DVDs of the Week

[Üncle Snake]

January 8, 2006

THE CONSTANT GARDENER



Amazon.com
The Constant Gardener is the kind of thriller that hasn't been seen since the 1970s: Smart, politically complex, cinematically adventurous, genuinely thrilling and even heartbreaking. Mild diplomat Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes, The English Patient, Schindler's List) has a loose cannon of a wife named Tessa (Rachel Weisz, The Shape of Things, The Mummy), who's digging into the dirty doings of a major pharmaceutical company in Kenya. Her brutal murder forces Justin to continue her investigation down some deadly avenues. This simple plot description doesn't capture the rich texture and slippery, sinuous movement of The Constant Gardener, superbly directed by Fernando Meirelles (Oscar-nominated for his first film, City of God). Shifting back and forth in time, the movie skillfully captures the engaging romance between Justin and Tessa (Fiennes shows considerably more chemistry with Weisz than he had with Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan) and builds a vivid, gripping, and all-too-justified paranoia. And on top of it all, the movie is beautiful, due to both its incredible shots of the African landscape (which at times is haunting and unearthly) and the gorgeous cinematography. Featuring an all-around excellent cast, including Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father), and Danny Huston (Silver City). --Bret Fetzer

DVD Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- Extended Scene: Haruma - Play in Kibera
- Embracing Africa: Filming in Kenya
- John Le Carre: From Page to the Screen
- Anatomy of a Global Thriller: Behind the Scenes of The Constant Gardener


RED EYE



Amazon.com
Veteran horror director Wes Craven lends his proven talent to the non-horror thriller Red-Eye, turning it into an above-average potboiler that makes the most of its 85 tension-packed minutes. That's a perfect running time for a movie like this, in which a resourceful heroine Lisa (Rachel McAdams, the breakout star of 2005) is trapped on a red-eye flight with creepy villain Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy, even more menacing than he was as the Scarecrow in Batman Begins) who's playing middle-man in the plot to assassinate a Homeland Security official. He's got her father pinned down by a would-be killer, using that advantage to coerce Lisa into phoning the luxury resort where she works and arranging to move the target into a pre-set position. It's a situation from which there is seemingly no escape, but of course Craven and screenwriter Carl Ellsworth find a way to milk the suspenseful dilemma for all it's worth, even managing to wedge in a few intriguing character details to enhance the fast-moving plot. It's still a B-movie, but it's tightly constructed and well-executed by Craven, whose previous films made him a perfect choice to maximize all that Red-Eye has to offer. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Commentary by: Director Wes Craven, Producer Marianne Maddalena and Editor Patrick Lussier
- The Making of Red Eye
- Wes Craven: A New Kind of Thriller
- Gag Reel

[Üncle Snake]

January 15, 2006: JUNEBUG




Amazon.com
Junebug spotlights some big fat culture clashes--small town vs. city ways, art-world bohemian vs. church-going folk--yet social commentary never overwhelms a delightful, emotionally rich portrait of family life. When Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz, Schindler's List), a chic art gallery owner from Chicago, meets with an outsider artist in North Carolina she's eager to represent, she and her new husband George (Alessandro Nivola, Laurel Canyon) take a side trip to visit George's family. The visit sends everyone spinning: George's mother (Celia Weston, The Village) doubts the suitability of the marriage; his brother Johnny (Ben McKenzie, The O. C.) quietly seethes at being overshadowed again by his older sibling; and Johnny's very pregnant wife Ashley (Amy Adams, Catch Me If You Can) fixates on Madeleine, seeking in her a companionship that she can't find in her normal life. Junebug's unexpected rhythms slowly and subtly tease out the past; few movies are as eloquent about the mysteries of family--the hidden rules and resentments, the shifting alliances, the emotional pushes and pulls. Adams' justly praised performance lights up every scene she's in, flowing from comic to heartrending without missing a beat, but the rest of the cast delivers complex and mesmerizing character portraits as well. Junebug will resonate with you long after it's over. --Bret Fetzer

[Üncle Snake]

January 22, 2006: THE ARISTOCRATS




FROM THE NEWS ARCHIVES OF DVDFANATIC.COM

DVD REVIEW: "The Aristocrats"
POSTED ON 01/19/06 AT 8:00 A.M.

By Adam Rosenberg

So this guy walks into a talent agent’s office. He sits himself down and fixes the entertainment rep with a hard look. “Have I got an act for you,” he says. The agent returns the stare from behind his grizzled beard and chomps on his stogey thoughtfully. “Let’s hear it,” he responds. The description that follows is the most horrendously criminal performance imaginable, with the guy’s family being sexually penetrated from numerous orifices while varying bodily fluids are used to dramatic effect. At the end of the man’s impassioned pitch the agent simply stares at him for a moment, mouth open, cigar hanging delicately from his lower lip. “My god, man… that’s terrible! What do you people call yourselves?!” The man smiles smugly, stamps his feet, spreads his arms out wide, and proudly proclaims, “The Aristocrats!”

THE MOVIE
The preceding situation is the blueprint for a joke. Not some bullshit “why did the chicken cross the road” standby that may have its roots in comedy but has long since lost all humorous impact. No… this is an underground joke, of sorts, among comedians. The setup of the man walking into an agent’s office is more of a leaping off point, like the main theme of a jazz standard. In his or her description of the act, the comedian riffs on the most lewd, vile and completely unimaginable acts of violence and sexual depravity that come to mind. No matter the speaker, the joke inevitably winds down to return to the agent’s office where the “Aristocrats” punch-line (or some variation of it) signals the end of the telling. Also like the jazz standard, the humor of the joke lies in the ever-changing, improvised middle portion rather than at the end. This isn’t the sort of tall tale you’re ever likely to hear in a stand-up performance. It’s more the stuff of underground, VIP-only parties where the talent spins tales for each other rather than for a paying audience. Until now, that is.

Penn Jillette, the taller, more obnoxious half of the Penn & Teller duo, and comic/occasional actor Paul Provenza put together a fascinating little documentary called The Aristocrats that explores the craft of standup comedy through the history and telling of “The Aristocrats.” By sitting down with a number (a LARGE number) of prominent and not-so-prominent comedians, actors, and industry-folk and allowing them to do all of the legwork, Jillette and Provenza build a fairly clear and coherent (if almost unbearably filthy) picture of standup comedy and its history from a sort of underground point of view. The contributing interviewees share their thoughts on the joke, point out that, in actuality, it isn’t very funny, and, most amusingly, offer their own interpretations.

