*** Apologies for the lack of updates. I will be working through this massive review backlog in the next few days. I intend to return to daily updates as soon as things settle down once again around here.

It’s a great week of new releases for cinephiles – Criterion’s much-anticipated and universally-praised “Rossellini’s War Trilogy” makes it’s way to store shelves, as do “Paris, Texas”, “Moscow Belgium”, and “Import/Export”. It’s a heavy week for documentaries, too, featuring new releases of “This Is It”, “Act of God”, and “Soul Power”. Which of these releases do I personally recommend? Here’s One to Rent, One to DVR for the week of 01/26/10 – exclusively at ForReel.net.

RENT

Paris, Texas (1984)
dir. Wim Wenders
Availability: DVD & Blu-ray (1/26/09)

Why?: Winner of the Golden Palm at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, “Paris, Texas” is a slow-burning modern Western. The film, like Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” (also released by Criterion a few months back), is methodically paced, moody, and incredibly deliberate. You may feel restless in the first hour, but the film’s latter half is overwhelmingly powerful – once these characters begin to blossom, things don’t let up. A much-praised monologue in the last third is easily among the top five that i’ve ever seen. This is only my second experience with Wenders, and both features have left me absolutely floored.

DVR

Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
dir. Howard Hawks
Playing: Thursday, January 28th, 11:45 (eastern) on Turner Classic Movies.

Why?: A few of the most iconic figures working in Hollywood in the 1930-40s, including Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, and Rita Hayworth, star in this exciting adventure from the great chameleon of a filmmaker, Howard Hawks.  Tension runs rampant – both in the sexuality and in the thrilling sequences of flight, which are far beyond their years. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the film brilliantly balances the romance with well-aged suspense. A true gem from classic Hollywood.