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1/22/08 V12.4
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, January 22 -- Monday, January 28
Game Plan, The
High-living Boston Rebels quarterback Joe Kingman (Dwayne Johnson) finds his world turned upside-down when seven-year-old Peyton Kelly (Madison Pettis) shows up at his door and announces she is his child from a brief early marriage and needs a place to stay while her mother is away on business. For the next month, Joe is suddenly saddled with unfamiliar parental responsibilities like ballet class and homework, while also getting to know his daughter. As he tries to lead his team to a championship season, Joe navigates the rocky shoals between macho man and girly-girl cultures with hilarious and heartwarming results, building to an outcome he never saw coming. Vitals: Director: Andy Fickman. Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut.. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 110 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $88.492 million, Disney.
Hunting Party, The
TV News reporter Simon Hunt (Richard Gere) and cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard have worked in the world's hottest war zones: from Bosnia to Iraq, from Somalia to El Salvador. Together they have dodged bullets, filed incisive reports and collected Emmy awards. Then one terrible day in a Bosnian village everything changes. During a live broadcast on national television, Simon has a meltdown. After that, Duck is promoted and Simon just disappears. Five years later Duck returns to Sarajevo with rookie reporter Benjamin (Jessie Eisenberg) to cover the fifth anniversary of the end of the war. Simon shows up, a ghost from the past, with the promise of a world exclusive. He convinces Duck that he knows the whereabouts of Bosnia's most wanted war criminal "The Fox." Armed with only spurious information Simon, Duck and Benjamin embark on a dark and dangerous mission that takes them deep into hostile territory. It's the scoop of a lifetime but will they live to report it? The movie is based on the Esquire article 'What I Did On My Summer Vacation' by Scott Anderson. Vitals: Director: Richard Shepard. Stars: Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg, James Brolin, Diane Kruger, Joy Bryant.. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Action, Box office gross: $.876 million, Weinstein Co./Genius Products.
Saw IV
More gore and horror in the cut-up franchise. Jigsaw still haunts the living, forcing them to appreciate life, or face death. As a continuation of "Saw III," Jeff must find his daughter and escape the building to which they are confined before they both die. After finding another tape of Jigsaw, Jeff realizes there may be a newly added piece of the puzzle that he must decipher before it's too late. Vitals: Director: Darren Lynn Bousman. Stars: Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis, Simon Reynolds, Mike Realba, Marty Adams. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 96 min., Drama, Box office gross: $62.850 million, Lionsgate.
Sydney White
College comedy that puts a modern-day twist on an age-old story: a tomboy freshman ditches her conniving sorority sisters and finds a new home with a group of very dorky outcasts. Fed up with the way they've all been treated, she's off to war against the reigning campus royalty. Gorgeous freshman Sydney White (Amanda Bynes) has come to Southern Atlantic University to pledge her late mom's once-dignified sorority. But while surviving the pledging process wrought by evil campus witch Rachel (Sara Paxton), Syd finds out this version of sisterhood isn't remotely what it's cracked up to be. Banished to a condemned house on Greek Row, Syd finds her rightful place with a band of seven very socially challenged guys. With the help of one love struck frat boy named Tyler (Matt Long), she and the doofs campaign to take over student government. Fighting for the rights of misfits big and small, Syd organizes her gang to revolutionize the system, once and for all. Vitals: Director: Joe Nussbaum. Stars: Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton, Matt Long, Jack Carpenter, Jeremy Howard, Crystal Hunt. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $11.549 million, Universal.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
Two fabulous releases this week from The Criterion Collection: "This Sporting Life" (1963) is one of the finest British films ever made, a benchmark of "kitchen-sink realism" that follows the self-defeating professional and romantic pursuits of a miner turned rugby player eking out an existence in drab Yorkshire. With an astonishing, raging performance by a young Richard Harris, an equally blistering turn by fellow Oscar nominee Rachel Roberts as the widow with whom he lodges, and electrifying direction by Lindsay Anderson in his feature-film debut following years of documentary work, "This Sporting Life" remains a dramatic powerhouse some 45 years later. This special edition features a new, restored high-definition digital transfer and includes Commentary featuring Paul Ryan, editor of "Never Apologise: The Collected Writings of Lindsay Anderson," and David Storey, screenwriter and author of "This Sporting Life"; "Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?" (2004, 30 min.), a BBC Scotland documentary featuring interviews with many of the director's close friends and collaborators; "Is That All There Is?" (1992, 50 min.), Anderson's autobiographical, final film; a booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Neil Sinyard and writings by Anderson, more ... Agnes Varda used the skills she honed early in her career as a photographer to create some of the most nuanced, thought-provoking films of the past 50 years. She is widely believed to have presaged the French new wave with her first film, "La Pointe Courte," long before creating one of the movement's benchmarks, Cleo from 5 to 7." Later, with "Le bonheur" and "Vagabond," Varda further shook up art house audiences, challenging bourgeois codes with her inscrutable characters and effortlessly beautiful compositions and editing. Now working largely as a documentarian, Varda remains one of the essential cinematic poets of our time and a true visionary. "4 X Agnes Varda" is a four-disc set with "La Pointe Courte," "Cleo from 5 to 7," "Le bonheur" and "Vagabond" in new restored digital transfers, supervised and approved by Varda, and features a host of extras.
