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2/24/09 V13.8
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, February 24 -- Monday, March 2
Haunting of Molly Hartley, The
Molly Hartley hopes that with her mother locked away in a mental ward, she can forget the violence of her family's past and start over. She has found a new life, a new school and a new boyfriend. But when her secret past and haunting nightmares continue, Molly fears she has inherited her mother's psychosis. What she doesn't know is that she's inherited something else -- a secret far more horrifying than any fate she can imagine and a destiny she can't avoid. Vitals: Director: Mickey Liddell. Stars: Chace Crawford, Haley Bennett, AnnaLynne McCord, Jake Weber, Josh Stewart, Nina Siemaszko, Randy Wayne, Jessica Lowndes, Shannon Marie Woodward, Marin Hinkle. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 87 min., Horror, Box office gross: $13.350 million, Fox.
Sex Drive
Teen comedy. Ian Lafferty (Josh Zuckerman) is taunted by his cocksure older brother Rex (James Marsden), shown up in the romance department by his 14-year-old younger brother and humiliated by his job at a mall donut shop. But Ian's biggest problem is that he's about to start college as a virgin. Getting nowhere with the girl of his dreams and longtime "best friend" Felicia (Amanda Crew), Ian resorts to the Internet for dates. He soon hooks up with Ms. Tasty, a flaming hot blonde who can't wait to get busy. The only catch: Ian has to drive 500 miles from Chicago to Knoxville to consummate the deal. Egged on by his devil-may-care pal Lance (Clark Duke), Ian risks life and limb by appropriating "The Judge," Rex's prized vintage Pontiac GTO. With Lance and Felicia in tow, he hits the road for a one-time rendezvous and on-the-road misadventures. Vitals: Director: Sean Anders. Stars: James Marsden, Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Katrina Bowde, Seth Green, Clark Duke. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $8.396 million, Summit Entertainment.
What Just Happened
A sharp comedy about two nail-biting, back-stabbing, roller-coaster weeks in the world of a middle-aged Hollywood producer -- as he tries to juggle an actual life with an outrageous series of crises in his day job: a man besieged by people who want him to be all sorts of things -- a money maker, an ego buster, a bad news breaker, an artistic champion, a loyal husband, an all-knowing father, not to mention sexy, youthful and tuned-in - everything except for the one thing he and all the preposterously behaved people he's surrounded by really are: bumbling human beings just trying to survive by any means necessary. Ben (Robert De Niro) is already in over his head trying to balance the tug-of-war of having two ex-wives and two different families with his latest business venture --the boldly "visionary" movie "Fiercely," starring Sean Penn (Sean Penn) -- when everything that can go wrong goes completely screwy. "Fiercely" looks like an audience-offending flop that draws the ire of iron-gloved studio chief Lou (Catherine Keener), who forces Ben into tangling with the film's rebellious and drug-addled director Jeremy (Michael Wincott). Meanwhile, Ben's confused and bewitched by his ex, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn), who can't make up her mind about him; shocked by his daughter Zoe (Kristen Stewart), who seems to have grown up overnight; infuriated by his screenwriter friend Scott (Stanley Tucci) who's trying to make a deal with him while making moves on his former wife; horrified by a hirsute Bruce Willis (Bruce Willis) and flummoxed by Willis' nebbishy agent Dick (John Turturro), who's scared to death of his own clients. Somehow amidst all the madness, treachery, deceit, runaway egos, rampant commercialism, personal politics and atrocious behavior of America's dream-making machinery, Ben has to find a way not just to make it to Cannes with a finished film, but to cope. "What Just Happened" is based on the acclaimed, bestselling memoir by veteran Hollywood producer Art Linson. Vitals: Director: Barry Levinson. Stars: Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Catherine Keener, John Turturro, Stanley Tucci, Robin Wright Penn, Kristen Stewart, Michael Wincott. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 104 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $1.089 million, Magnolia Home Entertainment.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
A&E Home Entertainment this week is releasing four massive DVD sets of TV shows:
"The Cult Spy Collection Megaset" is a 14-disc
collection of debut episodes of cult spy outings: Roger Moore and Tony
Curtis as wealthy playboys who unravel criminal cases in "The
Persuaders"; Patrick McGoohan's classic and mysterious British series
"The Prisoner; "The Champions," a trio of crime fighters with special
power bestowed by a lost Tibetan civilization; and Robert Vaughan as a
London private eye in the stylish series "The Protectors" ... "The Founding of America Megaset"
is a 14-disc set of History Channel programming -- dramas and
documentaries -- including "Founding Fathers" (miniseries), "Founding
Brothers" (miniseries) as well as "1776," "Washington & Arnold,"
"Birth of the Republic," "The Revolution" (series), "Washington the
Warrior," "Ben Franklin," "Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor," more
... "History Presents: The 60s Megaset" is a 14-disc
set with "1968 With Tom Brokaw," "The 1960's," "Days of Rage and
Wonder," "King," "Hippies," JFK: A Presidency Revealed," "The Race To
The Moon," "The Vietnam War" ... "The Universe: Collector's Edition Megaset"
is a 14-disc set that includes "The Universe: The Complete Season One,"
"The Universe: The Complete Season Two," "The Planets," "How the Earth
Was Made," more. Each megaset sells for $99.95.
