Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music Of Islam [Riverboat]
November 24th, 2008
Sufi Soul takes you on a journey through the hypnotic music and dancing of Sufism — Islam’s mystical, popular branch. One of the less well-known branches of Islam, Sufism is a peace-loving and tolerant strand of Islamic thought and culture that actively promotes music and dancing, art and poetry as ways to get closer to God. From the itinerant Sufi troubadour to organized festivals of Sufi music and dance, this program takes us inside this vast and under-explored musical heritage as it finds expression in Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, and Morocco.
As someone interested in all forms of mysticism generally, I was first drawn to this film in the hopes of learning more about the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey. But I soon discovered that they are only a small sliver of the Sufi musical world. Some of the most magical moments in this film are when ordinary people get together to make music and join together in ecstatic union. At a time when I feel bombarded by negative media-driven stereotypes of Islam, this film was a refreshing reminder that there are peace-loving and tolerant people inside every tradition — and that music is a powerful connection between us all.
Elizabeth Statmore
Chaplin – 15th Anniversary Edition [Lionsgate]
November 24th, 2008
Back before his career seemed headed downhill without brakes, Robert Downey Jr. dazzled the world and earned Best Actor nominations from both the Oscars and Golden Globes for his astounding portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in this 1992 biopic. Downey positively inhabits Chaplin’s spirit as he recreates some of his most famous scenes as the Little Tramp, while also showing us an ambitious man whose life took him from the slums of London to the sound stages of Hollywood. He not only became one of, if not the biggest star in the world, but built his own studio and directed his own pictures. Outspoken and becoming increasingly more political, Chaplin was branded a Communist and became a person of interest to J. Edgar Hoover, who eventually found a way to force him out of the U.S., and into exile in Switzerland, where he lived out the remainder of his life.
The cast includes Kevin Kline as Douglas Fairbanks, Anthony Hopkins, Dan Akroyd, Milla Jovovich, Moira Kelly, Diane Land and Geraldine Chaplin, who plays her own grandmother. They’re good, but Downey’s great, whether in costume as the Tramp, as the obsessive director with several failed marriages, or as the old man making his first trip to the U.S. in years, to appear in a tribute to his work at the Academy Awards. Watching the real Chaplin after this is to gain newfound respect for his profound talents and to marvel once again at Downey’s ability to recreate that genius one more time.
Le Doulos [The Criterion Collection]
November 24th, 2008
Murder, mayhem and duplicity are at the heart of this electrifying French noir, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo as Silien, a gangster who appears to be working both sides of the law. Serge Reggiani plays Faugel, a sad-faced thug who’s just been released from prison and doesn’t waste any time in settling old scores and planning new business. Silien agrees to help Faugel with one last robbery, but when the caper goes south, his loyalty comes into question. Belmondo however, is a man with a plan and little by little, we discover who his allies are and what his hidden agenda entails. Melville maintains a comfortable tension right through to the end and gives both Reggiani and Belmondo showcase scenes with juicy dialog to chew on. Humphrey Bogart fans: don’t sleep on this one!
Sleeping Beauty: 50th Anniversary Edition [Walt Disney Studios]
November 24th, 2008
Speaking of restorations, Disney has gone all out for Sleeping Beauty’s , with a digital re-rub that expands the original aspect ratio to widescreen, a new 5.1 surround mix and a second disc packed with games, featurettes, alternate opening sequence, music video – anything you or your child could want! The film does look and sound lovely and the story….well it’s one of the best loved fairy tales: two kingdoms pledged to unite after the newborn Princess Aurora grows up and marries Prince Philip, but the evil witch Maleficent casts a spell insuring that on her 18th birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on the poisoned spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Her three fairy godmothers alter the deadly spell and hide the child in the woods for the next 18 years, but the witch finds them, Aurora goes to sleep for awhile, the prince battles the witch and wins, Aurora wakes up, gets married and they live happily ever after - the end. It took six years and six million dollars to make and was the last animated feature created by Disney, up until The Little Mermaid. A must-have for kids of all ages.