Despite the 90-minute running time and jarring, non-stop cavalcade of talking head after talking head, The Aristocrats manages to remain entertaining (and informative) all the way through. The first few minutes feels a little rushed as the film simply starts, delivering its machine-gun barrage of interview clips at the same speed from the first moment to the last. You barely realize it, just over five minutes in, that the illustrious George Carlin is offering the film’s first version of the joke until he’s rolling through it. By then, you’re either on the floor and shaking with laughter or you’re frantically searching for an exit in the blind hope that you won’t have to endure another second of this high art gross-out humor.

There’s simply too much talent contained in the 90 minutes to run through every name, but here are some high points. The oft-misunderstood Bob Saget, used sparingly for dirty-minded roles in Half-Baked (okay, he had a one-liner in that) and the HBO series Entourage (“Don’t you fuck my daughters!”), is allowed to shine in all of his filthy glory. He offers a telling that’s so twisted and wrong, he continually breaks down into fits of laughter. Perennial loudmouth Gilbert Gottfried is also one of the highlights, both for his backroom, conference table telling and for his infamous post-9/11 version, told at the Hugh Hefner Roast in New York City. After earning a chorus of boos for some poorly timed comments related to World Trade Center bombings, he decides to go for broke with a telling of “The Aristocrats.” If you don’t have a new respect for Gottfried after seeing this film, you weren’t paying close enough attention.

That’s not all though. Saget and Gottfried, great as they are, do not a movie make. The kids from South Park (voiced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone) get some face time with the camera while Cartman (who else?) offers his rendition of the joke. Sarah Silverman almost stops the show with a personalized telling that ends with one of the most perfectly delivered deadpan one-liners in this film or any other. There’s still some question in this viewers mind as to whether or not she was serious. On top of all that you have the aforementioned George Carlin, Fred Willard, Hank Azaria, Lewis Black, Drew Carey, Don Rickles, Robin Williams, Eric Idle, Martin Mull, Larry Miller, Jason Alexander, Andy Richter, Steven Wright, Jon Stewart, Kevin Pollak, Eddie Izzard, Don Rickles, the Smothers Brothers, Carrie Fisher, Mario Cantone, Phyllis Diller, Billy Connolly, Paul Reiser, and so many others you’ll be hard-pressed to actually recognize and name them all. Don’t worry… each and every contributor is credited at the end with a short clip and on-screen text. Whoever you don’t know, you will by the end. Fantastic, brilliant stuff… the best kind of raw comedy.

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
The transfer of the film to DVD is as good as it can be, given the content. The interviews are filmed in a variety of locations and with a variety of cameras, both handheld and mounted. As such, the quality varies by location and setting. The overall transfer is fine, however, presented in full screen format just as it was in theaters (4:3 aspect ratio) with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Digital Surround Sound mix (a 2.0 stereo mix is also available as an option). You get one language, English, and no subtitles. That’s probably because most of these words don’t translate into other languages and it’s illegal for some of them to even appear in print in some states. That last part may not be true, by the way. You get the idea though.

PACKAGING AND LAYOUT
Fittingly enough for this oddball movie, the DVD comes packaged in a non-standard WHITE plastic snapcase with simple artwork on the cover featuring the film title, a blurry still, a pug, and some quotes from critics. The subtitle: “100 Comedians. One Very Dirty Joke.” The main menu is made to look like a fancy portrait hanging on the wall (except the menu is inside the frame rather than a painting). Smaller frames hanging nearby show a rotating collection of clips from the film. When you move to a secondary menu, there’s an annoying pan across the “wall,” made less annoying by the fact that the clips still continue to play as you move along. And that freaky pug shows up again.

SPECIAL FEATURES
For a single-disc DVD release, The Aristocrats is certainly packed with many heaping bowlfuls of bonus content. The rundown is as follows:
• Filmmaker Commentary with Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette – This commentary makes an excellent addition to the film. Provenza and Jillette, who personally filmed every moment of footage, are obviously full of anecdotes both from the filming and about the subjects being filmed. There’s an unwittingly sad moment early on when the filmmakers both bemoan the non-presence of Richard Pryor (as one of the two living comedians they wish had appeared), who passed away at the end of last year. This material is great and gives all sorts of background info on each contributor and how he or she came to be involved. The thing that most clearly comes across from the commentary is the manner in which the film captures each comic in a personal moment, conversing with the filmmakers (whose voices are rarely heard in the final cut) rather than at the camera. One small message to Mr. Jillette, however: not all critics are retards, thank you very much.
• The Aristocrats Do “The Aristocrats” – This is a piecemeal telling of the joke using strung-together footage of the many contributors. That’s really all there is to say. Hilarious, funny stuff – a must-watch for owners of the DVD.
• For Johnny Carson – This short little tidbit features Dana Gould and Larry Miller. Gould shares his interpretation of a Carson telling of “The Aristocrats.” Miller, on the other hand, is a little more “out there.” He begins by saying that Carson had a very particular way of explaining how “The Aristocrats” was his favorite joke in the world. He then launches into this story about two hippopotamuses in a swamp. To describe it is to ruin it. Or maybe that’s just a cop-out because the thing makes no sense. Anything that comes out of Miller’s mouth in general is funny, but this one probably ranks a little lower on the scale than most. This is a nice bonus, but nothing spectacular.
• Behind the Green Room Door – Subtitled “Comedian Tell Some of Their Other Favorite Jokes,” this one also kind of speaks for itself. What you really get is bonus face time with Larry Miller, George Carlin, Paul Reiser, Martin Mull, Harry Shearer, Jackie Martling, Phyllis Diller, Bruce Vilanch and more than a few others. The laugh factor depends largely on personal taste in comedians and comedy, but it’s good for at least a few chuckles.
• “Be An Aristocrat Contest” Winners – As the title would imply, this is devoted to the two winners of the “Be An Aristocrat Contest.” There were two categories, one for a live action telling of the joke and one for an animated telling. Congratulations to both of the winners; you guys may not be casting a shadow over the heavyweight talent featured in the film, but you impressed the right people enough to be shown alongside them.
• Trailers – Trailers not for The Aristocrats but for some other Thinkfilm releases: When Stand Up Stood Out and The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till, to be precise.
• More From The Comedians – This shows up second on the list of selections, but better to save the best for last. This equates with the “deleted scenes” section you would find on other releases. The material here is mostly of the extended variety and features two full pages of selections (broken down by comedian). Gottfried, Saget and Silverman once again deserve praise for bringing the funniest material to the table. Gottfried in particular gives a telling of the joke that only shows up in pieces throughout the final cut of the film. Just make sure your kids are out of the room before you hit play. Come to think of it, that warning really applies to any material included on this disc (except for maybe the aforementioned trailers).

