We're just over a week and a half away from seeing Harrison Ford run around as Indiana Jones for the first time in almost twenty years in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and hopefully not collapse in an arthritic fit. Of course, that means putting out a collection for Indy buffs to buy -- just in time for a late-night triple feature before the big release. However, unlike the Die Hard re-do, which stripped tons of extras away, and other releases that just fill up landfill space, there is a perk in this whole money-grab: aside from getting them as a collection, you can pick them up for the first time separately.
That's music to my ears, since I detest Temple of Doom, and would be happy not to see it again. Pick up one, pick up a few, or pick them all up in the Adventure Collection, which is just the three special editions in a fancy cardboard box. Each disc has a bunch of extras -- intros, interviews, special effects, storyboards, and more. Some is old footage, but there's lots of new bits as well -- including a look at Skull on the Last Crusade DVD. Buy the Collection | Buy Raiders | Buy Doom | Buy Crusade
I'm doing things a little different this week. Peter has covered this week's great releases in his column, noting flicks like Teeth and I'm Not There. For you Hilary Swank lovers, there's some post-death love after the jump, but below is a collection of film spoofs, rather than a plain ol' film.
After Fox canceled the Seth Green-starring Greg the Bunny, it seemed like that was the end of the show. But like some other Fox victims, that wasn't the end. There was a bit of a hiatus, and then IFC jumped on board and allowed Greg to get cinematic and merge television land with movie land. The result -- a whole bunch of puppet movie spoofs. Click here to get an idea of what you'd be in for. It's not every day that you get to see a puppet embodying Frank Booth.
This release includes spoofs of movies like Monster and American Movie, plus the 2005 reunion special that takes on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Rain Man, and more. As for guests, this batch includes Seth Green, Sarah Silverman, and Adam Goldberg.
I'm going for a highly praised film this week, rather than the big buzz, but you can check out a couple of other big releases after the jump.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly In 1996, Julian Schnabel directed Basquiat. Led by the charming and unforgettable performance of Jeffrey Wright as the famous artist, the film laid out the art world of 1980s New York City with heart, and it showcased many of today's top names. It was the straightforward film.
Now there's Golden Globe winner Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, a feature that has taken Schnabel out of the straight-forward and into a world of tragedy and eye-opening imagination. It's a move similar to David Lynch taking on The Straight Story, but switched. Instead of strange complexity to charming simplicity, it's the other way around. Diving Bell is the true story of what happened to Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man who had been the editor-in-chief of French Elle, until a sudden stroke has left him still -- only able to move one eyelid. It's like taking the thought of paralysis and upping it -- no legs, no arms, no lips. But it isn't just a sad story of despair. After being forced to adapt to his condition, he write the memoir that becomes this film, all with the simple, blinking eye.
This week, there are a few solid DVD choices that are already floating around the Cinematicalverse. You can check out Erik's review of the Cloverfield DVD, my review of the Charlie Wilson's War disc, or Peter's indie picks, which includes the somber but enjoyable Starting Out in the Evening. However, there's one release that hasn't been discussed yet:
Romulus, My Father When the film got its limited release in February, it came and went without a bang -- pulling in less than $3,000 (according to IMDb), even though it hit a few million in the Australian box office. But with the names and performances behind it, this film, based on Raimond Gaita's memoir, deserves another look.
Eric Bana stars as Romulus, balancing out the truly disappointing Lucky You, and proving that there's more to the actor than his less-loved one-two punch of Hulk and Troy. There's Franka Potente as his wife, Christina -- a role which allows her to be more than Bourne's fallen paramour, or an energetic, red-haired Lola. And rounding out the small family is Kodi Smit-McPhee, who plays Raimond. While he's under the radar now, that will surely change once he gets in front of mainstream audiences with The Road. (There's some solid acting chops in that kid.) But there's also actor Richard Roxburgh (The Duke in Moulin Rouge) making his directorial debut.
