THE SPECIAL EDITION: 3.09.10

THE WEEK OF MARCH 9TH 2010

DVD

(in each section. Click on the box art to purchase it at Amazon)

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
directed by Lee Daniels
Lionsgate

Special Features

Precious just pulled down 2 Oscar wins this weekend. A lot of people were kind of floored by Fletcher’s Best Adapted Screenplay win. But, if you thought In the Loop had a shot in hell of winning…you haven’t been playing the game long. The film has been discussed to death since the Fall, but I’ll go one further. Everyone kisses the film’s ass for its realistic portrayal of ghetto life in 1987. But, what about the health concerns of the lead. The sheer weight of skin and other materials pressing against her eye sockets is amazing.

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY
d. Michael Moore

Special Features

Capitalism: A Love Story comes to DVD with the usual fanfare of a Michael Moore release. Your old family members turn red and decry this portly Socialist. The liberal elite praise the findings, while scoffing at his lacking documentary skills. All the while, Mickey Rooney sits in his living room booing his DVD player. The film is nicely focused, but contains a little too much outside material. The special features are small documentaries in length, but they expound on the material covered in the film. They also include a rather interesting What-If piece about Jimmy Carter taking charge in 1979.

PLANET 51
d. Jorge Blanco and Javier Abad

Special Features

• Featurettes
• Extended Scenes

Planet 51 is a rather lame animated film. It’s not that it suffers from the pop culture over-saturation of Dreamworks’ lesser films. The attempts at parody are rather fun, but they never give Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson any A-material. Will the man who smelled what was cooking be doomed to second-rate flicks? I hope not. He has the charm of a young Arnold, but I can understand what he’s saying.

THE STONING OF SORAYA M.
c. Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jim Caviezel

Special Features

The Stoning of Soraya M. is a great film that misses the mark. While trying to tell a tale of female rights in a Muslim land, it slips into something off-kilter. Many detractors have made light of the producers’ attempt to slip a lot of Muslim bashing into the piece. But, I don’t think it’s a central element of the film. Caviezel actually tones it down as a journalist that desperately wants to find out more about Soraya. Then, you have Aghdashloo. She’s one of the most underrated actresses working today and nobody gives her roles outside of the token Middle Eastern lady.

VIDEO GAMES

FINAL FANTASY XIII
Square/Enix

via the Manufacturer

From the creative minds behind FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X comes the latest installment in the critically acclaimed series. As FINAL FANTASY VII was for PlayStation, and FINAL FANTASY X for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will
be the first numbered FINAL FANTASY title for the PlayStation 3
computer entertainment system and Xbox 360, and will look to once again
reestablish the series as the RPG brand. Players will follow
Lightning, Snow, and the other heroes who are dealt a hand of fate by
the god-like fal’Cie. Cursed and regarded as enemies of society, they
have the world against them and nobody to rely on but each other. Will
they find the strength within themselves to break free of their curse
and determine their own fates, or will they succumb to this higher
power? With a story that is sure to connect with players’ hearts,
diverse new characters from world-renowned creator and character
designer Tetsuya Nomura, and exciting new gameplay features centered
around an evolved Active Time Battle system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the pinnacle in gaming experiences.

YAKUZA 3
SEGA

via the Manufacturer

Yakuza 3 is the next cinematic chapter in the prestigious video game
saga offering an authentic, gritty and often violent story set in
modern day Japan. Following the events of the previous game, Kazuma and
Haruka (his adopted daughter) have left Kamurochoto to seek a new life
in Okinawa where they manage an orphanage for children. However, their
peaceful life is soon interrupted when a series of events unfold
pulling Kazuma back into the shadowy past he thought he had left
behind. Making its first appearance exclusively on the PlayStation 3
platform, the rich story and vibrant world of Yakuza 3 lets players
engage in intense brutal clashes within the streets of Okinawa, and the
pulsating and often dangerous city of Tokyo where only the strongest
will survive.

MEGA MAN 10
Capcom

Available for purchase on Wiiware, XBOX Live Arcade and PSN

via Capcom

The original 2-D classic Mega Man returns in the all new Mega Man 10! Mega Man 10
continues to bring the series back to its old-school roots, with retro
platforming action and classic 8-bit graphics and sound. Rediscover
Mega Man with new, classically-inspired boss characters, each with
unique weapons and vulnerabilities.

