December Lambeth

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Take the Lead, Akeelah and the Bee, The Sentinel, Friends with Money, Her Majesty, Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Limited Edition (Theatrical & Extended versions), Desperate Housewives: The Complete Second Season – The Extra Juicy Edition, Arrested Development – Season Three & Nip/Tuck – The Complete Third Season

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Akeelah and the Bee –  Okay you’ve probably seen this film before.  A child prodigy learns of his/her gift, finds a teacher, and in training learns about him/her self and valuable life lessons.  Akeelah and the Bee isn’t the most original film, and it is more than a little contrived, yet it somehow overcomes these limitations and presents a truly enjoyable film for the whole family with some of the best ensemble child acting I’ve seen in some time.

How cool are spelling bees?  The film asks that question multiple times and the answer shifts from person to person over the course of the film including our title character.  Akeelah and the Bee actually makes the National Spelling Bee look pretty darn cool.  Now c’mon folks, that should pique your interest. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Akeelah and the Bee.

The Sentinel –  Nearly everything under director Clark Johnson’s (S.W.A.T.) belt is either a procedural cop show or t.v. action drama, and it shows with his latest film, The Sentinel.  This by the book thriller starts with a clever premise and then very quickly breaks what Alan & I call the ‘One Dumb Move Rule’, which trips whenever the simplest decision is overlooked for the sake of convoluting the plot.  Michael Douglas stars as an aging Secret Service man whose watched those he’s trained surpass him in the ranks, with Keifer Sutherland as his once-friend-now-pursurer who thinks Douglas is behind an assasination attempt on the president.  It’s difficult to get into the specifics of this one without giving away all the ‘twists’, but needless to say this film, while passable, runs more like an extended pilot than a cinematic experience. Get the rest of Aaron’s opinion on The Sentinel.

Friends with Money – Friends with money is…well it just is.  It’s got a wide range of good performances from talented actresses like Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand, John Cusack, and Jennifer Aniston.  Problem is there’s not really any story to tie these character together.  It’s just life.

I wish Jennifer Aniston would get a new agent.  She stars in some really horrendous films and yet finds nice supporting roles in films like She’s the One and Office Space.  Then last year she finally hit paydirt in starring in one of the better films of the year in Rumor Has It, but it seems things are back to normal with the regretable The Break-Up and Friends with Money as well providing yet more disappointment for fans of the girl we fell for as Rachel Green. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Friends With Money.

Her Majesty – “Her Majesty” is a quaint film that warms the heart and makes the audience think about humanity. Set in New Zealand in the year 1953; it’s amazing to see the similarities between life at that place and time and what it’s like here and now. Elizabeth Wakefield (Sally Andrews), lead character, is faced with becoming a young lady, all that comes with it and more. She is dealing with her brat brother, racism against the Maori people, small town thinking, puppy love and idealizing the queen. Elizabeth thought of the queen as teens today would think of Paris Hilton, she hung posters up on her walls and put on play coronations. She had a huge crush on her drill team instructor, even though he was too old for her, and had an older brother that taunted her everyday, he could have used a good swatting or two. Elizabeth, against her father’s wishes, became close friends with a Maori woman, Hira (Vicky Haughton). She got the opportunity to learn so much from Hira; about the true history of the town and how the Maoris people had owned the land. Town folk had chastised Hira and the kids would torment her by throwing stones at her windows and calling her a witch. Elizabeth didn’t care if she would get the same treatment, she believed in truth and equality for all. She was quite a mature little girl with a clear way of thinking.

The characters are so rich and full of life and conviction in “Her Majesty”, one can’t help but to laugh and cry along with them. A fictional story that has taken it’s knocks and still found a path to the big screen and now your homes. Mark J. Gordon, writer and director, worked very hard to get the Hollywood studio system interested, but finally found himself going to outside funding. “Her Majesty” was funded completely by private individuals, this reason alone gives the film great integrity. If someone believed enough to give up their hard earned dollar, then it’s got to be worth seeing.

Special Edition:

Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Limited Edition (Theatrical & Extended versions) – Just in case you wanted to stay completely immobile for an entire like 36 hours, the perfect gift for you would be Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Limited Edition with both Theatrical & Extended versions. You know what I always say, you can never get enough hobbit in your life.

