco’s Fillmore that includes hits from their 20-year career as well as six previously unreleased tunes.

 

The Cure: The Strange Museum Relive nearly three decades of post-punk Goth rock with this retrospective of Robert Smith and the Cure. The band, their friends and fellow artists discuss the Cure’s success and influence, while film clips and rare photographs trace their history. Behind-the-scenes footage of location shoots, news items and the insights of rock historians also help chart the progression of this enduring group.

 

Stevie Wonder: Videobiography This comprehensive biographical portrait spotlights the life and career of singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. Live clips dating back to his early 1960s Motown days and commentary by critics and music historians provide a thorough retrospective. Also included are rarely seen excerpts from a 1988 Japanese concert, featuring performances of “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “Superstition,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and other hits.

 

The Weird:

 

Adventures in Cannabis Hemp Explore the marijuana-friendly land of Amsterdam with this entertaining travelogue hosted by Big D, as the adventure traveler journeys to the Netherlands’ capital to take a look at the city’s thriving cannabis culture. After visiting the area’s popular hash bars and cannabis coffee shops, Big D makes a stop at the Hash, Hemp and Marijuana Museum and then receives an exclusive tour of Amsterdam’s Cannabis College.

 

Battle Heater Director Jôji Iida’s demented horror-comedy brew stars rock guitarist Pappara Kawai as Lucio Furuchi, who inadvertently turns a kotatsu heater into a slavering carnivorous menace after removing a protective seal from the seemingly ordinary appliance. When the rogue machine sets off on a bloody rampage, it’s up to an eccentric electrician (Akira Emoto) — clad in an improvised suit of power armor — to stop the kotatsu’s killing spree.

 

Ski Wolf Inspired by the 1980s comedy hits Teen Wolf and Ski School, this low-budget spoof centers on a group of ski bums who are forced to momentarily set their non-stop partying ways aside to save their favorite ski resort from a hostile takeover. Packed with mischief, mayhem and moon-worshipping werewolves, this hilarious B-movie stars Casey Bowker, cult film legend Trent Haaga and adult film star Alix Lakehurst.

 

Flaming Lips: Christmas On Mars Innovative Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne stars in this pioneering feature film about astronaut Maj. Syrtis and his group of colonists who are stranded on Mars, desperately clinging to hope as their chances for survival dwindle. As they plan a Christmas pageant to bolster morale and celebrate the impending birth of the first human baby in space, a mysterious Martian comes to inspire them and agrees to pose as Santa Claus in their celebration.

 

Three Sheets: Season 3 Host Zane Lamprey is back for another season of this alcohol-infused travelogue series that chronicles the comedian’s journeys around the globe in search of the world’s most unique, exotic and potent libations. Join Zane as he runs up a gigantic bar tab and makes notable stops in Chile, Rio de Janeiro, Portugal, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Gibraltar, Denmark, Saigon, Argentina, Barcelona, Scotland and beyond.

 

 

Kym’s Picks: October 2008

The Obvious:

Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Fast Track While training for an upcoming race, Speed, Conor and Lucy investigate strange obstacles that are disrupting the virtual track. When Zile Zazic’s daughter, Annalise, and Speed get trapped in the virtual world, they must work together to escape. As Zile works desperately to save his daughter, a dangerous high-tech virus begins making its way closer to the trapped pair, threatening to end their lives.

 

The Visitor Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center. A wonderful Hiam Abbass co-stars as Tarek’s mother, who forges an unlikely connection with Walter. Director Thomas McCarthy’s follow-up to his indie hit The Station Agent premiered at Sundance in 2008.

 

The Happening In this thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, a deadly airborne virus threatens to wipe out the northeastern United States. Fleeing from contaminated cities into the remote countryside, science teacher Elliott Moore (Mark Wahlberg) and his wife, Alma (Zooey Deschanel), fight to survive and discover the truth: is it terrorism, the accidental release of some toxic military bio weapon, or something even more terrifying? John Leguizamo and Betty Buckley co-star.

 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Hollywood icon Harrison Ford returns to the role of the adventurous archaeologist Indiana Jones nearly 20 years after he last donned the famous fedora and bullwhip to save the world from imminent peril. Joining Ford for this latest installment of the Steven Spielberg-George Lucas collaboration are Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent, Karen Allen, John Hurt and Shia LaBeouf as Jones’s headstrong young sidekick.

 

Mongol In the 12th century, an orphaned young slave named Temudjin (Tadanobu Asano) escapes from his captors and begins the journey that will lead him to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known. Honglei Sun and Ying Bai co-star in this Oscar-nominated epic adventure from writer-director Sergei Bodrov, the first in a trilogy that spans the life story of Genghis Khan.

 

The Incredible Hulk Edward Norton stars as Bruce Banner in this version of the classic comic book tale about a doctor who searches for a cure for his exotic condition, which causes him to transform into a huge green monster when under duress. Drawing closer to finding a remedy, Dr. Banner becomes sidetracked as he’s pursued first by the military and then by a rival monster known as the Abomination. Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt co-star.

 

Journey to the Center of the Earth Science professor Trevor (Brendan Fraser) has become the laughingstock of the academic community thanks to his outrageous theories. While on a trip to Iceland, Trevor, his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) and their guide Hannah (Anita Briem) find themselves at the center of the planet, having discovered a whole world within our world. Adapted from the Jules Verne fantasy novel, this film marks the directorial debut of Eric Brevig. 

 

Possibilities: 

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter During a blizzard in 1964, Dr. David Henry (Dermot Mulroney) delivers his son Paul with the help of nurse Caroline (Emily Watson). But when Henry realizes his wife (Gretchen Mol) is also carrying a girl with Down syndrome, he hands the second child over to Caroline without his wife’s knowledge. Henry’s fateful decision yields grave consequences for his family over the next 20 years in this Emmy-nominated drama based on the Kim Edwards best-seller.

