DVD Talk: March 2005 Archives

This week the DVD Savant has a ton of new reviews including: Viva Maria - Jeanne Moreau and Brigitte Bardot become Central American revolutionaries in this epic musical-action-comedy farce from Louis Malle, Rendez-vous - A sexy, intense art film centered around the incandescent Juliette Binoche, Enchantment - a bi-generational love story with a bit too much fatalism and not enough magic, Brigadoon - Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse sing and pose in front of giant cycloramas in AnscoColor, Waydowntown - Gary Burns' infectiously clever cubicle comedy places four bright twenty-something office drones in an absurd contest: Who can live inside their fully air conditioned office/mall/apartment complex the longest, and The Sword of Doom - This legendary early swordplay epic has a radical style, excellent fights (also with Toshiro Mifune) and a massive bloodbath finale. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Stephen King shook up the book world when released Riding The Bullet initially as an exclusive online e-book and now this exciting tale about a hitchhiker trying to make his way home to care for his sick more makes its way on to DVD from Lions Gate Home Entertainment - and it's this week's clip of the week. Get a peek at Riding The Bullet available on DVD on 4/19. Also this week we have clips for Astro Boy: The Complete Series [Review] including two clips 'learning to fly the hard way' and 'they're just humans as well as a clip of one of the DVD Extras How to Draw Astro Boy.

A really solid week of notable DVD releases including: Closer [Review] - a biting look at how messed up relationships can be with standout performances from Clive Owen and Natalie Portman, Orgazmo: SE [Review] - after several canceled release dates this over the top comedy from the South Park gang finally arrives on DVD and it was worth the wait, Kagemusha: SE [Review] - Criterion delivers yet again with a disc worth of DVD Talk's highest rating, A Tale of Two Sisters [Review] - great atmospheric Asian horror that should not be missed and Astro Boy [Review] - classic anime finally out on DVD. Other notable DVDs this week include: After the Sunset [Review], Apollo 13: SE [Review], Crimson Rivers 2 [Review], Vera Drake [Review] and World Poker Tour: Season 2 [Review] , Read our List of Top Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

With literally thousands of DVD Reviews (over 11,200 reviews!) in the DVD Talk Review Database it's easy to miss some of the notable reviews written by our staff. Recent notable DVD Reviews include: Warner's Classic Comedies Collection - including Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story, Zero Day - a disturbing look at a subject few filmmakers would even dare to touch, Blue Vinyl - One woman, one piece of vinyl siding, one mission, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead - dialogue is king in Tom Stoppard's poke at Shakespeare, The Pretender: Season 1 - with elements of mystery, humor, drama and suspense, The Pretender is able to straddle genres unlike most other shows, The Ring - Collector's Edition - Dreamworks adds a 2nd disc to an already strong DVD release and Kojak - Season One - who loves ya baby? Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

We have an extra full installment of Anime Talk this week. Chris Tribbey continues his coverage of Anime Expo 2005, Holly Beeman has uncovered some great deals on anime DVDs, and we have the latest information on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex season two as well as Geneon's release of Appleseed. Also be sure not to miss reviews of Gundam Seed, Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 (which has been re-released at a lower price point and with more bonus material) and Kaze No Yojimbo. Finally we take look at: the entertaining Five Star Stories an older movie painstakingly restored from the original sources, New Getter Robo an updating of the classic giant robot series, and the hilarious Cromartie High School.

Apollo 13 has had a pretty remarkable voyage over the past ten years. In its initial release in theaters the film rocketed to success with Academy Award nominations for best film, best supporting actor and actress, and snatched the statue for best film editing and sound mixing. Apollo 13 then voyaged onto DVD where it became on of Universal's best sellers. But the voyage didn't end there. Apollo 13 made trip back again to theaters, this time onto the large format IMAX screens where audiences experienced the film in an entirely new way. Now the voyage of Apollo 13 finds its way back to DVD with the 10th Anniversary Edition complete with never before seen extras, both theatrical cuts of the film and much more. DVD Talk writer Sarika Chawla made her own voyage to the Apollo 13 DVD launch event and files this story about this landmark DVD.

