Video: 3
Audio: 4
Extras: 4
Samuel Fuller's quasi-autobiographical World War II drama, named for the symbol of the 1st Infantry, was brutally trimmed for its 1980 theatrical release. Now painstakingly pieced back together and enhanced for modern audiences, The Big Red One is almost 50 minutes longer and hereby revealed as a genuine epic. It's better than ever on every level. We can finally witness one of star Lee Marvin's most richly crafted roles as it was meant to be seen.
Video: 3
Audio: 3
Extras: 3
Adam Sandler. You either love him or hate him...except for me, I tend to love AND hate him! For example, I loved Happy Gilmore, but I could've lived without Billy Madison, which is why this collection is great for me. Happy Gilmore definitely looks and sounds a whole lot better, and it's just a better movie overall, though Billy does have its moments.
Video: 3
Audio: 3
Extras: 3
Sometimes the most memorable thing about a movie is its music. The Bodyguard is a prime example, and Warner Bros. celebrates its 13-year anniversary with a new two-disc Special Edition. Whitney Houston stars as Rachel Marron, a singing superstar whose life is threatened by a mysterious stalker. Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), a former secret service agent, is hired as Rachel's reluctant bodyguard. The story starts off slow and in some ways is predictable, but the momentum eventually picks up and becomes an interesting whodunit to the very end. The romantic connection between Rachel and Frank isn't always convincing. Essentially, you are left with a moving story about a woman and the man who protects her.
Video: 4
Audio: 3
Extras: 3
Devout fans of the cult phenomenon The Boondock Saints will sing praise for the quality improvement in this definitive re-release of the DVD as an Unrated Special Edition. The two-disc set, packaged in a sleek metal box, has been digitally remastered for sound and picture, now boasting an anamorphic presentation that will find redemption with enthusiasts.
Video: 3
Audio: 4
Extras: 5
The magical world of Narnia gets even more enchanted with this massive four-disc set, available both alone and as part of a gift package that includes collectible bookends. The film itself is seven minutes longer than the theatrical release and the two previous DVD versions, but there’s nothing to call out the new material.
Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 3
Suburban angst and dysfunction are prime fodder for films and TV, whether it be housewives that seem desperate or disaffected teens too heavily medicated to even communicate with each other. The Chumscrubber falls into the latter category and presents a world all too familiar, while retaining its individuality in the genre.
Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 4
Many a time have I listened to friends lament that a movie isn’t as good as the book on which it’s based. I just smile and nod, thinking smugly to myself that, if these poor people would just stop reading, they’d be much happier moviegoers. Then one of these friends gave me the novel The Da Vinci Code as a gift. I knew full well that Dan Brown’s insanely popular religious-themed murder mystery would someday become a film, yet I foolishly read it anyhow. And now here I am, forced to utter the same five words I once so smugly dismissed: “Eh, the book was better.”
Video: 3
Audio: 2
Extras: 4
The mind of an artist is a frightening place, more so if you’re Daniel Johnston. The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a documentary about this troubled “genius,” covering those closest to him as he’s grappled with mental illness and unlimited artistic vision. Using an inexhaustible amount of archival footage, the film paints a portrait of Johnston, showcasing his artistic endeavors from childhood to recent years. Countless fans across the globe celebrate his work, hailing the cult hero.
Video: 3
Audio: 4
Extras: 3
Anne Hathaway trades in her Brokeback boots for a pair of Pradas in Fox’s release la mode, The Devil Wears Prada. Andy Sachs (Hathaway) maneuvers through the stiletto-infested waters of Runway magazine as the newest assistant to editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. While Andy maintains she’s only in it for the fringe benefits, she soon discovers she’s just a manipulation away from becoming a dragon lady herself. Hathaway has come a long way from her pretty princess role, but she’s still got a thing or two to learn from the ever-talented Meryl Streep, whose performance as the venerable Priestly screams Oscar, or so the rumor mill says.
Video: 4
Audio: 5
Extras: 2
Val Kilmer gives a vastly underrated performance as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 The Doors, a somewhat thin examination of the life of one of rock’s most admired and misunderstood front men. Awash in a mix of alcohol, drugs, and sex, Kilmer nails the Morrison persona. Although the material gives a less than three-dimensional view of the man, his performance is incredible.
Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 4
I have a pretty low opinion of remakes of classic TV shows. But I loved The Dukes of Hazzard when I was a kid, and the cast and crew on this one seemed like they could reproduce the stupid fun of the TV show. Well, I think they did a great job. That’s right—I think this movie is fun and funny. To anyone expecting more, I have to ask, “Did you ever see the TV show?” It stars Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott, who have made careers of having fun in bad movies, and Jessica Simpson, who allegedly has a career doing something. The plot revolves around the Duke boys needing to save Uncle Jesse’s farm (duh). An oddly cast Burt Reynolds is pretty good as Boss Hogg, and a simply odd Willie Nelson is surprisingly funny.
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