February 2006

New on DVD

We’re here to let you know what’s out there for your entertainment dollar.  Every week a new batch of DVD’s gets shipped out and thrown onto the shelves.  This week we’ve got a film that made two of our Top 10 lists (yeah, I don’t know what’s wrong with Aaron either).  Also out today: the popular Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, some more TV collections, a fiftieth anniversary edition of Lady and the Tramp, and one of my worst films of 2005.  Take a peek inside for the full list.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Pride & Prejudice – A reinterpretation of the Jane Austen novel starring Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet a modern woman stuck in a world not yet ready for her.  Beautiful cinematography and great acting make this a gem of 2005.  Knightly earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance and the film earned a spot on both December’s top ten list (check it out) and mine (check it out).  The DVD includes commentary from director Joe Wright, behind the scenes featurettes, and a feature on author Jane Austen.  Read the original review.

Walk the Line – Joaquin Phoenix stars as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon has piled up the awards for her performance as June Carter.  The film takes a look at Cash’s childhood, his love affair with June, and drug use but not much about his career in music.  Available in two different additions with commentary by writer/directer James Mangold, trailers, and deleted scenes.  The Collector’s Edition has an extra disc with movie videos and featurettes.  Read the original review.

The Ice Harvest – Ugh!  Horribly unfunny and unsuspenseful suspense/comedy starring John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton.  It was bad enough to make my worst films of 2005.  The DVD contains commentary from director Harold Ramis, some featurettes, outtakes with Thornton, and an alternate ending.  Read the original review.

Where the Truth Lies – That naughty film with Kevin Bacon that was banned from most mainstream theaters that tried and failed to challenge the NC-17 rating.  The film noir/mystery/drama includes nudity, sex, violence, drugs, and blackmail.  Released here as director Atom Egoyan’s original version shown at Cannes.

Yours, Mine & Ours – I don’t know if Dennis Quaid is a good actor that takes bad parts or a mediocre actor that occasionally backs into a great role, but based on this one you’d have to assume the later.  The remake of 1968 film stars Quaid and Russo.  Sadly they’re no Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball.  Many gross jokes very young children might enjoy.

Collections:

Controversial Classics, Vol. 2 – The Power of Media (All the President’s Men, Network, Dog Day Afternoon) – Great set including the new two disc collections of all three films.  Extras include commentary for each film and more extras then you can shake a stick at plus a nice collector’s sleeve for the DVDs. 

Family/Animated:

Lady and the Tramp (50th Anniversary Edition) – The classic Disney film gets a special 50th Anniversary DVD upgrade.  The love story between Lady (a sheltered cockel spaniel) and Tramp (a streetwise mutt) is one of the most beloved Disney love stories.  The film has been digitally restored with 5.1 sound and enhanced picture and includes never-before-seen footage, original storyboards, an all new music video, a trivia game for kids, a featurettes on the making of the film.

Beast Machines: Transformers – The Complete SeriesTransformers computer generated spin-off centered around a group of Maximals trying to free Cybertron form the Veicons and Megatron.

TV:

Charmed – The Complete Fourth Season – The first season post-Shannen Doherty is chronicled including the two-hour introduction of Rose McGowan as Paige.  The set includes 21 episodes on six discs.

NewsRadio (The Complete Third Season) – The hijinks at WNYX continue with all 25 third season episodes including commentary from 10 episodes, featurettes, and a gag reel.

Bleak House – BBC mini-series adaption of Charles Dickens finds young orphans at the mercy of an unjust 19th Century legal system, murder and more.  The set includes all fifteen episodes on three discs.

Ellen – Season 3 – Third season of Ellen DeGeneres unfunny sitcom includes all 27 episodes and bloopers.  Joely Fisher and Jeremy Piven also star.

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Don Knotts

I was all set to wax nostalgic over Don Knotts who passed away last Friday at the age of 81.  Then December found this site which offers such a loving tribute to the man I just thought I’d share it with you.  I’ll just say thanks for protecting Mayberry, for the Apple Dumpling Gang, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and so much more.  Your unique humor and voice will be missed.  Just click on the pic and enjoy tons of Don Knotts goodness.

