DVD Talk: February 2011 Archives

The Double Life of Veronique: The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Some great DVD and Blu-ray reviews have been added to the the DVD Talk Review Database recently including: The Double Life of Veronique: The Criterion Collection - Irene Jacob's radiant performance only becomes more involving with time; Candyman: The David Klein Story - A wholly inspiring tale of a largely unknown man behind a product famous the world over... a sleeper hit waiting to be discovered; and America America - Elia Kazan's epic tale of struggle, heartbreak, and dreams is an engrossing, altogether unique depiction of the immigrant's journey. Other recent reviews include: Stieg Larsson's Dragon Tattoo Trilogy (Blu-ray), There's Nothing Out There, and Daughters of Darkness. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Well, the winter months are winding down...how are you holding up? With spring basically right around the corner we're looking forward to slightly longer days and warmer temperatures, however, winter doesn't really affect watching anime! We've been busy the past month or so and there's been plenty to watch and review. We also have some manga reviews and anime bargains thanks to WTK! Read about all this and more in this month's Anime Talk!

Nicolas Cage and Amber Heard fight off the Devil's minions in the furious 3D actioner Drive Angry. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis are married idiots out to score sex in the Farrelly Brother comedy Hall Pass. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. And a killer tire takes to the road in the French moviegoing event Rubber. Also in theaters: Paul Giamatti experiences an uncomfortable life in Barney's Version. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Black Death, Unknown, I Am Number Four, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, Just Go with It, The Eagle, Brotherhood, Cedar Rapids, Gnomeo & Juliet, The Resident, No Strings Attached, The Green Hornet, True Grit, The Fighter, The King's Speech, and Black Swan. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto DVD this week including: Glee: Season 2, Volume 1 - the quick dialogue, hilarious scenes, and appealing storylines continue in this second season of the hit show; The Fugitive: The Fourth and Final Season, Volume Two - this set brings one of the best TV shows of the 60s to an end with a famous two-part finale; and Midsomer Murders: Set 17 - another four solid, entertaining examples of the series. Other shows recently reviewed include: Patrice O'Neal - Elephant In The Room, Top Gear: The Complete Season 15, and Doctor Who: The Mutants. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: The Twilight Zone Season 3 - The 37 Blu-ray episodes encoded in Rod Serling's great TV series look simply fantastic, and the five-disc set is loaded with commentaries, isolated music tracks and other extras. Plenty of favorites and classics in season three; Broadcast News - James L. Brooks' take on the nightly network news focuses on the shift from journalistic aims to comforting entertainment. A romantic triangle between a producer, a reporter and an anchorman is trumped by a fourth element, careerism; and Network - Paddy Chayefsky expresses his love / rage opinions about Television and American culture through the ravings of a false prophet -- but his own prophecies about the future (our future) have turned out to be disturbingly prescient. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: Get Low [Blu-ray review, DVD review] - a wonderful group of performances by a dream cast; Fish Tank: The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray review] - A fantastic symphony of characters making regrettable decisions; The Last Unicorn [Blu-ray review] - The magic and imagination that define this movie continue to entrance nearly three full decades after the film was first released. Other reviews of note include: Due Date [Blu-ray review], Les Miserables [Blu-ray review], and Last Train Home [DVD review]. 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.

Rediscover the power of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe! Blast to the past with the entire 65 episode first season in one powerful DVD collection for ONLY $17.99. Now, you can experience the magic of hearing He-Man proclaim "By the power of Grayskull!" all over again, thanks to this collection of all 65 episodes from the first season of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." Join Prince Adam/He-Man as he mounts the fearless Battlecat and, aided by his loyal cohorts Man at Arms, Teela and Orko, clashes with Skeletor and his crew of devilish villains.

It's almost that time of year. In less than a week the stars both in front of and behind the cameras will dress in their finest and head to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood for the 83rd Academy Awards. Who will win? More importantly; who should win? We polled the DVDTalk review panel, a group of people who spend WAY too much time watching, talking, and writing about movies, to give us their thoughts and here's what they had to say. There's a lot of agreement in some categories, and a few surprises too (there's no consensus on Best Animated Feature?!?) Be sure to tune into the Oscars on Sunday February 27th to see which reviewer was most in tune with the voting members of the Academy.

