Murderball (2005)

Dir. Henry Alex Rubin & Dana Adam Shapiro

Rugby-playing quadriplegics compete for the Paralympic gold medal in this documentary about an amazing sport and the strong-willed athletes who play full-contact rugby using specially designed wheelchairs. The film follows the U.S. Quad Rugby Team as they compete in the 2002 World Championships and the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. Murderball won the 2005 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

The Evil Dead (1982)

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.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

Dir. Richard Lester

Indolent Roman slave Pseudolus (Zero Mostel) has one wish: to purchase his freedom. With his master and mistress away for the day, Pseudolus learns that the master's son, Hero (Michael Crawford), has fallen for a beautiful virgin in a slave merchant's house. The ever-crafty Pseudolus then cooks up a scheme that will allow him to go free if he can procure the girl for Hero. Richard Lester directed this frenetic adaptation of the stage musical.

Knocked Up (2007)

Dir. Judd Apatow

A one-night stand results in an unexpected pregnancy for entertainment reporter Alison (Katherine Heigl) in Judd Apatow's romantic comedy. Determined to be a good mom and keep her career on track, Alison decides to try to make things work with the baby's father, slacker Ben (Seth Rogen). It's anything but smooth sailing as the odd couple gets acquainted, but Alison finds there's more to Ben than she originally thought. Paul Rudd also stars.

Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971)

Dir. Roger Vadim

In a California high school, a married teacher is the athletic coach and faculty advisor. He starts to have sex flings with his female students and eventually has to kill several of the girls to keep them quiet. Based on a novel by Francis Pollini.

Suspiria (1977)

Dir. Dario Argento

This horror gem follows Susan (Jessica Harper), a naïve young American girl whose talents have brought her to an illustrious European ballet school. But once she gets there, she realizes there's something strange going on as she's faced with a cluster of freaky happenings, from a shower of maggots to poison in her food. What she soon learns is that the school has been a meeting place for witches for many years.…

Pelts (2006)

Dir. Dario Argento

Sleazy fur trader Jake Feldman (Meat Loaf) will do just about anything for a quality skin. When Jake crosses paths with a trapper (John Saxon) offering raccoon pelts, he jumps at the chance to score big bucks and win a stripper's heart. Little does Jake know that the supernatural furs wield bloody revenge upon anyone who covets them. This very different kind of skin flick is the 19th episode of the hit Showtime series.

Alien (1979)

Dir. Ridley Scott

Sigourney Weaver shines as the most stalwart crewmember of a space freighter that inadvertently takes on an unwanted visitor. As the bloodthirsty beast stalks the crew (including Tom Skerritt, John Hurt and Yaphet Kotto), they begin to realize they're pitted against a malevolent monster that's perfectly evolved to annihilate humankind.

Dead End Drive-In (1986)

Dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith

A man whose car stalls at the Star Drive-In finds himself trapped in a bizarre and terrifying situation. The drive-in is really a scrapheap for society's castoffs, a government-sponsored concentration camp where the weak and unemployed are fed a steady diet of junk food, music and movies. Whoah, dude!

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.

Slither (2006)

Dir. James Gunn

With housecats turning into hellcats and townsfolk morphing into zombies, strange things are happening in the small burg of Wheelsy. Now, it's up to Sheriff Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion) and the concerned wife (Elizabeth Banks) of one of the town's richest citizens to keep their wits about them as they uncover the dark forces at work. James Gunn writes and directs this creepy horror tale, his first project since the sleeper hit Dawn of the Dead.

September Stats

September Total = 7
2007 Total = 105

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

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

Dir. George Miller & George Ogilvie

While the final Mad Max film can't outrun the first two, director George Miller delivers a fertile depiction of order amid chaos. Max (Mel Gibson) becomes embroiled in the internal tensions of Bartertown, ruled by the imperious Aunty Entity (Tina Turner). Will ex-cop Max turn assassin? Featuring the inventive Thunderdome fight sequence, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome dishes up plenty of kick-ass action.

