“The Dark Knight” DVD, Blu-ray: A knight to remember. Christopher Nolan deftly accomplishes all one could hope for – and then surpasses it – in a movie that’s the very best of its kind. The film isn’t just a triumph – it’s that rare pop-culture oddity: a genre… Read More
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” DVD, Blu-ray The second film in the “Narnia” franchise finds that a year has passed in the lives of the four Pevensie siblings – Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) – and… Read More
“Beverly Hills 90210: Sixth Season”: Shannen Doherty’s Brenda Walsh was sent out to pasture at the end of the fourth season, so it was up to the producers to find a new bad girl. They did so in Tiffani-Amber Thiessen’s Valerie Malone, who didn’t take humanity to the… Read More
“Blue Streak” Blu-ray: In this bleak comedy, Martin Lawrence is Miles Logan, a burglar who bungles a diamond heist, spends two years in prison, then, when released, goes back to reclaim the $17 million diamond he hid in a building’s air duct. Beyond his stupidity, the problem is… Read More
“Batman: The Complete Animated Series”: The Dark Knight continues his resurgence, which began in July with the release of Christopher Nolan’s outstanding movie “The Dark Knight,” and which now extends with “Batman: The Complete Animated Series” from Warner Home Video. The series, which originally ran on Saturday mornings… Read More
“A Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray: One of the best movies ever about childhood – never mind Christmas – focusing on one boy’s tumultuous, often hilarious life during the holiday season. Peter Billingsley, in a performance that’s something close to genius, is Ralphie, the naive yet calculating… Read More
“Halloween” 3-DVD Set, Blu-ray: Remaking a horror classic doesn’t have to be a horror show. All one has to do is look to Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead,” John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” Werner Herzog’s “Nosferatu” and Philip Kaufman’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” to see that it… Read More
“Casino Royale: Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray: Daniel Craig isn’t just the best Bond since Sean Connery, he in fact creates a richer, more complex Bond, bringing to the character the sort of depth and nuance that Connery never mined. That isn’t a criticism of Connery, whose genius as Bond… Read More
“American Gangster” Blu-ray: Denzel Washington is real-life crime boss Frank Lucas, who from 1968 to 1975 built a drug empire in Harlem that rivaled anything built by his competition – the mob, with whom he eventually got into bed, and Harlem rival Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding Jr.), with… Read More
“Dawn of the Dead (2004)” Blu-ray: Zack Snyder’s excellent, often darkly hilarious remake of George Romero’s 1978 horror classic is exactly the movie it should it have been. It respects the first film, it builds upon what was there, it takes elements of the story and makes them… Read More
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” DVD, Blu-ray: A romantic comedy about getting dumped by the love of your life. Where are the laughs in that, you say? They’re in here. The film follows all of the heartbreaking ugliness that occurs when Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) decides to end her 5-year… Read More
“Blow” Blu-ray: Here is a movie about the deglamorization of glamorous people living it up in the presumably glamorous world of drugs. Based on real-life drug smuggler George Jung (Johnny Depp), a boring dope from Massachusetts who ruled the cocaine market in the United States during the 1970s… Read More
“Hulk” Blu-ray: Unlike this summer’s “The Incredible Hulk,” Ang Lee’s 2003 version is a long-winded disappointment that only finds its footing at the end – but by that time, it might as well be wearing clogs. This is a movie whose few gripping moments and technically superb set… Read More
“Baby Mama” DVD, Blu-ray: Goes down like a tall bottle of warm Similac – and that’s a good thing. Tina Fey is Kate Holbrook, a successful, 37-year-old businesswoman living the high life with a barren womb. Since she can’t have children, she goes to an agency that specializes… Read More
