RA: Renters Anonymous - December 2nd, 2008

Posted by Trevor

December 2, 2008

This Week: December 2nd, 2008

New Releases

Wanted - 7/10 - Trailer
Starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Common, Thomas Kretschmann, Terence Stamp
Gross Revenue: $323 Million
The anxious, clumsy and abused office clerk Wesley Allan Gibson has a hell and boring routine life: his obese boss humiliates him all the time and his girlfriend betrays him with his colleague and best friend during working period. When he meets the sexy Fox, Wesley is informed that his father was a professional killer that belonged to an ancient organization called Fraternity and killed by the skilled and powerful Cross, a hit-man that has betrayed the Fraternity. Wesley learns that his anxiety actually is a manifestation of his latent abilities and he joins the society under the command of Sloan. Trained by Fox, he changes his personality and attitude, being prepared to face the dangerous Cross and find a hidden secret.

1-Disc Special Features:

Widescreen or Fullscreen Versions with Dolby Digital 5.1

2-Disc Special Features:

2.35:1 Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1
Featurettes: “Cast and Characters”, “Stunts on the L Train”, “Special Effects: The Art of the Impossible”, “Groundbreaking Visual Effects: From Imagination to Execution”, “The Origins of Wanted: Bringing the Graphic Novel to Life”, “Through the Eyes of Visionary Director Timur Bekmambetov”
Making of the Video Game
Wanted: Motion Comics
“Killer” Extended Scene
Alternate Opening
Digital Copy

Blu-ray Special Features:

All of the features of the 2-Disc DVD plus:
2.35:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
BD-Live features: “My Chat”, “My Wanted Commentary”, “My Scenes Sharing”, “Exclusive Content”
U-Control: “Motion Comics”, “Scene Explorer”, “Assassin Profiles”, “BonusView PIP”

Book of Assassins Gift Set:

2-Disc DVD or Blu-ray
Book of Assassins
4 Collectible Postcards
Lenticular scene in an acrylic frame
Awesome “Bullet Stopping” Case

Recommendation: Buy

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - 6.6/10 - Trailer
Starring Ben Barnes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Sergio Castellittio, Eddie Izzard, Peter Dinklage, Liam Neeson
A year after their first adventure in Narnia, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are pulled back in by Susan’s magic horn. They find that hundreds of years have passed, and Narnia is now ruled by the bloodthirsty General Miraz, uncle to the true heir, Prince Caspian, now in exile. Now the children must find Caspian and help him depose Miraz…but how will they get home after it’s done?

Single Disc Special Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen
Commentary with Andrew Adamson and cast members

3-Disc Special Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen
Commentary with Andrew Adamson and cast members
Deleted Scenes
The Bloopers of Narnia
Interactive Games
Featurettes: “Inside Narnia: The Adventure Returns”, “Sets of Narnia”, “Big Movies Comes to a Small Town”, “Previsualizing Narnia”, “Talking Animals & Walking Trees: The Magical World of Narnia”, “Secrets of the Duel”, “Becoming Trumpkin”, “Warwick Davis: The Man Behind Nikabrik”
Digital Copy

Blu-ray Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
All of the features of the 3-Disc DVD minus the Digital Copy

3-Disc Blu-ray Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
All of the features of the 3-Disc DVD (including the Digital Copy)

Recommendation: Buy

Step Brothers - 6.4/10 - Trailer
Starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott
Brennan Huff, a sporadically employed thirty-nine-year-old who lives with his mother, Nancy. Dale Doback, a terminally unemployed forty-year-old who lives with his father, Robert. When Robert and Nancy marry and move in together, Brennan and Dale are forced to live with each other as step brothers. As their narcissism and downright aggressive laziness threaten to tear the family apart, these two middle-aged, immature, overgrown boys will orchestrate an insane, elaborate plan to bring their parents back together. To pull it off, they must form an unlikely bond that maybe, just maybe, will finally get them out of the house.

Rated DVD Special Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1
Commentary with Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Adam McKay and Baron Davis
Line-O-Rama
Gag Reel
Music Video: “Boats N Hoes”
The Making of Step Brothers

Unrated DVD Special Features:

All of the features of the Rated DVD, plus:
Extended & Alternate Scenes
Both Rated (98min) and Unrated (105min) cuts of the film

2-Disc Unrated Special Features:

All of the features of the Unrated DVD, plus:
Deleted Scnes
Dinner Table
Mr. Jeener-Spy
Job Interviews-Pan Gringe
Therapy Sessions
Dale vs Brennan - Sibling Rivalry
Scoring Session
Presige Worldwide Full Presentation
The Music of Step Brothers
Digital Copy of the Film

Blu-ray Features:

2.40:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with Dolby TrueHD 5.1
All of the features of the 2-DIsc Unrated DVD, plus:
“Boats N Hoes” Make Your Own Video Editor

Recommendation: Rent

X-Files: I Want to Believe - 5.6/10 - Trailer
Starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Alvin Joiner, Mitch Pileggi, Callum Keith Rennie
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny re-team to unravel a bizarre case right out of “The X-Files.” Amidst an eerily deceptive calm, F.B.I. agent Monica Bannan is abducted. Not only does the search for the missing woman ignite sparks between partners Scully (Anderson) and Mulder (Duchovny), it defies the boundaries of science, the supernatural and the terrifying spaces in between!

