DVD Playhouse--July 2011

DVD PLAYHOUSE—JULY 2011
By Allen Gardner

THE MUSIC ROOM (Criterion) Satyajit Ray’s 1958 masterpiece looks at the life of a fallen aristocrat as a metaphor for an India that is not only becoming Westernized, but modernized technologically and culturally beyond recognition. When the beloved music room, where he has hosted lavish concerts in the past, starts falling into disrepair as attendance drops steadily, the man realizes his way of life is vanishing. Stunningly shot in black & white, one of Ray’s finest works. Bonuses: Documentary on Ray from 1984 by Shyam Benegal; Interviews with Ray biographer Andrew Robinson and filmmaker Mira Nair; Excerpt from 1981 roundtable discussion between Ray, critic Michael Ciment, director Claude Sautet. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Criterion) Jean Cocteau’s sublime adaptation of the classic fairy tale become a beloved classic upon its 1946 release, and hasn’t faded since. Terrific performances by Jean Marais and Josette Day in the leading roles. Magical film is sure to delight young and old alike and its visuals really pop in this new transfer, which is also available on Blu-ray. Bonuses: Philip Glass’ opera La Belle et la Bete, presented in a DTS-HD 5.1 surround alternate soundtrack; Two commentaries: film historian Arthur Knight and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling; 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew; Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan; Photo gallery; Restoration demonstration; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
NAKED (Criterion) Mike Leigh’s scathing, scatological and frequently hilarious study of a ne’er-do-well (David Thewlis, brilliant) who prowls London on a nocturnal odyssey, confronting, insulting and colliding with everything and everyone in his path. Terrific supporting cast includes Leslie Sharp and the late Katrin Cartlidge. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor awards at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Leigh, Thewlis, Cartlidge; Interview with filmmaker Neil LaBute; BBC interview with Leigh; The Short and the Curlies, a 1987 short by Leigh, starring Thewlis; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 2.0 surround.
HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (Magnolia/Magnet) Writer/director Jason Eisner created an internet sensation with his “trailer” for Hobo With a Shotgun, an homage to ‘70s grindhouse cinema, and it remains a classic of celluloid kitsch. With this feature version, however, the auteur’s vision becomes sadly myopic. Rutger Hauer stars as a homeless man who stumbles into a lawless town run by a corrupt boss and his two dim-witted sons, who run roughshod over the town’s denizens, most of whom are petty drug dealers, prostitutes, or just plain poor, downtrodden folk. When Hauer gets hold of the eponymous shotgun, he attempts to clean up the streets, old west style. Hauer is wonderful, even with sub-par material, a testament to this underused icon’s incandescent talents. The rest of the cast, all locals from Halifax, Nova Scotia where the film was shot, are woefully inept. While the film tries hard for Robocop-style black comedy and satire, it just plays as exploitative and over-the-top. Our advice: watch the original trailer instead. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Esiner, Hauer, cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Alternate ending; Video blogs; Camera test reel; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (Criterion) Louis Malle’s first color film, from 1960, about a precocious twelve year-old who comes to Paris with her cross-dressing uncle (Philippe Noiret), and proceeds to ride roughshod over the City of Lights. Best described as stream-of-consciousness slapstick, loaded with breathtaking cinematic techniques, editing and effects. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Malle, novelist Raymond Queneau, actress Catherine Demongeot, screenwriter Jean-Paul Rappeneau; Audio interview with director and photographer William Klein; Le Paris de Zazie, a 2005 video piece; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
BLACK MOON (Criterion) Another audacious Louis Malle film, this time from 1975. Described by some as a modernist take on Lewis Carroll, a young girl (Cathryn Harrison) takes refuge in a remote farmhouse as a war rages around her. Once inside, she becomes embroiled in a surreal series of encounters with the bizarre family who live there. Beautifully shot by Ingmar Berman’s cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, this is Malle’s most experimental work, as well as one of his most memorable, loaded with fascinating (and often repellent) imagery that will stick with you. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interview with Malle; Photo gallery; Alternate French soundtrack; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (Criterion) In 1930, a handful of Germany’s greatest filmmakers (Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Billy Wilder and Fred Zinnemann) collaborated on this once-in-a-lifetime silent classic. Two men and two women randomly meet on the street in Berlin and spent the day together. Cast with non-pros, film offers a stunning look at Weimar-era Berlin, one of the world’s great cities. Watching the film and knowing what history has in store for the city and its denizens makes the experience all the more touching and heartbreaking. Not to be missed! Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Two scores include a silent-era style track by the Mont Alto Orchestra and a modern one by Elena Kats-Chernin; Weekend am Wannsee, Gerald Koll’s 2000 documentary about the film; Ins Blaue hinein, 1931 short by film’s cinematographer Eugen Schuffan. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
JOHNNY COOL (MGM) Tough and exciting gangster vehicle from 1963 stars Henry Silva as a ruthless Sicilian assassin who hits U.S. shores to rub out a criminal gang who foolishly crossed a mob boss. Nice support from a pre-“Bewitched” Elizabeth Montgomery and a who’s-who of old Hollywood, including Brad Dexter, Sammy Davis, Jr. (who also croons the title song), Jim Backus, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, Marc Lawrence, John McGiver, Mort Sahl and Telly Savalas. Quite brutal for its time and holds up well. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
ANOTHER MAN, ANOTHER CHANCE (MGM) Director Claude Lelouch’s western retread of his classic A Man and a Woman is reset in the American West, starring James Caan as a widowed veterinarian and Genevieve Bujold as a struggling widow who unexpectedly find love amidst the harsh realities of frontier life. A bit long at two hours, ten minutes, but still quite affecting, with Lelouch’s quiet touch providing a painterly hand to the proceedings. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE FOURTH WAR (MGM) Tough, economical thriller from the genre’s master, John Frankenheimer. An American (Roy Scheider) and Russian (Jurgen Prochnow) military officer decide to keep the Cold War going after the fall of the Iron Curtain and engage in their own, private combat, with potentially disastrous diplomatic implications. Harry Dean Stanton is curiously cast as Scheider’s commanding officer, but delivers his usual solid work. No masterpiece, but well worth a look. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
13 ASSASSINS (Magnet/Magnolia) Set in 1844, the waning days of Feudal Japan, a disparate band of samurai must join forces to kill the psychotic brother of the ruling Shogun, whose murderous behavior threatens to plunge the now-peaceful nation into a perpetual civil war. Director Takeshi Miike, a unique voice in Asian cinema who has given us distinctive works such as Ichi the Killer and Audition, proves his cinematic meddle once again with this handsome production, but his distinctive voice is sorely absent, leaving what (once can only assume) is a very competent homage to the work of Akira Kurosawa. The final 40 minutes of the film, a continual assault against the villain’s forces in a town made up of booby-traps, is stunning pure cinema. The rest of the film, however, gets bogged down in talk about honor among warriors, which gets not only redundant, but to this Western viewer at least, maddeningly intangible. Worth seeing, in spite of its flaws. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Miike; Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
WINTER IN WARTIME (Sony) A teenage boy in Nazi-occupied Holland discovers a downed RAF pilot in the woods near his home, and begins taking care of the young man, not much older than him. In spite of the wishes of his father, the village mayor, that the family remain neutral in the interest of self-preservation, the boy finds himself growing attached to the pilot, and gets involved in the Resistance. Solid drama suffers at times from over-direction by helmer Martin Koolhoven, making the otherwise authentic-feeling period details suddenly feel out-of-place with very modern filmmaking techniques. Otherwise, well-worth a look. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ARTHUR (Warner Bros.) Updated remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore classic about an aimless playboy (Russell Brand) who finds true love with a working class girl (Greta Gerwig) even though his inheritance depends upon him marrying a society girl (Jennifer Garner). Helen Mirren ably fills the late John Guielgud’s shoes as Arthur’s patient butler/surrogate parent. While Greta Gerwig is much more appealing than Liza Minnelli (sorry Liza), this tired retread exemplifies everything wrong with remaking a classic film that still holds up. Brand is no match for the sorely-missed Dudley Moore, and removing the alcoholism from Arthur’s character also removes what gave the original such heart. A few scattered laughs, but mostly a bore. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Gag reel; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
IMMIGRATION TANGO (Lionsgate) Funny romantic comedy set in Miami about true love between a handsome Colombian and a comely Russian babe, who conspire to get their green cards by staging a marriage, only to find that true love is rearing its head. Nothing you haven’t seen before, but still charming with an attractive cast. Bonuses: Filmmaker commentary; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL (eOne) A small town is engulfed in violence when a drunk driver hits a local woman, with the blame being put on a Bosnian refugee. When the man’s brother gives him shelter, he finds his home, and family, under siege. Solid thriller, although very reminiscent of Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs, holds its own nicely. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DUST OF LIFE (Cinema Libre) Nominated for Best Foreign Film on its original release, this powerful story follows the fate of a half American/half Vietnamese boy in mid-‘70s Saigon who finds himself thrown into a “rehabilitation” camp by the new government, where they are indoctrinated with the new values of the Revolution. When he and a group of boys decide to escape the camp, the real adventure begins. Powerful and fly-on-the-wall realistic, with strong performances from its young cast. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
TETSUO: THE BULLET MAN (IFC Films) Final episode of director Shinya Tasukamoto’s Tetsuo trilogy, this time with an American executive in Tokyo undergoing an horrific transformation after his young son is tragically killed. Phantasmagorical take on the Jeckyll/Hyde story, holds its own quite well along with its predecessors. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER LIKE SON (20th Century Fox) Martin Lawrence returns as an FBI agent who must assume a new identity and goes undercover as an obese Southern granny in an all-girls school. Sound really, really stupid? Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner, folks! Watching this movie, you can actually feel brain cells dying. Why do that when the same effect can be achieved with a nice bottle of scotch? Almost unbearably moronic and inept on every level. Also available on Blu-ray disc, but why? Bonuses: Theatrical and extended versions; Commentary by cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Gag reel; Music videos. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
