DVDpedia : Library : Title : D

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 103

Summary: Darker than its popular comic-book predecessor "Spider-Man", the $80 million extravaganza "Daredevil" was packaged for maximum global appeal, its juvenile plot beginning when 12-year-old Matt Murdock is accidentally blinded shortly before his father is murdered. Later an adult attorney in New York's Hell's Kitchen, Murdock (Ben Affleck) uses his remaining, superenhanced senses to battle crime as Daredevil, the masked and vengeful "man without fear," pitted against dominant criminal Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan) and the psychotic Bullseye (Colin Farrell), who can turn almost anything into a deadly projectile. Daredevil is well matched with the dynamic Elektra (Jennifer Garner), but their teaming is as shallow as the movie itself, which is peppered with Marvel trivia and cameo appearances (creator Stan Lee, "Clerks" director and "Daredevil" devotee Kevin Smith) and enough computer-assisted stuntwork to give Spidey a run for his money. This is Hollywood product at its most lavishly vacuous; die-hard fans will argue its merits while its red-leathered hero swoops and zooms toward a sequel. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 100

Summary: If you're a fan of brooding comic-book antiheroes, got a nihilistic jolt from "The Crow" (1994), and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to call "Dark City" an instant classic of visual imagination. It's one of those films that exists in a world purely of its own making, setting its own rules and playing by them fairly, so that even its derivative elements (and there are quite a few) acquire their own specific uniqueness. Before long, however, the film becomes interesting only as a triumph of production design. And while that's certainly enough to grab your attention ("Blade Runner" is considered a classic, after all), it's painfully clear that "Dark City" has precious little heart and soul. One-dimensional characters are no match for the film's abundance of retro-futuristic style, so it's best to admire the latter on its own splendidly cinematic terms. Trivia buffs will be interested to know that the film's 50-plus sets (partially inspired by German expressionism) were built at the Fox Film Studios in Sydney, Australia, home base of director Alex Proyas and producer Andrew Mason. The underground world depicted in the film required the largest indoor set ever built in Australia. Befitting a film of such ambition, the DVD includes a feast of bonus features, including audio commentaries by the director, producer, writers, and cinematographer, and also by film critic Roger Ebert, who named "Dark City" one of the best films of 1998. Also included is an isolated music track, an interactive game, and a photo gallery of production stills and set design sketches. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: New Line Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 111

Summary: If you're a fan of brooding comic-book antiheroes, got a nihilistic jolt from "The Crow" (1994), and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to call "Dark City" an instant classic of visual imagination. It's one of those films that exists in a world purely of its own making, setting its own rules and playing by them fairly, so that even its derivative elements (and there are quite a few) acquire their own specific uniqueness. Before long, however, the film becomes interesting only as a triumph of production design. And while that's certainly enough to grab your attention ("Blade Runner" is considered a classic, after all), it's painfully clear that "Dark City" has precious little heart and soul. One-dimensional characters are no match for the film's abundance of retro-futuristic style, so it's best to admire the latter on its own splendidly cinematic terms. Trivia buffs will be interested to know that the film's 50-plus sets (partially inspired by German expressionism) were built at the Fox Film Studios in Sydney, Australia, home base of director Alex Proyas and producer Andrew Mason. The underground world depicted in the film required the largest indoor set ever built in Australia. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Duration: 93

Summary: Jim Henson's fantasy epic "The Dark Crystal" doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like "Star Wars" it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 152

Summary: "The Dark Knight" arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralyzed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director-cowriter Christopher Nolan ("Memento") follows his critically acclaimed "Batman Begins" with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like "Spider-Man 2" and "Iron Man" because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--"The Dark Knight" is a film for the ages. "--David Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1951