FINAL THOUGHTS
There isn’t much more to say about this one. The movie holds up as well, if not better, than it did in theaters. The bonus content more than doubles the value of the set – the commentary alone would have been enough, but between the deleted footage and the little bonus featurettes, this release really gives you your money’s worth. Definitely get your kids far away before you even put this DVD in your player; 17+ is a safe bet for watching, but there’s nothing here that a 15 or 16 year old couldn’t handle. Whether or not the parent(s) want him or her hearing it is another story entirely. Regardless, if you like to laugh and you’re of the right age, this is a definite “run, don’t walk” DVD title and an essential edition to any comedy enthusiast’s shelf.

DVD Film Score: A+
DVD Audio/Video Score: B
DVD Packaging and Layout Score: B+
DVD Special Features Score: A+
Overall Score: A

[Üncle Snake]

January 29, 2006: TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE




Amazon.com
Who else but Tim Burton could make Corpse Bride, a necrophiliac's delight that's fun for the whole family? Returning to the richly imaginative realm of stop-motion animation (after previous successes with The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach), Burton, with codirector Mike Johnson, invites us to visit the dour, ashen, and drearily Victorian mansions of the living, where young Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is bequeathed to wed the lovely Victoria (Emily Watson). But the wedding rehearsal goes sour and, in the kind of Goth-eerie forest that only exists in Burton-land, Victor suddenly finds himself accidentally married to the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter), a blue-tinted, half-skeletal beauty (how pleasantly full-bosomed she remains!) with a loquacious maggot installed behind one prone-to-popping eyeball. This being a Burton creation, the underworld of the dead is a lively and colorful place indeed, and Danny Elfman's songs and score make it even livelier, presenting Victor with quite a dilemma: Should he return above-ground to Victoria, or remain devoted to his corpse bride? At a brisk 76 minutes, Burton's graveyard whimsy (loosely based on a 19th century Russian folktale) never wears out its welcome, and the voice casting (which includes Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney) is superbly matched the film's gloriously amusing character design, guaranteed to yield a wealth of gruesome toys and action figures for many Halloweens to come. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Inside the Two Worlds
- Danny Elfman Interprets the Two Worlds
- The Animators: The Breath of Life
- Tim Burton: Dark vs. Light
- Voices from the Underworld
- Making Puppets Tick
- The Voices Behind the Voice
- The Corpse-Bride pre-production galleries
- Theatrical trailer
- Music-only track

[Üncle Snake]

February 5, 2006

WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT




It's 'vege-mania' in Wallace and Gromit's neighborhood, and our two enterprising chums are cashing in with their humane pest-control outfit, "Anti-Pesto." With only days to go before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, business is booming, but Wallace & Gromit are finding out that running a "humane" pest control outfit has its drawbacks as their West Wallaby Street home fills to the brim with captive rabbits. Suddenly, a huge, mysterious, veg-ravaging "beast" begins attacking the town's sacred vegetable plots at night, and the competition hostess, Lady Tottington, commissions Anti-Pesto to catch it and save the day. Lying in wait, however, is Lady Tottington's snobby suitor, Victor Quartermaine, who'd rather shoot the beast and secure the position of local hero-not to mention Lady Tottingon's hand in marriage. With the fate of the competition in the balance, Lady Tottington is eventually forced to allow Victor to hunt down the vegetable chomping marauder. Little does she know that Victor's real intent could have dire consequences for her ... and our two heroes.

DVD Features
- Cracking Commentary - Audio commentary with director/writer Steve Box and director/writer Nick Park
- Deleted Scenes with optional commentary
- How Wallace & Gromit Went To Hollywood - Learn how Wallace & Gromit grew from the imagination of Nick Park and became Academy Award winning stars.
- Behind the Scenes of 'The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' - Enjoy a rare look into how these lovable characters were brought to life.
- A Day in the Life at Aardman - Experience a day of production at the famed Aardman Studios as seen through the eyes of a crewperson.
- How to Build a Bunny - A unique look at how the clay bunny models were assembled using time-lapse photos.
- Stage Fright - View this award-winning short film with an insightful commentary by its creator, Steve Box.
- The Family Album - Colourful production stills of the elaborate sets and meticulous character development.


JIM GAFFIGAN: BEYOND THE PALE




Under the white guy "everyman" exterior lurks one of the cleverest original comedians of today. An established star in standup comedy and a frequent guest on the late shows of David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, Jim Gaffigan is a noted actor as well, from comedic turns in Super Troopers, That 70s Show and Sex and the City to dramatic roles in dozens of films and TV dramas. But here his unique comedy persona takes over -- cantankerous but endearing, clean but cutting, with an irrepressible "inside voice" that keeps wickedly popping out - to the delight of the audience in Chicago's historic Vic Theater. And now you can share their guffaws.

[Üncle Snake]

February 12, 2006: PROOF




Amazon.com
Elegantly adapted from David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Proof works on so many levels that it shines like a perfected equation. Gwyneth Paltrow previously played her role onstage, and returns here as Catherine, the troubled 27-year-old daughter of Robert, a once-brilliant mathematician (Anthony Hopkins, appearing in flashbacks and imagined visions) who has recently died. What Robert has left behind is an emotionally challenging legacy of genius, mental illness, and unfinished business in the Chicago home where Catherine had cared for him during his erratic final years. Catherine fears she may have inherited her father's unstable condition, and her sister Claire (Hope Davis) arrives from New York with smothering concern and a selfish but well-meaning agenda, while Robert's student and assistant Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal) hopes to find lasting proof of Robert's enduring genius in the piles of notebooks he left behind. Steeped in the authentic atmosphere of advanced academia, revelations of love, fear, regret, and potential recovery unfold with such graceful complexity that Proof plays like a thriller, with all the action taking place in the admirable hearts and minds of its characters. The film also has a lot to say about the potential tragedy of assuming mental illness where none exists, while leaving just enough doubt to keep you wondering -- a tribute to the exceptional performances of a first-rate cast, and particularly to Paltrow, whose reunion with Shakespeare in Love director John Madden proves equally rewarding for entirely different reasons. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Commentary by director John Madden
- Deleted scenes with optional commentary
- From Stage to Screen: The Making of Proof

[stallion]

I can tell you right now what the commentary sounds like.....
"So here you got this Gwyneth.....and BOOM! Here comes Brett Favre, my hero, and BOOM! Just like tough actin' Tinactin! How about some of that Wisconsin cheese?"

