DVD Collection: Two Thumbs Up

Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski doesn't want any complications in his life. He can't even be bothered with a job. But, in a case of mistaken identity, a couple of thugs break into his place and steal his rug. Now, The Dude must embark on a quest with his crazy bowling buddies to make things right and get that rug back. Their journey blends unforgettable characters, kidnapping, and White Russians.

Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist, dreamt of going around the world with his wife Mika. Unfortunately, the orchestra folds, so he sells his instrument, retreats to the small town he came from, lives in his late mother's house, and tries to start a new life. He answers a classified ad entitled 'Departures' thinking it is for a travel agency. Daigo's actual responsibilities entail preparing the local decedents for their "casketing," a process with an elaborate ritual of preparation, cleansing, and presentation, all done with great precision, grace, and utmost respect for both the deceased and watching family members. In dire financial straits, Daigo embarks on this new (and ancient) career path. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art, acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and their families.

By day, Bud Davis works at a Texas oil refinery but at night he trades in his hard hat for a Stetson and goes to Gilley's. There he meets Sissy, a pretty two-stepper, who believes he's a cowboy. Bud's got to prove it when a dangerous ex-con schemes to rob Gilley's and steal Sissy's heart.

Hailed as one of the finest films ever made, it charts, over twenty-five years, the relationship between two friends and the object of their mutual obsession. The legendary François Truffaut directs, and Jeanne Moreau stars as the alluring and willful Catherine, whose enigmatic smile and passionate nature lure Jules and Jim into one of cinema's most captivating romantic triangles. An exuberant and poignant meditation on freedom, loyalty, and the fortitude of love.

Copy not available at the Alkek Library, but can be found at surrounding libraries.

Go for a walk on the wild side in this deliciously twisted tale about three strangers caught in a hair-raising love triangle -- Puff who was raised as an ape in the wild, Lila, who had once fled to the woods after hair entirely covered her body, and her boyfriend Nathan, who was brought up so strictly that his life now revolves around scientifically training white mice in proper etiquette.

Box set of two documentaries by Michael Apted: Me & Isaac Newton (science) and Inspirations (art) in DVD and Blu-ray format. In these two features, Apted turns his interviewer's lens to explore the human advances in the arts and the sciences with a slightly humorous approach. How do artists create? How do scientists hope to affect the world?