TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films on DVD – January 2009

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series 4

The true-life adventures of veterinarian James Herriot in rural England. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham and John McGlynn. Based on the books by James Herriot. Not Rated.

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series Six

The heart-warming tales of James Herriot, his wife Helen and his volatile but warm-hearted partner, Siegfried Farnon continues. Based on James Herriot’s popular autobiographical books. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham. Not Rated

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series 7

The true-life adventures of veterinarian James Herriot in rural England. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham and John McGlynn. Based on the books by James Herriot. Not Rated.

Another Country

An elderly, exiled British spy remembers his days at an English boarding school in the 1930s. In school, he fell in love with a male classmate, explored his homosexuality and was exposed to Marxist ideas, both contributing to his activities as a spy. Cast: Cary Elwes, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett. (1984) Not Rated

A Bridge too Far

A dramatization of the 1944 Battle of Arnhem, tracing the failed Operation Market Garden in which Allied soldiers struggled to disable the German forces from behind enemy lines in Holland. Cast: Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Kruger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann. Based on the book by Cornelius Ryan. (1977) Rated PG

Champagne Charlie

Founder of the greatest Champagne dynasties of the world, Charles Heidsieck falls in love with Southern belle Pauline. Cast: Hugh Grant, Megan Gallagher, Megan Follows. Based on the book by Joseph Henriot. (1989) Not Rated

The Decades Collection 1900 -1909

The dawn of the 20th century brought with it stunning new technology–technology that would change the world–and public personalities that were larger than life. Relive the heady days at the birth of the modern age, and discover its more sobering moments, with this exceptional compilation of documentaries. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Murder at the Fair: the Assassination of President McKinley : September 6, 1901 (10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America) ; The Panama Canal (Modern Marvels) ; Theodore Roosevelt: Roughrider to Rushmore (Biography) ; The Technology of Kitty Hawk (Modern Marvels) — Disc 2: San Francisco Earthquake (Mega Disasters) — The Model T (Automobiles)

The Decades Collection 1910 – 1919

In the teens, a nation still recovering from its own growing pains was thrust onto the world stage and began its rise to the status of superpower. In this collection you’ll discover the genesis of World War I and the reality of life in the trenches; walk the decks of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic; witness the demise of a 300-year dynasty; and experience much more of this formative decade. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: WWI: the Death of Glory ; World War I (Foot Soldier); Secrets of the Romanovs (Ancient Mysteries) — Disc 2: Titanic: 90 Years Below; Albert Einstein (Biography) ; Vladimir Ilyich Lenin: Voice of the Revolution (Biography) ; Titanic Tech (Modern Marvels)

The Decades Collection 1920 – 1929

Following a decade of worldwide terror and deprivation, the Roaring Twenties were a swinging time of flappers, bathtub gin and high spirits. It was an exhilarating period when we could achieve anything, from flying across oceans, to discovering the mysteries of the past, to unlocking the secrets of life itself. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Rumrunners, Moonshiners, and Bootleggers; Ku Klux Klan: a Secret History — Disc 2: Charles Lindbergh: against the Wind (Biography) ; Howard Carter: Triumph and Treasure (Biography) ; The Monkey Trial (In Search of History) ; F. Scott Fitzgerald: the Great American Dreamer (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1930 – 1939

Today we are still feeling the effects of the Great Depression and Prohibition. The 30s, with its gangsters and work projects, breadlines and escapist pursuits (superhero comics, color movies, thoroughbred racing) was a formative period for our country. With mounting global tensions and domestic despair, the roar of the 20s faded quickly. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: The Great Depression: Part 1: The Great Shake-up ; Part 2: Face the Music ; Part 3: Striking Back ; Part 4: Desperate Measures — Disc 2: The True Story of Seabiscuit ; The Empire State Building (Modern Marvels) ; Al Capone: Scarface (Biography) ; Love & Death: the Story of Bonnie and Clyde (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1940 -1949

The forties dawned with Nazi forces in Poland. It was clear from the beginning that trouble lay ahead. This sweeping DVD presentation captures the figures that steered the globe through these turbulent waters, including Churchill, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Hirohito and others. It also offers matchless documentaries of the landmark moments of American involvement in WWII: Pear Harbor and D-Day. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Pacific: the Lost Evidence: Pearl Harbor; D-Day: the Lost Evidence; Churchill and the President (History Undercover) — Disc 2: Hirohito (Biography) ; Tokyo Rose: Victim of Propaganda (Biography) ; Evita: the Woman behind the Myth (Biography) ; Mahatma Ghandi: Pilgrim of Peace (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1950 – 1959

It was the age of hip-swingers, jet-fighters, and Ike-likers. It saw the end of the scourge of polio and the dawn of the scourge of McCarthyism. Much of what we nostalgically revere – the foundations of our pop culture – arose in the fifties. This DVD collection explores the boom-time of the post-war decade when the sky was the limit and the Cold War chilled the planet. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Korea: the Forgotten War (Parts 1 & 2) ; The Search for the Polio Vaccine (Modern Marvels) ; Eisenhower: Supreme Commander in Chief (Biography) — Disc 2: When America Was Rocked: September 9, 1956 (10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America) ; McCarthy Reconsidered (20th Century) ; Elizabeth: the Reluctant Monarch (Biography) ; The Hollywood Censorship Wars (Time Machine).

The Decades Collection 1960 – 1969

Depending on whom you ask, the sixties was all about love, civil rights, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, decadence, repression, or something else completely. It was many things to many people, and was, unquestionably, a turning point in our national experience. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Voices of Civil Rights (Save Our History) ; The JFK Assassination (Investigating History) ; Martin Luther King Jr: The Man and the Dream (Biography) ; Malcolm X (Biography) — Disc 2: October Fury (History Undercover) ; Apollo 11 (Modern Marvels) ; Bay of Pigs Declassified (History Undercover) ; Getting High: a History of LSD (History’s Mysteries).

The Decades Collection 1970 – 1979

Just outside the mesmerizing glint of the disco ball, the Seventies seem like a time of madness: war raged in Southeast Asia, America’s president was crooked, Olympic athletes were slain, cult members drank poisoned punch, and the Son of Sam stalked the night. It was, in retrospect, a terrifying time only slightly ameliorated by the distractions of a decadent nightlife culture and over-the-top pop icons. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Vietnam: a Soldier’s Diary (20th Century with Mike Wallace) ; Richard Nixon: Man and President (Biography) ; Revenge! (History Undercover) — Disc 2: David Berkowitz: Son of Sam (Biography) ; Ayatollah Khomeini: Holy Terror (Biography) ; Bruce Lee: the Immortal Dragon (Biography) ; Jim Jones: Journey into Madness (Biography).

