Latest USA DVD releases July 2007

Our Top 5 picks of the new USA DVD releases this month are : -

1. Ivan's Childhood AKA Ivanovo detstvo. Andrei Tarkovsky's classic 1962 Russian tale of Ivan, a twelve year old boy working on the eastern front. A Criterion release.

2. Les Enfants terribles Jean-Pierre Melville 1952 take on the classic novel by Jean Cocteau. Another super release from Criterion.

3. The Stranger Like every of Orson Welles directed films there is moments of genius. This classic 1946 flix contains much more than its fair share.

4. Ace in the Hole Billy Wilder directs (magnificently) Kirk Douglas stars in this 1951 classic now given a Criterion release.

5. Ever Since The World Ended. An understandably flawed no-fi movie drama doc which considers the realities of a post apocalyptic San-Fransiscan society. Nice.

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Other notable DVDs released this month that we recommend : -

Week Commencing 3rd July 2007

Driving Lessons Excellent and genuinely touching off beat TV movie re-uniting Julie Walters and Rupert Grint (mother and son Weasley from The Harry Potter movies).

The Taste of Tea AKA Cha no aji. Katsuhito Ishii's 2004 excellent film study highlighting the complexities of a family living in Tokyo.

What The Peeper Saw Britt Ekland and Mark Lester (Oliver) star in this "English" style exploitative psychological thriller from 1972.

Just The Two Of Us Sexploitation flick from the 1975. Worth a watch for its kitsch styling's alone, but leaves you wondering who used to watch this stuff in the 1970's.

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Week Commencing 10th July 2007

The Page Turner French Psychological drama - will appeal to those who enjoyed Michael Haneke's recent film Cache.

The Astronaut Farmer Really enjoyable film from Mark and Michael Polish and starring the rather wonderful Victoria Masden.

Three Films By Hiroshi Teshigahara It does what it says on the tin. Three films from the Progressive Japanese director - Pitfall, Woman in the Dunes, Face of Another.

Iraq in Fragments Stories highlighting post war Iraq by focusing in on the ordinary lives of those living under extraordinary circumstances.

Week Commencing 17th July 2007

Factory Girl An interesting attempt at bringing the life of Edie Sedgwick (Warhol's muse) to the screen. A missed opportunity, but interesting all the same and well worth a look.

Hedda Gabler Quite simply one of the best TV adaptations ever made. Diana Rigg stars in this 1981 production of Henrik Ibsens classic novel.

Lean week. Nothing else very interesting released this week. But hey it's summer - why not go out for a walk or even tackle some of those jobs you've been meaning to do round the house "when the finer weather comes". and would it hurt you to do some tidying once in a while.

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Week Commencing 24th July 2007

Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring Claude Berri directs these two landmarks of the French cinema.	Renaissance Daniel Craig stars in this enjoyable future shock sci-fi. An excellently put together film with a good story to boot (up).	Avant-Garde 2: Experimental Cinema 1928-1954 Way ahead of its time experimentalist films from the future past.	Malpertuis Harry Kümel's 1972 surrealist / claustrophobic piece. Newly remastered in a superb expanded DVD release.
Week Commencing 30th July 2007
Hot Fuzz Fresh from reinventing the Zombie genre in Shaun of the Dead, the same team reinvent the buddy / cop genre. Includes one of the finest appearances by a swan in cinema history.	Kung Fu Hustle A film so enjoyable it can be watched by those who cant stand martial arts movies. This time released in an "Axe-Kickin' Edition"!.	A Crude Awakening - The Oil Crash Basil Gelpke's documentary concerning the worlds quest for oil (or how to bury your head in the stand).	300 "We all want to draw like Frank Miller" as another comic artist once sang. Visually stunning.