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Classics

Duration: 92

Summary: A hallmark of the science fiction genre as well as a wry commentary on the political climate of the 1950s, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a sci-fi movie less concerned with special effects than with a social parable. A spacecraft lands in Washington, D.C., carrying a humanoid messenger from another world (Michael Rennie) imparting a warning to the people of Earth to cease their violent behavior. But panic ensues as the messenger lands and is shot by a nervous soldier. His large robot companion destroys the Capitol as the messenger escapes the confines of the hospital. He moves in with a family as a boarder and blends into society to observe the full range of the human experience. Director Robert Wise ("West Side Story") not only provides one of the most recognizable icons of the science fiction world in his depiction of the massive robot loyal to his master, but he avoids the obvious camp elements of the story to create a quiet and observant story highlighting both the good and the bad in human nature. "--Robert Lane"

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone

Genre: Drama

Duration: 128

Summary: Robin Williams stars as an English teacher who doesn't fit into the conservative prep school where he teaches, but whose charisma and love of poetry inspires several boys to revive a secret society with a bohemian bent. The script is well meaning but a little trite, though director Peter Weir ("The Truman Show") adds layers of emotional depth in scenes of conflict between the kids and adults. (A subplot involving one father's terrible pressure on his son--played by Robert Sean Leonard--to drop his interest in theater reaches heartbreaking proportions.) Williams is given plenty of latitude to work in his brand of improvisational humor, though it is all well-woven into his character's style of instruction. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 109

Summary: Guaranteed to please anyone who thinks Barney is Satan's spawn, "Death to Smoochy" mines comedy gold by skewering children's television. Adam Resnick's easy-target satire blossoms under the demented influence of director-costar Danny DeVito, who honors his legacy of venom-laced humor with the raucous rivalry of scandalized former kid-show host Rainbow Randolph (Robin Williams) and his squeaky-clean replacement, Sheldon Mopes, a.k.a. Smoochy the Rhino (Edward Norton). Randolph is insanely obsessed with getting his job back, but Smoochy's a smash, and their war for kid-vid supremacy places a jaded "KidNet" producer (Catherine Keener) in the middle of a Rainbow/Rhino smackdown. A few lulls are easily forgiven since much of "Death to Smoochy" is laugh-out-loud hilarious, with DeVito, Robert Prosky, Jon Stewart, and Harvey Fierstein in choice supporting roles. It's no wonder DeVito's taboo-busting drew fire from family groups and actual kid-show producers; only the humorless would fail to laugh at "Smoochy"'s uncompromised irreverence. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 152

Summary: Rookie cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) grew up in crime. That makes him the perfect mole, the man on the inside of the mob run by boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). It's his job to win Costello's trust and help his detective handlers (Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen) bring Costello down. Meanwhile, SIU officer Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) has everyone's trust. No one suspects he's Costello's mole. How these covert lives cross, double-cross and collide is at the ferocious core of the widely acclaimed The Departed. Martin Scorsese directs, guiding a cast for the ages in a visceral tale of crime and consequences. This is searing, can't-look-away filmmaking: like staring into the eyes of a con - or a cop - with a gun.

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Drama

Duration: 144

Summary: Too old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in "The Witches of Eastwick"; Robert De Niro did it in "Angel Heart" (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In "The Devil's Advocate" Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of the story as a twist on John Grisham's "The Firm", with the corporate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, gleefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford ("Against All Odds", "Dolores Claiborne"), who provides alternate-track commentary for the movie itself, plus a dozen deleted scenes. Also note: due to a settlement with artist Frederick Hart over the movie's use of a sculpture resembling his "Ex Nihilo" in Washington's National Cathedral, future releases of the film will be altered. "--Jim Emerson"

