Happy birthday to me…
The Wire – The Complete Fifth Season
- ”The Wire: The Last Word” a documentary exploring the role of the media
- ”The Wire Odyssey” a retrospective of the first four seasons
- 6 audio commentaries with creator David Simon, cast and crew
It is called the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION!!!!! Season 5 is also a big return to style after a disappointing fourth season. Then again, a disappointing season of The Wire is still better than anything else on television. Season Five focuses on the media and does what it can to wrap up all the stories from the previous four seasons as best it can. This is probably the saddest thing, as it is the end of a fantastic television show, and one that makes other police procedurals look pale in comparison. It’s a gritty, honest look at crime and lets us see it from every point of view possible. I would offer a warning. Don’t start watching the series with this season. Go back to the first season and watch them in order. It isn’t a waste of time and will be worth every second you spend watching it. You won’t find better television.
Smart People
- The Smartest People – interviews with the producers, cast and crew
- Audio Commentary by director Noam Murro and writer Mark Jude Poirier
- Not So Smart – a collection of outtakes from the film
- Deleted Scenes (x9)
- Smart People At Sundance – footage from the premiere of Smart People at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
I think this movie flopped in part due to “Juno exhaustion.” The plot outline goes like this: “Once an idealistic and ambitious academic, Professor Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) lost his passion for teaching when he lost his wife. Hunkered-down behind his books, Wetherhold has forgotten how to connect, even with his daughter, the acerbically witty Vanessa (Ellen Page). Suddenly a head injury sends Wetherhold to the emergency room where his world spins out of his control. Forced to depend on his brother (Thomas Haden Church), a freeloading oddball, for transportation, Wetherhold is surprised to find himself attracted to his ER doctor and former ex-student (Sarah Jessica Parker) and begins to emerge from his isolation—with surprising consequences for the entire family.” It sounds like another “smart Indie.” Hell, it’s got Ellen Page from Juno and Thomas Haden Church from Sideways in what sounds like the exact same roles they played in those “smart Indies.” It’s also a former Sundance Darling. Rex Reed called it “the best movie about academics dancing on the lip of an ivy-covered volcano since Wonder Boys.” Huh?
Brand Upon the Brain! – Criterion Collection
- Narration tracks by Isabella Rossellini, Laurie Anderson, John Ashbery, Guy Maddin, Louis Negin, and Eli Wallach
- 97 Percent True, a new documentary featuring interviews with the director and his collaborators
- Two new short films directed by Maddin exclusively for this release: It’s My Mother’s Birthday Today and Footsteps
- Deleted scene
- Trailer
- PLUS: A new essay by film critic Dennis Lim
Not all Criterion releases are old classics. Brand Upon the Brain! is a film from 2006 directed by Guy Maddin, an eclectic filmmaker who seems almost intent on recreating the look and feel of classic silent era films. Brand Upon the Brain! is a silent film that debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival with a live accompaniment by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. At the festivals in which it was shown, it always relied on a live orchestra to provide the music instead of having the music laid over as a film soundtrack. This Criterion release includes a recorded soundtrack and separate narration tracks by a number of individuals. The movie tells the story of a fictional version of Guy Maddin, who works as a house painter and is summoned by his mother to finish painting their lighthouse. The story then spins wildly out of control and includes flashbacks to Maddin’s troubled (fictional) childhood, a present day murder mystery involving an orphan named Savage Tom, and a strange mad scientist plotline creeping in at one point. It is a movie that will confound some and enthrall others, but is a unique film by a very unusual filmmaker.
Larisa Shepitko: Eclipse Series 11 (Wings / The Ascent) – Criterion Collection
Larisa Shepitko was a Ukrainian director of controversial political dramas who typically used a heightened, surreal style while telling her stories. The set includes what is arguable considered her two greatest works before her untimely death at the age of 40 in an auto accident. Krylya (Wings) was made in 1966 and tells the story of a female fighter pilot in World War II who goes on to become a teacher, struggling to communicate to a generation of kids she fails to understand. This would be Shepitko’s only color film she would make. Ten years later, she would release her final completed work, Voskhozhdeniye (The Ascent). It has been called the most widely recognized and artistically accomplished film of her short career. Set in 1942, it tells the story of a group of Russian partisans captured by the Nazis. Over the course of the film they are interrogated and executed. She uses this plot device to reflect on ideas of loyalty and devotion.
