01.18.10 | Jerry Frebowitz | New Releases This WeekPrint this Post
New DVD Releases for this week include the recent thriller Gamer, starring TV's Dexter, Michael C. Hall, the suspenseful Whiteout with Kate Beckinsale and the Dennis Quaid sci-fi shocker Pandorum. Also new this week: Jennifer Garner fans will rally round The Invention Of Lying and one of Brittany Murphy's last movies is the 2009 noirish movie, Across The Hall plus an interesting Foreign release, My Fuhrer from Germany, will have people talking and laughing. Benicio Del Toro stars as "Che" Guevara in Steven Soderbergh's Che from 2008 and a pre-Priceline William Shatner is back in the re-release of Kingdom Of The Spiders. Yikes!
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Gamer (2009)
In the near-future, state-of-the-art video game technology allows players to control death row inmates in a real-life first-person shooter called Slayers. Kable (Gerard Butler), a condemned criminal who's become Slayers' greatest champion, asks the rich kid (Logan Lerman) who controls him to set him free so he can bring down the game's sinister creator (Michael C. Hall) and reunite with his family. Amber Valletta, Ludacris, Kyra Sedgwick co-star in this action-packed sci-fi tale.
Whiteout (2009)
Genre hottie Kate Beckinsale ("Underworld") steps into the chill of this suspenseful film based on a 1998 graphic novel, portraying a U.S. marshal stationed in the Antarctic. The end of her tour of duty is postponed after a corpse is discovered in the wilderness, cracking open a difficult murder mystery that draws the attention of a U.N. investigator (Gabriel Macht). Tom Skerritt, Columbus Short co-star.
Pandorum (2009)
"Cube" meets "Alien" in this terrifying sci-fi shocker, as an unwitting astronaut (Ben Foster) finds himself aboard a claustrophobic vessel with no memory of why he's there. After awakening an ally (Dennis Quaid) from hypersleep, the amnesiac space explorer attempts to piece together the mission of the ship--which contains both a huge cargo of sleeping humans and a wandering army of grotesque monsters. Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue co-star.
The Invention Of Lying (2009)
Ricky Gervais co-wrote, co-directed, and stars in this hilarious comedy as a struggling writer living in a world where people always tell the truth and deception does not exist. On the verge of losing everything, he comes up with the concept of lying and begins using fibs to make his life better--and maybe even win the heart of dream girl Jennifer Garner. With Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan.
Che (2008)
Both parts of Steven Soderbergh's ambitious, epic screen biography of iconic Marxist revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro) are presented, as "Che: Part One" finds Che at the side of Fidel Castro (Demian Bichir) as he brings about the 1959 downfall of the Batista dictatorship. "Che: Part Two" follows Guevara as he turns his attention away from Cuba and towards Bolivia, where he spearheads a new campaign that ends in failure and tragedy. Carlos Bardem, Joaquim de Almeida also star.
Blood Creek (2009)
Director Joel Schumacher ("The Lost Boys") helms this bone-chilling tale set in and around a West Virginia farm, where brothers Henry Cavill and Dominic Purcell go up against a monstrous killer (Michael Fassbender) carrying the hate-filled legacy of the Third Reich forward with a plan to enslave the world. Facing a madman with supernatural powers at his command, the siblings arm themselves for a bloody battle. With Emma Booth, Tony Barger. AKA: "Town Creek."
According To Greta (2009)
Will 17-year-old Greta (Hilary Duff) really take her own life when she turns 18? That's the promise she's made to her grandparents (Ellen Burstyn, Michael Murphy) after being dispatched to live with them at their New Jersey shore home. Will Greta's spontaneous romance with an African-American cook (Evan Ross) provide the lifeline the troubled teen needs to embrace life once again? Challenging drama co-stars Melissa Leo, Oren Skoog. AKA: "Greta."
Across The Hall (2009)
Suspicious of his fiancee (Brittany Murphy), a young man (Danny Pino) secretly trails her and finds her engaged in a hotel rendezvous with another man. He places a telephone call to his best friend and desperately lays out his desire to commit murder, fueled by alcohol and packing a stolen gun. Suspenseful noir thriller co-stars Mike Vogel, Brad Greenquist.
