Mark Palermo

Seven SamuraiDirected by: Akira Kurosawa(Criterion)One of the first movies released on DVD by Criterion, the double-dip may seem like just a cash grab. It’s really a massive three-disc film school package on Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epic. About as “fun” as universally recognized classics ever get, Seven Samurai is nearly perfect.Mark PalermoCategories: Best of the year […]

The Films of Alejandro JodorowskyDirected by: Alejandro JodorowskyAnchor BayAnchor Bay’s most exciting DVD release in several years comprises the Spanish surrealist’s intriguing Fando y Lis, his iconic El Topo and his absolute masterpiece, The Holy Mountain. They’re packaged with soundtrack albums, commentaries, an early short film and documentaries on his life. Jodorowski’s films push narrative […]

Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season(Universal)This prime time fantasy series was producer Steven Spielberg’s mid-’80s answer to The Twilight Zone. On DVD, it’s also a good showcase for forgotten works by big time filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Joe Dante and Clint Eastwood. Like most anthologies, it’s uneven; Amazing Stories often has great setups without much […]

Veronica Mars – The Complete Third SeasonWarnerA very good show that’s frustrating because it seems like it should be great. And that makes the somewhat undercooked third season a compulsive watch. Veronica’s freshman college year is host to more noir mystery, which the series keeps funny and poignant. The tricky success of the recently cancelled […]

LA Story: 15th Anniversary EditionDirected by: Mick Jackson(Lions Gate)Steve Martin used his observations on life in LA as material for this romantic comedy. Even if you dislike the genre and have never been to the titular city, it’s more identifiable—funnier, warmer, centred on people rather than idols—than anything that’s come since. Before director Mick Jackson […]

Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition(Warner Bros.) Five movies and extras, spread across 14 discs. The major curiosity is the addition of Richard Donner’s never-released version of Superman II. The extended pre-test screening version of the (in release form) dismal Superman IV: The Quest for Peace would have been nice. Otherwise, this thing’s so complete, you really […]

Hairspray: Two-Disc Shake & Shimmy Edition Directed by: Adam ShankmanAllianceThe notion of John Waters’ kitschy ode to ’60s pop/social revolution getting remade as a Hollywood musical with John Travolta seems so wrong that I’m sure Waters loves it. This new Hairspray works as the most infectious teen movie in ages. With this comprehensive DVD package, […]

Apocalypse Now The Complete DossierDirected by: Francis Ford Coppola(Paramount)The acclaimed feature documentary Hearts of Darkness is missing, but otherwise this set includes a full and fascinating set of extras chronicling one of history’s most troubled productions. Francis Ford Coppola’s journey into the recesses of madness never loses its fascinating singularity. Comparing the implications between the […]

The Marlon Brando CollectionDirected by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz(Warner Home Video)When Brando died, the eulogies remembered his work in The Godfather, A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. But the second tier work assembled in this Warner Bros. set invites rediscovery. From fighting tyranny in the highly criticized, but still enthralling Mutiny on the Bounty […]