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5/26/09 V13.21
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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
For Tuesday, May 26 -- Monday, June 2
New in Town
A high-powered consultant in love with her upscale Miami lifestyle is sent to a middle of nowhere town in Minnesota to oversee the restructuring of a blue collar manufacturing plant. After enduring a frosty reception from the locals, icy roads and freezing weather, she warms up to the small town's charm, and eventually finds herself being accepted by the community. When she's ordered to close down the plant and put the entire community out of work, she's forced to reconsider her goals and priorities, and finds a way to save the town. Vitals: Director: Jonas Elmer. Stars: Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., J.K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Frances Conroy, Mike O'Brien, Rashida Jones. 2009, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 96 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $16.699 million, Universal.
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NEWS
DVD Collectibles:
Warner Home Video will release this week "Director's Showcase: Take Four" with five new-to-DVD releases of interesting outings by renowned directors: "Lookin' to Get Out" (1982), directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jon Voight, Burt Young and Ann-Margret. 
Ashby's
("Being There," "Coming Home," "In the Heat of the Night") comedy about
two down-on-their luck gamblers who travel from new York to Las Vegas
will debut in a never-before-seen cut that represents the director's
original vision; Michelangelo Antonioni's "Zabriskie Point"
(1970), his first American film; a surreal view of late '60s America
featuring a soundtrack with music from Pink Floyd, The Youngbloods, The
Kaleidoscope, Jerry Garcia, Patti Page and the Grateful Dead; David
Cronenberg's extravagant take on "M. Butterfly" (1993), starring Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Barbara Sukowa and Ian Richardson; "Revolution Revisited Director's Cut"
(1985), directed by Hugh Hudson and starring Al Pacino, Donald
Sutherland, Natassia Kinski and Joan Plowright in a newly remastered
and re-edited version with new narration throughout the film by Pacino;
and John Boorman's "Beyond Rangoon" (1995), about an
American woman who gets politically active in Burma, staring Patricia
Arquette, Frances McDormand and Spalding Gray. All the titles are
remastered and boast lots of extras; $19.97 each.
Also from Warner this week is "The Sky Crawlers" (2008), from Mamoru Oshii, the world-acclaimed director of "Ghost in the Shell." The film is a visually stunning anime adventure about a group of eternally young fighter pilots known as Kildren who battle a fierce enemy in astonishing dogfights above the clouds ... and "Falling Down Deluxe Edition" (1993), starring Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Tuesday Weld, Rachel Ticotin and Frederic Forrest, a film that, though 14 years old, ploughs a ripe field of recessions and job loss angst all too fresh in today's economic crisis; Douglas plays a laid-off defense industry worker who goes off the deep end.
From TV to Video:
"The Closer: The Complete Fourth Season" (2008) is a four-disc set with 15 episodes, $39.98 from Warner ... "Designing Women: The Complete First Season" (2008) is a four-disc set with 21 episodes, $44.99 Shout! Factory ... "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- The Ninth Year" (2007-08) is a five-disc set with 19 episodes, $59.98 from Universal.
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "Powder Blue"
(2009), starring Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Eddie
Redmayne, Kris Kristofferson, Lisa Kudrow and Patrick Swayze, a mosaic
of people desperately search for redemption, human connection, and
restored faith within the underbelly of Los Angeles: On the eve of
Christmas, four lives cross paths by past guilt, chance, coincidence,
and divine intervention; from Image Entertainment 
... Tino Struckmann, Michael Berryman, Olivier Gruner, Hayley Carr and Hugh Daly star in "Brother's War"
(2009), a thriller set in the closing days of World War II in which two
officers, one German and the other British, discover that they share a
common bond in Freemasonry, empowering them to work together to prevent
the USSR from taking over Eastern Europe; from MTI Home Video ...In "Carnivorous (aka Lockjaw: Rise of the Kulev Serpent)"
(2008), starring DMX, Wes Brown and Louis Herthum, an ancient voodoo
artifact conjures up a killer snake that is used to seek revenge on a
group of reckless teenagers; from North American Motion Pictures ... A
Las Vegas gentleman club owner and former CIA agent enlists his
glamorous showgirls to stop a terrorist who wants to bomb Vegas in "Crazy Girls Undercover"
(2008), starring Clive Richardson, Nikki Ziering and Simon Fusco; from
Monarch Home Video ... When a scientist leading a top-secret Middle
Eastern archeological site goes missing, an elite military unit is sent
on a search and rescue mission, finding themselves face-to-face with an
ancient evil lying beneath the desert in "The Devil's Tomb"
(2009), starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Ron Perlman,, Tayrn Manning, Ray Winstone and Henry Rollins; from Sony ... "The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk"
(1993), directed by Corey Yuen-Kwai, stars Jet Li and Josephine Siao in
the story of a local champion who becomes a folk hero as he faces off
against a bevy of dangerous opponents in an attempt to win the hand of
a beautiful maiden, rescue his family, and free his people; from The
Weinstein Co./Dragon Dynasty/Genius Products.