“The Brotherhood of the Wolf: 2-Disc Director’s Cut”: Not your typical horror movie – not even close – and that’s what sells it. Loosely based on French legend, the director’s cut of this 2001 film can best be described as an 18th century version of “The Matrix” shot… Read More
“End of Days” Blu-ray: Protect your daughters! Break out the chastity belts! Get thee to a nunnery! Set on the eve of the millennium, this 1999 throwback finds Satan popping the Viagra and going on the prowl to mate with a woman who not only will give birth… Read More
“Dexter: Complete Second Season”: What’s a serial killer to do when he also happens to be a forensics expert for the Miami Police Department? For Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), the answer is to take a bite out of crime – literally. In this show, that’s the hook… Read More
“Caroline in the City: Season One”: Not exactly “Sex and the City” (but then again, what is?), though sex does enter into the equation in this 1995 throwback, even if it is of the perky, well-scrubbed, family-friendly variety. Inspired by Cathy Guisewite’s long-running comic strip, the show follows… Read More
“Andre Techine: 4-Film Collector’s Edition”: From Lionsgate, a collection of some of the influential French director’s major films, including 1981’s “Hotel America” with Catherine Deneuve; 1991’s “I Don’t Kiss” with Emmanuelle Beart; 1993’s “My Favorite Season,” also with Deneuve; and 1994’s “Wild Reeds.” The latter is worth the… Read More
“Beowulf: The Director’s Cut” Blu-ray: Robert Zemeckis’ “Beowulf,” now out on Blu-ray disc, has a great ending – powerful, fiery and exciting. You should know that because what comes before it can be long and tedious, regardless of the subtle ways in which Zemeckis has recut his film. Read More
“Earth: The Biography” DVD, Blu-ray: A beautifully shot, comprehensive biography that roams the world in an effort to examine how unique our planet is – and how fragile – with Dr. Iain Stewart shepherding audiences from Ethiopia to Greenland and beyond as he explores how often Earth has… Read More
“Dallas: Complete Ninth Season” – Proves once again that where there’s oil, there’s drama. The ninth season of “Dallas” features the usual doses of death, destruction, barbed tongues, backbiting, lawsuits, missing people, and the return of Bobby (Patrick Duffy), who bit the dust at the end of the… Read More
“Batman Begins: Limited Gift Edition” DVD, Blu-ray: One of the best superhero movies, period, now in a comprehensive gift set that arrives just in time for the theatrical release of its sequel, “The Dark Knight,” on July 18. Christopher Nolan’s intense, beautifully crafted movie finds Christian Bale easily… Read More
“The Carmen Miranda Collection”: Includes five films from the Brazilian queen of the fruited hat – and it’s a strong collection, with Fox coming through with some of Miranda’s best films, many of which lifted spirits during World War II. The set features 1943’s “The Gang’s All Here,”… Read More
“Definitely, Maybe”: From Adam Brooks, a film that at once embraces formula and, in critical scenes, dismisses it all together. Early in the movie, Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is asked a few difficult questions by his inquisitive 10-year-old daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin). Some involve sex, which she’s learning… Read More
“4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days”: Cristian Mungiu’s harrowing film is set in 1987 Romania toward the end of Nicolae Ceausescu’s tyrannical rule. The time in which the film is set is significant for several reasons, chiefly because it was Ceausescu, long before his Christmas Day execution in… Read More
“The Bucket List” DVD, Blu-ray – Rob Reiner’s comedy about living and dying with terminal cancer finds Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson improving upon the manufactured material by the sheer strength of their talent and chemistry. This unlikely, feel-good fairy tale allows its two main characters to live… Read More
“Die Hard Ultimate Collection”: Most actors are forgotten, a fraction endures, others are lucky enough to be remembered for portraying one character. Bruce Willis will be remembered for portraying two: David Addison Jr. in the television series “Moonlighting,” and John McClane in the popular “Die Hard” series, the… Read More
