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OnVideo's Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases Get the latest DVD release information (free) every Tuesday morning. Subscribe here. Last Week's Releases: February 23-March 1 Tuesday, March 2 -- Monday, March 8 All DVD Releases This Week's Top Pick: 2012 A global cataclysm brings an end to the world while only a hand full survive to carry on the human race. Breathtaking visuals of the destruction of Los Angeles and the rest of the world overshadows a weak story line about a writer who discovers that solar storms have caused the earth's core to heat up, unbalancing the planet and causing massive earthquakes and tidal waves. Much of the running time is given over to his attempt to save his family and get to China, where the world governments have prepared several Arks to save select people to restart civilization. Four stars for great fun. Vitals: Director: Roland Emmerich. Stars: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Plat, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Liam James. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 158 min., Sci Fi Thriller, Box office gross: $155.288 million, Sony. Advertisement Cold Souls Paul Giamatti plays himself, an actor agonizing over his interpretation of Chekov's "Uncle Vanya." He finds his soul growing so heavy under the weight of the material that his whole life begins to suffer. Paralyzed with anxiety, he finds a solution when he reads a New Yorker article about a high-tech company that promises to alleviate suffering by deep-freezing souls. Giamatti uses their services, intending to reinstate his soul once he survives the performance, but things go awry when his soul is hijacked and placed in the body of a Russian soap opera actress, whose husband has been dealing in the illegal shipment of Russian souls to America. Wonderful idea for a story hampered by ponderous pacing and direction and some sloppy editing in the film's set up of the Russian black market for souls. Would have made a great short film. Vitals: Director: Sophie Barthes. Stars: Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, David Strathairn. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 101 min., Black Comedy, Box office gross: $.903 million, Fox. Ponyo Inspired by the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Little Mermaid." Walking on the beach near his home, a five-year old boy named Sosuke finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle. He releases the tiny creature and, sure that she is no ordinary fish, names his new friend Ponyo. As Ponyo and Sosuke grow closer, she reveals to him that she is the daughter of a powerful wizard and a sea goddess, and magically transforms herself into a real human girl. But by crossing from her watery world onto land, Ponyo has created a dangerous imbalance in nature. As the moon begins to draw closer to the earth, sea levels rise and a giant tsunami threatens to destroy Sosuke's home. Ponyo's father marshals all his might to find his missing daughter, as the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to try and save the world. Vitals: Director: Hayao Miyazaki. Stars: Voices of Cate Blanchet, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: G, 103 min., Animated, Box office gross: $15.050 million, Disney. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak's classic book comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. "Where the Wild Things Are" follows the adventure of Max (Max Records), a mischievous young boy who is sent to his room after rebelling against his mother (Catherine Keener). Max's imagination is free to roam, and it soon transports him to a thriving forest bordering a vast sea. Delighted, he sets sail for the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns and Max rules. Vitals: Director: Spike Jonze. Stars: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Benicio Del Toro, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O'Hara, Tom Noonan, Michael Berry, James Gandolfini. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 94 min., Animated, Box office gross: $76.566 million, Warner. All DVD Releases Alice (2009) Caterina Scorsone, Andrew Lee Potts, Matt Frewer, Philip Winchester, Tim Curry, Harry Dean Stanton, Timothy Webber, Zak Santiago, Charlotte Sullivan, Colm Meaney, Kathy Bates. Three-hour Syfy miniseries that aired in december, 2009. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate). Alice in Wonderland (1933) Charlotte Henry, Leon Errol, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling. Directed by Norman McLeod with a screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and William Cameron Menzies. (Universal). Alice in Wonderland (1999) Gene Wilder, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lloyd, Miranda Richardson, Martin Short, George Wendt, Robbie Coltrane, Tina Majorino. Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" are combined in this three-hour TV special. (Vivendi Entertainment). Barney: Egg-Cellent Adventures (2010) Three Easter and egg-themed episodes of the adventures of the purple dinosaur and his friends, a favorite of kids 1 to 5: "Rabbits," "Mother Goose" and "Ducks and Fish," $14.98. Extras: "Barney's Easter Egg Hunt," "Gumdrops Marching Game." (HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate). The Beaches of Agnes (2009) A reflection on art, life and the movies, this is a magnificent film from the great Agnes Varda ("Cleo from 5 to 7"), a richly cinematic self portrait that touches on everything from the feminist movement and the Black Panthers to the films of husband Jacques Demy ("The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") and the birth of the French New Wave. (The Cinema Guild). The Bible Stories: Esther (1999 -- TV) Louise Lombard, F. Murray Abraham, Jurgen Prochnow, Thomas Kretschmann. $14.94. (Sony). The Bible Stories: Jesus (1999 -- TV) Jeremy Sisto, Debra Messing, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Jacqueline Bisset, Gary Oldman. $14.94. (Sony). Bitch Slap (2009) Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, America Olivo. Trixie, Hel and Camero may look good on the outside, but they're nothing but badass on the inside. When the tempting trio arrive in the desert to retrieve stolen jewels at a ruthless gangster's hideout, they find themselves competing against an assortment of bizarre criminals -- and each other. A modern throwback to the 'B' movie film genre. Extras: "Building a Better B-Movie" documentary; commentary by the writers, director and producers, commentary by the principal cast. (Fox). Castle in the Sky (1986) Two-disc special edition of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animated feature. (Disney). Cold Souls (2009) Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, David Strathairn. In this quirky comedy, an actor puts his soul in cold storage for the duration of an agonizing versions of Checkov's "Uncle Vanya" only to have it hijacked by a soap-opera actress. Extras: "Soul Extractor" slide show, deleted scenes. (Fox). Designing Women: Season Three (1988-89) Four-disc set with 22 episodes, $44.99 (Shout! Factory). Elvis (1979) Dir.: John Carpenter; Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Season Hubley, Bing Russell, Pat Hingle, Robert Gray, Joe Mantegna, Ed Begley Jr. The long-awaited DVD debut of the classic bio of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, timed closely to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Presley's birth, restored from the original film elements. Originally broadcast February 11, 1979, on ABC. Extras: "Bringing a Legend to Life" featurette with archival interviews of Kurt Russell and John Carpenter (1979); commentary by "The Voice of Elvis" in the film, Ronnie McDowell, and author Edie Hand; rare clips from "American Bandstand"; photo gallery. (Shout! Factory). Gentlemen Broncos (2009) Jemaine Clement, Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge, Sam Rockwell, Mike White. A lovable loner's life is turned upside down when a pretentious fantasy author steals his story at a writers camp. Extras: "Outtakes Reel: A Buttload of Keepsakes," five deleted scenes, commentary by director Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite") and Jerusha Hess, "One Nutty Movie: Behind the Scenes of Gentlemen Broncos." (Fox). Have Gun -- Will Travel: Season 4, Volume 1 (1960) Three-disc set with 19 episodes, $39.98. (Paramount). Matlock: The Fourth Season (1989-90) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $49.99. (Paramount). Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) Two-disc special edition of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animated feature. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Two-disc special edition of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animated feature. (Disney). Olivia ... Takes Ballet (2009) The second Olivia DVD, with four episodes of the Nick Jr. character based on acclaimed author/illustrator Ian Falconer's award-winning titles about a 6-year-old dynamo who believes she can do anything and sees every day as an opportunity to try new things. Her vivid imagination takes her on grand adventures, both real and fantasy, and like all children, her antics occasionally result in endearing misadventures. $16.99. (Paramount) Ponyo (2009) Dir.: Hayao Miyazaki; Voices of Cate Blanchet, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas. Extras: "The World of Ghibli" allows viewers to immerse themselves in the amazing worlds from each film created by legendary filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki in a multi-layered interactive experience. Lands to explore include: Ponyo's Land, Kiki's Land, Castle's Land and Totoro's Land; "Behind the Studio" includes all new interviews with Hayao Miyazaki and composer Joe Hisaishi as well as chapters on "Creating Ponyo," "Ponyo & Fujimoto," "The Nursery," "Behind the Microphone: The Voice of Ponyo," "Producers Perspective: Telling the Story," "Scoring Miyazaki," "The Scenery in Ghibli": original Japanese trailer. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney). The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) Robin Wright, Mike Binder, Alan Arkin, Winona Ryder, Ryan McDonald, Cornelius West, Maria Bello, Blake Lively. After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown. Extras: Commentary by Robin Wrightand writer-director Rebecca Miller, interviews with Wright, Miller, Arkin and Lively. (Screen Media Films). Return to the 36th Chamber (1980 -- Hong Kong) Gordon Liu, Kara Hui, Hsiao Ho. The action-packed sequel to one of the best martial arts films of all time reunites kung fu superstar Gordon Liu and legendary director Lau Kar-leung for another unforgettable adventure. This time, Liu stars as a con man who impersonates his own character from "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin," along the way to becoming an unstoppable fighting force. "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" is being released on Blu-ray this week. (Vivendi Entertainment/The Weinstein Co.) Sesame Street's Abby in Wonderland (2009) Sesame Street take on "Alice in Wonderland," timed for the release of Tim Burton's big-screen version, $14.98. Extras: Audio CD with five Sesame Street songs. (Sesame Street/Warner). Strawberry Shortcake: The Berryfest Princess Movie (2010) In this new CGI animated feature, Berry Bitty City is preparing for the annual spring festival, and Strawberry Shortcake has been appointed Berryfest Princess to ensure the festival and parade are the sweetest events the town has ever seen. $19.98. Extras: "A Berry Royal" sing-a-long, printable coloring pages. (Fox). Super Why! Peter Rabbit & Other Fairytale Adventures (2009) Fun new interpretations of the classic stories "Peter Rabbit," "Tom Thumb," "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and "Rapunzel," as Super Why and his friends practice spelling, use the power to read and investigate rhyming words. Extras: Interactive games, music videos,coloring pages. $14.99. (Paramount). Thomas & Friends: Thomas & the Runaway Kite (2010) Four episodes featuring the animated locomotives of the Island of Sodor, including the title episode in which Thomas and his railroad friends must catch a runaway kite; the other episodes are "Buzzy Bees," "Toby's New Whistle" and "The Biggest Present of All"; $14.98. Extras: Two games. (HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate). 2012 (2009) Dir.: Roland Emmerich. Stars: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Plat, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Liam James. Available in two-disc Blu-ray, one-disc Blu-ray and DVD. DVD Extras: Commentary by writer-director Roland Emmerich and co-writer Harald Kloser, "Roland Emmerich: Master of the Modern Epic" featurette, alternate ending, deleted scenes, "Time For Miracles" music video by Adam Lambert. Blu-ray adds: movieQ and Picture in Picture behind-the-scenes material. Two-disc Blu-ray Extras: Interactive Mayan calendar, "Mysteries of the Mayan Calendar featurette, "Designing the End of the World" featurette, "Science Behind the Destruction" featurette, "The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective" featurette, "Countdown to the Future," "Making the Music Video Time For Miracles" with Adam Lambert, digital copy. (Sony). VeggieTales: Pistachio -- The Little Boy That Woodn't (2010) In a creative parody of the beloved story of Pinocchio, this all-new family adventure features a helpful lesson in listening to your parents, a new Silly Song, and more. "Pistachio" has a clever VeggieTales twist that incorporates elements of truth from the classic tale, while emphasizing the father-son relationship and the strength of family. Extras: "Obscure Broadway Showtunes With Larry (Silly Song):" "Where Have All The Staplers Gone?" art gallery, commentary, discussion guide, "Larry Visits a Marionette Theater," Staplers sing-along. $14.99. (Big Idea). We Live in Public (2009) On the 40th anniversary of the Internet, this Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Documentary winner tells the story of the effect the web is having on our society as seen through the eyes of "the greatest Internet pioneer you've never heard of", visionary Josh Harris. Award-winning director, Ondi Timoner documented Harris' tumultuous life for more than a decade to create a riveting, cautionary tale of what to expect as the virtual world inevitably takes control of our lives. Harris, often called the "Warhol of the Web," rose to prominence during the dot.com boom of the 1990s. He founded Pseudo.com, the first Internet television network, and created his vision of the future, an underground bunker in NYC where 100 people lived together on camera for 30 days over the millennium. He proved how in the not-so-distant future of life online, people will willingly trade privacy for the connection and recognition they desire. Through his experiments, including a six-month stint living under 24-hour live surveillance online -- which led him to mental collapse -- he demonstrated the price we will all pay for living in public. Extras: Commentary, more. (IndiePix Films). Where the Wild Things Are (2009) Dir.: Spike Jonze; Stars: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Benicio Del Toro, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O'Hara, Tom Noonan, Michael Berry, James Gandolfini. Extras: New short: "Higglety Piggletty Pop" featuring the voices of Meryl Street and Forest Whitaker, Webisodes. Also available in DVD Blu-ray Combo Pack. (Warner). | Contents/Site Map | Home | Resources | Sell-Through | Reviews | Links | E-mail: mail@onvideo.org © 1996 -- 2010 OnVideo. All rights reserved February 28, 2010