THE WEEK OF APRIL 7th, 2009

DOUBT

Special Features

  • Doubt: From Stage to Screen
  • Scoring Doubt
  • The Cast of Doubt
  • The Sisters of Charity
  • Feature Commentary with Writer/Director John Patrick Shanley


Doubt
was a great John Patrick Shanley play. What hurts the film for me is the fact that the speed of the film’s events don’t match the natural progression of the play. Amy Adams and Hoffman are amazing in the feature. Viola Davis gets too much credit for playing an over-extended cameo. Then, there’s Meryl Streep. It’s becoming fashionable amongst the movie geeks to bash Streep. But, you’ve got to admire someone who brings such joy to what others would play too one-dimensionally.



THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008)

Special Features

  • Commentary by Screenwriter David Scarpa
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Re-imagining The Day Documentary
  • Unleashing Gort Featurette
  • Watching the Skies: In Search of Extraterrestrial Life Featurette
  • The Day the Earth Was “Green” Featurette
  • Still Galleries (Concept Art, Storyboards, Production Photos)
  • Digital Copy of The Day The Earth Stood Still for Portable Media Players
  • Copy of the 1951 original

The Day the Earth Stood Still  works as an example of why Hollywood sucks nanobot dick. Scrapping the original message and trying to turn the film into a pseudo Michael Chrichton thriller is a joke. Especially, when you see how poorly they used Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates and John Cleese. Keanu Reeves actually tries to life the material with his careful performance of Klaatu. But, that’s just trying to find a cherry on top of this shit sundae.


BEDTIME STORIES

Special Features

· Until Gravity Do Us Part” featurette
· It’s Bugsy” featurette
· To All The Little People
· Hilarious Bloopers and Deleted Scenes

Bedtime Stories
isn’t that terrible of  an Adam Sandler movie. Hell, you can almost find admirable things to say about Russell Brand and Jonathan Pryce in this film. But, that would be stretching. Throw on some special features that center around Bugsy the Guinea Pig and the FX pieces for a film that keep the kids quiet during Easter.

THE PERSONAL CRITERION COLLECTION

I had an idea for a subset column for The Special Edition. Many people
want to have Criterions in their collection. Many people pretend to
like half of the films that Criterion releases. But, what about those
people that honestly can’t be bothered to be told what to like. What
about them?

That’s why I want to test the waters and see if
this floats. I want the readers of CHUD and this dear article to head
to the Boards and nominate their Personal Criterion Collection entry. I
want to see explanations and not just mindless listing of entries,
people.

All titles eligible are previously released DVD/BR media that you believe to be essential/necessary to the collection of the Home Entertainment enthusiast.

THE FIRST ENTRIES

1. The Fountain

2. Videodrome


3. Seven Men from Now


4. Stalker


5. The Last Days of Disco
6. Paris, Texas
7. Vanishing Point
8. The Stunt Man
9. The Deer Hunter
10. The Third Man
11. Southland Tales
12. Head
13. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
14. Sorcerer
15. Henry V (1989)
16. The Great White Hope
17. Fixed Bayonets

and today’s entry suggested by Anderson.





18) Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary. (click on box art to buy it at Amazon)

Guy Maddin takes the Winnipeg Royal Ballet and breathes new life into this classic horror tale. Playing with the nuance that older films have to offer, Maddin’s horror vision is scored to the lovely sounds of Gustav Mahler. Clocking in at under 80 minutes, it’s a quick blast through the Dracula tale. But, in brevity…it finds strength.

The current DVD from Zeitgeist is a little lacking in terms of supplemental material. You get a look at the construction of the sets, plus an extensive behind-the-scenes look at the stylized production. There’s a couple of radio spots and a commentary from Maddin. All of this compromises the most daring take on Dracula since Bela Lugosi first tried to bring Stoker’s creature to the big screen.


HERE’S THE LINK TO NOMINATE MORE TITLES.