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Animation

Duration: 30

Summary: After being fired from UPN's primetime line-up, this animated series based on Scott Adams's nationally syndicated comic strip has received a well-deserved promotion to DVD. Dilbert, the bespectacled potato-shaped engineer with the upwardly mobile tie, is the poster boy for the corporately disenfranchised. Though Adams's cynical, cubicle eye-view of corporate culture was somewhat co-opted by "The Drew Carey Show", animation gives the series a surreal flourish not possible in a live-action series. In the first episode, for example, we can see the devastation wreaked by an "all-natural" anthrax lozenge, and an interoffice riot sparked by budget cuts. Co-executive producer Larry Charles, whose resume includes "Seinfeld" and "Mad About You", wisely preserved Adams's Kafka-esque comic vision. Dilbert may "just want to make the world a better place," but that is difficult in a workplace where the Pointy-Haired Boss insists his employees first come up with a name for an as-yet-undeveloped product, employees literally give their souls to the company, and an evil cat reigns as an evil director of human resources loathe to help employees. As the old saying goes, it's funny because it's true. The voice cast are excellent hires, with Daniel Stern as Dilbert, Larry Miller as the clueless Boss, Kathy Griffin as sardonic co-worker Alice, and Chris Elliot as Dogbert. You don't have to have a refrigerator, cubicle wall, or computer festooned with yellowed "Dilbert" strips to appreciate the series. It will strike a beleaguered chord in fans of "Office Space" and "The Office", or anyone toiling for a company that loves misery. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Genre: Television

Summary: Created before the days of computer animation, "Dinosaurs" is an early 1990s television comedy series featuring impressive anthropomorphic, animatronic creatures created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The story lines challenge some of society's most basic assumptions and explore some of the most universally troublesome aspects of "civilized" life. Set in six million three BC, the Sinclairs are your "typical" blue-collar dinosaur family attempting to adjust to the relatively new concept of communal living. The adjustments of moving from a nomadic lifestyle to one of domestication and social interaction are many, and challenging issues like the concepts of right and wrong, faith, and the intricacies of family relationships are forever besieging this every-man's family. Naturally, the Sinclair family approach is to address each obstacle with an abundance of slapstick comedy. The "Dinosaurs" episodes regularly function on dual levels: the puppetry and silly antics like Baby Sinclair's penchant for hitting her father over the head with a pan while hollering "Not the Mama" appeal to even the youngest children, but the often pointed social commentary and sometimes mature themes are squarely aimed at an adult audience. As a result, parental discretion and guidance are key in determining whether this series is appropriate for children under 9 or 10 years old. "--Tami Horiuchi"

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Genre: Television

Duration: 835

Summary: They're huge. They're pre-hysterical. The Sinclairs are back in their final two seasons of Earth-shaking fun as they face the challenges of everyday life in sixty million and three BC. Baby turns two - and into a total terror. Daddy Earl confronts his "diaperphobia." Charlene's theory that the world is round lands her in scholastic hot water. Robbie deals with overwhelming pubescent urges, and in the final controversial episode, the family's jumpin' Jurassic lifestyle gets the big chill. The brainosauraus of Jim Henson, the award-winning comedy series brings state-of-the-art puppetry and audioanimatronics to the screen -- and a whole new meaning to the words "family fun." Add Seasons 3 and 4 to your collection of evolutionary entertainment - and get ready to rock your funny bones.

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 130

Summary: Kevin Smith is a conundrum of a filmmaker: he's a writer with brilliant, clever ideas who can't set up a simple shot to save his life. It was fine back when Smith was making low-budget films like "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy", both of which had an amiable, grungy feel to them, but now that he's a rising director who's attracting top talent and tackling bigger themes, it might behoove him to polish his filmmaking. That's the main problem with "Dogma"--it's an ambitious, funny, aggressively intelligent film about modern-day religion, but while Smith's writing has matured significantly (anyone who thinks he's not topnotch should take a look at "Chasing Amy"), his direction hasn't. It's too bad, because "Dogma" is ripe for near-classic status in its theological satire, which is hardly as blasphemous as the protests that greeted the movie would lead you to believe.
Two banished angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) have discovered a loophole that would allow them back into heaven; problem is, they'd destroy civilization in the process by proving God fallible. It's up to Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), a lapsed Catholic who works in an abortion clinic, to save the day, with some help from two so-called prophets (Smith and Jason Mewes, as their perennial characters Jay and Silent Bob), the heretofore unknown 13th apostle (Chris Rock), and a sexy, heavenly muse (the sublime Salma Hayek, who almost single-handedly steals the film). In some ways "Dogma" is a shaggy dog of a road movie--which hits a comic peak when Affleck and Fiorentino banter drunkenly on a train to New Jersey, not realizing they're mortal enemies--and segues into a comedy-action flick as the vengeful angels (who have a taste for blood) try to make their way into heaven. Smith's cast is exceptional--with Fiorentino lending a sardonic gravity to the proceedings, and Jason Lee smirking evilly as the horned devil Azrael--and the film shuffles good-naturedly to its climax (featuring Alanis Morissette as a beatifically silent God), but it just looks so unrelentingly... "subpar". Credit Smith with being a daring writer but a less-than-stellar director. "--Mark Englehart"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 118

