DVD Rental Recommendations for the Week of June 14 (from our archives)

The Dancer Upstairs  |  Directed by John Malkovich

Rated: R, 128 min.

Suspense

John Malkovich¹s ambitious directorial debut is set in an unnamed Latin American country. A soft-spoken police detective (played with subtlety by Javier Bardem) is investigating a wave of political killings. Eventually the trail leads to his daughter¹s beautiful and alluring ballet teacher who harbors secrets. This is an intelligent film about the unseen political realities that grip Latin America and the human stories behind them.

The Station Agent  |  Directed by Tom McCarthy

Rated: PG-13, 88 min.

Drama

This is one of the most interesting and heartwarming American independent films of the year and is known for its very positive buzz at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. A man who happens to be a dwarf has a passion for trains and inherits a small deserted railroad station on a quiet rural railroad line. He becomes the center of unlikely group of quirky friends. The story is filled with humor and humanity. The film stars Peter Dinklage and Patricia Clarkson.

Bride and Prejudice  |  Directed by Gurinder Chadha

Rated: PG-13, 111 min.

Musical/Comedy/Romance

From the director of the much beloved Bend It Like Beckham comes the immensely likeable new film, Bride and Prejudice. This is Jane Austen’s classic story set in a colorful Indian city and filmed in the style of a big Bollywood musical (a mix of Hollywood and Bombay). Starring the gorgeous Indian movie star Aishwarya Rai, this gusto-filled romp humorously targets prejudice between the East and West, first and third worlds, men, women, children and parents. The up-tempo, traditional Indian music, Bollywood song and dance plus eye-popping costumes add to the delight.

Riding Giants  |  Directed by Stacy Peralta

Rated: PG-13, 100 min.

Documentary

The American surfing culture and the advent of big wave challenges are recorded with enormous detail and affection in this spirited documentary, chosen as the opening night film at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival because of its undeniable crowd-pleasing vibe. Placing footage of some of the sport’s most spectacular, board-breaking waves along side interviews with the daredevils who ride them, the film offers a highly engaging emersion into a culture of larger-than-life west coast characters driven by their thrill-seeking instincts.