Tuesday, May 29, 2007

DVD Releases: The Sound of Crickets Chirping

It's quiet out there in DVD land. Maybe the holiday weekend had something to do with it? There's almost nothing new to choose from. But at least you can catch up with your Katharine Hepburn. 2007 marks her centennial so there's this new box set on offer with six of her movies. I'm not much of a fan (I know...) but I'm guessing that the jewel in this collection is Morning Glory (1933) since it marked her first of four acting Oscar wins. A record that's still unbroken and likely to remain so --though one can see Jack Nicholson tying that accomplishment before he's gone.

If you don't like old movies you deserve the other offerings this week...

[gasp!] Gaspard wants to eat your liver

Hannibal Rising the backstory of Hannibal Lecter. Turns out Hollywood's favorite cannibal used to be French hottie Gaspard Ulliel before he became Sir Anthony Hopkins. I know why Hollywood likes prequels (easy branding. easy money... at least in theory) but I'm sick to death of all mysteries being explained. I'm really starting to hate origin stories and I've always hated the personality forming event flashback (I'm talking to you Ray and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...) as if any person can or should be explained through one single moment. Why do we always need to know why? I prefer to wonder.
The Hawk is Dying Paul Giamatti and Michelle Williams (kind of a mopey pair, no?) costar in this indie drama about a sadsack rehabilitating a wild hawk.

That's basically it. I don't cover TV on DVD releases (they're endless) but --true story-- as I was researching this list I saw that The Closer was arriving (4th season). I confused it for a split second with Closer. Hee. Imagine Kyra Sedgwick duking it out with Jude & Clive & Julia & Natalie. Poor girl wouldn't last one round in that mix. OK, maybe she'd KO Julia. She did steal the whole show from her that one time.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm really starting to hate origin stories and I've always hated the personality forming event flashback (I'm talking to you Ray and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...) as if any person can or should be explained through one single moment. Why do we always need to know why? I prefer to wonder.

I feel you. Like, times ten.

Beau said...

Gaspard + Elias in Gus Van Sant's entry to 'Paris Je T'aime' = magnifique. One of my favorites of that entire film.

...and have you seen 'Bug' or 'Waitress' yet? I'm curious to see your reaction to either. And 'Pirates' even more so, seeing as how it... yeah.

J.D. said...

I'm tired of defending At World's End as the brilliant epic it is, so I won't.

And GOD is it a boring DVD day. Somehow I saw Hannibal Rising in theatres. ???????

Glenn Dunks said...

I love how Hannibal used to be French. Like, isn't that oddball casting 101?!

And let's not insult Kyra and The Closer. She only gives the best female perf on TV atm (well, now that Kristen Bell is off air). She could probably serve Natalie Portman up for a light snack.

Matt said...

A widely unseen classic to appear later this year in DVD: "Killer of Sheep." (www.milestonefilms.com)

Damselfly said...

Hey Kamikaze...let's not pick on Natalie. IMO, not only is she a decent actor, she's a decent person who has kept out of the media spotlight and kept on an educated personal path....

If Kyra would snap anyone in half...let it be Mr Jude "i-only-date-skinny-blond-chicks" Law

Dog Ear said...

Speaking of Natalie Portman, FREE ZONE comes out this week. I haven't seen it yet, but I liked the one feature and one short that I've seen from him.

Also, there's an interesting looking doc called 10MPH that I'll be getting about someone traveling across the country on a Segway. OK, fine, I like quirky shit, so sue me.

Dog Ear said...

oh, and I'm a sucker for old kung-fu as well:

http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/51R0-6h7GFL._SS500_.jpg

Anonymous said...

I weirdly bought into everything "At World's End" was selling, too. I just thought it was so much fun. I liked the first one, thought the second one dragged but was interesting enough... the third just entertained me so completely. A great popcorn flick, at the very least (and that's no small achievement). I imagine it'll take another viewing to see how well it holds up.

Seriously, though. That scene on the sandbar? Awesome.

Anonymous said...

oh and i also love kyra in the closer.

Anonymous said...

It's not the fourth season of "The Closer" that's coming out. It's the second one. The third season premieres on TNT in June.

Anonymous said...

The Closer is one the best shows out there.

I can't say I saw Hannibal Rising, as awesome as it looked.......

Glenn Dunks said...

Oh, don't get me wrong, I love me some Natalie Portman, but Kyra in The Closer is FEISTY!

She probably could give Jude a good smacking around, too.