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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. So before you think to yourself, I have triskaidekaphobia, I hate prequels pretending to be sequels, and find Asian horror films more pretentious than the collective works of Tom Wolfe, yet I will buy 3 Extremes II, stop; ask yourself, "Why!?" and then check to see if 3 Extremes II (or your disc of choice) is one of the weekly BOP DVD recommendations.

For people who spent the body of the last decade hoping Aerith would rise from the dead: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

When Final Fantasy VII was released on the Playstation in the summer of 1997, I had a clear opinion of it. Ostensibly, the first 32-bit Final Fantasy title should be a revolution in game play mechanics and involved storytelling. After all, Square had been courted by Sony to abandon Nintendo and program titles from this franchise exclusively for their new videogame system. It was a bold move, but early results were...mixed. There were bugs in the final copy, the expansive story was off-putting to more casual gamers and one of the characters, a (literally) rifle-armed African-American named Barrett, espoused some of the worst ebonics in the world. Immediately, I dismissed the game as a disappointment, proving once and for all how forward thinking and in touch with the zeitgeist I am. Final Fantasy VII is now widely regarded as the best RPG of all time as well and gets consideration for being THE best Playstation game in the console's lifespan. Yes, I sure can call them.

So popular has the game proven to be that fans have clamored for a sequel for going on nine years now. The DVD movie release, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, is the first step in that direction with two different possible videogame sequels in the planning stages. One of them, a rumored Sony PS3 title, would be a recreation of the original game but using the advanced graphics of the cut scenes through the game. This news was the buzz subject of last year's E3 Exhibition, proving once more that diehard fans are hungry for anything Cloud/Sephiroth-related they can get their hands on. Over time, I have grown to be one of them and we had already purchased this title before I even typed this. No matter what flaws the original game might have had, it offered something unique in the annals of the videogame history: memorable characters whose exploits have stood the test of time. In most weeks, it would have been the runaway choice for BOP DVD selection of the week.

For people who simply cannot get enough of rapping grannies: The Wedding Singer: Totally Awesome Edition

This film holds a special place in my heart for several reasons. The first is that it is the best-received trailer I have ever experienced in a theater. When the aforementioned granny drops a rhyme, every audience I saw went absolutely nuts for it. We are talking the heart attack-inducing sort of uproarious laughter which only a couple of films a decade enjoy. In addition, this was not an example where the trailer was misleading, either. It was an instance where if anything the production was undersold. The Wedding Singer is an adorable, romantic movie which proves that even if you don't care for an actor (Drew Barrymore never did much for me previously), a single performance may sway your opinion entirely.

What I love best about The Wedding Singer, though, is that it was one of the first DVD releases to appreciate the genius of the medium. I was an early adopter in DVD hardware, paying a now-unimaginable $499 for a player. To my frustration, few launch titles justified the purchase as bets were still being hedged between DVD and the more disposable Divx.

Unlike the other first cycle titles in the eventual winning medium, The Wedding Singer DVD offered additional features which made owning the disc feel like a step into the future of the marketplace. I cannot accurately explain in words how much fun I had enjoying the included '80s soundtrack karaoke, and I say that as someone who does enjoy karaoke as a rule. The Wedding Singer was a day one DVD release that was priced at $20 in a time when spending $20 on a movie would have meant quarter-ownership of a single new video cassette tape.

The Wedding Singer on DVD was more a marketing strategy's trial run than it was a single film's emergence in the marketplace. It was the future of cinema a full three to four years ahead of the eventual curve. Out of respect for that business stratagem alone, I will gladly buy the Totally Awesome Edition.





For Matt Stone and Trey Parker: American Dad Vol. 1

The South Park creators rather famously declared war on Seth MacFarlane a couple pf episodes ago. They crafted a two-part episode arc that revealed the only logical explanation for Family Guy's "humor" would be that it were written by manatees. Even funnier, Cartman, the character whose sophomoric jokes best match that show, resented any implication of similarity. And I cannot say that I blame him.

The generation gap is never clearer to me than during those moments when discussions turn to either MySpace or Family Guy. The former Web site's spelling, punctuation and desperate need for sexual interaction makes me fear for high schoolers across the country. The latter sitcom strikes me as exactly as funny as an episode of Golden Girls...and no, I was never a fan of Golden Girls.

