You can empathize with that

free for allIt’s a comfort to read about the daily struggles of your counterpart in another setting. For some, this can serve as occupational therapy. For others, just the pleasure in knowing some scenarios are identical no matter where you go. The social mores of your fellow working-class schlub can lead to a-ha moments of “I know that guy, save for a different name, age, and shirt.” This is the case with mandatory viewing like NBC’s the Office television program, or 1999 cult film Office Space.

That was my impression of Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert. Some of the shocking tales of this Los Angeles Public Library clerk, you’ll be surprised to know, might trump even the mighty DPL’s offerings.

Are there any tales or films about the everyman that resonate with you?

D-Day

dday1D-Day was June 6th, 1944.  This year marks its 65th anniversary.  For those who served so long ago, let us take a moment to remember them.  As members of that generation die out, we lose those incredibly precious first-hand accounts.  For those of us born later, we can always rely on the history that has been faithfully recorded  in books and videos.

Check out D-Day:Reflections of Courage, a DVD put out by BBC Video. Shot on location and told from the various point-of-views of American, British, French and German participants, it is an excellent overview of this historic day.

ten-days-to-d-day1If you prefer a written version, try Ten Days to D-Day by David Stafford. The Normandy invasion was the largest single-day amphibious invasion of all time, landing 160,000 troops on that fateful day in June. An operation that large, involving several different governments and armies required unprecedented planning. Told from several points-of-view, from the Generals and Presidents to the soldiers and civilians, this is a gripping story of courage and sacrifice.

the-longest-dayYou might also want to take a look at The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, the acknowledged classic of the invasion. Ryan interviewed participants shortly after the war while memories were still fresh and skillfully weaves their personal stories into the overall history. A must-read for history buffs.

And watch for the ongoing Honor Flights, now being conducted throughout the country (Davenport just sent a group in April; another is scheduled for October) Volunteers fly veterans of World War II to Washington D.C. to visit the recently built World War II Memorial. All expenses for the veterans are paid by contributions – a small return to these everyday heroes from a grateful nation.

New DVD Releases for June

June 2

defiance1Defiance – Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber

The extraordinary true story of the Bielski brothers who turn a band of war defectors into commanding freedom fighters and motivate hundreds of private citizens to join their fight against the Nazi regime. Midwest Tapes

revolutionaryRevolutionary Road – Leonardo Dicaprio, Kate Winslett

Frank and April Wheeler are a young couple living in suburban Connecticut in 1955. On the outside their lives appear to be perfect, but they really aren’t happy. They decide to break away from the ordinary and move to Paris, but can they do it without breaking their marriage apart? Midwest Tapes

June 9

granGran Torino – Clint Eastwood

A Korean War vet stops a young Hmong teen from stealing his prized car, and reluctantly proceeds to reform the boy, learning about himself along the way. Midwest Tapes

June 16

madea1Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail – Reuben Cannon, Tyler Perry

After a high-speed freeway chase puts Madea in front of the judge, her reprieve is short-lived as anger management issues get the best of her and land her in jail. But Madea’s eccentric family members, the Browns, rally behind her, lending their special ‘country’ brand of support. Midwest Tapes

June 23

shopaholic1Confessions of a Shopaholic – Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy

Rebecca Bloomwood is a charming New York City girl who has a little problem that is quickly turning into a big problem: she’s hopelessly addicted to shopping and drowning in a sea of debt. While Rebecca has dreams of working for a top fashion magazine, she can’t quite get her foot in the door – that is, until she lands a job as an advice columnist for a financial magazine published by the same company. Midwest Tapes

The Armchair Traveler – Great Travel DVDs

travel-dvdsIn between trips, there’s nothing better than kicking back with a good DVD.

Some of the AT’s favorites are travel series such as Michael Palin’s Around the World in 80 Days and Samantha Brown’s Passport to Europe – all the fun and cultural education without the hassle.  Though theoretically designed for the prospective traveler, Rick Steve’s Europe Through the Back Door DVDs are great entertainment whether you have any intention of going to a particular destination or not.

A rainy weekend can always be salvaged by Enchanted April or  Under the Tuscan Sun. In both movies, those seeking a different and richer life are  seduced by the beauty and romance of Italy.

