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11/18/08 V12.45

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES


For Tuesday, November 18 -- Monday, November 24

WALL-E What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? Pixar Animation Studios transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named WALL-E. After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL-E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL-E chases EVE across the galaxy. Joining WALL-E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots. Vitals: Director: Andrew Stanton. Voices: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Ben Burtt, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: G, 98 min., Family, Box office gross: $214.129 million, Disney.

Tropic Thunder Whacked-out action-comedy has Ben Stiller playing a pampered action superstar cast in the biggest, most expensive war movie ever produced. He sets out to Southeast Asia with a "Who's Who" of celebrity co-stars but soon after the production begins the actors are thrown into a real-life situation and are forced to become the fighting unit they're portraying, in order to find a way out of the jungle in one piece. Controversial spoof of Hollywood, moviemaking, and politically correctness. Vitals: Director: Ben Stiller. Stars: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Brandon Jackson, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Jay Baruchel, Matt Levin, Andrea De Oliveira, Reggie Lee, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 122 min., Drama, Box office gross: $109.876 million, DreamWorks.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The In "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," based on Ann Brashares' best-selling series of novels, four young women continue the journey toward adulthood. Now three years later, these lifelong friends embark on separate paths for their first year of college and the summer beyond, but remain in touch by sharing their experiences with each other as they always have -- with honesty and humor. Bridget (Blake Lively) journeys to Turkey on an archeological dig. Carmen (America Ferrera) plunges into the hectic, creative world of summer theater in Vermont. Lena (Alexis Bledel) discovers new love and old heartbreak at the Rhode Island School of Design. And in the Big Apple, Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) takes a big step in her relationship with Brian. Vitals: Director: Sanaa Hamri. Stars: Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, Jesse Williams. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 119 min., Romance, Box office gross: $43.504 million, Warner.

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NEWS

DVD Collectibles:
Highlight of the week is the release of "Heathers 20th High School Reunion Limited Edition Locker Set" (1989), starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk and Kim Walker. The two-disc DVD and Blu-ray Disc set features a new high quality transfer and remastered feature presentation. Extras include a "Return to Westerburg High Documentary"; commentary by Michael Lehmann, writer Daniel Waters and producer Denise Di Novi; "Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads" documentary, original ending screenplay excerpt (DVD-ROM), one of three possible T-shirts ("Greetings and Salutations," "What's Your Damage?" or "Big Fun") in a collectible box that resembles a Westerburg Algebra book; a hardcover Westerburg High School Class of 1988 Yearbook full of fun facts, photos, bios and more; set of 14 Heathers magnets; numbered, deluxe teal tin locker. From Anchor Bay.

While in a dark comedy mood check out "The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition." Inside this decorative carton lurk four seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus, two new-to-DVD documentaries, two Monty Python live performances, and six "Personal Best" compilations. The whole great mess -- Spam tins, parrot carcasses, blancmanges, and all -- has been safely digitized, compressed into microscopic "funny bits," pressed onto 21 shiny discs, and sealed within this whimsy-proof receptacle. Beware: there's new material you can't repeat verbatim (yet). "Before the FLying Circus" employs rare vintage footage to explore the influences that shaped six young lunatics, while "Monty Python Conquers America" documents their tremendous, yet astonishingly unlikely, American success. The six "Personal Best" collections present the best sketches and songs, as selected, arranged, and hosted by the individual Pythons themselves. And, of course, "Monty Python Live" shows what happens when absurd TV sketches are inflicted on live audiences. Twenty-one disc set, $159.95. (A&E Home Video).

For the family there's "The Films of Michael Sporn," a six-disc Collector's Edition box set with award-winng animated films "Whitewash," "The Talking Eggs," "Champagne," "The Hunting of the Snark," "The Marzipan Pig," "Jazztime Tale," "Abel's Island," "The Dancing Frog," "The Red Shoes," "The Little Match Girl," "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Nightingale"; $49.95 from First Run Features ... and for Trekkies there's "Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Three Remastered Edition," a seven-disc set with 24 fully restored episodes, new CGI special effects, and re-recorded score; $99.99. Extras include two versions of the famous "The Cage" episode (the original pilot plus the extended version) and nine featurettes, from Paramount.

