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of a football game and a brothel." -- Federico Fellini
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'Dear John' Letter for 'Avatar'
(February 7)
After eight weekends sitting atop the boxoffice charts, James Cameron's sci-fi epic "Avatar" has been dethroned -- and by an unlikely culprit: a "chick flick." According to Inside Movie's weekend boxoffice report, "Dear John" took in an estimated
$32.4 million, an astonishing number for a film aimed strictly at women. No tears for Cameron, however; its weekend second-place total of $23.6 million takes its domestic boxoffice record to $630 million. In third place was "From Paris With Love," which took in $8.1 million, a low number for an action film and one starring John Travolta. Maybe the guys were too hyped on the Super Bowl to have the energy for a flick this weekend. "Edge of Darkness" with $7 million and
"Tooth Fairy" with $6.5 million round out the Top 5.
This Week's Releases (February 2)
From the Big Screen:"Adam," "Amelia," "Love Happens," "New York, I Love You" and "Zombieland." For more releases this week, see the "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."DVD Collectibles:
Universal is releasing this week a special edition of "The Wolf Man"
(1941), starring Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Maria Ouspenskaya and Patric Knowles, in a two-Disc special edition, with a digitally remastered picture and new bonus features ... just in time for the February 12 theatrical release of director Joe Johnston's remake starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Hugo Weaving and Anthony Hopkins (also released by Universal). Bonus features include a trailer gallery, commentary by film historian Tom Weaver, a host of featurettes: "Monster by Moonlight," "The Wolf Man Archives," "The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth," "Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney Jr.," "He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce," "Universal Horror."
From TV to Video:
"Beverly Hills 90210: The Ninth Season" (1998-99) is a six-disc set with 26 episodes, $59.98 from Paramount ... "Dr. Who: The Complete Specials"
(2009) features four action-packed specials -- "The Next Doctor," "Planet of the Dead," "Waters of Mars" and "The End of Time, Parts 1 and 2" -- that serve as a farewell to David Tennant; from BBC/Warner ... "Doc Martin, Series 3" (2007) features seven episodes of the British (and PBS) series about the surly, tactless, self-centered, and uptight doctor living amid eccentric townsfolk and spectacular scenery, kind of "Northern Exposure" meets "House"; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... " Dynasty: Season Four, Vol. 2" (1984) is a three-disc set with 12 episodes, $36.98 from Paramount ... "The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season Six" (1975-76) is a three-disc set with 24 episodes, $29.98 from Fox ... "A Mind to Kill: The Complete First Series" (1994-95) features six episodes of the British series about an old-school Welsh cop tackling disturbing modern crimes, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Eleventh Season" (1994-95) is a five-disc set with 21 episodes, $49.98 from Universal ... "She-Wolf of London: The Complete Series" (1990) is a four-disc set with all 20 episodes, $39.98 from Universal ... "Zane's Sex Chronicles: The Complete First Season" (2008) is a two-disc set with 12 episodes of the Cinemax urban adult series that follows five sexy friends as they take on hot issues of life, love and liberation in the big city, $29.98 from Warner.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
A creaky Victorian mansion, a graveyard, a lunar eclipse and a pretty college girl: all the elements of classic '80s horror are back with an old-school atmosphere of dread and "satanic panic" and a less-is-more approach -- with a modern twist in "The House of the Devil" (2009), starring Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Jocelin Donahue, Greta Gerwig and AJ Bowen, from Dark Sky Films/MPI Media Group ... Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren reteam for another Universal Soldier chapter, "Universal Soldier: Regeneration"
(2010), about the next-generation Universal Soldier -- an elite fighter genetically altered into a programmable killing machine, from Sony ... Five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio, star in "More Than a Game" (2009), the remarkable true-life coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player's father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the "Fab Five's" improbable seven-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship; from Lionsgate ...Tony Jaa stars in and directs "Ong Bak 2: The Beginning" (2009 -- Thailand), a prequel to "Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior": A hundred years in the past, an orphan boy is raised by bandits, trained to be a killer and prophesied to be the conqueror of an empire; well-taught in countless styles of weaponry and martial arts, he is a one-man-army hell bent on avenging the murder of his parents; from Magnolia Home Entertainment.
For the Family:"Air Bud: Golden Receiver Special Edition" is a remastered version of the 1998 kids tale, starring Tim Conway, Dick Martin, Kevin Zegers and Cynthia Stevenson, packed with an Airbud Sport Whistle Necklace, from Disney ... In "Elmo's World: Let's Play Music" (2010), Elmo teaches pre-schoolers about violins, bells and drums, $12.99 from Sesame Street/Warner ... "Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases Volume 4" is a single-disc with 14 episodes, $14.97 from Warner.
Special Interest:
"Hitler's Bodyguard," is a four-disc set with 13 episodes of the series that examines how Adolf Hitler managed to survive more than 40 assassination attempts before the end of World War II, $79.99 from Acorn Media ... "The Evelyn Waugh Collection"
brings together faithful adaptations of two of the master storyteller's most brilliant and biting satires, "A Handful of Dust" (1988) and "Scoop" (1988), with casts that include Kristin Scott Thomas in her breakthrough role, Alec Guinness, Rupert Graves, Stephen Fry, Michael Maloney, Anjelica Huston, and Judi Dench in a BAFTA-winning role; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Liza's at the Palace" (2009) captures Liza Minnelli's midnight performance at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2009, where she re-created her Broadway show at the Palace Theater, which, just a few months earlier, had won the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event, with songs written by such greats as George and Ira Gershwin, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Sammy Cahn and the team most associated with Minnelli, John Kander and Fred Ebb, composers of the showstoppers "Cabaret," "Maybe This Time," "But the World Goes 'Round" and "New York, New York"; $24.98 from MPI Home Video ... "Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me"
(2009) is the comedian' second solo HBO comedy special, $19.97 from Warner ... "
Amelia Earhart: Queen of the Air" (2009) is a Bio Channel documentary just in time for the DVD release of "Amelia," starring Hilary Swank; $12.95 from A&E Home Entertainment.
