DVD Recommendations

While I haven't seen many movies in the theater recently that have inspired me to write, there are a few new DVD releases I'd like to recommend. If you missed them in the theater (or if, sadly, they never made it to a theater near you), consider checking these out:

Drive
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, this movie stars Ryan Gosling as a stunt car driver by day, get-a-way driver by night who gets entangled in a dangerous situation. This movie is brutal in its violence and features an ironically chilling performance by one of my favorite comic actors, Albert Brooks. The movie is highly stylized, starting with the music and style of the opening credits that pay homage, or more accurately, resurrect the action film genre of the 70's. As in most action films, the main female character, played here by Carey Mulligan, takes a back seat (pardon the pun), but it's worth checking out to see Ryan Gosling play a macho guy with some integrity to back it up.

Higher Ground
Directed by and starring the luminous Vera Farmiga, this movie explores a woman's relationship with God and religion. While many of today's movies steer away from the topic of religion, this movie explores it with honesty and humor without resorting to mockery.

Incendies
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this movie stayed with me long after I viewed it. Moving between the past and present, the film follows a set of twins, brother and sister, that travels to the Middle East to uncover secrets from their mother's tortured past. The Radiohead soundtrack certainly doesn't hurt either.


The Iron Lady
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this movie features an amazing, moving performance by Meryl Streep. Her performance is not an imitation of Margaret Thatcher, as some have said, but rather, a memorable portrayal of a very strong woman.

Pariah
Directed by Dee Rees. With a tremendous cast led brilliantly by newcomer Adepero Oduye, this movie is my favorite of the bunch. It takes us into the world of Alike, a black teenager struggling to hide her homosexuality from her traditional parents. The movie glides effortlessly through Alike's daily rituals of school, family dinner, and Sunday church service, all the while leading to an emotional, yet hopeful, ending. Such authenticity comes from the convincing script and performances. It seems that all those who worked on this project shared a mutual passion for the message the film conveys: that loving one's self is freedom.