 

Paranoid Park Late one night in a Portland skate park, 16-year-old Alex (Gabe Nevins) accidentally kills a security guard and chooses to keep it a secret. Guilt begins to take its toll on his relationships with his friend Macy (Lauren McKinney), his girlfriend (Taylor Momsen) and eventually his sanity. Filmmaker Gus Van Sant directs this Cannes Film Festival 60th Anniversary Prize winner, based on the novel by Blake Nelson.

 

Brotherhood: Season 2 In the Providence, R.I., neighborhood known as the Hill, Tommy Caffee (Jason Clarke) is a politician and family man. His brother Mike (Jason Isaacs) is Tommy’s shadowy reflection: a sadistic gangster who rules the Hill’s underworld. The fate of their Irish-American community depends on this family’s struggle between good and evil. Annabeth Gish and Fionnula Flanagan co-star in the second season of Showtime’s Peabody Award-winning mob saga.

 

Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius This episode from the classic British series finds Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and mysterious time traveler the Doctor (Tom Baker) visiting the planet Karn, where they land in the middle of a spaceship graveyard. The duo soon meets the sinister professor Solon (Philip Madoc), who’s obsessed with piecing together a host body for the still-living brain of the executed Time Lord criminal Morbius.

 

Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord The Doctor faces the Gallifreyan High Council on charges of breaking several laws in this season-long saga, which saw the departures of Colin Baker as the Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri. Both the Doctor and the prosecuting Valeyard (Michael Jayston) present evidence of encounters with old foes the Master (Anthony Ainley) and Sil (Nabil Shaban) and new companion Mel (Bonnie Langford). But their footage also exposes the Council’s corruption.

 

Lexx: Series 1 Former security guard Stanley (Brian Downey), undead assassin Kai (Michael McManus), sex slave Zev (Xenia Seeberg) and perverted robot 790 (Jeffrey Hirschfield) flee from the evil Divine Order after taking control of Lexx, a living spaceship that’s the most powerful weapon in two universes. With the power to blow up entire planets with ease, the Manhattan-sized Lexx is a somewhat intelligent being that must eat organic material to survive.

 

Mobile Four episodes of the British conspiracy thriller — based in the corrupt world of the mobile phone industry and in which each installment tells an interconnecting story from three different points of view — are included in this program. The characters include a phone engineer with brain cancer, a former soldier who loses his family in a car accident involving a mobile phone and a telecom tycoon who mourns his daughter’s suicide.

 

Le Doulos French new wave icon Jean-Paul Belmondo stars as Silien, a poker-faced crook who may or may not have squealed on newly sprung gangster Maurice Faugel (Serge Reggiani) in this ice-cool noir from the great Jean-Pierre Melville. Fedoras, trench coats, dark alleys and jazz pervade this intricate crime drama, which features a virtuoso eight-minute interrogation scene — done in a single take — that was a highlight of Melville’s remarkable career.

 

Le Deuxième Souffle Gangster Gu (Lino Ventura) busts out of prison and flees to Paris, where he’s promptly recruited into a crew planning to pull off a daring robbery. Meanwhile, urbane detective Blot (Paul Meurisse) doggedly pursues the fugitive criminal. A riveting heist sequence highlights this moody and atmospheric thriller from master director Jean-Pierre Melville. Bonus features include archival interviews with the director and star.

 

One Touch of Venus Silver screen icon Ava Gardner stars in this charming romantic comedy as a statue of the Roman goddess of love, Anatolian Venus, who is magically brought to life by a harmless kiss from a lonely, young window dresser named Eddie Hatch (Robert Walker). Nothing but trouble ensues! Elia Kazan produces and William A.. Seiter directs this enchanting tale based on Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash’s popular stage musical from 1945.

 

War, Inc. John Cusack heads the cast as professional ice man Brand Hauser, who’s paid by a private corporation’s brass to take out the competition — a Middle East oil minister — while masquerading as a trade-show director. But not all goes according to plan when fetching field reporter Natalie Hegalhuzen (Marisa Tomei) sidetracks the young assassin.. Hilary Duff, Ben Kingsley and Joan Cusack also star in this outrageous satire.

 

Quark: The Complete Series Created by Buck Henry (“Get Smart”), this short-lived sci-fi series from the 1970s follows the exploits of Adam Quark (Richard Benjamin), an interstellar garbage collector stationed aboard United Galaxies Sanitation Patrol Cruiser. Satirizing sci-fi classics like Stars Wars, Flash Gordon and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Henry’s idiosyncratic, hilarious series also stars Conrad Janis, Tim Thomerson and Alan Caillou.

 

The Long Way Down: Season 1 Together again, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman make another outrageous excursion in this Fox Reality Channel follow-up to the actors’ first trip, which was documented in the series “Long Way Round.” Kicking off their travels in the Scottish village of John o’ Groats, the pair eventually make their way to Cape Town, South Africa, journeying through Europe and Africa to reach their final destination.

 

Ten Nights of Dreams An assortment of directors joins forces for this film adaptation of Japanese writer Soseki Natsume’s titular collection of imaginative short stories in which the author records 10 strange dreams set during different points in history. Featured directors include Akio Jissoji, Kon Ichikawa, Takashi Shimizu, Atsushi Shimizu, Keisuke Toyoshima, Suzuki Matsuo, Yoshitaka Amano, Nobuhiro Yamashita, Miwa Nishikawa, Yûdai Yamaguchi and Atsushi Shimizu.

 

Sold Out: A Threevening with Kevin Smith Writer-director Kevin Smith appears alongside wife Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (Clerks II, Jersey Girl) and daughter Haley in this Q&A documentary, filmed before a sold-out house at the Count Basie Theatre in Smith’s hometown of Red Bank, N.J. Celebrating his 37th birthday on the night of the performance, Smith answers fans’ questions about his films, his personal life and his relationships with the media and various celebrities.

