Brown Bag Lunch Classic Films: The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep
Monday, September 13, 2010 at 11am

Humphrey Bogart stars as Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler’s tough, cynical, but charming private eye. Marlowe investigates the gambling debts of the wealthy General Sternwood’s younger daughter and is plunged into a world of blackmail, deception, and violence. Lauren Bacall is the general’s older daughter and the sparks fly between her and Bogie in a classic duo performance. Directed by Howard Hawks. (Not rated, 114 minutes)

Quick Flicks for the week of August 31, 2010

Harry Brown By Barber, Daniel Caine 2010-08 - Sony Pictures Home Ent 0043396353800 Check Our Catalog Two time Academy Award winner Michael Caine stars as Harry Brown, an ordinary law-abiding citizen, who just wanted to quietly live out his retirement. But in this desolate urban wasteland, the residents live in fear of the drug dealers who rule the streets...and the police offer little protection. When Inspector Alice Frampton (Emily Mortiner) can't convict the thugs who killed Harry's best friend, he decides to take the law into his own hands. Using skills honed as a Royal Marine, Harry begins to serve his own brand of justice, and no one will stop him. …More

Marmaduke By Dey, Tom Voice by Wilson, Owen Voice by Lopez, George 2010-08 - Twentieth Century-Fox 0024543672319 Check Our Catalog Marmaduke, the world's most lovable Great Dane, leaps from comic strip fame (appearing in 600 newspapers in over 20 countries) to big screen stardom. In this family comedy, the super-sized dog who never fit in, finally finds a place where it's okay to stand out. Now living large in Orange County, California, Marmaduke is helping his family make the big transition from the Midwest to The O.C. But he's also discovering that fitting in with his new four-legged friends isn't always easy for a 200-pound teenage dog. Lucky for Marmaduke, he doesn't have to go it alone because he always has his step-bro and best pal, Carlos, a Russian Blue Cat, watching his back. …More

Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too? By Perry, Tyler 2010-08 - Lions Gate Home Entertainment 0031398124795 Check Our Catalog Gathered together in the Bahamas for their annual one-week reunion, four close couples eagerly reconnect, sharing news about their lives and relationships. But their intimate week in paradise is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Sheilas ex-husband, Mike, who hopes to break up her new marriage with Troy and win her back. The others soon realize they too are not immune to the challenges of commitment and fidelity. Angela doesnt believe her husband, Marcus, can be faithful now that hes a celebrity television newscaster. Dianne and Terrys relationship is feeling the strain of raising children. And Patricia, a successful self-help psychologist, must finally reveal the deep flaws in her seemingly perfect marriage to Gavin. With their relationships hanging in the balance when they return home, each couple must choose between blame and forgiveness, doubt and faith, with life-altering consequences. …More

Red Riding
These three separate but interrelated films move unflinchingly through a turbulent and tragic decade in the West Riding region of Yorkshire, England. Serial murders, child abductions and rampant police corruption abound -- no one escapes undamaged.
1974: Sean Bean, Andrew Garfield, Warren Clarke, Rebecca Hall, Eddie Marsan, David Morrissey, Peter Mullan.
1980: Paddy Considine, Jim Carter, Warren Clarke, Sean Harris, David Morrissey, Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake, Tony Pitts, Lesley Sharp.
1983: Mark Addy, David Morrissey, Jim Carter, Warren Clarke, Daniel Mays, Peter Mullan, Saskia Reeves, Sean Bean.

Quick Flicks for the week of August 24, 2010

$5 a Day By 2010-08 - Image Entertainment 0014381450125 Check Our Catalog Christopher Walken is hilarious as Nat, an eccentric con-artist and deadbeat dad ding to reconnect with his troubled son, Flynn (Alessandro Nivola). Diagnosed with a terminal illness, Nat shanghais his reluctant son into driving him cross-country for experimental medical treatment, pulling off increasingly ridiculous and embarrassing schemes along the way to reach their destination on only $5 a Day. Boasting a star-packed cast that includes Sharon Stone, Amanda Peet and Dean Cain, $5 a Day is an irresistible comedy about letting go of the past and choosing your own road. …More

The Back-Up Plan By Poul, Alan 2010-08 - Sony Pictures Home Ent 0043396335349 Check Our Catalog After years of dating, Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) has decided waiting for the right one is taking too long. Determined to become a mother, she commits to a plan, makes an appointment and decides to go it alone. On the day of her artificial insemination, Zoe meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin) – a man with real possibilities. …More

City Island By DeFelitta, Raymond 2010-08 - Tcfhe/Anchor Bay/Starz 0013132142890 Check Our Catalog When he recognizes his son, Tony, whom he hasn't seen in more than 20 years, among a crop of new inmates in the jail where he works, Vince Rizzo decides to bring the troubled young man home with him, much to the surprise of his wife and kids. …More