Summary: This unclassifiable but stunningly original film obliterates the walls between teen comedy, science fiction, family drama, horror, and cultural satire--and remains wildly entertaining throughout. Jake Gyllenhaal ("October Sky") stars as Donnie, a borderline-schizophrenic adolescent for whom there is no difference between the signs and wonders of reality (a plane crash that decimates his house) and hallucination (a man-sized, reptilian rabbit who talks to him). Obsessed with the science of time travel and acutely aware of the world around him, Donnie is isolated by his powers of analysis and the apocalyptic visions that no one else seems to share. The debut feature of writer-director Richard Kelly, "Donnie Darko" is a shattering, hypnotic work that sets its own terms and gambles--rightfully so, as it turns out--that a viewer will stay aboard for the full ride. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 118

Summary: This unclassifiable but stunningly original film obliterates the walls between teen comedy, science fiction, family drama, horror, and cultural satire--and remains wildly entertaining throughout. Jake Gyllenhaal ("October Sky") stars as Donnie, a borderline-schizophrenic adolescent for whom there is no difference between the signs and wonders of reality (a plane crash that decimates his house) and hallucination (a man-sized, reptilian rabbit who talks to him). Obsessed with the science of time travel and acutely aware of the world around him, Donnie is isolated by his powers of analysis and the apocalyptic visions that no one else seems to share. The debut feature of writer-director Richard Kelly, "Donnie Darko" is a shattering, hypnotic work that sets its own terms and gambles--rightfully so, as it turns out--that a viewer will stay aboard for the full ride. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical:

Studio: Mutant Enemy, INC.

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 43

Summary: Conceived as an "online miniseries event" during the 2008 writers' strike, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a 42-minute musical romp that bears the distinctive stamp of Joss Whedon. Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) plays the title character, who video-blogs about his twin goals to join the Evil League of Evil and to woo the fair Penny (Felicia Day, of Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Web series The Guild), a woman he met at the local laundromat. Dr. Horrible is foiled on both fronts, however, by his arch-nemesis, the self-absorbed superhero Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion, Whedon's Firefly).
Dr. Horrible was written by Whedon, his brothers Zack and Jed, and Jed's fiancee Maurissa Tancharoen, and the songs were written by Joss and Jed (who also produced, orchestrated, played, etc.) with some lyrics by Tancharoen. (Jed and Tancharoen have backup singing roles.) The offbeat, off-the-cuff humor is laugh-out-loud funny, and just like Dr. Horrible wants to take over the world, the songs will take over your head: they're engaging ("My Freeze Ray'), stirring ("My Eyes"), and sweet ("Penny's Song'). "So They Say" is particularly evocative of Jonathan Larson's Rent, but as with Joss Whedon's musical episode of Buffy, "Once More with Feeling," the influences are diverse. It's hard to imagine a better cast. Harris, who's sung Sondheim on Broadway, is a great lead and clearly the best singer, Day is completely charming, and who better than Captain Tightpants to play the pompous superhero? One could argue about the ending, and the independent budget shows, but Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a complete hoot for people who enjoy musicals with quirky humor. Plan on watching it multiple times. --David Horiuchi
On the DVD
If you've already watched or downloaded Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, a number of bonus features might entice you. There are two commentary tracks: Harris, the three Whedons, Tancharoen, Day, and Fillion recorded a spirited track discussing the movie, and there's also "Commentary! The Musical" in which they ignore the movie and sing about the writers' strike and each other (e.g., Fillion sings "I'm Better than Neil")--the songs aren't as good as the Horrible songs, but it's good silly fun. A 20-minute making-of discusses the cast, the recording sessions, and how the movie became a phenomenon, and 10 videos (a half-hour total) were recorded by fans who want to join the Evil League of Evil. And when's the last time you wanted to pause the FBI warning? --David Horiuchi

