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1/29/08 V12.5
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, January 29 -- Monday, February 4
Bordertown
Since 1993, almost 400 women have been murdered in Juarez, Mexico, a factory town that is home to people who toil away at "maquiladoras" (border factories) making cheap consumer goods for the US market. "Bordertown" tells the story of Lauren Fredricks (Jennifer Lopez), an ambitious newspaper reporter, who has been sent to Juarez by her editor (Martin Sheen) to investigate what has happened to these hundreds of women and how the local police and authorities have been covering up the brutal rapes and murders. Lauren looks up her former colleague (and lover) Alfonso Diaz (Antonio Banderas), who now runs the local paper, and they soon uncover one of the hottest stories of the year when they come across the only known survivor of one of these mysterious attacks. The victim is reluctant to speak, but Lauren convinces her to break the silence; yet the real danger is not the murder, but the larger forces who don't want the story told. Vitals: Director: Gregory Nava. Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Martin Sheen, Maya Zapata. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 114 min., Thriller, ThinkFilm.
Comebacks, The
Comedy that spoofs the best inspirational sports movies ever made. Champ Fields is known as the unluckiest coach in the history of sports. After being forced into an early retirement, he's given one last shot at greatness. Unfortunately, Champ is hired to coach The Comebacks, a talentless, slightly deranged college football team with a laughable roster and an even worse record. Armed with questionable morals, and weak players, Champ sets out to bring this team of losers together and make the impossible happen: win a game. Vitals: Director: Tom Brady. Stars: David Koechner, Carl Weathers, Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Jackie Long, Jesse Garcia. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 88 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $13.168 million, Fox.
Daddy Day Camp
Sequel to "Daddy Day Care." Charlie Hinton (Cuba Gooding Jr.), the owner of the successful Daddy Day Care business, and his partner Phil (Paul Rae) are presented with a dilemma when their seven-year-old sons, Ben and Max, want to spend the summer at Camp Canola -- a camp run by Charlie's boyhood rival, Lance. Rather than send Ben and Max to Lance's camp, Charlie and Phil impulsively buy the neglected, neighboring Camp Driftwood and attempt to run it themselves. The camp, however, is rundown and dilapidated, and the men discover that they've bitten off more than they can chew. After numerous disasters, Charlie reluctantly enlists the help of his military-trained father, Buck, who helps Charlie and Phil teach the kids the outdoor skills needed at camp and train for the inter-camp Olympiad against Camp Canola. Vitals: Director: Fred Savage. Stars: Cuba Gooding Jr., Paul Rae, Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant, Brian Doyle-Murray, Tamala Jones. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 89 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $13.235 million, Sony.
Feel the Noise
After a run-in with local thugs, aspiring Harlem rapper Rob (Omarion Grandberry) flees to a place and a father (Giancarlo Esposito) he never knew, and finds his salvation in Reggaeton, a spicy blend of hip-hop, reggae and Latin beats. Puerto Rico, the spiritual home of Reggaeton, inspires Rob and his half-brother Javi (Victor Rasuk) to pursue their dream of becoming Reggaeton stars. Together with a dancer named C.C. (Zulay Henao), they learn what it means to stay true to themselves and each other, while overcoming obstacles in love, greed and pride, all culminating in an explosive performance at New York's Puerto Rican Day Parade. Vitals: Director: Alejandro Chomski. Stars: Omarion Grandberry, Giancarlo Esposito, Victor Rasuk, Zulay Henao. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min., Music Drama, Box office gross: $5.701 million, Sony.
