Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending March 5th

Well it seems that the pinheads at the Liquor Control Board are insisting on giving the Rio Theatre an ongoing hard time over this silly licensing bugaboo. For some crazy reason, they’ve now pulled all of the Rio’s movie programming weeks after reinstating it. I don’t understand at all what is going on. To make matters even worse, the fools at the Liquor Board have taken away any special occasion licensing for any theatre in town! So no wine and cheese during the film festival or for special screenings. Why, I have to ask? What is their problem with this? And to rub it in even further, they’ve granted a license to some stupid MMA event in some nightclub! So let’s see, the Liquor Board is concerned about public safety issues with people enjoying a beer while watching a film but it has no problem with serving booze at a violent live spectacle? Makes sense. Let’s all help out this fabulous theatre. Contact: Minister Rich Coleman, , AND Premier Christy Clark,

Also the big DVD sale continues at both stores this week. There will be a new pile of films – I believe the comedy section is ripe for pruning – at the Commercial store tomorrow and I hope to get the cult section at Cambie on Thursday.

Oh and remember to “like” us on Facebook to keep up on the latest video store news including late films hitting the shelves, trailers for stuff we think is cool and whatever else we can drag up off the interwebs… https://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Dog-Video/304308199618380

And last but not least – a big thanks to everyone who voted us Best DVD Rental Store in the Westender’s best of the year poll. Although there doesn’t seem to be much competition left (we finished ahead of a store that is not even open anymore!), it’s still much appreciated and makes us feel like we’re doing some good work.

New Releases for Tuesday February 28th

Agnosia – Strange sounding Spanish gothic-thriller, love story, espionage mystery and a few other genres thrown in for good measure about a woman suffering from the title affliction which renders her senses useless. I like my senses so that would pretty much suck! Go senses! From the producers and/or writers Pans Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone.

Gamin Au Velo – AKA The Kid on a Bike – From the great Dardenne brothers (The Son, Lorna’s Silence) comes this tale of a a hairdresser who takes under her wing a kid who is living at a state run youth farm (I guess they’re growing youths there?) after being abandoned by his no-goodnick father.

Hugo – Visually amazing but vaguely disappointing effort (needed more Joe Pesci) from some director named Scorsese. Story follows a kid who lives in a train station in Paris (for some reason everyone has English accents) who discovers that French film pioneer George Méliès, played by Sexy Beast Sir Ben Kingsley, is running a toy shop in the train station. Film is too long but it’s nice to look at and is a loving homage to the movies. I was told that this is good for kids – maybe older kids as I don’t know how many 6 – 7 year-olds would be interested in the birth of French cinema. Also on the gorgeous Blu Ray.

Insight – After a nurse gets electrocuted by a wonky defibrillator she’s applying to a dying murder victim, she starts to have the dead woman’s memories. So she does what all of us have done when confronted by this situation – she goes about trying to solve the crime. If this were a documentary I think I’d be more inclined to watch it. Alas…

Johnny English: Reborn – I don’t remember anyone asking for another freaking Johnny English film! Isn’t Rowan Atkinson getting a little long in the tooth to still be doing this slapstick schtick? Ugh.

Justice League: Doom – Some guy named Vandal Savage steals confidential files Batman has compiled on the members of the Justice League to learn all their weaknesses. This is an animated flick for all you super hero nerds out there. You know who you are.

Klitschko – While the title does sound kind of naughty, this is actually a doc about a pair of Russian/German boxer brothers. Brother boxers? Supposed to be pretty good for those of you who enjoy the sweet science.

Mandrill – Fun looking James Bond/Kung Fu actiony hybrid from Chile of all places, finds a kid who grows up to be a ruthless bounty hunter seeking revenge on the thugs who murdered his parents. He calls himself Mandrill. Enough said.

Notre Jour Viendra – AKA Our Day Will Come – First film from the son of Costa-Gravas is a weird violent surreal road flick. I’ve heard from reliable sources that it’s quite an excellent time. And with some plot keywords like full-frontal male nudity, red hair and hot tub, how could you go wrong? (Thanks IMDB!)

Rabies – Strange sounding horror film from Israel (yes you read that right) about a brother and sister who run away from home and find sanctuary in a deserted nature reserve. There they meet a psychopathic killer (what other kind might you be expecting?), a group of young tennis players, a ranger and his dog, as well as a team of bickering policemen. And with some plot keywords that include; brother-sister incest, fingering, alternative lifestyle, dog and finger bang, how could you go wrong? (Thanks IMDB!)

Woody Allen: A Documentary – Title pretty much sums it up I think. Really long doc covering Woody’s long and storied (and weird and creepy) career. Say what you will about him, he’s one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Old Stuff Just In

Friday Night Lights – The Complete Series

Foyle’s War – Season 2-5 (We now have the complete series)

Skins Season 3 and 4 (At Commercial, coming soon to Cambie)

The Fernando Di Leo Crime Collection – Includes The Big Boss, The Italian Connection, Caliber 9, Rulers of the City

Coming Next Week

Game of Thrones Season 1
Skin I Live In
Animals United
Footloose
Senna
Immortals
MI-5 Volume 10
Jack and Jill
Like Crazy
I Melt with You

Recently Viewed and Recommended

Notre Jour Viendra – AKA Our Day Will Come
Hugo – mild recommendation
Martha Marcy May Marlene
50/50
Drive
Paranormal Activity 3
Cell 211
The Thing
Harold and Kumar: A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within
Take Shelter

That’s it for this week, people. They say it’s going to snow tomorrow so the best thing you can do is not go to work or school, get some flicks, a bottle of schnapps and hunker down till the storm passes.

Black Dog Video