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March 31, 2008
DVD Giveaway: A Trio of Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Films
 This week we have a very special giveaway from KOCH LORBER for the Paolo and Vittorio Taviani films The Night of the Shooting Stars, Kaos and Fiorile. In the Cannes award-winning film The Night of the Shooting Stars, a mother tells her son about a night in 1944 when the residents of her small Tuscan town defied their Nazi occupiers. Magic, misery and hope are given life in Kaos, an epic film featuring five tales adapted from short stories by Italian playwright, Luigi Pirandello. In Fiorile, the Benedetti family has been haunted by a curse for generations. While driving to visit their grandfather, Luigi Benedetti tells his children the mysterious story of their ancestors - a story filled with forbidden love, passion and romance. Each DVD is supplemented by its own 8-page collectible booklet featuring an essay by Italian cinema expert Peter Bondanella. Enter now for your chance to win one of 5 sets of these three newly restored and re-mastered films - new on DVD.
This week the DVD
Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked.
Recent DVD Reviews include: There Will Be Blood: 2-Disc Collector's Edition - one of 2007's finest offerings in a year of solid contenders, director Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted perhaps his most self-assured film to date; Blast of Silence - Criterion Collection - This 1961 cult classic is a throwback to the film noir of the previous two decades and is exactly what indie cinema was always meant to be, with unknowns breathing new life into old genres; and Warner Bros. Gangsters Collection Vol. 3
- a sensation collection of lesser-celebrated gangster flicks, with some terrific turns by the gangster Holy Trinity: Cagney, Robinson and Bogart.; Other recent reviews include: Alain Delon - 5-Film Collection, Fog City Mavericks: The Filmakers of San Francisco, and WWE - Triple H: the King Of Kings - There Is Only One. 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.
March 27, 2008
New Movie Reviews: 21, Run Fatboy Run, and Stop-Loss
Las Vegas receives a gigantic wet willy from a group of MIT students in the slick gambling drama 21. David Schwimmer directs Simon Pegg in the silly underdog comedy Run Fatboy Run. And American soldiers fighting in Iraq face a never-ending war in Stop-Loss. Also in theaters: Pierce Brosnan and Rachael McAdams discuss Married Life, the Caltech basketball team is awful in Quantum Hoops, superhero movies are roasted in the aptly titled Superhero Movie, Demi Moore and Michael Caine steal diamonds in Flawless, and a Tibetan school for the blind climbs the Himalayas in Blindsight. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films:
Boarding Gate, The Hammer, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, Shutter, Drillbit Taylor, Under the Same Moon, and Doomsday. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.
 TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:
Robson Arms - Season 2 - Stylistically somewhat similar to the work of Wes Anderson, this is a sitcom that doesn't insult its audience's intelligence; those looking for deliciously perverse "English village mysteries" need to look no farther than the releases of Midsomer Murders - The Early Cases Collection and Midsomer Murders - Set Ten- more enjoyable stories from the long-running British mystery series; and Michael Palin's New Europe - a fascinating and fun travel documentary spanning former Iron Curtain countries, this is a wonderful introduction to a part of the world still largely unknown to Western Europeans and Americans.; Other shows include: Five Days, Married With Children Season Eight, Third Watch - The Complete First Season, and Saturday Night Live: SNL in the '80s - Lost and Found. Want more?
Check out all of the TV
on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk
database.
March 26, 2008
DVD Savant: Ice Storm, The British Empire in Color, and more!
 This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The Ice Storm - Ang Lee's foray into darkest Americana, an overly significant, rather overbaked look at the psychic fallout from the permissiveness of the 70s sexual revolution. Family Values prove to be incompatible with Wife Swapping (really?) but the core problem is that most every character hates every other character -- and themselves. It's beautifully directed and acted; The British Empire in Color - The vintage color photography in this miniseries is fascinating, but the docu itself is on the weak side; and Bonnie and Clyde - Savant's first Blu-ray review is Warners' fancy release of Warren Beatty and Arthur Penn's 1967 retro gangster tale that revolutionized the way movies were made in Hollywood. The detail is such that you can even see when Burnett Guffey's camera isn't perfectly in focus! With all the video extras of the DVD Ultimate edition. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.
