THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 16th, 2010

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
directed by F. Gary Gray
Overture/Anchor Bay Entertainment

Special Features

Law Abiding Citizen comes to us from CHUD favorite screenwriter Kurt Wimmer. While this flick isn’t a stellar event such as Equilibrium, it works for quick shots of gory violence. Some people might ask if the film is any good. Well, it’s got Ray Charles and King 300 butting heads within the confines of the Philly legal system. If that doesn’t spell excitement, it must spell something else. Just rent it already.

BLACK DYNAMITE
c. Michael Jai White

Special Features

Black Dynamite was a film that I spent a good amount of time trying to find. A filmmaker had actually taken the time to make a real Blaxploitation film rather than a clever riff or a jokey ninety minute romp. Michael Jai White leads a cast of random actors through a 16 mm action packed jam. You should also take the time to find the pitch-perfect Adrian Younge score. Never too serious, never too trivial…Black Dynamite explodes in your face. Just like a kid finding a toy car in Baghdad.

GOOD HAIR
c. Chris Rock, Eve, Paul Mooney, Nia Long and Al Sharpton

Special Features

• Commentary
• Trailer

Good Hair
is a documentary that shows that African Americans can make the same infotainment that white people can produce. The only time that the documentary attempts to become serious is when Rock travels to India and discovers the source of most weave hair. Rev. Al Sharpton then gets a moment to soapbox and carry on about how it’s a cycle of African Americans using Asians using African Americans being used by the white business complex. Raven Symone shows up to remind you how long it’s been since she was on Cosby.

SMALL WONDER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
d. Leslie H. Martinson
c. Dick Christie, Marla Pennington, Jerry Supiran, Tiffany Brissette and Emily Schulman

Special Features

Small Wonder: The Complete First Season is coming to DVD. I will be holding a vigil outside the Best Buy in St. Matthews. Given the amount of response I get from locals, you’ll be able to find your way there. We’ll discuss the original episode promos, make fan art and talk about Dick Christie’s memories of the first season. Prizes will be awarded to those that come dressed as V.I.C.I. or Harriet. Be there or be relatively normal. Line forms an hour after the store closes. In keeping with community standards, no open alcohol is permitted.

COMING SOON TO FUCK YOUR HOME THEATER IN THE FACE

1. Walmart to Exclusively Carry Ultimate Fan Edition DVD of The
   Twilight Saga: New Moon with ‘Sneak Peek’ of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Ultimate fans of Twilight have a reason to howl with excitement: a sneak peek at The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.  Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced today it will be the only retailer to carry The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition on standard DVD and Blu-ray, with never-before-seen footage from the upcoming The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Walmart
also will feature “Twilight Saga Shops” in stores – a dedicated
shopping experience for Twilight fans to bite into a variety of
Twilight-themed clothing, jewelry, and merchandise, including new items
to show their wolf- or vampire-fan pride.

Fans can pre-order The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition, as well as the national two-disc Special Edition DVD or Special Edition Blu-ray, today at Walmart.com.  With the new movie and 50 minutes of extra footage and interviews, The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition also contains an exclusive, 7-minute sneak peek of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.  It begins with an exciting behind-the-scenes look at the production of the newest film.  New interviews with stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, as well as with series-creator Stephenie Meyer,
are integrated with revealing on-the-set footage of some of the key
scenes and sets from the upcoming movie.  This first-look at The Twilight Saga: Eclipse concludes with the world premiere of an actual scene from the upcoming film.

With the movie release scheduled for March 20, 12:01 a.m.,
fans can be among the first to own the DVD, joining friends nationwide
at midnight release events in more than 2,600 24-hour Walmart stores.
 The midnight release last year of the first Twilight movie brought
hundreds of thousands of fans together online and in stores, becoming
the most pre-ordered movie and most successful DVD movie release event
in Walmart history.  

