March 28, 2009 1:22 am

"The Reader": Best DVDs of April 2009

What it is: “The Reader“, the Oscar-nominated film from The Weinstein Company, is based on the 1995 novel by Bernhard Schlink. It details the passionate love affair between teenager Michael Berg and the older Hanna (Kate Winslet). When she suddenly disappears, Michael is left without answers, at least for the next eight years. When she is finally back in his life - it is hardly how he expected. As a defendant on trial for war-crimes, Hanna’s past is revealed and Michael struggles with reconciling the details of the past eight years with the love he discovered as a teenager.

Why it’s significant: Many people’s dark horse for Best Picture, The Reader is a gripping film that is still gaining notoriety and basking in Kate Winslet’s Oscar for Best Actress. For a film that was originally slated to come out in 2009 (and was therefore a bit rushed in its release), The Reader has done surprisingly well. In addition, it was also the final film for producers Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack, both of whom died during production. Although it did not win for Best Picture (as Harvey Weinstein predicted), it is certainly deserving of our attention and will be remembered as one of the truly inspiring performances of Kate Winslet. –Tim