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Troll Hunter (2011)
dir. André Øvredal
Product Decsription:
The Norwegian comedy-fantasy Troll Hunter, a surprise art-house hit across the globe, posits an intriguing question--what if monsters of folklore and popular culture existed, but were kept hidden by the government?--and delivers the results in a clever, faux-documentary format that underscores both the special effects and the satire. Controversial comedian Otto Jespersen is the title character, a world-weary, working-class stiff assigned by a bureaucratic agency to track and eliminate dangerous trolls from the Scandinavian countryside. The lack of respect and notoriety afforded by his job convinces Jespersen to allow a naive collegiate film crew to follow him on his hunts, which nicely balance quirky humor with genuine moments of suspense and some impressive CGI special effects for the trolls. Genre fans' appreciation for the "shaky-cam" subgenre (The Blair Witch Project, [REC], Cloverfield) will undoubtedly affect how they feel about Troll Hunter--the film's light comedy will certainly be lost on those unwilling to either believe or tolerate the idea of another film comprised of "found footage." But more forgiving viewers will be thankful for the rather seamless incorporation of the CGI trolls, all imaginatively rendered as part fairy-tale image and part biological specimen, into live-action scenes, as well as the dryly humorous satire of government "special projects." Pacing is also occasionally an issue--though beautiful, the Norwegian landscape receives far too much coverage--but for the patient, Troll Hunter is a unique and clever experience. --Paul Gaita
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Win Win (2011)
dir. Tom McCarthy
Product Decsription:
Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti* stars as a lovable yet long-suffering lawyer and high-school wrestling coach who takes us on a brilliantly heartfelt journey through the game of life...where you can't lose 'em all. When Mike Flaherty (Giamatti) comes across a teenage runaway who also happens to be a be a champion wrestler, Mike’s luck turns around in spectacular fashion. But his win-win situation soon becomes more complicated than he ever imagined when the boy’s family affairs come into play. Co-starring Oscar nominee Amy Ryan* and directed by Oscar®-Nominee Tom McCarthy**, this touching and funny comedy will leave you cheering.
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The Beaver (2011)
dir. Jodie Foster
Product Decsription:
In the age of 24/7 news cycles and paparazzi storms, separating a celebrity's outside activities from their projects is a near-impossibility. In some select cases, that may not be such a bad thing. When judged solely by what's on the screen, The Beaver is a strange curio of a film, an extremely well-acted, yet rather austere profile of a suburban meltdown that tiptoes uneasily between drama and black comedy. When the personal life of its star Mel Gibson is factored in, however, it becomes exponentially more vital. Kyle Killen's script follows Walter Black (Gibson), the terminally depressed CEO-by-inheritance of a toy company, whose wife (director Jodie Foster) finally gives him the heave-ho after years of miscommunication. On the edge of ending it all, he discovers a buck-toothed puppet in a dumpster, and proceeds to use it as a separate (and worryingly dominant) entity determined to help him put his life in turnaround. As he begins to regain the trust of his bewildered yet game family and coworkers, his alienated oldest son (Anton Yelchin) strikes up a tentative romance with a cerebral cheerleader (Winter's Bone's amazing Jennifer Lawrence). Once Walter begins bringing his furry counterpart into the shower, however, things start to crack. Foster's intelligence as a director is well established by this point, but her measured, reasoned approach seems somehow wrong for the premise, which may have benefited from a wilder, on-the-brink feel to match that of its characters. Gibson, however, always seems willing to go farther than the film's controlled tone allows, bringing a hysterical, mesmerizing pathos to the increasingly manic give-and-take relationship between himself and his dark side. Foster's odd, sympathetic film is well worth watching, but its theory could stand a little more of her lead actor's troubled chaos. --Andrew Wright
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Blitz (2011)
dir. Elliott Lester
Product Decsription:
Tough, uncompromising and totally un-PC cop Brant (Jason Statham) joins forces with Officer DC Porter Nash (Paddy Considine) to hunt down a serial killer (Aiden Gillen) who has been targeting police officers. This fast-paced action-thriller is a raw, gritty tale of moral ambiguity, outsiders and the sacrifices the police make to keep crime off the streets.
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Secret Sunshine (The Criterion Collection) (2007)
dir. Lee Chang-Dong
Product Decsription:
A master of intensely emotional human dramas, director Lee Chang-dong (Poetry) is a leading light of contemporary Korean cinema, and his place on the international stage was cemented by this stirring and unpredictable work examining grief and deliverance. An effortless mix of light and uncompromising darkness, Secret Sunshine (Miryang) stars Cannes best actress winner Jeon Do-yeon (The Housemaid) as a widowed piano teacher who moves with her young son from Seoul to her late husband’s provincial hometown for a fresh start. Quietly expressive, supple filmmaking and sublime, subtle performances distinguish this remarkable portrayal of the search for grace amid tragedy.
