Quick DVD Update for 17 December

In addition to the titles below, Cédric Klapisch's Paris, John Krasinski's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men and Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel have all had Blu-rays announced, though they originally were only planned for DVD. The titles in italics are date changes. In descending order of release.

- Freedom Road, 1979, d. Ján Kádar, Tango Entertainment, 2 February, w. Muhammad Ali, Kris Kristofferson
- Jump, 2005, d. Justin Bookey, Pathfinder, 9 February
- A Serious Man, 2009, d. Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Focus Features, also on Blu-ray, 9 February
- Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love, 2008, d. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Oscilloscope, 9 February
- Daybreak, 2008, d. Adolfo Alix Jr., Water Bearer Films, 16 February
- Heavenly Touch, 2009, d. Joel Lamangan, Water Bearer Films, 16 February
- No Way Out [Walang kawala], 2008, d. Joel Lamangan, Water Bearer Films, 16 February
- Cool School: How LA Learned to Love Modern Art, 2008, d. Morgan Neville, New Video, 23 February
- Electric Purgatory: The Fate of the Black Rocker, 2005, d. Raymond Gayle, Microcinema, 23 February
- Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis, 2006, d. Mary Jordan, New Video, 23 February
- Marathon, 2009, d. Biju Viswanath, Breaking Glass Pictures, 2 March
- Return to the 36th Chamber, 1980, d. Liu Chia-Liang, Dragon Dynasty, 2 March
- Capitalism: A Love Story, 2009, d. Michael Moore, also on Blu-ray, Anchor Bay, 9 March
- Escape from Blood Plantation [Die Insel der blutigen Plantage], 1983, d. Peter Kern, Kurt Raab, Substance/MVD, 9 March
- Hachi: A Dog's Tale, 2009, d. Lasse Hallström, also on Blu-ray, Sony, 9 March, w. Richard Gere, Joan Allen
- Obscene, 2007, d. Daniel O'Connor, Neil Ortenberg, New Video, 16 March
- South Park, The Complete 13th Season, 2009, also on Blu-ray, Comedy Central/Paramount, 16 March
- The Vengeance Trilogy [Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance / Oldboy / Lady Vengeance], 2002, 2003, 2005, d. Park Chan-wook, Palisades Tartan, 16 March
- Five from Barska Street [Piątka z ulicy Barskiej], 1954, d. Aleksander Ford, Polart/Facets, 23 March
- The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009, d. Grant Heslov, also on Blu-ray, Anchor Bay, 23 March
- Sayuri Ichijo: Flowing Desire, 1972, d. Tatsumi Kumashiro, Kimstim/Kino, 23 March
- Twisted Path of Love, 2009, d. Tatsumi Kumashiro, Kimstim/Kino, 23 March
- Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor, 1973, d. Tatsumi Kumashiro, Kimstim/Kino, 23 March
- Afghan Star, 2009, d. Havana Marking, Zeitgeist, 30 March
- The Baader Meinhof Complex [Der Baader Meinhof Komplex], 2008, d. Uli Edel, also on Blu-ray, MPI, 30 March
- I Sell the Dead, 2008, d. Glenn McQuaid, IFC Films, also on Blu-ray, 30 March
- The Trouble with Romance, 2009, d. Gene Rhee, Breaking Glass Pictures, w. David Eigenberg, Kip Pardue
- The Awakening of Spring, 2008, d. Arthur Allan Seidelman, here! Films, 6 April
- Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, 2009, d. Werner Herzog, also on Blu-ray, First Look, 6 April
- Beeswax, 2009, d. Andrew Bujalski, Cinema Guild, 6 April
- Murder.com, 2008, d. Rex Piano, here! Films, 6 April
- The Blue Tooth Virgin, 2008, d. Russell Brown, here! Films, 20 April
- Prom Wars, 2008, d. Phil Price, Koch Vision, 20 April, w. Alia Shawkat

All My Friends: Millennium Mambo, Take 3: Mike Hassler

For something like three years, Mike Hassler and I suffered working for the same horrible company, which is where we met and where my first impressions of him were from another co-worker who informed me that Mike really liked the movie Electra. Thankfully, I soon learned that his admiration for the Daredevil spin-off was neither a fluke nor indicative of his taste on a larger scale (thankfully). Shortly afterward, we would spend most of our time on the clock creating a real-time commentary for the Sister Act saga, throwing themed music nights (the soundtrack night/weekend was the highlight of which), making up elaborately perverse fantasy lives for the motley crew of customers we had to encounter every week and occasionally convincing one another to take home DVDs we wouldn't give a second look (sometimes out of curiosity, other times out of malice, often just to fuck with one another). Mike occasionally updates his blog Heteroerotica with film and music write-ups (and, yes, he was the one who chose his Amy Winehouse Halloween costume photo). Thanks, Mike.