The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration [Paramount]
November 24th, 2008
If you picked up the Godfather collection released in 2001, you should think about trading up to this new set, also available in Blu-Ray. The primary reason of course, is the picture quality, which restores the deep blacks and subtle colorations of the original negatives to the levels that cinematographer Gordon Willis intended. Another reason might be the new disc of bonus features; included are mini-docs on how the studio battled with Coppola on a near-daily basis, over running time, music, casting, etc., a detailed look at the restoration process and the influence the trilogy has had on popular culture. Ultimately, it’s about the movies themselves. The Godfather saga is in the words of Joe Mantegna, “the Italian Star Wars” and stands shoulder to shoulder with such films as Casablanca or Gone With The Wind. These films can and should be, watched over and over again to enjoy the acting, writing, cinematography and most of all, the pleasure of hanging out with those fun-loving Corleones and their friends.
The Little Rascals: The Complete Collection [Genius]
November 24th, 2008
Growing up in the ‘50s and watching television on Saturday mornings usually included a high concentration of monster movies and comedy shorts from the ‘30s and ‘40s, not the least of which were endless reruns of the Little Rascals and Our Gang shorts. Of the more than 200 films made between 1922-1944, the 80 produced by Hal Roach and included in this handsome set were the ones we watched and laughed at, over and over again. Featuring an ever-evolving group of precocious kids with names like Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat and Wheezer, the Rascals were always getting into the kind of mischief that fueled the imaginations of children everywhere. Whether taunting the local authorities, or just naiveté run amuck, they always managed to come out on top with hilarious results and their innocence preserved. Despite how young some of them were, they remembered their lines, their blocking and stayed in character throughout (even Petey the dog). Presented in chronological order, the films in this collection have been meticulously restored and have not looked this good since their original release. Hal Roach and his amazing kids created something that’s timeless, heartwarming and so charming, that regardless of one’s age, there’s always something to love about the Little Rascals.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray [Warner Bros]
November 24th, 2008
Oscar Wilde’s tale of good intentions gone very, very wrong were immortalized in this 1945 classic, now available in a definitive, newly-remastered edition. Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) is a young, handsome bon vivant with what seems like a lack of purpose or ambition in life, save for having his portrait painted. When he arrives at the home of artist Basil Hallward (Lowell Gillmore) for a final sitting, he meets Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders) - a wealthy snob with a loose moral compass whose influence on Gray begins to suck the decency out of him at an alarming rate. Convinced that his looks are of primary importance, Gray makes a wish – that in exchange for his soul, he would remain forever young, while his portrait would age instead. Gray gets his wish (although it’s never explained how) and embarks on a life of debauchery, leaving a trail of broken hearts and dead bodies along the way. With the exception of one suicide (Angela Lansbury’s Sibyl Vane), the details of his dastardly deeds are never revealed, but when we finally see the painting depicting the monster he has become (in brilliant Technicolor), we can only imagine the horrible nature of his crimes. Like a good Stephen King novel or Alfred Hitchcock film, Wilde knows a bit about psychological terror, building suspense gradually, so that our first glimpse of the painting is shocking in its gruesomeness and leaves little doubt as to what this man has become. Bonus features include two Oscar-winning shorts – “Stairway To Light” and the Tom & Jerry cartoon, “Quiet Please,” along with commentary by Angela Lansbury and film historian Steve Haberman.
Sex And The City: The Movie - Extended Cut
September 29th, 2008
I’m not embarrassed to admit that although I came late to the party, I was a regular watcher of SATC during most of its historic run on HBO (nothing wrong with getting in touch with your feminine side, right?). Women around the world gave a collective cheer when plans for a feature-length film was announced and judging by its box office success, flocked to the theaters in droves to see their fave foursome on the big screen. They got what they came for: fabulous fashion, romance, steamy sex and let’s not forget those shoes….! The plot wasn’t much – Miranda’s still with Steve, Charlotte and Harry have a perfect life, Samantha’s living on the West Coast with Smith and managing his acting career and Carrie’s living with Big and planning to marry. Shit happens, plans are ruined, relationships are strained, Jennifer Hudson makes a guest appearance and despite it all, everyone always wears fabulous clothes. Oh – and there’s a very happy ending, but what did you expect? Michael Patrick King does a serviceable job of bringing the story around full circle and makes New York look like the most wonderful place on earth, but the story was so predictable, that I felt like I had just finished a double helping of cotton candy – fluffy, sweet and full of air. If you’re a fan, you’ll go out and buy the DVD anyway (despite what I think), but all in all, SATC was a moderately pleasant way to spend two hours. Guys: if you want to score big points with your girlfriend, buy this disc and watch it with her. I practically guarantee you’ll get lucky before the evening’s over.