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Summer, 2004

Great Movies on DVD You've Probably Never Heard Of

More Reel Rants
With the 2004 summer movie season already upon us, many are ready to hit the Cineplexes to get their movie fix and satisfy their popcorn and Milk Duds habits. A lot of attention is directed towards the big Hollywood blockbusters that find their way to the theaters in June, July and August of every year. But as we’ve learned from Summers past, there are more busts like Van Helsing and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle than there are truly memorable movies like Shrek and Spider-Man 2.

Rather than fighting the crowds at the megaplex this Summer, why not pop up a batch of buttery popcorn and watch a DVD in the cool comfortable confines of your own living room. Many of the best films in the world pass through the theater circuit without much fanfare before finding a loyal fan base on the shelves of the local video rental chain.
Following is a list of some great movies that you’ve probably never heard of but definitely deserve a closer look.

Winged Migration (2002) Rated G for General Audiences.
Plot: Amazing cinematography and gorgeous music fill this documentary-adventure created by French filmmakers Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debat and Jacques Perrin. Presented with almost no narration and filmed primarily from a bird's perspective, this study of the lives and habits of migrating birds re-creates as nearly as possible the experiences of the birds themselves.
Commentary: The film's message can't be denied. Bird migration is a powerful and life-assuring inspiration that somehow belittles that fact that my car wouldn't start this morning. What we humans perceive as cute and a thing of beauty, a bird sees as a means of survival.

Devil’s Playground (2003) Rated R for sexuality, language and drug use.
Plot: When Amish teens turn 16, they have the opportunity to venture out in the "Devil's Playground" (the Amish's term for the outside world) and indulge in 21st century vices such as drinking and smoking. At the end of this period, called "Rumspringa," they can choose to commit to the church for good. Or not. This documentary tracks an 18-year-old's struggle to reconcile his drug addiction with his deeply ingrained desire to live the Amish life.
Commentary: Seeing traditional conservative religious values as they mix with the perceived evils of modern American society is a bit disturbing, yet it has that unavoidable train-wreck allure that is as intoxicating as it is mystifying

Laurel Canyon (2003) Rated R for sexuality, language and drug use.
Plot: Just how much should your fiancée and your mother like each other? When Sam (Christian Bale) takes Alex (Kate Beckinsale) home to meet his rock-star mom, Jane (Frances McDormand), he's worried Alex will be embarrassed by his family. Instead, Alex becomes inexplicably drawn to Jane's and her boyfriend's (Alessandro Nivola) lives ? leaving Sam vulnerable to the attentions of another woman.
Commentary: The most appealing aspect of Laurel Canyon is watching Frances McDormand ply her craft. This is the finest performance of her career as she immerses herself into the role of a complex character trying to balance her maternal instincts with her carnal desires

Big Fish (2003) PG-13 for a fight scene, and a suggestive reference.
Plot: William Bloom (Billy Crudup) tries to learn more about his dying father, Edward (Albert Finney), by piecing together the facts out of the various fantastic tales and legends of epic proportions he's been told over the years. Edward was a traveling salesman, and his journeys throughout the South are the seed of the tales. Directed by Tim Burton, the movie co-stars Ewan McGregor (as the young Edward), Helena Bonham-Carter and Steve Buscemi.
Commentary: Big Fish is the kind of film that will mean different things to different people, but will be appreciated by almost all

Grace of My Heart (1996) R for language, and for some sexuality and drug content.
Plot: A 15-year journey that charts the life and heartbreak of songwriting sensation Denise Waverly (Illeana Douglas) as she struggles to escape from the pop music sidelines to emerge as a singer in her own right.
Commentary: With Grace of My Heart, director/writer Allison Anders skillfully wraps a story of female accomplishment in the skin of a Rock and Roll period piece.

More great movies on DVD that you’ve probably never heard of:
Amelie
The Donner Party
The Salton Sea
The Sand Pebbles
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Papillon
The Swimming Pool
House of Sand and Fog
Capturing the Friedmans
Whale Rider
Spellbound
Bubba Ho-tep
21 Grams
The Brandon Teena Story
Harrison’s Flowers
Lawn Dogs
Moonlight Mile




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