The Decades Collection 1980 – 1989

The decade that gave us the “yuppie” was all about big business, big government and big changes. The balance in global dominance shifted as the superpowers – China, the USSR, the U.S., and England – realigned and either asserted themselves or faded away. Our world changed forever during these fateful ten years, and this captivating two-disc set clarifies the major events – and major players – that shaped our globe. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: The Iran-Contra Scandal (20th Century with Mike Wallace) ; Democracy Crushed: Tiananmen Square (20th century) ; Ronald Reagan: a Legacy Remembered — Disc 2: The Rise and Fall of the Wall (Declassified) ; The John Lennon Assassination (American Justice) ; Mikhail Gorbachev: a Man Who Changed the World — The Falklands Campaign (Greatest Raids).

The Decades Collection 1990 -1999

Still perfectly clear in the rear view mirror, the nineties loom in our collective memory. This revealing DVD collection remembers events eerily similar to our current situation: a war in Iraq, domestic terrorism, and deadly school shootings. The set also covers the touchstone trials of the decade, if not the century: O.J. Simpson and Bill Clinton. All segments previously aired as episodes of various programs on The History Channel. Contents Disc 1: Conspiracy: Oklahoma City Bombing; Columbine: Understanding Why (Investigative Reports) ; Attack at Waco (American Justice) ; 1993 World Trade Center Bombing (Minute by Minute) — Disc 2: Trial of O.J. Simpson: Anatomy of a Murder (20th Century) ; Desert Storm: the Ultimate War; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton (20th Century).

Gattaca

In a society ruled by a genetically elite overclass, Vincent is an “In-Valid,” who assumes the identity of an elite in order to travel into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. A week before his mission, he is implicated in a murder and his cover slowly unravels under the scrutiny of an investigator and the woman he loves. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, Jude Law, Loren Dean, Gore Vidal, Ernest Borgnine, Blair Underwood, Xander Berkley, Tony Shalhoub, Jayne Brook. (1997) Rated PG-13

A Gentleman’s Game

At twelve-years-old, Timmy shows the early promise of a champion in the making. When his father sends him to caddy at a local country club, he finds a world where privilege meets the working class. With the help of a golf teacher with a broken past, he learns more than just technique and sportsmanship. Cast: Mason Gamble, Dylan Baker, Philip Baker Hall, Gary Sinise, Justin Goncalves, Henry Simmons II, Linda Emond, David Zayas, Ellen Muth. Based on the novel by Tom Coyne. (2001) Rated R

Good Neighbors

A couple decides to live off the land of their suburban London home to the annoyance of their neighbors. Cast: Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Paul Eddington, and Penelope Keith. Originally broadcast on BBC-TV in 1975-1977. Not rated.

The Lords of Flatbush

A group of kids in 1950s Brooklyn form a gang and do everything together. While this makes things easier, they eventually have to face new problems. Cast: Perry King, Sylvester Stallone, Paul Mace, Henry Winkler, Susan Blakely, Renée Paris, Maria Smith. (1974) Rated PG

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Fourth Season

Join Mary and the rest of the crew from the WJM-TV newsroom for another season of the classic sitcom. This time around Mary deals with more adventures, both in the newsroom and with her romantic life. Cast: Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Betty White, Cloris Leachman. Originally broadcast on television in 1973-1974.

Onegin

After inheriting his uncle’s country estate, playboy Evgeny Onegin travels there and meets a beautiful, passionate young girl, Tatyana. But their relationship sparks a series of events so horrifying they threaten to destroy everything the two have ever known. Based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin. Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Liv Tyler. (1998) Rated R

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants to fly home to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Del Griffith (John Candy) leads Page on a hilarious, cross-country, wild goose chase that keeps him from tasting his turkey. (1987) Rated R

Possession

A pair of literary sleuths unearth the amorous secret of two Victorian poets only to find themselves falling under a passionate spell. Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Headey, Toby Stephens. Based on the novel by A.S. Byatt. (2002) Rated PG-13

The Presidents

This History Channel documentary is an eight-part survey of the personal lives and legacies of the remarkable men who have presided over the Oval Office. From George Washington to George W. Bush, series gathers together vivid snapshots of all 43 Commanders in Chief who have guided America throughout its history–their powerful personalities, weaknesses, and major achievements or historical insignificance. Based on the book To the Best of My Ability, edited by James McPherson. The set features rare and unseen photographs and footage, unexpected insight and trivia from journalists, scholars, and politicians such as Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, Wesley Clark, Bob Dole, and former President Jimmy Carter. Narrated by Edward Herrmann. Includes a feature-length Bonus Program “All The Presidents’ Wives”. Not Rated

The Prince of Tides

A disillusioned Southern coach reveals his tortured childhood in order to help his troubled, suicidal sister, and discovers the healing powers of love and forgiveness. Cast: Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte, Blythe Danner, Kate Nelligan, Jeroen Krabbé, Melinda Dillon, Jason Gould. Based on the book by Pat Conroy. (1991) Rated R

Sally Hemings: an American Scandal

The story of the mulatto woman who had an affair with President Thomas Jefferson for nearly 40 years. Cast: Sam Neill, Carmen Ejogo, Mario Van Peebles, Mare Winningham, Diahann Carroll. (2000) Not Rated

The Tudors: Season 2

After failing to have his marriage to Katherine annulled, Henry appoints himself the head of the Church of England. Anne Boleyn insists that Henry remove the Queen from the picture. A royal visit to France finally prompts Anne to consummate her relationship with Henry. After failed attempts to have his marriage annulled, Henry’s patience finally wears out and he marries Anne in secret. The king and new queen are disappointed that their first child is a girl, whom they christen Elizabeth. Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Nick Dunning, James Frain, Jamie Thomas King, Hans Matheson, Peter O’Toole, Jeremy Northam. Showtime Production. Not Rated

New DVDs: Feature Length Films and TV Series – November 2008

 

Boston Legal: Season Four

Follows the personal and professional exploits of a group of attorneys working at the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Cast: William Shatner, James Spader, Candice Bergen, John Larroquette. Not rated.

