Philadelphia Blu-ray (Rental)

Whit Stillman followed his delightful indie breakthrough Metropolitan with another clever and garrulous comedy of manners, this one with a darker edge. A pair of preppy yet constitutionally mismatched American cousins a salesman and a navy officer argue about romance and politics while working in the beautiful Spanish city of the film s title. Set during the eighties, Barcelona explores topics both heady (American exceptionalism, Cold War foreign policy) and hilarious (the ins and outs of international dating, the proper shaving method) while remaining a constantly witty delight, featuring a sharp young cast that includes Taylor Nichols (Boiler Room), Chris Eigeman (Kicking and Screaming), and Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite). DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES - New, restored 2K digital transfer, supervised by director Whit Stillman and cinematographer John Thomas, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack - Audio commentary from 2002 featuring Stillman and actors Chris Eigeman and Taylor Nichols - New video essay by film critic Farran Smith Nehme about the trilogy made up of Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco - The Making of Barcelona, a short documentary from 1994 featuring behind-the-scenes footage and on-set interviews with Stillman and cast members - Deleted scenes and alternate ending, with commentary by Stillman, Eigeman, and Nichols - Segment from a 1994 episode of the Today show featuring Stillman - Episode of The Dick Cavett Show from 1991 with Stillman - Trailer - PLUS: An essay by film scholar Haden Guest