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3/10/09 V13.10
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, March 10 -- Monday, March 16
Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The
When his father (David Thewlis,) a high-ranking Nazi officer, is assigned to oversee a farm in the countryside, eight-year-old Bruno (Asa Butterfield) misses the excitement and camaraderie he knew in his hometown of Berlin. Lonely and bored, Bruno secretly explores his new surroundings and discovers the farm is surrounded by barbed wire. When he sees Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), a boy his own age, working behind the fence, he strikes up a tentative friendship, playing checkers and catch through the barbed wire. As Bruno slowly realizes that his new friend is Jewish, he becomes confused by the Nazi doctrines his tutor espouses and suspicious of the real purpose of the farm. When Shmuel needs his help, the boys form an outrageous plan that comes to a devastating conclusion. Intelligent, thoughtful and haunting, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is an unforgettable portrait of a child trying to navigate in an increasingly complex and shadowy adult world. Vitals: Director: Mark Herman. Stars: Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 94 min., Drama, Box office gross: $9.030 million, Miramax.
Cadillac Records
Chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends. The story of how the blues became popular and gave birth to rock 'n' roll begins at a dingy bar on the rough South Side of Chicago in 1947, where an ambitious young Polish emigre bar owner Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) hires a talented but undisciplined blues combo that includes quiet and thoughtful guitar prodigy Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright) and impulsive and colorful harmonica player Little Walter (Columbus Short). Fascinated by the sound of the music -- and eager to cash in on the burgeoning record business -- Chess arranges a recording session for Waters. Waters' early recordings start moving up the R+B charts and receiving heavy play. Chess treats his musicians like family -- he buys them a Cadillac when they record their first hit record -- although the line between business and personal sometimes causes conflict with his increasingly talented and successful stable of artists. But it's not until 1955 when a Chess artist finally "crosses over" into the realm of mainstream ("white") America -- a skinny guy from St. Louis named Chuck Berry (Mos Def), whose dynamic "duck walk" and catchy, country-tinged tunes mark the birth of rock 'n' roll. When Berry is arrested and jailed at the height of his career, Chess finds another talented performer to cross over -- singer Etta James (Beyonce Knowles), an emotionally scarred young woman whose vulnerability tempts Chess' loyalty and concern in unexpected ways. As rock 'n' roll grows more popular, the Chess artists find themselves revered by a new generation of musicians, but they have also each earned and lost a small fortune on booze, women and the high life, and their addictions begin to take their toll. Even as tragedy befalls, their music and their spirit remain strong: as the sixties wind down and Leonard Chess gets out of the record business, the blues live on. Vitals: Director: Darnell Martin. Stars: Adrien Brody, Beyonce Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Cedric the Entertainer, Tammy Blanchard, Norman Reedus, Gabrielle Union, Mos Def. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 109 min., Musical Biodrama, Box office gross: $8.134 million, Sony.
Happy Go Lucky
Lighthearted comedy from the usually dour Mike Leigh about an eternally optimistic teacher living and working in North London. Thirty year-old Poppy (Sally Hawkins) always has a smile on her face and does her best to brighten the days of those around her by making small talk and cracking jokes. For the past 10 years Poppy has lived with her best friend Zoe (Alexis Zegerman), a fellow teacher whose wry outlook on life serves as the perfect counterbalance to Poppy's effervescent charm. One day, after her bike is stolen, Poppy decides that it's time to take driving lessons and enrolls in the Axle School of Motoring. Almost instantly, Poppy and her stressed-out instructor Scott (Eddie Marsan) clash. Still, it seems that there's more to this relationship than surface appearances would suggest. After accompanying her colleague Heather (Sylvestra le Touzel) to a tango class taught by a particularly passionate instructor (Karina Fernandaz), Poppy connects with kindly school social worker Tim (Samuel Roukin). Of course Tim can't help but falling for a woman of such boundless compassion, but how will Poppy's increasingly jealous driving instructor react to the news of her most recent romance? Vitals: Director: Mike Leigh. Stars: Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Andrea Riseborough, Samuel Roukin, Sinead Matthews, Kate O'Flynn, Sarah Niles, Eddie Marsan, Joseph Kloska, Sylvestra Le Touzel. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 119 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $3.494 million, Disney.