Check out the latest DVD reviews that have been entered into the DVD Talk Review Database including: Enter the Void - this is a film that's going to resonate with you long after the fact; Thelma & Louise - 20th Anniversary Edition - one of those movies that never gets dull, and Blu-Ray provides a good excuse to watch it again; and The Cable Guy - this movie finally gets the lavish treatment in the extras department that it deserves on this Blu-ray release. Other recent reviews include: Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, Dennis Miller: 'The Big Speech', and WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2010. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Liam Neeson questions January Jones in the psychological thriller Unknown. Alex Pettyfer is an alien on the run from intergalactic threat in the teen-lit sensation I Am Number Four. And Martin Lawrence returns to the fat suit in the sequel Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son. Also in theaters: Sean Bean brings God to the wicked in the medieval horror film Black Death. An elaborate frat prank goes horribly awry in the thriller Brotherhood. And Hilary Swank is creeped out by her apartment in The Resident. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Just Go with It, The Eagle, Cedar Rapids, Gnomeo & Juliet, Sanctum, The Roommate, Vanishing on 7th Street, The Mechanic, The Rite, No Strings Attached, The Green Hornet, True Grit, The Fighter, The King's Speech, and Black Swan. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto DVD this week including: The Twilight Zone - Season 3 - some of the series' finest half-hours as well as a big handful of underrated episodes worth rediscovery; Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1987 - the opportunity for slapstick increases,as do the laughs, in the ninth season of this British comedy; and Murphy's Law - Series 3 - the show completely changed its format in this season, and for the better, turning it into an almost unbearably suspenseful and thrilling program. Other shows recently reviewed include: Evening Primrose, Top Shot: The Complete Season One, and Billy the Exterminator: Season 2. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Thelma and Louise - Ridley Scott's gloriously pretty images look terrific in Blu-ray, and the controversial female twist on the buddy action thriller can still inspire conversation and unsolicited Savant opinions; WUSA - A conservative radio station fuels a conspiracy to force welfare recipients out of New Orleans, and Paul Newman is their new disc jockey for hire. Joanne Woodward is his girlfriend and Anthony Perkins a potentially fanatic ex- Peace Corps volunteer. A character study resists being shoehorned into a standard thriller plot; and Shopping - Paul W. S. Anderson's debut feature is a slick, stylized tale of joy-riding car thieves that have perfected the art of a smash 'n' grab robbery technique called "ram-raiding". Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

In a broadcasting career spanning nearly 40 years, Emmy and Peabody-winning journalist Bill Moyers distinguished himself at Newsday, NBC, CBS, and PBS. Now his absorbing, thought-provoking interviews are available on DVD. Acorn Media's Athena brand of lifelong learning documentaries boasts a line of four Moyers titles to date. Today marks the release of two more wonderful pieces. In Search of the Constitution explores the meaning and impact of our nation's founding document. A World of Ideas: Writers gives a personal voice to celebrated literary figures including Toni Morrison, Tom Wolfe, and Isaac Asimov. Visit AthenaLearning.com to see clips of these powerful interviews and join the discussion!

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: Unstoppable [DVD review] - excellent fun - a thrilling action movie that delivers a good time without insulting anyone's intelligence; Waiting for Superman [Blu-ray review] - a documentry from Oscar winning director Davis Guggenheim that illustrates the perils of education in America today, All the President's Men [Blu-ray review] - this movie was acclaimed at the time of its release and it has only grown in power and stature in the years since. Other reviews of note include: Network [Blu-ray review], Wishbone [DVD review], and Storm Warriors [DVD review]. 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.

Some cool discs have been reviewed over the past week. Check out these recent entries: The Spikes Gang - One of the best Westerns of the 1970s, unfortunately missed by the critics and the ticket-buying public; Which Way Home - a powerful eye-opening documentary about children from Latin America trying to get to the US; and The Taint - though it's not for faint at heart, reviewer Kurt Dahlke describes this independent horror film as a "sick, sick masterpiece." Other recent reviews include: Jaffa, Sins of My Father, and The Last Play at Shea. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

As a follow-up to a RPG of years past, the sequel to Two Worlds was released for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC recently. Check out our complete review of Two Worlds II for the Xbox 360. Over on the Nintendo Wii, we checked out the Mario themed sports title from Square Enix, Mario Sports Mix and the downloadable WiiWare game Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time. On the Playstation 3, we reviewed two downloadable titles, Tales From Space: About a Blob and The Undergarden. Finally, over on the iPhone platform, we checked out a throwback to those early 8-bit days, League of Evil. As always, our entire collection of video game reviews can be found here. Share your thoughts on this week's releases on the Video Game Talk forum.

