This week’s Sympatico/MSN DVD column is up, focusing on Mongrel Media’s latest wave of imports — in particular, Jasmila Zbanic’s grim post-war melodrama “Grbavica” (retitled “Esma’s Secret”) and Jean-Claude Brisseau’s fascinatingly weird “Exterminating Angels”.

It’s always nice when the calendar lets me highlight something people might otherwise miss; in this case, it’s a pleasure to cover some intriguing and worthy films instead of trying to find 500 new words to describe interesting misfires like “The Astronaut Farmer” or “The Last Mimzy” … which, ironically, are poised to find a whole new audience on video.

I’d have more to say, but it’s so damnably hot that my fingers are sticking to the keyboard. If I didn’t have to trek out to Soundscapes for the new They Might Be Giants album, I’d be following my own advice and sequestering myself in the basement all day.

(And yes, I know it’s available on Emusic, but the physical disc comes with a bonus CD and stuff, so I’m hosed.)