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1/6/09 V13.1
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, January 6 -- Monday, January 12
Babylon A.D.
In a darkly futuristic world, the rules are simple: kill or be killed. Vin Diesel stars as Toorop, a ruthless mercenary hired to smuggle a mysterious young woman from the post-apocalyptic confines of Eastern Europe to the glittering megalopolis of New York City. Hunted at every turn, Toorop spirits his charge across a nightmarish wasteland only to uncover a shocking secret that will bring the entire world to its knees. Vitals: Director: Mathieu Kassovitz. Stars: Vin Diesel, Gˇrard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Mark Strong, Radek Bruna, Melanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min., Science Fiction, Box office gross: $22.510 million, Fox.
Bangkok Dangerous
The life of an anonymous assassin takes an unexpected turn when he travels to Thailand to complete a series of contract killings. Joe (Nicolas Cage), a remorseless hitman, is in Bangkok to execute four enemies of a ruthless crime boss named Surat. He hires Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm), a street punk and pickpocket, to run errands for him with the intention of covering his tracks by killing him at the end of the assignment. Strangely, Joe, the ultimate lone wolf, instead finds himself mentoring the young man while simultaneously being drawn into a tentative romance with a local shop girl. As he falls further under the sway of Bangkok's intoxicating beauty, Joe begins to question his isolated existence and let down his guard ... just as Surat decides it's time to clean house. Remake of the Pang Brothers' wildly popular 1999 Hong Kong action film of the same name. Vitals: Director: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang. Stars: Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Charlie Yeung, Panward Hemmanee, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, Dom Hetrakul. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 99 min., Action, Box office gross: $15.232 million, Lionsgate.
Disaster Movie
The filmmaking team behind "Scary Movie," "Date Movie," "Epic Movie" and "Meet the Spartans" this time puts its unique, inimitable stamp on one of the biggest and most bloated movie genres of all time -- the disaster film. "Disaster Movie" follows the comic misadventures of a group of twentysomethings during one fateful night as they try to make their way to safety while every known natural disaster and catastrophic event -- asteroids, twisters, earthquakes, the works -- hits the city and their path as they try to solve a series of mysteries to end the rampant destruction. Takes aim at everything and everyone, from "Indiana Jones" and "Iron Man" to Amy Winehouse and "High School Musical." Vitals: Director: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer. Stars: Carmen Electra, Kimberly Kardashian, Matt Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo, Crista Flanagan, Nicole Parker, Ike Barinholtz. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 90 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $14.109 million, Lionsgate.
Pineapple Express
Follows a pair of druggie losers as they reach the top of the hit-list when one witnesses a mob murder and drags his buddy into a crazy flight from mobsters bent on silencing both of them permanently. Vitals: Director: David Gordon Green. Stars: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny R. McBride, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez, Amber Heard, James Remar. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 112 min., Drama, Box office gross: $87.341 million, Sony.
Righteous Kill
After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated Detectives David Fisk (Al Pacino) and Thomas Cowan (Robert De Niro) should be ready for retirement, but aren't. Before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before. Like the original murder, the victim is a suspected criminal whose body is found accompanied by a four-line poem justifying the killing. When additional crimes take place, it becomes clear the detectives are looking for a serial killer, one who targets criminals that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. His mission is to do what the cops can't do on their own -- take the culprits off the streets for good. The similarities between the recent killings and their earlier case raise a nagging question: Did they put the wrong man behind bars? Vitals: Director: Jon Avnet. Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 103 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $39.705 million, Anchor Bay.
Wackness, The
Luke Shapiro (Josh Drake) is a 17-year-old high school graduate spending his last summer in New York City before he goes off to college. He doesn't rate very high on the cool kid richter scale -- he's a bit lost and a bit lonely. He spends his days "working," which consists of selling weed from a rusty hand-wheeled ice cart, and in the process encounters a loyal customer in Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley), an unorthodox psychiatrist who offers his services to Luke in exchange for pot. As an added bonus, the good doctor also happens to be stepfather to the girl Luke likes. When the motley pair of doctor and patient aren't tripping around the streets of New York -- doctor imparting pearls of '60s-inspired wisdom; Luke responding in early '90s slang -- Luke is spending his time falling in love with lovely stepdaughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby). Amidst the insufferable summer sun, between the graffiti, drug pushers and prostitutes of Times Square, Luke's life changes form. It builds up and breaks down as he slowly awakens to the man he is to become, and, ironically, in the process Dr. Squires does some growing up as well. Vitals: Director: Jonathan Levine. Stars: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Method Man. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 95 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $2.074 million, Sony.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:Sony today honors celebrated director Michael Powell with the release of "The Films of Michael Powell," a two-disc set with "Age of Consent" (1969), starring James Mason and Helen Mirren; and "A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven)" (1946), starring Kim Hunter, David Niven, Robert Coote and Raymond Massey. In "Age of Consent," a disillusioned artist (Mason) moves to a remote Australian island where he finds inspiration in a young woman (Mirren in her first starring role) who poses for him. "A Matter of Life and Death" was originally released in a censored version in the U.S. as "Stairway to Heaven." The film mixes reality and fantasy in the story of a World War II pilot who mysteriously survives baling out of his stricken bomber only to find that he must plead for his life in a heavenly court. This release is the second under the creative partnership between Sony and Martin Scorsese's non-profit film preservation organization, The Film Foundation, which seeks to make available newly restored classic films on DVD. Extras: "Age of Consent": Introduction by Martin Scorsese, three featurettes: "Making Age of Consent," "Helen Mirren: A Conversation With Cora" and "Down Under With Ron & Valerie Taylor," commentary by author/film historian Ian Christie; "A Matter of Life and Death": Introduction by Martin Scorsese, commentary by film historian Kent Jones.
