New DVD Releases, 20 Feb 2007
My notables:
- Family Ties: Season One (4-disc set)
I’ve mentioned before my whole “I’m a Child of the 80s” thing, right? I mean, it’s a bit of a stretch, but I think it fits. And this is one of the cultural touchstones of my youth. It’s possibly my favorite sit-com from the 80s that I enjoyed at that age. You can’t go wrong with this one.
- Flushed Away (widescreen) (2006)
Yes, the world of CGI movies has gotten so low brow that we now get movies with titles like this.
- Gandhi: 25th Anniversary Edition (2-disc set) (1982)
Seriously, is GHANDI any good? It’s one of those movies you know you’re supposed to like because it’s big and important and stuff. But is it at all entertaining? I’ve never seen it; you tell me.
- Man of the Year (widescreen) (2006)
Robin Williams runs for President, so you already know what you’re going to get. (Minus the RV.) Christopher Walken is in it, though.
- Open Water 2 (2006)
Please tell me this isn’t a sequel to the low budget yet excellent Based On True Events story of the Australian couple stranded at sea. PLEASE!
- The Prestige (2006)
Magic movie with a pretty decent cast: Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Andy Serkis, Scarlett Johannson, Christian Bale, and David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. Wowzers.
- Walking Tall: The Payback
Did someone say “unnecessary sequel?” That’s what I thought.
- What’s New, Scooby-Doo?: Season One
Because every generation needs its own Scooby.
Coming up next week: I honestly don’t think there’s a single interesting thing worth talking about next week. Wish me luck.
February 20th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Though it feels kind of sad and petty 25(!) years later, I still haven’t seen Gandhi - I vowed not to do so after it burglarized E.T. at the oscars. Of course, the world looks very different to a 12-year-old.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Re: GANDHI, you guys aren’t missing much. It’s a great acting showcase for Ben Kingsley, but the film itself is pretty dull. I agree with Jeff that E.T. was robbed. And TOOTSIE too. Both of those were vastly superior.
February 20th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Flushed Away was fun. Don’t be mean.
February 20th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
there’s also the first season of Alias Smith and Jones — a really good western from late in the Western’s popularity timeline. The main characters are outlaws who’ve never killed, so they are offered amnesty if they can go an entire year (while still wanted) without committing any more crimes. They travel the west and get into situations. It’s one of the first series run by Glen Larson, and is a solid, watchable series. I barely remembered it from my youth, but Encore Westerns recently re-ran them, and they held up really well.
February 20th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Open Water 2 does not(thankfully) feature the same characters, but rather re-hashes the same concept for a direct to DVD sequel.
The basic idea, as I understand it, is some Attractive Young People get a hold of a yacht somehow, sail it out into the middle of the ocean for a frolic. They decide that swimming would be a really good idea, and all of them jump overboard. Think about that for a second. ALL of them. Since nobody put the ladder down, and ocean going yachts are quite large, there is no way for them to re-board the ship…DUM DUM DUUUUUUUUUM.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I personally love Gandhi. Not as much as Lawrence of Arabia (Probably my fave flick) but really close. It is one of those movies that I have seen several times and I will watch it every year or so.
On a separate note, I also enjoy ET (and I love sci-fi in general) but I think the Academy got it right this year. IMHO.
February 21st, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Jim - So THAT’S where I’ve heard of that show before! Thanks. I’m curious about it, but not nearly so much so that I’d spring for the DVDs.
Mithel - That’s just sad. What a waste. I’m dumbfounded that they thought a plot like that would attract those who enjoyed the first one. Weird. I’ll never understand Hollywood.