The Usual Suspects (4K Ultra HD) (Blu-ray) by William Harrison THE FILM:There are some thrillers that remain effective even if viewers know many of their secrets. Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects is such a film. Even though I cannot recreate my first-viewing surprise when the film laid its cards on the table, the clever screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie; able direction by Singer in his second feature; and knockout performances from the diverse cast cement the film as one of the best thrillers of the 1990s. Who is Keyser Soze? The Los Angeles Police Department and FBI try to find out after they discover dozens of bodies on a ship in San Pedro Bay in what appears to be a drug heist gone wrong. Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey) is one of only two survivors and recounts the events leading up to the massacre. Several weeks earlier, Kint and fellow criminals Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fred Fenster (Benicio del Toro) and T...Read the entire review »

Drive My Car: Criterion Collection (Blu-ray) by Justin Remer The Movie: Drive My Car was 2021's little art film that could. It has the pedigree of a Haruki Murakami short story as source material, which is certainly nothing to sniff at, but it's no guarantee of international success either (anyone remember 2010's Norwegian Wood?). Plus, a three-hour runtime is an automatic dealbreaker for many viewers (which, pardon the cliché, is ludicrous in the binge era of media consumption). Yet, Ryusuke Hamaguchi's beautiful film managed to net a decent box office and score four Oscar nominations, winning Best International Feature. I have watched Drive My Car a few times in theaters prior to popping in Criterion's Blu-ray release, and I'm now convince...Read the entire review »