Join the Sixties generation DVD Masthead created by Good & Associates

OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases Get the latest DVD release information (free) every Tuesday morning. Subscribe here. Last Week's Releases: January 5-January 11 Tuesday, January 12 -- Monday, January 18 All DVD Releases The Hurt Locker "The Hurt Locker," winner of the 2008 Venice Film Festival SIGNIS Grand Prize and a favorite among the many film critic groups as the best film of the year, is a riveting, suspenseful portrait of the courage under fire of the military's unrecognized heroes: the technicians of a bomb squad who volunteer to challenge the odds and save lives in one of the world's most dangerous places. Three members of the Army's elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal(EOD) squad battle insurgents and each other as they search for and disarm a wave of roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad -- in order to try and make the city a safer place for Iraqis and Americans alike. Their mission is clear -- protect and save -- but it's anything but easy, as the margin of error when defusing a war-zone bomb is zero. In the summer of 2004, Sergeant J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) of Bravo Company are at the volatile center of the war, part of a small counterforce specifically trained to handle the homemade bombs, or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), that account for more than half of American deaths and have killed thousands of Iraqis. The job, a high-pressure, high-stakes assignment, which soldiers volunteer for, requires a calm intelligence that leaves no room for mistakes, as they learn when they lose their team leader on a routine mission. When Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) cheerfully takes over the team, Sanborn and Eldridge are shocked by what seems like his reckless disregard for military protocol and basic safety measures. And yet, in the fog of war, appearances are never reliable for long. Is James really a swaggering cowboy who lives for peak experiences and the moments when the margin of error is zero -- or is he a consummate professional who has honed his esoteric craft to high-wire precision? As the fiery chaos of Baghdad threatens to engulf them, the men struggle to understand and contain their mercurial new leader long enough for them to make it home. They have only 38 days left in their tour, but with each new mission comes another deadly encounter, and as James blurs the line between bravery and bravado, it seems only a matter of time before disaster strikes. Vitals: Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Stars: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Finnes, Guy Pearce. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: R, 105 min., War Action, Box office gross: $11.595 million, Summit Entertainment. Advertisement Departures Daigo Kobayashi -- a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved -- decides to move back to his hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living. In Japanese with English subtitles. Won the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign-Language film. Vitals: Director: Yojiro Takita. Stars: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 130 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.490 million, E1 Entertainment. Fame Contemporary remake of the 1980 fan-favorite. Follows a crew of dancers, singers, actors and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. A diverse, creative powerhouse, the school offers students from all walks of life a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame ... the kind that comes only from talent, dedication, and hard work. In an incredibly competitive atmosphere, students, mentored by the best and toughest teachers, strive for their moment in the spotlight and find out who amongst them has what is takes to succeed. Vitals: Director: Kevin Tancharoen. Stars: Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Gramme, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 107 min., Drama-Musical, Box office gross: $22.452 million, MGM. Halloween II Picks up at the exact moment that 2007's "Halloween" remake stopped and follows the aftermath of Michael Myers's (Tyler Mane) murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor Compton). It's that time of year again, and Michael Myers has returned home to sleepy Haddonfield, Illinois to take care of some unfinished family business. Unleashing a trail of terror, Myers will stop at nothing to bring closure to the secrets of his twisted past. But the town's got an unlikely new hero, if they can only stay alive long enough to stop the unstoppable. Vitals: Director: Rob Zombie. Stars: Scout Taylor Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: R, 101 min., Horror, Box office gross: $33.268 million, Sony. In the Loop The run-up to war makes for curious rivalries and uneasy alliances in this political satire. Simon Foster is a minor minister of international development with the British government who, in the midst of a radio interview, casually tells a reporter "war is unforeseeable." However, the prime minister is being pressured to commit British troops to support American forces in the Middle East, and communications director Malcolm Tucker goes into a tirade when the press turns Foster's passing comment into a major news story. Foster becomes an unwitting media figure, and he and his personal communications