THE WEEK OF JANUARY 19th, 2010

WEEDS: SEASON 5
created by. Jenji Kohan
LionsGate

Special Features

Weeds jumped the shark towards the end of Season 4. All of the shit with the Mexican cartel and the Mayor took the show into this weird area. Then, Season 5 came along and dwelled in it. What I wouldn’t give to have someone cut Albert Brooks a check and bring him back into the mix. Hopefully, they end this mess with the upcoming season. That’s not to say that there aren’t moments of fun. Plus, you get some Mary Louise Parker nudity.

GAMER
c. Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Amber Valetta and Kyra Sedgewick

Special Features

Gamer is
the latest from the Crank creative team. Neveldine/Taylor are a creative duo full of fun ideas. It’s just a shame that their flicks live and die by the strength of the lead actor. Gerard Butler tries his best, but he’s no Jason Statham. Hell, another director couldn’t really make heads or tales out of a rudderless script like this. If you decide to rent it, thrill to Michael C. Hall outperforming everyone else onscreen.

THE INVENTION OF LYING
c. Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Martin Starr, Tina Fey and Louis C.K.

Special Features

• Prequel: The Dawn of Lying: documenting a monumental occasion in history
  A Truly “Honest” Making-of Featurette: cast members share their admiration for a comedic genius
  Meet Karl Pilkington: Ricky’s best buddy and cohost of The Ricky Gervais Show chronicles his travels to the U.S.
  Ricky and Matt’s video podcasts: over 10 minutes of insider coverage
  Additional scenes
  More laughter: Corpsing and outtakes

The Invention of Lying was a film that almost did something amazing. Gervais layers several ideas that work off the premise of lying being introduced to an unexpecting world. From there, we get interesting takes on religion and sexuality. There’s way too many cameos that take away from the film’s point. It’s an off-week, but this is a film that I recommend checking out.

MAGNOLIA
d. Paul Thomas Anderson
c. Henry Gibson, Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Jason Robards, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Baker Hall

Special Features

Magnolia is one of those films that younger kids are starting to watch more. It’s this pillar that they clutch, when they want to get serious about movies. Have they seen anything that Altman has done? Probably not. But, they sure love how P.T. Anderson uses the Supertramp. The special features are ports over from the Platinum Series DVD. Still, it’s worth upgrading for the A/V Quality.

NOT COMING SOON TO YOUR HOME THEATER

1. THE AFRICAN QUEEN is coming to DVD and BLU-RAY on March 23rd, 2010
   

Filled with adventure, drama, humor and romance, the epic and enduring
cinematic classic THE AFRICAN QUEEN will finally make its way home when
it debuts on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever on March 23, 2010
from Paramount Home Entertainment. Meticulously restored using
state-of-the-art 4K digital technology, THE AFRICAN QUEEN will now be
available for a new generation to appreciate and for long-time fans to
see again, as if for the first time. Legendary director John Huston’s
treasured romantic adventure stars the incomparable Humphrey Bogart as
hard-drinking boat captain Charlie Allnut–a role that won him his only
Academy Award(R) (Best Actor, 1951)–and renowned actress Katharine
Hepburn as missionary Rose Sayer in a tale of two disparate people
thrown together by fate and drawn together by love.

A six-year journey filled with challenges nearly as difficult as
those faced by Rose and Charlie, the restoration process began at the
source: Romulus Films–one of the film’s original production
companies–provided access to the original three-strip negative at a
London facility where the film was carefully scanned and digitized. The
separate elements were then transferred to Los Angeles and
painstakingly recombined and inspected frame by frame to ensure that
every detail aligned and that any dirt and scratches were removed.

To ensure that the restored picture matched the filmmakers’ original
vision, Paramount arranged a screening of an MPAA archive print for the
film’s original cinematographer, Academy Award(R) winner Jack Cardiff*,
whose comments were recorded live during the screening. That same
archival print was later screened alongside the newly restored version
so that the restoration team could ensure that all of Cardiff’s notes
had been addressed. The result is a vibrant, warm picture that
reverentially recreates the film as it was originally meant to be seen.

THE AFRICAN QUEEN will be available as a single disc
DVD or Blu-ray and also in Commemorative, Limited Edition DVD or
Blu-ray box sets. Both the DVD and Blu-ray feature a new documentary
entitled “Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen“, which
includes new interviews with contemporary film experts such as Martin
Scorsese and incorporates home movies, archival images and more. The
Commemorative box set includes either the DVD or Blu-ray detailed
above, plus an audio disc with a recording of the Lux Radio Theater
broadcast of The African Queen, a reproduction of Katharine Hepburn’s out-of-print memoir The Making of The African Queen or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind, a Senitype(R) film frame collectible reproduction and postcards featuring reproductions of images related to the film.