Milk
In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn)changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all Americans. "Milk" charts the last eight years of Milk's life. While living in New York City, he turns 40. Looking for more purpose, Milk and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) relocate to San Francisco, where they found a small business, Castro Camera, in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. With his beloved Castro neighborhood and beautiful city empowering him, Milk surprises Scott and himself by becoming an outspoken agent for change. With vitalizing support from Scott and from new friends like young activist Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Milk plunges headfirst into the choppy waters of politics. Bolstering his public profile with humor, Milk's actions speak even louder than his gift-of-gab words. When Milk is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, he tries to coordinate his efforts with those of another newly elected supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). In 1978, Milk and the city's mayor, George Moscone, were shot to death by White. Vitals: Director: Gus Van Sant. Stars: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella, Eric Stoltz. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 129 min., Biodrama, Box office gross: $23.464 million, Universal.
Rachel Getting Married
When Kym (Anne Hathaway), returns to the Buchman family home for the wedding of her sister Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt), she brings a long history of personal crises, family conflict and tragedy along with her. The wedding couple's abundant party of friends and relatives has gathered for a joyful weekend of feasting, music and love, but Kym -- with her biting one-liners and flair for bombshell drama -- is a catalyst for long-simmering tensions in the family dynamic. Filled with the rich and eclectic characters that remain a hallmark of Jonathan Demme's films. Vitals: Director: Jonathan Demme. Stars: Anne Hathaway, Bill Irwin, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger, Anna Deveare-Smith, Mather Zickel. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 113 min., Drama, Box office gross: $10.758 million, Sony.
Role Models
Slacker-type comedy about two salesmen, Danny and Wheeler, who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender, are arrested, and given a choice by the court: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie redirect his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie's new mentor wasn't an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center's ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. Vitals: Director: David Wain. Stars: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Nicole Randall Johnson. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 102 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $67.266 million, Universal.
Synecdoche, New York
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays theater director Caden Cotard's who views his life in Schenectady, New York as bleak. His wife Adele (Catherine Keener) has left him to pursue her painting in Berlin, taking their young daughter Olive with her. A new relationship with the alluringly candid Hazel (Samantha Morton) has prematurely run aground. In addition he must struggle with the problems of aging and a mysteriously degenerative medical condition. He develops all this into a monumental theater piece: Building a full-scale replica of New York City inside an impossibly large warehouse and populating it with thousands of actors, Cotard spends the remainder of his life creating a piece so personal and epic in scope, that the line between reality and art collide, and the universe that he has created swallows up everything within it. A very black comedy. Vitals: Director: Charlie Kaufman. Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis and Tom Noonan. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: R, 124 min., Comedy Drama, Box office gross: $2.780 million, Sony.
Transporter 3
Jason Statham is back as the cult hero The Transporetr in this third entry in the action-packed series. Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another. Vitals: Director: Olivier Megaton. Stars: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Francois Berleand, Natalya Rudakova, Jeroen Krabbe, Alex Kobold, David Atrakchi, Eriq Ebouaney. 2008, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 200 min., Thriller, Box office gross: $31.316 million, Lionsgate.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
Two animated features highlight get special treatments this week: "Pinocchio: 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition."
with a digital restoration of the 1940 film, in a two-disc set with
such extras as"Pinocchio's Matter of Facts"; "No Strings Attached: The
Making of Pinocchio"; deleted scenes; alternate ending (a recently
uncovered set of small storyboard panels reveal plans for a different
version of Pinocchio becoming a real boy); live action reference
footage; more; also a available on Blu-ray Disc, from Disney ... and a
digitally restored and re-mastered version of the animation classic "Max Fleischer's Gulliver's Travel" (1939); also available on Blu-ray Disc; from E1 Entertainment, formerly Koch.
