The Big Chill

Lawrence Kasdan's 1983 ensemble piece captured the mid-1980s zeitgeist, bringing together seven thirtysomething college friends who reunite for the funeral of a classmate who committed suicide. Together, they reminisce about bygone days when they were far more radical, whining about how they've abandoned their old ideals for more conventional goals. To be honest, this is a pretty shallow bunch—an actor, a writer, a businessman and his wife, a lawyer, an unhappily married housewife, and an impotent Vietnam vet turned drug dealer. But their navel-gazing about the past and worrying about the future definitely struck a chord with the audience, especially fellow Baby Boomers. The cast of then-up-and-coming stars (Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams) played Kasdan's script for all it was worth, backed by a stellar soundtrack of '60s pop songs. Criterion's “director's approved” dual-format edition features a newly restored transfer on both DVD and new-to Blu-ray discs, along with extras including a “making-of” (from an earlier 1998 release), deleted scenes, a new interview with Kasdan, and a group conversation with Kasdan and several cast members at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival. A key ‘80s film beloved by many, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)