For some travelers it’s all about the journey and not the destination. They love everything about  airplanes and airports; for this person Tom Hank’s The Terminal is  a quick fix of airport culture. Other fun flicks in the air-trip-as-disaster mode are Red Eye or Snakes on a Plane.

DVDs for May

May 5th

curiousCurious Case of Benjamin Button – Brad Pitt, Tilda Swintson

Benjamin Button was a not-so-ordinary man who began his life under unusual circumstances. Born in his eighties, and unable to stop time, he continued to age backwards. His life story is detailed from the end of World War I in 1918 and into the 21st century, when he discovered a love that lasted beyond time. IMDB

wendyWendy and Lucy – Will Patton, Michelle Williams

Wendy is a down-on-her-luck girl who’s hoping to turn things around for herself with a summer job in Alaska, but finds herself stranded with no money in a small Oregon town. IMDB

May 19

paulPaul Blart, Mall Cop – Kevin James

A mild-mannered security guard gets his chance to show the world what he is made of when a heist shuts down the mall complex and he becomes the police department’s eyes on the inside. His sense of duty prompts him to try to save the day all by himself and prove that an average Joe can make a difference.

valkyrieValkyrie – Tom Cruise

Based on the incredible true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and his ingenious assassination plot targeting Adolf Hitler, this engrossing thriller reenacts the daring operation to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog on DVD

s-singalong-blogConceived, written and filmed during the 2008 writer’s strike, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog is a musical unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Originally available for free online, it’s now on DVD with additional (hilarious) commentary and making-of mini-documentaries.

The story is simple, yet devious. Mild-mannered Billy (played by Neil Patrick Harris) is actually Dr Horrible (“I have a PhD in Horrible”), bad-guy-in-training. He desperately wants to join the Evil League of Evil (led by Bad Horse who is – a horse) but his every evil attempt is foiled by his nemisis, Captain Hammer (played to the full, cheesy hilt by Nathan Fillion) Billy/Dr Horrible sings of his love for Penny (Felicia Day), the girl at the laundromat he is too shy to talk to then watches in horror as Captain Hammer claims her for himself. How far will Dr Horrible go to be admitted to the Evil League of Evil? Will he ever defeat Captain Hammer? Can he ever tell Penny his true feelings?

The brainchild of Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly), the lyrics and dialogue are smart and funny, the singing and acting are terrific and the world-view delightfully skewed. If you’re a fan of Buffy or Flight of the Conchords or Sweeney Todd, you’ll find a lot to like in this musical.

Rachel Getting Married

rachel-getting-marriedWeddings are  joyful occasions, but they’re also often fraught with emotional upheaval as adult children struggle to find their role in the family and come to terms with old resentments and tragedies from the past.

In Rachel Getting Married, Kym is home on a weekend pass from a drug addiction recovery program to attend her sister’s wedding. Rude, self-absorbed and sarcastic, she immediately stirs up trouble and tries to shift the focus of the weekend to herself. She’s also obviously fragile and damaged and desperate for love and understanding. Rachel is hesitant to reach out to her – Kym’s addictions have had far-reaching consequences and led to a tragedy that tore the family apart. Yet the bonds of love and family, though strained and frayed, hold strong and by the time Kym leaves they’ve reached a deeper understanding of and love for each other.

The various scenes of the wedding and the celebrations and events leading up to it are wonderful, often funny, sometimes heart-wrenching – a chaotic, multi-cultural extravaganza of music and traditions (the dishwasher-loading contest is especially funny) In the end, the lesson is that forgiving yourself may be the hardest thing you do, and that love can save you.

Anne Hathaway earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actress with her riveting performance of Kym.

DVDs for April

April 7

doubtDoubt – Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman

It’s 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A charismatic priest, Father Flynn, is trying to upend the school’s strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the iron-gloved principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. When Father Flynn pays too much attention to a new student, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. 5 Oscar Nominations, SAG award to Meryl Streep for Best Actress.

April 14

reader1The Reader – Kate Winslett, Ralph Fiennes

A young man begins an affair with an older woman and learns years later about a secret she’s been harboring, when she must stand trial for Nazi war crimes. Golden Globe and SAG Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Oscar for Best Actress for Kate Winslett.

