sjj's - Rented List

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The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present three early silent features from Universal Pictures, all fully restored as part of the studio's ongoing restoration program.

Skinner's Dress Suit (1926)

Reginald Denny stars as a shy clerk who asks his boss for a raise at the urging of his wife. His request is rejected, but he lies to his wife, who immediately goes out and buys an expensive suit, an act that upends his once-ordered life.
The Shield of Honor (1927)
The LAPD has a new method of fighting crime, the Air Police! Their newest recruit, young hotshot pilot Jack MacDowell (Neil Hamilton), is tasked with catching a gang of jewellery thieves.
The Shakedown (1928)
Dave Roberts (James Murray) is a fighter better known for taking falls in fixed fights than for taking home the prize money. But then he falls head-over-heels for a fiery waitress (Barbara Kent) and a rough-and-tumble orphan (Jack Hanlon), and he begins to dramatically alter his life inside and outside of the ring.

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A chilling biopic following the plight of American entertainer-turned-Nazi weapon, Mildred Gillars (Meadow Williams), who became the notorious broadcaster known as 'Axis Sally'.

When she is captured and charged with treason, her lawyer must defy the odds to redeem her reputation and maintain his own. Plunging the viewer straight into the dark underbelly of the Third Reich's hate-filled propaganda machine, Al Pacino stars in this fascinating true World War 2 story, with co-stars including Thomas Kretschmann, Lala Kent and Carsten Norgaard.

The acclaimed Silent-Era classic "A Woman of Paris" is Chaplin's first drama (a genre he visited again in Limelight). Directing with keen-eyed finesse and appearing in only a bit role, Chaplin jabs at French high society while telling a tale of tragic love. The early Chaplin. The later Chaplin.

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On a remote Caribbean island in the 1980's, in the shadow of a volcano, the world's biggest recording artists were drawn to one special place, to escape and to forge the music that defined an era.

Built by The Beatles' producer Sir George Martin, AIR Studios Montserrat was the birthplace of mega-hits such as Money for Nothing and Every Breath You Take. For a decade, the studio formed the backdrop to monumental events in music history including the break-up of The Police, the reunion of The Rolling Stones, and the reinvigoration of Paul McCartney after the tragic murder of John Lennon. After a decade of hits, and at the peak of its popularity, the studio was destroyed when the island was hit by a series of devastating natural disasters. Through personal accounts and backed by a blistering soundtrack, Under the Volcano is the definitive account of George Martin's studio, a place that generated a perfect storm of talent, technology and isolation, ushering in music that would live on long after the last tape rolled.

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A bittersweet modern love story starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci as Sam and Tusker, long-term partners who are revisiting their past and coming to terms with Tusker's illness on a road trip across England.

'Supernova' is a deeply moving portrait of a couple navigating difficult circumstances with wry humour and affection.

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Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity.

When an unexpected sandstorm transports Captain Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (Tl Harris, Diego Boneta, Meagan Good) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown.

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Anthony Hopkins plays the eponymous role of a mischievious and highly independent man who, as he ages, refuses all assistance from his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman). Yet, such help has become essential following Anne's decision to move to Paris with her partner.

As Anne's father tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

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Albert, the owner of a small and tawdry circus, arrives at a small town where he attempts to effect a reconciliation with his wife Agda whom he left for the circus many years previous.

She refuses to resume the marriage whilst Albert's lover, Anne, upset at Albert's rejection of her, has a humiliating affair with an actor, Frans. During a performance given by the circus, Frans begins to taunt Albert and, enraged, challenges him to a fight during which he is severely beaten. Deciding that suicide is his only escape he tries to take his own life but fails. As the circus leaves town, the ill-fated couple find themselves reluctantly and miserably committed to each other.

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Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) - aka Black Widow - confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.

Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

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Bergman's third film depicts a powerful love triangle between an abusive sailor, his son and a chorus girl. The captain of a ship where he lives with his wife, hunchbacked son Johannes and small crew, Alexander Blom is a domineering tyrant, who secretly harbours dreams of escape.

Upon receiving the news that he is losing his sight, Alexander recklessly invites his mistress to move aboard. In the midst of this tense environment, an illicit romance develops between Johannes and his father's lover, leading to a confrontation between father and son with tragic consequences.

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Legend has it that whoever is the last person to die on New Year's Eve will be destined to drive the Phantom Carriage, collecting dead souls for a year.

When a drunkard is found at the stroke of midnight, the victim of a vicious fight, he is forced to relive his past to see how he and those around him have been destroyed by his selfish and destructive ways. Directed by pioneering Swedish film-maker Victor Sjostrom, The Phantom Carriage is arguably the most influential and enduring horror film of all time. Powerful acting and groundbreaking trick photography lend it an otherworldly atmosphere not since matched in modern cinema. Cited as being one of Ingmar Bergman's primary inspirations, The Phantom Carriage depicted death as a physical and industrious presence, something later echoed in The Seventh Seal.

Internationally acclaimed film by Gustav Machaty, renowned for its unique sensual imagery. The movie stars a future Hollywood actress Hedy Kiesler whose performance embodies an ideal of female vitality.

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Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash in a spectacular battle for the ages.

As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into fantastic uncharted terrain, unearthing clues to the Titans' very origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the Earth forever.

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William O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), a thief turned FBI informant, infiltrates the Illinois Black Panthers to track their charismatic leader, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), whose rising political prowess has captured the attention of J. Edgar Hoover's bureau.

As O'Neal manipulates both his comrades and handler, a battle wages in his soul. Will he align with the side of good - or follow commands to subdue Hampton by any means?

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Yasujiro Ozu (Tokyo Story) honed his craft in the early 1930s, a time when young Japanese directors were experimenting with cinematic conventions. This two-disc set features three gangster-genre films in which Ozu mixes a Hollywood-infused dynamism with elements of his later style.

Walk Cheerfully (aka 'Hogaraka Ni Ayume') 1930
Kenji 'the Knife' Koyama, leader of a gang of hooligans, falls for the virtuous Yasue. Will he go straight to win her heart or carry on his life of petty crime? Reminiscent of Sternberg's Underworld with its expressionist lighting, 'Walk Cheerfully' combines international cinematic influences with Ozu's own comic touches.
That Night's Wife (aka 'Sono Yo No Tsuma') 1930
Young father Shuji turns to crime to pay his daughter's medical bills. Enter Detective Kagawa for a tense night-time stand-off with Shuji's wife, Mayumi. 'That Night's Wife' demonstrates Ozu's dramatic mastery as the film reaches its emotional climax.
Dragnet Girl (aka 'Hijosen No Onna') 1933
Typist by day, gangster's moll at night, sweet-faced Tokiko (Kinuyo Tanaka) is forced to reassess her life when her boyfriend strays. Hugely popular when it was released, 'Dragnet Girl' remains one of Ozu's most enduring silent films.