With the theatrical release of "Race to Witch Mountain," starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, set for May 13, Warner will release the two original outings,"Escape to Witch Mountain" (1975), starring Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann; and "Return to Witch Mountain Special Edition" (1978), starring Bette Davis, Christopher Lee, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann.
Glowing Blu-ray:
Due July 7 is a high-def version of "Grumpy Old Men," starring Jack
Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, $28.99 from Warner ... Warner
will also release a Blu-ray version of the award-winning HBO miniseries
"John Adams" on June 16, for $79.98 ... and on April 28 Sony will
release "The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut," with such extras as 28
minutes of never-before-seen footage and all-new special features
including the interactive picture-in-picture (I-PiP) feature "Unlocking
the Code," which allows viewers to toggle between eight simultaneous
I-PiP streams, new commentary on select scenes with director Ron
Howard, and advanced BD-Live features; $38.96.
"The Baron" is an eight-disc set with the complete series, 30 episodes, which aired weekly in the U.K. from 1966-1967, starring Steve Forrest; $59.98 from E1 Entertainment (formerly Koch) ... "The Best Years: The Complete First Season" is a four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98 from E1 Entertainment ... "Carolyn in the City: The Second Season" (1996-97) is a three-disc set with 25 episodes, $44.98 from Paramount ... "Cracker: The Complete Collection" (2008) is the first complete collection of the ground breaking British crime series starring Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid in the Harry Potter films) in the role that made him famous; the 10-disc collector's edition includes all three seasons (1993-1995), two stand-alone movies (1996, 2006), and a 45-minute behind-the-scenes retrospective documentary; $119.99 from Acorn Media ... "Family Ties: The Fifth Season" (1986-87) is a four-disc set with 30 episodes, $39.98 from Paramount ... "Get Smart: Season 2" (1965-66) is a four-disc set with 30 episodes, $24.98 from Warner ... "The Girls Next Door: Season Four" is a three-disc set with 16 episodes, $29.98 from Fox ... "The Miracle Worker" (1979) stars Patty Duke, Melissa Gilbert, Diana Muldaur, Charles Siebert, Anne Seymour and Stanley Wells in a new TV adaptation of the true story of blind and deaf Helen Keller's struggle to communicate; from Shout! Factory ... "South Park: The Complete 12th Season" (2008) is a three-disc set with 14 episodes, $49.99 from Paramount ... "The Shiralee" (1987) stars Bryan Brown and Rebecca Smart in an Australian miniseries set in the Australian outback of the 1940s and '50s that explores the relationship between a father and daughter with warmth and humor; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "The Starter Wife: Season 1" (2007) is a two-disc set with six episodes, $34.98 from Universal.iveting British crime dramas from the creators of "Prime Suspect"; $59.99 from Acorn Media.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
n "Dark Reel" (2008),
starring Adam Walz, Lance Henriksen, Tony Todd and Edward Furlong, an
avid movie fan wins a walk-on role in a horror film only to find
himself at the center of a real, behind-the-scenes killing spree; from
North American Motion Pictures ... In "Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition"
(1996), starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre
Woodard, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Andre Braugher, Steven
Bauer, Joe Spano, Maura Tierney and Jon Seda, a famed defense lawyer
volunteers his services to a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder
of a Chicago archbishop; he uncovers evidence that the archbishop was
involved in a corrupt land scheme and may have molested young
parishioners; from Paramount ... "Crowley (aka Chemical Wedding)"
(2008) is a horror-thriller about a shy professor who brings Aleister
Crowley, one of the most notorious occultists who ever lived, back to
life in the 21st century; stars Simon Callow, Kal Weber, Lucy Cudden
and Jud Charlton; from Anchor Bay ... Based on a play by Wallace Shawn,
"Marie and Bruce" (2004) is a dark but comical glimpse
at one day in the breakdown of a marriage; stars Julianne Moore,
Matthew Broderick, Bob Balaban, Griffin Dunne and Julie Hagerty; from
The Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... "Saturday Morning"
(2007) stars Joey Piscopo, Valerie R. Feingold, Louis Mandylor, George
Wendt, Beth Ostrosky and Lillo Brancato in a fantasy about a
mild-mannered businessman who wakes one day to discover a whole new
world, a Utopia of sorts where he can achieve nearly everything,
including winning the affections of the woman of his dreams. The catch?