 

The Little Rascals: The Complete Series Nostalgia buffs and fans of the beloved Our Gang series will relish this fully restored and remastered collection of 80 theatrical comedy shorts spanning the years 1929 to 1938. As always, lovable mischief makers Spanky, Darla, Alfalfa, Buckwheat and Froggy land in one predicament after another. The array of extras includes several featurettes, commentary by film historians and interviews with former Little Rascals.

 

Red Emmy winner Brian Cox heads the cast as Avery Ludlow, a simple, affable man driven to extremes when a group of teenage miscreants kills his beloved dog, Red. When it becomes obvious that the boys won’t be held accountable for their senseless act, Ludlow takes matters into his own hands. Tom Sizemore, Robert Englund and Amanda Plummer also star in this disquieting thriller directed by Trygve Diesen and Lucky McKee.

 

Roald Dahl: The Making of Modern Children’s Literature With titles such as “James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “BFG” and “Matilda,” author Roald Dahl enthralled millions of children while raising the ire of critics who sometimes found his work too dark and subversive. This engaging — and surprisingly complex — portrait of Dahl explores the writer’s life through interviews with friends and family. Dahl’s writings are read by master thespian Ian Holm. 

 

Documentaries and Music:

 Full Circle with Michael Palin Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin embarks on the third of his globe-trotting journeys in this eye-opening documentary series. This time, Palin’s travels take him on a 50,000-mile circuit of the Pacific, starting and ending in Alaska. He dines underwater in the Philippines, sails to Peru’s lush Pongo de Mainique canyon, evades thrown rocks in Colombia and meets residents at an orangutan rehabilitation center — all with his trademark humor.

 

Michael Palin: Great Railway Journeys Affable adventurer Michael Palin embarks on two rail journeys, in 1980 and in 1994, as part of the BBC series “Great Railway Journeys.” First, the ex-Monty Python funnyman sets off from Euston station in London on the Flying Scotsman, making stops in York and Edinburgh. Then, Palin journeys across the magnificent Irish countryside to the western country of Kerry, where his great-grandmother left for America in the 19th century.

 

Michael Palin: Hemingway Adventure In celebration of the 100th birthday of his favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, notorious globe-trotter Michael Palin embarks on another journey across the world, retracing the footsteps of the writer, fisherman and big-game hunter. Palin visits Hemingway’s birthplace in Chicago; the site of his World War II service in Milan; the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain; his writing hideout in Key West, Fla.; his safari haunts in Uganda; and more.

 

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens This documentary takes an in-depth look at the influential career of iconic photographer Annie Leibovitz, from her earliest artistic efforts to her storied tenure at Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair magazines and beyond. Intimately filmed by Annie’s sister Barbara Leibovitz, the program features interviews with the artist as she works at home, along with telling insights from many of the celebrities she has photographed, such as Mick Jagger.

 

Dutch Light Ten years in the making, this intriguing documentary (from filmmaking de Kroon brothers Pieter-Rim and Maarten) explores the mythical Dutch light, the distinct glow depicted in countless paintings by 17th-century masters such as Rembrandt. With insight from a panel of noted artists and historians, the de Kroons examine the possibility that the famous radiance is truly unlike any other in the world.

 

Power of the Past with Bill Moyers: Florence Join journalist Bill Moyers for a guided tour of Florence, Italy, that focuses on the art and creativity of the Renaissance, and how key philosophical ideas from the period — such as the importance of the individual within society — live on today. Moyers examines some of the city’s most important works of art, including several of Michelangelo’s frescoes, and interviews such notable artists as filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli and author Umberto Eco. 

 

The Weird:

 Mad Cow A cattle rancher is killed, and it’s just the story reporter Henry Dillonsworth (Luke Daniels) thinks will help rescue him from this backwater town. But his ex-girlfriend, Joan (Julie DePrada), the local television news anchor, also wants the scoop. Their race for the story takes a turn for the weird when another rancher dies, rumors abound that the men were killed by their own cows, and an obsessed network newswoman descends on the town.

 

Tortilla Heaven Isidor (Jose Zuniga) owns what could very well be the best eatery in New Mexico; from tacos to tortillas, the food is amazing. Problem is, Isidor doesn’t make any money because his restaurant is in a town with a population on the south side of 100. But gastronomic ignominy may be a thing of the past when the face of Jesus Christ appears on one of his tortillas. The faithful will be flocking … and they’ll be famished! Judy Hecht Dumontet directs.

 

Zombie Strippers A deadly government-controlled virus strikes a small Nebraska strip club, where the head dancer is quickly infected and transformed into a flesh-eating zombie — and becomes an instant hit with the customers. To be or not to be a zombie: That is the question facing the remaining jealous strippers in this outrageous horror comedy, starring slasher icon Robert Englund (best known as Freddy Krueger) and adult-entertainment icon Jenna Jameson.

 

 

Kym’s Picks: September 2008

In Short: 

 

Honorable Mentions for classics fans:

Five Charlie Chan films:  Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, In Panama, In Rio, on a Murder Cruise, and Murder Over New York.

Busby Berkeley musicals:  Gold Diggers in Paris, Gold Diggers of 1937, and Hollywood Hotel.

 

The Obvious:

 

Iron Man After ultrarich inventor and weapons maker Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) escapes from kidnappers using makeshift power armor, he turns his invention to good by using it to fight crime. But when he must face the evil Iron Monger, his skills are stretched to the limit. Based on the Marvel comic, this captivating superhero tale from director Jon Favreau co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard.

