New Releases on DVD – July 2008

The Air I Breathe
In this powerful film, four very different people teetering on the edge of desperation are unexpectedly linked by their destinies. In search for happiness in a gritty urban world, brought to life are the stories of a clairvoyant gangster, a rising pop star, an unlikely bank robber and a doctor desperate to save the love of his life. Cast: Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Clark Gregg, Emile Hirsch, Forest Whitaker. Rated R

The Bank Job
Based on the greatest heist in British history, small-time crook Terry Leather takes on a bank heist when an old friend offers him an inside track to the vault. Along with his hastily assembled team of low-rung criminals, Terry finds himself the target of ruthless mobsters, the police, government officials at the highest level, and even the royal family. Cast: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows. Rated R

Bonneville
Faced with the decision of a lifetime, Arvilla Holden hijacks her two best friends and sets off in a vintage ’66 Bonneville convertible across the great American West to deliver her husband’s ashes to her step-daughter. What begins as a simple road trip for the trio, will end up becoming a chance to rediscover themselves, their friendship, the importance of promises and always living life to the fullest. Cast: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen, Christine Baranski, Victor Rasuk, Tom Skerritt. Rated PG

Cassandra’s Dream
When a gambling debt and an expensive courtship place working-class brothers in a financial bind, a rich uncle offers them an out in exchange for committing murder. Cast: Hayley Atwell, Colin Farrell, Sally Hawkins, Ewan McGregor, Tom Wilkinson. Rated PG-13

Charlie Bartlett
When Charlie Bartlett moves to town, his honest charm and likability gives him the position as the resident ‘psychiatrist’ among Western Summit High’s students. Along with fellow student Murphy Bivens, Charlie dishes out advice and the occasional prescription to other students in need. Along the way, he decides to take some of his own advice. Cast: Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis, Kat Dennings, Robert Downey Jr., Tyler Hilton. Rated R

City of Men
Growing up in a culture of violence, Acerola and Laranjinha have become as close as brothers. When they find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past. In Portuguese with optional English subtitles. Cast: Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Santos, Camila Monteiro, Naima Silva, Eduardo BR, Luciano Vidigal, Pedro Henrique Vítor, Vinicius Oliveira. Rated R

Cleaner
Single father and former cop Tom Carver has an unusual job– he cleans up crime scenes. But when he’s called in to sterilize a wealthy suburban residence after a brutal shooting, Carver is shocked to learn that he may have unknowingly erased crucial evidence, entangling himself in a dirty criminal cover up. Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, Eva Mendes. Rated R

Definitely, Maybe
A political consultant tries to explain his impending divorce and past relationships to his 11-year-old daughter. Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz. Rated PG-13

Drillbit Taylor
Ryan, Wade and Emmit attend their first day of high school and immediately meet up with Filkins, the school bully who comes off like a little Hannibal Lecter. Before they become completely engulfed in Filkins’ reign of terror, they seek out some protection by placing an ad in Soldier of fortune magazine. Their best response and the cheapest comes from Drillbit Taylor, a down-on-his-luck soldier of furtune who lives a homeless existence on the beach. He enrolls them in a sort of physical and mental training, steeling them, and possibly himself, for the ultimate clash against the forces keeping them down. Cast: Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Danny McBride, Josh Peck. Rated PG-13

Flawless
Laura Quinn is an executive at the London Diamond Corporation who finds herself routinely stifled on the corporate ladder. Hobbs is an equally overlooked nighttime janitor with an intimate knowledge of the security system. Hobbs has a score to settle with the Corporation. Sensing Laura’s frustration, Hobbs convinces her to help him pull off an ingenious heist. Cast: Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Lambert Wilson, Joss Ackland. Rated PG-13

Flock
Erroll Babbage has spent his career tracking sex offenders, due to his abusive behavior against the sex offenders that he monitor’s, he is forced to an early retirement and has to spend his last eighteen days training his replacement Allison Lowry. When he links one of his deranged parolees to the disappearance of a local girl, he and his new partner must scour the S&M underground to find her before it’s too late. Cast: Richard Gere, Claire Danes, KaDee Strickland. Rated R

Fool’s Gold
A recently-divorced couple bicker and banter their way through an adventure packed undersea hunt as they search for the gold (and the diamonds, emeralds and rubies). Finn, in love with his ex-wife and in deep with gangster Bigg Bunny, has been searching for eight years when he gets a clue about the whereabouts of the Queen’s Dowry, a fabulous fortune that mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in 1715. Now, all he has to do is get the gold, get the girl and get going before Bigg Bunny gets him. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Ewen Bremner, Alexis Dziena, Kevin Hart, Ray Winstone. Rated PG-13

In Bruges
After finishing a big job, hit men Ray and Ken have been ordered to cool their heels in the storybook city of Bruges, Belgium. But since hit men make the worst tourists, they soon find themselves in a life-and-death struggle of comic proportions against one very angry crime boss.
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy, Jérémie Rénier. Rated R

Introducing the Dwights
Shy, warm-hearted, good-looking Tim Dwight has two women crazy about him. One is a dream girl named Jill. The other is his mum, Jean, a bawdy aging comedienne who doesn’t realize she’s past her sell-by date for a big break. As Jean tries to make it in show biz, she also struggles to hold her family, including Tim and his disabled brother Mark, together. Cast: Brenda Blethyn, Khan Chittenden, Emma Booth, Richard Wilson, Frankie J. Holden, Rebecca Gibney, Philip Quast, Katie Wall. Rated R

Ira & Abby
A sweet, hilarious romantic comedy that examines the issues of marriage, monogamy and whether ‘I do’ is the only path to life-long love and happiness. Cast: Jennifer Westfeldt, Chris Messina, Frances Conroy, Judith Light, Robert Klein, Fred Willard, Jason Alexander, Chris Parnell, Darrell Hammond. Rated R

Jumper
David is a Jumper who can teleport himself anywhere in the world, which creates a fun and exciting life. Things turn deadly when David finds himself pursued by a secret organization sworn to kill Jumpers. He forms an uneasy alliance with another Jumper and becomes a player in a war that has been raging for thousands of years. Cast: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Michael Rooker, Annasophia Robb, Max Thieriot. Based on the novel by Steven Gould. Rated PG-13

Justice League: The New Frontier
The epic tale of the founding of the Justice League. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all here, and so are Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and The Flash – whose incredible origins will be told for the very first time. Voices: David Boreanaz, Miguel Ferrer, Neil Patrick Harris, John Heard, Lucy Lawless, Kyle MacLachlan, Phil, Morris, Kyra Sedgwick, Brooke Shields, Jeremy Sisto. Based on the graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke. Rated PG-13

The Last Time
In the cutthroat world of New York City business sales, Ted Riker is the undisputed king. He’s bitter, cynical and ruthless – the exact opposite of Jamie, his naïve new sales partner from the Midwest. As Jamie fails time after time, he tries to befriend Ted and introduces him to his beautiful fiancée, Belisa. She awakens something in Ted. Ted has to decide to follow his heart, or go on to break Jamie’s. With Jamie increasingly on edge, that could be an extremely dangerous idea. Cast: Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser, Amber Valletta, Daniel Stern, Neal McDonough, Michael C. Hagerty, Michael Lerner. Rated R

Meet Bill
By all appearances Bill’s life is perfect– a perfect mess, that is. His wife is having an affair with the local news anchor and he is stuck in a dead-end job at his father-in-law’s bank. Bill sees no escape from his miserable life until he becomes a mentor to a self-assured teen who is determined to help Bill reinvent his life by setting him up with a sexy lingerie saleswoman who promises to spice things up. Together, the trio confronts Bill’s hapless life with humor and energy while forcing him to capture his dream of becoming his own man. Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, Timothy Olyphant, Logan Lerman. Rated R

My Blueberry Nights
Jeremy, a big-hearted owner of a small New York diner, tries to soothe Elizabeth’s jilted heart with his blueberry pie. But only after going on a year-long cross-country odyssey does she realize love was right at her doorstep all along. Cast: Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz, Natalie Portman. Rated PG-13

Penelope
Penelope is a lonely heiress who has spent her entire life trying to break a strange family curse that left her with a nose of pig. When she meets a charming aristocrat who seems to see beyond her physical appearance, penelope begins to learn that loving herself if more important than breaking the curse. Cast: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant. Rated PG

Rails & Ties
After a train collides with a car, an unlikely bond is forged between the train engineer and a boy riding in the car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden. Rated PG-13

Saving Sarah Cain
Sarah Cain is a sweet, successful, somewhat self-absorbed city girl through and through. But when the untimely death of her sister draws her to Amish country for a funeral, she makes a discovery that will change her life–she is now the legal guardian to five Amish nieces and nephews. Cast: Lisa Pepper, Tess Harper, Elliott Gould, Tom Tate, Abigail Mason, Soren Fulton, Jennifer O’Dell, Danielle Chuchran, Tanner Maguire, Bailee Maidson, David Clennon. Based on the book The redemption of Sarah Cain by Beverly Lewis. Rated PG

Semi-Pro
1970s, Flint, Michigan. Jackie Moon is a former pop sensation who somehow made enough money from a couple of hit records to buy Flint’s semi-pro basketball team, the Tropics. The team consists of a bunch of disorganized losers with one genuine talent named Coffee Black. Despite knowing little about the game, Jackie is the Tropics’ coach as well as a player. His greater love involves coming up with bizarre marketing stunts to draw in an audience. His stunts include wrestling a bear and attempting a motorcycle jump over a line of cheerleaders. When the league plans to merge with the NBA and in order to survive, the Tropics must do the seemingly impossible – win. The Tropics look like they might be shut down so Jackie desperately agrees to let washed-up veteran player Monix take over coaching. Cast: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, Maura Tierney, Will Arnett, David Koechner. Rated R

The Spiderwick Chronicles
The moment the Grace family moves into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate, strange things begin to happen. As curious Jared investigates, he discovers Arthur Spiderwick’s field guide and the unbelievable truth of the Spiderwick Estate. Cast: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn. Based on the book by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Rated PG