From TV to Video:
"Bones: Season Three Totally Decomposed Edition," a five-disc set with 15 episodes, $59.98 from Fox ... "Daniel Boone: The Final Season" (1969-70), a seven-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.95 from Liberation Entertainment ... "Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series," a six-disc set with 13 episodes, $99.98 from Warner ... "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: The Complete Season Three," a four-disc set with 29 episodes, $24.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Night Gallery: Season Two" (1971-72), a five-disc set with 61 stories, $59.98 from Universal.

Buzzin' the 'B's:
Filmed in a hand-held documentary style, "Zombie Diaries" (2006), weaves together three different storylines of survivors of a viral outbreak in a post-apocalyptic world of the living dead; stars James Fisher, Russell Jones, Imogen Church and Craig Stovin; from The Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Extreme/Genius Products ... "The Clique" (2008) is a teen high school fashion adventure based on the best-selling book series by Lisi Harrison; from Warner ... In "Garden Party" (2008), starring Vinessa Shaw, Willa Holland, Richard Gunn, Patrick Fischler, Fiona Dourif and Erik Smith, five adventurous souls attempt to navigate the treacherous urban landscape of contemporary Los Angeles: April is an ambitious beauty in search of success, Sally St. Clair is a sexy realtor with a secret past, Nathan moved to Los Angeles from Nebraska seeking success as a dancer, Todd is a porn-addicted artist, and Sammy is a starry-eyed street musician; from Lionsgate.

On the Indie Front:
In "Mister Lonely" (2008), directed by Harmony Korine and starring Diego Luna and Samantha Morton, a lonely Michael Jackson impersonator (Luna) falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-a-like (Morton) who suggests he move to a commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. At the seaside castle, Michael discovers everyone preparing for the commune's first-ever gala: Abe Lincoln, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Stooges, the Queen, the Pope, Madonna, Buckwheat, Sammy Davis Jr. ... and also Marilyn's daughter Shirley Temple and her possessive husband Charlie Chaplin; from The Weinstein Co./Genius Products.

Foreign:
"Priceless" (2006 -- France) stars Audrey Tautou as a seductive enchantress who finds solace in the glamorous French Riviera where money is abundant and beauty is cherished. She weaves herself into the lives of older wealthy men who dazzle her with diamonds and cater to her love for couture ... until she meets her match in a lowly bartender who she mistakes for a wealthy bachelor; from First Look Studios.

For the Family:
For the twen set there's "Hannah Montana: The Complete First Season," a four-disc set with 17 episodes of the smash kids TV series, $39.99 from Disney ... "How'd They Build That?" is a new series for preschoolers designed to pique children's curiosity about big rigs, combining live action with 3-D animation. First two episodes: "Fire Truck" and "Big Truck," $8.99 each; from Marvelous Media ... "Winky's Horse" (2005 - Belgium/Netherlands) is a family film about a young girl who only wants one thing: a horse. Since she knows that her parents would never allow her to get one, she turns to Santa in the hope of making her dreams come true; $19.99 from Peace Arch Entertainment.

