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Yesterday Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" was released on DVD. I am getting my copy tomorrow after work. Anyone who loves film and loves humanity should have this movie. This is my favorite Altman film, it made me seek out his other work. I saw "Popeye" when I was a kid, but didn't know he directed it. And, I love that film. Different debate for a different day!

"Short Cuts" takes several stories and one poem from great American writer Ray Carver and weaves them in a coherent and realistic narrative. The film is long and some of the stories are not my favorites, but as a whole piece of work looking at human relationships it says a lot. The story has no formal ending and there are very few epiphanies. Unfortunately, this is true of life. Most of us don't change and most of us feel our lives are hermetically sealed. Altman's film refutes this, he makes us look at ourselves and determine if we truly make decisions that affect no one.

This is not a film for fans of Michael Bay. All the explosions are internal. But, there is some amazing acting. You will get to see an actual performance from Andie McDowell and look for cameos from Altman regulars. Also, this is the movie that foisted Julianne Moore on an unsuspecting society. Her performance here is one of her best and truly brave. Pubes are brave! Altman is also one of the few people who realizes that we live in a multicultural world. He never pushes it in your face, but he truly realizes that in the present cultures are not hermetically sealed.

So, go get it. Give Criterion a big kiss and thank God that some people follow their muse no matter how bleak or unprofitable it is.