Stop-Loss
Following his tour of duty in Iraq, Brandon King faces an unexpected challenge that puts him at odds with some of his fellow soldiers. Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ciaran Hinds, Timothy Olyphant, Victor Rasuk, Rob Brown. Rated R

10,000 B.C.
In a remote mountain tribe, the young hunter D’Leh finds his heart’s passion in the beautiful Evolet. But when a band of mysterious warlords raid their village and kidnaps Evolet, D’Leh leads a small group of hunters to save her. As they venture into unknown lands for the first time, the group discovers there are civilizations beyond their own and that mankind’s reach is far greater than they ever knew. At each encounter the group is joined by other tribes who have been attacked by the slave raiders. Soon the small band has turned into army. At a massive temple, the band will take their stand against a tyrannical god who has brutally enslaved their own. It is here that D’Leh finally comes to understand that he has been called to save not only Evolet but all of civilization. Cast: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis. Rated PG-13

21
Inspired by the true story of MIT students who mastered the art of card counting and took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. Looking for a way to pay for tuition, Ben Campbell finds himself quietly recruited by MIT’s most gifted students in a daring plot to break Vegas. With the aid of a brilliant statistics professor and armed with fake IDs, intelligence and a complicated system of counting cards, Ben and his friends succeed in breaking the impenetrable casinos. Now, his challenge is keeping the numbers straight and staying one step ahead of the casinos before it all spirals out of control. Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Spacey. Based on the book: Bringing Down the House, by Ben Mezrich. Rated PG-13

Vantage Point
U.S. president Ashton is in Salamanca, Spain to announce plans for a major global summit on terrorism. As he stands behind the podium in front of a loudly cheering crowd, he is shot twice. This is followed minutes later by a small explosion and then a massive blast. Secret Service agents Barnes, Taylor, and Holden immediately jump into action, trying to find the terrorists responsible amid all the chaos. First, the events are seen through the eyes of television news producer Rex Brooks. Then, the assassination attempt is replayed from seven different points of view. Each perspective reveals a few more clues. Cast: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt. Rated PG-13

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
When a celebrated TV show host returns to his hometown in the South, his family is there to remind him that going home is no vacat ion! It’s one predicament after another when big-city attitude and small-town values collide. Cast: Martin Lawrence, Margaret Avery, Joy Bryant, Louis C.K., Michael Clarke Duncan, Mike Epps, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Cedric the Entertainer, James Earl Jones. Rated PG-13

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

The Adams Chronicles
Four generations of Adamses and 150 years of American history from the birth of the Revolution through the Gilded Age. John Adams, a passionate revolutionary and second president; John Quincy Adams is the proud son of a famous father and sixth president; Charles Francis Adams is a skillful minister to Great Britain during the Civil War; Henry Adams the historian; Charles Francis Adams, Jr. is a railroad magnate. Going beyond politics, portrays these men as husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, as well as leaders. Cast: George Grizzard, Kathryn Walker, William Daniels, David Birney, John Beal, Peter Brandon, Charles Siebert, Nancy Marchand. Based on the family’s personal diaries and correspondences. Originally broadcast on television in 1976.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Two
The War Years. Go on spectacular journeys with young Indy (Sean Patrick Flanery) as he travels through Europe, Africa and Asia and comes face to face with Vladimir Lenin, Charles de Gaulle, The Red Baron, and other fascinating characters during the turbulent years of World War I. Originally broadcast on television from 1992-1996. Created by George Lucas.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Three
The Years of Change. Follow the thrilling escapades as World War I ends and young Indy (Sean Patrick Flanery) gets entangled in adventures with famous–and infamous–figures like Ernest Hemingway, Woodrow Wilson, Louis Armstrong and Al Capone during some of the most vibrant years of the 20th century. Created by George Lucas.

Alien Nation: The Complete Series
The television series loosely based on the 1988 feature film. Detective Matthew Sikes (Gary Graham), is an LA police officer reluctantly working with alien George Francisco (Eric Pierpoint) from the planet Tencton.

The Blue Butterfly
Tells the story of a terminally ill 10-year-old boy whose dream is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth, the Blue Morpho. His mother persuades a renowned entomologist to take them to the jungle to search for it. Cast: William Hurt, Pascale Bussières, Marc Donato. Rated PG

Blue Murder: Set 1
Blue Murder: Set 2
On the job, Janine Lewis deals with drive-by executions, decomposed bodies, and abducted children. At home, she interviews nannies, schedules parent-teacher conferences, and bolts breakfast on the run. Cast: Caroline Quentin, Ian Kelsey, Saskia Wickham. Originally broadcast on British television.

Bones: Season Two An FBI agent teams up with a forensic anthropologist to solve some of the most baffling and bizarre crimes. Cast: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel. Originally broadcast on television during the 2006-2007 season.

Bullitt
A star witness in a controversial court case is murdered, and the police detective assigned to guard him goes after the killers himself. Cast: Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Robert Duvall, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1968. Rated PG.

The Closer: The Complete Third Season
The biggest cases demand the best cops, so when a little girl goes missing or a Homeland Security official takes a long drive off a short cliff or a ’90s serial killer revives his career in the 21st century, the LAPD knows to call Brenda Johnson and her crack team from the Priority Homicide Division. Cast: Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Jon Tenney. Not Rated. Originally broadcast on TNT in 2007.

The Dead Zone: The Final Season
A man (Anthony Michael Hall) awakens from a coma with the power to see the past, present, and futures of anyone he touches. He uses his psychic ability to pursue justice. The 6th and final season of the USA Network Series.

Dickens of London
Traces the extraordinary life of Charles Dickens from his penniless childhood in Chatham and London during the 1820s to the unprecedented success he later enjoyed on both sides of the Atlantic. Cast: Roy Dotrice, Patsy Kensit, Ben Kingsley. Originally broadcast as a television miniseries on Masterpiece Theatre in 1976. Special features include: the bonus disc An Audience with Charles Dickens, a recreation of Dickens’ legendary public performance of A Christmas Carol, starring celebrated actor Simon Callow.

The 4400: The Fourth Season
When 4400 missing people emerge from nowhere, the Department of Homeland Security wants to know why. But the answers aren’t coming easy, and by the time they do … it might be too late.

French Kiss
When her fiance is smitten by a beautiful Frenchwoman, Kate flies to Paris determined to win him back. However, nothing prepares her for Luc, a cunning, sexy Frenchman with a gift for gab and a fondness for thievery. A self-proclaimed expert on affairs of the heart, Luc promises to help Kate win back her man. But one star-crossed misadventure after another sweeps them across France, ultimately changing them in ways they never dreamed possible. Cast: Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton, Jean Reno, Francois Cluzet, Susan Anbeh. Rated PG-13.

Grey Owl
Directed byRichard Attenborough and based on a true story, an Englishman named Archibald Belaney (Pierce Brosnan) moves to Canada in the early 1900s to live as a Native American. Rated PG-13

Hamish MacBeth: Series Three
Police constable Hamish Macbeth (Robert Carlyle) finds more mysteries in the small Scottish town of Lochdubh. Originally broadcast on BBC-TV in 1996. Based on the books by M.C. Beaton.

Hocus Pocus
When three outlandishly wild witches are accidentally conjured up by pranksters, they return from 17th century Salem and set out to cast a spell on the town, but first they must outwit three kids and a talking cat. Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw. Rated PG

Hope Floats
A single mother who’s had a few hard knocks in life tries to get it together with the help of her ditsy mom and her childhood sweetheart. Cast: Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick, Jr., Gena Rowlands, Kathy Najimy, Rosanna Arquette. Rated PG-13

Inspector Morse: Part 1 The Dead of Jericho
In Episode 1 of the series, Inspector Morse, who never quite finds romance, thinks that at last things will turn out differently. He meets the beautiful Anne Stavely, but it is a love not destined to be when Anne is found hanging from a beam under mysterious circumstances. Morse suspects murder and sets out to discover the truth with the help of Sergeant Lewis. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Gemma Jones, Patrick Troughton. Based on the novel by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 2 The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn
Inspector Morse is called in to investigate one of the most puzzling murder cases yet. Someone is selling examination secrets at Oxford and making a killing in more ways than one. Nicholas Quinn is the hard-of-hearing member of an examinations board until one day he is found dead at home. Can Morse match up the clues with the killer? Based on a novel by Colin Dexter. Cast:
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Barbara Flynn, Clive Swift, Frederick Treves, Michael Gough.

Inspector Morse: Part 3 Service of All the Dead
Helped by the church cleaner, Inspector Morse investigates five ruthless and gruesome killings in and around a quiet country church. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Angela Morant, Judy Campbell, John Normington, Michael Hordern, Maurice O’Connell, Peter Woodthorpe.
Based on the novel by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 4 The Wolvercote Tongue
A precious jewel known as The Wolvercote tongue is missing and its owner has been found dead in a hotel room. Morse suspects foul play, despite the pathologist’s report that she died of a heart attack. Based on a novel by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Peter Woodthorpe, Simon Callow, Kenneth Cranham, Roberta Taylor.

Inspector Morse: Part 5 Last Seen Wearing
Inspector Morse returns when a schoolgirl from a wealthy family is missing. Morse is convinced she has been murdered and his investigations reveal that there is more going on at her exclusive school than meets the eye. But before he has unravelled the mystery, he finds another murder on his hands. Based on the novel by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Elizabeth Hurley, Julia Sawalha.

