October 2013 - Black Dog Video

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending November 4th

October 29, 2013/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

It’s Halloween week. Finally. As you may know, I love Halloween. It’s my favourite time of year. I love the fall and this October has been exceptional. I love Halloween for the feeling of, not quite dread, but something mischievous in the air. iI find it odd and amusing how many people and businesses and what not embrace Halloween. I imagine if you were from another part of the world that doesn’t celebrate Halloween or if you were an alien who has travelled many light-years to observe and learn from our society, you might find it weird and a little unsettling to walk by houses or business that has severed limbs, dead rotting bodies, graves or whatever on display. I love it. What I don’t love – and I’m sure I’ve complained about this in the past and will again in the future is…read more…

Just a little note here – holders and users of the fabulous $35 punch cards; these cards are not valid with any other offer or promotion or sweet deals that Black Dog might have going on. For example you can’t use them on 2 for 1 Mondays. Just so y’all know.

And if you haven’t already got your underthings picked out for Halloween, Black Dog can help you out there as well (is there anything we can’t do?). We have lovely locally made artisan underwear for sale. $15 for the ladies and $25 for the dudes. They are awesome, trust me. I’m wearing a pair as we speak. Sorry, no photos of that.

(Just kidding with this one, although that is really me) 🙂

We’re almost through our countdown for Black Dog’s favourite Halloween movies. Just a couple more to go.
In case you want to be part of the cool crowd and enjoy our picks plus a whole bunch more, follow us on the Facebooks and the Tweeters…

https://www.facebook.com/blackdogvideo
https://twitter.com/BlackDogVideo

New Releases for Tuesday October 29th

Byzantium – Neil Jordan tries his hand at the vampire film (actually this is his second stab in the vampire arena), because, well, there haven’t been enough vampire films lately. Still waiting for Woody Allen’s take on the genre. This one about a couple of young lady vampires who wreak havoc on an unsuspecting seaside community is fairly dull and pooches it at the end by betraying everything it built up throughout the film. Disappointing. Also on the Blu Ray…

Molly Maxwell – Canadian effort that finds introverted student Molly Maxwell (I think she’s the same Molly Maxwell that’s in the the title) falling for her hip, but disillusioned, English teacher. Complications and awkward situations, I presume, ensue.

R.I.P.D. – Heard nothing but bad things about this crappy Men in Black ripoff that finds personality-challenged Ryan Reynolds partnering up with a slumming Jeff Bridges as they chase after dead things or something like that. Probably should have been titled P.O.S. (Piece Of Shit). Also on the Blu Ray.

Saturday Morning Massacre – Fun-sounding horror comedy that finds some paranormal investigators who travel around in their beat-up van with their dog solving unexplained mysteries. Sound familiar at all? The box says its a cross between Scooby-Doo and Evil Dead. Ruh-roh!

Territories – Going on a road trip to the States soon? You might change your mind after watching this nice little story of five friends who get accosted by some mean shitty border guards and tortured into giving confessions to being terrorists or smugglers or Democrats.

Monsters University – Pretty OK sequel/prequel to a film called Monsters Inc. finds the big hairy blue monster and the one with the big lone eyeball becoming friends in school. A fine time-waster for you and your sprogs. Also on the Blu Ray.

Coming Next Week

As I Lay Dying
Passion
Lovelace
Mad Men Season 6
White House Down
Grown Ups 2
Broken
Girl Most Likely
Clear History

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 28th

October 22, 2013/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

Big shout out of thanks and what-nots to everyone who stopped in at the stores on Saturday to support International Independent Video Store Day. We gave out a couple of Blu Ray players, some lovely tote bags and much love. It raises one’s spirit to know that there are still lots of folks who appreciate us in their neighbourhood and their lives and that there’s still life left in this old business. Cheers to you all!

There’s a Halloween thingy a transpiring this Saturday in the Cambie hood. There will be candy given out, pumpkin carvings, crafts – everyone loves crafts! – balloons – you’d have to have a pretty cold heart not to love a good balloon – merriment and possibly a monkey knife-fight or two, we’re still trying to iron out the details on that one. Dress up the kids, the dog, the neighbours kid (but don’t do nothing illegal please) or the neighbour’s dog and drop on by the store and the hood for much fun.