April 21

frost-nixon2Frost/Nixon – Frank Langella, Michael Sheen

When disgraced President Richard Nixon agreed to an interview with jet-setting television personality David Frost, he thought he’d found the key to saving his tarnished legacy. But, with a name to make and a reputation to overcome, Frost became one of Nixon’s most formidable adversaries. 2 Oscar Nominations

The Wrestler – Micky Rourkewrestler1

A former superstar is now paying the price for twenty years of grueling punishment in and out of the ring. But he’s about to risk everything to prove he has one more match left in him: a re-staging of his famous Madison Square Garden bout against ‘The Ayatollah.’ 2 Oscar nominations.

April 28

bride-warsBride Wars – Ann Hathaway, Kate Hudson

Best friends Liv and Emma have shared a dream since childhood: Each yearns for the perfect June wedding at New York’s famed Plaza Hotel. When a clerical error puts them both down for nuptials on the same day at the same time, one of them will just have to switch the date, right? As if!

Man on Wire

man-on-wireFrom the first time Frenchman Philippe Petit read about the Twin Towers (while they were still being built) he dreamed of walking on a high-wire strung between the buildings. On August 7, 1974 his dream became a reality. Man on Wire recounts the great adventure that Philippe and his friends went on – the hard work, the determination and training, the massive organizing and sheer skill and beauty of the act of high-wire walking.

Footage from Philippe’s personal collection are integrated into what becomes a riveting and often tense story of exactly how this illegal (“but not wicked or mean”) act is pulled off. Philippe begins by setting up practice wires in a field near his home in France. As warm-ups to the Twin Towers, he walks a high-wire between the towers of Notre Dame and then between the towers of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge (with the famous Opera House in the background) Planning the Twin Towers walk took many months; still under construction and only partially occupied, Philippe spent many hours studying how to enter the building with nearly a ton of equipment, what the roofs were like, where would be the best places to anchor the wire.

The night before the walk, Philippe and friends entered the Towers, one team in each building. Both teams had close encounters with guards and equipment problems (imagine for a minute how they got that wire from one building to the other!) The morning dawns misty and foggy, but Philippe never hesitates; he spends nearly an hour on the wire, dancing, saluting the crowd, even laying down, all on a wire suspended nearly a quarter of a mile in the air.

There is an undercurrent of sadness here as well; friendships strained by the white hot passion of a single-minded obsession fade and break. Present-day interviews of the participants show how much they still care and how this adventure profoundly affected their lives. Even more poignant – not once are the events of 9/11 mentioned, nor the fact that the Towers no longer exsit. This lovely, touching documentary stands as a tribute to the lost Towers and the dreams they generated.

DVDs for March

australia2March 3

Australia – Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman

An English aristocrat inherits a large ranch in the untamed wilderness of Australia. When English cattle barons plot to take her land she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle drover to save her ranch. Together they experience a cattle drive, a love affair and the bombing of their town by the Japanese at the beginning of World War II.milk1

March 10

Milk – Josh Brolin, Sean Penn

Based on the true story of the first openly gay man elected to a major public office,  Harvey Milk’s powerful journey inspired hope for equal rights for all. Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance.

rachael1Rachel Getting Married – Anne Hathaway

After being in and out of rehab for ten years, Kym returns to the family home to attend her sister’s wedding. Though friends and relatives have gathered for a joyful weekend of celebration, Kym’s passion for drama creates tension in the family.

Also coming out March 10Cadillac Records and Transporter 3

twilight1March 21

Twilight – Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson

Bella Swan moves to a small town in Washington where she meets the mysterious and handsome Edward Cullen, a boy who’s hiding a dark secret – he’s a vampire. Edward must battle the bloodlust raging inside himself as well as the undead that would make Bella their prey.

March 24bolt1

Bolt – voices of Miley Cyrus, John Travolta

Super-dog Bolt, the star of a hit TV show, is accidently shipped to New York City. His cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star becomes his biggest adventure yet where Bolt discovers that he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.

solace1Quantum of Solace – Daniel Craig

Betrayed by Vesper,  the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission peronsal. Bond and M interrogate Mr White who reeals that the organization that blackmailed Vesper and is far more complex and dangerous than anyone imagined.

March 31

marley1Marley and Me – Jennifer Anniston, Owen Wilson

A memoir of Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan’s life with his yellow Labrador this is the heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.

Also coming out March 31Seven Pounds