April 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 films with Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni, Robert Redford and Jennifer Lopez, and Maria Bello and Sean Bean, an uncensored stop on the Insomniac Tour, a new collection of Laurel and Hardy DVD’s, season sets of The Bob Newhart Show, Farscape, and In Living Color, and more.  Take a peek inside for the full list.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Fun with Dick & Jane – Jim Carrey and Tea Teoni play a married couple who turn to a life of crime after he loses his job.  Remake of the 1977 original with George Segal and Jane Fonda.  The DVD contains commentary with director Dean Parisot and screewriters Judd Apatow and Nicholas Stoller, deleted scenes, a gag reel and pubicity junket outtakes.

An Unfinished Life – A widow (Jennifer Lopez) and her daughter (Becca Gardner) move to a Wyoming ranch to stay with her father-in-law (Robert Redford) who blames her for the death of his son.  Morgan Freeman and Josh Lucas also star.  The DVD contains commentary by director Lasse Hallstrom, a still gallery, and featurettes on the making of the film and training Bart the bear.

The Greatest Game Ever Played – True story of Francis Ouimet’s surprising victory at the 1913 US Open gets the “based on true events’ treatment here.  Directed by Bill Paxton the film stars his son James Paxton.  The DVD includes commentary by the director and writer Mark Frost and a collection of featurettes on the film and the Francis Ouimet.

Wolf Creek (Unrated Version) – Forgettable horror flick from last year that begins with a group of friends in the Australian Outback and ends with lots of running, screaming, and dead bodies.  The DVD contains commentary from writer/director Greg McLean, producer Matt Hearn, and actors Cassandra Magrath and Kesti Morassi, a featurette on the making of the film, and deleted scenes.

The Dark – Only slightly less forgettable horror flick starring Sean Bean and Maria Bello who play parents of a drowned child who encounter a ghost of a young girl who died 60 years ago and looks more than a little like their daughter.  The only extra incuded on the disc is an alternative ending.

Mission Impossible Collector’s Set – Repackaging the first two films and the extras from those discs on this new all-in-one collection.  Also out today is a separate remastered vesion of the special collector’s editon of the first film.

Family/Animated:

Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin – Christpher Robin goes off to school and Pooh, misunderstanding the situation, rounds up the gang to organize a rescue mission.  Extras include a bonus short, a game, and Pooh’s symphony.

Bratz: Genie Magic – Adventures of fashion concious teens Cloe, Jade, Sasha, and Yasmin who befriend a genie in this movie version of the computer animated television show.  The set includes an extra episode of the show.

Collections:

Laurel and Hardy Giftset – Three of the duos films from the early 40’s Jitterbugs, Great Guns, and The Big Noise are packaged together here.  Extras inclue commentary by historian Randy Skretvedt, Movietone news clips, still galleries, original trailers, and featurettes on the duo.

TV:

Dave Attell’s Insoniac Tour Uncensored! Presents Sean Rouse, Greg Giraldo, and Dane Cook – The Insomiac Tour presents 98 minutes of uncensored stand-up from Attell, Rousse, Giraldo, and Cook.

The Bob Newhart ShowThe Complete Third Season – Dr. Bob and gang return for 24 episodes.  The collection includes commentary by Newhart for three episodes and a featurette on the making of the show.

The Merv Griffin Show – 40 of the Most Interesting People of Our Time – Clips from the show that lasted almost a quarter of a century on network TV.  The set includes over nine hours of interviews with guests ranging from Jerry Seinfeld, Ingrid Bergman, and Orson Welles, to Ronald Regan and Richard Nixon.  Extras on the set include a video montage of Merv Griffin and select commentary.

FarscapeSeason 3, Collection 3 – The last seven episodes of the third season of the Sci-fi original.  The collection also contains commentary for four of the episodes by directors, cast and series creator Rockne S. O’Bannon.  Also included are cast interviews, deleted scenes, original promos, featurettes on the aliens of the show and the third season, updated character histories, and production design galleries.

In Living ColorSeason Five – Final season of the Wayans’ sketch comedy includes all 26 episodes on three discs with Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, David Allen Grier and more.

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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 the fourth installment of the Scary Movie franchise, a film that looks quite a bit like last year’s Madagascar,  and slew of films in limited release including Gretchen Mol as Bettie Page and RazorFine favorite Chiwetel Ejiofor as a drag queen!  All that and more; read on…

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  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.

Scary Movie 4

The Weinstein Co. tries to wring a little more value from this Dimension franchise.  Once again the horror spoof stars Anna Farris as dumb blonde (sigh, really can’t someone cast her as something else please!!).  If the trailers are any indication it seems most of the jokes are at least a year-old as the film spoofs War of the Worlds, Saw, Bush’s 9/11 response (or lack of), and more.  Also returning are Leslie Neilsen, Simon Rex, Carmen Electra, and Regina Hall as the sassy black friend.  Joining the fun this time around are Craig Bierko and Shaquille O’Neal.  David Zucker returns to direct.

Madagascar The Wild

So….Disney’s so out of ideas they’re going to start ripping off Dreamworks animation now?  In a film that much more than slightly resembles last year’s Madagascar some NY Zoo animals break-out to try and find their friend and go after him into The Wild.  No that doesn’t sound that similar, well at least the characters don’t include a lion and a giraffe…oops.  Voices for this one include Kiefer Sutherland, James Belushi, Janeane Garofalo, and Eddie Izzard.  Just how un-anticipated is this film, well no one was willing to shell out cash for the merchandise rights.  Even Adult Swim’s lamest shows have toy deals.

