In case anyone doubted 'Avatar' would prove to be a hit on DVD and Blu-Ray...

...this record breaking evidence from the Los Angeles Times proves it without a shadow of a doubt:

James Cameron didn't need 3-D to break this record.

Just four days after debuting on store shelves, "Avatar" has sold 2.7 million Blu-ray discs to consumers in the U.S. and Canada, according to 20th Century Fox -- more Blu-rays than any previous movie has sold. The previous record holder, "The Dark Knight," has sold 2.5 million Blu-rays since its debut 16 months ago.

Fox also sold 4 million standard definition DVDs. The combined total makes "Avatar" the biggest DVD launch of the year, breaking a previous mark of 4 million Blu-ray and DVDs combined set by "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" on its first weekend in March.

"Avatar" also debuted Thursday in France, where it sold a combined 400,000 units on DVD and Blu-ray, the biggest-ever launch in the country. It is at the top of the charts in Germany as well, although specific sales figures weren't immediately available. It goes on sale in Great Britain on Monday.

The huge debut for "Avatar" on home video dispels concerns that consumers wouldn't want to see it on a 2-D home television after most watched it in theaters in 3-D. Eighty-three percent of "Avatar's" $746.4-million domestic gross has come from theaters with 3-D screens. More than 70% of its $1.975-billion international gross has come from 3-D.

The news comes as Fox recently signed deals with kiosk renter Redbox and DVD-by-mail firm Netflix that keep "Avatar" and all of the studio's future releases off the services until 28 days after they go on sale.

"Avatar" provides a much needed shot in the arm to Hollywood's home entertainment business, which saw its revenue fall 8% in the first three months of the year and 5% last year.

-I had no doubt it would be popular on home video, but this is impressive...thoughts?

What Blu-ray discs still need to come out?

Well, if you're curious, IGN has a write-up here on MIA Blu-rays. They have a decently extensive list, but I'll put it forth to you...are they any Blu-rays that you're anxious to see?

The Scenario Series rolls on and goes into detail about the Screenplay categories, plus an Interview with Emily Blunt, and more on the Main Page!

Yes, The Awards Circuit is buzzing! Our annual Scenario articles are continuing on, and this newest one deals with Adapted and Original Screenplay. It can be found here, so check it out as usual.
There's also a new Interview for everyone to enjoy, this one with Emily Blunt. It's here, so read and enjoy!
Worth mentioning as well is a look at the long awaited release of The African Queen on DVD. That article can be found here, so take a gander at that as well.
Last, but not least, the Precursor page has been updated, so anyone looking to analyze who or what stands the best chance of a nomination Tuesday morning can go here and analyze to their heart's content!
-Thoughts on the new articles and interview?

Worried that 'The Hurt Locker' can't win Best Picture because of its low Box Office? Fear not...

...because it's making a proverbial killing on DVD. An article from Reuters (found here) gives a taste of that, but suffice to say, the film will not suffer nearly as much from a small gross as some people think. Will it be able to win Best Picture? Who knows, but it won't lose the race solely due to money, that's for sure.
-Thoughts on what the film's chances look like?

Some new reviews at The Awards Circuit!

Yes indeed, we added some new reviews to the site recently, including 2 positive reviews of the upcoming film The Hurt Locker (with my own take on the film to be added in a few days time), along with my reviews of The Great Buck Howard, The Brothers Bloom, Easy Virtue (all of them are average to good), The Taking of Pelham 123 (slightly below average), and Land of the Lost (horrible, just horrible). Check them all out here: http://www.awardscircuit.com/reviews

-Be on the lookout for some new reviews and a new Podcast in the next few days! *Also, my DVD article will be up in a few hours, all this craziness plus some personal issues put it off from its normal Tuesday slot, but it'll be back normally there next week...*

-What do you think of the reviews?

