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Every week, I search through movie release schedules to find movie rentals that I would have otherwise missed for lack of TV advertising. I'll watch the big name releases along with everyone else, but I know from experience that sometimes the box office failures, critically panned, straight-to-DVD, and independently financed movies that nobody's heard of can offer some real hidden gems. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This column is dedicated to bringing awareness to those potential treasures. Listed alphabetically, each movie includes a list of notable cast members, a basic plot summary, its DVD and/or cloud release date (based on Netflix - other services may have the movie earlier), and the basic reason why the movie caught my attention. With any luck, one or more of these will catch your attention, too. My picks of the week are listed at the end of the column.

Here's my watchlist of DVD and cloud releases for the week of
May 7th (click the movie title to see the trailer)

Barrymore
Who: Christopher Plummer, John Plumpis
What: A filmed version of the one-man stage play by William Luce about an aged John Barrymore and his (fictional) efforts to revive his 1920 Broadway performance of Richard III.
When: May 7th - DVD
Why: Plummer played Barrymore in the 1997 stage version and won a Tony Award for his performance, which leads one to assume that this filmed version of the same man in the same role will be impressive. I don't know much about John Barrymore, so maybe this movie would inspire some background research into his life.

Hyde Park on Hudson
Who: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Samuel West, Olivia Colman
What: Based on the private writings of Margaret Suckley (who is portrayed here by Laura Linney), distant cousin and love interest of President Franklin Roosevelt, this light comedy takes place over a weekend in 1939 at Roosevelt's Hyde Park, New York estate when he and Eleanor hosted a visit by the Kind and Queen of England.
When: May 7th - DVD and Online On Demand
Why: The tone of this movie looks light and enjoyable, perfect for a relaxing evening. I'm a big fan of Bill Murray's, and I'd be interested in the history lesson. Murray received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance, but most critics did not like the movie itself.

If I Were You
Who: Marcia Gay Harden, Aidan Quinn, Leonor Watling, Joseph Kell
What: A modern comedy of errors (with more than one Shakespearean reference), Marcia Gay Harden plays a woman who finds out about her husband's young hot mistress (Leonor Watling) but accidentally becomes her best friend with an agreement that they'll make all of each other's life decisions.
When: May 7th - DVD and Online On Demand
Why: Marcia Gay Harden has her fans (I'm not one of them), and an Academy Award. This looks like it could be funny. You could probably call this a chick flick, but to tell the truth I'm interested in it because Leonor Watling looks sexy and I'd like to see how well she can act.

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