Anyone who thought the buddy film was dead or that heist films are a thing of the past hasn't come face to face with director Brett Ratner. Best known for his Rush Hour Series (with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker), Ratner is back with After The Sunset - a genre blending romantic-comedy-buddy-heist-action-film starring Pierce Brosnan, Woody Harrelson, Salma Hayek (who wears a bikini through most of the film). DVD Talk Editor Geoffrey Kleinman sat down with Brett Ratner and talked to him about the DVD release for After The Sunset including : His laryngitis effected audio commentary, the state of affairs for Buddy Movies, Rush Hour 3 and of course Salma Hayek. Download the complete audio interview with Brett Ratner or listen live online with our DVD Talk Radio Player. Be sure to check out DVD Talk Radio for interviews and other great audio content.

Columnist G. Noel Gross spent months Lost in Space with the Space Family Robinson and, after much teeth pulling, finally files his 5-star salute to the schlock-o-riffic sci-fi classic's second season. (If you haven't, check out Noel's previous ode to the premiere season and "lost interview" with Dr. Smith!) Hollywood heartthrob Matt Damon and the hair-metal horror of RATT fall under the snarky gaze of CineSchlock-O-Bloggage. Plus, responses to reader emails and the ever-vigilant CineSchlock-O-Rama's Most Wanted.

2005 is shaping up to be a landmark year for TV on DVD. Top notable upcoming TV on DVD announcements include: Lost Season 1 on 9/6, Desperate Housewives: Season 1 on 9/20, The Sopranos: Season 5 on 6/7 and Seinfeld: Season 4. Other notable TV on DVD announcements include: News Radio Seasons 1 & 2 on 4/12, American Chopper Season 1 and Season 2 on 5/3, Moonlighting: Seasons 1 & 2 on 5/31, Dragnet '67: Season 1 on 6/7, Quincy, Medical Examiner: Seasons 1 & 2 on 6/7, Fantastic Four: The Complete 1994-1995 Animated Series on 7/5 Cosby Show: Season 1 on 8/2, A Different World: Season 1 on 8/30. Catch all the reviews for TV shows on DVD in the DVD Talk Review Database.

DVD Talk Writer Preston Jones is back from Austin Texas and has a complete wrap up of the films shown at the South By South West Fest (SXSW). Read Preston's take on such notable upcoming films as: The Aristocrats, Layer Cake, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and More. Also find out which films snagged the prizes in competition. If you love film fest coverage be sure to also check out our previous report on the 2005 Sundance Film Fest with many films that will be in theaters near you soon.

We're sucker for Jean Reno even in an uber-cheesy direct to DVD release. This week we have clips from his latest Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse: Clip 1: What's in the Wall? , Clip 2: Clean up on Aisle 2, and Clip 3: Too Holy (featuring Christopher Lee). Our next set of clips couldn't be more different: Being Julia with Annette Benning including the trailer and a clip from Behind The Scenes of Being Julia. Finally, a look at 2 recent and excellent Japanese films now out on DVD from Palm Pictures: Bright Future and Dolls - both worth checking out.

An interesting mix of notable DVDs out this week including: Finding Neverland - Johnny Depp is fantastic as Peter Pan playwright J. M. Barrie, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead - Tom Stoppard directs the film version of his play and it's an absolute gem, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia [Review] - pure raw Peckinpah that should not be missed, Being Julia - Annette Bening is superb as a diva who doesn't separate life from theater, Bridget Jones - The Edge of Reason [Review] - exactly what you'd expect, and for some people that's a good thing, Final Cut [Review] - a much darker performance from Robin Williams in a film that got overlooked in theaters, Star Wars - Clone Wars, Vol. 1 [Review] - Animator Genndy Tartokovsky tried to bridge gaps and plug plot holes in the recent Star Wars films, and Doogie Howser MD - was Neil Patrick Harris ever that young? Wow time flies. Read our List of Top Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

On this month's DVD Talk TV Segment on ABC TV's AM Northwest we took a look at 4 Notable DVDs: The Incredibles - Pixar does it again with a film that appeals to a wide audience and a DVD which you'll definitely want to add to your collection, SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - the little yellow guy makes the leap to the big screen and the result is a ton of fun for both kids and parents, Closer - Director Mike Nichols pulls no punches in a film about relationships that's anything BUT a romantic comedy, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen ARE excellent in this noteworthy film and the Warner Classic Comedies Collection - featuring 2 disc special editions of Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story, two movies no DVD collection should be without. Watch this show (which runs about 6 mins). Also watch past month's segments including February's when we took a look at Ray, Shark Tale, My Architect and more.