Having said all of this, I have sampled American Dad a couple of times, finding it to be a significant upgrade to its more storied counterpart. American Dad offers at least some semblance of story plots and character development. Also, I find the super-agent and alien gags to be entertaining enough that I do not hate the show. Of course, I am ranting in the wind anyway. Family Guy is the grand champion of TV on DVD sales. Its presumed inferior counterpart should still make a mint.





For diehard Liquid Television fans with lowered expectations and Charlize Theron fans who already accept she will make a couple of duds a year: Aeon Flux

I am one of the few people in North America who has seen this film. As such, I feel inordinately qualified to tell you that yes, Aeon Flux is pretty much what you have heard. It is a bloated, self-important, quasi-futuristic science fiction "epic" that focuses on style over substance...and the style is intentionally (?) ludicrous. I have mocked Frances McDormand's hair so much by now that any further quips border on overkill. And that is about the most entertainment I got out of the project. The first 45 minutes is not terrible but once the big twist is revealed, the entire story feels pointless. This is bad sci-fi which should hang around on peripheral movie radar for many years to come.





For..no, I won't do it. I officially declare a moratorium on Brokeback Mountain jokes: Casanova

Heath Ledger's other 2005 release was being postured as an awards contender. Then, the movie was released and everyone acknowledged that Ledger's gay cowboy film was more than a trifle bit better. Well, I guess I should say everyone save the Central Ohio Film Critics Award. Those noble journalists flew in the face of convention, deciding to name Ledger Best Actor for his work here. Wait a minute, that's not right. The award says it honors Ledger for Brokeback Mountain, The Brothers Grimm and Lords of Dogtown, but *not* Casanova. That has got to leave a mark. Lords of Dogtown and The Brothers Grimm yes but Casanova no? Yeowch. Nonetheless, if you want to see Ledger romancing the ladies again, this is the heterosexual selection of the month for you.





For folks who love enjoying behind-the-scenes conflict show up on-screen: Casualties of War

This largely forgotten-but-solid Brian De Palma war film from the '80s is noteworthy for one reason. A young, intense actor named Sean Penn was cast in the role of the sociopath military officer during the Vietnam War. That should have been fine save for the fact that according to the people present at the shoot, Penn struggled in separating reality from fiction. Michael J. Fox, the film's hero, has stated in no uncertain terms that he grew frightened of Penn. The actor's erratic behavior and unwillingness to acknowledge what "Cut!" meant led Alex P. Keaton to fear for his and the rest of the cast's safety. Fox has admitted that the film works so well in large part due to the fact that everyone else joined him in worrying over Penn's actions. In a way, Casualties of War was a precursor to The Blair Witch Project since it too stuck actors out in the middle of nowhere then proceeded to terrify the holy bejeezus out of them.









For people who, for reasons passing understanding, have not given up on Woody Allen yet: Match Point

Allen's best-received film since Crimes and Misdemeanors is a troubling exploration of the nature of man. A shameless womanizer, Chris (portrayed by the creepy Jonathan Rhys Meyers), finds himself attracted to the perfect woman, Chloe (Emily Mortimer). They meet when the retired tennis player gives her lessons in improving her game. While their relationship grows serious, Chris is introduced to his best friend's fiancée, Nola (BOP fave Scarlett Johansson), an aspiring actress. Almost immediately the duo recognizes they will be trouble for one another. This proves to be the case as Chris fails to impregnate his ostensible mate but does knock up the other woman. At this point, Chris is faced with a decision involving his future. Staying with Chloe would mean creature comfort and an easy life while dumping her for Nola would mean...well, lots more sex with a woman who looks exactly like Scarlett Johansson. Since this is a Woody Allen piece, surprising choices are made. I found the result to be underwhelming, particularly relative to Allen's best work, but I must acknowledge this. Match Point was one of the few releases of 2005 which kept me thinking throughout the film. It is a philosophical treatise on the fickle nature of fate as much as it is a generic drama about infidelity.





For...umm, uhh...does anyone else hear crickets? Reba: Season 3

If they are already selling season three on DVD, it logically follows that a fourth season is airing as we speak. Hold me, I'm scared.





