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3/8/05 V9.10

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
FOR TUESDAY, March 8 -- MONDAY, March 14

BRIGHT FUTURE
Mamoru (Tadanobu Asano) and Yuji (Jo Odagiri) are two
twentysomething men working in the same factory, at jobs that
leave them unsatisfied, apathetic and disillusioned with the
world. The one thing that Mamoru is passionate about is his pet,
a Dactylometra pacifica -- a poisonous jellyfish found in the
Pacific Ocean that may be up to 10 inches wide -- and his goal of
acclimating it to fresh water. When Mamoru unexpectedly kills his
boss, he charges Yuji with the care of his precious jellyfish and
finishing his work. Yuji, becoming attached to the hauntingly
beautiful pet, befriends Mamoru's estranged father and the two
form a bond. This bond isn't enough to match the jellyfish's
power over Yuji, and when it accidentally escapes into the canals
of Tokyo, Yuji can feel its presence and problems continue to
escalate. In Japanese with English subtitles. Director: Kiyoshi
Kurosawa. Stars: Jo Odagiri, Tadanobu Asano, Tatsuya Fuji,
Takashi Sasano, Marumi Shiraishi. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 113
min., Drama, Palm Pictures. DVD: Only.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS
Based on the best-selling novel "Skipping Christmas" by prolific
author John Grisham ("The Firm") with a screenplay by Chris
Columbus ("Harry Potter"), "Christmas with the Kranks" features
Tim Allen as Luther Krank, who convinces his wife Nora (Jamie Lee
Curtis) that with their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo) away at
college, they should skip Christmas altogether and bask in the
tropical sun on a Caribbean cruise -- much to the chagrin of
their Christmas-crazy neighbors, led by the dour doyen Vic
Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd). When Blair decides at the last minute to
come home for the holidays, Luther and Nora realize -- with their
neighbors "help" that Christmas cheer can always be renewed.
Director: Joe Roth. Stars: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan
Aykroyd, M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth Franz, Erik Per Sullivan,
Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, Tom Poston, Julie Gonzalo, Rene Lavan,
Caroline Rhea, Felicity Huffman. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 98
min., Comedy, Box office gross: $73.077 million, Sony, No VHS
SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day & Date.

DOLLS
Through three intertwined and visually arresting narratives,
"Dolls" tells the age-old story of true love denied for short-
lived pleasures including money, power and fame. The film opens
with a story about a joyful couple that is destined for marriage.
Sadly, the pressures of family and promises of success tear them
apart and the man is forced into an arranged marriage. A tragic
choice by his true love sends him dashing from the altar and to
her side as caretaker. For protection, he binds himself to her by
a red rope and the two journey through Japan's beautiful four
seasons, known to all as the Bound Beggars -- aimless vagabonds
to the outside world, but desperate to find something forgotten.
The second narrative tells the story of a love lost for material
pursuits. Thirty years before, when he was a poor factory worker
his lover would meet him in their favorite park every Saturday
with a homemade lunch. He then made the fateful decision to leave
his faithful lover, with a promise to return to her once he had
achieved fame and fortune. Now decades later, possessing
everything he thought he wanted -- power, respect and money -- he
is alone with failing health and in search of his lost love. The
final story is of a pop singer who lived in a world of glamour
and had the love of millions, yet lived in a lonely world. After
a horrific accident, she leaves this world behind, ashamed to
show her disfigured face to her once adoring fans. She lives on
an isolated beach and spends her days staring out at the sea. Her
most devoted fan makes the ultimate sacrifice to prove his
undying devotion to her -- blinding himself so as not to dishonor
the shamed pop star. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Director: Takeshi Kitano. Stars: Miho Kanno, Hidetoshi Nishijima,
Tatsuya Mihashi, Chieko Matsubara, Kyoko Fukada, Tsutomu
Takeshige, Kayoko Kishimoto. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 113 min.,
Drama, Palm Pictures. DVD: Only.