March 25, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: Bonnie and Clyde, The Mist, and Day Break
 There are some great DVDs coming out this week including: Bonnie and Clyde: Ultimate Collector's Edition [review]
- The first time this film has really gotten its due in the digital age, it's packaged in a handy box with bonus books and a second disc of bonus features; The Mist [review] - director Frank Darabont adapts a Steven King story once again and creates a tense and terrifying film; and Day Break - The Complete Series [review]- melange of Groundhog Day, X Files, and especially Lost, Taye Diggs' performance elevates it above standard television fare; Other releases of note
include:
Frisky Dingo - Season 1 [review],
Lost Highway, and Sliders: The Fourth 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.
March 24, 2008
DVDTalk Giveaway: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Two-Disc Special Edition
This week we have a special giveaway from Paramount Home Entertainment for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Two-Disc Special Edition. Re-imagined by legendary director Tim Burton and starring Golden Globe winner Johnny Depp, Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning Broadway hit never looked and sounded so good! Also starring Helena Bonham Carter (Fight Club), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Timothy Spall (Enchanted), and Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), Sweeney Todd tells the ghoulish tale of the infamous demon barber as he seeks revenge by the blade of his trusty razors. This two-disc Special Edition DVD is packed with blood-pumping special features including in-depth looks at the musical and its history, the making of the film, and a whole lot more! Grab your razors, warm the oven, and prepare some very special meat pies as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street comes to DVD on April 1, 2008! Enter now for your chance to win one of 5 copies of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Two-Disc Special Edition on DVD.
This week the DVD
Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked.
Recent DVD Reviews include: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street - 2 Disc Special Edition - an artistic leap forward for director Tim Burton and also happens to be one of the best film musicals yet made; Bull Durham: Collector's Edition - Witty, earnest, and passionate, this is that "other" baseball movie that focuses on the realities and humors behind the dugout; and Antonio Gaudi - Criterion Collection - an unconventional documentary largely devoid of anything beyond image and score, this 72-minute film is a wordless tone poem celebrating the architectural achievements of Barcelona's most renowned architect.; Other
recent reviews include: Walk the Line: Extended Cut [2nd review], Forbidden Hollywood Collection Two, and Enchanted . 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.
March 21, 2008
New Movie Reviews: Drillbit Taylor, Shutter, and The Hammer
Owen Wilson, Judd Apatow, and Seth Rogan try to drum up some laughs in the scattershot bodyguard comedy Drillbit Taylor. Asian horror remake cinema receives another sleeping pill with the tedious Shutter. And Adam Carolla squeezes into boxing gloves and channels Rocky Balboa in the comedy The Hammer. Also in theaters: Asia Argento melts the screen in the sensual thriller Boarding Gate, Tyler Perry returns to family issues in Meet the Browns, and illegal immigration is handed a big, warm hug in Under the Same Moon. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films:
Doomsday, Horton Hears a Who, Never Back Down, Funny Games, Chaos Theory, Sleepwalking, and Paranoid Park. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.
Things have been pretty quiet with the anime industry lately. The ADV fiasco seems to be over but publishers all seem to be taking things in stride. New show releases are less frequent and reissuing older series is apparently all the rave. With that in mind the Anime Talk column is a tad slim this time around but there's still plenty of anime on the market to enjoy! From Appleseed to Hell Girl and even Kanon there's something for everyone out there and lucky for you we help you sort it all out!
March 20, 2008
TV on DVD: Dresden, Dark Shadows, and Hotel Babylon
 TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:
Dresden - this program is a rousing epic, the sort of thing for which larger-than-life TV miniseries were designed; Hotel Babylon (Season 1) - this subtle, ironic show takes the viewer back to the assured confidence of 60s Hollywood features with a cool, detached tone that's refreshing in comparison to today's tacky nighttime dramas; and Dark Shadows: The Beginning Collection 3 - From characters you can cuddle up with to situations that play out like a John Waters movie, this is a wonderfully weird and entertaining endeavor; Other shows include: Lillie, Johnny and the Sprites - Meet the Sprites, and another reviewer's take on Hogfather. Want more?
Check out all of the TV
on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk
database.
