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February 28, 2008
New Movie Reviews: Semi-Pro, The Other Boleyn Girl, and Penelope
Will Ferrell and sports? Now that's a crazy combination, and the comedian's Semi-Pro proves the formula might be wearing out its welcome. Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman strap on corsets and go head to head in The Other Boleyn Girl, a delicious soap opera sure to please fans of costume dramas. And Christina Ricci goes hog wild in Penelope, a fractured fairy tale that will test even the most patient filmgoer. Also in theaters: Jessica Lange and Joan Allen take a trip to a funeral in Bonneville, and City of Men furthers the story started in Fernando Meirelles's 2002 smash, City of God. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Witless Protection, Be Kind Rewind, Charlie Bartlett, Vantage Point, The Signal, Diary of the Dead, Jumper, and The Spiderwick Chronicles. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Silent DVD: German Expressionism, Saved from the Flames, and more
German Expressionism This week Silent DVD is back with a jam-packed issue.  There are reviews of four German Expressionist films including the famous Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and the eerie Hands of Orlac.  Then the three-disc set Saved from the Flames is examined.  This entertaining set contains 54 rare films that have been restored and preserved.  We also cover the 1919 feature The Dragon Painter with Sessue Hayakawa the first Japanese actor to make it big in the west, news about the new Harry Houdini boxed set and much more.  All in this week's installment of Silent DVD.

TV on DVD: Father Ted: The Definitive Collection, Human Giant Season One, and The Smurfs
Father Ted: The Definitive CollectionTV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:  Father Ted: The Definitive Collection - Fall-down funny in both low-and-high brow fashion, this show stands with the absolute best U.K. sitcoms; Human Giant - Season One - a dark sketch comedy show that has some moments of genius; The Smurfs: Season One, Vol. One - almost thirty years later, but The Smurfs will not only recapture your heart they will be adored by your kids as well.; Other shows include:  Jackie Gleason: Genius at Work, Rough DiamondWalker, Texas Ranger: The Complete Fourth Season, and The Red Green Show - 1999 Season.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.


February 27, 2008
DVD Savant: Midnight Express, In the Valley of Elah, and American Gangster
Midnight Express This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Midnight Express - The 30th Anniversary Edition of Alan Parker's Istanbul prison saga dances around its blanket xenophobia; author Billy Hayes later admitted that his account was greatly exaggerated. But the movie is very good, if you like torture with homoerotic trimmings; Ladrón que roba a ladrón - It's an American production using Spanish-language novela stars in an attempt to attract the enormous Latino audience. But good intentions can't improve a dumbed-down caper script about con-men ripping off a maker of sleazy infomercials;In the Valley of Elah - Big audiences didn't materialize but Tommy Lee Jones has received a Best Oscar nomination for Paul Haggis' drama of substance and wisdom about what the Iraq war is doing to our combat soldiers; and American Gangster - Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe duke it out in Ridley Scott's gangland epic. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.


February 26, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: Beowulf, The Darjeeling Limited, and The Justice League
BEOWULFAnother banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as:  Beowulf (Unrated Director's Cut) [review 1], [review 2] - with incredible energy and intense acting it's hard to not buy into the film and roll with the action; The Darjeeling Limited [review] - the film is a gas with spiky moments of comedy, a lovely familial melancholy about it, blink-and-you-miss-em star cameos and a luscious soundtrack; and Justice League - The New Frontier [review]- an entertaining animated adventure, it features the greatest heroes of the DC Comics universe banding together in the 1950s to fight a villain; Other releases of note include:  Newhart - The Complete First Season, 30 Days of Night [review],  The Last Emperor - Criterion Collection, and Comanche Moon. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.


February 25, 2008
New DVD Reviews: Breaker Morant, Into the Wild, and Tristan und Isolde
Breaker Morant This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: Breaker Morant - a riveting examination of those who insist they were "just following orders," this a modern classic of the military historical drama genre; Into the Wild - a poetic engaging film about a young man who essentially decided to leave everything behind and head into the wilds of Alaska to live; and Tristan und Isolde - one of the benchmarks of 19th century culture, this well-produced, gorgeously sung and played version will be loved by most Wagner fans; Other recent reviews include: Death at a Funeral, In The Shadow of the Moon, 9 Star Hotel, and Trailer Park Boys The Movie.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week and the ability to browse reviews by studio.


February 21, 2008
TV on DVD: George of the Jungle, Wire in the Blood, and The Catherine Cookson Anthology
George of the JungleThis seems to be the week when we review complete Television series. New TV reviews include:  George of the Jungle - a classic cartoon show from the creators of Rocky and Bulwinkle that is just as funny now as it was over 35 years ago; Wire in the Blood: The Complete Fourth Season - this grisly, intense mystery show is still as gripping and powerful as it ever was; and The Catherine Cookson Anthology - admirably straightforward presentations, benefitting from excellent British casts and location work, keep the simple, elemental intensity of Cookson's work clearly in focus; Other shows include:  a pair of highly recommended Korean TV dramas The Snow Queen and Super RookieNOVA: Sputnik Declassified, Steve Canyon, and the America at War Megaset.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.