Television:

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Second Season – The Extra Juicy Edition –  Here you have it more Desperate Housewives and now it’s even juicier. The return of the over pampered and over sexed women who portrays the most unrealistic image of a housewife. A popular hit with everyone who has ever watched it and – been there done that. Wisteria Lane, never to go with out and always on your toes. All 24 episodes on six discs and specials like meeting TV’s most iconic housewives like Shirley Jones (The Patridge Family) and Marion Ross (Happy Days), interview with creator and director and plenty of juicy parts with the housewives themselves and the men who sweat on the show.

Arrested Development – Season Three –  Jason Bateman, anybody remember him from way back when? He’s back and funnier than ever in season three of Arrested Development. Jason, with a family now, must over come and conquer everyday trials and tribulations with son, mother, father and older brother. Many actors like Ben Stiller, Justine Bateman (sis), Scott Baio and Charlize Theron accompanied the set and crew and added to the laughs. DVD set includes 13 episode on 2 discs with 19 deleted scenes and a few extended, plus a bit of commentary.

Nip/Tuck – The Complete Third Season – A weird little show, with plenty of twists and turns, of the scalpel. Sexy plastic surgeons do there thing and odd little crimes seem to appear here and there that must be solved. This season is no different than others, except it maybe a little more extreme than usual. Most of the storyline revolves around “The Carver” which is a serial rapist who mutilates his victims. Who is it and will he or she be stopped?

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Released this week: Poseidon, Silent Hill, Just My Luck and Veronica Mars – The Complete Second Season.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Poseidon –  On a perfect night at sea a rogue wave hits the unsuspecting luxury ocean liner capsizing it without warning (no change in wind, weather, or radar).  Well…there is a slight warning in the deck officer’s declaration, “Listen.  Do you feel that?” in the paraphrasing of the classic Ghostbusters line.  As the ship overturns and slowly (and I mean slooooowly) begins to sink the Captain (Andre Braugher) tries to keep those passengers in lounge together to wait it out until they are rescued.  Well, where’s the fun in that?

A group led by former firefighter and politician Robert Ramsey (Kurt Russell dusting off his role from Backdraft) and the MacGyver-ish poker shark Dylan Johns (Josh Lucas) decide to go and find Ramsey’s cute, spunky, and irascible daughter (Emmy Rossum who already survived The Day After Tomorrow so what’s a little water compared to that?) and her meat-head fiance (Mike Vogel) and try to make it to the surface.

Also tagging along are a stowaway (Mia Maestro), a mother (Jacinda Barrett) and her young son (Jimmy Bennett), an asshole (Kevin Dillon doing a dead-on impersonation of his brother’s role in There’s Something About Mary for reasons that are never entirely clear), and an elderly gay architect (Richard Dreyfuss, who has survived aliens, giant sharks, gunmen, and Another Stakeout and this is his reward?).  Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Poseidon. The DVD includes a lot of great extra goodies like a documentary on Rogue Waves made for The History Channel, film school intern’s experience “A Shipmate’s Diary”, a featurette on set design and a documentary on making an adventure movie.

Silent Hill –  If Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie had a love child, it would be the evil little bitch in Silent Hill. This is one creepy weird film and don’t even try to make sense of it. A mom decides to take her adopted child back to her evil wicked home town, after multiple nightmares and a few close calls with heights, where she gets kidnapped by a witch hating cult who tries to burn her at the stake. Lots of CGI, blood and really weird moments that doesn’t add up to much of anything, but if you are into a brain dead blood fest, Silent Hill is the film for you. Extras include Six Silent Hill Production Diaries from origins of the film to casting.

Just My Luck – A teen romantic comedy about a switch of fait. Lindsay Lohen plays a character who lives a charmed life, but all of that changes with just one kiss with the wrong guy. Don’t worry a happy ending pursues and all ends well that begins well. The DVD only has 2 extras, deleted/extended scenes and a featurette on the band McFly.

Television:

Veronica Mars – The Complete Second Season –  Season 2 is 22 episodes jammed full of Veronica solving mysteries, murders and other crimes. A high school student by day and a private eye by night, she goes through trials and tribulations in this addictive TV show and it’s just as powerful and dramatic as the first season.

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Released this week: Scary Movie 4, RV, Hoot, Apocalypse Now (2 Disc Special Collector’s Edition) and Rome: The Complete First Season.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Scary Movie 4 –  This year’s edition plays on the same Airplane style type of comedy (enhanced with the addition of Leslie Neilsen in a supporting role) with the body fluid and homosexuality jokes scaled back though we do get the obligatory Brokeback Mountain parody.  The star of this series remains the set designer for the level of detail recaptured in the different spoofs; I just wish the acting and writing was as consistent.  Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on Scary Movie 4. Don’t miss out on extras like Commentary by the filmmakers, 15 deleted and extended scenes, bloopers and many featurette.

