Adam
(2009) Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison. Romantic comedy about a charming, handsome autistic guy who falls in love with a brainy, beautiful teacher. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Max Mayer and producer Leslie Urdang, alternate ending, deleted scenes, cast and crew favorite scenes, "Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School With Rose Byrne." Blu-ray Disc adds alternate scenes. Four-week rental window before sell-through. (Fox).
Barney: Please & Thank You
(2009) Three episodes headed up by "Magic Words," which revolves around Baby Bop forgetting to say "please" and "thank you" and the ensuing lesson in how words can make people feel good inside. Features 19 Barney songs.; $14.98. Extras: Interactive games. (Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment).
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Big Love: The Complete Third Season
(2009) Four-disc set with 10 episodes, $59.99. (HBO Home Entertainment).
Chuck: The Complete Second Season
(2008-09) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Extras: "Truth, Spies and Regular Guys: Exploring the Mythology of Chuck," "Dude in Distress: Explore Some of This Season's Best Action Sequences," "Chuck Versus the Webisodes: Web-Originated Minifeaturettes," "Chuck: A Real-Life Captain Awesome's Tips for Being Awesome," "John Casey Presents: So You Want to Be a Deadly Spy?" declassified scenes, gag reel, 3-D version of the episode "Chuck Versus the Third Dimension" with two pairs of 3-D glasses. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
The Circuit
(2009 -- TV) Michelle Trachtenberg, Bill Campbell, Drew Fuller. A young race car driver -- estranged from her father, a racing car legend in his own right -- gets caught up in her sponsors' eagerness to exploit and sell her on and off the track, and her father steps in to bring her back down to earth -- by challenging her and her superstar boyfriend in a once-in-a-lifetime race. (Vivendi Entertainment).
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
(2009) Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Mr.T, Neil Patrick Harris. Read more about "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" in the January Calendar. Available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, two-disc DVD, one-Disc DVD. Extras: The one-disc DVD includes both widescreen and full-frame presentations of the feature,director's commentary with actor Bill Hader. The two-disc DVD adds behind-the-scenes featurettes "How Food Falls: The Making of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" and "Voice Off," a look at the voice cast and characters; deleted scenes; a music video and interactive sing-a-long for "Raining Sunshine" performed by Miranda Cosgrovel; "Food Fight" game. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack adds a unique "Splat Mode!" feature that allows viewers to throw food at the screen while they watch the film. (Sony).
Elmo Loves You!
(2010) Elmo Learns about love, emotions and friendship. Features musical performances by Trisha Yearwood, John Legend and R.E.M. (Sesame Street/Warner).
The Final Destination 3D
(2009) Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Krista Allen, Mykelti Williamson, Haley Webb, Nick Zano, Andrew Fiscella, Richard T. Jones. Read more about "The Final Destination 3D" in the January Calendar.Extras: Additional scenes. Blu-ray Disc adds alternate ending, digital copy, "Body Count: The Deaths of the Final Destination," previsualization/storyboard segments, BD-Live. (Warner).
Hubble's Amazing Rescue
(2009) PBS NOVA documentary takes viewers behind the scenes on a riveting journey with astronauts and engineers charged with saving the famous Hubble Space Telescope. (PBS Home Video).
Iron Man: Armored Adventures Volume 2
(2009) Single-disc with six episodes, $6.95. Extras: "The Super Hero Squad Show: A Day in the Life." (Marvel Animation/Genius Products/Vivendi Entertainment).
Kendra: The Complete First Season
(2009) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $22.98. Extras: Blooper reel, episode teasers. (Fox)
Lizard Kings
(2009) PBS NOVA documentary on monitor lizards, members of an ancient family that includes massive Komodos -- the largest lizards to walk the planet. With their acute intelligence, these lizards are a very different kind of reptile, blurring the line between reptiles and mammals. Expert lizard hunter Dr. Eric Pianka tracks the elusive monitor through Australia's heartland using cutting-edge "lizard cam" technology to provide a lizard's-eye view of these amazing "living dragons."
(PBS Home Video).
Lorna's Silence
(2008 -- Belgium) Dir.: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne; Stars: Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione and Alban Ukaj. Lorna's a young Albanian woman living in Liege, Belgium, who gets involved with some seedy gangsters and a Russian mafioso in a convoluted murder plot when she agrees to marry a Belgian man, a drug addict, for money. The plan is to kill the addict with so Lorna can then marry the Russian, who will in turn become a Belgian citizen. But all goes awry when Lorna starts to have doubts about the plan. (Sony).
Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, the Complete Series
(1987) Three-disc set with 19 digitally-remastered episodes of the 1980s series that was a reimagined, updated version of the original character from the 1940s. Extras: Three original, restored Terrytoons Mighty Mouse cartoons from the vaults; episodic teasers; all new audio commentaries and interviews with some of the biggest names in animation. Includes the controversial, rarely seen episode, "The Littlest Tramp," which eventually led to the premature cancellation of the series. $46.99. (CBS Home Entertainment/Paramount).
The 1930s
(2009) Five-part PBS American Experience documentary on the turbulent decade of the 1930s: "The Crash of 1929," "The Civilian Conservation Corps," "Hoover Dam," "Surviving the Dust Bowl" and "Seabiscuit"; $39.99. A single-disc version of "The Civilian Conservation Corps" will also be available, for $24.99. (PBS Home Video).
The Philanthropist: The Complete Series
(2009) Two-disc set with eight episodes. (Universal).
Super Friends! Season 1 Volume 1
(1973) Two-disc set with eight episodes, showcases some of the greatest DC super heroes of all time including Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman as they combine their special powers to save the world; $26.99. Extras: Extra footage, interactive trivia game. (Warner).
10 Things I Hate About You 10th Anniversary Edition
(1999) Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, Gabrielle Union , Larry Miller. Extras: "10 Things I Love About 10 Things I Hate About You 10 Years Later" featurette, "I Want You To Want Me: The 10 Things I Hate About You Screen Tests," commentary by co-writers Karen Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and stars Andrew Keegan, David Krumholtz, Larisa Oleynik and Susan May Pratt. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Disney).
Thomas & Friends: Splish Splash Splosh
(2009) Four episodes of the popular animated series, with a new host, Driver Perkins, on the famous Island of Sodor. $14.98. Extras: Interactive games. (Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment).
