DVD DOWNLOAD: #23

Check out DVD DOWNLOAD Issue #22 HERE

Yeah, one day late, but nevertheless the DOWNLOAD is here along with a whole new batch of DVDs for you to wrap your head around.

By the way, any of you out there buy the HD DVD players yet? Just so you know, I have received my review copies of The Last Samurai and Phantom of the Opera on HD DVD but I am still waiting on Toshiba to get me a damned player to review them on. I did consider going to the store and just buying one, but guess what, they are sold out. Yeah, the Best Buys around here got 3 each, which means there ain’t no more. Then I went to Magnolia Hi-Fi and they have a promo one but they aren’t expecting their first shipment of players until May 10. Oh, and get this, they said the first prototype they got busted within the first two weeks. Granted this is a possibility, but it seemed to leave a really sour taste in their mouths. As for me, I am not going to bash it until I try it.

Oh yeah, also, the HD DVD cases are a bit smaller than the regular DVD cases for those of you that are interested, but based on what I have seen from demos and so forth the HD DVD and Blu-ray era is going to be interesting.

Anyway, on with the DOWNLOAD.

THE LATEST DVDS
The King of Queens (Season Five)

June 20th

One of the reasons the DOWNLOAD is late this week is because I was waiting on artwork for this title and the next. Basically because the special features are a bit limited and without the artwork it is basically a blah announcement. Even now, it still seems a bit – blah.

NewsRadio (Season Four)

June 20th

I have yet to review a season of NewsRadio, but I do plan on reviewing this one only because I wanted to get my mitts on one before Hartman unfortunately passed away and the show went down the crapper. So season four is where I will start, join me will you?

SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English
Subtitles: Portuguese
Features:
· Commentaries on select episodes

· Gag Reel

· Short Film “One Man’s Radio”
Smokey and the Bandit (Special Edition)

May 30th

I have never seen this movie and I don’t plan on starting with this special edition. I guess if you are a major fan of Burt Reynolds or old school comedy you will want to add this to your collection, but I am going to stay clear.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Running Time: 1 hr. 37 mins.
Features:
• “Loaded Up and Truckin’ – Making Smokey and the Bandit

• “Snowman, What’s Your 20?” The Smokey and the Bandit CB Tutorial
Eight Below

June 20th

Someone tell me how this movie managed to do so well at the box-office and why critics loved it so much. There was no way to ever feel sorry for a group of dogs that are living in a habitat they are obviously able to cope with. The dogs sleep under the snow for crying out loud! They are able to jump like Jordan and catch birds and can even outsmart a seal trying to eat them. Where is the danger?

SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Running Time: 2 hrs.
Features:
· Never-before-seen deleted scenes with optional director’s commentary

· “Running With The Dogs: The Making of Eight Below” behind-the-scenes look at the film

· Audio commentary with Director Frank Marshall & Producer Pat Crowley

· Audio commentary with Director Frank Marshall, Actor Paul Walker and Director of Photography Don Burgess
Grilled

July 11th

I think it goes without saying that the majority of straight-to-dvd releases are bad movies. Especially when they star a couple of bankable stars, but if you must tempt fate pick up Grilled with Ray Romano and Kevin James, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Running Time: 1 hr. 23 mins.
Features:
· “Maury & Dave and Company” behind-the-scenes featurette

· “Ray & Kevin: True Life Buddies” featurette

· Deleted scene
Cache (Hidden)

June 27th

This is just an alert to tell you this one is coming to DVD. I know this film did well with a few critics, but of the people I spoke with personally they didn’t particularly enjoy it. So maybe this is a Netflix choice to see if it is worth it.

Freedomland

May 30th

Here is a movie that could have been good if the script had gone through one more rewrite. Julianne Moore and Sam Jackson did very well with the character development, there are just a few holes that could have been filled to make it a bit better.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English, French
Subtitles: English, French
Running Time: 1 hr. 53 mins.
Features:
• Fullscreen and Widescreen
Nanny McPhee

May 9th

I have heard plenty of good things about this one, yet I remain completely uninterested. Then again, live-action kiddie flicks don’t exactly perk up my radar. Now animated films I can get on board with.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Features:
· Casting the Children

· Village Life

· “Nanny McPhee” Makeover

· How “Nanny McPhee” Came to Be

· Feature Commentary with Director Kirk Jones and Children

· Feature Commentary with Actor Emma Thompson and Producer Lindsay Doran

· Gag Reel

· Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes and an Alternate Opening
Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)

June 20th

It is hard for me to talk bad about this pic since it is part one of a much larger series, but this initial installment just isn’t all it is cracked up to be. Now I have heard rumors that Fox Searchlight may try to release the next two films this year, but based on the fact that I haven’t heard much more on that I am not holding my breath.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Languages: English, Russian
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Running Time: 1 hr. 54 mins.
Features:
Side A: Widescreen English Version (Dual-Layer)

• Extended Ending with optional commentary (English or Russian audio)

• The Roof (Extended Ending)

• Night Watch Trilogy

• Trailers: The Hills Have Eyes, Thief

• Inside Look: The Omen

Side B: Widescreen Russian Version (Single-Layer)

• Commentary by Timur Bekmambetov (subtitled in English, Spanish, French)

• Commentary by Novelist Sergei Lukianenko (subtitled in English, Spanish, French)

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