Sydney White (2007)

Dir. Joe Nussbaum

In this quirky update on a classic fairy tale, freshman Sydney White (Amanda Bynes) pledges a once dignified sorority, only to find it has devolved into a nasty, backhanded clique. Disenchanted by the experience, Sydney takes up with a group of seven outcasts. Together with her band of merry misfits, she challenges the school's social hierarchy and looks to take down sorority president Rachel (Sara Paxton), the wicked campus villain.

All That Jazz (1979)

Dir. Bob Fosse

Bob Fosse's autobiographical film celebrates the raunchy underbelly of show business. Successful director-choreographer Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) is at the top of the Broadway heap. But he stands powerless as his world slowly collapses around him; his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of Dexedrine keep him going. Soon, it's clear Gideon will have to make a choice -- his art or his life.

November Stats

November Total = 5
2008 Total = 71

Stats:
Rent - 0
Own - 3
Theater - 2
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 3

Jackie Brown (1997)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino

Director Quentin Tarentino added his deft touch to nicely placed wry humor, combined that with an all-star cast (including Samuel L. Jackson, Pam Grier and Robert De Niro) and delivered the action-crime caper Jackie Brown. Jackie is a flight attendant who smuggles cash on the side. When busted and pressured to help with an investigation, she plans to play the opposing forces against each other and walk away with the dough.

Amelie (2001)

Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Impish gamine Amélie (Audrey Tautou) lives alone and works in a café. When she finds a trove of toys hidden for 40 years behind a baseboard in her apartment, she's inspired to repatriate the items, an impulse of generosity that sparks more benevolent acts. A celebration of life, Amélie reminds us of the small wonders that abound around us … if only we paused to look.

Twilight (2008)

Dir. Catherine Hardwicke

Based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling novel, Twilight follows the saga of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who moves to a small town to live with her father. At school, she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite his cautions, Bella falls in love with Edward, which endangers her life when a coven of bloodsuckers arrives to challenge Edward and his family.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Dir. Nicholas Stoller

After his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), breaks his heart, Peter (Jason Segel) wants nothing more than to enjoy his vacation in Hawaii. One problem: Sarah's vacationing at the same resort he is, and even worse, she's bringing her new beau. Produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad), this hilarious comedy also stars Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Dir. Kevin Smith

Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been platonic friends for years. When they both find themselves in financial hot water, they hit upon the idea of making an adult film to bring in some easy money. But when "action" is called, these two friends discover that unspoken feelings for each other may threaten the whole enterprise. Writer-director Kevin Smith helms this comic look at the line between friendship and romance.

October Stats

October Total = 2
2008 Total = 66

Stats:
Rent - 0
Own - 2
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 0

Evil Dead (1981)

Dir. Sam Raimi

Curiosity overcomes five innocent teenagers vacationing at a cabin in the Tennessee woodlands, and their cellar-snooping unleashes spirits of the evil dead. After all his pals have become possessed, flesh-eating zombies, the one remaining teen (Bruce Campbell) tries to solve the nightmarish mystery and save his friends. Spider-Man director Sam Raimi uses impressively freaky special effects to make this low-budget horror classic.

Clerks. (1994)

Dir. Kevin Smith

Made on a shoestring budget by director Kevin Smith, this classic indie comedy won awards at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. Convenience and video store clerks Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed … and bored out of their minds. Between serving nonstop shoppers, the overworked counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their offbeat love lives.

September Stats

September Total = 2
2008 Total = 64

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 0
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 2

Rent (2005)

Dir. Chris Columbus

Members of the original 1996 Broadway cast star in Chris Columbus's adaptation of the award-winning musical set in New York's East Village. Based on Puccini's "La Boheme," the story follows a group of bohemians through life's ups and down as they face true love, broken hearts, HIV, drug addiction … and of course, paying the rent. Rosario Dawson, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel and Wilson Jermaine Heredia star.

Doomsday (2008)

Dir. Neil Marshall

When a deadly viral epidemic breaks out in present-day Britain, killing hundreds of thousands of people, the government quarantines the infected behind a walled city -- only to be confronted with a resurgence of the disease 30 years in the future. In the vein of Mad Max and 28 Days Later, this morality tale veiled as a sci-fi hypothetical features enough action, combat and suspense to keep audiences wondering, "What if?"