March 19, 2008
DVD Savant: Daisy Kenyon, Black Widow, Pre-code Hollywood and Gangsters
 This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Daisy Kenyon - One of Otto Preminger's best, this story of a romantic triangle is uncommonly intelligent and makes good use of three very different kinds of actors: Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda; Black Widow - The mystery is transparent and the casting rather maladroit, but this early CinemaScope thriller looks and sounds great;TCM Archives: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 2 - Warners continues its celebration of censor-free early 30s movie naughtiness with five MGM and Warners envelope edge-pushers: The Divorcee, A Free Soul, Three on a Match, Female and Night Nurse. Slinky costumes! Drinking! Sex! Crime! Drugs! Not to mention liberated women and Clark Gable as a brutal villain; and Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection Vol. 3 -Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart are back, in a variety of gangland-related stories: Smart Money, Picture Snatcher, The Mayor of Hell, Lady Killer, Black Legion, Brother Orchid. With plenty of extras, including commentaries. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.
March 18, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: I Am Legend, Battlestar Galactica: Season 3, and Enchanted
 Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films
and boxed sets such as: I Am Legend [review]
- Will Smith gives a great performance that carries the film and allows him a chance to flex his movie star muscles; Battlestar Galactica: Season 3 - The adventures of one of television's finest SF shows continues with all 20 episodes of the Peabody Award-winning series; and Enchanted [review]- this amazingly funny film proves that there's still plenty of magic left in the good old Magic Kingdom; Other releases of note
include:
Revolver [review],
Southland Tales [review],
Bionic Woman - Volume One, and Adventures of Robin Hood - 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.
March 17, 2008
New DVD Reviews: Dan in Real Life, In the Valley of Elah, and The Ice Storm CC
This week the DVD
Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked.
Recent DVD Reviews include: Dan in Real Life - those who enjoy poignant drama sprinkled with comedy should certainly enjoy what this highly recommended film has to offer; In the Valley of Elah - one of the most troubling, enraging films yet made about the sacrifice our country is making on a daily basis; and The Ice Storm - Criterion Collection
- as close as anyone can get to a note-perfect film.; Other
recent reviews include: Mrs. Doubtfire: Behind-the-Seams Edition, The Good Night, Funky Forest: The First Contact, and Moolaadé. 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.
March 14, 2008
New Movie Reviews: Horton Hears a Who, Never Back Down, and Funny Games
The weary cinematic legacy of Dr. Seuss is redeemed to a certain degree with the manic, passable CG-animated offering, Horton Hears a Who. Mixed Martial Arts receives an atomic wedgie with the painfully insipid Never Back Down. And Michael Haneke arrives in Hollywood with moldy leftovers in the form a remake of his 1997 shocker Funny Games. Also in theaters: Ryan Reynolds pops a blood vessel in Chaos Theory, Charlize Theron mopes in Sleepwalking, beloved writer/director Neil Marshall takes a step towards Doomsday, and Gus Van Sant offers more nothingness in the excruciating Paranoid Park. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: 10,000 B.C., The Bank Job, CJ7, Girls Rock!, College Road Trip, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and Snow Angels. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.
March 13, 2008
TV on DVD: Hogfather, Frisky Dingo, and McLeod's Daughter's
 TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:
Hogfather - a funny, touching, and all around clever adaptation of Terry Pratchett's wonderful book, this first live-action Discworld film is sure to be a family favorite; Frisky Dingo - Season 1 - an extremely funny show with a sense of humor that's all over the map; McLeod's Daughter's: The Complete Fifth Season - another expertly-crafted season of Aussie soap theatrics, with tightly constructed, well-integrated scripts, spectacular location shooting, and as always, a talented, attractive cast.; Other shows include: State of Play, The Beatrix Potter Collection, Monster Hunters, and WWE - Armageddon 2007. Want more?
Check out all of the TV
on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk
database.
March 12, 2008
DVD Savant: Mafioso and No Country for Old Men
 This week the DVD Savant has a couple of new reviews including: Mafioso - Alberto Lattuada's cagey serio-comedy puts amusing Alberto Sordi on a boat to his native Sicily -- and into the lap of a Mafia boss who trades 'favors' with him -- on a completely involuntary basis. A terrific and unheralded Italian classic; and No Country for Old Men - This year's big award winner is a wholly deserving crime drama of a unlucky guy pursued across Texas by an implacable hit man. The irrepressible Coens' bloody (but not bloodthirsty) thriller is loaded with fascinating characters. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.
