Reviews

27 minutes of rickety alt.rock genius

History of both '60s and '80s ska hits

Classic mid-'80s Jam & Lewis R&B

Fabulous bird's-eye view of feathered fliers

Unfairly pilloried on its theatrical release for co-opting the dolefully serious subject of capital punishment into a twist-ending thriller, Alan Parker's depiction of the eponymous philosophy professor and death row defendant (Kevin Spacey—droll), gutsy crusading journalist Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet—er, enthusiastic), and their frenetic race to prove Gale's innocence is fundamentally competent—sometimes clinical—studio entertainment. DVD EXTRAS: Commentary from Parker, deleted scenes, Making Of..., music featurette, posters, trailers.

Michael Chiklis often grabs the plaudits for his portrayal of detective Vic Mackey, controlling the dealers and gang-bangers of LA's fictional Farmington with his renegade Strike Team, but this DVD release of The Shield's first series is a jolting reminder of how creator Shawn Ryan conceived it as a complex ensemble piece steeped in moral ambiguity. Ryan exposes the politics and brutality that underpin police work, while the handheld photography makes gunfights, rape and murder hideously real. Brilliant.

Three intense '60s masterpieces from Polanski in one box set, plus his Oscar-garlanded WWII ghetto drama from 2002

PiL bassist's latest genetic experiments on music from planet dub

Funky bedroom-recorded "diary" covers a gamut of musical styles

Eclectic New Yorkers triumph over the punk-funk hype