Inspector Morse: Part 6 The Setting of the Sun
Morse is back at his Alma Mater when he is invited to present the trophy to the winner of a crossword competition at Oxford and a student attending the dinner is murdered. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Peter Woodthrope, Anna Calder-Marshall, Robert Stephens, Avis Bunnage, Derek Fowlds, Robert Lang, Amanda Burton. Based on the novel by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 7 Last Bus to Woodstock
Inspector Morse uncovers a web of intrigue, blackmail and hidden passion in a local insurance office, when he investigates the death of a young secretary. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Peter Woodthorpe, Anthony Bate, Terrence Hardiman, Fabia Drake, Jill Baker, Holly Aird, Paul Geoffrey. Based on the novel by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 8 Ghost in the Machine
Valuable paintings are stolen from the estate of Sir Julius Hanbury, and when Sir Julius himself disappears Morse and Sergeant Lewis are called upon to investigate the minds and morals of the aristocracy to solve the mystery. Cast:John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Amanda Hillwood, Patricia Hodge, Michael Thomas. Based on a story by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 9 The Last Enemy
Morse is back at his Alma Mater when a body is found in a canal and the evidence points to a connection with one of the colleges at Oxford. Based on a story by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Amanda Hillwood, James Grout, Barry Foster, Michael Aldridge.

Inspector Morse: Part 10 Deceived By Flight
Sergeant Lewis gets to display his cricketing skills as a sub with the Clarets XI old boys’ team when they gather for their annual match at Oxford, but Morse is called in when one of the team is murdered. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Amanda Hillwood, Norman Rodway, Sharon Maughan, Daniel Massey, Nicky Henson, Jane Booker, Geoffrey Beevers, Bryan Pringle. As seen on A & E and PBS Mystery!

Inspector Morse: Part 11 The Secret of Bay 5B
Playboy architect Michael Gifford has been found strangled in his car and the only clues to the murder are his diary and a car park ticket. The diary shows that Gifford had regular assignations in the car park and a telephone number proves to be that of a local insurance company, although Gifford did not have a policy there. The plot thickens as Morse and Lewis uncover a love triangle involving the dead man. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Amanda Hillwood, Mel Martin, Marion Bailey, Andrew Wilde, Philip McGough.

Inspector Morse: Part 12 The Infernal Serpent
Morse and Lewis have to tackle a particularly unsavory case involving child abuse. Their inquiries into the murder of an eminent environmentalist, killed minutes before he was scheduled to give a controversial lecture, unearth skeletons in the cupboard of a respectable academic family. Based on the characters by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Cheryl Campbell, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Geoffrey Palmer, Irene Richard.

Inspector Morse: Part 16 Second Time Around
The murder of an ex-Deputy Police Commissioner and the theft of a single chapter of his memoirs cause Morse concern. It soon becomes apparent that the missing chapter relates to a murder committed 18 years ago which was at the time investigated by the victim and Morse himself. Based on characters created by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Kenneth Colley, Pat Heywood, Ann Bell, Oliver Ford Davies and James Grout.

Inspector Morse: Part 20 Promised Land
When the case against the Abingdon gang comes under scrutiny, Morse and Lewis must travel to Australia to locate their prime informant who was resettled there with his entire family in exchange for the information he provided the police.Starring John Thaw as Inspector Morse, with Kevin Whately, Rhondda Findleton, John Jarratt, Max Phipps, Con O’Neill, Noah Taylor and James Grout. Based on characters created by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 22 Happy Families
Sir John Balcombe, head of one of the country’s largest companies, is found brutally murdered at his home. The Balcombe family shows no sign of grief and the murder is attracting considerable public attention. Morse dislikes the press attention but his mind is brought swiftly back to Balcombe House when a second murder occurs. Based on a characters created by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Rupert Graves, Gwen Taylor, Anna Massey.

Inspector Morse: Part 23 The Death of the Self
An Englishwoman is attending an expensive psychotherapy course near Vicenza, Italy when she dies in a freak accident. The Italian verdict is accidental death, but the woman’s husband questions the decision. Morse and Lewis are sent to Italy where Morse discovers that the psychotherapy centre is run by an old adversary. Based on characters created by Colin Dexter. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Frances Barber.

Inspector Morse: Part 28 Twilight of the Gods
While celebrations are taking place at the new college building at Oxford, Morse and Lewis look into the murder of a freelance journalist, who was working on an article about college benefactor Bayden. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, John Gielgud, Robert Hardy, Sheila Gish, Jean Anderson, James Grout. Based on the characters created by Colin Dexter.

Inspector Morse: Part 31 Death is Now My Neighbour
Murder strikes in an Oxfordshire village at 17 Bloxham Drive. Exactly 24 hours later, while a policeman patrols outside, the resident at Number 15 is shot dead by the same gun. Investigators begin to unearth links between the neighbours of the modern estate. The murders also take Morse and Lewis into the hothouse atmosphere of the election for Master of Lonsdale College, over which the smooth and odious retiring master, Sir Clixby Bream, presides. Cast: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Richard Briers, Maggie Steed, John Shrapnel, Judy Loe, Roger Allam, James Grout, Mark McGann. Based on the novel by Colin Dexter.

I.Q.
All the world knows about Einstein the scientific genius. But what about Einstein the matchmaker? I.Q. puts this fanciful notion to the test and comes up with winning results in this fun, warm-hearted romantic comedy. Cast: Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, Walter Matthau, Charles Durning. Rated PG

John Adams
While our new nation was suffering attacks from both within and without, John Adams had a vision of a nation of liberty and justice for all. He guided his peers–General George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson–in setting the values and agenda for a glorious, free America. Adams and his wife Abigail refined these democratic ideals, and their partnership became one of the most moving love stories in American history. Cast: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane, Danny Huston, David Morse, Sarah Polley, Tom Wilkinson.
Originally broadcast on HBO as a seven-part mini-series in 2008. Based on the book written by David McCullough. Rating: TV-14.

Land of Plenty
Story about a woman who works with the homeless, and a paranoid Vietnam vet who both become interested in the death of a Pakistani man killed in a drive-by shooting, but for totally different reasons. Cast: John Diehl, Michelle Williams, Richard Edson, Wendell Pierce, Burt Young. Not Rated

The Last Detective: Series 4
Things are looking up for Detective Constable “Dangerous” Davies, as played with heart and sly wit by Peter Davison. Dangerous has a knack for solving impossible crimes and piecing together connections where others have long since given up.

Longford
Based on a true story of the devout Catholic British Lord Frank Aungier Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford, and his controversial, colorful, headline-making friendship with one of Britain’s most notorious criminals, child murderess Myra Hindley. Cast: Jim Broadbent, Samantha Morton, Lindsay Duncan, Andy Serkis. TV-MA.

MacArthur Park
Life in the park is daily warfare with rival gangs, police raids, the wealthy decadents who come for drugs and the ongoing demons of addiction, and the harder Cody tries to escape the park, the more it seems to close in on him. Cast: Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Brandon Adams, Tami Anderson, B-Real, Bad Azz, Elenn Cleghorne, Julie Delpy, David Faustino, Balthazar Getty, Rachel Hunter. Rated R

Mansfield Park
When Fanny Price is sent away to live with her rich cousins, she’s meant to learn the ways of proper society but manages to enlighten them as well. Cast: Embeth Davidtz, Jonny Lee Miller, Alessandro Nivola, Frances O’Connor. Based on Jane Austen’s novel. Rated PG-13.

Marple: Season Three
In her golden years, Miss Marple (Geraldine McEwan) blends into the scenery of her elegant surroundings. All the better to observe the foibles of human nature that lead to evil — and to surprise one and all when she solves crimes that baffle the professionals. Rich with period detail, these all-new adaptations feature stellar supporting casts, including Richard E. Grant, Amanda Burton, Eileen Atkins, Saffron Burrows, Greg Wise, Martine McCutcheon, Francesca Annis, Peter Davison, Jane Seymour, and Juliet Stevenson.

McLeod’s Daughters: The Complete Third Season
McLeod’s Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season
McLeod’s Daughters: The Complete Fifth Season

McLeod’s Daughters: The Complete Sixth Season
The adventure on the Australian outback continues with sisters Claire and Tess and the women of Drovers Run as they face new challenges running the large cattle property.

Medium: The First Season
Inspired by the life story of Allison DuBois, a woman who can communicate with the dead, but for most of her life she viewed this gift as a curse. Allison finally submits to her calling when she realizes she can do more good as a medium than as a lawyer. Cast: Patricia Arquette, Maria Lark, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassilieva, Jake Weber. Not Rated.

Midsomer Murders: Set Ten
The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby with John Hopkins as his brash young assistant, Sergeant Dan Scott. Guest stars include Oliver Ford Davies, Annette Crosbie, Owen Teale, June Whitfield, Geoffrey Whitehead, and David Burke.

Numb3rs: The Complete First Season
We all use mathematics every day– but in a world of body counts, multiple criminal masterminds, and percentages involving perpetrators who may act again, figures are especially valuable. This is the world of Numb3rs. Don Eppes is an FBI agent who recruits his mathematically gifted brother Charlie to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles, thus tackling the most baffling criminal cases from two very distinctive perspectives. Cast: Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Judd Hirsch, Peter MacNicol, Alimi Ballard, Sabrina Lloyd, Navi Rawat, Kate Norby. Originally broadcast on CBS television during 2005.

Numb3rs. The Complete Second Season
FBI agent Don Eppes couldn’t be more different from his younger brother, Charlie, a brilliant math professor at a California university. Don deals in hard facts and evidence, Charlie thrives in a world of mathematical probability and equations. Don and Charlie often combine their areas of expertise to solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. Cast: Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Judd Hirsch, Alimi Ballard, Peter MacNicol, Navi Rawat, Diane Farr, Dylan Bruno.
Originally broadcast on CBS television during the 2005-2006 season.

Numb3rs: The Complete Third Season
FBI Special Agent Don Eppes recruits his mathematically gifted brother, Charlie, to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. Don is assisted by fellow agents Megan Reeves, David Sinclair, and Colby Granger, while Charlie finds insight and encouragement from a co-worker, Dr. Larry Fleinhardt, and Amita Ramnjuan, Charlie’s former grad student.
Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Diane Farr, Alimi Ballard, Dylan Bruno, Peter MacNicol, Navi Rawat. Originally broadcast on television during the 2006-2007 season.