FEAR X
Harry Caine (John Turturro) is a security guard whose wife Claire
(Jacqueline Ramel) was shot and killed outside the shopping mall
where he works. Intent on finding the perpetrator of the crime,
Harry carries out a tireless search for the murderer. Footage
garnered from the mall security cameras offer little in the way
of explanation, and after exhausting all rational avenues, Harry
becomes plagued by hallucinations and an obsession with the house
across the street, which he believes may offer a clue to the
killer's identity. Breaking into the depleted house, he finds a
picture of a woman, Kate (Deborah Unger), and traces her
approximate whereabouts to a vague location in Montana. Convinced
Kate has something to do with his deceased wife, Harry continues
on his quest by taking up residence in a peculiar Montana hotel
which is bathed in rich red colors, and appointed with antiquated
wooden furnishings. Drawing on strange encounters with mysterious
figures who may or may not know the whereabouts of Kate, while
offering spooky visualizations of the thoughts pulsing through
Harry's mind as he loses his grip on the sane world, director
Nicolas Winding Refn violently drags his characters to the close
of the movie. An evocative score from musician Brian Eno and a
sometimes bewildering but thought-provoking script from Refn and
co-writer Hubert Selby Jr. Director: Nicolas Winding Refn. Stars:
John Turturro, Deborah Unger, Stephen McIntyre, William Allen
Young, Gene Davis, Mark Houghton, Jacqueline Ramel, James Remar.
2005, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 91 min., Thriller, Lions Gate, No
VHS SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day & Date.

KOMA
From the director of the cult hit "Inner Senses," Lo Chi-Leung,
comes this intricately woven, jaw-clenching urban legend
psychological thriller. During a wedding reception, a young woman
discovers the most recent victim of a kidney thief terrorizing
Hong Kong. She suspects a mysterious woman who holds a bitter
grudge against her and her boyfriend, with whom she shares a
secret past. Almost unavoidably, these two women, polar
opposites, begin an uneasy friendship as their fates become
irrevocably intertwined. In Cantonese with English subtitles.
Director: Lo Chi-leung. Stars: Angelica Lee, Karena Lam. 2004,
CC, MPAA rating: R, 88 min., Psychological Thriller, Tartan Video
Asia Extreme. DVD: Only.

LADDER 49
Action drama that celebrates the ordinary men who put everything
on the line to become heroes. Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison
(Joaquin Phoenix) grows from inexperienced rookie to seasoned
veteran as he copes with a risky, dangerous job that often
shortchanges his wife (Jacinda Barrett) and kids. He relies on
the support of his second family -- Captain Mike Kennedy (John
Travolta) and the men of the firehouse. When Jack becomes trapped
in the worst blaze of his career, the firefighters of Ladder 49
learn that the greatest fight they face will be saving one of
their own. Director: Jay Russell. Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, John
Travolta, Robert Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Jacinda Barrett. 2004,
CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 115 min., Action, Box office gross:
$72.039 million, Buena Vista, $24.99 VHS SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

WMD: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
Danny Schechter's award-winning documentary paints a meticulous
portrait of the United States media's lopsided coverage of the
Iraq war. A four-time Emmy Award winner and former network
producer with ABC News' "20/20" program and CNN, Schechter
challenges the media's role in the war. He examines how the
government's manipulation of the fourth estate failed to keep the
airwaves "fair and balanced" -- the government's spin was picked
up by the media to sell the war to the American people -- and
details how the rest of the world saw a very different story than
American audiences. "WMD taps into mounting public
dissatisfaction with the war," says Schechter. "It's the only
film in release that deals with Iraq at a time when 56% of public
say they are 'against the war.'" Director: Danny Schechter. 2004,
CC, MPAA rating: NR, Documentary, New Cinema Libre. DVD: Only.

For more release info, check out our calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar.htm>


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NEWS

COMING SOON:
On March 22, Fox will release "Fat Albert," the disappointing big
screen version of "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," on DVD and
$19.98 VHS ... Academy Award winner (for best screenplay)
"Sideways," directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul
Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh,
will arrive on DVD April 5 ... On May 10, Sony will release
"William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice," directed by
Michael Radford and starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph
Fiennes, on DVD and VHS rental.