Don Knotts 1924-2006
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This Week

So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday including Richard Donner’s latest with Bruce Willis and Mos Def, and the delayed Ultraviolet.  And make sure to check back tomorrow when we’ll check out the new DVD releases (which includes a film that made both December’s top ten list and mine).  Plus with the Academy Awards gearing up to give up their pretty statues this Sunday we’ll have our Oscar picks for you Thursday.  Read on…

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this Friday.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

16 Blocks

Richard Donner’s (remember when you looked forward to seeing one of his films?) latest involves Bruce Willis as a cop with the duty of protecting a key witness (Mos Def) and transporting him from the precinct to the courthouse.  So what’s the problem?  Well turns out most of the force is filled with corrupt cops that will be brought down with his testimony so they offer Willis the choice to walk away or risk his life for a criminal against men he thinks of as friends.

Ultraviolet

Might as well just call it Resident Evil: Ultraviolet.  Milla Jovovich plays a genetically enhanced humanoid with super speed, strength and intelligence from an infection (oh this time she’s one of the zombie people, ‘cept the zombies is cool!) during a civil war between the humans and the super hemophages.  Jovovich leads the fight to stop the government’s genocidal tendencies by beating up as many of them as possible.  This film has been delayed and pushed back so long if it’s anything but a complete disaster it will be a surprise.

Aquamarine

Cutesy teenage remake of Splash.  Two teenage girls find a mermaid at the swimming pool at the country club on the beach.  Of course they decide to take her home.  The mermaid, Aquamarine, falls in love with a young boy who works at the food bar in the club and tries to get the girls to set them up on a date.  Probably as sickeningly sweet and inane as it sounds.  Based on the Alice Hoffman novel and rewritten by Jessica Bendinger (Bring It On) and John Quaintance (Good Morning Miami and Joey).

Block Party

Dave Chappelle.  If those two words don’t make you want to see the film just move on by because there’s little else here to see.  The “film” is a mix of Chapelle’s sketch comedy, comic bits, and stand-up along with some added music.  Seems like an odd choice for a theatrical release as it will probably only appeal to Chappelle fans willing to drop down $10 to see what they can see on their TV for free.  Chapelle states that the film is “inspired” (a word always to be cautious of in film) by the 1973 documentary Wattstax.  Was he serious or was that just another joke?  Probably better or worse than it sounds (but which?).

Joyeux Noel (limited release)

Christmas Eve 1914 on a battlefield the Germans and the French try to make a tentative peace in order to bury their dead and have Christmas.  Written and directed by Christain Carion the film is in French with English subtitles.  A huge hit at Cannes (a reported 10 minute standing ovation); it’s getting a small limited release this week but will it survive long enough to earn a wide release?  Likely to be a bigger hit in Europe than here in the States.

Deep Sea 3D (IMAX)

IMAX undersea look at the ocean and all the little critters deep below.  Directed by IMAX veteran Howard Hall the film is done in 3D and snagged the narration team of Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.  Those factors along with a score by Danny Elfman make this one of the more ambitious IMAX films to date.  Now the question is will the 3D IMAX fascination and the narration of two stars bring in a wider audience?

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Be Very Afraid

  • Title: Running Scared
  • IMDb: link

Running Scared

I wonder how some films get made; I really do.  Running Scared is one of the worst movies to be dropped on an unsuspecting public in years.  I know I told you Freedomland was awful (and it was) but Scared digs deep down into the same pile of sludge and manages without much effort to be even worse.  The film uses issues – child abuse, murder. children shooting guns, torture, inappropriate sex, children being beaten and threatened with guns and knives, child molestation and child pornography, and the total legitimacy of blowing away the bad guys as the right thing to do – as empty plot devices to keep the “action” rolling right along.  Much like Freedomland the film doesn’t deal with any of these issues only exploits them for cheap thrills, but Scared does it over and over and over again with joyfully perverse glee. 

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Indiana Jones Will Return

Seems you just can’t stop the Hollywood sequel machine.  In an interview with an Israeli newspaper Steven Speilberg stated plainly that Indiana Jones 4 is a go!  Speilberg plans to film this year getting Indy ready for a Summer 2007 release.  Now for those of you just saw Harrison Ford in Firewall the news may seem a little bittersweet.  Can the Lucas/Spielber/Ford team recapture the magic in a bottle one last time?  Or will the fourth film be vastly inferior to the predessors (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Lethal Weapon 4, Batman and Robin)?

Indiana Jones 4
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