Jason slashes his way onto DVD this week

Pardon the pun, but it's fairly apt considering about the only noteworthy DVD release this week takes place at the infamous Crystal Lake. Lacking much in the way of choice, my PICK OF THE WEEK is:
Friday the 13th
As remakes go, this is a surprisingly decent one, though it will never be considered a masterpiece. You know exactly what you're getting with a Jason movie, and this one doesn't fail to deliver. If horror is your thing, you'll get a good bit of bang for your buck with this slasher flick on DVD.
-Also out we have Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail, which is on the same level as all the other Tyler Perry movies, which is to say, decently mediocre, but forgettable, as well as the eccentric teen drama What Goes Up, which is not quite as good as its cast, but not a disaster either. The other release worth mentioning is the Direct to DVD sequel The Cell 2, which I have no doubt makes as little sense as the first one, just without any of the talent involved in numero uno.
-To make up for the dearth on DVD this week, there are some great Blu-Ray releases, and they make up my Vintage picks this week. Take your pick from Ghostbusters (in honor of the videogame hitting stores this week as well), Dr. Strangelove, Spaceballs, or Miracle. All would be great buys.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Clint Eastwood comes to DVD this week...and wants you off his lawn

Not that it should surprise anyone based on the title of this piece, but Eastwood's latest film is one of the ones being released to DVD this week. None of the films out particularly wowed me, but one must be named my PICK OF THE WEEK, and after some soul searching I've decided to give it to:
Gran Torino
Even though I had some major issues with this film, I found it to be better than average, just mildly disappointing coming from Clint. Granted, I'm in the minority on this, so I decided to give it top honors this week since it will likely be what most people pick up on DVD this week anyway. If you're an Eastwood fan, it's a good movie to add to your collection, just don't go in expecting a masterpiece. That being said, this might be his last acting role, so it's worth buying for that reason, if no other.
-Also out we have The International, which took Clive Owen, a relevant subject matter (banks ruining lives, though here they murder instead of simply rob), and managed to somehow make an incredibly mediocre movie out of it. It's not terrible by any stretch, but it's not that good either, so think long and hard before you pick this out up. It wastes more potential than almost any movie this year. Speaking of wasted potention, Crossing Over is out this week as well, and most of you are aware of my severe distaste for this film, both in my review and on the Podcast. It's a Crash wannabe that fails at every turn and wastes a director's talent along with some good actors. It's a real disaster.
-Rounding out the releases this week are the pretty dull sex farce Fired Up, which annoyed me a lot for many reasons, but mainly for having 30 year olds play teens...again. The other release is Sarah Jessica Parker's melodrama Spinning Into Butter. It pretty much skipped theaters, and watching it you know why. It's not a piece of crap, but it plays more like a Lifetime movie than a theatrical release.
-My Vintage pick this week is a good way to get Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost out of your mind. It's Stranger than Fiction, and it's Ferrell's best work so far in his career. It's funny and sad and touching, just a wonderful film. Check it out if you have yet to do so. It plays like Eternal Sunshine in a minor key, if that makes any sense.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

This week is a rough one for DVD Lovers...

Indeed, the only film I can muster any kind of enthusiasm for was barely released in theaters and is seen as a rather large failure. It is however, my PICK OF THE WEEK. It's:
Killshot
It seemed like this film sat on the shelf forever, and it almost never got released. It finally did come out for a few weeks and it was nowhere near as bad a thriller (or a film) as most films that sit unreleased as long as this one did tend to be. All of the cast do a decent enough job, with Mickey Rourke, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Thomas Jane, Diane Lane, and Rosario Dawson giving this more star power than many wide releases. Throw in fair direction by John Maddon and this is a better film than you might expect.
-The only other major release is New In Town, and Renee Zellweger did nothing for her sagging career with this limp romantic comedy.
-Worth a small note is the direct to DVD release of Powder Blue, an ensemble drama ala Crash which was notable when it was first announced for featuring a Jessica Biel nude scene. If that's your sole reason for looking up a movie, this is one to take a look at, though it also has Forest Whitaker, Ray Liotta, Patrick Swayze, Lisa Kudrow, and Kris Kristofferson to boot.
-My Vintage pick this week is an early Emile Hirsch film called The Mudge Boy. This tale of an outsider dealing with loneliness and the death of his mother in an odd way features a fantastic performance by Hirsch and sublime work by Richard Jenkins as his confused father. Check it out, it's a great little film.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

A little bit of everything on DVD this week!

