New DVDs: TV Series and Feature Length Films – May 2009

Affairs of the Heart

Romantic tales from the late Victorian high society of love and loss. These unfold from the country houses of England to the drawing rooms of New York, from the palazzos of Venice to the art studios of London. Scoundrels and schemers collide with ingénues and admirers in the terribly intricate affairs of the heart. Cast: Lynn Farleigh, Anna Calder-Marshall, Margaret Tyzack, Diana Rigg, Rosalind Ayres, Gayle Hunnicutt, Pamela Brown, Faith Brook, Anton Rodgers. Based on works by Henry James. (1974) Not Rated

Bernadette

In February of 1858, at the Massabielle grotto, 14-year old Bernadette, sees a light she later distinguishes as a beautiful young woman. The girl converses with the woman over the next few months. Crowds follow her and people are cured by the waters from a spring Bernadette has cleared. Secular authorities are threatened by the popular gatherings and subject the girl to police inquiry and medical review.  Cast: Sydney Penny, Roland Lesaffre and Michele Simonnet. Shot on location in France, this is the film that was chosen to be shown daily at the shrine in Lourdes. Not Rated

Berkeley Square

Three young nannies grow to be close friends as they manage the unpredictable road to love and happiness in the posh world of turn-of-the-century, upper-crust London. Cast: Clare Wilkie, Victoria Smurfit, Tabitha Wady. A BBC-TV production. (1998) Not Rated

Big Love: The Complete First Season

A polygamist and independent businessman lives in Salt Lake CIty with his three wives and seven children. He faces many challenges in meeting the emotional, romantic, and financial needs of his wives. Cast: Bill Paxton, Bruce Dern, Chloe Sevigny, Harry Dean Stanton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ginnifer Goodwin. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2006. Rating: TV-MA.

Big Love: The Complete Second Season

Season two finds the modern-day polygamist Bill Henrickson and his three wives struggling to pick up the pieces after first wife Barb’s outing at the Beehive Mother of the Year Ceremony. Second wife Nicki, learning that it was her father, Roman Grant, Prophet of the Fundamentalist Juniper Creek compound, who betrayed them, battles conflicting family loyalties. And third wife Margene, newly pregnant, fights for a bigger piece of the family pie with an eye toward bringing a new wife and confidante into the fold. Cast: Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin, Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, Shawn Doyle, Melora Walters, Joel McKinnon Miller, Daveigh Chase, Jolean Wejbe, Grace Zabriskie, Matt Ross, Harry Dean Stanton. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2007.  Rating: TV-MA.

Brown Is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream

This PBS film examining how efforts to profit from Hispanic American culture have contributed to the shaping of its contemporary identity. The documentary’s focal point is comedian George Lopez, an icon and advocate for Hispanic Americans’ move into the mainstream. Features conversations with members of the Hispanic American youth market. Also includes interviews with Lopez and other Hispanic Americans. Not Rated

City Lights

A tramp wins the love of a blind flower girl and attempts to obtain money from a millionaire to help her regain her sight. Cast: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers, Allan Garcia, Hank Mann. Originally released as a motion picture in 1931. Rated G

Crazy Mama

A celebration of ’50s America, following three women and the men they pick up on an absurd crime spree. Cast: Cloris Leachman, Stuart Whitman, Ann Sothern, Jim Backus, Tisha Sterling, Donny Most, Linda Purl, Bryan Englund, Merie Earle. (1975) Rated PG

Down from the Mountain

A documentary about the musical artists who performed the songs in the Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Performers include: The Cox family, Fairfield four, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Chris Thomas King, Alison Krauss, David Rawlings, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley, The Whites. (2000) Rated G

Ellis Island

In this History Channel documentary narrated by Mandy Patinkin, immigrants of every ethnic background recall their extraordinary adventures, historians explore the sometimes insensitive national policies, and the Ellis Island Oral History Project reveals what the immigration experience was actually like. Features rare photographs and film. Not Rated

Heroes: Season Two

Season Two finds Hiro (Masi Oka) transported to 17th-century Japan and surrounded by samurai warriors — just in time for a solar eclipse. Can he fight his way back to the 21st century? Cast: Hayden Panettiere, Jack Coleman, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Masi Oka, James Kyson Lee, Milo Ventimiglia, Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto. Originally broadcast by NBC during the 2007 season. Not Rated.