On Film: I like to think I hit middle ground -- not too snobby, but people can point fingers. I haven’t had the time to watch or rewatch all that I would like to, but I’m happy enough with my list. I know I’ve forgotten things, and I’m positive I’ve jumbled the order so many times that they’re probably not in any particular order outside of the first few. Congrats to Greengrass for making it twice. [Editors note: Quentin Tarantino only made the list twice due to Mike including a 1999 film in the 25th spot.]

01. Oldboy, 2003, d. Park Chan-wook, South Korea
02. The Piano Teacher [La pianiste], 2001, d. Michael Haneke, Austria/France/Germany/Poland
03. Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 2001, d. John Cameron Mitchell, USA
04. The Squid and the Whale, 2005, d. Noah Baumbach, USA
05. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [Le scaphandre et le papillon], d. Julian Schnabel, France/USA
06. The Shape of Things, 2003, d. Neil LaBute, USA/France/UK
07. Fat Girl [À ma sœur!], 2001, d. Catherine Breillat, France/Italy
08. The Beat My Heart Skipped [De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté], 2005, d. Jacques Audiard, France
09. Inside [À l'intérieur], 2007, d. Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury, France
10. Rachel Getting Married, 2008, d. Jonathan Demme, USA
11. OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies [OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions], 2006, d. Michel Hazanavicius, France
12. Once, 2006, d. John Carney, Ireland
13. Bloody Sunday, 2002, d. Paul Greengrass, Ireland/UK
14. A Bittersweet Life, 2005, d. Kim Ji-woon, South Korea
15. Inglourious Basterds, 2009, d. Quentin Tarantino, USA/Germany
16. The Incredibles, 2004, d. Brad Bird, USA
17. Chopper, 2000, d. Andrew Dominik, Australia
18. Murder on a Sunday Morning [Un couple idéal], 2001, d. Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, France/USA
19. Ip Man, 2008, d. Wilson Yip, Hong Kong
20. Love Exposure, 2008, d. Sion Sono, Japan
21. House of Sand and Fog, 2003, d. Vadim Perelman, USA
22. Mulholland Drive, 2001, d. David Lynch, France/USA
23. There Will Be Blood, 2007, d. Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
24. The Bourne Supremacy, 2004, d. Paul Greengrass, USA/Germany
25. Grindhouse, 2007, d. Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Rob Zombie, Edgar Wright, Eli Roth


On Music: Likewise here, I'm positive I've missed things, but decided to go with what I believe have had the most spins.

01. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
02. Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood (2003)
03. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool (2007)
04. Portishead - Third (2008)
05. Clipse - Lord Willin’ (2002)
06. Muse - Origin of Symmetry (2001)
07. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006)
08. Coldplay - X & Y (2005)
09. PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her (2004)
10. Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (2000)
11. Thrice - Vheissu (2005)
12. The Damnwells - Air Stereo (2006)
13. Kanye West - College Dropout (2004)
14. Espers - II (2006)
15. Sigur Rós - Takk... (2005)
16. Louis XIV - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept (2005)
17. Doves - Lost Souls (2000)
18. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple (2008)
19. The Strokes - Room on Fire (2003)
20. Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days (2004)
21. Ray LaMontagne - Trouble (2004)
22. The Roots - Rising Down (2008)
23. Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights (2002)
24. The Darkness - Permission to Land (2003)
25. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe (2009)

Frownland, Others Coming Soon to DVD

New company Factory 25 has announced their first DVDs for September and October, most notably an official DVD release for Ronald Bronstein's amazing Frownland, which has been making rounds across the country for the past two years. Kino will also be releasing a third collection of Avant Garde shorts from 1922-1955 on 24 November; unfortunately I don't know any details further than that. Palisades Tartan has also announced a box-set of Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance) for the same date; I don't know of any of the specifics. The releases are in descending order of release.

- Damon & Naomi: 1001 Nights, d. Naomi Yang, Cedrick Eymenier, Hiroo Ishihara, Factory 25, 29 September
- Frownland, 2007, d. Ronald Bronstein, Factory 25, 29 September
- Chéri, 2009, d. Stephen Frears, Miramax, 20 October
- High School Record, 2005, d. Ben Wolfinsohn, Factory 25, 27 October
- You Weren't There: A History of Chicago Punk 1977 to 1984, d. Joe Losurdo, Christina Tillman, Factory 25, 27 October
- The Answer Man [Arlen Faber], 2009, d. John Hindman, Magnolia, also on Blu-ray, 3 November, w. Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings
- Lesbian Vampire Killers, 2009, d. Phil Claydon, The Weinstein Company, 3 November
- Humpday, 2009, d. Lynn Shelton, Magnolia, 17 November
- Is Anybody There?, 2009, d. John Crowley, Magnolia, also on Blu-ray, 17 November, w. Michael Caine
- Luxury Car, 2006, d. Wang Chao, First Run Features, 17 November