N-SECURE (20th Century Fox) Thriller about a wealthy businessman (Cordell Moore) who tries to micromanage every aspect of his life, including his gorgeous girlfriend (Essence Atkins), who quickly finds herself driven into the arms of his best friend (Lamman Rucker), with deadly results. Good thriller with echoes of Double Indemnity is buoyed by skillful filmmaking and a strong cast. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
SUCKER PUNCH (Warner Bros.) A more apt title hasn’t come along in many a moon for a movie that seems to take pleasure in gutting the audience’s intelligence while it simultaneously cleans out its wallet. Where to begin…a deadly babe named--wait for it--Babydoll is held prisoner in an otherworldly prison. Along with four other equally comely inmates, the tough/hot chicks bust out and kick butt in increasingly over-the-top fashion. Talented cast (Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn) and usually-talented director Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300, Dawn of the Dead) can’t compensate for this total misfire on virtually every level. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interactive features; Animated shorts; Featurettes; Filmmaker commentary; Deleted scenes; PG-13 and R-rated versions; Interactive galleries. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
CEDAR RAPIDS (20th Century Fox) Funny and raunchy comedy about an innocent (Ed Helms) who attends an insurance convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and undergoes a life-changing series of increasingly crazy and scatological events. Very funny, with Helms doing an admirable job as a naïf who gradually sees the light, with fine support from John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Sigourney Weaver and Kurtwood Smith. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Gag reel; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
SEASON OF THE WITCH (20th Century Fox) Nicolas Cage gets to keep his title as the best actor who consistently makes the worst movies with this latest entry into his canon. Cage stars with Ron Perlman as knights who are quested to transport a young woman accused of witchery to a remote monastery to stand trial. During their journey, they discover the girl harbors a dark secret, which could determine the fate of the world. Clumsy attempt at fantasy and adventure, feels more like a movie made in the ‘50s with modern day special effects, the latter of which are really the entire show. Another letdown from one of our most talented performers. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Alternate ending. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE WARRIOR’S WAY (20th Century Fox) East-meets-Western effort that could have been a barn-burner, but is instead barely a sparkler on the most dim 4th of July. Jang Dong Gun stars as a world-class swordsman who is banished from his clan when he refuses to kill a baby on orders from his superiors. Hopping a boat for the States, he soon finds himself in a Western town where he must confront a gang of murderous outlaws and a squad of assassins from his own shores. Another terrific cast (Geoffrey Rush, Kate Bosworth, Danny Huston) that gets lost in a sea of special effects and a script with no real direction. Rush and Huston chew the scenery with vigor, but that’s about it. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ELVIRA’S MOVIE MACABRE (eOne) The “Movie Macabre” was a staple of 1980’s syndicated television, featuring hostess Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (aka Cassandra Peterson), who took a page from 1950’s TV hostess Vampira, dressing in Goth makeup and gowns with plunging necklines, and introducing audiences to some of horror cinema’s finest, and not-so-finest, titles. In these two separate offerings, disc one features the great Christopher Lee in THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA as well as Dean Stockwell in the long-forgotten WEREWOLF OF WASHINGTON. Disc two features the all-time classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, George A. Romero’s first entry into his zombie canon, along with the not-so-classic I EAT YOUR SKIN, a zombie relic from the early ‘60s. All the films feature Elvira’s inimitable commentary throughout. Bonuses: Featurettes; Photo gallery; Music video; Previews. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
WAKE WOOD (Hammer/Dark Sky Films) When a couple tragically lose their nine year-old daughter, they relocate to the remote town of Wake Wood, only to discover a Pagan society in which a ritual can bring the dead back to life for three days. Desperate to say goodbye to their daughter properly, she is resurrected, but comes back a very different little girl. Good little chiller is nothing new, but has some genuine scares, and is strongly atmospheric. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL (Troma) Trey Parker and Matt Stone, before they created “South Park,” collaborated on this over-the-top, blackly comedic musical satire based on the life of “The Colorado Cannibal,” Alfred Packer, and his bloody reign in the Rocky Mountains during the 19th century. Very funny, very bloody and sure to tickle to most jaded funnybone. Bonuses: Interviews with Parker, Stone and Jason McHugh; Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
BENEATH HILL 60 (eOne) Top-notch Aussie effort set in WW I about an Oz platoon, stuck behind enemy lines in Europe, who must defend an underground bunker packed with enough explosives to change the course of the war. Gritty and in-your-face filmmaking puts you in the thick of it, and forces the audience to experience what the film’s characters are. Almost on a par with Peter Weir’s classic Gallipoli—almost! Nominated for 12 Australian Film Institute awards. Bonuses: Featurettes; Cast and crew interviews; B-roll footage. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE CON ARTIST (eOne) Vince, an ex-con (Rossif Sutherland), tries to go straight, but is forced back into a life of crime by his sadistic boss (the great Donald Sutherland, Rossif’s real-life papa). Finding solace in making sculptures out of used auto parts, Vince soon finds himself falling for a seductive art dealer (Rebecca Romijn) who has plans of her own for the young man. Solid little film from director Risa Bramon Garcia, made in Canada. Bonuses: Commentary by Garcia. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
LATINO: AMERICA’S SECRET WAR IN NICARAGUA (Cinema Libre) Renowned cinematographer Haskell Wexler’s little-seen 1985 feature about a Vietnam vet (Robert Beltran, excellent) sent to Nicaragua to help train the U.S. backed Contra rebels. When he falls for a local girl (Annette Cardona) whose father was killed by the Contras, he starts to question what he and his government are doing. Excellent film is undeniably polemical, but powerful nonetheless, nearly the equal of Wexler’s earlier masterpiece, Medium Cool. Presented by Lucasfilm. Bonuses: Wexler’s director’s cut; Interview with Wexler; Commentary by Wexler; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
PEEP WORLD (MPI/IFC Films) Black comedy about a dysfunctional family who come together to celebrate their father’s 70th birthday as well as the successful novel that the youngest son has published: a thinly-veiled portrait of his own family. Very funny and quite nasty at times! Great cast includes Michael C. Hall, Judy Greer, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson, and Taraj P. Henson. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
PARK BENCHES (MPI/IFC Films) Director Bruno Podalydes’ charming look at the intersecting lives of disparate Parisians, featuring an iconic Gallic cast: Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, and Chiara Mastroianni (Deneuve’s real-life daughter with Marcello Mastroianni). Bonuses: Trailer; Deleted scenes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.





BLU BAYOU
Sony releases Wolfgang Petersen’s WW II masterpiece DAS BOOT, an unforgettable portrait of the lives of a German U-boat crew, originally shot as a German TV miniseries, then cut down for theatrical release. The theatrical release, a contender in itself, runs 149 minutes, while Petersen’s Director’s Cut, runs 208 minutes, and is even more affecting, thrilling and engaging, a true epic that ranks with the best of them. Jurgen Prochnow became a star with his portrait of the ship’s captain. Bonuses: Documentary on film’s production; Featurettes; Commentary by Petersen; Vintage featurette from 1981. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
MGM/Fox release the rest of this month’s titles, starting with Martin Scorsese’s NEW YORK, NEW YORK, perhaps the director’s most polarizing film. An odd blend of Scorsese’s signature neo-realism and Golden Age of Hollywood musical sumptuousness, Robert DeNiro and Liza Minnelli headline as a star-crossed couple who meet cute on the street in the Big Apple, and soon find themselves sparring on stage as the headliner and sax player for a big band, and striking equal sparks behind the scenes in a tumultuous marriage. Tries hard to be an epic, but falls short. Tries hard to be a romance, but falls short. Tries hard to be a musical, but falls short. Scorsese’s first cinematic disappointment is not without its high points, however, and thus is worth seeing at least once, particularly for cinefiles, to draw your own conclusions. Bonuses: Commentary by Scorsese and critic Carrie Rickey; Intro by Scorsese; Alternate takes/deleted scenes; Featurettes; Select scene commentary by cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE LONG RIDERS is director Walter Hill’s elegiac study of the final days of the James/Younger gang as their way of life comes to an end along with the 19th century. Gimmick of casting actual brothers (Stacy Keach, James Keach, Robert Carradine, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Nicholas Guest, Christopher Guest) really pays off, along with fine support from Pamela Reed (who nearly steals the show as notorious lady outlaw Belle Starr), James Remar, and James Whitmore, Jr. Hill, a protégée of Sam Peckinpah’s, learned well at the feet of his master, perfectly evidenced here. Lack of bonus material is disc’s only sore point. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
DEATH AT A FUNERAL is a riotous British black comedy about a gathering of upper middle class swells at a country manor house for a somber event which goes horribly, horribly (horribly) wrong. The laughs never cease from start to finish, so hold onto your funnybone and hang on! Who’s who of British acting cast includes: Ewen Bremmer, Matthew MacFayden, Kris Marshall, Alan Tudyk, Jane Asher, as well as Yank Peter Dinklage and helmed, believe it or not, by another Yank, Frank Oz. Great, raunchy fun. Bonuses: Commentary by Oz, writer Dean Craig, actors Tudyk and Andy Nyman; Gag reel. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
HAIR is director Milos Forman’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical about a young man (John Savage) who finds his trip to basic training circa 1967 interrupted upon encountering a band of hippies (led by Treat Williams) in NYC’s Central Park. Terrific blend of location shooting and inventive musical numbers, perfectly capturing the spirit of the late ‘60s, in spite of being filmed a decade later. Nice support from Beverly D’Angelo. Look fast for director Nicholas Ray in a cameo as the general. The finale is a stunner. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
VERA CRUZ is a 1954 classic from director Robert Aldrich, starring Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster as mercenaries who journey to Mexico in 1866 to make a few bucks off the revolution. Tough, cynical and bursting with star power from the two leads, with fine support from Denise Darcel, Cesar Romero, George Macready, and Ernest Borgnine. Widescreen. DTS-HD 2.0 mono.
