World Film

FullReviews Index

DVD Pick: [i]The Rules of the Game[/i]
I've enjoyed watching my VHS copy of Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game over the last several years, and now I’m thrilled to own the Criterion Collection DVD version. I'd characterize the film as an exploration of manners, morals, and society, where Renoir's approach is an artful blend of farce, satire, and tragedy. Read a review of The Rules of the Game on DVD.

Pick of the Week: "Persona" DVD
While Ingmar Bergman's Persona (1966) defies complete understanding, each time I see it, I find new nuances of meaning. I’ve watched it several times on videotape over the years, and now I’m thrilled to own it on DVD, where the picture and sound quality are much better and the English subtitles are improved. Read a full-length review of the movie Persona on DVD.

DVD Pick: “Floating Weeds”
Floating Weeds has long been regarded by many as a masterpiece of world cinema, and now Criterion Collection has released this beautiful color film on DVD. I hadn’t previously realized, however, that when Ozu made Floating Weeds, he was doing a remake of his own earlier silent film titled A Story of Floating Weeds (1934). The Criterion Collection DVD release is actually a two-disc set that has the 1934 version on Disc One and the 1959 remake on Disc Two. Read a review of the two-disc DVD set.

Pick of the Week: “Ikiru” DVD
I found Ikiru to be emotionally and intellectually engaging, and I think it deserves its reputation as a masterpiece of world cinema and should be included in any reasonable list of the one hundred greatest films ever made. Read a review of Ikiru on DVD

Pick of the Week: "Jules and Jim" DVD
Of all the films I’ve ever seen, François Truffaut’s French-language “Jules and Jim” (1962) is one of my favorites. It is superb, both in terms of artistic content and entertainment qualities. I’ve watched it at least half a dozen times, both on videotape and on the big screen in art-house revival, and I’ve never seen it looking better than on the Fox Lorber DVD. Read a full-length review of Jules and Jim on DVD.

Pick of the Week: “La Strada” DVD
Featuring an unforgettable Chaplinesque performance by lead actress Giulietta Masina, Fellini's lyricism, and a memorable musical score by Nino Rota, La Strada is one of my favorite Fellini films. This is a movie no cineaste should miss, and Criterion Collection has done a great job on the DVD set. Read a review of La Strada on DVD.

Pick of the Week: "Hiroshima mon amour" DVD
Alain Resnais's influential, innovative film Hiroshima mon amour (1959) is a deeply moving, compelling, lyrical masterwork. I hadn't seen it in years, and after watching it on DVD recently, I was amazed at its resonance, complexity, and evocative power.

Pick of the Week: "Wings of Desire" DVD
I loved the hypnotic and poetic mood in the predominantly German-language film Wings of Desire (1987), an unconventional movie that kept me spellbound from beginning to end. The story unfolds from the point of view of angels watching over Berlin, and the film is a richly textured fable that is a moving valentine to that city.