March 11, 2008
This Week's Notable DVDs: No Country for Old Men, Dan in Real Life, Stargate - The Ark of Truth
 Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films
and boxed sets such as: No Country for Old Men [review]
- Joel and Ethan Coen have made a true 21st-century masterpiece, filled with a longing for a fading past and the dread of an oncoming future; Dan in Real Life [review] - a charming, funny, and occasionally bittersweet tale of dependency and understanding, packed tightly with honest performances and a terrific atmosphere; and Stargate - The Ark of Truth - This thrilling feature-length film picks up where Stargate SG-1 left off, thrusting the Stargate team into their most exciting adventure yet.; Other releases of note
include:
Hitman [review],
Nancy Drew [review],
Bee Movie, and three new disc under the Fox Film Noir label: Black Widow, Daisy Kenyon,
and Dangerous Crossing.
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.
March 10, 2008
New DVD Reviews: Lust, Caution, 12 Angry Men: Collector's Edition, and Pierrot Le Fou
This week the DVD
Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked.
Recent DVD Reviews include: Lust, Caution - an affective, sensual tour de force that's one of the best films of 2007, with one of the most enthralling performances of the year as well.; 12 Angry Men: Collector's Edition - Focused and riveting from start to finish, Sydney Lumet's classic finally gets a noteworthy domestic release; and Pierrot Le Fou - Criterion Collection
- a turning point in Jean-Luc Godard's work, this film is tough as nails, whimsical, inventive, sad, nihilistic, funny, and ultimately great art.; Other
recent reviews include: Sleuth, Life After Tomorrow, Appleseed Ex Machina, and Southland Tales. 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.
March 07, 2008
The Living Dead At Manchester Morgue and a chance to win!
DVD Stalk returns to bring you the latest and greatest (and not so greatest) horror reviews to pass through our pages over the last month, covering everything from European zombie films to killer animal movies with a musical thrown in for good measure. If that isn't enough to peak your interest, we're also going to give away a few free copies of 42nd St. Forever Volume 3 - Exploitation Explosion courtesy of Synapse Films! Free DVDs? And your mother told you horror movies were bad for you....! In case you missed them, check out our earlier installments where we covered Basket Case 2, Hostel Part II, and Plamet Terror.
This week we have a special giveaway from Synapse Films! Enter now for your chance to win one of five copies of 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3: Exploitation Explosion! Synapse Films presents another volume in their best-selling series of classic exploitation trailers! Another mind-numbing , ball-busting, fist-punching and horror filled collection from the bygone days of New York City s classic 42nd Street theaters. This explosive collection, transferred in high-definition, will blow you through the back of your home theater! You'll have a blast watching these amazing film trailers! Trailers include: SUDDEN DEATH, JENNIFER, KILLER FISH, SAVAGE STREETS, THE YOUNG NURSES, BEYOND THE DOOR, DEVIL TIMES FIVE, KING FRAT, PRISON GIRLS, SURVIVE, THE ONE ARMED EXECUTIONER, JAGUAR LIVES, DEMONOID and many, many more! Be sure to read Paul Mavis' rave review of the disc and then click here for your chance to win a copy on DVD!
Blockbuster director Roland Emmerich takes audiences back to prehistoric days in the sleepy caveman misfire 10,000 B.C. It's Jason Statham, swinging London in the 1970s, and piles of money in The Bank Job, an energetic heist tale told with style and speed. And ace comic Stephen Chow returns to channel his inner-Spielberg with the family comedy CJ7. Also in theaters: Teen girls try some devil horns on for size in the music documentary Girls Rock!, Frances McDormand and Amy Adams trade quips in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Martin Lawrence hits the road in College Road Trip, and David Gordon Green explores unhappy again in Snow Angels. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Other Boleyn Girl, Semi-Pro, Penelope, Witless Protection, Be Kind Rewind, 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.
March 06, 2008
Anime Talk: Blood+, Shuffle, and One Piece.