More News:'Avatar' Rolls a Seven at the Boxoffice, Beats Gibson
(January 31)
We're getting tired of this -- well, not really: In its seventh weekend, James Cameron's "Avatar" again topped the domestic and international boxoffices, finishing No. 1 with $30 million in North America and $95.1 million at 120 overseas markets. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the domestic gross now registers $594.5 million through the weekend and an overseas total of $1.45 billion, pushing the film's worldwide gross to $2.045 billion. "Avatar" is still $6.3 million short of Cameron's "Titanic's" U.S. and Canada record of $600.8 million, however, but that record should fall this week. "Avatar" broke "Titanic's" all-time overseas gross mark of $1.242 billion on Jan. 23, and notched a new worldwide benchmark $1.859 billion last Monday. For how other films fared this weekend -- in particular Mel Gibson's return to the big screen, read Mel's Comeback Falls Short of 'Avatar' -- Box Office Report Jan. 29-31 at Inside Movies.This Week's Releases (January 26)
From the Big Screen:"The Boys Are Back," "Bright Star," "Michael Jackson's This Is It," "St. Trinian's," "Saw VI," "Surrogates" and "Whip It." For more releases this week, see the "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."
DVD Collectibles:There's two great collections due this week. First up is The Criterion Collection's homage to Roberto Rossellini, one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. It was with his trilogy of films made during and after World War II -- "Rome Open City," "Paisan" and "Germany Year Zero" -- that he left his first transformative mark on cinema. With their stripped-down aesthetic, largely nonprofessional casts, and unorthodox approaches to storytelling, these intensely emotional works were international sensations and effectively launched the neorealist movement. Shot in battle-ravaged Italy and Germany, these three films are some of our most lasting, humane documents of devastated postwar Europe, containing universal images that encompass both tragedy and hope. "Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy" comes in a three-disc set loaded with features, $79.95.
From TV to Video:"Bonekickers" (2008) is a BBC action-adventure series that follows a motley team of archaeologists as they unearth secrets from the past, in a six-disc set, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Callan, Set 2" is a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "Cowboys & Outlaws" (2009) is a two-disc set of the History Channel series, $24.95 from A&E Home Entertainment ... "The Inspector Lewis Complete Set" is an eight-disc set with 11 Masterpiece Mystery! Inspector Lewis mysteries, $69.99 from PBS ... "MI-5 Volume 7" (2009) is a four-disc set with eight episodes of the British spy series, from Warner ... "Pawn Stars: Season One" (2009) is a two-disc set, $19.95 from A&E Home Entertainment ... "Pie in the Sky, Series 2" is a three-disc set with 10 episodes of the much-loved British detective series that features equal amounts of police work and culinary adventure, $49.99 from Acorn Media ... "Southland: The Complete First Season" (2009) is a two-disc set with seven episodes, $29.98 from Warner ... "Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection -- Faith" and "Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection -- Love" each contain four thematic episodes; from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount ... "The Waltons: The Movie Collection" contains six Walton telefilms that aired between 1982-1997 on CBS, from Warner ... "The Whitest Kids U'know: The Complete Second Season -- Uncut and Uncensored" (2008) is a two-disc set with 10 episodes, $24.98 from E1 Entertainment. (Posted January 26)
Buzzin' the 'B's:"I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" (2009) chronicles one young man's alcohol-fueled adventures on a night of debauchery, first to a friend's bachelor party, where he ensnares the groom in a lie that threatens the wedding and then abandons him to pursue further carnal knowledge. Stars Matt Czuchry, Jesse Bradford, Geoff Stults, Keri Lynn Pratt, Denise Quinones; unrated version from Fox ... "Ponypool" (2008) is a cult sychological horror thriller about a radio shock-jock who discovers that a deadly virus -- which turns people into murderers -- is being spread through language and has infected his small Canadian town; stars Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly, Rick Roberts; from IFC Films ... In "On the Line" (1987), starring David Carradine, Scott Wilson and Victoria Abril, a Border Patrol agent is determined to catch his old nemesis, an American criminal who successfully smuggles illegal aliens across the border from Mexico; from Vanguard Cinema ... A tough as nails private investigator squares off with gangsters and thugs to protect a valuable and mysterious suitcase that purportedly contains the "meaning of love" in "Give 'em Hell Malone" (2009), starring Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames, Doug Hutchison abd Elsa Pataky; from National Entertainment Media ... A tough convict serving a life sentence puts together a hardcore crew to bust out of a London penitentiary to see his terminally ill daughter in "The Escapist" (2008), starring Brian Cox, Damian Lewis, Joseph Fiennes, Seu Jorge, Liam Cunningham and Dominic Cooper; a BAFTA award-winner from IFC Films ... A struggling songwriter/high school teacher, who obsesses over the women in his life, gets involved with a female drifter who drags him down with lies, threats and betrayal in "Mr. Vincent" (1997), starring Frank John Hughes, Lisa Locicero, Mimi Scott, Robert Bruzio; from Vanguard Cinema ... "Carnera: The Walking Mountain" (2008) is a biodrama about the Italian fighting champ Primo Carnera, who won the World heaveyweight Championship in 1933; stars Andrea Laia, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Sorvino and Burt Young; from Monarch Home Video ... and, finally, two Asian martial arts outings from Lionsgate: "Jackie Chan Presents Wushu" (2008), starring Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Fengchao Liu, Wenjie Wang and Fei Wang, about a group elite martial arts practioners who cross paths with an evil martial arts master and foil his kidnapping plan, using their combat skills to defeat the enemy and save their brotherhood; and "Fireball" (2009), starring Preeti Barameeanant, Khanutra Chuchuaysuwan, 9 Million Sam and Phutharit Prombundarn in a Thai actioner about a young man who returns home from jail to find his twin brother in a coma; his investigation of the crime leads him to an underground ultra-violent game based on Muay Thai and Basketball principles, hosted by criminal drug lords, where he risks his life to avenge his brother. (Posted January 26)
On the Indie Front:"Little Ashes" (2009), directed by Paul Morrison and starring Javier Beltran, Robert Pattinson, Matthew McNulty, Marina Gatell, is a docudrama about the life and loves of artist Salvador Dali, filmmaker Luis Bunuel and writer Federico Garcia Lorca in 1920s Madrid; from E1 Entertainment ... Two brothers on a cross-country search for their estranged father are joined by an aspiring singer fleeing her troubled marriage in "Tennessee"
(2009), starring Mariah Carey, Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck; from Vivendi Entertainment ...