A Heart in Winter

Camille, a concert violinist, becomes intrigued by her lover’s business partner, Stephane. She interprets his distance as a sign of intellectual seduction. The love triangle that develops reveals the complexity and imperfection of the three characters. French dialogue with English subtitles. Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Béart, André Dussollier. Not Rated

Mad Men: Season One

In the glamorous and ego-driven world of advertising, everyone is selling something and nothing is ever what it seems. Set in 1960 New York, this series reveals the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue’s “Golden Age,” where key players make an art of the sell while their private world gets sold. And no one plays the game better than Don Draper, the biggest ad man–and ladies’ man–in the business. Cast: Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, Maggie Siff, Aaron Staton, Bryan Batt, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, Michael Gladis, Rich Sommer. Not rated. Originally broadcast on AMC July 19-Oct. 18, 2007.

MI-5: Volume 5

A series of sinister terror strikes, combined with severe fuel shortages, has plunged Britain into crisis. As a chronically weakened prime minister fights to hold onto power, the public mood turns increasingly anarchic. MI-5 supremo Harry Pearce and team leader Adam Carter begin to face the horrifying possibility that the country is under attack from sinister forces right at the heart of the establishment. Cast: Rupert Penry-Jones, Peter Firth, Anna Chancellor, Hermione Norris, Raza Jeffrey, Nicola Walker, Miranda Raison. Not Rated

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima

Screen chronicle based on actual 1917 events outside Fatima, Portugal, where three shepherd children report visions of the Virgin Mary and confront anticlerical government oppression in the process. Cast: Gilbert Roland, Angela Clark. Videodisc release of the 1952 motion picture. Not rated.

The Nun’s Story

Audrey Hepburn portrays a nun whose life journey takes her from the staff of a mental asylum to a surgical nurse in the Belgian Congo. She returns to Belgium as WWII breaks out and is torn between the needs of the Resistance and the church’s neutrality. Cast: Peter Finch, Dame Edith Evans, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Dean Jagger, Mildred Dunnock. From the book by Kathryn C. Hulme. Not rated.

Perfect Strangers

When Melanie goes home from a local pub with the best looking man in the room, she’s captivated by his charm and attentiveness. He sails her away to his “castle”–A rundown shack on a deserted island. But soon, his passion turns to obsession and romance turns to rage and Melanie realizes that she is the victim of a kidnapping. Torn between fear and desire, Melanie must escape her schizoprenic captor. A moment of panic leads to murder and madness. Melanie’s time is running out, but for her perfect stranger, it may already be too late. Cast: Sam Neill, Rachael Blake, Joel Tobeck, Robyn Malcolm, Madeleine Sami. Rated PG-13

Pushing Daisies: The Complete Season One

Ned can bring the dead to life briefly when he touches them, and must touch them again to reverse the spell. Along with a private eye, he uses his gift to help solve crimes and collect the rewards. Cast: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Kristin Chenoweth. Originally broadcast during the 2007-2008 television season.

A Raisin in the Sun

Dreams can make a life worth living, but they can also be dashed by bad decisions. This is the crossroads where the Younger family find themselves when their father passes away and leaves them with $10,000 in life insurance money. Decisions will need to be made on how to best spend the money – from buying a new family home, buying a liquor store or even paying for medical school tuition. While no choice is easy, life on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s is even harder. Cast: Sean Combs, Sanaa Lathan, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad, Justin Martin, Bill Nunn, David Oyelowo, Ron Cephas Jones, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Stamos. Based on the play by Lorraine Hansberry. Not rated.

Rough Riders

A fact-based, rough and tumble western depicting a young and energetic Theodore Roosevelt leading his legendary Rough Riders in their fight against oppressive Spanish rule at the turn of the 20th century. Cast: Tom Berenger, Gary Busey, Brad Johnson, Illeana Douglas, Chris Noth, Brian Keith, George Hamilton, Sam Elliott. Not rated.

The Searchers

Ex-confederate soldier Ethan Edwards searches five years for his niece, the only member of his family to survive a Comanche massacre. Cast: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood. Not Rated

The Shoes of the Fisherman

All eyes are focused on the Vatican, hoping to see the puffs of white smoke signaling the selection of the next Pope, but this time, much more is at stake, for the new pontiff may be the only person who can bring peace to a world on the brink of nuclear war. Cast: Anthony Quinn, Oskar Werner, David Janssen, Vittorio De Sica, Leo McKern, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Laurence Olivier, Barbara Jefford, Rosemarie Dexter. Based on the novel by Morris L. West. Rated G

30 Rock: Season 2

The primetime Emmy-winning workplace comedy that exists behind-the-scenes of a live sketch comedy show has returned, with some of the original stars returning also. Cast: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan. Not rated.

Feature Length Films – February 2008

Agony and the Ecstacy
Michelangelo and Pope Julius II Charleton Heston and Rex Harrison) have many disagreements in interpreting Biblical stories while the creative genius paints the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Based on the novel by Irving Stone. Not Rated

City Slickers
Three friends going through various degrees of midlife crisis sign up for a two-week cattle drive in an effort to set their lives back on course. Cast: Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, Patricia Wettig, Helen Slater, Jack Palance. Rated PG-13

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold
Two best friends and a third friend’s brother revisit the wild west, encountering the nasty brother of their dead friend Curly, who recruits them on a treasure hunt. Cast: Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Jon Lovitz, Jack Palance. Rated PG-13

Clear and Present Danger
CIA official Jack Ryan Harrison Ford) finds himself in the middle of a South American drug revolution, covertly backed by the White House. Based on the novel by Tom Clancy. Rated PG-13

Diamonds Are Forever
A power-hungry villain organizes a diamond smuggling operation to equip his deadly space satellite. The unflappable British agent (Sean Connery) foils the bad guy. Rated PG

Disclosure
A businessman (Michael Douglas) finds himself in an awkward position when his ex-girlfriend (Demi Moore) becomes his superior. Rated R

Dr No
Agent 007 Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate the murder of a fellow spy. Rated PG

Dreamcatcher
Four boys gain telepathic powers after performing a heroic act. Decades later, they reunite for a hunting trip in the Maine woods, but find themselves in a blizzard, fighting an evil force. Based on a Stephen King novel. Rated R

The Europeans
A sophisticated European brother and sister turn up unexpectedly on the doorstep of their staid American cousins. The fortune-hunting Eugenia and her high-spirited brother Felix turn this Puritan world upside down. This 1979 Merchant Ivory Production is based on the novel by Henry James and features: Lee Remick, Robin Ellis, Tim Woodward, Wesley Addy, Lisa Eichhorn, Norman Snow. Not Rated

A Few Good Men
A slick young navy lawyer investigates the death of two marines. Cast: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore. Rated R