August Stats

August Total = 8
2008 Total = 62

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 0
Theater - 3
TV - 2
Other - 0
First Viewing - 7

Head of State (2003)

Dir. Chris Rock

Washington D.C. alderman Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) is about to lose his job when the sudden death of his party's front-runner in the presidential elections breathes new life into his political career. He's immediately pegged as the substitute and must deal with his bumbling brother and running mate, Mitch (Bernie Mac), and his social-climbing ex-girlfriend, Kim (Robin Givens), while trying to win the race.

Pineapple Express (2008)

Dir. David Gordon Green

After witnessing an underworld murder involving a corrupt cop (Rosie Perez) and a drug kingpin (Gary Cole), straitlaced pothead Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) must go on the run with his dealer (James Franco) to escape the wrath of the vengeance-minded criminals. Acclaimed indie auteur David Gordon Green directs the stoner road comedy, penned by Rogen and his Superbad co-writer, Evan Goldberg.

Vision Quest (1985)

Dir. Harold Becker

In this stirring coming-of-age story, a Spokane, Wash., high school wrestler (Matthew Modine) pursues his "vision quest" -- winning the state championship and finding true love. Advising the young man on his quest are his half-American Indian best friend (Michael Schoeffling) and a seductive, slightly older woman (Linda Fiorentino, in one of her first roles). Madonna makes her first appearance in a major film, crooning "Crazy for You" in a bar.

Hairspray (2007)

Dir. Adam Shankman


Set in 1962, this colorful adaptation of the Tony-winning musical (spawned by director John Waters' cult classic of the same name) follows ambitious teen Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), who tries to integrate a racially divided Baltimore one watusi at a time. The film's star-studded cast includes John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Allison Janney, James Marsden and Amanda Bynes.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)

Dir. Cristian Mungiu

In the last days of communism in Romania, Gabita (Laura Vasiliu), a young college student, wants to end her unplanned pregnancy. With the help of her best friend, fellow student Otilia (Anamaria Marinca), she seeks an abortion, illegal under the oppressive Ceaucescu regime. Director Cristian Mungiu's searing portrait of life under dictatorship received a slew of film festival awards as well as a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film from the Golden Globes.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Dir. Christopher Nolan

Batman (Christian Bale) teams with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to continue dismantling Gotham City's criminal organizations in this sequel to Batman Begins. But a psychotic new villain known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) threatens to undo all their good work. The star-studded cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Caine and Eric Roberts.

Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura

Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers) stars as Leon Kauffman, an ambitious New York photographer whose reckless search for a serial killer (Vinnie Jones) known as "the Subway Butcher" leads him down a dark and dangerous path. Based on a short story by horror giant Clive Barker, this spine-tingling thriller from director Ryuhei Kitamura also stars Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields and Tony Curran.

Rubber's Lover (1997)

Dir. Shozin Fukui

In this chilling horror film from director Shozin Fukui, a group of scientists working for a powerful corporation are attempting to uncork the psychic potential of humans. The experiments prove successful, but the results are frequently lethal for the test subjects. When the company tries to shut down the project, two desperate researchers hold a secretary hostage while they use a colleague to continue their gruesome experimentation.

July Stats

July Total = 5
2008 Total = 54

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 1
Theater - 0
TV - 1
Other - 0
First Viewing - 5

The Card Player (2004)

Dir. Dario Argento

Police officer Anna Mari tries to stop a cardplaying serial killer in this chilling horror tale from Dario Argento. Anna's forced into a dangerous game with the maniac, and if she loses, she must witness the gruesome deaths of the killer's victims via webcam. With little information to go on, she teams with British officer John Brennan to uncover the murderer's identity. Liam Cunningham, Stefania Rocca and Claudio Santamaria star.

King Kong (1933)

Dir. Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Delivering action, adventure, chills and thrills, this precedent-setting monster movie tells a timeless tale of man vs. beast. While shooting in the jungle, filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) discovers an awe-inspiring marvel of nature: a 50-foot gorilla dubbed Kong. Subduing the mighty beast, the crew returns to New York with the primate, who promptly escapes, spreading mayhem and going ape for the production's leading lady (Fay Wray).

Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005)

Film scholar Stuart Samuels plunges into the beating rebellion of 1970s cult cinema and emerges with six influential low-budget classics that changed the way movies are made and watched. Samuels turns his critical eye to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo, John Waters's Pink Flamingos, Perry Henzell's The Harder They Come, David Lynch's Eraserhead and Jim Sharman's The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Skinwalkers (2006)

Dir. James Isaac

As 12-year-old Timothy (Matthew Knight) prepares to turn 13, he's blissfully unaware that he's a half blood slated to transform -- and that his extended family of good-hearted werewolves has been protecting him since the day he was born. Elsewhere, lurking in the shadows, an evil pack of werewolves (led by Jason Behr) has been waiting for more than a decade to pounce on him and claim him as its own.

Onibaba (1964)

Dir. Kaneto Shindo

During the great war-torn upheaval in medieval Japan, a poverty-stricken mother and her daughter-in-law scratch out a desperate existence by murdering lost samurai, disposing of their bodies and selling their belongings for grain. But when a neighbor returns from the war, lust, jealousy and rage threaten to drive a wedge between the mother and daughter-in-law. It isn't long before the presence of an ominous demon mask seals the trio's fate.

June Stats

June Total = 3
2008 Total = 49

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 1
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 3

Teeth (2007)

Dir. Mitchell Lichtenstein

When virtuous high school student Dawn (Jess Weixler) becomes the victim of a sexual assault, she discovers that she has an unexpected line of defense: a toothed vagina. But for Dawn, coming to terms with the power and dangers of her anatomical anomaly may be easier said than done. Director Mitchell Lichtenstein's provocative feminist horror flick also stars John Hensley, Hale Appleman and Josh Pais.

Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)

Dir. Sergio Martino

This gory giallo film from writer-director duo Ernesto Gastaldi and Sergio Martino follows the trials of Italian writer Oliviero Rouvigny (Luigi Pistilli), who's haunted by the ghost of his mother and can't seem to start a successful career, much to the chagrin of his wife (Anita Strindberg). When Oliviero's mistress turns up dead, however, the incident kicks off a string of savage murders that drag everyone into hell.

Mischief (1985)

Dir. Mel Damski

Shy teen Jonathan Bellah (Doug McKeon) goes from gawky to cocky when he starts hanging out with cool new neighbor Gene Harbrough (Chris Nash), whose "guidance" includes taking his protégé on escapades with fast cars and fast women. Meanwhile, Jonathan lusts after the sexy Marilyn (Kelly Preston). Set in 1956, this amiable comedy costars Catherine Mary Stewart and Jami Gertz, and features the music of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.

May Stats

May Total = 6
2008 Total = 46

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 2
Theater - 1
TV - 0
Other - 1
First Viewing - 3

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Dir. Steven Spielberg

Hollywood icon Harrison Ford returns to the role of the adventurous archaeologist Indiana Jones nearly 20 years after he last donned the famous fedora and bullwhip to save the world from imminent peril. Joining Ford for this latest installment of the Steven Spielberg-George Lucas collaboration are Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent, Karen Allen, John Hurt and Shia LaBeouf as Jones's headstrong young sidekick.

Lost Boys (1987)

Dir. Joel Schumacher

Shortly after moving to a California coastal town, Mike (Jason Patric) gets mixed up with a rough biker crowd. There have been some strange deaths and rumors of vampires in the town, and Mike's younger brother Sam (Corey Haim) fears his sibling might be in more trouble than anyone realizes. In an effort to save Mike, Sam teams up with two vampire-hunter friends and tries to rid the town of evil in this 1987 thriller.

Don't Deliver Us From Evil (1970)

Dir. Joel Seria

When two Catholic school students become friends in 1970s France, the girls' shared interest in "forbidden" pleasures leads them down a path of sadism and moral perversion. Initially banned for blasphemy, this controversial drama from director Joel Seria never reached U.S. theaters. Extras include an interview with British crime expert Paul Buck, who discusses the film's thematic parallels to 1994's Heavenly Creatures (helmed by Peter Jackson).

