For residents of San Francisco, "summertime" is often a term that describes a series of months rather than a state of weather. Enjoy a reprieve away from the fog and take a trip to the faraway lands full of warmth and sunshine through your home theatre. This month, our second floor DVD display presents our favorite films of the season. This time of year is loved by all, offering freedom from school, vacations to exotic locales, and the magical feeling of long days and warm nights. Below are some representative titles, pulled from our collection, that celebrate the season.
Heather recommends Baseball: a Film by Ken Burns.
For me, summer is all about baseball. Whether you play or watch, Ken Burns will give you your baseball fix in his ten-volume history of the sport. The documentary is made in his signature style: thoroughly researched with lots of primary sources and photographs. Heather also suggests
500 Days of Summer.
This film explores the ways that expectations and realities collide within romantic relationships. It is wry, sweet, occasionally unsettling, and ultimately hopeful. Each of us has likely had one such relationship in our past: one that destroys us, sets us on a path we never expected to follow, or back on the path we should have kept following all along. This is an enjoyable film, just a little bit cotton-candy: perfect either for date night or to watch while eating popsicles alone on the couch.
Craig recommends The Long Hot Summer.
This film, released in 1958, stars Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, and Orson Welles, plus Angela Lansbury who plays an entertaining minor role. It is based in part on various short stories written by William Faulkner. The plot follows the conflicts of the Varner family after an ambitious drifter arrives in their small Mississippi town. The Varner family patriarch, who owns most of the town and is skeptical of the abilities of his only son to inherit, tries to push the drifter and his daughter into marriage.
Chris proposes Breaking Away.
Despite being surrounded by college students in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana, Dave forgoes further formal education in order to follow his own passions. He had graduated from high school the year before. An avid bicyclist obsessed with professional racing and Italian culture, Dave sets his sights on participating in the Little 500, a campus-held bicycle race. This inspiring film celebrates both Dave's steadfast independence as well as the support of his family and friends.