Juno She came onto the scene with a bang, charming audiences and quickly becoming a sensation. Of course, after the press she got, and buzz that followed, many have grown sick of the snarky teen and her Diablo Cody dialog that often crosses over the line from quirky to tired, but one thing always remains -- the phenomenon that followed the film centers on the fact that it's a wildly enjoyable comedy.
Ellen Page stars as Juno, a young woman who has discovered that she's gotten pregnant from an interlude with Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). After mulling over her options, she decides to have the baby and give it up for adoption -- to the awkwardly yuppie couple Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark (Jason Bateman). The story is simple, and it's the delivery that gives Juno charm. Within the over-the-top dialog exists real, flawed characters and a lot of heart. This is the sort of film that exists on many levels. For some, it will be utterly perfect as they delight in undone doodles, a melange of cultural references, and a moment in time that wonderfully encapsulates today and yesterday. For most of the rest, it will still be a great and enjoyable comedy because there are so many pieces to the Juno puzzle -- one might not capture you, but another piece is sure to.
There are three DVDs to choose from, and each one ups the ante on the other -- refreshingly, no matter which you pick, you're sure to get a large selection of goodies to watch. On the single disc version, there's a bunch of deleted scenes, a gag reel, gag take, cast & crew jam, and even screen tests. When you add another disc to the mix, there's a digital copy and four featurettes -- about the kids, Diablo Cody, Jason Reitman, and creating the film. Finally, with the Blu-Ray option, you get all of the above features plus two extras from Fox Movie Channel Presents.
This week, there's a few mainstream films to check out that won't be hitting this column. Go to Erik's review for a taste of There Will Be Blood, and check out mine for a little bit of Lions for Lambs.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story It's hard to remember that spoofs used to be more than just bad movies that we either ignore completely, or watch when we want to check out a really bad movie. Current incarnations in the genre have left a large door of opportunity open, begging for satire that is both smart and entertaining -- one that constructs a funny plan, rather than a blanketed and desperate grab for laughs. It's not surprising that Judd Apatow was the man to make it happen.
But it's not just about J.A., or director Jake Kasdan. It's an entire film full of today's big names in comedy. John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig and other SNL vets, and my personal favorite -- the best group of Beatles to come since the actual Beatles: Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Justin Long, and Jason Schwartzman.
Slim pickins this week, no joke!, but at least there's one solid choice:
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street For some it's Stephen Sondheim's classic musical. For others, it's that super-sweet scene from Jersey Girl, and now, for many, it's the slicing and dicing Tim Burton adventure. Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is an ex-convict who was wrongly imprisoned. After many years in a penal colony in Australia, he's back in London as Sweeney Todd -- all to get his revenge against Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), the man who sent him away and ruined Barker's family. Teaming up with Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), he whips up some rather unique meat pies and prepares for revenge. It's just the sort of thing that Burton could bring to life on the big screen.
Sure, the film has the usual Burton players, but this is classic Burton material, and Depp and Bonham Carter know the score. (The same cannot be said for their singing, but sometimes, that can be forgiven.) With added helpings of Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman, and Sacha Baron Cohen, it's hard not to at least fall for the talents within the film.
The Mist Through the sea of torture porn mania and Korean horror remakes came The Mist -- the sort of movie to attract those who like chills and thrills, as well as those who might only scare themselves with Stephen King, or like what happens when Frank Darabont tackles King's writing. A wet and sticky mist falls upon a small coastal town, but instead of just being eerie, it gets downright deadly as monsters come to prey on those left out in the thick fog. It's strange, completely out of this world, but still believable in that way that taps into your cautious fears.
Thomas Jane got to wipe Dreamcatcher for the minds, or at least dull the memory of it with this film, and he's joined by an intriguing cast that includes Sayles powerhouse Marcia Gay Harden (as a bible reciter no less), the fighter of Demon Knight William Sadler, the American Pie-wanting Chris Owen, and the Infamous-starring Toby Jones.
