Blast of Silence (Blu-ray)

Swift, brutal, and black-hearted, Allen Baron's New York City noir "Blast of Silence" is a sensational surprise. This low-budget, carefully crafted portrait of a hit man on assignment in Manhattan during Christmastime follows its stripped-down narrative with mechanical precision, yet also with an eye and ear for the oddball idiosyncrasies of urban living and the imposing beauty of the city. At once visually ragged and artfully composed, and featuring rough, poetic narration performed by Lionel Stander, "Blast of Silence" is a stylish triumph.