 

Speed Racer Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) stars as Speed in this big-screen adaptation of the popular 1960s-era Japanese animated series from directors Larry and Andy Wachowski, the minds behind the blockbuster Matrix trilogy. With the support of his parents (Susan Sarandon and John Goodman), his girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), and his onetime rival Racer X (Matthew Fox), Speed sets out to conquer a cross-country race known as the Crucible.

 

Run, Fat Boy, Run Five years ago, Dennis (Simon Pegg) left his pregnant fiancée, Libby (Thandie Newton), at the altar. Now, he realizes it was the worst mistake of his life. Run down and out of shape, Dennis begins training for a marathon, hoping to win Libby away from her sleazy new boyfriend (Hank Azaria). Will losing the pounds and catching his breath be enough to get her back? Dylan Moran co-stars in David Schwimmer’s feature directorial debut.

 

Sex and the City: The Movie “Sex and the City” fans rejoice! Carrie Bradshaw and her girls Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda are back, and this time, they’re coming to the big screen with this highly anticipated adaptation of the HBO comedy series. Golden Globe winner Sarah Jessica Parker returns as everyone’s favorite columnist who, with her three BFFs (Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon), braves the roiling romantic waters of the city that never sleeps.

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

Inside the Actors Studio: Robin Williams Comedic madman Robin Williams joins unflappable host James Lipton in one of the most-watched episodes of this program famous for its in-depth interviews with the biggest names in show business. Before long, Williams is off and running (literally, at times), but between his wild antics, the soul of a genuinely gifted artist shines through. This program contains scenes not shown in the broadcast version of this episode.

 

The Anderson Tapes Sean Connery stars as Duke Anderson, a con fresh from prison who rounds up a top-level crew to relieve a posh apartment building of its wealth. What Anderson doesn’t know, however, is that the building has a new video surveillance system that’s catching his every move on tape. Sidney Lumet directs this tight thriller that co-stars Dyan Cannon, Christopher Walken and Alan King.

 

The New Centurions George C. Scott stars as Kilvinsky, a gruff veteran beat cop who’s assigned to teach troubled young rookie Roy Fehler (Stacy Keach) how to police the mean streets of Los Angeles. But Kilvinsky’s outdated tough-cop ways and Fehler’s mounting problems at home threaten to completely unravel the pair. Jane Alexander, Erik Estrada and Roger E. Mosley co-star in this gritty adaptation of the novel by Joseph Wambaugh. 

 

Beijing 2008 Olympics: Opening Ceremony Relive the wonder and excitement of one of the most impressive spectacles in Olympic history with this comprehensive recap of the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, a program that took seven years to plan. Highlights include Chinese gymnast Ning Li’s gravity-defying journey to the rim of China’s national stadium with the Olympic torch in tow, Ning’s lighting of the Olympic cauldron, and the dazzling fireworks display that ensued. 

Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre: The Complete Series Host Shelley Duvall produced this classic Showtime series, whose all-star cast includes Robin Williams as the Frog Prince and Billy Crystal as the smartest of the “Three Little Pigs.” Watch for Jeff Bridges, Christopher Reeve, Liza Minnelli, Vincent Price, Jeff Goldblum and Mick Jagger in such tales as “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Pied Piper of Hamlin,” “Rip Van Winkle” and many more.

 

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Know Thine Enemy In this Series 6 episode, Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) and Havers (Sharon Small) investigate the disappearance and death of a teen girl. The case turns urgent when another schoolgirl goes missing and the partners learn it’s likely she’s in the hands of a sexual predator. Working overtime to catch the culprit before another innocent victim dies, Lynley and Havers zero in on a married couple. James D’Arcy and Honeysuckle Weeks guest star.

 

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Limbo The remains of Lynley’s (Nathaniel Parker) godson turn up near an Italian villa, years after his disappearance. Lynley heads to Italy to support the boy’s family, but when he’s accused of a new murder, he calls on Havers (Sharon Small) to help identify the real killer. With few clues to go on, the partners attempt to connect the recent murder with that of Lynley’s godson.

 

Possibilities:

 

Jellyfish The stories of three disparate women intersect at a Tel Aviv wedding. Newly single Batiya (Sarah Adler) works with the catering crew; Filipina Joy (Ma-nenita De Latorre) attends the event as the caregiver of an elderly woman; and the bride (Noa Knoller) sees her honeymoon dreams go up in smoke. Directed by popular Israeli novelist Etgar Keret and his screenwriter wife, Shira Geffen, the film won the Camera d’Or at Cannes.

 

Gold Diggers in Paris When their struggling nightclub is mistaken for a ballet academy and invited to Paris to compete for a large cash prize, Terry Moore (Rudy Vallee) and Duke Dennis (Allen Jenkins) hire a dance teacher (Fritz Feld) to transform their burlesque dancers into world-class ballerinas. Directed by Ray Enright, this 1930s-era classic features musical numbers created and directed by acclaimed choreographer and filmmaker Busby Berkeley.

 

Woman Times Seven This episodic sex comedy helmed by Italian auteur Vittorio De Sica earned Shirley MacLaine a Golden Globe nod for her bravura performance in seven minitales about adultery. In one story, she plays an errant widow at her spouse’s funeral; in another she turns to prostitution to take revenge on a straying mate; and in another she forms a suicide pact with her paramour. Along for the ride are Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin and Rossano Brazzi.

 

Noise Desperate for some peace and quiet, New York attorney David Owen (Tim Robbins) takes matters into his own hands. He starts by leaving notes on cars whose owners don’t turn off their alarms, but when he’s not getting the results he wants, he ups the ante. He soon becomes known as “the Rectifier,” winning the adulation of citizens and the ire of the mayor (William Hurt). Bridget Moynahan portrays David’s wife in this smart comedy.

