Movie News

The Editor’s DVD Pick of the Week: Capote

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on March 21, 2006

This seems to be a very pathetic New Release Tuesday in my opinion. What makes a great set of new releases, you ask? It would have to be the fact that there are multiple great choices for consumers as they travel to their retail destinations to pick up the most recent renditions of theatrical greatness. And while this week’s releases include on of the absolute best films of 2005 in Capote, the excitement seems to die off there. Unfortunate is the fact that my runner up this week for “Pick of the Week” was the 50th Anniversary Edition of Cecil B. Demile’s The Ten Commandments, in which Charlton Heston is Moses. And while I do not feel that this week’s gathering of releases is strong, there are a few niche films that will draw out small crowds of fans who enjoy some of the quirky nuances of the film industry.

Everything is Illuminated is the story of a young man, played by Elijah Wood, who travels to Eastern Europe in search of family history that is centered in a time when it was slightly unpopular to be Jewish, a la World War II. Wood’s character becomes a great example of how removed we can sometimes become from our own heritage, and how trips into our past can often unlock the doors to honest self discovery. Look forward to a full review on this film from Brian Gibson later today. Also filling a niche is the thriller Derailed, starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston. The niche I am referring to here is those of us who are very intrigued by Jennifer Aniston’s recent attempts to shed her “good girl” image. As with before, expect a full review from our resident DVD expert, Brian within the day. And now, without further ado, here is your DVD pick of the week:

Capote

Capote is the timeless biopic of Truman Capote, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who claimed a Best Actor Oscar win for his performance in this film. The film is a dark, edgy and intrusive look into the series of events that nearly pushed Capote over the edge as he researched a horrific murder that took place in a small town in Kansas in the late 1950’s. What came of these events was the book “In Cold Blood,” that would eventually become one of the most heralded pieces in the history of American Literature. With sensational performances from Hoffman, and brilliant supporting work from Catherine Keener , Chris Cooper, and Clifton Collins Jr. Capote is a film that is well worth the purchase, even in the absence of any special features. Look for a full review sometime tomorrow from Brian Gibson, and feel free to check out the original theatrical review that I wrote during Oscar week, in which I scored Capote a B+.

Click here to purchase Capote on DVD from Amazon.com

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