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Dir. Steven Spielberg

The second film in George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones trilogy takes Indy (Harrison Ford), his young sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan) and spoiled songbird Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) to a mysterious fortress in India. The trio risks everything to find a village's missing magic stone -- and in the process stumbles upon the rituals of a demonic cult. It's a jam only the whip-toting adventurer could get out of alive!

Death Proof (2007)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino

Popular cult filmmaker Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed this high-octane thriller that stars Kurt Russell as a serial murderer who uses his revved-up car as a killing machine. After transforming his Dodge Charger into an indestructible weapon, Stuntman Mike climbs behind the wheel to terrorize a group of women on the road. Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Jordan Ladd and Vanessa Ferlito also star in the ultimate road rage film.

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Dir. Peter Jackson

From the director of the Lord of the Rings comes a chilling true-life drama about an obsessive friendship that led to murder. In 1950s New Zealand, introvert Pauline (Melanie Lynskey) befriends self-confident Juliet (Kate Winslet, in her film debut); soon, the two are inseparable, retreating to an imaginary world. Their relationship intensifies in the face of opposition from their families ... opposition that ultimately has bloody consequences.

April Stats

April Total = 8
2008 Total = 40

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 6
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 6

sex, lies, and videotape (1989)

Dir. Steven Soderbergh

Director Steven Soderbergh's voyeuristic indie film paints an intense, intimate portrait of discord among a frigid housewife (Andie MacDowell), her philandering husband (Peter Gallagher), her adulterous sibling (Laura San Giacomo) and an out-of-towner (James Spader). Spader arrives with a trunk load of videotapes -- interviews with women he's known confessing their sexual secrets -- and his presence gradually turns the quartet's lives inside out.

Cannibal Holocaust (1979)

Dir. Ruggero Deodato

Censored in several countries for its gratuitous violence, this controversial faux documentary from director Ruggero Deodato presents footage from a team of New York University filmmakers mysteriously lost in the Amazon jungle. The film, allegedly recovered by Professor Harold Moore, reveals the deplorable treatment of a tribe of suspected South American cannibals and, ultimately, the fate of the crew that initially set out to film the natives

Little Children (2006)

Dir. Todd Field

In director Todd Field's titillating tale, the lives of several adult suburbanites, who have yet to surpass adolescence, intersect on the streets of their small town in unexpected ways. While on-the-go wife and mother Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is preoccupied with her career, Sarah (Kate Winslet, in an Oscar-nominated role), a mother who does not know how to mother, is busy having an affair with stay-at-home dad Brad (Patrick Wilson) -- Kathy's husband.

The Grudge 2 (2006)

Dir. Takashi Shimizu

The deadly curse continues to gain strength with each victim it claims in this sequel to the international smash hit. After learning her sister Karen (Sarah Michelle Geller) has been hospitalized, Aubrey Davis (Amber Tamblyn) flies to Tokyo, where she teams with a journalist (Edison Chen) to investigate the sinister supernatural mystery. Meanwhile, the curse spreads around the globe, afflicting a Chicago housewife (Jennifer Beals), among others.

Amarcord (1973)

Dir. Frederico Fellini

Awarded both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, acclaimed Italian director Frederico Fellini's Amarcord is a richly visual film about Rimini, a traditional seaside village during the uncertainty of Mussolini's fascist rule. Fellini drew from personal experience to bring the small town and all its colorful characters to life in this story about the escapades of a boy on the cusp of becoming a man.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Dir. Edgar Wright

Thirty-something slacker Shaun (Simon Pegg) has no clue what to do with his life or with his relationship with girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). But when the unthinkable happens and zombies begin to roam the streets of London terrorizing residents, including his beloved and his mother, Shaun realizes he must act quickly to save Liz from danger and keep their relationship from spiraling out of his hands forever. But is it too late for heroics?

The Anarchist Cookbook (2002)

Dir. Jordan Susman

A group of relatively harmless youngsters living in an anarchist commune in Dallas and led by a college dropout named Puck (Devon Gummersall) are joined by a truly dangerous nihilist named Johnny Black. Trouble looms large when Johnny challenges the youths to become more violent.

