Sunday, June 18, 2006

Recent Additions - Father's Day, 2006

Oh so many additions, and now just catching up. I've compiled a listing of the most recent (that haven't been detailed here as they were previously acquired - bad Mike!) and a list with a brief note is included here, including today's Father's Day acquisitions!

Please be sure to leave what you think about any or all of these. I always appreciate insight from others that may or may not have similar cinematic tastes as I do. We've got a ton of diversity here for a variety of reasons and I would be happy to hear from you!

Here we go!

== Airplane!: "Don't Call Me Shirley!" Edition
- One of the all-time classic comedies from my childhood. I can still remember the stomach ache I had when watching this over and over with my Father, as well as the worn finger on the rewind button for the then new-fangled tech item called a "VCR"! With features and commentary from a variety of sources, this is one that cannot be denied.

== 24: Season Four
- A continuation of one of the greatest television-bound action dramas that has become the focus of this fantastic Podcast online called "2GuysTalking: 24". That Brian guy on there rocks but that Mike guy - he just drags the whole thing into the toilet! ;)

== John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars: Special Edition
- As an avid John Carpenter Fan, this is one that just sang out for me to have. While the movie isn't very good, I find that padding the pocket of great directors on the DVD side (even if it's only $4.44!) is a solid alibi to people bitching about what you've recently purchased! It's a zombie movie at heart which has really become something almost mainstream. With a variety of commentaries as well it's a great addition to the solid collection of commentaries that grace my library.

== Dune: Extended Edition
- I think I've always had an attraction to this film because of my long-time love of Sting in general (music, politically I think the guy is off the deep Gore/McClean GoofyCrap-O-Meter), which is what originally drew me to this. With all kinds of extras, the super cool "tin" that it came in and of course - commentary from every end of the cinematic spectrum, this was a great cheap buy at Walmart in the get-rid-of-it rack.

== Titanic: Special Collector's Edition
- There is only one other guy that I know of that likes Titanic. I've no idea what his reasons are, but mine include - ultra-fabulous director James Cameron, the very well-rounded and undeniably my type Kate Winslet (oh, if you weren't a smoker...), one of the decade's most memorable soundtracks (not the Celine song, the rest though is outstanding) from composer James Horner, and every film extra you can imagine including Cameron commentary. Buy, baby, buy!

== The Pink Panther Film Collection: Special Edition
- I got this for my Dad's birthday and sent it off to him This is one of the greatest sources of entertainment that I can remember in my life with my father. It, as with Airplane!, served to make some of the most laughing-so-hard-I-can-taste-my-spleen experiences that remain to this day.

== Doom: Unrated Extended Edition
- When you add in a great video game, The Rock, the transfer of first-person-shooter video games to cinema, and a variety of features, this was a buy for certain. The quality of the movie is clearly suspect, but it's a romp that also, like Ghosts of Mars, turns into an all-out Zombie celebration.

== The Muppets Take Manhattan
- A common recipe lately - take one 3 year-old daughter, add 3 Cups of Father that Loves the Muppets and you have a purchase. ;) Features, hours of entertainment and more.

== Good Night, and Good Luck.: Widescreen Edition
- An Academy Award Winner, it is still wrapped in plastic and remains unwatched. I think I bought it because Ebert & Roeper gave it a solid run. I need to find time to sit and watch it when I'm not irritated already :)

== The Shield: Season 4
- Only by a hair is "24" a greater show than this one. The character that Michael Chiklis (Vic Mackey) has created is just totally engaging and one that anyone should be proud to watch and learn the "story" of.

== Glory: Special Edition
- This has a differently-formatted commentary on it and I'll need to give it a review of it's own. It's one of my favorite movies of all-time that always gets overlooked when people talk about great cinema that totally destroys other movies.

== Dirty Dancing: Ultimate Edition
- Someone held a gun to my head and said "if you don't buy this DVD, I will kill you." Actually it was my wife, it was on the $5,50 rack at Target and so it was purchased, and is now kept in a shrine where the place I used to sleep on the mattress I bought was. :)

== The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe: Special Two-Disc
- Suddenly, there was Azlan... I remember my 3rd Grade Teacher Mrs. Duer reading this series of books to me as a child, and when watching this DVD (as well as the upcoming sequels no doubt" I suddently saw Mr. Tumnus, General Otmin and all of the characters I had conjured as a very small child on the screen. An outstanding addition and one that everyone that has anyexperience or interest in the books should see.