With literally thousands of DVD Reviews (over 11,000 reviews!) in the DVD Talk Review Database it's easy to miss some of the notable reviews written by our staff. Recent notable DVD Reviews include: Shake Hands With The Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire - easily one of 2005's best documentaries, successfully combining a thought-provoking film with a generous assortment of quality bonus features, Waydowntown - an absolute hidden gem that's really worth checking out on DVD, Amityville Horror Special Edition Gift Set - first Amityville film finally gets the treatment that it deserves with a fourth disc of extras that's just as interesting as the movies themselves, The Manson Family - 15 years in the making a film so confrontational it make take 15 more years before it's truly appreciated and Sealab 2021 - Season 2 - as "out there" as "Sealab 2021"'s first season was, the second season was even crazier, reaching beyond what anyone could have expected out of this series. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

While DVD Talk can't exactly pimp your ride, we would like to pimp your DVD Collection with our Pimp My Ride: Season One DVD Giveaway. 5 Lucky winners will receive the Pimp My Ride: Season One DVD - 15 episodes with Xzibit and West Coast Customs who do the most insanely cool things to some of the worst beater cars you've ever seen. The Pimp My Ride DVD also features: Deleted scenes and bloopers, an exclusive car tour featuring Travis Barker (Blink 182) and his 1954 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, West Coast Customs: What We Drive featurette and the Xzibit music video: What you see is what you get. Enter now for your chance to win.

This week's Silent DVD looks at some important early films that have recently been released on DVD. The Cat and The Canary was German director Paul Leni’s first American film, and it set the tone for haunted house movies for decades to come. A pair of early Lon Chaney films that are available on a single DVD are also reviewed; Tod Browning (Dracula) directs the master of disguise in The Wicked Darling, a film thought lost for decades, and then Maurice Tourneur takes the helm on Victory, a movie based on a Joseph Conrad novel. Milestone has solidified their reputation as one of the premier producers of silent film on DVD with their release of the Little Lord Fauntleroy, first in a series Mary Pickford films that are scheduled to be released in 2005. Milestone has also put out Asian-American star Anna May Wong’s best film, Piccadilly , in a gorgeously restored version with a nice selection of extras. Also in case you missed them, be sure to read Silent DVD's coverage of Edison - The Invention of the Movies, The Buster Keaton Collection, King of Kings and More Treasures From the American Film Archives.

This week the DVD Savant has a ton of new reviews including: The Band Wagon - if this DVD doesn't cheer you up, nothing will, Come and Get It - Edna Ferber's best adaptation stars Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan and, in a heart-breaking double roll, Frances Farmer, Call Northside 777 - James Stewart stars in this noir lite; a "true" story in which all the facts have been changed to keep our institutions clean, Francis of Assisi - Bradford Dillman is the young Italian who turns his back on the material world to form a new sect, The Seagull's Laughter - A wonderfully droll comedy drama with fantastic overtones, Howards End - A superb period story about class differences and snobbery that won a pile of awards, Our Town - this 2003 PBS widescreen version features Paul Newman heading the cast of Thornton Wilder's timeless play, and it's a marvelous presentation and The Barbra Streisand Funny Girl-Funny Lady DVD Box Set Barbra Streisand's Fanny Brice films are newly repackaged, and Savant takes advantage of the opportunity to review Funny Girl. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

The Incredibles has seen some pretty incredible success so far: it's smashed box office records for animated films and won a ton of awards including the most prestigious Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Now as The Incredibles gets it's release onto DVD, expectations are that it will be one of the biggest selling DVDs of all time. DVD Talk Editor Geoffrey Kleinman sat down with The Incredibles Director Brad Bird to talk about the DVD release for The Incredibles including the incredibly high expectations for the DVD. Brad Bird is as animated as his films as he talks about his experience of making the film, how he became the voice for Edna 'E' Mode, and how making the film was a family affair. Download the complete audio interview with Brad Bird or listen live online with our DVD Talk Radio Player. Be sure to check out DVD Talk Radio for interviews and other great audio content.

