New this week at the Film Buff East! (June 9/09)

It can be pretty overwhelming stepping into a video store if you aren't a film geek, up-to-the minute on every DVD release. In fact, I think some people just gravitate to the latest Hollywood new release because they are confused and not entirely sure what is new and notable. At the Film Buff East, we strive to have a well-balanced and finely curated collection that caters less to the Friday night brain dead crowd (though we still have that stuff) and more to the film fan willing to take risks, to challenge himself, to possibly turn something on inside himself, instead of shutting it off.

Anyway, I've been thinking of doing this for awhile now, but have finally kinda/sorta figured out a way of going about it: I'm going to try to list the DVD releases that we get into the shop every week (or so), mostly leaving out the big titles that everyone knows are coming out, and focusing on lesser known gems. The lists may be simply that - a list, or the films may come with capsule review/summary, depending on how much time I have. The goal is to make picking an "unknown" film a little less intimidating, and will gently nudge people away from the default copy of He's Just Not That Into You and towards something perhaps a bit more thought/soul provoking. They won't all be new films (though many will be); they will all be new to DVD or new to the shop. I've cheated a bit on this first entry and added a couple interesting things that slipped under the radar from last week as well.

New to DVD (June 9/09):

Nightwatching - Peter Greenaway's Rembrandt epic didn't garner the best reviews, but is bound to be visually sumptuous. I, for one, am interested (for whatever that's worth).
Lost Song
Cherry Blossoms
Nurse. Fighter. Boy.
Woodstock - 2 discs, four hours, more unwashed, unshaven bodies than you'll ever want to see, and enough background info so that you can tell everyone "I was there!" (also on Blu-Ray).
GFE: The Girlfriend Experience - NOT the Steven Soderbergh/Sasha Grey Experience
2012: Science or Superstition - Mayan calendar doomsday madness!
Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine
Last Holiday - Criterion re-issue of the Henry Hass directed, Alec Guinness-starring classic.
Direct Your Own Damn Movie! - Lloyd Kaufman tells you how!
Mississippi Chicken
Of Time and the City - Terence Davies' inventive and visually compelling ode to Liverpool.

Check back every Monday(ish) for the coming week's releases.