Invasion, The
Third remake of the seminal 1950s cold war thriller "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," here gussied up for the 21st century. A massive explosion lights up the skies from Dallas to Washington, shattering the space shuttle Patriot into pieces that rain down across the U.S. The authorities are quick to seize control of the situation, but stories emerge about a strange substance found clinging to the wreckage -- something that withstood the extreme cold of space and searing heat of reentry to get here. And the first to come in contact with it are the first to change. DC psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) doesn't connect what happened to the shuttle with the bizarre occurrences that seem to accelerate around her: One of her patients is terrified that her husband has been replaced by a stranger; violent outbursts on the streets are quickly subdued; and a very strange substance comes home in her son Oliver's Halloween candy -- something that might, in fact, be alive. She tells her friend and fellow doctor, Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig), that something is very wrong despite the fact that Washington does not seem concerned. The official word is that it's simply a new form of flu, but before realizing the weight of what's happening Carol lets Oliver spend the weekend with his estranged dad, a high-level official with the Center for Disease Control, who is in Washington investigating the crash and was one of the first people on the scene. As the epidemic spreads, Carol discovers that the very people in charge of inoculation against it are spreading something far worse -- a spore of unknown origin that attacks human DNA while the host sleeps, remaking it in the image of a lifeform that looks like us and talks like us, but with all human emotion drained away. Seemingly overnight, the people around her are transformed into hive-like beings with one imperative: to infect others and take control. Doing everything in her power to stay awake, Carol embarks on a desperate journey into a changed world to stay alive long enough to find her son. To hide among them, she will have to remain calm ... betray no emotion ... and, most of all, not fall asleep. Vitals: Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel. Stars: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Veronica Cartwright. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 99 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $15.071 million, Warner.
Rocket Science
Hal Hefner is an ordinary, shy 15 year-old boy who's struggling to make it through high school. On top of his parents' recent divorce and an obsessive-compulsive, kleptomaniac older brother, Hal has a stuttering problem. In spite of this speech impediment, the high school debate team star, Ginny Ryerson, invites Hal to join the team. Stumbling his way to the championship, Hal falls in love, gains confidence and ultimately, realizes that love and life should not be rocket science. Vitals: Director: Jeffrey Blitz. Stars: Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Vincent Piazza, Nicholas D'Agosto, Aaron Yoo. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 101 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $.712 million, HBO Video.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
Due this week is "El Cid"
(1961), directed by Anthony Mann and starring Charlton Heston, Sophia
Loren, Raf Vallone and Genevieve Page. The two-disc set is the first
release under The Weinstein Co.'s The Miriam Collection label (named
after their mother). Anthony Mann masterfully directs this classic tale
of the 11th-century hero (Heston) who fought to unite Spain. Known as
history's "compassionate warrior," the film follows El Cid's remarkable
journey from peace-broker accused of treason to the King's fighting
champion, and later from exiled hero to legendary martyr. The disc is
available in a Deluxe Edition ($24.95) and a Limited Collector's
Edition ($39.92). Extras include a written Introduction by Martin
Scorsese; commentary by Bill Bronston (son of producer Sam Bronston)
and historian-author Neal M. Rosendorf; a 1961 promotional radio
interviews with Heston and Loren; an introduction interview with Heston
; "Samuel Bronston: The Epic Journey of a Dreamer"; "Behind the Camera:
Anthony Mann and El Cid"; "Hollywood Conquers Spain: The Making of an
Epic"; "Maestro of the Movies: Miklos Rozsa and El Cid"; "The
Importance of Film Preservation and Restoration: A Conversation With
Gerry Byrne"; a trailer gallery; filmographies; and still gallery.
Included in the Collector's Edition only is a reproduction of the
original 1961 souvenir program, a reproduction of the original 1961 El
Cid comic book and six color production stills.From TV to Video:
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume 5" is at two-disc set with all 10 episodes from the fifth season plus 4 previously unreleased episodes, $29.98 from Warner ... "Blue Murder, Set 2" (2003) is a two-disc set with four contemporary, deftly plotted British police procedurals; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Chancer, Series 2" is a two-disc set with the last seven episodes of the 1990s British TV series starring Clive Owen as a magnetic con man; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Cisco Kid Collection 1, 2 ,3 ,4" are four-disc sets with 20 episodes of the early TV Western series; $19.98 each from MPI Home Video ... "Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Sixth Season" is a two-disc set with 10 episodes, $39.98 from HBO Video ... "Damages: The Complete First Season" is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.95 from Sony ... "Jackie Gleason -- Genius at Work" is a collection of some of the Great One's funniest sketches; $19.98 from MPI Home Video ... "JAG: The Fifth Season" (1999-2000) is a seven-disc set with 25 episodes, $64.99 from Paramount.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" (2007), diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games, from New Line ... "Lake Placid 2" (2007) stars John Schneider, Cloris Leachman and Sam McMurray in a telefilm sequel to the comedy horror film about a giant crocodile inhabiting Lake Placid, from Fox ... In "Kiss and Tell" (1996) starring Rosie Rowell, Peter Howitt and Daniel Craig, a policewoman poses as a lonely heart to entice a confession from a man the police believe murdered his wife, from BFS Entertainment ... The unruly, losing players of a pub soccer league team hire a mysterious new coach to whip them back into shape in "Studs" (2006), starring Brendan Gleeson and David Wilmot, from BFS Entertainment ... "Ricco the Mean Machine" (1973) stars Christopher Mitchum, Arthur Kennedy, Malisa Longo and Barbara Bouchet in a mob thriller about the son of a Mafia Don who returns from prison to find his family business usurped by others, from Dark Sky/MPI Home Video ... In "Tragic Ceremony" (1972), starring Camille Keaton, four hippies take refuge in an abandoned villa only to get involved in a satanic sacrifice, from Dark Sky/MPI Home Video.
