Release Dates Jul 28 2008 @ 08:45 am
DVD Releases for July 29th, 2008
This week I’ve decided to include something called the Bin of Shame, and I’m sure you can guess exactly what will be going into it. Do you really care about Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay? Or Never Back Down, that Karate Kid knockoff that was two decades too late? I don’t. I don’t think you do. So they go into the Bin of Shame and I’m not going to mention them again. Each week I’ll chuck a few films in there, so you’ll know they exist if you really want to see them, but I will not have to lost part of my soul by writing about them. It’s a win-win-win situation.
The Band’s Visit – 
Rent this film immediately. Every time I think back on it I smile. It is a simple, beautiful, but moving comedy about the human experience. Nothing of great import happens, and although the film involves Arabs and Israelis having to stay with one another, there is absolutely no politicizing. It is a film filled with tender and wonderful moments and one of the top 5 films I’ve seen this year. Along with Jellyfish (which I just reviewed), Israel seems to be having quite the cinematic revolution. Perhaps they are experiencing a ‘New Wave,’ that term pretentious cinephiles of all ages love to toss around. Anyone know of any other fantastic Israeli films I need to check out?
Recommended if you liked Lost in Translation or Lars and the Real Girl
Surfwise
This is out on DVD and my local arthouse opens it up this Friday. Do you see something wrong with that picture? Regardless, this doc about a Jack Kerouac-like father figure who packs his wife and 8 kids and takes them on a cross-country surfing trip inside a 24 ft. camper appears to be about more than what I just wrote. Daniel Getahun had a great write-up on it, and I hope to have a review up later this week.
Recommended if you like documentaries about controversial child rearing tactics. And really, who doesn’t?
Doomsday – 
Post-apocalyptic genre bender FTW! Ok, I have to admit I started this the other night and fell asleep 30 minutes in. I plan on finishing it at some point, but that isn’t exactly a glowing recommendation. This one is more for the rubbernecker in you, the oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-they-made-a-film-like-this side of you that just has to look. You know who you are. This is 28 Days Later meets Mad Max meets King Arthur meets Gladiator meets pure insanity. Not a good film by any means, but certainly a film.
Recommended if you like all of the films I mentioned above and have been longing for someone to combine them into one.
Shine a Light
I betray my musical documentary/biopic prejudice again by putting this at the bottom of the list. While I loved U2 3D, neither The Rolling Stones nor Scorsese really do it for me (I know, I know, I’m a Philistine), and this doesn’t appeal in the slightest. I got rapped hard on the knuckles the last time I did this with a musical biopic (Anton Corbijn’s Control), so perhaps I will be reprimanded once again.
Recommended if you disagree with everything I just wrote.
on Jul 28 2008 @ 9:47 am 1. G said …
I will heartily, heartily second A Band’s Visit. Classic comedy, and also has stuff like social commentary and subtitles for the pretentious at heart.
Didn’t the guy who made Doomsday make some horror movie that everyone loved? I think someone was telling me about it, but I can’t remember the movie right now. I know I could just look it up, but it’d be more fun to hear if anyone out there liked it.
on Jul 28 2008 @ 9:50 am 2. Haiku Girl said …
I have repeatedly missed my chance to see the Bands Visit in the theatre, so I am glad to see it final be release as a dvd. Finally, Marina at RowThree won’t be lording it over me…much like I lord My Winnipeg over her!
“if you like all of the films I mentioned above and have been longing for someone to combine them into one.”
Yep. you nailed it. You just described my longings! Thank goodness my twisted needs have been met! NEXT
H&K escape from G. – I would love a directors cut of the film. The cut were it only includeds Neil Patrick Harris. A 15minutes cut sounds about right!
on Jul 28 2008 @ 9:52 am 3. Luke Harrington said …
G, the horror flick you’re thinking of is The Descent, although I still haven’t gotten around to watching it. Supposedly, it was the best thing ever.
Haiku Girl…you would LOVE Doomsday, if you haven’t seen it yet. I had a good time when I went to see it.
on Jul 28 2008 @ 10:05 am 4. Evan Derrick said …
Yeah, Luke is right about The Descent. I’d place it on my Top 10 of horror films that actually scared me, although it would be lower on the list. It doesn’t do anything particularly new (cave spelunkers encounter a race of inbred goblin people!), but it does everything really, really, well. I would hazard that it beats Doomsday in terms of quality hands down.
And glad to see some more love for The Band’s Visit. G, if you liked it, you HAVE to see Jellyfish, another beautiful Israeli film that has a lot in common with Visit.
on Jul 28 2008 @ 10:23 am 5. Haiku Girl said …
@Luke
Opening night. I liked it alot. Not the best film ever made, but that lounge club/cannibal kitchen act ruled!
on Jul 28 2008 @ 3:57 pm 6. Daniel said …
You’re messing with my head – is this a day early this week?
I patiently await your thoughts on Surfwise, Evan, and thanks for the send. I’m learning that you can tell a fair amount about people in their reviews (as in mine), and from what I “know about you”, my sense is that Surfwise will hit home. Alright, that’s all I’ll say…
The Band’s Visit…I still don’t know where it goes…I’m calling it 2007.
on Jul 28 2008 @ 4:27 pm 7. Evan Derrick said …
I know, I know, it’s a day early, and usually I’m as late as anything with these. I’m going to try and be a bit more regular and a bit more early with the post. We’ll see how that goes.
I’m watching Surfwise tonight with my wife, who is really looking forward to it as well. I respect your taste, Daniel, so I’m sure I’ll love it.
And as for The Band’s Visit, I’m including it as 2008 even though it was ‘officially’ 2007. However, the only people who got to see it in 2007 were New York and LA critics, which seems like a very silly way to determine which year a film is placed in. The majority of the people who saw this film saw it in 2008 (including me…I saw it in March), so that’s where I’m (stubbornly) placing it.
on Jul 30 2008 @ 8:49 pm 8. Sam Juliano said …
Yeah, THE BAND’S VISIT didn’t make a single Top Ten list last year, which means all the critics are considering it 2008. But as Daniel notes, it’s still up to the person. I will also go with 2008.