The utopian state only exists from 6 to 8 am on Saturday mornings; from
Lightyear Entertainment ... "Stormforce" (2006) is an actioner about a maverick navy diver; from MTI Home Video.
In "L'Innocente" (1976), Luchino Visconti's final film, the great director returns viewers to a grand and lavish milieu for a drama of obsessive love and tragedy: Wealthy Italian Tullio is bored with his seemingly timid wife, Giuliana and begins neglecting her in favor of his beautiful, possessive mistress, Teresa. But Giuliana is not so shy after all, and when Tullio discovers that she is having an affair of her own, he becomes obsessed by jealousy. Unable to admit his sexual double standard, Tullio commits a horrible act. Restored to its original 127-minute length. Stars Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli and Jennifer O'Neill; from Koch Lorber.
For the Family:
In "Barney's Top 20 Countdown" (2008), the purple dinosaur leads an audience of youngsters with a countdown of his 20 favorite songs, ranging from "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" to "If I Lived Under the Sea" and of course, "I Love You"; $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Lionsgate.
Special Interest:
"Painters Painting"
(1973) is a documentary that showcases some of America's greatest
contemporary artists from 1940-1970. Originally released in 1973, this
incredible portrait pays homage to the contemporary New York art scene
and its ground breaking movement which launched abstract expression.
Includes interviews with renowned abstract artists including Robert
Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Barnett Newman, Frank Stella
and many more. Digitally remastered and restored by the Museum of
Modern Art and the University of Wisconsin Film Department; $29.95 from
Virgil Films & Entertainment (formerly Arts Alliance America) ... "The Story of India"
(2009) is a documentary exploration of India from the country's
historical roots to its culture and people and to its present-day
status as a rising economic leader; from PBS Home Video.
THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
The Baron. Eight-disc set with the complete series, 30 episodes, which aired weekly in the U.K. from 1966-1967, starring Steve Forrest; $59.98. Extras: Commentaries. (E1 Entertainment; formerly Koch).
Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997. Blu-ray Disc editions of "Batman," "Batman Returns," "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin"; $129.95. Extras: More than 18 hours of bonus content including documentaries from directors Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, deleted scenes and music videos, and a digital copy of "Batman." (Warner).
The Best Years: The Complete First Season. Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Outtakes, auditions. (E1 Entertainment, formerly Koch).
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon. Extras: "Friendship Beyond the Fence" behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, commentary by director Mark Herman and author John Boyne. (Miramax).
Cadillac Records (2008) Adrien Brody, Beyonce Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Cedric the Entertainer, Tammy Blanchard, Norman Reedus, Gabrielle Union, Mos Def Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Making of Cadillac Records" featurette, "Once Upon a Blues: Cadillac Records by Design" wardrobe and production design featurette, commentary by Writer-director Darnell Martin. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).
Carolyn in the City: The Second Season (1996-97) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $44.98. (Paramount).
Cracker: The Complete Collection (2008) The first complete collection of the ground breaking British crime series starring Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid in the Harry Potter films) in the role that made him famous. The 10-disc collector's edition includes all three seasons (1993-1995), two stand-alone movies (1996, 2006), and a 45-minute behind-the-scenes retrospective documentary; $119.99. (Acorn Media).
Crowley (aka Chemical Wedding) (2008) Simon Callow, Kal Weber, Lucy Cudden, Jud Charlton. Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was the most notorious occultist who ever lived. A man whose appetites for corruption, sadism, sexual excess and moral degradation knew no bounds. His sphere of influence extended far beyond England to the world at large, and some believed to the very depths of hell itself. When Crowley died, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief. But at the beginning of the 21st century, a shy professor brings Crowley back to life. (Anchor Bay).