Available for the first time since it mysteriously disappeared in 1972 after only one week in theaters, "FTA
is a raucous film that is a riveting slice of the Vietnam anti-war
movement. Reviving the wonderfully campy, yet biting theater of Jane
Fonda and Donald Sutherland's 
"Free the Army" (or, more popularly, "F*** The Army") Tour, "FTA"
captures the entertaining magic and mayhem of the anti-war and
pro-labor show as it rallies and rouses dissident GIs stationed along
the Pacific Rim. A gritty mix of rollicking performances and GI
interviews, FTA juxtaposes lighthearted political satire with the
somber realities of war, occupation, and the absurdities of military
life, a barbed rebuke to the staid USO program. From Okinawa to the
Philippines, stirred by the show's provocative message, the members of
the U.S. military find courage to speak out candidly in front of the
camera. $26.95 from Docurama.
"Canterbury's Law: The Complete Series" (2008) is a two-disc set with six episodes; $29.95 from Sony ... "Enemy at the Door, Series 1" (1978) is a four-disc set with 13 episodes of the ITV British series that explores the human drama of the long Nazi siege of Britain's Channel Islands during WWII; $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "Girlfriends: The Sixth Season" (2005-06) is a three-disc set with 22 episodes; $36.98 from Paramount ... "Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force: The Complete Season One" (2008) is a five-disc set with 13 episodes; $24.95 from A&E Home Entertainment ... "Just Shoot Me: The Complete Third Season" (1998-99) is a three-disc set with 25 episodes; $39.95 from Sony ..."The Librarian: Curse of Judas Chalice" (2008) stars Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart, Stana Katic, Jane Curtin and Bruce Davison in the third installment in the "Librarian" series of adventures; from Sony ... "Painted Lady" (1997) stars Helen Mirren, Iain Glen, Franco Nero in a mystery about a semi-retired former '60s rock singer who plunges into the deadly underworld of the art trade when a botched robbery leaves her friend dead and one of his priceless paintings stolen; a PBS Masterpeice Theatre miniseries; $24.99 from Acorn Media ... "S.I.S." (2008) stars Keith David, Matt Nable, Peter Stebbings, Omari Hardwick and Colleen Porch in a Spike TV psychological crime thriller about an elite covert unit of the Los Angeles Police Department; from Sony ... "Summer Heights High" (2009) is a mockumentary series set in a real Australian high school; $29.98 from HBO Video.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
"Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder" (2009) is the
fourth feature-length animated adventure based on the TV series. In
this outing, humankind is standing on the brink of a wondrous new Green
Age. But ancient forces of darkness, three years older than time
itself, have returned to wreak destruction. Even more shocking:
Bender's in love with a married fembot, and Leela's on the run from the
law -- Zapp Brannigan's law! Fry is the last hope of the universe ...
so if you're in the universe, you might want to think about going
somewhere else. Could this be the end of the Planet Express crew
forever? $29.98 from Fox ... MGM is releasing Wes Craven's 1972 "The Last House on the Left Collector's Edition"
(1972) just in time for the March 13 theatrical release of the remake;
this edition includes commentary by actors David Hess, Marc Sheffler
and Fred Lincoln; more than 80 minutes of featurettes including all-new
interviews with Wes Craven; never-before-seen outtakes; Craven's
annotated shooting scripts, more ... 