HEY LOOK, B-MOVIES ON BLU-RAY
OTHERS
The Secret
DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures
The Doors [Blu-ray]
The Glittering Prizes
Bra Boys
The Killing Gene
The Search for John Gissing
Tannhauser
Watching the Detectives
CJ7
Legacy
The Ten Commandments [Blu-ray]
Felon
The Art of War II: Betrayal
The American Mall
The Legend of the Shadowless Sword
Ninja Cheerleaders
3 a.m.
Wide Awake
Survival
TELEVISION ON DVD
Prison Break – Season 3
South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season
That Girl Season 4
Naruto Uncut Box Set 9
The Love Boat: Season One, Vol. 2
Dave’s World – The First Season
Tru Calling: The Complete Series
COMING SOON
THE NEXT MONTH (aka MY TOP FIVE PICKS)
AUGUST 19
Dexter – The Complete Second Season
Twenty-Four Eyes – Criterion Collection
Street Kings
The Fletch Collection
House, M.D. – Season Four
AUGUST 26
Brotherhood of Wolf Director’s Cut
Delicatessen (Special Edition)
The Nightmare Before Christmas [Blu-ray]
Miami Vice (2006) (Unrated) [Blu-ray]
Entourage – The Complete Fourth Season
SEPTEMBER 02
Transformers (Two-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
Supernatural – The Complete Third Season
Eli Stone: The Complete First Season
The Office: Season Four
Every Which Way But Loose [Blu-ray]
SEPTEMBER 09
How the West Was Won (Ultimate Collector’s Edition)
The Big Lebowski – 10th Anniversary Edition
Pumpkinhead (Collector’s Edition)
Cool Hand Luke (Deluxe Edition)
Kill Bill – Volumes 1 & 2 [Blu-ray]
THE BARGAIN BIN
The Art Of War $19.99
Harold & Kumar: Escape From Guantanamo Bay $19.99
21 $19.99
College Road Trip $19.99
Superbad: Unrated Extended Edition $19.99
Mulan: Special Edition / Mulan II: 2 Movie Pack $24.99
Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club $17.99
The Killing Gene: Unrated $17.99
DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures $19.99
Smart People $19.99 *
* Free EMovie Money to see Blindness with the purchase of Smart People
The American Mall $12.99 *
The Hills: Season 3 $29.99 *
* Get a Free $10 Best Buy Gift Card when you purchase both marked titles together on the same receipt
$4.99 DVDs:
Full Metal Jacket, Tears Of The Sun, Under Siege, Green Street Hooligans, The Net, Basic, Stealth, Into The Blue, Lethal Weapon, Deliverance, Million Dollar Baby, GoodFellas, Deep Blue Sea, Demolition Man, Analyze That, The Mask Of Zorro: Special Edition
Free EMovie Money to see Tropic Thunder when you buy Team America or other select Paramount comedies
$7.99 DVDs:
Get A Free Abby, Grover or Elmo plush toy when you buy any one of the titles listed
The Best Of Elmo, Elmo’s Potty Time, Elmo’s World: Opposites, Sesame Street: Dinosaurs, Elmo’s World: The Great Outdoors, Elmo’s World: Elmo Has Two! Hands, Ears & Feet, Elmo’s World: Summer Vacation, Sesame Street: Count On Sports
$9.99 DVDs:
ALL Titles Listed Are Two DVD Special Editions
Taxi Driver, Gandhi, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?, The Guns Of Navarone, Labyrinth, The Natural, Rebel Without A Cause, Wyatt Earp, Das Boot: Original Uncut Version, Memento, Black Hawk Down, The Dark Crystal, Constantine, Superman II, Magnolia, The Searchers, Stagecoach, Forbidden Planet, The Maltese Falcon, JFK: Director’s Cut, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Enter The Dragon, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, The Dirty Dozen, Saving Private Ryan, Casino Royale (Daniel Craig), Lawrence Of Arabia, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Love The Bomb
$14.99 DVDs:
Untraceable, The Bucket List, The Other Boleyn Girl, Never Back Down, Fool’s Gold, Drillbit Taylor, 10,000 B.C., The Bank Job, Jumper, Vantage Point, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem Unrated
Blu-Ray
Untraceable $22.99
The Bucket List $22.99
The Other Boleyn Girl $22.99
Never Back Down $22.99
Fool’s Gold $22.99
Drillbit Taylor $22.99
10,000 B.C. $22.99
The Bank Job $22.99
Jumper $22.99
Vantage Point $22.99
The Spiderwick Chronicles $22.99
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem – Unrated $22.99
Smart People $29.99
Prison Break: Season 3 $59.99
Prison Break: Season 1 $69.99
DVD Sets:
South Park: Season 11 $29.99
South Park: Season 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 $29.99 each
Prison Break: Season 3 $37.99