Hill Street Blues: The Complete First Season

Follow the lives of cops at an urban police station, from the traffic cops to the police chief himself, as they hit the streets of the city. Originally broadcast on television during the Winter 1981 season. Cast: Daniel J. Travanti, Barbara Babcock, Taurean Blacque, Michael Clohessy, Jon Cypher, Charles Haid, Veronica Hamel, Mimi Kuzyk, Kiel Martin, Michael Conrad, Robert Hirschfeld, Barbara Bosson. Not rated.

Hill Street Blues: The Complete Second Season

A very realistic view into the lives of the dedicated cops and detectives of an urban police station. Originally broadcast on television during the 1981-1982 season. Created by Steven Bochco. Cast Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Bruce Weitz, Charles Haid, Betty Thomas, James Sikking. Not rated.

How I Met Your Mother: Season Three

Thirty-year-old Ted is still looking for Miss Right, but his road to domestic bliss is improbably paved with punk rock girls, tattoos, adult video expos and an epic St. Patrick’s Day bender. Meanwhile, as Marshall and Lily adjust to the quirks of married life, the outrageously incorrigible Barney commits a major violation of “The Bro Code.” Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris, Cobie Smulders. Originally broadcast on television during the 2007-2008 season.  TV rating: G

In Treatment

Paul is a therapist who exhibits great insight and confidence when treating his patients. But Paul suffers crippling insecurities and is counseled by his own therapist, Gina. Adding to his list of growing concerns, his wife, Kate, who is overcome with feelings of neglect and resents competing for his attention. Paul’s patients undergoing treatment include: a young doctor who is in love with Paul; a Navy pilot who is reevaluating his life after a failed mission in Iraq; a teenage gymnast with suicidal tendencies; and a passionate couple who are troubled in all other areas of their lives. Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Forbes, Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, John Charles, Embeth Davidtz. Originally broadcast on HBO in 2008. TV-MA

The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice

On a deadly mission to recover the historic Judas Chalice, Flynn is saved by—and falls in love with—Simone, a dazzling French woman who harbors a terrifying secret. Cast: Noah Wyle, Bruce Davison, Stana Katic, Jane Curtin, Bob Newhart.  Based on characters created by David Titcher. Not Rated

Lion of the Desert

In the war waged by Bedouin patriots to combat Benito Mussolini’s Italian colonization in Libya, Omar Mukhtar, the Bedouin resistance guerrilla leader, has committed himself to a war that cannot be won in his lifetime. Cast: Oliver Reed, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, Irene Papas. (1979) Rated PG

Master of the Game

Sydney Sheldon’s lavish international saga spans a century and focuses on the Blackwell family’s rise to wealth, from 1890s South Africa where the family’s fortune is made in diamonds to the primary story of iron-willed Kate Blackwell, the driven, power-hungry head of the family’s embattled corporate empire. Cast: Fernando Allende, Dyan Cannon, David Birney, Harry Hamlin, Leslie Caron. (1984) Not Rated

Nashville

This Robert Altman film interweaves the stories of 24 characters over 5 days during a political rally in the capital of country music. Cast: Henry Gibson, Lily Tomlin, Ronee Blakley, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Barbara Harris, Karen Black. (1975) Rated R

The Passion of Bernadette

The saint of Lourdes enters the convent and endures various trials. Through it all, Bernadette trusts in God and remembers the Virgin Mary’s words to her: “I cannot promise you happiness in this life, only the next.” Based on actual testimony taken from the canonization investigation. Cast: Sydney Penny, Emmanuelle Riva, Catherine de Seynes, Malka Ribowska. (1989) Sequel to: Bernadette. Not Rated

The Riches: Season 2

The Malloys are consummate con artists who are posing as a wealthy suburban family. They are stealing the American dream, but their elaborate ruse may be stealing their very souls. Facing near-certain detection, the family is torn asunder as Dahlia and the children hit the open road, and embattled patriarch Wayne remains in Eden Falls, desperately scheming to pull off one last impossible con. Cast: Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, Shannon Marie Woodward, Noel Fisher, Aidan Mitchell, Todd Stashwick, Gregg Henry. Originally broadcast on television in 2008. Not rated.