ORIGINAL SIN stars Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas as a wealthy Cuban businessman and his new bride. After they marry, Banderas realizes his wife isn’t who she appears to be. Tepid thriller is buoyed by the charisma of its two leads, not to mention this unrated version featuring sexy footage deemed too hot for an R-rating. Still pretty boring, in spite of it! Bonuses: Commentary by director Michael Cristofer; Music video by Gloria Estefan; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT is an outrageous romp from Down Under about three drag performers (Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving) traveling the Aussie outback by bus, and their Picaresque adventures on the road. Funny, bawdy and quite touching, a feel-good comedy that celebrates the offbeat, as opposed to mocking it. Bonuses: Commentary by director Stephan Elliott; Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Outtakes. Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
POSSE is director/star Mario Van Peebles’ attempt at a “black western,” with sadly middling results. Story follows a group of black infantrymen who, betrayed by their commander (Billy Zane) desert during the Spanish-American War. Heading back to the U.S. the men quickly discover they’ve left one war (for profit) and stepped into another (race war). Could have been a dynamite historical drama, but the weak script never takes hold, not to mention the miscasting of non-actors (rappers Tone Loc, Big Daddy Kane and the like) next to powerhouse performers (Pam Grier, Blair Underwood, Richard Jordan, Reginald Vel Johnson and the great Woody Strode, in a cameo). Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.



DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! HBO leads the pack this month with ENTOURAGE: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON, featuring more Hollywood hijinks with Vince, E, Drama, Turtle and Ari. This season features Vince reassessing his life after a near-death experience on-set, while the rest of the gang also takes stock in what their futures hold. Terrific, smart, biting satire which is actually truer to life than most denizens outside of L.A. would believe…Loaded with cameos from stars and players in the biz. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Interviews with cast and crew; 3 audio commentaries with cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
VSC releases SPECTACLE WITH ELVIS COSTELLO: SEASON TWO, with legendary rocker Costello hosting over seven hours of music and interviews with the likes of Bono and the Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, and many more. Terrific blend of chat and live performance. Bonuses: Documentary; Bonus songs. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
eOne releases HAVEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, based on Stephen King’s The Colorado Kid, about an FBI agent (Emily Rose) who travels to the small hamlet of Haven, Maine to investigate a murder, and soon finds that the town is a refuge for people with supernatural affliction. Spooky, funny and intriguing—think “Twin Peaks” meets “The X-Files.” Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Two audio commentaries with cast and crew; Featurettes; Video blogs; Interviews with cast members. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
Acorn Media releases more great titles from across the Pond, starting with POIROT: THE MOVIE COLLECTION SET 6, starring David Suchet as Agatha Christie’s cerebral and fastidious Belgian sleuth. Three films in the set are: “Three Act Tragedy,” “The Clocks,” and “Hallowe’en Party,” all based on Christie’s original stories, and co-starring the likes of Jane Asher, Martin Shaw, Art Malik, Anna Massey, Zoe Wanamaker. Great fun, and beautifully made. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. PCM stereo 2.0. AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: COMPLETE SERIES 5, features Julia McKenzie as the venerable sleuth, in four newly-adapted Christie stories: “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side,” “The Secret of Chimneys,” “The Blue Geranium,” and “The Pale Horse.” Co-stars include veteran actors Joanna Lumley, Pauline Collins, Edward Fox, David Hemmings and Toby Stephens. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Documentary on Christie; Bonus earlier adaptation of “The Pale Horse.” Widescreen. PCM 2.0 stereo.
20th Century Fox releases BURN NOTICE: SEASON FOUR, featuring more adventures from master spy Michael Westen and his team, who are joined this season by Jesse Porter, a hard-boiled intelligence operative who’s been burned himself. 4-disc set contains 18 episodes. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Audio commentary from cast and crew; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Shout Factory releases DENNIS THE MENACE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON 1960-61, featuring all 38 episodes from the classic hit’s sophomore season. Jay North stars as the mischievous Dennis, who’s always getting the dander up of neighbor Mr. Wilson (Joseph Kearns). Dated, to be sure, but still great fun. Bonuses: Original promos. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
Sony releases DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne as litigators who go after big targets, this time going after Wall Street crooks, very cleverly incorporating current events into the plotline. Guest stars include Campbell Scott, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin and Ted Danson. Bonuses: Commentary from cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Blooper reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
Lifetime releases four telefilm titles, starting with AMANDA KNOX: MURDER ON TRIAL IN ITALY, starring Hayden Panettiere as the title character and Marcia Gay Harden as her attorney. Superbly done on every level, a real standout for a TV movie, and very wisely lets the viewer come to their own conclusions about Knox’s guilt or innocence. Bonuses: Documentary on Knox case. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Andie MacDowell headlines two Patricia Cornwell adaptations. First, AT RISK co-stars Daniel Sunjata as Win Ganaro, a rising star in the Massachusetts State Police who is sent to Tennessee by District Attorney Monique “Money” Lamont (MacDowell) to investigate a 20 year-old murder. Co-stars Annabeth Gish. THE FRONT is a sequel featuring the same players, this time in Boston investigating the possibility of a modern-day Boston Strangler. Both films are suspenseful, entertaining, and well-written. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
REVIVING OPHELIA stars Jane Kaczmarek and Kim Dickens as two mothers facing the tough job of raising teenage girls, one compliant (Rebecca Williams), the other a rebel (Carleigh Beverly). Well-done, but sure to appeal more to the moms out there, than those who aren’t. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.





DOCUMENTARY DAYS As usual, PBS leads the pack with a host of new releases. NEW YORK STREET GAMES looks at the games created by new immigrants during the turn of the 19th century. Bonuses: Printable rulebook of street games, including stickball, ringoleavio, kick the can, scully, boxball, and more. TYPEFACE takes a look at the fading analog craft that continues to inspire artists in the digital age, and the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers, WI. Bonuses: Art gallery of typeface; Bonus scenes. SHARK REEF AND THE SACRED ISLAND are episodes from the “Saving the Ocean” series with Carl Safina, both examining how the world is endangering marine life, and the conservationist who work tirelessly to save them. Fascinating, beautifully photographed documentaries. THE DUEL plays like a real-time thriller in its examination of the pistol fight that changed history forever: Alexander Hamilton versus Aaron Burr on July 11, 1804. Terrific, and begs to be made into a feature film! FOOTBALL HIGH is a “Frontline” episode that examines how high school football has grown from a beloved pastime and rite of passage into big business, often resulting in a level of competitiveness that ends tragically for its young players. Sobering stuff, to be sure, but important. WORLD’S BIGGEST BOMB is a “Secrets of the Dead” episode that examines the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviets during the 1950s, that nearly spun out of control. Narrated by Live Schreiber. BEARS OF THE LAST FRONTIER is a 3-hour “Nature” special that examines Alaska’s Black, Grizzly, and Polar bears in their natural habitat. Stunningly photographed, with shots of nature that have to be seen to be believed, all the more dazzling in the program’s Blu-ray presentation. Dolby 5.1 surround. MARVIN HAMLISCH PRESENTS: THE 70’S: THE WAY WE WERE is a filmed record of a recent concert in which stars like Hamlisch, B.J. Thomas, Three Dog Night, Debby Boone, Gloria Gaynor and many more, perform the songs that made them stars, many of them composed by Hamlisch himself. Bonuses: Extra performances. PBS’ series AMERICA: THE STORY OF US, arrives in multiple episodes on DVD. “Millennium” looks at the events that shaped the U.S. as the 21st century was born, including 9/11, the growth of the personal computer, and more. “Rebels” takes a look at the early American colonists’ fight for independence from Great Britain, from Jamestown to Plymouth and beyond. Great blend of archival material and reenactments. “Boom” examines the growth of the modern city in the 19th century, with the discovery of oil, as well as the steel empires of magnates such as Andrew Carnegie. “Civil War” takes a look at our country’s bloodiest conflict in the mid-19th century and how it evolved into modern warfare with the advent of the railroads, telegraph, and supply lines. “Westward” looks at the settlers who bravely faced deadly elements to settle the western United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. “Rise of a Superpower” looks at the growth of the U.S. post-WW II and the economic and social boom that made it the leader of the free world during the 20th century’s second half. All episodes are narrated by Liev Schreiber and are widescreen, Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Cinema Libre releases CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE, a fly-on-the-wall backstage look at the world of professional wrestling. An addictive combination of over-the-top personalities and washed-up has-beens dreaming of a comeback, this doc is a must-see for all wrestling fans and/or those who aspire to one day be in the ring. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Outtakes; Promotional videos. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
eOne releases LORD OF THE DANCE, a filmed record of legendary Michael Flatley and his return to his hit show after a 13 year absence from the stage. Stunning to watch Flatley and his dancers, some of the best in the world at their craft. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 and DTS-HD 7.1 surround.
