|
The DVD Dossier is the free newsletter published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less.
This is the archived issue for January 23, 2005.
Click Here To Subscribe To The DVD Dossier Newsletter
|
|
 |
Published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less, the online source for DVD Discounts & Deals
|
|
In This Issue
|
|
January 23, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings from a very cold and snowy New York City, where we've hunkered down this weekend to watch some of our favorite DVDs, while the Blizzard of '05 rages on outside. We hope you're staying warm wherever you are and suggest you settle in to watch a few DVDs yourself, regardless of the weather.
Here are some of your new choices beginning this Tuesday, January 25th.
Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow star in "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," a science fiction adventure set in the 1930s. The film, like many these days, is available in widescreen and full screen versions.
Katie Holmes is the "First Daughter," a sheltered young woman who just wants a normal school experience, away from the influence of her parents. The problem is that her dad (Michael Keaton) is the President of the United States.
In the action thriller, "Alien Vs. Predator," the deadliest creatures from the scariest sci-fi movies ever made face off for the first time on film. As first reported back in November, "Alien Vs. Predator" comes with a bunch of extras, including an alternate opening, deleted scenes and two commentary tracks.
And "AVP" is available in - you guessed it, both widescreen and full screen editions.
"Something the Lord Made," an HBO film, tells the true story of two men who defied the rules of their time to launch a medical revolution, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow south.
Working in 1940s Baltimore on an unprecedented technique for performing heart surgery on "blue babies," Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and lab technician Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) form an impressive team.
As they invent a new field of medicine, saving thousands of lives in the process, social pressures threaten to undermine their collaboration and tear their friendship apart.
Also out this week, a Collector's Edition of "The Crying Game." This film, from director Neil Jordan, stars Stephen Rea and Forest Whitaker in an odd and intriguing psychological thriller that becomes quite a bit more by movie's end.
"The Crying Game" was a sleeper hit back in 1992, due in large part to a clever marketing campaign that played up the film's big "surprise."
Our old friend Thomas the Thank Engine is back in all-new animated adventures in "Hooray For Thomas." The DVD comes packaged with a "Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway Engine Toy."
More adventures can be found in Volume One of "Superman, The Animated Series" (2 discs) and Volume Two of "Batman, The Animated Series" (4 discs).
Pauly Shore's career highlights include the moronic "Biodome" and the equally wretched "Jury Duty." Now a bit of a has-been, he fakes his own death in "Pauly Shore Is Dead," so he can document the reactions from dozens of A-list celebrities. This is a dark comedy that raises that eternal show business question: Is it better to be a dead genius or a living idiot?
The film, a guilty pleasure, includes brief appearances by Ben Stiller, Britney Spears, Bill Maher, Charlie Sheen, Tom Sizemore, Eminem, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Chris Rock, Vince Vaughn and Ellen DeGeneres, among others.
The "Warner Brothers Pictures Gangsters Collection" makes its way to DVD this week, bringing together six classic films starring Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Pat O'Brien and others.
The films - "Angels With Dirty Faces," "Little Caesar," "The Public Enemy," "The Petrified Forest," "The Roaring Twenties" and "White Heat" - are also available individually, although you'll get a much better deal if you buy the whole collection.
The official Reagan Library tribute to the 40th president, "Ronald Reagan: An American President," arrives on Tuesday in a 2-Disc edition from Fox Home Entertainment.
And there's a bumper crop of TV series and specials out this week.
Our favorites include the Lewis Black comedy concert "Black on Broadway," the Fourth Season of "Coupling" (as seen on BBC America) and the umpteenth "best of" collection from the Saturday Night Live folks, this one saluting Jimmy Fallon.
Also, the Second Season of HBO's critically praised dramatic series, "The Wire" makes its DVD debut. Many believe this is the most unvarnished, uncompromising and realistic police drama ever.
It's certainly perfectly suited for DVD, as the episodes are so dense and so rich with content and clues, that you'll want to replay them over and over.
