Five Corners

This was, hands-down, the most bizarre, and most unsettling mainstream video release of the year. Penned by John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck), this black comedy opens with the following premise: Heinz (John Tuturro) has returned to the Bronx, after spending some time in the big house for attempted rape of Linda (Jodie Foster). Linda's boyfriend James (Todd Graff), who failed to rescue Linda during the initial attack and was maimed in the leg to boot, is ready to protect her a second time. But Linda goes to her earlier savior Harry (Tim Robbins), who, unfortunately for Linda, has embraced non-violence in a big way-and is preparing to hop down to Mississippi to join the civil rights marches. Bizarre, or what? Believe it or not this premise makes for an uneasily funny movie-until the final third, when Heinz finally makes his move, and the viewer is pinned-not knowing whether to laugh or scream. Five Corners is definitely not for everyone-but it is unquestionably one of the most original films in recent memory.