Shane

A drifter and retired gunfighter assists a homestead family terrorized by an aging cattleman and his hired gun. Cast: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon De Wilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan. (1952) Not Rated

Shirley Valentine

An English housewife, bored with her life, goes on a vacation with a friend to Greece and finds that there’s more to life than just dishes and laundry when she has a fling with a handsome man. Cast: Pauline Collins, Tom Conti, Julia McKenzie, Alison Steadman, Joanna Lumley, Sylvia Syms, Bernard Hill, George Costigan, Anna Keaveney, Tracie Bennett. (1989) Rated R

Sister Wendy: The Complete Collection

A collection of Sister Wendy’s art programs. Sister Wendy travels to museums in England and Europe and discusses some of the world’s finest art. Contents: Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour, Sister Wendy’s Odyssey, and Sister Wendy’s Pains of Glass. Hosted by Wendy Beckett. Originally produced for television broadcast in 1992-1996. Not Rated

Some Like It Hot

When two unemployed musicians accidentally witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, they trade in their union suits for flapper frocks and flee to Miami disguised as female musicians in an all-girl jazz band. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Joe E. Brown.  (1959)  Not Rated

Sunset Boulevard

The story of an aging film queen who prepares for her grand comeback to stardom. Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper. (1950) Not Rated

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season One

Sarah and her son John, tired of running from the agents sent from the future to kill them, try to stop the formation of the agency in the present, with the help of a girl with a mysterious link to the future. Cast: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones. Based on the world created in the motion picture written by James Cameron and William Wisher. Not rated.

Weeds: Season One

After her husband’s unexpected death and subsequent financial woes, suburban mom Nancy Botwin embraces a new profession: the neighborhood pot dealer. As it seems like everyone secretly wants what she’s selling, even city councilman Doug Wilson, Nancy is faced with keeping her family life in check and her enterprise a secret from her best friend/PTA president, Celia Hodes. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Romany Malco, Tonye Patano. Originally broadcast on the Showtime Channel in 2005.  Rated TV-MA

Weeds: Season Two

Nancy Botwin is a soccer mom who had to learn how to deal – pot, that is – after the death of her husband. Now, her business is a hit. But keeping up with the neighbors in this suburban utopia isn’t easy. She is joined up with a few of her closest friends, and together they face life’s ups and downs – because even in paradise, nobody’s perfect. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Nealon, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Andy Milder, Justin Kirk.  Originally broadcast on Showtime television in 2006.  Rated TV-MA

Weeds: Season Three

America’s favorite pot-dealing, single soccer mom, Nancy Botwin, is more addictive than ever in the third season. But, when an offbeat way to make ends meet grows into a mini-empire, the mother of all dealers finds she may be in over her head –and on the verge of taking everyone one else with her. Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Nealon, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Andy Milder, Justin Kirk. Originally broadcast on Showtime in 2007. Rated TV-MA

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd

When Lizzie Holroyd falls in love with another man, she wishes her boorish husband dead, a wish that comes horribly true. Cast: Zoë Wanamaker, Stephen Dillane, and Colin Firth.  Originally broadcast on BBC Television in 1988.  Not Rated

Wuthering Heights

Set against the stark beauty of the English moor, the mysterious gypsy boy Heathcliff, who has been adopted by the Earnshaw family, discovers his soul mate in his stepsister Cathy. As a man unable to have the love of his life, he seeks vengeance against anyone who comes between them. Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley, Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Lancashire, Burn Gorman, Rosalind Halstead. Based on the novel by Emily Brontë. Originally released as a television motion picture in 2008. Not rated.