On the Indie Front:
Vanguard Cinema has four interesting releases this week: "All the Days Before Tomorrow"
(2008), starring Joey Kern, Alexandra Holden and Richard Roundtree in a
quirky episodic tale about two friends who ought to be lovers but their
timing has never been right; "Divergence"
(2006), in which two wounded people come together and grapple with the
ramifications of war and loss, set in a picturesque seaside town on the
Jersey shores in the midst of a cold and bitter winter: a helicopter
pilot wounded in Iraq and a woman who has lost her husband and child to
a drunk driver; 
"Freezer Burn"
(2007), a Sci-Fi comedy about a scientist working on preserving human
organs for transplant who falls for his wife's 14-year-old art student
and freezes himself in order to align his age with the young girl's;
and "Johan" (2005 -- Netherlands), a comedy about the
only member of a soccer family not crazy about the sport, Johan, who
wants to be a singer. When he meets his neighborhood beauty Evy, it
seems like he may have found a companion, until she falls for a soccer
star, his brother Johnny ... In "The Ramen Girl"
(2008), starring Brittany Murphy, Toshiyuki Nishida, Tammy Blanchard,
Sohee Park, Kimiko Yo and Renji Ishibashi, an American woman stranded
in Tokyo after breaking up with her boyfriend decides to train under a
tyrannical Japanese master to be a ramen chef; from Image Entertainment
... "Forever Strong" (2008) stars Sean Faris, Gary
Cole, Penn Badgley, Arielle Kebbel, Sean Astin, Julie Warner and Neal
McDonough in the true story of rugby coach Larry Gelwix, one of the top
high school coaches in the country with a win/loss record of 379 wins
to 9 losses (nearly 98% wins), who creates not only championship teams,
but championship boys; from Crane Movie Co.up of
pinatas whose goal is to fill themselves with candy, $14.99 from Shout!
Factory.
All things British: "Jeeves & Wooster: The Complete Series" is an eight-disc set with all 23 digitally-restored episodes; $59.95 from A&E Home Video ..."Murder Most English" (2008) includes four classic BBC mysteries with a darkly comic, British touch featuring Detective Inspector Purbright, who pursues the evildoers of Flaxborough with a doggedness that belies his polite conversation and mild manner; in a three-disc set, $49.99 from Acorn Media ... "A Village Affair" (1994), filmed on grand English estates and picturesque countrysides, is a lavish British production that follows an illicit love affair that scandalizes a tranquil English town; $24.99 from Acorn Media.
"American Originals Megaset" (2008) is a 14-disc adrenaline-pumping collection from History Channel featuring 37 hours of action from "Ax Men," "Tougher In Alaska," "Dangerous Mission"s and "Ice Road Truckers," $99.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth" (2009) is a documentary timed for release one day before the 75th birthday of the great man himself, paying homage to one of our most celebrated authors: Ellison has produced more than 75 books and more than 1,700 pieces of fiction and non-fiction, including the single most popular Star Trek episode ("City on the Edge of Forever"), as well as having edited the influential "Dangerous Visions" anthologies of New Wave science fiction; $26.95 from Docurama ... "The Prehistoric Collection" is an eight-disc set with "Jurassic Fight Club," "Prehistoric Megastorms," "Journey to 10,000 B.C." and "Clash of the Cavemen"; $59.95 from A&E Home Video.
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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
American Originals Megaset (2008) Fourteen-disc adrenaline-pumping collection from History Channel featuring 37 hours of action from "Ax Men," "Tougher In Alaska," "Dangerous Mission"s and "Ice Road Truckers," $99.95.Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurettes, additional scenes, biographies, more. (A&E Home Video).
Brother's War (2009) Tino Struckmann, Michael Berryman, Olivier Gruner, Hayley Carr, Hugh Daly. Thriller set in the closing days of World War II; two officers, one German and the other British, discover that they share a common bond in Freemasonry, empowering them to work together to prevent the USSR from taking over Eastern Europe.Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (MTI Home Video).
