Two great actors in two great movies you've never heard of

Mel and I recently watched a couple of DVDs that contained some flat-out brilliant acting. I was blown away by the way the actors in the starring roles embodied their characters; I was completely absorbed by the performances. Having said that, both films were pretty difficult to watch as each gave a vivid account of a personal tragedy.

"Wit," starring Emma Thompson as a college literature professor dying of ovarian cancer, takes us through the protagonist's endgame from diagnosis to demise. Thompson is so convincing in this role that you almost feel as if you're watching a documentary about a real person. Powerful. And not easy to watch, by any means. I put it in the same class as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List" -- great films that really challenge the viewer by their intensity and honesty.

The other film is "Love, Liza," which stars Philip Seymour Hoffman (a favorite of mine and Mel's) as a techie dealing with his wife's recent suicide. We don't learn anything about her reasons for taking her own life, but we bear witness in excruciating detail to the havoc wreaked on Hoffman's psyche as he spirals out of control. If you thought Nicholas Cage was good in "Leaving Las Vegas," you would appreciate Hoffman's work in this film.

I knew these two actors were talented, but they really blew me away. I can't recommend these two films enough.