A young man, stuck working at his stepfather's gas station, struggles to change his life and save his girlfriend from an abusive life, in "Fuel" (2009), starring Michael Esparza and C. Thomas Howell; from Vanguard Cinema ... An aspiring musician who makes ends meet by working as a waitress in London is swept off her feet by a stranger who frequents her deli in
"In a Day" (2006), starring Lorraine Pilkington and Finlay Robertson; from IFC Films ... A 16-year-old girl is uprooted by her lesbian moms from her gay-friendly home in San Francisco and moved to a conservative suburban community in Southern California, where her life is complicated by sexual politics, closed minds and closeted friends, in "Tru Loved" (2008), starring Najarra Townsend, Jake Abel, Matthew Thompson and Alexandra Paul; from E1 Entertainment ... In "3 Americas" (2008) starring Kristen Gonzalez, a young girl -- America -- spends her summer in Boston shoplifting, hanging out with friends and avoiding her aunt's alcoholic husband until she's sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina to live with her reclusive and anti-American grandmother, where she must struggle to find her place; from Vanguard Cinema. (Posted January 26)
Foreign:In "Quiet Chaos" (2008 -- Italy), a stressed-out business executive loses his wife and then struggles to raise his 10-year-old daughter by himself, waiting for the pain to arrive every day but instead taking on the pain and difficulties of his friends, relatives and co-workers. Stars Nanni Moretti, Valeria Golino, Alessandro Gassman, Isabella Ferrari. Winner of three David di Donatella Awards (Italy's Oscars); from IFC Films ... In "The Higher Force" (2008 -- Iceland), a low-life debt collector becomes the top dog in his paranoid gang by pretending to know a renowned crime lord, a neighbor of his who happens to be a lonely school teacher with illusions of grandeur and troubles at work. Naturally, things get out of hand when the gang wants him to move on the "crime lord." Stars Petur Johann Sigfusson, Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson, Eggert Borleifsson and Michael Imperioli; from Vanguard Cinema ... "Mermaid" (2008) was Russia's entry in the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Five-year-old Alisa has taken a rebellious vow of silence and when she's shipped off to a special-needs school, she channels her emotional turmoil into magical telekinetic powers. Years later, she meets a man who inspires her to speak again; from IFC Films. (Posted January 26)
For the Family:In the feature-length "SpongeBob SquarePants: Viking-Sized Adventure" (2009), SpongeBob and his pals go on a Viking-Sized Adventure, weather a storm, fill in for super heroes Mermaidman and Barnacleboy and meet Mr. Krab's grandpappy the pirate; $16.99 from Paramount ... "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" (1985) is a remastered deluxe edition of the classic peanuts cartoon; $19.98 from Warner ... "I Heart Jonas" (2009) is a single-disc with seven episodes of the Jonas brothers series, with premium magnets featuring each of the Jonas Brothers on the package; $19.99 from Disney. (Posted January 26)
Special Interest:"WWII in HD" (2009) is a visually astonishing landmark series that presents the story of World War II through the eyes of 12 Americans who experienced the war firsthand, using color footage never before seen by most Americans -- converted to HD; from A&E Home Entertainment ... "Copyright Criminals: This Is a Sampling Sport" (2009) is a documentary that traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry, examing the legality of hip-hop performers and producers re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions; from Indiepix Films ... "The People Speak" (2009): This stirring History program pays homage to ordinary citizens whose words and actions commanded extraordinary change in America, presenting history through speeches, letters and music performed by today’s most talented voices. Based on historian Howard Zinn's best-selling books, including "The People’s History of the United States" and "Voices of a People’s History," it features Matt Damon reading from The Declaration of Independence; Bruce Springsteen performing Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" with voiceovers by Morgan Freeman, Marisa Tomei, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Kerry Washington, Bob Dylan and Eddie Vedder; $19.95 from A&E Home Entertainment ... "Dominick Dunne: After the Party" (2009) is a candid and poignant journey through Vanity Fair correspondent Dunne's roller coaster life, as told through the pictures, films, and unforgettable stories of the man himself and those that knew him best; from Indiepix Films ... "Prom Night in Mississippi" (2008) is a documentary about a small-town in Mississippi as it prepares for its first integrated senior prom; in 1970, the town of Charleston, Mississippi, allowed black students into their white high school, but refused to integrate the senior prom. Twenty-seven years later, Charleston resident and Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offered to finance