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The DVD Dossier is the free newsletter published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less.
This is the archived issue for March 27, 2005.
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Published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less, the online source for DVD Discounts & Deals
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In This Issue
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March 27, 2005
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| Download Movies: Legal, Fast, Easy... |
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DVD release schedules are funny.
Some weeks we have an embarrassment of riches... more top quality DVDs than we have room to describe in this small space. Other weeks... not so many. This is one of those weeks, folks, which should explain some of our more, uh, interesting choices below.
For starters, though, it's clear that two films rise above all others this week.
"Closer," starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen, is a smart and sexy film that many critics - and The National Board of Review - called one of the five best films of last year.
A witty, romantic, and very dangerous love story about chance meetings, instant attractions, and casual betrayals, "Closer" is director Mike Nichols' look at four strangers with one thing in common: each other.
Adapted by Patrick Marber from his award winning stage play, "Closer" is subtle and cynical, raw and vulgar, irreverent and ironic and utterly engrossing. To say any more might spoil the twists and turns the screenplay takes as it brings out the worst in four not very likable characters.
But if you're looking for a movie that explores the ephemeral nature of love in the 21st century (sort of a ""Sex, Lies and the Internet"), and you're not bothered by the salty language, then "Closer" is definitely for you.
Based on a true story, "Vera Drake" tells of a woman in post-war 1950s England who is devoted to caring for her family, but secretly aids women who want to terminated unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities find her out, Vera's world and family life rapidly unravel.
Boasting a tour-de-force Oscar®-nominated performance by Imelda Staunton, "Vera Drake" is a memorable film which tackles a controversial topic especially well, thanks to Mike Leigh's gentle screenplay and direction. But don't take our word on this one; the film is on more than 100 "top ten" lists.
Another release we like this week is an older film, but quite a good one: "Apollo 13."
This is a 2-Disc 10th Anniversary Edition of the film about the fate of three courageous astronauts and the NASA Mission Control staff that worked tirelessly to save their lives.
Directed by Ron Howard, produced by Brian Grazer and starring Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise, the DVD includes an all-new digitally remastered picture and an all-new version of "Apollo 13" as seen in IMAX® theatres.
Also included are two never-before-seen bonus extras: "Lucky 13: The Astronaut's Story" which recounts the events of the mission and "Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond," a look back at the past 45 years in the history of the space program.
In "After the Sunset," Pierce Brosnan plays a master thief who, after an incredibly successful heist, moves to the Bahamas with his partner in crime, Salma Hayek. But the cat and mouse games begin anew when an FBI agent (Woody Harrelson) tracks him down, convinced he is going for an even bigger score.
This film is lovely to look at, with its tropical locations and appealing stars, and may be exactly the bit of mindless fluff you'll be needing, after you watch the considerably more taxing "Closer" and "Vera Drake."
The darker side of growing up is laid bare in "Origin of the Species," in which six twentysomethings - including Amanda Peet - get together for their annual reunion at an idyllic summer house in the Westchester suburbs of New York City.
"Orgazmo" is a wacky farce starring "South Park" creator Trey Parker as a Mormon missionary in Los Angeles who stumbles into the adult entertainment industry, The film, previously available on VHS, is out this week it what's being billed as an "Extended Unrated Edition."
And just exactly where have the adult film stars of yesteryear gone?
Swedish journalist Stefan Nylén was eager to find out and so he went in search of "Seka," the reigning goddess of 1970's blue films.
Seka, whose real name is Dorothea Patton, is alive and well and living in Chicago and her interview at the close of the 52 minute documentary "Desperately Seeking Seka" is - not surprisingly - the highlight of the film.
"The Girl Who Shagged Me" is a new Austin Powers parody starring softcore starlet Misty Mundae and a film which promises (according to the press materials) a "sexy, outrageous, pulse-pounding adventure."
"Adrenaline Cowboys: Eight Seconds to Glory" is a look at the extreme sport of professional bull riding, hosted by Bo Derek and featuring Mike Lee, Ty Murray, Adriano Moraes, Mike White and Tuff Hedeman.