For Your Eyes Only
James Bond (Roger Moore) must recover a super-secret electronic decoder from a sunken British spy ship. He is joined by a Greek skin-diving beauty who is after her parents’ killers. Rated PG

The Front Page
This filmversion of the Broadway play finds a burned-out journalist writing one last story at the behest of his cynical editor. What begins as a simple tale soon becomes a slapstick farce as the writer and editor uncover corruption in the judicial system. Cast: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Rated PG

GoldenEye
James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) travels to St. Petersburg to recover Goldeneye, a space weapon which destroys everything electronic in its path. Rated PG-13

The Grifters
An experienced con artist (Angelica Houston) comes back into the life of her estranged son (John Cusack) only to find that he has taken up with a woman very much like herself. Rated R

Grumpier Old Men
Two crotchety old friends feud while their kids prepare to get married. Cast: Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Rated PG-13

Heat and Dust
A young woman, investigating her great aunt’s love affair with an Indian prince, travels to India herself and, likewise, falls in love with a native man. A Merchant Ivory Production, featuring Julie Christie and Greta Scacchi. Rated R

Hoosiers
A small town Indiana basketball coach (Gene Hackman) with a questionable background and unconventional methods tries to redeem himself by leading a losing high school team to victory. Rated PG

How Stella Got Her Groove Back
A divorced, middle-aged woman (Angela Bassett) surprises herself, as well as her family and friends, when she has an affair with a man (Taye Diggs) half her age. Rated R

Jurassic Park Adventure Pack
The Jurassic Park Trilogy includes: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World; and Jurassic Park III. Rated PG-13

The King of California
An unstable dad (Michael Douglas) who after getting out of a mental institution tries to convince his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) that there’s gold buried under suburbia. Rated PG-13

Licence to Kill
James Bond’s (Timothy Dalton) license to kill is revoked, but this does not deter him from avenging a brutal attack on his CIA friend by a Latin drug lord. Rated PG-13

The Little Prince
A French pilot crashes his airplane in the middle of the Sahara Desert and comes upon a young prince from another planet. The little prince tells the pilot that he is inspecting the universe and stays in the desert long enough to convey to the pilot his impression of the earth and stories of other planets he has visited. This 1974 film is based on the story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and features Richard Kiley, Bob Fosse, Stanley Warner, Gene Wilder. Rated G

Live and Let Die
James Bond (Roger Moore) finds action in the U.S. as he seeks out a heroin operation that menaces the American economy. Rated PG

The Madness of King George
The 18th-century King of England (Nigel Hawthorne) begins to display a sort of dementia, victimizing the Queen (Helen Mirren) and the entire court. Rated PG-13

Magnolia
Residents of the San Fernando Valley endure the ups and downs of familial obligations and romantic relationships. Cast: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Alfred Molina, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards. Rated R

The Man with the Golden Gun
James Bond (Roger Moore) takes on an assassin whose trademark is a golden gun. As usual, Bond uses skill and gadgetry to stop the villain. Rated PG

Mogambo
Vic, a tough-as-nails, lady-killing safari leader, who makes a living capturing animals for American zoos, is no match for two untamed creatures: a tough New York woman and the fetching wife of a dorky anthropologist. John Ford directed this 1953 film featuring Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. Not Rated

Moonraker
James Bond (Roger Moore) searches for a missing space shuttle. Fully loaded with fancy gadgets, action-packed suspense, a killer score, delicious eye-candy, and much-acclaimed special effects. Oh, and martinis. Rated PG-13

Never Say Never Again
In this 1983 installment of the Bond series, 007 (Sean Connery) battles an arch-villain who hijacks two cruise missiles and holds the world hostage. Rated PG

Octopussy
James Bond (Roger Moore) struggles with a Soviet general who attempts to start WWIII between the superpowers. Rated PG

Regarding Henry
A selfish, successful attorney (Harrison Ford) must rediscover his identity, family and career when he is afflicted with amnesia. Rated PG-13

Sleeper
A hapless nerd (Woody Allen) is revived 200 years after being placed in suspended animation and finds himself in a strange world of robots and giant vegetables. Rated PG

Snow Falling on Cedars
In a Pacific Northwest community of the 1950s, a fisherman is on trial for murder. The treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II becomes an integral part of the case. Based on the novel by David Guterson. Rated PG-13

Soul Food
Three sisters (Vanessa Williams, Vivica Fox and Nia Long)attempt to keep the family tradition of Sunday dinner alive when their mother becomes ill. Rated R

The Spy Who Loved Me
James Bond (Roger Moore) teams up with a female Russian agent to squash a villain’s plan to use captured British and Soviet atomic submarines to destroy the world. Rated PG-13

3:10 to Yuma
Van Heflin and Glann Ford star in the 1957 original version of this gripping, critically acclaimed Western about penniless farmer hired to guard killer until train-bound deputies arrive. Not Rated

Thunderball
A NATO bomber with a nuclear payload is hijacked to the Bahamas and secreted under water. British agent 007 (Sean Connery) and U.S. aquanauts do battle with SPECTRE’s forces. Rated PG

Tomorrow Never Dies
British secret agent James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) races to prevent WWIII at the hands of a power-hungry media mogul. Rated PG-13

2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s highly influential mind-bending tale of space travel, mysterious monoliths, and too-smart computers. Plus lots of special effects and an old-school sci-fi look. Not to mention a sinister, passive-aggressive computer named Hal. Rated G

View to a Kill
James Bond (Roger Moore) travels to the United States to stop an evil industrialist from destroying California’s Silicon Valley. Rated PG

Where Angels Fear to Tread
Repressed sexuality and social snobbery of the British upper-class are undone when a widow on vacation dallies with a handsome, young Italian. Relatives and friends hurry from England to “save” her. Cast: Helena Bonham-Carter, Judy Davis, Rupert Graves, Giovanni Guidelli, Barbara Jefford, Helen Mirren. Rated PG

You Only Live Twice
James Bond (Sean Connery) travels to Japan to take on arch-nemesis Blofeld who has been capturing Russian and American spacecraft in an attempt to start WWIII. Rated PG

New DVDs – January 2008

The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard
This BBC-TV story follows Ros Pritchard (Jane Horrocks), a supermarket manager who tries to improve her world in small ways. Just to prove that she could do better than the established politicians, she runs for a seat in Parliament. No one is more surprised than she when she wins the General Election and becomes the next Prime Minister. Not Rated

American President
The widowed President of the US (Michael Douglas) courts an attractive environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening). His opponent in the upcoming election takes advantage of the situation, playing up the role of “the President’s Mistress.” Rated PG-13