“All You Need is Love” – That’s a nice thought, but truth be told, Tony Palmer’s sweeping television series about the history of popular music also suggests it might be good to have a measure of talent, a bit of luck, some rhythm, a voice and the right… Read More
“The Adventures of Mimi” Blu-ray: Piercing, but in a good way. Mariah Carey might have a new CD out in “E=MC2,” but it pales in comparison to her previous album, 2005’s Grammy Award-winning “The Emancipation of Mimi,” which was the focus of her successful 2006 worldwide tour. Each… Read More
“America at War” – From A&E and the History Channel, a well-done, 14-disc collection that explores our nation’s war efforts, beginning with the American Revolution and the Alamo and following straight through to our conflicts in the Persian Gulf and our current war in Iraq. Newsreel and archival… Read More
“American Dad, Vol. 3” – The CIA under direct fire. The third season of “American Dad” follows CIA agent Stan Smith, whose life continues to be unconventional in ways perhaps only animation can best underscore – the medium finds truth in the abstract, and this show is all… Read More
“Alien vs. Predator/Alien vs. Predator-Requiem”: Blu-ray – Two reasonably well-crafted, B-horror movie cheapies from Fox. If you’re up for this sort of thing and willing to roll with each film’s illogical punches, the movies provide a visceral ride, featuring a lively pairing of two infamous screen monsters –… Read More
“Hidalgo” Blu-ray – A bloated oater, long in the tooth. Set in the 1890s, this epic horse drama is about Frank T. Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen), the real-life Pony Express rider whose real life isn’t explored here. The truth is stretched so far, it snaps. That wouldn’t matter much… Read More
“Coyote Ugly” Blu-ray – “Cocktail” on estrogen, “Flashdance” on testosterone, “42nd Street” on crack. In the film, a likable upstart leaves a small town for the brighter shine – and sharper bite – of the big city. Will she realize her dreams of becoming, in this case, a… Read More
“Atonement” DVD, HD DVD – Joe Wright’s “Atonement” has everything you could wish for in a period drama – beautiful cinematography, set design and costumes; exotic locales; and a story designed to rip out your heart and crush it when a rushed, heated romance between two young lovers… Read More
“America at War” – From A&E and the History Channel, a well-done, 14-disc collection that explores our nation’s war efforts, beginning with the American Revolution and the Alamo and following straight through to our conflicts in the Persian Gulf and our current war in Iraq. Newsreel and archival… Read More
“Best Actor Collection” – A varied mix of five excellent performances in five Academy Award-winning films. Included are 1928’s “In Old Arizona,” with Warner Baxter as The Cisco Kid; 1956’s “The King and I,” in which Yul Brynner took a shine to Deborah Kerr, danced her off her… Read More
“Beowulf” DVD, HD DVD: Robert Zemeckis’ “Beowulf” has a great ending – powerful, fiery and exciting. It’s a nice feat of showmanship, the best part of the film. What comes before it, with few exceptions, can be long and tedious. Set in Denmark and based on the Anglo-Saxon… Read More
“American Gangster” DVD, HD DVD – Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster” stars Denzel Washington as real-life crime boss Frank Lucas, who from 1968 to 1975 built a drug empire in Harlem that rivaled anything built by his competition – the Mafia, with whom he eventually got into bed, and… Read More
“Across the Universe” DVD, Blu-ray – Watching Julie Taymor’s rock opera is such a trip, it’s surprising Sony didn’t include a bong as part of the packaging. Visually, the film is a psychedelic triumph, the best part of the show, with Taymor weaving her unwieldy story around three… Read More
“The Brave One” DVD, HD DVD, Blu-ray: This movie about vigilante justice collapses in a run of bad decisions midway through, but when it comes to the quality of the acting, that’s where it delivers. Think of it as a weaker, modern-day version of “Death Wish.” Jodie Foster… Read More
“Criss Angel: Mindfreak – Complete Season Three” – Criss Angel: high roller. In this third season of the magician’s show, Angel’s big stunt is his attempt to levitate 500 feet above the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Who wants to bet that he pulls it off?… Read More
