dvd Tagged Articles at Cinematical

There's nothing quite like the phrase 'straight to DVD' to kill a film's chance of a little dignity, is there? The first thing that usually crosses my mind is, "It must be pretty bad if they aren't even willing to put it up on the big screen" -- which might be a tad unfair of me, but no one ever said gut reactions were fair. Hopefully this time I'll be proven wrong, because in a conversation with MTV Steve Niles (co-creator of the original graphic novel, 30 Days of Night) confirmed that a sequel to the 2007 vampire flick was already in the works, and that it would most likely be going direct to DVD.

According to Niles, a script has already been submitted, and he is hard at work on the project with Ben Ketai (director of the 30 Days webisodes). The sequel will be based on the comic book follow-up Dark Days, and the story centers on "the character of Stella Olemaun [who] heads to Los Angeles after surviving the vampire attack in Barrow, Alaska. She intentionally attracts the attention of the local vampire population in order to avenge the death of her husband, Eben, during the Barrow incident."

After the jump find out how Sam Raimi got involved and the possibility of a 30 Days franchise...

In the pantheon of mega-derided '80s films, few films can touch the inescapable reek of Howard the Duck. I know plenty of folks who dig Ishtar, Cobra, and Leonard Part 6 -- but remarkably few movie geeks have stood up and spoken out for Willard Huyck's Howard the Duck, which just recently arrived as a Special Edition DVD from Universal.

I'll spare you the plot machinations -- because frankly a movie this stupid deserves to be seen BY YOU at least once -- but I've always been amazed at the disparity between the source material and the cinematic adaptation. I've also been sickened by the girl on duck seduction scene, assaulted by the horrific Thomas Dolby music, and beaten into drooling submission by the flick's endlessly wretched puns.

But as a piece of mid-'80s big-budget mega-floppage? I find Howard the Duck more fascinating -- and more worthy of mockery -- than Hudson Hawk, Over the Top, and Toys put together. So imagine my ironic jubilation when I saw a new Howard the Duck DVD sitting on the video shelves, as if it were actually a real-live movie that people would want to own...

Dust off your fangs and your body glitter, the Twilight DVD is on its way. But the bigger news (courtesy of MTV) is that Summit is trying something a little different and offering the teen romance on VOD the same day the two-disc edition will hit shelves. So that means if you can't make it to one of those midnight release parties being held across the US, you can still be first on your block to fall in love with the pigment-challenged Edward Cullen all over again.

If you do decide to drag your poor parents out in the middle of the night line up for a copy, here's what you're going to get: the two disc set will have plenty of extras for lovers of all things Edward and Bella. Disc one provides the usual goodies like extended scenes and audio commentary from director Catherine Hardwicke and stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Disc two, however, is for the truly devout and has a seven-part documentary about bringing the novel to the screen, along with deleted scenes and a comic-con feature.

Studios have been trying for some time to close the gap between theatrical and home video releases. Back in 2006, Steven Soderbergh tried something similar with the release of his murder mystery, Bubble, but unfortunately for him it didn't quite work out as planned. But for fans of the Twilight series, collecting is a big pastime (no matter how creepy it gets) -- so even if they tune in rather than line up at their local Hot Topic, I'm pretty sure most fans will be buying a copy of the DVD either way.

Now I'll leave it to the fans out there: will you be first in line for Twilight, or will you be swooning from the comfort of your own home?

I was on my way home from seeing the nasty new Last House on the Left movie when I got a call from a friend, to whom I quickly explained that I was on my way to get a shiny new Pinocchio DVD. She paused for a second and said "From rape-revenge horror to old-school Disney sweetness? You're a strange one, Scott." And then she told me how gorgeous I am and hung up weeping.