February 20, 2008
DVD Savant: Gone Baby Gone, Joan Crawford Collection Volume 2, and Walker
Gone Baby Gone This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Gone Baby Gone - Ben Affleck shows himself to be a skillful director in this absorbing story of the search for a kidnapped child in Boston's tougher neighborhoods. The artfully chosen cast includes Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan and Amy Madigan; Walker - Alex Cox reacts to U.S. 'adventurism' in Central America making an anarchistic, pro-Sandinista political spaghetti western epic right in the middle of Nicaragua's Contra War. ;Joan Crawford Collection Volume 2 - This grouping of Crawford titles digs deeper into what made "the movie star's movie star" tick: A Woman's Face, Flamingo Road, Sadie McKee, Strange Cargo and Torch Song. With some good featurettes by Peter Fitzgerald; and Beowulf -Robert Zemeckis' motion capture / full CGI animated epic is a look at the next generation's synthetic entertainment, inspired by the world of video games. A frisian hero battles monsters and his own pride, putting an end to the age of legends. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

DVDTalk Interview: Jon Poll - Charlie Bartlett
Opening this Friday across the nation is Charlie Bartlett, an unusual teen dramedy starring Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr. Mixing broad tastes of high school comedy with poignant commentary on today's overmedicated kids, Bartlett is a tricky film for any director to manage, much less someone making their helming debut. Recently, DVDTalk's Brian Orndorf sat down with the editor-turned-filmmaker Jon Poll for this interview to chat about Charlie Bartlett, working with such diverse actors, and finally putting to rest rumors concerning Yelchin's unusual professional voice.


February 19, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: Michael Clayton, American Gangster, In the Valley of Elah
Michael ClaytonAnother banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as:  Michael Clayton[review 1] [review 2] - an engaging, engrossing thriller about the backroom deals made by lawyers and their corporate clients and the lengths they will go to preserve their financial standing; American Gangster [review] - Ridley Scott's big-budgeted procession of star power and expansive storytelling; and In the Valley of Elah - a probing and powerful look at a nation and the young soldiers it sends into battle staring Oscar-winning actors Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon; Other releases of note include:  Les Miserables - The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall [review], Margot at the Wedding [review],  For The Bible Tells Me So [review], Pierrot le Fou - Criterion Collection, and Kurt Cobain - About a Son. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.


February 18, 2008
DVDTalk Giveaways: BEOWULF: The Director's Cut DVD and Two-disc HD DVD
BEOWULF This week we have not one, but two special giveaways from Paramount Home Entertainment! Enter now for your chance to win one of five BEOWULF: The Director's Cut DVDs and/or one of five BEOWULF HD DVDs! Academy Award®-winning director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) utilizes state-of-the-art technology to conjure a world the likes of which has never been seen before in "an astonishing experience" that qualifies as "a work of art". For your chance to win a copy on DVD or the two-disc HD DVD, enter now!

New DVD Reviews: Elizabeth - The Golden Age, 30 Days of Night, and The Stanley Kramer Film Collection
Elizabeth - The Golden Age This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: Elizabeth - The Golden Age - Though not highly lauded or widely seen when it came out in 2007, this is a sequel that is every bit as a good as the original; The Stanley Kramer Film Collection - a solid representation of a man who spent his career attempting to push the boundaries of filmmaking by telling human stories that didn't flinch in the face of grander social issues; and 30 Days of Night - a fast paced and exciting horror film with some truly tense moments and some very memorable set pieces; Other recent reviews include: The Films of Sergei Paradjanov, Beowulf - Director's Cut, A Zed & Two Noughts, and Charlie Chan Volume 4.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week and the ability to browse reviews by studio.


February 14, 2008
TV on DVD: Damages, The Rockford Files, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Damages: The Complete First SeasonThis seems to be the week when we review complete Television series. New TV reviews include:  Damages: The Complete First Season - a masterpiece of episodic television, a bloody, occasionally soapy thrill ride that leaves you dazed and breathless; The Rockford Files: Season Five - is another great year of strong episodes for what was maybe TV's all-time best private eye show; and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Vol. 5 - delightfully offensive and funny for a myriad of wrong reasons; Other shows include:  Lovejoy - The Complete Season Two, This American Life - Season 1Truth (Korean TV Series), ER - The Complete Eighth Season, and The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

Anime Talk: Boxed Sets and more!
Anime With Geneon out of the picture and ADV turning quiet all of the sudden things in the anime market have certainly slowed down. Publishers are approaching series differently and their release schedules reflect the uncertainty felt throughout the industry. Here are Anime Talk a few titles have come down the pipeline such as Kiddy Grade, Negima, Tactics, Witchblade, and School Rumble just to throw some names out there. WTK also has his version of an economic stimulus package in the form of a fine collection of bargains. Be sure to catch all this and more in this week's Anime Talk.


