Now on video: March '13

Some classic films now on video worth your money:

On the Waterfront: Elia Kazan's 1954 masterpiece arrives on blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection, and it's a must-own for any film buff. Waterfront marks the origins of the "actor's method" where subtlety and naturalism replaced broad theatricality. The film itself is a classic character study about working-class malaise, and the steep price we sometimes pay to hold on to our dignity. Extras include a 10-minute conversation Martin Scorsese, and numerous docs on the life of Elia Kazan.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Beyond its pioneering blend of seamless live-action and animated elements, it's hard to find cinematic entertainment as vibrant and satisfying as this. As a young kid I ventured back to the theater to relive its glories many times, and I seriously can't imagine anyone not loving this film. Bonus extras are mostly ported over from previous editions, but you get the feature and three animated shorts in eye-popping HD.

Schindler's List: Steven Spielberg's 3-hour, black and white Holocaust drama was an Oscar-winning phenomenon when it was released theatrically 20 years ago, and the film continues to stand as the most ambitious and accurately detailed war film to ever come out of Hollywood. Spielberg's first collaboration with longtime d.p. Janusz Kaminski looks better than it ever has thanks to blu-ray. The set is light on extras, but the film and its pristine new transfer are reason alone to pick it up.

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, Tampa Indie Movie Examiner

Patrick Russell is an independent filmmaker and founder of Birds Eye Film, specializing in new media and commercial storytelling. He has won numerous academic and festival awards, and is responsible for some of the most popular and successful videos on the web. For more info: www.birdseyefilm.com.

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