The Road Warrior (1981)

Dir. George Miller

In this sequel to Mad Max, Mel Gibson returns as the heroic loner who drives the roads of post-apocalyptic outback Australia in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre warriors commanded by The Humungus (Kjell Nilsson). The post-nuclear future meets the mythological past in this epic of action and carnage.

The Monster Squad (1987)

Dir. Fred Dekker

Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, the Mummy and Gill Man descend on a tiny town in search of a diabolically powerful amulet. Only 12-year-old Sean (Andre Gower) and his gang of monster-obsessed misfits can save the day in this overlooked 1987 horror comedy. This 20th-anniversary edition also includes new interviews with Gower and co-stars Ryan Lambert, Duncan Regehr, Tom Noonan and writer-director Fred Dekker.

We Are Marshall (2006)

Dir. McG

After a plane crash takes the lives of most of Marshall University's football team, new coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) must rally the surviving players and a grieving community to victory. Based on true events, this inspiring drama follows Lengyel and his assistant coach (Matthew Fox) as they try to renew Marshall's football program and help the close-knit West Virginia town find new hope. David Strathairn and Anthony Mackie co-star.

The Beast (La Bete) (1975)

Dir. Walerian Borowczyk

Controversial filmmaker Walerian Borowczyk struck a nerve with his 1975 version of the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale. The erotically charged French thriller centers on an American heiress destined to carry the male descendant of a failing aristocratic family that, two centuries ago, owned the rambling estate where a powerful -- and lusty -- beast roamed free. The creature haunts her dreams, but why? Could the family have a dark secret?

What Have You Done to Solange? (Cosa avete fatto a Solange?) (1972)

Dir. Massimo Dallamano

Cinematographer Massimo Dallamano directed this giallo, a murder mystery set at an all girls school in Italy. Based on a story by Edgar Wallace, What Have You Done to Solange? follows the secret affair between a teacher and one of his students. Moody and gruesome, with a number of shocking twists, and bolstered by a superb Ennio Morricone score,this film ranks among the best giallos of the 1970s.

That Obscure Object of Desire (Cet obscur objet du désir) (1977)

Dir. Luis Buñuel

This Oscar-nominated erotic dark comedy was Luis Buñuel's final film. The story follows, in flashback, middle-aged Mathieu (Fernando Rey) and his obsession for the much younger, moody Conchita (played by both Carole Bouquet and Angela Molina). The two play a continuous tug-of-war with each other's desires, each trying to outlast the other at their own game.

August Stats

August Total = 9
2007 Total = 98

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 4
Theater - 2
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 7

Fright Night (1985)

Dir. Tom Holland

Nobody believes horror-movie addict Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) when he discovers that his suave new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire. Kith and kin believe Charley is certifiable, and his single mother develops a romantic interest in Dandridge. When the bloodsucker starts stalking Charley, he turns to TV horror-film host and ghoul-hunter Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) in this hysterical spoof.

Rush Hour 3 (2007)

Dir. Brett Ratner

Martial arts superstar Jackie Chan and comedian Chris Tucker reprise their roles as bickering cops in this second sequel to the hit action comedy. After the Triads attempt to assassinate a Chinese ambassador, Hong Kong Police Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and LAPD Detective James Carter (Tucker) wind up in Paris -- where they're both out of their element -- tasked with taking down the organized crime family.

Superbad (2007)

Dir. Greg Mottola

40-Year-Old Virgin veterans Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen team up again as producer and co-star/co-writer (respectively) of this high school comedy starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as best buddies facing separation anxiety as they prepare to go off to college. Attempting to score alcohol for a party (believing that the babes will follow), the boys' evening quickly dissolves into chaos. Bill Hader ("Saturday Night Live") co-stars.

The Silence (Tystnaden) (1963)

Dir. Ingmar Bergman

Three passengers travel through a foreign country on the brink of war. Taking ill, Esther checks into a hotel room, with her sister Anna and Anna's son, Johan, occupying the adjoining suite. Still unable to travel the next day, Esther gives Johan a list of helpful translations for their journey and stays behind.

