How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
July 15, 2008
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
For people who like watching wild goose chases through the streets of London: The Bank Job (Special Edition)
You'd think that with three big franchises – The Transporter (second sequel due out this November), Crank and The Italian Job (both sequels due out next year) – action film star Jason Statham would quit putting energy in outside projects, at least for a few years. But no, the actor had to go ahead and star in yet another crime thriller. And for the first time in awhile, it's really well received. Here, the beefy Brit stars as lawbreaker-turned-good guy Terry Leathers in a film based on a true robbery of a London bank way back in 1971, although money and other stolen goods were never recovered. Up until now, details of the story were kept under wraps to allegedly protect a member of the British Royal Family (*cough*...Princess Margaret...*cough*). Thus, screenwriters attached to the project fictionalized certain elements and kept others ambiguous.
Disc includes: Audio commentary, Inside the Bank Job featurette, The Baker Street Bank Raid featurette, deleted and extended scenes, movie trailers for The Forbidden Kingdom, Rambo and other films, digital copy of film for iPods and other portable video players.
For people who think the Reno 911! team should never make another disastrous, spin-off film: Reno 911!: The Complete Fifth Season
Talk about a quick turnaround. Just last Thursday, Comedy Central aired Reno 911!'s season five finale, and already the complete 16-episode season is available on DVD. I don't understand. A parody of Fox's COPS, Reno 911! is a mockumentary-style show centering on the inept law enforcement officials of Reno, Nevada's police department. The core cast of characters – Lt. Dangle (Thomas Lennon), Dpt. Wiegel (Kerry Kenney-Silver), etc. – have been on the heavily-improvised show from the start. The extremely butch, is-she-or-isn't-she-a-lesbian Dpt. Kimball (Mary Birdsong) joined the force a couple of seasons ago, though I've never felt her presence improved matters.
In season five, the officials tackle a number of odd tasks, like building an Iraqi police force, paying their respects to a dying Jackie the Prostitute and volunteering to build a section of the wall at the Mexican border. Of course, just about nothing is outside of their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, no word at this time whether there will be a season six.
Disc includes: Deleted scenes, outtakes, Inside the Minds of Reno's Deputies featurette.
For people who wonder why Holly Hunter stopped making movies: Saving Grace: Season One
While you're at it, talk about poor planning. Saving Grace's second season got off to an explosive start just last night, yet today is when 20th Century Fox decided to release the series' premiere season on DVD. Whoops? Saving Grace stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter as title character Grace Hanadarko, a binge-drinking, sex-obsessed, going-straight-to-hell detective in Oklahoma City who is visited by an angel, Earl (Leon Rippy), one night after calling out in desperation for a God she doesn't even believe in. Throughout the show's first season run, Earl frequently appears by the detective's side, hoping she'll eventually seek God's help and shy away from her somewhat innate, self-destructive tendencies.
Coupled with the dramatic phenomenon that is The Closer, TNT has quietly beefed up its Monday nights, rivaling the best of what even the larger broadcast networks have to offer. Maybe fare like Greatest American Dog wasn't a good choice. Eh, CBS?
Disc includes: Audio commentary, season one recap, Behind the Scenes with Holly Hunter featurette, On the Set featurette, Conversation with Executive Producer Gary Randall featurette, No Ordinary Angel: Behind the Scenes with Leon Rippy featurette, Rhetta: Laura San Giamcomo on Her Character featurette, Saving Grace: Overview, music video.
For people who got served: Step Up 2 the Streets (Special Edition)
No one really asked for it – 'cept for loads of teenyboppers who kicked and screamed to see Channing Tatum shake it once more on the big screen – but here it is anyway. Step Up 2 the Streets, Flashdance wannabe and sequel to the financially successful Step Up, earned back its supposed $22 million budget and then some at the worldwide box office, accumulating more than $140 million before all was said and done. And for what, to see a young girl (Briana Evigan) work through the ranks to pursue her dream of becoming a respected dancer? Well, yes. And Disney has more where that came from. The Mouse House confirmed earlier this year that a third installment, tentatively titled Step Up 3-D, will hit theaters sometime in the near future. Oh, for the curious, Tatum's role in this one was reduced to a cameo, so cool it.
Disc includes: Deleted scenes, music videos, outtakes, Lead Actor Robert Hoffman Video Prank featurette, Outlaws of Hip Hop featurette, The Making of Step Up 2 featurette.
For people who enjoy watching films originally starring Lindsay Lohan before producers decide to fire her (it's true): Meet Bill
In mere days, Aaron Eckhart faces off against Batman as villain Two-Face in The Dark Knight (!!!)...but first, a word on Meet Bill, a quiet First Look feature the actor starred in just a few months ago. In the comedy, Eckhart plays title character Bill, an unhappy man in need of some self-confidence. Not only does he work a nothing job at his father-in-law's bank, but his wife (Elizabeth Banks) is starting to get just a little too friendly with another man as well. Bill's luck takes a fortunate turn when he becomes a mentor to a young boy (Logan Lerman) who helps steer Bill towards an attractive lingerie saleswoman (Jessica Alba) and other self-improvements. Though a darling at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, everyone and their mom didn't go and see this one in theaters – eek, just $62,000 and change against a $5 million budget. So now's your chance to go and make First Look just a little bit happier.
Disc includes: bare bones.
July 15, 2008
8 Wheels & Some
The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet: Ricky & Dave
America's Test Kitchen: 8th Season
Aquarion Season 1, Part 2
Asylum
Boston Celtics: 2007-2008 NBA Champions
Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition
College Road Trip
Curiosity of Chance (Widescreen)
Dallas: The Complete Ninth Season
Defensive Tactics
Devil May Cry Volume 3: Level 3
Doom Asylum
Double Dagger
Down the Tracks: Music That Influenced Bob Dylan
ESPN AND1 Mixtape X (Full Screen)
Eureka: Season 2
Europafest: Jazz Highlights
Evening Shade: Season One
Fabulous Journey To The Center Of The Earth
Final Approach (Widescreen)
Fulltime Killer
Ground Survival
The Guardians
Held Up (Widescreen)
Iggy & The Stooges: Escaped Mania
Incredible Britain
Insanitarium (Widescreen)
Knowledge Domain
Lenny the Wonder Dog
Love My Life (Widescreen)
Mad Bad
The Mighty Celt
Monsieur Vincent
Never Forever
New Adventures of the Lone Ranger / Zorro Volume 2 (Double Feature)
New Emissions of Light & Sound
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Special Edition)
Penelope
Rojo
Roxy Hunter & The Secret of the Shaman Movie (Widescreen)
Secretary (New Box Art)
Shutter
Steel Trap (Widescreen)
Throw A Dice
Times & Winds (Widescreen)
Trafic (Criterion Collection)
Trapped Ashes (Widescreen)
TV Commercials: Ultimate Collection (Set)
Veggie Tales: Tomato Sawyer & Huckleberry Larry's
Voice (Widescreen)
The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (Widescreen)
Yuma