Glowing Blu-ray:
On February 17 Sony will celebrate four Academy Award-winning films with high-definition Blu-ray Disc releases just in time for the 2009 Oscar telecast: a "Capote/In Cold Blood" two-disc double feature for $54.95, "Kramer vs. Kramer" for $28.95 and a special two-disc edition of "Gandhi" for $39.96 ... Two-disc Special Editions of two glorious Best Picture Oscar-winning 1950s classics from the crown jewel collection of MGM's Golden Age of Musicals will make their Blu-ray Hi-Def debut on March 31 from Warner: "An American in Paris Blu-ray Hi-Def" and "Gigi Blu-ray Hi-Def," each selling for $28.99.
From TV to Video:
"Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.0" is a four-disc set with 10 episodes, $49.98, loaded with hours of extras for diehard fans (and just in time for the beginning of the final season), from Universal ... "Doctor Who: The War Machines" includes four episodes of "Doctor Who: The War Machines" arc and four episodes from the "Doctor Who: Four to Doomsday" arc; $24.98 from Warner ... "DogTown: New Beginnings" features five episodes of the National Geographic series that follows the dedicated team of experts that work to rehabilitate damaged dogs at Utah's DogTown, part of the largest no-kill animal facility in the United States -- The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary; $24.98 from Warner ... "Duckman: Season Three and Four" (1996-97) is a seven-disc set with 48 episodes, $49.99 from Paramount ... "Frisky Dingo: Season 2" is a single disc with 12 episodes, $19.97 from Warner ... "Mannix: The Second Season" (1968-69) is a six-disc set with 24 episodes, $54.99 from Paramount ... "The Plot to Kill Hitler" (1990) stars Brad Davis, Madolyn Smith Osborne and Ian Richardson in a telefilm recreation of the 1944 attempt by several German High Command officers to assassinate Hitler and take control of the German government. Timed for the January wide release of Tom Cruise's "Valkyrie"; from Warner ... "Secret Diary of a Callgirl" (2007) is a two-disc set with eight episodes, $29.98 from Lionsgate ... "Tripping the Rift: The Complete Third Season" (2007) is a two-disc set with 13 episodes of the Sci Fi Channel animated series, $29.97 from Anchor Bay Entertainment ... "The Tudors: The Complete Second Season" (2008) is a four-disc set with 10 episodes, $42.99 from Paramount ... "The Waltons: The Complete Eighth Season" is a three-disc set with 24 episodes, $39.98 from Warner.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "Kiss of the Vampire (Immortally Yours)" (2009), a sleepy town turns into a place of evil unrest when a covenant of vampires starts to feed. One man tries desperately to uncover their secrets, but until he can they ravage the locals and out-smart the police; from MTI Home Video ... In "Kung Fu Killer" (2008), starring David Carradine and Daryl Hannah, a Caucasian monk and spiritual master of the martial arts infiltrates the Shanghai underground to avenge the murder of his Wudang Grandmaster; on his mission he forms an unusual bond with a New York lounge singer and her gangster boss; from Genius Products and RHI Entertainment ... In "10 Dead Men" (2007) a reformed stone cold killer is called upon to repay a blood debt from years ago and goes on a murderous, bloody revenge spree against the 10 men who took his life away from him; from MTI Home Video ... "The Alphabet Killer" (2008) stars Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, Michael Ironside, Bill Moseley, Carl Lumbly and Timothy Hutton in the true story about the murders -- from 1970 to 1973 -- of three girls in and around Rochester, New York, whose bodies were dumped in neighboring villages that bore the same first initial as their names; from Anchor Bay ... "Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia" (2008) stars Joe Manganiello, Keith David and WWE superstar Mr. Kennedy in the second sequel in the franchise about U.S. soldiers abandoned behind enemy lines; from Fox.
