THE SPECIAL EDITION: 3.02.10

THE WEEK OF MARCH 2nd, 2010

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
directed by Spike Jonze
Warner Brothers

Special Features

Where the Wild Things Are was one of my favorite films from last year. Sure, it became an easy target to use in the constant assault on man-children and hipsters. I still found it to be a touching film about how wonderful it is to be an asshole kid. There’s one shot towards the beginning of the film that cinematographer Lance Acord nails with utter perfection. When we see young Max watching his sister leave him in his destroyed snow fort, that look he gives is amazing. It’s the perfect image of what it means to be an angry little kid. That shot alone is why I’ll buy this release.

ELVIS
c. Kurt Russell, Season Hubley, Bing Russell and Pat Hingle

Special Features

Elvis finally comes to DVD. Well, he’s been on DVD before. But, we’re getting a proper Region 1 DVD release from Shout Factory. You haven’t seen Elvis, until you’ve seen John Carpenter direct Russell in his prime. The film is oddly crafted into a love letter to the man. Hell, they pretty much end the film at the start of the Vegas years. Those folks used to the whole redemption angle of the rock bio-pic might miss some closure.

THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
c. Gordon Liu

Special Features

• Commentary
• Featurettes
• Trailer Gallery
• Interviews
• Videos

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin has finally arrived on Blu-Ray. There was much delay and other troubles caused by the Weinsteins failing on their DVD end. Dragon Dynasty looks like it’s been distributed through Vivendi now, so this might be push this release to your local indie stores. Still, if you’re crazier over Gordon Liu…you’ll probably just want to order it on-line to guarantee its place in your home theater. The only major problem with this release is that the transfer is 1080 interlaced and not progressive. Hold your gasps, people.

PONYO
c. Frankie Jonas, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson and Tina Fey

Special Features

Ponyo is one of those Miyazaki films that I still don’t dig. I appreciate what it is, but I don’t feel that it’s one of the stronger Studio Ghibli films. The closest Ghibli film I can compare it to is The Cat Returns. Both films are a little too dreamlike and they never contain the focus that they should. Yet, the voice acting is amazing for what parts of the plot actually make sense. The English cast has notes thrown a little too wide, but it’s one of the better flicks for your kids to watch.

COMING SOON TO FUCK YOUR HOME THEATER IN THE FACE

1.  Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin in the Newest Blockbuster Comedy from Director Nancy Meyers ‘IT’S COMPLICATED’

Long forgotten passion and hidden emotions unexpectedly reignite with hilarious results in It’s Complicated, coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def, DVD and Download to Own on April 27, 2010 from Universal Studios Home  Entertainment. Two-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep (nominated again this year for Julie and Julia), Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock,” The Departed) and Emmy® winner Steve Martin (The Pink Panther, Baby Mama) star in the latest smart, funny, feel-good comedy that’s the perfect gift for Mother’s Day from Oscar® nominated writer and director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, What Women Want).

It’s Complicated also features John Krasinski (“The Office”), Lake Bell (“Boston Legal”), Mary Kay Place (Youth in Revolt), Rita Wilson (Big Dogs), Alexandra Wentworth (“Head Case”), Hunter Parrish (17 Again) and Zoe Kazan (The Private Lives of Pippa Lee)
in this light-hearted story of a woman whose life has it all – and then
some – when she finds herself in an unexpected, if not exactly
unenjoyable, love triangle with her still sexy ex-husband and an
attractive new suitor. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes
featurette and filmmaker commentary.

BONUS FEATURES

• The Making of It’s Complicated – Go behind the scenes of the year’s most original comedy for grown-ups with the stars and filmmakers.
• Feature Commentary with writer, director and producer Nancy Meyers, executive producer Suzanne McNeill Farwell, director of photography John Toll and editor Joseph Hutshing.

It’s Complicated is priced at $36.98 SRP on Blu-ray Hi-Def and $29.98 SRP on DVD. Preorder close is March 9, 2010.

For further information, go to  www.itscomplicatedmovie.com

Synopsis

Two-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin star in this hilarious look at marriage, divorce and everything in between.  Jane (Streep) has three grown kids, a thriving Santa Barbara bakery and is on surprisingly amicable terms with her ex-husband Jake (Baldwin).
 Finally, a decade after her divorce, life’s options seem endless –
until a few bottles of wine with Jake turns their cordial relationship
into an impulsive affair. Caught in the middle of their rekindled
romance is Jake’s young wife and Adam (Martin), a
recently divorced architect who’s fallen hard for Jane.  Could love be
sweeter the second time around?  It’s… complicated!  From
writer/director Nancy Meyers comes the comedy that critics call “laugh-out-loud funny” (Rex Reed, THE NEW YORK OBSERVER).

THE CRITERION COMPLETION PROJECT (205 out of 505)

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
173. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
174. Band of Outsiders
175. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
176. The Killers
177. The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
178. My Life as a Dog
179. I Am Curious…Boxset
180. I Am Curious…Yellow
181. I Am Curious…Blue
182. Straw Dogs
183. Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne
184. By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volume One
185. The Adventures of Antoine Doinel Boxset
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
193. Quai des Orfèvres
194. Il Posto
195. I Fidanzati
196. Hiroshima mon Amour
197. Night and Fog
198. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
199. Schizopolis
200. The Honeymoon Killers
201. Umberto D.
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

2012                                                      $16.99 $24.99   $19.99
Where the Wild Things Are                    $17.99   $26.99
Ponyo                                                    $17.99   $24.99
Curious George 2                                  $14.99
Nurse Jackie: Season 1                          $29.99   $29.99
Gentlemen Broncos                               $19.99  $29.99

$9.99 BLU-RAY SALE

We Own the Night
XXX
Resident Evil

$7.99 DVD Sale

Goodfellas
Forrest Gump
Departed
Top Gun
Saving Private Ryan
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Good Morning America
Juno
Aliens Special Edition
Gangs of New York
The Usual Suspects

TV On DVD Sale

Rescue Me Season 5, Vol. 1     $19.99
Gossip Girl Season 1                 $22.49
Nip Tuck Season 4                   $22.49
Weeds Season 4                       $24.99
Mad Men Season 2                   $34.99
Sopranos Season 6, Part 2        $39.99
Star Trek Season 3                   $39.99
Band of Brothers                       $49.99