From Spielberg to Malick, this week we've got you covered.
Munich (2-Disc Limited Edition)
For my money, the best movie of 2005. Many bristled at the historical inaccuracies in Steven Spielberg's tale of the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics, in which 11 hostages were murdered. The systematic assassination of the culprits, as detailed in the film's source novel Vengeance, is a matter of debated record. What rings through regardless in this harrowing narrative is the systematic assassination of Avner Kauffman's (a phenomenal Eric Bana) soul as he leads his rag-tag team of inexperienced wet operatives on their grim mission.
All of the performances here pack a punch, in particular Ciarán Hinds as the clean-up man, Geoffrey Rush as their handler, and Mathieu Kassovitz as the bomb-maker who, ironically, becomes their conscience. Also check out a solid turn from Daniel Craig in what may be a darker take on his upcoming role as Bond. Spielberg's unflinching eye (manifested richly by cinematographer Janusz Kaminski) combined with Tony Kushner and Eric Roth's nuanced adaptation make for compelling, troubling viewing. I may be in the minority here, but given the themes and execution, I consider this his Godfather.
The Limited Edition includes an introduction by Spielberg and numerous featurettes on the making of the film.
The New World
In 1998, Terence Malick released The Thin Red Line, the most beautiful war film ever made. His tone poem garnered mucho plaudits and Academy nods, including one for Best Picture. The New World, which came out last December, only received a nod for Best Cinematography, so it's probably as beautiful. Critics weren't exactly taken with his latest, but the Malick faithful may want to check it out anyway, if only to see which version (the 150min. original cut or his 135min. recut) shows up.
Extras include an hour-long doc on the making of the film.
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist - Season 1
The squiggle-riffic adventures of Dr. Katz, which consist mostly of comedians like Ray Romano riffing neurotic on his couch, finally arrive on DVD. Extras include commentary from said comics, including Dave Attell, Romano, and the titular Jonathan Katz, as well as episodes of Short Attention Span Theater.
The West Wing - The Complete Sixth Season
After a truly awful fifth season in which the show floundered in the wake of creator Aaron Sorkin's departure, The West Wing rallied admirably in its sixth season to become, if not as good as the 'ol Sorkin days, at least watchable. Building to a tremendous climax at the Democratic National Convention, this season focuses, in part, on Josh's efforts to find Bartlett's successor, whom he finds in the form of Matt Santos (a welcome Jimmy Smits).
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Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Finally, Dr Katz! I've had a bootleg copy recorded from the tv for ages. A pristine version makes me get all squigglevision-y.