This week's pick brings is, at the moment, my pick for best film of the year and what was one of the easiest choices of the year. It is a controversial choice, but it is mine. There are a few other notable releases this week, but one stood out from the pack.
This week's pick is none other than Brick. What? You've never heard of it? Why am I not surprised? No, I'm not knocking you or anything like that, but this film did not get a very wide distribution. That fact is a shame; this is an original film that is completely engrossing.
Brick is a mash up of the high school teen film genre and the noir genre. It is an intriguing blend that presents itself as existing in some alternate reality. This reality looks like yours and mine, but everyone talks a little bit different. Everyone talks as if they are from a hard boiled detective drama from the 1940s. At times it is a bit hard to follow the words, but you will always understand what is meant.
It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who also starred in last year's excellently icky Mysterious Skin) as a high schooler who finds his estranged girlfriend murdered. He then sets out to stir up a little trouble and get to the bottom of the mystery. It was written and directed by Rian Johnson in his big screen debut. He is an interesting new voice of the cinema.
Also out this week:
- CSA: The Confederate States of America. This looks interesting, a look, by way of faux documentary about the US if the South won the war.
- Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. Not exactly a high point of the series, but it has not been available for some time.
- The Hidden Blade. The follow-up to the excellent Twilight Samurai is here. I have not seen it yet, but it looks interesting.
- Inside Man. This is not your typical Spike Lee film, it is also a pretty good heist film, and well worth checking out.
- Last Holiday. The Queen Latifah comedy is one I missed in theaters, but looks like it may be decent, Latifah is usually very good on the big screen.
- Prison Break: Season One. One of the best new shows of last year arrives on DVD 2 weeks prior to the start of season 2. This is an excellent show.
- Toshiro Mifune: The Ultimate Collection (Samurai, The Ambush: Incident at Blood Pass, Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, Akage, Under the Banner of Samurai). Nobody does it better than Mifune when it comes to the samurai film.
- Ultimate Avengers 2. The first one was very good, hopefully this second outing will build on that.
What are you getting this week?
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Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
You're right, I've never heard of Brick, but it sounds fascinating.
And you can't go wrong with Mifune as a samauri.
2 - El Bicho
Sorry, Chris, but the DVD pick of the Week is THE WIRE: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON. Forget about all the nonsense you hear of The Sopranos, The Shield, 24, The Simpsons, Lost, et al. This is the best show currently on television. A talented ensemble and brilliant writing. Anyone claiming different can't be trusted.
This season the politicians press the police brass to get their crime numbers down, but give them no resources to do it. One frustrated lieutenant decides to create, unbeknownst to his supervisors and other departments, a free zone for the drug dealers to work.
You don't need to start at season one, but it will make the experience that much richer.