God Send Me A Man (2009)
Emmbre Perry (Tyler's younger brother) produced and co-directed this faith-based urban drama about Stacy--a promiscuous twentysomething who has bad luck with men. After re-evaluating her life with hopes of meeting Mr. Right, she begins going to church. With God's help, can Stacy overcome her various problems and find a stable and committed relationship? Robin Givens, Clifton Powell, Nicci Gilbert star.
Death In Love (2008)
Plagued by guilt over the sexual transgressions she undertook to survive during the Holocaust while others around her died, an aging Jewish mother (Jacqueline Bisset) takes out her neurotic aggressions on her two sons (Josh Lucas, Lukas Haas), who have reached adulthood with psychological baggage of their own. Set in 1990s New York, the film follows the stories of the sons as they cope with their dysfunctional erotic relationships. With Adam Brody, Fabrizia Dal Farra.
My Fuhrer (2007)
Hitler (Helge Schneider)...funny? If you've seen "The Great Dictator" or "The Producers," you know the leader of the Third Reich is always ripe for lampooning--and the mustached madman is heartily lampooned in this German comedy about his downfall. As the war nears its end and the German nation is demoralized, Goebbels (Sylvester Groth) recruits an acting teacher--who's Jewish!--to coach Hitler through a new speech. With Ulrich Muhe, Stefan Kurt.
No Impact Man (2009)
How easy would it be for you to live your life without leaving your "footprints" on the environment? No driving? No television? No...toilet paper?!? That became the goal for author Colin Beavan and his family, as the New York clan embarked upon the yearlong experiment chronicled by this fascinating documentary. (Read an inteview with filmmakers Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein about the making of the documentary.)
Whisper & Shout (Flustern & Schreien) (1988)
Harnessing the power of music, East German youngsters disapproving of their nation's politics channeled their protestations into vibrant punk and glam tunes. This documentary offers a powerful glimpse of the era before reunification with appearances by Andre + Die Firma, Chicoree, Die Zollner, This Pop Generation, and others.
Streamers (1983)
David Rabe's electrifying play, dynamically transferred to the screen by Robert Altman, centers on a group of army recruits awaiting assignment in a deserted barracks at the outbreak of the Vietnam War. Matthew Modine, Michael Wright, George Dzundza, and David Alan Grier star.
Kingdom Of The Spiders (Special Edition) (1977)
Thousands of tarantulas, their food sources eradicated by pesticides, descend upon a small Arizona town for revenge and to feast on the locals. Veterinarian William Shatner and entomologist Tiffany Bolling join forces to crush the army of angry arachnids in this creepy chiller. With Woody Strode, David McLean.
Chantal Akerman In The Seventies
Five works by Belgian director Chantal Akerman are showcased in this program that highlights the films that launched her acclaimed, boundary-shattering career in experimental film. The silent short "La Chambre" (1972), in which Akerman herself appears, dramatizes how apartment clutter is transformed into a compelling still life exercise; New York's "Hotel Monterey" (1972) is profiled in mesmerizing silent tableaux; Akerman's mother provides "News From Home" (1976) in letters read while images of 1970s New York grace the screen; Akerman's debut feature film "Je Tu Il Elle" (1974) tells the story of a lonely woman (Akerman) who seeks sexual fulfillment on the road; and the feature "Les Rendez-Vous D'Anna" (1978) follows an acclaimed director (Aurore Clement) on a surreal European tour to promote her new film.
Defying Gravity: The Complete First Season (2009)
"Star Trek" meets "The Real World" in this offbeat sci-fi drama series. On board the spaceship Antares, a multi-national eight-person crew--four men and four women--embarks on a six-year trip through our solar system, every aspect of their lives recorded and transmitted back to Earth. Ron Livingston, Eyal Podell, Christina Cox, Malik Yoba, Paul Garces star. All 13 episodes from the debut season are featured in a three-disc set.
Durham County: Season One (2007)
Originally airing on ION Television, this Canadian drama series follows police detective Mike Sweeney (Hugh Dillon) as he moves his family back to his hometown of Durham County after his partner is killed and his wife is diagnosed with breast cancer. While dealing with these life changes, he must also contend with crime in his community. Hele Joy, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt co-star. All six episodes from the first season are featured in a two-disc set.
For details and availability of more of this week’s new releases, click here
