| New Release DVDs: |
| Push |
| Rocker Lenny Kravitz makes his debut as a film star in this indie drama based on the beloved novel PUSH. Clareece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe) is a Harlem teen who is pregnant with her second child. But with the help of a teacher (Paula Patton) and a nurse (Kravitz), Precious may be able to navigate the way to a new life. PUSH also stars Mo'nique as Precious's mother. (1 hr. 51 min.) |
| Serbis |
Filipino director Brillante Mendoza brings a frank, gritty immediacy to SERBIS, a multi-character, day-in-the-life portrait of a family-run movie house in the Philippines. Only this isn't your typical movie house. It's actually a downtrodden venue that shows graphic double features and allows the clientele to make their own sexual connections in the dark shadows. Today is a very important day, for Nanay Flor, the family matriarch, is going to discover if she won a years-in-the-making bigamy case against her husband. Meanwhile, her children are involved in dramatic situations of their own. Alan has just learned troubling news about his girlfriend, and Nayda is married but attracted to her cousin Ronald. As the day develops and the verdict comes down, the Pinedas struggle to focus on the daily tasks associated with the theater, even as their own personal conflicts threaten to overwhelm them.
Shot on video, SERBIS recalls films from the Dogme 95 movement. Mendoza and screenwriter Armando Lao have clearly constructed these dramatic situations, yet they are shot on consumer video with such energy that the film often feels like a documentary. Mendoza pulls no punches, showing multiple scenes of behind-the-scenes sexuality that are even more graphic than the X-rated behavior unfolding on the cavernous theater's silver screen. SERBIS provides a realistic, unflinching glimpse into this hyper-sexualized world. (1 hr. 33 min.) |
| Tapeheads |
| John Cusack and Tim Robbins star in this comedy as Ivan and Josh, a pair of dim witted security guards who love music videos and lose their jobs after throwing a party while they're supposed to be working. Having no immediate job prospects, the two decide to form their own music video production company, dubbing themselves the "Video Aces." These aces soon learn that it's hard to get work in LA and end up working on spec for Mo Fuzz who instructs them to fill their videos with lots of T&A. It's not long before Ivan and Josh have become hot property in the business and try to use their newfound status to resurrect the career of their favorite R&B duo, the Swanky Modes. However, their plans hit a snag when they receive a potentially damaging videotape of a prominent politician indulging in his bizarre fetish and the two try to cash in on their find. (1 hr. 37 min.) |
| Vexille |
| Director Fumihiko Sori (PING PONG) helms VEXILLE, a sci-fi anime feature that takes place in the year 2077. Relations between Japan and the rest of the world have deteriorated to the extent that the country has cut off all communication with the other inhabitants of Earth. Vexille is a female commander who leads a team of U.S. special forces, named SWORD, who have been charged with infiltrating Japan to discover the potentially dangerous technological advances the country is making. Their mission, and their discoveries, reveal a new android that could spark chaos if it the Japanese unleash it on the globe. (1 hr. 49 min.) |
| Hachi: A Dog's Story |
| Many people missed out on the charming gem THE HOAX, but this family drama reunites actor Richard Gere and director Lasse Halström. Born out of real-life events, HACHIKO: A DOG’S STORY tells the tale of Hachiko, a faithful dog who would walk his owner to and from the train station every day. But when the man unexpectedly dies, Hachiko continues his daily routine of waiting for his master at the train station for the next nine years, becoming a fixture in the community. (1 hr. 44 min.) |
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