Welcome to FSR’s first DVD column for October 2011! There are lots of interesting titles hitting shelves today including two third or fourth generation sequels that surprise by being far more entertaining than anyone expected them to be. In addition to Scream 4 and Fast Five several smaller films are coming out too including the giallo-inspired art film Amer, Zach Braff’s indie drama The High Cost of Living, the sweetly comic UK coming of age film Submarine, and more. As always, if you see something you like, click on the image to buy it. Buck Buck Brannaman has a special appreciation for the equine species that helps him understand and communicate with horses and their owners. He’s been labeled a real life “horse whisperer” and even assisted Robert Redford on his film of the same name, but his life wasn’t always a success story. This documentary takes a man and a subject so purely American and finds real heart, pain, and inspiration in the tale. All of it is engaging, but the bit towards the end about a damaged and violent colt is suspenseful and heartbreaking.

It’s been a very big, hyper-serious week here at Film School Rejects. Well, everything but the hyper-serious part anyway. We celebrated a big birthday by finally getting potty trained, we pulled the wheels of a big time movie director’s campaign against critics, we rapped to you, we reviewed a bunch of movies that weren’t so great, we reported on epic, Asgardian trailers and movies about Egyptian democracy and we interviewed people, shared opinions about movie universes and took you to Funky Town. Okay, all but the part about Funky Town. But you know it’s coming. Bask with me in the glory of this week’s best articles as we recount The Week That Was.

A young girl terrorized by a mourning woman in black. A blossoming teen discovering the attention her body attracts from men. A woman stalked by a razor-wielding assailant in her childhood home. Clearly, this is a film about sex. Amer offers three distinct peeks into one woman’s life with minimal dialogue and maximum atmosphere in an exploration of innocence lost and sexual identity gained. Colored light splashes, indirect camera angles, and a heavy emphasis on images and sounds make this more of a sensory experience than a traditional narrative. It’s an ode of sorts to the Italian giallo classics of the past from Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and others, but where those films often triumphed style over a relatively weak story Amer uses style in place of any story at all. Viewers looking for anything resembling a traditional slasher film should look elsewhere, but those interested in a fresh, visually impressive film (albeit one with flaws) may want to seek this one out soon.