We have projectors, we have speakers, we have DVDs – where shall we gather to watch movies? How does Thursday sound? (An additional movie night could be arranged at some point, as long as it doesn't conflict with other planned activities.)
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Here are the DVDs I brought with me (please note that my taste in movies can be a bit strange; some of the following may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there are a few that are great for everyone):
- Animatrix – A collection of anime shorts, in different styles, set in the universe of the Matrix films. These were primarily intended to fill in some of the background story, in advance of the release of The Matrix Reloaded; but these are enjoyable and thought-provoking films in their own right.
- District 9 – Aliens have landed (and now occupy a ghetto) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Now the powers-that-be want to relocate them to a township out of the city, and out of sight; that might not be as easy as they think.
- Dr. Strangelove – (Is a description really necessary?)
- Dogville – Intense and upsetting work from Lars von Triers. Not recommended for those not already familiar with (or those who aren't fans of) his movies.
- Donald in Mathmagic Land – An all-time classic.
- Donnie Darko – A movie about doorways in time, space, and consciousness – or about madness. You decide.
- Fantasia – A masterpiece of animation and music.
- Fantasia 2000 – The under-appreciated sequel.
- Fantastic Planet – Trippy animated science fiction; winner of the 1973 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Hero – Visually stunning Chinese film, starring Jet Li and directed by Zhang Yimou, blending myth and history.
- The Pentagon Wars – A must-see for anyone who's ever had to watch a stifling bureaucracy transform good ideas into Frankenstein's monsters of mediocrity. (Based on a true story, and much funnier than it sounds – trust me.)
- Sunset Boulevard – Source of some of the most memorable movie lines of all time, and a biting commentary on the movie industry.
I also brought a handful of music performance & music video DVDs (same caveat as above):
- Blue Man Group – The Complex Rock Tour Live – One-of-a-kind, musical performance art. The installation shows in NYC, Boston, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Orlando are wonderfully entertaining – but their touring show rocks much harder.
- Thomas Dolby – The Singular Thomas Dolby – An early MTV star, Dolby dropped out of the pop music world for 16+ years, making his mark as an innovator in Internet- and cell-phone-based music technology. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of his early success, and to pave the way for the release of a new album, his early CDs have been re-released – along with all of his music videos.
- King Crimson – Eyes Wide Open – Brutally beautiful, challenging music, played by a band without equal.
- Radiohead – Television Commercials – Brilliant music videos, showing off Radiohead's mid- to late-90s music at its broken, alienated best.
- Yes – Yes Acoustic – If not as challenging as they were in their original performances, these songs still have a comfortable – even comforting – beauty when performed in an unplugged style by (arguably) the definitive Yes lineup.
Besides all of that, I have a few other DVDs of short animations that could be suitable before-movie warm-ups.
Does anyone else have DVDs they brought with them that they'd like to offer up to the group for movie night?
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