All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre) (1999)

Dir. Pedro Almodovar

An Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, writer-director Pedro Almodovar's compassionate tribute to women examines the life of Manuela (Cecilia Roth), who leaves Madrid for Barcelona shortly after she witnesses her son's accidental death. She reunites with an old friend (Antonia San Juan), a pre-op transsexual prostitute, who introduces her to Rosa (Penelope Cruz), a pregnant nun. Their fast friendship binds them through many struggles.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Dir. John Landis

A wolf whose bite is definitely worse than his bark chomps a young backpacker taking a shortcut across the British moors one night. Before long, the traveler gets long in the tooth! But this howler has a different twist: a sharp sense of humor blacker than the Arctic sky on the winter solstice. John Landis wrote the screenplay and directed.

The Science of Sleep (La Science des rêves) (2006)

Dir. Michel Gondry

A timid young man can't control the fantastical plots and images of his dream world from intruding into his waking hours in Michel Gondry's science-fiction romance. After a promising new job sours, Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) finds new inspiration in his neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg). To connect with her, shy Stephane releases the bolder personality of his dreams, but his waking insecurities threaten to destroy the relationship.

Broken Flowers (2005)

Dir. Jim Jarmusch

After being dumped by yet another girlfriend (Julie Delpy), Don Johnston (Bill Murray) vows he'll be alone forever. But when a mysterious unsigned letter arrives in the mail, he's surprised to learn he has a 19-year-old son. With no idea who the mother could be, Don sets out on a cross-country journey to confront his past, surprising a series of old flames (Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone and Tilda Swinton) along the way.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Dir. Edgar Wright

A top London cop (Simon Pegg) is ready to die of boredom when his superiors transfer him to a sleepy English village to work alongside a blundering but well-meaning young constable (Nick Frost). Craving some real action, the big-city bobby may just get his wish when the town begins to stir with a series of grisly "accidents." Is foul play afoot in this seemingly idyllic hamlet? Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) directs.

July Stats

July Total = 12
2007 Total = 89

Stats:
Rent - 5
Own - 5
Theater - 1
TV - 1
Other - 0
First Viewing - 8

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Dir. Herk Harvey

While on her way to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) is haunted by a bizarre apparition. It compels her to an abandoned lakeside pavilion, beginning an eerie and macabre chain of events. Herk Harvey's macabre masterpiece, while made on a modest budget, has gained a cult following on late-night television.

Mezzo Forte (2001)

Dir. Yasuomi Umetsu

Yasuomi Umetsu, the acclaimed director of Kite, returns with this animated film about Mikura, a beautiful young assassin who works for a mysterious company that specializes in murder and blackmail. When Mikura is assigned to kidnap a seemingly hapless baseball team owner named Momokichi, both she and the company soon find that they have made what could be a fatal error. Momokichi turns out to be powerful underworld boss...

Waitress (2007)

Dir. Adrienne Shelly

Written by director and co-star Adrienne Shelly (who was murdered shortly before the film's selection for the Sundance Film Festival), Waitress is a frank and funny examination of the fears brought on by impending motherhood. Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress whose fabulous pies are about the only sweet ingredient in an otherwise dreary existence. An unwanted pregnancy, however, brings unexpected romance in this film co-starring Cheryl Hines.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Dir. Kirby Dick

Kirby Dick's provocative documentary investigates the secretive and inconsistent process by which the Motion Picture Association of America rates films. Dick questions whether certain studios get preferential treatment, exposes the discrepancies in how the MPAA views sex and violence, and reveals the association's efforts to control culture. Interviewees include John Waters, Darren Aronofsky, Maria Bello, Atom Egoyan, Kevin Smith and more.