For huge medieval literature fans and pretty much no one else: Tristan + Isolde

As someone who is a medieval myth fan (my love of the genre once tricked me into being a History Major), I had high expectations for this project. It was on my radar from the moment the project was announced. The casting was cause for optimism as well. I consider James Franco to be one of the most talented thespians of this generation rather than a random pretty boy who bungled into a meaty part in the Spider-Man franchise. His work on Freaks and Geeks was stellar. In addition, Sophia Myles stole my heart as Lady Penelope in the tragically underappreciated Thunderbirds.

So, that is a combination of an actor and actress I love cast in a story history considers to be one of the most romantic of all time. What the hell happened after that??? The short answer is that director Kevin Reynolds (you know, the Waterworld guy) had Gladiator Syndrome. Not content to tell the love story believed to be the basis for Romeo and Juliet, Reynolds tells a war story for the most part, occasionally intermingling in with sequences to remind viewers that yes, Tristan and Isolde are in love. Presumably, this is done because without it, people would forget they are supposed to be. This is King Arthur without the well-implemented war games or Sleepless in Seattle without any romantic subplot. Attempting to simultaneously master two genres, it fails in each endeavor, leaving the production with nothing of note. This realization breaks my heart.





For people who want to remember Steve Martin as someone other than The Pink Panther: Shopgirl

You may think you are hard on yourself. You may believe you have friends and family who have turned self-flagellation into an art form. But believe when I say this. All of you/them are rank amateurs compared to Steve Martin. What he does to himself in Shopgirl is so self-abusing that it logically follows that he must spend the body of his fortune paying to be a submissive in S&M dungeons. This is how naked Martin makes himself in the movie.

Shopgirl tells the story of, well, a Shopgirl (Clair Danes), a woman with little by way of self-esteem. She dreams of having a better life but is so shy and inoffensive that she is completely unable to take any initiative in life. When she meets a well-to-do man (Martin) who is looking for a young and attractive sex buddy, she falls into the relationship...at least this is what she tells herself it is. In truth, she commits a cardinal sin of dating: she falls in love with a person who is using her for sex and companionship. She does not even have the hope of becoming a trophy wife. While they are together, the man makes no effort to make her feel less lonely. For him, she is a means to end, making their story a heartbreaking one of two isolationists with no future.

This sounds sad, I know. What makes it so much worse is that Martin wrote the novella that was the basis for the movie, and he wrote the screenplay as well. Unmistakably autobiographical, the entire production has the feeling of being a motion picture apology. If that is the intent, Martin may take solace in the fact that the movie is masterful and the apology could not possibly be ill-received. I saw 166 movies last year. Shopgirl was the seventh best on my list. It is the obvious choice for DVD of the week.





DVD releases for the week of April 25, 2006:

12 Days of Terror (2004)
24 Hours on Craigslist (2005)
3 Extremes II (2002)
Aeon Flux (Full Frame Special Collector's Edition) (2005)
Aeon Flux (Widescreen Special Collector's Edition) (2005)
American Dad: Volume One (3-DVD Set) (2005)
Andre the Butcher (2005)
Antonieta (1982)
Bug Me Not (2005)
Casanova (2005)
Casualties of War (Extended Cut) (1989)
Crumb (Special Edition) (1995)
The Detonator (2006)
Dinner with an Assassin (2006)
Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006)
Duane Hopwood (2005)
Elevator to the Gallows (Criterion Collection) (1958)
Erosion (2005)
Family Portrait: A Trilogy of America (2004)
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2004)
Fists in the Pocket (Criterion Collection) (1965)
Gamblers (2005)
Guys and Dolls (Deluxe Edition) (1955)
The Heirloom (2005)
It's Always Fair Weather (1955)
Law and Order: Trial by Jury - The Complete Series (3-DVD Set) (2005)
Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
Match Point (2005)
Metal Skin (1994)
The Nun (2005)
The Passenger (1975)
The Patriot (Extended Cut) (2000)
Reba: The Complete Third Season (3-DVD Set) (2003)
Shopgirl (2005)
Tristan & Isolde (Full Frame) (2006)
Tristan & Isolde (Widescreen) (2006)
UFC 56: Full Force (2006)
The Wedding Singer (Totally Awesome Edition) (1998)
Window Theory (2004)
Ziegfeld Follies (1946)