== The Fly: Collector's Edition
- This movie was, for me, Spider-Man on Acid. The kinetics of pulling off a "real" comic book character during BrunbleFly's tranformation in this movie were something that were a strange, undeniable alure when watching this film. Well, that and some circus-phreak couch sex with a then hot Geena Davis. With an entire extra disc of extras, we can only hope for on the cutting room floor remnants of the living room furniture nature. And that loft that Brundle had - did that RULE or what?

== The Elephant Man
- I think I purchased this because while I have only seen it once, I saw it when I was 11 years old and it has always left an impression on me. Directed by David Lynch, with a cast that is a tour de force to say the least, I remember VIVIDLY that this was a "horror" movie when I was younger, only to realize when I'm only that it showcases humanity and it's horror when considering things that are different.

== K-19: The Widowmaker
- This silent, silent service effort for Harrison Ford is one that provides him with an underwater stage that I think went completely underappreciated. I look forward to watching this on the new sound system that I purchased recently and invite all to enjoy it with me.

== Over There: Season One
- This is one of the saddest victims of modern day television last season. This series, showcasing the everyday goings-on of 8 people at work, who just happen to be members of the American military, serving in Iraq during operation Iraqi Freedom. The flavor, the look the authenticity, the people stories and the grit of not war, but of reality were completely missed by a huge segment of society and we will be worse off for it. I encourage everyone to get this half-season set, to watch and finally understand a great deal more - not about the current war effort, but about the people that are participating in the war effort

== Drop Zone
Wesley Snipes is undoubtedly one of America's most prolific action stars, who provides some very solid efforts (but sadly some stinkers, ie 7 seconds, etc) in the past. This film offers not only the chocolate master blaster of disaster, but skydiving which I have always been a sucker for. When you calculate that in, with the undeniably hot, before she went crazy Yancy Butler in skin-tight outfits, and appearances from Gary Busey and Michael "Mr. Noodle" Jeter, this is a great romp that satisfies regularly.

== The Muppet Movie: Anniversary Edition
Note to All: Any accusations of this film being bought to satiate a young three-year-old are greatly exaggerated. This film is one of the films that is etched into my memory as a child and is one of the most adult child-oriented films available. It also has all of the same hallmark traits of the Muppet Show, which is another great, must-have not only for those with children, but those that were 7 years old in 1977. An outstanding film with outstanding makers, creators and puppeteers that easily give Academy Award-winning action as any current day acting source.

== Robot Chicken: Season One
-The answer to "why" is simple. It makes my daughter laugh, and was well-liked by my wife during a recent marathon experience in the theater during Halloween. ;) 'Nuff said.

== Flight 93
-This, along with "The Flight That Fought Back" and the recently released "United 93" are simply required watching for every American. The passion, dedication and understanding and of how good will win out displayed here is something I simply don't have words for. Get 'em, watch 'em, share 'em, and hug your family often.

== The Patriot: Extended Cut
- I really enjoyed the Patriot. The scope of being able to show what was a crucial time in our nation's history, complete with authentic costumes, events, and props offers viewers a great section of the past in a modernly authored tale. I haven't seen the extended eidtion listed here and look forward to viewing it.

== Event Horizon: Special Collector's Edition
- My friend Matt swears by this film, and I have to admit that I always have an open screen for a good science-fiction horror flick filled with stars, gore, and special effects. Got thoughts on this one? Let me know what you think!

== Blue Thunder: Special Edition
- A total guilty pleasure here, folks. I love Roy Schieder, I love Daniel Stern, I love helicopters, helicopter chases over modern day LA, special effects and everything provided in this film.

== Boomerang: Widescreen Collection
- I truly think that this was the last Eddie Murphy movie that I thought offered him something challenging where he hit a home run. Eddie Murphy deserves something more than another Dr. DoLittle sequel and another piece of latex and dress. In the bin for $4.44, this couldn't be passed up and makes a dandy addition to the collection.