And that wraps up another week here at The DVD Dossier; thanks for making us your guide to new DVDs!
Regards,
DVD Direct 4 Less
|
|
| This Week's New DVD Releases - Street Date: January 25, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visit us online to see a comprehensive list of new DVD releases for the next six weeks.
Links above are for Region 1 (USA) Editions. Availability and release dates elsewhere may vary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On March 15th, the world’s greatest superhero family comes to DVD in a special 2-Disc Collector’s Edition of "The Incredibles," available in both widescreen and full screen formats.
The Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animated Studios smash hit has already earned more than 260 million dollars in the USA alone!
The DVD release includes an all-new, never-before-seen animated short “Jack-Jack Attack,” which uncovers Jack-Jack’s previously unknown super powers and reveals what happened while the youngest member of the Incredibles’ family was alone for one truly outrageous night of babysitting.
|
|
"The Incredibles" Collector's Edition also includes a never-before-seen alternate opening, plus more deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes features on the film and its creators, bonus programs on the art and technology of the film, and "top-secret" files on all the film’s superheroes.
Apparently, even animated characters make mistakes because they're included here, too, together with "outtakes" in a segment called "Incredi-blunders." You'll also get "interviews" with these same characters and commentary on the feature film from an actual human being, director Brad Bird.
Rounding out the extras on "The Incredibles" Collector's Edition is the short film “Boundin,” which premiered with "The Incredibles" in theatres.
|
"The Incredibles" follows the adventures of a family of former superheroes who discover that the true source of their powers lies in one another.
Once one of the world’s top masked crime fighters, Bob Parr (a.k.a. "Mr. Incredible") fought evil and saved lives on a daily basis.
|
©2004 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
But fifteen years later, he and his wife Helen (the former "Elastigirl") have been forced to take on civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs. Today they, and all superheroes, live as mere mortals.
Bob and Helen lead all-too-ordinary lives with their children, Violet and Dashiell “Dash” Parr, who go out of their way to appear normal.
As a clock-punching insurance man, the only thing Bob fights these days is boredom and a bulging waistline. Itching for action, the sidelined superhero gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top-secret assignment.
|
©2004 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
Now, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the family must come together and once again find the fantastic in their family life.
The top-notch voice cast of "The Incredibles" includes Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn and Holly Hunter - doing her best work ever - as "Elastigirl."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have more news from Disney this week, but it's not about another new release. Exactly the opposite, in fact...
Buena Vista Home Video has announced that they will no longer ship the three Lion King movies beginning January 31st.
Any DVDs still on store shelves can be sold, but The Lion King Trilogy and all individual Lion King titles and Special Editions will then become part of Disney's "Disappearing Classics" program and will go "back in the vault."
Disney likes to do this with their most-popular, bestselling movies; it's the same successful strategy they've used with their theatrical releases.
They put the movies on ice, then bring them back and market them years later to a whole new generation of families.
|
|
|
It's not known how long the movies will be out of circulation, but they withheld "Aladdin" for ten years before bringing it back late in 2004. So, if you want to own the "The Lion King," "The Lion King 1 and 1/2" or "Lion King II - Simba's Pride," you'll ned to get busy.
You can search retail stores looking for remaining copies, but some locations are already sold out.
The easiest way to get all three titles - and the cheapest - is to join the Disney Movie Club. You'll get 3 free movies (on DVD or VHS) when you sign-up for the club, so you'll actually be getting the Lion King Trilogy at no cost.
They ask that you pay shipping and handling, of course, and you'll have to agree to buy five more DVDs (or videos) in the next 24 months. But that's still a very good deal if you buy a lot of animated and live-action Disney films! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Ray," the critically acclaimed, remarkable true story of the late music legend Ray Charles comes to DVD next week (February 1st).
Its star, Jamie Foxx, was honored last week with the Golden Globe for his performance as the "Genius of Soul" and he's virtually certain to get an Oscar nomination for the role, too.
