DVD Releases November 11, 2008

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (3 Disc Special Edition)Hellboy II: The Golden Army (3 Disc Special Edition)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
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The feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (3 Disc Special Edition)


Scrubs: The Complete Seventh Season
From Touchstone / Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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With its deft combination of humor and heart, this single-camera sitcom is a both a critical and cult favorite. Scrubs stars Zach Braff as J.D., an eager doctor at Sacred Heart Hospital. With J.D. as its narrator, the show frequently dips into surrealism as it shows his strange thoughts and daydreams. The rest of the characters on Scrubs are equally eccentric: best friend Turk (Donald Faison), bossy nurse Carla (Judy Reyes), J.D.'s reluctant mentor Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), the anxiety-ridden ex-girlfriend Elliot (Sarah Chalke), and J.D.'s arch nemesis, known simply as 'Janitor' (Neil Flynn). This set contains all episodes from season seven of this popular series.
Scrubs: The Complete Seventh Season

Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
From HBO
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An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows a company of airborne infantry--Easy Company--from boot camp through the end of the war. The brutality of training takes the audience by increments to the even greater brutality of the war; Easy Company took part in some of the most difficult battles, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the failed invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the liberation of a concentration camp and the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. But what makes these episodes work is not their historical sweep but their emphasis on riveting details (such as the rattle of a plane as the paratroopers wait to leap, or a flower in the buttonhole of a German soldier) and procedures (from military tactics to the workings of bureaucratic hierarchies). The scope of this miniseries (10 episodes, plus an actual documentary filled with interviews with surviving veterans) allows not only a thoroughness impossible in a two-hour movie, but also captures the wide range of responses to the stress and trauma of war--fear, cynicism, cruelty, compassion, and all-encompassing confusion. The result is a realism that makes both simplistic judgments and jingoistic enthusiasm impossible; the things these soldiers had to do are both terrible and understandable, and the psychological price they paid is made clear. The writing, directing, and acting are superb throughout. The cast is largely unknown, emphasizing the team of actors as a whole unit, much like the regiment; Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston play the central roles of two officers with grit and intelligence. Band of Brothers turns a vast historical event into a series of potent personal experiences; it's a deeply engrossing and affecting accomplishment. --Bret Fetzer
Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]


Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney MarshDr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh
From Walt Disney Video
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Originally airing in three parts on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," this thrilling adventure stars Patrick McGoohan as Dr. Syn, a kindly country vicar in 18th-century England. Only a few know that Syn is also the masked Scarecrow, notorious leader of a band of smugglers, who defends the villagers from unjust taxes and oppression by King George III's men. George Cole, Michael Hordern, Sean Scully also star. Includes all three episodes, along with the British theatrical version; 129 min./98 min. AKA: "Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow," "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh." Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital mono.
Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh


Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Vol. 4 - 1951-1961 (Collector's Tin)Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Vol. 4 - 1951-1961 (Collector's Tin)
From Walt Disney Video
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In this final volume, our chronicle of Donald's solo-starring shorts wraps up with some of his rarely seen, feather ruffling adventures from 1951 through 1961. And, for the first time on DVD, Donald's CinemaScope cartoons are presented in their original widescreen format. This collection of classics includes two of Donald's Academy Awardr nominated Best Shorts -- "Rugged Bear" (1953) and "No Hunting" (1955); a retrospective of Donald's career in comic books; and a storyboard presentation for an unproduced Donald Duck cartoon pitched by famed Disney animator Eric Goldberg. From bit player to superstar, Donald gave voice to the frustrations of everyone and in the process endeared himself to the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.
Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Vol. 4 - 1951-1961 (Collector's Tin)


Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2 Disc Special Edition)Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2 Disc Special Edition)
Directed by Dave Filoni
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars is the 2008 CGI-animated theatrical film that serves as the kick-off to the weekly animated Clone Wars TV series. The concept came about way back in 1977's original Star Wars film, when Leia says in her message to Obi-Wan Kenobi "Years ago, you served my father in the Clone Wars." Initially a simple offhand reference that would reveal Luke's past, the phrase captured fans' attentions for years, until Episode II: Attack of the Clones revealed just how the Clone Wars figured into the battle between Republic and Empire. The 2008 movie is full of familiar characters--Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Count Dooku--and a new one: Ahsoka Tano, a young girl who has been made Anakin's Padawan. Together, the two headstrong youths embark on a mission to rescue Jabba the Hutt's kidnapped child, battling each other as much as they battle the Separatist forces. There are some kind-of-cool sequences, including duels with Dooku and his assassin, Asajj Ventress, and it's interesting to see some new corners of the Star Wars universe, such as the seamy underbelly of Coruscant. But Ahsoka and her penchant for nicknames that are too cute to stomach seem aimed only at tween-age audiences, and for all that goes on in the movie, nothing really happens in the end. The 2003 animated Clone Wars microseries, which had the advantage of being directly tied into the live-action film series, had much more emotional bite.

At least some familiar voices return: Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO, and still the only actor in every movie), Christopher Lee (Dooku). Other voices include Matt Lanter (Anakin), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka), and James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan). But even the traditional opening crawl has been replaced by a narration more suited for Starship Troopers. Veteran Star Wars fans will probably want to see The Clone Wars--once--but it won't take them long to discover that this Star Wars isn't their Star Wars any more. --David Horiuchi
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2 Disc Special Edition)


Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Widescreen)Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Widescreen)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
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The feverish Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a very busy sequel that might have looked unhinged in the hands of a less visionary director than Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, aka "Red," the Dark Horse Comics demon-hero with roots in the mythical world but personal ties in the human realm. Still working, as he was in Hellboy, for a secret department of the federal government that deals (as in "Men In Black") with forces of the fantastic, Red and his colleagues take on a royal elf (Luke Goss) determined to smash a longtime truce between mankind and the forces of magic. Meanwhile, Red's relationship with girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), who can burst into flames at will, is going through a rocky stage observed by Red's fishy friend Abe (Doug Jones), himself struck by love in this film. Del Toro brilliantly integrates the ordinary and extraordinary, diving into an extended scene set in a troll market barely hidden behind the façade of typical city streets. He also unleashes a forest monster that devastates an urban neighborhood, but then--interestingly--brings a luminous beauty to the same area as the creature (an "elemental") succumbs to a terrible death. Del Toro's art direction proves masterful, too, in a climactic battle set in a clockworks-like stronghold tucked away in rugged Irish landscape. But it's really the juxtaposition of visual marvels with not-so-unusual relationship issues that gives Hellboy II a certain jaunty appeal hard to find in other superhero movies. --Tom Keogh
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Widescreen)



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