Torture Room
(2009) Lena Bookall, John Forgeham, Barry Ratcliffe, Chad Nell, Louis Graham. An American woman is kidnapped and taken into custody because of her connections to Middle Eastern men -- and endures starvation, isolation, psychological mind games and torture. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You Special Edition
(1999) Three Winnie the Pooh stories and Pooh-themed Valentines Day cards: "Un-Valentines Day," "A Valentine for You" and "My Hero"; $29.99. Extras: "Catch the Love Bug" game. (Disney). Back to top
January 12
Acting Shakespeare
(2009) Ian Mckellan performs Shakespeare's most famous and striking monologues in a masterful one-man tour de force. $29.98. (E1 Entertainment).
Amreeka
(2009) Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat. Heart-warming tale of an immigrant mother and her teenage son's new life in a small town in Illinois. Extras: Deleted scenes, bloopers, special short film by director Cherien Dabi. Premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the best director award at the Beirut International Film Festival. (Virgil Films & Entertainment).
The Appeared
(2007 -- Spanish) Javier Pereira, Ruth Diaz. In Argentina, they're known as the desaparecidos -- the disappeared -- the 30,000 people believed to have been kidnapped and murdered by a military junta between 1976 and 1983. The national nightmare haunts the country to this day, and writer-director Paco Cabezas makes that haunting literal in this ghost story combining fact and fiction. During a road trip to visit their dying father, an estranged brother and sister discover a hidden diary from 20 years earlier that reveals a family legacy of fear and torture. That very night a family is killed in a manner eerily resembling a description in the old diary, and the siblings must confront the truth behind the trail of "the disappeared" -- some of whom may have now returned to our world in this startling combination of supernatural chiller and shocking political thriller. (IFC Films).
Becker: The Third Season
(2000-01) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $36.98. (Paramount).
Big Fan
(2009) Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Marcia Jean Kurtz. A 35-year-old parking attendant who lives at home with his mother and is a self-described "world's biggest New York Giants fan" struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player. (Vivendi Entertainment).
Bob the Builder: The Best of Bob the Builder
(2010) Three hours of nuts and bolts action with 10 episodes of Bob and his Can-Do Crew, $14.98. Extras: "On-Site: Trains" 30-minute feature as Bob and his crew travel to a real-life railroad construction site; "Building a New Bob: Ready! Steady! Build!" "Bob's Machine Mix-Up Puzzle" game, "If You Were on Bob's Team" game. (Lionsgate/Hit Entertainment).
Breaking Point
(2009) Tom Berenger, Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante, Sticky Fingaz, Musetta Vander. A dramatic tale of corruption and self-realization, in which a once prominent criminal defense attorney attempts to come back to the profession after a struggle with drug addiction and a family tragedy. Against his better judgment, he takes on a complex, high profile murder case that will eventually lead him down a path that brings him face to face with a deep-rooted conspiracy and his own demons. Extras: Commentary with director Jeff Celentano and Busta Rhymes, behind-the-scenes featurette, interviews, deleted scenes, stills gallery. (Barnholtz Entertainment/Lionsgate).
The Brothers Bloom
(2008) Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo. The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job -- showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world while they swindle her ... until she turns the tables on them. Was released to rental on Sept. 29. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Summit Entertainment).
Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers
(2009) Collection of Bugs cartoons featuring "Hare Trimmed" (1953), "The Grey-Hounded Hare" (1948), "Little Beau Pepe" (1952), "The Super Snooper" (1952), "Rabbit Romeo" (1957), "Wild Over You" (1953), "Of Rice and Hen" (1953) and "Devil May Hare" (1953). $19.97.
Extras: Two bonus cartoons, puzzle game. (Warner).
The Burning Plain
(2009) Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger. A drama with a two-tiered storyline that takes place in the past and present concerning a mother (Basinger) and daughter (Theron) who try to form a bond after the young woman's difficult childhood. The journey in the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico connect the women to disparate characters, all of whom are grappling with their own romantic destinies. (Magnolia).
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama
(2009) HBO documentary. Filmmakers follow Senator Obama from the moment he declares his candidacy to his historic election and inauguration as the first black president of the United States. Told through unprecedented and exclusive footage of Obama and his staff, the film offers viewers an all-access pass to campaign life on the historic road to the White House. $24.96. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary. (Sony).
Ca$h
(2008) Thom Doty, Jerry Lloyd, Ray Stanton. A gun-slinging ex-convict goes on a death quest to find the man who murdered his wife more than a decade ago. (MTI Home Video).
Deep in the Valley
(2009) Denise Richards, Tracy Morgan, Kim Kardashian, Brendan Hines, Chris Pratt. Erotic comedy about a mysterious video booth that transports two friends to an alternate reality straight out of a pornographic film. In R-rated and unrated versions. Extras: Unrated unrated features a "Naked Commentary" by former Playboy TV Gadget Girl Christine Nguyen. (Vivendi Entertainment).
Downloading Nancy
(2009) Maria Bello, Jason Patric, Rufus Sewell, Amy Brenneman. Thriller follows the fate of an unhappy wife -- Nancy -- who orders the guy she meets over the Internet to kill her ... but instead the two fall in love. (Strand).
ER: The Complete Twelfth Season
(2005-06) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Outtakes. (Warner).
Fame
(2009) Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Gramme, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth. Contemporary remake of the 1980 fan-favorite. Extras: Extended cut, Deleted Scenes, Fame Music Video, "Remember My Name" character profiles, "Fame National Talent Search Finalist." "The Dances of Fame." Blu-ray Disc adds digital copy. (MGM).
Frontrunner
(2009) The setting: Afghanistan's first democratic election ever. In the aftermath of 9/11, America's military might has set the stage. But who will determine the fate of democracy in Afghanistan? This documentary tells the heroic story of this medical doctor and mother of three who, as a children's advocate, defied the murderous Taliban regime. Now, she boldly runs for president -- the only woman in a field of 17 candidates. (Incumbent President Hamid Karzai was declared the winner in November). (IndiePix).
Goliath
(2008) David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Caroline O'Connor. Writer-director David Zellner stars as a young man who is going through a nasty divorce and is facing a demotion at work. But he really starts to lose his grip when his lone anchor to life, his cat Goliath, goes missing, which sets him on a pathetic, comedic search. (IFC Films).
The Good Soldier
(2009) Acclaimed documentary follows the journey of five combat veterans from different generations of American wars -- World War II, Vietnam, The Gulf War and The Iraq War. They sign up, go into battle, and simultaneously grapple with what it means to be a good soldier as it relates to their duty and their own humanity. The veterans tell of their alien surroundings, their connection to their comrades, and the ghastliness of their reality. Some were wounded, some lost their buddies, some lost their sanity as they tried to quench their intense thirst for revenge by killing the enemy and, consequently, killing civilians. Some buried the enormity of their actions and did not speak of them -- knowing only that they were following orders their commanders had required to conduct the war. Each man in his own time discovers the courage to confront his past actions and begin his healing. Even though they are still haunted by their time in combat, their ability to face themselves in their waking life and achieve self-reconciliation is shown to be the mark of true valor in each of them. (Artistic License Films/NeoFlix).
