(Click on the "DVD" thread icon to find previous weeks going back 14 months - to see new release lists from the previous four weeks, here are your quick links to the lists for: 2/19 - 2/26 - 3/4 - 3/11)
Hello.
This Tuesday the new releases add up to 223 DVDs, 2 Blu-Ray and 6 HD DVDs - take THAT, alive format! Some big box office this week but nothing to really GRAB me. That's probably because I never saw "Battlestar Galactica," from what I hear. In fact, I'm a little tired of hearing about "Battlestar Galactica." I need to work in an industry with less "Battlestar Galactica" fans. Now that I've said "Battlestar Galactica" four times in the opener - and I swear I did not MEAN to and I didn't do it to attract more web searches (honestly I did not - if that happens I'll kind of be mortified), let's move on already.
To immediately get to the new releases, scroll down to the next horizontal line! If this is your first time here, a little bit more about what we do follows...
Unlike those curious Amazon folks, who are apparently so desperate for clicks that they only let you see 12 items on a page, we assemble the whole shebang, then place EVERYTHING on one (very long) page for your convenience!
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As much as we love Amazon, sometimes - often - they are a little light when it comes to the details about the stuff they're selling. That's where we step in - I attempt to some provide additional exposition (or, more likely, a bad joke) along with links to more information represented by IMDb icons (which can be clicked to take you to a movie's IMDb listing) or tv.com icons (which can be clicked to take you to the relevant episode list from tv.com)! And if I can't give you THAT, I'll sometimes take you directly to the distributor's own information...especially when they're also offering a trailer or free preview. You can waste LOTS of time on these - and really, isn't that what the Internet is all about? (Distributors with no Internet presence suck, by the way. You get NOTHING for THOSE listings. Sorry, but I can only do so much with my ability to read minds!)
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Hey, better hurry and buy DVDs before the good TV is back on!
PICK OF THE WEEK: Again, nothing really grabbed me, but the oldest movie of the week will always stick out, so you get: The Dragon Painter (The W at Amazon) (1919) I always like hearing about "lost" films that have been restored - Sessue Hayakawa produces and stars alongside his wife Tsuru Aoki - also includes The Wrath of the Gods (1914) (another film starring Hayakawa and Aoki), Screen Snapshots (1921) starring Hayakawa and Fatty Arbuckle, and lots of other extras - more info at Milestone Cinematheque (milestonefilms.com)
Southland Tales (Germany/USA/France, 2006) Richard Kelly directs - Hey wasn't this supposed to be The Rock's big dramatic role? Did they sneak this out when I wasn't looking? Apparently so. Dwayne Johnson, Seann WIlliam Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, Mr. Justin Timberlake, Bai Ling, the names go on and on, seriously, there's like a dozen names I could put here, WILL SASSO
Revolver (France/UK, 2005) Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore, Andr Benjamin - directed by Guy Ritchie - so I think you can figure out what you're gonna get here
BIGGEST "CLASSIC" NEW TO DVD THIS WEEK Don't Drink the Water (1969) Jackie Gleason, Estelle Parsons - written by Woody Allen (and he remade it 25 years later)
FURN FILMS OF THE WEEK Jet Li's Shaolin Fists Collection Ten films which may or may not have anything to do with Jet Li - Jet Li's Shaolin Fists, Shaolin Ex Monk, Shaolin Red Master, Secret of Shaolin Kung Fu, Beijing Bodyguard, Kid from Tibet, Shaolin Pao Quan, Shaolin 6 Combination Boxing, Shaolin Meteor Hammer and Shaolin 7 Star Fist Vanaja (India/USA, 2006) Paradise (Japan, 2005) Funky Forest: The First Contact (Sub) (Naisu no Mori: The First Contact - Japan, 2005) Operation Pussycat (Pusshikyatto Daisakusen - Japan, 2004) Captive Files I (Japan, 2002) Pink film Sukeban Deka Pack Sukeban Deka (Japan, 1987) and Sukeban Deka: Counterattack of the Kamaza Sisters (Sukeban Deka: Kazama san-shimai no Gyakush - Japan, 1988)
TOTALLY GAY TRAVEL: Bump! European Highlights "The Ultimate Gay Travel Companion" series is back - with host Charlie "Dreamy Abs" David Bump! Scandinavia That Charlie David - he always looks the same - YUMMY
POSSIBLY GLORIFIED BOOTLEGS FROM JEF FILMS - three films with a couple of things in common... The Intelligence Men (UK, 1965) Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise That Riviera Touch (UK, 1966) Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise The Magnificent Two (UK, 1967) Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise
AND THE REST...