 

Stalag Luft Stephen Fry stars as a pompous British RAF officer who’s planning to tunnel out of the German POW camp where he and his men are being held — never mind that he’s already escaped, and been recaptured, 23 times already. But this time, when the German guards discover his plan, they demand to escape with the Brits. Adrian Shergold directs this madcap comedy that also stars Nicholas Lyndhurst and Geoffrey Palmer.

 

Before the Rains In this drama set in 1937, English spice baron Henry Moores (Linus Roache) pinpoints Kerala, India, as the place for his new plantation but must build a new road to enable the project. It’s the first of many obstacles he’ll encounter, including his own infidelity. With his wife back in England, Henry turns his attentions to the plantation’s housekeeper, Sajani, which leads to the endangerment of not only their marriages but perhaps their lives.

 

Snow Angels Set in the 1970s, this indie drama starring Kate Beckinsale intertwines parallel stories about teenager Arthur Parkinson (Michael Angarano) and his former baby sitter, Annie Marchand (Beckinsale). Once the object of Arthur’s boyhood infatuation, small-town waitress Annie heads down a fateful path after enduring a stormy relationship with her estranged spouse (Sam Rockwell). The supporting cast includes Olivia Thirby and Griffin Dunne.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains In this 1981 cult satire, a troubled teen (Diane Lane) forms a punk band with her sister (Marin Kanter) and cousin (Laura Dern), despite the fact that they have no musical experience or discernable talent. But the trio has plenty of angst-driven style, and they soon gain a devoted following while touring with an established punk group. Former Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones, Clash bassist Paul Simonon and Tubes singer Fee Waybill co-star.

 

The Earrings of Madame de…. When General Andre de’s (Charles Boyer) wife, Louisa (Danielle Darrieux), decides to secretly sell the diamond earrings he gave her on their wedding day to pay off a troubling debt, she inadvertently sets off a chain of events that lead her into a whirlwind affair with an Italian baron (Vittorio De Sica). Based on the writings of Louise de Vilmorin, this beautifully crafted drama is considered legendary filmmaker Max Ophuls’s greatest work.

 

Razzle Dazzle Mr. Jonathan (Ben Miller) wishes the charges in his children’s amateur dance troupe could do something important, such as a piece about the Kyoto Protocol, capitalism or venereal disease. But for now, they’re focused on winning the Sanosafe Troupe Spectacular. Mr. Jonathan, meanwhile, has his hands full with a dangerously unbalanced stage mother (Kerry Armstrong) in this scathing mockumentary about the intense world of children’s competitive dance.

 

Far North Saiva (Michelle Yeoh) lives a tough existence in the Arctic wasteland, hunting for food and other necessities. Her only human contact is with Anja (Michelle Krusiec), a woman she raised from infancy. The arrival of a wounded soldier, Loki (Sean Bean), tests both women’s loyalty and resolve. Neither, it seems, is prepared for the man’s impact on their lifelong friendship. Award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia directs this visually stunning epic.

 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall After his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), breaks his heart, Peter (Jason Segel) wants nothing more than to enjoy his vacation in Hawaii. One problem: Sarah’s vacationing at the same resort he is, and even worse, she’s bringing her new beau. Produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad), this hilarious comedy also stars Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader.

 

Chapter 27 An overweight Jared Leto stars as Mark David Chapman — the young assassin who infamously killed John Lennon on the front steps of The Dakota — in this independent drama from fledgling filmmaker Jarrett Schaeffer. Lindsay Lohan (who in real life is a friend of Lennon’s son, Sean) co-stars as a Lennon fan appropriately named Jude, who meets Chapman a few days before the murder without realizing what lies ahead.

Ballet Shoes An unusual explorer named Gum (Richard Griffiths) and his kindly niece (Emilia Fox) adopt three orphans — Pauline (Emma Watson), Petrova (Yasmin Paige) and Posy (Lucy Boynton) — and raise them as sisters in 1930s London. But when Gum doesn’t return from one of his adventures, the girls must fend for themselves. Together they nurture their respective acting, aviation and ballet dreams in this charming adaptation of the Noel Streatfeild novel.

 

Four Feathers Beau Bridges stars in this action-packed adaptation of A.E.W. Mason’s Sun Never Sets as Harry Faversham, a 19th-century officer assigned to battle-torn Sudan. When he refuses to go, three of his comrades send him white feathers as symbols of cowardice. But it’s when he receives a fourth feather from his fiancée, Ethne (Jane Seymour), that Faversham sets out to overcome his fears and become a true hero. Robert Powell and Simon Ward co-star.

 

The Sensation of Sight Blaming himself for a tragedy involving one of his students, English teacher Finn (David Strathairn) leaves his job and family, moves into a boarding house and sells encyclopedias door-to-door in this dreamlike indie drama. As he makes his way through his small New England town, Finn connects with some of the local residents, attracts the attention of single mother Alice (Jane Adams) and is haunted by a ghost who trails him relentlessly.

 

Doctor Who: K-9 and Company: A Girl’s Best Friend Two favorite “Doctor Who” characters star in this pilot for a proposed spin off.. Sarah Jane’s (Elisabeth Sladen) Aunt Lavinia (Mary Wimbush) disappears a few days before Christmas, and Doctor Who’s gift of robot companion K-9 arrives just in time to help with the search. Local witches are Sarah Jane’s prime suspects, a theory that’s confirmed when they abduct Lavinia’s ward, Brendan (Ian Sears), and mark him for sacrifice.

 

Doctor Who: The Invasion of Time Doctor Who (Tom Baker) returns to Gallifrey to claim the presidency but his motives are immediately scrutinized when he seems to be negotiating with hostile aliens. Onlookers debate whether the Doctor has turned evil or if he’s engineering an elaborate ruse. The six-part serial from 1978, which marked the final appearances of Louise Jameson as Leela, is also noted for its extensive attention to the inner workings of the TARDIS.

