Aki Kaurismaki's small masterpiece "The Man Without a Past" won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. This week, you can buy the film on DVD. New releases also include Ken Loach's "Sweet Sixteen" and Michael Caine in the original 1969 "Italian Job."
1. The Man Without A Past
Internationally acclaimed director Aki Kaurismäki's "The Man Without a Past" was one of the standouts at the 2002 New York Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes. Once again, the outstanding Finnish director, closest perhaps to Jim Jarmush in style and laconic grace, delivers a marvelously droll film that's as quiet as it is touching, funny, and sweet.
2. Sweet Sixteen
Ken Loach's "Sweet Sixteen" features the life of Liam, a 15 years-old boy living in a small Scottish town in Scotalnd, waiting for his mother to return from prison. Fans of Loach's gritty, socially conscientious films ("Bread And Roses") will not be disappointed.
3. The Italian Job (Special Collector's Edition)
Who would you prefer as your guide: Michael Caine or Marc Wahlberg? Stupid question. Caine stars in the 1969 original heist as a smiling, rakishly charming rogue who hops out of prison and right into the mafia.4. The Hard Word
Guy Pearce ("Memento") stars the eldest of three bank robbing brothers who leads them out of prison and right back into crime in Scott Robert's Australian heist thriller. Rachel Griffiths ("Six Feet Under") is Pearce's femme fatale wife.5. Down With Love
Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor take on the battle of the sexes in Peyton Reed's tribute to the sixties sex comedies of Doris Day and Rock Hudson. Stylish eye candy.