How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes and David Mumpower
October 27, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
For people who wouldn't consider themselves completely sold on the BSG spinoff, Caprica: Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
The Cylons were created by man. They rebelled. They evolved. They look and feel human. Some are programmed to think they are human. There are many copies. And they have a plan.
From the beginning of Battlestar Galactica's return to television in 2004, this was the crawl that aired prior to each episode. It was the creative team's way of promising the audience that if they invested in the show, there would be a payoff in the end, an explanation of everything that came to pass. Over the course of the series' 75 episode run, there were any number of revelations that explained much of the back story. By the time No Exit, the 70th episode, had finished, few questions remained for the viewer. At least, that was the outward perception. Members of the cast were already promising that a tele-movie had been planned that would force reconsideration of that evaluation. This week, that title is released on DVD.
What is The Plan? It is intended to be the corollary to the television series. Most of what we saw was shown from the point of view of humans or at least Cylons who thought they were human. On only a few occasions were self-aware Cylons driving the action. The movie rearranges that formula, focusing on the chain of events we have already experienced but from the perspective of a pair of Cylons. The One and Six models drive the story here, with Dean Stockwell and Tricia Helfer's characters demonstrating once and for all whether they were evil or unfairly maligned. In the case of Stockwell's Ones, the answer is probably the former. Helfer's Sixes are a tougher read with their behavior oftentimes inscrutable. One of the big selling points of The Plan is that the actions of a Six named Shelly Godfrey will finally be explained. Since the seventh episode of the series, the one where she (semi) falsely accused Baltar of betraying his race, viewers awaited her reappearance. It is one of the few unresolved storylines from the entirety of Battlestar Galactica and a key aspect of the movie.
So pleased is Edward James Olmos with The Plan that he has promised fans of the series that they will want to watch the entire 75 episode run again after watching the movie. That news alone is reason enough to justify this purchase. Then again, any self-respecting BSG fan should have locked in on this already. It's the last new footage we will get from arguably the greatest television triumph of our era. Sure, Caprica is coming but it's Frasier following on the heels of Cheers, earlier timeframe notwithstanding. The Plan is it for Battlestar Galactica fans. Savor it, folks.
Disc includes: From Admiral to Director: Edward James Olmos and The Plan featurette, The Cyclons of The Plan featurette, The Cylon Attack featurette, Visual Effects: The Magic Behind The Plan featurette, audio commentary, deleted scenes
For people in dire need of a dinosaur fix after Jurassic Park IV entered development hell: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
At $882,130,685, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs' worldwide box office ranks #15 on the all-time chart, conquering the likes of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and even Finding Nemo. Surprised? I am, chiefly because the title only made $196 million and change at the U.S. box office. (Not to mention mixed reviews from critics and holding the dubious honor of never finishing a domestic weekend at #1, despite scoring more than $41 million in its first frame. It has Transformers 2 to thank). To the surprise of no one – literally, it's been scientifically proven – Fox already has another two Ice Age installments on the ready. Let's start taking bets now on where the next Scrat teasers will take us.
As the title suggests, the series this time around has the added benefit of intimidating dinosaurs. They enter the mix after a female Tyrannosaurus rex kidnaps Sid, voiced by John Leguizamo, for stealing her eggs. As would be expected of friends – even if in this case we're talking about Ray Romano and Denis Leary – Sid's furry companions make their best attempt at an animal rescue mission.
Disc includes: Ice Age Story Maker featurette, audio commentary, Evolution Expedition featurette, Buck... Easel to Weasel featurette, Falling for Scratte featurette, Unearthing the Lost World featurette, deleted scenes, "Walk the Dinosaur" music video, two film shorts, Gone Nutty: Scrat's Missing Adventure featurette, No Time for Nuts featurette, Breaking Story featurette, News Report featurette, five Fox Movie Channel featurettes, digital copy
For people who don't trust Russians (even after the Cold War ended): Orphan (Special Edition)
There were so many horror/thriller movies released this year that I won't think less of you if you happen to confuse a couple of ‘em. (Quick: Name three key differences between The Uninvited and The Unborn... GO!). However, if there's one flick in a league of its own, it's Orphan, which, among other things, had one of the strangest plot twists known to man. After Gawker exposed the secret to me in a hilarious WTF?! column, I decided it'd be in my best interest to skip Orphan entirely. So I did.
Orphan stars Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard as a strained couple who believe their relationship could be improved by introducing a third child into the family. The child arrives in the form of a nine-year-old Russian girl named Esther, who Farmiga and Sarsgaard adopt from an orphanage. Yet like every other horror movie that follows the-mysterious-children-from-the-orphanage template, Esther isn't who she seems. Instead of dabbling in things that other girls her age are into, Esther's hobbies include making menacing faces at strangers and, well, killing people.
Disc includes: Deleted scenes, alternative ending, Mama's Little Devils: Bad Seeds and Evil Children featurette
For people who agree that How to Spend $20 doesn't feel complete without an update from the Scary Movie dudes: Stan Helsing
Just when you think the waters have calmed on the whole Scary Movie business, a title like Stan Helsing gets released direct-to-DVD. (It and the original Scary Movie share a common executive producer). The movie, which spoofs famous horror icons like Michael Myers, Leatherface and Pinhead, is so under-the-radar that even Scary Movie fanboys haven't set up a Wikipedia page of any kind for it yet. (And I'm OK with that).
Though Stan Helsing is stuffed to the gills with people you haven't heard of, it does have Kenan Thompson (of SNL fame) and, surprisingly – maybe? – Leslie Nielsen. That dude has stuck his nose in practically any spoof movie lately – including Superhero Movie and An American Carol, not to mention a pair of Scary Movies – that the bigger story is when his name isn't listed in the credits.
Disc includes: Audio commentary, Killer Parody: The Making of Stan Helsing featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes, galleries
October 27, 2009
Blu-ray
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Beast Stalker
Expedition: Africa
Fall Out Boy: Live In Phoenix
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
If You Are The One
Il Divo
Jack Johnson: En Concert
Living Dead At Manchester Morgue
Look for a Star
Lovecraft
Monty Python: Almost The Truth
Night Of The Creeps (Director's Cut)
Nothing Like the Holidays (Special Edition)
Orphan (Special Edition)
Prisoner
Rihanna: Good Girl Gone Bad Live
Stan Helsing
Stargate (15th Anniversary Edition)
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Whatever Works
DVD
Adult Swim in a Box (Boxed Set)
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Diana Krall: Live in Rio (Special Edition)
The Diary of Anne Frank (Special Edition)
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (New Packaging)
The Guardian: The First Season
Hitman Hart: Wrestling Shadows (10th Anniversary Edition)
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
If You Are The One
Il Divo
Mannix: Seasons 1-3 (Set)
Mannix: The Third Season
Monty Python: Almost The Truth
Monty Python: Best of / 40th Anniversary (Set)
Night Of The Creeps (Director's Cut)
Nothing Like the Holidays (Special Edition)
Orphan (Special Edition)
Patton 360: The Complete Season One
Rihanna: Good Girl Gone Bad Live
Rise of Monty Python: Highly Unlikely
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Volume 2
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Volume 2
Stan Helsing
Stargate (15th Anniversary Edition)
Taylor Swift: Fearless (Platinum Edition)
Transformers: Matrix of Leadership (25th Anniversary Edition)
U2: Unforgettable
Whatever Works
X-Cross (Special Edition)