NEW RELEASES
300
d. Zack Snyder
c. Gerard Butler, Lena Headey
This movie came out of nowhere and made about $400 million more than I thought it would when I first heard it announced. What I assumed would be a nice little genre nitch turned out to be the spectacle that kicked off the summer. Shot in the same style that Robert Rodriguez used for Sin City, director Zack Snyder turned Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the battle in which 300 Spartans stood tall against thousands of Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae into a spectacle that entranced audiences young and old, male and female and became a shocking success. Men could enjoy the battle scenes which were fought in a nice style, without much of the cutting and slashing in the editing room, instead relying on the longer shots of the fights between the soldiers that made a refreshing change of pace. For the women, you got men in nothing more than loin cloths. With sometimes digitally added abs. Nice to look at, I am sure. The movie, unlike Sin City, was colored a slightly dark sepia hue that made for a beautiful picture. The acting is all over-the-top, but if shot on a more serious level it would not have worked nearly as well. Zack Snyder showed great promise on his Dawn of the Dead remake, but I never dreamed he could give us something like this at such a young age. I really hope he follows through with this promising start to a career with his next film, Watchmen. This movie comes in a single disc edition with an audio commentary track as it’s only extra feature. The double disc contains some nice little extras but nothing that really shouts out at you. The webisodes should be interesting, but I would have preferred an actual documentary. Still, this was a great movie and one that I will pick up as the special edition and wait and see if another larger special edition comes along in the future.
SINGLE DISC FEATURES
- Audio Commentary with director Zack Snyder, writer Kurt Johnstad and director of photography Larry Fong
DOUBLE DISC FEATURES
- Audio Commentary with director Zack Snyder, writer Kurt Johnstad and director of photography Larry Fong
- Deleted Scenes with Introduction by Zack Snyder
- 300 Spartans – Fact or Fiction? (24:31mins) – Historians, authors and filmmakers reveal how much of the film was based on fact.
- Who Were The Spartans: The Warriors of 300 (4:24mins) – Touches on the customs and ways of life of the Spartan that weren’t explicitly shown in 300 but were used by the actors and filmmakers to help build their characters.
- Frank Miller Tapes (13:00mins) – We’ll show how the outspoken Miller continued to push his limits to realize his epic graphic novel in the world of film
- Webisodes: Behind the scenes peeks on the set of 300 (20:00mins)
- Photo gallery (3:39mins) – Rapid fire stills from the first day of production to the last.
Hot Fuzz
d. Edgar Wright
c. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Maybe the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year. I would put it right up there with Grindhouse for the movie that made me smile the most as I left the theater. Hot Fuzz reunites the director and stars from the very funny Shaun of the Dead in a story that does to cop movies what Shaun did to horror movies. That would be taking all the stuff that makes those movies great and making sure to pump up what really makes them groan worthy as well. Nothing is left untouched, from Point Break to Lethal Weapon to Die Hard to Bad Boys 2, Wright shows his respect for the genre, while at the same time poking fun at many of the conventions as well. What results is a great movie that is both very funny and full of action. While I do not think it is as funny as Shaun of the Dead, I do think that Wright was able to keep the balance of genre expectations and humor well situated and the movie plays so well on every level. Quite strangely, the advertising for the HD-DVD version includes the same special features as the regular DVD version, plus a whole shit load more. I don’t know if that is an error, or if those who have chosen the high definition format get more extras now. I have a PlayStation 3 with the Blu-Ray player but that really does me no good here, so that just sucks. Either way, this movie is one that needs to be in everyone’s collection.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Deleted Scenes with Filmmaker Commentary – For fans who just can’t get enough Hot Fuzz, more than 20 minutes of deleted scenes with exclusive filmmaker commentary!
- Outtakes
- The Fuzzball Rally: US Tour Piece – Follow Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright on their nationwide U.S. press tour.
- The Man Who Would Be Fuzz – Simon Pegg and Nick Frost hit their marks as Sean Connery and Michael Caine playing out a scene from the movie.
- Fuzz-O-Meter – Fuzz fanatics can access a special trivia track during the film for a running recount of little-known facts about the film and its stars.
- Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright
- Hot Funk – Montage of clips using the “clean” dialogue from the TV and airline version of the film.