On the Indie Front:
"The Nines" (2007) stars Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy and Elle Fanning in three short films (directed by John August), each a thriller featuring the same actors in different - and sometimes overlapping - roles. Together, the three stories form a single narrative that explores the relationships between author and character, actor and role, creator and creation: a journey through the mind of an actor, a writer and a video game designer who arguably controls them all. From Sony ... Three days before his bar exam, a ladder-climbing law intern desperate to score points with his boss commits to driving a beat up truck cross-country carrying his boss' seductive yet untouchable niece and her out-of-control pet pig in "Moving McAllister" (2007), starring Ben Gourley, Mila Kunis, Jon Heder and Rutger Hauer, from Magnolia Home Entertainment ... "Raising Flagg" (2006) stars Alan Arkin, Lauren Holly, Glenne Headley, Barbara Dana, Austin Pendleton, Richard Kind and Matthew Arkin in a comedy centered on a handyman (Arkin) and his lifelong competition with his neighbor (Pendleton), from Cinema Libre Studio ... "King of California" (2007) stars Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood and Willis Burks II in an offbeat comedy that just doesn't live up to its premise. After spending several years in a mental institute Charlie (Michael Douglas) is sent home, reuniting with his teenage daughter Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood). Soon, however, Charlie becomes obsessed with the notion that a long-lost Spanish treasure is buried beneath their local suburban California Costco. From First Look Home Entertainment ... "Quiet City + Dance, Party USA: 2 Films by Aaron Katz " (2007) is an interesting indie release. "Quiet City" is a deceptively simple drama about a twentysomething girl (Erin Fisher) who arrives in New York to visit a friend who never shows; on an empty subway platform, she crosses paths with a kindly stranger named Charlie (Cris Lankenau), and an unlikely connection is formed over the next 24 hours through city parks, abandoned apartments, and art galleries in the heart of industrial Brooklyn. In "Dance Party, USA," apathetic teens Jessica (Anna Kavan) and Gus (Cole Pennsinger) share a fleeting moment at a Fourth of July party in Portland, but their relationship grows closer and more complex after Gus confronts her with a troubling secret. Two-disc set. (Benten Films; www.bentenfilms.com).
For the Family:
The hot release this week: "Hannah Montana: One in a Million" with four episodes from the wildly popular Disney Channel series, from Disney ... "Fast Girl" (2007) is a family film about a young woman who wants to follow in her father's footsteps and become a professional race car driver, from Allumination FilmWorks ... "Twitches Too" (2007) is a Disney Channel telefilm starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as a pair of magical princesses separated at birth to protect them from a mysterious evil force, from Disney ... for the wee ones there's "Celebrating Around the World" (2007), in which Barney and friends take a super-dee-duper adventure to Brazil, Kenya, India, Japan and Ireland where they learn about different cultures, including traditional music and dance, and explore the ways people celebrate around the world; $14.98 from HIT/Fox ... and "Pingu: On Thin Ice," with eight episodes of the animated series about a charming, cheeky young penguin who connects with kids of all ages and has a knack for mischief and a flair for flippered fun; $14.98 from HIT/Fox.