Dark Reel (2008) Adam Walz, Lance Henriksen, Tony Todd, Edward Furlong. An avid movie fan wins a walk-on role in a horror film only to find himself at the center of a real, behind-the-scenes killing spree. (North American Motion Pictures).
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann. This and "Return to Witch Mountain" released to coincide with the theatrical release of the remake, "Race to Witch Mountain." (Warner).
Family Ties: The Fifth Season (1986-87) Four-disc set with 30 episodes, $39.98. (Paramount).
Get Smart: Season 2 (1965-66) Four-disc set with 30 episodes, $24.98. (Warner).
The Girls Next Door: Season Four. Three-disc set with 16 episodes, $29.98. (Fox).
Happy Go Lucky (2008) Dir.: Mike Leigh; Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Andrea Riseborough, Samuel Roukin, Sinead Matthews, Kate O'Flynn, Sarah Niles, Eddie Marsan, Joseph Kloska, Sylvestra Le Touzel. Extras: Commentary by director Mike Leigh and actress Sally Hawkins, "Happy in Character" featurette, "Behind the Wheel of Happy-Go-Lucky" behind-the-scenes featurette. (Disney).
L'Innocente (1976) Dir.: Luchino Visconti; Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O'Neill. In this, the great director's final film, Visconti returns viewers to a grand and lavish milieu for a drama of obsessive love and tragedy. Wealthy Italian Tullio is bored with his seemingly timid wife, Giuliana and begins neglecting her in favor of his beautiful, possessive mistress, Teresa. But Giuliana is not so shy after all, and when Tullio discovers that she is having an affair of her own, he becomes obsessed by jealousy. Unable to admit his sexual double standard, Tullio commits a horrible act. Restored to its original 127-minute length. Extras: Interview with screenwriter and frequent Visconti collaborator Suso Cecchi d'Amico. (Koch Lorber).
Let the Right One In (2008) Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson. Extras: Terrorized by bullies, lonely 12-year-old Oskar befriends a new neighbor, a mysterious young girl whose arrival coincides with a series of gruesome deaths and attacks. Soon Oskar comes to realize that she's a vampire, but his friendship with her is stronger than his fear. (Magnolia)
Marie and Bruce (2004)
Julianne Moore, Matthew Broderick, Bob Balaban, Griffin Dunne, Julie
Hagerty. Based on a play by Wallace Shawn, the film is a dark but
comical glimpse at one day in the breakdown of a marriage. (The
Weinstein Co./Genius Products).
Max Fleischer's Gulliver's Travels (1939) Digitally restored and re-mastered animation classic. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (E1 Entertainment, formerly Koch).
Milk (2008) Dir.: Gus Van Sant; Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella, Eric Stoltz. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Remembering Harvey" Film clips and photos from the set, "Hollywood Comes to San Francisco" featurette, "Marching For Equality" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).
The Miracle Worker (1979 -- TV) Patty Duke, Melissa Gilbert, Diana Muldaur, Charles Siebert, Anne Seymour, Stanley Wells. The true story of blind and deaf Helen Keller's struggle to communicate is told through the Emmy Award-winning television movie. "The Miracle Worker" originally premiered on television's "Playhouse 90" in 1957. Writer William Gibson adapted it two years later into an award-winning Broadway play; and in 1962 he turned it into a highly acclaimed feature film. This Gibson classic came full circle in color in the 1979 remake. (Shout! Factory).
Painters Painting (1973) Documentary showcases some of America's greatest contemporary artists from 1940-1970. Originally released in 1973, this incredible portrait pays homage to the contemporary New York art scene and its ground breaking movement which launched abstract expression. Through a slew of archive interviews with renowned abstract artists including Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Barnett Newman, Frank Stella and many more, director Emile de Antonio examines how those artists broke away from European influences to create new expression in contemporary art. Digitally remastered and restored by the Museum of Modern Art and the University of Wisconsin Film Department; $29.95. (Virgil Films & Entertainment, formerly Arts Alliance America).