Also ripe for your collection is "The John Frankenheimer Collection," a four-disc set with "The Young Savages," "The Train," "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Ronin," $39.98 from MGM.
From TV to Video"Barney Miller: The Complete Second Season" is a three-disc set with 22 episodes, $29.95 from Sony ... "The Catherine Cookson Anthology" features eight of the popular author's most popular novels adapted and produced for British television from 1989-2000, in a eight-disc set, $99.98 from Koch Vision ... "ER: The Complete Eighth Season" (2001-02) is a six-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98 from Warner ... "The Girls Next Door Season Three" is a three-disc set with 14 episodes, $29.98 from Fox ... "Hawaii Five-O: The Third Season" (1970-71) is a six-disc set with 24 episodes, $54.99 from Paramount ... "Hustle: The Complete Season 4" is a two-disc set with six episodes, $34.98 from Warner ... "The Odd Couple: The Third Season" (1972-73) is a four-disc set with 23 episodes, $42.99 from Paramount ... "The Simple Life: Goes To Camp" is a single disc with 10 episodes, $19.98 from Fox ... "Torchwood: The Complete First Season" is a seven-disc set with 13 episodes, $79.98 from Warner ... "TV Guide Presents: Banacek -- The Second Season" is a three-disc set with eight episodes, $29.95 from Arts Alliance America.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
A young aspiring singer moves from Mississippi to Los Angeles in pursuit of her long time dream of becoming an R&B singer in "R&B Chick" (2007), starring Clifton Powell and Christina Johnson, from Warner ... A naive young athlete joins an underground prizefighting circuit to earn a little extra cash and is turned into a brutal fighting machine in "Fatal Contact" (2006 - Hong Kong), starring Jacky Wu and Ronald Cheng, in a two-disc Dragon Dynasty set from the Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... "Missionary Man" (2008) is a modern-day Western about small town injustice by the hand of a greedy wrongdoer, and the mysterious, renegade stranger who single-handedly saves the day, starring Dolph Lundgren, from Sony ... "Blonde Ambition" (2008) stars Jessica Simpson, Luke Wilson, Rachel Leigh Cook, Penelope Ann Miller, Andy Dick and Willie Nelson in the story of a young professional woman (Jessica Simpson) who unwittingly becomes the pawn of two business executives in their bid to oust the head of a mega-conglomerate; from Sony.
On the Indie Front:
"Sex and Breakfast" (2007), starring Macaulay Culkin, Eliza Dushku, Kuno Becker and Alexis Dziena, intertwines the lives of two couples who experiment with group sex as a way to sort out the rudiments of a successful relationship -- sex, love, and communication; from First Look Home Entertainment.
Foreign:
"Moliere" (2007 -- French) is an "elaborate historical
fiction" that traces several lost months in the life of one of France's
greatest playwrights, the father and true master of comic satire,
author of "The Misanthrope" and "Tartuffe," and a dramatist to rank
alongside Shakespeare and Sophocles; from Sony.
"The Wheels on the Bus: Mango's Big Dog Parade" is the newest episode of the award-winning series of children's films based on the toddler anthem "The Wheels on the Bus," staring the voice talent of Roger Daltrey of The Who. Mango, Papaya, Coco and all their friends are back for a new musical adventure combining computer animation, live-action and a cast of kids and puppets as they help a little dog who missed his ride to the Big Dog Parade. As in all the "Wheels" DVD, this focuses on themes that teach children basic skills of cooperation, good behavior and manners. $14.98 from PorchLight Home Entertainment.
