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3/4/08 V12.10

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, March 4 -- Monday, March 10

Awake
Clay (Hayden Christensen) suffers "Anesthetic Awareness," leaving him fully conscious during open heart surgery, but unable to alert the surgical team surrounding him. As various obstacles present themselves, his wife Sam (Jessica Alba) must make life-altering decisions while he faces a far greater pain. Vitals: Director: Joby Harold. Stars: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Lena Olin, Terrence Howard, Steven Hinkle, Jennifer Pedersen, Sam Robards, Poorna Jagannathan, Court Young. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 84 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $14.230 million, Weinstein Co.

Into the Wild
Freshly graduated from college with a promising future ahead, 22 year-old Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) instead walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people. Was Christopher McCandless a heroic adventurer or a naive idealist, a rebellious 1990s Thoreau or another lost American son, a fearless risk-taker or a tragic figure who wrestled with the precarious balance between man and nature? Each strand of his journey is woven into Sean Penn's screen adaptation of Jon Krakauer's acclaimed bestseller, which is as much about the insatiable yearning for family, home and connection as it is the search for truth and happiness. McCandless' quest took him from the wheat fields of South Dakota to a renegade trip down the Colorado River to the non-conformists' refuge of Slab City, California, and beyond. Along the way, he encountered a series of colorful characters at the very edges of American society who shaped his understanding of life and whose lives he, in turn, changed. In the end, he tested himself by heading alone into the wilds of the great North, where everything he had seen and learned and felt came to a head in ways he never could have expected. Vitals: Director: Sean Penn. Stars: Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart, Zach Galifianakis. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 148 min., Adventure Drama, Box office gross: $16.168 million, Paramount.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium 243-year-old Edward Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) owns the most amazing store in the world -- a tantalizing toy haven in which everything inside literally comes to life. But when the boss decides to retire, the shop throws a tantrum and all its wonders begin to cease. Now his reluctant manager (Natalie Portman), skeptical accountant (Jason Bateman) and most loyal customer (Zach Mills) must work together to save the emporium ... by finding a little magic within themselves. Vitals: Director: Zach Helm. Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: G, 94 min., Fantasy, Box office gross: $31.829, million, Fox.

Things We Lost in the Fire Story of survival, family and friendship. The powerful film follows Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) after she is left reeling by the sudden death of her husband (David Duchovny) in a random act of violence. Adrift in her grief, Audrey invites her husband's close friend Jerry (Del Toro) to move into her home, hoping he can help her and her children cope with their loss. But Jerry is facing a daily battle to stay off drugs and struggles to find his inner resilience just to save himself. Audrey and Jerry's fragile bond is tested as they discover the strength to move forward and the courage to hope. Vitals: Director: Susanne Bier. Stars: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alison Lohman. 2007, CC, MPAA rating: R, 118 min., Drama, Box office gross: $1.561 million, Paramount.

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NEWS

Highlight of the week is "TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 2,"
a three-disc set with five restored and remastered pre-code classics plus a feature-length documentary. It wasn't the "Roaring 20s" but the four years between 1929 and 1934 was the first real era of wide-open sexuality in films. Before Hollywood began enforcing a self-imposed Production Code (in response to numerous sex and crime scandals afflicting Tinseltown), many films allowed for extraordinary frankness, including nudity, adultery, premarital sex and prostitution. The five films here are representative of that time: "The Divorcee" (1930) with Norma Shearer, "A Free Soul" (1931) with Lionel Barrymore and Clark Gable, "Three on a Match" (1932) with Bette Davis, Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak, "Female" (1933) with Ruth Chatterton as a no-nonsense CEO, and "Night Nurse" (1931) with Barbara Stanwyck. Also included in the set is the documentary "Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood"; $49.92 from Warner.

Also due this week: "The Billy Wilder Film Collection," a four-disc set with "The Apartment," "Some Like It Hot," "The Fortune Cookie" and "Kiss Me Stupid!" $39.98 from MGM ... "12 Angry Men" (1957), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, Ed Begley and Jack Klugman, with a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes, from MGM ... A two-disc enhanced "101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition" (1961), featuring super picture and sound, $29.99 from Disney ... and "Mrs. Doubtfire Behind-the-Seams Special Edition" (1993), directed by Chris Columbus and starring Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Polly Holliday, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, Mara Wilson and Robert Prosky, with deleted and extended scenes, makeup tests, fetaurettes, more, from Fox.

From TV to Video:
Due this week: "Blood +: Volume One" (2008), a single-disc with the first five episodes of the Adult Swim anime series, $24.98 from Sony ... "Blood +: Part One" (2008), a six-disc set with all 25 episodes from the first half of the Adult Swim anime series (includes a T-Shirt and Manga sampler), $119.95 from Sony ... "Human Giant: The Complete First Season" is a two-disc set of the MTV sketch comedy series, $26.99 from Paramount ... "Kill Point" (2007) is a two-disc set of the Spike TV series starring John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg, from Lionsgate ... "Marking Time" (2003) is an Australian miniseries about a young man who falls in love with an Afghani refugee in a small Australian town and faces racism and fear after Sept. 11, from BFS Entertainment) ... "The Love Boat: Season One, Volume One" is a three-disc set with the first 12 episodes, $39.99 from Universal ... "Magnum P.I.: Season 8" is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98 from Universal ... "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2003) stars Natascha McElhone. Jodhi May and Jared Harris in the BBC tale of sex, passion and royal intrigue about Mary Boleyn, mistress to King Henry VIII before he married her older sister, Anne, from Warner just in time for the theatrical release of "The Other Boleyn Girl" ... "Sorrell and Son" (1984) stars Miranda Richardson, Stephanie Beacham and Richard Pasco in a BBC Masterpiece Theatre miniseries faithfully adapted from Warwick Deeping's best-selling novel set in the early '20s about one man's sacrifice in order to provide his son with the gentleman's life he feels he deserves, from Koch Vision.

Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "Automaton Transfusion" (2006) three teens find themselves in a town overrun by zombies created by a U.S. Army experiment run amok, from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... "The Shepherd: Border Patrol" (2008) stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Stephen Lord in a direct-to-video actioner about a rogue American Special Forces unit that schemes to smuggle $35 million worth of heroin into the United States; all that stands in its way is border patrol agent Jack Robideaux, an ex-homicide cop with a hidden agenda, from Sony ... "Experiment" (2005) is a psychological thriller about a man and woman trapped in a foreign city, both subjects of a terrifying and shocking experiment, with no escape from their nightmares, from MTI Home Video ... In "Pistol Whipped" (2008), starring Steven Seagal and Lance Henriksen, an elite ex-cop (Seagal) buries himself deeper and deeper into financial trouble with his uncontrollable gambling and drinking problems ... until a mysterious man offers to relieve him of his money troubles in exchange for the assassination of the city's most notorious gangsters, from Sony ... "Terry Pratchett's Hogfather" (2006) stars David Jason, Marc Warren, Michelle Dockery, David Warner and Joss Ackland in a live-action adaptation of one of the international best-selling "Discworld" novels by Terry Pratchett. The tale takes place in a parallel universe drifting through space perched on top of four elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle, a universe where the Auditors want the human race destroyed, from Genius Products.