Angel in the Family
An ailing widowed father and his two estranged daughters experience a miracle when their late matriarch returns to spend Christmas with them. Cast: Tracey Needham, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Ronny Cox, Meredith Baxter. Not Rated

The Apocalypse
When the Roman Emperor unleashed a virulent campaign against the Christians in 90 A.D., the apostle John (Richard Harris) struggles to break free of imprisonment and save Christianity from extinction. Not Rated

Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop III
A street-smart Detroit cop (Eddie Murphy) is transplanted in California. All Rated R

 

The Bible Collection:

Abraham
Abraham (Richard Harris) leaves the pagan land of Ur for the promised land of Canaan. Not Rated

David
The story of a simple shepherd boy chosen to be the king of Israel. Not Rated

Jacob
Matthew Modine and Laura Flynn Boyle star in one of the greatest love stories from the Bible. Not Rated

Joseph
Cast into a pit by his jealous brothers, young Joseph pleads for mercy but is sold into slavery in Egypt. Not Rated

Moses
The story of reluctant leader Moses leading the Jews out of bondage in Egypt. Not Rated

Samson and Delilah
A bewitching Philistine betrays the shepherd she loves out of loyalty to her people. Not Rated

 

A Big Hand for a Little Lady
This wonderfully wild western comedy from 1966 features Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, and Burgess Meredith. Not Rated

Body & Soul
This miniseries from 1993 is t moving story of a young nun (Kristen Scott Thomas) in a family crisis who is forced to choose between two conflicting worlds, and the very different values they represent. Not Rated

Brideshead Revisited
In this classic adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel, the life of the British nobility is seen through the eyes of a young Oxford student who befriends the son of aristocrats and becomes one of the family. Cast: Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, John Gielgud. Not Rated

The Crown Prince
After entering into an unhappy marriage of convenience, Archduke Rudolf, the young heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne begins a fateful affair with the Baroness Mary Vetsera. cast that includes Klaus Maria Brandauer, Christian Clavier and Omar Sharif. Not Rated

The Crusades: Crescent and the Cross
Using CGI-enhanced visuals and dramatic reenactments, The History Channel brings the key battles of the Crusades to life. See rare locations, including a vast chain of Crusader castles and get a feel of what day-to-day life was like. Not Rated

A Dance to the Music of Time
This miniseries chronicles a half century of British upper-class life through the eyes of protagonist Nicholas Jenkins. Based on the novels by Anthony Powell. Not Rated

The Dark Ages: The Fall of Civilization, The Rise of a New World Orderm DVD 940.1 DAR 2006
Between the Fall of Rome and the dawn of the Renaissance, Europe plunged into a dark night of constant war, splintered sovereignties, marauding pagans, and more. This History Channel production covers the chaos that threatened to cause the demise of European society, as well as other brave souls who fought for peace and enlightenment.

Dial M for Murder
A man plots to murder his wife for her money. The wife manages to stab the would-be attacker, and the husband is forced to change plans. Alfred Hitchcock directed this 1954 suspense classic featuring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly. Not Rated

The Dresden Files
Harry Dresden is a private detective who also happens to be a real wizard. Harry finds himself helping the Chicago police solve crimes and battle dark in the city streets. Not Rated

Elizabeth
Palace intrigue mixes with historical drama to tell the life story of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen who ruled England in the 16th century. Featuring Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush. Rated R

15 Minutes
A crime thriller about a hot-shot homicide detective who teams with a fire marshal to find a pair of media-hungry serial killers. In the meantime, a sensationalist TV-talk-show host courts both sides of the law. Cast: Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, Kelsey Grammer, Avery Brooks. Rated R

Figure Skating: Ladies’ & Pairs DVD 796.912 FIG 2006
Highlights of the Pairs & Ladies’ figureskating at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.

Figure Skating: Men’s & Ice Dancing DVD 796.912 FIG 2006
Highlights from the men’s figure skating and ice dancing at the 2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games.

The Golden Door
Salvatore, a very poor farmer and widower, decides to emigrate to U.S. with his entire family. Italian dialogue, English subtitles. Rated PG-13

Grosse Pointe Blank
A comedy about a hit man, a high school reunion, and the girl he left behind. Cast: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin. Rated R

High Fidelity
Rob Gordon’s record store is semi-failing, and his long-time girlfriend has just walked out on him. In order to figure out where things went wrong, he examines his past relationships with other women. Cast: John Cusack, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Joelle Carter, Joan Cusack, Sara Gilbert. Rated R

The In-Laws
A mild-mannered doctor meets his new in-laws for the first time right before his daughter’s wedding. Things get wild when he discovers they’re CIA operatives. Cast: Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Candice Bergen. Rated PG-13

Istanbul DVD 914.961 IST 2004
This episode from the Globe Trekker series features an exploration of the Topkapi palace, sightseeing at Gallipoli, the site of an infamous World War I battlefield, as well as a tour of Istanbul, with visits to the opulent Pera Palace Hotel, the Grand Bazaar, and the Blue Mosque.

The Last Legion
As invading Goths besiege the crumbling Roman empire, a daring general, a powerful wizard and a master warrior attempt to lead one last legion of faithful soldiers to victory against all odds. Cast: Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, Peter Mullan, Kevin McKidd, John Hannah, Iain Glen, Thomas Sangster. Rated PG-13

Love’s Unending Legacy
Unable to work the land on her own, Missie LaHaye and her young son move back to her father’s ranch hoping to put the past behind her. Based on the books by Janet Oke, the fifth film in the series directed by Michael Landon, Jr. Not Rated

Mary, Queen of Scots
Vanessa Redgrave was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Mary, the ill-fated Catholic Queen of Scotland. The sharp-edged Glenda Jackson portrays her jealous cousin, Queen Elizabeth I in this critically acclaimed drama from 1971. Not Rated

The Meaning of Food DVD 394012 MEA 2005
This PBS special explores the variety of cultural significance of food among various walks of life in the United States. Topics covered in these three programs include: Italian weddings; Bengali fertility feast; last meals; fasting.

Monarchy with David Starkey DVD 923.1 MON 2006
This British television production features vivid descriptions and analysis of historical personalities with costumed actors, historical locations, and portraits to visually enliven the story of the English crown from the fall of Rome to the 1660s.