And if haven’t been following our Halloween month daily horror film picks, what’s wrong with you? Like seriously, what’s wrong with you? Just kidding, you’re fine just the way you are. Most of you anyways. If you’d like to see where we are at, follow Black Dog on the Facebooks and the Twitters. Not only can you check out the scary list but you’ll be privy to all things Black Dog. I can’t begin to tell you how exciting that will make your life.

https://www.facebook.com/blackdogvideo

https://twitter.com/BlackDogVideo

New Releases for Tuesday October 22nd

Augustine – In 19th century France, a lovely kitchen maid (the best kind if maid) suffers some sort of seizure, gets sent off to institution, falls under the influence of, maybe, a creepy doctor. Complications ensue. On the shelves at Cambie, soon at Commercial.

Before Midnight – Latest (probably last) of the “Before a Time of Day” films from Linklater finds Ethan and Julie talking and eating and talking and then talking some more. Expect to see this one on many “Best of the Year” lists in the coming months. I’m still expecting at least one more of these films to be made – maybe when they get older. Before Nap-time, Before Dentures, Before Wheel of Fortune…Also on the Blu Ray. (We were shorted our order at Cambie and I am desperately trying to get more DVDS)

The Conjuring – Not bad, not great horror flick finds a couple investigating another couple who claim their house is haunted. Turns out it was. Could have been much better if they stuck with the haunted house story instead of veering off on the direction it did. Although I never understand why folks just don’t leave their haunted abode. I guess that would make for a much more boring film. “Conjure this!!” Is what I say. Also on the Blu Ray.

Dirty Wars – Important looking doc that investigates the world of the “War on Terror” (which if you really think of it, makes no sense – a war on an emotion or state of mind? Bullshit I says), and the secret armies that conduct “operations” as they like to refer to as what they do. Others may call it murder, torture and just being jerks. Looks pretty intense.

A Hijacking – Danish thriller about a ship overtaken by Somali pirates. Does not, I repeat, does not star Tom Hanks. Looks pretty good though, even without Tom Hanks.

I Give it a Year – Couple meets, falls in love, yadda, yadda. None of their friends, acquaintances, neighbours or the neighbours dog think that they will last. Hence the title. Romantic comedy junkies, alert!

The Internship – Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are “old school salesmen” who try to get into the Internship (title alert!) program at Google. Hijinks, I presume, ensue. The little description, which you may need glasses to read, on the box exclaims, “Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson team up to crash the digital world in this laugh-out-loud comedy you’ve been searching for!” Does that sentence even make sense? Who writes this shit. Maybe I should look into box writing after the video store? From what I hear this movie is basically an extended Google commercial. Like they need to advertise. The word Google is already a noun, a verb and a salad dressing. Also on the Blu Ray.

Only God Forgives – Dude who made Drive is back along with The Gosling to assault your senses in this critically panned thriller set in the seedy underbelly of Bangkok. Love me some seedy underbelly. Looks pretty cool and psychedelic to me, even if it was soundly booed at Cannes. Maybe they were chanting Boo-urns. Also on the Blu Ray.

The Way Way Back – Excellent coming-of-age comedy that finds a 14 year-old dude getting dragged along on a family vacation to a water park where he hangs out with Sam Rockwell who doles out life lessons. Wish I had a Sam Rockwell doling me out life lessons when I was 14. Then I might have ended up asking Kim W. to go steady with me instead of chickening out like a big milk-fed wussy-baby. A life full of regrets. Sigh. Also on the Blu Ray

Old Stuff Just In

Kon-Tiki – Oscar-winning doc from 1947 finds crazy person Thor Heyerdahl making a raft and sailing it almost 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean. The recently released film version is worth a look as well.

Coming Next Week

R.I.P.D.
Byzantium
Bounty Killer
Territories
Saturday Morning Massacre
Monsters University
Molly Maxwell

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 21st

October 16, 2013/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

I hope that everyone had a safe and engorging Thanksgiving weekend. The weather was amazing – that nice fall crisp air, the rain of chestnuts. My favourite time of the year. Something to be thankful for, for sure. Among other things that I’m thankful for read more…

This Saturday, the 19th, is the third annual International Independent Video Store Day! It’s a day to celebrate our business and to show our appreciation to the many great folks who’ve patronized our establishments over the years. Come into either store on Saturday and enter our draw for a spiffy new Blu Ray player! Come in and rent two or more DVDs and you can leave the store with a original Black Dog tote bag! There may even be some free stuff to be had, including hugs (well, maybe not hugs). Chips Ahoy! Or pop into Black Dog just to tell us how much you love us. We need your love. So bad.

