Start the new year off with Ralph Fiennes. This week's new DVD releases include two noteworthy films with the versatile English actor. Fiennes stars as a classic romantic hero in Fernando Mereilles's thriller "The Constant Gardener" and a muddled fop in the satiric comedy "The Chumscrubber."
1. The Constant Gardener
A gripping thriller, an unbelievably romantic love story, and a biting political take-down of pharmaceutical corporations, Fernando Meirelles' "The Constant Gardener" should not be missed. Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz shine in their starring roles. The DVD includes deleted and extended scenes and the featurette "Anatomy of a Global Thriller."
2. Tony Takitani
Adapted from a story by popular Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, Jun Ichikawa's mesmerizing drama "Tony Takitani" explores the human condition of loniliness.
3. Hustle & Flow
Craig Brewer's gritty drama was the indie hit of the 2005 Sundance Festival. Featuring a terrific performance by Terrence Howard, "Hustle and Flow" tells the story of a down-at-heels pimp DJay, who puts his all into his dream of becoming a rapper and inspires people around him along the way.
4. The Chumscrubber
In Arie Posin's "Chumscrubber," a group of kids kidnap a young boy who they think will lead them to missing drugs. The satircal film (which barely saw release in the theaters) is well worth watching just to see Ralph Fiennes as the dazed, dolphin obssessed mayor. The ensemble cast also includes Glenn Close, Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Rita Wilson, Alison Janney, and Carrie Ann-Moss.5. Triple Agent
New Wave director Eric Rohmer departs from his trademark talky dramas in this 2004 spy thriller. "Triple Agent" is a 1930s-era thriller that focuses on the activities of a devious Russian operative who spies for not two but three different factions.