Halloween II
(2009) Scout Taylor Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Danielle Harris, Sheri Moon Zombie, Tyler Mane. Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes, audition footage, make-up test footage, blooper reel, Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures music videos, commentary by writer/director Rob Zombie, Uncle Seymour Coffins' Stand-up routines. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony)
The Hurt Locker
(2009) Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Stars: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Finnes, Guy Pearce. Read more about "The Hurt Locker" in the January Calendar.Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Summit Entertainment).
In Praise of Older Women
(1978) Tom Berenger, Karen Black, Susan Strasberg, Helen Shaver, Marilyn Lightstone. A young man growing up in war-torn Hungary becomes fixated on older women. (E1 Entertainment).
Let's Grow: Lend a Helping Hand
(2010) Kelly and her puppet friend, Chica -- the hosts of TV's "The Sunny Side Up Show" on pre-school channel Sprout -- host this new series of DVDs that weave together themed-episodes from HIT series to focus on issues pre-schoolers are growing up with -- manners, safety, friendship, cooperation, etc. This first releases focuses on lending a helping hand with episodes from Thomas & Friends, Barney, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina. $14.98. (Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment).
Like Stars on Earth
(2009) Produced, directed and starring Aamir Khan, one of India's most acclaimed filmmakers. Follows 8-year-old Mumbai native Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary), who lives in a world where letters dance exuberantly with the brilliant colors, lively animals and joyfully soaring kites of his fantastical imagination. Struggling to read and write and unable to deliver the good grades and disciplined behavior expected by his parents and teachers, he's shipped off to a boarding school where his new art teacher energizes him by asking students to think, dream and imagine, instead of merely following the rules. Includes seven infectious Bollywood dance numbers, vividly imagined animated interludes and a brand new English-language track. Three-disc DVD/CD set. (Disney).
Make It or Break It: Volume One (Extended Edition)
(2009) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $29.99. Extras: Extended finale, "Making It" featurette, deleted scenes. (Disney).
The Moment After
(1999) Kevin Downes, David A. R. White, Brad Heller. With impending global chaos, two F.B.I. agents are assigned to investigate the sudden disappearance of millions of people worldwide. (Affirm Films/Sony )
Moon
(2009) Sam Rockwell, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry, Malcolm Stewart, Dominique McElligott, voice of Kevin Spacey. Read more about "Moon" in the January Calendar.Extras: Commentary by writer-director Duncan Jones, director of photography Gary Shaw, concept designer Gavin Rothery and production designer Tony Noble; commentary by writer-director Duncan Jones and producer Stuart Fenegen; "The Making of Moon" featurette; "Creating the Visual Effects" featurette; Science Center Q&A with director Duncan Jones; filmmaker's Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony)
Passing Strange: The Movie
(2009) Dir.: Spike Lee; Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis. Adaptation of the Broadway play for PBS. Semi-autobiographical story of a young black man, identified simply as Youth, who leaves behind his middle-class, church-ruled upbringing in mid-1970s Los Angeles to travel to Europe in search of his artistic and personal identity, or what he calls "the real." Misadventures with sex, drugs, politics and art await him in uninhibited Amsterdam and hyper-militant Berlin, leading to a hard-won understanding of where he came from and where his life may take him.(IFC Films).
Post Grad
(2009) Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Bobby Coleman, Carol Burnett. Read more about "Post Grad" in the January Calendar.Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes, "One Day" music video By Zach Gilford, "Real Life Advice With Alexis Bledel and Zach Gilford," "Know Your Strengths: Career Advice," "How Not to Get a Job," "A Guide to Moving Back Home," "Dress for Success," "Find Your Match! The Best Job for You," "What Not to Wear," "Post Grad Confidential." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
The Riverman
(2004) Bruce Greenwood, Cary Elwes, Sam Jaeger, Sarah Manninen, Kathleen Quinlan. Based on real-life events, Robert Keppel, former chief criminal investigator for the attorney general of Washington, recounts the efforts to track down mass murderer Gary Ridgeway, aka the Green River Killer. With 10 unsolved murders, Keppel recruits imprisoned serial killer Ted Bundy to help find the killer-at-large. Ridgeway was captured and convicted of 48 murders -- but confessed to 71 -- and the authorities suspect it was actually more than 90. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (North American Motion Pictures).
Robin Hood: Season Three
(2009) Five-disc set with 13 episodes from the final season of the popular BBC America series. $59.98Extras: "A Legend Reborn" behind-the-scenes featurette, "A New Look" costuming featurette, "Trebuchet: Creating Chaos" featurette, character profiles, video diary. (BBC/Warner).
The Simpsons Season 20
(2009-09) Four-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray with 21 episodes. Extras: "The Twentieth Anniversary Special Sneak Peak" by Morgan Spurlock. (Fox).
Superheroes
(2007) Dash Mihok, Spencer Treat Clark. An Iraq war veteran comes home to New York suffering from emotional as well as physical trauma. Anguished by what he has witnessed in Iraq and grievously wounded, he must also deal with the heartbreak of being abandoned by his wife for another man. But during a support group session with other troubled veterans, he meets a young documentary filmmaker who wants to tell his story and in the tranquility of a cabin in the Catskill Mountains, the two men explore the damage of war, the limitations of redemption, and the power of friendship to heal even the deepest wounds. (IFC Films).
10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One
(1999) Two disc-set with 11 episodes, $29.99. Extras: Bloopers, "10 Things I Hate vs. 10 Things I Love" featurette with the cast answering crazy questions, "Behind the Scenes With Meaghan and Lindsey," commentaries, pilot episode. (Disney).
The Theory of Everything
(2006) David de Vos, Victor Lundin. Drama about the power of family, as a son helps his dying father on his quest to explain the existence of God through science. (Affirm Films/Sony).
The Transformers: Season Two, Volume Two (25th Anniversary Edition)
(1985) Four-disc set with final 21 episodes, $29.99. Extras: "The Combiner: Forming the Transformers Animated Series" featurette, rare PSAs, archival Hasbro toy commercials, concept art. (Shout! Factory).