Speaking of video stores (cause that’s what I do) there’s a screening of a very cool looking doc, Rewind This, coming up at The Rio and also at Capilano University and we have some tickets to give away. We have two pair for the Rio Screening and 1 pair for the Capilano showing. Just be the first to pop into the Commercial Drive location Wednesday and say “I’d like the tickets for Rewind This, please.” and they’re yours. First come first serve obviously. Here’s the trailer…http://www.doxafestival.ca/motionpictures/rewindthis

Also just another reminder, we’re still doing our Halloween month picks everyday over yonder on the Facebooks and the Tweeters. If you’re interested follow us. https://www.facebook.com/blackdogvideo https://twitter.com/BlackDogVideo

New releases for Tuesday October 15th

Drug War – Love me some Johnny To! This looks like a return to form from one of my favourite directors (The Mission, Hero Never Dies). Cops and drug kingpins abound in this (from what the box says anyways) a cross between the French Connection and The Wire. Yes please! Also on the Blu Ray.

The Heat – The Bulloch and the McCarthy team up as an uptight FBI agent and a foul-mouthed Bawston cop (are there any other kind?) to bring down some drug lord or something like that. Hilarious hijinks, I presume, ensue. Also on the Blu ray.

The Killing Season 2 – It’s been so long I almost forgot this show existed. Now do we finally get to find out who killed what’s-her-face? Hope so. Good show this is.

The Look of Love – Steve Coogan (love the Coogan!) stars as adult publisher and nightclub owner Paul Raymond in this bio-pic from Michael Winterbottom. Looks pretty cool, sexy and sophisticated. Yes, indeed, it does.

Love, Marilyn – Weird sounding doc finds a bunch of Hollywood types sitting around reading letters and private writings the Marilyn penned some 50 years ago that were just recently discovered under the bed or somewhere in her acting coach’s house. Funny how we (well some) still have such a fascination with her.

Maniac – Oh Frodo, what have you done? Why are you scalping all of those lovely young women? Did you not get your second breakfast? Also on the Blu Ray (Blu Ray at Cambie only at the moment)

Pacific Rim – Giant robots hockey-punching giant monsters! What more do you need to know? Ignore the banal dialogue, annoying characters and shoddy acting (I’m looking at you, Ron Pearlman) and enjoy this spectacular feast for your 10-year-old kid eyes. Loved it way more than I probably should have. Also on the Blu Ray.

Paradise: Love – Disturbing and unsightly film about older European women who travel to Africa to be “Sugar Mamas” to young African men in exchange for sex. Lots of sex. Excuse me while I wash out my eyeballs. Part 1 of Ulrich Seidl’s Paradise Trilogy.

Olde Stuff Just In!

Just received a lovely box of Criterions! They include;

Badlands – DVD and Blu Ray
Repo Man
The Devil’s Backbone
Things to Come
Medium Cool (yay!)
Babette’s Feasts
Monsieur Verdoux
Jubal
Ministry of Fear
A Man Escaped

Coming Next Week

Only God Forgives
I Give it a Year
Before Midnight
Dirty Wars
The Conjuring
The Internship

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 14th

October 8, 2013/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

October is the best month. The air has taken on a nice crisp quality, the dreaded heat of the summer has finally subsided, the fruit flies and scorpions are all gone from my kitchen and Halloween is soon upon us. It’s no secret I love the Halloween, even with it’s crass commercialism and sexy sexed-up costumes, I still think it’s the best celebration of the year. I loved Halloween as a kid and still do as an old man. I grew up loving horror films, much to my mother’s and girlfriend’s, wive’s and secret wive’s chagrin. I’m not too sure what it is that I love about them either. Is the intensity, the violence, and dread? Yes, yes and yes. I abhor violence in real life – hell I don’t even like fighting in hockey anymore (like seriously, why is actual punching each other in the face part of a game? It’s bizarre if you think about it). But gimme a chainsaw through the head, an axe in the intestines, eyeballs ripped out and eaten, needles in the ear or whatever and I’m a happy guy. Not to say that I just enjoy the violence, some of my favourite scary movies aren’t violent at all. A film like The Haunting (1963) with it’s great gothic mansion, black and white cinematography and the amazing use of sound is as scary as anything out there! Horror films and TV is all I’ve been watching so far this month and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Get out of my kitchen!”