Theatrical: 1964

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 95

Summary: Arguably the greatest black comedy ever made, Stanley Kubrick's cold-war classic is the ultimate satire of the nuclear age. "Dr. Strangelove" is a perfect spoof of political and military insanity, beginning when General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), a maniacal warrior obsessed with "the purity of precious bodily fluids," mounts his singular campaign against Communism by ordering a squadron of B-52 bombers to attack the Soviet Union. The Soviets counter the threat with a so- called "Doomsday Device," and the world hangs in the balance while the U.S. president (Peter Sellers) engages in hilarious hot-line negotiations with his Soviet counterpart. Sellers also plays a British military attaché and the mad bomb-maker Dr. Strangelove; George C. Scott is outrageously frantic as General Buck Turgidson, whose presidential advice consists mainly of panic and statistics about "acceptable losses." With dialogue ("You can't fight here! This is the war room!") and images (Slim Pickens's character riding the bomb to oblivion) that have become a part of our cultural vocabulary, Kubrick's film regularly appears on critics' lists of the all-time best. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Television

Summary: If animated characters were forced to live together, would they remain their upstanding and lovable selves, or would their "real" personalities peek out from under the artwork? That's the question posited by "Drawn Together", a no-holds-barred satire on reality series that trods gleefully on restraint and good taste in its quest for laughs. Co-created and produced by Dave Jesser and Matt Silverstein of "The Man Show", "Drawn Together" chronicles the misadventures of eight cartoon characters (each thinly veiled takes on famous personas like Superman, SpongeBob Squarepants, and so on) who reside together in a "Big Brother"-style house while hidden cameras capture their every move. As the first season unfolds, the roommates prove to be on their worst behavior, indulging in illegal substances (i.e., "Pokémon"-style housemate Ling-Ling's fur in "The Other Cousin"), racism (spoiled princess Clara mistakes hot-pantsed black detective Foxxy for a servant in "Hot Tub"), and all manner of sexual shenanigans (a pregnancy scare forces Clara to reveal a monstrous physical problem in "Clara's Dirty Little Secret"). Obviously, the humor in "Drawn Together" is strictly for grown-ups) and though it's occasionally vulgar for vulgar's sake, the show is frequently funny and well-performed by its voice talent. The two-disc set features all seven of the first-season episodes that were aired (one episode, "Terms of Endearment," which lampooned actor Christopher Reeve's physical impairment, was pulled after his death, and is slated for the second season), as well as commentary from the vocal cast with Jesser and Silverstein, a selection of deleted and expanded scenes, and most amusingly of all, a karaoke sing-along for the show's raunchy songs. "--Paul Gaita"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Comedy Central