Poirot: Collector’s Set 12
David Suchet returns as Agatha Christie’s eccentric Belgian sleuth. All three mysteries are well acted, shot in beautiful locations, and manage to fold in a little dry humor with the ghastly business at hand.

Project Runway: The Complete Second Season
Starring international supermodel Heidi Klum, this series follows a group of young fashion designers competing with each other to make it in the high-stakes world of fashion. Originally broadcast by Bravo 2005-2006. Rated TV 14.

The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel brings to life the attitudes and passions of 17th century New England. Condemned by her Puritan fellows for having a child out of wedlock, Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet letter. Cast: Meg Foster, John Heard, Kevin Conway. Originally broadcast by PBS in 1979. Not rated.

Slap Shot
The coach of a third-rate hockey team signs up some rough and tough players to help his team win. Cast: Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, Lindsay Crouse, Jennifer Warren, Jerry Houser, Strother Martin. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1977. Rated R

Stargate Atlantis: Season 2
Stargate Atlantis: Season 3
Stargate Atlantis: Season 4
A secret base built by the Ancients is found in the ice in Antarctica. The Stargate Atlantis team is sent on a one-way mission to explore the distant Pegasus galaxy. The team encounters many new civilizations, including the sinister Wraith. Cast: Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, Rachel Luttrell, Rainbow Sun Francks, David Hewlett, Paul McGillion.

Supernatural: The Complete Second Season
Brothers Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) travel the darker corners of the American landscape in search of their father, who’s gone missing while hunting the malevolent forces that lead to the death of their mother.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
When the beautiful widow Helen Graham moves into the derelict Wildfell Hall with her son, she arouses great curiosity from the local villagers. CastTara Fitzgerald, Rupert Graves, Toby Stephens. Based on the novel by Anne Brontë. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1996.

Twister
Scientist Jo Harding and her crack team of tornado chasers are pursuing the most destructive weatherfront to sweep through mid-America’s Tornado Alley in 50 years. TV weatherman Bill Harding is trying to get his tornado-hunter wife, Jo, to sign divorce papers so he can marry his girlfriend Melissa. But Mother Nature, in the form of a series of intense storms has other plans. Jo’s team is planning to launch revolutionary electronic sensors into the funnel of the tornado. They hope to obtain data to create an improved weather warning system. In order to get the sensors to work, the team must intercept the twister. Cast: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes. Rated PG-13

Wire in the Blood: The Complete Fifth Season
Clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill (Robson Green) must race against time to profile and track down vicious criminals before they strike next. Not Rated

Without a Trace: The Complete First Season
Without a Trace: The Complete Second Season
FBI agent Jack Malone and his dedicated team of The Missing Persons Unit are on the case. These investigators track down missing persons by using advanced profiling techniques. Cast: Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close.

New Releases on DVD – June 2008

Adrift in Manhattan
A beautiful and mysterious doctor crosses paths with a young photographer who has become infatuated with her, and a patient that’s going blind, on a New York subway. Cast: Heather Graham, Victor Rasuk, Dominic Chianese, Erika Michels, Marlene Forté, Elizabeth Peña, William Baldwin. Rated R

Awake
When failed anesthesia leaves a rich young tycoon alert but immobilized during open-heart surgery, he overhears a devious plot to have killed him. Cast: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Lena Olin, Arliss Howard, Terrence Howard. Rated R

Believe in Me
Coach Clay Driscoll is a small town basketball coach who seems to have everything going against him. A team he doesn’t want. A town that doesn’t support girl’s sports and small town politics that threaten to undermine any chance he has of winning. But his pride and his “girls” refuse to let him quit. Both the young women and their hard-headed coach fight for equality and a share of the dream, taking on the town prejudice and their own self-doubt. Based on the true story of Jim Keith and the Lady Cyclones. Cast: Jeffrey Donovan, Samantha Mathis, Bruce Dern, Bob Gunton, Heather Matarazzo. Based on the book Brief Garland by Harold Keith. Rated PG

Bella An international soccer star is on his way to sign a multimillion dollar contract when a series of events unfold that brings his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she’s unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down– until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience. Cast: Eduardo Verástegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Angelica Aragon, Jaime Tirelli, Ali Landry. Rated PG-13

The Bucket List
Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers have nothing in common, except they both have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. While sharing a hospital room together, they decide to make a Bucket List of all the things they have ever wanted to do before they die. Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow. Rated PG-13

Closure
Driving back from a posh party at a country estate, Alice and Adam find themselves brutally assaulted by a group of hunters. Physically and emotionally devasted by the attack, the tables suddenly turn when Alice and Adam discover the identity of their attackers. Now it’s time to exact the ultimate revenge. Cast: Gillian Anderson, Danny Dyer, Anthony Calf, Ralph Brown. Rated R

December Boys
In the late 1960s, four orphan boys go for a holiday by the sea on the South Australian coast. Since they share the same birth month, the orphanage calls them December boys. But these teens–Maps, Spit, Spark and Misty–have much more in common. With no hopes of ever joining a family, they form their own familial bonds. Then the unexpected news comes that a young couple may adopt one of them, and the long-time pals suddenly share something else: a rivalry to be the chosen one. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Lee Cormie, Christian Byers, James Fraser, Jack Thompson. Based on the novel by Michael Noonan. Rated PG-13

Dedication
Henry is a misanthropic, emotionally complex children’s book author who is forced to team up with a beautiful illustrator after his best friend and creative collaborator passes away. As Henry struggles with letting go of the ghosts of love and life, he discovers that sometimes you have to take a gamble at life to find love. Cast: Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, Tom Wilkinson, Bob Balaban, Dianne Wiest, Bobby Cannavale, Martin Freeman. Rated R

Final Season
In the small town of Norway, Iowa, the high school baseball team is led by legendary Coach Jim Van Scoyoc who has won 19 State Championships. But the small town heroes are dealt a series of unexpected blows that threaten to rob them of their 20th championship win. Talk of a school merger gets serious and Coach Scoyoc is fired. He is replaced by his 24-year-old assistant coach, Kent Stock. Failure seems inevitable. Based on the true story of Kent Stock. Cast: Sean Astin, Powers Boothe, Rachael Leigh Cook, James Gammon, Dayton Callie, Marshall Bell, Larry Miller, Danielle Savre, Brett Claywell, Angela Paton, Lucinda Jenney,Tom Arnold, Michael Angarano. Rated PG

First Sunday
Best friends and criminals Durell Washington and LeeJohn are two thieves who haven’t got a prayer. Sentenced to 5,000 hours of community service, Durell’s life quickly goes from bad to worse. Realizing that the Lord helps those who help themselves, he eventually decides to help himself to the neighborhood church’s building fund. Accompanied by LeeJohn, the two down-on-their-luck men are dismayed to discover the cash has already been stolen, so they hold the congregation hostage in a Hail Mary attempt to learn who amongst the righteous has already run away with their loot. Cast: Loretta Devine, Michael Beach, Keith David, Regina Hall, Malinda Williams, Ice Cube,Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan. Rated PG-13

Full of It
17-year-old Sam may be the new kid at school, but he’s got a sure-fire scheme to fast-track his popularity: he’s going to lie his butt off. Claiming to drive a Prosche, date a movie star and have a rock star for a dad, Sam soon finds himself loved by everyone. But when Sam’s outlandish fictions mysteriously turn into outrageous facts, he begins to discover that having all your dreams come true can turn into a total nightmare. Cast: Ryan Pinkston, Kate Mara, Craig Kilborn, John Carroll Lynch, Cynthia Stevenson, Teri Polo. Rated PG-13

Goya’s Ghosts
Told through the eyes of celebrated Spanish painter Francisco Goya. Set against political turmoil at the end of the Spanish Inquisition and start of the invasion of Spain by Napoleon’s army. Captures the essence and beauty of Goya’s work which is best known for both the colorful depictions of the royal court and its people, and his grim depictions of the brutality of war and life in 18th century Spain. When Goya’s beautiful muse is accused of being a heretic, the renowned painter must convince his old friend Lorenzo, a power-hungry monk and leader of the Spanish Inquisition, to spare her life. Cast: Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, Randy Quaid, Jose Luis Gomez, Michael Lonsdale. Rated R

Grace is Gone
Stanley Phillips is a sad, disconnected man unable to tell his young daughters that their mother, a soldier, has died in Iraq. Instead, he takes the girls on a road trip, where their innocent charm helps him rediscover a healing joy he thought he’d lost forever. Cast: John Cusack, Alessandro Nivola. Rated PG-13

The Hard Easy
Paul and Roger both owe a lot of money with no way to pay it back, and the clock is ticking. When they each get a chance to join a different gang of thieves for a heist that will square their debts, what choice do they possibly have? Cast: Henry Thomas, Vera Farmiga, David Boreanaz, Bruce Dern, Peter Weller, Nick Lachey, Elimu Nelson, Rae Allen, Michael Fairman, Gary Busey. Based on a story by Jon Lindstrom. Rated: R

He Was a Quiet Man
He seemed like such a nice guy. He pretty much kept to himself. An office worker inadvertently becomes a hero after he saves a woman’s life. Cast: Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert, William H. Macy, Sascha Knopf, John Gulager, Jamison Jones. Not rated.

I Could Never Be Your Woman
Rosie is an older, divorced professional who has had little luck in love. She finally finds a fitting companion in the form of Adam, a much younger man. As her relationship threatens to move beyond something simply physical, her teenage daughter, Izzie, begins to wonder if the strange tingling sensation that she feels when she is in the company of a handsome local boy could possibly be what adults refer to as ‘love.’ Of course anything is possible with Mother Nature up to her old mischief, and with higher powers at play there’s no telling what will come of these relationships. Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Jon Lovitz, Fred Willard, Saoirse Ronan, Tracey Ullman. Rated PG-13

I’m Not There
Six different characters recreate different stages in the career of Bob Dylan –with each emboding part of his legend: from Greenwich Village folk singer to electric guitar trailblazer to born-again preacher. Cast: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Charlotte Gainsbourg, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams. Rated R

In the Name of the King
When a bloodthirsty legion of half-man/half-beast Krugs rampages through his village, one man picks up a sword and undertakes a quest of vengeance and honor. Haunted by the memory of his son’s death and the kidnapping of his wife by the Krugs, Farmer ignites a duty-call for others to join his crusade to stop the campaign of terror waged by an evil sorcerer whose ruthless quest for the crown could spell doom for the entire Kingdom. Cast: Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Kristanna Loken, Matthew Lillard, Brian White, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds. Based on the Dungeon Siege game designed by Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games. Rated PG-13.