Klezmer music, sometimes called Jewish "soul" music, has a rich and lengthy past, and now, a revitalized future. This festive Jewish band music originated in pre-World War II Poland, but now resonates in a cultural and musical revival all across America. "The Last Klezmer" (1994) looks at one of the pioneers of this music, a remarkable, 69-year-old man named Leopold Kozlowski. An actor and musical consultant in Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," Kozlowski is the last active Klezmer musician trained in the original, prewar tradition. This spirited documentary follows Kozlowski as he returns, for the first time in 50 years, to the Polish village where he was raised. Though his parents were killed by the Nazis, and he himself spent much of the war in concentration camps, Kozlowski emerged from the experience devoted to keeping alive his cultural heritage and Klezmer music. As this charming and moving film shows, both Kozlowski and his music have survived and remain vibrant and inspiring; from New Yorker Video ... "Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan" (2007) traces the history of the legendary hip-hop group through interviews and never before seen concert footage. In the summer of 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan emerged from the slums of Staten Island, N.Y., and took the hip-hop world by storm. Their legacy spanned more than a decade, selling nearly 20 million albums. Their talents brought them success, and their music made them egends; $22.99 from Paramount ... In "Encounters at the End of the World" (2007) filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to capture its landscape's rarely seen beauty on film. He interviews the quirky and idiosyncratic people who make their daily lives in the icy South Pole, from physicists to plumbers, biologists to bus drivers, and captures their fascinating stories. Two-disc set, $27.98 from Image Entertainment ... "The Adventure Collection" is a 14-disc set with feature-length A&E favorites "Horatio Hornblower," "Longitude," "The Lost Battalion," "Napoleon," "Shackleton" and "Benedict Arnold," $99.95 from A&E Home Video.

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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

The Adventure Collection. Fourteen-disc set with feature-length A&E favorites "Horatio Hornblower," "Longitude," "The Lost Battalion," "Napoleon," "Shackleton" and "Benedict Arnold," $99.95. (A&E Home Video).

Bones: Season Three Totally Decomposed Edition. Five-disc set with 15 episodes, $59.98. Extras: Four bonus episodes, three extended episodes, gag reel, extended kiss scene between Booth and Bones, director's takes. (Fox).

The Clique (2008) Samantha Boscarino, Sophie Anna Everhard, Julie Lauren, Vanessa Marano, Ellen Marlow, Elizabeth Mclaughlin, Bridgit Mendler. Teen high school fashion adventure based on the best-selling book series by Lisi Harrison. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition. Inside this decorative carton lurk four seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus, two new-to-DVD documentaries, two Monty Python live performances, and six "Personal Best" compilations. The whole great mess -- Spam tins, parrot carcasses, blancmanges, and all -- has been safely digitized, compressed into microscopic "funny bits," pressed onto 21 shiny discs, and sealed within this whimsy-proof receptacle. Beware: there's new material you can't repeat verbatim (yet). "Before the FLying Circus" employs rare vintage footage to explore the influences that shaped six young lunatics, while "Monty Python Conquers America" documents their tremendous, yet astonishingly unlikely, American success. The six "Personal Best" collections present the best sketches and songs, as selected, arranged, and hosted by the individual Pythons themselves. And, of course, "Monty Python Live" shows what happens when absurd TV sketches are inflicted on live audiences. Twenty-one disc set, $159.95. (A&E Home Video).

Daniel Boone: The Final Season (1969-70) Seven-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.95. (Liberation Entertainment).

Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series. Six-disc set with 13 episodes, $99.98. Extras: Commentary. (Warner).

Encounters at the End of the World (2007) Filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to capture its landscape's rarely seen beauty on film. He interviews the quirky and idiosyncratic people who make their daily lives in the icy South Pole, from physicists to plumbers, biologists to bus drivers, and captures their fascinating stories. Two-disc set, $27.98. Extras: Commentary, five featurettes. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).

Fanfan La Tulipe (1952 -- French) Dir.: Christian-Jacque; Gerard Philipe, Gina Lollabrigida. New, restored digital transfer Extras: New video program about actor Gerard Philipe, clip from the colorized version of the film, booklet featuring a new essay by Kenneth Turan and an excerpt from Georges Sadoul's monograph on Philipe. (The Criterion Collection).