Kinky Boots (limited release)

RazorFine favorite Chiwetel Ejiofor takes a turn on the wildside playing drag queen Lola who comes to the aid of a young Charlie (Joel Edgeton) who just inherited a shoe factory from his father and has no idea how to keep it open.  The chance encounter leads to a partnership as the old-stuffy factory workers begin producing Kinky Boots.  Interesting British film that should find a niche in art houses also includes stories about Charlie’s fiance (Jemima Rooper) who’s interested in his money and the factory worker who believes in him (Sarah-Jane Potts) and the stuffy factory workers learning the lesson about a wider world and accepting Lola into their lives.

The Notorious Bettie Page (limited release)

Bettie Page was the pin-up girl in the 1950’s and the success of her risque bondage photos even drew the attention and ire of the Senate Investigating Committee.  Director Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol) caused quite a stir when she picked blonde character actress Gretchen Mol for the starring role, but it just might turn out to be inspired casting.  Harmon reunites with writer Guinevere Turner (American Psycho) for the screenplay.  David Strathairn, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris, Cara Seymour, John Culllum, and Sarah Paulson also star.

Hard Candy (limited release)

A 32-year-old photographer (Patrick Wilson) picks up a 14-year-old girl (Ellen Page) on the Internet and takes her home, but finds trouble when she traps him into answering for his pedophilia and the disappearance of a young girl from a local coffee shop.  Director David Slade (Do Geese See God?) and screenwriter Brian Nelson have received mixed praise and condemnation for this touchy feature.  The film has all the makings of a good psychological thriller or a laughable exceptionally-bad-taste-disaster.  Early screenings have found more favorable responses from audiences than reviews from critics.

la mujer de mi hermano (limited release)

A bored wife (Barbara Mori) married for ten years to a rather plain man (Christian Meier) begins fantasizing about a relationship with her husband’s more passionate and artistic brother (Manolo Cardona), but when the fantasy becomes a reality the world of all three shatter as secrets are reveiled and betrayal and revenge tear them apart.  An Argentinian import in Spanish with English subtitles, the film is the feature debut for director Ricardo de Montreuil, was picked up by Liongate who isn’t pushing it very heavy so you’ll probably have to hunt through local art houses for this one.

Preaching to the Choir (limited release)

Two estranged brothers, a hip hop star (Billoah Greene) and a Baptist preacher (Darien Sills-Evans), each facing their own crisis come together and help each other out and begin to repair their relationship.  The supporting cast sports some familiar faces including Patti LaBelle, Tim Reid, and Eartha Kitt.  The story takes place in Harlem and much of the shooting was done on location in Harlem and other New York locations.  Principal photography finished way back in 2003 (under the then title “On the One”) it’s been sitting on the shelf awhile.  The screenplay was adapted by Kevin Heffernan of Broken Lizard.

Kekexili (Mountain Patrol) (limited release)

A Chinese film about the true story of volunteers protecting antelope from poachers in the mountains of Tibet.  The film has wowed audiences and critics alike with its cinematography and documentary style winning the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Don Quixote Award-Special Mention at the Berlin International Film Festival, and Best Picture and Best Cinematography at the Golden Horse Film Festival.  The second film by writer/director Chuan Lu (The Missing Gun) includes a cast of mainly first-time actors.

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Win Patton Oswalt On DVD

Company Line:

Dubbed “the angry everyman,” comedian Patton Oswalt is known for hilarious standup routines that find the peevish funnyman fuming over life’s everyday annoyances like a Sam Kinison-lite. In his own (ironically titled) Comedy Central special NO REASON TO COMPLAIN, Oswalt gets bent out of shape over a variety of subjects ranging from midget tea and steakhouses to Internet porn and the apocalypse.

And it could be all yours for free. Please give us your favorite punch line in the comments section and check back on Monday for the winners.

The winner of this contest is Jonathan. Cograds Jonathan, please shoot me an email with your info.

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Unlucky Slevin Lacks Bang

  • Title: Lucky Number Slevin
  • IMDb: link

Lucky Number Slevin

I’m not a big Josh Hartnett fan; I’ve seen to many of his movies.  I know that sounds harsh but anybody else remember Hollywood Homicide, 40 Days and 40 Nights, Blow Dry, and Pearl HarborSlevin takes a rather simple plot and twists it up in a maze-like formula of so many thrillers these days.  While it’s better than something like Taking Lives in the end that’s not saying much.  It’s not bad, it’s got a good cast and a few memorable moments, and a 70’s style set designer for some reason.  But in the end it’s just okay.  Still, any film where Josh Hartnett gets punched repeatedly in the face I’m all for.

Slevin (Josh Hartnett) decides to take a trip to New York City to visit his friend Nick Fisher (Sam Jaeger).  From the moment he steps into NY things go wrong.  First he’s mugged getting into town losing his wallet and all identification (and getting his nose broken for the first time) and on arriving at Nick’s apartment is taken by thugs to be the owner of the apartment, his friend Nick, who has fled the city owing money to two competing gangster families and left Slevin holding the bag.  With friends like these…

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…and the Bad News

I swear I didn’t make this up folks.  The truth is often stranger and sadder than fiction.  Jessica Simpson has snagged a role in the new moive version of Baywatch.  As horriffic as a Baywatch movie sounds staring Ms. Simpson that’s not the scariest part.  Evidently studio execs saw her in last summer’s The Dukes of Hazzard and liked what they saw:  “She was the unanimous choice for the Baywatch role…has all the assets to make the part her own.”  Just kill me.

Baywatch
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