the prom -- under one condition: it had to be integrated; from Docurama Films ... "Brave New Films 5th Anniversary Activist Collection": For the past five years, Robert Greenwald and his production company, Brave New Films, have been at the forefront of the fight to create a just America. Using new media and Internet video campaigns, Brave New Films has created a quick-strike capability that informs the public, challenges corporate media, and motivates people to take action on social issues worldwide. This is a compilation of virtually everything they've produced to date in a colossal, 10-disc box set. Titles include: "Rethink Afghanistan," "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War," "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," "Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers," more; $59.99 from The Disinformation Company ... "Re:Frame -- Scanning Time/Documenting Change" (2009) is a selection of seven films from a contemporary Indian cinema far removed from Bollywood, oscillating between documentary, video art, experimental film, and animation; from Microcinema International ... "All About Prints: 500 Years of Prints and Printmaking" (2009) was shot in Hi-Def video at museum print rooms, print fairs, galleries, and print workshops in America and Europe, and explores the collaborative nature of printmaking, the democratic character of multiples, and the deep-rooted traditions of the art form; from Microcinema International ... and, finally, there's two A&E Home Entertainment DVDs that look at the JFK assassiantion: "JFK: 3 Shots That Changed America" (2009), a four-hour special that strips away years of confusion to allow for a fresh and clear-eyed view of that historic day in November 1963, when a gunman pulled a trigger and forever changed the world, $19.95 and "The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After" (2009), a near real-time account of this pivotal day in history told from the point-of-view of Lyndon Johnson that uses stunning details uncovered in newly public documents to reveal a vice president thrust into the role of commander-in-chief, forced to make critical decisions with limited information, $19.95. (Posted January 26)Boxoffice: Cameron's 'Avatar' on Way to Beating His 'Titanic' Record
(January 24)
For the sixth week in a row James Cameron's "Avatar" has dominated the domestic boxoffice, the first film since the director's "Titanic" to top domestic rankings for six straight weekends, taking in $36 million to push its boxoffice to $552.8 million. "Titanic" took in $600.8 million domestically. According to Inside Movies, if it can average $6.3 million a day over the next eight days, it will have eclipsed "Titanic's" record by the morning of the Oscar nominations. And, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "Avatar" became the biggest-grossing offshore title in movie history, earning $1.288 billion to date, exceeding by $46 million "Titanic's" 13-year international boxoffice record of $1.242 billion. Overall, "Avatar" has an estimated $1.841 billion in worldwide boxoffice, just a shade behind the record $1.843 billion rung up by the "Titanic" in 1997-98.Coming Soon: Recent DVD Announcements
(January 21)
There's a whole spate of new releases coming down the DVD pipeline as the studios begin to release their fourth quarter 2009 movies to home video. Coming soon: Feb. 23: "Everybody's Fine," with Robert De Niro; Uma Thurman's "Motherhood," documentary "The September Issue" and horror-thriller "Sorority Row." Due March 9: Animated "Planet 51." Due March 16: "Astro Boy" and sci-fi thriller "Fourth Kind." Due March 23: "The Blind Side," "Men Who Stare at Goats" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Check out our February and March calendars and February and March DVD charts for more information.This Week's Releases (January 19)
From the Big Screen:"Gamer," "The Invention of Lying," "Pandorum" and "Whiteout." For more releases this week, see the "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."
DVD Collectibles:
There's an eclectic batch of collectible DVDs this week, headed up by an all-new anamorphic widescreen transfer of the 1977 cult film "Kingdom of the Spiders," starring William Shatner, Woody Strode, Tiffany Bolling, Roy Engel and Lieux Dressler. The plot: An Arizona town is infested with a horde of arachnids who turn on the humans whose insecticides have depleted their natural food supply. Bonus features include a new interview with William Shatner; commentary by director John Bud Cardos, producer Igor Kantor, spider wrangler Jim Brockett and cinematographer John Morrill; and more; from Shout! Factory.
From The Criterion Collection comes Steven Soderbergh's "Che"
(2008), a fascinating exploration of the revolutionary as icon. "Che" paints a vivid,
naturalistic portrait of the man (with a stunning, Cannes-award-winning performance by Benicio del Toro), from his overthrow of the Batista dictatorship to his 1964 United Nations trip to the end of his short life. Originally released in two parts, "Che" is presented here in its complete form (four-and-a-half hours).
