How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
January 26, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
For people who wonder when the WWE will incorporate skating into its wrestling matches: Whip It
Besides The Hurt Locker and Fantastic Mr. Fox, one of 2009's most overlooked movies is Whip It, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut about a teenaged outcast - essentially Ellen Page playing a shyer version of the character who made her famous - who finds inspiration from an unlikely source: women's roller derby. Through the league and her new friendships, Page's character learns she has talents, abilities and real purpose, even if her uber conservative mom (played by the consistently excellent Marcia Gay Harden) begs to differ.
I knew going in that I'd have fun. What I didn't expect was a movie with sharper comedy than The Hangover and more energy than Paul Reuben's Pee-wee stage show. Other observations:
Drew Barrymore knows how to be ridiculous.
Kristen Wiig should play more characters like Maggie Mayhem. Maggie, a fellow derby girl and single mother of one, was well developed and human - something we never see (nor should we) on SNL.
Hey hey, Maeby Funke! Alia Shawkat definitely added some versatility to her resume.
Disc includes: Eight deleted scenes, alternative opening, Fox Movie Channel Presents Writers Draft: Shauna Cross of Whip It featurette
For people who think NBC should be embarrassed that its chosen successor to ER lasted half a season: Southland: The Complete First Season
Turns out Conan O'Brien wasn't the only casualty of the Tonight Show/Jay Leno Show fiasco. Southland, too, likely got cancelled two weeks before its second season was to premiere in October because the man with the disturbingly large chin gobbled up too much real estate on NBC's sked. This forced the Peacock suits to find a home for a gritty drama that - on broadcast network TV - could only air at 10 p.m. Because the hour wasn't available at the time Southland was to premiere, the positively reviewed series shifted to TNT, where replays of its first seven episodes have aired to very little fanfare.
It's a shame, really, as I caught the show's first few episodes back in April and thoroughly enjoyed what I saw. The series gives a raw look – thanks to its documentary-like feel and the use of cinema verite – at the city of Los Angeles and the members of the LAPD who police it. Though there is arguably no principle character in the series, the initial episodes seemed to mainly revolve around newbie officer Ben Sherman (The O.C.'s Benjamin McKenzie) and his adventures with a more seasoned officer (played by Michael Cudlitz). Regina King is also outstanding as a detective.
No word yet on a possible pick up by TNT for additional seasons. At present, the network is airing in order the seven first season episodes on NBC, as well as the six episodes that the Peacock decided not air.
Disc includes: Redefining the Cop Drama: Producers and Cast Reveal the Story Behind Creating a New Series About the LAPD featurette
For people who think that kids say the darnedest things: Atonement [Blu-ray]
When coining a phrase for Ian McEwan's Atonement, masterpiece seems appropriate. It's quality fiction for many reasons - its story, especially, though McEwan's writing isn't anything to scoff at either - and easily sits in my top five favorite books. Broken into fourths, the book is epic in scope, beginning in the hot, English summer of 1935 and ending a hair shy of the new millennium in 1999. McEwan goes big with ambition and hits it out of the park.
As far as adaptations go, Atonement the movie holds up fine. Had No Country for Old Men not been released in the same year, I'm pretty sure Atonement would have been my favorite movie of 2007. Its score is one of the best I've ever heard, and the way the movie revises a significant narrative device from the book that I assumed was impossible to visually replicate works very well.
The film is about a bratty young thing named Briony who witnesses what she thinks is sexual abuse on the part of her sister's good male friend. Turns out what she saw was anything but, and consequences that stem from her misinterpretation follow her - and her family - for decades.
Disc includes: Deleted scenes, Bringing the Past to Life: The Making Of featurette, From Novel to Screen: Adapting a Classic featurette, audio commentary
For people who wonder how high the Saw series will go: Saw VI (Unrated)
And now comes the part of the column where I rip on a lucrative, yet critically detested movie franchise. No, it's not a project from the Scary Movie people, but rather a flick from the fine folks behind Saw, who were dealt an embarrassing blow last Halloween when their venerable franchise got shut down at the box office by new scary movie competition with a budget 0.001% that of Saw's.
Saw, which had been the reigning Halloween champ for four consecutive years, stumbled badly out of the gate, earning just $14.1 million in its opening frame. (In comparison, Saws II-V earned $30+ million). When all was said and done, Saw VI made just $27.7 million in domestic receipts, a considerably lower figure than all previous installments -- including the 2004 original. Though Paranormal Activity turned out to be an overhyped piece of crap - in my opinion - it was very refreshing to see a cash grabbing franchise like Saw finally get beat, especially since its filmmakers have been spitting out the same movie year after year in hopes that moviegoers with expendable incomes would simply fall for it. (And up until 2009, they had been).