House By Henson, Robby 2009-09 - Lions Gate Home Entertainment 0031398107743 Check Our Catalog Based on the best-selling novel by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti, HOUSE tells the horrifying story of a young couple forced to stay at a bleak B&B when they become stranded in the middle of a deserted road. After meeting another couple upon their arrival, these four individuals become pawns in a psychopaths torturous game that takes over the entire house. Although desperate to find a way out, the couples soon discover that its not so easy to follow house rules. …More

The Age of Stupid
Pete Postlethwaite (the only fictional character) stars as an archivist living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, who spends his days looking at old footage from the years leading up to 2015 when a cataclysmic climate change took place. As he sifts through the relics of our lost and misguided civilization, the archivist asks why Earth's inhabitants did nothing to reverse the effects of climate change while they still had the chance.

Ajami
Shakespearian in its scope and themes; revenge, loyalty, hope and despair, draws us into the lives of two brothers fearing assassination; a young refugee working illegally to cover his mother's medical expenses; a cop obsessed with finding his missing brother. Through this dramatic collision of different worlds, we witness cultural and religious tensions simmering beneath the surface and the tragic consequences of enemies living as neighbors.

Banlieue 13: Ultimatum
Two years have passed since elite police officer Damien Tomasso teamed up with reformed vigilante Leito to save the notorious District 13, a racially charged ghetto populated by violent drug-dealing gangs and vicious killers. Despite government promises to maintain order, the state of the district has deteriorated and is causing civil unrest. A group of corrupt cops and elected officials begin conspiring to cash in on the district's redevelopment. Damian and Leito must join forces again.

Dirt: The Movie
Based on the book, Dirt: the  ecstatic skin of the earth, by William Bryant Logan. Featuring live action and animation, this movie examines the history and current state of the living organic matter that we come from and will later return to. Narrator, Jamie Lee Curtis ; featuring: William Bryant Logan, Vandana Shiva, Fritjof Capra, John Todd, Gary Vaynerchuk, Wangari Maathai, Janine Benyus, Miguel Altieri, Bob Cannard, Jeremy Narby, Paul Stamets, Andy Lipkis, Pierre Rabhi, Barbara Damrosch, David Orr, Richard Register, Sebastião Salgado, Lelia Salgado, Wes Jackson, Benjamin Shute, Majora Carter, Alice Waters, Will Brinton, Wes Kinney, Carlo Petrini.

Dorian Gray
"Young Dorian Gray arrives fresh on the London social scene and is taken under the wing of corrupt, dev[i]lish Lord Henry Wotton who introduces him to the seedy pleasures of London life. Desperate to protect the youth and beauty captured in his portrait, Dorian swears he would give anything to stay as he is ... even his soul. Slipping deeper and deeper into a world of sin, sex and celebrity, his deeds grow ever more evil in an attempt to hide his secret."--Container.

The Least Among You
Arrested in the 1965 Watts riots, Richard Kelly (Cedric Sanders) must serve probation at an all-white seminary. Although encouraged to break racial boundaries by its president Alan Beckett (William Devane), the school wants black followers, not leaders. Even former missionary Kate Allison (Lauren Holly) initially rejects Richard. With a prison sentence looming, Ricahrd meets Samuel Benton (Louis Gossett, Jr.)- "the gardener in the basement." As Samuel guides him through his many trials, Richard must choose between his dreams and his destiny.

Quick Flicks for the week of August 17, 2010

Accidents Happen By 2010-07 - Image Entertainment 0014381654721 Check Our Catalog There are dysfunctional families . . . and then there are the Conways. After a family tragedy, 15-year-old Billy Conway has become the de facto glue between his bitter mom, distant brother and stoic dad. But when Billy stars to act out, everything changes for him and his family. …More

Black Dynamite By White, Michael Jai 2010-09 - Sony Pictures Home Ent 9781435985162 Check Our Catalog An outrageous action comedy-spoof following the exploits of an ex-CIA agent (Michael Jai White) and full-time ladies man out to avenge the death of his brother against kung-fu masters, drug-dealing pimps and The Man. …More

Children of Invention By Chun, Tze 2010-08 - E1 0634479997655 Check Our Catalog Evicted from their home, the Cheng family squats in a model apartment in an unfinished Boston building. But when mother Elaine is arrested for her accidental involvement in a pyramid scheme, young Raymond and Tina are left to fend for themselves. Now, Raymond must devise a plan to take care of his little sister in this stirring drama. …More

The City of Your Final Destination By Ivory, James 2010-08 - Gaiam Americas 0814838010144 Check Our Catalog After duping school officials into awarding him a grant to write a biography on novelist Jules Gund, grad student Omar Razaghi must travel to Uruguay to get legitimate authorization from the late author's three executors. James Ivory directs this moving adaptation of author Peter Cameron's novel of the same name. …More