Once again we don't have any masterpieces hitting home video this week, but there's more or less something for everyone, making it a week where everyone's PICK OF THE WEEK might be different. Mine is not going to be the most popular one, but it's the one I'm going to go with anyway. It's:
My Bloody Valentine 3D
This comes with a caveat though, since the film probably will not play as well on DVD. In theaters it was a fun time at the movies, cheesy in all the right ways. In another lifetime it would have been the perfect movie for a drive in. The 3D is gimmicky, but works for the most part. Check it out if you think it's up your alley.
-Also out this week worth looking for is Tom Cruise trying to kill Hitler in the somewhat underrated Valkyrie, a group of nerds trying to see Star Wars Episode 1 early in the cute Fanboys, the strange but somewhat satisfying sci-fi flick Outlander (Vikings vs Aliens essentially), and the first season of True Blood, a show on HBO I absolutely love that gives a new spin of vampire lore.
-Unfortunately, we also have Paul Blart: Mall Cop on DVD today. There's nothing really wrong with this flick, it's just so bland and inoffensive that it almost dissolves as you're watching it. You have better things to watch with your time.
-My Vintage pick this week is Game 6. Michael Keaton gives a wonderful lead performance as a writer fearing the review an infamous film critic (played by Robert Downey Jr.) will write for his new play while being a Boston fan in New York City in 1986 during the World Series between the Red Sox and the Mets. It all comes together brilliantly and is an underseen masterpiece worth looking for!
-What will you all be watching on DVD this week?

A substandard week for DVD releases, but a DVD release week nonetheless

Slim pickings this week, though we've been somewhat spoiled the last couple of weeks, so I can survive. My PICK OF THE WEEK is the only movie out this week on DVD that was anywhere near enjoyable. It's:
Taken
It's ridiculous and illogical, but there's a perverse pleasure watching Liam Neeson tear through tons of bad guys to find his daughter. It was an unlikely hit in theaters, so if you were one of the many who enjoyed it the first time around, it's worthy enough of being picked up for home consumption on DVD.
-The only other theatrical releasea on DVD this week are Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and Passengers. By removing Kate Beckinsale from the lead role, an Underworld movie kind of loses its main selling point. Throw in the absence of Beckinsale's husband Len Wiseman from the director's chair, and this pretty much becomes worthless. Passengers, on the other hand, wastes good perfromances from Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson in its desire to be a mystery, but it just turns out mysteriously disappointing.
-This last notable releases this week skipped movie houses and went straight to DVD (cue the scary music). The first is the Donnie Darko spinoff S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale. Richard Kelly had nothing to do with this one, and it definitely shows. It's just a big mess.
-My Vintage pick this week is Life as a House. What could have been Movie of the Week bad instead manages to be a fantastic emotional ride everytime I watch it. Credit goes to Kevin Kline, who was robbed of an Oscar nomination, and Hayden Christensen, who somehow isn't annoying (and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, no less). Check it out.
-What will you all be watching on DVD this week?

A Curious Case indeed among the DVD releases this week

Yes, Benjamin Button is one of the new releases this week, but is it best? Yes and no, actually. It could easily have been my PICK OF THE WEEK, but I chose to give some spotlight time to a film that never really caught on like it deserved to. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button gets the #2 spot this week, but the crowning title of this week is:
Wendy and Lucy
Michelle Williams gave what I felt to be the second best performance by an actress last year in this (second only to Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married) touching and simple film. She's essentialy homeless, with her dog as her only companion. When her dog vanishes, she has to struggle to find her and to find a reason to go on as well. It was a movie that isn't for everyone, but it rewards those who stay with it in a big way. The last scene in particular should bring tears to almost anyone's eyes.
-Coming in right behind this week is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which actually should be the #1 pick this week, but it doesn't need anyone else to talk about it, so I opted against it, feel free to scold me in the comments section). Brad Pitt plays the title character, though you all know the story by now. It's greatest success is that it never feels like it's trying to manipulate you. Put aside the striking similarities and go pick Benjamin Button up on DVD and admire all the work that went into it.
-Also out this week we have Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson charming it up in the romantic comedy Last Chance Harvey, the first ever Bollywood Kung Fu action comedy called Chandni Chowk to China, which is ok, but nothing special, and finally a second Michelle Williams sighting, with her film Incendiary, which almost completely skipped theaters but gets a second life at home. She's much better in Wendy and Lucy, but she's good here too in an otherwise mediocre film.
-My Vintage pick this week is the double feature of Planet Terror and Death Proof, otherwise known as Grindhouse. Watch them together and relive the experience that too few people saw in the movies on its initial release!
-What will you guys and gals be watching on DVD this week?

