How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
May 5, 2009
Welcome to How to Spend $20, BOP's look at the latest DVDs to hit stores nationwide. This week: Matthew Broderick skips more school, Brad Pitt transforms into a baby and Dustin Hoffman seduces Emma Thompson.Pick of the WeekFor people who adore Ferris Bueller, be you a sporto, motorhead, geek, slut, blood, waistoid, dweebie or dickhead: Ferris Bueller's Day Off [Blu-ray]
Ferris Bueller's Day Off celebrates its – ahem - 23rd birthday with a sexy Blu-ray release. The John Hughes classic is chock full of so many memorable lines. I'm fairly certain I can recite the entire thing without too many slip ups. "Let my Cameron go," "we'll drive home backwards," "I'm afraid that in my weakened condition, I could take a nasty spill down the stairs and subject myself to further school absences" and, of course, "Bueller?" They're all in there. You get the point.
Fortunately for Blu-ray customers, this one comes loaded with some pretty sweet material. The best bet is probably the cast reunion featurette. It'd be a treat to see what the major players have been up to – especially Jennifer Grey, post nose job!
Disc includes: Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller's Day Off featurette, The Making of Ferris Bueller's Day Off featurette, Who is Ferris Bueller? featurette, The World According to Ben Stein featurette, Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes featurette, Class Album featurette
Had Slumdog Millionaire not turned into the phenomenal sensation that it was, I've reason to believe The Curious Case of Benjamin Button would have been all the rage on the awards show circuit – especially the Oscars. Earning 13 total nominations, yet winning just three in minor, minor categories says a lot about the films it was up against.
After going to see Benjamin Button, I thought I had seen 2008's probable Best Picture. Then I saw movies like Slumdog, Revolutionary Road, The Wrestler and – what the heck, WALL-E – and realized that it'd be facing some stiff competition.
Even so, the movie is great, and worth your time if you haven't seen it already. There's bits in here – mostly Benjamin's boating trip, his affair with Tilda Swinton – that make the flick unnecessarily long. But as Benjamin edges closer to looking like the Brad Pitt we're used to, the story takes off and never really lets go.
Disc includes: Interviews with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett featurette, audio commentary, Behind-the-Scenes featurettem David Fincher's Creative Process on the Set featurette, Brad Pitt's Motion-capture Aging Process featurette, Interview with composer Alexandre Desplat, Storyboard featurette, Costumes featurette, Art Direction featurette, stills galleries, Essay by film critic Kent Jones
For people who remember to pull the security tags off of new suit coats: Last Chance Harvey
Last Chance Harvey is a delightful film that relishes in the fine acting skills of its two leads: Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. The little-seen movie (just $14 million earned in the States) features Hoffman as the title character, a down-and-out father who is dealt a series of misfortunes on the weekend of his estranged daughter's wedding in London. While in the foreign city, Harvey meets Kate (Thompson), a lonely statistics counter at Heathrow Airport who gives Harvey something positive to smile about.
It's a charming, sweet movie that'll hopefully earn more viewers on the DVD market.
Disc includes: An Unconventional Love Story: The Making of Last Chance Harvey, audio commentary
For people who can never trust Ben Stiller to spot them with some hair gel: There's Something About Mary [Blu-ray]
There's Something About Mary is back in the news again with its debut on Blu-ray hitting stores today. Makes me realize it's been way too long since I saw this one, which ranks high on practically any comedy fan's list of favorites. American Film Institute, in fact, placed the movie at #27 in a list of America's funniest movies.
And I thought the Ferris Bueller extras were impressive. Get a load at this list.
Disc includes: Theatrical and extended cut, audio commentaries, Clay Animated Titles featurette, AMC Backstory: There's Something About Mary featurette, Around the World with Mary: Foreign Language End Scene featurette, Getting Behind Mary featurette, Comedy Central: Reel Comedy featurette, Up a Tree with Jonathon Richman and Tommy Larkins featurette, Franks & Beans: A Conversation with W. Earl Brown featurette, Exposing Themselves: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Chris Elliot featurette, Touchdown: A Conversation with Brett Favre featurette, Interview Roulette with Harland Williams featurette, Puffy, B** and B**** featurette, Behind the Zipper featurette, "Every Day Should be a Holiday" (The Dandy Warhols) music video, "Build Me Up Buttercup" karaoke, outtakes
May 5, 2009
Blu-ray
Amazon (IMAX)
Big
Bleak House (Special Edition)
Blu Sea Trilogy
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Criterion Collection)
Dexter: The Second Season
Dog Soldiers
Elton John: Red Piano
Event Horizon
Face/Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
From a Place of Darkness
Ghost Town
Grease (Special Edition)
IMAX: Journey Into Amazing Caves
IMAX: Magic Of Flight
Incendiary
It Could Happen To You
Last Chance Harvey
Next
Payback
DVD
The 8th Plague (Special Edition)
Bleak House (Special Edition)
Blu Sea Trilogy
Boston Legal: Season Five
Crusoe: The Complete Series
Dr. Who: The E-Space Trilogy (Collector's Edition)
Earth Final Conflict: Season One
Elton John: Red Piano
Enchanted April
IMAX: Journey Into Amazing Caves
IMAX: Magic Of Flight
Jon & Kate Plus Eight: Season 4
Kids On-The-Go Collection (Set)
Kingdom Hospital: The Entire Series (Collectible Tin Box)
Last Exile: The Complete Series (Boxed Set)
The Last Templar
Lipstick Jungle: Season Two
Love Takes Wing (Widescreen)
Mythbusters Collection 4
Saturday Night Fever (Collector's Edition)
Twilight (Special Edition)
Will & Grace: Best of Friends & Foes
Will & Grace: Best of Love & Marriage
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