Mr. Deeds
When a small town man (Adam Sandler) inherits controlling interest in a media empire, he attempts to use his newfound power to transmit positive messages. Rated PG-13

Mr. Mom
When a Detroit auto engineer (Michael Keaton) loses his job, his wife (Teri Garr) takes up a career in advertising while he takes over running the household. Rated PG

Once upon a Time When We Were Colored
The changes experienced by a rural town in Mississppi are witnessed by a boy coming-of-age in the era of racial segregation and civil rights in the South. Rated PG

The Paper Chase
A moving story of a first-year Harvard Law School student who comes to terms with his dreams in America’s most competitive school. Cast: Timothy Bottoms, Lindsay Wagner, John Houseman, Edward Herrmann, James Naughton. Rated PG

Passion of Mind
A woman (Demi Moore) seems to be living parallel lives — one as a single New Yorker and the other as a widowed mother of two. Rated PG-13

Prime Suspect 7 The Final Act
Academy-award winner, Helen Mirren, is featured as Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in this joint production by Granada television and WGBH Boston. Not Rated

The Quick and the Dead
When a homestead family is threatened by a gunslinging gang, a mysterious stranger (Sam Elliott) rides to their safety. Not Rated

Rome: Season 2
In this HBO drama, the year is 44 B.C. Julius Caesar has been assassinated and civil war threatens to destroy the Republic. Cast: Polly Walker, Ray Stevenson, James Purefoy, Lindsay Duncan, Kevin Mckidd, Ray Stevenson. Rated TV-MA

Ruth Rendell Mystereis: Set 2
This six tales of suspense examines the jealousy, betrayals, and resentments that lead to tragedy. Not Rated

Sleepless in Seattle
A widower’s son calls a talk show about his father’s conviction that love happens only once in a lifetime. Cast: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Rob Reiner and Rosie O’Donnell. Rated PG

The Song of Bernadette
In 1858 a peasant girl sees a vision of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes and incurs local wrath because of her experience. Jennifer Jones starred in the academy award-winning film. Not Rated

These Foolish Things
In 1930s England, a struggling young actress, a fledgling director and an ambitious playwright become embroiled in an emotional love triangle as they strive for recognition, fame and fortune in a world on the brink of World War II. Cast: Joss Ackland, Lauren Bacall, Anjelica Huston, and Terence Stamp. Not Rated

3:10 to Yuma
A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who’s awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. Cast: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol, Ben Foster, Dallas Roberts, Alan Tudyk, Vinessa Shaw, Logan Lerman. Rated R

To Catch a Thief
A reformed thief on vacation in the South of France becomes the prime suspect in a series of robberies. But what he’s really interested in stealing is time with a beautiful American on vacation with her rich mother. Afred Hitchcok directed this thriller featuring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Not Rated

24: Season 6
Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) has been released after two years in a Chinese prison, but only so he can be handed over to a particularly nasty villain who proposes to trade Jack’s life for the location of the mastermind behind the current reign of terror. That’s only the beginning, of course. Not Rated

Uncovered
An art restorer (Kate Beckinsale) discovers an unresolved murder from centuries ago and realizes that her work triggered a new wave of murders. Rated R

Underground Pittsburgh DVD 974.886 UND 2007
WQED’s Rick Sebak embarks on a tour around the Pittsburgh area to show us what’s hidden underground.

Victor Victoria
An unsuccessful female nightclub vocalist (Julie Andrews) is recast as a man performing as a woman. The trick works, but things get strange when a macho male (James Garner) finds himself attracted to the singer in drag. Rated PG

The Vikings DVD 948 VIK 2006
This PBS NOVA special investigates a new image of the Vikings that goes far deeper than their savage stereotype as raiding marauders. They were expert shipbuilders, superb artisans, canny merchants, and bold colonizers.

Working Girl
A secretary works to advance herself, only to have her best idea appropriated by her boss. Feeling cheated and undervalued, she decides to engineer a big brokerage deal by herself. Cast: Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Melanie Griffith, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack. Rated R

More New DVDs – December 2007

Absolute Power
A professional thief witnesses a murder that puts his life in jeopardy when his existence becomes known. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris. Rated R

An Affair to Remember
A shipboard romance conflicts with prior engagements. The lovers (Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr) postpone their affair and plan to meet later under different circumstances. Rated PG

Batman and Robin
Super heroes Batman and Robin are joined by Batgirl in their fight to save the human race from destruction at the hands of Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy. Cast: George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris O’Donnell, Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Elle MacPherson. Rated PG-13

Batman Forever
Batman befriends an acrobat whose family is killed in a tragic circus accident. The young man joins Gotham City’s crime fighter as Robin and together they do battle against Two Face and The Riddler. Cast: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O’Donnell. Rated PG-13

The Bible: Esther
A dramatization of the story of Esther, Queen of Persia. Cast: Louise Lombard, F. Murray Abraham, Jurgen Prochnow, Thomas Kretschmann. Not Rated

The Bible: Genesis
A dramatization of the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah and the flood. Not Rated

The Bible: Jeremiah
A dramatization of the story of the Biblical prophet Jeremiah. Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Klaus Maria Barndauer. Not Rated

The Bible: Solomon
A dramatization of the story of Solomon, King of Israel. Cast: Ben Cross, Vivica A. Fox, David Suchet, G.W. Bailey, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Anouk Aimee, Max Von Sydow. Not Rated

The Camden 28
In Camden, New Jersey, a group of 28 Vietnam War protesters plan to break into a local draft board office and destroy records during the summer of 1971. Little do they know that a mole has been planted in their group. Not Rated

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
This film presents an authentic account of the Vietnam War taken from the letters of the men and women who served over there. This film includes newsreel and home-movie footage shot by the servicemen themselves. Rated PG-13

Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower
In this docudrama the Pilgrims story is explored including: their self-imposed exile in Holland, their crossing of the Atlantic, their first year in the new world and how they came to live and prosper in an unfamiliar land.