A couple of fine choices on DVD this week!

Indeed, while none of the releases this week are absolutely fantastic, there are two very solid choices, and a number of ok ones too. All in all, it's a good week, led off by my PICK OF THE WEEK. It's:
Nothing But The Truth
This criminally underseen drama by Rod Lurie (The Contender), based somewhat off of the Valerie Plame scandal, features a terrific cast, led by an awards caliber Kate Beckinsale. If you like "ripped from the headlines" flicks, this is definitely a good one, and in fact, is one of the better ones.
-Also out and coming in second place was the crime film What Doesn't Kill You. This is a good film made better by an almost career best performance by Mark Ruffalo. If you want a gritty look at people on the wrong end of luck in Boston, this is a fine choice.
-We also have JCVD, which gave the kickboxer a great concept to work with, but only an above average film to make. There's The Uninvited, which is better than you'd think (but the original Asian version, called A Tale of Two Sisters is better), the harmless Hotel for Dogs (though it has some odd parallels to the Holocaust, but it might just be me), and the very medoicre Bride Wars, which is another bad first film after getting an Oscar nom (Anne Hathaway is the culprit here).
-My Vintage pick this week is Boogie Nights. If you've never seen the world of 70's porn through the eyes of Paul Thomas Anderson, you owe it to yourself to check this out, if for no other reason than to finally see Mark Wahlberg become "a big bright shining star".
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

The best movie of 2008 comes to DVD this week!

To me at least, this was my #1 of the year (check the archived top 10 list on the Main Page for proof if need be). It's a practically perfect film in my eyes, and the most clear cut PICK OF THE WEEK in a long time. It's:
The Wrestler
What Mickey Rourke and Darren Aronofsky created here, based on the lovely yet sparse script from Robert Siegel, is nothing short of amazing. Rourke gave one of the ten best performances I've ever seen an actor give, Aronofsky did a flawless job of directing (or more appropriately in this case, cinematically observing), and the supporting roles by Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are just about without peer for the year as well. The fact that a film like this only got 2 Oscar nominations while other films rake them in is just another reason why sometimes looking harder for quality films can pay off in a big way. I simply can't recommend this film enough to everyone. If for no other reason than getting to hear Bruce Springsteen's amazing title track to the movie, seek out this DVD at once!
-Also out this week we have Frost/Nixon, which while not fantastic, is a very solid flick. It's hurt a bit by pacing problems and unnecessary directorial choices by Ron Howard (which is unusal considering how unobtrusive Howard is), but overall the script by Peter Morgan and acting across the board make it a worthy film to check out. There's the biopic of the Notorious B.I.G. out as well, called, oddly enough, Notorious. It's somewhat standard issue, but it's slightly better than I expected it to be. If you were a fan of rapper, you should enjoy this. Finally we have the Sundance Film Fest graduate The Last Word, which takes an interesting premise (a man who comprises people's suicide notes falls for a relative of one of his employees) and manages to make a fairly bland movie out of it. Check it out if you're curious, but it's nothing special at all.
-My Vintage pick this week is The People vs. Larry Flynt. One of the odder subjects for a biopic/first ammendment rights film, this tale of a pornographer who fought for his rights so that we could live in a country that would protect not only him, but us as well, is a film that works a lot better than you'd ever expect it to. From Courtney Love's terrific performance as Flynt's wife to Milos Forman's directing, it's both an entertaining and important film, one worth watching if you have not already.
-What will you be watching this week on DVD?