Pinocchio: 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition
(1940) Digital restoration. Two-disc set. Extras:
"Pinocchio's Matter of Facts"; commentary by Leonard Maltin, Eric
Goldberg and J. B. Kaufman; "Disney Song Selection" option to sing
along with favorite songs as the lyrics appear onscreen; "No Strings
Attached: The Making of Pinocchio"; deleted scenes; alternate ending: A
recently uncovered set of small storyboard panels reveal plans for a
different version of Pinocchio becoming a real boy; live action
reference footage; "Pinocchio" art galleries; seleted songs: An audio
collection of period "pop" recordings of songs that not used in the
final film; "Pinocchio Puzzles" hosted by Jiminy Cricket. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney).
Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition (1996) Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer, Joe Spano, Maura Tierney, Jon Seda. Thriller. A famed defense lawyer volunteers his services to a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop; he uncovers evidence that the archbishop was involved in a corrupt land scheme and may have molested young parishioners. Extras: Commentary by director Greg Hoblit, writer Ann Biderman, producer Gary Lucchesi, executive producer Hawk Koch (as Howard W. Koch Jr.) and casting director Deborah Aquila; interview with Edward Norton, "Primal Fear: The Final Verdict," "The Psychology of Guilt." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Paramount).
Rachel Getting Married (2008) Dir.: Jonathan Demme; Anne Hathaway, Bill Irwin, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger, Anna Deveare-Smith, Mather Zickel. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, "Wedding Band" featurette, cast and crew Q & A panel, filmmaker and cast commentaries. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).
Return to Witch Mountain Special Edition (1978) Bette Davis, Christopher Lee, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann. This and "Escape to Witch Mountain" released to coincide with the theatrical release of the remake, "Race to Witch Mountain." Extras: "Pop-Up Fun Facts," filmmaker commentary, more. (Warner).
Role Models (2008) Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Nicole Randall Johnson. Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, alternate takes, bloopers, behind-the-scenes featurettes. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (UniversaL).
Saturday Morning (2007) Joey Piscopo, Valerie R. Feingold, Louis Mandylor, George Wendt, Beth Ostrosky, Lillo Brancato. Mild-mannered businessman Wes Selman is not a morning person, so when a home renovation project forces him up and out of the house at the crack of dawn on Saturday, he's not exactly thrilled. Once outside, Wes is shocked to discover a whole new world, a Utopia of sorts where he can achieve nearly everything, including winning the affections of the woman of his dreams. The catch? The utopian state only exists from 6 to 8 am on Saturday mornings. (Lightyear Entertainment).
The Shiralee (1987) Bryan Brown, Rebecca Smart. Australian miniseries based on D'Arcy Niland's international bestseller. Set in the Australian outback of the 1940s and '50s, the drama explores the relationship between a father and daughter with warmth and humor. Aired on the Disney Channel and PBS's Masterpiece Theatre in the late 1980s. $39.99. (Acorn Media).
South Park: The Complete 12th Season (2008) Three-disc set with 14 episodes, $49.99. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Paramount).
The Starter Wife: Season 1 (2007) Two-disc set with six episodes, $34.98. Commentary. (Universal).
Stormforce (2006) Kevin Janssens, Veerle Baetens, Koen De Bouw. Actioner about a maverick navy diver. (MTI Home Video).
The Story of India (2009) Documentary exploration of India from the country's historical roots to its culture and people and to its present-day status as a rising economic leader. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (March 24). (PBS Home Video).
Synecdoche, New York (2008) Dir.: Charlie Kaufman; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis and Tom Noonan Extras: Four featurettes: "In and Around Synecdoche, NY," "The Story of Caden Cotard," "Infectious Diseases in Cattle: Bloggers Roundtable" and "NFTS/ Script Factory Masterclass With Charlie Kaufman," screen animations. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).
Transporter 3 (2008) Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Francois Berleand, Natalya Rudakova, Jeroen Krabbe, Alex Kobold, David Atrakchi, Eriq Ebouaney. Extras: Featurettes, commentary, digital copy. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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