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Eclipse Series 28: The Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara (Intimidation, The Warped Ones, I Hate But Love, Black Sun, Thirst for Love) (Criterion Collection) (1967)
dir. Koreyoshi Kurahara
Product Decsription:
Over the course of his varied career, Koreyoshi Kurahara made exacting noirs, jazzy juvenile delinquency pictures, and even nature films. His free-form approach to moviemaking was perfectly suited to the spirit of the 1960s; he was one of the biggest hit makers working at the razzle-dazzle, youth-oriented Nikkatsu studio during the radical Japanese New Wave. The five films collected here hail from that era, and encompass breathless teen escapades, cruel crime stories, a Mishima adaptation, and even a Hollywood-inspired romantic comedy.
Five-DVD Box Set Includes:
Intimidation Koreyoshi Kurahara’s ingeniously plotted, pocket-sized noir concerns the intertwining fates of a desperate bank manager, blackmailed for book-cooking, and his resentful but timid underling, passed over for a promotion. Elegantly stripped-down and carefully paced, Intimidation (Aru kyouhaku) is a moody early film from one of the Japanese New Wave’s preeminent stylists.
1960, 67 minutes, Black & White, Monaural, In Japanese with English subtitles, 2.20:1 aspect ratio
The Warped Ones A juvenile delinquent gets out of the pen and immediately embarks on a rampage of misdirected anger, most of it unleashed on an unsuspecting young woman. Shot through with the same kind of bebop bravado that Godard was experimenting with half a world away, the anarchic descent into amoral madness that is The Warped Ones (Kyonetsu no kisetsu) sounded a lost generation’s cry for help and kicked off Japan’s cinematic sixties with a bang.
1960, 75 minutes, Black & White, Monaural, In Japanese with English subtitles, 2.35:1 aspect ratio
I Hate But Love Inspired by Preston Sturges’s Sullivan’s Travels, I Hate But Love (Nikui anchikusho) is a high-octane romantic comedy and road movie that follows a celebrity dissatisfied with his personal and professional life who impulsively leaves Tokyo to deliver a much-needed Jeep to a remote village. When his controlling girlfriend (also his career manager) follows, the two must reconcile while dodging reporters.
1962, 105 minutes, Color, Monaural, In Japanese with English subtitles, 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Black Sun You’ve probably never seen anything quite like this manic, oddball, anti–buddy picture about a young, jazz-obsessed Japanese drifter and a black American GI on the lam in Tokyo. The two outsiders become outlaws, and Kurahara depicts their growing bond as an increasingly absurd culture clash. Black Sun (Kuroi taiyo) features original music by American jazz drummer Max Roach.
1964, 95 minutes, Black & White, Monaural, In Japanese with English subtitles, 2.25:1 aspect ratio
Thirst for Love Kurahara adapted a novel by Yukio Mishima for Thirst for Love (Ai no kawaki), a tense psychological drama about a young woman who is widowed after marrying into a wealthy family, and becomes sexually involved with her father-in-law while harboring a destructive obsession with the family gardener. Kurahara’s atmospheric style is a perfect match for Mishima’s brooding sensuality.
1967, 104 minutes, Black & White, Monaural, In Japanese with English subtitles, 2.45:1 aspect ratio
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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)
dir. Morgan Spurlock
Product Decsription:
Since the advent of recording devices and on-demand services, consumers have been bypassing commercials like never before, so advertising agencies have stepped up their use of product placement. In The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) renders the process transparent as he documents his attempts to get Madison Avenue to fund his film. After a flood of rejections, he takes a series of meetings with companies willing to align their brand with his--and make no mistake, Spurlock is as much a brand as Donald Trump or Outkast's Big Boi, who show up to talk about product endorsement. The director's entertaining and enlightening journey even leads him to a juice purveyor that opens its wallet for placement above the title--hence the name of the pomegranate beverage which appears on all promotional materials. As one observer puts it, "You're selling out, but not selling out." For perspective, Spurlock solicits commentary from progressive thinkers, like Ralph Nader and Noam Chomsky, and Hollywood types, like J.J. Abrams, who created Lost, and Quentin Tarantino, who admits that a certain all-night diner rejected his offer to appear in Reservoir Dogs. Spurlock even travels to São Paulo to take a look at their ban on outdoor ads: no billboards or messages on cabs and buses, rendering the city clean and downright dull for those accustomed to American-style marketing. The film as a whole resembles a full-length version of a Mad Men pitch meeting--but funnier. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Henry's Crime (2010)
dir. Malcolm Venville
Product Decsription:
“With a terrific cast led by Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga and a splendid James Caan, Henry's Crime is a fun comedy with irresistible heist and heart.” (Boxoffice Magazine) Reeves stars as Henry Torne, a wrongly accused man who winds up behind bars for a bank robbery he didn’t commit. After befriending a charismatic lifer (Caan) in prison, Henry finds his purpose — having done the time, he decides he may as well do the crime. But his outlandish plan to rob the very same bank spins wildly out of control, as he finds himself performing in a stage play and falling in love with the production’s seductive leading lady (Farmiga).
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