Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas is quite possibly one of the greatest holiday specials ever created. While the made for TV Muppet movie first appeared in 1977, it came to us on DVD in 2001, with a re-release in 2008. The classic story of Emmet and friends trying to scrape enough together for the holidays, deciding to compete in the local talent show to raise money, only to be threatened by the Riverbottom gang. The story demonstrates the possibility of unity and togetherness even in the face of adversity. Not your typical holiday tale, but I think that's why it works. This was one of the initial Muppet forays beyond the variety show style atmosphere of the Muppet Show, demonstrating the ability of puppets to carry an entire production. As with other Muppet features, the story has elements designed to appeal to both kids and adults, without dumbing anything down or needing to offend to carry a point. Possibly the coolest plus about this DVD version is the Dolby 5.1 sound, which adds an element missing in the previous VHS release. The DVD is lacking in any exciting additional features, only including a couple of trailers, which are mere advertisements for other video. It's a quick viewing at just under 50 minutes.
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Warner Brothers is the first company that gets the new distribution model. If I can pay for a DVD and easily get a copy of movies I can play on my computer and portable device, I won't need software to rip copies for me. The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD I got in the mail today includes exactly this. Right on the front of the box, there's a sticker reading "Bonus Digital Copy of the Film included".
There are actually two digital copies on the disk:
1) A 320x166 widescreen version for PlaysForSure devices and Zune playback.
2) A 3.6Mb 720x306 widescreen version for PC Playback
Both look great on their respective devices. And both eliminate the need to rip DVDs, without adding any additional price to the disk. The only thing better than this would be a disk that came with a download code for Amazon Unbox. In the meantime, you just validate and copy the files to your PC for playback or transfer to your portable device.
With any luck, the Harry Potter experiment will work well and we'll see many more disks like this one in the near future. Maybe this is the HD-DVD managed copy concept only a year or two late?
Geoff writes, "I was wondering if there is a way to burn your purchased iTunes movies to DVD?"
Movie purchases from iTunes are protected with Apple's DRM, preventing you from burning them to DVD playable on a set top DVD player using software solutions like Nero, Roxio, etc. You can burn the movies as data files to back them up, storing them for recovery in the event of a hard drive failure. If you want to watch iTunes movies on your television, I recommend getting the iPod A/V Cable for your iPod and watching movies with iPod connected to television. The iPod scales video from the portable resolution to a television-quality resolution well enough for standard definition video playback. If you have an HD screen, turn off image stretching so that the video isn't distorted.
Possibly one of the stranger movies I've seen, this film breaks down human behavior and examines what make hairless apes tick, in a rather unique fashion. Tim Robbins plays a behavioral psychologist, Nathan, bent on teaching mice table manners, in an effort to deal with repressed issues related to his upbringing. Patricia Arquette plays nature writer, Lila, a talented mind with a unique body hair disorder, who falls for Nathan after being setup by Lila's electrolysis specialist. Things are dandy until they discover Puff (played by Rhys Ifans), a man raised in the woods as an ape. Nathan wants to study Puff, and teach him to be civilized, which leads to all manner of absurdity. Written by Charlie Kaufman, who also penned the brilliant Being John Malkovich, Human Nature examines what it means to be civilized in a wry comedic light. The DVD offers little in the way of special features, but the movie is definitely worth renting and may take more than one viewing to really grab all the nuances.
Comedy - 96min
Rating - (R)
Release Date - 2002
Given the opportunity, I'd spend all day doing nothing but watching DVDs and writing about them. I couldn't tell you where this year's Survivor is taking place (or if there is a Survivor this year), but the chances that I watched a movie released on DVD in the last week are very high. I'm always watching the new release listings on Web sites and directly from the various studios, hoping to find obscure stuff that tells a good story. digitally OBSESSED covers a wide range of genres, offering reviews and news, not to mentioning offering some downloads that are useful in improving the DVD experience for both Mac and PC movie fanatics.
Run Time: 92 minutes
Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal
Rating: G
DVD Release Date: March 2, 2004
Compare Prices on The Day The Earth Stood Still
A classic science fiction film that should need no introduction, The Day The Earth Stood Still is as much a commentary on the 1950's political climate, as it is a disturbing premonition of humanity's self-destructive tendencies. Combining a religious parable with a flying saucer obsession and fear of Communism, the movie is a snapshot of American imperfections. Despite a lack of special effects, much of the imagery in this movie has been repeated throughout the evolution of sci-fi. The film's quality has been restored to a state that may be better than the original theatrical release without losing the old time feel of the movie. Extras on the DVD are a must for any sci-fi fan, including a documentary on the making of the movie, the shooting script, and a before and after comparison of the restoration.
