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by Ivana Redwine
Let's take a look at the best new DVDs for May, 2004.
May 4, 2004 - Recommended DVD Releases
"Calendar Girls"
Inspired by a true story, this British comedy stars Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. In Yorkshire, the no-longer-young members of a local chapter of the Women's Institute decide to raise money for charity by posing nude for calendar photos. In due course, the photos are taken (with flower arrangements masking the naughty parts) and the calendar printed, and then the ladies must deal with the consequences of it becoming a big seller.
"Elephant"
Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, this hard-hitting English-language drama was written, directed, and edited by Gus Van Sant. Plotless and featuring few recognizable actors, the film chronicles a fictional day at a typical American high school in Oregon. Although the day at first seems ordinary, things take a tragic turn when two students go on a shooting rampage reminiscent of the one that occurred at Columbine in Colorado.
"Girl With a Pearl Earring"
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth, this historical drama based on a best-selling novel supplies a fictional background to a famous 17th-century portrait painted by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. Johansson plays the teenage girl Griet, who goes to work as a maid in the home of Vermeer (Firth). Griet takes an interest in Vermeer's work, helps him mix paints, and becomes his model as the girl and the artist develop an unusual relationship.
"The Last Samurai"
Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe star in this epic set in 19th-century Japan. Cruise plays American Civil War veteran Nathan Algren, who is hired to work for the Japanese emperor in putting down samurai uprisings. But Algren is captured and eventually bonds with the samurai leader Katsumoto (Watanabe). When Algren realizes he sympathizes more with the samurai than with the emperor's mercenaries, he must make some major decisions.
"Peter Pan"
This is the 2003 live-action version of "Peter Pan" where young teenagers Jeremy Sumpter and Rachel Hurd-Wood play Peter and Wendy. Jason Isaacs takes the traditional dual roles of Captain Hook and Wendy's father. The story of course still involves Wendy traveling from her London home to Neverland, where Peter and Captain Hook live, but this version shows that even though we lose something when we grow up, it's best not to remain a child forever.
"The Triplets of Belleville"
Nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Feature category, this highly eccentric film might be described as darkly comic. It has only a couple of lines of intelligible dialogue, originally in French, but later dubbed into English. The story is set in motion when a world-class bicyclist is kidnapped by mobsters. In the fictitious metropolis of Belleville, his grandmother enlists the aid of three ancient sisters who used to be a musical act.
May 11, 2004 - Recommended DVD Releases
"The Fog of War"
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, this is Errol Morris's portrait of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Most of the documentary consists of interviews of McNamara at age 85 reflecting on his role in the firebombing of Japan during World War II, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. The film also includes some historical footage and other visual material. The musical score is by Philip Glass.
"In America"
Samantha Morton and Djimon Hounsou got Oscar nominations for their performances in this drama, which was on many 2003 top ten lists. Set in the early 21st century, the story follows a young Irish family-husband, wife (Morton), and two girls-that immigrates to New York after the death of the family's only boy. When poverty forces them to live in a tenement with junkies, they become friends with a terminally ill neighbor (Hounsou).
May 18, 2004 - Recommended DVD Releases
"Miracle"
Based on a true story, this sports drama centers around the USA hockey team at the 1980 Olympics. The Soviet Union team looks unbeatable, and American coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) selects very young players, hoping he can mold them into a disciplined unit. He drives them hard and is unforgiving, wanting his players to bond in their hatred of him. The results are shown in the film's set piece, the game between the USA and the USSR.
May 25 , 2004 - Recommended DVD Releases
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
This is the last installment in "The Lord of the Rings," a fantasy epic that spans three movies. Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue their quest to destroy the magic Ring, but they must contend with the treachery of the computer-generated Gollum. Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) must lead forces in a spectacular final battle. Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and John Rhys-Davies continue their portrayals of important characters.
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