[Üncle Snake]

February 19, 2006: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION)




It helps to have one of history's greatest scoops as your factual inspiration, but journalism thrillers just don't get any better than All the President's Men. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfectly matched as (respectively) Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate scandal set the stage for President Richard Nixon's eventual resignation. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula crafted the film into one of the most intelligent and involving of the 1970s paranoid thrillers. Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, All the President's Men is the film against which all other journalism movies must be measured. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Commentary by Robert Redford
- Telling the Truth About Lies: THe Making of All the President's Men
- Out of the Shadows: The Man Who Was Deep Throat
- Woodward and Bernstein: Lighting the Fire
- Vintage featurette Pressure and the Press: The Making of All the President's Men
- Vintage Jason Robards interview excerpt from Dinah!, hosted by Dinah Shore
- Alan J. Pakula thrillers trailer gallery

[Üncle Snake]

February 26, 2006: WALK THE LINE (2-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION)




This was one of my favorite films of 2005. It features a pair of amazing performances. Reese Witherspoon is going to win an Oscar Sunday night, and if not for Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote, I'd say the same for Joaquin Phoenix.

DVD Features:
- Commentary by co-writer and director James Mangold
- 10 Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by James Mangold
- Trailers: Love Me Tender Special Edition
- Theatrical Trailer
- 3 Extended Music Videos
- "The Passion of MIB" featurette
- "Walk The Line Comeback" featurette

[Üncle Snake]

March 5, 2006: JARHEAD (COLLECTOR'S EDITION)




Jarhead (the self-imposed moniker of the Marines) follows "Swoff" (Gyllenhaal), a third-generation enlistee, from a sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, sporting a sniper's rifle and a hundred-pound ruck on his back through Middle East deserts with no cover from intolerable heat or from Iraqi soldiers, always potentially just over the next horizon. Swoff and his fellow Marines sustain themselves with sardonic humanity and wicked comedy on blazing desert fields in a country they don't understand against an enemy they can't see for a cause they don't fully fathom... Foxx portrays Sergeant Sykes, a Marine lifer who heads up Swofford's scout/sniper platoon, while Sarsgaard is Swoff's friend and mentor, Troy, a die-hard member of STA-their elite Marine Unit.

DVD Features:
- The two-disc special Collector's Edition features in-depth bonus material that gives viewers an even deeper look into the talents' experiences on the set and the harsh realities of life on the battlefield.
- "Swoff's Fantasies" with Commentary by Director Sam Mendes and Editor Walter Murch
- News Interviews in Full with Commentary by Director Sam Mendes and Editor Walter Murch
- Deleted Scenes with Introduction by Director Sam Mendes and Editor Walter Murch
- Feature Commentary with Director Sam Mendes
- Feature Commentary with Screenwriter William Broyles, Jr. & Author Anthony Swofford
- "Jarhead Diaries" with Introduction by Director Sam Mendes - A look at the personal video diaries created by the talent of their experiences on the set.
- "Background" with Introduction by Director Sam Mendes - Cameras follow the lives of the real U.S. Marines who appeared as extras in the film.
- "Semper Fi: Life After the Corps" with Introduction by Director Sam Mendes and Audio Introduction by Author Anthony Swofford - Anthony Swofford and Laura Nix interview former U.S. Marines about their experiences re-integrating into civilian life.

[Üncle Snake]

March 12, 2006

Two of 2005's best movies come to DVD this week.

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE



On the surface, David Cronenberg may seem an unlikely candidate to direct A History of Violence, but dig deeper and you'll see that he's the right man for the job. As an intellectual seeker of meaning and an avowed believer in Darwinian survival of the fittest, Cronenberg knows that the story of mild-mannered small-town diner proprietor Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is in fact a multilayered examination of inbred human behavior, beginning when Tom's skillful killing of two would-be robbers draws unwanted attention to his idyllic family life in rural Indiana. He's got a loving wife (Maria Bello) and young daughter (Heidi Hayes) who are about to learn things about Tom they hadn't suspected, and a teenage son (Ashton Holmes) who has inherited his father's most prominent survival trait, manifesting itself in ways he never expected. By the time Tom has come into contact with a scarred villain (Ed Harris) and connections that lead him to a half-crazy kingpin (William Hurt, in a spectacular cameo), Cronenberg has plumbed the dark depths of human nature so skillfully that A History of Violence stands well above the graphic novel that inspired it (indeed, Cronenberg was unaware of the source material behind Josh Olson's chilling adaptation). With hard-hitting violence that's as sudden as it is graphically authentic, this is A History of Violence that's worthy of serious study and widespread acclaim. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Commentary by director David Cronenberg
- Deleted scene with optional commentary by director David Cronenberg
- "Acts of Violence" hour-long documentary
- "Violence's History: U.S. vs. International Versions" featurette
- "Too Commercial for Cannes" featurette
- "The Unmaking of Scene 44" featurette


GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.



Without force-feeding its timely message, Good Night, and Good Luck illuminates history to enlighten our present, when the need for a free and independent press is more important than ever. In 90 breathtaking minutes of efficient and intricate storytelling, writer-director George Clooney and cowriter Grant Heslov pay honorable tribute to the journalistic integrity of legendary CBS newscaster Edward R. Murrow, who confronted the virulent and overzealous anti-Communist witch-hunting of Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy in 1953-54, and emerged as a triumphant truth-seeker against the abuses of corporate and governmental power.

As played by David Strathairn, Murrow is a dogged realist, keenly aware of the smear tactics that will be employed against him; Clooney provides crucial backup as Murrow's "See It Now" producer and closest confidante Fred Friendly, forming a fierce but not entirely fearless triumvirate of broadcasting bravery with CBS chief William Paley (Frank Langella), who anxiously champions Murrow's cause under constant threat of reprisals. While using crisp black-and-white cinematography (by Robert Elswit) to vividly recreate the electrifying atmosphere of the CBS newsroom and the early years of television, Clooney (son of long-time Cincinnati newsman Nick Clooney) proves his directorial skill by juggling big themes and an esteemed ensemble cast, never stooping to simplification of ethically complex material. Good Night, and Good Luck is an instant classic, destined for all the accolades it so richly deserves. --Jeff Shannon

[Üncle Snake]

March 19, 2006

Two more of the previous year's best ...