Genre: Television

Duration: 308

Summary: As the saying (sorta) goes, all gross things must come to an end, and fans of the animated series "Drawn Together" must bid their highly inappropriate friends goodbye with this third season set. But if there's any small comfort to be had from this bad news, it's that this last batch of episodes is as berserk--if not more so--than any from the previous two seasons. Opener "Freaks and Greeks" finds the hapless Captain Hero mistaking a new family from Greece as a marauding fraternity, while "Spelling Applebee's" reveals unpleasant secrets of both Foxxy and Princess Clara. New characters abound as well: We meet Hero's monstrous son in "Unrestrainable Trainable," and Foxxy's grandson Ray-Ray in "N.R.A. y Ray," and "Animal House" star Otis Day turns up to pull a Bill Cosby in "Toot Goes Bollywood." And to bring the whole thing full circle, we discover just what traumatic childhood events caused the "Drawn Together" cast to behave as they do in "Drawn Together Babies" before the gang reflects on the havoc they've wreaked over the previous three seasons--in musical form, no less--in the series finale, ""American Idol" Parody Clip Show." It goes without saying that the humor in Season 3 is broad and fairly sick and not for all audiences, but those who can roll with the endless riffs on bodily functions and aberrant psychology (which are uncensored in this set) will also find a share of laughs. The two-disc set includes extended versions of all 14 episodes, as well as commentary by creators Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein and the cast, and in the set's most amusing touch, a karaoke option for the show's frequent musical numbers which allows viewers to upset friends and neighbors by singing along at home. " -- Paul Gaita"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Comedy Central

Genre: Television

Duration: 330

Summary: For those who hoped that the outrageous animated series "Drawn Together" would display a little maturity in its second season: Forget it. The Season Two DVD shows that the program's gaggle of highly dysfunctional superheroes are even more crude, rude, and questionably sane than before--and all fifteen episodes on the double-disc set are extended and uncensored to boot, so fans will get an eyeful of all the raunchy action they couldn't see during the original broadcast. The proceedings get off on the right (wrong?) foot with the second half of the cliffhanger that ended the first season; "The One Wherein There is a Big Twist, Part II" finds the heroes dealing with a new housemate with a horrible secret, as well as the ascension of Toot to living goddess on a deserted island. Other escapades include dealings with the angry ghosts of an Indian tribe who build a casino in the heroes' backyard ("Ghostesses in the Slot Machine"); the departure of Spanky Ham (voiced by Adam Carolla) after his bathroom humor earns "Drawn Together" an "F" from "Entertainment Weekly" ("Xandir and Tim, Sitting in a Tree," which also features a cameo by Jimmy Kimmel as Spanky's wife); and the season finale, in which the heroes help sexually ambiguous Xandir figure out his true persuasion ("A Very Special Drawn Together Afterschool Special"). Sure, the humor is strictly lowbrow, but the ceaseless barrage of pop-culture references are often very clever, and one can't deny that it requires a certain amount of drive and discipline to remain this offensive for two consecutive seasons. The Season 2 DVD set includes commentary by creators Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein (along with members of the cast and crew) on four episodes, as well as a very amusing "Potentially Annoying Commentary on Commentary," where the commentary for "Terms of Endearment" is heckled by those that provided it; interviews with the cast and production team, as well as sing-along versions of many of the show's pop music parodies, round out the set. "-- Paul Gaita"

Theatrical:

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Drama

Duration: 530

Summary: "The Dresden Files" is about a wizard named Harry. "Good marketing," a cynical observer notes in one episode from the Sci-Fi Channel's one-season wonder based on the books by Jim Butcher. "Couldn't you come up with something a little more original?" Actually, this series manages to be plenty original despite echoes of "The X-Files" and the 1970s cult classic "The Night Stalker". Paul Blackthorne stars as Harry Dresden, a scruffy Chicago private eye whose gift comes in handy for children menaced by skinwalkers, or for offering Lt. Murphy (Valerie Cruz) of the Chicago police "an unconventional point of view" concerning grisly, bizarre cases involving werewolves, vampires, and other decidedly unfriendly spirits. "The Dresden Files" is a paranormal noir (para-noir?) that deftly balances genuine scares, hard-boiled moxie, and tongue-in-cheek humor, delivered with panache by "Bob" (Terrance Mann), an ancient English spirit who resides in a skull and gives.Harry supernatural assistance. Harry's backstory--magician father, wizard mother, treacherous uncle--is revealed over the course of these 12 episodes. The eighth broadcast episode, "Things That Go Bump," was reportedly intended as the series pilot, and may be the best place to start. But Harry's world-weary voice-over in the classic tradition ("If you're a wizard and you fail, people can end up dead") keeps viewers oriented. Low ratings made "The Dresden Files" disappear, making this DVD set welcome for the series' hardcore fans who mounted the ultimately unsuccessful letter-writing campaign to save "Dresden" from the "Brilliant, but Cancelled" files. But even those who are unfamiliar with Butcher's books or are not on the Sci-Fi Channel's wavelength will be charmed. "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 124