The Inner Life of Martin Frost
After working for three years on a novel, writer Martin Frost borrows the empty country house of friends for a long-needed rest. No sooner does he arrive, however, than an idea for a story comes to him. When he wakes the next morning, eager to begin his new tale, he is shocked to discover a young woman sleeping next to him in bed – the attractive, effervescent Claire. Presumably the niece of his hosts, she wittily overcomes Martin’s initial resistance to her and the two of them fall in love. But is Claire really the person she claims to be? Cast: David Thewlis, Irène Jacob, Michael Imperioli, Sophie Auster. Not Rated

Margot at the Wedding
When Margot and her son, Claude, come to attend the wedding of her sister, Pauline, it seems as if a family rift is being mended. Despite their best efforts, Margot and Pauline revert to their most dysfunctional selves. It does not help that Pauline’s fiancé is woefully depressed and Margot’s lover is as narcissistic as she is. Margot’s estranged husband can’t seem to recognize that Margot cringes at his every effort at reconciliation. Margot and Claude have both a loving and poisonous relationship and she begins to pull Claude down with her as she sinks in self-absorption. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro, Ciarán Hinds.
Rated R

Moving McAllister
Rick Robinson is a ladder-climbing law intern from Miami with four days until the bar exam. He ends up in a rundown truck headed to L.A. with his boss’s possessions and niece. Amidst hitch-hikers, breakdowns, and assorted local yokels, Rick finds love. Cast: Ben Gourley, Mila Kunis, Jon Heder, Rutger Hauer. Rated: PG13

Music Within
Based on the incredible true-life story of Richard Pimentel, deafened by a bomb blast in Vietnam, Richard returns home and discovers his life’s calling: helping others with disabilities, including his fellow veterans. Along with his best friend Art, a wheelchair-bound rebel with a wicked wit, Richard fights for the rights of those whose voices can’t always be heard. Cast: Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Michael Sheen, Yul Vazquez, Rebecca DeMornay, Hector Elizondo.
Rated R

Nancy Drew
Nancy is an iconic girl detective with a passion for mystery and all things old, but she is about to experience a serious case of culture shock as she heads to Hollywood on an extended business trip with her father, Carson Drew. Having promised him that she has given up sleuthing in favor of becoming a “normal” teenager, Nancy tries her best to resist the lure of the age-old mystery of famous actress Dehlia Draycott’s death, and living in Dehlia’s old mansion full of clues proves too powerful a force for Nancy to resist. Cast: Emma Roberts, Josh Flitter, Max Thieriot, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tate Donovan. Based on the books by Carolyn Keene. Rated PG

The Other Boleyn Girl
Anne Boleyn is a doe-eyed vixen who is ordered by her power-hungry uncle to bewitch King Henry VIII. Her shy sister Mary has always been in Anne’s shadow. Anne is prettier, more accomplished, and desired by many men. So when the King picks Mary as his mistress, Anne turns on her sister and schemes to become not only the King’s consort, but his new queen. Though the Boleyn girls’ mother points out that her ‘daughters are being traded like cattle for the advancement of men,’ it is Anne who ultimately throws her slight weight around to bully Henry into doing her bidding. Cast: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johnasson, Eric Bana, Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Morrissey. Based on the novel by Philippa Gregory.
Rated PG-13

Radiant City
A Canadian family struggles with existential despair, exacerbated by the drabness of their suburban locale in this faux-documentary. Not Rated

Right at Your Door
Multiple dirty bombs are detonated, spreading deadly toxic ash across Los Angeles. The city is under siege and martial law is in effect. Brad and Lexi struggle to survive with little supplies, limited time, and no information. Cast: Mary McCormack, Rory Cochrane. Rating: R

Romance and Cigarettes
From writer/director John Turturro and the Coen Brothers comes an off-beat, down and dirty musical. When Kitty discovers Nick is having an affair with the sultry seductress Tula, their rocky relationship gets a whole lot rockier. Nick finds himself facing a full-scale revolt from his daughters at home, and Kitty enlists her oddball cousin Bo to track down Tula. Deals with love and hate, life and death, and romance and cigarettes. Cast: James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Bobby Cannavale, Mandy Moore, Mary-Louise Parker, Aida Turturro, Christopher Walken. Rated R

September Dawn
As a wagon train of westward-bound settlers makes its way across southern Utah in 1857, a confrontation with a congregation of Mormons soon leads to deadly consequences for all involved. Based on the true story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Cast: Jon Voight, Trent Ford, Tamara Hope, Jon Gries, Taylor Handley, Huntley Ritter, Krisinda Cain, Shaun Johnston, Lolita Davidovich, Dean Cain, Terence Stamp. Rated R

Slipstream
Aging screenwriter, Felix Bonhoeffer, has lived h is life in two states of existence: reality and his own interior world. While working on a murder mystery screenplay, he becomes baffled as his characters start appearing in his life, and his life starts slipping into his characters. Soon, he is thrown into a vortex where dreams, time and reality collide in an increasingly whirling slipstream. Cast: Stella Arroyave, Michael Clarke Duncan, Fionnula Flanagan, Gavin Grazer, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Lawford, Bill Lucking, Camryn Manheim, Kevin McCarthy, S. Epatha Merkerson, Lisa Pepper, Christian Slater, Jeffrey Tambor, Aaron Tucker, John Turturro. Rated R

Southland Tales
This is an ensemble piece set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Box Santaros is an action star who’s stricken with amnesia. His life intertwines with Krysta Now, an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and Ronald Taverner, a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy. Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nora Dunn, Christopher Lambert, John Larroquette, Bai Ling, Jon Lovitz, Mandy Moore, Holmes Osborne, Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Lou Taylor Pucci, Miranda Richardson, Wallace Shawn, Kevin Smith, Justin Timberlake. Rated R

Suburban Girl
Moving from the suburbs to the glittering metropolis of New York City, Brett is a naive associate book editor embarking on her first big job. Overwhelmed by the demands of her new position, she meets literary star Archie Knox and begins to gain confidence as he introduces her to a glamorous new world. Torn between her old boyfriend, career aspirations and romance, will Brett realize her dreams in the big city? Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alec Baldwin, Maggie Grace, James Naughton, Chris Carmack. Adapted from “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing” by Melissa Bank. Rated PG-13

Sunshine
It is the year 2057, the sun is dying and mankind faces extinction. Earth’s last hope rests with a courageous crew of eight men and women on a mission to ignite the fading star with a massive nuclear weapon. Deep into their voyage, out of radio contact with Earth, their mission begins to unravel and they find themselves fighting not only for their lives, but for the future of us all.
Cast: Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, Cillian Murphy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh. Rated R

The Ten
No one will ever mistake Jeff Reigert for Moses, but like Moses, it is Jeff’s job to introduce the world to the Ten Commandments. However, Jeff is not exactly the picture of virtue. In fact, Jeff is surrounded by gigantic replicas of the famous stone tablets. He is so busy juggling his wife Gretchen and his girlfriend, that he can barely get through a single commandment without breaking one himself. Cast: Adam Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Rob Corddry, Famke Janssen, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Joe Lo Truglio, Oliver Platt, Winona Ryder, Ron Silver, Jessica Alba. Rated R

Tideland
After her mother dies from a heroin overdose, Jeliza-Rose is taken from the big city to live in a rural farmhouse with her father. She tries to settle into a new life in a house her father had purchased for his now-deceased mother. Jeliza-Rose’s attempts to deal with her life change, but the result is her increasingly odd behavior. Jeliza-Rose begins to communicate with her bodiless Barbie doll heads and Dell, a neighborhood woman who always wears a beekeeper’s veil. Cast: Jodelle Ferland, Brendan Fletcher, Janet McTeer, Jennifer Tilly, Jeff Bridges. Based on the novel by Mitch Cullin. Rated R

Trade
When 13-year-old Adriana is kidnapped by sex traffickers in Mexico, her 17-year-old brother, Jorge, sets off on a desperate mission to save her. As Jorge dodges overwhelming obstacles to track the girl’s abductors, he meets Ray, a Texas cop whose own family loss leads him to become an ally. Cast: Kevin Kline, Cesar Ramos, Alicja Bachleda, Paulina Gaitan. Rated R

Untraceable
Jennifer Marsh is an FBI secret service agent who gets caught up in a very personal and deadly cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer. The killer knows that people are drawn to the curious and the dark side of things. They will log onto an ‘untraceable’ website where the killer conducts violent and painful murders live on the internet. The more people who log on and enter the website, the quicker and more violently the victim dies. Cast: Diane Lane, Billy Burke, Colin Hanks, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt. Rated R

War
After his partner is brutally murdered by the infamous assassin Rogue, FBI agent Jack Crawford vows to find the elusive killer and personally avenge his partner’s death. But Crawford’s obsession with vengeance jeopardizes his professional judgment, and as the violence escalates, he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between two rival Asian gangs. Cast: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki, Luis Guzmán, Saul Rubinek, Ryo Ishibashi, Sung Kang, Mathew St. Patrick, Nadine Velazquez. Rated R

Why Did I Get Married
On vacation at a secluded cabin in the snowcapped mountains of Colorado, eight married college friends have gathered for their annual seven-day reunion. Over the weekend, when dirty laundry is aired, husbands and wives take an intimate look at their lives while struggling with issues of commitment, betrayal, and forgiveness as they seek a way forward. Cast: Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Denise Boutte. Rated PG-13