As mentioned in the previous newsletter we’re (I’m) doing a 31 days of Halloween film fest recommendation on the Facebook and the Twitters. You can follow us on those if you want a daily dose of scares.

https://www.facebook.com/blackdogvideo

https://twitter.com/BlackDogVideo

So far, the first picks are as follows;

The Haunting
Night of the Living Dead
Evil Dead (remake)
V/H/S/ 2
The Others
The Orphanage
The Wicker Man
The Devil’s Backbone

Also a reminder that we still have some amazing underwear for sale at both shops. $25 for the men’s and $15 for the ladies. Be the best dressed cat at your next orgy! And we also have plenty of Black Dog tote bags to carry your unmentionables in as well. They’re only $3 a pop. Get them while you can.

There’s something cool a-brewin’! DOXA is presenting this fine film and you can win a pair of tickets courtesy of Black Dog. More info on that next week. Check this out if yer interested.. http://www.doxafestival.ca/motionpictures/rewindthis

New Releases for Tuesday October 8th

After Earth – Will Smith and his sprog, Jaden, crash land on an abandoned earth in the future. They must work together to survive bad CGI monsters, poor dialogue and shoddy direction from M. Night Shamalama-ding-dong. Whatever happened to that guy? Such promise with his first few films and now he’s making stuff that ends up on everyone’s worst of the year list. Jerk. Also on the Blu Ray.

American Horror Story: Asylum – Season 2 of this fine, creepy TV show. Jessica Lange kills it as a twisted nun (let’s hear it for twisted nuns everywhere!) in charge of an insane asylum in the 60’s. Pretty much every horror movie ever made sees a bit of light in this bat-shit crazy awesome series. I managed to devour 6 episodes over the weekend and am still hungry for more. Great stuff.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – Animated Batman show that supposed to be pretty good although it would be nice if they could title a Batman show without using the words, “Dark, Knight, Returns, Rises, Grunts or Begins”.

Curse of Chucky – Everyone’s favourite possessed homicidal talking doll is back to dismember and butcher anyone who gets in his way. Awww. He’d be a great halloween costume for your child. Think about it. It’ll be late on the shelves at Cambie St.

Frozen Ground – John Cusack continues his streak of playing creepy killers (see The Paperboy, no really, you should see The Paperboy) in this thriller in the vein of Se7en. Nic Cage and his big rubber head plays the cop on his trail. Set in Alaska, hence the ground being frozen and all. Also on the Blu Ray.

Hangover Part III – They’re still making these, eh? I have to assume that contractual obligations keep Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis coming back for more of this mundane stupidity. But you know what happens when you assume things…Also on the Blu Ray.

The Hunt – One of the year’s best flicks stars the Mads Mikkelsen as a teacher who gets falsely accused of some heinous crime (I bet we can all imagine what it might be). From Thomas Vinterberg who made the most excellent The Celebration.

In the Flesh – Great zombie TV show from the BBC about an undead kid named Kieren who tries to, after much rehabilitation and medication, integrate back into society. Video store sounds like a good place for him to look for a job. Sounds like a nice fresh take on a stale and rotting genre. (Get it? See what I did there?)

Much Ado About Nothing – Joss Whedon takes off the superhero pants for a bit to give us a modern take on the fine Shakespeare comedy. A sexy comedy of errors and misunderstandings at Whedon’s house sets the stage for much ado about fun! Ahem. Also on the Blu Ray.

The Purge – Great idea but, from what I’ve hear, poorly executed. The premise – one night a year all crime is legal so everyone can go nuts and kill and plunder and run stop signs (like people only do that on Purge night). Ethan Hawke and Cersei barricade their family in their fortress of a house only to be invaded by some punks wearing creepy masks. My question is, if crime is legal for this night, why are the perps wearing masks? Maybe it’s just best not to ask too many questions about a film like this. Also on the Blu Ray.