The Worst Horror Movie Ever Made: The Re-Make (2008) Bill Zebub (billzebub.com) goes to the well one more time - hey, works for him The Blood Grinder (direct to DVD, 2008) Both co-directors provide Amazon reviews - a canny move! (But I'm still not buying it....sorry, guys) Flipping Out (direct to DVD, 2008) - Stars JD Williams (box helpfully adds "Bodie from The Wire"), Dane Dane and Akon('s Konvict Music Family) More info, trailer and bad animated GIFs at www.miamifilms.net The Four Horsemen (direct to DVD, Canada, 2008) Because only Canadians could tell such an American story Synchronicity (direct to DVD, 2008)
Dead Cool (UK, 2004) Rosanna Arquette Dead Cool Same thing? Fast Food High (Canada/USA, 2003) West of Here (2002) Mary Stuart Masterson, Josh Hamilton - trailer at Image (image-entertainment.com) Amok Train (Beyond the Door III - Italy/Yugoslavia/USA, 1989) Surely a tax haven for some organized crime family - with Bo Svenson
TV OF THE WEEK
Steve Canyon (Special Edition) (NBC, 1958-9) A taster for the upcoming complete remastered series (which will hopefully be out in time for its 50th anniversary) - "4 full half-hour television episodes featuring the famed comic strip hero created by Milton Caniff, complete with original commercials, network promos and more!" - Tempe Video (store.tempevideo.com) Best of Laredo: Season, 1 Part 2 (NBC, 1965-6) The 15 episodes not included in Part 1 Bionic Woman - Volume One (NBC, 2007) I'm pretty sure this is actually the entire series - it's cancelled, right? I think only John liked it (The W)
Battlestar Galactica - Season Three (SciFi, 2006-7) Surefire nerd attractor has been #1 for this week since ten minutes after it was announced (Nerd: "It's so sexy") Oh, come on.
HISTORY CHANNEL OF THE WEEK Life After People (History Channel) You think our infrastructure is crumbling now, boy, try watching it with all the people gone!
Who you callin' dummy, dummy? The time has come for you to post YOUR replies and reactions - I'LL be back Monday with the late changes and Top 23 non-Battlestar Galactica presold items!
Originally posted by CRZRevolver (France/UK, 2005) Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore, Andr Benjamin - directed by Guy Ritchie - so I think you can figure out what you're gonna get here
This movie is VERY different than Snatch or Lock/Stock - I really enjoyed it.
Originally posted by CRZ The Blood Grinder (direct to DVD, 2008) Both co-directors provide Amazon reviews - a canny move! (But I'm still not buying it....sorry, guys)
The first thing that popped into my mind is that if their reviews, plus the fact they reviewed their own material, don't convince Llakor to buy this video, the apocalypse is nigh.
Oh yeah, and that Johnny and the Sprites video is from episodes of the Disney show and isn't complete new. And, the Johnny guy (not to be confused with the Sprites) takes himself WAY too seriously. I think that he thinks the Sprites are real. He's like the first Blues Clues host, except without the sardonic-ness (or is it sardonicity?). He's rather disturbing.
You wanted the best, you got... Out of Context Quote of the Week.
"If I was doing the Mann Act with two chicks, there'd be multiple violations." (JustinShapiro)
Originally posted by CRZRichard Kern's website describes himself as an "internationally recognized photographer and transgressive filmmaker." Well, all right
And here I thought he was Al Borland (en.wikipedia.org). Harumph.
This is creepy. There were NO changes at all. No new adds, nothing rescheduled, nothing removed. Everything which is coming out and was not available is STILL not available. There is literally ZERO difference between the list I compiled today and the one I compiled almost exactly a week ago. I am scared.
Here are some more thoughts from a demented mind in Central Florida: I'm looking forward to finally getting a chance to see "Southland Tales," though I expect I'll be renting it first before I consider buying it.
Unlike 2006, I only saw two of the Horrorfest movies from 2007. "Mulberry Street" was not a bad movie, though the director and production staff really needed to invest in a few steadycams. But otherwise, it was a little bit of a twist on were-creature movies, and it captured some of the gritty-ness of living in NYC. Avoid "Lake Dead" like the plague. For real. I'm not kidding. Some Horrorfest movies don't get released because the studios have other films they'd rather release, or not enough star power, or not enough budget. Others (like "Lake Dead") are God-awful movies that, for once, the studios had the foresight to release what crap it was that would lose ridiculous amounts of money.
Why yes, I am both a musician and a lawyer. Thanks for asking. :)
Originally posted by FLRockAndLawUnlike 2006, I only saw two of the Horrorfest movies from 2007. "Mulberry Street" was not a bad movie, though the director and production staff really needed to invest in a few steadycams. But otherwise, it was a little bit of a twist on were-creature movies, and it captured some of the gritty-ness of living in NYC. Avoid "Lake Dead" like the plague. For real. I'm not kidding. Some Horrorfest movies don't get released because the studios have other films they'd rather release, or not enough star power, or not enough budget. Others (like "Lake Dead") are God-awful movies that, for once, the studios had the foresight to release what crap it was that would lose ridiculous amounts of money.
I caught two of them myself. "The Deaths of Ian Stone" wasn't bad, but "Tooth and Nail" was very lame (I had checked it out because Robert Carradine, Vinnie Jones, and Michael Madsen were in it, to no avail).
Originally posted by FLRockAndLawI'm looking forward to finally getting a chance to see "Southland Tales," though I expect I'll be renting it first before I consider buying it.