And since we seem to have more offbeat titles this week than we know how to properly classify, we figure there's always room for one more. "Bellydance Performance Ensemble with Suhaila" is for anyone who enjoys the sultry and shimmering art of bellydance.
Suhaila Salimpour and her dance company perform 14 classic and modern dances from around the world, including a spectacular sword dance routine.
From the small screen this week comes the First Season of "Murder, She Wrote."
TV's highest-rated drama for nine consecutive seasons starred 12-time Emmy nominee Angela Lansbury as mystery writer-turned-super-sleuth Jessica Fletcher. This new boxed set includes 21 episodes from the show's debut season plus the pilot movie "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes."
Also out this week is Season Two of "The Twilight Zone" (The Definitive Collection), and two complete series...
The Lone Gunmen" features all 13 episodes from the short-lived spin-off series created by the team behind "The X-Files" and "Astro Boy" is a new state-of-the-art update of Tezuka Osamu's classic series starring the original anime superhero.
HBO releases two of their recent sports documentaries this week: "Nine Innings From Ground Zero" and "Reverse of the Curse of the Bambino."
The former shows how baseball played a significant role in the New York City's recovery efforts in the aftermath of 9/11 and the latter explores the "curse" that plagued the Boston Red Sox following the sale of Babe Ruth's contract to the New York Yankees in 1919.
The film features new footage from the devastating '03 pennant loss, the highlights of the historic '04 playoff victories and the BoSox World Series sweep.
That's your week in new releases, but we close today with yet another online DVD rental update. Two significant things happened this past week, one involving Blockbuster; the other, Netflix.
Blockbuster has announced that they have dropped their $991 million offer to acquire rival video-rental chain Hollywood Entertainment., most likely because they feared that the Federal Trade Commission would block the proposed acquisition on antitrust grounds.
This means, of course, that they can now devote their full attention to their price war with Netflix on the internet battle field.
In a development in that continuing saga, Netflix, which said a couple of months ago that they would not match Blockbuster's $11.99 price point, has begun testing new subscription prices.
The fact is that Netflix already offers an $11.99 "economy" plan, but it's for 2-at-a-time rentals, with a cap at four a month. The new lower-priced plans they're testing all provide unlimited rentals: 1 at a time for $9.99 or 2 at a time for $14.99.
Blockbuster continues to offer a 3-at-a-time plan for $14.99 monthly, but has fewer distribution centers, which means you may not get your discs as quickly. On the other hand, Blockbuster has started processing returns and sending out DVDs on Saturdays (Netflix doesn't) and will begin a test this Summer using their retail locations as satellite distribution centers.
We'll keep our ear to the ground and let you know when there are more developments. In the meantime, if you'd like to compare online DVD rental programs, we've put up a chart at DVD Direct 4 Less which does exactly that. You'll find it here.
And, as always, we'll be back next week with more DVD news and reviews.
Until then... all the best,
DVD Direct 4 Less
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| This Week's New DVD Releases - Street Date: March 27, 2005 |
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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.
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Fans of "The Sopranos," HBO's signature drama series, are a patient bunch. They have to be, because if they're waiting for new episodes of the show, they can "fuhgeddaboutit" until some time next year.
Frankly, they're used to it.
There was an eight month gap between Seasons One and Two and then almost a year went by before Season Three was cablecast. Fans had to wait a full 16 months for the Fourth Season and another 15 months after that for the debut of Season Five.
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The last new episode was shown on HBO in June of 2004 and Tony and the gang haven't been heard from since. (Perhaps they're all in the witness protection program).
Rumor has it that the Sixth and Final Season won't debut on HBO until the First Quarter of 2006. Until then, there are repeats on the various HBO channels and four seasons of DVD boxed sets, all of which rank among the top-selling DVDs of all time.
Normally, HBO likes to release full season DVD sets in conjunction with the premiere of a new season of the show on the premium network itself. And, in fact, the Fifth Season of "The Sopranos" was originally scheduled for release this December.
To appease fans, however, HBO Home Video has just announced a June 7th release date for the Season Five DVD. Expect a mob scene at your local video store.
