DVD Picks of the Week - Children of Men, Mary Hartman & The Shield
DVD Picks of the Week - Children of Men, Mary Hartman & The Shield
Children of Men: So, you know how Babel was the most awarded of the triumvirate of Mexican cinema that came out last year? It’s also the flimsiest, most bloated and quickly forgettable. Don’t let anyone tell you different. On the other hand, Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth was lyrical, haunting and poignant, and Children of Men is not only the best film of Alfonso Cuaron’s already ace career, it’s the best film of last year that you didn’t see. I know, some of you saw it – you cool people. But now it’s out on DVD and you have no excuse; watch it in the dark, with the sound cranked up high, and don’t even think about reaching for the pause button. This futuristic cautionary tale demands to be seen in one unflinching, harrowing, and ultimately uplifting take.
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: Volume 1: If there’s any need for evidence that the 1970’s were the golden era of the American sitcom, look no further than this Norman Lear-created satire of soap operas set in sleepy Fernwood, Ohio. Louise Lasser stars as the title character, whose family crises include murders, flashers (her own grandfather) and bizarre character deaths, all the while being quite blunt about topics like impotence at a time when uttering the word was still taboo. Groundbreaking stuff, and since the show aired five days a week (Just like a real soap!) this is the tip of the iceberg. And also a great indictor that we might finally get the spin-off classic Fernwood 2 Nite on disc in the future…
The Shield: Season 5: How do you make up for the loss of the inimitable Glenn Close following her departure from The Shield? You bring in a heavyweight like newly-crowned Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, that’s how. The fifth season of FX’s hard-case police drama crackles with tension, and Whitaker and star Michael Chiklis play off each other superbly. Speaking of which, though it’ll probably be time to wrap this saga up soon, please say we’ll get one more year’s worth of Vic Mackey at least? Outside of Tony Soprano, Chiklis’s corrupt copper is the finest anti-hero on TV.
—Nicole Campos