CAPOTE



Bolstered by an Oscar®-caliber performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role, Capote ranked highly among the best films of 2005. Written by actor/screenwriter Dan Futterman and based on selected chapters from the biography by Gerald Clarke, this mercilessly perceptive drama shows how Truman Capote brought about his own self-destruction in the course of writing In Cold Blood, the "nonfiction novel" that was immediately acclaimed as a literary milestone. After learning of brutal killings in rural Holcomb, Kansas, in November 1959, Capote gained the confidence of captured killers Perry Smith (Clifton Collins, Jr.) and Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino) in an effort to tell their story, but he ultimately sacrificed his soul in the process of writing his greatest book. Hoffman transcends mere mimicry to create an utterly authentic, psychologically tormented portrait of an insincere artist who was not above lying and manipulation to get what he needed. Bennett Miller's intimate direction focuses on the consequences of Capote's literary ambition, tempered by an equally fine performance by Catherine Keener as Harper Lee, Capote's friend and the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, who served as Capote's quiet voice of conscience. Spanning the seven-year period between the Kansas murders and the publication of In Cold Blood in 1966, Capote reveals the many faces of a writer who grew too close to his subjects, losing his moral compass as they were fitted with a hangman's noose. --Jeff Shannon

DVD Features:
- Commentary by director Bennett Miller and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Commentary by director Bennett Miller and cinematographer Adam Kimmel
- Unanswered Prayers - a documentary on Truman Capote
- 2 behind the scenes documentaries


THE SQUID AND THE WHALE



The Squid and the Whale follows the divorce of Joan (Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me) and Bernard Berkman (Jeff Daniels, The Purple Rose of Cairo) as it wreaks havoc on the emotional lives of their two sons, Walt (Jesse Eisenberg, Roger Dodger) and Frank (Owen Kline, The Anniversary Party). Though there's no plot in the usual sense, the movie progresses with growing emotional force from the separation into the bitter fighting between Joan and Bernard and the hapless, floundering behavior of Walt and Frank, who act out through plagiarism, sexual acts, and drinking. Some viewers may find the ending too diffuse; others will appreciate that writer/director Noah Baumbach (Mr. Jealousy) doesn't wrap up the messiness of life in a false cinematic package. Either way, viewers will appreciate how the specificity of the personalities makes The Squid and the Whale so compelling, as Baumbach has drawn the characters with such detail, both engaging and off-putting, that they leap off the screen. Naturally, he's greatly helped by the cast: Linney, Eisenberg, Kline, and especially Daniels bite into these often unsympathetic portraits and give fearlessly honest performances, interlocked in both painful and funny ways--rarely have family dynamics been captured so vividly. If there was an ensemble Oscar, this cast would deserve it. --Bret Fetzer

DVD Features:
- Commentary by director Noah Baumbach
- Behind-the-scenes featurette
- A conversation with director Noah Baumbach and film critic Philip Lopate

[Üncle Snake]

March 26, 2006: KING KONG (2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION)[/u][/url]




Movies don't come any bigger than Peter Jackson's King Kong, a three-hour remake of the 1933 classic that marries breathtaking visual prowess with a surprising emotional depth. Expanding on the original story of the blonde beauty and the beast who falls for her, Jackson creates a movie spectacle that matches his Lord of the Rings films and even at times evokes their fantasy world while celebrating the glory of '30s Hollywood. Naomi Watts stars as Ann Darrow, a vaudeville actress down on her luck in Depression-era New York until manic filmmaker Carl Denham (a game but miscast Jack Black) entices her with a lead role. Dazzled by the genius of screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Ann boards the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, which she--and most of the wary crew--believes is headed for Singapore. Denham, however, is in search of the mythic Skull Island, hoping to capture its wonders on film and make a fortune. What he didn't count on were some scary natives who find that the comely Darrow looks like prime sacrifice material for a mysterious giant creature....

There's no point in rehashing the entire plot, as every movie aficionado is more than familiar with the trajectory of King Kong; the challenge facing Jackson, his screenwriters, and the phenomenal visual-effects team was to breathe new life into an old, familiar story. To that degree, they achieve what could be best called a qualified success. Though they've assembled a crackerjack supporting cast, including Thomas Kretschmann as the Venture's hard-bitten captain and young Jamie Bell as a plucky crewman, the first third of the movie is rather labored, with too much minute detail given over to sumptuous re-creations of '30s New York and the unexciting initial leg of the Venture's sea voyage. However, once the film finds its way to Skull Island (which bears more than a passing resemblance to LOTR's Mordor), Kong turns into a dazzling movie triumph, by turns terrifying and awe-inspiring. The choreography and execution of the action set pieces--including one involving Kong and a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as another that could be charitably described as a bug-phobic's nightmare--is nothing short of landmark filmmaking, and a certain Mr. Spielberg should watch his back, as Kong trumps most anything that has come before it.

Despite the visual challenges of King Kong, the movie's most difficult hurdle is the budding romance between Ann and her simian soulmate. Happily, this is where Jackson unqualifiedly triumphs, as this unorthodox love story is tenderly and humorously drawn, by turns sympathetic and wondrous. Watts, whose accessibility balances out her almost otherworldly loveliness, works wonders with mere glances, and Andy Serkis, who digitally embodies Kong here much as he did Gollum in the LOTR films, breathes vibrant life into the giant star of the film without ever overplaying any emotions. The final, tragic act of the film, set mostly atop the Empire State Building, is where Kong earns its place in movie history as a work that celebrates both the technical and emotional heights that film can reach. --Mark Englehart

DVD Features
- Special Introduction by Peter Jackson
- Post-Production Diaries: Director Peter Jackson takes you on an unforgettable journey revealing virtually every aspect of post-production with nearly three hours of exclusive behind the scenes footage.
- Kong's New York, 1933 - 1930s New York comes alive in this fascinating piece that explores vaudeville, the skyscraper boom, the construction of the Empire State building and more.
- Skull Island: A Natural History - Travel to treacherous Skull Island with Peter Jackson and his crew

[Üncle Snake]

April 2, 2006: MEL BROOKS BOX SET COLLECTION




Eight-disc box set including:

Blazing Saddles
High Anxiety
History of the World Part I
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Silent Movie
To Be or Not to Be
Twelve Chairs
Young Frankenstein

[Üncle Snake]

April 9, 2006: DAVE ATTELL'S INSOMNIAC TOUR presents SEAN ROUSE, GREG GIRALDO and DANE COOK




DVD Features:
- Extended and uncensored cut, featuring 15 minutes of new material
- "A Night Out in Vegas" featurette with the comedians
- Backstage and After Party footage
- Interviews with the comedians

[Üncle Snake]

April 16, 2006: MOTORHEAD - STAGE FRIGHT




(This has been out for a couple months, but I just picked it up and watched it last week. Highly recommended for any Motorhead fans.)