The Films of Michael Sporn. Six-disc Collector's Edition box set with award-winng animated films: "Whitewash," "The Talking Eggs," "Champagne," "The Hunting of the Snark," "The Marzipan Pig," "Jazztime Tale," "Abel's Island," "The Dancing Frog," "The Red Shoes," "The Little Match Girl," "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Nightingale"; $49.95. (First Run Features).

Garden Party (2008) Vinessa Shaw, Willa Holland, Richard Gunn, Patrick Fischler, Fiona Dourif, Erik Smith. Five adventurous souls attempt to navigate the treacherous urban landscape of contemporary Los Angeles: April is an ambitious beauty in search of success, Sally St. Clair is a sexy realtor with a secret past, Nathan moved to Los Angeles from Nebraska seeking success as a dancer, Todd is a porn-addicted artist, and Sammy is a starry-eyed street musician. (Lionsgate).

Gene Simmons Family Jewels: The Complete Season Three. Four-disc set with 29 episodes, $24.95. (A&E Home Video).

Hannah Montana: The Complete First Season. Four-disc set with 17 episodes, $39.99. Extras: "Back Home Again With Miley" featurette, "Hannah Highlights": Select episodes presented with pop-up trivia and interviews with the cast. (Disney).

Heathers 20th High School Reunion Limited Edition Locker Set (1989) Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker. A two-disc DVD and Blu-ray Disc set, new high quality transfer and remastered feature presentation, $89.97.Extras: "Return to Westerburg High Documentary"; commentary by Michael Lehmann, writer Daniel Waters and producer Denise Di Novi; "Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads" documentary, original ending screenplay excerpt (DVD-ROM), one of three possible t-shirts ("Greetings and Salutations," "What's Your Damage?" or "Big Fun") in a collectible box that resembles a Westerburg Algebra book; a hardcover Westerburg High School Class of 1988 Yearbook full of fun facts, photos, bios and more; set of 14 Heathers magnets; numbered, deluxe teal tin locker. (Anchor Bay).

How'd They Build That? New series designed to pique children's curiosity about big rigs, combining live action with 3-D animation. First two episodes: "Fire Truck" and "Big Truck," $8.99 each. (Marvelous Media).

The Last Klezmer (1994) Klezmer music, sometimes called Jewish "soul" music, has a rich and lengthy past, and now, a revitalized future. This festive Jewish band music originated in pre-World War II Poland, but now resonates in a cultural and musical revival all across America. "The Last Klezmer" looks at one of the pioneers of this music, a remarkable, 69-year-old man named Leopold Kozlowski. An actor and musical consultant in Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," Kozlowski is the last active Klezmer musician trained in the original, prewar tradition. This spirited documentary follows Kozlowski as he returns, for the first time in 50 years, to the Polish village where he was raised. Though his parents were killed by the Nazis, and he himself spent much of the war in concentration camps, Kozlowski emerged from the experience devoted to keeping alive his cultural heritage and Klezmer music. As this charming and moving film shows, both Kozlowski and his music have survived and remain vibrant and inspiring. (New Yorker Video).

Mister Lonely (2008) Dir.: Harmony Korine ; Diego Luna, Samantha Morton. A lonely Michael Jackson impersonator (Luna) falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-a-like (Morton) who suggests he move to a commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. At the seaside castle, Michael discovers everyone preparing for the commune's first-ever gala: Abe Lincoln, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Stooges, the Queen, the Pope, Madonna, Buckwheat, Sammy Davis Jr. ... and also Marilyn's daughter Shirley Temple and her possessive husband Charlie Chaplin. (The Weinstein Co./Genius Products).

Night Gallery: Season Two (1971-72) Five-disc set with 61 stories, $59.98. Hosted by Rod Serling. (Universal).