Walmart’s
Twilight Saga Shops, designed for both the “fan-pire” and “wolf-lover,”
will open in stores mid-March and will feature a variety of items
themed around the Twilight series and favorite movie characters.

Among the items in Walmart’s Twilight Saga Shop are:

• Wolf and vampire lover tanks ($7)
• Twilight Saga themed tees ($9)
• Jacob Black and Edward Cullen tees ($9)
• Twilight Saga-themed jewelry (bracelets, pins, key chains, earrings, necklaces) ($5)
• Twilight Saga-themed messenger bags ($12) and totes ($9)
• Twilight Saga books, including “The Twilight Saga: New Moon Official Illustrated Companion Book” – ($13.24) and “Life Story” magazine cover issue featuring Twilight ($8.95)
• The Twilight Saga New Moon Ultimate Fan Poster – exclusive DVD cover art ($5)
• Party snacks and beverages to prepare for DVD viewing parties
• New Moon Special Edition Two-Disc DVD and Blu-ray – available 12:01 a.m., Mar. 20
• The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition Two-Disc DVD ($24.96) and Blu-ray ($29.96) and The Twilight Saga: New Moon Ultimate Fan Edition with Forks documentary DVD ($29.96) – all available 12:01 a.m., Mar. 20

Customers can also find more items such as character dolls Bella, Edward and Jacob ($24.88), movie soundtracks, as well as New Moon The Movie Board Game and SCENE IT? Twilight Movie Edition THE DVD GAME
at select stores.  Walmart will host its dedicated Twilight Saga Shops
in all stores through mid-April, and continue to carry Twilight merchandise through the year, although some items are for a limited period only.

As
excitement builds for this upcoming DVD release, Walmart will announce
additional special events and activities for fans in the coming weeks. 

THE CRITERION COMPLETION PROJECT (190 out of 504)

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 2010. 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
124. Carl Theodore Dreyer Boxset
125. Day of Wrath
126. Ordet
127. Gertrud
128. Carl Theodore Dreyer: My Metier
129. Le Trou
130. The Shop on Main Street
131. Closely Watched Trains
132. The Ruling Class
133. The Vanishing
134. Haxan
135. Rebecca
136. Spellbound
137. Notorious
138. Rashomon
139. Wild Strawberries
140. 8 1/2
141. Children of Paradise
142. The Last Wave
143. That Obscure Object of Desire
144. Loves of a Blonde
145. The Firemen’s Ball
146. Cranes are Flying
147. In the Mood for Love
148. Ballad of a Soldier
149. Juliet of the Spirits
150. Bob le Flambeur
151. Traffic
152. George Washington
153. General Idi Amin Dada
154. The Horse’s Mouth
155. Tokyo Olympiad
156. Hearts and Minds
157. The Royal Tenenbaums
158. The Importance of Being Earnest
159. Red Beard
160. A Nous La Liberte
161. Under the Roofs of Paris
162. Ratcatcher
163. Hopscotch
164. Solaris
165. Man Bites Dog
166. Down by Law
167. The Complete Monterey Pop Festival
168. Monterey Pop
169. Jimi Plays Monterey / Shake! Otis at Monterey
170. Trouble in Paradise
171. Contempt
172. Pepe le Moko
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
192. Coup de Grace
194. Il Posto
197. Night and Fog
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.

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NEW RELEASES

*Blu-Ray prices are in BOLD BLUE

Law Abiding Citizen                                                  $14.99   $19.99
Halo Legends                                                           $13.99    $17.99   $25.99
Scooby Doo! Abracadbra-Doo!                               $16.99
Wow Wow Wubbzy! Go for the Gold                      $14.99
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever                                     $19.99  
Small Wonder: The Complete First Season               $24.99
Black Dynamite                                                       $19.99   $29.99

$14.99 BLU-RAY SALE

Marley and Me
Gran Torino
Watchmen: Director’s Cut

$19.99 BLU-RAY SALE

Up!
G-Force

$24.99 BLU-RAY SALE


Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs