After viewing “Undertow” on DVD this weekend, we were reminded of the gifts of filmmaker David Gordon Green, who makes delicate and lyrical films about the American South. His movies are languid and beautiful meditations rife with complicated relationships and the true-to-life dialogue of real people in real conflict. His feature film debut, 2000’s “George Washington,” tells the story of a multi-racial group of young teens living in North Carolina who must band together to cover up a lie. His second film, 2003’s “All the Real Girls” features the lovely Zooey Deschanel as a small town girl caught between her brother and her love, his promiscuous best friend. And last year’s “Undertow,” just out on DVD, is a backwoods chase flick that changes Green’s usual pace to pay homage to 1970’s genre flicks like “Stroker Ace,” “Eat My Dust,” and “Badlands.” Speaking of “Badlands,” that film’s brilliant director Terence Malick was one of the producers on “Undertow,” undoubtedly a welcome endorsement for any up and coming filmmaker.

At one time, Green was attached to direct John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces,” but that project has been put on hold (you can read an interesting article about that film’s troubles making it to the big screen here). Taking it’s place, Green has signed on to direct Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” for Focus Features. He has also been rumored to be adapting another excellent novel for the screen, Brad Land’s “Goat.” Do yourself a favor and add his three films to your Netflix queue. There may not be a better young American filmmaker. And if you want to stay abreast on Mr. Green’s career, this blog tracks his latest happenings.