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
(2009) Dir.: Tyler Perry; Stars: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye, Frederick Siglar. Read more about "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself" in the January Calendar.Extras:Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate)
Wrong Turn at Tahoe
(2009) Cuba Gooding Jr., Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Keitel. A tough-as-nails collector for a mob boss one fateful day gets caught in the middle of a double-cross involving the biggest drug lord in the business. When revenge becomes the collector's sole purpose, his life takes a series of very wrong turns. Extras: Making-of featurette. For sale; was released for rental in November. (Paramount).
Back to top
January 19
According to Greta
(2009) Hilary Duff, Evan Ross, Michael Murphy, Ellen Burstyn. Hilary Duff stars as Greta, a rebellious 17 year old "exiled" for the summer to a sleepy Jersey shore community where she immediately informs her grandparents (Murphy and Burstyn) of her plans to kill herself by the time she turns 18. But before Greta can cross suicide off her "to-do" list, she begins a romance with a young cook from a troubled background (Ross), confronts a tragic family secret and maybe even discover the promising young woman beneath her sarcastic shell. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay Entertainment).
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
(2009) Georgia Groome, Eleanor Tomlinson, Aaron Johnson, Alan Davies. Teen dating comedy released to rental Dec. 22. (Paramount).
Black History Collection: Soul of the Church
Two-disc set of Kinescopes of Gospel performances from "TV Gospel Time" which aired Sunday mornings on NBC from 1962-65. Includes performances by Ruth Brown, Blind Boys of Mississippi, Ernestine Washington, Rev. James Cleveland, Dixie Hummingbirds and more. $14.98. (Infinity Entertainment).
Che
(2008) Dir.: Steven Soderbergh; Benicio del Toro. Far from a conventional biopic, Steven Soderbergh's film about Che Guevara is a fascinating exploration of the revolutionary as icon. Daring in its refusal to make the socialist leader into an easy martyr or hero, "Che" paints a vivid, naturalistic portrait of the man himself (with a stunning, Cannes-award-winning performance by Benicio
del Toro), from his overthrow of the Batista dictatorship to his 1964 United Nations trip to the end of his short life. Originally released in two parts, the first a kaleidoscopic view of the Cuban revolution and the second an all-action dramatization of Che's failed campaign in Bolivia, "Che" is presented here in its complete form (four-and-a-half hours). Extras: Commentary featuring Jon Lee Anderson, author of "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life"; "Making Che," a new documentary about the film's production, featuring interviews with Soderbergh, producer Laura Bickford, actor-producer Benicio del Toro, and writers Peter Buchman and Ben van der Veen; new interviews with Cuban historians as well as participants in the 1958 Cuban Revolution and Che's 1967 Bolivian campaign; deleted scenes; booklet featuring an essay by critic Amy Taubin; more. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Dallas: The Complete Twelfth Season
(1988-89) Three-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.98. (Warner).
Damages: The Complete Second Season
(2009) Three-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.95. Extras: Commentary by the cast members and creators, deleted scenes, a look back at Seasons 1 and 2, character profiles. (Sony).
Defying Gravity Season One
(2009) Four-disc set with 13 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Five never-before-seen episodes, deleted scenes, production sketches, design featurettes, "Mission Accomplished" A Look at Defying Gravity" featurette. (Fox).
Eclipse Series 19: Chantal Akerman in the Seventies
Over the past four decades, Belgian director Chantal Akerman has created one of cinema's most distinctive bodies of work -- formally daring, often autobiographical films about people and places, time and space. This three-disc collection presents the early films that put her on the map: intensely personal, modernist investigations of cities, history, family, and sexuality, made in the 1970s in the United States and Europe and strongly influenced by the New York experimental film scene. Bold and iconoclastic, these five films pushed boundaries in their day and continue to have a profound influence on filmmakers all over the world. Included in this no-frills set is "La chambre," "Hotel Monterey," "News From Home," "Je tu il elle" and "Les rendez-vous d'anna."
The Game: The Second Season
(2007-08) Three-disc set with 20 episodes, $36.98. (Paramount).
Gamer
(2009) Gerard Butler, Kyra Sedgwick, Michael C. Hall, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Leguizamo, Amber Valletta, Terry Crews, Logan Lerman, Johnny Whitworth, Zoe Bell. Read more about "Gamer" in the January Calendar.Extras:Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
Girlfriends: The Final Season
(2007) Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $36.98. (Paramount).
Hunter: The Complete First Season
(1984) Three-disc set with 19 episodes, $14.98. (Mill Creek Entertainment).
In the Doghouse Season One
(1998) Thirteen episodes. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
Instant Star Season Three
(2007) Thirteen episodes. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment).
The Invention of Lying
(2009) Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., John Hodgman, Tina Fey, Christopher Guest, Jeffrey Tambor, Nate Corddry, Patrick Stewart, Jason Bateman. Read more about "The Invention of Lying" in the January Calendar.Extras: "More Laughter: Corpsing and Outtakes," deleted scenes. Blu-ray Disc adds "Prequel: The Dawn of Lying," "Meet Karl Pilkington," "A Truly 'Honest' Making of Featurette With Ricky Gervais," Ricky and Matt's video podcasts, digital copy. (Warner).
Ironside: Season Three
(1969-70) Seven-disc set with 25 episodes, $54.98. A Shout! Factory online exclusive, available at Shout!Factory.com.
The Keeper
(2009) Steven Seagal, Luce Rains, Kisha Sierra. Steven Seagal thriller about an ex-cop caught in a web of deceit, racism and murder. Double-crossed by his rogue partner and forced to retire, Los Angeles street cop Rolland Sallinger (Seagal) accepts a gig guarding the beautiful daughter of a wealthy businessman. But when mobsters kidnap the girl, Rolland's job turns from protector to hunter as he untangles a dangerous web of lies and murder. (Fox).
Kingdom of the Spiders
(1977) William Shatner, Woody Strode, Tiffany Bolling, Roy Engel, Lieux Dressler. All-new anamorphic widescreen transfer of the cult film. An Arizona town infested with a horde of arachnids turn on the humans whose insecticides have depleted their natural food supply. Extras: All new interview with William Shatner; commentary by director John Bud Cardos, producer Igor Kantor, spider wrangler Jim Brockett and cinematographer John Morrill;
"Jim Brockett: Spider Wrangler" featurette; rare behind the scenes footage;
poster gallery. (Shout! Factory).
Law & Order: The Seventh Year
(1996-97) Five-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98. (Universal).
Mr. Belvedere: Season Four
(1987-88) Three-disc set with 20 episodes, $34.98. A Shout! Factory online exclusive, available at Shout!Factory.com.