Priceless (2006 -- France) Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh. Irene, a seductive enchantress, finds solace in the glamorous French Riviera where money is abundant and beauty is cherished. She weaves herself into the lives of older wealthy men who dazzle her with diamonds and cater to her love for couture. On the night of her birthday, Irene finds herself alone with Jean, a handsome Frenchman at the hotel bar, who she mistakes for a wealthy bachelor. But Jean is a lowly bartender at an elite resort hotel who merely serves the clientele who she dates and, while Jean is smitten, Irene discovers that she's been fooled. Jean pursues her anyway and realizes that the only way to win her heart is to turn the tables on her. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (First Look Studios).

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, The (2008) Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, Jesse Williams. Extras: "Go Jump Off a Cliff" featurette on how the final sequence - not in the original script - was inspired by fan reaction to the first film, additional scenes, gag reel. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).

Star Trek: The Original Series: Season Three Remastered Edition. Seven-disc set with 24 fully restored episodes, new CGI special effects, and re-recorded score; $99.99. Extras: Two versions of the famous "The Cage" episode (the original pilot plus the extended version), nine featurettes: "Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories Part 3," "To Boldy Go ... Season Three," "A Star Trek Collector's Dream Come True," "Life Beyond Trek: Walter Koenig," "Chief Engineer's Log," "Memoir From Mr. Sulu," "Star Trek's Impact," "Collectible Trek," "Captain's Log: Bob Justman." (Paramount).

300 Limited Collector's Edition (2007) (2007) Dir.: Zack Snyder; Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro. Extras: Includes all the special features on last year's two-disc Special Edition and adds a third disc with "To the Hot Gates: A Legend Retold," a behind-the-scenes documentary on the process the filmmakers followed to take an ancient legend through a graphic novel to a feature film. In addition there is a bonus Digital Copy of the film, a 52-page hardcover art book, a lucite display with motion film image and six collectible photo cards. (Warner).

Tropic Thunder (2008) Dir, Ben Stiller; Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Brandon Jackson, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Jay Baruchel, Matt Levin, Andrea De Oliveira, Reggie Lee, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise. In standard DVD, two-disc unrated director's cut DVD Special Edition, and two-disc unrated director's cut Blu-ray edition. Extras: Commentary by Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.; "Blowing Shit Up"; "The Cast of Tropic Thunder: Stiller, Downey, Jr., Black, Baruchel, Jackson, McBride, Nolte"; "Behind the Scenes of Simple Jack"; "Simple Jack" trailer; "Rain of Madness" mockumentary; deleted, extended scenes and alternate endings; screen/wardrobe tests with Tom Cruise; more. Also available unrated on Blu-ray Disc.(DreamWorks/Paramount).

WALL-E (2007) Voices of Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Ben Burtt, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy. Two-disc set. Extras: "Burn-E" All-new animated short, Preston animated short, deleted scenes, sneak peek: "Wall-E's Tour of the Universe," "Animated Sound Design," commentary by director Andrew Stanton, "The Pixar Story" by Leslie Iwerks, deleted scenes, "Wall-E's Treasures and Trinkets," "Lots of Bots" storybook, making-of featurette, more. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney).

Winky's Horse (2005 - Belgium/Netherlands) Family film about a young girl who only wants one thing: a horse. Since she knows that her parents would never allow her to get one, she turns to Santa in the hope of making her dreams come true. $19.99. (Peace Arch Entertainment).

Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan (2007) Traces the history of the legendary hip-hop group through interviews, never before seen concert footage, more. In the summer of 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan emerged from the slums of Staten Island, N.Y., and took the hip-hop world by storm. Their legacy spanned more than a decade, selling nearly 20 million albums. Their talents brought them success, and their music made them legends. $22.99. (Paramount).

Zombie Diaries (2006) James Fisher, Russell Jones, Imogen Church, Craig Stovin. Filmed in a hand-held documentary style, "Zombie Diaries" weaves together three different storylines of survivors of a viral outbreak in a post-apocalyptic world of the living dead. Extras: Deleted Scenes, commentaries, "Until the Last Light Goes Out: The Making of Zombie Diaries." (Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Extreme/Genius Products).

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

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