“The Catherine Cookson Anthology” – Boiling pot boiling over. Includes seven miniseries based on historical novels by Dame Catherine Cookson – “The Cinder Path,” “Colour Blind,” “A Dinner of Herbs,” “The Secret,” “The Girl,” “The Tide of Life” and “Tilly Trotter.” Given the period in which the films… Read More
“The Aviator” HD DVD, Blu-ray: Martin Scorsese’s hugely entertaining biopic of the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), now available on HD DVD and Blu-ray, spans 20 key years in Hughes’ life. It begins with a snapshot of Hughes in childhood, when he inherited his father’s fortune, and… Read More
“The Pianist” HD DVD – Roman Polanski’s blunt, unflinching masterwork exposes a harrowing corner of the Holocaust, strips it bare of sentiment and offers an unnerving meditation on the horror of war and on one man’s fight for survival. Polanski, a Polish Jew who experienced the Holocaust firsthand… Read More
“Halloween: Unrated Director’s Cut” – Rob Zombie’s remake is a misreading of everything that made John Carpenter’s low-budget, 1978 classic work – attention to its two main characters and especially to a landscape that allows suspense to mount. Unlike Zombie, who numbs with his overbearing use of gore,… Read More
“Eastern Promises” DVD, HD DVD: From David Cronenberg, a movie arranged to engage, shake and provoke. The film explores the Russian mafia’s stronghold over London, with Viggo Mortensen outstanding as Nikolai, a driver of few words (“I drive car”) whose employer is a powerful, corrupt family led by… Read More
“Balls of Fury” DVD, HD DVD: Curiously, this isn’t a sex comedy. Instead, it’s a movie about underground table tennis tournaments, which apparently are revered in the Asian community (somebody might want to clue them in on this), who take to the sport in ways that often are… Read More
“The Bourne Ultimatum” DVD, HD: One of summer’s best, smartest action movies. The film is a satisfying conclusion to a trilogy that began in 2002 with “The Bourne Identity” and carried forward in 2004 with “The Bourne Supremacy.” Each was a travelogue of espionage that took audiences around… Read More
“Cast Away” Blu-ray – A harrowing adventure film of a modern-day Robinson Crusoe stuck on a remote island in the Pacific. Throughout much of the movie, director Robert Zemeckis’ proves a master of nuance, shading and control, only faltering at the end when his populist instincts take over… Read More
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” HD DVD – Local television news anchors and their newscasts are easy targets to skewer, so here, in the new HD DVD version of the popular Will Ferrell comedy, broad skewering ensues. The film is 91 minutes of tongue-in-cheek hair pulling, which… Read More
“Burt Lancaster Signature Collection”: Another signature collection from Warner that should have lost the word “Signature” from its title. The set doesn’t come through with what it promises – excellence – so the studio is fishing for disappointment. This is true for the “Burt Lancaster Signature Collection,” a… Read More
“Barbara Stanwyck Signature Collection”: What would Walter think? A Barbara Stanwyck signature collection without “Double Indemnity” is an oversight, to say the least, but also missing here is “Stella Dallas,” “Sorry, Wrong Number,” “Union Pacific,” “The Lady Eve” and “Christmas in Connecticut,” to name a few. What we… Read More
“Cars” on Blu-ray: Flat tire. Pixar’s beautiful-looking yet boring computer-animated movie, now out on Blu-ray disc, is the weakest in its collaboration with Disney. You can’t win them all, and this time, the studios haven’t even come close. Sandbagged by a joyless midsection that goes nowhere, this dull… Read More
“Eyes Wide Shut,” Blu-ray, HD DVD: Stanley Kubrick’s last comment on the world takes place in the bedroom of “Eyes Wide Shut,” a film that stars the then-married Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise as a married couple struggling with the ramifications of sexual fantasy. The movie is about… Read More
“Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Three”: Among the week’s best new releases, with 39 episodes that appeared during the 1957-58 CBS television season. Hitchcock himself delivers the introductions and closing moments in his inimitable style. The shows are as twisted as you expect, with several highlights worth noting: “The… Read More