A very light week for DVD

In fact, only two releases this week, and neither of them inspired me much. My choice for PICK OF THE WEEK was basically because it was between a film I didn't care for much with some great performances, and a film that was obscenely awful and featured horrendous acting across the board. The choice kind of became clear, and this week's pick is:
The Reader
I was not a fan of this film, but the acting is solid, and Kate Winslet turns in one of her top 5 best performances as a complicated woman with an even more complicated past. The script and direction frustrated me, but she did not. See it for her, and to see why she finally took home an Oscar.
-The only other new release this week is The Spirit, and the less said about that film, the better. It's inept on every level a film can possibly be inept on. Since words escape me, I'll simply quote Roger Ebert's scathing 1994 review of North: "I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it". Need I say more?
-To make up for the dearth of new releases, I'll throw out a trio of movies for my Vintage pick(s). First up is the always reliable Jerry Maguire, which is a perfect pick with the NFL Draft coming next weekend. Next is For Love of the Game, Kevin Costner's most technically accurate baseball movie (if not his best), which is also a good choice with baseball season underway now. Finally, for the non sports fans, I suggest Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York. It's a movie that needs to be experienced more than once, and for many, it'll be a frustrating but rewarding experience. Give it a shot and let it melt your brain (in a good way).
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Have no "Doubt", you can say "Yes" to some of the films on DVD this week!

First, yes, I know the title of this week's article is awful, but I felt like trying to be creative, so it was with the best of intentions that the title came about....apoloies in advance. That being said, it does hint at two of this week's releases, one of which is my PICK OF THE WEEK. It may come as a surprise, but my choice is actually:
Yes Man
Jim Carrey's return to slapstick gets the nod this week because when it's not pretending to be "Liar Liar: Part 2" (and to be fair, the majority of the movie is not about the gimmick it sells itself on), it's a rather endearing romantic comedy between Carrey and the lovely Zooey Deschanel. They have great chemistry, and it makes for a very enjoyable movie that's well worth a look on DVD.
-Coming in the #2 slot is the Oscar nominated Doubt, which I'll come right out and admit, I liked but did not love. Ironically, Meryl Streep was my least favorite part of this film, and it became a detractor for me. That being said, it's a pretty good piece of melodrama that is a good thing to check out if for no other reason than to see if it deserved all the nominations it got.
-Also out this week we have The Day The Earth Stood Still, which wasn't as bad as I feared it would be, but still wasn't nearly as good as it could have been...the romantic drama Not Easily Broken, which is unremarkable except for the decent performance by Benjamin Button's Taraji P. Henson...and finally we have the animated flick The Tale of Desperaux, which was moderately entertaining, but nothing special at all.
-My Vintage pick this week is Mel Gibson's We Were Soldiers. While it's not quite Platoon, it's an engrossing look at one of the first major battles of Vietnam. Gibson is in John Wayne mode, and it actually works to make a very compelling picture. If you never saw it, check it out.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Slumdog takes its Best Picture Oscar to DVD!

That's right kids, one of the releases this week on DVD is the film that took home the big prize at the Academy Awards this past year. It also happens to be my PICK OF THE WEEK. In case you haven't figured it out by now, it's:
Slumdog Millionaire
Now, I know I wasn't the biggest fan of this film (though it still cracked my top 10) on the site, and in fact was probably one of the few people in general that felt the film was very good, but not as amazing as it was made out to be, but the fact remains that it's a quality film. I had no real complaints about it, and that's a compliment in and of itself. If you like having Best Picture winners on DVD, this is a fine one to pick up.
-Also out this week are a couple of very decent family films. Adam Sandler's Disney adventure Bedtime Stories is nothing special, but it's harmless fun, and Marley and Me is a perfect movie for families. It's also nothing special, but the dog is entertaining and the film is never too annoying or cute.
-We also have Will Smith's far too earnest melodrama Seven Pounds, which could have been much better than it turned out, and the spanish time travel film Timecrimes, which got almost no release but was very interesting. It's worth a look if you come by it on DVD.
-My Vintage pick this week is the Paul Rudd-led ensemble film Diggers. An interesting look at friends in Long Island during the 70's, it features Rudd's best performance to date, and that alone should make it worth a look.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