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

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series One

In the mid-1930s, young James Herriot, fresh from veterinary school, arrives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to begin his career. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater. Based on the books by James Herriot. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1978.  Not Rated

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series Five

The BBC TV series continues with more of  the heart-warming tales of James Herriot, a country vet , his wife Helen  and his volatile but warm-hearted partner, Siegfried Farnon . The period is now the early Fifties, but the Dales are slow to embrace the world of tomorrow. Tristan has left the Ministry of Agriculture to return to the Darrowby practice. Even with Calum  on the team, the vets see little of the leisure that the modern age promises. Based on James Herriot’s popular autobiographical books. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham.  Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1988. Not Rated

Black  Adder: The Complete Collector’s Set

One of the best comedy series ever to emerge from England, Black Adder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of World War I. British comic actor Rowan Atkinson played all five versions of Edmund, beginning with the villainous and cowardly Duke of Edinburgh, whose scheming mind and awful haircut seem to stand him in good stead to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury–a deadly occupation if ever there was one. Among tales of royal dethronings, Black Death, witch smellers (who root out spell makers with their noses), and ghosts, Edmund is a perennial survivor who never quite gets ahead in multiple episodes. Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Patsy Byrne. Originally broadcast by BBC1 in 1983-1989.  Not Rated

Charlotte Gray

A 25-year-old Scottish woman cooperates with the French Resistance in hopes of rescuing her lover, a missing Royal Air Force pilot.  Cast: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, Rupert Penry Jones, Anton Lesser, James Fleet, Ron Cook. Based on the book by Sebastian Faulks.(2001) Rated PG-13.

First Knight

Sir Malagant declares war on King Arthur in hopes of gaining part of Camelot. In the meantime, Arthur’s young bride, Guenivere, has fallen in love with Lancelot, one of Arthur’s loyal knights. Cast: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham, Christopher Villiers, Valentine Pelka, Colin McCormack, Ralph Ineson, John Gielgud. (1995)  Rated PG-13

The Gift

Annie has ‘the Gift’. Some fear her, others claim she’s a witch. But now, a murder has been committed and only she can solve it. On a twisted trail of open infidelity and jealous rage, she sees visions that will haunt her and discovers a truth that will tear the town apart. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Gary Cole, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank. Rated R. (2001)

The Green Berets

A Special Forces colonel leads his troops into battle against the Viet Cong. Cast: John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray, Raymond St. Jacques, Bruce Cabot, Jack Soo, George Takei, Patrick Wayne, Luke Askew, Irene Tsu. (1968) Rated G

The Horseman on the Roof

In 1832, an Italian revolutionary living in Provence is pursued by assassins. He takes refuge in a small town ravaged by a cholera epidemic, where he meets a mysterious and beautiful noblewoman. In French with English subtitles. Cast: Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez, Claudio Amendola, Pierre Arditi, Isabelle Carre, Francois Cluzet.  (1995)  Rated R.

Inside the Green Berets

This National Geographic production documents the daily lives and activities of the Green Berets assigned to a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Originally broadcast on television in 2007.

Radio Flyer

After their mother marries a child abuser, Mike decides to help Bobby escape by turning their Radio Flyer wagon into a magic rocket ship that will carry Bobby to safety. Cast: Elijah Wood, Lorraine Bracco, Joseph Mazzello, Adam Baldwin, John Heard. Narrated by Tom Hanks. (1992) Rated PG-13

State of Play

Stephen Collins is an ambitious politican. Cal McCaffrey is a well-respected investigative journalist and Stephen’s ex-campaign manager. En route to work on morning, Stephen’s research assistant mysteriously falls to her death on the London Underground. Rumors soon surface of an affair between Stephen and the assistant. Meanwhile, a suspected teenage drug dealer is shot to death. Revelation upon revelation pile up in the aftermath of these two seemingly unconnected events, ultimately bringing to light shady dealings between the government and major corporate powers. Friendships are tested and lives are put on the line as an intricate web of lies unfolds. Cast: David Morrissey, John Simm, Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald, James McAvoy. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 2003.  Not Rated

The Train Robbers

Three Civil War veterans team up with a train robber’s widow to recover a stash of gold. Cast: John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Bobby Vinton. (1972) Rated PG

Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone

Fitness Expert Leslie Sansone leads these two walking workouts: a One Mile Get Up and Get Started Walk and a Two Mile High Calorie Burn Walk.

