This week's DVD releases include Pawel Pawlikowski's mesmerizing "My Summer of Love" and Yvan Attal's "Happily Ever After," a disarming picture of a marriage on the rocks.
1. My Summer Of Love
Watching "My Summer of Love" a second time, I remembered again why I love movies. This simple story of two teenage girls and their burgeoning friendship over the course of one summer is surprisingly complex and engrossing. The English landscape is stunning, and so are the two lead actresses, marvelous young actresses Emily Blunt and Mona Press. The DVD release offers a fascninating commentary track by director Pawel Pawlikowski, an important filmmaker to watch out for in years to come.
2. Happily Ever After
Spoiler: this film is worth watching for the Johnny Depp cameo alone. Seriously, Yvan Attal's sophmore picture "Happily Ever After" should not be missed. Attal stars in the film, as himself, and when he and his wife (real-life wife Charlotte Gainsbourg) find themselves attracted to other people, their entire marriage must be reconsidered.
3. Me and You and Everyone We Know
The debut film by performance artist Miranda July, a charming off-beat story about a shoe salesman's adventures in love and loss, was a surprise critical hit this year. The film won the prestigious Prix D'or at Cannes and the Special Jury Prize at Sundance, and now, you can watch it at home.4. Guerilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst
Director Robert Stone's documentary about the kidnapping of heiress Patty Hearst by the flamboyant terrorist group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army is powerful and thought-provoking. Compelling footage shows the transformation of a happily go lucky college student into a gun-toting rebel.5. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
Imagine a distant time in our past: no IFC channel, no DVDs, no VCRs, no art house movie theaters. Where are the disaffected youth of America (for example, teenage video clerk Quentin Tarantino) going to get their movie fix? Answer: on the Z Channel. Xan Cassavetes's documentary tells the story of the legendary Los Angeles cable channel.