Things get interesting this October when a planned sequel to Paranormal Activity - appropriately titled Paranormal Activity 2 - goes toe-to-toe with Saw 3D, the franchise's first foray into the third dimension. For now, both PA2 and Saw 3D are slated to debut on October 22nd. Let the bloodbath begin.
Disc includes: Audio commentaries, Jigsaw Revealed featurette, The Traps of Saw VI featurette, A Killer Maze: Making Saw: Game Over featurette, music videos
January 26, 2010
Blu-ray
Atonement
Fame
Fuel
Giselle: Dutch National Ballet
Give 'em Hell Malone
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Paris, Texas (Criterion Collection)
Pride and Prejudice
Rebellion
Saw VI (Unrated)
Soul Power
Surrogates
The Toolbox Murders
Whip It
Wild Ocean (IMAX)
WWII in HD
DVD
17 Kids & Counting
3 Americas
3 Walls
Act of God
Action Man Collection (Set)
The Adventures of Robin Hood: 1955-1956 (Collectible Tin Box)
Alone in the Dark II
Animal Armageddon
Arj Barker: Lyao
Atonement
B-Girl
A Baby Story: First-Time Parents Edition
Bad Biology
Battleground: The German Frontier (Collectible Tin Box)
The Best of Lidia
Biography: Amelia Earhart
Birthday Mail / Kokurri-San (Double Feature)
Black Peter / Goldstein (Double Feature)
Black Sheep/Tommy Boy (Double Feature)
Blade of the Immortal Volume 3: No Virtue in
Blade of the Ripper (Widescreen)
Bonekickers
The Book & The Sword (Widescreen)
The Boys Are Back (Widescreen)
Bram Stoker's Double Born
Bridget's Sexiest Beaches: Season 1
Bright Star (Widescreen)
British Cinema Volume 3 Drama Collection (Set)
British Rail Journeys: Around The Lake District
Callan: Set 2
Campaigns In The Pacific (Collectible Tin Box)
Car Trouble
Carnera: The Walking Mountain (Widescreen)
Chopin Celebration: At The Palace of Lancut Poland
Classic Television (Set)
Daido Moriyama: Stray Dog Of Tokyo New People Arti
Dangerous Toys XX: 20th Year Anniversary Concert
Daytime Drinking
A Death in Tehran
Derek Roddy: Blast Beats Evolved
Desirable Teacher (Widescreen)
Dirty Jobs Collection 5
Doctor Death (Widescreen)
Dollman Vs. Demonic Toys
Dolph Lundgren Collection (Set)
The Donner Party
The Escapist (Widescreen)
European Concert Volume 1 1991-1995
Fame
Family Secrets
Favorite Easter Classic
Fireball (Widescreen)
Five Element Ninjas
Frontier of Dawn (Widescreen)
Frontline: The Card Game
Fuel
Fundamentals of Nunchaku
Gangsters Double Feature (Double Feature)
The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show (Collectible Tin Box)
George Shrinks: Zoopercar Caper
Ghost
Giselle: Dutch National Ballet
Giselle: Dutch National Ballet
Give 'em Hell Malone
Give 'em Hell Malone (Widescreen)
Give Me Your Hand (Subtitled)
Go Diego Go: Lion Cub Rescue
Godkiller: Walk Among Us #2
Goodbye Gemini
Gotterdammerung: Battle For The Fatherland
Great Epoch of European Art: Art of the Ancient Gr
Grindhouse: Drive-In
Growing Up Arctic
Growing Up Safari
Growing Up Wild Cats
Growing Up Wilderness
Hard Revenge Milly
Heaven's Heart (Widescreen)
Hello Goodbye
Higher Force
Hippos & Rhinos
Holy Bible: Complete King James Version
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
I Heart Jonas
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Rental)
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Unrated)
I'm a Schizophrenic & So Am I (Widescreen)
Iannis Xenakis: Works With Piano (Widescreen)
If It Ain't Cheap, It Ain't Punk
Import Export (Widescreen)
In A Day... Anything Can Happen
Inalienable (Widescreen)
Inspector Lewis Complete Set: Pilot, Series 1 & 2 (Set)
Island Of Desire
Jane Goodall's When Animals Talk
Jazz Legends in Concert
JFK: 3 Shots That Changed America
Jobrani Maz-Brown & Friendly (Widescreen)
Jockeys
