Welcome, one and all. Welcome to the weekly column that brings to you only the choicest of DVD selections for the new week. Each week brings hundreds of new movies and television shows to the world of the shiny little disks. How are you to know which you should waste your time with? Easy! Read this weekly column which informs you which title is most desirable, and what others may be of interest. Apologies to you regular readers, but with more and more people seeking me out, or merely searching for a new voice, I am here to help.
This week's top pick is the 2006 Oscar nominated film, Notes on a Scandal. It is a tightly focused thriller which does not expend time on extraneous sub-plots, rather it moves forward with the one goal of delivering an engrossing film that will draw you and hold you at rapt attention.
It stars Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett playing characters whose lives have become entwined in a web of deception, control, and closely guarded secrets. Dench puts on an acting clinic, for which she was rewarded with a Best Actress nomination, she did not win, but that does nothing to diminish her wonderful performance here. Blanchett is every bit her equal as the two lock in a battle of wills. The cast also includes Bill Nighy as Blanchett's husband in an excellent supporting role. The film was directed with finesse by Richard Eyre from a script by Patrick Marber, adapting Zoe Heller's novel.
The DVD includes a commentary track with director Richard Eyre, and a number of featurettes on the production and the adaptation.
Also out this week:
- The Last King of Scotland. Forest Whitaker won Best Actor for his portrayal of Idi Amin, which is reason enough to see this excellent film.
- Smokin' Aces. An over the top action thriller which barely keeps from flying off the rails. The story is overly convoluted, but the Tarantino-esque flow is enough to make it a fun watch.
- The History Boys. This went through theaters quickly, I had hoped to see it on the big screen. It is a straight adaptation of the stage play featuring the same cast.
- Spider-Man 2.1. Includes some previously cut footage reinserted into the film , along with new featurettes and a preview of the third film.
- Freedom Writers. Hilary Swank's inspirational teacher drama from earlier this year. I skipped this one due to the familiarity of the tale.
- Happy Days: The Complete Second Season. Aye! Who doesn't like Happy Days?
- Highlander: The Ultimate Collection. Six disk set, but I haven't been able to find what it contains, not sure if it is a set of the movies, a collection from the television show, or a combination of the two.
- Shadow Warriors: The Complete First Season. Never seen this, but it stars Sonny Chiba, so it deserves a watching.
- Deadlands: The Rising. A low budget zombie film. Long live the undead!
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