If you're looking for some no-nonsense hard rock riffage, Motorhead - Stage Fright is your destination. The Teutonic power trio, who've been around for over 30 years, have a lean, muscular musical attack that clearly influenced not only heavy metal (with its bludgeoning thunder) but also punk rock (with its no-frills minimalism). Phillip Campbell's guitar technique blisters with ruthless efficiency as he rips through Motorhead classics like Ace of Spades, backed by Mikkey Dee's ferocious and buoyant drumming. But the master of ceremonies is towering Lemmy, the lead singer/bassist with mighty muttonchops; though he keeps his stage patter sparse--the band frequently segues straight from one song into another--his humor and charisma are clearly the focal point. Visually, Stage Fright--filmed in Dusseldorf, Germany, before a mob of sweaty, head-bobbing adolescent males (with occasional glimpses of a rare girl)--depends heavily on rapid editing and the relentless throb and flicker of the light show, as the band is pretty much a stand-there-and-play bunch. But by the end, even nonbelievers may find themselves bobbing along with Dancing on Your Grave or Going to Brazil or the acoustic Whorehouse Blues.

The second dvd of this two-dvd set is an extensive exploration of Motorhead's backstage world. While a non-fan might think that including interviews with Lemmy's bass technician or the band's potty-mouthed cook is the height of rock narcissism, the opposite is true; Motorhead are about the least pretentious rock stars you'll ever see. The genuine family feeling among the band and crew is enviable and results in a raffish, enjoyable portrait of life on the road. Also included is a montage of fan tattoos, interactive features, ringtones and wallpaper, and the full text of the band's backstage rider, which dictates the booze and candy that the band expects to find in their dressing rooms. All in all, Stage Fright is an honest and entertaining portrait of one of rock-and-roll's most resilient bands. --Bret Fetzer

[Üncle Snake]

April 23, 2006: MATCH POINT




The passion of mad love and the cold calculations of social climbing collide in Woody Allen's Match Point. Former tennis pro Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Velvet Goldmine) stumbles into good fortune when Chloe Hewett (Emily Mortimer, Lovely & Amazing), the daughter of a wealthy businessman, falls in love with him. But when Chris meets Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation), a much deeper passion is stirred--and his desire isn't deterred when he discovers that Nola is already dating Chloe's brother. But when their affair threatens Chris's increasingly cozy lifestyle, Chris begins to consider a drastic solution. Match Point starts deftly and ends with cunning; though the middle bogs down in banal plot mechanics, Woody Allen fans have justly hailed it as a comeback after Allen's last few cinematic stumbles. Despite weaknesses (Allen still seems to have lost touch with the mundane realities of life; his characters operate in a strange, weightless world of wealth and privilege), the strong performances and clean direction carry the movie through. Also featuring Brian Cox (X-Men 2, Adaptation). --Bret Fetzer

[Üncle Snake]

Time to do some catching up...


April 30, 2006: HOODWINKED




So you think you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Don’t be too sure. . . . One of your favorite fairy tales is turned upside-down and inside-out in what the L.A. Times called "high-energy, imaginative entertainment." With irreverent storytelling, spunk and wit, Hoodwinked delivers a comedy caper for the young, the young at heart and everyone in between. When the police arrive at Granny’s cottage in the woods to answer a domestic disturbance call, it looks like just another open-and-shut case. But Red, Granny, the Big Bad Wolf and the Woodsman are not your usual suspects, as they have their own dark secrets, wily deceptions and conflicting accounts of the crime. Together, they must put aside their differences and find their own original twist on Happily Ever After in this "raucous, genre-busting, animated gem (Entertainment Weekly, The Must List)."

DVD Features:
- Commentary by writers/directors Cory Edwards, Todd Edwards, and Tony Leech
- 5 deleted and extended scenes
- "How to Make an Animated Film" featurette with producers Sue Bea Montgomery and David K. Lovegren
- "Critters Have Feelings" music video and a feature length

[Üncle Snake]

May 7, 2006


THE NEW WORLD



The legend of Pocahontas and John Smith receives a luminous and essential retelling by maverick filmmaker Terrence Malick. The facts of Virginia's first white settlers, circa 1607, have been told for eons and fortified by Disney's animated films: explorer Smith (Colin Farrell) and the Native American princess (newcomer Q'orianka Kilcher) bond when the two cultures meet, a flashpoint of curiosity and war lapping interchangeably at the shores of the new continent. Malick, who took a twenty year break between his second and third films (Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line), is a master of film poetry; the film washes over you, with minimal dialogue (you see characters speak on camera for less than a quarter of the film). The rest of the words are a stream-of-consciousness narration--a technique Malick has used before but never to such degree, creating a movie you feel more than watch. The film's beauty (shot in Virginia by Emmanuel Lubezki) and production design (by Jack Fisk) seems very organic, and in fact, organic is a great label for the movie as a whole, from the dreadful conditions of early Jamestown (it makes you wonder why Englishman would want to live there) to the luminescent love story. Malick is blessed with a cast that includes Wes Studi, August Schellenberg, Christopher Plummer, and Christian Bale (who, curiously, was also in the Disney production). Fourteen-year-old Kilcher, the soul of the film, is an amazing find, and Farrell, so often tagged as the next big thing, delivers his first exceptional performance since his stunning debut in Tigerland. James Horner provides a fine score, but is overshadowed by a Mozart concerto and a recurring prelude from Wagner's Das Rheingold, a scrumptious weaving of horns fit to fuel the gentle intoxication of this film. Note: the film was initially 150 minutes, and then trimmed to 135 by Malick before the regular theatrical run. It was also the first film shot in 65mm since Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet. --Doug Thomas

Featuring: "Making The New World" (60 min. documentary)


MUNICH



At its core, Munich is a straightforward thriller. Based on the book Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas, it’s built on a relatively stock movie premise, the revenge plot: innocent people are killed, the bad guys got away with it, and someone has to make them pay. But director Steven Spielberg uses that as a starting point to delve into complex ethical questions about the cyclic nature of revenge and the moral price of violence. The movie starts with a rush. The opening portrays the kidnapping and murder of Israeli athletes by PLO terrorists at the 1972 Olympics with scenes as heart-stopping and terrifying as the best of any horror movie. After the tragic incident is over and several of the terrorists have gone free, the Israeli government of Golda Meir recruits Avner (Eric Bana) to lead a team of paid-off-the-book agents to hunt down those responsible throughout Europe, and eliminate them one-by-one (in reality, there were several teams). It’s physically and emotionally messy work, and conflicts between Avner and his team’s handler, Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush), over information Avner doesn’t want to provide only make things harder. Soon the work starts to take its toll on Avner, and the deeper moral questions of right and wrong come into play, especially as it becomes clear that Avner is being hunted in return, and that his family’s safety may be in jeopardy.