== Last Holiday: Widescreen Edition
- This didn't get sufficient accolades that it deserved. While I don't like Queen Latifah's politics, I think she has fantastic acting chops, as does LL Cool J who I think has a breakout role waiting for him in the future. They have a great electricity that is very well showcased here and I recommend it.

== Con Air: Unrated Extended Edition
- Put the Bunny Back: I'm not a huge Nick Cage fan, but this and a select others he has put forth require a purchase. The extra goodies included on this one don't really offer anything more in-depth, but it does have a great set of features and sound options that play very well in the new sound system I've got. Oh, and remember - Put the Bunny Back...

== Crimson Tide: Extended Edition
- Another tour de force with a cast of stellar thespians. Mix in Denzel, Hackman, Gandolphini and Mortensen with great sound effects and punching though stereotypic characterizations of sub folk and you have a nice Michael Bay romp.

== The Cave: Widescreen
- I like Cole Hauser a lot, folks. I think he's probably one of the most underused actors we have today. I so wanted to like this film. It offers a great deal of fun. Spelunking galore, underwater gravitas, cool effects and an ending that sucks the rather large power knob. Great features and sound though, and I look forward to seeing the features on this disc.

== Frantic
- I can remember when this movie came out vividly. I was in my Junior year of higho school and Premiere Magazine had just made it's "premiere" and featured none other than Harrison Ford. This film, from Director Roman Polanski, is one that offers a really great look at what ISN'T the usual shots of Paris. It's also a decent and differently paced missing person pseudo thriller that is a solid offering for Harrison. No features, sadly, but was doubled-up with Firewall. I've been buying the double-ups lately because it sure does save a bit of money to buy new ones like that, plus it helps to flesh out the library in general.

== Firewall: Widescreen
- I wanted to like this movie desperately. With Harrison in the lead role (almost a complete miscast in my opinion, by the way) and Paul Bettany as the supposed baddie, this one had the makings of something good. Sadly, it was not destined to happen apparently. Ironically, we ended up watching "Hostage", the Bruce Willis offering from last year right after this, and damn - if half the same formula wasn't there, but guess what? Hostage at least had a bad guy that WAS A BAD GUY. Bettany never came to the front of "wow, look at that dude, he's really bad" and it could have been accomplished so easily. Virginia Madsen? For her this was apparently a paycheck movie sadly. She is completely wasted in this movie. A"Peanut Allergy" seemed to be something off-key but never really went anywhere. Also the name of the movie - where WAS the firewall in "Firewall?" I'm not the hippest technology industry worker, but I know firewalls and there wasn't one featured here. Just an "offering" that could be taken or not in general, folks.
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== Planet of The Apes
-This film is one of the first films I remember seeing. I remember it as clearly as the set of action figures I had that were out and at the ready during my watchings of the series that soon followed. Between special effects that come close to matching if not surpassing many of the offerings today, and the high level acting skill that few of today's "actors" can match, this newly remastered version is something that every movie-goer should have in their arsenal. Features galore grace this set of discs and I can't wait to get to it.
== The Dirty Dozen: Two-Disc Special Edition 328
== Underworld: Evolution: Widescreen Special Edition
== Underworld: 2 Disc Unrated Extended Cut

The Pink Panther
- A guilt buy, mostly because I remember the love, laughter and great gut-splitting laughter that my father and I shared watchind and rewinding the originals with Peter Sellers. While I know I will dread watching this movie, at least I can watch it and know how much better the classics are and will always be. This was also a double buy from Walmart with "Roxanne" which is a great movie and (I hope will) makes up for the faux paus in this paycheck film for Steve Martin.

Sleepy Hollow: Widescreen Collection
- A great and literally "haunting" film from the Burton/Depp team. I had just talked about this in a post over at the LunchTimeGab, about how I appreciate many but not all of their projects. What are YOUR thoughts on this one? The special effects are stellar, the "Burtonesue" art is there and Depp hits his stride with this portrayal of a skinny, dark-eyed constable.

Look for more soon and please chime in with your thoughts on my browing collection!