This week, would you like your Hugh Jackman animated or obsessed?
Babel
See for yourself why this, the third film in a trilogy that director Alejandro González Iñárritu says began with Amores Perros and 21 Grams, has garnered so much awards-season praise, including the Golden Globe for Best Picture Drama. It's now up for seven statues, including Best Picture, though the one it really deserves, in my opinion, is Best Supporting Actress for Adriana Barraza, who will break your heart as a Mexican nanny with uncannily poor judgment. Do yourself a favor and just rent all three of this director's masterpieces, although have some Brak Show or something standing by to cheer yourself up afterwards.
Strangely, this flick seems to be going out without any special features. Rushed out the door to pump the Oscar campaign on the day the final polls close?
The Prestige
Not exactly overlooked or even underrated, this latest gem from Memento and Batman Begins helmer Chris Nolan just didn't catch fire and was quickly forgotten in '06. If you didn't catch it, it's well worth another look. Nolan is firing on all cylinders here, co-writing with his brother Jonathan and directing a solid cast including Batman vets Christian Bale and Michael Caine, along with Hugh Jackman. As good as a Batman vs. Wolverine flick? No, but what could be?
Extras include a bunch of featurettes including one on Nikola Tesla, portrayed by David Bowie in the film.
Flushed Away
Another Hugh Jackman film that got lost in the shuffle last year (don't worry, Happy Feet solved all that), Flushed Away is probably the most-praised but least-feted animated film this awards season. Not even scoring a Best Animated Oscar nod in spite of major kudos (including eight Annies, of which it won five), this latest effort from Wallace & Gromit animation house Aardman goes all CG, but with the basic feel of claymation intact.
Extras include 21 games and challenges. Betcha Babel doesn't have any games or challenges, although they'd probably be pretty depressing. "Get the Mexican Nanny Back Into America." Yeah, that wouldn't be fun.
Shut Up and Sing
Who would've guessed that one day The Dixie Chicks would be indie darlings? But in a year full of hot political docs, this one got as much praise, if not more, than An Inconvenient Truth. Appears to have no extras, but the cover's pretty awesome.
For Your Consideration
Probably the worst reviewed Christopher Guest film of all time, which is too bad since it's high time he aimed his satirical gaze at Hollywood. Still, there was talk of a Best Supporting Actress nod for Catherine O'Hara for a while there. Extras include commentary, extra footage and a poster gallery for the film-within-the-film Home for Purim.
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