Carnivorous (aka Lockjaw: Rise of the Kulev Serpent) (2008) DMX, Wes Brown, Louis Herthum. An ancient voodoo artifact conjures up a killer snake that is used to seek revenge on a group of reckless teenagers. (North American Motion Pictures).
The Closer: The Complete Fourth Season (2008) Four-disc set with 15 episodes, $39.98. Extras: "Ride Along" featurette, "Catching a Lie" featurette, gag reel, unaired scenes. (Warner).
Crazy Girls Undercover (2008) Clive Richardson, Nikki Ziering, Simon Fusco. A Las Vegas gentleman club owner and former CIA agent enlists his glamorous showgirls to stop a terrorist who wants to bomb Vegas. (Monarch Home Video).
Designing Women: The Complete First Season (2008) Four-disc set with 21 episodes, $44.99. Extras: "Designing Women: A Reunion," featuring Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Jean Smart and series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, and a booklet with introduction written by show creator. (Shout! Factory).
The Devil's Tomb (2009) Cuba Gooding Jr., Ron Perlman,, Tayrn Manning,, Ray Winstone, Henry Rollins. When a scientist leading a top-secret Middle Eastern archeological site goes missing, an elite military unit is sent on a search and rescue mission. Descending under the cradle of civilization, the team soon find themselves face-to-face with an ancient evil lying beneath the desert. Extras: Commentary with Cuba Gooding Jr. and director Jason Connery, alternate scenes, outtakes, blooper reel, "Beneath the Sand: Behind the Scenes of The Devil's Tomb" featurette. (Sony).
Director's Showcase: Take Four. Five new-to-DVD releases, all remastered: "Revolution Revisited," "Beyond Rangoon," "M. Butterfly," "Zabriskie Point" and "Looking to Get Out Director's Cut," $19.97 each. (Warner).
- Lookin' to Get Out (1982) Dir.: Hal Ashby; Jon Voight, Burt Young, Ann-Margret. Hal Ashby's ("Being There," "Coming Home," "In the Heat of the Night") comedy will debut in a never-before-seen cut that represents the director's original vision. The new version was recently uncovered with the help of its star, Jon Voight, Ashby-biographer Nick Dawson and Ashby's daughter, Leigh MacManus, who found that, unbeknownst to anyone, the director had re-edited the film after its release, then donated it to the UCLA archives prior to his death. Extras: All new interview with Jon Voight, Burt Young and Ann-Margret.
- Zabriskie Point (1970) Dir.: Michelangelo Antonioni; Mark Frechette, Daria Halprin, Bill Garaway, Kathleen Cleaver, Rod Taylor. Antonioni's his first American film; a surreal view of late '60s America. The soundtrack features music from Pink Floyd, The Youngbloods, The Kaleidoscope, Jerry Garcia, Patti Page and the Grateful Dead. Extras: Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
- M. Butterfly (1993) Dir.: David Cronenberg; Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Barbara Sukowa, Ian Richardson. Extras: New interview with director Cronenberg, featurette.
- Revolution Revisited Director's Cut (1985) Dir.: Hugh Hudson; Al Pacino, Donald Sutherland, Natassia Kinski, Joan Plowright. Features Hudson's newly remastered and re-edited version with new narration throughout the film by Pacino. Extras: New introduction with director Hugh Hudson and Al Pacino, narration track.
- Beyond Rangoon (1995) Dir.: John Boorman; Patricia Arquette, Frances McDormand, Spalding Gray. Extras: Introduction, vintage EPK (Electronic Press Kit).
Falling Down Deluxe Edition (1993) Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Tuesday Weld, Rachel Ticotin, Frederic Forrest. Extras: Commentary by Michael Douglas and director Joel Schumacher; "Deconstructing D-FENS: A Conversation With Michael Douglas." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
Forever Strong (2008) Sean Faris, Gary Cole, Penn Badgley, Arielle Kebbel, Sean Astin, Julie Warner, Neal McDonough. Based on the true story of rugby coach Larry Gelwix who creates not only championship teams, but championship boys. Coach Gelwix, one of the top high school coaches in the country with a win/loss record of 379 wins to 9 losses (nearly 98% wins), doesn't recruit players from across the country, but takes local kids from "both sides of the tracks," encourages discipline on and off the field, and requires service, honesty, hard work, and dedication from all his players. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, "Living Forever Strong": a motivational presentation by Coach Gelwix on his philosophy of sports and life.(Crane Movie Co.)
