We have a number of great re-releases this week and our Recommendation of the Week is the hard-hitting social drama, Boyz n the Hood. This movie is a showcase for African-American talent and the power of filmmaking by a young director.
First Releases
- Limitless (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Take Me Home Tonight (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Tekken (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Cracks (DVD)
Re-Releases
- The Music Room (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Amelie (Blu-ray)
- Boyz in the Hood (Blu-ray)
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Blu-ray)
- Beauty and the Beast (1946) (Blu-ray)
- Chocolat (Blu-ray)
- Bridget Jones’s Diary (Blu-ray)
Boyz in the Hood (Blu-ray) *Recommendation of the Week*
What's the Deal?
Back in 1991, a little movie by a 24-year-old director took the film world by storm. Boyz n the Hood earned John Singleton Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay, being the youngest director to be nominated. Even though Singleton has fallen into making bad action movies, Boyz n the Hood will always be remembered and is our Recommendation for the Week. Boyz n the Hood also features a strong cast of African-American talent, such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett.
Set in the streets of South Central L.A., Boyz n the Hood focuses on a teenager, Tre Styles (Gooding) and his friends Ricky (Morris Chestnut), who wants to go to college on an athletic scholarship and Doughboy, (Ice Cube) who has fallen into a life of crime. All to the backdrop of violence and poverty in this infamous area of Los Angeles.
Critics Ratings: 96% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 9.5/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $13.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Among the new releases are the surprise hit Limitless starring Bradley Cooper, the '80s tribute comedy Take Me Home Tonight and the straight-to-DVD adaptation of the hit fighter game Tekken. Notable re-releases include a trio of films from or focused on France, including the widely popular Ameilie and Jean Cocteau's 1946 version of Beauty and the Beast.
Limitless (DVD and Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Limitless received a positive critical reception and made good business from its $27-million budget. Based on a successful novel by Alan Glynn, this thriller was directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist), who has since earned the directing job for the film adapatation of Uncharted. Bradley Cooper's star continues to rise, having the lead role and is joined by Abbie Cornish (Sucker Punch), Robert De Niro, Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) and Andrew Howard (Revolver).
Edward “Eddie” Morra (Cooper) is a writer struggling with writer's block and life generally sucks for him. But his ex-Brother-in-Law (Johnny Whitworth) offers him a drug that allows him to use all of his brain. Eddie quickly becomes very successful, completing his novel and playing the stock market. But there is a very dark side to gaining this gift.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 70% (good)
Player Affinity Score: 5.7/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Theatrical Feature; Unrated Extended Cut; Audio Commentary with Director Neil Burger; A Man Without Limits; Alternate Ending; Theatrical Trailer
Amazon Price: $15.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Take Me Home Tonight (DVD and Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Since leaving That ‘70s Show, Topher Grace’s career has not being going so well. His performance as Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man 3 was met with a lukewarm reception and Take Me Home Tonight was also poorly received. Grace is joined by Anna Farris, Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury) and Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice).
As a young and aimless MIT graduate, Matt (Grace) is working as a clerk in a video store. But when he meets his old crush, Tori (Palmer), he lies and says he works at Goldman-Sachs, the people who (these days) bring pain and misery around the world. Matt sets out to impress her during the course of one night.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 28% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: 3.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Deleted Scenes; Cast Get-Together; Music Boom Box; "Take Me Home Tonight" Music Video; Closed Caption
Amazon Price: $16.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Tekken (DVD and Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
The original Tekken game is among the most memorable arcade fighters. Like counterparts Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, it was adapted into a film and like those movies, it was terrible. Even the game’s creator, Katsuhiro Harada, was critical, calling the movie “uninterested” and he was not involved with the creative process.
In the year 2039, the world wars have destroyed everything and territories are run by corporations. The strongest is Tekken. Jin Kazama (Jon Foo) witnessed his mother murdered at the hands of the Tekken corporation and plans to get revenge. To do this he ends up entering a deadly fighting tournament for the best street fighters to see who can become “King of the Iron Fist”.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): N/A
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Stunt Stars Featurette
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD), $24.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2 stars, Video 3.5 stars, Audio 3.5 stars, Extras 3.5 stars, Replay 0 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Cracks (DVD)
What's the Deal?
Sir Ridley Scott is a truly great director and his family is making headway in the film industry. His brother Tony is a successful action director, his son Jake has directed two films and in 2009 his daughter Jordan made her debut in 2009 with Cracks. Her 1930s set film stars Eva Green (Casino Royale) as a Miss G, the teacher of a swimming team for a girls boarding school. The students, including Poppy (Imogen Poots, 28 Weeks Later) and team captain Di (Juno Temple, Atonement) idolize Miss G, but Di’s position as the favorite is under threat by a new Spanish student (Maria Valverde) and so she influences everyone to bully the foreign girl.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 41% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $22.49 (DVD)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Re-Releases
The Music Room (DVD and Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
From India this week is the 1958 movie The Music Room, or Jalsaghar in the original Bengali. Helmed by Satyajit Ray (Pather Panchali), The Music Room is a critically really well-received movie and has a score of 8.0/10 on IMDB.
