How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
July 27, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
For people who like fighting in trees: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]
Ang Lee’s landmark 2000 film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, finally receives the Blu-ray treatment today with a release in the high-def format. The movie, which went on to gross more than 12 times its $17 million budget worldwide, was liked by just about everyone who saw it. It garnered 10 Oscar nominations and 14 British Academy Film Award nods, and would win four prizes each at the respective ceremonies.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is sometimes likened to The Matrix. And with good reason. Both the sci-fi trilogy and Crouching Tiger were choreographed by martial arts extraordinaire Yuen Woo-ping. Other movies by Yuen include Kill Bill (volumes one and two) and The Forbidden Kingdom. So he’s, you know, kind of a big deal.
Set in 19th-century China, Crouching Tiger is about two master warriors (Cow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) who stress hardcore when their mystical Green Destiny sword is stolen. Meanwhile, a young aristocrat (not of the Penn Jillette variety) preparing for an arranged marriage reveals she may very well possess the fighting talents to retrieve the mission weaponry.
Disc includes: Audio commentary; A Conversation with Michele Yeoh featurette; Unleashing the Dragon: The Making of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
For people who see in the irony in Jude Law literally stealing peoples’ hearts from their bodies: Repo Men
Set in 2025 - a time when dudes rip into other persons’ bodies and when Tom Cruise is still, probably, a societal outcast - Repo Men stars Jude Law and Forest Whitaker as repossession men of a bizarre ilk. Instead of homes or cars, the men repossess top-dollar organs when their recipients fall behind on their precious payments. The shit hits the fan, however, when Jude’s character has an on-the-job accident that forces him to have a top-of-the-line heart replacement. Playing the hungry hungry hippo that he is, Forest stops at nothing to get Jude to cough up money for the heart.
Repo Men had an interesting trailer but impish marketing campaign. Coupled with pretty awful reviews (23% positive at Rotten Tomatoes), the sci-fi thriller limped to a $17 million finish. Budgeted at $32 million, the movie will have to rely on boffo numbers on the home media market to make Universal happy.
Disc includes: Deleted scenes, The Union Commercials, Inside the Visual Effects featurette, audio commentary
For people who think Sam Worthington must have one hell of an agent: Clash of the Titans
Thanks to the proliferation of the 3-D market (and more importantly, Avatar), Clash of the Titans underwent a major – and speedy! – three-dimensional facelift way late in the game to ensure that theatergoers spent $15 on a poorly reviewed movie instead of something like $9. Critical opinion of the movie seemed to be mostly harsh on its muddled special effects and frantic action – no doubt a consequence of that post-production pizzazz.
Even though Clash opened to $61 million in its debut weekend, I can’t help but wonder what its total domestic gross multiplier would have been had the movie’s 3-D not been rushed. (Of course, had Clash been released as a standard 2-D action movie, it probably would not have grossed $61 million. So the point may be moot).
Having earned $491 million worldwide (against a $125 million budget), Clash of the Titans is rumored to have not one sequel, but two. The first is tentatively scheduled for a spring 2012 release.
Disc includes: Sam Worthington: An Action Hero for the Ages featurette, alternate ending, deleted scenes
For people who think it’s impossible for Sylvester Stallone to go a whole movie without taking off his shirt: Rambo: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]
I don’t know if you’re going to find this offensive or not, but I’ve yet to see a Rambo movie. Chalk it up to the fact that I don’t get the franchise appeal – or, really, Sylvester Stallone’s appeal for that matter. Even so, a box set of all four movies in the series is available today on Blu-ray.
A fifth Rambo movie may or may not be happening. Sly was all gung ho about writing and directing another one, but then told Empire magazine in May that he’s about 99% sure that he doesn’t want to do it. Tentatively called Rambo: The Savage Hunt, the franchise’s fifth entry could still find light, even if it’s without Stallone.
Disc includes: It’s a Long Road: Resurrection of an Icon featurette, A Score to Settle: Music of Rambo featurette, A Hero’s Welcome: Release and Reaction featurette, Legacy of Despair: The Real Struggle in Burma featurette, The Art of War: Completing Rambo featurette, The Weaponry of Rambo featurette, Drawing First Blood featurette, We Get to Win This Time featurette, Afghanistan: Land in Crisis featurette, audio commentary, deleted scenes
July 27, 2010
Blu-ray
Accidents Happen
Batman: Under the Red Hood (Special Edition)
Battlestar Galactica: Season Three
Beyond The Darkness: Buio Omega Combo
Burnt House
Clash of the Titans
Crimson Mask
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Don't Look Up
Fanboys
G.I. Joe: The Movie (Special Edition)
Ip Man (Collector's Edition)
Johnny Handsome
Life After People: Season 2
Lock Up
The Missing Lynx
Operation: Endgame
The Prowler
Puppet Master (Remastered)
Puppet Master: Axis of Evil
Rambo (Extended Cut)
Rambo: The Complete Collection
Repo Men (Unrated)
The Secret of the Grain (Criterion Collection)
SG-U Stargate Universe: 1.5
Stephen Fry in America
Victor Victoria: Original Broadway Cast Production
WWE: Royal Rumble 2010
DVD
21 Jump Street: The Complete Series (Set)
21 Jump Street: The Complete Third Season
Accidents Happen
Batman: Under the Red Hood (Special Edition)
Battlestar Galactica: Season Three
Black Arrow: The Complete Series
Clash of the Titans
Don't Look Up
Fanboys
Fart: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie (Special Edition)
Hunter: The Complete Series
Ip Man (Collector's Edition)
Jesse Stone: No Remorse (Widescreen)
Kansas City Royals: 1985 World Series (Collector's Edition)
Life After People: Season 2
Neighbor (Director's Cut)
Operation: Endgame
Paranormal State: The Complete Season Two
Puppet Master (Remastered)
Puppet Master: Axis of Evil
Rambo (Extended Cut)
Rambo: The Complete Collection (Set)
Repo Men (Unrated)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch: The Complete Series (Set)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch: The Final Season
The Secret of the Grain (Criterion Collection)
SG-U Stargate Universe: 1.5
Sgt. Bilko, Phil Silvers Show: The First Season
Stephen Fry in America