Youth without Youth
Romania is on the brink of war with Germany and linguistics professor Dominic Matei has little left to live for. On Easter Day 1938, he crosses the street and is struck by a bolt of lightning. Badly burned and nearly dead, he amazes the doctors by healing in only a short time. He defies science and ages in reverse from 70 to 40. There seems to be no limit to the wonder and love he can find in his new youth. He pursues lost dreams, endless knowledge and the secrets of life until his secret is discovered. Now he must use his increased intelligence to keep his powerful secret safe from the wicked powers that would use it for evil. Cast: Tim Roth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Bruno Ganz, André M. Hennicke. Based upon the writing of Mircea Eliade. RatedR

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

The Amazing Grace
John Newton is captain of a slave ship moored off the coast of Nigeria. He stands at a crossroads in his life, his morality and religion at odds with the brutality of his chosen profession. Stepping ashore, he starts on a journey of redemption that will end in tragedy but prove the catalyst for greater achievements. A local anthem sung in adversity by the slaves whom he captures punctuates the film. It will be the inspiration for Newton’s redemption and, years later, for his writing of the world’s most enduring hymn, “Amazing Grace.” Cast: Nick Moran, Scott Cleverdon, Mbong Odungide, Fred Amata, Joke Silva, James Hicks. Not Rated

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume One
Join the amazing journeys of young Indy as he crosses paths with Picasso, Freud, Edison and other larger-than-life luminaries on his travels around the world. Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, George Hall, Corey Carrier, Margaret Tyzack, Ruth De Sosa, Lloyd Owen, Kevin McNally. Originally broadcast on television from 1992-1996.

Bones: Season One
An FBI agent teams up with a forensic anthropologist to solve some of the most baffling and bizarre crimes. Cast: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel. Originally broadcast on television during the 2005-2006 season.

The Company
Depicts the global power struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, told from the viewpoint of CIA and KGB spies. Spans four decades, from the dawn of the Cold War in the 1950s to the downfall of the Soviet Union in the ’90s. Trace the activities of the CIA’s underground fight with the KGB and where three CIA agents must find out the moles in their own ranks before every operation in an unrelenting battle within the organization itself. Cast: Chris O’Donnell, Alfred Molina, Michael Keaton, Ted Atherton, Alessandro Nivola, Rory Cochrane, Tom Hollander. Based on the book by Robert Littell. Not rated.

The Company
Company is a funny, sophisticated exploration of love and commitment as seen through the eyes of a charming perpetual bachelor questioning his single state and his enthusiastically married, slightly envious friends. Winner of the 2007 Tony Award. Cast: Raúl Esparza, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Angel Desai, Elizabeth Stanley, Matt Castle, Amy Justman, Fred Rose, Leenya Rideout, Keith Buterbaugh, Kristin Huffman. Not Rated

Cranford
Cranford, in 1842, is a market town in northwest England. It is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules. For spinsters Deborah Jenkyns, the arbiter of correctness, and Matty, her dumurring sister, the town is a hub of intrigue. Handsome new doctor Frank Harrison has arrived from London; a retired Captain and his daughters move in across the street and preparations for Lady Ludlows garden party are underway. The town has some secrets which are about to be revealed. But news comes that shakes the town, a railway line from Manchester is coming to Cranford. Cast: Simon Woods, Judi Dench, Lisa Dillon, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Rosy Byrne, Alex Etel, Kimberley Nixon. Based on the novels by Elizabeth Gaskells. Originally broadcast on BBC television in 2007. Not rated.

Criminal Minds: The Second Season
Jason Gideon is the head of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and mentor to an elite team of profilers, including family man Aaron Hotchner, sex-crimes expert Elle Greenaway, hunky Derek Morgan, genius-geek Dr. Spencer Reid, department liaison “JJ” Jareau, and computer whiz Penelope Garcia. Joining them this season is Emily Prentiss who quickly learns there’s nothing these agents would rather do than profile murderers and put them away. Cast: Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Lola Glaudini, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, A.J. Cook. Originally broadcast on television during the 2006-2007 season.

Emperor of the North
A cruel railroad agent makes it his personal mission to rid the world of hobos out for a free ride. But a legendary, tough-as-nails hobo vows to ride the agent’s train to its destination and survive. Cast: Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine. Originally released as a motion picture in 1973. Rated PG

Entourage: Season Three, Part 2
For Vince, Eric, Drama and Turtle, life in Hollywood’s fast lane isn’t without its road bumps, as we learned when a botched deal cost Ari, Vince’s longtime agent, his job. Will change at the top make the difference in getting Vince his dream picture, or will the boys regret giving Ari the ax?
Cast: Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Debi Mazar, Jeremy Piven.
TV-MA.

Ghost Whisperer: The First Season
Ever since she was a young girl, Melinda Gordon has been able to see and talk to dead people. Earth-bound spirits who have yet to cross over to the other side seek her help in communicating and resolving unfinished business with the living. Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Aisha Tyler. Originally broadcast on CBS television during the 2005-2006 season. Not rated.

Ghost Whisperer: The Second Season
Melinda Gordon has the ability to communicate with the earthbound spirits of people who have died, providing deeply moving and important closure for them and their loved ones. This season, Melinda and her husband, Jim Clancy, are joined by new friend and employee Delia Banks, as Melinda battles a dark force taking over her beloved town of Grandview. Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim. Originally broadcast on television during the 2006-2007 season. Not rated.

How I Met Your Mother: Season One
How I Met Your Mother: Season Two
Told in a series of flashbacks, this television series is the hilariously unpredictable story of how twenty-something Ted meets his soul mate and says goodbye to the singles world of pick-up lines, one night stands and relationship “deal-breakers.” Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris.

Justice League: Season Two
The seven superheroes of the Justice League unite to fight evil across the galaxy, but when one of their own commits the ultimate betrayal, it could be the end of the Justice League and Earth forever. Originally broadcast on television during the 2002-2003 season. Not Rated

Medium: The Second Season
Allison Dubois works in the Phoenix District Attorney’s office. She uses her psychic abilities to help crack criminal cases. Her dreams often give her clues to the whereabouts of missing people and by touching someone she often gets to see beneath the facade into the person’s soul. Allison juggles her job with her role as wife and mother, including a daughter who seems to be developing similar powers. Cast: Patricia Arquette, Jake Weber, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassilieva, Maria Lark, David Cubitt. Inspired by the real-life story of medium Allison DeBois. Originally broadcast on NBC television during the 2005-2006 season. Not rated.

My Boy Jack
It’s 1914 and the British Empire’s greatest supporter, Rudyard Kipling, is at the peak of his literary fame. Kipling’s son, Jack, is determined to play his part in the immiment war with Germany but finds himself rejected due to his poor eyesight. Kipling uses his influence to land Jack a commission in the Irish Guards. Kipling’s wife, Caroline, is bitterly upset, failing to see the glory in losing her only son to the war. How will the great writer, torn between his two greatest passions–devotion to King and Country and love for his family–justify the consequences of his actions to himself and his wife? Cast: David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Carey Mulligan, Julian Wadham, Martin McCann, Kim Cattrall. Originally broadcast as a made-for-TV movie in 2007. Not Rated

My Left Foot
Born with cerebral palsy, Christy Brown learned to paint and write with his only controllable limb, his left foot. Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Ray McAnally, Brenda Fricker, Fiona Shaw, Adrian Dunbar, Ruth McCabe, Cyril Cusack. Originally released as a motion picture in 1989. Based on the novel My Left Foot by Christy Brown. Rated R

The Odessa File
In 1963, in Hamburg, Germany, a diary falls into the hands of freelance newspaperman Peter Miller. The diary documents the unspeakable crimes perpetrated by SS Captain Eduard Roschmann, commandant of the notorious wartime deathcamp at Riga, Latvia. Miller’s personal manhunt to track down Roschmann leads him into the very heart of ODESSA, a powerful secret organization formed by the SS to protect and re-establish its fugitive members throughout the world. Cast: Jon Voight, Mary Tamm, Maria Schell, Maximilian Schell, Derek Jacobi. Based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth. Originally released as a motion picture in 1974. Rated PG

The Other Boleyn Girl
The little-known story of Mary Boleyn who was mistress to King Henry VIII before he married her older sister, Anne. Families at the Court jockey for position, using their daughters as pawns in the game. Set during one of the most notorious periods in British regal history. A story of a rival relationship between the two sisters. Cast: Natascha McElhone, Jodhi May, Jared Harris, Steven Mackintosh, Philip Glenister, Jack Shepherd. Based on the novel by Philippa Gregory. Originally broadcast on BBC television in 2003. Not rated.

Project Runway: The Complete First Season
Starring international supermodel Heidi Klum, this series follows a group of young fashion designers competing with each other to make it in the high-stakes world of fashion. Originally broadcast on television in 2004. Hosted by Heidi Klum. Rated TV 14.

The Seven-Ups
Follows a rogue squad of New York City cops, who name themselves after the minimum sentence of their targeted street hoods. Often as violent as the vicious thugs they pursue, these cops will stop at nothing to get justice in the courts–but more often–in the streets. Cast: Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Larry Haines, Richard Lynch. Originally released as a motion picture in 1973. Rated PG.

Supernatural: Season One
The premise is deceptively simple: brothers Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) travel the darker corners of the American landscape in search of their father, who’s gone missing while hunting the malevolent forces that lead to the death of their mother. In the course of their search, the siblings encounter a host of otherworldly creatures, including vampires, ghosts, and witches, as well as the urban-legend favorites, monsters from Native American mythology, and fearful figures from children’s games.