“Evan Almighty: DVD, HD DVD”: A Steve Carell vehicle that drives the actor into a wall. This ecologically minded, so-so sequel to the superior “Bruce Almighty” stars the ever likable Carell as Evan Baxter, who has been ordered by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark, because, you… Read More
“Black Book” DVD, Blu-ray: From Paul Verhoeven, who always will be best known for directing “Basic Instinct” and “Showgirls,” poor thing, comes “Black Book,” a tense film set at the end of World War II. We’re in the Netherlands, it’s 1944 and the Jewish cabaret singer Rachel Stein… Read More
“Boston Legal: Season Three”: A marvelous show – a spinoff of “The Practice” – with one of the best casts working on television. Dialogue, characters and story come together seamlessly in this jaunty legal dramedy, with James Spader and William Shatner mining a chemistry no one could have… Read More
“The Condemned” DVD & Blu-ray – A preposterous movie in which 10 death-row inmates are sent to a faraway South Pacific island to murder each other in a pay-per-view reality television event. For their trouble, the last inmate standing will get his or her freedom back, plus some… Read More
“Doom: HD DVD”: Trash sci-fi that achieves a lean center and final act that’s admirable in the tension it creates. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is Sarge, a tattooed beast leading an elite core of Marines on a rescue mission to Mars, where a mysterious 24th human chromosome is… Read More
“Desperate Housewives: Season Three”: Desperate? You could say that. But if it were just desperation that drove the women of Wisteria Lane, “Desperate Housewives” would have been just another soap opera and not the hit ABC television show it became. In this third season of the show, Wisteria… Read More
“Blades of Glory”: A figure skating satire in which somebody naturally gets knee-capped. Will Ferrell is the alcohol-soaked, oversexed figure skater Chazz Michael Michaels, a man whose claim to fame are the flames that shoot out of his hands at the end of each routine (nice touch) and… Read More
“Charlie Chan, Vol. 3” In his 16 films as Charlie Chan, Warner Oland played the Chinese sleuth as a man you could have over for dinner or a murder, preferably the latter, though his manners (not to mention his wit) certainly were good enough for… Read More
“Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” Blu-ray: Hironobu Sakaguchi’s 2001 sci-fi thriller, now out on high-definition Blu-ray disc, is a paradox – it’s at once exhilarating yet exhausting, thrilling yet boring, masterful yet banal. Its apocalyptic story of a ruined Earth overcome with soul-eating monsters is hardly new, but… Read More
“Dallas: Complete Seventh Season”: Proves again that where there’s oil, there’s drama. The seventh season of “Dallas” features Southfork on fire, with Bobby to the rescue, as well as the engagement between Clayton and Miss Ellie, which fans a few flames of its own amid the Ewing brood. Read More
Each week, BDN film critic Christopher Smith will review the latest DVD releases. “The Bourne Identity: HD DVD”: A sleek espionage thriller that reduces the world to the size of a postage stamp while focusing on a group of gun-toting characters hopping between Zurich and… Read More
“The Hills Have Eyes II” Well, no, they don’t. If they did and if they could see, they would have read the script, passed on it, and we all would have been better for it. This sequel to Alexandre Aja’s 2006 remake of the 1977 Wes Craven classic… Read More
“Being John Malkovich: HD DVD”: Now on HD DVD, Spike Jonze’s uneven experiment finds the director in a risk-taking mood – he wants to shake up a cinematic culture that prefers to play it safe. On that level, you have to hand it to him – in “Malkovich,”… Read More
“Bewitched: Complete Fifth Season”: Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), Darrin (Dick York) and Endora (Agnes Moorehead) reach deep into their old bag of tricks. Thing is, in this fifth season, that bag apparently was bottomless. The writing remains inventive, Montgomery still is game for anything, and likewise for Moorehead, whose… Read More