Robot Chicken Season 6 – Love me the Robot Chicken. You’ll love it as well, but only if you have a sense of humour and a grasp on popular culture. Which of course you do.

Room 237 – Doc about Kubrick’s The Shining (You’ve heard of it, right?) and all the hidden messages, meanings and whatnot in it. Supposedly not endorsed by the Kubrick estate. But what is? Some of it is a little far-fetched and some of the folks interviewed sound a bit like crack-pots but it makes for a fun viewing experience. Also on the Blu Ray.

Stuck in Love – Romantic comedy/ coming of age/ reflection of growing old/ jungle cannibal flick (well maybe not so much the cannibal part) stars Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connolly and Logan Lerman – man I love saying that dude’s name! Try it, you’l like it.

We Steal Secrets – Doc about Julian Assange and the creation of Wikileaks. From prolific academy award winner Alex Gibney. I’m sure that this doc isn’t endorsed by the US government or any government with anything to hide really. Which would probably include every government that’s ever existed. Whatever side you fall on the whistleblower issue, this looks like it’s worth your time.

Coming Next Week

Pacific Rim
The Heat
Love of Love
Drug War
Maniac
The Fall
Love Marilyn

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 7th

October 1, 2013/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

It seems the rains have finally returned to our fair land after an incredible run of sunshine, unicorns and sparkles from heaven. And with the weather the need and want and need to hunker down at home and watch movies and TV has arrived as well. Which is good because we have lots and lots for your eyeballs to digest. Just not much this week. It’s pretty slim pickens for new films today but that will change in the very near future.

Get it?

We had a pretty fun day on Saturday at the Commercial store as local musician Jason Zumpano spun disks on 2 turntables (no microphones) in the afternoon. He played some stuff from his new LP, Custodian, as well as some great old stuff. Made for a terrific party-like atmosphere for a busy rainy Saturday afternoon. We’ll probably do it again in the near future. Good times.

And a reminder that as of October 1st we will no longer be giving out stamps with the $35 punch card. It’s too good of a deal as it is, so no whining about it please.

And also seeing that it’s October 1st – Halloween month (the best month of the year) – we’ll be doing a horror film recommendation a day leading up to the greatest of nights at the end of the month. If you want to get in on the action you’ll have to follow Black Dog on the Tweeters or on the Facebooks…https://twitter.com/BlackDogVideo
https://www.facebook.com/blackdogvideo

New Releases for Tuesday October 1st

The English Teacher – A lonely teacher takes interest in a former student who couldn’t make it in New York. She wants to mount his play (yes his play, perverts) to instil confidence in him or something like that. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x7AaANc5nk[/youtube]

Lore – Heavy German drama (they do heavy dramas well) about a girl who leads her siblings across a war ravaged Germany at the end of WWII where she’s exposed to the truth of her parents beliefs and what she’s been taught all her life. Played the VIFF recently to fine reviews. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XBsT3iafl0[/youtube]

This is the End – Probably the best comedy of the year (so far) finds a shwack of Hollywood’s young, hip lads – Franco, Rogan, Hill, Robinson, Cera, Baruchel and McBride (who steals the show) fighting for their lives and each other during a party at Franco’s house as outside a monsterous Satan with a giant dong sets about to destroy the world and all it’s sinners. Tons of fun for those that like fun. You know who you are. Something tells me that this is kinda like an average weekend at Danny McBride’s place. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j463qtCRlxk[/youtube]

Coming Next Week

Room 237

American Horror Story Season 2

After Earth

Robot Chicken S 6

Much Ado About Nothing

Stuck in Love

In the Flesh Season 1

The Hunt

Hangover Part 3

Batman: Dark Knight Returns (animated)

The Purge

Curse of Chucky

Video Store on Commercial Drive

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Archive for month: October, 2013

New Releases for Tuesday October 29th

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

New Releases for Tuesday October 22nd

Old Stuff Just In

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

New releases for Tuesday October 15th

Olde Stuff Just In!

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

New Releases for Tuesday October 8th

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Approved for Your Eyeballs

New Releases for Tuesday October 1st

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommend

Video Store on Commercial Drive

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