NEW RELEASES - FEBRUARY 21 HIGHLIGHTS

Separate Lies (2005).

Emily Watson and Tom Wilkinson star in the directorial debut of Julian Fellowes, who wrote Gosford Park and knows his upper and upper middle British classes.

"A continually surprising film in its ethical and emotional insights," wrote Philip French in the Observer, "and it rings constantly true, with three superb performances, Rupert Everett's being a version of the role he played as Ruth Ellis's callous lover in Dance With a Stranger."

The Weather Man (2005).

Nicolas Cage is Dave Spritz, "self-esteem-free, terminally uneasy with virtually everyone, reliable only to do the wrong thing, and ill equipped to handle others' unpredictable emotions," writes Michael Atkinson in the Village Voice. "Never less than lighthearted, [Gore] Verbinski's film is finally rather terrifying, a well-intentioned breadwinner's nightmare of male inadequacy."

Rent (2005).

Chris Columbus faithfully adapts Jonathan Larson's unfaithful yet wildly popular adaptation of La Bohème, one of Broadway's biggest hits ever.

"Every time the film seemed ready to tip into awfulness, the sneer on my lips was trumped by the lump in my throat," wrote A.O. Scott in the New York Times.

The Memory of a Killer (2003).

"Originally titled The Alzheimer Case, this mnemonically minded film opens as two separate stories - one involving an idealistic young cop, the other an older hardbitten assassin - that clue by clue, break by break, eventually twist together," wrote Manohla Dargis in the New York Times last August. "An amnesiac killer is an inherently rich conceit, and it's no surprise that an American movie company has already snapped up remake rights."

Pulse [Kairo] (2001).

"Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films vary greatly," writes alexqsub, "and this particular one is a dark movie about (without giving things away) ghosts, computers, death, loneliness, love, and fear. The atmosphere of this film - the sound effects, lighting, and pacing - do an incredible job of building up the suspense."

In March 2004, Jonathan Marlow interviewed the director.

Torremolinos '73 (2003).

"Pablo Berger's Torremolinos '73 is one of the funniest and slyest satires ever to come out of Spain," writes Sean Axmaker, who talks with the director about the political, cultural and sexual repression under Franco - and how his characters find ways to indulge ravenously anyway.

onedotzero_select dvd4 (2005).

If you're interested in what the future of cinema will look like, whether you'll be watching it on your iPod or on the side of a building, a few, perhaps many of the short works collected here from all around the world may point the way.

Shorts! Volume 3 (2005).

Features some of the best shorts seen at the Aspen ShortsFest and the illustrious festivals in Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Sundance, Denver, Telluride, Tribeca and more. Each short includes one or two Film Festival Collection exclusive audio commentaries by the filmmakers.

Left of the Dial (2005).

Traces the rise, fall and resurrection of Air America, the nation's first all-liberal radio network aimed at offering an alternative to the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly.

Barberland (2005).

"Barberland interviews over a dozen working barbers to tell us the origins of the profession (leeches, surgeons, all that jazz), then segues into the heyday of barbers as social hubs and masters of hair," notes Christopher Null at filmcritic.com.

Ultramanic Volume 6: Magical Love (2003).

"From the creator of Marmalade Boy, notes EmpressStephanie, "a cute and angsty magical girl anime. Very cute character designs. Awesome ending."

Browse the New Releases Archive for more recent arrivals.