Summary: oung Vercingetorix came of age in 60 B.C., as soldiers of the Roman Empire ran roughshod over Gaul and his father was captured and executed by Romans. A wise and philosophical druid, Guttuart, tells the angry Vercingetorix that he should seek justice by winning freedom for Gaul from the Romans. As an adult, Vercingetorix becomes a brave and insightful warrior, and at first joins forces with the charismatic Julius Caesar. But in time Vercingetorix is betrayed by the great leader, and soon he raises an army of his own to defeat Caesar and bring Guttuart's prophesy to life.

Christopher Lambert plays Vercingetorix, a Gallic chieftain whose initial alliance with the Romans ends after the Romans cowardly attack an old family friend and assassinate him.
What follows is a beautifully filmed epic detailing the battles of Vercingetorix as he fights to liberate Gaul from the Romans.
Despite some historical inaccuracies, there was a lot to love about this film. The beautiful costumes, scenery and epic battles show a great attention to detail and a love of the Celtic world and tradition.

Theatrical: 1978

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Foreign

Duration: 102

Summary: Though it wasn't Jackie Chan's first film, "Drunken Master" is the film that cemented his stardom. Jackie plays the rebellious son of a kung fu master. To teach Jackie the value of discipline, his father apprentices him to another master named So Hi, who has a unique "drunken" fighting style. Jackie chafes at So Hi's rigorous exercises and runs away--only to be brutally humiliated at the hands of a hired killer named Thunderleg. Chastened, Jackie becomes So Hi's devoted student. He soon discovers he will need everything he's learned when Thunderleg is hired to kill his father. In "Drunken Master", Jackie is only beginning to cultivate his mixture of action and comedy; here the emphasis is on kung fu acrobatics. But the kung fu is astounding. The final fight is dizzying and amazingly choreographed by director Yuen Woo-ping (now famous as the fight choreographer for "The Matrix"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount Home Video

Genre: Television

Duration: 480

Summary:

The eponymous character comes across as a mixture of a wise cracking, un-pc, Inspector Clouseau type, it's his side kick Cornfed who's the real brains behind this outfit, and he's obviously based on; "Dragnets" Joe Friday.

If your easily offended you may find some episodes a bit indecorous, so you've been warned.

Though personally I can't wait, as I've pre-ordered it.

My favourite character after Duckman himself was his eldest son Ajax, "most excellently" voiced by Frank Zappa's son Dweezil.

Theatrical:

Studio: Paramount

Genre: Animation

Summary: I have never been so impressed by a show, yet so disappointed for it's premature cancellation since Family Guy! And like Family Guy, this show should be reincarnated by it's audience's demand through DVD sales! I can assure you, if you're a fan of the same offensive, crass humor that is both high-brow and low-brow with it's pop culture references and witty dialogue that Family Guy offers, then you'll also be a fan of this show. Albeit this is a very quirky show, it is also very brilliant in it's writing and humor, and truly deserves a few more seasons on DVD. (There were seven in all.) Hopefully if there is enough demand for these DVD's of Duckman, then it will have it's rebirth on Adult Swim!! These 2 seasons display what many think of as the peak for this show, so if you've enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 then you will DEFINITELY enjoy these as well! And if you haven't seen any, then get these anyway.