On the Indie Front:
"Ping Pong Playa" (2007) is a coming-of-age comedy tale about a Chinese-American gangsta-rapper wannabe brother whose pipe-dream of being a basketball superstar is sidelined when he takes his brother's place in a big Ping Pong tournament; from Image Entertainment ... "Ghost Writer" (2009) stars Alan Cumming (who also directed), David Boreanaz, Anne Heche, Carrie Fisher, Henry Thomas and Karen Black in a melodrama about a failed composer who takes in an aspiring novelist/dilettante, only to find himself pushed to the edge of insanity when his charity is taken for granted; from Genius Entertainment.
For the Family:
For preschoolers there's "Barney: Once Upon a Dino Tale," in which Barney and friends enter an enchanted world of fairy tales, including "Alice in Wonderland," "The Fisherman and His Wife," "Cinderella," more; $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate ... "Bob the Builder: Race to the Finish" (2008) is a feature-length animated film, exclusive to DVD: Bob and his crew build a new community sports stadium, teaching kids that teamwork and fun go hand-in-hand; $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate ... In "Elmo Loves You" (2008), Elmo is making a super special surprise card for someone he really loves, but a gust of wind blows it away, and Elmo and Rosita chase the card all over Sesame Street. With special performances by Trisha Yearwood, John Legend and R.E.M.; $14.93. from Genius Products ... For older kids there's "Transformers Animated Season Two" (2008), a two-disc set with 13 episodes, $26.99 from Paramount.
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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
Babylon A.D. (2008) Dir.: Mathieu Kassovitz; Vin Diesel, Gerard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Mark Strong, Radek Bruna, Melanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson. Available as a single-disc DVD with the theatrical and unrated extended cut, a special edition two-disc set with a digital copy, and a Blu-ray Disc with a digital copy. Extras: Single-disc: "Babylon Babies" novel-to-screen featurette, " Arctic Escape" inside look at the snow mobile chase. The special edition adds: "Fit for the Screen" martial arts featurette, "Flight of the Hummers" featurette, "Genesis of Aurora" graphic novel prequel to "Babylon A.D.," still gallery. Blu-ray adds 17 Interactive "Scene Evolutions" in BonusVIEW Mode. (Fox).
Bangkok Dangerous (2008) Directors: Oxide Pang Chun, Danny Pang; Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnarm, Charlie Yeung, Panward Hemmanee, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, Dom Hetrakul. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
Barney: Once Upon a Dino Tale. Barney and friends enter an enchanted world of fairy tales, including "Alice in Wonderland," "The Fisherman and His Wife," "Cinderella," more; $14.98. Extras: Sing-along jukebox with 13 songs. (HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate).
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.0 (2008) Four-disc set with 10 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Look of Battlestar Galactica," minisodes, commentary, video blogs, "Cylons: The Twelve" featurette, behind-the-scenes featurettes, "The Music of Battlestar Galactica," more. (Universal).
Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia (2008) Joe Manganiello, Keith David, WWE superstar Mr. Kennedy. Second sequel in the franchise about U.S. soldiers abandoned behind enemy lines.Extras: Commentary, six featurettes. (Fox).
Bob the Builder: Race to the Finish (2008) Feature-length animated film, exclusive to DVD: Bob and his crew build a new community sports stadium, teaching kids that teamwork and fun go hand-in-hand; $14.98. Extras: Read-along, bonus episode. (HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate).
Disaster Movie (2008) Carmen Electra, Kimberly Kardashian, Matt Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo, Crista Flanagan, Nicole Parker, Ike Barinholtz .In rated and unrated editions. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
Doctor Who: The War Machines. Four episodes of "Doctor Who: The War Machines" arc and four episodes from the "Doctor Who: Four to Doomsday" arc; $24.98. (Warner).
DogTown: New Beginnings. Five episodes of the National Geographic series that follows the dedicated team of experts that work to rehabilitate damaged dogs at Utah's DogTown, part of the largest no-kill animal facility in the United States -- The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary; $24.98. (Warner).
Duckman: Season Three and Four (1996-97) Seven-disc set with 48 episodes, $49.99. (Paramount).
Elmo Loves You (2008) Elmo is making a super special surprise card for someone he really loves, but a gust of wind blows it away, and Elmo and Rosita chase the card all over Sesame Street. Can Super Grover use his heroic skills to save the day? Special performances by Trisha Yearwood, John Legend and R.E.M. $14.93. (Genius Products).
