DVD Releases for the Week of Jun. 23, 2009

Oops! This is coming a little later than usual; getting caught up in an upcoming move and the monitor is hidden between a pile of smelly boxes. Already out in rental shops is Before Tomorrow (Le Jour avant le lendemain), a Québecois film set in the north and stars an Inuit woman trying to coach her grandson through the trials of life, and teaches him to live his life with dignity. While not as high profile as Pilon’s Ce qu’il faut pour vivre, which won a bunch of awards earlier this year; those hankering for more Inuit film may want to check it out.

Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine
The above piece of art is both fascinating and disturbing. While not as large as the aptly named ‘Mother’ (reminding one of Ripley’s encounter with Giger’s alien), the spiders have been moved around the world and are one of Louise Bourgeois’ most well known work. Both modern artist and icon of feminism, this documentary interviews her and those who know her work. If the spider above peaks any interest in you, this doc may be worth checking out, to learn more about the women behind its creation.

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Phoebe in Wonderland
With the recent leak of images from Tim Burton’s upcoming remake of Alice in Wonderland, I thought I’d highlight a film that was well received at Sundance last year, and is tangentially linked. A Fanning girl, Elle, stars. She is cast as the lead in a school production of Alice and soon begins to lose control of reality, risking a fall into her imagination sparked by Carroll’s novel.

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Waltz with Bashir
Rare it is to witness an animated film for adults that is simultaneously engaging and meaningful. Even Brad Bird, long-time advocate of the format as extra-generational, has been relegated to creating children’s films that adults can enjoy (Ratatouille, The Iron Giant). In short, the market for “cartoon” films marketed to adults is not there. Israeli director Ari Folman has managed to break this tradition by releasing Waltz with Bashir, which is one part documentary, one part meditation on the horrors of war. By using animation as a means to enlighten, in a way that no live-action film could, Folman has created a modern masterpiece in the genre. More of my review.

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Other Releases
At the Death House Door (Chasseurs de dragon)
Code, The
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Inkheart
Last Year at Marienbad
Our City Dreams
My Dinner with Andre
Pink Panther 2 Don’t Watch It! Gauge Out Your Eyes Before!