Here’s yer DVD goodness…
DVD of the Week: Cinderella Man. Russell Crowe heads up this boxing flick along with Renee Zellweger and Paul Giamatti, which is the based-on-a-true-story story of James Braddock whupping ass and taking names to the delight of the downtrodden during the Depression. Ron Howard directs it (which hits DVD thanks to Universal), and it comes with a nice array of features: commentaries, deleted scenes with optional commentary and a slew of featurettes. We’ll see if Crowe’s Oscar chances survive that phone incident, huh? (Buy it)
TV DVD of the Week: The Dukes of Hazzard: The Complete Fifth Season. This season is the “infamous” Coy and Vance season, as Bo and Luke fled Hazzard County temporarily due to contract issues. But they came back, and you got four Dukes in one episode. And fans like the show so much, they’re willing to forgive a lot. Still, notice how Daisy’s the only one to get the cover treatment this time around? Yeah. Twenty-two episodes are here from Warner Brothers, including a stunt team reunion featurette, and a visit to Cooter’s Place. For more info, check out the official site here. (Buy it)
Anime DVD of the Week: Bottle Fairy, Vol. 1: Spring & Summer. Senseisan has a pretty sweet deal going. While he’s away during the day, four fairies that he keeps in a bottle can come out and do stuff. They’re out to learn more about humanity because they want to be human someday apparently. Anybody who likes really cute anime will dig the hell out of it. It hits from Geneon and comes with clean opening and closing animation. (Buy it)
Animation DVD of the Week: Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection. Not jazzed by the recent feature film version with Charlize Theron? That’s okay, you weren’t alone. Go back to the source material with this Paramount release, featuring the slinky/lethal secret agent in all her adventures spread across three discs. Not a bad spread, either, considering you get commentary, the pilot, animated shorts, production art, featurettes and more. (Buy it)
Brit DVD of the Week: North & South. Not, in fact, the American Civil War miniseries, here you’ve got a war of a different kind: a young lady from the south of England is moved north with her family and she finds herself facing off against the head of a cotton mill. Of course, in films men and women don’t get this hacked off at each other unless they’re interested in one another, so of course, hijinks ensue. This BBC release comes with commentary on two episodes, deleted scenes, an interview and more. (Buy it)
Family DVD of the Week: The Muppet Movie. The classic is re-issued on DVD by Buena Vista, though the previous features aren’t here and the new one is cute, but it’s nothing like we would have wanted. Commentaries, anyone? Regardless, this “Secret Origins” tale for everyone’s favorite felt friends is here and if your kids haven’t seen it, then shame on it: fix it. (Buy it)
Adverse Video of the Week: Cry_Wolf. When a young woman winds up murdered, a bunch of younguns decide to get all morbid and use the occasion to fashion an online hoax about a serial killer. Trouble is, all the rumors start to come true with expectedly lethal results. Still, a twisty script and a dude in a ski mask does not necessarily a good slasher flick make…though it does give proper fodder for an MST3K party. The disc comes with commentary, deleted/alternate scenes, featurettes and more. (Buy it)
UMD of the Week: Austin Powers. For you PSP-toting types, you’ve got to be doing something right, because the movies keep hitting the UMD format. So more power to you. Or more Powers to you, in this case (I swear, I didn’t mean to make that pun–don’t hurt me). Here you get the original film on the mini-format from New Line, and bonus bits to boot: a commentary with Myers and director Jay Roach plus deleted scenes and alternate endings. (Buy it)