Instead of giving us one of those annoyingly bare-bones discs that makes you want to smash it into little pieces, The Mist hits hard with a 2-disc collector's edition. On the first DVD, you can check out the feature with commentary by Darabont, deleted scenes with optional commentary, some featurettes/webisodes about Drew Struzan and behind-the-scenes fare, and a trailer gallery. The second offers, get this, the full film in black and white, plus an intro by Darabont, some making-of nibbles and a few bits about the film's fx.
Enchanted The yester-year of Disney animation is long in the past, and while you probably won't be getting any epic, artistically-driven Sleeping Beauty-type features any time soon, Enchanted offers those old classic scenes with characters ripped out of the cartoon world and delivered to a crazy and manic Manhattan. Amy Adams' Giselle becomes the victim of her soon-to-be stepmother-in-law's evilness and gets transported to the real world, where life isn't animated and the world is very, very different. From there, we've got cartoon Prince Charmings with James Marsden, who comes to save her, and real life beaus with McDreamy Patrick Dempsey. Oh yes, and of course -- Susan Sarandon as evil mommie dearest doing her best reincarnation of Maleficent.
This is your normal Disney DVD -- there are deleted scenes, bloopers, behind-the-scenes featurettes about the film's "cinematic wizardry," and a pop-up adventure with Pip, Giselle's little friend.
No Country for Old Men There's nothing like the sweet relief of solid DVD choices, especially led by the Oscar-winning powerhouse, No Country for Old Men. There's a reason this film created so much buzz. Based on Cormac McCarthy's novel, the film is a mature and intricate story based on a premise that seems simple and over-done. Josh Brolin, continuing to prove his memorable acting chops, plays Llewelyn Moss, a man who comes upon an eerie drug deal gone bad -- where drugs, money, and bodies lay dust-covered and seemingly forgotten. The man takes the money, which, unsurprisingly, makes him the target of a sadistic killer played by Javier Bardem. While Llewelyn tries to escape, with a brow-raising amount of bad-guy know-how, Tommy Lee Jones' Sheriff Bell tries to come to the bottom of the story -- with the help of a bumbling Terminator, Garret Dillahunt.
Even this description doesn't really encapsulate the film, which is as powerful in its presentation as it is in its story. The silence of a score-free backdrop, and the calculated measure and release of information make the journey unique and worthy -- both as drama, and as a dark, sadistic comedy. You must throw yourself into the scene, and pick out the details as they unfold -- not in a Memento clue-fest, but in an environment where subtlety reigns.
But it's not only the men who shine. Kelly Macdonald proves her talents as a supportive, yet observant wife of Llewelyn, and Beth Grant steals her scenes as the bitching, troublesome mother of Macdonald's Carla Jean.
The DVD features 3 featurettes -- a making-of mini-doc, a short fluff piece about the directors, and a brief diary of the Country Sheriff.
After 20 pages of new DVD releases over at Amazon, I forced myself to unclench my desperate fingers and remove them from my mouse. I need to face facts. This won't be an amazing week of DVD recommendations for you, or excited suggestions (on my part). This is a movie blog, so I can't suggest How Clean is Your House?, which I sort of love, Peter picked up all the good indie pics, Erik is reviewing Into the Wild's DVD, so I'm left with two options, which I'll discuss briefly.
101 Dalmatians Rejoice! If you haven't picked it up during one of Disney's previous releases, you can now score the Two-Disc Platinum Edition of the 47-year-old, classic, dog-laden film, 101 Dalmatians. Just in case you forgot -- it's the story of two cute canines who have a litter of 15 puppies, and the sadistic Cruella De Vil who wants to steal them all on her quest to make a dalmatian coat. The realist in me figures that there will probably be another release in 3 years, when the flick turns 50, but c'mon, who ever wants to wait that long for a disc?
As for the film, two discs means lots of features. There are two pop-up tracks (family and fan), a new music video, informational guide, games, music (which features deleted songs, alternates and the like), backstage (which gives fans a documentary on the film's creation, some screen time for the evil Cruella, a bit on ol' Walt), and even a little more for eager fans.
