It’s a week of “good, not great” on the new release wall, what with the DVD debuts of the documentary Afghan Star (about the politics of a televised singing competition in Afghanistan), the coming-of-age drama An Education (featuring a terrific, Oscar-nominated Carey Mulligan performance), and the low-budget comic horror film I Sell The Dead (which is more clever and agreeable than it is scary). None are exactly must-see, but all are worth your time if you’re looking for something new to rent.
For must-see, turn to the archival/reissue front, where you’ll find John Woo’s The Killer, now out on Blu-ray. For more Woo action, check back on Thursday for Scott Tobias’ New Cult Canon column on Hard-Boiled. Also coming soon: full AVC reviews of this week’s releases Letters From Fontainhas: Three Films By Pedro Costa, The Abbot & Costello Show: The Complete Series, The Baader Meinhof Complex and Henri Cartier-Bresson. So there’s something to look forward to.
The Abbot & Costello Show: The Complete Series
E1, $59.98
Afghan Star
Zeitgeist, $29.99
Alice In Wonderland (1951)
Walt Disney, $29.99
Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
20th Century Fox, $29.98/$34.98; Blu-ray, $39.99
The Antarctica Challenge: A Global Warning
PBS, $24.99
The Baader Meinhof Complex
MPI, $27.98; Blu-ray, $34.98
The Backyardigans: Escape From The Tower
Nickelodeon, $16.99