I Am Legend (2007)

Dir. Francis Lawrence

A terrible virus has spread across the planet and turned the human race into bloodthirsty monsters. Mankind's only hope for survival is scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith), the one person left unaffected by the epidemic. When he's not fighting for his life against the hordes of the infected, Neville searches for a cure to reverse the virus's effects -- all the while battling his own doubt and despair as he spends every day alone.

March Stats

March Total = 12
2008 Total = 32

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 6
Theater - 0
TV - 3
Other - 0
First Viewing - 7

Lust, Caution (Se jie) (2007)

Dir. Ang Lee

From Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain) comes this intriguing espionage thriller set in World War II-era Shanghai. Based on the writings of author Eileen Chang, this Chinese-language tale stars Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Wei Tang, Joan Chen and Lee-Hom Wang. Lee reteams with his longtime producer James Schamus, who has collaborated with the director on nine of his films.

April Fool's Day (1986)

Dir. Fred Walton

A group of college friends gather together at rich heiress Muffy's (Deborah Foreman) island mansion to celebrate their final year of school. They soon discover that each has a hidden secret, but as the secrets are revealed, those people end up dead. Or maybe they're not really dead; they could be part of a very cruel April Fool's joke. The hostess supposedly knows what's going on, but maybe she's not the one orchestrating the deaths. ...

Beerfest (2006)

Dir. Jay Chandrasekhar

Two German-American brothers vow to defend their family's beer-guzzling honor in this outrageous comedy. During a trip to Germany to scatter their grandfather's ashes, Wolfhouse siblings Todd (Erik Stolhanske) and Jan (Paul Soter) discover Beerfest, the secret Olympics of downing stout, and want to enter the contest. When their Old Country cousins sneer at the Yanks' chances, they return to America to prepare for a showdown the following year.

The Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream (2008)

Dir. Stuart Gillard

After his skating partner is injured, handsome ice skater Zack (Matt Lanter) asks hockey player Alejandra "Alex" Delgado (Francia Raisa) to join him on the ice. The new partners set their sights on the internationals, but it won't be easy, especially when love gets in the way. Alex transforms with training, and the pair learns to anticipate each other's moves, but their relationship off the ice threatens to destroy their chances of winning.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

Dir. John Cameron Mitchell

After a botched sex-change operation, East German glam rocker Hansel (John Cameron Mitchell) becomes Hedwig and travels across the United States with a stage show, following her ex-boyfriend (and former band mate) and telling her life story. Hedwig's offbeat show slays audiences -- but in diners not clubs. Mitchell also wrote and directed the comedy, which won at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for several Independent Spirit Awards.

Gaslight (1944)

Dir. George Cukor

In this atmospheric murder mystery, beautiful, naive socialite Paula (Ingrid Bergman) disintegrates into a raving lunatic in the home in which her aunt was murdered. The suspect? Her devoted husband (Charles Boyer). Remade from the 1940 version, director George Cukor's dramatic mystery garnered two Oscar wins (including Best Actress for Bergman) and seven nominations, remaining a classic.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Dir. Roland Emmerich

After years of unabated global warming, the greenhouse effect is wreaking havoc all over the globe in the form of catastrophic hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, floods and, most ominously, the beginning of the next Ice Age. Paleoclimatologist Adrian Hall (Dennis Quaid) tries to save the world while also shepherding to safety his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who was in New York when the city was overwhelmed by the beginnings of the new big freeze.

Withnail and I (1987)

Dir. Bruce Robinson

Two unemployed actors -- Withnail (Richard E. Grant) and Marwood (Paul McGann) -- take a trip to the British countryside in 1969. But instead of rejuvenation, they experience a lack of food, an abundance of rain and a plethora of alcohol. Their host, Withnail's gay Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths), displays a love for life and a lust for Marwood. This classic art-house comedy won an Evening Standard British Film Award.

War (2007)

Dir. Philip G. Atwell

FBI agent Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) is out for revenge when his partner is killed and all clues point to the mysterious assassin Rogue (Jet Li). But when Rogue turns up years later to take care of some unfinished business, he triggers a violent clash of rival gangs. Will the truth come out before it's too late? When the dust settles, who will remain standing? Directed by Philip G. Atwell, this taut action thriller also stars John Lone.