TopPicks Index
Top 3 New DVD Releases - May 22, 2007
An overweight shop clerk who goes on the road with two punk lesbians in Argentinean director Diego Lerman's "Suddenly", out on DVD today. Fans of the early black-and-white work of Jim Jarmush and the laconic films of Aki Kaurismäki won't want to miss this treasure.
Also new today: Hal Hartley's "Fay Grim," still out in theaters, and Isabel Coixet's "The Secret Life of Words."
Top 3 New DVD Releases - May 22, 2007
Small treasure alert: Diego Lerman's "Suddenly" (2002), a 94 minute black and white film out of Argentina, has being released on DVD. Fans of Jim Jarmusch and Aki Kaurismäki, make sure to watch this small charmer about an overweight shop clerk who goes on the road with two punk lesbians. Also Hal Hartley's "Fay Grim," out now in theaters, is also available on DVD and Isabel Coixet's "The Secret Life of Words."
Top 3 New DVD Releases - May 15, 2007
Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" is a film to be watched over and over again. That need can be induldged: the grim fairy tale is released today on DVD. Also Karen Moncrief's woefully overlooked drama [I]The Dead Girl[/i] and Darren Aronofsky's spectacle [i]The Fountain[/i].
Top 3 New DVD Releases - May 8, 2007
Two Claude Chabrol movies arrive on DVD today: one old, one new. Isabelle Huppert stars in both, and watching this compelling French actress' range is quite a treat. "Comedy of Power" features Huppert as a tenacious judge; in "Violette," she plays an impetuous youth on the other side of the law. Also on DVD: John Curran's sumptuous adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's "The Painted Veil" with Ed Norton and Naomi Watts.
Top 3 New on DVD: April 10, 2007
Pedro Almodovar's "Volver," out now on DVD, is a joy to behold. Penelope Cruz gives the performance of her career as Raimundo, an embittered woman with a secret. Also Justin Kirk charms in the independent romantic comedy "Flannel Pajamas" and a star studded ensemble cast enlivens Emilio Estevez's directorial debut "Bobby."
Top 3 New on DVD: March 27, 2007
Dumped on an unsuspecting public on Christmas day, Alfonso Cuaron's dystopian thriller Children of Men didn't make megabucks at the box office and was shamefully overlooked by the Academy. Only three months later, here's the DVD. Don't miss it. Also: Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower and Princesas, a drama about Spanish prostitutes.
Top 5 New on DVD: The Bridesmaid, Come Early Morning
Five terrific films that slipped through theaters in 2006 are available on DVD today: The Bridesmaid, the latest chillling thriller from French master Claude Chabrol, Joey Lauren Adam's directorial debut Come Early Morning, the black comedy The Perfect Murder, and My Country, My Country, the Oscar-nominated documentary about an Iraqi doctor...
Top 5 New on DVD: The Bridesmaid, Come Early Morning
Four terrific films that slipped through the theaters in 2006 are all available on DVD: Claude Chabrol's chillling thriller "The Bridemaid", Joey Lauren Adam's directorial debut "Come Early Morning", Alex de Iglesia's black comedy "The Perfect Murder", and Laura Poitras' Oscar nominated documentary about an Iraqi doctor "My Country, My Country."
Top 3 New on DVD: Shortbus
The top DVD releases for the week of March 13, 2007: "Shortbus," "Casino Royale," and "My Sister Maria."
Top 4 New on DVD 3/6/07: Borat, Fast Food Nation
Sacha Baron Cohen’s outrageous Oscar-nominated road trip is out this week on DVD, loaded with special features. Also, Richard Linklater's FAST FOOD NATION, and twisted horror films from Germany and Japan.
Top 3 New DVD Releases - February 27, 2007
Bob Dylan, manipulative writers, and girl's basketball: it's another week of eclectic DVD picks. Don't miss the special features-filled rerelease of D.A. Pennebaker's groundbreaking documentary "Don't Look Back", Marc Forster's "Stranger Than Fiction," and Ward Serrill's unexpectedly moving documentary "The Heart of the Game."
Top 4 New DVD Releases - February 20 2007
Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel and Sofia Coppola's epic failure Marie Antoniette are out on DVD today. We, however, recommend different fare: Bicycle Thieves, Shut Up and Sing, and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints.
