Juno (Two-Disc Special Edition)
d. Jason Reitman
c. Ellen Page, Michael Cera
Commentary by Director Jason Reitman and Writer Diablo Cody
11 Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Gag Take
Cast & Crew Jam
Screen Tests
Digital Copy feature which allows you to transfer the film to your Mac or Windows based computer, as well as portable media such as your iPod, iPhone and Microsoft Windows PLAYFORSURE enabled portable video devices. (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Way Beyond “Our” Maturity Level: Juno – Leah – Bleeker Featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Diablo Cody Is Totally Boss Featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Jason Reitman for Shizz Featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Honest To Blog! Creating Juno Featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Fox Movie Channel Presents: World Premiere – Juno (BLU Exclusive)
Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session – Juno (BLU Exclusive)
Last year’s indie darling was the Jason Reitman helmed Juno. Reitman continues to work on hot-button topics, following Thank you for Smoking with this film surrounding teenage pregnancy. What makes the film work so well is that, once again, Reitman does not take a side in the political arguments – this time surrounding abortion – and instead just shows the results of one person’s personal choice. Working with the Oscar winning script by Diablo Cody, Reitman pieced together a great little flick whose backbone was the acting of “today’s hottest thing” Ellen Page. Page delivered a great performance as the title character and, although the dialogue at the beginning bordered on annoying, eventually settled into her role as the story progressed. The film also contains a wonderful supporting cast, specifically Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner who delivered spectacular performances in what has to be considered the best character development of the story. There is a really nice single disc edition and an even better double disc edition, but either one would be money well spent.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
d. Sidney Lumet
c. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke
“Directed by Sidney Lumet: How the Devil Was Made” featurette
Audio commentary with Lumet, Hoffman and Hawke
Theatrical trailer
Sidney Lumet is one of the greatest director’s living today. This is not hyperbole, it is simply fact. While his last few films may not back up that argument, he has a catalogue of films that any director would kill to have made just one of them. Running on Empty. The Verdict. Network. Dog Day Afternoon. Serpico. 12 Angry Men. All great films and all proof of the talent of Sidney Lumet. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead might be a return to form for the 83-year old director. With a great cast (Hoffman, Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris), Lumet has created a really solid little flick involving family honor and greed. Hoffman plays the bad wolf who tempts his younger brother to rob their parent’s jewelry store and then the two have to figure out what to do when everything goes wrong. The DVD has a commentary track with Lumet, Hoffman and Hawke that might be worth the price of admission all on its own.
Blast of Silence: Criterion Collection
d. Allen Baron
c. Allen Baron
New, restored digital transfer
Requiem for a Killer: The Making of Blast of Silence (2007)
Rare on-set Polaroids
Locations revisited in 2008
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty and a four-page graphic-novel adaptation of the film by award-winning artist Sean Phillips
There is one Criterion release this week. Allen Baron wrote and starred in this film noir about a professional killer who returns to New York City during the Christmas holiday for a hit. While there, he meets up with a childhood friend and while catching up, meets his wife and realizes that this is the life he could have had if he had traveled a different route in his life. The low budget thriller compares and contrasts the empty shell of a man the killer has become with a life he might never know. The film is a favorite of Martin Scorsese and looks like it might have been a partial inspiration for Taxi Driver, as both share the philosophical meanderings of the tortured protagonist. There is a one-hour making of documentary and some minor features on this single-disc Criterion release.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (Collector’s Edition, 2 discs)
Lawrence of Arabia (Collector’s Edition, 2 discs)
A Passage To India (2-Disc Collector’s Edition)
A Passage to India [Blu-ray]
David Lean. That’s all that needs to be said. You want more? David Lean on Blu-ray. Yeah, that got your attention. With the release of A Passage to India in both a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition as well as a Blu-ray edition, you should feel lucky enough. Well, Lean fans can really celebrate because the out-of-print special edition of Lawrence of Arabia is getting re-released along with a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition of The Bridge on the River Kwai. Sure, A Passage to India is not the best Lean you could hope to hit Blu-ray, but these other two are great films that are being released for a really good price and if you don’t have them yet, and don’t want to wait for the eventual Blu-ray release, this week should be a great one for you. Lawrence of Arabia will include an exclusive making of documentary, a conversation with Steven Spielberg, four original featurettes, New York Premiere footage and the advertising campaigns. The Bridge on the River Kwai will include an isolated music score, an appreciation by John Milius, Rise & Fall of Jungle Giant Documentary and the Making of The Bridge on the River Kwai. The Passage to India discs will include commentary with Producer Richard Goodwin, “E.M. Forster: A Profile of an Author” – Elements of Forster’s life and some of the main themes within the book are covered in this featurette, “An Epic Takes Shape” – Cast & Crew talk about the genesis of the project, “An Indian Affair” – Covers the main period of production over in India, “Only Connect: A Vision of India” – Covers the whole area of Post Production and also includes the final days of shooting in the studios at Shepperton, “Casting a Classic” – Priscilla John (Casting Director) talks about casting the film and the challenges of bringing characters from the book to life, “David Lean: Shooting with the Master” – This featurette takes a look at Lean as a Director with emphasis on this film being the last of his career, and “Reflections of David Lean” – A featurette on David Lean that appeared on the last DVD release.
