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Happenings

film

Reviewed by Mike Szymanski

DVD Releases for April and May

In Living ColorIN LIVING COLOR, Season Three

Tommy Davidson, Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Jennifer Lopez & the Wayans Brothers.

The third season of the comedy show "In Living Color" definitely marked a banner year because that's when future "Ray" Oscar winner Jamie Foxx joined the cast and Jennifer Lopez became one of the Fly Girls. The unpredictable comedy team includes Jim Carrey as the token white boy who can do weird things with his belly, and memorable sketches like "Homey the Clown" and "Three Champs and a Little Lady." Commentaries and featurettes as well as Wayans Brothers insights are all included in this four-disc set from Fox Home Entertainment.
DVD Features:
Bloopers MAD TV Trailer Wanda on the "Dating Game"



Kuo Kara Maoh! God (?) Save our King! Volume 1KUO KARA MAOH! GOD (?) SAVE OUR KING! VOLUME ONE

This high-action anime focuses on Yuri, an average baseball-loving student who has his head held down a toilet by school bullies and gets transported into a world of sorcery. In the new world, his black hair and brown eyes make him different and revered, so he becomes royalty. Not as raunchy as some typical anime, this is distributed by Geneon Entertainment, which supplies Japanese anime to North America exclusively.

Son of the maskSON OF THE MASK

Jamie Kennedy, Traylor Howard, Kal Penn, Bob Hoskins & Alan Cumming.

IThe Platinum Series of this crazy sort-of sequal to Jim Carrey’s “Mask” features four new featurettes showing how the dog, baby and actors all transformed into cartoon-like gods when they put on the magical mask. Alan Cumming plays the Norse god Loki who lost the mask that is found by the dog of a cartoonist, played by Jamie Kennedy. Some of the loon-acy is inspired by cartoonists Tex Avery and Chuck Jones (small wonder that Kennedy's character is named Tim Avery.) Kal Penn of "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" fame offers some comedic commentary and some of the deleted scenes may have made the movie more successful.
DVD Features:
Widescreen
Theatrical Trailer Deleted Scenes Storyboard Gallery Four making-of featurettes English and Spanish subtitles

PocahontasPOCAHONTAS (10th Anniversary Edition)

Irene Bedard, Judy Kuhn, Russell Means, David Ogden Stiers, Linda Hunt, Mel Gibson, Billy Connolly & Christian Bale.

Disney is always great about re-releasing their classics, but each time, something new is in store. This fully restored and remastered animated story is a good one to explain tolerance and diversity to the young ones in your family -- and maybe even give a more accurate history lesson. Mel Gibson voices the young explorer John Smith who falls in love with the Native American princess and they face a clash of cultures. Of course, there are odd little creatures like Meeko and Flit to help the story along. The Oscar-winning song "Colors of the Wind" is more memorable than the movie, but the messages behind the story involving ethno-centricism, ecology and diversity is important to teach your children.
DVD Features:
Making-of featurette 2 versions of the film Deleted Scenes "Follow Your Heart" game Sing-along songs French and Spanish subtitles

Ghost Of RwandaGHOSTS OF RWANDA

This two-hour PBS documentary is produced by "Frontline" and the BBC and shows a grittier and truer version than even Don Cheadle's version of "Hotel Rwanda." Returning at the 10-year anniversary of the genocide, this doc more thoroughly analyzes the complacency and callousness of the world community when Tutsi tribesmen were being slaughtered by their Hutu friends and neighbors. Interviews include diplomats, soldiers, survivors and the killers themselves, giving chilling accounts of this history. Also, insights come from United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan as well as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Canadian General Romeo Dallaire -- giving new information about how his tragedy may have easily been prevented, and how it could easily happen again.

The Three AmigosTHE THREE AMIGOS

Carlos Mencia, Pablo Francisco & Freddy Soto.

The outrageous jokes from these three red-hot Latino comics just can't translate very well in a review, but suffice to say that these have to be uncensored, as the DVD advertises, and they're definitely outrageous in the style of the Original Kings of Comedy and the Blue Collar Tour.

DVD Features:
Widescreen French and Spanish subtitles

The Golden Girls, Second SeasonTHE GOLDEN GIRLS, Second SeasonCollege Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Harry Gould & Herb Edelman.

Usually geared for the senior set, this second season includes some of the more racy episodes in this Emmy-winning series including the "Isn't it Romantic" episode where Dorothy's lesbian friend comes to visit. This three-disc set includes a Caribbean vacation where Sophia decides to get friendly with a gardener, a poignant episode with Dorothy tutoring an undocumented alien and guest appearances by George Clooney, Burt Reynolds and Joseph Campanella.
DVD Features:
Full Screen Bonus Feature: "Go for the Gold Trivia Challenge"

Scrubs, First SeasonSCRUBS, First Season

Zach Braff, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins & Sarah Chalke.

Some of the flubs in this hilarious medical TV series are worth the price of the whole four-disc set. The doctors and interns are as irreverent and spontaneous as it must really be in a hospital, and it's small wonder that medical students love this show. They're not afraid to touch any topic and do it with appropriate humor and dramady. DVD Features:
"Newbies" where the cast members were before the show "The Doctor Is In"-- an interview with Zach Braff "Not Just Another Medical Show," the making-of featurette Audio commentaries with creator and cast, including favourite moments and ad-libbed lines Deleted Scenes and Outtakes "Superman" Music Video



Jay Z in Fade To BlackFADE TO BLACK 

Jay-Z , Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Foxy Brown, Missy Elliott, Damon Dash, Just Blaze, Funkmaster Flex, R. Kelly, Kanye West, Rick Rubin, Young Guru, P. Diddy. Directed by Michael John Warren & Patrick Paulson.