February 13, 2008
DVD Savant: The Apartment, This Sporting Life, and The Last Sunset
The Apartment This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The Apartment Collector's Edition - Billy Wilder's most endearing film is back with an improved transfer and new featurettes; This Sporting Life - Director Lindsay Anderson is given full attention on this 2-disc presentation. Besides his breakthrough first feature with Richard Harris and Rachel Roberts, the disc gives us several of Anderson's short subjects and a long-form career biography; and The Last Sunset - Savant digs back a year to assay a weird Robert Aldrich western with a theme that ... well, can't spoil the movie. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.


February 12, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: Gone Baby Gone, The Lubitsch Musicals, and Charlie Chan
Gone Baby GoneAnother banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as:  Gone Baby Gone [review] - the directorial debut of actor Ben Affleck, he's created an absorbing, carefully constructed movie about consequences and the unbearable burden of conscience; Lubitsch Musicals [review] - Four films filled with the sophistication, elegance, and playful bawdinessis that Lubitsch was known for, this set is as highly recommended as they come; and Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 4 - Sidney Toler takes over as the inscrutable detective in these four films from the immensely popular series; Other releases of note include:  Becoming Jane, No ReservationsGuess Who's Coming to Dinner (40th Anniversary Edition), George of the Jungle: The Complete Series, The Equalizer - Season One, and The Joan Crawford Collection, Vol. 2. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.


February 11, 2008
New DVD Reviews: Jean Luc Godard, Michael Clayton, and Across the Universe
This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: Jean Luc Godard: 3 Disc Collector's Edition - four films from the justly famous cantankerous provocateur, all of which are excellent. Give your brain a good tease and pick this set up.; Michael Clayton - a brilliantly executed, clear-eyed thriller that hits the bullseye; Across the Universe - a film that is daring enough to take chances, shaping something distinctive and visually dazzling around dozens of The Beatles' most enduring songs; and She's Gotta Have It - Spike Lee's inaugural movie remains one of the most impressive debut feature films by a director in the last thirty years; Other recent reviews include: Margot at the Wedding, Personal Best, The Draughtsman's Contract, Quincy Jones: 50 Years in Music - Live at Montreux 1996, and For The Bible Tells Me So.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week and the ability to browse reviews by studio.


February 09, 2008
DVD Stalk is back!
Pan It's been a while since DVD Stalk has hit you with the latest horror DVD release info but we're back on track! This month we take a look at some of the more interesting genre releases and reviews that have shown up in DVD Talk's ever expanding DVD Review Database including The Evil Dead: The Ultimate Edition - Anchor Bay, the culprits behind all but the original Elite DVD release of the film, have seen fit to go back to the well that Raimi built one more time with yet another release of this genre milestone; Storm Warning - an Australian survival horror/slash film which manages to be both entertaining and sufficiently gory as to be worth a look; and David Fincher's 2-Disc director's cut HDM release of Zodiac - One of the most acclaimed thrillers of 2007. All this, plus discs that may have flown under your radar and a look at an overlooked DVD from the past in this month's DVD Stalk!


February 08, 2008
New Movie Reviews: Fool's Gold, Hottie and the Nottie, and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson plunge into the deep blue sea in search of Fool's Gold. What they end up with is a soggy romantic adventure film. The Hottie and the Nottie shows audiences that when Paris Hilton is the best part of a movie, the end of days is drawing near. And former wild card Martin Lawrence returns to his emasculated roots in the boisterous Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Also opening: Vince Vaughn hits the road with his Wild West Comedy Show, Colin Farrell attempts to escape In Bruges, and Ethiopian women are handed a solid helping of hope in the arresting documentary A Walk to Beautiful. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Taxi to the Dark Side, Strange Wilderness, The Eye, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour , Billy the Kid, and The Air I Breathe. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.


February 07, 2008
TV on DVD: Angel: The Complete Series, Rosemary & Thyme, and The Extras
Angel:  The Complete SeriesThis seems to be the week when we review complete Television series. New TV reviews include:  Angel: The Complete Series - a spin off from the popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, this is a modern, supernatural soap opera geared toward a smarter, younger generation that has just enough street savvy to make itself stand out from the crowd; Extras - The Complete Series - a brilliant series from the creators of The Office that is completely hilarious and comes highly recommended; Rosemary & Thyme - The Complete Series - Leisurely, unruffled, and genialy, this complete series collection should find welcome viewers who like their murder mysteries with a light, knowing touch.; Other shows include:  Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Sixth Season, Weird Science - The Complete Seasons 1 & 2The Riches - Season 1, Kingdom - Series Two, and Cops: 20th Anniversary Edition.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.