My Führer
(2009 -- Germany) Ulrich Muuml;he, Sylvester Groth. This blistering satire from filmmaker Dani Levy -- a wildly provocative satire about Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich -- is the bastard love child of Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and Mel Brooks' "The Producers." December 1944: Berlin lies in ruins and the war is as good as lost. Goebbels is convinced all the country needs is a re-energizing speech from the Führer. Adolf, however, is only a shadow of his former self; demoralized and depressed, he hides in his office. The only man who can help is Germany's finest acting teacher, Adolf Grührernbaum -- a Jew. (First Run Features).
Pandorum
(2009) Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Norman Reedus, Cam Gigandet. Read more about "Pandorum" in the January Calendar.Extras: "The World of Elysium" behind-the-scenes featurette, "What Happened to Nadia's Team," flight team training video, commentary with director Christian Alvart and producer Jeremy Bolt, deleted and alternate scenes, still galleries. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay Entertainment).
Red Cartoons: Animation Before Unification
(1975-90 -- Germany) East Germany's DEFA Studios produced more than 800 animated films. Included here are sixteen of the best -- an astonishing array of animation featuring a wide variety of styles and techniques, filled with social and political satire that would have never been allowed in live action films. (First Run Features).
Renegade: The Complete First Season
(1992) Four-disc set with 22 episodes, $14.98. (Mill Creek Entertainment).
Room 222: Season Two
(1970-71) Four-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.98. A Shout! Factory online exclusive, available at Shout!Factory.com.
Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics
(1977) Four episodes, $14.97. (Warner).
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
(2009) Tom Berenger, Clayne Crawford, Martha Higareda, Ernie Hudson, Michael Parks, Autumn Reeser, Vinnie Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Maury Sterling, Christopher Michael Holley. Includes rated and unrated versions. Federal agents once again match wits with a cadre of creative killers in this high-octane direct-to-video sequel to the popular "Smokin' Aces" in which assassins, vicious sociopaths and other murderous freelancers battle to bring down a single, high-priced target. Walter Weed (Tom Berenger) is an unassuming desk jockey at the FBI when the Bureau uncovers a plot to assassinate him. The team of degenerate, psychotic assassins includes a resourceful beauty who has a unique method of killing her prey, a power-tool wielding psychopath, a deadly master of disguise and the fan-favorite Tremor family from the original film. Full of hyper-kinetic visuals and explosive action. Extras: Deleted scenes; gag reel; behind the scenes with executive producer Joe Carnahan, producer Mike Elliott, writers Olatunde Osunsanmi and Olumide Odebunmi and director P.J. Pesce; "Confessions of an Assassin" behind-the-scenes featurette; "Ready, Aim, Fire: The Weapons of Smokin' Aces 2"; "Cue the Clown" behind the scenes stunt featurette; "The Bunker Mentality" set design featurette; commentary by Carnahan and Pesce. Blu-ray Disc adds BD Live and My Scenes Sharing. (Universal).
Speed Dating
(2008) Hugh O'Conor, David Hayman, Flora Montgomery, Don Wycherly, Alex Reid, Nora-Jane Noone, Emma Choy. Comedy about a thirtysomething who takes up speed dating and gets involved with a mysterious woman. Extras: Deleted scenes. (MTI Home Video).
Streamers
(1983) Dir.: Robert Altman. Stars: Matthew Modine, Michael Wright, Mitchell Lichtenstein, David Alan Grier, Guy Boyd, George Dzundza. Extras: Retrospective interviews with cast members Matthew Modine, Mitchell Lichtenstein and George Dzundza from the film; and Herbert Jefferson and Bruce Davidson from the stage play. (Shout! Factory)
Thirtysomething: The Complete Second Season
(1988-89) Five-disc set with 17 episodes, $59.97. Extras: "Mad Ad Man: Miles Drentell," "Inside the Outsider: Susannah Hart," "W.G. Snuffy Walden on the Music of thirtysomething," commentaries by the creators, cast and crew. (Shout! Factory).
21 Jump Street: The Complete First Season
(1987) Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $14.98. (Mill Creek Entertainment).
Whisper & Shout
(1988 -- Germany) A rare documentary about rock music behind the Iron Curtain. Young people in East Germany used music to protest the social and political climate of their country. This amazing documentary captures the legendary bands of East Germany's vibrant punk and glam music scene with concert clips, interviews with band members and fans, and more. (First Run Features).
Whiteout
(2009) Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Tom Skerritt, Columbus Short, Alex O'Loughlin. Read more about "Whiteout" in the January Calendar.Extras: Additional scenes. Blu-ray Disc adds "The Coldest Thriller Ever Story," "Freeze Frame From Page to Screen," digital copy. (Warner).
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January 26
All About Prints: 500 Years of Prints and Printmaking
(2009) Shot in Hi-Def video at museum print rooms, print fairs, galleries, and print workshops in America and Europe, "All About Prints" explores the collaborative nature of printmaking, the democratic character of multiples, and the deep-rooted traditions of the art form. These ideas come to life through the exploration of masters of the 19th century like Homer and Whistler; the important contribution of Edward Hopper; the influence of Mexican muralists; the formative years of the Federal Art Project of the WPA; the excitement of the 60's print boom; and the ever-evolving techniques of contemporary artists. (Microcinema International).
Bonekickers
(2008) BBC action-adventure series follows a motley team of archaeologists as they unearth secrets from the past. Six-disc set, $39.99. (Acorn Media).
The Boys Are Back
(2009) Clive Owen, Laura Fraser, Emma Booth, George MacKay, Nicholas McAnulty. Story of an irreverent and independent sportswriter who suddenly faces single fatherhood. Extras: "The Boys Are Back: A Photographic Journey," "A Father and Two Sons, On Set." (Miramax).
Brave New Films 5th Anniversary Activist Collection
For the past five years, Robert Greenwald and his production company, Brave New Films, have been at the forefront of the fight to create a just America. Using new media and Internet video campaigns, Brave New Films has created a quick-strike capability that informs the public, challenges corporate media with truth, and motivates people to take action on social issues worldwide. Now, the team at Brave New Films has compiled virtually everything they've produced to date into a colossal, 10-disc box set. Titles include: "Rethink Afghanistan," "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War," "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," "Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers," more, plus all the related shorts and extras for each title, $59.99. (The Disinformation Company).
Bright Star
(2009) Dir.: Jane Campion; Stars: Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish, Thomas Sangster, Paul Schneider, Samuel Barnett, Kerry Fox, Roger Ashton-Griffiths.
