News

A look at what's new on DVD today:

"Antichrist" (2009)

Directed by Lars von Trier

Released by Criterion Collection

From its incendiary debut at Cannes to becoming a cult hit defined by the meme "Chaos Reigns," Lars von Trier's psychosexual horror film about a married couple (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) that repairs to a cabin in the woods to grieve over the death of their young son is receiving the Criterion Collection treatment. Video interviews with von Trier, Gainsbourg, and Dafoe, making-of vignettes and a documentary about the Cannes premiere accompany the feature. (Aaron Hillis' interview with von Trier is here.)

"The Battle of River Plate" (1956)

Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Released by Hen's Tooth Video

Despite being Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's most financially successful film, it has been a rare commodity in America on home video, where people have had to buy the British...

U.S. independent distributor Wolfe Releasing has acquired North American rights to "Il compleanno" ("David's Birthday"), a drama directed by Italian helmer Marco Filiberti. The pic premiered in Venice last year. Film is the second coming from Filiberti after 2003's "Poco più di un anno fa" ("Adored: Diary of a Male Porn Star"). Story concerns a married psychoanalyst who falls in love with his best friend's son while on a seaside holiday. Wolfe also released Filiberti's first work. Pic was produced by Caroline Locardi...

The 66th edition of the Venice Film Festival lineup includes the main festival plus the sidebar which will be playing films like Yannick Dahan's gangster zombie flick The Horde.

In competition we have the long awaited scifi awesomeness from Jaco Van Dormael, Mr. Nobody and Shinya Tsukamoto's trfiecta Tetsuo the Bulletman.

Out of competition has [Rec] 2 and the Midnight section has Nicolas Refn's long awaited Valhalla Rising which was actually made before Bronson.

Man I wish I could go! Anyone want to cover the fest for us? Use the contact link at the bottom of the page. We'd be happy to do cross-posted reviews.

Full list after the break.

66Th Annual Venice Film Festival Lineup

Competition

"36 vues du Pic Saint Loup," Jacques Rivette (France)

"Accident," Cheang Pou-Soi (China-Hong Kong)

"Baaria," Giuseppe Tornatore (Italy) – Opening Film

"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans," Werner Herzog (U.S.)

"Between Two Worlds,...

Rome -- Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story" will headline a 24-film competition lineup at September's Venice Film Festival, which is heavy on first and second films from up-and-coming directors.

The lineup includes five U.S. films, four each from Italy and France, four from Asia, two from the Middle East -- with all 23 films named Thursday as world premieres.

A 24th surprise competition pic to be announced during the fest would also be a world premiere, officials said. The fest will feature 71 world premieres.

"We are very pleased and very honored to announce this lineup," Venice artistic director Marco Mueller said in a briefing Thursday, where Fatih Akin's comedy "Soul Kitchen"; "Accident," a thriller from China's Cheang Pou; and "A Single Man," a drama from Tom Ford starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, were revealed as part of the lineup.

All told, the fest will feature 16 first works and nine second works.