From TV to Video:
"Dallas: The Complete Twelfth Season" (1988-89) is a three-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.98 from Warner ... "Damages: The Complete Second Season" (2009) a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.95 from Sony ... "Defying Gravity Season One" (2009), a four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98 from Fox ... "The Game: The Second Season" (2007-08), a three-disc set with 20 episodes, $36.98 from Paramount ... "Girlfriends: The Final Season" (2007), A two-disc set with 13 episodes, $36.98 from Paramount ... "Hunter: The Complete First Season" (1984), a three-disc set with 19 episodes, $14.98 from Mill Creek Entertainment ... "In the Doghouse Season One" (1998), featuring 13 episodes, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment) ... "Instant Star Season Three" (2007), with 13 episodes, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... "Law & Order: The Seventh Year" (1996-97), a five-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98 from Universal ... "Renegade: The Complete First Season" (1992), a four-disc set with 22 episodes, $14.98 from Mill Creek Entertainment ... "Thirtysomething: The Complete Second Season" (1988-89), a five-disc set with 17 episodes, loaded with bonus features, $59.97 from Shout! Factory ... "21 Jump Street: The Complete First Season" (1987), a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $14.98 from Mill Creek Entertainment. (Posted January 19)
Buzzin' the 'B's:"Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball" (2009) stars Tom Berenger, Clayne Crawford, Martha Higareda, Ernie Hudson, Michael Parks, Autumn Reeser, Vinnie Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Maury Sterling and Christopher Michael Holley in this direct-to-video sequel of sorts to the popular "Smokin' Aces" in which assassins, vicious sociopaths and other murderous free-lancers battle to bring down a single, high-priced target. Federal agents once again match wits with a cadre of creative killers, includes a resourceful beauty who has a unique method of killing her prey, a power-tool wielding psychopath, a deadly master of disguise and the fan-favorite Tremor family from the original film. Full of hyper-kinetic visuals and explosive action. From Universal ... "The Keeper" (2009) is a direct-to-video Steven Seagal thriller about an L.A. street cop double-crossed by his rogue partner and forced to retire; he accepts a gig guarding the beautiful daughter of a wealthy businessman but when mobsters kidnap the girl, his job turns from protector to hunter as he untangles a dangerous web of lies and murder. From Fox ... "Speed Dating" (2008) is a comedy about a thirtysomething guy who takes up speed dating and gets involved with a mysterious woman; stars Hugh O'Conor, David Hayman, Flora Montgomery, Don Wycherly, Alex Reid, Nora-Jane Noone and Emma Choy; from MTI Home Video. (Posted January 19)
On the Indie Front:In "According to Greta" (2009), Hilary Duff stars as Greta, a rebellious 17-year-old "exiled" for the summer to a sleepy Jersey-shore community where she immediately informs her grandparents (Michael Murphy and Ellen Burstyn) of her plans to kill herself by the time she turns 18. But before Greta can cross suicide off her "to-do" list, she begins a romance with a young cook from a troubled background, confronts a tragic family secret and maybe even discovers the promising young woman beneath her sarcastic shell. From Anchor Bay Entertainment. (Posted January 19)
Foreign:There's two interesting German films from First Run features this week: "My Führer" (2009 -- Germany)
is a blistering satire about Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich best described as the bastard love child of Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and Mel Brooks' "The Producers." It's December 1944: Berlin lies in ruins and the war is as good as lost. Goebbels is convinced all the country needs is a re-energizing speech from the Führer. Adolf, however, is only a shadow of his former self; demoralized and depressed, he hides in his office. The only man who can help is Germany's finest acting teacher, Adolf Grührernbaum -- a Jew ... Between 1946 and 1992, East Germany's DEFA Studios produced more than 800 animated films. Included in the collection "Red Cartoons: Animation Before Unification" are 16 of the best -- an astonishing array of animation featuring a wide variety of styles and techniques, filled with social and political satire that would have never been allowed in live action films. (Posted January 19)
There's Just No Stopping 'Avatar' (January 17) According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, "Avatar" is on its way to winning another weekend at the boxoffice, making this its fifth in a row. The film dropped just 18% from its previous Friday-Sunday tally for an estimated $41.3 million through Sunday, with its $491.8 million domestic boxoffice part of a $1.61 billion worldwide tally. According to THR, "Avatar" is expected to surpass $500 million in domestic boxoffice on Monday, its 32nd day in release. That would beat the 45-day record set by "The Dark Knight" in 2008; "Titanic" took 98 days. (Posted January 19)'New Moon' Rises on DVD March 20
(January 15)
Twihards Rejoice! This just in from Summit Entertainment: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" will be released on a two-disc Special Edition DVD and Special Edition Blu-ray on March 20, a Saturday street date that will allow fans across the nation to celebrate at retailers' midnight release parties before taking home the film at 12:01 a.m. Already a worldwide literary phenomenon, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," a post-modern Romeo and Juliet story, took in an estimated $300 million domestic at the theatrical box office and had the third largest opening weekend box office in movie history at $142 million. The DVD and Blu-ray releases will sell for $32.99 and $34.99, respectively, and will include commentary by director Chris Weitz and editor Peter Lambert; a six-part behind-the-scenes documentary; music videos from Death Cab for Cutie, Anya Marina and Mute Math; and more.'The African Queen' Finally Chugs to DVD, Blu-ray
(December 13)
The long-awaited classic "The African Queen" (1951), directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, has finally made it's way to DVD and Blu-ray Disc with a completely restored edition of the print. According to the folks at Paramount, which is releasing the film March 23, "The African Queen was "restored using state-of-the-art 4K digital technology. The restoration process began at the source: Romulus Films, one of the film's original production companies, provided access to the original three-strip negative at a London facility where the film was carefully scanned and digitized. The separate elements were then transferred to Los Angeles and painstakingly recombined and inspected frame by frame." A single-disc and a collectible box set will be available in both formats. Read more info on the release of "The African Queen and read The DVD Spin Doctor's take on the release.Warner Sets Date for 'Wild Things' DVD
(January 11)
Warner Home Video has just announced a March 2 release date for the DVD and Blu-ray Disc of Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." The film, which stars Max Records, Catherine Keener, Benicio Del Toro, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O'Hara, Tom Noonanand James Gandolfini, took some critical hits when it opened last October, with many reviewers bemoaning the film's slow pace and awkward-looking "Wild Things." Other's thought that in his attempt to bring the book to the screen for more adult tastes that Jonze's had created a hybrid kids film/grownup film that pleased neither. Still, "Wild Things" went on to make more than $76 million at the domestic boxoffice.This Week's Releases (January 12)
From the Big Screen:"Departures," "Fame," "Halloween II," "The Hurt Locker," "In the Loop," "Moon," "Post Grad" and "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself." For more releases this week, see the "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."