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

 

Boston Legal: Season Four

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

A Heart in Winter

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

Mad Men: Season One

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

MI-5: Volume 5

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

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima

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

The Nun’s Story

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

Perfect Strangers

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

Pushing Daisies: The Complete Season One

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

A Raisin in the Sun

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

Rough Riders

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

The Searchers

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

The Shoes of the Fisherman

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

30 Rock: Season 2

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

Foreign Language Films – October 2008

Blame it on Fidel

When Fernando and Marie decide to dedicate themselves full time to various political causes, their nine-year-old daughter, Anna, must learn to face the world on her own. In French with English subtitles. Cast: Nina Kervel, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi, Benjamin Feuillet, Martine Chevallier, Mar Sodupe, Gabrielle Valliers, Raphaëlle Molinier. Not Rated

Under the Same Moon

In the hopes of providing a better life for her nine-year-old son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. While she struggles for a better future, fate forces her son to embark on an extraordinary journey to find her. In Spanish with subtitles in English. Cast: Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez, Maya Zapata, Carmen Salinas, María Rojo, Mario Almada, America Ferrera. Rated: PG-13

Foreign Language Films – September 2008

The Counterfeiters
Germany, 1936. Salomon “Sally” Sorowitsch is the king of counterfeiters. He lives a life of cards, booze, and women. Suddenly his luck runs dry when he is arrested by Superintendent Friedrich Herzog. He is immediately thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp. There, Salomon exhibits exceptional skills and is soon transferred to the upgraded camp of Sachsenhausen. Upon his arrival, he once again comes face to face with Herzog, who is there on a secret mission. Hand-picked for his unique skill, Salomon and a group of professionals are forced to produce fake foreign currency under the program Operation Berhard. The team, which also includes detainee Adolf Burger, is given luxury barracks for their assistance. Salomon attempts to weaken the economy of Germany’s opponents. But, Adolf refuses to use his skills for Nazi profit and would like to do something to stop the operation. Now faced with a moral dilemma, Salomon must decide whether his actions are ultimately the right ones. Awards: Oscar – Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. Language: German, English, Hebrew, Russian or dubbed French dialogue, English, French or Spanish subtitles. Cast: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Marie Bäumer, Martin Brambach, Dolores Chaplin. Based on the book The Devil’s Workshop by Adolf Burger. Rated: R

Foreign Language Films – July 2008

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. Rated R

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

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.

Foreign Language Films – April 2008

Endless Way
As he comes of age, Ah Ming must begin a life of endless labor to bring sacred water to his family. Forced into an arranged marriage with a young girl from a neighboring village, he must forsake his true love, Ah Shui. Unable to cope with the harsh routine that each villager must endure, Ah Ming’s wife leaves, never to return, and the long suffering Ah Shui steps forth to care for Ah Ming and his ailing mother, sharing their pain and grief. Chinese (Mandarin) dialogue with optional English, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese subtitles. Chinese (Mandarin) dialogue with optional English, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese subtitles.

Going to School with Dad on My Back
Based on a true story, Going to School with Dad on my Back focuses on the selfless acts a family must endure to ensure the survival of their brightest, and the hope of a better future for all of China. Based on a true story. Originally released as a motion picture in 1997. Chinese dialgoue with optional Chinese or English subtitles.

Legend of the Black Scorpion
Scheming royals and other officials seek to conquer empires and consolidate power to form a single omnipotent dynasty. Meanwhile, a legendary empress who has the fighting skills unparalleled by any man, harbors forbidden desires for her stepson. Set in the Age of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, tells the story of a royal court in turmoil including forbidden love, deceit, revenge, overpowering beauty, and greed. Originally released as a motion picture in 2006. Mandarin and English dialogue, English or Spanish subtitles.

New DVDs – January 2008

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

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

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

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

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

 

The Bible Collection:

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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