Special Interest:
"Pioneers of Television" (2008) is the recent four-part PBS documentary with clips and interviews from the formative years of television, with appearances by nearly 100 stars; $24.99 from Paramount ... "Coma" (2007) is a documentary look at the mystery of traumatic brain injury; $24.98 from HBO Video ... "Kennedy: The Man, the President, the Tragedy" is a three-disc set with "Image of an Assassination: A New Look into the Zapruder Film," "The Murder of JFK: A Revisionist History" and "The Missiles of October" starring William Devane and Martin Sheen; $29.98 from MPI Home Video ... "Desert Bayou" (2007) is a feature length documentary that tells the story of 600 African-Americans who were airlifted out of New Orleans after the Katrina floods, shipped to Utah without their knowledge, subjected to identity checks and then housed at an isolated military base. Although the people flown to Utah were a small percentage of those displaced -- estimates are between 645,000 and 1 million -- their story is emblematic of some painful truths about race, religion and poverty in America; $19.95 from Cinema Libre ... "Bill Gottlieb: Riffs" (2005) is a photographic chronicle of the Golden Age of Jazz, 1938 to 1948. Bill Gottlieb's exquisitely detailed photographs captured the essence of jazz. His body of work represents the musicians who inspired him, and provides an intimate look at the musicmakers. Gottlieb's photographs have been used in countless books and articles and have graced nearly 250 record album covers; they have appeared in television documentaries and major motion pictures, and have been distributed on posters, postcards, calendars, and T-shirts. Featuring interviews with Gottlieb and other jazz authorities, this documentary explores the stories behind Bill's artful portraits. He discusses his famous photographs of jazz greats Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and many others. $19.99 from Kultur International Films ... "The Mamas & The Papas: Straight Shooter" (2008) is a definitive biography of the legendary musical group that had 10 hit singles from 1965-68. Features exclusive interviews with founding members John Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Denny Doherty to tell the story of The Mamas and The Papas, with home movies, personal photographs, interviews, rare performances. $19.99 from SRO Entertainment ... "Teresa Mason's Steppin' Out" is a new dance instruction series from acclaimed dance instructor Teresa Mason: "Nightclub Dancing," "Ballroom Dancing" and "Latin Dancing," $19.99 each from Kultur International Films.
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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
Bill Gottlieb: Riffs (2005) A photographic chronicle of the Golden Age of Jazz, 1938 to 1948. $19.99. (Kultur International Films).
Blue Murder, Set 2 (2003) Two-disc set with four contemporary, deftly plotted British police procedurals; $39.99. (Acorn Media).
Bordertown (2007) Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Martin Sheen, Maya Zapata. An investigative reporter uncovers a string of murders of young women near American-owned factories in the bordertown of Juarez. Extras: "The Making of Bordertown," "Dual Injustice" WITNESS.org documentary short, Amnestry International Juarez film, photo gallery, information on how to get involved. (ThinkFilm).
Celebrating Around the World (2007) Barney and friends take a super-dee-duper adventure to Brazil, Kenya, India, Japan and Ireland where they learn about different cultures, including traditional music and dance, and explore the ways people celebrate around the world; $14.98. (HIT/Fox).
Chancer, Series 2. Two-disc set with the last seven episodes of the 1990s British TV series starring Clive Owen as a magnetic con man; $39.99. (Acorn media).
Charm School (Ninas Mal) (2007 -- Mexico) Martha Higareda, Maria Aura. Comedy follows a high school teen queen with a rebellious attitude who is sent off to a charm school that guarantees they can turn any young girl into a "domestic goddess." Extras: "The Making of Ninas Mal," Ximena Sarinana music video "Como Soy." (Sony).
Cisco Kid Collection 1, 2 ,3 ,4. Four-disc sets with 20 episodes of the early TV Western series; $19.98 each. (MPI Home Video).Extras:
Coma (2007) Documentary look at the mystery of traumatic brain injury; $24.98. (HBO Video).
The Comebacks (2007) David Koechner, Carl Weathers, Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Jackie Long, Jesse Garcia. In R-rated and unrated editions. R-rated Extras: Fox Movie Channel presents "In Character With David Koechner," "Varsity Black N' Blues" behind-the-scenes featurette, three Fox Atomic viral videos. Unrated Extras: Commentary by director Tom Brady, "On The Bench" deleted scenes, seven featurettes. (Fox).
Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Sixth Season. Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $39.98. Extras: Extra footage, gag reels, more. (HBO Video).
Daddy Day Camp (2007) Cuba Gooding Jr., Paul Rae, Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant, Brian Doyle-Murray, Tamala Jones. Extras: "How I spent my Summer: Making Daddy Day Care" featurette, "What I Learned at Camp" interactive quiz. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).
Damages: The Complete First Season. Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.95. Extras: Featurettes: "Willful Acts," "Behind-the-Scenes," "Understanding Class Action," "Trust No One"; deleted scenes and bloopers; commentaries on select episodes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).