director, Judy, are joined by political damage control expert Toby as they're sent to Washington to meet with American political and military leaders. Despite Judy's and Toby's help, Foster displays a stubborn inability to say what he's supposed to, and he finds himself caught in the middle between pro-war factions -- including diplomat Karen Clarke and State Department official Linton Barwick -- and those who oppose the conflict, including Pentagon attache General Miller and activist Liza. As if matters weren't already complicated enough, Liza used to date Toby when they were college students, and Gen. Miller was once involved with Clarke, adding bitter romantic history to an already rocky playing field. Vitals: Director: Armando Iannucci. Stars: Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, David Rasche, Gina McKee, Anna Chlumsky, Chris Addison. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 106 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $2.384 million, IFC Films. Moon Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the completion of his three-year-long contract with Lunar Industries, mining Earth's primary source of energy on the dark side of the Moon. Alone with only the base's vigilant computer, Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), as his sole companion, Bell's extended isolation has taken its toll. The only link to the outside world comes from satellite messages from his wife and young daughter. He longs to return home but a terrible accident on the lunar surface leads to a disturbing discovery that contributes to his growing sense of paranoia and dislocation so many miles away from home. Vitals: Director: Duncan Jones. Stars: Sam Rockwell, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry, Malcolm Stewart, Dominique McElligott, voice of Kevin Spacey. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: R, 97 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $4.984 million, Sony. Post Grad When her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, an aspiring book editor wonders if she'll ever live up to her own high expectations. Ryden Malby has a master plan: Graduate college, get a great job, hang out with her best friend and find the perfect guy. But her plan spins out of control when she's forced to move back home with her eccentric family. By the time she lands her dream job, she realizes it's meaningless without the man of her dreams ... and the people she loves. Vitals: Director: Vicky Jenson. Stars: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Bobby Coleman, Carol Burnett. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 120 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $6.373 million, Fox. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself When Madea, America's favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches 16-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. Initially wanting nothing to do with the kids, April learns along the way that she can change her old ways and become a better person. But it takes a lot of work and the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant who moves in with April to push her to change. Vitals: Director: Tyler Perry. Stars: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye, Frederick Siglar. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 113 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $51.697 million, Lionsgate. All DVD Releases Acting Shakespeare (2009) Ian Mckellan performs Shakespeare's most famous and striking monologues in a masterful one-man tour de force. $29.98. (E1 Entertainment). Amreeka (2009) Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat. Heart-warming tale of an immigrant mother and her teenage son's new life in a small town in Illinois. Extras: Deleted scenes, bloopers, special short film by director Cherien Dabi. Premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the best director award at the Beirut International Film Festival. (Virgil Films & Entertainment). The Appeared (2007 -- Spanish) Javier Pereira, Ruth Diaz. 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 this 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. (IFC Films). Becker: The Third Season (200-01) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $36.98. (Paramount). Big Fan (2009) Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Marcia Jean Kurtz. 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. (Vivendi Entertainment). Bob the Builder: The Best of Bob the Builder (2010) Three hours of nuts and bolts action with 10 episodes of Bob and his Can-Do Crew, $14.98. Extras: "On-Site: Trains" 30-minute feature as Bob and his crew travel to a real-life railroad construction site; "Building a New Bob: Ready! Steady! Build!" "Bob's Machine Mix-Up Puzzle" game, "If You Were on Bob's Team" game. (Lionsgate/Hit Entertainment). Breaking Point (2009) Tom Berenger, Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante, Sticky Fingaz, Musetta Vander. 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. Against his better judgment, he takes on a complex, high profile murder case that will eventually lead him down a path that brings him face to face with a deep-rooted conspiracy and his own demons. Extras: Commentary with director Jeff Celentano and Busta Rhymes, behind-the-scenes featurette, interviews, deleted scenes, stills gallery. (Barnholtz Entertainment/Lionsgate). The Brothers Bloom (2008) Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo. The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job -- showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world while they swindle her ... until she turns the tables on them. Was released to rental on Sept. 29. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Summit Entertainment). Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers (2009) Collection of Bugs cartoons featuring "Hare Trimmed" (1953), "The Grey-Hounded Hare" (1948), "Little Beau Pepe" (1952), "The Super Snooper" (1952), "Rabbit Romeo" (1957), "Wild Over You" (1953), "Of Rice and Hen" (1953) and "Devil May Hare" (1953). $19.97. Extras: Two bonus cartoons, puzzle game. (Warner). The Burning Plain (2009) Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger. A drama with a two-tiered storyline that takes place in the past and present concerning a mother (Basinger) and daughter (Theron) who try to form a bond after the young woman's difficult childhood. The journey in the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico connect the women to disparate characters, all of whom are grappling with their own romantic destinies. (Magnolia). By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (2009) HBO documentary. Filmmakers follow Senator Obama from the moment he declares 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. $24.96. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary. (Sony). Ca$h (2008) Thom Doty, Jerry Lloyd, Ray Stanton. A gun-slinging ex-convict goes on a death quest to find the man who murdered his wife more than a decade ago. (MTI Home Video). Deep in the Valley (2009) Denise Richards, Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, Brendan Hines, Chris Pratt. 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. Extras: Unrated unrated features a "Naked Commentary" by former Playboy TV Gadget Girl Christine Nguyen. (Vivendi Entertainment). Departures (2009 -- Japan) Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano. (E1 Entertainment). Downloading Nancy (2009) Maria Bello, Jason Patric, Rufus Sewell, Amy Brenneman. Thriller follows the fate of an unhappy wife -- Nancy -- who orders the guy she meets over the Internet to kill her ... but instead the two fall in love. (Strand). ER: The Complete Twelfth Season (2005-06) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Outtakes. (Warner). Fame (2009) Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Gramme, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth. Contemporary remake of the 1980 fan-favorite. Extras: Extended cut, Deleted Scenes, Fame Music Video, "Remember My Name" character profiles, "Fame National Talent Search Finalist." "The Dances of Fame." Blu-ray Disc adds digital copy. (MGM). Frontrunner (2009) The setting: Afghanistan's first democratic election ever. In the aftermath of 9/11, America's military might has set the stage. But who will determine the fate of democracy in Afghanistan? This documentary tells the heroic story of this medical doctor and mother of three who, as a children's advocate, defied the murderous Taliban regime. Now, she boldly runs for president -- the only woman in a field of 17 candidates. (Incumbent President Hamid Karzai was declared the winner in November). (IndiePix). Goliath (2008) David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Caroline O'Connor. Writer-director David Zellner stars as a young man who is going through a nasty divorce and is facing a demotion at work. But he really starts to lose his grip when his lone anchor to life, his cat Goliath, goes missing, which sets him on a pathetic, comedic search. (IFC Films). The Good Soldier (2009) Acclaimed documentary 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. Some were wounded, some lost their buddies, some lost their sanity as they tried to quench their intense thirst for revenge by killing the enemy and, consequently, killing civilians. Some buried the enormity of their actions and did not speak of them -- knowing only that they were following orders their commanders had required to conduct the war. Each man in his own time discovers the courage to confront his past actions and begin his healing. Even though they are still haunted by their time in combat, their ability to face themselves in their waking life and achieve self-reconciliation is shown to be the mark of true valor in each of them. (Artistic License Films/NeoFlix). Halloween II (2009) Scout Taylor Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane. Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes, audition footage, make-up test footage, blooper reel, Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures music videos, commentary by writer/director Rob Zombie, Uncle Seymour Coffins' Stand-up routines. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony) The Hurt Locker (2009) Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Stars: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Finnes, Guy Pearce. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Summit Entertainment). In Praise of Older Women (1978) Tom Berenger, Karen Black, Susan Strasberg, Helen Shaver, Marilyn Lightstone. A young man growing up in war-torn Hungary becomes fixated on older women. (E1 Entertainment). In the Loop (2009) Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, David Rasche, Gina McKee, Anna Chlumsky, Chris Addison. (IFC Films). 