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An Oscar-Worthy Performance Comes Home

March 05, 2008 3:59 PM

It's a shame that Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" was nominated for only two Oscars -- Best Achievement in Editing and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Hal Holbrook). The Eddie Vedder-composed-and-performed soundtrack is haunting, and Emile Hirsch gives a gripping performance that's backed by an equally strong ensemble cast. The movie, which accurately depicts the real-life story of a young man trying to live on his own in the Alaskan wild, is available on DVD and HD-DVD, with a two-disc collectors edition. Extras include featurettes about the story, characters and the filmmaking experience.

Amir Bar-Lev's documentary "My Kid Could Paint That" explores four-year-old Marla Olmstead's meteoric rise in the art world, and her even faster fall. The Sundance Grand Jury Prize-nominated film is as much about parenting as it is about the absurdities of the art world and the pursuit of truth. It's disappointing that Bar-Lev is not on the DVD-only release's audio commentary, though -- especially since he questions the Olmstead family's motives throughout the movie. Now give your toddler some crayons, sell the work, and jet off for a Caribbean vacation.

Jonathan Ages

March 5, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (0)

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