For the Family:
Lots of DVDs aimed at the little ones this week. "Pat the Bunny Playdates," based on the toddler book that has sold millions of copies since its introduction in 1940, gives children ages 6 months to 36 months video "playdates" to "touch" the world (good for housebound families only), $14.93 from Genius Products ... "My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Friendly Tails" is a triple-length adventure in which the gang hunts for pirate treasure in the Hundred Acre Wood, $19.99 from Disney ... :Bob the Builder: Building Bobland Bay" features six episodes of Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew building a new seaside development for Sunflower Valley, $14.98 from Fox/HIT Entertainment ... "Strawberry Shortcake: Big Country Fun" features Strawberry and friends at a summer dude ranch, $14.98 from Fox ... "Barney Animal ABCs" is the latest title featuring the purple dinosaur in which barney and friends match animals to letters of the alphabet; $14.98 from Fox/HIT Entertainment ... "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" (1970) is a remastered deluxe edition with three additional animated Dr. Seuss stories: Dr. Seuss' "Butter Battle Book," "Daisy-Head Mayzie" and "Horton Hathces the Egg!" $19.97 from Warner ... "Thomas & Friends: Engines and Escapades" is a new DVD featuring six episodes of the little engine and his Narrow Gauge friends, $14.98 from Fox/HIT Entertainment.little engine and his Narrow Gauge friends, $14.98 from Fox/HIT Entertainment.

For older kids there's "Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief" (2008), starring Kyla Pratt and  Peter Coyote in the latest adventure in the talking animals franchise, from Fox ... "Archie's Funhouse: The Complete Series" is a three-disc set with all 16 episodes of the classic animated hit starring Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and Reggie; $29.95 from Classic Media/Genius Products ... "Flight 29 Down: Season Two" is a three-disc set with 13 episodes, $24.95 from Discovery Kids/Genius Products ... "Flight 29 Down: Hotel Tango" is a four-part movie and season finale, $14.95 from Discovery Kids/Genius Products ... "Ben 10: The Complete Season 3" is a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.98 from Warner ... "The Pink Panther & Friends Classic Cartoon Collection Volume Six: The Inspector" is a single disc with 17 episodes (cartoons) from 1965-67, $14.98 from MGM.

Special Interest:
In the thought-provoking documentary "My Kid Could Paint That" (2007), director Amir-Bar-Lev tracks the overnight celebrity of little Marla Olmstead, a toddler who creates gallery-worthy paintings on the dining room table of her family home. A media sensation by the age of four, critics compared her work with Jackson Pollock's. Sales of her paintings reached $300,000. But, sadly, the bubble burst. When a 2005 profile by "60 Minutes" suggested that Marla had help making her paintings, the finger is pointed at her father, an amateur artist and night manager at Frito Lay. Almost overnight, her family is ensnared in a web of accusation and denial -- with the burden of proof placed squarely in their lap: Is Marla a child prodigy or an innocent victim of a hoax? From Sony ... Echo Bridge Home Entertainment will buff up with "World Combat League: Season One," hosted by Chuck Norris ($19.99), and "WCL: Season One: Greatest Knockouts and Knockdowns" ($9.99) ... "The UCLA Dynasty" chronicles the Bruins' incredible achievement in capturing an astounding 10 national titles during a 12-year period, from 1964-1975; just in time for March madness, $19.98 from HBO Video.

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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

Automaton Transfusion (2006) Garrett Jones, Juliet Reeves, William Howard Bowman. Three teens find themselves in a town overrun by zombies created by a U.S. Army experiment run amok. Extras: Commentary, "Trials and Tribulations: The Making of Automaton Transfusion," deleted scenes, music videos. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

Awake (2007) Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Lena Olin, Terrence Howard, Steven Hinkle, Jennifer Pedersen, Sam Robards, Poorna Jagannathan, Court Young. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Steven C. Miller and producers William Clevinger and Mark Thalman; "Trials and Tribulations: The Making of Automaton Transfusion"; deleted scenes; "Suffer or Sacrifice" short film by Director Steven C. Miller; "Can You Hear Me Now" music video by Blinded Black; "Arsenaholic" music video by Dancefloor Tragedy. (Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

Barney Animal ABCs. Latest title featuring the purple dinosaur in which barney and friends match animals to letters of the alphabet; $14.98. Extras: Bonus episode. (Fox/HIT Entertainment).

Ben 10: The Complete Season 3. Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.98. Extras: Character gallery, promos, deleted scenes. (Warner).