Freezer Burn (2007) Robert Harriell, Michael Consiglio, Ivo Velon, C.C. Seymour, Ella Rae Peck. Sci-Fi comedy about a scientist working on preserving human organs for transplant who falls for his wife's 14-year-old art student. He decides to use his experimental technology to freeze himself in order to align his age with the young girl's, but his plan doesn't turn out the way he hopes (Vanguard Cinema).
Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth (2009) Timed for release one day before the 75th birthday of the great man himself, this documentary pays homage to one of our most celebrated authors. Master of his craft, Ellison has produced more than 75 books and more than 1,700 pieces of fiction and non-fiction on one of his Olympia manual typewriters, including the single most popular Star Trek episode ("City on the Edge of Forever") and brilliant, award-winning short stories, some written in bookstore windows, on very public display. He also has been an outspoken champion of the New Wave of Science Fiction, having edited the influential "Dangerous Visions" anthologies. Director Erik Nelson captures the remarkable personal journey of this wildly imaginative writer, flame-tongued provocateur, and unholy fusion of Lenny Bruce and Mark Twain. $26.95Extras: Six short story excerpts read and performed by Harlan Ellison, "Pizza with Mr. Ellison and Mr. Gaiman," "An Evening With Sharp Teeth." (Docurama).
Jeeves & Wooster: The Complete Series. Eight-disc set with all 23 digitally-restored episodes, $59.95. (A&E Home Video).
Johan (2005 -- Netherlands) Michiel Huisman, Caro Lenssen, Johnny de Mol. What happens when your whole family is crazy about soccer and you're not? Johan is the eleventh male child in a family of soccer players but all Johan wants is to be a singer. Instead of practicing dribbling and headers, Johan would rather listen to music. When he meets his neighborhood beauty Evy, it seems like he may have found a companion, until she falls for a soccer star, his brother Johnny. (Vanguard Cinema).
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- The Ninth Year (2007-08) Five-disc set with 19 episodes, $59.98.(Universal).
The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk (1993) Dir.: Corey Yuen-Kwai; Jet Li, Josephine Siao. Story of a local champion who becomes a folk hero as he faces off against a bevy of dangerous opponents in an attempt to win the hand of a beautiful maiden, rescue his family, and free his people. Extras: Commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan, "Hit Hard & Fly High" interview with director and legendary Hollywood fight choreographer Corey Yuen-Kwai, "The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword" interview with writer Jeff Lau. (The Weinstein Co./Dragon Dynasty/Genius Products).
Murder Most English (2008) Four classic BBC mysteries with a darkly comic, British touch: Clad in tweed and puffing on a pipe, Detective Inspector Purbright pursues the evildoers of Flaxborough with a doggedness that belies his polite conversation and mild manner. Three-disc set, $49.99. (Acorn Media).
New in Town (2009)Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., J.K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Frances Conroy, Mike O'Brien, Rashida Jones. (Universal).
Powder Blue (2009) Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Eddie Redmayne, Kris Kristofferson, Lisa Kudrow, Patrick Swayze. A mosaic of people desperately searching for redemption, human connection, and restored faith within the underbelly of Los Angeles: On the eve of Christmas, four lives cross paths by past guilt, chance, coincidence, and divine intervention. (Image Entertainment).
The Prehistoric Collection. Eight-disc set with "Jurassic Fight Club," "Prehistoric Megastorms," "Journey to 10,000 B.C." and "Clash of the Cavemen," $59.95. (A&E Home Video).
The Ramen Girl (2008) Brittany Murphy, Toshiyuki Nishida, Tammy Blanchard, Sohee Park, Kimiko Yo, Renji Ishibashi. An American woman stranded in Tokyo after breaking up with her boyfriend decides to train under a tyrannical Japanese master to be a ramen chef. (Image Entertainment).
The Sky Crawlers (2008) From Mamoru Oshii, the world-acclaimed director of "Ghost in the Shell." An award-winning story of an exciting but endless war with heroes too young to understand the meaning of their battles. A group of eternally young fighter pilots known as Kildren experience the sudden loss of innocence as they battle the enemy in astonishing dogfights above the clouds. With his only childhood memory consisting of intense flight training, the fearless teenage pilot Yuichi's dogfights coexist with his struggle to find his missing past. This visually stunning anime adventure brings to life the nail-biting dogfights from the epic air battles described in Hiroshi Mori's best-selling novel in Japan. Extras: "Sky's the Limit: An Interview with Director Mamoru Oshii." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
A Village Affair (1994) Filmed on grand English estates and picturesque countryside, this lavish 1994 British production follows an illicit love affair that scandalizes a tranquil English town. $24.99. (Acorn Media).
For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>
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