Here is a very subjective round-up of the latest world and independent film releases, carefully gleaned from the stacks of review discs piling up by my door. These films have been subjected to rigorous late-night repeat watching and are recommended viewing for anybody for isn't holding their breath for their "Lord of the Rings" pre-order to come in.
1. In the Mood for Love
Wong Kar-Wai's hypnotic, sumptuous movie looks better on this Criterion DVD than it did at the shoe-box art house screen I saw it first on. Watching this film is like burying your face in a trough of elegantly bitter chocolate mousse. The set is decked out with two discs, extensive features and a thick booklet featuring the short story that sparked the idea for the film. A thing of beauty.
2. Metropolis
A brightly animated story based on Osamu Tezuka's 1945 comic which, in turn, borrows freely from Fritz Lang's 1926 classic. At the film's North American premiere, which highlighted the Big Apple Anime Festival, I was shocked at the skyscraper-blasting finale. On the small screen, the cute character design seems less out of place and the eye-popping animation hasn't lost any of its zing.
3. Grass
Woody Harrelson narrates this by turns hilarious and appalling documentary about American marijuana legislation and media coverage. Director Ron Mann takes no explicit stance on the issue, but as the ridiculous permutations of the "official story" and the spent millions pile up, the facts start speaking loudly for themselves. Good extra features.4. No Man's Land
Danis Tanovic's Oscar-winning satire set in the Bosnian war is more at home on the smaller screen, and the pitch-black humor actually gains from the increased intimacy.5. The Fireman's Ball
Equally hilarious and smart, this satire was Milos Forman's last film in Czechoslovakia. A thinly veiled attack on the ruling communist authorities, it tells the story of an incompetent fire brigade's ball, including a doomed lottery of stolen items and a beauty pageant that ends in a riot. The film is as fresh as ever.6. Novocaine
"Novocaine," starring Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, and Laura Dern, didn't get the attention it deserved because it's one of those movies that are hard to fit snugly into a category. It is by turns a comedy and a thriller, and succeeds joyfully at both.7. Resfest Shorts 1
Radioactive tongues, ninja rabbits, and bellicose noodles: sixteen short films from the moveable digital feast that is ResFest. Some of the shorts, like the constantly surprising "Tongues and Taxis," the brief "Syokyoan" and punny "Latin Alive," are worth owning for their rewatch value. A curious and fascinating collection.8. Macross Plus
Shoji Kawamori's feature film has the curious distinction of being the first "mecha" animation I truly enjoyed. This story about two rival giant robot pilots who are in love with a singer won me over with its slick animation and intriguing characters.9. Giants & Toys
A 1958 Japanese satire about candy companies at war over market supremacy -- how could this movie not rock? To tell the truth, Yasuzo Masumura's film was hell on my irony detectors: five decades old corporate Japanese ideas of loyalty are difficult to gauge from this vantage. See it for the toothless grin of the candy poster girl.10. Breathless
I doubt I have to introduce Jean-Luc Godard's seminal New Wave masterpiece: this is the one that doesn't star Valerie Kaprisky. Unlike many trailblazing films that have since lost their lustre, "Á Bout de Souffle" is still fresh, passionate, and smart. Too bad this DVD comes without any extras and won't let you turn off the subtitles.