 

Doctor Who: The Invisible Enemy At the edge of the solar system, a mysterious virus infects the crew of an exploration ship. When Doctor Who (Tom Baker) arrives to investigate, the parasite turns him into the “Nucleus of the Swarm,” a host for massive new proliferation. Racing against time, he miniaturizes clones of himself and Leela (Louise Jameson), and the two enter his body to confront the virus. Who’s robot companion, K-9, makes his debut in this episode

 

Peter Cook & Dudley Moore: The Best of… What’s Left of… Not Only… But Also…. The diminutive Dudley Moore and the sky-high Peter Cook match wits as perfect comic foils in this collection of episodes from the duo’s successful BBC sketch show “Not Only … But Also,” which ran for three seasons beginning in 1965. Highlights include appearances by the Leaping Nuns of Norwich, a spoof of “This Is Tom Jones” involving Ludwig van Beethoven and performances by the Dudley Moore Trio.

 

Documentaries and Music:

 

After the Storm: The American Exile of Béla Bartók After fleeing Hungary during World War II, composer Bela Bartok spent the final five years of his life in New York. This moving documentary chronicles Bartok’s time in America, creating some of his finest work while battling poverty and sickness. Told through the words of his closest friends, colleagues and relatives, this revealing portrait features several of Bartok’s best compositions performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra.

 

CSNY Déjà Vu With the country on the brink of political change in late 2006, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young revisited their Vietnam War-era protest album “Déjà Vu” on their North American “Freedom of Speech” tour. Journalist Mike Cerre, an embedded correspondent, travels with CSNY to document the tour and the emotional and political fabric of a country increasingly frustrated with the war in Iraq.

 

Taxi to the Dark Side Just days after an Afghan taxi driver picked up three passengers and never returned home, he wound up dead at Bagram Air Base, killed by injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. Interviews, news footage and firsthand reports provide a gripping look at the case and the Bush administration’s policy on torture. Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) directs this Best Documentary winner for the 2008 Oscars.

 

Words for the Dying Filmmaker Rob Nilsson’s documentary chronicles the making of “Words for the Dying,” the collaborative album of former Velvet Underground member John Cale and acclaimed artist Brian Eno, inspired by the works of poet Dylan Thomas. At once completely inspiring and undeniably unnerving, Nilsson’s film captures the battle between Eno and Cale, as they clash over Eno’s reluctance to allow cameras to witness his creative process.

 

Breaking the Maya Code Inspired by archaeologist Michael Coe’s best-selling book, this fascinating documentary traces the extraordinary efforts to decode a writing system that has mystified historians for centuries: the hieroglyphic script of the ancient Mayans. Eleven years in the making, David Lebrun’s film journeys from one end of the world to the other to explore the epic story behind one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century.

 

Endangered Civilizations This absorbing program explores the cultures of 15 indigenous populations whose worlds have been threatened by the advancing technology of modern society. These small civilizations can no longer hide in the sheltered areas they once called home. Learn about the history, traditions, accomplishments and prospective fates of civilizations including South Dakota’s Sioux, Nambia’s Himba, Sichuan’s Qiang and the Ainu of Hokkaido.

 

Proteus Director David Lebrun’s animated avant-garde film examines the work of Ernst Haeckel, the German biologist-artist who dedicated his life to finding and documenting the connection between the disparate worlds of art and science. Drawing on Haeckel’s fascinating lithographs of the tiny undersea organisms called radiolarian, Lebrun’s poetic film brings the biologist’s visions to life and further explores the artistry of the natural world.

 

The Chomsky Sessions: Noam Chomsky on the World Profiling prolific author and educator Noam Chomsky — widely recognized as the father of modern linguistics — this thought-provoking collection of frank interviews, lectures and speeches elucidates his political philosophy and world views. Known for his staunch opposition to the Vietnam War and his condemnation of subsequent U.S. foreign policy, Chomsky is a standard-bearer for American dissidents.

 

The Hempire Strikes Back This intriguing documentary follows author and activist Jack Herer along with Woody Harrelson, Ralph Nader, Bill Maher and other celebrities as they take up the banner for legalizing industrial hemp. Arguing that the hemp plant is an easily renewable source of energy, textiles, food, medicine, paper, plastics and more, the advocates make their case at conferences and rallies across America, including the 2003 Seattle Hempfest.

 

The Weird:

 

Cemetery Girls / Vampire Hookers When their wagon breaks down while traveling through the mountains, four beautiful girls are delighted when the kindly Dr. Marlow (Paul Naschy) offers them the shelter of his abandoned sanitarium — unaware that the good doctor is actually Count Dracula. John Carradine headlines the second half of this campy horror double feature as a fast-talking vampire pimp who oversees a stable of scantily clad vampire prostitutes.

 

88 Minutes Director Jon Avnet’s real-time thriller finds Jack Gramm (Al Pacino), college professor and occasional forensic shrink for the FBI, in a race against time. When Gramm receives a mysterious phone call telling him he has exactly 88 minutes left to live, can he track down his would-be killer before the clock runs out? The ensemble supporting cast includes Amy Brenneman, Leelee Sobieski, Deborah Unger and William Forsythe.

 

Jack Me Inspired by Morgan Spurlock’s acclaimed documentary Super Size Me, writer-director Randy Morgan’s ridiculous farce centers on a hapless goofball named Moron Spermlick (Swimmy), who decides to tempt fate by eating nothing but fast food for 30 days straight. When the hormone-riddled cuisine begins to take hold of Spermlick’s body, the jokester finds himself transformed into moody, rage-prone mess, tormented by hot flashes and bouts of vomiting.

 

Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat The Harrisons are a clean-living family who happen to venture into the little town of Purgatory, whose irritable citizens moonlight as vampires that come out at night and feast on unsuspecting prey. Though the head of the vampires, Count Mardulak (David Carradine), has outlawed bloodletting, his subjects have now been reduced to drinking synthetic blood — a compromise with which they are less than pleased. Will the Harrisons be their next meal?