007 Does DVD this week

Not exactly burying the lead, I know, but in a relatively weak DVD week, a certain secret agent flick is the clear choice for my PICK OF THE WEEK. It's:
Quantum of Solace
Though nowhere near the best James Bond film ever (I'd say it's in the top dozen or so), this still is a good action flick with another strong performance by Daniel Craig as 007. If Bond's latest adventure is mildly hampered by Marc Forster's uneven foray into the field of big budget directing, that just takes it down from being a very good movie to a good movie. If you like Bond or Bourne or anything of the sort, it's perfect for you.
-The other quality releases this week are Bolt, the animated Disney flick that turned out better than almost everyone expected, though it was nowhere on the level of WALL-E, the child abduction drama Gardens of the Night, which features an outstanding turn by Tom Arnold, if you can believe it, and the home video suppliment to Watchmen that gets the rest of the comic into the film called Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter. It also includes Under the Hood, the tell all book within the book about the masked heroes, so if you're a Watchmen fan, this is a must have.
-There's also Kristen Stewart's uneven melodrama The Cake Eaters, which is well...uneven, and Rob Schneider's directorial debut Big Stan, but the less said about that one, the better.
-My Vintage pick is a shameless tie in to Quantum of Solace. It's Casino Royale, and since the latest Bond film takes place mere minutes after the end of the last one, starting from the beginning (in a way) is a good idea.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Does this bother you?

I for one don't think it's really a big deal that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is getting the Criterion treatment right out of the gate, though I will confess that it's more than a little surprising. The film is one of a handful that I thought Criterion would look to put out at some point, but immediately, no, that was a bit of a shock. Still, it's no big deal, and just means a really good release right away, but I figured I'd throw this out there...does this bother you at all?

A comedown this week on DVD from the heights of last week

Granted, last week was one of the most chock full weeks for DVD in recent memory, but that doesn't change the fact that only one of the releases this week is any good, making the PICK OF THE WEEK choice fairly easy. It's:
Elegy
Penelope Cruz was just as good in this film, based on a novel by Philip Roth, as she was in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (both films actually feature solid supporting work from Patricia Clarkson, oddly enough). Throw in a sublime performance by Ben Kingsley and able support from Dennis Hopper and Peter Sarsgaard and you have a film with enough acting talent to be worth checking out.
-Also out we have Punisher: War Zone, which is about as good as the other Punisher film, so take that as you will, the sequel Goal II: Living the Dream, which misses the goal by a wide margain, and of course, Twilight. The moody vampire tale has its audience, and if you are it, enjoy, but if not, steer clear, because it's rough sailing ahead if you try and watch it.
-My Vintage pick this week is The Silence of the Lambs. There's no excuse for not having seen this amazing film by now, but if you're one of the few holdouts still, do yourself a favor and come over to the winning side. You'll be glad you did.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

An embarrassment of riches on DVD this week

As the title indicates, there is quite a bit of choice films being made available this week on DVD. No less than 10 films are out, and none of them are particularly bad. In fact, almost half of them could have been in contention for the coveted spot of PICK OF THE WEEK. They all fell short however, of my pick, which is:
Milk
One of the best movies of the year, and a winner of 2 Oscars, this tale of slain human rights leader Harvey Milk was one of the most timely films to come out in the wake of the election and Prop 8. If you haven't seen this, it's worth watching if nothing else than for Sean Penn's most likeable role of his career. It's a movie that will hold up, and it deserves a spot in your collection.
-Some of the other real high quality flicks out this week include the brain-tease that is Synecdoche, NY. I was never quite certain I understood it, but there's no denying its brilliance. We also have the Swedish vampire film Let The Right One In, which is one of the most original takes on the undead in a long time. There's the profane but funny comedy Role Models, and last but not least, Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married. Anne Hathaway here gave the best performance by an actress last year in my opinion, and everyone else is at the top of their game as well. Very much worth a view.
-A level down, but by no means losers, are Mike Leigh's lightweight Happy-Go-Lucky, which is saved by Sally Hawkins' fantastic performance, the protest movie Battle in Seattle, which isn't bad, but wastes its great cast. There's the melodrama The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which was too heavy handed for my tastes, the decent Cadillac Records, and finally the ridiculous Transporter 3. They all have their ups and downs, so judge them for yourself.
-My Vintage pick this week is a Sean Penn movie that should have dominated the Oscars 2 years ago. It's Into the Wild, and it was an amazing flick that should have caught on more than it did. If you missed it, grab it and behold Emile Hirsch's eye opening performance.
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?