TWO MORE BLU-RAY RELEASES
In the Name of the King – A Dungeon Siege Tale
d. Uwe Boll
c. Jason Statham, Ray Liotta
Deleted/Extended scenes
Extensive behind-the-scenes featurette
Trailers
God bless Uwe Boll. I see the Internet rallying to sign a petition asking Boll to never make another movie again. I can’t understand the hate towards the man. Uwe Boll = Entertainment. He makes the most unintentionally funny movies I have seen in a long time. Actually, I think some of the humor is beginning to become intentional as Boll is a man who seems to be intent on growing his reputation as a hack and is enjoying his notoriety, which might actually be pissing off the haters even more so. People have always wanted to hate Uwe Boll, and that is understandable because he has taken some of the most loved video games in the geekdom and turned them into garbage movies. How dare Uwe Boll destroy the Holy Grail that is House of the Dead? Uh, ok. How dare Uwe Boll turn the legendary video game Dungeon Siege into this pile of garbage? Get over yourself. Uwe Boll has been doing what he does best – making movies out of marginal video games with a lack of any real talent. But here is the kicker: He is just as much a geek who loves these movies as the people who hate him. He has also started his own petition for people who don’t want him to quit making films. He may not be this generation’s Ed Wood, but he is the closest we have and I’d hate to lose someone who entertains me as much as Uwe Boll does.
The Backwoods
d. Koldo Serra
c. Gary Oldman, Patty Considine
Gary f’n Oldman and Patty f’n Considine. What more do I have to say to sell you on this DVD? Styled after the classic Straw Dogs, The Backwoods tells the story of a couple (Considine and Virginie Ledoyen) who goes to visit a friend (Oldman) and his wife (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon). Considine could not be more different from his friend, as Oldman is the alpha-male and Considine is pretty much not. They find a deformed girl locked away in the woods and bring her back to Oldman’s house, where they then face the wrath of the locals who imprisoned her in the first place. The film takes place in the 70s and really looks the part, and if you are a fan of Straw Dogs or Deliverance, you might give this one a try as well.
Death Toll
d. Phenomenon
c. Lou Diamond Phillips, DMX
You thought you had seen enough when Steven Segal and DMX teamed up? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This Tuesday prepare for the teaming of DMX with one Chavez y Chavez. And look, they’re bringing Rudy Huxtable along for the ride! DMX plays a big time drug dealer in New Orleans who is causing a large Death Toll (see what they did there?) to create alarm in the city. Chavez y Chavez plays the mayor of said city and Rudy Huxtable is the daughter of a guy who really, really likes jell-o. And the director is named PHENOMENON! Uh, hey Chavez, why ain’t they killin’ us? Because we’re in the spirit world, asshole. They can’t see us.
Attitude for Destruction
d. Ford Austin
Here is a strange little indie horror flick that caught my eye. Attitude for Destruction takes the world of rock n roll and inserts it into a blood and guts horror flick. With a midget! Hell yeah. Hollywood Roses (yes, they are based on G ‘n R, and the DVD cover is very reminiscent of Appetite for Destruction’s cover) has a great chance to sign with a major label with one problem – the label doesn’t want lead singer Drake in the band. The Solution? The band kills Drake, so they can get signed. The Problem? Drake comes back from the dead and starts to kill his former band mates one by one. There’s rock n roll, nudity, over-the-top gore, and did I mention a midget (Mighty Mike Murga, the lead singer of MINI-KISS!)? You will notice the DVD has NO EXTRAS. Director Ford Austin tells The Special Edition that he has lots of extras that were for some reason not considered for the release and he will be placing them on his MySpace page about a month after the DVDs release. Those extras will include behind the scenes shots, deleted scenes, a couple of interviews, extra concert performances, and audience feedback from the world premiere at Horrorfest 2008 in Denver.