“Army of Darkness: HD DVD”: From Sam Raimi, a cult classic. Bruce Campbell is Ash, an amputee with a chainsaw for an arm (robust – and helpful) who finds himself in 14th-century England, where he is ushered into Duke Henry’s army and rises up against the Deadites, a… Read More
“Because I Said So”: Matricide. Diane Keaton’s last good film was “Something’s Gotta Give,” in which her performance was so spot-on, it earned her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. “Because I Said So,” on the other hand, finds the actress so meddling and shrill, she hardly… Read More
“American Dad!: Volume 2”: The CIA, under direct fire, in the second season of this punchy series from Fox. The show follows CIA agent Stan Smith, whose life, shall we say, is unconventional in ways that perhaps only animation can best underscore-the medium finds truth in the abstract,… Read More
“Blood Diamond” Blu-ray: A movie about the blood violence, enslavement of adults and children, and mass murder involved in the business of mining diamonds. Set in 1999 during Sierra Leone’s civil war, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer, a South African diamond smuggler hustling jewels across… Read More
“Hannibal Rising”: An origins movie that follows the serial killer’s early years. As you might expect, those years didn’t involve much time in a sandbox, unless, of course, Hannibal’s spade was used as an instrument of death. The movie is concerned with explaining the reasons behind Hannibal’s madness,… Read More
“Apocalypto” DVD and Blu-ray: From Mel Gibson, a movie that isn’t so much here to entertain as it is to endure. Often, you find yourself pushing to get through it, happy for those moments when a head isn’t being severed, a throat isn’t being slit, a field isn’t… Read More
“ER: The Complete Seventh Season”: The melodrama escalates to a fever pitch this time out, but then it had to, didn’t it? This is the seventh season of “ER,” and the producers hardly were willing to allow fans to move away from the water cooler quietly. As such,… Read More
“Breaking and Entering”: Anthony Minghella’s dreary film follows Will (Jude Law), an unhappy man seeking to reclaim passion in his life, and the emotionally damaged Bosnian refugee Amira (Juliette Binoche), who acquiesces to his advances, though she knows she shouldn’t. How they come together is as contrived as… Read More
“D?j? Vu” DVD and Blu-ray: From director Tony Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, this silly, high-concept thriller begins with an impressive display of pyrotechnics aboard a New Orleans ferry, which blows up and kills 543 people after a terrorist attack before its script sinks along with them. It’s… Read More
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” HD DVD: Imagine if you could permanently erase someone from your memory – perhaps a former lover who jilted you, a trusted friend who wronged you, a childhood bully who humiliated you. With those people no longer clouding your thoughts and causing… Read More
“The Dirty Dozen” Blu-ray: One of those movies in which you ask yourself, “So, who isn’t in this movie?” The answer? Not many. Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine, Trini Lopez, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Donald Sutherland, Thick Wilson (Thick Wilson!) and John Cassavetes are just a few… Read More
“Bobby”: From writer-director Emilio Estevez, a biopic about Robert Kennedy that’s never as compelling or as thought-provoking as RFK’s ideas, nor as interesting as the time it depicts. The movie doesn’t brim with the edge of political and social unrest you expect; instead, it creates a blizzard of… Read More
“Charlotte’s Web” Some movie. Based on E.B. White’s novel, Gary Winick’s film doesn’t come close to achieving the magic of the book, but that likely will surprise only those who haven’t read the book. For those who have and who have great affection for it, the good news… Read More
“Children of Men” DVD and HD DVD: From P.D. James’ novel, Alfonso Cuaron’s harrowing, hellish sink into dystopia makes for one unforgettable movie, indeed. As the film opens, it’s the year 2027, we’re in London and the situation is chaos, though hardly only in Britain. The world has… Read More