The Train
As the Germans retreat from France in 1944, they determine to take an art museum’s masterpieces with them. The French Resistance persuades a railway inspector to try to save the train’s precious cargo. Cast: Burt Lancaster. Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, Michel Simon, Wolfgang Preiss. Originally released as a motion picture in 1965. Not Rated

Wire in the Blood: The Complete Fourth Season
Dr. Tony Hill is a clinical psychiatrist whose extraordinary understanding of the criminal mind has been an invaluable asset to the police. Working alongside Bradfield’s new detective inspector, Alex Fielding, Tony profiles and tracks down vicious killers in Northern England. Cast: Robson Green, Simone Lahbib, Mark Letheren, Emma Handy, Peter Sullivan. Not rated; contains graphic violence.

Foreign Language Films – June 2008

Fiorile
The Benedetti family has been haunted by a curse for generations. On a long drive to visit their reclusive grandfather in Tuscany, Luigi Benedetti tells his children the mysterious story of their ancestors. It is a tragic tale filled with forbidden love, passion, vengeance and betrayal. In Italian, with English subtitles. Cast: Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi, Michael Vartan, Lino Capolicchio, Constanze Engelbrecht, Athina Cenci, Giovanni Giudelli, Norma Martelli, Pier Paolo Capponi, Chiara Caselli, Renato Carpentieri. Originally released as a motion picture in 1993.
Rated: PG-13

Lust, Caution
Set against the backdrop of Japanese occupied Shanghai in 1942, a young woman finds herself swept up in a radical plot to assassinate a ruthless and secretive intelligence agent. As she immerses herself in her role as a cosmopolitan seductress, she becomes entangled in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue, love and betrayal. In Mandarin, English subtitles. Cast: Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Joan Chen, Wang Leehom.Based on the short story Se, jie by Eileen Chang. Rated R

Vitus
At six, Vitus is both incredibly talented and wonderfully precocious. When it becomes evident that he has an exceptionally high IQ and can play piano like a young Mozart, expectations run high. His parents love him, his grandfather understands him, but no one knows the truth – that his real genius is in his heart. In German (Swiss); with optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles. Cast: Teo Gheorghiu, Bruno Ganz, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker, Fabrizio Borsani, Eleni Haupt, Tamara Scarpellini, Norbert Schwientek, Daniel Rohr, Heidy Forster, Kristina Lykowa.
Rated PG

New Releases on DVD – May 2008

Eagle vs Shark
When Lily, an oddball fast-food waitress and hopeless romantic, and Jarrod, another forsaken eccentric, connect at a ‘dress as your favorite animal’ party, it’s a match seemingly made in outcast heaven. Cast: Loren Horsley, Jemaine Clement, Brian Sergent, Rachel House, Craig Hall.
MPAA Rating: R.

The Golden Compass
In a wondrous parallel world where witches soar the skies and Ice Bears rule the frozen North, one special girl is destined to hold the fate of the universe in her hands. When Lyra Belacqua becomes the keeper of the Golden Compass, she discovers that her world and all those beyond are threatened by the secret plans of Mrs Coulter. With the help of Lord Asriel and a group of unlikely allies ready to stand at her side, Lyra embarks on an extraordinary quest that celebrates friendship and courage against all odds. Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliott, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Freddie Highmore, Kathy Bates, Kristin Scott Thomas, Daniel Craig. Based on the book “Northern lights” by Philip Pullman. Rated PG-13.

Good Luck Chuck
In order to keep the woman of his dreams from falling for another guy, Charlie Logan has to break the curse that has made him wildly popular with single women: Sleep with Charlie once, and the next man you meet will be your true love. Cast: Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler.
Rated R

The Great Debaters
Inspired by a true story, Melvin B. Tolson is a brilliant but politically radical debate team coach who uses the power of words to transform a group of underdog African American college students into an historical powerhouse that took on the Harvard elite. Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, John Heard, Kimberly Elise. Rated PG-13

The Invasion
Something terrifying has come to Earth, something that attacks us while we sleep and turns us into soulless replicants. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jeffrey Wright. Based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. Rated PG-13

Love in the Time of Cholera
Florentino is a poetry-writing telegraph operator who lives in a Central American city. He spots the graceful Fermina while making his rounds, and finds himself in love. While Florentino’s mother encourages the courtship, Fermina’s father absolutely forbids it. Years pass, and the well-born Dr. Urbino treats Fermina for a case of cholera. When Urbino proposes, Fermina accepts. A distraught Florentino decides to wait. With the help of his uncle, he amasses wealth of his own. All the while, he drifts from woman to woman, never really finding what he is looking for in a woman. After five decades of waiting, he gets a second chance to win Fermina’s heart. Cast: Javier Bardem, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Benjamin Bratt, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Hector Elizondo, Liev Schreiber, Fernanda Montenegro, Laura Harring, John Leguizamo. Based on the novel by Gabriel García Marquez. Rated R

Mad Money
Bridget is a stay-at-home wife whose life as she knows it ends when her husband loses his cushy, high-paying job. Her college degree in literature does not help her find a substantial job, so she accepts a janitorial position at the Federal Reserve. There, she meets Nina and Jackie, who could use some spare scratch as well. Suddenly, it dawns on Bridget that the bank has plenty of what they need – money. The plan is to take the old bills that are headed for the shredder and recycle them back into the economy by spending it. Cast: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, Stephen Root, Christopher McDonald, Adam Rothenberg. Rated PG-13

National Treasure Book of Secrets
When a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth surfaces, Ben Gates’ great-great grandfather is suddenly implicated as a key conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In order to find a clue so that he can clear his family’s name, Ben must kidnap the President of the United States. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Bruce Greenwood, Helen Mirren.v Rated PG

Over Her Dead Body
When Kate is killed by an ice sculpture on her wedding day, her fiancé Henry gives up on romance until he falls for the beautiful psychic who’s supposed to be helping him move on. But Kate is not having any of it, and now she’s making it her heavenly duty to send their budding relationship six-feet-under. Cast: Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd, Lake Bell, Lindsay Sloane, Jason Biggs. Rated PG-13

P.S. I Love You
Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart and married to the love of her life – a passionate, funny, and impetuous Irishman named Gerry. So when his life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry, so it’s a good thing he planned ahead. Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief, but in rediscovering herself. The first message arrives on Holly’s 30th birthday in the form of a cake and a tape recording from Gerry. In the weeks and months that follow, more letters from Gerry are delivered in surprising ways, each sending her on a new adventure and each signing off in the same way – P.S. I Love You. Holly’s mother and best friends begin to worry that Gerry’s letters are keeping Holly tied to the past, but in fact, each letter is pushing her further into a new future. Cast: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., Gina Gershon, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kathy Bates. Based on the novel by Cecelia Ahern. Rated PG-13

Reservation Road
Two fathers are forced to live with the same tragedy in two very different ways after an incident that involves them both on the same road. Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino. Rated R

27 Dresses
Jane is a romantic, completely selfless woman who’s been a happy, helpful bridesmaid no less than 27 times. But her own fairy-tale wedding seems to be nowhere in sight, until younger sister Tess captures the heart of Jane’s boss with whom she’s secretly in love. This inspires Jane to change her “always a bridesmaid” destiny. Cast: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Judy Greer, Edward Burns. MPAA rating: PG-13.

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

The Boys from Brazil
A band of Nazi leaders, escaped from postwar Germany, scheme to return to power. Their plans to dominate the world are based on a bizarre biological experiment undertaken by Josef Mengele, to clone Hitler. Cast: Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Lilli Palmer, Steve Guttenberg. Originally released as a motion picture in 1978. Based on the novel by Ira Levin. Rated R.

The Conversation
A provoking mystery-suspense drama explores the morality of privacy in the story of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert, who conducts a routine surveillance job only to later find himself suspicious that he has become an unwitting player in murder scheme. Originally released as a motion picture in 1974. Cast: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest, Robert Duvall.

The Counterfeit Traitor
An American businessman turned Swedish oil-trader finds his life and fortunes held hostage when he’s blackmailed by British agents and forced into the perilous arena of WWII espionage. Cast: William Holden, Lilli Palmer, Hugh Griffith. Originally released as a motion picture in 1962.
Based on the book by Alexander Klein. Not rated.

The Day of the Jackal
Story of a cold, suave British assassin hired by the French OAS to kill General Charles de Gaulle. Nameless and faceless, the killer, known by the code name of Jackal, relentlessly moves toward the date with death that would rock the world. The tension mounts as the methodical preparations of the Jackal are paralleled with the efforts of the police to uncover the plot, which gives the story non-stop, edge-of-your-seat suspense. Cast: Edward Fox, Alan Badel, Tony Britton, Cyril Cusack, Michel Lonsdale, Eric Porter, Delhpine Seyrig. DVD release of the 1973 motion picture. Based on the book by Frederick Forsyth. Rated PG.

Eye of the Needle
While attempting to complete a crucial mission during WWII, a ruthless German spy is shipwrecked on a deserted Scottish island and befriended by a lonely woman. Cast: Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Ian Bannen, Christopher Cazenove. Based on the novel by Ken Follett. Rated R.

Five Days
After Leanne and her children vanish into thin air, her husband and family soon learn that nobody is what they seem. Cast: Nikki Amuka-Bird, Hugh Bonneville, Charlie Creed-Miles, Lucinda Dryzek, Rory Kinnear, Patrick Malahide, Janet McTeer, David Oyelowo, Sarah Smart, Penelope Wilton, Edward Woodward. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2007. Rated TV-MA

Love’s Unfolding Dream
Missie’s adopted daughter Belinda is determined to become a doctor, but despite her dedication and ability, Doc Jackson believes women should stay at home– and so does Belinda’s suitor, Drew Simpson. But with faith and hard work, Belinda begins winning the hearts and minds of everyone around her, including a wealthy dowager, who just might help make Belinda’s dreams come true. Cast: Erin Cottrell, Dale Midkiff, Scout Taylor-Compton, Robert Pine, Patrick Levis, Nancy Linehan Charles, Samantha Smith. Based on the novel by Janette Oke. Originally broadcast as a made-for-TV movie in 2007. Not Rated

Man Who Never Was
Account of wartime espionage based on the true story of an intelligence operation designed to mislead the Nazis prior to the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily. Cast: Clifton Webb, Gloria Grahame. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1955. From the book by Ewen Montagu. Not rated.