- Danny’s Notebook: The Other Side
- Storyboards
- Theatrical Trailerr
- Easter Egg Video Clip
HD-DVD ANNOUNCED SPECIAL FEATURES
- Outtakes
- Theatrical Trailers
- The Man Who Would Be Fuzz – Simon and Nick play a scene as Sean Connery and Michael Caine
- Hot Funk – Montage of clips using the "clean" dialogue from the TV and airline version of the film
- Danny’s Notebook: The Other Side
- Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright
- Audio Commentary with The Sanford Police Service – Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kevin Eldon & Olivia Colman
- Audio Commenary with The Sandford Village People – Kenneth Cranham, Timothy Dalton, Paul Freeman & Edward Woodward
- Audio Commentary with The Real Fuzz – Andy Leafe & Nick Eckland
- Fuzz-O-Meter – Trivia Track
- Storyboards
- Inadmissible: Deleted Scenes with Filmmaker Commentary
- Conclusive: We Made Hot Fuzz – Making of Documentary
- Speculative: Video Blogs
- Art Department
- Friends & Family
- Cranks, Cranes & Controlled Chaos
- Here Come the Fuzz
- Return to Sandford – A return trip to Wells, the town that posed as Sandford in the film, coinciding with a premiere of the film for the townsfolk
- Edgar & Simon’s Flip Chart – This piece shows them reading a flip chart after the event to see just how much of the chart made it into the film
- Simon Muggs – Compilation of Simon Pegg hamming it up after each take
- Sergeant Fisher’s Perfect Sunday
- Photographic: Galleries
- Hearsay: Plot Holes and Comparisons
- Special Effects: Before and After – A before and after look at the film’s special effects scenes
- AM Blam: Making Dead Right
- Dead Right (1993) – An edited version of "Dead Right," one of Edgar’s early films and on which Hot Fuzz is very loosely based. Commentaries: (1) Edgar Wright, (2) Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
OLDER MOVIES AND RE-RELEASES
20 Million Miles to Earth (50th Anniversary Edition)
d. Nathan Juran
c. William Hopper, Joan Taylor
The Ray Harryhausen stop-motion film 20 Million Miles to Earth is finally being re-released in the way that Harryhausen originally wanted it to be. In color. Thanks to the low budget and lack of money given to the production when it was released in 1957, the film had to be shot in black and white. Now 50 years later, Harryhausen has worked with restoration and colorization company Legend Films to create a colorized version of the film. Unlike the much maligned un-necessary colorization of classic films, this time the original filmmaker states that this is the way he always intended it to be seen. The movie, directed by Nathan Juran, tells the story of a US space craft that crashes back to Earth after a trip to Venus with an alien specimen. The specimen is found by a boy who sells it to a scientist, who watches as it hatches and keeps it caged. The “monster” is harmless, but when it is attacked by fearful humans, it fights for it’s life and ends up in one spectacular moment destroying Rome. The DVD will also include a commentary track by Ray Harryhausen, visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and producer Arnold Kunert; the featurette “Remembering 20 Million Miles to Earth”, wherein Harryhausen and others discuss the film’s production and influence; an interview with Harryhausen and director Tim Burton; a video discussion of 20 Million Miles to Earth’s 1957 marketing and advertising campaign by producer Arnold Kunert; “Mischa Bakaleinikoff: Film Music’s Unsung Hero.”
Kung Fu Hustle: Axe-Kickin’ Edition
d. Stephen Chow
c. Stephen Chow
When I heard about Kung Fu Hustle originally, I was not interested in it at all. This is really because I was left with a sour taste after the release of Kung Pow! Man, I was wrong. When I was finally convinced to watch it on DVD, I was shocked at the brilliance of the movie, directed by Stephen Chow. Chow, coming off the commercial success of Shaolin Soccer, Chow hit one out of the ballpark. The movie was a masterpiece of cinema, with just the right mixture of slapstick and martial arts mastery that has never been seen. The story revolves around the “Axe Gang” who has struck fear into the townspeople. It is up to three masters (the Coolie, Tailor and Donut) to stand up to the gang with the help of an old landlord and his crazy wife. There is also a side plot where two hapless troublemakers (one played by Chow) try to work their way into the gang. The movie is built on numerous influences including Yojimbo, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and old Road Runner cartoons. Extras will include a Comedy Central interview with Stephen Chow, outtakes and bloopers, a storyboard comparison, and three behind the scenes featurettes on the costume design, production design, and Yuen Wo Ping and the fight scene choreography.
THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION
Babylon 5: The Last Tales
Dallas: The Complete Seventh Season
Hawaii 5-0: The Second Season
Popeye the Sailor: 1930-1938, Vol. 1
The Archie Show – The Complete Series
Sabrina the Teenage Witch – The Second Season
Space 1999 30th Anniversary Edition Megaset
Thunderbirds 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Megaset
THE HIGH DEFINITION REVOLUTION
Shooter (Blue-Ray and HD DVD)
Shaun of the Dead (HD DVD)
Blue Planet (IMAX) (Blu-Ray and HD DVD)
Roving Mars (Blu-Ray)
Darkman (HD DVD)
Sea of Love (HD DVD)
OTHER DVDs TO DROP YOUR CASH ON
The History Channel Presents Last Stand of the 300 – The Legendary Battle at Thermopylae
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)
Ratt: Videos from the Cellar (The Atlantic Years)
Firehouse Dog
Lonely Hearts
The Situation
Blue Water, White Death
Creature
The Rhinemann Exchange
Starter for 10
The Darwin Awards
Whole New Thing
Yellow
Everything’s Gone Green
Bloodlines
Night Junkies
Get a Life
Afghan Knights
Dead Clowns
Pathfinder
THE BARGAIN BIN
Circuit City
Pathfinder: Unrated Edition – $19.99
Firehouse Dog – $19.99
The Number 23: Unrated – $19.99
Hot Fuzz – $19.99
Zodiac – $19.99
ESPN Presents NASCAR: 100 Defining Moments – Volume IV – $9.99
300 – $13.99 *
* Circuit City Exclusive: Free set of 4 collectible cards from the movie 300
300: 2 DVD Special Edition – $22.99
The 300 Spartans – $9.99 *
* Purchase 300 and The 300 Spartans together on the same receipt and get both titles for $20 // In store only
$6.99 DVDs: Alexander: Director’s Cut, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Troy, Glory, Saving Private Ryan, Reign Of Fire, Willow, Tora! Tora! Tora!, King Arthur: Extended Unrated Edition, Jet Li: Hero, Lawrence Of Arabia, We Were Soldiers, Dune: Special Edition / Director’s Cut, The Warrior, The Last Samurai, Platoon: Special Edition, Gettysburg, Gangs Of New York, The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Godfather: Part III, Jurassic Park: Collector’s Edition, Dances With Wolves, Windtalkers, Helen Of Troy, Augustus, The Messenger: The Story Of Jon Of Arc, Master & Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Ong-Bak: Korean Salsa Instructor, Excalibur, The 13th Warrior, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
$8.99 DVDs: The Patriot: Special Edition, Gladiator, Kingdom Of Heaven, Patton, The Passion Of The Christ, Robin Hood: Prince Of Theives, Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King – Extended Edition, The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers – Extended Edition, The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring – Extended Edition, Braveheart, House Of Flying Daggers, Spartacus, Schindler’s List, Von Ryan’s Express, Titanic: Special Collector’s Edition, Tristan + Isolde, King Kong (Peter Jackson), Pearl Harbor: 2 DVD 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition
High Definition DVDs:
Blu-Ray Movies:
300 – $29.99
GoodFellas – $19.99
House Of Wax – $19.99
The Fugitive – $24.99
Swordfish – $24.99
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut – $19.99
HD-DVD Movies:
300 – $34.99
The Departed – $34.99
Happy Feet – $34.99
Training Day – $19.99
Superman Returns – $34.99
The Corpse Bride – $19.99
BEST BUY
Bratz: Kidz Sleep Over Adventures – $14.99
Roving Mars – $19.99
Firehouse Dog – $19.99
The 300 Spartans – $5.99
Pathfinder: Unrated – $17.99
300 – $14.99 **
300: 2 DVD Edition – $22.99 **
300: Exclusive 2 DVD Limited Edition – $34.99 ++++ ????
* Best Buy Exclusive Spartan Helmet replica on pack – Set also comes with 4 collectible art cards
** Get one of the following 4 titles listed below for only $5 when you buy one of the 300 DVD versions listed above
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Identity: Explosive Extended Edition
Gladiator
Braveheart
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales – $17.99 *
* Comes with Best Buy Exclusive graphic novel on pack
Hot Fuzz – $17.99 *
Shaun Of The Dead – $9.99 *
* Purchase Shaun Of The Dead & Hot Fuzz together on the same receipt and get both titles for $20
Free Rush Hour 3 Movie Money With Purchase of Any of the DVDs Listed Below:
Movie Money value = $10.50 // Valid at participating theaters only // Movie money valid 8/10/07 – 8/24/07 // Minimum 20 per store // No rain checks
Rush Hour – $9.99
Rush Hour 2 – $9.99
Just Friends – $9.99
Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle: Extreme Unrated Edition – $9.99
Friday
Wedding Crashers: Uncorked Edition – $14.99
$9.99 DVDs:
Buy 3 of the listed titles and Get 2 more titles Free
Black Hawk Down, The Devil’s Own, In The Line Of Fire, Big Daddy, Hitch, Donnie Brasco, Legends Of The Fall, Can’t Hardly Wait, A Few Good Men, White Chicks, Wild Things, The Cable Guy, A River Runs Through It, Closer, My Girl, Girl, Interrupted, Lords Of Dogtown: Unrated Extended Cut, Easy Rider, Not Another Teen Movie: Unrated Extended Director’s Cut, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, U-Turn, Beverly Hills Ninja, Cruel Intentions, The Professional,
High Definition Discs:
HD-DVDs:
Hot Fuzz – $29.99
300 – $34.99
Blu-Ray DVDs:
300 – $29.99
Roving Mars – $29.99 $$$$
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $29.99 $$$$
Bridge To Terabithia – $29.99 $$$$
DVD Sets:
Dallas: Season 7 – $27.99
Hawaii Five-O: Season 2 – $34.99
The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring – Extended Edition – $12.99
The Lord Of The Rings: Two Towers – Extended Edition – $12.99
The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King – Extended Edition – $12.99
Popeye The Sailor: 1933 – 1938, Volume I – $44.99 *
* Comes in a Best Buy Exclusive Collector’s Tin
The Bourne Files 3 DVD Set – $14.99
* Get this set for only $9.99 when you purchase with your Mastercard
* Free Movie Cash to see the Bourne Ultimatum instantly with purchase
* Save $15 instantly with a combined purchase of this DVD set and Norton Internet Security software ($59.99)