As far as notable DVDs go, this week belongs to The Incredibles [Review]. Put simply, if you aren't buying, renting or begging for The Incredibles this week, you're probably out of the country. It's such a big release we've got 3 reviews for it, from: Francis Rizzo III, Preston Jones and Aaron Beierle. Never fear, it's not the ONLY DVD released this week, and you'll want to make sure you make room for these other great notable DVDs, including: Sword of Doom: Criterion Collection [Review] - a bleak and grisly drama with one of the best endings in a samurai film you'll see, Laura [Review] - a solid mystery/noir with a stellar cast and a couple of nicely executed plot twist, Alfie [Review] - a softened update to the classic 1966 film, but if you're a fan of Jude Law it's one to check out, Star Trek: First Contact [Review] - an upgrade to the previously released DVD including much better audio and video and Toolbox Murders [Review] - a good re-imaging of a classic horror film. Finally, Warner Bros has 2 more exquisitely restored classics with Fred Astaire definitely worth checking out: see: Easter Parade: SE and The Band Wagon: SE [Review]. Read our List of Top Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Due to a huge response for The Incredibles Giveaway we've extended it for another week. To recap: in addition to 5 Copies of The Incredibles DVD (a 2 Disc Special Edition which received DVD Talk's Highest Review Rating), we're also giving away 20 limited edition The Incredibles posters and 5 The Incredibles Phones. The Incredibles is by far the biggest DVD in March and very well may be the BIGGEST DVD of the year. So don't miss this incredible giveaway. Enter now for your chance to win.

With literally thousands of DVD Reviews (over 11,000 reviews!) in the DVD Talk Review Database it's easy to miss some of the notable reviews written by our staff. Recent notable DVD Reviews include: Closer - Superbit - Natalie Portman and Clive Owen are simply fantastic in this not so romanticized look at relationships, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - sure he lives in a pineapple under the sea, but his big screen debut makes quite a splash, Buddy - Film Movement brings this enjoyable Norwegian film onto US DVD, a quality romantic comedy which speculates about what life is like for people outside of reality TV, Family Business Season 2 - Seymore Butts is back for another season that goes behind the scenes of one of the more popular gonzo studios, Since Otar Left - a tremendously engaging film well worth seeking out if for nothing more than Esther Gorintin's stellar performance and Cube Zero - while it doesn't reach the same heights as "Cube" it will still suck you in and keep you entertained. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week we present the first installment of a new column; AnimeTalk. This bi-weekly feature covers all aspects of anime DVDs. It has information on the latest anime bargains, a list of upcoming releases, and reviews of the latest DVDs. In addition to all that, this week reviewer Chris Tribbey looks at the 2005 Anime Overdose Convention.

This week the DVD Savant has a ton of new reviews including: Malcolm X - Spike Lee's best film to date is an excellent introduction to an important man the media tried to leave behind, The Agony and The Ecstasy- Carol Reed's 70mm production gets a nice sendoff on a bargain-priced disc, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever - Barbra Streisand stars in this un-digested but likeable super musical, Tout va bien Jean-Luc Godard strikes artistic bottom with this pale attempt at agit-prop, Bambi One of Disney's best and most adored feature cartoons is given a fine restored presentation on DVD, Piccadilly Anna May Wong is the glorified sex object in this stunning silent by E.A. Dupont, who does for nightclubs what the did for the circus in Variety, A Separate Peace John Knowles' famous novel gets a small screen interpretation with excellent acting and great direction from Peter Yates, Fighting Elegy - Seijun Suzuki turns a story of juvenile delinquency into poetic echo of the militaristic fervor that gripped Japan in the middle 1930s. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

It might just be one of DVD Talk's best kept secrets: CineSchlock-O-Bloggage. While you're waiting for the next installment of the CineSchlock-O-Rama Column, you can drop in on the sporadic musings from CineSchlocker G. Noel Gross and his CineSchlock-O-Bloggage. Recent Cine-Blog entries include: info on an audio commentary from Ronald Moore on a recently televised Battlestar Galactica episode, a Big Foot Bonanza and a tidbit on Airwolf: Season One. Also in case you missed it, be sure to check out CineSchlock-O-Rama's take on Saw.