The once-in-a-lifetime concert event of Jay-Z's performance at Madison Square Garden in November 2003. For the first time ever, a hip-hop artist sold out an arena in only two hours. Nearly one year later, fans and artists alike still reflect on this monumental musical night.
DVD Features:
Widescreen
Scene Access

A. Baldassarre


Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo in Hotel RwandaHOTEL RWANDA

Starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix, Nick Nolte, Desmond Dube, David Patrick O'Hara, Cara Seymour. Directed by Terry George.

Real-life hero Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a hotel manager in Rwanda, used his courage and cunning to shelter over a thousand refugees from certain death. While the rest of the world closed its eyes, Paul opened his heart and proved that one good man can make a difference.
DVD Features:
Widescreen
Surround Sound French and English

A. Baldassarre

Bernie Mac and George Clooney in Ocean's TwelveOCEAN'S TWELVE

Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Julia Roberts. Directed by Stephen Soderbergh.

It's been three years since Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew pulled off one of the most audacious and lucrative heists in history, robbing ruthless entrepreneur Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) of every dime stored in his impenetrable Las Vegas vault. Now Benedict wants his $160 million back.
DVD Features:
Widescreen
Subtitles

A. Baldassarre

Mos Def in The WoodsmanTHE WOODSMAN

Starring Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Benjamin Bratt, Mos Def, Eve, David Alan Grier. Directed by Nicole Kassell.

After 12 years in prison, Walter (Kevin Bacon) moves into a small apartment across the street from an elementary school, gets a job at a lumberyard, and mostly keeps to himself. He finds unexpected solace from Vicki (Kyra Sedgwick). But Walter cannot escape his past. A convicted sex offender, Walter is shunned by his sister, lives in fear of being discovered at work, and is hounded by a suspicious police detective (Mos Def).
DVD Features:
Dolby Sound
Subtitles

A. Baldassarre

Don Cheadle in The Assassination of Richard NixonTHE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON

Starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Don Cheadle. Directed by Niels Mueller.

The prescient and tragic true story of Sam Bicke (Sean Penn), a disillusioned "everyman" who, in 1974, was driven to plot the assassination of the 37th President of the United States.
DVD Features:
Widescreen
Subtitles

A. Baldassarre

Jim Carey in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsLEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

Starring Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Cedric the Entertainer, Luis Guzman, Jennifer Coolidge, Meryl Streep. Directed by Brad Silberling.

The Baudelaire siblings are likable and clever. Unfortunately, none of this can alter the fact that after their parents perish in a terrible fire, the Baudelaires are placed in the care of Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), a man who is either a demented evil genius or an egomaniacal actor.
DVD Features:
Commentary: Brad Silberling; Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler in character) and Brad Silberling
Bad Beginnings (3 Featurettes)
Orphaned Scenes (11 Deleted Scenes and 4 Outtakes)
The Sad and Altogether Traumatic Facts Behind the Making of an Unfortunate Film (6 Featurettes)
3 Featurettes of Sound Design
4 Special Effects Featurettes
3 Still Photo Galleries

A. Baldassarre

Stripes (voiced by Frankie Muniz) in Racing StripesRACING STRIPES

Starring Michael Clarke Duncan, Steve Harvey, Snoop Dogg, Fred Dalton Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Frederik Du Chau.

In the middle of a raging thunderstorm, a traveling circus accidentally leaves behind some very precious cargo — a baby zebra (voiced by Frankie Muniz). The gangly little foal is rescued by horse farmer Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood), who takes him home to his young daughter Channing (Hayden Panettiere). The little zebra, or "Stripes," is soon introduced to the farm's misfit troupe of barnyard residents, and wants to race.
DVD Features:
Full Frame
Dubbed

A. Baldassarre

Kanye West KANYE WEST
College Dropout Video Anthology (Roc-A-Fella)

This video anthology DVD showcases Kanye West's climb from behind the boards as one of the most sought after rap producers in the game today to a rapper in front of the microphone. West's rise has been helped significantly by the video age and his use of it to make memorable videos. And those videos have powered him to the forefront in the rap game today. Take "Jesus Walks" which is arguably a ground-breaker in both the content as a secular rap song and its execution as a video. In fact there are three critically acclaimed videos of Jesus Walks featured on this DVD. Other standout videos include "Through The Wire" which was named "Video of The Year" by The Source Magazine and "All Falls Down" which also was named the #1 MTV Video of The Year. Special mention must be made of the eight-minute long extended video of "The Workout Plan.” This DVD also includes as a bonus five commercially unreleased singles.

K. Whitmore

Laurence Fishburne and Drea de Matteo in Assualt on Precinct 13ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13

Starring Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Drea de Matteo, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Byrne, John Leguizamo, Ja Rule. Directed by Jean-Francois Richet.

With only a few hours left in the calendar year, Precinct 13, one of Detroit's oldest precinct houses, is closing. Amid heavy snowfall and unsafe road conditions, only a few lawmen remain on duty for New Year's Eve, headed by Sergeant Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke). Early on December 31st, formidable crime lord Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne) is cornered by an undercover cop. Their ensuing struggle leaves the cop dead. Now the Precinct is under siege.
DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes
4 Making of Featurettes

A. Baldassarre


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