Salton Sea (DVD)
Caught up in the permanent nighttime of the habitual methamphetamine user, Danny Parker (Val Kilmer) and his friends close the curtains so they can`t tell what time of day it is. But while his associates revel in their highs, Danny is haunted by his previous life as Tom Van Allen, a trumpet player who lost his wife (Chandra West) in the crossfire of a shoot out. In an effort to find his wife`s killer, Tom became a police informant, adopting a heavily-tattooed disguise. When he discovers that a Mexican drug lord has put a hit out on him, Danny decides to pull one last score--unfortunately involving Pooh-Bear (Vincent D`Onofrio), a childlike kingpin with a penchant for torture and a yawning void where his nose once was.
D.J. Caruso`s debut is a beautifully photographed punk-noir set against the backdrop of a gang of speed freaks in contemporary L.A. Opening with a brief history of methamphetamine, THE SALTON SEA immediately establishes an original tone for its kaleidoscopic tour through well-traveled territory. Taking its cue from the wave of mid-1990s crime films, the script by Tony Gayton (MURDER BY NUMBERS) delivers the usual doses of hip gallows humor, but also infuses the proceedings with dollops of pain and loss, often shifting the tone to that of the more soulful, responsible crime films of the 1970s.R"
Director: D.J. Caruso
ACTORS: Val Kilmer, Vincent D`Onofrio, Adam Goldberg, Luis Guzman, Doug Hutchison
Level 13.Net: Weird and Mysterious (DVD)
Film Roman (producer of THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL) presents a stunning collection of animated short films. Included in this collection are Tea for Two, Eden, God in the Machine, Domingo, and more!NR"
Randy Newman Live at the Odeon (DVD)
Randy Newman, one of America`s most treasured songwriters, is the talent behind some of pop music`s most intelligent and award-winning tunes. Here Newman performs--with special guest stars Linda Ronstadt and Ry Cooder--at the Odeon, one of New York City`s most popular night spots. Featured titles include I Love L.A., Short People, Sail Away, My Life Is Good, and Rednecks. NR"
ACTORS: Randy Newman
Anguish (DVD)
This surprising early film from Spanish director Luna (JAMON, JAMON), pays homage to surrealist filmmaker Bunuel with an inventive, multi-layered mind-bender that truly offers more than meets the eye. A movie audience is absorbed in a horror flick where the psycho`s favorite pastime is carving out his victim`s eyeballs.R"
Director: Bigas Luna
ACTORS: Michael Lerner, Zelda Rubinstein, Paul Talia, Angel Jove, Clara Pastor
Natural Disasters (DVD)
The producers of TV`s Cops take their cameras into the midst of furious storms, volcano eruptions, earthquakes, and other catastrophes. From the Amazing Video Collection series.NR"