From TV to Video:
"Becker: The Third Season" (2000-01), a three-disc set with 24 episodes, $36.98 from Paramount ... "ER: The Complete Twelfth Season" (2005-06), a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98 from Warner ... "Make It or Break It: Volume One (Extended Edition)" (2009), a two-disc set with 10 episodes, $29.99 from Disney ... "Robin Hood: Season Three" (2009), a five-disc set with 13 episodes from the final season of the popular BBC America series, $59.98 from BBC/Warner ... "The Simpsons Season 20" (2009-09), a four-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray with 21 episodes, from Fox ... "10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One" (1999), a two disc-set with 11 episodes, $29.99 from Disney. (Posted January 12)
Buzzin' the 'B's:A 35-year-old parking attendant who lives at home with his mother and is a self-described "world's biggest New York Giants fan" struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player in "Big Fan" (2009), starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport and Marcia Jean Kurtz, from Vivendi Entertainment ... "Breaking Point" (2009) is a dramatic tale of corruption and self-realization, in which a once prominent criminal defense attorney attempts to come back to the profession after a struggle with drug addiction and a family tragedy, starring Tom Berenger, Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante, Sticky Fingaz and Musetta Vande, from Barnholtz Entertainment/Lionsgate ... "Deep in the Valley" (2009), starring Denise Richards, Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, Brendan Hines and Chris Pratt, is an erotic comedy about a mysterious video booth that transports two friends to an alternate reality straight out of a pornographic film; in R-rated and unrated versions from Vivendi Entertainment ... A young man growing up in war-torn Hungary becomes fixated on older women in "In Praise of Older Women" (1978), starring Tom Berenger, Karen Black, Susan Strasberg and Helen Shaver,from E1 Entertainment ... In "The Riverman" (2004), based on real-life events, Robert Keppel, former chief criminal investigator for the attorney general of Washington, recounts the efforts to track down mass murderer Gary Ridgeway, aka the Green River Killer, recruiting imprisoned serial killer Ted Bundy to help find the killer-at-large. Stars Bruce Greenwood, Cary Elwes, Sam Jaeger, Sarah Manninen and Kathleen Quinlan. From North American Motion Pictures ... A gun-slinging ex-convict goes on a death quest to find the man who murdered his wife more than a decade ago in "Ca$h" (2008), starring Thom Doty, Jerry Lloyd and Ray Stanton, from MTI Home Video. (Posted January 12)
On the Indie Front:"Passing Strange: The Movie" (2009), directed by Spike Lee and starring Daniel Breaker and Eisa Davis, is an adaptation of the Broadway play for PBS; it's a semi-autobiographical story of a young black man, identified simply as Youth, who leaves behind his middle-class, church-ruled upbringing in mid-1970s Los Angeles to travel to Europe in search of his artistic and personal identity, or what he calls "the real." From IFC Films ... "Amreeka" (2009), starring Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass and Alia Shawkat, is a heart-warming tale of an immigrant mother and her teenage son's new life in a small town in Illinois, from Virgil Films & Entertainment ... In "Superheroes" (2007), starring Dash Mihok and Spencer Treat Clark, an Iraq war veteran comes home to New York to deal with emotional as well as physical trauma, including the heartbreak of being abandoned by his wife for another man; from IFC Films ... In Strong>"Goliath" (2008), starring David Zellner, Nathan Zellner and Caroline O'Connor, a young man who is going through a nasty divorce and is facing a demotion at work really starts to lose his grip when his lone anchor to life, his cat Goliath, goes missing, setting him on a pathetic, comedic search, from IFC Films ... Affirm Films/Sony has two interesting releases this week: "The Moment After" (1999), starring Kevin Downes, David A. R. White and Brad Heller, about two F.B.I. agents who are assigned to investigate the sudden disappearance of millions of people worldwide; and "The Theory of Everything" (2006), starring David de Vos and Victor Lundin in a drama about the power of family as a son helps his dying father on his quest to explain the existence of God through science. (Posted January 12)
Foreign:In Argentina, they're known as the desaparecidos -- the disappeared -- the 30,000 people believed to have been kidnapped and murdered by a military junta between 1976 and 1983. The national nightmare haunts the country to this day, and writer-director Paco Cabezas makes that haunting literal in "The Appeared" (2007 -- Spanish), a ghost story combining fact and fiction. During a road trip to visit their dying father, an estranged brother and sister discover a hidden diary from 20 years earlier that reveals a family legacy of fear and torture. That very night a family is killed in a manner eerily resembling a description in the old diary, and the siblings must confront the truth behind the trail of "the disappeared" -- some of whom may have now returned to our world in this startling combination of supernatural chiller and shocking political thriller. From IFC Films. (Posted January 12)
For the Family:"Like Stars on Earth" (2009) is produced, directed and stars Aamir Khan, one of India's most acclaimed filmmakers. The film follows 8-year-old Mumbai native Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary), who lives in a world where letters dance exuberantly with the brilliant colors, lively animals and joyfully soaring kites of his fantastical imagination. Struggling to read and write and unable to deliver the good grades and disciplined behavior expected by his parents and teachers, he's shipped off to a boarding school where his new art teacher energizes him by asking students to think, dream and imagine, instead of merely following the rules. Includes seven Bollywood dance numbers, vividly imagined animated interludes and a brand new English-language track. From Disney ... "The Transformers: Season Two, Volume Two (25th Anniversary Edition)" (1985) is a four-disc set with 21 episodes, $29.99 from Shout! Factory ... "Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers"