DVD COLLECTIBLES:
New Line will release this week "The Ring Collector's Set," a
two-disc set that includes the original "The Ring," plus a second
disc, "The Ring Full Circle," which includes "Rings," an original
short film that tracks the mysterious journey of the cursed
videotape from "The Ring" to "The Ring Two"; "The Origin of
Terror" featurette that takes a look at the international
phenomenon of "Ringu" (the Japanese original made into the
American version) and "The Ring" and how their stories parallel
and differ from one another; a "News Wrap" featurette on
celebrated urban myths; more; from DreamWorks

FROM TV TO VIDEO:
Due this week: "At Home With the Braithwaites, Complete Second
Series," a three-disc set of the cutting edge British
comedy/drama series, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "The Best of
Mister Ed: Volume Two," a two-disc set with 20 episodes, $29.98
from MGM ... "Columbo: Season Two," a four-disc set, $39.98, from
Universal ... "Felicity Season Four," a six-disc set with 22
episodes, $59.99 from Buena Vista ... "Friends: The Complete
Ninth Season," a four-disc with 23 episodes, $44.98 from Warner
... "Green Acres: Season 2," a two-disc set with 30 episodes,
$29.98 from MGM ... "Kojak: Season One," a three-disc set with 22
episodes, $39.98 from Universal ... "Popular Second Season," a
six-disc set with 21 episodes, $59.99 from Buena Vista ... "Sweet
Valley High: The Complete First Season," a three-disc set with 22
episodes, $49.99 from Buena Vista ... "21 Jump Street Season
Two," a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $44.98 from Anchor Bay.

SPECIAL INTEREST:
"Unlikely Heroes" is a 2003 documentary that chronicles seven
untold stories of Jewish resistance and defiance to the Nazi
Holocaust, using rare film and photos discovered in archives
across Europe; narrated by Ben Kingsley; on $24.98 DVD from Koch
Lorber Films ... "The Question of God: Sigmund Freud & C.S.
Lewis," based on a popular Harvard course taught by Dr. Armand
Nicholi, is a 2004 PBS show that illustrates the lives and
insights of Freud, a long-time critic of religious belief, and
Lewis, an influential proponent of faith based on reason, from
Paramount on $24.99 DVD ... Also from Paramount and PBS comes
"Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham," a 1993 documentary on the
man and his mission, on $19.99 DVD.


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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

Weekly listings of DVD releases can now be viewed on mobile
devices at www.tagtag.com/onvideo