By all rights, Munich should be an unqualified success--it has gripping subject matter relevant to current events; it was co-written by one of America’s greatest living playwrights (Tony Kushner, Angels in America) and an accomplished screenwriter (Eric Roth); it stars an appealing and likeable actor in Eric Bana; and it was helmed by Steven Spielberg, of all people. While it certainly is a great movie, it falls just short of the immense heights such talent should propel it to. This is due more to some questionable plot devices than anything else (such as the contrived use of a family of French informants to locate the terrorists). But while certain aspects ring hollow, the movie as a whole is a profound accomplishment, despite being only "inspired by true events," and not factually based on them. From the ferocious beginning to the unforgettable closing shot, Munich works on a visceral level while making a poignant plea for peace, and issuing an unmistakable warning about the destructive cycle of terror and revenge. As one of the characters intones, "There is no peace at the end of this." --Daniel Vancini

[Üncle Snake]

May 14, 2006: CRIMSON TIDE (UNRATED EXTENDED EDITION)




A stellar cast including Academy Award(R) winner Denzel Washington (2001 Best Actor, TRAINING DAY), Gene Hackman (1971 Academy Award(R) Winner, Best Actor, THE FRENCH CONNECTION; ENEMY OF THE STATE), Viggo Mortensen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy), and James Gandolfini (TV's THE SOPRANOS) resurfaces in a greater-than-ever Extended Edition of this intense hit thriller. In the midst of a global crisis, the USS Alabama receives unconfirmed orders to launch its nuclear missiles -- signaling the start of World War III! The tension escalates as the sub's respected commander (Hackman) and his brilliant executive officer (Washington) clash over the validity of their orders ... battling each other for control of the sub! As this epic struggle rages under the sea, you take command of edge-of-your-seat excitement and never-before-seen footage.

DVD Features:
- Deleted scenes
- All Access: "On The Set Of Crimson Tide" Featurette
- "The Making of Crimson Tide" featurette

[Üncle Snake]

May 21, 2006: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (4-DISC DIRECTOR'S CUT)




It's hard to believe Ridley Scott's handsome epic won't become the cinematic touchstone of the Crusades for years to come. Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering a vital, mostly engrossing tale following Balian (Orlando Bloom), a lonely French blacksmith who discovers he's a noble heir and takes his father's (Liam Neeson) place in the center of the universe circa 1184: Jerusalem. Here, grand battles and backdoor politics are key as Scott and first-time screenwriter William Monahan fashion an excellent storyline to tackle the centuries-long conflict. Two forward-thinking kings, Baldwin (Edward Norton in an uncredited yet substantial role) and Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), hold an uneasy truce between Christians (who hold the city) and Muslims while factions champ at the bit for blood. There are good and evildoers on both sides, with the Knights Templar taking the brunt of the blame; Balian plans to find his soul while protecting Baldwin and the people. The look of the film, as nearly everything is from Scott, is impressive: his CGI-infused battle scenes rival the LOTR series and, with cinematographer John Mathieson, create postcard beauty with snowy French forests and the vast desert (filmed in Morocco and Spain). An excellent supporting cast, including Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and David Thewlis, also help make the head and heart of the film work. Many critics pointed out that Bloom doesn't have the gravitas of Russell Crowe in the lead (then again, who does?), but it's the underdeveloped character and not the actor that hurts the film and impacts its power. Balian isn't given much more to do than be sullen and give an occasional big speech, alongside his perplexing abilities for warfare tactics and his wandering moral compass (whose sole purpose seems to be to put a love scene in the movie). Note: all the major characters except Neeson's are based on fact, but many are heavily fictionalized. --Doug Thomas


DVD Features

Disc 1:
- DIRECTOR'S CUT Part One
- Introduction by Sir Ridley Scott
- Commentaries featuring director Ridley Scott, writer William Monahan, actor Orlando Bloom, executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner
- "The Engineer's Guide" subtitle track with production notes and trivia

Disc 2:
- DIRECTOR'S CUT Part Two
- Commentaries featuring director Ridley Scott, writer William Monahan, actor Orlando Bloom, executive producer Lisa Ellzey, film editor Dody Dorn, visual effects supervisor Wes Sewell and first assistant director Adam Somner (Continued)
- "The Engineer's Guide" subtitle track with production notes and trivia (Cont'd)
- Story Notes (Text & Images)

Disc 3:
THE PATH TO REDEMPTION DOCUMENTARY
DEVELOPMENT
- Part I: Good Intentions (Featurette)
- "Tripoli" Overview & Gallery (Text & Images)
- First Draft Screenplay by William Monahan (Text)
- Story Notes (Text & Images)
- Location Scout Gallery (Images)
PRE-PRODUCTION
- Part II: Faith and Courage (Featurette)
- Screen Tests (Video and Commentary)
- Cast Rehearsals (Video)
- Costume & Weapon Design Featurette (Video)
- Production Design / Conceptual Art / Costume Galleries (Text & Images)
PRODUCTION: SPAIN
- Part III: The Pilgrimage Begins (Featurette)
- Creative Accuracy: The Scholars Speak (Video)
- Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
- Photo Galleries (Text & Images)

Disc 4:
THE PATH TO REDEMPTION (Continued)
PRODUCTION: MOROCCO
- Part IV: Into The Promised Land (Featurette)
- Unholy War: Mounting The Siege (Video)
- Storyboard Comparisons (Multi-Angle Video & Images)
- Photo Galleries (Text & Images)
POST-PRODUCTION
- Part V: The Burning Bush (Featurette)
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes (Video & Commentary)
- Sound Design Suite (Video & Audio)
- Visual Effects Breakdowns (Video & Commentary)
RELEASE
- Part VI: Sins and Absolution (Featurette)
- Trailers & TV Spots (Video & Commentary)
- ShoWest Presentation (Video)
- Press Junket Walkthrough (Video)
- Japanese & London Premieres (Video)
- Poster Explorations: Domestic & International (Images)
- The Director's Cut & DVD Campaign (Video & Images)

[Üncle Snake]

May 28, 2006: ECW Collector's Pack




The Rise and Fall of ECW

"E-C-W! E-C-W! E-C-W!" - a chant still heard in arenas around the world. ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling redefined professional wrestling in the '90s with a reckless, brutal, death-defying, and often bloody style that came to be known as "hardcore." It attracted a rabid, cult-like following that is still going strong today.

