Ah – a massive week of new DVD releases just in time for Christmas. Two of this year’s most applauded efforts, “Inglourious Basterds” and “The Hangover”, have made their way to Blu-ray. There’s nothing I can tell you about those two films that you haven’t already heard, so instead i’ll remind you of a smaller DVD release that’s worth your time.

Also, airing on Turner Classic Movies this week, is a great classic from the 1950s. It’s not yet available on Region 1 DVD, so make sure you set your DVRs for it tonight! Here’s One to Rent, One to DVR for the week of 12/15/09 – exclusively at ForReel.net.

RENT

The Headless Woman (2008)
dir. Lucrecia Martel
Availability: DVD & NetFlix Instant View (12/15/09)

Why?: “The Headless Woman” was a film in competition at Cannes in 2008. Having just watched it yesterday, I have yet to sort out exactly how I feel about it. It’s a strange film, enormously exclusive, and it’s the sort of picture that, unless you’re giving it your complete and utter attention at each passing moment, you’ll get lost quick.

The set up for the film is a woman who runs over something on the road. She tries to convince herself that it was just a dog, but something in her conscious argues that it was something more. More curiously, the accident seems to spur some sort of amnesia, and so throughout the film there’s an ambiguity in each and every thing that happens to the protagonist.

It’s a challenging film, methodically paced and distancing. I’m not quite sure I liked it – hell, i’m not even sure I got it – but it’s interesting enough to check out for yourself. I’ll try to put some thoughts together and write a formal review before the weekend.

DVR

The African Queen (1951)
dir. John Huston
Playing: Thursday, December 17, 2:15 AM (eastern) on Turner Classic Movies.

Why?: This month, TCM is doing a massive Humphrey Bogart marathon. Among the films being shown (somewhere around sixty in total, I believe) is “The African Queen”. This 1951 John Huston-directed picture has achieved a sort of infamy due to a DVD release that’s been promised for years but never followed through on. That reason alone should be enough of an incentive to set your DVR for this one – it’s a bonafide classic, and there’s no certainty that you’ll get a chance to see it again for awhile.

The film is enormously entertaining, a classic American adventure. Bogart is magnificent, but it’s Katharine Hepburn who steals every scene she’s in.