Prison Break: Season 1 / 2 $29.99 each
The Wire: Season 5 $44.99
The Wire: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 $34.99 each
Naruto: Uncut Box Set 9 $29.99
Naruto: Uncut Box Set 9 Special Edition $44.99
The Love Boat: Season I – Volume I $19.99
The Love Boat: Season I – Volume II $27.99
Rihanna: Good Girl Gone Bad LIVE $9.99
Smart People $19.99 *
* Includes Free Movie Money to see “Blindness” in theaters 9/19/08
The American Mall DVD $14.99 *
The American Mall CD $9.99 *
* Purchase both marked titles together on the same receipt and get both for $20
$4.99 DVDs:
Dragon: Collector’s Edition, The Bone Collector, The Hurricane: Collector’s Edition, Patch Adams: Collector’s Edition, The Family Man: Collector’s Edition, End Of Days: Collector’s Edition, The Best Man, Bridget Jones: he Edge Of Reason, Intolerable Cruelty, Dance With Me, For The Love Of The Game, What Dreams May Come, The Way We Were: Special Edition, And Justice For All, Blue Streak: Special Edition, Used Cars, Booty Call, Saving Silverman , Car Wash, Cheech & Chong’s Nice Dreams, Undercover Brother: Collector’s Edition, Uncle Buck, Cliffhanger: Collector’s Edition, Submerged, Today You Die, The Order, The Last Action Hero, The Jackal: Collector’s Edition, John Carpenter’s Ghosts Of Mars: Special Edition, Traffic
$9.99 DVDs:
Cloverfield, Bee Movie, Beowulf: Director’s Cut, Indiana Jones & The Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Special Edition, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade: Special Edition, Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom: Special Edition, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith
$14.99 DVDs:
Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns, 27 Dresses, National Treasure 2: Book Of Secrets, The Bank Job, Alvin & The Chipmunks, The Eye , Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Jumper, Juno, Meet The Spartans: Unrated Pit Of Death Edition, In The Name Of The King, Shutter, No Country For Old Men, Enchanted, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End
DVD Sets:
Prison Break: Season 3 $26.99
The Wire: Season 5 $44.99
The Wire: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 $34.99 each
South Park: Season 11 $29.99 *
The Girls Next Door: Season 1 / 2 / 3 $12.99 each
The George Lopez Show: Season 1 / 2 $12.99 each
Without A Trace: Season 1 $12.99
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia: Season 1 + 2 $16.99
Martin: Season 1 / 2 $16.99 each
Flight Of The Conchords: Season 1 $16.99
The Closer: Season 1 / 2 $16.99 each
Heroes: Season 1 $19.99
Weeds: Season 1 / 2 / 3 $19.99 each
My Name Is Earl: Season 1 / 2 $19.99 each
From The Earth To The Moon: Signature Edition $19.99
That 70’s Show: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 $19.99 each
Two & .5 Men: Season 1 / 2 $24.99 each
Nip / Tuck: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 $29.99 each
* Circuit City Exclusive: Free South Park magnet set with purchase
The American Mall: Special Edition $16.99
Mulan: Special Edition / Mulan II Two Movie Pack $24.99
Smart People $19.99
Ni Hao KaiLan: Super Special Days $12.99 *
* Target Exclusive Barettes with purchase
$6.50 DVDs:
Sleepless In Seattle: 10th Anniversary Edition, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: Bueller…. Bueller…. Edition, Matilda: Special Edition, The Invincible Iron Man (Animated)
Blu-Ray High Definition Discs:
Buy 2 Blu-Ray discs & Get 1 Blu-Ray Disc Free // Each purchased Blu-Ray disc amount must be equal to or greater than the price of the free disc
Surf’s Up $24.99
Superbad: 2 Disc Unrated Extended Edition $29.99
The Fifth Element $19.99
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind $29.99
Casino Royale $24.99
The Patriot: Extended Cut $19.99
SpiderMan 3 $29.99
Black Hawk Down $19.99
DVD Sets:
Smallville: Season 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 $18.99 each
Supernatural: Season 1 / 2 $18.99 each
Veronica Mars: Season 1 / 2 / 3 $18.99 each
Entourage: Season 1 / 2 / 3.1 / 3.2 $18.99 each
Two and .5 Men: Season 1 / 2 / 3 $18.99 each
John Adams (HBO Miniseries) $34.99
The Simpsons: Season 9 / 10 $24.99 each
Bones: Season 2 $29.99
South Park: Season 11 $32.99 *
Prison Break: Season 3 $37.99 *
* Free Target $5 Gift Card with purchase