30 Days of Night In Barrow, Alaska, winter brings 30 days of darkness along with the biting cold. (And I thought dark-by-5 pm sucked.) No sun, just bitterly cold blackness. Unsurprisingly, this attracts some particularly nasty, bloodthirsty vamps -- ones that aren't sexy and selective like Anne Rice's fanged ones. They decide to take advantage of their 24-hour, 30-day free-for-all and start killing off the town's residents who didn't head south. You've got Josh Hartnett and Melissa George as human vamp fighters ill-equipped for the challenge, the Renfield-like Stranger (Ben Foster), and a troupe of baddies led by the wonderful Danny Huston's Marlow. Both Erik and Ryan dug the film, saying things like: "Visually...the film looked absolutely incredible" and "there's still a solid, well-constructed vampire movie to enjoy here, and I did enjoy it."
After all of the funky mid-production goodies that came from the set, it's not surprising that there's a bunch of features on this release. You've got a commentary with Hartnett, George, and producer Rob Tapert, a bunch of featurettes about adapting the graphic novel, building the sound stage, camera techniques, gorey stuff, stunts, vampire design, night shoots, and casting. There's also Episode 1 of Blood +, and for the Blu-Ray editions, there's even a film/novel comparison gallery.
Beowulf While I wasn't the biggest fan of this one (I missed seeing the subtle facial expressions of the excellent actors involved, and preferred the earlier Beowulf & Grendel), this is certainly the biggest release to hit shelves this year. Along with Neil Gaiman, Robert Zemeckis went back to performance-capture technology to bring the Old English epic to the screen. Ray Winstone roars as the powerful Beowulf, Crispin Glover screeches as the desperate Grendel, and Angelina Jolie seduces as Grendel's mother -- otherwise known as Jolie nude, with a tail. And we can't forget the Hopkins, Wright Penn, Malkovich, and Lohman. There are some pretty stunning visuals, and with this cast, you can't go completely wrong.
As for the DVD, you can pick up the director's cut, which offers a solid array of goodies besides Zemeckis' cut. There's bits on some of the actors and their performance-captured performances, designing the monster, the poem (and how Zemeckis actually hates it -- go figure), and deleted scenes with different stages of completion.
American Gangster There's nothing quite as unsightly as smuggling your heroin into the country by hiding it with the slain soldiers returning from Vietnam. But what is quite slightly is a cast of excellent actors to tell the story -- namely Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. From the directorial hands of Ridley Scott, the film follows the story of the infamous Frank Lucas -- a man who soared from lowly driver to huge drug kingpin -- one who controlled Manhattan's heroin trade. On the one side there's Frank, making boatloads of money and being a heroin powerhouse. On the other, there's the man (Crowe) who tries to bring him down.
And, in my continuing efforts to give Joe Morton as much props as I can, he pops up in the film as Charlie Williams.
As for the DVD, the main one looks pretty darned tempting. You've got both the original theatrical version and extended, unrated version on the first disc, plus a whole slew on the second: deleted scenes (inc. an alternate opening), a feature-length documentary on making the film, and "Case Files" -- 3 segments on how the film was brought to life.
However, there's also a super 3-Disc Edition: Aside from the above goodies, there's a booklet, and a whole third music-centric disc if you want to get down with guns, drugs, and tunes.
Michael Clayton It's already surprised many for scoring itself 7 Oscar nominations this year, including Best Motion Picture and Best Director, but while it may come as an awards surprise, it is still a solid film and a great alternative to George Clooney's Ocean's fare. This time around, Clooney stars as Clayton, the "fixer" at a big law firm who knows how to clean up the messes and avoid embarrassment at work, but not so much at home. When his colleague goes nuts, he is not only struggling with himself but also the fight to save the company's name. As James Rocchi described it in his review: "Michael Clayton is at its best when it sticks to hard-bitten, this-is-how-the-world-works scenes between employers and employees, fathers and sons, executives and lawyers. Gilroy (with the help of supremely talented cinematographer Robert Elswit) captures a chilly world of urban grandeur and decay where the light's as gray as the choices people make."