But yes, it's true: If it's not a nasty-ass horror flick you're showing me, my second choice would be something like Toy Story 2, Flushed Away, or The Iron Giant. Call me childish if you like, but I don't know many children who could use the word "parsimonious" in a sentence. And, um, I just did. No, I don't exactly clap like a toddler as the animated features fly by, but I simply love this medium and (more pertinently) I adore most of the Disney Classics. To me they're some of the sweetest, "funnest," and most accessible form of classic cinema there is, and I'll live to be 143 before I apologize for admiring the artistry that goes into this stuff.

Anyway (as if the art of animation needs a defense from me), it's Walt Disney's second feature film, 1940's Pinocchio, that is now getting the full-bore deluxe two-disc 70th Anniversary DVD (and Blu-Ray) treatment. Couldn't come at a better time, too, because my Disney shelf (pictured below) was rrrrrreally missing this title. I'll spare you the plot synopsis (puppet becomes boy, gets into mischief, learns valuable lessons, becomes whale food, etc.) and the endless peals of laudatory adulation directed toward the old-school Disney filmmakers, and just focus on the DVD itself...

I'll keep this short and sweet, because I've already lauded the living snot out of this movie on FEARnet, Twitter, Facebook, a few social network sites that don't even exist yet, and (of course) all the heck over Cinematical. Granted, most who've seen the film Let the Right One In would probably agree that it deserves the little extra press boost, but all I know is I love-love-loved the film, and since I work here, I can write what I want, consarnit.

Anyway, as you already know by now (if you can read) the film is about vampires. But not like The Lost Boys or Lestat or the Twilight tickle-me-emos, more like a normal-Johann kid who befriends a new neighbor, only to discover that she's quite the bloodthirsty little vampiress. But as us critic-types like to say: It works on, like, more than one level, man. It's got ... depth! Plus it's gorgeous to look at (oooh, Blu-Ray!), easy on the ears, peppered with great little horror touches, surprisingly moving, and supremely satisfying in the closing moments.

Also included on the platter: Four deleted scenes, a solid (but way too brief) 7-minute making-of featurette, and a poster / photo gallery. No commentary, unfortunately, but in some cases (most, actually) I suppose it's best to simply let the film speak for itself. Maybe in a couple of years?

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Kevin Smith has finally broken out of the Jay and Silent Bob circle and made a romantic comedy that didn't crumble like Jersey Girl. It's cuter than Clerks 2, but thrives on brief, scene-stealing moments from high-school reunion cameos and Jason Mewes. Rent it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Most of our beloved teen fare comes when music is mixed with turmoil-filled romance and adventure, and Infinite Playlist is no exception. In fact, it hits a lot of different themes all in one -- the gross-out factor from flicks like American Pie, the quirky music loving of Empire Records, ex meddling like Some Kind of Wonderful, and a rather refreshing attitude towards sexuality. Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray.

The Secret Life of Bees
A film that joins Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, and Alicia Keys, Kim Voynar said Bees is "a sweet, mostly charming coming-of-age tale that, while it doesn't particularly break any new ground with regards to the filmmaking, does an able enough job of adapting a bestselling book of the 'women's bookclub' variety for the screen." Rent it, if you like that sort of thing, on DVD or Blu-ray.

Also out: Space Buddies and Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous

Zack and Miri Make a Movie
Zack and Miri Make a Wholesome Film About Furthering the Population
Zack and Miri Make a Naughty Movie

None of those have the same ring as Zack and Miri Make a Porno, do they? Since the film has come, lathered the world in posters and buzz, and faded away, you'd think the title brou-ha-ha would be over now. Not so fast. Since Kevin Smith's latest is about to hit DVD shelves on February 3, a new controversy is brewing.

Canoe reports that Wal-Mart is getting all nervous-like abut the title. Smith says that they want him to remove the word from the cover of the DVD, and he has complied with the request. (Hey, times are rough, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.) But as he so rightly worries: What happens when one of the unsuspecting few buy it and then get the rude awakening of a movie alllll about sex and porn? As Smith told Erik last year: "By calling it Zack and Miri Make a Porno, you're drawing a line in the sand that kinda says, anyone who's remotely interested in a movie like that with that title, come on in. If you're offended by the word porno, stay the f*ck away. This ain't for you."