It's the performance of a lifetime and Foxx is positively electrifying.
He is perfect in every way as the impoverished, blind child of the segregated south who not only went on to become one of the world’s most innovative, successful and cherished musical performers of all time, but also broke down artistic and racial barriers along the way.
|
|
The film is the culmination of a 15-year effort by director Taylor Hackford ("An Officer and a Gentleman") to bring the life story of the venerated musician to the screen. It's a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit.
"Ray" was cited as "one of the ten best films of the year" by the National Board of Review and over 50 newspapers and magazines.
On DVD, "Ray" is loaded with in-depth behind-the-scenes bonus materials and two versions of the film: the original theatrical version and an extended version with over 25 minutes of additional footage not shown in theaters.
Also included are two complete uncut performances of "Hit the Road Jack" and "What Kind of Man Are You," an audio commentary with Hackford, 14 deleted scenes, trailers, a tribute to Ray Charles from his friends and fellow musicians and "Stepping Into The Part" featuring on-set interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Charles preparing Foxx for the role.
A 2-Disc "Ray Limited Edition Gift Set" contains all that, plus seven additional complete uncut musical performances of "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," "Leave My Woman Alone," "Night Time is the Right Time," "Unchain My Heart," "Mary Ann," "I Can't Stop Loving You," and "Hard Times," an in-depth interview with Hackford and his producing partner Stuart Benjamin on their 15-year journey to bring their vision to the screen and a 28-page photo journal.
"Ray" is an unforgettable story of a man who defied convention by fusing jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues with pop to create a unique sound that changed the musical landscape of America.
Don't miss this one!
Preorder "Ray" now and save 30%.
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Wonderfalls," which Fox aired for about a month last year before canceling it, also arrives on DVD February 1st.
The cast of "Wonderfalls" includes Caroline Dhavarnes, Tyron Leitso and several other appealing actors you've likely never heard of.
The show itself is a rather quirky, but quite satisfying hour-long family "dramedy" about a young girl who works at a tourist gift shop in Niagara Falls, much to the despair of her well-to-do family.
Her rather aimless life suddenly becomes a lot more interesting after a lion figurine begins talking to her. Her family calls it an “episode,” but she knows better.
|
|
|
Fearing for her sanity, she nevertheless starts doing exactly what an increasing number of inanimate objects tell her to do and is amazed when her outrageous actions begin changing people’s lives in unexpected ways.
The "Wonderfalls" boxed set includes nine episodes which were never broadcast.
Pre-order "Wonderfalls" now and save 30%. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Queen Latifah brings a lot of attitude but not many laughs to her role as one of New York City’s fastest cabbies in "Taxi." This feeble and disjointed comedy comes to DVD February 15th in a 2-Disc "Special Edition."
We can only ask, "Why?"
The film marks the big screen debut of Saturday Night Live's Jimmy Fallon as a fumbling undercover cop who teams up with the Queen to crack a bank robbery plot hatched by a gang of supermodels (led by actual supermodel Gisele Bundchen).
Or something like that.
|
|
We're not really sure, as only Ann-Margaret in a supporting turn made us laugh; the rest of the movie just made us, well, carsick.
Pre-order "Taxi" today and save 30%. |
|
|
| Preview of Next Week's Releases - Street Date: February 1, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
In addition to "Ray," the Ray Charles biopic, next week brings Bernie Mac in the baseball comedy "Mr. 3000," Sarah Michelle Gellar in a remake of a popular Japanese horror film, "The Grudge," Reese Witherspoon in Mira Nair's interpretation of "Vanity Fair," Denise Richards and Daryl Hannah in a tale about the world's oldest profession, "The Life" and Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon in the romantic comedy "Shall We Dance?"
And watch for new seasons of a large number of TV shows to make their debut next week, including "Taxi," "Cheers," "Frasier," "Penn & Teller: Bull****," "I Love Lucy," and "Sealab 2021."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
© 2005 Stages and Pages. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy l Contact Us l Home
|
|