In "Red Sands"
(2009), starring Shane West, J.K. Simmons and Callum Blue, U.S.
soldiers in Afghanistan discover an ancient stone statue hidden deep
within an ancient ravine; using the relic for target practice, they
destroy it, unwittingly releasing a vengeful supernatural force that is
about to wage a horrifying war on them; from Sony ... "Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge" (2008) Jis an R-rated version of the adult film about swashbuckling female pirates; from MTI Home Video ... "Cyclops"
(2008) stars Eric Roberts, Kevin Stapleton and Frida Show in a Sci Fi
Channel telefilm about the ferocious one-eyed monster and the Roman
Emperor who wants to capture the creature and unleash him in the arena
against his condemned slaves; from Anchor Bay ... "Freezer Burn: Invasion of Laxdale"
(2008) stars Tom Green and Crispin Glover in a comedy about aliens from
outer space who buy a local farm company with the promise of creating
jobs for the failing town; instead, their goal is to use crop circles
to heat up the Earth's temperature and turn the planet into a Club Med
for extra-terrestrials; from Monarch Home Video ... In "Paid"
(2006), a six-year-old Brazilian boy enters the lives of a 28-year-old
Parisian call girl working in Amsterdam and a young hit man, forcing
them to rethink their futures in the middle of a war between a pair of
European drug lords. Stars Tom Conti, Corbin Bernsen, Anne Charrier and
Murilo Benício; from Lightyear Entertainment.
On the Indie Front:
"The Whole Shootin' Match" (1978) is a three-disc
special edition of the long-lost indie film by Eagle Pennell, about two
Texas losers who never give up their hope for success; Robert Redford
was said to have been inspired by the film to create the Sundance
Institute. Disc One contains the restoration of "The Whole Shootin'
Match." Disc Two features an original, feature-length documentary, "The
King Of Texas," that tracks the tragic life of Eagle Pennell, the birth
of the Austin music scene and the beginning of the American independent
film movement. It also hosts Eagle's first short film, "A Hell of a
Note," restored, and a rare archival interview with Eagle shot just
after he blew his first big Hollywood deal. Disc Three is a bonus CD of
the restored "Shootin' Match" soundtrack plus the original music for
"The King Of Texas." Also included in the box-set is a 48-page booklet
further exploring the rise and fall of a notorious American independent
filmmaker. From Watchmaker Films: www.watchmakerfilms.com ... 
Together in Rome just prior to the outbreak of World War II to shoot a
film, a German actress and an English actor contend with forces that
complicate their romance as well as the production itself in "The Moon & the Stars" (2007), starring Alfred Molina, Jonathan Pryce and Catherine McCormack; from Lightyear Entertainment ... "Strictly Sexual: A Love Story" (2008) is a
romantic-comedy about a sexual agreement made by two successful L.A.
women, sick and tired of dating and relationships, looking to fulfill
their erotic desires: they hire two out-of-work men to live in a cabana
and sexually please them -- without any strings attached; from Virgil
Films & Entertainment (formerly Arts Alliance America).
Foreign:
"Yella" (2007 -- Germany) is a suspenseful mystery
that won four German Lolas, about a young woman who flees her volatile
ex-husband in East Germany for a new life in the West but buried truths
haunt her and threaten her newfound happiness; from New Yorker Video.
Two outings for the wee ones this week: "The Wiggles Present Dorothy the Dinosaur" (2009) features 19 new songs and special features from the best-selling musical artists; $14.98 from Warner ... and "How'd They Build That?" (2009) is a behind-the-scenes series that looks at this country's most renowned assembly plants showing how different types of trucks are built, using live action and 3-D animation; the two latest offerings: "School Bus" and "Concrete Truck," $8.99 each from Marvelous Media.
