DVDs This Week – June 23

Pick of the Week

Pixar Short Film Collection – The genius of Pixar is well-known by this point but their true wonders come in their peerless shorts. The utter, beguiling, cosmic brilliance of this collection will have you either rushing to rewatch their multiple feature masterpieces or frantically drawing cartoons on the road to a new career in animation. Actual, real-life genius.

Also Out

Pushing Daisies: Season 1 – A fest of quirk to be sure but hugely enjoyable in the right dosage and featuring a truly charming performance from Anna Friel. The rest of the cast is also very good and, given the shocking lack of comedy around on US TV right now, it’s up among the funniest things you can see.
Penelope – Christina Ricci as the girl with a snout who ensnares the lovable James McAvoy who loves her for who she is. Not seen it yet but it’s on the list.
Satyajit Ray Collection – Regarded widely as the most important director in Indian movie history, I’ve seen nothing of his work but the acclaim he attracts is enough to have me interested.
Rambo – Over-violent and lacking in any winking charm, this is a pretty awful piece of brutal ‘heroic’ violence. Any political comment gets lost in the bruising battles.
My Blueberry Nights – Wong Kar Wai, the genius behind Chungking Express, works in the English language for the first time. Avoided by me due to the presence of Jude Law, my absolute filmic nemesis.
The Boss of it All – Lars Von Trier goes for an office-based comedy and, again, I’ve not seen it. But I am intruiged to see what the mischievous git will do.
Syndromes and a Century – Slow but breathtakingly beautiful Thai story with two gracefully intertwined stories. Not for all, but a really rewarding experience.