 

Island Fury / Barracuda Oodles of characters get eaten alive in this yummy B-movie double feature of tropical terror. In Island Fury, also known by the title Please Don’t Eat the Babies, two teen girls meet a family of tourist-munching cannibals while vacationing on a remote island. In Barracuda, a beach-town sheriff and a young marine biologist team up to defend the locals against the onslaught of a menacing species of chemically altered barracuda.

Kym’s Picks: 08/19 and 08/26/2008

I’ve been a bit under the weather for the past several weeks and have had to pull back from a lot of my activities.  Finally got around to the Picks from last week, and just combined them for a super-size-me.  Hope you find a few you might enjoy!

 

Have Seen and Recommend:

 

Recount This made-for-cable film chronicles the extraordinary behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded in the weeks following the highly controversial 2000 election — a presidential race that further split an already divided America. With the country’s leadership hanging in the balance after the closest vote in history, the battle between George W. Bush and Al Gore would come down a hotly contested vote count in Florida. Kevin Spacey and Laura Dern star.

 

Dexter: Season 2 Mild-mannered Miami forensics expert Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, in an Emmy-nominated turn) continues his double life as a serial killer in Season 2 of Showtime’s hit drama. Keith Carradine joins the cast as FBI agent Frank Lundy, whose investigations may expose Dexter’s dark secret. Call him crazy, but there’s method in Dexter’s madness as more of Miami’s worst meet their demise. Meanwhile, on the home front, he keeps up appearances as a model citizen.

 

Discworld: Soul Music When a young aspiring musician forms a rock band with a troll, dwarf, and a magical guitar, he soon has all of Discworld eating out of the palm of his hand — even Susan, the teenage granddaughter of Death himself. But as the rocker’s tunes gain a strange life of their own, Susan and her grandfather must stop the music before Discworld succumbs to them entirely. This delightfully mad animated romp is based on the beloved novel by Terry Pratchett.

 

Possibilities:

 

Quid Pro Quo While chasing an anonymous tip, wheelchair-bound radio reporter Isaac Knott (Nick Stahl) discovers a strange subculture of “wannabe amputees” — non-disabled people who long to be disabled. Beautiful museum curator Fiona (Vera Farmiga) is the group’s poster girl — and Isaac’s love interest. The noir-ish New York drama, reminiscent of David Cronenberg’s Crash, marks the feature debut of writer-director Carlos Brooks.

 

The Riddle While poking around in the cellar of an old English pub, a journalist (Vinnie Jones) stumbles upon a novel that was penned by Charles Dickens but never published. The plot thickens when his discovery precedes a string of murders. But is there a connection? To find the answer, he must scour the centuries-old manuscript for clues and seek help from a mysterious tramp (Derek Jacobi) with murky origins.

 

The Rainbow / The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd Author D.H. Lawrence’s understanding of the 19th-century woman is revealed in two BBC adaptations of his work. Imogen Stubbs stars in The Rainbow as young Ursula Brangwen, whose search for love is doomed by a lifetime spent daydreaming about perfection.. Zoë Wanamaker and Colin Firth star in The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd, the portrait of a woman mired in a loveless marriage and the consequences of her attraction to a younger man.

 

Chronicle of an Escape Based on a true story, this compelling drama from director Adrián Caetano centers on Claudio Tamburrini (Rodrigo de la Serna), a soccer goalie kidnapped by the Argentinean military and falsely imprisoned in 1977. After several months of unjust incarceration and torture, Claudio bands together with fellow prisoners Guillermo (Nazareno Casero), El Gallego (Lautaro Delgado) and El Vasco (Matías Marmorato) to plan a daring escape.

 

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day After losing yet another nanny position because of her gruff demeanor, Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) mistakenly lands an assignment as the assistant of an American starlet (Amy Adams) and finds herself swept up in a dizzying world of glamour and high society.. Based on the novel by Winifred Watson, this charming 1940s-era tale also stars Ciarán Hinds, Lee Pace, Shirley Henderson and Mark Strong.

 

Dana Carvey: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies In this hilarious HBO special, “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Dana Carvey tickles the collective funny bone of a live audience in Santa Rosa, Calif. delivering his patented, spot-on impersonations of popular political figures. The Emmy-winning comic also weighs in on organized (vs. disorganized) religion and his friends who’ve found “spirituality,” his mother’s health updates and how his father’s upbringing influenced his own.

 

Son of Rambow Forbidden to watch TV or go to the movies by his ultrareligious parents, young Will (Bill Milner) gets a hold of a camera, and his mind blossoms in this nostalgic comedy from the team behind The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Set in 1980s Britain, the film tells the tale of the friendship that blossoms between Will and class bully Lee (Will Poulter) when the latter recruits Will to help him make a home movie inspired by Rambo: First Blood.

 

Virgin Territory Raunchy teen comedy meets the Black Plague in David Leland’s take on literary classic The Decameron. Hayden Christensen stars as 14th-century lothario Lorenzo, who falls for the beautiful Pampinea (Mischa Barton) as they escape to the Italian countryside. But Lorenzo’s got competition from the evil Gerbino (Tim Roth) and the obsessed Count Dzerzhinsky (Matthew Rhys), both of whom want to claim the chaste maiden as their own.

 

Purple Violets Feeling burdened by her real-estate job and floundering marriage, writer Patti (Selma Blair) hasn’t been able to fulfill her potential or her dreams. But when she reconnects with her college boyfriend, crime novelist Brian (Patrick Wilson), things change for Patti. As their connection deepens, their friends, former lovers Kate (Debra Messing) and Murphy (Edward Burns, who also wrote and directed), deal with fallout from their past relationship.

