By BRUCE DANCIS, Sacramento Bee

DVDs spotlight women coping with extraordinary times

Two intriguing movies about women in extraordinary times are now out on DVD. Lou Ye's "Summer Palace" (Palm Pictures, $24.99, not rated) offers an unprecedented look at alienated Chinese college students during the turbulent late 1980s.

Read more | Add new comment

A fascinating collection of early-'30s films

Hollywood studios faced a great dilemma in the early 1930s. A Production Code was on the books to get the studios to rigidly restrict the depiction of nudity, violence, premarital sexuality, prostitution, disrespect for law and "correct standards for life," alcoholism, drug use and adultery in their films.

Read more | Add new comment

What's new on video

("Into the Wild." One and two discs, Paramount Home Entertainment, $29.99/$39.99, rated R)

Read more | Add new comment

Screen depictions of the Boleyns and Henry VIII

This week's opening of "The Other Boleyn Girl," a lavish Hollywood production starring Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn, Scarlett Johansson as her sister, Mary, and Eric Bana as King Henry VIII, has reminded us of how often the story of Henry, his wives and mistresses has stirred the passions of moviemakers and fans.

Read more | Add new comment

In praise of indie filmmaker Morty Fineman

Let us now praise socially conscious independent filmmaker Morty Fineman, who has given us, among his 427 movies:-- "Brothers Divided," the 1969 drama about conjoined twins who get sent to Vietnam, despite one being anti-war and the other gung-ho;-- "The Eco-Angels," a 1971 action flick about five female fighters for the environment;

Read more | Add new comment

A sharper focus on black history

Can movies or television really teach us anything useful about African American history? It's a reasonable question to ask as we begin Black History Month.

Read more | Add new comment

Films and DVDs for Black History Month

A capsule look at films and DVDs to enhance the observance of Black History Month.

Read more | Add new comment

A guide to New Year's Eve...on DVD

Have a meta New Year's Eve this year by watching movies of other people celebrating New Year's Eve.

Read more | Add new comment
Syndicate content