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 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. (Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment). Like Stars on Earth (2009) Produced, directed and starring Aamir Khan, one of India's most acclaimed filmmakers. 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 infectious Bollywood dance numbers, vividly imagined animated interludes and a brand new English-language track. Three-disc DVD/CD set. (Disney). Make It or Break It: Volume One (Extended Edition) (2009) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $29.99. Extras: Extended finale, "Making It" featurette, deleted scenes. (Disney). The Moment After (1999) Kevin Downes, David A. R. White, Brad Heller. With impending global chaos, two F.B.I. agents are assigned to investigate the sudden disappearance of millions of people worldwide. (Affirm Films/Sony ) Moon (2009) Sam Rockwell, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry, Malcolm Stewart, Dominique McElligott, voice of Kevin Spacey. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Duncan Jones, director of photography Gary Shaw, concept designer Gavin Rothery and production designer Tony Noble; commentary by writer-director Duncan Jones and producer Stuart Fenegen; "The Making of Moon" featurette; "Creating the Visual Effects" featurette; Science Center Q&A with director Duncan Jones; filmmaker's Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony) Passing Strange: The Movie (2009) Dir.: Spike Lee; Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis. Adaptation of the Broadway play for PBS. 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." Misadventures with sex, drugs, politics and art await him in uninhibited Amsterdam and hyper-militant Berlin, leading to a hard-won understanding of where he came from and where his life may take him.(IFC Films). Post Grad (2009) Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Bobby Coleman, Carol Burnett. Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes, "One Day" music video By Zach Gilford, "Real Life Advice With Alexis Bledel and Zach Gilford," "Know Your Strengths: Career Advice," "How Not to Get a Job," "A Guide to Moving Back Home," "Dress for Success," "Find Your Match! The Best Job for You," "What Not to Wear," "Post Grad Confidential." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox). The Riverman (2004) Bruce Greenwood, Cary Elwes, Sam Jaeger, Sarah Manninen, Kathleen Quinlan. 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. With 10 unsolved murders, Keppel recruits imprisoned serial killer Ted Bundy to help find the killer-at-large. Ridgeway was captured and convicted of 48 murders -- but confessed to 71 -- and the authorities suspect it was actually more than 90. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (North American Motion Pictures). Robin Hood: Season Three (2009) Five-disc set with 13 episodes from the final season of the popular BBC America series. $59.98Extras: "A Legend Reborn" behind-the-scenes featurette, "A New Look" costuming featurette, "Trebuchet: Creating Chaos" featurette, character profiles, video diary. (BBC/Warner). The Simpsons Season 20 (2009-09) Four-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray with 21 episodes. Extras: "The Twentieth Anniversary Special Sneak Peak" by Morgan Spurlock. (Fox). Superheroes (2007) Dash Mihok, Spencer Treat Clark. An Iraq war veteran comes home to New York suffering from emotional as well as physical trauma. Anguished by what he has witnessed in Iraq and grievously wounded, he must also deal with the heartbreak of being abandoned by his wife for another man. But during a support group session with other troubled veterans, he meets a young documentary filmmaker who wants to tell his story and in the tranquility of a cabin in the Catskill Mountains, the two men explore the damage of war, the limitations of redemption, and the power of friendship to heal even the deepest wounds. (IFC Films). 10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One (1999) Two disc-set with 11 episodes, $29.99. Extras: Bloopers, "10 Things I Hate vs. 10 Things I Love" featurette with the cast answering crazy questions, "Behind the Scenes With Meaghan and Lindsey," commentaries, pilot episode. (Disney). The Theory of Everything (2006) David de Vos, Victor Lundin. Drama about the power of family, as a son helps his dying father on his quest to explain the existence of God through science. (Affirm Films/Sony). The Transformers: Season Two, Volume Two (25th Anniversary Edition) (1985) Four-disc set with final 21 episodes, $29.99. Extras: "The Combiner: Forming the Transformers Animated Series" featurette, rare PSAs, archival Hasbro toy commercials, concept art. (Shout! Factory). Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009) Dir.: Tyler Perry; Stars: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye, Frederick Siglar. Extras: Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate) Wrong Turn at Tahoe (2009) Cuba Gooding Jr., Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Keitel. A tough-as-nails collector for a mob boss one fateful day gets caught in the middle of a double-cross involving the biggest drug lord in the business. When revenge becomes the collector's sole purpose, his life takes a series of very wrong turns. Extras: Making-of featurette. For sale; was released for rental in November. (Paramount). | Contents/Site Map | Home | Resources | Sell-Through | Reviews | Links | E-mail: mail@onvideo.org © 1996 -- 2010 OnVideo. All rights reserved January 10, 2010