Top 5 New DVD Releases - February 13, 2007
It's an amazing week for DVD releases and we are triumphantly back with recommendations. Two harrowing and thoughtful American independent films make their way to DVD: the Oscar-nominated HALF NELSON and DOWN TO THE BONE, the film that launched the career of Vera Farmiga. Plus a surprisingly moving Mongolian film about a girl and her puppy, a low budget comedy about sleepy-eyed slackers in New York, and an equally worthy Capote biopic.
Top 5 New DVD Releases - November 21, 2006
This week on DVD: Al Gore's must-see climate change presentation, the gayest comedy of the year, a healthy dose of South Korean revenge, Scarlett Johansson's funny side and a Kieslowski classic.
Top 4 New DVD Releases - November 14, 2006
New and recommended this week: the Academy-Award-nominated resistance drama Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, Michael Apted's intimate documentary 49 UP and the conjoined twin rock flick Brothers of the Head.
Top 3 New DVD Releases - November 7, 2006
Icy-cold concert pianists, hard-as-rock drug dealers, and intellectual crossword puzzlers are the subjects of our three favorite DVD releases of the week. Koch Lorber has rereleased French romance Un Couer en Hiver; the dark Dutch crime trilogy Pusher is out in a three disc box set. For lighter fare, try the charming crossword documentary Wordplay.
Top 3 New DVD Releases - October 10, 2006
Gael Garcia Bernal has a thing for his little sister, a vengeful twin carries a gun, and Michelle Williams radiates joy: three independent films that should not be missed are out this week on DVD: James Marsh's The King, Michael Cuesta's 12 and Holding, and Wim Wenders' Land of Plenty.
Top 4 New DVD Releases - August 29 , 2006
The star-studded indie DVD release of the week is Nicole Holofcener's drama "Friends With Money"--but whining Jennifer Aniston in a maid's uniform is less than appealling. Instead, we recommend several smaller gems available today: Steve Buscemi's "Lonesome Jim" and Fernando Eimcke's "Duck Season" are both charming and funny; Deepa Metha's gorgeous, moving "Water" will have you talking about the plight of Indian widows.
Top 2 New DVD Releases - August 15, 2006
Stolen identities and black market babies: two new critically acclaimed foreign films are out this week on DVD: Dominick Moll's outstanding thriller [i]Lemming[/i] and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's [i]L'Enfant[/i], the film that took this year's top prize at Cannes.
Top 3 New DVD Releases - August 8, 2006
Two of the best independent films of 2006 (so far) are already out on DVD. First-time filmmaker Rian Johnson's hard-boiled thriller Brick features a cast of baby-faced teens. Veteran director Wim Wenders reteams with Sam Shepard in the funny and thoughtful drama Don't Come Knocking. Also, Yoji Yamada's critically acclaimed samurai drama The Hidden Blade.
Top 2 New DVD Releases -July 18 2006
Gavin Hood's Tsotsi won the Best Foreign Film Oscar at the 2005 Academy Awards. For once, we agree. The haunting film, out now on DVD, should not be missed. Also, Oliver Assayas' powerful drama Clean, starring the director's ex-wife Maggie Cheung.
Top 2 New DVD Releases -July 11 2006
Last year, Michael Winterbottom disturbed audiences with 9 Songs, the most romantic hardcore sex movie ever made, featuring real intercourse and live rock and roll. Right now, he is providing a vital public service with The Road to Guantanamo, a dramatization of three British Muslims' horrifying experience in America's illegal prison camps. In between, Winterbottom adapted Tristram Shandy, a famously unfilmable 18th-century novel--and it's hilarious.
Top 2 New DVD Releases -June 27, 2006
Michael Haneke's Cache is the DVD pick of the week. Video tapes of the street outside your window, a menacing postcard: Haneke has the power to frighten you without blood or gore.
Top 5 New DVD Releases -June 6
Sixteen-year-old Sandrine Bonnaire comes of age before your eyes in Maurice Pialat's drama A Nos Amours. Also out this week on DVD: Richard Linklater's sophomore classic Dazed and Confused, Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic, and more.
Top 5 New DVD Releases - May 23, 2006
Felicity Huffman received an Acadamy Award nomination for her moving performance as transsexual in Transamerica. Also out on DVD: not one, but two stirring documentaries about miners, a compelling look at the 1960s New York art scene, and a small film by major star Cate Blancett.