OTHER MAINSTREAM RELEASES
Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem
d. Colin and Greg Strause
c. Aliens and Predators
Commentary by directors Colin and Greg Strause and producer John Davis
Commentary by creature effects designers/creators Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis
Digital Copy feature which allows you to transfer the film to your Mac or Windows based computer, as well as portable media such as your iPod, iPhone and Microsoft Windows PLAYFORSURE enabled portable video devices. (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Prepare for War: The Making of AVP-R featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Fight to the Finish: The Making of AVP-R featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
AVP-R: The Nightmare Returns – Creating the Aliens featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Crossbreed: The PredAlien featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Building the Predator Homeworld featurette (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Still Design Galleries (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Theatrical trailers (including Restricted Audience trailer) (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Lars and the Real Girl
d. Craig Gillespie
c. Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer
”Bathtub” Deleted Scene
”Just Like All The Other Actors” Featurette
”The Real Story of Lars and the Real Girl” Featurette
TELEVISION on DVD
The Adams Chronicles
Melrose Place – The Fourth Season
American Dad, Vol. 3
Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection: Volume 2
OTHER DVDs FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Inside
Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi
War Dance
Masterpiece Theatre: Room With a View
The Final Season
Mannequin & Mannequin 2: On the Move
Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Broadway)
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
I Remember Nelson
NBA – Boston Celtics 1985-86 Champions
Bamako
Loch Ness Terror
The Last Hour (William Baldwin, Michael Madsen, David Carradine)
Retribution
National Lampoon Presents: One, Two, Many
Crazy Like a Fox
The Driver’s Seat
Corporate Affairs
The Minus Man
Things
Desert Bayou
Running With Arnold
Kinky Killers
COMING SOON
The Perfect Storm [Blu-ray] (JULY 22)
Point Break [Blu-ray] (JULY 1)
Some aquatic Blu-ray’s are just around the bend, including The Perfect Strom, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, and Point Break, the classic surfer heist flick starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. The Perfect Storm will include commentary by Director Wolfgang Petersen, commentary by Author Sebastian Junger, commentary by Visual Effects Supervisor Stefen Fangmier and Visual Effects Producer Helen Ostenberg Elswit, HBO First Look: Creating the Perfect Storm featurette, Witness to the Storm featurette, Creating an Emotion featurette, Yours Forever Photo Montage and the Theatrical Trailer. Point Break will include Eight Deleted Scenes, ‘It’s Make Or Break’ Featurette, ‘Ride the Wave’ Featurette, ‘Adrenaline Junkies’ Featurette, ‘On Location: Malibu’ Featurette, Three Theatrical Trailers and a Still Gallery
X-Files Revelations (JULY 1)
Some more clues are coming concerning the new X-Files movie. On July 1, a DVD set entitled X-Files Revelations will be released and all the episodes were chosen by Chris Carter in regards to the plot of the latest film. The episodes included are “Pilot,” “Beyond the Sea,” “The Host,” “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” “Memento Mori,” “The Post-Modern Prometheus,” “Bad Blood” and “Milagro”). Each episode will feature special on-camera introductions by Carter and producer Frank Spotnitz revealing why each episode was chosen, a WonderCon talent panel session, and the trailer for the 2008 movie. As an added bonus, the DVD set also features a free Hollywood Movie Money ticket (valued at $8.50 U.S. / $10 Canada) to see the new movie in theaters. Ok, looking back, two of the episodes were from season one, one from season two, one from season three, one from season four, two from season five (including the awesome black and white Post-Modern Prometheus episode) and one from season six. If I were to ponder a guess based on these episodes, I would say the movie will be about psychics who create some sort of alternate reality using their powers. Or I could be completely wrong. People will have almost a full month to piece together the clues before the film hits theaters July 25.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD AND DIARY OF THE DEAD (MAY 20)
Night of the Living Dead is being restored and re-mastered for yet another re-release. This one will include a commentary by George A Romero, producer/actor Karl Hardman, actress Marilyn Eastman and writer John A. Russo, a second commentary with producer Russell W. Streiner, production manager Vince Survinski, actresses Judith O’Dea and Kyra Schon and actors Bill Hinzman and Keith Wayne, and a One for the Fire: The Legacy of Night of the Living Dead documentary. Completing the set will be a Ben Speaks: The Last Interview with Duane Jones feature, a Speak of the Dead: A Conversation with Duane Jones feature, a still gallery, and the original trailer. It has less individual features than my millennium edition, but this one includes a documentary not on my copy. Why the re-release of this now? It’s time for the rest of the country to finally see Diary of the Dead. Released the same day, it will include a commentary by George A Romero, director of photography Adam Swica and editor Michael Doherty, a For the Record: The Making of Diary of the Dead documentary, and 4 featurettes (Character Confessionals, The First Week, The Roots, Familiar Voices).