Read more about "Bright Star" in the January Calendar.Extras: Deleted scene, "Becoming Keats and Fanny" featurette, "Setting the Scene" featurette; "An Inspiring Romance" featurette. (Sony).
Callan, Set 2
Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $59.99. Edward Woodward stars as Callan, a brooding, conscience-stricken assassin for a shadowy British intelligence service so secret it doesn't have a name. Marking esteemed British actor Edward Woodward's first major television role, Callan aired from 1967-72 and earned a rabid following, spawning five novels and a feature film. Extras: Commentary by Woodward. (Acorn Media).
Carnera: The Walking Mountain
(2008) Andrea Laia, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Sorvino, Burt Young. Biodrama about the Italian fighting champ Primo Carnera, who won the World heaveyweight Championship in 1933. (Monarch Home Video).
Copyright Criminals: This Is a Sampling Sport
(2009) Documentary traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than 30 years, innovative hip-hop performers and producers have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. When lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a "borrowed melody" became a "copyright infringement." As artists find ever more inventive ways to insert old influences into new material, this documentary asks a critical question, on behalf of an entire creative community: Can you own a sound? (Indiepix Films).
Cowboys & Outlaws
(2009) Two-disc set of the History Channel series, $24.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Dominick Dunne: After the Party
(2009) Candid and poignant journey through Dunne's roller coaster life, as told through the pictures, films, and unforgettable stories of the man himself and those that knew him best. Vanity Fair Special Correspondent Dunne became known the world over for his vociferous championing of the rights of the victim in high-profile murder cases. His powerful commentaries have made compelling reading in Vanity Fair for a quarter of a century. In the documentary, Dunne is covering his last murder trial for Vanity Fair -- the trial of music producer Phil Spector -- and he reflects upon his past as a decorated WWII Veteran, his rise and spectacular collapse as a Hollywood producer, and his rebirth as the writer we know today. (Indiepix Films).
The Escapist
(2008) Brian Cox, Damian Lewis, Joseph Fiennes, Seu Jorge, Liam Cunningham, Dominic Cooper. A tough convict serving a life sentence puts together a hardcore crew to bust out of a London penitentiary to see his terminally ill daughter. A BAFTA award-winner. (IFC Films).
Fireball
(2009 - Thailand) Preeti Barameeanant, Khanutra Chuchuaysuwan, 9 Million Sam, Phutharit Prombundarn. Thai martial arts actioner. A young man comes home from jail to find his twin brother in a coma and assumes his identity to find out why. His investigation leads him to an underground ultra-violent game based on Muay Thai and Basketball principles, hosted by criminal drug lords, and he risks his life to avenge his brother on a court where murder is legal, there's no rules and no mercy, and only the strongest will survive. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Lionsgate).
Frontier of Dawn
(2008 -- France) Louis Garrel, Laura Smet. A handsome photographer begins a passionate affair with one of his subjects, a gorgeous rising star whose new husband is always away in Hollywood. (IFC Films).
Fuel
(2009) Michael Esparza, C. Thomas Howell. A young man, stuck working at his stepfather's gas station, struggles to change his life and save his girlfriend from an abusive life. But a tragic flaw -- a violent streak he possesses, induced by exposure to gasoline vapors -- all but destroys his best-laid plans. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Vanguard Cinema).
Give 'em Hell Malone
(2009) Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames, Doug Hutchison, Elsa Pataky. A tough as nails private investigator squares off with gangsters and thugs to protect a valuable and mysterious suitcase that purportedly contains the "meaning of love." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (National Entertainment Media)
The Higher Force
(2008 -- Iceland) Petur Johann Sigfusson, Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson, Eggert Borleifsson, Michael Imperioli. A low-life debt collector becomes the top dog in his paranoid gang by pretending to know a renowned crime lord, a neighbor of his who happens to be a lonely school teacher with illusions of grandeur and troubles at work. Naturally, things get out of hand when the gang wants him to move on the "crime lord." (Vanguard Cinema).
I Heart Jonas
(2009) Single-disc with seven episodes, $19.99. Extras: "You've Just Been Jo Bro'd: Surprising Jordin Sparks," premium magnets featuring each of the Jonas Brothers on the package. (Disney).
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
(2009) Matt Czuchry, Jesse Bradford, Geoff Stults, Keri Lynn Pratt, Denise Quinones. Unrated version. Chronicles one young man's alcohol-fueled adventures on a night of debauchery, first to a friend's bachelor party, where he ensnares the groom in a lie that threatens the wedding and then abandons him to pursue further carnal knowledge. When he's banned from the nuptials, he attempts to get back into his friend's good graces. Based on the book of the same name. Extras: Deleted scenes. (Fox).
In a Day
(2006) Lorraine Pilkington, Finlay Robertson. An aspiring musician who makes ends meet by working as a waitress in London is swept off her feet by a stranger who frequents her deli. (IFC Films).
The Inspector Lewis Complete Set
Eight-disc set with 11 Masterpiece Mystery! Inspector Lewis mysteries, including "Whom the Gods Would Destroy," "Old School Ties," "Expiation," An"d the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea," "Music to Die For," "Life Born of Fire," "The Great and the Good," "Allegory of Love", "The Quality of Mercy," and "The Point of Vanishing." $69.99. (PBS).
Jackie Chan Presents Wushu
(2008) Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Fengchao Liu, Wenjie Wang, Fei Wang. Martial arts legend and executive producer Jackie Chan introduces a new generation of fans to the art of combat in this new action film. Upon arrival at an elite martial arts conservatory, a group of young boys swear an allegiance to each other and form a gang. A decade later at graduation, they unexpectedly cross paths with an evil martial arts master and foil his kidnapping plan, using their combat skills to defeat the enemy and save their brotherhood. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, Cannes world Premiere footage with Jackie Chan. (Lionsgate).