Special Interest:
"The Bible's Buried Secrets: Beyond Fact or Fiction"
is a NOVA special that presents the results of more than 100 years of
excavation and centuries of biblical scholarship, digging deep into the
origins of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament; 24.99 from WGBH Boston
Video ... "The Brain" (2008) is a History Channel
documentary that uses simple analogies, real-life case studies, and
state-of-the-art CGI to explore how the brain works, the frequent
battle between instinct and reason, and the mysteries of memory and
decision-making; $24.95 from A&E Home Entertainment ... "Einstein"
(2008) is a History Channel documentary about Albert Einstein and his
decades-long battle to prove his Theory of General Relativity amid the
violence of war and his tumultuous personal life; $24.95 from A&E
Home Entertainment ... "Conspiracy?" is a three-disc
set of History Channel documentaries: Vol. 1: "TWA Flight 800/Majestic
Twelve: UFO Cover-Up/FDR and Pearl Harbor/Area 51," Volume 2: "Who
Killed Martin Luther King Jr.?/Princess Diana/Lincoln
Assassination/Oklahoma City Bombing," Volume 3: "CIA and the Nazis/Jack
Ruby/RFK Assassination/Kecksburg UFO," $29.95 from A&E Home
Entertainment ... In "Cities of the Underworld: The Complete Season Two" (2008) 
viewers leave the metropolitan chaos behind to travel deep beneath
urban streets into the meandering tunnels, abandoned train lines, dark
dungeons, eerie tombs, clandestine hideouts, and forgotten cities that
have been lost to the hands of time to discover an unknown history; the
four-disc set contains 13 episodes of the History Channel series,
$39.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Jam" is the story of the American Roller Derby
League, a group of veteran Roller Derby stars who are determined to
make the sport a national sensation after the sport "died out" in the
60s and 70s. Winner of the 2006 Grand Jury Prize of the South by
Southwest Film Festival; $19.95 from Virgil Films & Entertainment
(formerly Arts Alliance America).
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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
The Brain (2008) History Channel documentary uses simple analogies, real-life case studies, and state-of-the-art CGI to explore how the brain works, the frequent battle between instinct and reason, and the mysteries of memory and decision-making; $24.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Breaking Bad: The Complete First Season (2008) Three-disc set with seven episodes, $29.95. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, photo gallery, commentary, screen tests, more. (Sony).
Canterbury's Law: The Complete Series (2008) Two-disc set with six episodes, $29.95. (Sony).
Cities of the Underworld: The Complete Season Two (2008) Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $39.95. Leave the metropolitan chaos behind to travel deep beneath urban streets into the meandering tunnels, abandoned train lines, dark dungeons, eerie tombs, clandestine hideouts, and forgotten cities that have been lost to the hands of time: This is the stuff of fantasy, exploring secret chambers and forbidden passages beneath city streets, unlocking mysteries of the past and discovering forgotten relics. In metropolises around the world today, skyscrapers loom overhead, traffic blares and vendors hawk their wares. But below hide city upon city, each with its fascinating and unknown history. (A&E Home Video).
Conspiracy? Three-disc set of History Channel documentaries: Vol. 1: "TWA Flight 800/Majestic Twelve: UFO Cover-Up/FDR and Pearl Harbor/Area 51," Volume 2: "Who Killed Martin Luther King Jr.?/Princess Diana/Lincoln Assassination/Oklahoma City Bombing," Volume 3: "CIA and the Nazis/Jack Ruby/RFK Assassination/Kecksburg UFO," $29.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
The Cult Spy Collection Megaset. Fourteen disc-set collection of debut episodes includes Roger Moore and Tony Curtis as wealthy playboys who unravel criminal cases in "The Persuaders"; Patrick McGoohan's classic and mysterious British series "The Prisoner; "The Champions," a trio of crime fighters with special power bestowed by a lost Tibetan civilization; and Robert Vaughan as a London private eye in the stylish series "The Protectors," $99.85. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Cyclops (2008) Eric Roberts, Kevin Stapleton, Frida Show. Sci Fi Channel telefilm about the ferocious one-eyed monster that slaughters those foolish enough to enter his forest domain and the Roman Emperor who has a plan to please the bloodlust of the people: capture the creature and unleash him in the arena against his condemned slaves. (Anchor Bay).
