I know I am several days late in posting this review. I know I am also late in posting the preview for next week. Hell, I know I will probably be late in posting my theatrical and DVD move releases for next week as well. But you see I have had a bit of a busy week. I like worked and stuff. By stuff I mean I joined Andrew James and Kurt Halfyard on the Row Three Cinecast this week. I also spent my one vacation day attending multiple screenings, leaving me with little to no free time to actually contribute anything to this site. Also, my cat ate my homework.

Now I know that sounds like a lame excuse that I’ve cooked up to explain why I am late, but it really is true. Those few of you that have had the pleasure of meeting Kali know of her addiction to eating paper. Christmas tends to be her favorite time of year, what with the wrapping paper, ribbons and bows strewn about for her to chew on. But it seems in recent years that she has grown especially fond of Netflix envelopes.

Now Anna and I learned pretty quickly that leaving the envelopes on the coffee table was a less then bright idea considering Kali’s particular vice. Inevitably we would come home from work to discover little nibbles of paper strewn about, and a half eaten envelope laying in tatters. The number of shoddily taped up envelopes we’ve sent back to Netflix is too numerous to count, and until recently we had solved this particular problem. We began hiding the envelopes far above Kali’s reach, and more importantly out of her sight, atop our DVD shelves. But unfortunately, Kali is a bit of climber.

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So I found out early yesterday afternoon that my theatrical pick this week, Fears of the Dark, was dropped from the release schedule. According to our buyer the film might still be released in December, but for now it is totally off the booking sheet, which is an ominous sign.

Evidently the film simply didn’t do very well in other markets (ie New York and Los Angeles) so the decision was made to ax the film instead of releasing it. This in spite of the heavy promotion it has received at all three Landmark Theatres (The Uptown, Lagoon and The Edina) over the past few months. It is pretty rare that a film that has been this heavily invested in by our company will be so unceremoniously dropped. It has happened before, but Fears of the Dark is the first one that I can recall that was dropped after being promoted at all three theatres.

But what really got my goat was when I discovered what Fears of the Dark was being replaced with at The Lagoon, that being Quantum of Solace. Now the decision to play Quantum of Solace at The Lagoon had been made several months ago, and one that has plenty of regulars irked ever since Landmark decided to have both The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia play on two screens this past summer.

Now The Dark Knight is at least defensible, as it made massive amounts of money all across the land and The Lagoon was relatively slow at the time, but Mamma Mia? But bunlike the rest of the world, both ended up doing rather mediocre business at The Lagoon, even the vaunted Dark Knight, and early signs are that Quantum of Solace won’t meet expectations either.

But what is most frustrating, is that Quantum of Solace is on two screens. That means the largest theatre chain in the US that is dedicated to Independent film simply dropped a foreign Independent film for a second screen of the massively mainstream James Bond. It was strictly financial decision, and one that had already backfired at this location in the past, to ax a film that had been garnering decent buzz from their regular clientel just so they could possibly draw in crowds for a film that is decidedly different from the rest of their yearly fare.

Do the expect those customers who come to see Quantum of Solace to return for other films?

Do they expect their regulars to be excited about losing an impressive looking Independent film just so Quantum of Solace can be shown every hour?

I know what my decision is. I won’t be watching Quantum of Solace. Not at The Lagoon, or anywhere else for that matter.

And if anyone else is as bothered by this as I am, feel free to visit landmarktheatres.com and let them know what you think.

I dare you.

Even though their a re a ton of new DVD releases that are worth owning that will be released this upcoming Tuesday, my selection was a fairly easy one. Though, to be fair, I have not yet watched Up the Yangtze, which I have heard from numerous people to be a fantastic film. And even though I loved WALL-E and Tropic Thunder, and even with an under seen Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S Thompson, and even my latest copy of Wholphin being shipped my choice was an easy one. Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World is simply one of the best films I have seen this year, and and it continues his recent string of outstanding films that he has made the past few years. I will be adding it to my collection, and hopefully you will add it to yours.

As for theatrical releases, that was yet another easy choice. While I have mild interest in the latest Bond film, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas might be interesting, my choice is a film I recommended several weeks ago, as it is finally getting released here in Minneapolis. Fears of the Dark is now playing at the Lagoon Cinema, and most likely only for a one week run, so please get out and see this film while you have the chance.

As always trailers are after the break!

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Finally a week in which I have plenty of options to choose from! The last several have left me grasping at straws in order to supply even a halfway decent recommendation, both DVD releases and theatrical releases are giving me a few options to pass on.

In theaters this week is the latest work of genius from Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York, which I’m sure will leave everyone scratching their heads while simultaneously praising it. So you know, a typical Charlie Kaufman film, only this time on a far grander scale.

As for DVD releases I had a bit more of a struggle in trying to choose which film to recommend. As you can probably imagine Hellboy II: The Golden Army was calling to me, but while I loved Hellboy II, I have instead decided to go in another direction and select a film I haven’t seen yet, and no one else has either. This particular film has taken seven years to make, and is just beginning to make a run as a midnight movie here in the US, and for those of you living in the Minneapolis metro area, you will be able to see it at The Uptown Theatre on November 22nd. It should be a great midnight show, so hopefully you will be in attendance. But for those of you who can’t wait, The Flaming Lips: Christmas on Mars will be released on DVD this Tuesday.

As always trailers are after the break!

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I am facing a bit of a crossroads at this moment. None of the new films being released today look like they are worth my time, yet one stars Eugene Hutz and features the music of his band, and one of my favorites, Gogol Bordello. Most will probably recognize Eugen from his scene stealing role in Everything is Illuminated, but Gogol Bordello is where his true genius is laid bare for everyone to hear. The problem is Filth and Wisdom is the directorial debut of Madonna, and the thought of watching her movie makes me want to dry heave. So my recommendation is to not go see Filth and Wisdom, but please watch Everything is Illuminated and track down a Gogol Bordello CD. I promise that you will not be disappointed by either.

Then on Tuesday the fantastic documentary Billy the Kid is finally released on DVD. It follows the adventures of a young boy named Billy, as he attempts to find love in his small town. It had a short run at the Parkway Theater here in Minneapolis, and now hopefully with this release it will garner a bit larger audience. It really is a great film, and easily one of the better films released last year.

As always trailers are after the break!

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I first was introduced to the work of Alex Karpovsky back in 2006 when The Hole Story was screened at the Minneapolis/St Paul International Film Festival. The Hole Story was an incredibly unique film that seamlessly melded fiction and non-fiction into a wonderfully funny and melancholy story about one man’s dream to try and make a pilot for his television show.

With Woodpecker Karpovsky once again uses his unique style of mixing fact and fiction, this time focusing on the fervor surrounding the sightings of the previously presumed extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the bayous of eastern Arkansas. Following one ardent bird watcher (Jon Hyrns) as he attempts to become the first person to definitively prove the elusive birds existence, Karpovsky also interviews many of the locals who are both thankful and frustrated by the birds sudden reappearance.

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