NOVEMBER WRAPUP

CARS is an honorable addition to the Pixar lineup. It came out earlier in the month but like many I skipped it after reading a few reviews. Thanks to my three year old I was introduced to it in a series of multiple viewings and have to say I fail to see what all the negativity is about. This is a good film with some really stunning animation and I’m hanging on to it as much for myself as for my kids. Anybody that wants to build a library of great animation should have this. True it is a little light on extras. You get an All-new animated short: Mater and the Ghostlight, the Academy Award-nominated animated short: One Man Band: A 16 minute featurette disclosing John Lasseter's inspiration for Cars and a few deleted scenes.

And of course I couldn’t let November slip by without a nod to Tartans OLDBOY (THREE-DISC ULTIMATE COLLECTORS EDITION). This was a great film that has already seen truly great editions overseas. But for sheer Region One convenience Tartan’ Old Boy was one of the nicer SE’s I’ve seen in a long time stateside. You get the first volume of the manga, a film cell, a beautiful tin and three beautifully packaged discs without having to pay import fees. I have no way to compare the extras here with what’s been made available elsewhere but you do have the choice to watch the film in English or Korean and all extras have English subtitles.Extras include Director, Cinematographer and Cast commentaries. Behind the scenes documentaries including: Making of, Production design, CGI and more. 5 Behind the Scenes Documentaries, 10 Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary, Cast & Crew interviews, Featurette: ‘Le Grand Prix at Cannes’ and "The Autobiography of Oldboy," a 212 minute video diary from each of the 69 shooting days

DECEMBER 5

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Has anyone tried to watch this show lately? Instead of aging like fine cheese it’s just plain cheesier with each passing day if not downright creepy for those of us who’ve grown wary of covert trickery by real-life government agencies. But for people who grew up with the likes of it, Lost in Space, and Wild Wild West or The Man From U.N.C.L.E. the nostalgia is palpable. Let’s face it the effects couldn’t be cheaper, and it’s a tossup whether Peter Graves was funnier here or in Airplane but this is must have classic TV for anyone who has ever played spy. Best collectible packaging ever would have been a hollow tape recorder that poured out smoke whenever it was opened to get at the discs. The DVDs would all disintegrate and you’d hear a knock at the door. But no collectible packaging here. No extras either. The episodes are digitally remastered though and offered in both English Mon and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround.

24 SEASON FIVE

I often tell people that we are in the true Golden Age of television. Our problem isn’t that there’s nothing to watch but that too much of a good thing doesn’t satisfy. We all have a different list of shows we love but odds are it’s longer than we can keep up with and ultimately it can’t take the place of a well rounded life lived beyond collecting, watching and geeking out. Where does 24 sit in that future pantheon? It’s difficult to say. Not as high as J.J. Abrams but certainly higher than most of its breed. Season five signals the beginning of the end by most accounts for a series that, for all its advantages has basically run out of steam. I don’t follow it regularly enough to make an informed judgment but you could certainly do worse than to move from season to season with this show until you get bored or feel it’s played out. There are tons of extra scenes here as well as episode commentary’s and other ephemera.

SURVIVOR VANUATU-THE COMPLETE SEASON

I’m throwing this review in as a thank you to Mark Burnett. You see my wife doesn’t like movies as much as I and so I can have a difficult time getting enough viewings in to cover film and DVD. This gets her out of the house once a week so that I can sneak in an extra flick. Actually I’ve found Survivor somewhat fascinating. Stranding people on a desert island simulates an actual survival situation. They have to work together to meet basic needs. But of course ultimately it’s a game in which any real sense of community is just another element to manipulate- if you’re in it for the million bucks. It’s amazing how with a million dollars at stake people still find the time to waste on backstabbing, pettiness and arrogance. But you do get all 15 episodes and commentary by Host Jeff Probst and various castaways on five of them. Also included are 4 featurettes, "Fire, Fire Everywhere, “"On Shaky Ground," "Solitary Man” and "A Taste of Home." Reality TV was a staple of the Asian TV world for years before it became a big hit elsewhere and was criticized for being sadistic.

THE PREMIERE FRANK CAPRA COLLECTION

Frank Capras movies have been released before but with the exception of It’s A Wonderful Life they have yet to see the great treatment they’re given here. Any lover of the classics should run out and buy this set immediately. All the films contain audio commentary from Frank Capra Jr. and two contain additional commentary with film historian Catherine Kellsion. An extras disc offers a feature length documentary, Frank Capra’s American Dream. Vintage Ad galleries and additional reminisces of Capra Jr. as well as a radio play of It happened One Night round out the audio visual content of this excellent collection while beautiful packaging and a lengthy booklet offers stunning visuals, quotes from Capra himself and a series of historical overviews offering context to the films. This si simply put the only version of these films you’ll likely need for quite a while.