Run Time: 106 minutes
Director: Marleen Gorris
Starring: John Turturro, Emily Watson
Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: September 18, 2001
Compare Prices on The Luzhin Defence
Only Vladamir Nabokov could spin a tale that would make the world of competitive chess actually seem exciting. It's not that I don't have great respect for anyone truly gifted at playing chess, it's just that watching it is right up there with watching golf on my list of boring ways to spend an afternoon. John Turturro, as Russian chess master Alexander Luzhin, is brilliant, capturing the all-consuming passion of Luzhin's obsession with chess. Emily Watson, as Luzhin love interest Natalia, plays well against Turturro, creating a chemistry that leaves you believing the two are actually involved. When Luzhin first sees Natalia on an Italian island, during a tournament to determine the world champion of chess, the two fall instantly in love, despite Natalia's mother's wishes for her to marry a man of society. Part story of love, part story of madness, Luzhin's life turns into something of a mental chess match when his old mentor returns to try and thwart his chance at victory. The DVD contains commentary by director Marleen Gorris and a pathetically short "making of" that should have been labeled an extended trailer. The movie is brilliant, not to mention being one of the better book adaptations I've seen, and warrants multiple viewings. If you like good cinema, you'll appreciate adding this title to your collection.
Run Time: 103 minutes
Director: DJ Caruso
Starring: Val Kilmer
Rating: R
DVD Release Date: September 7, 2004
Compare Prices on The Salton Sea
For some reason, I either love Val Kilmer's movies, or absolutely despise them. For instance, I loved his characters in The Doors, and Tombstone, and even Real Genius was surprisingly brilliant. On the flip side, The Island of Doctor Moreau and Red Planet are far down the list of movies I'd ever consider watching again. The Salton Sea falls into the category of good Kilmer movies. In it, Kilmer plays a police informant, caught up in a world of Meth dealing, after the murder of his wife leaves him searching for meaning. Vincent D'Onofrio plays brilliantly as the drug dealer Pooh Bear, adding an uncomfortable quality to the story that strengthens the plot. The entire movie, from it's hilarious history of speed beginning, is a noir cinematic adventure, unlike anything I've seen recently. DVD extras are fairly standard, although I noticed the trailer contains scenes that weren't included in the film or as deleted scenes on the extras.
Run Time: 91 minutes
Director: Stacy Peralta
Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: May 3, 2005
Find Dogtown and Z-boys on Amazon
The theatrical release of Hollywood's polished version of the Z-boys story may have better effects than real life and a more attractive cast of characters, but I'm still partial to this documentary. I'm too young to have experienced any of the skateboarding revolution first hand, so I can't speak for the accuracy of this documentary's portrayal of the Santa Monica Z-boys and their influence on skating as it has evolved today, at the same time I'm certain this is closer to the truth than the current Lords of Dogtown. Iowa doesn't have many inground pools to skate and by the time my generation took up skating, we were building half pipes in permissive parents backyards and inviting select friends to join in the fun. The Z-boys skateboarding was stylistically different from anything else going on at the time and accounts from skateboard luminaries like Tony Hawk, and Washington DC punk rock icons Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye suggest that the Z-boys did kick start much of what we see in skateboarding now. If you were a skateboarder in the 70's, this should be a good trip down memory lane. If you are skateboarding today, or are the parent of one of the new generation of skateboarders, Dogtown and Z-boys offers a great historical perspective from guys who have been there-done that. Of course if you're dying to see the Lords of Dogtown, buying the documentary gets you a movie pass good until July 15, 2005.
Run Time: 96 minutes
Director: Jesse Spencer
Rating: NR
Watch the Corner of Your Eye Trailer
I originally reviewed Corner of Your Eye back in 2003 after visiting with the director at a cafe in San Francisco. I noticed Phlying Phrog Philmz is currently working on a second production, so this seemed like a great time to revive the write up. Corner of Your Eye is a utterly bizarre story about a love triangle resulting in the infection of three friends with a disturbing mental virus. Imagination and reality blur as the three succumb to their infection, sharing dreams and experiences beyond the state of conscious thought and reliving moments of their lives trapped in a seemingly unending cycle. Shared dreams make for some particularly surreal moments in the film, building the psychosis of each character to unnerving levels before bringing you back to the implication of reality. Repeated musical themes throughout the movie punctuate the madness of the characters as they descend further from reality and into their own confused existence. I recommend seeing Corner of Your Eye at least twice, as the plot is occasionally difficult to follow, changing things up and leaving you wondering exactly where the story is headed. This is an outstanding first effort and leaves me eager to see what's in store from Striking 13, the next production from Corner of Your Eye writer, director, and producer Jesse Spencer.
Run Time: 110 minutes
Director: Roger Avary
Starring: James Van Der Beek
DVD Release: September 16, 2003
Rating: R
Compare Prices on The Rules of Attraction
Based on one of my favorite novels, The Rules of Attraction stays reasonably close to the storyline from the book by Brett Easton Ellis, venturing away only when necessary to modernize the story for a target audience much younger than the 1980's setting of the book. Some liberties were taken with the soundtrack, leaving some sections of the movie in a sonic time warp. In fact, the soundtrack, combined with some clever cinematic effects, helps the movie along through a storyline that is otherwise fairly depressing and hopeless. Throughout the film, the story exposes the hollow emptiness of a group of affluent college students, all lacking in direction and desperate for meaningful interpersonal relationships. As they flounder through disengaged attempts to connect on a superficial level, we come to discover how confused the kids really are. While many of the pop-culture references specific to the eighties that made the book so engaging are missing, I found myself entertained throughout the movie in spite of myself. The movie is definitely aimed at teens, with a cast of teen-idol regulars, although I'm not sure I'd recommend The Rules of Attraction to anyone still living under their parent's roof. The book demonstrates the brilliant prose Ellis expanded on through several more novels, culminating in American Psycho, before taking a bizarre detour with The Informers. Special features are lacking from the DVD - this movie is probably a renter, unless you are a Brett Easton Ellis fan.