 

Redbelt In director David Mamet’s riveting character study, jujitsu master Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) — who’s in a financial bind — considers entering the arena to compete for cash … which goes against his philosophy and his integrity. With his dojo foundering, a pistol mishap puts Mike further in debt, leaving him at the mercy of gangland creeps, including a shady fight promoter (Ricky Jay). Tim Allen and David Paymer also star.

 

Dante’s Inferno After a night of debauchery, Dante (voiced by Dermot Mulroney) awakens in an unfamiliar part of town, where he encounters the Roman poet Virgil (James Cromwell) … who promptly leads the errant urbanite on a journey through a 21st-century version of hell. Director Sean Meredith interprets Dante Alighieri’s classic text with an intriguing blend of paper puppets and hand-drawn backdrops, resulting in a unique take on the centuries-old morality tale.

 

Alfresco Both seasons of this satirical 1980s British variety series are included in this collection, which captures early career roles of noted screen stars such as Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Robbie Coltrane. Brimming with outrageous social, religious and political commentary, the 13 episodes of this wacky comedic grab bag contain bizarrely funny sketches that take no prisoners.

 

Documentaries and Music:

 

Ancient Altered States The desire to escape reality is hardly a new concept, and society has long been exploring different ways to alter consciousness. This thought-provoking A&E program traces the history of that search and looks to the future to guess what’s next. Highlights include an interview with best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weil, who discusses humanity’s quest for something more within a framework of mental and physical impulses.

 

Dali in New York British filmmaker Jack Bond roams the streets of New York City with influential Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí in this unique documentary that captures the artist in his element. Over the course of two weeks in 1965, Dalí muses about the time he met Sigmund Freud, trades sharp words with feminist Jane Arden, and performs a “manifestation” involving an army of ants, a plaster cast and $1 million in cash.

 

On the Ecstasy of Ski-Flying: Werner Herzog in Conversation with Karen Beckman Art history professor Karen Beckman talks to award-winning filmmaker Werner Herzog in this fanciful public discussion recorded in 2007 at Philadelphia’s Slought Foundation and sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of the conversation, the Munich-born director talks about humankind’s greatest achievements, the probability of alien existence and the exhilarating rush of ski-flying.

 

Reincarnation This intriguing A&E special investigates the topic of reincarnation, examining how various cultures throughout history have explained what happens when a person dies. Does a soul cease to exist, or does it live on, finding a new home in another body? Highlights include a rare interview with the Dalai Lama — believed by many to be Buddha reincarnated — who discusses the Buddhist view of the soul and life after death.

 

Warrior Queen Boudica With support from an array of scholars, this History Channel documentary profiles one of the most fascinating women you’ve probably never heard of: Boudica, queen of the Iceni, an ancient Celtic tribe that once inhabited Eastern Britain. When the Romans invaded the Iceni after King Prasutagus’ death, they attacked the grieving queen and raped her two daughters. But Boudica’s devastating revenge brought the unsuspecting Romans to their knees.

 

Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? In his directorial follow-up to the breakthrough hit Super Size Me, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock gamely tries to one-up the U.S. government by finding Osama Bin Laden. The wry documentarian reportedly shot more than 800 hours of footage while scouring every nook and cranny of Afghanistan and the Middle East in pursuit of the infamous leader. The film had its much-anticipated world premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

 

Gypsy Caravan Join five international bands for a six-week tour of North America in an extravaganza of music and culture. The lyrical documentary features performances by Esma Redzepova, Maharaja, Fanfare Ciocarlia and other artists. Celebrate the diversity of the Romani people and their music, which includes flamenco, brass band, Indian folk, Romanian violin, jazz and raga. Johnny Depp, a fan of the Gypsy lifestyle, appears in this joyful musical portrait.

 

A/k/a Tommy Chong In 2003, the U.S. government allocated an astounding $12 million to apprehend the elusive Tommy Chong — better known as half of the classic comedy team Cheech and Chong — for selling bonglike glass pipes over the Internet. In this fascinating documentary featuring interviews with Richard “Cheech” Marin, Jay Leno and Bill Maher, filmmaker Josh Gilbert chronicles the sting that came to be known as “Operation Pipe Dream.”

 

Hitler’s Lost Plan Prompted by a little-known manuscript widely attributed to Adolf Hitler and discovered by an American historian , this engrossing History Channel documentary dissects Hitler’s master plan for world domination, which never quite came to fruition. Included among the stacks of documents the United States seized from Nazi Germany, the shocking strategy was detailed in a “secret book” that appears to be an unpublished Mein Kampf sequel.

 

The Weird:

 

Don’t Touch the White Woman! Gen. Custer (Marcello Mastroianni) is determined to run American Indians out of Paris in this surreal reenactment of Custer’s last stand. Curio shop owner Mitch (Ugo Tognazzi) is just as determined to stop him. Meanwhile frontier gal Marie-Hélène (Catherine Deneuve) is determined to ravage Custer before the Indians do, and Buffalo Bill (Michel Piccoli) is determined to sing cabaret in this Italian-made satire of Hollywood Westerns.

 

Coons! Night of the Bandits of the Night When a group of teenage friends goes camping with big plans for serious partying, little do they know that the furry little bandit-masked raccoons rummaging around the garbage also have an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Now, the kids must find a way to defeat the murderous nocturnal monsters or face the lethal fury of their wrath. Writer Travis Irvine also directs and stars in this campy horror-film spoof.

 

Waiting For Nesara A group of ex-Mormons in Salt Lake City wait for the implementation of NESARA, a secret law that would ban the IRS and replace George W.. Bush with a UFO-flying Jesus Christ as the new American president. As the war in Iraq approaches, the group prays for alien intervention to ensure that NESARA takes hold in this utterly unbelievable documentary, an official selection at the 2006 Boston Underground Film Festival.