New releases for August 21

This week brings us one of last year’s best films along with great Warner Archives titles, classic westerns and dramas, Disney Blu-rays, the final seasons of two long-running TV shows, and much more. Here’s the New Release list:

BLU = Also available to rent on Blu-ray disc

@ = Available for sale in the store (but we can special order anything, see us for details)

Our online store is still undergoing a revamp--please email us at scarecrow@scarecrow.com or give us a call at (206) 524-8554 if you need to buy something without setting foot in the store.

A SEPARATION—Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s devastating drama won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Our colleague Matt says in this month’s City Arts, “it follows the slow splintering of lives, all brought about by a mistake that maybe, just maybe, could have been avoided with the truth.”   BLU  @

THE DICTATOR—Only Sacha Baron Cohen would create a comedic brutal dictator, strip him of his power, and strand him in vegan co-op in New York City. I imagine this film, like Borat and Bruno, inspires moments of deep cringing and silent, hard laughter. This is the “Banned and Unrated” version you couldn’t see in theaters. BLU  @

BERNIE—Kevin Clarke says in the recent issue of City Arts, “director Richard Linklater has created the most easygoing true-crime/black comedy ever.” Viewers are told the real-life story of assistant funeral director, active community member, and eventual murderer Bernie Tiede though interviews with those who knew the real man and with fine performances by Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Black as Bernie. BLU  @

PAYBACK—No, this isn’t the Mel Gibson movie, but a poetic documentary based on Margaret Atwood’s book about many kinds of debt: financial, spiritual, personal, environmental, criminal, and economic. It’s directed by Jennifer Baichwal, who made staff and customer favorite documentary Manufactured Landscapes.  @

PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY—Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s comprehensive and compelling trilogy on the West Memphis Three comes to a close as new and re-examined evidence helps end their 18-year imprisonment.  @

WEEKEND—The Criterion Collection presents British director Andrew Haigh’s story of a one-night stand turned weekend affair. Note: this isn’t Godard’s movie; Criterion will be releasing that in November.  BLU  @

ANIME NEW RELEASES

This Boy Can Fight Aliens

FAMILY NEW RELEASES

The Aristocats: Special Edition  BLU @

Pocahontas/Pocahontas II: Journey to the New World  BLU  @

The Rescuers/The Rescuers Down Under   BLU  @
 

NEW BLU-RAY

WarGames   @

The Closer: Season 7--final season

House: Season 8--final season

Huff: Season 2

NCIS: Season 9

Revenge: Season 1

NEW IMPORTS & FOREIGN FILMS

Births, Marriages and Deaths (1999)(PAL Code 2)—UK

Bonsai (2011)—Chile

Breathless (2008)—Korea

La Tigra, Chaco (2009)—Argentina

Melissa P. (2005)—Italy

Moss (2010)—Korea

Murderer (2009)—Hong Kong

Post Mortem (2012)—Chile

Teddy Bear (2012)—Denmark

W. Zappatore (2010)—Italy

NEW WARNER ARCHIVES

Chapman Report (1962), directed by George Cukor

The Cool Ones (1967)

Covenant With Death (1967)

Having a Wild Weekend (1965), directed by John Boorman, starring The Dave Clark 5

The Liquidator (1965)

Lisztomania (1975), directed by Ken Russell, starring Roger Daltrey and Ringo Starr

Portnoy’s Complaint (1972)

Seven Seas to Calais (1962)

Young Cassidy (1965), partially directed by John Ford