February 06, 2008
DVD Savant: 'Breaker' Morant, Indiscreet, and Payday
'Breaker' Morant This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: 'Breaker' Morant - Bruce Beresford's searing drama investigates the arrest and trial of three commando fighters in the Boer war for committing battlefield 'murders' -- that were mandated by their superior officers. A gripping true story, with great performances from Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson and Bryan Brown; Indiscreet - Stanley Donen directed this nearly perfect romantic confection starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman about a classy affair between a stage star and a millionaire; Payday - Tired of films that are the equivalent of junk food? Rip Torn and director Daryl Duke show them how it's done in this sharp and uncompromising tale of a country western star on a tear. One of the best of the early 70s 'freedom of the screen' movies; and Halleluja Italo-Western Box -a Region 2 Pal release of three Spaghetti Westerns centered around characters named Hallelujah -- and one that just has Hallelujah in the title: Ein Halleluja Fur Camposanto, Man Nennt Mich Halleluja and Sando Kid Spricht Das Letzte Halleluja. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.


February 05, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: The Aristocats, The Assassination of Jesse James, and Across the Universe
The AristocatsAnother banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as:  The Aristocats: Special Edition [review] - a fun selection from the tail end of the original classic period of Disney studio animation it's full of colorful characters, great songs, and beautiful animation; The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [review] - a reimagining of familiar, rough American folklore as a more nuanced and sensitive portrait of one man's soul; and Across the Universe [review]- a visually arresting musical set to dozens of The Beatles' most enduring songs; Other releases of note include:  Elizabeth - The Golden Age [review], The Jane Austen Book ClubThe Brave One, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection - Volume 10.2, and Third Watch - The Complete First Season. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

DVD Clip of the Week: Strictly Confidential
An ex-cop turned sex therapist is pulled into the seedy world of fetish and S&M when her ex-lover seeks her advice on a sordid murder case. New on DVD from KOCH VISION, award-winning writer/creator Kay Mellor (Band of Gold) pushes TV boundaries once again with the sexy, new series Strictly Confidential (view teaser and go behind-the-scenes). Also debuting on DVD is the multi-million dollar WWII epic Dresden. Enjoy these clips from the awe-inspiring mini-series: Mission Target, Air Attack, The Inferno. Meanwhile, KOCH LORBER FILMS presents two internationally acclaimed documentaries: 9 Star Hotel (view trailer) and the Independent Spirit Award-nominated The Monastery: Mr. Vig & the Nun. (view trailer)


February 04, 2008
Turok: Son of Stone DVD Giveaway
Turok:  Son of Stone This week we have a special giveaway from Genius Products and Classic Media for Turok: Son of Stone. A great warrior in a lost land is about to find his destiny when TUROK: SON OF STONE charges onto DVD for the first time February 5th. This production draws on the original 1950s comic book series, as well as influences ranging from Frank Miller to Akira Kurosawa, to create a dark, intense, epic reimagining of Turok's origin story. For the generation of fans who grew up on Turok video games as well as new devotees of the legendary franchise, this film is a chance to peer into the heart of the hero - and witness the birth of the legend. Turok gamers will love this return to the original story. Enter now for your chance to win one of 5 copies of Turok: Son of Stone on DVD.

New DVD Reviews: The Legend of Butch & Sundance, King of California, and Alex Haley's Queen
The Legend of Butch & Sundance This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD Reviews include: The Legend of Butch & Sundance - Deftly written, with smart direction and three charismatic leads make this an engaging comedy romance oater that holds up quite nicely; King of California - a delightful and exuberant tale that come highly recommended; Alex Haley's Queen - a beautifully realized and touching account of the other side of Alex Haley's family story, and it will be appreciated by Roots fans everywhere; Other recent reviews include: War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death, Les Miserables: 10th Anniversary Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, Big Bang Love, Juvenile A, Die and Let Live, and Coma (2007).  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week and the ability to browse reviews by studio.


February 01, 2008
New Movie Reviews: Over Her Dead Body, Billy the Kid, and Taxi to the Dark Side
Some great films have just been released theatrically, and DVDTalk has them covered. A shrill Eva Longoria haunts Paul Rudd and Lake Bell in Over Her Dead Body, a tiresome romantic comedy arriving just in time to ruin the Valentine's Day season. Billy the Kid is an outstanding documentary taking a look at the awkward teenage years through the askew perception of the unstoppable Billy Price. Also, America's policy on torture is questioned in Taxi to the Dark Side, a powerful look at interrogation tactics. The Eye, Strange Wilderness, and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert Tour were not screened for the press, so look for those reviews coming soon and much more in DVD Talk's Theatrical Review section.


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