Mike's DVD Haul

As promised this will be my last Haul until Christmas. There should be seven titles within this set but I got hosed on a copy of Passolini's Teorema, which only had Spanish subtitles. This is of course a lesson to those who use Ebay. Read the descriptions before hitting buy:

Like any great filmmaker, Truffaut has those films that defined him. The ones that his name is always instantly associated with (400 Blows, Jules and Jim, Day for Night) and then there are those like The Soft Skin which not many people talk about. I haven't seen this one but since it has gone out of print I decided to scoop it up before the price gets to ridiculous highs.

David Mament, one of America's greatest directors, certainly one of the greatest of all screenwriters and playwrights. This isn't as good as House of Games but in typical Mamet fashion it weaves a complex web of mystery and thrills in a way only Mamet can. Steven Martin has maybe never been better.

John Sayles was on a hot streak in the 90s, making one great movie after another. This is one of those and one more off the list on my quest to own everything Sayles did (except Eight Men Out). Now if someone would only get City of Hope out there. Where's the Criterion Collection when ya need em?

Mike Leigh made one brillant film (Bleak Moments) and then dissapeared for many years, being lost in TV land. I have no idea if that TV output was any good as I've never seen any of it, but he certainly returned to feature film in a big way with High Hopes and hasn't looked back since.

Peter Greenaway is one of the most artistically challenging filmmakers out there. Whether or not you actually like his movies (it's hard) or just stand back and admire them, one cannot deny that he is a great and truely original filmmaker. This film is one of his most beautiful; a visual treasure. Anyone who thinks Tim Burton or Terry Gilliam are the definition of film style need get on this right now. So good you could watch it on mute and it would still be just as good.

I haven't seen this one but 13 Conversations About One Thing (by the same filmmakers) was one of the very best films of the decade so of course I needed to see their debute as well. This has been described as In the Company of Men with women. Good enough for me.