Einstein (2008) History Channel documentary. The remarkable, little told story of Albert Einstein and his decades-long battle to prove his Theory of General Relativity amid the violence of war and his tumultuous personal life; $24.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Enemy at the Door, Series 1 (1978) Four-disc set with 13 episodes of the ITV British series that explores the human drama of the long Nazi siege of Britain's Channel Islands during WWII; $59.99. (Acorn Media).
The Founding of America Megaset. Fourteen-disc set of History Channel programming -- dramas and documentaries -- including "Founding Fathers" (miniseries), "Founding Brothers" (miniseries) as well as "1776," "Washington & Arnold," "Birth of the Republic," "The Revolution" (series), "Washington the Warrior," "Ben Franklin," "Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor," more. $99.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Freezer Burn: Invasion of Laxdale (2008) Tom Green, Crispin Glover. Comedy about aliens from outer space who buy a local farm company with the promise of creating jobs for the failing town; instead, their goal is to use crop circles to heat up the Earth's temperature and turn the planet into a Club Med for extra-terrestrials. (Monarch Home Video).
FTA (1972) Available for the first time since it mysteriously disappeared in 1972 after only one week in theaters, this raucous film is a riveting slice of the Vietnam anti-war movement. Reviving the wonderfully campy, yet biting theater of Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland's "Free the Army" (or, more popularly, "F*** The Army") Tour, "FTA" captures the entertaining magic and mayhem of the anti-war and pro-labor show as it rallies and rouses dissident GIs stationed along the Pacific Rim. A gritty mix of rollicking performances and GI interviews, FTA juxtaposes lighthearted political satire with the somber realities of war, occupation, and the absurdities of military life, a barbed rebuke to the staid USO program. From Okinawa to the Philippines, stirred by the show's provocative message, the members of the U.S. military find courage to speak out candidly in front of the camera. $26.95. (Docurama).
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009) Fourth feature-length animated adventure has mankind standing on the brink of a wondrous new Green Age. But ancient forces of darkness, three years older than time itself, have returned to wreak destruction. Even more shocking: Bender's in love with a married fembot, and Leela's on the run from the law -- Zapp Brannigan's law! Fry is the last hope of the universe ... so if you're in the universe, you might want to think about going somewhere else. Could this be the end of the Planet Express crew forever? Extras: Commentary by Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Rowe, Lee Supercinski, Patric M. Verrone and Peter Avanzino; storyboard animatic: "Into the Wild Green Yonder, Part 1"; "Matt Groening and David X. Cohen in Space!" featurette; "Docudramarama: How We Make Futurama So Good"; "Louder! Louder!: The Acting Technique of Penn Jillette"; "Golden Stinkers: A Treasury of Deleted Scenes"; "How To Draw Futurama In 10 Very Difficult Steps"; "Bender's Movie Theater Etiquette"] more. $29.98. (Fox). Available on Blu-ray Disc.
Girlfriends: The Sixth Season (2005-06) Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $36.98. (Paramount).
The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008) Chace Crawford, Haley Bennett, AnnaLynne McCord, Jake Weber, Josh Stewart, Nina Siemaszko, Randy Wayne, Jessica Lowndes, Shannon Marie Woodward, Marin Hinkle. Extras: Interviews with cast and crew. (Fox).
Hell on Wheels (2008) From body-blocks and fishnet stockings to headlocks and tears, it ain't easy to start a roller derby revolution. Fast, fun and inspiring, this is the true tale of a group of hard-hitting Austin, Texas, women who resurrect the sport of roller derby, only to find internal strife ripping the fledgling organization apart. Shot over a five-year period by filmmakers Bob Ray and Werner Campbell and using a mix of verite footage and interviews, "Hell on Wheels" captures the true grit of the glam-rock retro sport -- a dizzying clash of athleticism, exhibitionism, egos, politics, and business that is 21st century roller derby. $24.95. (Indipix).
