This loping, easygoing road movie throws together familiar ingredients-a pair of mismatched traveling buddies, a series of encounters with unusual strangers (the "prophets" of the title), and a personal quest to quench demons from the past-for a journey that doesn't strike out into new territory but provides an amiable trip for its wandering souls. Rocker John Doe (formerly of the punk band X) is a working stiff whose journey to deliver the ashes of a friend to their final resting place in Eldorado, Nevada, becomes something of a New Age odyssey. Joined by Sam (Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz), a lost youth obsessed with the ubiquitous Motel 9s that dot every truck stop and crossroads, the two wrangle their motorcycles down desert highways like Gen-X Easy Riders, only without the drugs, the rednecks, or the '60s soundtrack (the excellent score by Pray for Rain also includes songs by Doe, former X-mate Excene Cervenka, and the Pogues). Cameos by weathered 1960s icons Timothy Leary and Arlo Guthrie join David Carradine as a guitar-playing hermit and John Cusack as an insane, food-throwing anarchist. Director Abbe Wool (who wrote Sid and Nancy) is content to watch the world ramble by from the back of a motorcycle and enjoy the company-which makes entertaining viewing if you like the personalities and an interminable trip if you don't. -Sean Axmaker.

Esther Williams never looked lovelier than she does in Pagan Love Song, bronzed and beflowered to play Mimi, a half-American, half-Tahitian girl who was raised on the island but who longs for the good old U. S. of A. "All my life's been one long vacation," she sighs, "and I'm bored. " Luckily, Hap Endicott (Howard Keel) arrives on the scene. He's an Ohio schoolteacher who has come to manage his late uncle's coconut plantation. The two meet cute, and love and singing ensue. There are a few cringe-inducing moments of the "colonialism can be fun!" variety (the Happy Natives don't need to be paid-just throw them a party!), but it's all so silly and well intentioned that it's hard to hold a grudge. Pagan Love Song's many pleasures include songs at the drop of the hat, some terrific Tahitian dancing, and a lovely moment when a lovelorn Hap looks up and sees Mimi swimming gracefully among the clouds. A must for any Esther Williams fan. [+]

An elderly college professor sets out in his car to receive an honorary degree-and takes a trip instead through his own past and subconscious-in this bittersweet but ultimately tender and understanding 1957 film by Swedish master Ingmar Bergman. Casting Swedish star Victor Sjöström in the lead, Bergman, then at the height of his powers as an international filmmaker, uses flashbacks and bright, lyrical storytelling to capture the full arc of one man's life: the successes that seem fleeting, the disappointments that linger in the memory, the regrets that never seem to let go. In some ways, it can be seen as a forerunner of Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, except that Bergman's sense of irony is always more profound. -Marshall Fine.

It's easy to see why La Haine had such an explosive effect when it was released in France; its potent portrait of racial discord and life in the housing projects outside of Paris is at odds with France's egalitarian vision of itself. This impact wouldn't have lasted, however, were the movie purely a political statement; fortunately, it's a riveting journey that follows three unemployed young men (Said Taghmaoui, Hubert Kounde, and Vincent Cassel) as they wander and try to decide what to do with the gun that one of them has found. This simple scenario results in a remarkably complex examination of race, class, violence, and the abuse of power in modern society, yet never feels preachy or forced. Hugely influenced by American directors like Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee (particularly Do the Right Thing), La Haine riffs through different styles and techniques, yet the movie feels organic and whole, driven by a genuinely passionate point of view. Dynamic, reckless, sometimes obvious and sometimes subtle (and sometimes both; in one scene, Hubert and Said have been picked up by the police, who torture them for kicks. But watching the abuse is a rookie cop whose face quietly ripples with dismay, helplessness, and resignation), this is a must-see. As is usual with Criterion releases, the extra features are excellent, including an in-depth but accessible documentary about the housing projects and riots that inspired the film, retrospective material on the making of the movie, behind-the-scenes horseplay, intriguing deleted scenes (with brief but revealing explanations about the deletion from director Mathieu Kassovitz), and a wonderfully articulate introduction by Jodie Foster, who championed the film upon its release and distributed it through her production company. The audio commentary by Kassovitz, who's fluent in English, is circumspect and thoughtful, with flashes of sardonic humor. Kassovitz's directing career has turned decidedly less political (his more recent movies include The Crimson Rivers and Gothika), but his perspective on La Haine and its inspirations remains sharp and lucid. -Bret Fetzer.