The DVD features aren't plentiful, but there are some additional scenes and a commentary that features writer/director Tony Gilroy and editor John Gilroy.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 40th Anniversary Edition Forty years may have passed, but Stanley Kramer's Oscar-winning 1967 film is still worth your time and attention. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play a man and wife whose daughter (Katharine Houghton) is bringing her doctor boyfriend home for dinner. The twist -- he's Sidney Poitier, and he's black. To top that off, they've fallen in love, they want to get married, and it all has to be decided before a 10 p.m. flight -- not the most realistic circumstances, but that's forgivable with a cast like this. While the subject is heavy, Kramer tackles it in a light manner with powerful performances pulled from the all-star lineup. Note: This was Spencer Tracy's last film. He died shortly after filming.
Please, forget the terrible, insulting abomination that is Guess Who. This is the only dinner that matters.
Being 4 decades old, this is one heck of a solid DVD, offering intros by the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tom Brokaw, Quincy Jones, and Karen Kramer, a number of featurettes, and awards footage.
Romance and Cigarettes John Turturro's Romance and Cigarettes is a musical about a man's infidelity and redemption, and also boasts one heck of an irresistible cast -- Gandolfini, Sarandon, Winslet, Buscemi, Cannavale, Moore, Parker, Walken, Sukowa, Stritch, Izzard, and Sedaris. You really can't get much better than that for a stylish and musical look on working class New York. But really, Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken going old-school is enough. The one downfall, which disappointed me long ago when the film screened at TIFF -- the performances are given over a real soundtrack, so both voices can be heard. It's a shame that they have to battle with the greats who performed the songs, but it's still a fun, modern musical with real flair, rather than razzle dazzle.
The film might not have gotten a lot of play nation-wide, but the disc does get some love -- there's a commentary by John and Amedeo Turturro, intros to both the film and deleted scenes, and a featurette.
Ah, there's nothing like the relief of having to choose between a number of decent possibilities, rather than grasping at straws...
The Jane Austen Book Club Like any dramatic comedy that focuses on romance -- especially one that does so under the mighty pen of Jane Austen -- this film is sentimental and romantic, but it's also got a heck of a cast giving great performances and characters that aren't the normal flighty heroines. The Jane Austen Book Club follows five women and one man who come together to discuss Jane's classic works and discover that the old texts speak to each of their lives, whether they're hetero or straight, male or female. Sure, it could easily slip into saccharine, but as James Rocchi says: "The Jane Austen Book Club's light, slight and clever entertainment is occasionally too-clever, but the cast's performances and Swicord's sense of tone give it just enough charm to work." Anyway, too-clever is chic these days -- look at Diablo Cody.
As far as the disc goes, there's a decent number of featurettes, and not all of them are your typical fare. You get: deleted scenes, commentary with cast and crew, a peek behind the scenes, "The Life of Jane Austen," "The Book Club: Deconstructed," and for you red carpet fans out there -- the Los Angeles premiere.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford On the more somber side of things, there's the uberly, superly, completely, totally long-awaited The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. After such a long wait, and flipping long title, the film seemed destined for the trash bin or dusty shelf. However, it ended up not only living up to expectation, but also impressing audiences as well. Sure, I have a soft spot for the movie since I used to know a girl who nabbed a role in it, but it's nice when friendly support is not only nice, but totally worth the effort. If you need more reasons, there's Brad Pitt and the increasingly impressive Casey Affleck.
Not surprisingly, this DVD is far from a special feature feast. In fact, there's nothing if you don't count the basic sound/scene perks and a few previews. Luckily, the film makes up for it.
Indiana Jones -- The Adventure Collection
This week, there's a few mainstream films to check out that won't be hitting this column. Go to 
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SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