RV –  Disconnected from his family and in trouble at work Bob Munro (Robin Williams) decides to gather his family, his teenage daughter Cassie (JoJo) and son Carl (Josh Hutcherson) and wife Jamie (Cheryl Hines), together and take an family vacation to Colorado (while secretly working on his proposal).  Since his family was set on a trip to Hawaii they aren’t too happy with the change in plans.

Of course in this kind of trip all kinds of bad luck befalls Bob including being stuck on the front of the RV as it tumbles out of control, the explosion of the waste management system, attack of a pack of rabid raccoons, and a extra-cheery RV family (Jeff Daniels, Kristin Chenoweth, Hunter Parrish, Alex Ferris, and Chloe Sonnenfeld) who even sing and yodel and I’m pretty sure you have to shoot and bury in the desert in unmarked graves to get rid of. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on RV.

Be sure to enjoy the director’s commentary, gag reel, alternate scenes and a few featurette on this DVD.

Hoot – Carl Hiaasen’s award winning young adult novel is adapted for the big screen, and now your TV. Director Wil Shriner does his best, but doesn’t pull off much from his adult actors, luckily his young talents pulls out all the stops. Hoot has a few funny moments and some save the animals, owls specifically, moral notes. Kids will love it, but adults will be quite bored.

Special Edition:

Apocalypse Now (2 Disc Special Collector’s Edition) – Seriously, you’re not going to make me explain Apocalypse Now to you? If you don’t know what this film it about, then you are not alive. However, I will let you know what the 2 Disc Collector’s Edition includes. Just in case 2 1/2 hours wasn’t enough for you, now they have added a whole extra 50 minutes. They didn’t just add scenes, but expanded and re-edited scenes that charged the atmosphere of this gloomy time in history. “What else?”, you ask. Not only do you get the extended longer version, but both the 1979 and 2001 versions, never before seen segments, Marlon Brando’s, in full, reading of T.S. Elliot’s poem “The Hollow Men” and so much more. If your a fan, then this collector’s edition is certainly for you and if you only appreciate the film then get it for the man in your life, or woman, who loves it.

Rome: The Complete First Season – HBO ventures out to epic proportions; Rome starts with a bang, slows a bit in the center and ends with an explosion. Shot on location in Rome and on one of the most genuine replicated sets and costumes made with nothing but the real articles found in those days, Rome is one of the most expensive productions in HBO history. The story of Julius Caesar unravels with intriguing characters and great talent from Ciaran Hinds, Kevin McKIdd, Ray Stevenson, James Purefoy and many others. HBO hit another one out of the park, let’s see if they hold onto to it. If a complaint would be made about this series it would be not enough battle, a war would start and end within a 5 minute period leaving the audience wanting to see more. The disc includes 12 episodes on 6 discs; commentary on multiple episodes with different actors and director, a closer look at “The Rise of Rome” fight scene and an extravagant behind the scenes look at set design and costuming. Wait for it, there is more; actor’s boot camp, a featurette on the culture of ancient Rome, photo gallery and an eight-page character guide. Here’s a DVD set with a party included in it.

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Released this week: V for Vendetta, The Shaggy Dog, What the “Bleep” Do We Know, Inu Yasha Fire on the Mystic, Dallas Season 5 and Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 5.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

V for Vendetta – Here’s what I learned from V for Vendetta: 1. I never, ever, want anyone to try and make The Watchmen into a film, 2. Even when you gut a great graphic novel of some of its best material it can still come out well on screen, and 3. I have an even deeper appreciation for Sin City.  The Wachowksi adaption (Moore pulled his own name off the project) isn’t the graphic novel but it does have something worth watching.  I would have preferred a more faithful adaption to this remodeled version but what we do get is still quite good; sadly though the source material demands it to be great.  My immediate reaction to the film mostly positive yet conflicted and wistful of what could have been. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on V for Vendetta.

The Shaggy Dog – The tagline for this film is “Raise the Woof.” If you think that’s incredibly clever and hysterically funny than this film is for you.  If however your age includes more than one digit and you don’t suffer from some kind of mental deficiency you may want to pass on this dog.  And this movie is a dog.  One very stupid dog.  Of course being neither mentally challenged nor a child the film isn’t geared towards me and I do believe young children will enjoy the obvious jokes of Tim Allen running around and acting like a dog for almost 100 minutes.  Me, not so much. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on The Shaggy Dog.