Special Interest:
"Confessions of a Superhero" (2007) is a documentary that explores the fascination, obsession, and allure of fame through the eyes of some very unique people struggling to make it in Tinseltown: three mortal men and one woman who make their living working as superhero characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard; $19.98 from Arts Alliance America ... "Just Like Me" (2008) examines the current generation of budding NHL stars; $19.98 from Warner ... "The Jeff Corwin Experience Season One" is a three-disc set with 15 episodes from the Animal Planet series, $24.95 from Genius Products ... "WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary" is a three-disc set that celebrates the 15th anniversary of the WWE's flagship program. Features highlights from the more than 700 broadcasts of "Monday Night Raw," with all the hits, slams and high flying acrobatics as well as crazy antics, hilarious skits, revealing interviews and more. $34.95 from Genius Entertainment. Other WWE videos now available include "Survivor Series," featuring the 21st annual wrestling event, held last November in Miami ($24.95), a compilation of great matches "The Triumph & Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling" ($29.95) and "Cyber Sunday" in which fans get the chance to decide the fate of some of wrestling's hottest stars ($24.95); all from WWE/Genius Entertainment.
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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
Barney Miller: The Complete Second Season. Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $29.95. (Sony).
Blonde Ambition (2008) Jessica Simpson, Luke Wilson, Rachel Leigh Cook, Penelope Ann Miller, Andy Dick, Willie Nelson. A young professional woman (Jessica Simpson) unwittingly becomes the pawn of two business executives in their bid to oust the head of a mega-conglomerate. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes. (Sony).
The Catherine Cookson Anthology. Eight of the popular author's most popular novels adapted and produced for British television from 1989-2000. Eight-disc set, $99.98. (Koch Vision).
Criss Angel: Mindfreak: The Complete Season Three. Three-disc set with 20 episodes, $34.95. (A&E Home Video).
Confessions of a Superhero (2007) Documentary explores the fascination, obsession, and allure of fame through the eyes of some very unique people struggling to make it in Tinseltown: three mortal men and one woman who make their living working as superhero characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard; $19.98. (Arts Alliance America).
ER: The Complete Eighth Season (2001-02) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98. Extras: "Outpatient Outtakes": Unaired scenes, gag reel. (Warner).
Fatal Contact (2006 - Hong Kong) Jacky Wu, Ronald Cheng. A naive young athlete joins an underground prizefighting circuit to earn a little extra cash and is turned into a brutal fighting machine. Two-disc set. Extras: "A Dragon Rising" featurette with Wu Jing, "The Ringmaster" interview with director Dennis Law, "Working Gir" interview with co-star Theresa Fu, "Young And Dangerous" interview with co-star Miki Yeung, "Life Is a Contact Sport: Behind the Scenes of Fatal Contact, commentary by director Dennis Law and Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. (Dragon Dynasty/Weinstein Co./Genius Products).
4 X Agnes Varda. Four-disc set with four Varda films: "La Pointe Courte," "Cleo from 5 to 7," "Le bonheur" and "Vagabond." New restored digital transfers, supervised and approved by director Varda. Extras: Three short films by Varda: "L'Opera Mouffe" (1958), "Du cote de la cote" (1958), and "Les fiances du Pont Macdonald" (1961); On "La Pointe Courte": new video interview with Varda; On "Cleo from 5 to 7": a 2005 documentary on the making of the film; a short film from 2005 in which Varda retraces Cleo's steps through Paris; Varda speaking with Madonna about the film in 1993; "On Le bonheur": new interviews with the three actors from the film; a 2006 discussion with four scholars about the film; footage of Varda on-set; 1998 interview with Varda; 2003 interviews on the concept of happiness; On "Vagabond": a 2003 documentary on the making of the film; a 2003 interview with composer Joanna Bruzdowicz; a 1986 radio interview with writer Nathalie Sarraute; a 2003 interview with actress Marthe Jarnias; plus new essays by Chris Darke, Adrian Martin, Amy Taubin, and Ginette Vincendeau. (The Criterion Collection).
The Game Plan (2007) Dwayne Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut. Extras: "Drafting The Game Plan" behind-the-scenes featurette, "ESPN's SportsCenter: The Rock Learns to Play QB," bloopers, deleted scenes, more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney).
The Girls Next Door Season Three. Three-disc set with 14 episodes, $29.98. Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, Easter eggs. (Fox).
Hawaii Five-O: The Third Season (1970-71) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $54.99. (Paramount).
The Hunting Party (2007) Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg, James Brolin, Diane Kruger, Joy Bryant. A young journalist, a seasoned cameraman and a discredited journalist embark on an unauthorized mission to find the No. 1 war criminal in Bosnia; they find themselves in serious jeopardy when they are mistaken as a CIA hit squad and their target decides to come after them. Extras: Deleted Scenes, commentary by director Richard Shepard, "Making The Hunting Party," "From Journalism to Film: Director Richard Shepard Interviews The Writers of the Original Esquire Article," "What I Did on My Summer Vacation: The Original Esquire Article." (Weinstein Co./Genius Products).