JFK: 3 Shots That Changed America
(2009) Strips away years of confusion to allow for a fresh and clear-eyed view of that historic day in November 1963, when a gunman pulled a trigger and forever changed the world. This four-hour special relies heavily on evidence and facts, exploiting the vast archive of recorded film and photography and presenting it alongside the testimony of eyewitnesses, and is shown as a countdown clock re-creation, ticking inevitably toward Zero Hour -- the moment rifle shots ring out in Dealy Plaza. Single-disc, $19.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After
(2009) Near real-time account of this pivotal day in history told from the point-of-view of Vice President Lyndon Johnson that uses stunning details uncovered in newly public documents to reveal a vice president thrust into the role of commander-in-chief, forced to make critical decisions with limited information. Single-disc, $19.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Little Ashes
(2009) Dir.: Paul Morrison; Javier Beltran, Robert Pattinson, Matthew McNulty, Marina Gatell. Docudrama about the life and loves of artist Salvador Dali, filmmaker Luis Bunuel and writer Federico Garcia Lorca. Madrid in 1922 is a city wavering on the edge of change as traditional values are challenged by the dangerous new influences of Jazz, Freud and the avant-garde. Eighteen-year-old Salvador Dali (Pattinson) arrives at the university determined to become a great artist. With a bizarre blend of shyness and rampant exhibitionism, he attracts the attention of two of the university's social elite -- Federico Garcia Lorca (Javier Beltran) and Luis Bunuel (Matthew McNulty). But as the three explore the art world together, a forbidden attraction develops which changes their lives forever. Extras: Interviews with the cast and director, making-of featurette. (E1 Entertainment).
MI-5 Volume 7
(2009) Four-disc set with eight episodes of the British spy series, Extras: Commentary, behind the scenes documentary, more. (Warner).
Mermaid
(2008 -- Russia) Russia's entry in the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Five-year-old Alisa has taken a rebellious vow of silence and when she's shipped off to a special-needs school, she channels her emotional turmoil into magical telekinetic powers. Years later, she meets a man who inspires her to speak again. (IFC Films).
Michael Jackson's This Is It
(2009) A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London for his "This Is It" tour. Read more about "Michael Jackson's This Is It" in the January Calendar. Available as a single-disc DVD and single-disc Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Staging the Return: The Adventure Begins" Making-of documentary reveals Michael Jackson's unique, groundbreaking vision for his ambitious return to the stage, with director Kenny Ortega and the entire crew; "Staging the Return: Beyond the Show" documentary; director Kenny Ortega and the crew discuss Michael Jackson's final rehearsals, and the purpose behind creating the concert film; "The Gloved One" Costumes featurette; costume designer Zaldy reveals the elaborate new costumes created for Michael Jackson to wear on the "This Is It" tour. "Memories of Michael" featurette; Kenny Ortega and the crew share personal stories about working with Michael Jackson, and how they will remember him; "Auditions: Searching for the World's Best Dancers" featurette. Blu-ray Disc adds "Smooth Criminal" full-length vignette starring Michael Jackson which was to be shown before the performance of "Smooth Criminal" at the "This Is It" concert; "Making Smooth Criminal" featurette;"Thriller" full-length vignette; movieIQ: connects viewers to access real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie; "This Is It" interactive playlist where viewers can bookmark favorite songs featured in the film and email themselves a customized playlist. (Sony)
Mr. Vincent
(1997) Frank John Hughes, Lisa Locicero, Mimi Scott, Robert Bruzio. A struggling songwriter and high school teacher, who obsesses over the women in his life, gets involved with a female drifter who drags him down with lies, threats and betrayal. (Vanguard Cinema).
Omnibus: Leonard Bernstein
Hosted by Alastair Cooke, "Omnibus" was the Golden Age of Television's most distinguished production, a multiple Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series delivering sophistication, refinement, and sparkling intelligence to a national audience. Its eight seasons, broadcast nationwide from 1952 to 1961, featured the most accomplished luminaries of the day. In collaboration with the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, E1 Entertainment will bring the heralded series to a new generation; the first release in the series is "Omnibus: Leonard Bernstein," featuring seven newly-restored programs featuring Leonard Bernstein in a four-DVD set. Includes "Beethoven's Fifth Symphony" (1955), "The World of Jazz" (1955), "The Art of Conducting" (1955), "American Musical Comedy" (1956), "Introduction to Modern Music" (1957), "The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach" (1957) and "What Makes Opera Grand?" (1958). $49.98. Extras: Rare performance of Handel's Messiah, with Bernstein conducting from the harpsichord. (E1 Entertainment).
On the Line
(1987) David Carradine, Scott Wilson, Victoria Abril. A Border Patrol agent is determined to catch his old nemesis, an American criminal who successfully smuggles illegal aliens across the border from Mexico. (Vanguard Cinema).
Paris, Texas
(1984) Dir.: Wim Wenders; Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell. German New Wave pioneer Wim Wenders brings his keen eye for landscape to the American Southwest in "Paris, Texas," a profoundly moving character study written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard. "Paris, Texas" follows the efforts of the mysterious, nearly mute drifter Travis (a magnificent Harry Dean Stanton, whose face is a landscape of its own) to reconnect with his young son, living with his brother (Dean Stockwell) in Los Angeles, and his missing
wife (Nastassja Kinski). From this simple setup, Wenders and Shepard produce a powerful statement on codes of masculinity and the myth of the American family,
as well as an exquisite visual exploration of a vast, crumbling world of canyons
and neon. Extras: Commentary featuring Wenders; interview with Wenders by German journalist Roger Willemsen; excerpts from the 1990 film "Motion and Emotion," featuring interviews with Wenders, actor Harry Dean Stanton, composer Ry Cooder, cinematographer Robby Muller, Samuel Fuller, Dennis Hopper, and Peter Falk; new interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Claire Denis; Cinema cinemas: "Wim Wenders Hollywood April '84," with Wenders and Cooder working on the score; deleted scenes and Super 8 home movies; gallery of Wenders's location-scouting photos; behind-the-scenes photos by Robin Holland; booklet featuring an essay by film critic Nick Roddick and interviews with Stanton, writer Sam Shepard, and actors Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell.
Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Pawn Stars: Season One
(2009) Two-disc set, $19.95. Extras: "Meet the Pawn Stars" and "Real or Fake" featurettes, additional footage. (A&E Home Entertainment).
The People Speak
(2009) Presenting history through speeches, letters and music performed by today’s most talented voices, this stirring History program pays homage to ordinary citizens whose words and actions commanded extraordinary change in America. Using dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries and speeches of everyday Americans, this documentary gives voice to those who spoke up for social change throughout U.S. history, forging a nation from the bottom up with their insistence on equality and justice. Based on historian Howard Zinn's best-selling books, including "The People’s History of the United States" and "Voices of a People’s History," it features Matt Damon reading from The Declaration of Independence; Bruce Springsteen performing Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" with voiceovers by Morgan Freeman, Marisa Tomei, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Kerry Washington, Bob Dylan and Eddie Vedder. Extras:
Never-before-aired footage, additional performances, photo gallery and more. $19.95. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Pie in the Sky, Series 2
Three-disc set with 10 episodes of the much-loved British detective series that features equal amounts of police work and culinary adventure, $49.99. (Acorn Media).