THE CONFORMIST EXTENDED EDITION

I don’t trust just anybody to take me down the dark roads that I hear Bertolucci goes down. Human sexuality is too easily a place of empty expression and woundedness masquerading as profound joy or freedom when conjured by the wrong storytellers. Simply put the enemy comes as an angel of light reassuring us that right and wrong is best indicated by what feels good and that experimentation is the quickest road to maturity. Perhaps it is because the best and most fulfilling expression of our sexuality requires a vulnerability that goes beyond the physical feelings associated with the mere biological act. In that vulnerable state we may hurt ourselves deeper and faster than when exercising some restraint. In The Dreamers and Last Tango in Paris I’m to understand Bertolucci takes precisely the point of view that led me to write the above. I don’t trust him enough to dive in to that end of the pool with him. But perhaps The Conformist will be a good place to once again touch base with a director whose work seems destined to live on and be the subject of so much discourse about sex.

Marcello is a young man working for Mussolini in the Rome of the late thirties. Clearly unique he tries in every way to blend in. Even his choice of wife is based on this desire. But he is given an assignment to kill his former teacher while on his honeymoon leading him back to childhood trauma that forever linked his understanding of sex with violence. Ultimately The Conformist seems to question the validity of trying to conform oneself to anything. But of course that in itself is a kind of conformity and herein lies the difficulty for anyone of faith who wants to take Bertolucci seriously. The fallback is that he feels caught in a dilemma we don’t believe really exists. Nonetheless it is a beautifully, filmed thought provoking exercise in Bertoluccis favorite theme. The extras features here include 3 featurettes "The Rise of The Conformist: The Story, The Cast," "Shadow and Light: Filming The Conformist," and "The Conformist: Breaking New Ground.” You also get the original theatrical cut of the film.

HOLIDAY

A friend swears by this film but I hardly find it more than a pleasant diversion. If Cary Grant and Kat Hepburn are your thing then this is a must purchase and the movie does have it’s undeniable charms. Ultimately I prefer The Philadelphia Story or Bringing Up Baby! Grant plays Johnny Case a man having second thoughts about his engagement to a millionaires daughter once her realizes her father expects him to devote his life to the family business. Taking inspiration from the familys black sheep Linda and drunken Ned Case decides to follow his muse and spend a year on Holiday. But before he can leave he realizes Linda is much more than inspiration- his future sister in law may just be the love of his life.

There is a short featurette on Grant but that’s pretty much it. Those who’ve been waiting for this on DVD need wait no more. Those who’d like it placed in the larger context of one of film histories more successful pairings might want to wait.

BLACK CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EDITION

This is the second special edition of Black Christmas in the last few years and it does contain some new material. I’m keeping both editions. If you’ve never seen this much heralded film you owe to yourself to make sure you do before any paltry remake (due out soon) gets your attention. Stylish and disturbing it truly qualifies as one of the horror genres great films and has aged remarkably well considering how often it has been imitated. A series of young coeds are stalked by a vocally ambidextrous and utterly unknown killer. But there’s a twist at the end that even now all these years later you probably won’t see coming. If you listen closely to the killer’s gibbering throughout the end is even more disturbing. New to this edition are the 5.1 Surround mix, 2 recently uncovered new scenes, a new doc, interviews with almost all surviving principals and a Midnight Screening Q and A Session with John Saxon and Director Bob Clark.

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN- DEAD MAN’S CHEST
TWO-DISC COLLECTOR’S EDITION

I was one of the people who loved Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest and this Two-Disc Collector's Edition is definitely staying put on my shelf. This was a film that worked hard to immerse me in a world full of the things I love- pirates, sorcerers, sea monsters, adventure and slapstick. If the 2 ½ hour end result was a little uneven or overwrought it was a small price to pay for a nice long ride with characters I love. And as a lead in to the next film it sure whetted my appetite. Extras here abound. Commentary by screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, Bloopers of the Caribbean, Charting the Return: A preproduction diary, According to Plan: hour-long production documentary Captain Jack: From Head to Toe, Mastering the Blade, Meet Davy Jones: Anatomy of a Legend, Creating the Kraken, Dead Men Tell New Tales: Re-Imagineering the Attraction, Fly on the Set: The Bone Cage, Jerry Bruckheimer: A Producer's Photo Diary Pirates on Main Street: The Dead Man's Chest Premiere. Rumor has it there are even a few decent Eatser Eggs hidden in there somewhere. Of course down the road it will all be offered as part of some massive box set in Treasure Chest Packaging that will undoubtedly be cursed etc. etc.