** Arrowsmith (1931) Dir.: John Ford; Ronald Coleman, Helen
Hayes, Myrna Loy. (MGM).
** Barbary Coast (1935) Dir.: Howard Hawks; Mirian Hopkins,
Edward G. Robinson, Joel McCrea, Walter Brennan. (MGM).
** The Best of Mister Ed: Volume Two. Two-disc set with 20
episodes, $29.98. (MGM).
** Bright Future (2003) Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa; Jo Odagiri,
Tadanobu Asano, Tatsuya Fuji, Takashi Sasano, Marumi Shiraishi.
(Palm Pictures).
** Charly (1968) Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom. (MGM).
** Christmas With the Kranks (2004) Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis,
Dan Aykroyd, M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth Franz, Erik Per Sullivan,
Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, Tom Poston, Julie Gonzalo, Rene Lavan,
Caroline Rhea, Felicity Huffman. (Sony).
** Columbo: Season Two. Four-disc set, $39.98. (Universal).
** Come and Get It (1936) Dir.: Howard Hawks, William Wyler;
Edward Arnold, Frances Farmer, Walter Brennen, Joel McCrea.
(MGM).
** Dead End (1937) Dir.: William Wyler; Sylvia Sidney, Joel
McCrea, Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie, Claire Trevor, Allen
Jenkins, Marjorie Main. (MGM).
** Doll (2002) Dir.: Takeshi Kitano; Miho Kanno, Hidetoshi
Nishijima, Tatsuya Mihashi, Chieko Matsubara, Kyoko Fukada,
Tsutomu Takeshige, Kayoko Kishimoto. (Palm Pictures).
** Enchantment (1948) David Niven, Teresa Wright, Evelyn Keyes,
Farley Granger, Jayne Meadows, Leo G. Carroll. (MGM).
** Fear X (2005) John Turturro, Deborah Unger, Stephen McIntyre,
William Allen Young, Gene Davis, Mark Houghton, Jacqueline Ramel,
James Remar. (Lions Gate).
** Felicity Season Four. Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.99.
Extras: Commentary on select episodes, never-before-seen footage
from the final episode, "Fade Out" behind-the-scene reflections
from the final episode. (Buena Vista).
** Friends: The Complete Ninth Season. Four-disc with 23
episodes, $44.98. Extras: Commentary on select episodes, gag reel
with outtakes, "Behind the Style: The Look of Friends"
featurette, "Who's Your Best Friend?" challenge, "Phoebe Battles
the Pink Robots" music video, "Gunther Spills the Beans" teaser
for Season 10, episode previews. (Warner).
** Golden Balls (1993 -- Spain) Dir.: J.J. Bigas Luna; Javier
Bardem, Maria de Medeiros, Maribel Verdi, Elisa Tovati, Raquel
Bianca, Benicio Del Toro. (Studio Latino).
** Green Acres: Season 2. Two-disc set with 30 episodes, $29.98.
(MGM).
** Hoosiers Collector's Edition (1986) Gene Hackman, Dennis
Hopper, Barbara Hershey. Two-disc set. Extras: Commentary by
director David Anspaugh and writer Angelo Pizzo, "Hoosier
History: The Truth Behind the Legend" retrospective making-of
documentary, 13 deleted scenes, vintage footage of the 1954 Milan
vs. Muncie Indiana High School Championship Game, photo gallery.
(MGM).
** Kojak: Season One. Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.98.
(Universal).
** Koma (2004 - Chinese) Dir.: Lo Chi-leung; Angelica Lee, Karena
Lam. DTS Surround. Extras: Commentary by the director, music
video. (Tartan Video Asia Extreme).
** Ladder 49 (2004) Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Robert
Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Jacinda Barrett. Extras: Commentary by
director Jay Russell and editor Bud Smith, deleted scenes,
"Everyday Heroes" featuring real stores from real firefighters,
"The Making of Ladder 49" featurette, "Shine Your Light" music
video performed by Robbie Robertson, Enhanced Home Theater mix.
(Buena Vista).
** Moloch (1999 -- Russian) Dir.: Alexsandr Sokurov; Elena
Rufanova, Leonid Mosgovoi. (Fox Lorber Films).
** Popular Second Season Six-disc set with 21 episodes, $59.99.
(Buena Vista).
** The Ring Collector's Set (2002) Dir.: Gore Verbinski; Naomi
Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Jane
Alexander, Lindsay Frost, Amber Tamblyn, Rachael Bella, Daveigh
Chase. Two-disc set that includes the original "The Ring," plus a
second disc, "The Ring Full Circle." Extras: "Rings," an original
short film that tracks the mysterious journey of the cursed
videotape from "The Ring" to "The Ring Two"; "The Cast of The
Ring" behind-the-scenes look featuring interviews with director
Verbinski, plus stars Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson, among
others; "The Origin of Terror" featurette that takes a look at
the international phenomenon of "Ringu" (the Japanese original
made into the American version) and "The Ring and how their
stories parallel and differ from one another; "News Wrap"
featurette on celebrated urban myths; "The Ring" mysterious
video. (DreamWorks).
** Stella Dallas (1937) Dir.: King Vidor; Barbara Stanwyck, John
Boles, Anne Shirley, Barbara O'Neil, Alan Hale, Marjorie Main.
(MGM).
** Sweet Valley High: The Complete First Season. Three-disc set
with 22 episodes, $49.99. (Buena Vista).
** 21 Jump Street Season. Two Six-disc set with 22 episodes,
$44.98. Extras: Commentary, DVD-Rom featuring the script by co-
creator and executive producer Patrick Hasburgh entitled "Don't
Stretch the Rainbow," photo gallery, select scenes in French.
(Anchor Bay).
** Unlikely Heroes (2003) Documentary on jewish resistance to the
Nazi Holocaust, narrated by Ben Kingsley. (Koch Lorber Films).
** We Live Again (1934) Dir.: Rouben Mamoulian; Fredric March,
Anna Sten. (MGM).
** "WMD: Weapons Of Mass Deception" (2004) Documentary on the
U.S. media's coverage of the Iraq war. Extras: Interview and 30-
min retrospective of newsman Danny Schechter's 36 years in the
news business, a trailer (narrated by Tim Robbins) and outreach
resources for those looking to get involved. (New Cinema Libre).

For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>


------------------------------------------------------------

THIS WEEK'S VHS SELL-THROUGH RELEASES:

** Ladder 49 (2004) Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Robert
Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Jacinda Barrett (Buena Vista): $24.99

For more sell-through info, check out our Sell-Through/Repriced
pages at <http://www.onvideo.org/reprice.htm>


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Copyright 2005 CyberPod. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1094-3676

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