In Tinsel Town, many of the cinema critics have been taking a hard look at Scarlett Johansson’s suit against Disney alleging that the Mouse House’s dual video-on-demand/theatrical strategy will cost her upwards of $50 million. Is this a game-changing moment in the relationships between movie stars and studios? Or is she going to get steamrolled?
Here’s a preview of August library purchases: For "an old-fashioned comedy/drama that spends at least as much time and energy mining laughs as it does with exploring the tragic side of the tale" (Richard Roeper), reserve your copy of Here Today. When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) meets New York singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish), they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust.
Let’s keep up the laughter by reserving a copy of Queen Bees. While her house undergoes repairs, fiercely independent senior Helen (Ellen Burstyn) temporarily moves into a nearby retirement community. Once behind the doors of Pine Grove Senior Community, she encounters lusty widows, cutthroat bridge tournaments and a hotbed of bullying 'mean girls' the likes of which she hasn't encountered since high school, all of which leaves her yearning for the solitude of home. But somewhere between flower arranging and water aerobics Helen discovers that it's never too late to make new friends and perhaps even find a new love. Also featuring Ann-Margaret, James Caan and Christopher Lloyd.
For those of you who seek action, the August release of The Rebels of PT-218 might pique your interest. It not only tells a true story but gives us never seen details of what happened in 1942. At the height of WWII, the Atlantic Ocean becomes a deadly battleground as an American submarine fights against the constant bombardment of German forces. Featuring Geoff Meed, Noah Blake, Derek Yates, Lincoln Hoppe and Marcel Miller.
In Those Who Wish Me Dead, Oscar winner Angelina Jolie stars as Hannah, a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire when she comes across a traumatized 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn.
August has proved to be a scarce month regarding new television DVD releases. You can find A Discovery of Witches Series 2, The Good Doctor Season 4 and Murdoch Mysteries Season 14 being added to the library’s collection.
You can find the complete August list here.