EVERYTHING ELSE THAT’S AVAILABLE ON DVD

American High School

Bedtime Stories

Bedtime Stories DE

Ben 10 Alien Force: Season 1 Volume 3

Beverly Hills 90210: Season 7

The Boys from Brazil

Cleopatra (1934) (75th Anniv. Edition)

The Day Earth Stood Still (2-disc) (2008)

The Day Earth Stood Still SE (3-disc)

Disney Anim. Coll. V1 – Mickey/Beanstalk

Disney Anim. Coll. V2 – 3 Little Pigs

Disney Anim. Coll. V3 – Prince & Pauper

Donkey Punch (R & NR)

Doubt

Dynasty: Season 4 Volume 1

The Goldwyn Follies

House

Iditarod

It’s A Pleasure

Max Fleischer’s Superman

No Country For Old Men CE (3-disc)

Not Easily Broken

The Paper Chase: Season 1

Pre-Code Hollywood Coll. (Universal)

Scooby-Doo and Samurai Sword

A Song is Born

The Tale of Despereaux

TCM Spotlight: The Doris Day Collection

Tigger & Pooh: A Musical Too

Vinyan

Yes Man (1-disc)

Yes Man SE (2-disc)


BLU-RAY: THE DISC THAT WALKS LIKE A MAN

2010: The Year We Make Contact
Above the Law

American History X

Bedtime Stories

Collateral Damage

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) (3-disc)

Doubt

Final Destination

Fly Away Home

Iditarod

John Q

No Country for Old Men CE (2-disc)

Not Easily Broken

Point of No Return

Taking Lives (Extended Cut)

The Tale of Despereaux

Tango and Cash

The Wedding Singer

Yes Man SE

SPEND YOUR MONEY!

NEW DVD

The Tales of Despereaux   $16.99
Doubt  $16.99
Bedtime Stories  $16.99  (Deluxe Edition) $22.99
Yes Man  $17.99
The Day the Earth Stood Still $17.99 (Deluxe Edition) $22.99
Not Easily Broken  $19.99
Tigger & Pooh and the Musical Too  $17.99

NEW BLU-RAY

The Tales of Despereaux  $26.99
Doubt  $26.99
Bedtime Stories  $26.99
Yes Man  $26.99
The Day the Earth Stood Still $26.99

BLU-RAY BUY ONE GET ONE FREE (BOGO) $29.99 each

Iron Man
Madagascar 2
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
Price Caspian
Eagle Eye
Transformers
Tropic Thunder
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Body of Lies
Transporter 3
Punisher: War Zone
Bangkok Dangerous

$12.99  TV on DVD

Family Guy – Seasons 1-6
The Simpsons – Season 10
It’s Always Sunny on Philadelphia – Season 1& 2
How I Met Your Mother – Season 1-3
Arrested Development – Season 1- 3
Jon, Kate and Eight – Season 1 & 2
Seinfeld – Season 1-9



$18.99 TV on DVD

Gossip Girl – Season 1
The Office – Season 1-4
Supernatural – Seasin 1 or 3
Heroes – Season 1 or 3
The Tudors – Season 1 or 2
Dexter – Season 1 or 2

Disney DVD Sale – $13.99

High School Musical 3
Pinocchio
Space Buddies
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Wall-E
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Bolt

Dreamworks DVD Sale – $6.99

Kung Fu Panda
Secrets of the Furious Five
Bee Move
Madagascar
Madagascar 2
Shrek the Third

$13.99 – BOGO

Ice Age
Jumper
The Happening
Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe
The Bourne Ultimatum
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
What Happened in Vegas

$6.99 Easter DVDs

Dora: Egg Hunt
Easter with Max & Ruby
Elmo’s World: Springtime Fun
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Easter Chipmunks
The Easter Bunny

———————————————–



The Day the Earth Stood Still $15.99 (includes 1951 film)
Doubt $19.99
No Country for Old Men: Collector’s Edition $24.99
Slumdog Millionaire $14.99
Not Easily Broken $19.99
Yes Man: 2-Disc Edition $16.99
Bedtime Stories $16.99

$14.99 Disney DVD Deals

  • WALL-E
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Chronic. of Narnia Prince Casp.
  • HSM 3

BLU-RAY


The Day the Earth Stood Still – $26.99
Yes Man – $26.99
Bedtime Stories – $26.99
The Tale of Despereaux – $27.99
Doubt – $29.99
High School Musical 3 – $29.99

$24.99
Wall-E (2-disc)
Sleeping Beauty
Narnia: Prince Caspian (2-disc)



HBO Season 1 sets are on sale for 50% off


following titles are included

Sex and City
The Sopranos
The Wire
Six Feet Under
Rome
Deadwood