How to Spend $20
By Les Winan
July 7, 2005
Taking a look ahead at the week's DVD releases is always dicey for your wallet. Nearly every week, there's a disc that would fit nicely into any size collection. When it comes time to decide what to buy, there are really two determining factors: how much you love the content and the quality of the extra features on the disc. The massive unreleased studio (film and television) back-catalogue means that every week there's likely something for you.
It's never a good sign for the week when the marquee release seems to be Hide and Seek, starring Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning. Let's just say that one of De Niro's "I need another house" movies should never be the marquee anything. As we saw last week, we are in the dregs of summer, when studios don't want to stampede over their own theatrical releases with big DVD releases. Given the beating that Hollywood is taking in theatrical grosses these days and the polling numbers indicating that vast numbers of people prefer to watch movies at home (and why wouldn't you, given how many people think they can act like the theater is their living room), how long before there's regular coordination by studios to undermine other studios theatrical releases?
DreamWorks already tried it by releasing Shrek 2 the same day that The Incredibles was being released in theaters. There are no public numbers to suggest that strategy was successful, but you have to think that it had some success. Wouldn't you rather see a good movie in your own home for the price of the DVD than a crappy movie in the theater for the same (or higher) price of movie tickets and popcorn? Don't get me wrong, there is no better way to see a movie than in the theater (if I could afford it, I'd have my own full size theater in my house), but there are many times I've avoided a crappy movie to watch something I know I like in the comfort of my own home.
For mining familiar stories in unfamiliar ways: Bride and Prejudice (2004)
When you've seen every film version of Pride & Prejudice, both Bridget Jones movies, and every other film featuring some version of the character Mark Darcy, there's really only one more place to turn for an extension of Jane Austen's classic: swapping ethnic backgrounds (in this case, as a Bollywood musical). I really think the best thing to happen to this recent spate of remakes would be to change the ethnic/racial background of the main characters. Like, say, The Honeymooners with Cedric the Entertainer as Ralph Kramden. That would be a classic! Included on the disc is an audio commentary track with director/cowriter Gurinder Chadha and cowriter Paul Mayeda Berges, deleted scenes, interviews, a featurette, and other minor features.
For being smart enough to wait until the movie comes out: Fantastic Four: The Complete Animated Series (4-DVD Set) (1994)
While diehard fans of the Fantastic Four will buy this set because they love the characters, the general public should not bother, particularly with the long-awaited film adaptation hitting theaters at the end of the week. One non-comic book group of diehard fans who might be picking this set up are Beverly Hills 90210 groupies. With the lack of complete seasons of the classic teen drama, this is one of the few places that Brian Austin (David Silver) Green's voice is available in digital format (unless his pop albums are miraculously still in print. No doubt voicing Johnny "The Human Torch" Storm, Green is the only recognizable voice cast member, but no reason to buy the DVD set. The set does include all 26 episodes from the original series, plus a feature dubbed "Stan Lee's Soapbox", which no doubt is a recounting of The Man's casting in bit parts in movies based on his (and Steve Ditko, et.al.) Marvel Comics creations. Each episode also boasts an introduction by Lee, who as we saw in Mallrats, is a comedic genius.
For fans of Jaws 4: Hide and Seek (Widescreen) (2005)
Say what you will about Russell Crowe's phone throwing antics, but for one of the more respected actors working, you don't see him take easy-money roles in crappy movies. Maybe Robert De Niro (and to some degree, Al Pacino) are at different points in their distinguished careers than Crowe, or maybe they just like money, but clearly, someone needs to get them away from Halle Berry's agent. Hide and Seek, a throwaway De Niro film also starring creepy little Dakota Fanning, isn't worth the time you spend renting it, much less ruminating on the goofy choices De Niro makes. Like most crappy movies these days, you are in luck when it comes to DVD extras. Included on the disc are an audio commentary with director John Polson, screenwriter Ari Schlossberg, and editor Jeffrey Ford (John Polson can find time to do an audio commentary for Hide and Seek but Spielberg can't for Schindler's List?); deleted and extended scenes; storyboards and a featurette. It's an overly high quality set for such a pedestrian movie.
For loving TiVo and summer television: Rescue Me: The Complete First Season (3-DVD Set) (2004)
Now, I realize that this was released a few weeks ago, but given the dearth of worthwhile choices this week, there's no shame in picking something I just discovered as the DVD Pick of the Week. With great thanks to my erstwhile TiVo for helping me discover the last episode of season one just in time for the start of the second season, I am now a devotee of Denis Leary's fantastic show about the New York Fire Department. So much so that I went out yesterday and picked up the first season to make sure that I was completely up to speed on the show.
Rescue Me follows Tommy Gavin (Leary) as he deals with the end of his marriage, alcoholism, the death of his cousin (a fellow fire fighter) on September 11th, and life in and around his firehouse. Working with a terrific group of supporting actors (each of whom has absorbing storylines of their own), Leary anchors the show with a convincing and authentic portrayal of a world weary fire fighter. At a minimum, Leary deserves serious award consideration for the role. Written by Leary and co-creator Peter Tolan, Rescue Me is fantastically written, equal parts funny, sardonic, and heartfelt.
If you are smart enough to go out and pick up the DVD Pick of the Week, you'll enjoy an audio commentary on the first and last episodes of the season with Leary and Tolan; a blooper reel; deleted scenes; and four featurettes. Don't miss Rescue Me.
July 5, 2005
30 Miles (2004)
5 Children and It (2004)
Alien 3000 (2004)
Born to Kill (1947)
Bride and Prejudice (2004)
Centipede (2004)
Clash by Night (1952)
Crossfire (1947)
Dear Frankie (2004)
Dillinger (1945)
Fantastic Four: The Complete Animated Series (4-DVD Set) (1994)
Forever Lulu (1987)
Georgy Girl (1966)
Hexed (1993)
Hide and Seek (Full Frame) (2005)
Hide and Seek (Widescreen) (2005)
In My Country (2005)
Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)
Monk: Season Three (2004)
Nadine (1987)
The Narrow Margin (1952)
National Lampoon's Going the Distance (2004)
Point Blank (1967)
Premonition (2004)
Prozac Nation (2003)
Shogun's Shadow (1989)
Signs of Life (1968)
Stairway to the Distant Past (1995)
Strange Bedfellows (2004)
The Trap (1996)
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