The Devil’s Advocate
Hotshot attorney Kevin Lomax’s 64-0 case record has brought him a tempting offer from an elite New York firm. But the job Lomax accepts isn’t what it seems. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Judith Ivey. Rated R

Dexter: The First Season
Dexter Morgan is a Miami police forensics expert who moonlights as a serial killer of criminals who he believes have escaped justice. From Showtime and based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. Not Rated

Die Hard
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Bruce Willis stars as New York cop, John McClane in this series of action films. All Rated R

The French Revolution
This History Channel documentary uses a combination of reenactment, commentary from scholars, and narration, to explores the turbulent years of the French Revolution. Not Rated

The Good The Bad and The Ugly
A bounty hunter, a crook, and an Army sergeant scramble to find a fortune in gold hidden in a coffin. Their uneasy alliance is tested by the vicissitudes of war. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffre. Rated R

High Society
In this sophisticated musical comedy, the society wedding of the beautiful Tracy Lord is being arranged in Newport, R.I. Her ex-husband arrives to try to win her back. Cast: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, Louis Armstrong and his Band. Not Rated

I Claudius
The BBC award-winning dramatization of Robert Graves’ version of the times of the Roman Empire from Augustus to Claudius told through the dying Claudius (Derek Jacobi) as he sets down the history of his family. Not Rated

Lilies
In this BBC TV production, Iris, May, and Ruby are sisters living in post-WWi Liverpool, struggling through poverty, passions, and profound disappointments. Not Rated

Man From Earth
John Billingsley, William Katt, Ellen Crawford and Tony Todd co-star in this provocative final work by Jerome Bixby, renowned as one of the greatest science-fiction authors of all time. Not Rated

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
A small town tuba player (Gary Cooper) inherits a fortune. When he wants to give it to the needy, a pack of greedy relatives and lawyers attempts to have him declared insane. Not Rated

My Best Friend’s Wedding
When her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) announces he’s getting married, Julianne (Julia Roberts) realizes she loves him, and plots to stop the wedding. Rated PG-13

Night Shift
A wimpy morgue attendant (Henry Winkler) is drawn into the wild schemes of his co-worker (Michael Keaton). The pair turn the morgue into a nighttime brothel. Rated R

Prime Suspect: The Last Witness
In the sixth installment of the series, Tennison (Helen Mirren) is ripe for retirement in the eyes of some, but is still up for a fight, and she’ll need all the energy she can muster when she takes on the British government in search of a sadistic killer with a guilty past. Not Rated

Project Runway: The Complete Third Season
International supermodel Heidi Klum returns as hostess with a glamorous panel of celebrities and fashion icons in search of the next great fashion designer. Rated TV-14

Rome: The Complete First Season
This HBO saga is set during the last years of Julius Caesar’s reign, and centered on two Roman soldiers and their families. Cast: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kenneth Cranham, Ciaran Hinds. Rated TV-MA

Sabrina
A remake of the classic romance about two wealthy brothers — one a playboy, the other a solid, hard working businessman — who both fall in love with the chauffeur’s daughter. Cast: Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond, Greg Kinnear, John Wood, Nancy Marchand, Richard Crenna, Angie Dickinson, Lauren Holly. Rated PG

The Sacketts
Louis L’Amour’s epic western saga of brothers who blazed a name across the untamed post-Civil War New Mexico frontier. Cast: Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, Glenn Ford, Jack Elam, Slim Pickens. Not Rated

The Simpsons Movie
Homer must save the world from a catastrophe he himself created. Rated PG-13

Smart Travels Europe with Rudy Maxa Switzerland and the Alps, Christmas in Switzerland.
American Public Television’s travel host Rudy Maxa takes a video journey to this beautiful and mountainous country.

The Sopranos: the Complete First Season
HBO’s modern day morality tale about New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfino), as he deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life. Rated TV-MA

Stardust
In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he’ll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm. An all star cast features: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett, Peter O’Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro. Rated PG-13

Superbad
Two co-dependent high school seniors are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry. Rated R

Trading Places
Two wealthy investors pit heredity against environment when they switch the roles of a young preppie floor trader and an uneducated street hustler. Cast: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Jamie Lee Curtis. Rated R

Undeclared: The Complete Series
College life as seen through the eyes of Steven Karp, a freshman determined to reinvent himself at a new school. Not Rated

While You Were Sleeping
A young woman saves the life of a stranger she has fallen in love with from afar and then meets and falls in love with her make-believe lover’s brother. Cast: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden. Rated PG

WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete First Season
Join WKRP’s hilarious staff–both on and off the air as they take their floundering station from hard times to hard rock. Not Rated

New DVDs – December 2007

Alias: The Complete Fourth Season
When Sydney (Jennifer Garner) leaves the CIA to join a powerful new Black Ops unit, she has no idea of the reunion in store for her.

Alias: The Complete Fifth Season
Secret agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) returns to settle the score once and for all.

Amazing Grace
Based on the life of William Wilberforce and his perseverance to pass a law ending the slave trade in the late 18th century and the people who pushed him to pursue it to the end. Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Ciaran Hinds, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Albert Finney. Rated PG

Book of Stars
A story about the relationship between two sisters, Mary, a terminally ill but resilient 16-year old and Penny, a jaded ex-poet who doesn’t believe in her sister’s magical vision of life. It’s up to Mary to believe for both of them. Cast: Mary Stuart Masterson, Jena Malone, Karl Geary, D.B. Sweeney, Delroy Lindo. Not Rated

The Bourne Ultimatum
Bourne (Matt Damon) races to discover the final mysteries of his past while a government agent tries to track him down after a shootout in Moscow. Rated PG-13

The Christmas Blessing
A young doctor (Neil Patrick Harris) encounters romance and deals with his past when he returns to his hometown during the holidays. Not Rated

A Christmas Memory
In this adaptation of Truman Capote’s short story, a young boy who was abandoned by his parents is raised by some older unmarried cousins. Cast: Patty Duke, Piper Laurie, Jeffrey Demunn, Anita Gilette, Eric Lloyd. Not Rated

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
The widow McDowell and her seven-year-old son Thomas ask the gruff Jonathan Toomey, the best wood-carver in the valley, to carve the figures for a Christmas creche. Not Rated

The Christmas Shoes
A workaholic attorney (Rob Lowe) crosses paths with a young boy on Christmas Eve and rediscovers the true meaning of love, life, and the holiday season. Not Rated

Criminal Minds: The First Season
Join an elite team of FBI profilers as they analyze the country’s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they can strike again. Cast: Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Lola Glaudini, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler. Not Rated

Deck the Halls
Two neighbors (Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito) go to war when one of them decides to decorate his house with so many Christmas lights that they are visible from space. Rated PG

Grey’s Anatomy: Season Three
A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of surgical interns and their supervisors at Seattle Grace Hospital.