I do hope that some unsuspecting people buy it, see it, and get ticked off. It's ridiculous to say that the film is okay for the shelves, but only if the title is changed -- who cares if it misleads people? I'd think that they'd rather have the random few brassed off about the title, than customers buy it thinking it's a wholesome romance and then getting a rude awakening. Can you imagine if they made it all the way to Mewes' final scene?

I think I scared the living crap out of the UPS man when I swung the door open, so enthusiastic was I to get my gore-lovin' paws on the new Friday the 13th DVDs he brought me. Some cinephiles have deep and unshakable affections for Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, and Gone with the Wind (all fine films, I guess), but if you want to drown me in a pool of comfy nostalgia, all you need to do is toss Halloween or Friday the 13th into the DVD player. And then just leave the room. Oooh, could you get me a soda please?

I haven't even began diving into the three DVDs (you can get your own copies on Tuesday, these ones are mine), but I thought it might be fun to offer a quick breakdown and then scuttle back to my DVD player. So here you go:

Friday the 13th "Uncut" Deluxe Edition -- Precisely the same as the UK edition, which basically means that the demises of Annie and Marcie are a bit nastier. The (rather solid) audio commentary is also a snag from the R2 DVD, but the rest of the goodies look to be allllllll new: A reunion panel from a recent horror convention, a nifty batch of fresh interviews, the original theatrical trailer, and a rather, uh, goofy short film called "Tales from Camp Blood - Part 1."

Friday the 13th Part 2 Deluxe Edition -- No commentary to speak of (apparently director Steve Miner refuses to talk about this franchise) and no extra gore gushings (darnit!), three decent featurettes (on conventions, Jasons, and Peter Bracke's excellent book), and the original theatrical trailer. And "Tales from Camp Blood - Part 2."

Back in April of 2007, Girls Rock! premiered at Toronto's Hot Docs Film Festival. I was fortunate enough to be at that screening and was blown away -- not because it was a shocking, gut-wrenching film that tugs at your emotions or a perfect example of cinema, but because, like the title suggests, it was about girls rocking. And it reveled in it. These girls had problems, which we got to witness, but they also had crazy strength and wonderful energy. They were the sort that I hoped would bring a new era to girl-centric cinema.

Unfortunately, that hasn't come quite yet. (I hold out hope!) But finally -- you can check out the trailer above, and see the film for yourself on DVD when the film hits shelves on January 27. The documentary, which follows girls attending The Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, shows how kids from 8-18 learn how to write songs, play guitars, and rock in just one week. One week! The girls rock -- both in the music they create and the strength they possess, so check it out!

Movie fanatics are a tough bunch to shop for because we own everything. The moment it goes on sale, it's in our hot little hands, leaving our families and friends high and dry when it comes to DVDs and box sets. How many people will try to buy you The Dark Knight this Christmas? (Thank goodness for store credit and gift receipts.)

Still, with budgets being tightened all across the country, there's probably a lot of you that have put The Dark Knight on your Christmas list to be purchased by those generous people in your circle. Or maybe there's some movies such as Tropic Thunder or Wall-E that you caught as a rental, and are now desperate to own.

Of course, we aren't all about the new and shiny here. With the format war being decided in favor of Blu-ray, older movies are being reissued every day. Plus, there are always box sets and anthologies making us drool -- the Ultimate Collector's Casablanca or that ridiculously huge Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition. (It seems the height of arrogance that I Am Legend has a similar release this year, doesn't it?)

So, why not share the DVD you hope to find under your tree this Christmas? While you're at it, why not tell us which DVD releases you think were the best of the year? The Tropic Thunder DVD was a universal favorite here at Cinematical, but The Dark Knight's bare bones release left us disappointed. Enough responses, and we'll put together a poll to decide the question once and for all.