Britain during the early 1900s was a time of refinement, luxury and status. The houses and estates which graced the English countryside during this time were impressive, massive and expensive. These homes were for Britain’s richest and social elite. Like small lavish hotels, these homes housed aristocrats and royalty, people who enjoyed the high life because of their money and their titles. Secrets of the Manor House is a fascinating PBS documentary which gives audiences an inside look into some of these amazing homes and the people who inhabited them.
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The Devil’s Carnival – Live Film Event
The horror genre has gone through an interesting evolution over the decades. There have been watered down PG-13 horror movies, satires, parodies and found footage, but a truly unique form of horror storytelling appears every so often and it is a fusion of horror and musical (like Repo! The Genetic Opera). The newest incarnation of such a monster is The Devil’s Carnival, a horror concert event currently on a cross country tour in true Rocky Horror fashion, tickets are on sale now.
Goodbye First Love
Love stories can go either one of two ways: the long, sweet and syrupy route or the honest, gritty and realistic route. Goodbye First Love takes the latter road and the results are absolutely charming. Spoken in French and subtitled in English, expect to pay close attention to the film’s dialogue. The actors give lovely performances and the lighting and photography are truly gorgeous. Goodbye First Loveis a bittersweet tale of romance that sheds light on a very tender subject: young love.
Jo Koy: Lights Out
Comedian Jo Koy has an interesting style. He is very energetic and talks a lot about family. He’s like a Filipino mix of Louis C.K. and Dane Cook. This is an odd combo but it actually works. Koy is a man who makes fun but in a harmless way. He discusses family and goes far but never really being inappropriate. His show Jo Koy: Lights Out is out on DVD and if you’re curious about the comic or are already familiar with his work, then this is a good item to pick up.
La Terra Trema
In 1948, Italian director Luchino Visconti gave audiences a lovely nugget of neorealist cinema. That film is La Terra Trema and it is a black and white subtitled docufiction about fishermen who are exploited and the steps they take to rid themselves of these poor work conditions. Using non-professional actors and filmed in a unique style, La Terra Trema is a very interesting film that is both beautiful and realistic.
The Three Musketeers
“All for one and one for all!” This famous catchphrase has been a staple of Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale The Three Musketeers since 1844. Numerous versions of the story have been made over the years from theater, games, television, comics and for purposes of this review, film. The most recent adaptation of Dumas’ classic work was released last year in 3D and features both newcomer actors and more seasoned thespians. The Three Musketeers is now out on Blu-ray 3D so get ready for a delightfully swashbuckling piece of home entertainment.
Minions of Gozer Live Shadowcast of “Ghostbusters”
“He slimed me.” That was a bit of an understatement this past weekend as shadowcastersMinions of Gozer paid tribute to one the 80s most iconic films, Ghostbusters. These talented individuals performed the legendary film live as it was being screened simultaneously substituting silly string for proton streams not to mention over-the-top action and silly props. The awesome event took place on both Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th at the IFC Center in Manhattan and it was definitely a Ghosthead’s (Ghostbusters fan) dream come true.
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54
In the late 1970s, entrepreneur Steve Rubell opened the super hip discotheque Studio 54, a club which attracted New York’s creme de la creme. This included celebrities, rich folk and just downright attractive people. A feature-length film was made chronicling the club’s success and the people who worked there including Rubell. 54 features an ensemble cast and documents a time in American culture that was flashy, sensual and just plain fun.
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil: The Complete First Season
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is a curious thing. It’s a Canadian horror-comedy television series about a small band of high-schoolers battling evil caused by a cursed book (ala The Evil Dead). Each episode follows a hapless teenager whom the book finds and then puts a curse upon. This of course is followed by paranormal activity and eventual bloodshed. It is then up to stoner Todd and his friends to find the book and conquer the evil it unleashes. Season one is now out on DVD and you might want to check this cool show out.
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The Catechism Cataclysm
Every now and then, a movie comes along that blurs genres, contains truly bizarre scenes and may manage to offend certain religious and ethnic groups. The movie I’m referring to is entitled The Catechism Cataclysm and it is a very odd indie/road/horror/comedy that is certain to offend if not entertain audiences. This strange little film is now out on DVD and if you want to absorb 81 minutes of absolute insanity, then I recommend giving this peculiar flick a whirl.
Unger the Radar 