Hairspray
A plump teenager girl teaches 1960s Baltimore about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show. Cast: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden. Rated PG

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) turns 15, and along with adolescence come changes, including his first major crush. Rated PG-13

Hidden Blessings
A female detective investigates the murder of the wife of a prominent architect. Even though the husband is the prime suspect of this seemingly open and shut case, the detective finds herself hopelessly falling in love with him. Not Rated

High School Musical 2 Extended Edition
During the summer vacations a talent show is organized in a local country club and Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad and Taylor take part in it. Rated TV G

The House Without a Christmas Tree
A young Nebraskan girl named Addie wants nothing more for the holidays than a Christmas tree. Her bitter, widowed father (Jason Robards) refuses, but slowly learns the spirit of the season. Not Rated

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Two Brooklyn firefighters (Kevin James & Adam Sandler) pretend to be gay so that they can receive domestic partner benefits. Rated PG-13

In the Land of Women
Heartbroken and depressed, Carter (Adam Brody) escapes L.A. to suburban Michigan to care for his sick grandmother. Rated PG-13

J.K. Rowling & the Birth of Harry Potter
This biographical film offers an insight into the author’s “rags to riches” story, exploring Rowling’s meteoric rise to fame as well as the people and places that shaped her as an author.  Not Rated

Jack Frost
A dead man’s spirit returns to his family in the form of a snowman. Cast: Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Rated PG

Live Free or Die Hard
John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back to take on an Internet-based terrorist organization who is systematically shutting down the United States. Rated PG-13

Lonely Hearts
A murderous couple finds their victims by answering personals ads in the newspaper. Resourceful detectives attempt to track them down. Cast: John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Scott Caan, Alice Krige, Laura Dern. Rated R

Lord of the Flies
Adaptation of William Golding’s novel about a group of English boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island. Without adult control, the boys regress to savagery. Rated R

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon
Tom Hanks narrates this IMAX film that transports you to the lunar surface, where you can walk alongside the 12 extraordinary astronauts who have been there, experiencing what they saw, heard, and felt. Not Rated

Mr Bean’s Holiday: Disaster is Just a Small Step Away
Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) wins a trip to Cannes where he unwittingly separates a young boy from his father and must help the two come back together. Rated PG

Midsomer Murders: Set 9
The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these British mysteries based on the novels of Caroline Graham and originally broadcast on A&E TV. Not Rated

The Namesake
The son of Indian immigrants born in America wants to fit in with fellow New Yorkers, but his family is unwilling to let go of their traditional ways. Based on the book by Jhumpa Lahiri. Rated PG-13

Neverwas
A psychiatrist (Aaron Eckhart) leaves an academic career behind to work at an institution where his novelist father lived before writing a renowned children’s book. Acclimating to his position, he befriends a schizophrenic man who helps him discover the book’s secrets. Rated PG-13

Ocean’s Thirteen
Danny Ocean and his band of thieves return, this time teaming up with their old nemesis, Terry Benedict. Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Al Pacino, Don Cheadle, Carl Reiner, Ellen Barkin, Andy Garcia. Rated PG-13

Pathfinder
A Viking boy is raised by Native Americans and becomes a hero when his tribe fights the Norsemen. Rated R

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes
A demented doctor kidnaps an opera singer so that he can turn her into a mechanical nightingale. Not Rated

Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann and Captain Barbossa must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.
Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgård, Bill Nighy, Chow Yun-Fat, Geoffrey Rush. Rated PG-13

Pittsburgh
Actor Jeff Goldblum stars in this fly-on-the-wall mockumentary in which he plays himself taking a career hit by playing Harold Hill in a regional theatre production of The Music Man. Not Rated

Planet Earth: the Complete Series
This BBC production presents footage from diverse parts of the earth, showing a variety of creatures in their natural habitats. Narrated by David Attenborough. Not Rated

Ratatouille
In this animated feature, a rodent with a fondness for good food moves to Paris in order to pursue his dream of becoming a great chef. Rated G

Rescue Dawn
Director Werner Herzog’s film about Dieter Dengler, a German pilot (Christian Bale) who joins the U.S. military, fights in Vietnam, and is captured by Vietcong guerillas. Based upon his documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Rated PG-13

Russian Bride
Natasha finds a new life through an Internet marriage agency, but her dreams are shattered in an abusive household. Rated R

Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Santa (Tim Allen) tries to juggle his family life with stopping Jack Frost, a cold foe who wants to put an end to Christmas. Rated G

The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton
The BBC-TV production based on the life of Isabella Beeton, author of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management and the most famous cookbook author in British history. Isabella was an accomplished business woman who couldn’t cook but ended up producing the world’s most famous recipe book. Not Rated

Severance
A team-building weekend in the mountains of Eastern Europe goes horribly wrong for the sales division of a multinational arms manufacturer. Rated R

Shrek The Third
King Shrek? Not if he can help it. When his father-in-law dies, Shrek does everything he can to stay out of the castle and stay in the swamp. Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz reprise their roles in this animated feature. Rated PG

Sicko
Filmmaker Michael Moore is back with a comedy about the state of the health care system the U.S. Rated PG-13

Slow Burn
A district attorney (Ray Liotta) is involved in a 24-hour showdown with a gang leader (LL Cool J) and is, at the same time, being manipulated by an attractive assistant district attorney (Jolene Blalock) and a cryptic stranger. Rated R

Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Four men, dressed in identical garb, separate a car from a subway train and demand that New York City pay them one million dollars in ransom. Cast: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo. Rated R

Tara Road
Two women (Andie MacDowell and Brenda Fricker), one American and one Irish, agree to a two-month house exchange in order to find healing and strength through new surroundings and the kindness of others. Rated PG

To Market To Market To Buy a Fat Pig
A celebration of market houses, market places, and farmers’ markets across the United States. Rick Sebak checks out crab cakes in Baltimore’s Lexington market, shops with a chef in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Farmers’ Market, and more. Not Rated

Transformers
Dueling alien races, the Autobots and the Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance. Rated PG-13

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
Set during the Great Depression, a 12-year-old girl is sent to live with her Aunt in the country where she enlists the town’s dogs into a colorful holiday pageant that reminds the inhabitants that even the hard times can’t ruin the magical spirit of Christmas. Rated G

The Up Series
A series of six films that, every seven years, visits fourteen individuals from different parts of England to examine the current state of their lives. The first film shows them at age 7; the sixth revisits twelve of the original at 42 in 1998. Not Rated

Vacancy
A couple (Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale) stranded at an isolated motel realize they are in the middle of horror film. Rated R

Waitress
When Jenna, a waitress in a cheery southern diner, discovers that she’s pregnant, she doesn’t exactly jump for joy. Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Eddie Jemison, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith. Rated PG-13

The War: A Ken Burns Film
Tells the story of ordinary people in four quintessentially American towns – Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota – and examines the ways in which the Second World War touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America. Not Rated

You Kill Me
A hit-man (Ben Kingsley) trying to turn his life around gets a job in a mortuary, where he meets a woman who is a relative of one his hits. Rated R