Desert Bayou (2007) Feature length documentary tells the story of 600 African- Americans who were airlifted out of New Orleans after the Katrina floods, shipped to Utah without their knowledge, subjected to identity checks and then housed at an isolated military base. Although the people flown to Utah were a small percentage of those displaced -- estimates are between 645,000 and 1 million -- their story is emblematic of some painful truths about race, religion and poverty in America; $19.95. (Cinema Libre).
Drumline Special Edition (2002) Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jone, GQ. Extras: Commentary by director Charles Stone III, "Half-Time Heroes" featurette, "The Real Battle of the Bands" featurette, "Anatomy of a Drumline" featurette, deleted scenes. (Fox).
El Cid (1961) Dir.: Anthony Mann; Charlton Heston , Sophia Loren, Raf Vallone, Genevieve Page. Two-disc set. First release under The Weinstein Co.'s The Miriam Collection label. Available in a Deluxe Edition ($24.95) and a Limited Collector's Edition ($39.92). Extras: Written Introduction by Martin Scorsese; commentary by Bill Bronston (son of producer Sam Bronston) and historian-author Neal M. Rosendorf; 1961 promotional radio interviews with Heston and Loren; introduction interview with Heston ; "Samuel Bronston: The Epic Journey of a Dreamer"; "Behind the Camera: Anthony Mann and El Cid"; "Hollywood Conquers Spain: The Making of an Epic"; "Maestro of the Movies: Miklos Rozsa and El Cid"; "The Importance of Film Preservation and Restoration: A Conversation With Gerry Byrne"; trailer gallery; filmographies; still gallery. Included in the Collector's Edition only is a reproduction of the original 1961 souvenir program, a reproduction of the original 1961 El Cid comic book and six color production stills. (Weinstein Co./Genius).
Fast Girl (2007) Mircea Monroe, Justin Guarini, Dwier Brown, Caroline Rhea. Family film about a young woman who wants to follow in her father's footsteps and become a professionl race car driver. (Allumination FilmWorks).
Feel the Noise (2007) Omarion Grandberry, Giancarlo Esposito, Victor Rasuk, Zulay Henao. Extras: "Feel the Noise: The Making of a Musical Movement," "Reggaeton: A Hand Crafted Beat." (Sony).
Groundhog Day: 15th Anniversary Special Edition (1993) Dir.: Harold Ramis; Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray. Digitally re-mastered under the supervision of Ramis. Extras: "A Different Day: An Interview with Harold Ramis," "The Study of Groundhogs: A Real Life Look at Marmots," deleted scenes, "The Weight of Time" making-of documentary, commentary by Ramis. (Sony).
Hannah Montana: One in a Million. Four episodes from the wildly popular Disney Channel series. (Disney).
Jackie Gleason -- Genius at Work. Collection of some of the Great One's funniest sketches; $19.98. (MPI Home Video).
JAG: The Fifth Season (1999-2000) Seven-disc set with 25 episodes, $64.99. (Paramount).
Kennedy: The Man, the President, the Tragedy. Three-disc set with "Image of an Assassination: A New Look into the Zapruder Film," "The Murder of JFK: A Revisionist History" and "The Missiles of October" starring William Devane and Martin Sheen; $29.98. (MPI Home Video).
King of California (2007) Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood, Willis Burks II. After spending several years in a mental institute Charlie (Michael Douglas) is sent home, reuniting with his teenage daughter Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood). Soon, however, Charlie becomes obsessed with the notion that a long-lost Spanish treasure is buried beneath their local suburban California Costco. (First Look Home Entertainment).
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) Mark Alpiger, Billy Mitchell. Diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games. Extras: Commentary by director Seth Gordon, producer Ed Cunningham, asociate producers Clay Tweel and Luis Lopez; featurettes, "A Really, Really Brief History of Donkey Kong" animated short, more. (New Line).
Kiss and Tell (1996 -- TV) Rosie Rowell, Peter Howitt, Daniel Craig. A policewoman poses as a lonely heart to entice a confession from a man the police believe murdered his wife. (BFS Entertainment).
Lake Placid 2 (2007) John Schneider, Cloris Leachman, Sam McMurray. Telefilm sequel to the comedy horror film about a giant crocodile inhabiting Lake Placid. (Fox).
