How To Spend $20
By Les Winan
July 12, 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.
For people who regularly hate themselves: The Nanny: The Complete First Season
When that whiney moron Fran Drescher's show first hit television, I, like many, was horrified. Clearly, the woman knows the benefit of the casting couch. Quite honestly one of the most annoying people to ever be broadcast out to the entire nation, Drescher made a career out of literally whining as much as possible. The worst thing about This Is Spinal Tap, Drescher is a poisonous presence literally any time she appears on screen. Yes, Drescher is one of the most execrable actresses in the recent history of Hollywood. Don't buy this DVD. This DVD features a number of audio commentary tracks by Drescher and a special with the cast on the first season. Seriously, just mail me your money. I'll spend it on something good.
For people who missed instant classics in the theaters: Producing Adults (2004)
Boasting quite possibly the greatest cast in cinema history (the supporting cast includes De Niro, Pacino, Cruise, Pitt, Foster, Streep, Spacey, Roberts, Norton, Newman, Redford, Kidman) and starring Russell Crowe and Kate Winslet and directed by Terence Malick and Steven Spielberg, Producing Adults is, quite simply, a modern classic. With Crowe, Winslet, Cruise and Kidman winning Academy Awards and the film itself winning the most Academy Awards in history, the DVD actually lives up to the glory of the film. Malick and Spielberg, breaking from their own reclusive DVD tendencies, offer a ground-breaking audio commentary, with Crowe and Winslet also recording a commentary track together and with the rest of the cast. The four disc set includes 37 deleted scenes, including four alternate endings. Also on the discs are eight featurettes, interviews with the cast, and storyboards and animatics. It's an amazing set. Of course, the movie exists, but I made up the information about cast, awards and DVD extras because it's maybe the worst DVD week in history.
For anyone who has longed for Audrey Tautou to come and search for them: A Very Long Engagement (2004)
The story of a woman searching for her fiancée, lost in the trenches of Wrold War One stars Audrey Tautou and is directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the star and director of Amelie. Tautou, one of the more engaging and enchanting actresses on the planet (call her the anti-Fran), seems to be incapable of being unattractive, no matter how dirty or run down her character is. Included on the disc is an audio commentary with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet; deleted scenes; a featurette and two documentaries.
For remembering that Morgan Freeman is probably the MVP of every movie he's in: Million Dollar Baby (Deluxe Edition) (2004)
We end this crappy week with a movie that I never saw but will admit to having been disappointed when it won Best Picture. I still prefer The Aviator or, even better Sideways as the Best Picture of 2004, but you can't deny that voters preferred Million Dollar Baby. Given the Academy Awards presented to star Hilary Swank, director Clint Eastwood, and co-star Morgan Freeman, two things are clear: that people really love to see Hilary Swank get the crap kicked out of her and the most memorable thing about last year's Oscar ceremony given the obviousness of the winners in 2004 was how much my digestive system rebelled after I ate too much Irish beef stew.
I'm sure I'll eventually see Million Dollar Baby, but until then, I will treat it with the disdain this week deserves. Even the DVD Pick of this very crappy week has very crappy extra features. When the most interesting feature is dubbed "James Lipton Takes on Three" and is only a 25-minute roundtable with Eastwood, Swank and Freeman, you know the studio is wasting your time. Clearly, at some point, there's a far more involved Extra Deluxe Edition coming. It would be a real shame if there was no way to get more interesting extra features out of three Academy Award winners. An audio commentary with Eastwood alone would be worth the price of the DVD. Add in Freeman and Swank and you have, literally, an acting clinic. Also included on the DVD are several featurettes and a soundtrack CD, with music by Eastwood and others.
July 12, 2005
Boys & Girl from County Clare (2003)
Confessions of an American Bride (2005)
Critical Assignment (2004)
Cry-Baby (Director's Cut) (1990)
Divine Intervention (2003)
Dracula III: Legacy (2005)
Evil Dead Trap 2 (1991)
Freaked (1994)
Ichi-1 (2003)
Illegally Yours (1987)
It Started in Naples (1960)
Joint Security Area (2000)
Killing Words (2003)
Le Notti Bianche (a.k.a. White Nights) (Criterion Edition) (1957)
Love at First Bite (1979)
The Magic Sword (1962)
Manna From Heaven (2002)
Max Dugan Returns (1983)
Million Dollar Baby (Deluxe Edition) (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (Full Frame) (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (Widescreen) (2004)
Mind the Gap (2004)
Mondovino (2004)
Moving Violations (1985)
Night Moves (1975)
Paper Chasers (2003)
Producing Adults (2004)
The Rainmaker (1956)
Samurai Banners (1969)
Scarecrow (1973)
A Slightly Pregnant Man (1973)
State Property 2 (2005)
Teen Witch (1989)
Twice in a Lifetime (1985)
Unfaithfully Yours (Criterion Edition) (1948)
A Very Long Engagement (2004)
Zurdo (2003)
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