MUSIC VIDEO EXPOSED: THE COLLECTION features groundbreaking music videos of the ‘80s by soon-to-be-famous helmers like Russell Mulcahy, David Mallet, and Wayne Isham, with acts like AC/DC, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Queen, and more in some of their most famous video performances, along with new interviews. Bonuses: Extended interviews. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Athena releases the landmark documentary series THE MAKING OF THE PRESIDENT: THE 1960S, the brainchild of journalist and author Theodore H. White, who began his finite look into presidential politics with an in-depth look at the 1960 race between JFK and Richard Nixon, and went on to cover the 1964, and ’68 races. All are featured in this comprehensive box set, originally produced by David L. Wolper for television. Bonuses: Extra programs on JFK, Lyndon Johnson; Viewers guide; Biographies. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.




FOR THE WEE ONES Paramount releases three Nickelodeon box sets: THE I LOVE ICARLY COLLECTION, a collection of three discs (“iFight Shelby Marx,” “iSaved Your Life,” and “iSpace Out”) containing fifteen episodes of the hit Nickelodeon network series. Bonuses: Featurettes; Bonus episodes; Trivia. Full screen Dolby 2.0 stereo. DORA’S BIG PARTY PACK features three discs full of Dora the Explorer adventures: “Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure,” “Super Silly Fiesta,” and “It’s a Party!” Eleven episodes total, sure to pleasure the most fussy toddler. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. YO GABBA GABBA! PARTY IN A BOX also features 3 DVDs: “The Dancey Dance Bunch,” “Birthday Boogie,” and “Clubhouse,” offering 12 episodes of the hit series. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.
Warner Bros. releases SESAME STREET SPOOFS: VOLUME 1 AND 2, a delightful collection of educational spoofs of famous TV shows and movies, such as “Mad, Mad Men,” “A’s Anatomy,” “Twin Beaks,” and more! Sure to please kids and adults alike. 2 disc set. Bonuses: Extra spoofs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
New Video/Scholastic release I’M DIRTY & I STINK, a collection of 12 tales dealing with trucks, trash, boats and bikes, and GOODNIGHT, GORILLA, a 3 disc collection of stories dealing with creatures and creature capers. Great storytime tales for pre-schoolers and early grade schoolers. Bonuses: Bonus stories; Spanish versions of stories; Interviews with authors; Read-alongs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.

DVD Playhouse--June 2011

DVD PLAYHOUSE JUNE 2011
By
Allen Gardner

KISS ME DEADLY (Criterion) Robert Aldrich’s 1955 reinvention of the film noir detective story is one of cinema’s great genre mash-ups: part hardboiled noir; part cold war paranoid thriller; and part science- fiction. Ralph Meeker plays Mickey Spillane’s fascist detective Mike Hammer as a narcissistic simian thug, a sadist who would rather smash a suspect’s fingers than make love to the bevvy of beautiful dames that cross his path. In fact, the only time you see a smile cross Meeker’s sneering mug is when he’s doling out pain, with a vengeance. When a terrified young woman (Cloris Leachman, film debut) literally crossed Hammer’s path one night, and later turns up dead, he vows to get to the bottom of her brutal demise. One of the most influential films ever made, and perhaps the most-cited film by the architects of the French New Wave as being the movie that inspired their own works. Plus, it has what must be the ballsiest finale in film history. Not to be missed. Get the picture, punk? Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by film noir specialists Alain Silver and James Ursini; Video tribute by director Alex Cox; Excerpts from The Long Haul of A.I. Bezzerides, a 2005 documentary about the film’s screenwriter; 1998 Spillane documentary, Mike Hammer’s Mickey Spillane; Locations featurette; Alternate ending; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
UNKNOWN (Warner Bros.) Liam Neeson plays an American physician in Berlin who finds himself questioning his very identity after surviving a car crash, when no one in his life, including arm-candy wife January Jones, seems to know who he is, and there is another man (Aidan Quinn) in his place, claiming to be him. Intriguing paranoid thriller has some great moments that hearken back to some of the greats of the genre during the Watergate era, but most of the fuses it lights go out with a fizzle instead of a bang. Too bad, as this could have been a dynamite piece of escapism. Fine supporting cast includes Diane Kruger, Frank Langella, Bruno Ganz. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
RED RIDING HOOD (ALTERNATE CUT) (Warner Bros.) The beloved fairy tale, reimagined for the Twilight set (and helmed by the first film in the series’ director, Catherine Hardwicke). If ever there was a story that didn’t need to be reinvented (or re-told for that matter), it’s this one. Amanda Seyfried stars as a lass whose sister has been slain by a werewolf. Did we happen to mention that during the day said lupine takes human form, a form that looks like a hunky boy hot off the cover of this month’s Men’s Health? There is talent to burn both in front (Gary Oldman, Julie Christie, to name a few) and behind the camera. Why, oh why, would they waste their time on this? Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Gag reel; Picture-in picture commentary from cast and filmmakers; Two music videos; Additional scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
HALL PASS ENLARGED EDITION (New Line) Two buddies (Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis) with roving eyes drive their wives (Christina Applegate and Jenna Fischer) to distraction so often, they issue the boys “hall passes” for one week of unsupervised sexual play with no consequences for them afterward. Raunchy, sophomoric, and sporadically funny output from the Farrelly Brothers, Peter and Bobby, who have yet to equal the manic brilliance of their first two outings: Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. Hall Pass is pretty amusing for 40 minutes or so, then loses its steam when the boys have their moment of clarity pretty early on in the story. Not bad, but not so good either. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Extended cut with bonus footage; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
INSIGNIFICANCE (Criterion) Nicolas Roeg’s fascinating “what if?” about what happens when four unnamed characters who look and sound a great deal like Marilyn Monroe (Theresa Russell), Joe DiMaggio (Gary Busey), Albert Einstein (Michael Emil) and Sen. Joseph McCarthy (Tony Curtis) converge in a New York City hotel room for an evening of conversation, confrontation and revelation. Stunning cinematic rendering of Terry Johnson (who also did the screenplay)’s play by Roeg, who manages to make the confined space work beautifully to push forward the story’s narrative. Great stuff. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with Roeg, producer Jeremy Thomas, editor Tony Lawson; Short behind-the-scenes documentary; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
THE MAKIOKA SISTERS (Criterion) From 1983, Kon Ichikawa’s lyrical adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki’s novel follows four siblings who have taken over the family’s kimono manufacturing business. Cleverly structured around the change of the four seasons and set during the 1930s, this quiet, but powerful story is a brilliant examination of a family both bending to and resisting the changing tide of history. Beautifully photographed and designed. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
36TH PRECINCT (Palisades Tartan) Dynamite action thriller from France about rival cops (Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil) who engage in “by any means necessary” tactics to take down a brutal gang of criminals, with the prize being the office of Police Chief to whomever brings them to justice, or the morgue, first. Tough, nasty and gritty in the extreme, with echoes of the best crime thrillers of the ‘70s bouncing off its blood-spattered walls. Depardieu and Auteuil are superb, as always, as is the lovely Valeria Golino in support. Bonuses: Interview with director Olivier Marchal; Documentary; Featurettes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE WILD HUNT (Film Buff) A cuckolded boyfriend follows his ex and her new suitor into the woods of Quebec, where the two engage in the world of live roleplaying games. Before he knows it, the “games” of medieval warfare turn all too real. Solid thriller enhance by gritty location filming, terrific performances from its young cast. Bonuses: Featurettes; Storyboard gallery; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
EXORCISMUS (IFC Films) A teenage girl (Sophie Vavasseur) begins experiencing strange seizures which leave doctors baffled, leaving her agonized parents to summon a priest (Doug Bradley). Sound familiar? It is, but this Spanish import is executed with a great deal more skill than most of the other Exorcist imitations in recent years. Some very scary scenes, not for the faint-of-heart! Bonuses: Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
IN HER SKIN (IFC Films) Import from Down Under, supposedly based on a true story. Caroline, a homely outcast 19 year-old (Ruth Bradley) longs to be popular and have a life like the pretty, vivacious Rachel (Kate Bell), whom she occasionally babysits. When Rachel goes missing, the twisted path leads into some dark, unexpected corners. Very well-made docudrama, with stellar performances from some of Oz’s finest: Guy Pearce, Sam Neill, Miranda Otto. Bonuses: Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