Furry Vengeance By Kumble, Roger 2010-08 - Uni Dist Corp 0025192069314 Check Our Catalog Sometimes, four legs are better than two. Dan (Brendan Fraser, The Mummy franchise) just moved his wife and son to the woods to take a new job with a supposedly eco-friendly housing development. But the furand Dans temperis sure to fly when the local critters learn of the bleak plans for their forest home and stop at nothing to halt construction. Brooke Shields (TVs Lipstick Jungle), Matt Prokop (High School Musical 3: Senior Year), Ken Jeong (Knocked Up) and Angela Kinsey (TVs The Office) co-star in this comedy for the whole family. …More

Jesse Stone, No Remorse By Harmon, Robert 2010-07 - Sony Pictures Home Ent 0043396354722 Check Our Catalog Tom Selleck takes a sixth turn as small-town Massachusetts police chief Jesse Stone, who combats crime as well as personal issues in the movie series based on the best-selling novels by Robert B. Parker. After he's suspended from his job, Stone travels to Boston at the request of his friend Capt. Healey (Stephen McHattie) -- the state homicide commander -- to help solve a string of murders plaguing the city. …More

The Last Song By Robinson, Julie Anne 2010-08 - Buena Vista Home Entertainment 0786936805871 Check Our Catalog An estranged father living in a small Southern beach town gets a chance to spend the summer with his reluctant teenaged daughter, who would rather be home in New York. He tries to connect with her through the only thing they have in common-music. …More

Red Sands By Turner, Alex 2009-09 - Sony Pictures Home Ent 9781435904606 Check Our Catalog Present-day Afghanistan. As continuing battles rage in the war-torn country, a unit of U.S. soldiers are dispatched to seize and control a strategic road that runs past an abandoned stone house. En route, the soldiers discover an ancient stone statue hidden deep within an ancient ravine. Using the relic for target practice, they destroy it, unwittingly releasing a vengeful supernatural force that is about to wage a horrifying war on them in this taut, action-packed, psychological thriller. …More

Temple Grandin By Jackson, Mick 2010-08 - HBO Home Video 9780780661332 Check Our Catalog Based on the writings by its title subject, HBO Film's Temple Grandin starring Golden Globe winner Claire Danes is an engaging portrait of an autistic young woman who became, through timely mentoring and sheer force of will, one of America's most remarkable success stories. The visually inventive film offers stunning insights into Grandin's world, taking the audience inside her mind with a series of snapshot images that trace her self-perceptions and journey from childhood through young adulthood to the beginning of her career, and beyond. …More

Wonder Woman By 2009-03 - Warner Home Video 9781419869594 Check Our Catalog On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter of untold beauty, grace and strength Princess Diana. When an Army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares (the god of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending to start a world war that will not only last for centuries but will wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with the Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman! …More

Acceptance
Taylor Rockefeller is a bright, blue-haired young girl currently running the gauntlet of college applications, admissions essays, advanced placement exams, and an insanely overly ambitious mother. As a battle is waged on both sides of the application process, Taylor learns an invaluable lesson about the genuine meaning of acceptance.

Ca$h
A stroke of good luck turns lethal for Sam Phelan and his wife Leslie when they are faced with a life-changing decision that brings strange and sinister Pyke Kubic to their doorstep. As Pyke leads Sam and Leslie on a tumultuous adventure through the streets of Chicago, each is pulled deeper and deeper into a desperate spiral of deception and violence... all in the name of cash.

Cemetary Junction
Focuses on a small town, Cemetary Junction, in 1970's England. Freddie, an employee an insurance company, must decide if he'll follow the fast track to success or stay behind with his friends.

Dead Man Running
Ex-con Nick has a problem. One of the most vicious loan sharks in the city is cashing in on all his debts, and unfortunately, Nick is on his list. Given 24 hours to raise a hundred thousand dollars, Nick and his best friend Bing embark on violent, crime-filled thrill ride to try to raise the cash before time runs out.

Expecting a Miracle
A couple facing difficult marital issues tries to escape for a few days in Mexico, only to have their SUV break down, stranding them in the town of Dommatina. However, as the couple and the town residents warm to each other, it becomes apparent that they've ended up exactly where they need to be. Based on the book 'The miracle of Dommatina' by Ira Avery.

Reel Women for Real Women: Young Victoria

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 6pm

This dramatization covers the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule and her enduring romance with Prince Albert. At the age of 17, Victoria was already the object of a royal power struggle as she was in line for the throne and everyone is vying to win her favor. (105 minutes)

Co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women Elgin Area Branch. Enjoy a film and discussion focused on women’s issues. No registration.