How To Spend $20
By Les Winan
October 5, 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 unreleased studio (film and television) back-catalogue means that every week there's likely something for you.
The combination of my own procrastination and the lack of anything particularly interesting to discuss has lead us to this infamous day: when even a double edition of this column can't garner a decent number of interesting releases.
From September 27, 2005
For people who only want to be annoyed by a cartoon Robin Williams: Robots (Widescreen) (2005)
Here's what I know about this movie: it involves robots. Computer animated Robots. One of them is voiced by Robin Williams. I knew I needed to stay away from this ten years ago, when Robin Williams stopped being funny. Included on the disc are an audio commentary with director Chris Wedge and producer William Joyce; an audio commentary by the Blue Sky technical team; an animated short; a special inside look at the making of Ice Age 2; deleted scenes; the original Robots short film that helped sell the movie; interactive games and a variety of featurettes.
For people who are able to follow dialogue that doesn't involve Jim Belushi grunting or some such thing: Gilmore Girls: The Complete Fourth Season (6-DVD Set) (2003)
If I had written the column last week, this would have been the runaway DVD Pick of the Week. I can't say enough about how good this show is, particularly nothing new. It's one of, if not the best, shows on television and you're all fools if you aren't watching it. The only complaint I have is that there aren't more features on the DVD releases of Gilmore Girls. While the sparse extras they do include are never bad, they aren't particularly insightful or comprehensive.
Included on The Complete Fourth Season are deleted scenes;a montage of the season's best "hook-up"; scenes; a fun factoids pop up feature on one episodes and a Stars Hollow interactive trivia game. It all sounds like fun but how about a rambling, Lorelai-esque audio commentary from Amy Sherman-Palladino?
From October 4, 2005
For anyone wondering what the inside of United Nations headquarters looks like: The Interpreter (Widescreen) (2005)
When a thriller starring two Academy Award winners (Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn) is directed by an Academy Award-winning director (Sydney Pollack), you'd think it would generate more...I forgot what I was going to say. What were we talking about again? Oh, right, why The Interpreter didn't scare up more interest, excitement, and box office. Maybe it's because it looked TOO serious. Or maybe it's because none of the glitterati involved are box office draws of any significant renown. Whatever the reason, Pollack's drama about a white African interpreter for the United Nations in danger from someone whose nefarious plans she overheard accidentally while translating (oh, THAT's why the movie failed) never did take hold with audiences. If you're interested in checking it out on DVD, there's actually a decent amount to explore on the disc. In addition to an audio commentary with Pollack; an alternate ending; deleted scenes; a featurette on Pollack's working style (whee!); a featurette on real UN interpreters and another on the UN headquarters as a movie set, there's a very important featurette called "Interpreting Pan & Scan vs. Widescreen" that basically explains why anyone watching a movie pan & scan (full screen) is a complete idiot.
For every little girl ever (does not apply to little girls before 1950): Cinderella (2-Disc Special Edition) (1950)
Like Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White before it, there's not much new to say about Disney's classic Cinderella. But like those previously mentioned films, there's plenty for Disney to be proud of as they continue their string of outstanding DVD releases of their classic films. If you have children, were once a child or ever plan to have children, pick up Cinderella, the DVD Pick of the Week.
Included on the terrific two-disc set are an all-new digital restoration with enhanced picture and sound; a featurette on the making-of Cinderella; a documentary on the film that includes newly discovered deleted scenes; deleted songs; a tribute to Disney's animation crew from the 1950s; a comparison of the film's evolution from storyboard to film; still and slideshow galleries; a clip of The Mickey Mouse Club with Helene Stanley (1/24/56); audio of seven unused songs; Three radio programs; and a whole bunch of 2005 crap designed to make little girls want to be Cinderella (including something that involves ESPN, which confuses me). It's a terrific set.
September 27, 2005
Bad Timing (Criterion Collection) (1980)
The Beast of Bray Road (2005)
Buddy Boy (Special Edition) (2000)
The Candy Snatchers (1973)
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power (2005)
Cold Blood (2001)
Descent (2005)
Eat the Rich (1987)
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (Book of the Dead Edition) (1987)
Face (2004)
Gilmore Girls: The Complete Fourth Season (6-DVD Set) (2003)
Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst (2004)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (Anniversary Edition) (1990)
Ice Queen (2005)
A Knight's Tale (Extended Cut) (2001)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - The Second Year (3-DVD Set) (2000)
Lords of Dogtown (Rated PG-13) (2005)
Lords of Dogtown (Unrated Extended Cut) (2005)
Lucky Stiff (1988)
Make it Funky! (2005)
Modigliani (2004)
Reality Kills (2002)
Red Cockroaches (2004)
Robots (Full Frame) (2005)
Robots (Widescreen) (2005)
Rouleman (2005)
Silver Hawk (2004)
Speak (2004)
We're No Angels (1955)
October 4, 2005
Alien Apocalypse (2005)
The Amityville Horror (Full Frame) (2005)
The Amityville Horror (Widescreen) (2005)
Animal (2005)
Beyond the Gates of Splendor (2005)
Cinderella (2-Disc Special Edition) (1950)
Cop (1988)
Demon Seed (1977)
Desperate Souls (2005)
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
Evil Ed (Unrated Director's Cut) (1996)
The Fly (Collector's Edition) (1986)
The Fly II (Collector's Edition) (1989)
The Fog (Special Edition) (1980)
House of D (2005)
Innocent Lies (1995)
The Interpreter (Full Frame) (2005)
The Interpreter (Widescreen) (2005)
Jeremy's Family Reunion (2005)
Jiminy Glick in La La Wood (2004)
Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Lost Things (2003)
Mail Order Wife (2004)
Man with the Screaming Brain (2005)
Mortuary Academy (1991)
My Summer of Love (2005)
The New Kids (1985)
Night of the Lepus (1972)
Out of Season (2004)
Parts of the Family (2003)
Private Parts (1972)
Robot Jox (1989)
Satan's Little Helper (2005)
School Killer (2001)
The Spiral Staircase (1946)
Star Trek: Nemesis (Special Collector's Edition) (2003)
A Stranger is Watching (1982)
Torture Garden (1967)
The Tunnel (2001)
The Warriors (Ultimate Director's Cut) (1979)
Wild Palms (1993)
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