NICE GUY JOHNNY (Film Buff) Writer/director/co-star Edward Burns’ amiable comedy about Johnny, a young man (Matt Bush) engaged to a high-maintenance girl that demands he quit his dream job as a sports radio DJ to work a more lucrative gig for her dad. When perpetual adolescent Uncle Terry (Burns) blows through town, he takes Johnny on a joyride to the Hamptons, where he encounters a comely tennis pro (Kerry Bishe) who makes Johnny question who he is, and what he wants. As with Burns’ previous efforts, this comes off as Woody Allen/Truffaut “lite,” but is still enjoyable. Bonuses: Commentary by Burns; Interview with Burns; Casting footage; Deleted and extended scenes; Teasers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
KINGDOM OF WAR PARTS 1 AND 2(Magnet) Epic historical film that dramatizes the childhood years that Siam's 16th-century King Naresuan spent as a hostage to the king of Burma, learning the military skills he'd one day use to set his country free of Burmese domination, with part 2 finding Naresuan as an adult, leading an army against the Burmese invaders. Massive, eye-popping epic is old-fashioned filmmaking at its finest, with rousing battle scenes that would make David Lean green with envy. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Music video; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
CEREMONY (Magnolia) Sad sack Sam Davis (Michael Angarano) tries to rekindle his relationship with a former best pal at the estate of a renowned filmmaker (Lee Pace) who is engaged to lovely Zoe (Uma Thurman), who happens to be Sam’s ex, and still the love of his life. As the pair try to thwart the impending nuptials, a comedy of errors ensues that, overall, is quite amusing. Nice work from writer/director Max Winkler (Son of Henry Winkler). Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Outtakes; Extended scene; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
DRIVE ANGRY (Summit) Nicolas Cage plays an undead felon who breaks out of hell to avenge his daughter’s murder at the hands of Satanic cultists, and rescue his grandchild from their evil clutches. Aided by a tough but gorgeous partner (Amber Heard), the two wreak a path of bloody vengeance upon all those guilty and otherwise, as a deadly assassin (William Fichtner) sent by the Devil Himself is hot on their tail. Almost unbelievably well-made utter trash, redeemed only by the utter glee it seems to take in its unredeemability. Nic Cage is one of his generation’s best actors who surely will claim the mantle of “most bad movies made by a great actor” when his time on Earth is up. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interactive featurettes; Commentary by filmmakers Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
JUST GO WITH IT (Sony) Adam Sandler plays a successful plastic surgeon who meets the girl of his dreams (Brooklyn Decker), but must enlist his loyal gal Friday (Jennifer Anniston) to pose as his soon-to-be-ex after Decker discovers the wedding ring he wears as a seduction tool (less available = more attractive to some women, I guess). Sound really stupid so far? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, kids! Mind-blowingly inept from start to finish, one can only hope that there was a good script in here at one time that was summarily destroyed by committee. Even Decker’s ample gifts couldn’t keep this viewer from wanting to hit the “eject” button every five minutes. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Blooper reel; Filmmaker and cast commentaries. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ANOTHER YEAR (Sony) Over the course of a tumultuous year, contented medical counselor Gerri (Ruth Sheen) and her geologist husband, Tom (Jim Broadbent), see their friends and relations through a series of happy events and heartbreaks -- including a birth and a death. Another Year is another gem from writer/director Mike Leigh, whose portraits of everyday people in the UK have delighted audiences for nearly 40 years. Co-star Lesley Manville is a real standout. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Leigh and Manville; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
RUBBER (Magnolia) Surreal, hilarious and utterly original horror comedy about Robert, an abandoned tire (yes, you read it right) left to rot in the desert. As he comes to life, Robert quickly realizes he has deadly telepathic powers which allow him to destroy anything on sight. Writer/director Quentin Dupieux has fashioned an unforgettable gem in this low budget masterpiece. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Dupieux and cast members; Camera tests; Featurettes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE HOUSEMAID (IFC Films) Remake of the 1960 Korean classic about a young woman (Jeon Do-yeon) hired to care for a wealthy pregnant woman. When her innocent beauty attracts the attention of the woman’s husband, he begins an affair with her, igniting the jealousy of an older maid in the house, one who holds many of the family’s dark secrets. Dark, claustrophobic blend of drama and erotic thriller packs a punch. Bonuses: Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
WHITE LIGHTNIN’ (MPI) Correctly described by one critic as “a white trash, rockabilly nightmare,” this “based on a true story” thriller about a backwoods mountain dancer who also moonlights as a vicious criminal/psychopath has to be seen to be believed. Edward Hogg stars as Jesco White, one of Appalachia’s most notorious figures. Carrie Fisher co-stars. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE GUN RUNNERS (MGM/Fox) Audie Murphy plays the owner of a cabin cruiser in Florida who naively rents it to an arms dealer selling guns to Cuba during the Revolution. B-movie remake of To Have and Have Not, written by ace screenwriters Daniel Mainwaring and Paul Monash, and helmed by the great Don Siegel. Their involvement raises it up several notches. Nice support also by Eddie Albert and Everett Sloane. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE DESTRUCTORS (MGM/Fox) Entertaining crime thriller starring Anthony Quinn as a badass U.S. Embassy official in Paris determined to take down drug kingpin James Mason. In desperation, he hires assassin Michael Caine to do what the government boys can’t. Obviously inspired by The French Connection, but stands quite well on its own. Nice support from Alexandra Stewart and FC heavy Marcel Bozuffi, not to mention Kennedy confidante Pierre Salinger, who makes an amusing (if not bizarre) cameo. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE CEREMONY (MGM/Fox) Laurence Harvey produced, directed and stars in this addle-brained thriller as a man imprisoned for bank robbery whose brother (Robert Walker, Jr.) agrees to bust him out if the older brother’s girl (Sarah Miles) sleeps with him as payment. Terrific supporting cast includes John Ireland, Ross Martin, Jack McGowran, and Murray Melvin. Might have seemed daring when it was released in 1963, but dates badly today. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THOSE LIPS, THOSE EYES (MGM/Fox) Frank Langella gives the performance of his career as a hack actor who manipulates two neophytes (Tom Hulce, Glynnis O’Connor) at the Cleveland Playhouse in the early 1950s. Fine support from vets Gerry Stiller and Kevin McCarthy enhance David Shaber’s sharp script and Michael Pressman (also his best work)’s direction. Touching, tough and honest to a fault. One of the 1970s’ unheralded great films. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE ROOMMATE (Sony) College freshman Sara (Minka Kelly) find herself saddled with an overly-attentive roommate (Leighton Meester) whose obsession with her suitemate turns deadly, particularly in the romance department and boyfriend Cam Gigandet. Familiar thriller has been made and seen dozens of times before—and done better. Watering down of a potentially tough thriller to PG-13 safety doesn’t help matters. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted and alternate scenes; Director commentary; Featurettes; BD-LIVE features. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
BLACK DEATH (Magnet) Sean Bean stars as a brave knight during the dark days of the Black Plague whom the Church charges to investigate rumors of a necromancer in a hidden village who can bring the dead back to life. Scary, atmospheric chiller is reminiscent of the best of Hammer’s horror films of the ‘50s and ‘60s (with a lot of contemporary violence thrown in). Co-starring Eddie Redmayne and lovely Carice Van Houten, this tough thriller is chock full of images you won’t soon forget. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Interviews with cast and crew; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
VANISHING ON 7TH STREET (Magnet) Overall effective, but flawed thriller from talented indie director Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist) in which a blackout plunges Detroit into total darkness. When the sun comes up the following day, a handful of survivors (Hayden Christensen, Thandie Newton, John Leguizamo and Jacob Latimore) meet up in a seedy bar, finding themselves surrounded by piles of empty clothing left by those who have seemingly vanished. Lots of nuclear holocaust allusions pervade in this sci-fi thriller, which plays out almost like a modern-day “Twilight Zone” episode. In spite of its shortcomings, you’ll still find it a satisfying ride. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Alternate ending; Featurettes; Interviews with Anderson and Latimore; Commentary by Anderson. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 and DTS-HD 7.1 surround.