(1979) is a 24-minute Valentine's Day TV feature, $14.97. from Warner ... "Bob the Builder: The Best of Bob the Builder" (2010) features three hours of nuts and bolts action with 10 episodes of Bob and his Can-Do Crew, $14.98 from Lionsgate/Hit Entertainment ... In "Let's Grow: Lend a Helping Hand" (2010), Kelly and her puppet friend, Chica -- the hosts of TV's "The Sunny Side Up Show" on pre-school channel Sprout -- host this new series of DVDs that weave together themed-episodes from HIT TV series to focus on issues pre-schoolers are growing up with -- manners, safety, friendship, cooperation, etc. This first releases focuses on lending a helping hand with episodes from Thomas & Friends, Barney, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina. $14.98 from Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment. (Posted January 12)
Special Interest:"The Good Soldier" (2009) is an acclaimed documentary that follows the journey of five combat veterans from different generations of American wars -- World War II, Vietnam, The Gulf War and The Iraq War. They sign up, go into battle, and simultaneously grapple with what it means to be a good soldier as it relates to their duty and their own humanity. The veterans tell of their alien surroundings, their connection to their comrades, and the ghastliness of their reality. Each man in his own time discovers the courage to confront his past actions and begin his healing. From Artistic License Films/NeoFlix ... The documentary "Frontrunner" (2009) tells the heroic story of the medical doctor and mother of three who, as a children's advocate, defied the murderous Taliban regime and boldly ran for president -- the only woman in a field of 17 candidates -- in Afghanistan's first democratic election ever. From IndiePix ... "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama" (2009) is an HBO documentary that follows Senator Obama from the moment he declared his candidacy to his historic election and inauguration as the first black president of the United States; told through unprecedented and exclusive footage of Obama and his staff, the film offers viewers an all-access pass to campaign life on the historic road to the White House. $24.96 from Sony ... In "Acting Shakespeare" (2009), Ian Mckellan performs Shakespeare's most famous and striking monologues in a masterful one-man tour de force. $29.98 from E1 Entertainment. (Posted January 12)Fourth Consecutive No. 1 Week for 'Avatar'
(January 10)
The boxoffice for James Cameron's "Avatar" is still out of this world with a fourth-consecutive week at the No. 1 position with an estimated $48.5 million, giving the film a $429 million domestic gross. The sci-fi epic has garnered $1.34 billion worldwide to-date, the second-highest in history after the filmmaker's "Titanic," which took in $1.84 billion in 1997-98, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter. According to the trade paper, the film's domestic total is the seventh-best ever after 24 days of release. Two new wide releases -- the vampire actioner "Daybreakers" and the romantic comedy "Leap Year" performed as expected, landing in the fourth and sixth spots respectively. Not so for the buzzed-about Michael Cera-starring comedy "Youth in Revolt," which landed in ninth place.'Hangover' Again Leads DVD Sales, Rentals
(January 6) "The Hangover" was the No. 1 home video seller for the third week in a row and also took the top spot on the week's rental charts, according to Home Media Magazine. The comedy ended 2009 as the year's No. 2 seller, behind "Twilight" and ahead of "Up." And, according to the film's distributor, Warner, it also has become the No. 1 grossing comedy of all time on home video, topping 8.6 million units in sales and rentals.Sony Sets Date for '2012'
(January 3)
The end of the world is drawing near -- again -- as Sony has announced a March 2 release date for the DVD and Blu-ray release of disaster film '2012.' The destruction-derby epic crunbled cities and mountains this fall, taking in north of $735 million worldwide. The film will be available in two-disc Blu-ray, one-disc Blu-ray and DVD editions, with such DVD extras: as commentary by writer-director Roland Emmerich and co-writer Harald Kloser, a "Roland Emmerich: Master of the Modern Epic" featurette, an alternate ending and deleted scenes. The two-disc Blu-ray edition adds movieQ and Picture in Picture behind-the-scenes material, an interactive Mayan calendar, and five featurettes: "Mysteries of the Mayan Calendar," "Designing the End of the World," "Science Behind the Destruction," "The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective," and "Countdown to the Future."This Week's Releases (January 5)
From the Big Screen:"Adam," "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" and "The Final Destination." For more releases this week, see the "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."
From TV to Video:"Big Love: The Complete Third Season" (2009) is a four-disc set with 10 episodes, $59.99 from HBO Home Entertainment ... "Chuck: The Complete Second Season" (2008-09) is a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98 from Warner ... "Kendra: The Complete First Season" (2009) is a two-disc set with 10 episodes, $22.98 from Fox ... The Philanthropist: The Complete Series (2009) is a two-disc set with eight episodes, from Universal. (Posted January 5)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "Torture Room" (2009), starring Lena Bookall, John Forgeham, Barry Ratcliffe, Chad Nell and Louis Graham, an American woman is kidnapped and taken into custody because of her connections to Middle Eastern men -- and endures starvation, isolation, psychological mind games and torture; from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... In "The Circuit" (2009), starring Michelle Trachtenberg, Bill Campbell and Drew Fuller, a young race car driver -- estranged from her father, a racing car legend in his own right -- gets caught up in her sponsors' eagerness to exploit and sell her on and off the track, and her father steps in to bring her back down to earth -- by challenging her and her superstar boyfriend in a once-in-a-lifetime race, from Vivendi Entertainment. (Posted January 5)
Foreign:
Director brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne create a thrilling meditation on morality and the value of human life in "Lorna's Silence" (2008 -- Belgium), starring Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione and Alban Ukaj. Lorna's a young Albanian woman living in Liege, Belgium, who gets involved with some seedy gangsters and a Russian mafioso in a convoluted murder plot when she agrees to marry a Belgian man for money. The man, a drug addict, gets money for his habit. Lorna gets money so that she can open a restaurant with her boyfriend. And after the waiting period for citizenship, the plan is to kill the addict with a drug overdose so Lorna can then marry the Russian, who will in turn become a Belgian citizen. But all goes awry when Lorna starts to have doubts about their plan. From Sony. (Posted January 5)
For the Family:
For action there's "Super Friends! Season 1 Volume 1" (1973) is a two-disc set with eight episodes, showcasing some of the greatest DC super heroes of all time, including Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, as they combine their special powers to save the world, $26.99 from Warner; "Iron Man: Armored Adventures Volume 2"
(2009), a single-disc with six episodes, $6.95 from Marvel Animation/Genius Products/Vivendi Entertainment; and "Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, the Complete Series" (1987), a three-disc set with 19 digitally-remastered episodes of the 1980s series that was a reimagined, updated version of the original character from the 1940s, $46.99 from CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount ... For the wee one's there's "Elmo Loves You!" (2010), in which Elmo Learns about love, emotions and friendship, featuring musical performances by Trisha Yearwood, John Legend and R.E.M., from Sesame Street/Warner; "Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You Special Edition" (1999) features three Winnie the Pooh stories and Pooh-themed Valentines Day cards: "Un-Valentines Day," "A Valentine for You" and "My Hero," $29.99 from Disney; "Thomas & Friends: Splish Splash Splosh" (2009 )includes four episodes of the popular animated series, with a new host, Driver Perkins, on the famous Island of Sodor, $14.98 from Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment; and "Barney: Please & Thank You" (2009), with three episodes headed up by "Magic Words," which revolves around Baby Bop forgetting to say "please" and "thank you" and the ensuing lesson in how words can make people feel good inside, includes 19 Barney songs, $14.98 from Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment. (Posted January 5)
Special Interest:"Hubble's Amazing Rescue" (2009) is a PBS NOVA documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes on a riveting journey with astronauts and engineers charged with saving the famous Hubble Space Telescope, from PBS Home Video ... "Lizard Kings" (2009) is a PBS NOVA documentary on monitor lizards, members of an ancient family that includes massive Komodos -- the largest lizards to walk the planet. Travel with expert lizard hunter Dr. Eric Pianka as he tracks the elusive monitor through Australia's heartland using cutting-edge "lizard cam" technology to provide a lizard's-eye view of these amazing "living dragons"; from PBS Home Video ... "The 1930s" (2009) is a five-part PBS American Experience documentary on the turbulent decade of the 1930s: "The Crash of 1929," "The Civilian Conservation Corps," "Hoover Dam," "Surviving the Dust Bowl" and "Seabiscuit"; $39.99 from PBS Home Video. (Posted January 5)'Avatar' Scaling New Boxoffice Heights
(January 3)
James Cameron's "Avatar" had a great New Year's celebration by topping the boxoffice charts for the third week in a row, ringing up an estimated $68.3 million during the weekend for an amazing 17-day total of $352.1 million. Add to that $133.5 million in foreign earnings during the weekend -- for a $670.2 million international total -- and you get an earth-shaking $1.02 billion worldwide. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that puts "Avatar" at No. 4 among the top global grossers of all time, behind Cameron's "Titanic" ($1.84 billion), the Peter Jackson "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" ($1.12 billion) and Gore Verbinski's "The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ($1.07 billion). How high will "Avatar" fly? Both the folks at Moviefone's Inside Movies and THR's Risky Business take a look at what the future holds for the blockbuster.
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Over at Warner Home Video there's another wave of releases in the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection, a collaboration between Turner Classic Movies and Warner to present low-priced collections of some of the greatest films of all to serve both serious film buffs and a new generation of movie lovers. Each four-disc set sells for $27.92: TCM Greatest Classic Films: Marx Brothers: "A Day at the Races," "A Night in Casablanca," "Room Service" and "At the Circus"; TCM Greatest Classic Films: Romances:"Love in the Afternoon," "Splendor in the Grass," "Mogambo" and "Now, Voyager"; and TCM Greatest Classic Films: Sci-Fi Adventures: "Them!" "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms," "World Without End" and "Satellite in the Sky."
Hosted by Alastair Cooke, "Omnibus" was the Golden Age of Television's most distinguished production, a multiple Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series delivering sophistication, refinement, and sparkling intelligence to a national audience. Its eight seasons, broadcast nationwide from 1952 to 1961, featured the most accomplished luminaries of the day. In collaboration with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, E1 Entertainment will bring the heralded series to a new generation; the first release in the series is "Omnibus: Leonard Bernstein," featuring seven newly-restored programs featuring Leonard Bernstein in a four-DVD set. Includes "Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony" (1955), "The World of Jazz" (1955), "The Art of Conducting" (1955), "American Musical Comedy" (1956), "Introduction to Modern Music" (1957), "The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach" (1957) and "What Makes Opera Grand?" (1958). $49.98. Extras: Rare performance of Handel's Messiah, with Bernstein conducting from the harpsichord. (E1 Entertainment). (Posted January 26)
Also from Criterion is the "Eclipse Series 19: Chantal Akerman in the Seventies," a three-disc collection that showcases the Belgian director's early films. These five intensely personal, modernist investigations of cities, history, family, and sexuality, made in the 1970s in the United States and Europe, continue to have a profound influence on filmmakers. Included in this no-frills set is "La chambre," "Hotel Monterey," "News From Home," "Je tu il elle" and "Les rendez-vous d'anna." ... "Streamers" (1983) was the third of director Robert Altman's many adaptations of stage plays (right after 1982's "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean"); his disastrous flirtation with plays came after a decade of hits in the 1970s and extended until he rebounded with 1988's "Tanner '88" and 1992's "The Player." Here he tries to transform into a film David Rabe's award-winning play about four young recruits about to be sent to Vietnam who confront their prejudicial feelings when it's learned one of them is homosexual. Still, for Altman completists, it's a must. Stars Matthew Modine, Michael Wright, Mitchell Lichtenstein, David Alan Grier, Guy Boyd and George Dzundza. From Shout! Factory. (Posted January 19)
