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Still Walking

Still Walking (Criterion) — Still Walking reminds me most of Phil Morrison’s masterful Junebug, a film that also involves a young man bringing home his new bride for the first time. The cultural differences between child and family hang on the fringes of both narratives, although they become more central to Morrison’s film. Unfolding in long, but not overly patient, takes over the course of a single melancholy day, Still Walking contains passages that can’t help but evoke Ozu’s Tokyo Story and oeuvre in general, but it has an expansive tenderness and eloquent sadness all its own. Read Brandon Harris’s full review, then buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Unmade Beds (MPI Home Video) — Expanding on the clear promise of his 2006 debut feature Glue, Argentine Alexis Dos Santos cements his place as one cinema’s most intriguing new autuers with Unmade Beds, a startlingly energetic film whose HD visual elegance and studied grammatical anarchy give its old hat tale of youthful ennui amongst London hipsters a new life. Read Brandon Harris’s full review, then buy it on DVD.

New To Blu-Ray Pick of the Week

Amarcord (Criterion) — That Federico Fellini fella made a lot of great ones. Amarcord is one of ’em. Buy it on Blu-ray.

Have Not Seen But Really/Kinda/Sorta/Maybe? Wanna

America America (Warner Home Video) — This three-hour Elia Kazan epic recently screened at the 2010 New York Film Festival, where I unfortunately missed it. But this home video release means that I can now finally catch up with it. You should too. Buy it on DVD.

It’s Kind Of A Funny Story (Focus Features) — I am a huge fan of Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, but their most high profile film yet had me slightly worried after watching the trailer and reading some reviews (I have no personal attachment to the book whatsoever). Now is the time for me to finally give it a try. Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Tamara Drewe (Sony Classics) — I missed this one during its festival run and subsequent theatrical release, but I’ve heard enough interesting things to make me want to take this Stephen Frears number for a spin. Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Ong Bak 3 (Magnolia Pictures) — Tony Jaa is one crazy muggafugga. Buy it on DVD, Blu-ray, 2-Disc Collector’s Edition DVD + Digital Copy, or Blu-ray Collector’s Edition + Digital Copy.

Bad Day to Go Fishing (Film Movement) — All I know about this film is the label—Film Movement—which is good enough for me. Buy it on DVD.

I Spit On Your Grave (Anchor Bay) — I had absolutely no interest in watching this remake until I read Jeannette Catsoulis’s New York Times review, which makes it actually sound somewhat interesting. Can it be true? Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

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Michael Tully is an award-winning writer/director whose films have garnered widespread critical acclaim, his projects having premiered at some of the most renowned film festivals across the globe. He is also the former (and founding) editor of this site. In 2006, Michael's first feature, COCAINE ANGEL, chronicling a tragic week in the life of a young drug addict, world premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film immediately solidified the director as one of Filmmaker Magazine’s "25 New Faces of Independent Film,” a reputation that was reinforced a year later when his follow-up feature, SILVER JEW, a documentary capturing the late David Berman's rare musical performances in Tel Aviv, world-premiered at SXSW and landed distribution with cult indie-music label Drag City. In 2011, Michael wrote, directed, and starred in his third feature, SEPTIEN, which debuted at the 27th annual Sundance Film Festival before being acquired by IFC Films' Sundance Selects banner. A few years later, in 2014, Michael returned to Sundance with the world premiere of his fourth feature, PING PONG SUMMER, an ‘80s set coming-of-age tale that was quickly picked up for theatrical distribution by Gravitas Ventures. In 2018, Michael wrote and directed the dread-inducing genre film DON'T LEAVE HOME, which has been described as "Get Out with Catholic guilt in the Irish countryside" (IndieWire). The film premiered at SXSW and was subsequently acquired by Cranked Up Films and Shudder.

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