The following selection of films are DVD releases of interest, including some selections that are already available on VHS that are being released on DVD this week.
Mexican Fantasy
Length: 100 minutesMPAA Rating: NR (not rated)
This is filmmaker Oleg Kovalov's reworking of the unfinished masterpiece Que Viva Mexico by Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin). Of course, nobody could recreate the film that Eisenstein would have made had he not had to return to Russia and abandon the project, and Mexican Fantasy is Kovalov's interpretation of a total vision that could have lived only in Eisenstein's imagination. But world film aficionados--myself included--will find the availability of Mexican Fantasy on DVD of great interest.
Roma
Length: 119 minutesMPAA Rating: R
Impressionistic and loosely structured, Roma is Fellini's autobiographical homage to the Eternal City, allowing you to see it through his eyes. As you might expect in a Fellini film, the movie meanders along rather than following a traditional plot structure. And in the process of finding it’s own way, Roma happens on enough stunning scenes to make you realize that plot in the traditional sense can be much overrated.
Satyricon
Length: 138 minutesMPAA Rating: R
This cinematically stunning film by Federico Fellini is loosely based on the fragmentary remains of Petronius' novel The Satyricon. Set against the decadence and decline of ancient Rome and eschewing linear structure, Satyricon may be unwatchable for some, yet fascinating for others. It isn't one of Fellini's best, but it will still be worth a look to those who are interested in tracing the wide and varied swath of this visionary filmmaker's body of work.
Terms of Endearment
Tagline: "Come to Laugh, Come to Cry, Come to Care, Come to Terms."
Length: 132 minutesMPAA: PG for language
Winner of five Oscars including Best Picture, this adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel brings to vibrant life the almost inseparable mixture of love and hate that often occurs in close relationships, especially between mother and daughter. Shirley MacLaine won a Best Actress Oscar for her role of Aurora Greenway, an attractive widowed mother who is often at odds with her rebellious daughter (Debra Winger). Terms Of Endearment is a film filled with memorable performances, but the real scene-stealer for me has always been Jack Nicholson, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove. This is not a perfect movie, but it’s one that I’ve always loved.
After you've seen any of these movies, drop by the chat room and share your thoughts about them. Or drop me an email, and I’ll report back on some of the responses.
Additional Sites of Interest
- About.com - Action-Adventure Movies
- About.com - Hollywood Movies/Reviews
- DVD Details from The Internet Movie Database
- Official Site - Fox 2000
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