From the Film Vault
New on DVD: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Gary Oldman is often described as an actor’s actor...which in his case apparently means an incurable ham. But in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy he gives a marvelously restrained performance.
New on DVD: Young Adult (2011)
Young Adult doesn’t always work. But it takes enough chances to be kind of bracing in its bad taste ... sort of like a Christmas package with a bomb inside.
Program Notes: Mogambo (1953)
Mogambo was a very big deal when it was released in 1953. This African adventure made $5.2 million and turned newcomer Grace Kelly into a major star.
New on DVD: Drive (2011)
When I first saw Drive in the theater, I absolutely loved parts of it but it didn’t seem to add up to much. On the plus side, it cements my belief that Ryan Gosling is an absolutely great actor.
Program Notes: How Green Was My Valley (1941)
If How Green Was My Valley isn’t John Ford’s finest film, it’s certainly the most honored. Nominated in 1941 for 10 Oscars, it won five - in a year when Citizen Kane was up for most of the same honors.