BARGAIN BIN
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead $16.99
The Final Season $19.99
Inside: Unrated $14.99
The Backwoods $14.99
American Ganster: 2 DVD Unrated Extended Edition $14.99
I Am Legend $14.99
In The Name Of The King $19.99
Mariah Carey: The Adventures Of Mimi $14.99
Spongebob Squarepants: Pest Of The West $12.99 *
* Get a Free 2 Episode Bonus DVD with purchase
Juno $15.99 *
Juno: 2 DVD Special Edition $22.99 * *
Lars & The Real Girl $15.99 *
* Save $5 Instantly when you purchase Juno & Lars & The Real Girl together on the same receipt
* Best Buy Exclusive Free Juno iPod covers included with the purchase of the Juno 2 DVD or Blu Ray Editions
Save 50% On These Movies When You Buy Juno:
Garden State $4.99
Sideways $4.99
Bend It Like Beckham $4.99
Ghost World $4.99
I Heart Huckabees $7.49
Napoleon Dynamite $7.49
Thank You For Smoking $7.49
Little Miss Sunshine
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem $16.99 *
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem 2 DVD Special Edition $22.99 * *
* Get a Best Buy Exclusive Comic Book when you buy the 2 DVD Version of Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
* Get The Aliens / Predator Ultimate 15 DVD Collection for $75 when you buy any Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Blu Ray
I Am Legend $34.99
30 Days Of Night $29.99
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead $29.99
Juno $29.99 *
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Extreme Unrated Set $29.99 *
Commando $29.99 *
Predator $29.99 *
* Best Buy Exclusive Free Juno iPod covers included with the purchase of the Juno 2 DVD or Blu Ray Editions
* Purchase AVP: Requiem – Extreme Unrated Set & Either Commando or Predator and get both Blu Ray Discs for $45
DVD Sets:
American Dad: Volume III $29.99
American Dad: Volume I / Volume II $19.99 each
Melrose Place: Season 4 $39.99
The Office: Season 2 / 3 $19.99 each
Heroes: Season 1 $19.99
Family Guy: Volumes III / IV / V $19.99 each
Gilmore Girls: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 $19.99 each
Smallville: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 $19.99 each
Scrubs: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 $19.99 each
30 Rock: Season 1 $19.99
CSI: Season 1 $19.99
How I Met Your Mother: Season 1 / 2 $19.99 each
Beverly Hills 90210: Season 1 / 2 $19.99 each
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia : Season 1 + 2 $19.99
JAG: Season 1 / 2 $19.99 each
Charmed: Season 1 / 2 $19.99 each
Entourage: Season 1 / 2 / 3.1 / 3.2 $19.99 each
Friends: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 $16.99 each
The O.C.: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 $19.99 each
Woody Woodpecker & Friends: Classic Cartoon Collection – Volume II $29.99
Aliev vs. Predator $6.99
Alien $6.99
Predator $6.99
Predator 2 $6.99
Superbad: Unrated Extended Edition $13.99 Premier Price: 5 Days Only
I Am Legend $14.99
Mariah Carey: Adventures Of Mimi $11.99
Circuit City Premiere Price: A Low Price That is in Effect Tuesday – Saturday (5 Days only)
Juno $13.99 *
Juno: 2 DVD Special Edition $22.99 *
Lars & The Real Girl $19.99 *
* Buy Both Titles together on the same receipt and save $5
* Get A Free T-Shirt with purchase of Juno 2 DVD Special Edition DVD
In The Name Of The King $17.99 *
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem Unrated $15.99 *
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem Unrated 2 DVD Version $21.99 *
* Buy Both Titles together on the same receipt and save $5
$6.99 DVDs:
Gangs Of New York, A Night At The Roxbury: Special Collector’s Edition, Annapolis, Happy Gilmore, Underworld, Full Metal Jacket, BLOW, The Untouchables, Clueless: Whatever Edition, Scary Movie 4: Unrated, Red Line, Cujo: 25th Anniversary Edition, Jurassic Park III, Jurassic Park The Lost World: Collector’s Edition, From Dusk Till Dawn, Field Of Dreams: Anniversary Edition, The Fountain, White Chicks, Team America: World Police, Swordfish, Billy Madison, Jackass The Movie: Unrated, Dazed & Confused: Flashback Edition, Equilibrium, Coming To America, Mean Girls, Training Day, ATL, The Goonies, Lord Of War, Sling Blade: Collector’s Series, The Sixth Sense: Collector’s Edition Series, Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Blu-Ray
Juno $29.99
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem $29.99
DVD Sets
Alien: Quadrilogy $19.99