Special Features:

2.35:1 Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1
Both the Theatrical and Unrated Extended Cut of the film
Commentary by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz
Body Parts: Special Make-up Effects
Chris Carter: Statements on Green Production
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Music Slideshow “Dying 2 Live” by Xzibit
Theatrical Trailers
Still Galleries

Ultimate X-Phile Edition Special Features:

All of the features of the regualar DVD, plus:
Trust No One: Can the X-Files Remain a Secret? Feature-length documentary
Digital Copy of the flim

Blu-ray Features:

2.35:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with Dolby Digital 5.1
All of the features of the Ultimate X-Phile Edition DVD, plus:
BD-Live web-enabled content
The X-Files Dossier: Agent Dakota Whitney Files
BonusView mode
The X-Files Complete Interactive Timeline
PiP Commentary with Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz
In-Movie Features via BD remote direct access
Isolated Score Track
Enhanced for D-Box Motion Code systems

Recommendation: Pass (Unless you’re an X-Phile)

The Longshots - Trailer
Starring Ice Cube, Keke Palmer, Tasha Smith, Jill Marie Jones, Dash Mihok, Debby Ryan
Curtis Plummer — a down-on-his-luck former high school football star — turns his niece, Jasmine, into the quarterback of the local team, the Minden Browns, and gets his stride back when he becomes the team coach. With Curtis as their new leader and their pigtail-wearing star player.

Special Features:

1.85:1 Widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1
20 Deleted Scenes
Making “The Longshots”
A Conversation with director Fred Durst
A Conversation with Ice Cube
Jasmine Plummer: The Real Longshot

Blu-ray Features:

1.85:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with Dolby Digital 5.1
All of the features of the DVD release

Recommendation: Pass

Re-Releases

Casablanca - 8.3/10
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
In World War II Casablanca, Rick Blaine, exiled American and former freedom fighter, runs the most popular nightspot in town. The cynical lone wolf Blaine comes into the possession of two valuable letters of transit. When Nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca, the sycophantic police Captain Renault does what he can to please him, including detaining Czech underground leader Victor Laszlo. Much to Rick’s surprise, Lazslo arrives with Ilsa, Rick’s one time love. Rick is very bitter towards Ilsa, who ran out on him in Paris, but when he learns she had good reason to, they plan to run off together again using the letters of transit. Well, that was their original plan.

Special Features:

1.33:1 with Dolby Digital 1.0
“Behind the Story”
Intro by Lauren Bacall
Commentary with Roger Ebert
Commentary with Rudy Behlmer
1988 TCM Special: “Bacall on Bogart”
“You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca”
“As Time Goes By: The Children Remember”
Production history gallery
Additional Footage
Deleted Scenes
Outtakes
“Who Holds Tomorrow?”
1995 WB Cartoon: “Carrotblanca”
Scoring Sessions Outtakes
Audio-only bonus: April 26, 1943 Screen Guild Players Radio Broadcast with the movie’s three key stars
Trailers
1993 Documentary: “Jack L. Warner: THe Last Mogul”
The premium giftset is elegantly boxed in an intricate laser-cut Moroccan design and includes an exclusive passport holder and luggage tag, a number of Warner studio documents, a forty-eight-page photo book, ten one-sheet reproduction cards, and a mail-in offer for a reproduction of the original movie poster

Blu-ray Features:

1.33:1 1080p Transfer with Dolby Digital 1.0
All of the features of the DVD release

Recommendation: Buy

Austin Powers Collection: Shagadelic Edition (Blu-ray)

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002)

Recommendation: Pass

The Shawshank Redemption (Blu-ray) - 8.9/10
Starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, James Whitmore
Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940’s, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner.

Blu-ray Features:

1.85:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1
Commentary with Frank Darabont
Documentaries: “Hope Springs Eternal: A Look Back at the Shawshank Redemption”, “Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature”
“Charlie Rose Show”, interview with Frank Darabont, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman
Comic Spoof: “The Sharktank Redemption”
Stills and Collectibles galleries
Trailer
Digibook Presentation

Recommendation: Buy

Home Alone (Blu-ray) - 7/10
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O’Hara, Roberts Blossom, John Candy
When Kevin McCallister is accidentally left ‘home alone’ by his family, vacationing in France, he takes his house into his own hands and haves himself his own vacation. But his delight ends up crashing and burning when he comes into contact with two criminals, Harry and Marv, that are after his house.

Blu-ray Features:

1.85:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1
Commentary with Chris Colombus and Macaulay Culkin
1990 Press Featurette
The Making of Home Alone
Mac Cam: Behind-the-Scenes
How to Burglar Proof Your Home: The Stunts of Home Alone
Home Alone Around the World
Where’s Buzz Now?
Angels with Filthy Soul
Alternate Takes, Blooper Reel and Deleted Scenes
Trailers

Recommendation: Rent

Stranger Than Fiction (Blu-ray) - 7.3/10
Starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, Tony Hale
Everybody knows that your life is a story. But what if a story was your life? Harold Crick is your average IRS agent: monotonous, boring, and repetitive. But one day this all changes when Harold begins to hear an author inside his head narrating his life. The narrator it is extraordinarily accurate, and Harold recognizes the voice as an esteemed author he saw on TV. But when the narration reveals that he is going to die, Harold must find the author of the story, and ultimately his life, to convince her to change the ending of the story before it is too late.

Blu-ray Features:

1.85:1 Widescreen 1080p Transfer with Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Director and Cast Commentary
Deleted and Extenede Scenes
Featurettes: “On Location in Chicago”, “Actors in Search of a Story”, “Building the Team”, “Words on a Page”, “The VFX of Stranger Than Fiction”

Recommendation: Rent

The Unrated Blogger’s Cut

The Wanted giftset is pretty damn good looking (almost as good as Angelina on the hood of a viper) so I’ll be grabbing that one. And even though I thought Step Brothers was decent and anything that has Judd Apatow’s name attached always has good special features on DVD, I think I will be skipping this one because of it’s lack of re-watchability. With Casablanca being one of the highest rated movies of all time I will definitly be picking this one up and I think you should too.

Coming Soon: