Merry Movie Christmas

The festive season comes to a close for me today, as I return to work.
It was a big year for DVD movies as gifts this Christmas, as I received:
* Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane." We already had this classic film on VHS as well as owning "The Citizen Kane Book," so receiving the DVD was wholly appropriate, if not a little overdue.
* John Ford's "The Searchers." This film is among the greatest, most emotionally complex Westerns ever made.
* John MacKenzie's "The Long Good Friday." This quintessential British gangster flick stars Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren. Turner Movie Classics plans to air it at 12:05 a.m. (CST) on Friday, Dec. 29, in case you are interested.
* Takeshi Kitano's "Sonatine." I watched this 1993 yakuza film (pictured) yesterday afternoon. Director-writer-star Kitano blends painterly beautiful scenes of gangsters pulling pranks in Okinawa with startling moments of violence. This wonderful film is full of surprises.
I also received Chris D.'s examination on maverick Japanese cinema -- "Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film." It will be my first book read of the new year. After all, you can never learn too much about Japanese cinema.