This 6-hour, 2-disc set follows the rise and eventual demise of the company that raised the bar and revolutionized sports-entertainment forever.

DVD EXTRAS:
Seven bonus matches, including:
- The Pit Bulls vs. Raven & Stevie Richards
- Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis
- Mikey Whipwreck vs. The Sandman
- 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Sabu
- Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven
- Tazz vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
- Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn


ECW One Night Stand

Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) presents another round of hardcore competition in the no-holds-barred extravaganza ONE NIGHT STAND. Recorded live in New York City, the jam-packed event features highly anticipated meetings between the stars of ECW, RAW, and SMACKDOWN in five electrifying matches: Lance Storm versus Chris Jericho; a luchador match between Rey Mysterio and Psichosis; another luchador battle pitting Tajiri and Sinister Minister against Little Guido; Eddie Guerrero versus Chris Benoit; and a tag-team match featuring Tommy Breamer and the Sandman against Bubba and D-Von Dudley. ONE NIGHT STAND also includes appearances by Paul Heyman, Spike Dudley, Tazz, Al Snow with Head, Dawn Marie, Sabu, Balls Maloney, Danny Doring and Roadkill, CW Anderson, Rhyno, Joel Gertner, Axl Rotten, Justin Credible, Kid Kash, Masato Tanaka, Mikey Whipwreck, Big Stevie Cool, Hollywood Nova, the Blue Guy, and the return of Rob Van Dam with Bill Alfonso.

[Üncle Snake]

June 4, 2006: SARAH SILVERMAN: JESUS IS MAGIC




She stole your heart (or turned your stomach, depending on your perspective) with her show-stealing delivery in the hit documentary The Aristocrats. With Jesus Is Magic, comedienne extraordinaire Sarah Silverman is hell-bent on marking her own territory. Jesus Is Magic is a more or less a one-hour variety show, littered with musical numbers and comedic vignettes wedged between video footage of her live act. Though humorous in parts, most of the vignettes and songs are a little bland. You can't help but think they are mere fillers to stretch the film to an hour. The real essence of the film, however, is Sarah Silverman live on stage, mic in hand, delivering the goods. After sitting through Jesus, you will undoubtedly feel Sarah Silverman's magic and find her extremely funny. You may, however, not be able to pinpoint why. Silverman's act is extremely crass, vulgar, obnoxious, disgusting, heavy on race-laced humor, and downright gross in parts. The amazing thing about Sarah Silverman's material is that if you repeated it to a friend, or read it in an article, you probably would think it was base, childish, and just not that funny. But what makes the material sparkle is Sarah's deadpan, blunt, matter-of-fact delivery and perfect comedic timing. Not to mention she is super foxy, which has a way of amplifying her humor for better or worse. Jesus Is Magic is proof that Sarah Silverman is the smartest and funniest comedienne on the circuit today. We just hope the next release is a full performance, minus the filler. --Rob Bracco

DVD Features:
- Commentary by Sarah Silverman and director Liam Lynch
- "Behind the Scenes with Sarah" featurette
- Sarah's performance from The Aristocrats
- "Give the Jew Girl Toys" Music Video

[Üncle Snake]

June 11, 2006: KISS KISS BANG BANG




As a screenwriter, Shane Black made millions of dollars from screenplays for the big-budget action movies Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout, among others. With his directing debut Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Black mocks and undercuts every cliche he once helped to invent. While fleeing from the cops, small time hood Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr., Wonder Boys) stumbles into an acting audition--and does so well he gets taken to Hollywood, where--pursuing a girl he loved in high school (foxy Michelle Monaghan, North Country)--he gets caught up in twisty murder mystery. His only chance of getting out alive is a private detective named Gay Perry (Val Kilmer, Wonderland, The Doors), who sidelights as a consultant for movies. No plot turn goes untweaked by Black's clever, witty script, and Downey, Kilmer, and Monaghan clearly have a ball playing their screwball variations on action movie stereotypes. There's nothing profound about Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, but it brings back wicked mischief to a genre that all often takes itself too seriously. --Bret Fetzer

DVD Features:
- Commentary by: Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr. and Shane Black
- Gag reel
- Theatrical trailer

[Üncle Snake]

June 18, 2006: SYRIANA




Syriana is an oil-based soap opera set against the world of global oil cartels. It is to the oil industry as Traffic was to the drug trade (no surprise, since writer/director Stephen Gaghan wrote the screenplay to Traffic): a sprawling attempt to portray the vast political, business, social, and personal implications of a societal addiction, in this case, oil. A major merger between two of the world’s largest oil companies reveals ethical dilemmas for the lawyer charged with making the deal (Jeffrey Wright), and major global implications beyond the obvious; a CIA operative (George Clooney) discovers the truth about his work, and the people he works for; a young oil broker (Matt Damon) encounters personal tragedy, then partners with an idealistic Gulf prince (Alexander Siddig) attempting to build a new economy for his people, only to find he’s opposed by powers far beyond his control. Meanwhile, disenfranchised Pakistani youths are lured into terrorism by a radical Islamic cleric. And that’s just the start. As in Traffic, in one way or another all of the characters’ fates are tied to each other, whether they realize it or not, though the connections are sometimes tenuous. While Syriana is basically a good film with timely resonance, it can’t quite seem to measure up to Gaghan’s ambitious vision and it very nearly collapses under the weight of its many storylines. Fortunately they are resolved skillfully enough to keep the film from going under in the end. To some viewers, Syriana will seem like an unfocused and over-loaded film that goes, all at once, everywhere and nowhere. Others will find it to be an important work earnestly exploring major issues. In either case, it’s a film that deserves to be taken seriously, and it’s likely to be one that will be talked about for a long time to come. --Dan Vancini

DVD Features:
- "Make a Change, Make a Difference" featurette
- "A Conversation with George Clooney" interview featurette
- Deleted scenes
- Theatrical trailer