THE AFRICAN QUEEN DVD & Blu-ray

THE AFRICAN QUEEN DVD is presented in full screen
format with English, French and Spanish Mono and English, French and
Spanish subtitles. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition
with English, French and Spanish Mono and English, English SDH, French,
Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. Special features are as follows:

• Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen–This
  comprehensive documentary takes a look back at the production with
  commentary about the cast, the challenges of the filming locations and
  how the spectacular cinematography impacted the industry overall.
  Includes on-camera interviews with notable Hollywood icons, critics and
  crew members from the film including Martin Scorsese, Tony Huston,
  Richard Schickel and more, plus never-before-seen archival images and
  home movie footage provided by the estate of cinematographer Jack
  Cardiff.

The Commemorative, Limited-Edition DVD and Blu-ray box sets include the above along with:

• An audio disc with a recording of the Lux Radio Theater presents The African Queen radio broadcast
• A Senitype(R) film frame collectible reproduction
• Collectible postcards featuring reproductions of images related to the film
• A reproduction of Katharine Hepburn’s out-of-print memoir The Making of The African Queen or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind

About Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures
Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed
entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading
content company with prominent and respected film, television and
digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales,
marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of
various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage,
Paramount Classics, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV,
Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment
fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

THE CRITERION COMPLETION PROJECT (150 out of 495)

The
Chewer
Nation has been having fun with the little monthly challenges I’ve
thrown down. I’ve got a new one that just might take us through the end
of 2009. What I want us all to do is to review The Criterion
Collection. But, there’s a catch. The number of words you can use will
be determined by the spine number.

Due to length, click on the titles to access the spine specific reviews.

1 – 100.  The First Hundred
101. Cries and Whispers
102. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise
103. The Lady Eve
104. Double Suicide
105. Spartacus
106. Coup de Torchon
107. Mona Lisa
108. The Rock
109. The Scarlet Empress
110. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday
111. Mon Oncle
112. Playtime
113. Big Deal on Madonna Street
114. My Man Godfrey
115. Rififi
116. The Hidden Fortress
117. Diary of a Chambermaid
118. Sullivan’s Travels
119. Withnail and I
120. How to Get Ahead in Advertising
121. Billy Liar
122. Salesman
123. Grey Gardens
129. Le Trou
130. The Shop on Main Street
133. The Vanishing
135. Rebecca
136. Spellbound
139. Wild Strawberries
140. 8 1/2
147. In the Mood for Love
150. Bob le Flambeur
151. Traffic
153. General Idi Amin Dada
157. The Royal Tenenbaums
175. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
177. The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
180. I Am Curious…Yellow
186. Stolen Kisses
187. Bed and Board
188. Love on the Run
189. The White Sheik
190. Throne of Blood
191. Jubilee
198. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
199. Schizopolis
247. Videodrome
267. Kagemusha
281. Jules and Jim
422. The Last Emperor

and so on and so on.

Post your Criterion reviews on the CHUD message board.

———————————————–

NEW RELEASES

*Blu-Ray prices are in BOLD BLUE

Gamer                                                                            $16.99   $22.99
The Invention of Lying                                                    $16.99  $19.99
Damages: Season 2                                                        $24.99
Smokin’ Aces 2                                                               $17.99   $24.99
Pandorum                                                                       $17.99   $19.99
Whiteout                                                                         $16.99   $19.99
Weeds: Season 5                                                             $25.99   $25.99
The Bourne Identity                                                          $17.99
The Bourne Supremacy                                                    $17.99
The Bourne Ultimatum                                                      $17.99
Smokin’ Aces: Movie Collection                                       $29.99

THINGS FOR SALE!

Inglorious Basterds                                                          $12.99   $16.99
Star Trek (2009)                                                             $12.99  $16.99
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen                                $12.99   $16.99
The Ugly Truth                                                                $12.99   $16.99
Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian                 $12.99   $16.99
Public Enemies                                                               $14.99   $19.99
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)                                  $14.99  $19.99
Family Guy: Something Something Dark Side                  $14.99   $19.99
Bruno                                                                             $14.99   $19.99

Funny People                                                                  $14.99   $19.99
500 Days of Summer                                                       $14.99   $19.99
All About Steve                                                               $14.99   $19.99

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs                                       $14.99   $19.99