The Mamas & The Papas: Straight Shooter (2008) Definitive biography of the legendary musical group that had 10 hit singles from 1965-68. (SRO Entertainment).
Monty Python's Life of Brian: The Immaculate Edition (1979) Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Extras: "The Story of Brian": an all-new hour-long revelation from Monty Python; "The Readthrough" newly-discovered original illustrated 110 minute recording by the Pythons of their early screenplay in progress; four illustrated vintage theatrical radio ads featuring the voices of Mrs. Cleese, Mrs. Idle, Mrs. Gilliam and Michael Palin's dentist; deleted scenes; commentaryby Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones; commentary by John Cleese and Michael Palin. Also available on Blu-ray disc. (Sony).
Moving McAllister (2007) Ben Gourley, Mila Kunis, Jon Heder , Rutger Hauer. Three days before his bar exam, a ladder-climbing law intern desperate to score points with his boss commits to driving a beat up truck cross-country carrying his boss' seductive yet untouchable niece and her out-of-control pet pig. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
The Nines (2007) Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy, Elle Fanning. Three short films (directed by John August), each a thriller featuring the same actors in different - and sometimes overlapping - roles. Together, the three stories form a single narrative that explores the relationships between author and character, actor and role, creator and creation: a journey through the mind of an actor, a writer and a video game designer who arguably controls them all. Extras: Commentary by director John August and Reynolds; commentary by August, editor Douglas Crise and actress McCarthy; alternate ending; deleted scenes; "God Short Film" by August; "Summing Up the Nines" behind-the-scenes featurette; "Script to Screen" comparison; photo galleries. (Sony).
Pingu: On Thin Ice. Eight episodes of the animated series about a charming, cheeky young penguin who connects with kids of all ages and has a knack for mischief and a flair for flippered fun; $14.98. Extras: Pingu DVD-Rom game. (HIT Ent./Fox).
Pioneers of Television (2008) Four-part PBS documentary with clips and interviews from the formative years of television, with appearances by nearly 100 stars; $24.99. (Paramount).
Quiet City + Dance, Party USA: 2 Films by Aaron Katz (2007) "Quiet City" is a deceptively simple drama about a twentysomething girl (Erin Fisher) who arrives in New York to visit a friend who never shows; on an empty subway platform, she crosses paths with a kindly stranger named Charlie (Cris Lankenau), and an unlikely connection is formed over the next 24 hours through city parks, abandoned apartments, and art galleries in the heart of industrial Brooklyn. In "Dance Party, USA," apathetic teens Jessica (Anna Kavan) and Gus (Cole Pennsinger) share a fleeting moment at a Fourth of July party in Portland, but their relationship grows closer and more complex after Gus confronts her with a troubling secret. Two-disc set. (Benten Films; www.bentenfilms.com).
Raising Flagg (2006) Alan Arkin, Lauren Holly, Glenne Headley, Barbara Dana, Austin Pendleton, Richard Kind, Matthew Arkin. A comedy centered on a handyman (Arkin) and his lifelong competition with his neighbor (Pendleton.) (Cinema Libre Studio).
Ricco the Mean Machine (1973) Christopher Mitchum, Arthur Kennedy, Malisa Longo, Barbara Bouchet. Mob thriller about the son of aMafia Don who returns from prison to find his family business usurped by others. (Dark Sky/MPI Home Video).
Rocket Science (2007) Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Vincent Piazza, Nicholas D'Agosto, Aaron Yoo. Extras: "The Making of Rocket Science," "Rocket Science" music video. (HBO Video).
Studs (2006) Brendan Gleeson, David Wilmot. The unruly, losing players of a pub soccer league team hire a mysterious new coach to whip them back into shape. (BFS Entertainment).
Teresa Mason's Steppin' Out. New dance instruction series from acclaimed dance instructor Teresa Mason: "Nightclub Dancing," "Ballroom Dancing" and "Latin Dancing," $19.99 each. (Kultur International Films).
Tragic Ceremony (1972) Camille Keaton. Four hippies take refuge in n abandoned villa only to get involved in a satanic sacrifice. (Dark Sky/MPI Home Video).
Twitches Too (2007 -- TV) Disney Channel telefilm starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as a pair of magical princesses separated at birth to protect them from a mysterious evil force. Extras: Alternate ending, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Disney).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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