(in alphabetical order; indicates we especially like it)

Action: The Complete Series (1999, 390m on 2 discs, NR):  Short-lived cult TV series stars Jay Mohr as Peter Dragon, an amoral Hollywood producer trying to regain his mojo after a spectacular flop.  Chock full of profanity and innuendo, with a cynical eye towards Hollywood, it was no surprise the show was cancelled after eight episodes.  The DVDs present all thirteen filmed episodes in fully uncensored form.

Claire Dolan (1998, 95m, NR):  The late, lamented British actress Katrin Cartlidge (“Breaking the Waves,” “Naked”) stars in this harrowing, compelling film from director Lodge Kerrigan (“Clean, Shaven”).  Cartlidge plays a high-class New York City call girl trying to escape her vicious pimp (Colm Meaney) by moving to Newark, where she meets a taxi driver (Vincent D’Onofrio).

The Desert of the Tartars (1976, 140m, PG):  A raft of European stars (Max von Sydow, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Vittorio Gassman, Philippe Noiret) populate this arty epic set in an isolated fortress where a group of soldiers stands forever on watch against unseen invaders.

Domino (2005, 127m, R):  Daughter of film star Laurence Harvey (“The Manchurian Candidate”), Domino Harvey rejected her life of leisure as a high-paid model for that of a bounty hunter.  Tony Scott’s flashy, loosely fact-based biopic stars Keira Knightley in the title role; the film had a sad real-life epilogue as Domino Harvey died last year from an accidental drug overdose.

Family Portraits: A Trilogy of America (2004, 106m, NR):  Three thematically linked short films from director Douglas Buck explore the very dark underside of American family life.  In “Cutting Moments,” a woman expresses her horror at her husband and her life through self-disfigurement; “Home” shows how cycles of violence and misogyny are perpetuated; and “Prologue,” the subtlest of the three, examines the consequences of violence with the story of a young woman who returns home after recovering from a vicious assault.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex—2nd Gig, v. 3 (2003, 120m, NR): The latest batch of episodes from the acclaimed animated series based on the feature film about a female cyborg cop in futuristic Japan.

God Save the Queen: A Punk Rock Anthology (2005, 75m, NR):  This compilation includes 21 videos or performances by old school bands like Iggy & The Stooges, Dead Boys, Buzzcocks, and Generation X.

Independent America: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop (2006, 90m, NR):  Made on a shoestring, this engaging documentary follows a Seattle couple as they trek across the USA (avoiding interstates and only patronizing independent businesses) to see how people are beginning to rebel against the corporatization of America.  Check out the review section of their website for a blurb from yours truly.

Midnight Blue: The Deep Throat Special Edition (2005, 120m, NR): During the 1970s, New York City cable access viewers were treated to the adults-only talk show “Midnight Blue,” hosted by sleazy Al Goldstein.  This DVD collects several episodes dealing with the most infamous porn classic of them all.  Explicit material initially banned by the FCC included.

North Country (2005, 126m, R):  Charlize Theron gets grimy again after "Monster" and has another Oscar nomination to show for it.  She plays a single mom who gets a job at a Minnesota mine, only to endure sexist, abusive treatment from her co-workers.  Based on the true story of the first successful class-action sexual harassment case in US history.

Reel Paradise (2005, 110m, R):  Indie-film producer John Pierson, vacationing in Fiji, comes across an unused movie theater and decides to buy it and expose the island natives to world cinema.  Documentary filmmaker Steve James ("Hoop Dreams") is on hand to record how things go.

Rent (2005, 135m, PG-13):  The film version of the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning Broadway smash about life, love, and AIDS in 1980s New York City features many of the original cast members under the direction of Chris Columbus.

Separate Lies (2005, 85m, R):  Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, and Rupert Everett star in this brisk British thriller about a big-time solicitor who tries to cover up his wife's involvement in a hit-and-run accident, with complications that naturally get out of his control.

The Small Faces: Under Review (2005, 60m, NR):  This unauthorized documentary looks at the eventful career of one of the most acclaimed bands to come out of Mod England, in the tradition of The Kinks and The Spencer Davis Group.

The Sugarcubes: Live Zabor (1989, 59m, NR):  Fifteen tracks, recorded in 1988 and 1989, comprise this concert compilation featuring some of Bjork's band's biggest hits.

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005, 112m, R):  The third chapter in director Park Chan-Wook's trilogy following "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" centers on a woman who has recently been released from prison, where she'd been held for the death of a young boy during a kidnapping.  Flashbacks show how she got there while she plots her revenge on those responsible for her fate.

The Take (2004, 87m, NR):  Canadian anti-globalization activists went to Argentina in 2001 to chronicle that country's struggle following an economic collapse brought on by US-prompted policies.  What the found was a remarkable movement in which laid-off workers commandeered their factories and restarted production, an inspiring example of communal resistance to capitalistic top-down management.

The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder: Punk & New Wave (2006, c. 400m on 2 discs, NR):  The deliciously unhip Snyder, whose late-night talk show ran from 1973-1982, is the perfect foil during these eight episodes featuring guests ranging from The Plasmatics to Elvis Costello.  Some great performances to see, plus the thrilling collision of the angry youth and the clueless (but game!) host.

Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern (1995, 88m, NR):  This Oscar-nominated documentary focuses on one Iowa family who struggle to maintain the farm they've owned for generations in the face of changing times.

Ultimate Avengers (2006, 71m, PG-13):  Based on the Marvel Comics series "The Ultimates," this ambitious animated effort presents an alternate take on characters like Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Nick Fury.  The animation isn't great, but comics geeks will appreciate the fact that it's not too dumbed-down for kids.

The Weather Man (2005, 101m, R):  Nicolas Cage stars as a divorced TV weatherman in Chicago, alienated from both his kids and the father (Michael Caine) he learns is terminally ill.  Juggling a quest for a national-level job with Bryant Gumbel with his attempts to get it right with his family, he learns that life, like, the weather, can't be easily controlled.

When I Die (2005, 60m, NR):  The late, lamented Hunter S. Thompson demanded in his will that his ashes be fired out of a huge cannon on his property, and this documentary from the makers of "Breakfast with Hunter" follows the effort to honor his final wish.