A while ago Anime Talk discussed the leaked ADV announcement regarding several titles being pulled and canceled. Since then it looks like the publisher has worked things out to some degree and releases are back on the calendar. All around the industry has cooled a bit but it doesn't look like the sky is falling quite yet. As evidence of that we look at some fantastic new releases this week such as Blood+, One Piece, xxxHolic, and Shuffle. Read about all this and more in this week's Anime Talk!
 TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include:
Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection: Vol. 6 - The Inspector - a compilation of the first 17 theatrical shorts based on the popular Peter Sellers' creation, Inspector Clouseau; Newhart - The Complete First Season - more grounded in reality than the increasingly surreal later seasons, this first season still has enough Bob Newhart genius in each episode to satisfy fans; State of Play - a finely-crafted story of investigative journalism that is intelligently written, well-directed, and brilliantly acted.; Other shows include: The Waltons - The Complete Sixth Season, Dallas - The Complete Eighth Season, Inside the White Tower, and Disney's Little Einsteins - Race for Space. Want more?
Check out all of the TV
on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk
database.
March 05, 2008
DVD Savant: The Last Emperor, Right At Your Door, and The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue
 This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: The Last Emperor - A massive boxed set includes two full versions of Bernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning epic, and two full discs of complementary material. This was the first movie allowed to film in Peiping's Forbidden City; Right At Your Door - Multiple terror explosions rock Los Angeles, sending the entire city into chaos. Well-sustained hysteria by director-writer Chris Gorak pokes big holes in the concept of Homeland Security; The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue Jorge Grau's excellent zombie movie is one of the first and best to follow in George Romero's bloody steps, with a good script, excellent locations and fine acting from Cristina Galbó, Ray Lovelock and Arthur Kennedy; and Susana - Luis Buñuel plunks a demonic Rosita Quintana into an unsuspecting Mexican family and watches the fur fly. It's a wicked semi-surreal black comedy about miracles, demons and the cluelessness of respectability. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.
March 04, 2008
DVD Talk Clip of the Week: En La Cama
After meeting at a party, Daniela and Bruno spend the night together in a seedy hotel room passionately making love. New on DVD from KOCH LORBER FILMS, Blanca Lewin and Gonzalo Valenzuela star as two strangers who share their most intimate desires and reveal their darkest secrets in En La Cama, an erotically charged film from award-winning director Matías Bize. Watch these provocative clips from En La Cama: My Name, Bedroom Dance, We Better Leave. Also debuting on DVD this month is Gary Burns and Jim Brown's exploration into the dark side of suburbia, Radiant City (view trailer). Get to know the Moss family from Radiant City in these revealing clips: Commute, Real Estate, Suburban Home.
 Another banner week for DVDs with the studios releasing some great films
and boxed sets such as: 101 Dalmatians [review],
- one of Disney's true, inarguable classics this new double-disc release boasts an amazing transfer, with vibrant colors and astounding resolution; Into the Wild [review 1] [review 2]- a totally engrossing story and reason to examine your life with eyes washed clean; and 12 Angry Men [review] - this taut, suspenseful and powerful movie has a all-star cast and earned three Academy Award Nominations when it was released in 1957.; Other releases of note
include:
Hogfather [review],
Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 ,
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and The Love Boat - Season One, Vol. 1.
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.
March 03, 2008
New DVD Reviews: My Kid Could Paint That, The Last Emperor, and the Joan Crawford Collection Vol.
This week the DVD
Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including some discs you may have overlooked.
Recent DVD Reviews include: My Kid Could Paint That [Review 1], [Review 2]- a pair of reviewers both gave this film high marks. It's a fascinating human interest story blended with a rather intellectual exploration of the nature of modern art; The Last Emperor - Criterion Collection - fans of grand moviemaking and history buffs will have a blast digging through the many supplemental features included with the amazing Bernardo Bertolucci epic; and Joan Crawford Collection - Volume 2
-five films (Sadie McKee / Strange Cargo / A Woman's Face / Flamingo Road / Torch Song) that showcase Crawford at her very best and most indulgently worst; Other recent reviews include: The Darjeeling Limited, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?, The Royal Tramp Collection, and The Dragon Painter. 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.
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