Model Brooklyn Decker tempts Adam Sandler and stymies Jennifer Aniston in the romantic comedy Just Go with It. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Tyler Foster. Channing Tatum fights for Rome in the period actioner The Eagle. And Ed Helms heads to a wild insurance convention in the comedy Cedar Rapids. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. Also in theaters: The music of Elton John backdrops the antics of ceramic creatures in Disney's animated Gnomeo & Juliet. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Sanctum, The Roommate, Vanishing on 7th Street, Frankie & Alice, And Everything is Going Fine, Cold Weather, The Mechanic, The Rite, No Strings Attached, The Green Hornet, The Dilemma, True Grit, The Fighter, The King's Speech, and Black Swan. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Interested in the latest TV on DVD reviews? DVD Talk has you covered! This week's notable entries include: Matlock: The Sixth Season - Andy Griffith is effortlessly funny and charming as high-powered attorney Ben Matlock; In Treatment: Season Two - has poignant, heartbreaking and optimistic moments, sometimes all within the course of a tightly packed twenty-plus minute episode... a must-see; and Skins: Vol. 4 - the season concludes with a twist that ranks among the most shocking and unexpected things to happen on a television show. Other shows recently reviewed include: Dallas: The Complete Final Season, Saturday Night Live: The Best of John Belushi, and The Chainsaw Sally Show, Season 1. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: All About Eve - Bette Davis, Anne Baxter and Celeste Holm shine in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's densely written ode to Broadway careerism; The Prowler - Ambitious cop Van Heflin sees what he wants in lonely housewife Evelyn Keyes, and takes steps to eliminate her husband. The subversive tale is an emotional indictment of the American go-getter ethic -- the hero's twisted goal is to "make money while he sleeps"; and Santa Sangre - Alejandro Jodorowsky's delirious tale of circus madness and bizarre symbols really pops in a brightly colored Blu-ray edition. It's the film that has everything: an elephant funeral, an armless cult leader and a hero who thinks he's a mad doctor! Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

This week several great movies are coming out, including a few that shouldn't be missed: I Spit on Your Grave (1978) [Blu-ray review] - The original version of the film remains shocking and disturbing even more than three full decades later; I Spit on Your Grave (2010) [Blu-ray review] - while this remake feels more like a cinematic construction, it still carries over a lot of what is fascinating about the original; and Tamara Drewe [Blu-ray review] - with a masterful cast, skillful direction, and a conclusion that knocks the film off its feet this is a movie worth checking out. Other reviews of note include: It's Kind of a Funny Story [Blu-ray review], The Romantics [DVD review], and Life as We Know It [Blu-ray review]. 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.

Our reviewers have been busy this week, filling the DVD Talk Review Database more great entries. Some new reviews of note include: 10 - excellent performances and numerous funny scenes easily place it near the top of Edwards' filmography; Animal Kingdom - this tough Australian crime drama is one of the best films of 2010; and Pleasantville - this nearly-timeless classic earns an easy Highly Recommended rating. Other recent reviews include: Last Train Home, All Boys, and Lucky Lady. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester refuse to get along in the college chiller The Roommate. A group of spelunkers fight to escape the mysteries of the deep in Sanctum. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jamie S. Rich. And Hayden Christensen fights off the shadows in Vanishing on 7th Street. Read reviews from Brian Orndorf and Jason Bailey. Also in theaters: Halle Berry goes big time crazy as both Frankie & Alice. Spalding Gray is remembered in And Everything is Going Fine. And Portland has a mystery during the Cold Weather. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Mechanic, The Rite, Biutiful, No Strings Attached, The Other Woman, The Green Hornet, The Dilemma, TRON: Legacy, True Grit, The Fighter, The King's Speech, and Black Swan. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films In Theaters in our Movie Talk Forum.

Interested in the latest TV on DVD reviews? DVD Talk has you covered! This week's notable entries include: Justified: The Complete First Season - a sharply written, expertly acted, highly engaging series; James Clavell's Shogun - a benchmark in epic storytelling; and Rules of Engagement: The Complete Fourth Season - a series that has gone from forgettable to deeply funny in the span of a few seasons the show is now really showing its potential. Other shows recently reviewed include: single-handed - set 1, Blue Murder - Complete Collection, and Garrow's Law: Series One. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: The Color Purple - Steven Spielberg's long-form saga of injustice and heartbreak in Georgia is aided by wonderful performances; Hotel - Arthur Hailey's novel becomes an interesting saga of the last day of a grand New Orleans hotel, where efforts to sell are made difficult by the crimes and crooked deals of by its high-class guests; and Blondie Johnson - Joan Blondell gets a thorough leading-lady workout in this spirited Pre-Code about an impoverished woman who rises in the rackets, almost becoming a lady gang leader. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: Alice in Wonderland [Blu-ray review] - The animated Disney classic get the high definition treatment; Let Me In [Blu-ray review] - a startlingly faithful adaptation of the original Swedish film, Let the Right One In; and Never Let Me Go [DVD review] - Mark Romanek's long-awaited next feature is a bleak, overwhelming tragedy, but also rich and artful. Other reviews of note include: Tillman Story [DVD review], Discovering Hamlet [DVD review], and Welcome to the Rileys [Blu-ray review]. 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.