How to Spend $20
By Les Winan
February 10, 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 people looking for what to wear with a pastel t-shirt: Miami Vice: Season One (3-DVD Set) (1984)
Perhaps I was just a bit too young, but I don’t remember watching a single episode of Miami Vice. That said, it remains a significant cultural touchstone for the 1980s, launched the career of Michael Mann, Don Johnson and others, and is revered, even with the benefit of hindsight. For many, the release of this first season of the show will be hailed as one of the greatest days of their lives. Looking at the extra features, any masochist has to wonder why there aren’t any audio commentary tracks with Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas? You know they both need the money. You have to assume that the desperate hints at needing work would be better than the actual show. All that is included on the disc are five featurettes. Not one of them seems to be about the old stunt show at Universal Studios, which is the one Miami Vice-related thing I have seen.
For realizing that Laura Linney is hot: p.s. (2004)
Okay, it’s time to acknowledge that Laura Linney is hot. She’s actually moved close to the Annette Bening level of attractive older women. Mostly, it should be pointed out that Topher Grace lives every young guy’s dream in the movie - bedding the hot older woman while a student. The film has an audio commentary and deleted scenes, so it’s not exactly chock full of extra features, but you should just check it out for Laura Linney. I will.
For the realization that only Pixar should be allowed to make animated films: Shark Tale (Widescreen) (2004)
Oh really, I’m not even going to bother with a movie where Jack Black’s voice is taught to be tough by Will Smith’s voice. If you do, you’ll be thrilled to find HIIIIIGH-LARIOUS outtakes, interactive games and featurettes. Sounds about right for a movie that didn’t exactly capture the imagination of the American public.
For a time when Denzel wasn’t simply playing Denzel: Malcolm X (Special Edition) (1992)
Possibly the best movie Spike Lee ever made (though Bamboozled comes close), Malcolm X is also the best performance Denzel Washington will ever come up with. Sure, Training Day got him an Oscar, and he was actually pretty good in it, but Malcolm X is the definitive work for both. It’s too bad that Denzel isn’t included on the audio commentary with Lee, cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, editor Barry Alexander Brown, and costume designer Ruth Carter, but Lee’s discussion of his struggles to finance the film (he ended up getting money from prominent African-Americans including Bill “Gropey” Cosby, Oprah Winfrey and Magic Johnson) will likely make the commentary track fascinating. Also included on the disc are deleted scenes; the Oscar-nominated, 1972 feature-length documentary Malcolm X; and a featurette.
For gaining weight, just because you can: Raging Bull (Special Edition) (1980)
Speaking of great actors and great directors turning in great performances, the DVD Pick of the Week has to be Raging Bull, if for no other reason than to honor Robert De Niro’s willingness to gain weight so prodigiously. From what I’ve seen on infomercials, losing weight is a difficult proposition unless you use special pills. Since Raging Bull was made prior to the proliferation of said pills and infomercials, you have to assume that De Niro had to work his ass off to lose the 60 pounds he gained to play Jake La Motta. You know, whenever they get around to a big-budget Elvis biopic, I bet the actor charged with playing young Elvis and Fat Elvis will end up dead on a toilet like the real thing. Something to be proud of…
In any case, if you’ve lived in a cave for the past 25 years, Raging Bull is Martin Scorsese’s best work, a biopic of boxer Jake La Motta that also boasts one of Robert De Niro’s best performances (Meet the Fockers notwithstanding). I will never argue that everything Scorsese’s ever done is genius (I would even argue that Goodfellas is overrated), but Raging Bull is an absolutely outstanding film. Included on the DVD are audio commentaries featuring Scorsese, editor Thelma Schoomaker, producer Irwin Winkler, and boxer Jake La Motta. La Motta’s inclusion is significantly exciting. It is, however, too bad that there isn’t a commentary track from De Niro. While his general reticence doesn’t make for great commentary, hearing him comment on the role would be interesting, particularly if he and La Motta were in a room together for one of the commentary tracks. Also included is behind-the-scenes footage and featurettes. It’s a great package for a great DVD Pick of the Week.
February 8, 2005
American Crime (2004)
Bright Young Things (2004)
Cora Unashamed (2000)
Deadwood: The Complete First Season (6-DVD Set) (2004)
Dempsey (1983)
Dunsmore (2003)
Eulogy (2004)
Federal Hill (1995)
Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)
The Grid (2004)
Heat and Sunlight (1987)
Hittin' It (2004)
The Kiss (2003)
Kiss the Bride (2002)
Las Vegas Serial Killer (1986)
The Life (2004)
Malcolm X (Special Edition) (1992)
Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story (2004)
Miami Vice: Season One (3-DVD Set) (1984)
Mojave Moon (1996)
Murder One: The Complete First Season (6-DVD Set) (1995)
New York, New York (Special Edition) (1977)
The Notebook (2004)
On the Edge (1986)
p.s. (2004)
Raging Bull (Special Edition) (1980)
Robot Stories (2003)
Rocky Marciano (1999)
Scooby-Doo: Aloha Scooby-Doo! (2004)
A Separate Peace (2004)
Shark Tale (Full Frame) (2004)
Shark Tale (Widescreen) (2004)
Shucking the Curve (1998)
Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999)
Soho Square (2000)
The Trouble with Perpetual Deja Vu (1999)
Virgin (2003)
Zelary (2003)
By the way, I was just kidding about Meet the Fockers being one of De Niro’s best. Clearly, that honor belongs to Analyze That.
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