MAO’S LAST DANCER (20th Century Fox) Terrific drama from director Bruce Beresford, based on a true story. Li Cunxin, a peasant boy from rural China beats impossible odds to become an internationally renowned ballet dancer. When he makes his way to the United States, he falls in love with an American woman, then must risk everything to stay in his newly-adopted country. Unsentimental and straightforward, which is what makes it such a powerful film, as opposed to a maudlin MOW. Fine cast includes Kyle McLachlan, Bruce Greenwood, Joan Chen, and Aussie great Jack Thompson. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
I AM NUMBER FOUR (DreamWorks/Touchstone) John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) is a shy teen who lives with his guardian (Timothy Olyphant) in a small town, trying to keep a low profile. However, he masks a secret identity, which becomes harder to confine when he finds himself suddenly blessed with extraordinary abilities and true love with a local girl (Dianna Agron), whom he tries to keep his secret hidden from. What could have been a dynamite teen coming-of-age/sci-fi epic is instead a tired retread of countless plots we’ve seen recycled dozens of times, with all those plots overloaded with top-heavy special effects. Obviously aimed, once again, at the Twilight set, but isn’t it possible to merge commerce with quality? Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Bloopers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
I SAW THE DEVIL (Magnet) When a demented serial killer brutally murders the pregnant fiancée of an intelligence agent with lethal skills of his own, he vows revenge on the killer, but not as you would think. Director Kim Jee-Woon is a filmmaker of virtuoso skill, but he chooses to wallow in sadism and bloodletting (it would seem) for its own sake, as opposed to using the violence as a device to move the story forward. Loaded with brilliant cinematic moments, Devil has numerous opportunities to become something more than the sum of its parts, but never fully realizes them. As a result, you have a great film that could have been, mired in sensationalism. What could have been a modern take on A Clockwork Orange, is more akin to films like Saw, and the torture porn genre that continues to pollute multi-plexes and DVD players the world over. Polarizing to be sure, so judge for yourself. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
NIGHTMARES (Severin) Classic (of sorts) “Ozploitation” from 1980, where an aspiring actress (Jenny Neumann), traumatized by her mother’s death years earlier, finds herself surrounded by bloody deaths of her fellow cast members. Lots of gratuitous nudity, gore and not many scares punctuate this largely-ineffectual thriller, which must have seemed shocking thirty years ago, but now is just pretty dull. Bonuses: Commentary by director John Lamond and Not Quite Hollywood director Mark Hartley; Featurette; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE BABY (Severin) Twisted horror outing from 1972 about an idealistic social worker (Anjanette Comer) who investigates the household of a strange family (Ruth Roman as the mother) whose youngest son (David Mooney) is stuck in a perpetually child-like state—to the point of sleeping in a crib and wearing diapers. “Baby,” as they call him, might also be committing brutal murders. Quite nasty for a PG-rated film (although the standards seemed to have changed over 40 years), with some genuine scares and unsettling moments. The film’s low budget grunginess just enhances its realism. Not necessarily a recommendation, but not a pan, either. Also stars ‘60s glamour girl Marianna Hill and Michael Pataki, directed by talented helmer Ted Post (Magnum Force). Bonuses: Audio interviews with Post, Mooney; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.0 mono.
BLOODY BIRTHDAY (Severin) Four children, all born in the same hospital during a solar eclipse ten years earlier, suddenly start brutally killing people in their bucolic suburban neighborhood (shot in the affluent hill section of Glendale, CA.). It comes down to a resilient babysitter (Lori Lethin) to stop the murders and solve the mystery. Pretty bland overall, although future MTV and comedic star Julie Brown does a striptease that’s sure to get male hearts palpitating. Co-stars a bizarre mélange of actors, including K.C. Martel, Jose Ferrer, Joe Penny, Michael Dudikoff, and Susan Strasberg. Bonuses: Audio interview with director Ed Hunt; Interview with Lethin; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
OF GODS AND MEN (Sony) Based on the true story of Cistercian monks of Tibehirine in Algeria from 1993 to their kidnapping in 1996, this powerhouse film about faith and redemption packs a wallop. When a crew of foreign workers is murdered by Islamic extremists, fear sweeps through the region, but the monks refuse protection from the military, or any other force of war. In spite of the growing menace of civil war, the monks decide to stand their ground at their monastery, come what may. Superb cast includes Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, and Olivier Rabouron. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE AMBASSADOR (MGM/Fox) Robert Mitchum stars as an American ambassador who finds himself, his wife (Ellen Burstyn) and her Arab lover (Fabio Testi) caught up in a dangerous game of intrigue, extortion and murder in the mid-80s Middle East. Tough thriller directed with economy by vet J. Lee Thompson, based on Elmore Leonard’s “52 Pick-Up,” remade two years later by John Frankenheimer. Co-stars Donald Pleasence and Rock Hudson (his final film). Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
HARRY IN YOUR POCKET (MGM/Fox) Intelligent drama about a family of pickpockets (James Coburn, Michael Sarrazin, Trish Van Devere, Walter Pidgeon) roaming the U.S. looking for scores. Existential, but never boring, with Coburn and Sarrazin delivering some of their best work. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
PARK ROW (MGM/Fox) Sam Fuller’s examination of 19th century journalism stars Gene Evans as a newspaperman who tries to start an independent paper to rival the big, corporate-owned rag that seemingly runs the city. Tough, lean and punctuated by bursts of violence, the signature of Fuller’s work to come. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONER (MGM/Fox) Brutal urban drama stars Michael Moriarty as a naïve rookie cop who finds himself in the center of a departmental war when he accidentally kills an undercover policewoman (Susan Blakely). Great screenplay by pros Abby Mann and Ernest Tidyman, solid direction by Milton Katselas. Co-stars Yaphet Kotto, Hector Elizondo and, in his film debut, Richard Gere. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.







BLU BAYOU MGM/Fox, as always, leads the pack with a host of BD releases, beginning with a 25th anniversary edition of Oliver Stone’s iconic, Oscar-winning PLATOON, the filmmaker’s autobiographical account of his experiences in the Vietnam War. Charlie Sheen, in the role that made him a star, stars as Stone’s alter-ego, with fine support from Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, and newcomers Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, and Kevin Dillon. One of the best films ever made, to say the least the best, and most authentic, war film. 2 disc set contains BD and DVD copies of the film. Bonuses: Commentary by Stone and military advisor Capt. Dale Dye; Deleted and extended scenes; Featurettes; Two documentaries; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround. The original ROCKY was the sleeper champ of the 1976 Oscars, catapulting writer/star Sylvester Stallone to stardom. Today, Rocky is as good as it ever was, although it plays much more like a neo-realist character study, as opposed to a formulaic blockbuster, which its numerous sequels surely were. Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, Carl Weathers and, of course, Talia Shire, all shine in this classic, which looks even better on Blu. 24-page collectible book packaging. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. Joel Schumacher’s TIGERLAND remains his finest hour as a filmmaker, and gave a star-making role to then-newcomer Colin Farrell, playing a late ‘60s era draftee whose defiance sends him to the notorious Tigerland, a hellish training ground in the swamps of the Deep South that is the bad boy soldier’s last stop before heading out to the ‘Nam. Tough, stirring and authentic from start to finish. Bonuses: Commentary by Schumacher; Featurettes; Casting footage; Trailer and TV spots. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. John Frankenheimer’s THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE was decades ahead of its time in 1962, and remains every bit as potent and powerful today. Frank Sinatra plays an army Colonel who finds himself suffering PTSD nearly a decade after the Korean War has ended. When he realizes his former commanding officer, Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is at the center of these dreams, he seeks Shaw out, uncovering a twisted conspiracy that will leave the most jaded viewer with goosebumps. Fine support from Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury (as one of the screen’s great villainesses), and Henry Silva, who has a knockout brawl with Sinatra that left both men with broken bones in real life! Frankenheimer’s finest hour as a director, as well as everyone else involved with this classic masterpiece. Bonuses: 1988 interview with Sinatra, screenwriter/producer George Axelrod, and Frankenheimer; Commentary by Frankenheimer; Featurettes; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. LEAVING LAS VEGAS is director Mike Figgis’ downbeat, but stunning look at an alcoholic screenwriter (Nicholas Cage, in his Oscar-winning turn. Please Nic, more roles and movies like this!) who determines to drink himself to death in Sin City, with the unconditional love of a hooker (Elisabeth Shue) who just might have found redemption in the form of Cage’s pathetic soul. Unrated version of the film. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. THE HUSTLER is Robert Rossen’s 1961 drama that plays out like Greek tragedy set in seedy pool halls. Paul Newman was never better as “Fast” Eddie Felson, a talented pool shark whose only true determination in life is to self-destruct, and take all those in his orbit with him. Piper Laurie is the crippled girl who tries to love him, George C. Scott the nefarious creep who tries to hustle the hustler. Jackie Gleason oozes charm and grace as pool legend Minnesota Fats. One of the great films of its era. Bonuses: Commentary by Newman, film historian Jeff Young, critic Richard Schickel, and others; Featurettes; Trailer; 24-page collectible book packaging. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. THE COMMANCHEROS, also from 1961, is a rock-solid, if unremarkable John Wayne vehicle, with Duke as a gutsy Texas Ranger determined to bring down a gang of cutthroat gunrunners known as The Commancheros. Two-fisted action from start to finish, with fine support from Stuart Whitman, Ina Balin, and the great Lee Marvin. Helmed by veteran Michael Curtiz. Bonuses: Commentary by Whitman, Nehemiah Persoff, Michael Ansara, and Patrick Wayne; Featurettes; Two-part documentary; Trailers; 24-page collectible book packaging. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. THE USUAL SUSPECTS is director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie’s diabolically clever crime thriller about a gang of crackerjack thieves (Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollak, and Benecio Del Toro) who find themselves double-crossed by a criminal mastermind called Keyser Soze. Told in flashback by Spacey’s character to intrepid FBI agent Chazz Palminteri, the film is like an elaborate cinematic chess game that grows more fascinating with each successive viewing. Dynamite! 24-page collectible book packaging. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. THE TERMINATOR is the film that started it all for writer/director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger, in this non-stop thrill ride about a soldier (Michael Biehn) sent from the future to take out a robot assassin (der Governator) also sent from days yet to pass to take out a waitress (Linda Hamilton) who will become the mother of the world’s Messiah if she’s allowed to live. Film never lets up, from its opening frames to its harrowing finale. Bonuses: 7 deleted scenes; Featurettes; 24-page collectible book packaging. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. Blue Underground releases Dario Argento’s thriller THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS, a nasty whodunit starring James Franciscus as a tenacious reporter who joins forces with a blind puzzle maker (Karl Malden) to solve a series of vicious murders. Chock full of Argento’s signature cinematic flair and creative bloodletting. Bonuses: Interviews with Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, composer Ennio Morricone; Trailers and TV spots; Radio interviews with Malden and Franciscus. Widescreen. DTS-HD 2.0 surround. Severin releases Richard Rush’s THE STUNT MAN, one of the cinema’s great satires and greatest films about filmmaking. Steve Railsback plays a felon on the run who stumbles into a movie scene being films, causing the death of the film’s lead stuntman. When messianic director Eli Cross (Peter O’Toole) realizes what’s happened, he enlists Railsback to take the stunt man’s place, which is when the games, literally, begin. One-of-a-kind film has to be seen to be believed! Nice support from Barbara Hershey, Allen Goorwitz, Alex Rocco, Adam Roarke and Sharon Farrell. Bonuses: Commentary by Rush, O’Toole, Railsback, Hershey, Rocco, Farrell and Chuck Bail; Featurettes; Documentary; Deleted scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE NESTING is a nasty, albeit forgettable, horror outing from 1981, focusing on a beautiful writer (Robin Groves) who decides to relocate to the quiet countryside in hopes of curing her writer’s block. Instead, she finds the seemingly-quaint Victorian house she’s rented is haunted, and taking the lives of everyone who crosses her path. Of interest to film buffs mainly as the final film of one-time starlet Gloria Grahame, otherwise just another ‘80s exercise in gore and nihilism. Bonuses: Deleted and extended scenes; Trailers and TV spots; Poster and still galleries. Widescreen. DTS-HD 7.1 surround.



DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! Sony releases BREAKING BAD: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, which, along with "Mad Men," is by far the best show on television, both under the auspices of the AMC network. Bryan Cranston continues to excel and evolve as former high school chemistry teacher Walter White, who turns to manufacturing his own unique brand of crystal meth to provide for his family as he battles terminal cancer. Aaron Paul provides equally fine support as Jesse, Walter’s former student, and meth cooking tutor/business partner. The third season finds the stakes rising considerably as Walter and Jesse find themselves running afoul of a vicious Mexican drug cartel, Walter abandoned by his wife (Anna Gunn), and Walter facing a terrible choice between working for a lethal drug kingpin or walking away from everything he has worked to build. Great, morally ambiguous drama abounds in this series that never stops pushing the envelope. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: 3 uncensored episodes; Cast and crew commentary; Deleted scenes and unused footage; Gag reel; Featurettes; Video podcasts; Commercials and testimonials; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround. HAWTHORNE: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON stars Jada Pinkett Smith as a Director of Nursing at a major hospital, a passionate advocate for her patients and also a struggling widowed mother. When cutbacks close her facility, she and her fellow health care professionals are forced to join struggling James River Hospital. Co-starring Michael Vartan, and guest starring Marc Anthony, Sara Gilbert, Bill Macy, Debi Mazar, and NBA star John Salley. 10 episodes on 3 discs. Bonuses: Featurettes; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE BIG C: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON Laura Linney stars as an unconventional schoolteacher who is diagnosed with cancer, and decides instead of surrendering to the inevitable, to live it up! Oliver Platt and Gabourey Sidibe co-star in this painfully funny series. 3 discs contain 13 episodes. Bonuses: Deleted scenes and outtakes; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. WHITE COLLAR: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON Matt Bomer stars as sophisticated conman Neal Caffrey who teams with FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) to investigate an intriguing array of crimes. Smart and full of twists. Bonuses: Featurettes; Deleted scenes; Gag reel; Audio commentary on select episodes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE GLADES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON stars Matt Passmore as a Chicago detective who relocates to sunny Florida anticipating easy times, but instead finds swamps and streets cluttered with murder. Fun and entertaining, with an attractive young cast. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Commentary on selected episodes; Featurettes; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. BURN NOTICE: SEASON FOUR resumes the adventures of master spy Michael Westen, here joined by counterintelligence expert Jesse Porter. Watch as they take on outlaw biker gangs, drug dealers and terrorists. 4-disc set contains 18 episodes. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Audio commentary on select episodes; Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. 20th Century Fox/MGM releases LOUIE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, conceived by and starring comedian Louis C.K., this outrageous series finds Louis playing a well-meaning single father raising two daughters. As he struggles with his day-to-day existence, his stand-up routines provide fodder and catharsis from the doldrums of his life. Very funny, featuring guest stars Matthew Broderick and Ricky Gervais. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted and extended scenes; Audio commentary by Louis C.K. on select episodes; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround. SG.U STARGATE UNIVERSE: THE COMPLETE FINAL SEASON follows the Destiny crew to the end of the line, as the find themselves running out of supplies and with no knowledge of their final destination. With this in addition to their usual encounters with strange and hostile life forms, the crew perseveres to struggle to stay alive and find a way home. Bonuses: Interviews with the cast; Featurettes; Commentary by cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. eOne releases ROOKIE BLUE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, described by one critic as “’Grey’s Anatomy’ with guns,” and quite aptly at that. Five cops who trained at the police academy together, led by rookie Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), hit the streets and all that they serve up. Sort of like a reboot of the ‘70s hit “The Rookies” dressed up for the post-MTV generation, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad, either. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. HAVEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, is based on Stephen King’s novel “The Colorado Kid,” and follows FBI agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose) as she travels to Haven, Maine to investigate the murder of an ex-con, but soon discovers a small hamlet full of people with supernatural powers. Interesting, smart blend of suspense and sci-fi. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Audio commentary with cast and crew; Featurettes; Video blogs. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround. Acorn Media releases ROBIN OF SHERWOOD: SET 1, tells the legend of Robin Hood with a gritty feel. Starring Michael Praed as Robin, with a scene-stealing Ray Winstone as Will Scarlett and Nickolas Grace as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Rousing action, sweeping romance and great fun! Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Five episode commentaries; Featurettes; Documentary; Photo galleries; Music-only tracks; Outtakes; Textless and foreign credit sequences; PDF material, including PR, Richard Carpenter’s original story treatment, and several scripts. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. NEW TRICKS: SEASON FOUR features more adventures from four retired cops across the Pond who continue to solve the cold cases that their younger counterparts can’t. Amanda Redman, James Bolam, Alun Armstrong and Dennis Waterman star in this witty, sharp crime series. 8 episodes on 3 discs. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. A&E releases THE KIDS IN THE HALL: DEATH COMES TO TOWN, features all the crazy “kids” (Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson) in an 8-episode comedy series playing all the townspeople of a small hamlet of Shuckton, Ontario, who face Death, literally, as he steps off a Greyhound bus, and the denizens start dropping dead. Outrageous, inventive and gleefully offensive, sure to please fans of the legendary series. Bonuses Commentary by Foley and McCulloch; Deleted and extended scenes; Bloopers; Described video for the hearing impaired. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. BILLY THE EXTERMINATOR: SEASON THREE, features wild man Billy Bretherton taking on the nastiest creepy crawlers that nature can throw at him. Watch Billy and his Vexcon team face off against a family of alligators, feral hogs, an army of fire ants, a deadly snake, not to mention gators, spiders and raccoons! Great fun and quite suspenseful. Bonuses: Featurettes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER offers six episodes of the reality hit about Duane “Dog” Chapman and his family of bounty hunters who track down some of the criminal community’s most evasive suspects. Great fun at times, but also has the feeling of being staged more often than it feels authentic. Bonuses: Retrospective special for the series’ 200th episode. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Lifetime releases BRINGING ASHLEY HOME, based on a true story about a dutiful daughter (A.J. Cook) who joins forces with her mother (Patricia Richardson) to find her bad girl younger sister, who’s gone missing. Solid drama, punctuated by a lack of sentimentality. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. WILLIAM & KATE is a so-so dramatization of the storybook romance between royal heartthrob Prince William and commoner Kate Middleton, starring Nico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington. Raised up a few bars by a fine supporting cast, including Ben Cross, Victoria Tennant, Serena-Scott Thomas, and Richard Reid. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. TAKEN FROM ME stars Taraji P. Henson in the true story of a single mother’s dramatic rescue of her six year-old son, after being kidnapped by his biological father, and taken from New York to Seoul, South Korea. Good drama, with some suspenseful moments. Co-starring Terry O’Quinn, Beverly Todd. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Warner Bros. releases the classic Quinn-Martin production THE FBI: THE FIRST SEASON, PART ONE, starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Agent Lewis Erskine, who soberly tackles crime and criminals all over the nation. Great fun to see future stars like Burt Reynolds, Ted Knight, Dabney Coleman, Beau Bridges, Robert Duvall, Jack Klugman, and Leslie Neilsen circa 1965. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. SOUTHLAND UNCENSORED: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON offers unexpurgated drama from one of television’s finest hours of late, as the men and women of the LAPD do their damndest to keep the City of Angels safe. Stars Michael Kudlitz, Benjamin McKenzie and Regina King. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Lionsgate releases TYLER PERRY’S HOUSE OF PAYNE: VOLUME EIGHT, featuring more sitcom zaniness from the Payne family, with 24 episodes on three discs. Full screen. Dolby 5.1 surround.