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In the Fifth Season, we learn that Tony's separation with his wife hasn't been working out, his nephew's fiancé has become a distraction, his paroled cousin is giving off bad vibes, his business rival is looking for payback and his therapist isn't buying into the "other Tony."
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In addition to James Gandolfini as Tony and Edie Falco as Carmela, appearing in the 13 episodes of the Fifth Season are Drea De Matteo, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Steve Buscemi, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Jamie Lynn Discala and Steven Van Zandt.
De Matteo and Imperioli took home Emmy Awards for their supporting performances and this was also the season that "The Sopranos" finally dethroned "The West Wing" and won the award for "Outstanding Dramatic Series."
Special features on "The Sopranos" full season sets are notoriously lacking, except for promotional materials and season recaps already seen on HBO. |
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But this Fifth Season set does include commentaries with directors Steve Buscemi, Peter Bogdanovich, Mike Figgis and Rodrigo Garcia on selected episodes.
The Fifth Season will be available alone and is also included in a special megapack, which features all five seasons of the hit series.
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| Pre-order "The Sopranos: The Complete Fifth Season" now and whack 35% off the price. |
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One of last year's best-reviewed movies and this year's Academy Award winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, "Sideways," comes to DVD April 5th in widescreen and full screen editions.
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Director Alexander Payne has served up an intoxicating, intelligent film about the ups, downs and sideways journeys of life.
A wine-tasting road trip through California's famed Central Coast takes an unexpected detour for two middle-aged misfits (Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church) when each faces his own mid-life crisis.
The comically mismatched pair, who share little more than their history and a heady blend of failed potential and fading youth, soon find themselves drowning in wine and women (Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen). Emerging from a haze of pinot noir, wistful yearnings and trepidation about the future, the two inevitably collide with reality.
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The special features on this release are rather thin, which makes us wonder if there are plans for a Special Edition down the road. But that shouldn't stop you from grabbing a copy of "Sideways" now (along with your favorite bottle of Merlot) and enjoying the film, a rich and rewarding comedy about honesty, integrity and fidelity.
Pre-order "Sideways" now and save 35%. |
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| Powerful Political Thriller |
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The fact-based "Hotel Rwanda" arrives on DVD April 12th.
Oscar® nominee Don Cheadle is terrific in this deeply moving true story about a five-star-hotel manager who used his wits and words to save lives during the 1994 Rwandan conflict. Sophie Okonedo costars as the loving wife who challenges a good man to become a great man.
As his country descends into madness, Paul Rusesabagina (Cheadle) sets out to save his family. But when he sees that the world will not intervene in the massacre of minority Tutsis, he finds the courage to open his hotel to more than 1,200 refugees.
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With a rabid militia at the gates, he must use his well-honed grace, flattery and cunning to protect his guests from certain death.
Special features on this poignant and powerful political thriller include the original theatrical trailer, commentary by director Terry George and Paul Rusesabagina (with commentary on selected scenes by Don Cheadle) and two documentaries: "A Message for Peace: Making Hotel Rwanda" and "Return to Rwanda."
Preorder "Hotel Rwanda" today and save 30%.
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| Preview of Next Week's Releases - Street Date: April 5, 2005 |
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The DVD Dossier is a free weekly newsletter that contains objective information about new DVD releases that has been researched and written by the editors at DVD Direct 4 Less, as well as advertisements and promotional information provided by movie studios.
We send this newsletter only to those who request it. Each newsletter we send directly to you includes an "unsubscribe" link. (This is an online archived issue of The DVD Dossier which does not contain that link.)
At DVD Direct 4 Less, your privacy is always guaranteed. We promise that we will never sell, rent or trade our subscriber lists. You can view our complete privacy policy here.
Republishing the content of this newsletter - online or off-line - or posting the content contained herein on other websites without written permission is expressly forbidden.
HBO® and The Sopranos® are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Hotel Rwanda © 2004 Kigali Releasing Limited. All rights reserved. Academy Award(s)® and Oscar(s)® are the registered service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please let us know.
Savings percentages quoted apply to preorder purchases from amazon.com and were in effect at the time of publication; preorder savings may vary at other online merchants.
No DVDs were harmed in the making of this newsletter.
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