Swedish vampire flick gets it 'Right'
"Let the Right One In" Quick! Before the inevitable Hollywood remake arrives, see this Swedish vampire film, which also happens to be a touching drama about preteen friendship. Oskar is a likeable but troubled 12-year-old who's ignored at home and bullied at school. While playing alone in the snow one night - Oskar does that a lot - he meets Eli, a mysterious girl who seems to be a kindred spirit. The two become close, until Oskar discovers that Eli is a vampire who may have committed several bloody murders in town. "Let the Right One In" delivers the horror goods, with nasty, well-staged killings (including one in a pool that should go down as one of the best ever) and a constant feeling of dread. It also creates an affecting portrait of two lonely young people who don't fit in, and therefore need each other. I was knocked out by this one; do try to check it out. The DVD offers little in the way of extras - just some deleted scenes, a short making-of and photo gallery. (R; Magnolia Entertainment, $26.98)
"Synecdoche, New York" Reviews of Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut called it either 1) a brilliant work of art, or 2) pretentious garbage. I fall somewhere in the middle. Writer/director Kaufman, known for his quirky, allusive screenplays ("Adaptation," "Being John Malkovich"), delivers more of the same here with his story of a struggling theater director (a superb Philip Seymour Hoffman) who tries to create a new play while walking through a life that has the disjointed, surreal logic of a dream. While the film contains scenes of great power, Kaufman's life-as-theater/life-as-dream narrative wears out its welcome in the final act. Still, I'd rather spend my time on a unique (if flawed) film like this than yet another empty Hollywood sequel. The DVD includes some solid extras, including a Q-and-A with Kaufman at a screenwriting seminar. (R; Sony, $28.96)
"Last House on the Left" (collector's edition) Wes Craven's 1972 debut was part of a wave of post-Vietnam horror flicks that leveled an unblinking eye on human cruelty and violence. More than 30 years later, this gory revenge thriller remains a grim, disturbing landmark of the genre, despite amateurish production values and cringe-worthy moments of supposed comic relief. The DVD reissue, timed to cash in on the glossy remake now in theaters, boasts an uncut version of the film and nice bonus features, iincluding a commentary with members of the cast, an excellent (if brief) retrospective documentary and deleted footage. "Last House" fans who already have the DVD released in 2002 needn't pick this new one up, but it's a solid buy for others. (NR; MGM, $19.98)
"Pinocchio" (70th Anniversary Platinum Edition) and "Max Fleischer's Gulliver's Travels" Two animated classics are back on brand-new DVDs. First we have 1940s "Pinocchio" (Disney, $29.99), the story of the little wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. I love this movie - its story, its songs, its occasional forays into creepiness (the boys-turning-into-donkeys thing still makes me shudder). Most of all, I love the stunning animation, which comes to beautiful life on this new DVD. The two-disc set also boasts extras galore, making it a can't-miss item for any film lover's library. Next, we have 1939's "Gulliver's Travels" (E1 Entertainment, $14.98) from animation pioneers Max and Dave Fleischer, producers of the legendary "Superman" and "Popeye" cartoon shorts. The story and music don't match Disney's best work, but the animation is top-notch, and it looks great on this DVD. (Some have claimed the image isn't framed properly, but as I'm new to the film, I can't confirm or deny that.) "Gulliver" comes with a short vintage featurette on the Fleischers and a couple of bonus shorts.