Flick Picks 4/15/14: Philomena, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

New on DVD at the Library This Week:

ENTERTAINMENT: One of the sleeper hits of the year is the must-see drama Philomena, based on the true story of a British mother who gave her son up for adoption (after signing an agreement that she wouldn't try to track him down) and later decided to discover his whereabouts. The film stars Judi Dench as the title character and the fantastic Steve Coogan is the reporter from the BBC who helps her out. Director Stephen Frears, whose steady hands held the camera for The Queen, Mrs. Henderson Presents, Dirty Pretty Things and many more, directs this one. We've got it on DVD and Blu-ray. Also this week, Ben Stiller offers up his take on the The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, in which his daydreams start to take his life's center stage. Stiller stars and directs and Kristen Wiig, Patton Oswalt and Shirley MacLaine try to bring him back to reality.

Anglophiles have some great options this week with some new British imports. Mike Newell, the director of Four Weddings and a Funeral, offers up a new take on Dickens' classic Great Expectations, with Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter leading up a talented cast. Murder on the Home Front is a mystery in which an early forensic scientist investigates murders taking place during the London Blitz of 1940. Also from the BBC, The Making of a Lady is an adaptation of a novel by The Secret Garden's Frances Hodgson Burnett about a woman who begins to fear for her life when her husband's relatives begin acting strangely towards her.

SERIES: There are two new releases from the UK, as we welcome seasons 2 of the World War II codebreaker drama The Bletchley Circle and the Victorian-age detective thriller Ripper Street.

SUBTITLED: A Touch of Sin is a drama based on four stories in contemporary China, in which economic change drives four different characters in disparate parts to violence.

DOCUMENTARIES: The fascinating The End of Time takes us to places around the world where we can witness destruction and rebirth and in doing so makes us reconsider our perception of time.

You can find all of our new and upcoming DVDs on Bibliocommons.

Monday at the Movies
Our next Monday at the Movies screening is the film Wadjda, the first full-length feature shot in Saudi Arabia and the first ever by a female Saudi director. It's the story of a young girl living in a suburb of Riyadh determined to raise enough money to buy a bike in a society that sees bicycles as dangerous to a girl's virtue. The film will be shown on Monday, April 21 at 1:00 and 7:00 at the Glencoe Woman's Club at 325 Tudor Ct. It is 98 minutes long and rated PG. All of our screenings are free and open to everybody.

Live Music on DVD

Ravinia has announced its outdoor season and surely you need something to tide you over until you can enjoy live music outside in the Highland Park breezes. We've got music of all genres to keep your toes tapping until summer arrives.

• He's plays a doctor on TV but in the real world he's got a successful musical career going. Enjoy Hugh Laurie and band as they play Live on the Queen Mary.
• Jerry Garcia's 70th birthday is celebrated by former bandmates and special guests such as Carlos Santana and Mike Gordon from Phish in Move Me Brightly.
• Love for Levon, another tribute to a deceased musician (Levon Helm from The Band), has Gregg Allman, Roger Waters, John Mayer, John Prine and many more musical all-stars offering up their takes on many Band classics.
• Paul McCartney is still playing marathon live shows but Rockshow brings you Wings at their 1970s performing peak
• If you think Adele is impressive on record then you should check her out live as well! Live at the Royal Albert Hall brings her voice to center stage.
• Neil Young's Bridge School Concerts never fail to entertain as they bring together rockers such as Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson and R.E.M. to play for charity.
• Harry Connick Jr. offers up his New Orleans-influenced repertoire in New York with In Concert on Broadway.