We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Here’s a few of the new releases today: X-Men: The Last Stand, Thank You for Smoking, Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos, 21 Grams: Collector’s Edition, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: Locked ‘n Loaded Director’s Cut – Unrated, Forever Knight – The Trilogy: Part Three and Medium – The Complete Second Season.
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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:
Film:
X-Men: The Last Stand – X3 has critics and audiences dancing 50/50; some love it and others hate it. True comic book geeks will be very very sad; the characters are hodge podged and mixed up with poor make-up, hair and costumes. Director Brett Ratner certainly screwed up this famous marvel line and the massive egos from the talent finished out any characters that we have grown to love and set on the edge of our seats to see on the big screen. On the other hand, if you want a fluffy semi-action filled popcorn flick with mutants, then X3 will completely please. Get the rest of December’s opinion on X-Men: The Last Stand. The Stan Lee Collector’s Edition isn’t all that impressive; original mini-comic written by Stan Lee, trailers, deleted scenes and plenty of commentary options. Hold out for a little longer, I’m sure there will be an extra super duper on steroids edition soon. Okay, if you can’t wait, you do get 3 alternate endings on this release.
Thank You for Smoking – It’s hard for a comedy to be considered great. Even harder is to make a great satire. Well folks, there’s one in your theaters right now. Thank You for Smoking is a funny, engaging, enjoyable film that actually raises and discusses some important issues while entertaining the pants off you. This is definitely one of the best movies of the year. Don’t you miss it! Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Thank You for Smoking. This DVD has commentary by the director and cast, deleted scense, a making of featurette and that’s all folks.
Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos – The film focuses on the rise, short glory, and disastrous fall, of the New York Cosmos – the first, and maybe last, great soccer team in American history. Founded by Steve Ross, the Cosmos were the first Dream Team to play on American soil. With soccer greats Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, and Giorgio Chinaglia, they broke into the minds and hearts of New Yorkers and across America. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos. This DVD includes subtitles in English, Spanish and French.
Special Edition:
21 Grams: Collector’s Edition – I tried watching this film multiple times, both when it was up for Oscar contenders and now with it’s recent release, I CAN’T GET THROUGH IT! Sorry, it’s so damn slow and over dramatic, I fall asleep every time, I can’t even garner an attachment for the main characters, little alone for the storyline, whatever that may be. I have no idea how anybody liked this film, but it may be the one for you. I do know that it has Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts in it and the extras includes an insightful look at the making of the film…the end.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: Locked ‘n Loaded Director’s Cut – Unrated – Mr. Madonna, Guy Ritchie hit a home run with this lovely little number. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a very humorous crime filled film that keeps you on your toes through out the whole adventure. You never know what Ritchie is going to throw at you next and better yet, the ending is a complete surprise. The new edition features 12 additional minutes of footage never seen in the U.S. before, a featurette on the cinematography (funny, when I think of this film, I don’t think of incredible cinematography) and a compilation of all the profanity used in the film (that’s got to be a very long featurette). Enjoy!
Television:
Forever Knight – The Trilogy: Part Three – Alright you Angel & Buffy lovers, here is a show for you, this one comes from the mid-90’s era and has a distinctive taste of blood. Not quite as fascinating as Angel and definitely a lower quality, but you must remember when it was created. The shows series ran for 3 years with a very attractive blonde vampire Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies) keeping the streets safe at night atoning for the wrong he has done in his past and working on becoming human; does that sound familiar to anyone. The twist is he does not have his own detective agency and a scooby gang to help, he works as a police detective out of a station has a partner and a medical examiner as friends. He tries to keep his true self a secret from all, but is found by the examiner, a woman sporting the complete early 90’s do and makeup, she helps Nick work on his human side by feeding him protein shakes and making him eat and lay in a tanning bed. Sounds pretty corky doesn’t it, well it very well maybe a lot corky, but think about some of the shows out today, superman as a kid & heroes with super powers, there are plenty of shows out there about spooks and spectacles. The quality of the show is low, there are a few special affects that we would chuckle at now in the high times of technology and films such as the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but for it’s time the affects seem to work. Let us not forget the on going struggle to save the woman in despair and a new romantic lead for Nick each episode. This series has a night in shining armor aura about it and that seems to work for it’s time period as well. A loyal group of devoted Forever Knight followers will be excited, as I was and it may even stir up a bit of interest for those of us who is still wanting for a little more Buffy and adore Angel.
Medium – The Complete Second Season – This show has to be a joke right? Who would have thought that a show who stars Patricia Arquette as the main focus being a paranormal medium helping the police would have made it to a second season. I’m not sure if it has returned to haunt our televisions for a third, but paranormal and Patricia Arquette fans can celebrate, now they can purchase both the first season and second season on DVD to watch over and over again. Guess what, there’s even a special 3D episode, LOL. 22 episodes in all on 6 discs.
After peaking when the show was re-launched as Justice League Unlimited Season One, which included wrapping up most of the storylines and putting a coda to end the series, the show was renewed for a final 13 episodes. 
After two seasons on Cartoon Network Justice League was revamped into a series not only about the seven greatest heroes of the DC Universe, but including all the super-heroes who gave their lives to the pursuit of justice. Fans of any incarnation of the Justice League will find something to enjoy here as the series tries to give a nod to each incarnation.
If you are a fan of tennis, love stories, romantic comedies, and good acting and writing then I’ve got a film for you. And if you aren’t, well if everyone had good taste we wouldn’t need critics, would we? Wimbledon wasn’t a big success at the box office, but it scores big on screen, and here on DVD.