This Week In DVD: The Day The Earth Stood Still, Yes Man, Doubt, Bedtime Stories, And More
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This Week in DVD is a column that compiles all the latest info regarding new DVD releases, sales, and exclusive deals from stores including Target, Best Buy and Fry's.
Please don't take the commentary on the movies and TV shows too seriously, as they're meant not to be reviews but rather previews that include the general thoughts and ramblings of a twice-committed DVD addict. The categories represent solely the author's intentions towards the DVDs at hand, and are in no way meant to be a reflection on what he thinks other people should rent or buy. So if he ends up putting a movie you like in the "Skip it" section without having seen it, please keep in mind that the time you could spend leaving a spiteful but ultimately futile comment could instead be used for more pleasant things in life. Like buying DVDs.
DOUBT
Thematically complex and brilliantly acted, the masterfully written (and almost entirely dialogue-based) Doubt ranked as one of my top ten favorite movies of 2008. Even on its own, the amount of intrigue and thought-provoking material provided by the film's central premise is enough to sustain the film, but what really pushes it over the edge is its clever and thoughtful incorporation of other issues relevant to the time period. Truly a fascinating and powerful effort from writer/director John Patrick Shanley, who adapted the film from his play.
Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: Audio commentary with John Patrick Shanley, and 4 featurettes (From Stage to Screen, Scoring Doubt, The Sisters of Charity, The Cast of Doubt).
EXCLUSIVE DEAL:What? Free $5 Best Buy Gift Card with purchase of both Doubt and No Country for Old Men (3-Disc Collector's Edition) ($24.99).Where? Best Buy.
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL(Available as 2-Disc Edition and 3-Disc Special Edition)
I'm not here to defend The Day the Earth Stood Still remake. It's hardly what I'd call a great movie. But that doesn't mean people's hatred of it isn't a tad excessive. At best, it's a modestly entertaining sci-fi drama/thriller that has little to add to the original film outside of improved special effects. At worst, it's a PSA for the justification of child abuse, as demonstrated by that horrible brat of a child played by Jaden Smith. The bad certainly outweighs the good, but I wouldn't recommend against a one-time viewing.
Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: The 2-disc DVD includes the original 1951 version of the film. The 3-disc DVD also includes the original, as well as commentary by writer David Scarpa, deleted scenes, featurettes (Re-Imagining "The Day", Unleashing Gort, Watching The Skies: In Search Of Extraterrestrial Life, The Day The Earth Was "Green"), and a digital copy of the film.
*Does not include 2-Disc Edition, which costs $22.99 at each of the listed stores (including Amazon).
EXCLUSIVE DEAL:What? Free Gort figurine with Blu-ray or 3-Disc DVD.Where? Best Buy.
DONKEY PUNCH
Plagued by unlikable characters and a rather underwhelming climax, the British horror flick Donkey Punch manages to overcome its problems with the help of Oliver Blackburn's slick and raw visual style and fast-paced, intense narrative. And also, well, you know... it's got a girl being donkey punched. And then dying from it. C'mon, don't act like you're not intrigued.
Blu-ray? No.Notable Extras: [UNCONFIRMED] Director commentary, interviews, unseen footage, making-of featurette, and storyboard comparison.
YES MAN(Available as single-disc and 2-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
I want to like you Jim Carrey, but your recent track record is making it really damn hard. Yes Man might be suitable entertainment for those who don't mind seeing the "same ol', same ol'" for about the twentieth time, but for those hoping for anything even remotely new and original, don't waste your time. The few chuckles it has aren't enough to overcome its trite, needlessly goofy handling of a potentially worthwhile concept.
Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: The 2-Disc includes 'Downtime on the Set of Yes Man with Jim Carrey', 'Jim Carrey: Extreme Yes Man', 'Future Sounds: Munchausen By Proxy', 'Exclusive Munchausen By Proxy Music Videos', and a gag reel.
*Does not include 2-Disc Edition, which costs $22.99 at each of the listed stores (including Amazon).
BEDTIME STORIES(Available as single-disc and 2-Disc Deluxe Edition + Digital Copy)
What the hell, Guy Pearce? Why are you in this movie? You don't belong in this. You're Guy Pearce. You deserve better. You deserve movies where you're not required to embarrass yourself as an actor. And while Bedtime Stories may have a compelling enough premise at its core, the final product is nothing short of depressing. What could've been a wonderfully comical, whimsical and heartfelt family film has instead been turned into a bland and contrived exercise in nonsensical random wackiness. So again I ask... Why, Guy Pearce? WHY?
Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: The 2-disc includes featurettes (Until Gravity Do Us Part, It's Bugsy, To All The Little People), deleted scenes and bloopers, and a digital copy of the film.
*Does not include 2-Disc Edition, which costs $22.99 at each of the listed stores (including Amazon).
THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX
It's hard to muster up much energy or enthusiasm for a movie that already felt dated before it even hit theaters. It's even harder to do so when you forgot about its existence the moment it actually did hit theaters. On the more positive end of the spectrum, I've heard that the animation is stunning–surprising, given that the visual style seemed rather bland in the trailers–but even so, I hardly see that as enough incentive to bother checking out something that looks so unappealingly familiar. If I'm wrong about the movie though, feel free to let me know in comments.
Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: A making-of featurette, an Interactive Map of the Kingdom of Dor, and the Top Ten Uses for Oversized Ears.
EXCLUSIVE DEAL:What? Free lunch box.Where? Best Buy.Other noteworthy DVDs available this week...No Country for Old Men (3-Disc Collector's Edition + Digital Copy) – Not Easily Broken – I.O.U.S.A.
NOTE: Some deals may be in-store only.
$12.99 – The Simpsons (Season 10), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Season 1&2), Arrested Development (Season 1 – 3), How I Met Your Mother (Season 1 – 3), Seinfeld (Season 1 – 9), Family Guy (Vol. 1 – 6), and more...$18.99 – The Office (Season 1 – 4), Dexter (Season 1 – 2), Heroes (Season 1 or 3), The Tudors (Season 1 – 2), Supernatural (Season 1 or 3), and more...$6.99 – Kung Fu Panda, Bee Movie, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Madagascar, Shrek the Third, and more...
Exclusive: Goosebumps (The Spine-Tingling Collection) ($19.99) – 3 DVDS$16.99 – Entourage (Season 1)$29.99 – Rome (Season 1)$27.49 – The Wire (Season 1), The Sopranos (Season 1)