The Billy Wilder Film Collection. Four-disc set with "The Apartment," "Some Like It Hot," "The Fortune Cookie" and "Kiss Me Stupid!" $39.98. (MGM).

Blood +: Volume One (2008) Single-disc with the first five episodes of the Adult Swim anime series, $24.98. (Sony).

Blood +: Part One (2008) Six-disc set with all 25 episodes from the first half of the Adult Swim anime series, $119.95. Extras: Exclusive T-Shirt and Manga sampler. (Sony).

Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief (2008) Kyla Pratt, Peter Coyote. "Animal whisperer" Maya Dolittle's dream of going to vet school is put on hold when she gets a call from the President of the United States to help with the disobedient first dog; direct-to-video sequel. Extras: "Critter Casting Sessions" featurette, "Working With Actors of a Different Breed" featurette, "Goin' Wild at Mountain View" featurette, "Learning About Endangered Animals" featurette. (Fox).

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!(1970) Remastered deluxe edition with three additional animated Dr. Seuss stories: Dr. Seuss' "Butter Battle Book," "Daisy-Head Mayzie" and "Horton Hathces the Egg!" $19.97. Extras: "Who Hears Horton Who?" feaurette. (Warner).

Experiment (2005) John Hopkins, Clive Ashborn, Georgina French. Psychological thriller about a man and woman trapped in a foreign city, both subjects of a terrifying and shocking experiment, with no escape from their nightmares. (MTI Home Video).

Flight 29 Down: Season Two. Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $24.95. (Discovery Kids/Genius Products).

Flight 29 Down: Hotel Tango. Four-part movie and season finale, $14.95. (Discovery Kids/Genius Products).

Human Giant: The Complete First Season. Two-disc set of the MTV sketch comedy series, $26.99. Extras: Commentary, deleted and extended scenes, behind the scenes clips. (Paramount).

Into the Wild(2007) Dir.: Sean Penn; Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart, Zach Galifianakis. Available as a single-disc and two-disc special edition. Special Edition Extras: "Into the Wild: The Story, The Characters" featurette, "Into the Wild: The Experience" fetaurette. Also available on HD DVD. (Paramount).

Johnson Family Dinner (2007) Lynne Conner, Toni Sterrett, Jerard Jones, Ashley Shyne. (Warner).

Kill Point (2007 -- TV) Two-disc set of the Spike TV series in which John Leguizamo as an Iraq war veteran who leads his ex-platoon on a daring bank heist faces off against Donnie Wahlberg as a no-nonsense hostage negotiator who refuses to back down when the robbery goes tragically wrong. (Lionsgate).

The Love Boat: Season One, Volume One. Three-disc set with the first 12 episodes, $39.99. (Universal).

Magnum P.I.: Season 8. Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Alternate Season Seven finale. (Universal).

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007) Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills. Extras: "Strangely Weird and Weirdly Strange: The Magical World of a Wonder Emporium" featurette, "An Eccentric Boss and an Awkward Apprentice" featurette, "To Meet Eric Applebaum, Start By Saying Hi" featurette, "The Magical Toy Store" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).

Mrs. Doubtfire Behind-the-Seams Special Edition (1993) Dir.: Chris Columbus; Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Polly Holliday, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, Mara Wilson, Robert Prosky. Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, alternate scenes, photo gallery, makeup tests and gallery, "From Man to Mrs.: The Evolution of Mrs. Doubtfire" featurette, "Aging Gracefully: A Look Back at Mrs. Doubtfire" featurette, "A Conversation With Legendary Animator Chuck Jones" featurette, "The Improvisation of Mrs. Doubtfire" featuring seven scenes, original 1993 featurette, "Meet Mrs. Doubtfire" Robin Williams interview. (Fox).

Marking Time (2003 -- TV) A young man falls in love with an Afghani refugee in a small Australian town and faces racism and fear after Sept. 11. Two-disc set of the Australian miniseries. (BFS Entertainment).

