How to Spend $20
By Les Winan
February 2, 2005
Taking a look ahead at the week's DVD releases is always dicey for your wallet. Nearly every week, there's a disc that would fit nicely into any size collection. When it comes time to decide what to buy, there are really two determining factors: how much you love the content and the quality of the extra features on the disc.
As a result, decisions will be totally subjective (I bought the full run of the unjustly canceled ABC dramedy Sports Night, no matter that the discs are featureless, The Criterion Collection edition of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a disc I had been dreaming of for years). The massive unreleased studio (film and television) back-catalogue means that every week there's likely something for every film fan.
For anticipating the crapfest that will be Toy Story 3: Mulan II (2004)
Seriously, given the quality of their straight-to-video sequels to their own semi-hit movies, does Disney really think they can do justice to Toy Story 3? Particularly when directors all over Hollywood are running from the project so they don’t piss off Pixar? Maybe I just missed the huge box office success story that was Mulan, but what about the film cried out for a sequel of any kind? I’m going to assume that the simple fact that it didn’t have a sequel was enough to make it a candidate. If your kids just love Mulan, they’ll be thrilled to find that this DVD has a music video; deleted scenes; a game; and featurettes.
For people who thought magazines didn’t also make movies: Vanity Fair (Widescreen) (2004)
I enjoy the failure of this film, simply due to the involvement of Reese Witherspoon. If you disagree and must have this DVD, you will also be foolish enough to enjoy the audio commentary with director Mira Nair, featurettes, and deleted scenes. Unfortunately, you’ll still have to watch a movie with Reese Witherspoon in it.
For having subtitles on a Bernie Mac film: Mr. 3000 (Widescreen) (2004)
This surprisingly good film didn’t have too much success at the box office, which is a shame, because Bernie Mac, in particular, is quite good. If you’re a fan of sports movies, Mr. 3000 is right in your wheelhouse. Not only does it provide a few laughs, but the sports scenes are at least somewhat realistic. Sure the plot takes a few giant leaps and many parts of the film feel severely underdeveloped, but it’s fun to watch. Angela Bassett, co-starring as Mac’s love interest, remains freakishly in shape. She also holds up well next to Mac’s bug-eyed bluster. As usual, you may need a Mac-to-English translator on hand, but he is also reliably funny. If you take the time to explore the DVD, you’ll find an audio commentary with director Charles Stone III, deleted scenes, outtakes and featurettes.
For nearly great biopics with great performances: Ray (2-Disc Limited Edition) (2004)
Ultimately, Ray will be remembered not as a great movie (despite the Oscar nomination for Best Picture), which it isn’t, but as the true arrival of Jamie Foxx as an actor. His performance as Ray Charles is the movie. Without a performance of such capable dexterity, the film simply wouldn’t work in the same way.
Having shown flashes of something more in Booty Call (just kidding), Any Given Sunday, and Collateral, Foxx finally gets a chance to carry a movie on his own. Fresh off his Golden Globe win, Foxx is the front-runner for the Best Actor Oscar, and that status is certainly deserved. Foxx’s challenge now is not continued success, but to continue to choose interesting, well-made projects that will keep him challenged.
As a film, Ray has all of the conventional biopic elements: overcoming adversity, drugs, relationship problems, and that the film manages to teeter on the edge of, but not fall into caricature is a result of the performance of Foxx and the other lead actors, particularly Regina King and Kerry Washington, as Charles’ love interests. Take away those things, and you’re left with too many clichés, an inexplicably psychedelic (and too easy) ending, and a lot of great music.
On the DVD, you’ll find a number of extra features, though not the one that would easily be the most interesting. It’s a shame that Foxx is not included on the audio commentary with director Taylor Hackford. Hearing his ruminations on playing Ray Charles would have been a fascinating window in the movie itself. That said, including any audio commentary is always nice. Also included on the disc are deleted scenes, complete and uncut musical performances, and featurettes. Ray is the DVD Pick of the Week.
February 1, 2005
3 Steps to Heaven (1995)
America's Heart and Soul (2004)
Balto III: Wings of Change (2004)
The Bodyguard (Special Edition) (1992)
Bopha! (1993)
The Broadway Melody (1929)
Carolina (2003)
Chariots of Fire (Special Edition) (1981)
Charmed: The Complete First Season (6-DVD) (1998)
Dude, Where's the Party? (2003)
Frasier: The Complete Fourth Season (4-DVD Set) (1996)
The Grudge (2004)
Killer Barbys vs. Dracula (2002)
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
Mr. 3000 (Full-Frame) (2004)
Mr. 3000 (Widescreen) (2004)
Mulan II (2004)
The Neighborhood (2004)
Night and the City (Criterion Edition) (1950)
Oz: The Complete Fourth Season (3-DVD Set) (2000)
Palm Beach Story (1942)
Ray (2-Disc Limited Edition) (2004)
Ray (Full Frame) (2004)
Ray (Widescreen) (2004)
School Daze (Special Edition) (1988)
Secrets and Lies (1996)
The Secret Lives of Adult Stars (2004)
Shall We Dance? (Full-Frame) (2004)
Shall We Dance? (Widescreen) (2004)
She Hate Me (2004)
Vanity Fair (Full Frame) (2004)
Vanity Fair (Widescreen) (2004)
Wonderfalls: The Complete Series (3-DVD Set) (2004)
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