Marathon Man
Story of a graduate student and marathon runner unwittingly trapped in a terrifying drama revolving around a murderous Nazi fugitive. Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider, William Devane, Marthe Keller. DVD release of the 1976 motion picture. Rated R.

The Omega Man
Biological warfare has decimated the world’s population. Los Angeles is a windswept, debris-strewn ghost town. There, Robert Neville tools his convertible through the sunny streets, pillaging deserted department stores to survive. And making damn sure he gets undercover before sundown, when the other ‘survivors’ emerge. Based on the novel “I am Legend” by Richard Matheson. Cast: Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash. Rated PG.

The Three Days of Condor
A CIA agent who is on the run from a mass slaughter in his research office suddenly finds himself the target of both his employers and the unknown killers of his associates. Based on the novel “Six days of the Condor” by James Grady. CastRobert Redford, Cliff Robertson, Faye Dunaway, Max von Sydow. Rated R.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Some say George Smiley is in innocent retirement. Others say he was sacked after the Czech scandal. But all agree that nobody ever leaves the ‘Circus’ without some unfinished business. Brought out of retirement to trace an enemy infiltrator in the department where he was once the prize employee, the shy and retiring master of espionage moves forwards to investigate and finds himself going backwards over very old ground … Cast: Alec Guinness, Ian Bannen, Bernard Hepton, Terence Rigby, Michael Jayston, Hywel Bennett and Anthony Bate. Based on the novel by John Le Carre. Not rated.

Touch of Frost Season 13
Detective Jack Frost is called to investigate when a couple return from holiday to find the body of a complete stranger in their bed. He also becomes involved in a murder inquiry and uncovers a crime ring involved in the importing of endangered species and illegal animal goods. Cast: David Jason, Bruce Alexander. Not rated.

Foreign Language Films – May 2008

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The inspiring true story about the French editor of Elle magazine, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who, in 1995 at the age of 43, suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body, except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently described the aspects of his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body to his imagined stories from lands he’d only visited in his mind. In French, English and Spanish; with optional English, French and Spanish subtitles. Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup, Olatz López Garmendia, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hands, Max von Sydow. Rated PG-13.

New Releases on DVD – April 2008

Alvin and the Chipmunks
Struggling songwriter Dave Seville opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks named Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. When they become overnight music sensations, a greedy record producer tries to exploit the ‘boys’ and send them on a grueling concert tour just to line his own pockets. Now Dave must use a little human ingenuity and a lot of ‘munk mischief to get his furry family back before it’s too late! Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson. Voices: Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney. MPAA rating: PG

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Andy, is an overextended payroll executive who lures his younger brother, Hank, into a larcenous scheme to rob a suburban mom-and-pop jewelry store that appears to be an easy target. The problem is, the store owners are Andy and Hank’s real mom and pop, and the seemingly perfect crime goes awry. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney, Brian F. O’Byrne, Rosemary Harris. MPAA rating: R

Charlie Wilson’s War
Based on the true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson during the early 1980s, this tells how a congressman who loved a good time, one Houston socialite who loved a good cause and one renegade CIA agent who loved a good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in history. Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty. Based on the book by George Crile. MPAA rating: R

Cloverfield
Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Cast: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman. Rated PG-13

Juno
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child. Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons. MPAA rating: PG-13.

Lars and the Real Girl
Lars is a sweet but shy guy who has a hard time talking with his family, coworkers, and neighbors. Although his family fears the worst when Lars brings home a life-sized companion doll who he thinks is a real girlfriend, named Bianca, a doctor encourages them to play along with him so that he can work through his delusions. The whole community rallies to his support, and Lars begins to deal with all of his emotions. He even begins to develop feelings for Margo, an attractive co-worker, in what becomes “a hilariously unique love triangle.” Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson. Rated PG-13

Lions for Lambs
Injuries sustained by two Army rangers behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist, and a professor. Cast: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Michael Peña, Andrew Garfield, Peter Berg, Derek Luke. Rated R

Mist
When Dave Drayton notices a strange mist on the lake, he does not think much of it. Later, when his son, Billy, his neighbor Brent Norton, and he travel to the grocery store, strange things begin to happen. On their way to the market, they see the army, the local firefighters, and the police heading toward the mist. When he sees this, Brent mentions something about “Project Arrowhead,” a secret military plan that no one knows about. When an elderly man runs into the market with a bloody nose, declaring that something is in the mist, the store immediately becomes besieged by otherworldly creatures which the shoppers and employees must battle. Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones. Based on the novella by Stephen King. MPAA rating: R

Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy
Mist is one of three pups born at Borough Farm. From the moment that she opens her eyes, her dream is to become a real sheepdog. But things are not as easy as she might have hoped. Training with the boss is confusing, and then there’s a bunch of gruff and gumpy rams to deal with, and an auntie who may not always have her best interests at heart. Mist will need to learn her craft and prove herself worthy of a place on the team sheepdogs at the farm. Originally broadcast as a television motion picture in 2006. AudienceTV-G.

Resurrecting the Champ
Erik Kernan is an up-and-coming sports reporter who rescues a homeless man only to discover that he is, in fact, a boxing legend believed to have passed away. What begins as an opportunity to resurrect the Champ’s story and escape the shadow of his father’s success becomes a personal journey as the ambitious reporter reexamines his own life and his relationship with his family. Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, John Hartnett, Kathryn Morris, Alan Alda, Rachel Nichols, David Paymer; Teri Hatcher. Based on the story written by J.R. Moehringer. Rated PG-13

Rocket Science
The story follows the life of fifteen year-old Hal Hefner(Reese Daniel Thompson), an awkward teenager with a stutter who wants to rise from obscurity and become an unlikely hero of his high school. He sees his chance when the fast-talking star of the debate team convinces him that he’s got the raw talent to succeed at public speaking. MPAA rating: R

Savages
Jon and Wendy Savage are two siblings who have spent their adult years trying to recover from the abuse of their abusive father, Lenny Savage. When their father’s girlfriend suddenly dies, they feel obliged to take care of him. Now together, brother and sister must come to terms with the new and painful responsibilities with their father. The siblings are forced to face the struggle with their now personal demons. Cast: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco.
Rated R.

Stargate the Ark of Truth
SG-1 searches for an ancient weapon which could help them defeat the Ori, and discover it may be in the Ori’s own home galaxy. As the Ori prepare to send ships through to the Milky Way to attack Earth, on board the Odyssey, SG-1 travels to the Ori galaxy. The International Oversight Committee has their own plans and SG-1 finds themselves in a distant galaxy fighting two powerful enemies. Cast: Ben Browder, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black, Beau Bridges, Spencer Maybee, Martin Christopher. Not Rated.

There Will Be Blood
Self-made oilman Daniel Plainview, whose voracious appetite for oil turns him into a California tycoon in the early years of the 20th century must face challenges not only from his son, but also a preacher as ambitious as himself and the oil fields themselves. Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O’Connor, Ciarán Hinds, Dillon Freasier. Based on the novel “Oil” by Upton Sinclair. Rated R

Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story
The up-and-down and then up-again story of musician Dewey Cox. Dewey’s songs would change a nation. On his rock ‘n roll spiral, Dewey sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 step-kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp. He becomes addicted to and then kicks about every drug known to man. Despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman, his longtime backup singer Darlene. Cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, Kristen Wiig. Rated R.

The Waterhorse
Present day Scotland. Angus discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Celtic mythology. The creature befriends Angus and will eventually be known as the Loch Ness Monster. Trying to hide the dinosaur-like creature, nicknamed Crusoe, Angus enlists Lewis to transfer it to the lake, where boy and serpent have extraordinary adventures together until human stupidity threatens Crusoe’s existence. Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian Cox. Based on the book The water horse by Dick King-Smith. PG

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

Forces of Nature
Ben has only two days to get from New York to Georgia for his wedding, but the forces of nature, and a free-spirited traveler, are working against him. Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Maura Tierney, Steve Zahn, Blythe Danner, Ronny Cox. Rated PG-13.

Miss Austen Regrets
Austen fans will be delighted with the second disc in the new Sense & Sensibility set: Miss Austen Regrets is a perfect companion to the miniseries, starring Olivia Williams stars as the author, and Greta Scacchi–who could easily pass as Williams’ real-life sibling–as Austen’s sister Cassandra. The film takes a bittersweet look at Austen’s life and hints at what could have been had she married one of her suitors. Smart and headstrong, Austen refuses to cave into society’s notions of what a proper woman should do. While her famous heroines all paired up with dashing gentlemen, Austen found that the loves of her life were her written creations.

Murder Must Advertise
It looks like a tragic accident when Victor Dean falls down the spiral staircase at Pym’s Publicity Ltd. His replacement, Lord Peter Wimsey (Ian Carmichael), sets out to find the truth which leads him to a drug ring operating through someone at the agency. DVD release of the original 1973 BBC television drams seen on PBS’ Masterpiece Theatre. Based on the novel by Dorothy Sayers.

Sense & Sensibility
Masterpiece Theatre & the BBC produced this new 3-part adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel about love and marriage. Cast: David Morrissey, Janet McTeer, Hattie Morahan, Charity Wakefield, Dan Stevens, Dominic Cooper, Mark Williams, Claire Skinner, Anna Madeley, Daisy Haggard.

Smiley’s People
The bespectacled spymaster is once more called from retirement to come to the aid of the ‘Circus’–and he returns with a vengeance. The murder of an emigre Soviet General who was also a British agent, sends him digging into the past on a twisted trail across Europe that moves, inexorably, towards a final showdown with his old adversary, Karla of Moscow Center. Cast: Alec Guinness as George Smiley, with Eileen Atkins, Anthony Bate, Bernard Hepton, Michael Lonsdale, Beryl Reid, Patrick Stewart, and Bill Paterson. Based on the novel by John Le Carré ; sequel to his Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Produced by BBC television in 1994