The Films of Michael Powell. "Age of Consent" (1969), starring James Mason and Helen Mirren; and "A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven)" (1946), starring Kim Hunter, David Niven, Robert Coote and Raymond Massey. Second release under the creative partnership between Sony and Martin Scorsese's non-profit film preservation organization, The Film Foundation, which seeks to make available newly restored classic films on DVD. Extras: "Age of Consent": Introduction by Martin Scorsese, three featurettes: "Making Age of Consent," "Helen Mirren: A Conversation With Cora" and "Down Under With Ron & Valerie Taylor," commentary by author/film historian Ian Christie; "A Matter of Life and Death": Introduction by Martin Scorsese, commentary by film historian Kent Jones. (Sony).
Frisky Dingo: Season 2. Single disc with 12 episodes, $19.97. (Warner).
Ghost Writer(2009) Alan
Cumming, David Boreanaz, Anne Heche, Carrie Fisher, Henry Thomas, Karen
Black. A failed composer takes in an aspiring novelist/dilettante, only
to find himself pushed to the edge of insanity when his charity is
taken for granted. Extras: Commentary by Cumming, who also directed. (Genius Entertainment).
Kiss of the Vampire (Immortally Yours) (2009) Daniel Goddard, Gary Daniels, Costas Mandylor, Matthias Hues, Eric Etebari, Miranda Kwok, Nick Jameson, Katherine Hawkes. A sleepy town turns into a place of evil unrest when a covenant of vampires starts to feed. One man tries desperately to uncover their secrets, but until he can they ravage the locals and out-smart the police. (MTI Home Video).
Kung Fu Killer (2008) David Carradine, Daryl Hannah. To avenge the murder of his Wudang Grandmaster, White Crane (Carradine), a Caucasian monk and spiritual master of the martial arts, infiltrates the Shanghai underground, where he forms an unusual bond with a New York lounge singer and her gangster boss. (Genius Products and RHI Entertainment)
Mannix: The Second Season (1968-69) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $54.99. (Paramount).
Pineapple Express (2008) Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny R. McBride, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez, Amber Heard, James Remar. Available as a single-disc theatrical DVD, a two-disc unrated DVD set, and on Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Extended and alternate scenes; gag reel, "The Making-of Pineapple Express" featurette; commentary by Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen. Two-disc set and Blu-ray includes theatrical and unrated extended versions, and adds raw footage, additional featurettes and behind-the-scenes vignettes, more. (Sony).
Ping Pong Playa (2007) Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan, Shelley Malil. Coming-of-age comedy tale of a Chinese-American gangsta-rapper wannabe brother whose pipe-dream of being a basketball superstar is sidelined when he takes his brother's place in a big Ping Pong tournament. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).
The Plot to Kill Hitler (1990 -- TV) Brad Davis, Madolyn Smith Osborne, Ian Richardson. Recreation of the 1944 attempt by several German High Command officers to assassinate Hitler and take control of the German government. Timed for the January wide release of Tom Cruise's "Valkyrie." (Warner).
Righteous Kill (2008) Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy. Extras: "The Investigation: An In-Depth Look at Righteous Kill" featurette, "The Thin Blue Line: An Exploration of Cops & Criminals," commentary by producer-director Jon Avnet. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay).
Secret Diary of a Callgirl (2007) Two-disc set with eight episodes, $29.98. Extras: Interview with the star, Billie Piper. (Lionsgate).
10 Dead Men (2007) Brendan Carr, Terry Stone, Doug Bradl. Ryan (Carr) has spent years putting his brutal past behind him. He'is a different man, far from the stone cold killer he was a lifetime ago. But when an old face from his past arrives on his doorstep, Ryan is called upon to repay a blood debt from years ago ... but the price is too high. Betrayed, and with his life falling apart around him, Ryan goes on a murderous, bloody revenge spree against the ten men who took his life away from him. (MTI Home Video).
Transformers Animated Season Two (2008) Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $26.99. Extras: Commentary, three animated shorts, photo gallery. (Paramount).
Tripping the Rift: The Complete Third Season (2007) Two-disc set with 13 episodes of the Sci Fi Channel animated series, $29.97. (Anchor Bay Entertainment).
The Tudors: The Complete Second Season (2008) Four-disc set with 10 episodes, $42.99. Extras: "Tower of London" and "Descendants of Henry" featurettes. (Paramount).
The Wackness (2008) Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Method Man. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary by director Jonathan Levine and Josh Peck, "Keeping it Real: A Day in the Life of Jonathan Levine," "Time in a Bottle: Behind the Scenes of The Wackness," "The Luke Shapiro Show." Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
The Waltons: The Complete Eighth Season. Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $39.98. Extras: Two-hour retrospective feature. (Warner).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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