Hustle: The Complete Season 4. Two-disc set with six episodes, $34.98. (Warner).
The Jeff Corwin Experience Season One. Three-disc set with 15 episodes from the Animal Planet series, $24.95. (Genius Products).
The John Frankenheimer Collection. Four-disc set with "The Young Savages," "The Train," "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Ronin," $39.98. (MGM).
Just Like Me (2008) Examines the current generation of budding NHL stars; $19.98. (Warner).
Miss Julie (1951) Swedish filmmaker Alf Sjoberg's visually innovative film. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: New video essay by film historian Peter Cowie, archival television interview with director Alf Sjoberg, a 2006 television documentary about the play and author August Strindberg, plus a booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Peter Matthews and Birgitta Steene. (The Criterion Collection).
Missionary Man (2008) Dolph Lundgren. Modern-day Western about small town injustice by the hand of a greedy wrongdoer, and the mysterious, renegade stranger who single-handedly saves the day. (Sony).
Moliere (2007 -- French) An "elaborate historical fiction" that traces several lost months in the life of one of France's greatest playwrights, the father and true master of comic satire, author of "The Misanthrope" and "Tartuffe," and a dramatist to rank alongside Shakespeare and Sophocles. Extras: Commentary by director Laurence Tirard, "making-of" featurette. (Sony).
The Odd Couple: The Third Season (1972-73) Four-disc set with 23 episodes, $42.99. (Paramount).
R&B Chick (2007) Clifton Powell, Christina Johnson. A young aspiring singer moves from Mississippi to Los Angeles in pursuit of her long time dream of becoming an R&B singer. (Warner).
Saw IV (2007) Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis, Simon Reynolds, Mike Realba, Marty Adams. In R and unrated director's cut editions. Extras: Director's diary, "The Traps of Saw IV," "The Props of Saw IV," commentaries. (Lionsgate).
Sex and Breakfast (2007) Macaulay Culkin, Eliza Dushku, Kuno Becker, Alexis Dziena. Intertwines the lives of two couples who experiment with group sex as a way to sort out the rudiments of a successful relationship -- sex, love, and communication. (First Look Home Entertainment).
The Simple Life: Goes to Camp. Single disc with 10 episodes, $19.98. (Fox).
Sydney White (2007) Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton, Matt Long, Jack Carpenter, Jeremy Howard, Crystal Hunt. Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, "Sydney and Her Prince" featurette, "Kappa's Forever?" featurette, "Meet the Dorks," "Welcome to the Vortex," more. (Universal).
This Sporting Life (1963) Dir.: Lindsay Anderson; Richard Harris, Rachel Roberts. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: Commentary featuring Paul Ryan, editor of "Never Apologise: The Collected Writings of Lindsay Anderson," and David Storey, screenwriter and author of "This Sporting Life"; "Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?" (2004, 30 min.), a BBC Scotland documentary featuring interviews with many of the director's close friends and collaborators; new video interview with Lois Sutcliffe Smith, Anderson's close friend and president of the Lindsay Anderson Memorial Foundation; "Meet the Pioneers" (1948), Lindsay Anderson's first documentary short; "Wakefield Express" (1952), Anderson's short-film contribution to England's Free Cinema series, shot in the same town that served as the location for "This Sporting Life"; "Is That All There Is?" (1992, 50 min.), Anderson's autobiographical, final film; plus a booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Neil Sinyard and writings by Anderson, including his groundbreaking article, "Stand Up! Stand Up!" (The Criterion Collection).
Thunderbirds 40th Anniversary Megaset. Twelve-disc set with all 32 digitally remastered episodes, $129.95. Extras: Photo gallery of production stills, two original 1965 "making-of" featurettes, "The History of The Thunderbirds" featurette, character biographies, Gerry Anderson biography and filmography. (A&E Home Video).
Torchwood: The Complete First Season. Seven-disc set with 13 episodes, $79.98. (Warner).
TV Guide Presents: Banacek -- The Second Season. Three-disc set with eight episodes, $29.95. Extras: Pilot episode "Detour to Nowhere." (Arts Alliance America).
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary. Three-disc set celebrates the 15th anniversary of the WWE's flagship program. Features highlights from the more than 700 broadcasts of "Monday Night Raw," with all the hits, slams and high flying acrobatics as well as crazy antics, hilarious skits, revealing interviews and more. $34.95. (Genius Entertainment).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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