Ponypool
(2008) Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly, Rick Roberts. Cult psychological horror thriller about a radio shock-jock who discovers that a deadly virus -- which turns people into murderers -- is being spread through language and has infected his small Canadian town. (IFC Films).
Prom Night in Mississippi
(2008) Documentary about a small-town in Mississippi as it prepares for its first integrated senior prom. In 1970, the town of Charleston, Mississippi, allowed black students into their white high school, but refused to integrate the senior prom. Twenty-seven years later, Charleston resident and Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offered to finance the prom -- under one condition: it had to be integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman made the offer again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Extras: Conversation with the director and producers, deleted and extended scenes, filmmaker biography. (Docurama Films).
Quiet Chaos
(2008 -- Italy) Nanni Moretti, Valeria Golino, Alessandro Gassman, Isabella Ferrari. A stressed-out business executive loses his wife and then struggles to raise his 10-year-old daughter by himself, waiting for the pain to arrive every day but instead taking on the pain and difficulties of his friends, relatives and co-workers. Winner of three David di Donatella Awards (Italy's Oscars).(IFC Films).
Re:Frame -- Scanning Time/Documenting Change
(2009) A selection of seven films from a contemporary Indian cinema far removed from Bollywood. Oscillating between documentary, video art, experimental film, and animation, this compilation explores the means with which the texture of memory is incorporated within post-colonial Indian society's individual journeys as well as the national psyche; within private circles as well as public spaces. It allows for contrasting points of view regarding the country's situation and its unanswered question: When the past has yet to catch up with the present, is it a threat or an alternative to the present? (Microcinema International).
Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy
Roberto Rossellini is one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. And it was with his trilogy of films made during and after World War II -- "Rome Open City," "Paisan" and "Germany Year Zero" -- that he left his first transformative mark on cinema. With their stripped-down aesthetic, largely nonprofessional casts, and unorthodox approaches to storytelling, these intensely emotional works were international sensations and effectively launched the neorealist movement. Shot in battle-ravaged Italy and Germany, these three films are some of our most lasting, humane documents of devastated postwar Europe, containing universal images that encompass both tragedy and hope. In a three -disc set loaded with features, $79.95. (The Criterion Collection).
St. Trinian's
(2008) Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Lena Headey, Russell Brand, Mischa Barton. Read more about "St. Trinian's" in the January Calendar.Extras: "The Official School Diary" making-of featurette, blooper reel, deleted scenes, Girls Aloud music video. (Sony).
Saw VI
(2009) Costas Mandylor, Mark Rolston, Betsy Russell, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Peter Outerbridge. In theatrical and unrated standard DVD and Blu-ray editions. (Lionsgate).
SpongeBob SquarePants: Viking-Sized Adventure
(2009) SpongeBob and his pals go on a Viking-Sized Adventure, weather a storm, fill in for super heroes Mermaidman and Barnacleboy and meet Mr. Krab's grandpappy the pirate in this feature length adventure. Guest stars Dennis Quaid and Ian McShane. $16.99. (Paramount).
Southland: The Complete First Season
(2009) Two-disc set with seven episodes, $29.98. (Warner).
Surrogates
(2009) Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, Michael Cudlitz with James Cromwell, Ving Rhames. Read more about "Surrogates" in the January Calendar.Extras: Commentary by director Jonathan Mostow, "I Will Not Bow" Music video by Breaking Benjamin. Blu-ray Disc adds "A More Perfect You: The Science of Surrogates," "Breaking the Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes to Life" visual exploration of the evolution of "Surrogates" from graphic novel film, deleted scenes. (Disney).
Tennessee
(2009) Mariah Carey, Adam Rothenberg, Ethan Peck. Two brothers on a cross-country search for their estranged father are joined by an aspiring singer fleeing her troubled marriage. Extras: "Road to Tennessee" behind-the-scenes featurette. (Vivendi Entertainment).
3 Americas
(2008) Kristen Gonzalez. A young girl -- America -- spends her summer in Boston shoplifting, hanging out with friends and avoiding her aunt's alcoholic husband. But a tragedy sends her to Buenos Aires, Argentina to live with her reclusive and anti-American grandmother, and America must struggle to find her place. (Vanguard Cinema).
Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection -- Faith
Four thematic episodes. (CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount).
Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection -- Love
Four thematic episodes. (CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount).
Tru Loved
(2008) Najarra Townsend, Jake Abel, Matthew Thompson, Alexandra Paul. A 16-year-old girl is uprooted by her lesbian moms from her gay-friendly home in San Francisco and moved to a conservative suburban community in Southern California, where her life is life complicated by sexual politics, closed minds and closeted friends. (E1 Entertainment).
The Waltons: The Movie Collection
Six Walton telefilms that aired between 1982-1997 on CBS: "A Wedding on Walton's Mountain," "Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain," "A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain," "A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion," "A Walton Wedding" and "A Walton Easter"; $39.98. (Warner).
Whip It
(2009) Dir.: Drew Barrymore; Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Zoe Bell, Juliette Lewis, Daniel Stern, Jimmy Fallon, and cameo appearances by real life derby girls Rachel Piplica and Kristen Adolfi, better known as "Iron Maiven" and "Krissy Krash" of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. Read more about "Whip It" in the January Calendar.Extras: Deleted scenes, alternate opening, extended scenes. Blu-ray Disc adds digital copy. (Fox).
The Whitest Kids U'know: The Complete Second Season -- Uncut and Uncensored
(2008) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $24.98. (E1 Entertainment).
WWII in HD
(2009) Visually astonishing landmark series presents the story of World War II through the eyes of 12 Americans who experienced the war firsthand, using color footage never before seen by most Americans -- converted to HD. Extras: Character profiles, Behind-the-scenes featurettes: "Finding the Footage", "Preserving the Footage." Three-disc Blu-ray, $39.95. Also available on DVD. (A&E Home Entertainment).
Worlds Apart
(2008 -- Denmark) Jend Jorn Spottag, Sarah Boberg. A proud Jehovah's Witness falls in love with a non-Witness and, torn between her conscience, faith and passion, is confronted with the most difficult choice in her life: she must choose between her love and her family that are worlds apart. Denmark's selection for the 2009 Academy Awards. (IFC Films).
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
(1985) Remastered deluxe edition. Extras: "Animating a Charlie Brown Musical." $19.98. (Warner).
All listings are based on information from
the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out
after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally,
some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since
all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts
at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices
for some special editions, box sets and collections.
All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a
Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center),
and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.
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