My Kid Could Paint That (2007) In this thought-provoking documentary, director Amir-Bar-Lev tracks the overnight celebrity of little Marla Olmstead, a toddler who creates gallery-worthy paintings on the dining room table of her family home. A media sensation by the age of four, critics compare her work with Jackson Pollock's. Sales of her paintings reach $300,000. But, sadly, the bubble bursts. When a 2005 profile by "60 Minutes" suggests that Marla had help making her paintings, the finger is pointed at her father, an amateur artist and night manager at Frito Lay. Almost overnight, her family is ensnared in a web of accusation and denial -- with the burden of proof placed squarely in their lap: Is Marla a child prodigy or an innocent victim of a hoax? Extras: Commentary, "Back to Binghamton" mini-doc with director Amir Bar-Lev that includes follow-up interviews, Sundance Q & A, deleted scenes, more; "Kimmelman on Art" a mini-doc with the New York Times art critic. (Sony).

101 Dalmatians: Platinum Edition (1961) Two-disc set with enhanced picture and sound, $29.99. Extras: "Virtual Dalmatians," "101 Pop-Up Trivia Facts," Cruella De Vil music video, "Redefining the Line: The Making of 101 Dalmatians," "Cruella De Vil: Drawn to be Bad," "Sincerely Yours: Walt Disney," deleted songs, more. (Disney).

The Other Boleyn Girl (2003) Natascha McElhone. Jodhi May, Jared Harris. BBC tale of sex, passion and royal intrigue: This is the little-known story of Mary Boleyn who was mistress to King Henry VIII before he married her older sister, Anne. Inspired by Philippa Gregory's best selling novel. (Warner).

The Pink Panther & Friends Classic Cartoon Collection Volume Six: The Inspector. Single disc with 17 episodes (cartoons) from 1965 - 1967, $14.98. (MGM).

Pistol Whipped (2008) Steven Seagal, Lance Henriksen. An elite ex-cop (Seagal) buries himself deeper and deeper into financial trouble with his uncontrollable gambling and drinking problems ... until a mysterious man offers to relieve him of his money troubles in exchange for the assassination of the city's most notorious gangsters. Extras: Deleted scenes. (Sony).

The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008) Jean-Claude Van Damme, Stephen Lord. Direct-to-video actioner. A rogue American Special Forces unit schemes to smuggle $35 million worth of heroin into the United States, and all that stands in its way is border patrol agent Jack Robideaux, an ex-homicide cop with a hidden agenda. (Sony).

Sorrell and Son (1984)Miranda Richardson, Stephanie Beacham, Richard Pasco. BBC Masterpiece Theatre minisereies about faithfully adapted from Warwick Deepings best-selling novel set in the early '20s about one man's sacrifice in order to provide his son with the gentleman's life he feels he deserves. (Koch Vision).

TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 2. Three-disc set with five restored and remastered pre-code classics plus a feature-length documentary: "The Divorcee" (1930)/"A Free Soul" (1931); "Three on a Match" (1932)/"Female" (1933); "Night Nurse" (1931)/ Documentary: "Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood." $49.92. (Warner).

Terry Pratchett's Hogfather (2006) David Jason, Marc Warren, Michelle Dockery, David Warner, Joss Ackland. Live-action adaptation of one of the international best-selling "Discworld" novels by Terry Pratchett that takes place in a parallel universe drifting through space perched on top of four elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle, a universe where the Auditors want the human race destroyed. (Genius Products).

Things We Lost in the Fire (2007) Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alison Lohman. Extras: "A Discussion About Things We Lost in the Fire," deleted scenes. Also available on HD DVD. (Paramount).

12 Angry Men (1957) Dir.: Sidney Lumet; Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Jack Klugman. Extras: "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: The Making Of 12 Angry Men" featurette, "Inside the Jury Room" featurette. (MGM).

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

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