DOCUMENTARY DAYS As always, PBS leads the pack with some of the finest docs on DVD. First up, BRAIN FITNESS, VOLUME 1 which takes a look at the brain’s ability to change and adapt, and even rewire itself. Broken up into three parts: “Brain Fitness Squared: Sight and Sound,” “Brain Fitness Frontiers,” and “Brian Fitness Peak Performance.” All combine interviews with the greatest scientists of our times, research statistics and demonstrations. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. OUTBACK PELICANS takes a gander at some of Down Under’s most majestic birds, and how they manage to survive in Australia’s outback, one of the most desolate places on the planet. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. REMOTE CONTROL WAR takes a look at the men and women who pilot the unmanned drones that help the U.S. Army fight the war on terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Currently there are over 7,000 robots in the air and 12,000 on the ground, all of which are piloted by remote control. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. IRENA SENDLER: IN THE NAME OF THEIR MOTHERS takes a look at a group of young Polish women during WW II who managed to save over 2500 Jewish children by forging ID papers and placing them in Catholic safe houses. Led by Irena Sendler, this pulse-pounding doc plays out like the most double-barreled wartime thriller. Not to be missed. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. CHRONICLES OF THE THIRD REICH is a four hour special doc made in 1998 on the Reich’s 65th anniversary, examining its 12 year, 3 month and 9 day reign in Germany and Europe, and how its own perversion, greed and hubris brought its dreams of thousand year glory crashing down. Loaded with archival footage and interviews with survivors, a terrific historic document. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. JAPAN’S KILLER QUAKE examines the devastating earthquake March 11, 2011 that spawned some of the deadliest tsunamis in modern history, causing death, destruction and nuclear meltdown on an epic scale. Gripping stories from the storm’s survivors, along with heart-pounding footage of the killer waves in action help make this a powerful doc you won’t soon forget. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SURVIVORS OF THE FIRESTORM looks at the brushfires that swept through the Australian state of Victoria in 2009 and incinerated over a million acres of land. Scores of rare animals died, but many wounded and displaced creatures were rescued and nursed back to health by workers at wildlife hospitals across Oz. Touching, at times heartbreaking, documentary. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. BLACK IN LATIN AMERICA is a four-part series that examines the African influence on Latin America, produced by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Gates looks at how Africa and Europe came together to create the rich cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean. Four parts are: “Haiti & Dominican Republic: An Island Divided,” “Cuba: The Next Revolution,” “Brazil: A Racial Paradise,” and “Mexico & Peru: A Hidden Race.” Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SALMON: RUNNING THE GAUNTLET is a surprisingly exciting look at how tens of millions of salmon used to make the run up the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, but today, due to pollution, the Columbia River salmon are quickly vanishing from existence. Narrated by Jay O. Sanders, and also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. MLB BLOOPES DOUBLE HEADER is a riotous collection of some of the biggest gaffes ever recorded on a baseball diamond. Two-part special, narrated by Chris Katan and John Webber, respectively. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. PRIME 9: MLB HEROICS contains over 3 hours of content, exploring who makes up baseball’s greatest past, present and future. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. History Channel/New Video release ANCIENT ALIENS: SEASON TWO which explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have been visiting our planet for millions of years. From early cave drawings to sightings across the world, scholars and pundits continue the age-old debate: is there something out there? Ten episodes on three discs. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SWAMP PEOPLE: SEASON ONE takes a look at the denizens of Louisiana’s byzantine bayou country, and their efforts to balance the wilds of nature with civilization. Terrific balance of interviews and raw, no-holds barred, man vs. nature moments. Bonuses: Additional footage. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. UNDERWATER UNIVERSE: SEASON ONE is a compilation of four episodes, all looking at how undersea forces have brought terror and destruction to our planet throughout history. Great blend of CGI animation, breathtaking cinematography and submersible expedition footage. Bonuses: Feature-length special “Underwater Universe.” Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Caipirinha releases CULTURES OF RESISTANCE, a fascinating look by director Iara Lee at how disparate groups of people the world over use equally varied methods to combat oppression. Travelling over five continents in several years, Lee offers an optimistic view of human nature when pushed to its very limits of tolerance. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Sexy Intellectual releases NEIL YOUNG’S MUSIC BOX, a look at the legendary Canadian rocker’s life and times. Loaded with interviews of Young’s contemporaries, rock critics and historians, as well as archival footage of Young performing. A must-own for any serious fan of Young’s work. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Sony releases CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: JOURNEY OF MAN IN 3D, a stunning visual and aural feast that offers a filmed record of the famed troupe’s show that is a breathtaking odyssey that follows the stages of human development from birth to maturity. Beautifully shot and presented, with visuals that really pop in Blu-ray and 3-D. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT 2011: THE 3-D EXPERIENCE offers up some of the world’s most beautiful women being photographed for SI’s legendary Swimsuit Issue, a staple since the 1970s. Featuring supermodels Julie Henderson, Alyssa Miller and Irina Shayk, watch as the lovely ladies enhance the natural beauty of the island of Maui. Yeow! Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround. Warner Bros. releases AC/DC: LET THERE BE ROCK a stunning remastering of the legendary concert film on the 30th anniversary of its release. In addition to seeing the lads circa 1981 in digitally-remastered glory, the film is being packaged in a limited edition tin, with over an hour of all-new bonuses, including Featurettes, interviews with the band and their contemporaries, as well as journalists and rock historians, who discuss the band’s significance in the world of music and popular culture. Also features a 32-page tribute book, souvenir guitar pick, 10 collector cards. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.



FOR THE YOUNG ‘UNS Paramount/Nickelodeon lead the pack with ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE: SEASON ONE, starring Rocko the wallaby and all his pals from the outback in 13 episodes on two packed DVDs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. BIG BOX OF PLAY DATES 2 features three DVDs sure to please the most discriminating kiddo: SUMMER VACATION, SISTERS AND BROTHERS and WE LOVE OUR FRIENDS, all featuring Dora the Explorer, Diego, the Yo Gabba Gabba! gang and other Nickelodeon favorites in a variety of themed adventures. YO GABBA GABBA! CIRCUS features the gang in four circus-themed adventures, sure to please kids 4-6. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: HEROES OF BIKINI BOTTOM features Spongebob and pals in eight adventures focusing on to town of Bikini Bottom and the value of teamwork. Bonuses: Animated shorts; Bonus episode of “T.U.F.F. Puppy.” Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SUMMER VACATION offers six adventures featuring all the Nickelodeon characters with travel, ecological and outdoor themes. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Shout Factory releases TRANSFORMERS BEAST WARS: THE COMPLETE SERIES, the complete Emmy-winning series telling the epic story of the Maximals and the Predacons in one DVD set. A huge hit on Saturday mornings in the mid-90s, the Transformers ran for three hit seasons, offering eye-popping animation and imaginative storylines. Bonuses: Retrospective featurettes; Art galleries; Collectible booklet. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Warner Bros. releases GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS, an all-new animated adventure in six episodes, written by acclaimed comic scribes Geoff Johns, Alan Burnett, and Dave Gibbons, which explores the origins and lore of the legendary DC Comics character. Great fun and whets the appetite for this summer’s big screen feature. Bonuses: Featurettes; Filmmaker commentary; Sneak peak of Batman: Year One; 2 bonus cartoons. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround. Disney releases GNOMEO & JULIET, from the director of Shrek 2, resetting Shakespeare’s classic into the world of gnomes and fairies. Featuring the music of Elton John and voice work from stars such as Emily Blunt, James McAvoy and Sir Michael Caine. A delightful animated romp that is sure to please young and old alike. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 and DTS-HD 7.1 surround. LEMONADE MOUTH: EXTENDED EDITION is a Disney original movie, starring Bridgit Mendler and Adam Hicks in a musical coming-of-age adventure that follows five freshmen who meet in detention. Thought it seems they have nothing in common at first, they all realize they share the common bond of music. Sort of an updated (and sanitized) Breakfast Club with kids who can sing and play guitar, but sure to please the pre-high schoolers in your house. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Extended music score; Sing-along. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.