Sep 18, 2007

Grindhouse (part 1)

Quentin Tarantino's (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) half of this summer's Grindhouse double-feature, Death Proof, is new this week, starring Kurt Russell (Escape From New York, Miracle) in a highway thriller. Russell stars as "Stuntman Mike," who stalks women in a Chevy Nova modified to be death proof... for the driver. Referencing road racers and thrillers as varied as Vanishing Point and Duel, Death Proof features Rosario Dawson (Sin City, The 25th Hour) and Jordan Ladd (Inland Empire, Cabin Fever) as they try to survive and defeat their deadly stalker.

A number of sports pictures are new this week, starting with We Are Marshall, which stars Matthew McConaughey (Failure to Launch, EdTv) in the true story of a coach rebuilding a town's spirit by rebuilding their football team. Gracie is about a fifteen year old girl determined to play varsity soccer, overcoming great obstacles in order to play on the boy's team, and starring Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas, Tuck Everlasting). Based on another true story, Johnny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Mindhunters) stars as champion cyclist Graeme Obree in The Flying Scotsman.

The most recent British slasher/comedy picture is Severance, which marries the interpersonal comedy of The Office with the traditional spam-in-a-cabin style horror picture, as members of a team building weekend are picked off one by one. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin stars in a Battle Royale style competition as ten convicts fight to be the last man standing in The Condemned. The new Chinese gangster picture Triad Election, where reluctant criminal is ascending to the top of his organization, and is offered a precarious deal by the government. The writers of The Sopranos bring us Brooklyn Rules, where boyhood friends' loyalties are tested by the influence of the mafia, with Alec Baldwin (The Getaway, 30 Rock) and Scott Caan (Ocean's Eleven, The Dog Problem).

Also new is the spy thriller A Few Days in September, set ten days before 9/11, telling the story of a French secret service operative (Juliet Binoche: Chocolat, The English Patient), a rogue CIA agent (Nick Nolte: The Good Thief, Hotel Rwanda), and an assassin (John Tuturo: The Big Lebowski, Quiz Show). Lucky You is a high stakes poker story where Eric Bana (Chopper, Munich) meets Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels, Duplex) and finds that his personal life may redeem his life at the table. The HBO original picture Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee follows the Sioux victory at Little Big Horn and its aftermath in US government, with Aidan Quinn (Music of the Heart, Legends of the Fall) and Anna Paquin (X-Men, Finding Forrester). A documentary about a Seattle man whose recent death is attributed to relations with a horse, Zoo explores a facet of sexuality seldom mentioned.

Two animated features are also out this week; the animated version of the widely popularized Death of Superman, Superman: Doomsday brings the death of the Man of Steel to life. The latest Barbie video on the wall is The Island Princess, a new, full-length musical.

The debut season of Brothers and Sisters has just been released on DVD, the television family drama with a cast including Sally Field and Calista Flockhart. Also new this week is the 6th season of the pre-Superman series Smallville, and season 3 of the lawyer comedy Boston Legal. We also have the complete Starhunter series, a short lived science fiction epic. The fifth season of the popular animated comedy Family Guy is new this week, as well as season 2 of the Adult Swim sketch show Robot Chicken. Finally, the second season of the cult comedy show Upright Citizen's Brigade has just been released.