Guest Author - Rain Battle

DVD Releases Just In Time for Valentine’s Day

Elizabethtown
Orlando Bloom is a young man who has just lost everything. He is on his way to his hometown for his father's funeral when he meets a stewardess who is determined to cheer him up. Kirsten Dunst is determined to stay by her man's side, even during the most difficult time of his life. Read my full review of this film HERE.


Breakfast at Tiffany's
It's classic Audrey Hepburn at her best in this Blake Edwards film. Based on the Truman Capote book, the movie is the story of Holly Golightly, a confident, beautiful woman who serves as an escort to wealthy men. She lives and thrives in the center of New York city and enjoys the company of the wealthy beautiful people there. She is hoping to meet and marry a rich man who will take care of her.

Paul Varjak (George Peppard) is a struggling writer, grudgingly allowing himself to be kept by a wealthy woman who lives in Holly Golightly's building. He is fascinated by Holly's lifestyle and she is drawn to his charm and passion. Although the young man quickly falls for her, she refuses his advances, telling him that she'll never let anyone put her in a cage.

Being a Blake Edwards' ("The Pink Panther" series) film, of course this is a funny movie. It has some great comedic scenes and a few laugh-out-loud moments, but the real delight is Audrey Hepburn's deviation from a perfect ingénue to a wordly woman about town. The two stars gel well and it's fun to cheer them on as they struggle to define their relationship.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Director Philip Kaufman, who also gave us the sexually charged "Quills," brings an adaptation of the wonderful novel. Daniel Day-Lewis is Tomas, a Czechoslovakian doctor who loves women. His wife, Tereza, is a simple woman who adores her husband. Sabina, his lover, is the opposite of his wife; She is cultured and openly sexual. When war comes to their country, the women choose to accept each other's relationship with Tomas and the three of them move to Geneva. Soon, tired of waiting, Sabina marries another man, her boyfriend, and moves to America. Tomas and Tereza decide to settle down and concentrate on their marriage, but fate has other plans for them.

Juliette Binoche ("Chocolat") and Lena Olin ("Casanova") co-star in this book adaptation. Although the film is lengthy, it is worthy of the extended viewing time. This romantic tragedy truly captures the difficulty in choosing the kind of life you want to lead. It will make you question which is more important to you, loyalty or passion?