Biswambhar Roy (Chhabi Biswas) is a zamindar (landlord), the last of his kind. Biswambhar has suffered a lot, loosing his son, his wife and his lavish way of life. But tradition dictates that he has to keep up with this lifestyle, despite his lost and the changing nature of Indian society.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: New digital restoration, in Bengali with English subtitles; Satyajit Ray (1984), a documentary by Shyam Benegal that chronicles Ray's career; New interview with filmmaker Mira Nair; New interview in which Ray biographer Andrew Robinson discusses the 'making of'; A 1981 French roundtable discussion with Ray, Michel Ciment & Claude Sautet; New and improved English subtitle translation; PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Philip Kemp & 1963 essay by Ray
Amazon Price: $21.99 (DVD), $29.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 4 stars, Video 3.5 stars, Audio 3.5 stars, Extras 3.5 stars, Replay 4 stars (out of 5). Highly Recommended.
Amelie (Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
When Jean-Pierre Jeunet directed Alien Resurrection, he did so he could secure funding for his dream project, Amelie. His little film was a big success, making almost $175 million worldwide and earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also a big winner at the European Film Awards and the Cesar Awards.
Audrey Tautou (Coco Before Chanel) stars in this film about Amelie Poulain, a young woman whose father made her live a sheltered life. As an adult, Amelie does a deal of good and seeing the impact it has she devotes herself to helping others.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 90% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 8.2/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: ”The Look of Amelie” Featurette; Fantasies of Audrey Tatou; • Q&A with Director and Cast; Auditions; Storyboard to Screen Comparisons; “An Intimate Chat with Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet”; “Home Movies” – Inside the Making of Amelie
Amazon Price: $13.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Based on a novel by Irish author John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a powerful film about friendship, prejudice, childhood innocence and the Holocaust. Directed by Mark Herman (Little Voice), child actors Asa Butterfield (The Wolfman) and Jack Scanlon lead the movie with David Thewlis (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Vera Farmiga (The Departed) and Rupert Friend (Pride and Prejudice, 2005) in adult roles.
Bruno (Butterfield) is an eight-year-old living in Berlin during World War II when his father (Thewlis) gets a promotion to the countryside running a camp. Bruno does not like his new surroundings as he has no friends and there is a strange smell in the air. But he end ups up meeting a young boy, Shmuel (Scanlon) who wears strange pajamas and lives within his father’s camp.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 64% (good)
Player Affinity Score: 8.2/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Deleted scenes (with optional commentary by Writer/Director Mark Herman and Author John Boyne); Audio commentary with Writer/Director Mark Herman and Author John Boyne; “Friendship Beyond the Fence” Featurette
Amazon Price: $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Beauty and the Beast (1946) (Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast is one of the most famous versions of that classic fairy tale, but it is not the only classic movie of that story. Jean Cocteau (Orphee) made a French version in 1946, making a more adult and sophisticated version focusing on Belle (Josette Day) as she melts the heart of The Beast (Jean Marais) and cares for her father (Marcel Andre).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 95% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Philip Glass's opera La Belle et la Bete, presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; Two commentaries: film historian Arthur Knight and and Sir Christopher Frayling; "Screening at the Majestic," a 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast; Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan; Rare behind-the-scenes photos and publicity stills; Film restoration demonstration; Original trailer, directed and narrated by director Jean Cocteau; The restoration trailer from 1995; PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey O'Brien and more!
Amazon Price: $29.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 5 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 5 stars, Replay 5 stars (out of 5). DVD Talk Collector Series.
Chocolat (Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Based on a novel by Joanne Harris, Lasse Hallstrom’s (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape) adaptation of Chocolat was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Actress for Juliette Binoche, Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench and Best Adapted Screenplay. Also in the movie are Johnny Depp, Alfred Molina and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Vianne (Binoche) is a single mother who moves to rural France with her six-year-old daughter to open up a chocolate store. Met with skeptism at first Vianne wins over the villagers in what is a character piece of a movie.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 63% (good)
Player Affinity Score: 7.2/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: ”The Making of Chocolat” Featurette; Audio Commentary with Director Lasse Hallstrom and Producers David Brown, Kit Golden and Leslie Holleran; “The Costumes of Chocolat” Featurette; Production Design Featurette; Deleted Scenes
Amazon Price: $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Bridget Jones's Diary (Blu-ray)
What's the Deal?
Helen Fielding’s novel Bridget Jones’s Diary was popular hit when it was first published, particularly with women, and the film adaptation was inevitable. Fielding got to work with Andrew Davis (Pride and Prejudice, 1995) and Richard Curtis (Love Actually) when adapting her work and Sharon Maguire got to direct. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Gemma Jones (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger) and Jim Broadbent star. But they were led by an American, Renee Zellweger, a move that was met with controversy. But Zellweger won her critics over, getting the part down right — and the accent.
Bridget Jones (Zellweger) is a London singleton juggling finding a new job in television and having to choose between two men, publicist Daniel (Grant) and barrister Mark Darcy (Firth).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 80% (very good)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: “The Bridget Phenomenon” Featurette; “The Young and the Mateless” Featurette; “Portrait of the Makeup Artist” Featurette; Audio Commentary with Director Sharon Maguire; Behind-the-Scenes Featurette; Deleted Scenes
Amazon Price: $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A