Hany Abu-Assad's controversial, Oscar-nominated drama Paradise Now is an eye-opening exploration of the minds and hearts of two aimable slackers who turn into suicide bombers. The film arrives on DVD today. Also, Bennett Miller's Capote and Noah Baumbach's The Squid and the Whale.
1. Paradise Now
What drives people to become suicide bombers? Hany Abu-Assad's Oscar-nominated drama about two Palestinians who strap explosives to their bodies is an eye-opening exploration of the minds and hearts of two perfectly aimable slackers who turn into terrorists.
2. Capote
Most of the talk about Bennett Miller's film has centered on Philip Seymour Hoffman--it is easier to praise his outstanding, Oscar-winning performancethan to dissect the complexities of the script. Capote tackles tough issues about manipulation, ambition, and the real-life cost of creating art.
3. The Squid and the Whale
Noah Baumbach's uncomfortably autobiographical film about his parent's divorce in 1980s Brooklyn will make you laugh and squirm in your seat. The terrific cast includes Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Anna Paquin, William Baldwin, and young Owen Cline. The DVD offers a commentary track by director Noah Baumbach and a behind-the-scenes featurette.4. Everything Is Illuminated
Jonathan Safran Foer first novel's was an enormous best-seller, but unfortunately, actor Liev Schreiber's adaptation (and directioral debut) did not make a critical or commercial spash. Elijah Wood (in an awkward suit and thick glasses) stars as young Foer, a collector and family historian who journeys to the Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis.