Jon & Kate Plus Eight: Season 4, Volume 2
Jon & Kate Plus Eight: Season 4, Volume 1
Jon & Kate Plus Eight: Seasons 1 & 2 (Double Feature)
Journey To The Sun / Boats Out of Watermelon Rinds (Double Feature)
Just Like the Son
Kathleen Pagnini: Pilates & Chocolate
Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After
LA Ink: Season 1, Volume 1
LA Ink: Season 1, Volume 2
Lady Ninja Kasumi Volume 5: Counter Attack
Last Stage
The Life of Christ (Collectible Tin Box)
Little Ashes (Widescreen)
Little People, Big World: Season 1
Little People, Big World: Season 2, Volume 1
Lost City Raiders
Lost: Unraveling the Mystery
Louis Armstrong: Good Evening Ev'rybody
Lucy: 1966-67 (Collectible Tin Box)
Madness
Mean Girls
Meerkat Manor: Season 4
Meerkat Manor: Season One
Meerkat Manor: Season Three
Meerkat Manor: Season Two
Meeting David Wilson (Widescreen)
Mendelssohn: Nazis & Me
Mermaid
MI-5: Volume 7 (Widescreen)
Miami Ink: Season 1
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Mickey Rooney: The Long and the Short of it
Mike Relm: Clown Alley
Moscow Belgium
My Blog: Cliquel Cliquel Cliquel
My Blog: Internet Bullies
My Blog: Why Are There Bullies?
My Dad the Rockstar
My Guitar
My Piano
Naruto Shippuden Collection 1 (Special Edition)
Naruto Shippuden Collection 1 (Boxed Set)
Neo Angelique: 1st Season Collection (Set)
Not Now Darling (Widescreen)
Nunchaku: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense
Old School
Omnibus: Leonard Bernstein
On The Line
One Foot Off the Ground (Widescreen)
Orangutan Island: Season 1
Painters Painting
A Panda Is Born / Baby Panda's First Year
Paris, Texas (Criterion Collection)
Paris, Texas (Criterion Collection)
Parker Lewis Can't Lose: Season Two
Pawn Stars: Season 1
Peanuts: You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Deluxe Edition)
Pee Stains & Other Disasters (Widescreen)
Pie In The Sky: Series 2
Pokemon Elements Volume 7: Psychic
Pokemon Elements Volume 8: Dragon
Pontypool (Widescreen)
Pride and Prejudice
Prom Night in Mississippi
Puppy Bowl III
Quiet Chaos (Widescreen)
Real Ghostbusters: Volume 2
The Real West: Cowboys & Outlaws (Double Feature)
Reality-Based Personal Protection: Conflict Condit
Reality-Based Personal Protection: How To Beat Var
Reality-Based Personal Protection: Most Important
Rebellion
Rebellion (Widescreen)
Red Green Show: The Infantile Years (Set)
Rifftrax Live: Plan 9 From Outer Space
Rifftrax Shorts: Shorts Tacular Shorts Stravaganza
Rifftrax Shorts: Wide World of Shorts
Rifftrax: Planet of Dinosaurs
Rifftrax: Voodoo Man
Righteous Ties (Widescreen)
Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy (Criterion Collection)
Sands of Destruction: The Complete Series (Set)
Satan's Wife (Widescreen)
Saw VI (Unrated)
Schoolgirl Report Volume 6: What Parents Would
The Science of Sex Appeal
Secrets of the Dead: Mumbai Massacre
Sergeant Frog: Season 2, Part 1
Sex Advice
Sherlock Holmes
Soul Power (Widescreen)
Soul Power
Southland: The Complete First Season
Spongebob Squarepants: Viking-Sized Adventures
St. Trinian's (Widescreen)
Super Vixen Fitness
Surrogates
Surrogates (Widescreen)
Tactical Unit: Human Nature (Widescreen)
Tears to Tiara Collection 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film Collection
Tennessee
Titanic
The Toolbox Murders
Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection, Faith
Touched By An Angel: Inspiration Collection, Love
Tripping Forward
Troma's War
The Waltons: Movie Collection
Warszawa
Whale Wars
Whip It
White House Pets
Wild Ocean (IMAX)
Wild Ocean (IMAX)
Worlds Apart
WOW Gospel 2010
Wushu (Widescreen)
WWII in HD
WWII in HD
WWII Movies Collector's Edition (Collectible Tin Box)