There are two brand new movies coming out via the Criterion Collection, something they've moved into recently with their deal with IFC, and both are highly recommended. Steve McQueen's 'Hunger' was a devastating yet beautiful depiction of the no wash and inevitable hunger protests the IRA staged in response to the British Governments refusal to treat them as political prisoners rather than terrorists. McQueen's history with video art is apparent but I disagree that this is a bad thing, his attention to detail and eye made for a gorgeous and entirely distressing film. 'Revanche' was the first film Criterion stepped up to release theatrically and played at last years Wisconsin Film Fest and made for a gorgeous & brilliantly executed neo-noir following the act of calculating revenge and the possibility for forgiveness.
But if you only have time to rent one movie this week let it be Max Ophuls 'Lola Montes' out on DVD for the first time from Criterion. In my opinion Max Ophuls is the best director of all time and I don't take that sort of status lightly. His movies, such as 'Earrings of Madame De...' are absolute perfection and 'Lola Montes' is another example. It's unfortunate it turned out to be his last film after the studio ruined the film upon release in '55 and it only reached the directors originally intended cut in 2008.
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