More Articles By Mekado Murphy

• The Mighty Celt
  CINEQUEST Street: July 15 Prebook: now > Heartfelt family drama looks at the difficulties of greyhound racing. Dog lovers beware: The Mighty Celt is a bit harsh right out of the gate. Within the film's first few minutes, a character named Good Joe (Ken Stott), who trains greyhounds for a living, rids himself of a dog that doesn't perform to his standards. More
  
• The Willow Tree
  NEW YORKER Street: May 20 Prebook: April 30 > Iranian drama about a blind man who regains his sight. In Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi’s visually captivating film, Parviz Parastui stars as Youssef, a literature professor and writer who has been blind since childhood. When a medical procedure restores his sight, the results are less than positive. More
  
• Out of Balance
  CINEQUEST Available now > Eye-opening documentary about climate change looks specifically at ExxonMobil’s impact on the issue. With his entry into the environmental documentary genre, director Tom Jackson decides to focus on one company, ExxonMobil, and the ways its practices have had brutalizing, long-term effects on the environment. More
  
• The Temple Mount is Mine
  Thoughtful documentary on the Holy Wars surrounding Jerusalem’s Mount Moriah. Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: Jan. 30 Many from the religions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity believe that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is where life began and will end. The claim for ownership over this site has resulted in bloody battles and seemingly endless conflict. More
  
• The Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Rock 'n Roll Musical
  ELITE Street: Jan. 8 Prebook: now > Uninspired musical update of the Jekyll & Hyde story. A low-budget movie with high ambitions, The Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Rock 'n Roll Musical has a premise that should strike cultish, campy gold. But the production is unable to walk the fine line between comedy, horror and loopiness, which would have made it a fun ride. More
  
• Sex Crazy
  AGUA VERDE/TLA Street: Dec. 18 Prebook: now > Sex as therapy is at the core of this manic comedy. Most everything about Sex Crazy is over the top. From its central plot involving a mental institution doctor (Jordi Vilches), who treats his patients by giving them a day at a house of ill repute, to its collection of madcap characters, the film has “wacky” written all over it. More
  
• Shattered
  LIONSGATE Street: Dec. 25 Prebook: now > Amped-up kidnapper vs. married couple thriller tests the bounds of plausibility. From its title to its box art, Shattered feels a bit familiar. A couple (Gerard Butler, Maria Bello) is terrorized by a troubled man (Pierce Brosnan) who tells them he has kidnapped their daughter and will kill her if they don’t do his bidding. More
  
• Czech Dream
  ARTS ALLIANCE AMERICA Street: Dec. 4 Prebook: now > Mean-spirited documentary about a practical joke with political implications. Although the co-directors behind Czech Dream are students of the Czech Film Academy, they seem more like graduates of the Michael Moore College of Documentary Filmmaking. More
  
• 48 Angels
  Street: Dec. 11 Prebook: Nov. 13 Irish drama tackles issues of faith in a thoughtful and entertaining manner. Effectively using the beauty of the Irish countryside, Marion Comer’s quiet film 48 Angels is punctuated by its trio of fine performances. Ciaran Flynn plays Seamus, a 9-year-old boy who is suffering from a terminal illness. More
  
• Wondrous Oblivion
  Story Line: In '60s London, 11-year-old David (Sam Smith) dreams of being a great cricket player. When a Jamaican family moves in next door, David receives encouragement and cricket lessons from patriarch Dennis (Delroy Lindo). But mounting tension from unfriendly neighbors threatens to derail the friendship David and Dennis have built. More
  
• Urban genre casts wider net
  The urban DVD market has seen significant growth over the past decade. With new distribution companies continuing to emerge to cater to the urban DVD audience and with major studios partnering with small companies to find urban titles to distribute, the market is as active as ever. However, defining the urban market is a tricky task. More
  
• Urban market keeps the faith
  Trends have come and gone within the urban market. Faith-based titles have gained prominence recently, and one genre that has always managed to be successful is comedy. More
  
• The Couple
  Story Line: During the 1944 German occupation of Hungary, wealthy businessman Josef Krauzenberg (Martin Landau) agrees to trade his empire for his and his family's safe passage into Palestine. Left behind are two servants (Kenny Doughty, Caroline Carver), a Jewish couple working for the Resistance who are passing themselves off as Aryans. More
  
• Freedom Fries: And Other Stupidity We'll Have to Explain to Our Grandchildren
  Director Christman rips a page out of the Michael Moore documentary handbook with this didactic offering about the ways many Americans equate patriotism with consumerism. The movie mixes footage of America's leaders with TV ads, news pieces and stats to criticize what it sees as misguided attempts to fight terrorism through consumption. More
  
• A Star Is Born
  Warner, color, 140 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital 5.1, widescreen, Street: Nov. 28, $19.97; First Run: W, Dec. 1976, $37 mil. This year, Barbra Streisand fans will get a double dose of the diva as she wraps up a rare national tour and releases this 30th anniversary DVD debut. Star's love story and its emotions still hold up, and the remastered Dolby Digital soundtrack works wonders in ca... More
  
• This Revolution
  Story Line: For the 2004 Republican national convention in New York City, reporter Jake Cassavetes (Nathan Crooker) is assigned to obtain footage of young militants protesting the event. During this time, he befriends an activist (Rosario Dawson), whose husband was recently killed in Iraq. Bottom Line: Many will recognize This Revolution as the film that got Dawson and director Marshall arrest... More
  
• The Celestine Prophecy
  Story Line: A teacher (Matthew Settle) who has recently been laid off from his job makes a trip to Peru to research a collection of nine ancient scrolls. Each scroll is said to contain insights into the universe and a pathway to spiritual enlightenment. Bottom Line: Based on the wildly popular New Age novel from the '90s, The Celestine Prophecy is likely arriving at this time to capitalize on t... More
  
• Time to Leave
  Story Line: Romain (Melvil Poupaud), a young gay fashion photographer, discovers he has cancer and only a short time to live. He uses his remaining days to restore relationships and make peace with himself. Bottom Line: Although director Ozon isn't the first filmmaker to tackle a drama about terminal illness, this elegant, meditative piece brings something fresh to the genre. More
  
• After the Rain
  Story Line: In apartheid-torn '80s South Africa, a white soldier (Paul Bettany) arrives home to find his wife (Louise Lombard) in bed with a black friend (Ariyon Bakare). A standoff ensues and changes the trio's lives permanently. Bottom Line: A reflection on the political and racial unrest of the period, 1999's After the Rain doesn't deal lightly with its themes. More
  
• Greg the Bunny: Best of the Film Parodies
  Shout! Factory, color, two discs, NR, 200 min. plus supplements, stereo, fullscreen, Street: Oct. 24, $24.98; First Run: IFC, 2002 Greg the Bunny ain't your typical puppet show. The characters from this IFC series love to booze it up, use crass language and engage in raunchy puppet sex. Fozzie Bear would be mortified, but this irreverent series has gathered quite a cult following. More