Beautiful, beautiful weather in sunny California. We may not have seasons, but spring gets me every year. Of course, reading the newspaper helps to temper the spirit.

Criterion continues to prove itself worthy of its lofty reputation: Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne is a truly obscure wonderment that would surely be passed over by almost any other DVD distributor. We're the better for Criterion's eclecticism and willingness to invest in art. Robert Bresson and Jean Cocteau's literary adaptation is a strange noir-ish amour fou about obsessive love and obsessive romantic revenge, and has a quartet of arresting performances. María Casarès and Elina Labourdette are unforgettable as a vengeful schemer, and the puppet of her plan.

Columbia's non-restoration could mean lack of interest or simply no good elements to work with, but The Awful Truth shines through anyway. This cleverest of Screwball Comedies is one of Cary Grant's best, and after you see Irene Dunne, she'll become a favorite for sure. With a dog that plays hide and seek.

Well, I've counted, and I've got 14 reviews to write on DVDs that have already come out. Some of them will just have to get caught-up-with (what a bad sentence this is) when I can, as WEST SIDE STORY comes out on Tuesday and it's one I can't miss. Have a nice weekend, and stay away from television news if you can help it. The newspapers seem to have a much broader range of responses to our country's present .... activities. Thanks for reading.