A very interesting mix of notable DVDs this week including: Ladder 49 [Review] - a well-crafted drama about a profession that rarely gets the respect it deserves, Dolls [Review] - 'Beat' Takashi Kitano takes a wide detour from his violent Yakzua dramas with a magnificently beautiful film that should not be missed, Bright Future [Review] - a challenging and ambagious film that is strangely fascinating and completely remarkable, Koma [Review] - another spooky addition to the wave of Asian Horror films getting their release this year and Stage Beauty [Review] - amazing production design and stunning cinematography upstage the performances by Claire Danes and Billy Crudup. Read our List of Top Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

If you're at all a fan of the horror genre, then you probably know about Joe Bob Briggs - the master critic of all that drips blood. And chances are if you've picked up a DVD from Media Blasters or Elite Entertainment lately, you've been lucky enough to hear his insightful, entertaining commentaries on some of the best and worst that the horror genre has to offer. He's been incredibly busy in the past year working on commentaries tracks, a possible return to horror television, and a follow up to his hit book Profoundly Disturbing: Shocking Movies that Changed History. DVD Talk Staff Reviewer Scott Lecter sat down with the world's greatest drive-in critic to discuss these topics, the demise of MonsterVision, and a whole lot more. Read the complete interview with Joe Bob Briggs.

With literally thousands of DVD Reviews (over 11,000 reviews!) in the DVD Talk Review Database it's easy to miss some of the notable reviews written by our staff. Recent notable DVD Reviews include: The Incredibles - one of the biggest DVD releases of the year and it'll be in contention for the best, Bambi: Special Edition - a brilliant restoration of one the biggest classic Disney films, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Volume 1 - Animator Genndy Tartokovsky tried to bridge gaps and plug plot holes in the recent Star Wars films, Sword of Doom - Criterion - a bleak, grisly drama with one of the best endings we've ever seen in a samurai film, Angel - Season Five - including the series finale which is simply fantastic, Laura - a solid mystery/noir with a stellar cast and a couple of nicely executed plot twists and Wonder Woman: Complete Second Season - a wacky, wacky show, but it's never less than entertaining. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

In the latest installment of DVD Talk Radio, Editor Geoffrey Kleinman talks about End of The Century: The Story of The Ramones a depressing look at one of the more influential punk bands. His Asian DVD kick continues with a look at: Old Boy, Butterfly, Bright Future and Goodbye Dragon Inn (including a rant about Letterboxing DVDs). Also on this show: a review of a great film coming to US theaters from Budapest called Kontrol, a look at Sony's new Home Video Format Universal Movie Disc, the scoop about DVD Talk dropping G4's The Screen Savers Show and calls and emails from our listeners. Listen to the latest DVD Talk Radio Show now by downloading this segment or listen live online with our DVD Talk Radio Player. Also, be sure to check out DVD Talk Radio for interviews and other great audio content.

This week the DVD Savant has a ton of new reviews including: The Bodyguard - absolute wish fulfillment nonsense given a good polish by attractive actors and great production values, Fall Guy - An oddball Japanese comedy drama about a shy-guy stuntman who marries a crazy ex-movie star and almost kills himself in dangerous stunts to keep her, Return to Peyton Place - Runaway sociology meets ridiculous plotting in this scaled-down sequel to the trendy dirty book of the 1950s, All in a Night's Work - Shirley MacLaine bops around in a blue towel while Dean Martin tries to figure out what her black mail angle is in this tepid romantic comedy, Twentieth Century - Carole Lombard and John Barrymore are fall-down funny in this screwball comedy, The Life of Emile Zola - Paul Muni brings the French author-activist to life in this rousing biopic and The Cat and the Canary - A silent haunted house comedy that's also a film classic, thanks to German expressionist expert Paul Leni's creepy, creative camera. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some really great clips this week including: a clip from the exciting and engaging Ladder 49 - a tribute to fire fighters starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta. We also have previews for the upcoming: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, In Good Company. Also this week we have clips from Home Vision's All About Lily Chou-Chou [Review] including: the trailer, making of documentary and a second clip from the making of doc and finally, a look at the much talked about Last Life in the Universe.

A great week for notable DVDs, especially if you have kids or are a kids at heart: Bambi: Special Edition [Review] - Disney does an amazing job restoring one of their most cherished films, Brady Bunch: Season 1 [Review] - as enjoyable as you remembered it, now on DVD for a whole new generation to experience and The Spongebob Squarepants Movie - the successful show makes a successful leap onto the big screen in a movie that's an absolute hoot. If you're interested in something a little more grown-up, there are a number of great choices this week: My Own Private Idaho - Criterion [Review] - a heart-breaking tale of unrequited love, Criterion has created what is likely the best version of this film that will ever be made, SCTV, Vol. 3, [Review] - SCTV is the great missing link, the cool cosmic connector between Monty Python's Flying Circus and Saturday Night Live, and Incident at Loch Ness [Review] - a clever, if not completely successful, spoof. Read our List of Top Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.