Hairspray (1988)

Dir. John Waters

Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake), an ample, energetic teen living in 1960s Baltimore, wants nothing more than to get on the hip local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show." Tracy's dream comes true, and her lively dance moves and bubbly personality are met with unexpected popularity. After witnessing firsthand the terrible state of race relations in Baltimore, however, Tracy becomes an outspoken advocate for the dance show's desegregation.

Cemetery Man (Dellamorte Dellamore) (1994)

Dir. Michele Soavi

Rupert Everett stars as an oddly unflappable cemetery watchman fighting off zombies in this droll send-up of 1950s drive-in horror flicks. With the dead on the rise, Francesco Dellamorte (Everett) and his half-wit sidekick (Francois Hadji-Lazaro) must be always at the ready to crack the corpses' skulls and send them back under. Featuring a pack of undead Boy Scouts and a severed-head love interest, Cemetery Man provides both chills and chuckles.

Return To Oz (1985)

Dir. Walter Murch

Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) just hasn't been the same since she got back from Oz, and her Aunt Em (Piper Laurie) is worried. Dorothy gets sent to a clinic to begin shock therapy but instead returns to an unfamiliar land where the Yellow Brick Road lies in ruins. With the help of a walking jack o' lantern, a wind-up robot and a flying sofa, she rises against an evil, many-headed princess and a wicked king made of stone.

Double Suicide (Shinju ten no amijima) (1969)

Dir. Masahiro Shinoda

In this striking adaptation of a bunraku puppet play (featuring the music of famed composer Toru Takemitsu), a paper merchant sacrifices family, fortune, and ultimately life for his erotic obsession with a prostitute.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino

In this film noir tale written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, an assassin called the Bride (Uma Thurman) is shot at her wedding by her employer, Bill (David Carradine), and other members of their assassin circle. She survives, though a bullet in her brain keeps her in a coma for five years. Setting out for some payback, the Bride hunts down the various assassins, saving Bill for last.

Dead Silence (2007)

Dir. James Wan

In the wake of his young bride's mysterious death, grieving newlywed Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) is forced to return to his haunted hometown, where he butts heads with the ghost of a creepy ventriloquist who was infamously murdered years ago. Amber Valletta and Donnie Wahlberg co-star in this chilling horror offering from James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the same team that created the Saw trilogy

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Dir. Alfred Hitchcock

Cary Grant plays reformed jewel thief John Robie in this classic Hitchcock thriller. Suspected in a new series of gem heists in the luxury hotels of the French Riviera, Robie sets out to clear himself -- and catch the real thief -- with the help of pampered heiress Frances (Grace Kelly). His plan backfires, but Frances, who believes him guilty, proves her love by helping him escape. In a spine-tingling climax, the real criminal is exposed.

Re-Animator (1985)

Dir. Stuart Gordon

Based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this campy send-up follows an egotistical medical student (Jeffrey Combs) who develops a serum that revives the dead. Together with his girlfriend and his obdurate roommate, Combs reanimates a corpse but doesn't factor in certain complications that arise. Filled with equal parts laughter and gore, Re-Animator spawned a similarly outlandish sequel.

June Stats

June Total = 9
2007 Total = 77

Stats:
Rent - 6
Own - 2
Theater - 0
TV - 1
Other - 0
First Viewing - 6

Tenebre (1982)

Dir. Dario Argento

Tenebre stars Anthony Franciosa as Peter Neal, an American mystery novelist promoting his latest release in Rome. Before long, a killer is hot on Peter's trail, committing evil deeds that mimic those of the murderer in Neal's book. A beautifully stylized film that's truly fascinating to watch.

Fargo (1996)

Dir. Joel Coen

Frances McDormand earned an Oscar for her turn as pregnant Sheriff Marge Gunderson, who's sharper than her Northern Minnesota dialect suggests. The intrepid Gunderson bangs on doors and asks questions to unravel a kidnapping plot and the string of murders it provokes. McDormand receives grand support from William H. Macy as a car dealer who conspires with hotheaded kidnappers Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare.