The year is 20XX and
Robotenza – the Robot Flu – has spread like wildfire, incapacitating
robots everywhere. One month after the outbreak, the situation worsens.
Infected robots have gone out of control and have destroyed the city!
It’s up to Mega Man to get to the bottom of this viral mystery.

RESIDENT EVIL 5: GOLD EDITION
Capcom

via the Manufacturer

Experience the thrill and terror of the infamous Resident Evil franchise like never before with the Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition. Featuring Chris Redfield of the original Resident Evil
and new partner Sheva Alomar, a West African agent of the Bioterrorism
Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA), this sci-fi action/survival game
is packed with hordes of fast-moving, quick-thinking enemies that
represent a whole new breed of unimaginable undead evil. The Gold
Edition features every exciting play option found in the initial
releases of the game, including two-player co-op, powerful new weapons
and real-time inventory management between players, but also includes
all RE5 console version download content released to date. This
includes new episodes and costumes, an improved Mercenaries Mode, and
online versus mode.

MUSIC

PLASTIC BEACH
Gorillaz
Virgin Records

via Virgin Records

Five years on from the release of Demon Days, Murdoc Niccals and co.
return with Plastic Beach. The band have taken up residence, recording
on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach
HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed up remnants of humanity.
This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth;
the most deserted spot on the planet.

BEAT THE DEVIL’S TATTOO
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

via the Label

UNTOUCHABLE

Before Their Eyes

via Press Release

Ohio’s own Before Their Eyes are back with their 3rd studio album set
to be released March 9th 2010. Ready to gather the masses, Before Their
Eyes have the unique advantage to pull audiences from the entire
spectrum of the all ages scene. Whether you love sing-a-long chorus’,
hard-core break downs, or pop dance beats, this Christian five-piece
has it all. “Untouchable”, arguably the bands most ambitious endeavor,
will serve as their testament of everything they’ve worked so hard to
achieve. Untouchable was produced with metal guru Joey Sturgis

THE BRUTALIST BRICKS
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

via Press Release

New Jersey’s TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS are back after a two year
break with their fourth album and Matador debut, The Brutalist
Bricks.This extraordinarily assured, wide ranging album explores new
ground for Ted, showcasing his singer-song writer side while remaining
emotionally and energetically true to his punk roots. From the
thrilling opener and video track “The Mighty Sparrow” to the
apocalyptic “Last Days,” startling influences reveal themselves.

———————————————–

NEW RELEASES

*Blu-Ray prices are in BOLD BLUE

Up in the Air                                                        $16.99   $25.99
Old Dogs                                                              $16.99   $24.99
Precious                                                                 $17.99   $25.99
2012                                                                     $24.99
District 9                                                             $19.99
Boondock Saints 2                                                $17.99   $22.99   
Planet 51                                                               $17.99   $26.99   
Capitalism: A Love Story                                        $17.99   $24.99   
Super Bowl XLIV Champions                                 $19.99   $29.99   

$9.99 BLU-RAY SALE

Primal Fear
Sunshine Cleaning
Dumb & Dumber

$12.99 BLU-RAY SALE

Quantum Of Solace
Die Another Day
Goldfinger
Never Back Down

$14.99 BLU-RAY SALE

Knowing
Casino
Pirates Of The Caribbean

$14.99 WB DOUBLE FEATURE BLU-RAY SALE

Dirty Harry/Magnum Force
Grumpy Old Men/Grumpier Old Men
Miss Congeniality/Miss Congeniality 2

TV On DVD Sale

Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 2   $16.99
Mad Men Season 2                                            $34.99
Flash Forward Season 1 Part 1                          $19.99
Castle: Season 1                                                $24.99
Dollhouse: The Complete Series                        $28.99
Burn Notice Seasons 1 and 2                            $34.99 each
Sons of Anarchy Season 1                                 $28.99
NCIS  Season 6                                                $39.99
The Tudors: Season 3                                       $29.99
Bones: Season 4                                               $34.99