Pandora's Box Criterion Collection Two-Disc DVD Set
American actress Louise Brooks gives an unforgettable performance in G.W. Pabst's psychologically complex, hypnotically resonant silent masterpiece Pandora's Box (1929), and this DVD set is one of the best of all time. The picture quality of the feature film is very good, and there is a choice of four musical scores. The outstanding extras include a documentary on Brooks, an interview with her when she was about 65, an informative scholarly audio commentary and a 96-page booklet with excellent essays.
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The Passenger DVD
Jack Nicholson is at his charismatic best in The Passenger (1975), which was directed by Michelangelo Antonioni (L'avventura, Blowup). This is the only time these two giants of cinema worked together, and the result is a superb film. Antonioni was a genius at presenting images suggesting emptiness and alienation, and in this movie Nicholson brilliantly captures the alienated protagonist. What I like best about The Passenger is its combination of visual beauty, moodiness and mystery. The DVD contains two audio commentary tracks, one by Nicholson, the other by one of the screenwriters.
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Reds DVD
Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton star in Reds (1981), which was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won three (Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress). It is a sweeping love story set against a historical backdrop of political turmoil. However, the movie did not impress me as being about politics so much as about creating richly textured characters. One of the best movies of the 1980s, Reds is superbly acted and well-crafted. The two-disc DVD set has an excellent seven-part making-of documentary.
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Seven Samurai Criterion Collection Three-Disc DVD Set
I've always loved the complexity, visual style, and superb storytelling of Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece of world cinema Seven Samurai (1954). Although I was both puzzled and fascinated by the movie the first time I watched it, I knew I wanted to see it again and again. Repeated viewings of Seven Samurai on DVD have deepened my understanding and appreciation of this film, which is one of the greatest ever made. Seven Samurai originally came out on DVD in 1998, but in 2006 Criterion Collection released a luxurious three-disc edition of this movie that is far superior to the earlier one.
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The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada DVD
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) was a prizewinner at Cannes (Best Actor and Best Screenplay), and now that I've seen it, I can understand why. I found this film to be richly textured, dramatically compelling and satisfying. I was very impressed with Tommy Lee Jones' performance as a man who goes to great lengths to honor the memory of a fallen friend. The script by Guillermo Arriaga (Amores perros, 21 Grams, Babel) is excellent. I enjoyed the magnificent wilderness scenery in Three Burials, and the soundtrack music is well-chosen to enhance the mood of the film.
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United 93 Special Edition DVD
United 93 (2006) is a docudrama that chronicles some of the events occurring during the Islamist terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, that killed about 3000 people. This is one of the most powerful you-are-there films ever made. It is riveting and gut-wrenching, yet respectful and, in some ways, inspirational. But it is heartbreaking, and there's no question that for many viewers, it is too harrowing. The combination of the outstanding feature film and the excellent documentaries that are part of the bonus materials makes this DVD one of the year's best.
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