What the “Bleep” Do We Know?! – Down the Rabbit Hole Quantum Edition – Part philosophy, part special effects, and enough to blow your mind as this film looks at a world where quantum uncertainty is demonstrated.  Everything is alive, and thought can change any apect of reality.
Animation:

Inu Yasha The Movie 4 – Fire on the Mystic Island – Wacky anime film about demons, Gods, and four children who take them on.  Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

TV:

Dallas – The Complete Fifth Season – All 26 episodes of the Ewings and their soap-operatic lifestyles.

Curb Your Enthusiasm – The Complete Fifth Season – Larry David and Co. come together for another 10 episodes of off kilter fun and laughs.

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Released this week: Final Destination 3, Ask the Dust, The Benchwarmers, The Boondocks, Pinky and The Brain: Volume 1, Rawhide: The Complete First Season and Jag: The Complete First Season.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

Final Destination 3 – Third time isn’t always a charm! Final Destination 3 is close to if not the same as 1 and 2, more dead teenagers, more campy and more bad actors. Death is an unseen force that wants his/her prey, and if chipped, will do anything to get the body count. Death by tanning bed, training bench, an engine and a nail gun, (wow, how original are those deaths?) Wait for it; yes there is a surprise ending and you get to pick your own fate. The DVD comes with a “Choose Your Fate!” version with alternate scenes and ways to die. The DVD also includes a documentary, featurette, original animated short and a look at how they made the roller coaster that started out this thrill ride. Seems to me, that there is more to the extras than the film itself. Enjoy!

Ask the Dust – Is this possible, a film with Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek I have not seen? Two of the sexiest people in Hollywood on screen together, it can’t be all that bad to look at. Robert Towne adapted John Fante’s novel about the depression era. Colin plays a writer out to mask his Italian immigrant identity and Salma is the sassy hot barmaid looking for Mr. Rich American to get out of her own world. The sexy steamy relationship the main characters fall into and the cinematic beauty of the piece will keep you fairly interested, the story isn’t all that bad either. The only extras on the DVD are a featurette, “The Making of Ask the Dust”.

The Benchwarmers – If I say Rob Schneider, David Spade and Jon Heder, do I need to say much more? Adam Sandler created this somewhat comical romp about a 3-man baseball team created to pick on little leaguers. Rob, David and Jon play 3 immature men who never recovered from being picked on in school and in return decide to give it right back to a younger generation. The DVD does have quite a few extras like deleted scenes, commentary by actors David Spade and Jon Heder, behind the scenes with Reggie Jackson, a “Nerds Vs. Bullies” featurette, cast and crew discussions on baseball and Howie’s greatest moments. Here’s a DVD you want to rent just for the extras, the film is slightly comical and light hearted if you are looking for a simply dumb evening.

Animation:

The Boondocks – It’s an uncut and uncensored cartoon, awesome. Produced for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, based on Aaron McGruder’s politically charged comic strip. 2 young brothers give us their view of social and racial issues, never beating around the bush and always satirical. They move from Southside to the suburbs with their crazy grandpa, giving the boys plenty to talk about and experience. The DVD features 15 episodes and some unaired TV promos with commentary.

Pinky And The Brain: Volume 1 – If only a couple of laboratory mice could dominate the world, we might be in a better spot than we are now. Pinky And The Brain is a spin-off from Anamaniacs that started back in 1996. A genius large headed rodent and his crazy insane companion plan world domination every night only to fail and start over the next. From creator and executive producer Steven Spielberg, finally one of the funniest cartoons released on DVD. 22 episodes in all and a featurette.

TV:

Rawhide: The Complete First Season – The only time I’ve ever seen Clint Eastwood looking like a young man, I just assumed he was born wrinkled and hard as nails. Rawhide was Eastwood’s ticket to stardom and his start in the Western film business. There isn’t much to be said about Rawhide, it’s a classic cattle drive western with bad guys, good guys, fistfights and moocows.

JAG: The Complete First Season – Did you know JAG was on for 10 seasons? Neither did I. J.A.G. stands for Judge Advocate General and that is who Lieutenant Commander Harmon ‘Harm’ Rabb Jr. (David James) is. After being grounded from a flying accident in the Navy, Harm and is new team of prosecutors and defenders go on to handle various military cases and solve the mysteries assigned to them. The DVD offers up 21 episodes on 6 discs and 3 featurettes.