Poltergeist (1982)

Dir. Tobe Hooper

A high-voltage spectacle boasting impressive (for the time) special effects, Poltergeist is a must-see horror classic. Life is very pleasant for the close-knit Freeling family until a host of otherworldy forces invades their peaceful suburban home. Before long, their house is transformed into a swirling supernatural sideshow -- all centered around their angelic young daughter, Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke).

Kids (1995)

Dir. Larry Clark

Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) is on a mission to deflower as many virgins as possible. His addle-brained theory: Boffing first-timers will protect him from contracting HIV. Trouble is, he already has it. Controversial photographer-filmmaker Larry Clark follows a group of aimless New York teens around a city with few parents and fewer boundaries. Nineteen-year-old Harmony Korine (Gummo) co-wrote the raw, provocative script.

South Pacific (1958)

Dir. Joshua Logan

In this Oscar-winning Rodgers and Hammerstein musical set in a tropical paradise, two couples from cultures a world apart grapple with love at a time of war. Sparks fly when Nellie (Mitzi Gaynor), a naive Navy nurse stationed in the South Seas, meets the worldly Emile, a French plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi). Meanwhile, in a then-daring depiction of interracial relationships, a young American officer falls for a beautiful island native.

Rampo Noir

Dir. Akio Jissoji, Hisayasu Sato, Atsushi Kaneko, Suguru Takeuchi

Four short films, based on stories by Japanese mystery writer Rampo Edogawa, explore dark themes of obsession, sex and death. In "Mars Canal," a naked man wanders alone through a swamp recalling a former lover. "Mirror Hell" follows a serial killer with a fixation on hand mirrors. "Caterpillar" centers on a crippled veteran, his sadistic wife and their unhealthy relationship. And in "Crawling Bugs," a chauffeur plots to seduce a starlet.

Brief Encounter (1945)

Dir. David Lean

In this film based on a Noel Coward play, director David Lean explores the thrill and pain of an illicit romance in 1945 Britain. From a chance meeting on a train platform, a middle-aged doctor (Trevor Howard) and a suburban housewife (Celia Johnson) enter into a quiet yet passionate love affair, knowing there's no possibility for a lasting relationship. The two meet every Thursday at a small café at the station to play out their doomed romance.

Dead Ringers (1988)

Dir. David Cronenberg

Jeremy Irons gives a brilliant performance as twin gynecologists -- yes, that's right -- Elliot and Beverly Mantle. When they meet a pill-popping actress (Geneviève Bujold) who hopes to have children, both men spiral into madness and addiction. David Cronenberg's script and direction mix high-tech camera work with old-fashioned suspense to create a tangible sense of lunacy and compulsion.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Dir. George Cukor

Socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) prepares to remarry, but her ex (Cary Grant) and a tabloid reporter (Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winner James Stewart) have other ideas as they converge on her home for a fateful visit. The three stars form an incomparable romantic triangle in one of the most tantalizing screwball romances ever. Ace Hollywood women's director George Cukor adapts this urbane Broadway comedy with precision and wit.

May Stats

May Total = 13
2007 Total = 68

Stats:
Rent - 6
Own - 2
Theater - 2
TV - 3
Other - 0
First Viewing - 11

The City of Lost Children (La Cité des enfants perdus) (1995)

Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro

Nominated for a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, this sci-fi fairy tale features stunning visuals from directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro. With mad scientist Krank kidnapping children to steal their dreams, only brave young Miette (Judith Vittet) and a kindhearted circus strongman (Ron Perlman) can save them. Part fantastic vision, part nightmare, this production used more special effects than any other French film to date.

Dead Alive (1992)

Dir. Peter Jackson

Although it's easy to admire the maniacal glee of director Peter Jackson's bloodfest, Dead Alive is nonetheless intense and profoundly disturbing. When a Sumatran rat-monkey bites Lionel Cosgrove's mother, she's transformed into a zombie. She begins killing (and transforming) the entire town while Lionel races to keep things under control. Events culminate at a house party that turns into a blood-drenched zombie buffet.