“Batman Beyond: Season Three”: The Dark Knight, but without Bruce Wayne behind the mask. Instead, in this animated series, it’s teen Terry McGinnis moving within Gotham’s shadows in an effort to save the day. He has a lot to learn. The show gives him and his enemies –… Read More
“Broken Arrow: Blu-ray”: From John Woo, a broken film, though not one without its share of cheap fun. The plot is concerned with the undoing of two men – one played by John Travolta, the other by Christian Slater. Are there two less threatening men in the movies?… Read More
“Borat”: The question isn’t whether we should be offended by Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen), who comes from Kazakhstan armed with a motherlode of anti-Semitism and crude malapropisms. Instead, the movie’s twist – and its genius, really – is whether we should pity those real-life Americans tricked by… Read More
“Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut”: How many times is somebody going to allow Oliver Stone to recut his 2004 film, “Alexander,” before they break the news to him that it just isn’t working out? In a matter of three years, the movie has undergone the original theatrical cut,… Read More
“Babel”: If you know and love the work of Mexican-born director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, you understand going into his films that you must do so armed with a good deal of trust. He is a director devoted to developing complex characters and dense story lines around a convoluted… Read More
“American Psycho: Blu-ray”: Mary Harron’s feminist take on Bret Easton Ellis’ controversial, 1991 best-selling novel. Mirroring the film’s serial-killing psychopath, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale in his breakout performance), Harron proves she’s just as adept with a knife. As the film’s co-screenwriter, she successfully trims much of the novel’s… Read More
Each week, BDN film critic Christopher Smith will review the latest DVD releases. “Dallas: The Complete Sixth Season”: Where there’s oil, there’s usually drama – this series is a case in point. The sixth season of “Dallas” found J.R. ousted from Ewing Oil, Southfork in… Read More
“Clerks II: HD DVD”: A sharp, smart return to raunchy form that picks up 12 years after its infamous predecessor became an underground hit. Raunch only works if there is an undercurrent of substance to lift the bottom feeding, which “Clerks II” does well. It’s a movie that… Read More
“Bulletproof Monk” – Blu-ray: What fresh hell is this? Chow Yun-Fat as The Monk with No Name? The affable Seann William Scott delivering a performance that suggests his career high, thus far, has been “Dude, Where’s My Car?” Dude, say it isn’t so. Their movie, “Bulletproof Monk,” now… Read More
“The Hulk,” HD DVD: A long-winded disappointment that only finds its footing at the end – but by that time, the film might as well be wearing clogs. This is a movie whose few gripping moments and technically superb set pieces are quashed by director Ang Lee’s decision… Read More
“The Black Dahlia”: From Brian De Palma, this debauchery of James Ellroy’s book misinterprets the underpinnings of noir, amplifies elements that should have remained nuances, and turns the production into an overbearing joke. The movie is based on the legendary Hollywood murder in which 22-year-old Elizabeth Short (Mia… Read More
“Boston Legal: Season Two”: A marvelous show – a spin-off of “The Practice” – with one of the best casts working on television. Dialogue, characters and story come together seamlessly in this jaunty legal dramedy, with James Spader and William Shatner mining a chemistry no one could have… Read More
“Annapolis,” DVD and Blu-ray: Not exactly crapolis, though for a boxing movie set within the closed world of the U.S. Naval Academy, this one mostly swings and misses. James Franco is the underdog with something to prove; Tyrese Gibson is his hostile training officer with an ugly streak. Read More
Each week, BDN film critic Christopher Smith will review the latest DVD releases. “Alias: Complete Fifth Season” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) {… Read More
Each week, BDN film critic Christopher Smith will review the latest DVD releases “The Adventures of Superman: Fifth and Sixth Seasons”: The recent movie “Hollywoodland” questioned whether George Reeves killed himself with his own speeding bullet, such was his dislike for being typecast as… Read More