Unlike 2006, I only saw two of the Horrorfest movies from 2007. "Mulberry Street" was not a bad movie, though the director and production staff really needed to invest in a few steadycams. But otherwise, it was a little bit of a twist on were-creature movies, and it captured some of the gritty-ness of living in NYC. Avoid "Lake Dead" like the plague. For real. I'm not kidding. Some Horrorfest movies don't get released because the studios have other films they'd rather release, or not enough star power, or not enough budget. Others (like "Lake Dead") are God-awful movies that, for once, the studios had the foresight to release what crap it was that would lose ridiculous amounts of money.
Obviously, I liked Mulberry Street waaaaay more than you. End of the Line is a "zombie" film shot here in the subways of Montreal.
Unlike the End of the Line, Mulberry has a distributor (Lions Gate), but it looks like it will be released directly to DVD and not get a theatrical distribution. That would be the shame, because this film NEEDS to be seen on the big screen. Hell! It NEEDS to be seen full stop.
Do not be scared away by the low budget, the film looks amazing. It was made by wizards who created the film with brains, sweat and their life's blood rather than money. While there are no actors that you would recognize as stars, the acting is universally excellent. I may be projecting here, but the cast feels like it was built out of the extras from Dick Wolf's Law and Order franchise and spin-offs. All of the actors have that vague aura of having been either the corpse that Lenny Briscoe throws the sheet over in the opening scene, or the partner of the cop that briefs Lenny - the one that does not get any lines.
The low budget probably helps the story in some ways, because it forced the film makers to tell their apocalyptic vision of New York island being over-run by plague rats and the rat zombies (or were-rats you pick) that result from the rat bites, by focusing on one New York neighbourhood (Mulberry Street) and one building on that street. Drama is heightened by compressing time and by compressing space. By tightening the screws on where the film takes place, we allow ourselves to extrapolate the destruction of this one neighbourhood, the destruction of this small world, into the destruction of the world entire.
The two main characters of the story are an aging boxer and his daughter who has just returned from Iraq.
The film borrows heavily from the film noir trope of the war veteran returning home from the war only to find that home no longer exists, or that if it does that it can no longer exist for him, because the veteran's scars both internal and external prevent him (or her) from making a real return.
Although, really her journey is that of Odysseus, trying desperately to return home to his loved ones, battling both monsters and the geography that once welcomed him to return to a home that no longer exists as it did when he left it. She is betrayed just as Odysseus is betrayed, because having sacrificed for her country, she returns to find that she has no country.
The building that her father lives in is being yuppiefied, meaning that her neighbourhood is being destroyed as she returns. The film then takes the idea of this slow, gradual destruction of her neighbourhood and makes it literal as the rat zombies destroy the already doomed building and its inhabitants.
And you can see why she desperately wants to return, because her neighbourhood is the kind of place which accepts the scarred and the broken. Everyone in the building is an outcast, battling against some kind of disability, whether it is being an over-the hill boxer, being a single mother, being a moody and misunderstood teenager, being in a wheelchair, being nearly deaf, needing oxygen to survive and etc. The film also emphasizes the veteran connection by making one of its really great characters a World War Two veteran (ANZIO!) and I think the wheelchair character is a Vietnam veteran. All veterans have already been forgotten and betrayed by their country, so the film makes the dilemma a generational one giving more depth to the problem.
(By the way, I am not suggesting that the black and gay character is a freak or suffering from a disability, but he does fall into the category of characters that are marginalized yet accepted by all the outcasts.)
The only characters in the building that might qualify as not-outcasts are the Yuppie family who desert the building at the first sign of trouble, where all of the other outcasts rally together. In many zombie or apocalyptic films, the main characters inside are almost as much danger to themselves as the monsters outside. Not in this film. In this film, the characters are family who rally to each other's aid (except of course the Yuppie family who flee) which just makes the deaths as the rat-zombies pick off the members of the family one by one that much more tragic.
I have had horror films scare me before. I have had horror films make me think. I have had them make me angry. This film does all of these things, but it does something more - it made me cry, because you are connected to these characters and you do not want them to die. And every death diminishes not just the audience, but the characters who are left as well, as the rat zombies destroy their neighbourhood, piece by piece and brick by brick. A family and a neighbourhood more real because its members choose each other.
Even the building's janitor, who in most films would be a stereotype villain, in the pockets of the developer, but in this case, he is a member of the community, ribbed good-naturedly by his neighbours for the building's disintegrating infrastructure, but also making the necessary repairs as quickly as he can in a losing race as the building disintegrates faster than he can repair it. (And tellingly, he is bitten trying to make a repair.) He is one of the early victims of the plague, but also tellingly, when he attacks his neighbours, they choose to lock him up rather than kill him.
The film also makes good use of the idea that in a disaster the media and the government are of little help as the characters (and the audience) get their information in dribs and drabs and that information is frequently incorrect or useless. (No points for guessing that the film makers gets a lot of mileage from the Katrina comparison.)
I guess I probably love End of the Line ever so (just a rat-hair smidgen) slightly more than this film, because it is a film from my neighbourhood, with characters that I recognize and a problem that I worry about. I am not however saying that Mulberry Street is a film that can only be appreciated by those who live near that street. Because it is so specific, it achieves a level of universality.