Run Time: 131 minutes
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Robin Williams
DVD Release: May 6, 2003
Rating: PG
Compare Prices on Bicentennial Man
Possibly one of Robin Williams more underrated performances, Bicentennial Man is a story of human understanding, as told through the eyes of an android. Based on the Isaac Asimov story of the same name, Bicentennial Man tracks the 200 years that make up the "life" of Andrew, a robot put into service to assist the Martin family. The Martins discover Andrew is "flawed," in that he exhibits characteristics that border on human. The movie traces Andrew's quest to foster his human qualities and search for other android beings like him. Through Andrew's own search for humanity, we are reminded what it means to be human. If you're a fan of Asimov's stories, or a looking for a more cerebral sci-fi story, compared to most of the genre, this is a definite must view movie.
Run Time: 229 minutes
Director: Sergio Leone
Starring: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, Jennifer Connelly, Elizabeth McGovern
DVD Release: September 23, 2003
Rating: R
Compare Prices on Once Upon A Time In America
You will either love this movie as a masterpiece of cinema, or hate it for the sheer length of the story. Originally released in US theaters at a mere 139 minutes, this epic 229 minute story of Jewish immigration to the United States, as told by an aging Jewish gangster, will test the water retention limits of even the most determined camel. All jokes about length aside, if you enjoy gangster movies, this uncut version of Once Upon a Time in America should be part of your home collection. The story (especially the flashbacks) is compelling, painting a different picture of New York than we've seen in other Hollywood epics. Commentary by Richard Schickel is also quite enlightening, but should definitely not be engaged the same day you watch the DVD for the first time.
Comedy/Drama - 125min
Rating - (PG)
Release Date - 1970
Compare Prices on The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
Where has the Hollywood of the 1970's gone? You know, the Hollywood that used dialogue and plot to sell tickets, instead of explosions and alien creatures. Billy Wilder directed many of my favorite movies from cinema past, including Double Indemnity, Sabrina, the Apartment, and Some Like it Hot. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was done late in Wilder's career, offering a less-than-serious look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed sleuth. Robert Stephens as Holmes and Colin Blakely's portrayal of Watson are quite possibly the best cinematic recreation of the detective duo, despite this being an unofficial account. The story has all the beauty of a film noir, with Wilder's touch guiding the story to almost perfection as Holmes assists Madame Valladon in the search for her husband.
Region 1 Encoding (US and Canada only)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Theatrical trailer
Christopher Lee: Mr. Holmes, Mr. Wilder
Interview with the editor
Deleted sequences
Photo gallery
Run Time: 146min
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Samantha Morton, Max Von Sydow, Collen Farrell
DVD Release Date: August 24, 2004
Rating: PG-13
Compare Prices on Minority Report
Raising some disturbing questions about the future of technology, Minority Report takes us to the not-too-distant future, where crimes may be predicted before they happen. Based on a sci-fi detective novel by Philip K Dick, the author responsible for the story behind Blade Runner, Minority Report is one of the more cerebral science fiction stories to hit DVD markets, possibly since the release of Blade Runner (unless you count the sci-fi Pinocchio that was A.I.). Both thought provoking and socially relevant, Minority Report sucks you in the way any good murder mystery should, with the interesting spin that the detectives know whodunit before it happens. This is probably one of my personal favorite Tom Cruise performances. The DVD extras are about as Hollywood glossy as you can get, with each special segment over-produced, losing the conversational intimacy present in some behind-the-scenes work. Speilberg continues to make his mark on the sci-fi genre and we are privy to his assembly of a "League of Superheros" from the motion picture world in the construction of this film.
You can hear the original story as part of the audio book Minority Report & Other Stories.
In 40 Days and 40 Nights, Matt (Josh Hartnett) makes his chosen sacrifice during Lent be to deprive himself of any physical gratitude that might appeal to his attraction to women, in an effort to get over an ex-girlfriend he's been recklessly trying to forget. After learning of Matt's resolution, his friends begin betting on how long he'll last. Things become more complicated when Matt meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon) at the local laundromat, with the two developing an immediate attraction. Plenty of sophomoric comedy follows, with the bettors trying to trip up Matt's resolve as Matt and Erica fall deeper in love. While this is a far cry from being a deep story, and much of the comedy is fairly predictable, it makes for entertaining viewing, offering up plenty of laughs for anyone who's ever been in a relationship. The story is definitely larger than life, presenting caricatures of people we've all known at some point in our lives, without really giving us characters anyone can identify with. Most certainly a renter, not a keeper, there's not even anything meaningful in the commentary track - just mindless blather from people who seem to be dialing in their discussion.