History Presents: The 60s Megaset. Fourteen-disc set with "1968 With Tom Brokaw," "The 1960's," "Days of Rage and Wonder," "King," "Hippies," JFK: A Presidency Revealed," "The Race To The Moon," "The Vietnam War," $99.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
How'd They Build That?
(2009) Behind-the-scenes series that looks at this country's most
renowned assembly plants showing how different types of trucks are
built, using live action and 3-D animation. The two latest offerings:
"School Bus" and "Concrete Truck," $8.99 each. (Marvelous Media).
Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force: The Complete Season One (2008) Five-disc set with 13 episodes, $24.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Jam (2006) They were the television sports stars of the '60s and '70s, a bigger draw than Major League Baseball. Then, virtually overnight, they disappeared. "Jam" is the story of American Roller Derby League, a group of veteran Roller Derby stars who are determined to make the sport a national sensation once again. To make this visually stunning debut feature, director Mark Woollen spent seven years and thousands of feet of 16mm film chronicling his subject's lives on and off the banked track. Beyond the rough and tumble action, Woollen delves into the private lives of these remarkable men and women and crafts a story that is as much about the power of dreams as it is about the wallop of the full body check. Winner of the 2006 Grand Jury Prize of the South by Southwest Film Festival. $19.95. Extras: "A Day With Ann Calvello," "Reflections on Jam," filmmaker Q&A, deleted scenes, "Jam" Trading Cards, "The Super Fan." (Virgil Films & Entertainment, formerly Arts Alliance America).
Just Shoot Me: The Complete Third Season (1998-99) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $39.95. (Sony).
The Last House on the Left Collector's Edition (1972) Dir.: Wes Craven; Sandra Cassell, Lucy Grantham, David Hess, Fred J. Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, Marc Sheffler. When two young girls are kidnapped and brutalized by a vicious group of escaped convicts, one of the victim's parents takes matters into his own hands and seeks ultimate vengeance. Extras: Commentary by actors David Hess, Marc Sheffler and Fred Lincoln; more than 80 minutes of featurettes including all-new interviews with Wes Craven; a deleted scene featuring Mari dying at the lake; never-before-seen outtakes; Craven's annotated shooting scripts. Timed for the release of the theatrical remake. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (MGM).
The Librarian: Curse of Judas Chalice (2008 -- TV) Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart, Stana Katic, Jane Curtin, Bruce Davison. Third installment in the "Librarian" series of adventures. Extras: Deleted scenes, visual effects deconstruction sequences, "A Look Behind the Monastery Scene" featurette. (Sony).
Lullaby (2008) Melissa Leo, Joey Dedio, Lisa-Marie Schneider, Kyle Siebert. An American mother whose drug-addled son has been kidnapped journeys to Johannesburg, South Africa to pay the ransom, only to run into violent and dangerous obstacles as she faces the kidnappers in the mean city streets. (Peace Arch Entertainment).
The Moon & the Stars (2007) Dir.: John Irvin; Alfred Molina, Jonathan Pryce, Catherine McCormack. Together in Rome just prior to the outbreak of World War II to shoot a film, a German actress (McCormack) and an English actor (Pryce) contend with forces that complicate their romance as well as the production itself. (Lightyear Entertainment).
Paid (2006) Tom Conti, Corbin Bernsen, Anne Charrier, Murilo Benício. A six-year-old Brazilian boy enters the lives of a 28-year-old Parisian call girl working in Amsterdam and a young hit man, forcing them to rethink their futures in the middle of a war between a pair of European drug lords. (Lightyear Entertainment).
Painted Lady (1997) Helen Mirren, Iain Glen, Franco Nero. Semi-retired, with wine glass in one hand and cigarette in the other, former '60s rock singer Maggie Sheridan (Helen Mirren) seems resigned to life on a crumbling country estate, ruminating about her past. But everything changes when a botched robbery leaves her friend dead and one of his priceless paintings stolen. Determined to retrieve the masterpiece and find the killer, Maggie plunges into the deadly underworld of the art trade. PBS Masterpeice Theatre miniseries, $24.99. (Acorn Media).
Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge (2008) Jesse Jane, Evan Stone, Belladonna, Sasha Grey, Shay Jordan, Katsuni. R-rated version of the adult film about swashbuckling female pirates. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (MTI Home Video).
Red Sands (2009) Shane West, J.K. Simmons, Callum Blue. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan discover an ancient stone statue hidden deep within an ancient ravine; using the relic for target practice, they destroy it, unwittingly releasing a vengeful supernatural force that is about to wage a horrifying war on them. Extras: Deleted scenes, director and writer commentary, "The Screenwriter Diaries: The Making of Red Sands" featurette, "Red Sands Set Tour" featurette. (Sony).
Sex Drive (2008) James Marsden, Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Katrina Bowde, Seth Green, Clark Duke. Theatrical and unrated (extended) cut. Extras: Ad libs, outtakes, more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
S.I.S. (2008) Keith David, Matt Nable, Peter Stebbings, Omari Hardwick, Colleen Porch. Spike TV psychological crime thriller about an elite covert unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. (Sony).
Strictly Sexual: A Love Story (2008) Amber Benson, Kristen Kerr, Johann Urb, Stevie Long. Romantic-comedy about a sexual agreement made by two successful L.A. women, sick and tired of dating and relationships, looking to fulfill their erotic desires: they hire two out-of-work men to live in a cabana and sexually please them -- without any strings attached. Although love was not on the agenda, emotions begin to brew between both couples while conflicts ignite, causing fierce battles in the name of love. Extras: Behind-the-scenes photo gallery, deleted scenes, commentary by the director and cast. (Virgil Films & Entertainment, formerly Arts Alliance America).
Summer Heights High (2009) In this mockumentary series set in a real Australian high school, creator and comedian Chris Lilley brings to life three hilarious characters: Jonah, a 13-year-old delinquent breakdancer from Tonga; Mr G, an ego-driven drama teacher with delusional showbiz dreams; and Ja'mie, a spoiled private school girl on a student exchange. Two-disc set, $29.98. (HBO Video).
The Universe: Collector's Edition Megaset. Fourteen-disc set includes "The Universe: The Complete Season One," "The Universe: The Complete Season Two," "The Planets," "How the Earth Was Made," more. $99.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
What Just Happened (2008) Dir.: Barry Levinson; Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Catherine Keener, John Turturro, Stanley Tucci, Robin Wright Penn, Kristen Stewart, Michael Wincott. Extras: Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
The Whole Shootin' Match (1978) Three-disc special edition of the long-lost indie film by Eagle Pennell, about two Texas losers who never give up their hope for success; Robert Redford was said to have been inspired by the film to create the Sundance Institute. Disc One contains the restoration of "The Whole Shootin' Match." Disc Two features an original, feature-length documentary, "The King Of Texas," that tracks the tragic life of Eagle Pennell, the birth of the Austin music scene and the beginning of the American independent film movement. It also hosts Eagle's first short film, "A Hell of a Note," restored, and a rare archival interview with Eagle shot just after he blew his first big Hollywood deal. Disc Three is a bonus CD of the restored "Shootin' Match" soundtrack plus the original music for "The King Of Texas." Also included in the box-set is a 48-page booklet further exploring the rise and fall of a notorious American independent filmmaker. (Watchmaker Films: www.watchmakerfilms.com).
The Wiggles Present Dorothy the Dinosaur (2009) Nineteen new songs and special features from the best-selling musical artists that cater to the preschool set; $14.98. (Warner).
Yella (2007 -- Germany) Nina Hoss, Devid Striesow, Hinnerk Schonemann. In this suspenseful mystery that won four German Lolas, a young woman flees her volatile ex-husband in east Germany for a new life in the West but buried truths haunt her and threaten her newfound happiness. Extras: "Nothing Ventured" documentary that inspired the film, more. (New Yorker Video).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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ISSN 1094-3676
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