Surrogates (available on DVD and Blu-ray January 26th, 2010)
Provided you’re a fairly willing subject for the suspension of disbelief, Surrogates works, for the most part, throughout its relatively short duration. Sadly, as soon as the lights go up (even sooner if you’re a firm advocate of reality) the flood of questions begin to pick the story and its prophetic premise apart. A future where technology has advanced so far that nearly everyone has sacrificed their humanity and physical interaction with virtual reality and the use of perfect human duplicates is certainly no dull setting. So why are people still driving around beat-up old cars? This query and many more weaken the innovation of the creation on display and a “seen-it-coming-from-a-mile-away” conspiracy angle doesn’t help much either. At least in this world full of plastic humans, the majority of the actors fit right in.
In the future, computer and robotics technology has progressed so far that humans can live out their lives and fantasies through the safety of android “surrogates”. But the supposedly risk-free robots become deadly when FBI agents Tom Greer (Bruce Willis) and Jennifer Peters (Radha Mitchell) discover a weapon that can kill human users through their surrogates. When the son of prominent scientist and surrogate creator Lionel Canter (James Cromwell) is murdered, the two agents must track down a mysterious killer and stop a devious mastermind from executing a plan that could destroy their world forever… Read the rest of the review here!
Bonus Features:
Surrogates on DVD includes –
*Commentary with director Jonathan Mostow
*”I Will Not Bow” Music Video by Breaking Benjamin
The Surrogates Blu-ray contains the DVD extras plus exclusive bonus features that into the heart of the films intriguing premise:
*Four Deleted Scenes
*A More Perfect You: The Science of Surrogates
*Breaking the Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes to Life
Cliffhanger (available on Blu-ray January 12, 2010)
Perhaps unexpectedly, Cliffhanger is literally about men who hang from cliffs. It was made at a time when action adventure films sported recognizable, catchy theme music, the heroes were abnormally muscular, the villains unnecessarily despicable, and everyone got to spout absurd one-line retaliations before and after significant death scenes. Directed by Renny Harlin (after Die Hard 2, but before Cutthroat Island) with a screenplay by Sylvester Stallone, Cliffhanger is one of the most enjoyable, cheesy action films of the 90’s, going so far as to earn itself three Academy Award nominations, a Razzie nod for Worst Picture, and a Japanese Academy Award acknowledgment for Best Foreign Film.
Experienced mountain climber Gabriel Walker (Stallone) can’t forgive himself for an accident that cost the life of his best friend’s girlfriend. During a standard Rocky Mountain rescue, Gabe and Hal Tucker (Michael Rooker) were forced into split second decisions with fatal consequences (a particularly suspenseful opening sequence that would be hilariously parodied by Ace Ventura). Walker takes an eight month leave while his significant other Jessie (Janine Turner) and Hal continue to work and struggle through the grief… Read the rest of the review here!
Cliffhanger Bonus Features Include:
movieIQ
Commentary with Director Renny Harlin and Sylvester Stallone
Technical Crew Commentary
A Personal Introduction from Renny Harlin
Deleted Scenes
Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger
Special Effects Featurettes
Storyboard Comparisons
Original Theatrical Trailer
Introduction to the Deleted Scenes with Renny Harlin.
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Last Action Hero (available on Blu-ray January 12th, 2010)
Young Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien) is a big fan of the larger-than-life action hero Jack Slater (Schwarzenegger). When his best friend, Nick (Robert Prosky) the projectionist, gives him a magic ticket to the new Jack Slater film, Danny is transported into Slater’s world, where the good guys always win. One of Slater’s enemies, Benedict (Charles Dance) the hitman, gets hold of the ticket and ends up in Danny’s world, where he realizes that if he can kill Schwarzenegger, Slater will be no more. Slater and Danny must travel back to the real world and stop him.
Bonus Features Include:
movieIQ
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Ice Castles (available on DVD February 9th, 2010)
Young, beautiful, talented Alexis Winston comes from nowhere to become a figure skating superstar. But her rise to stardom isn’t easy. She has to push herself, reinvent herself, and most painfully of all, leave her hometown boyfriend behind. When a tragic fall leaves her blind, she needs someone to believe in her, to love her; someone to convince her she has the strength to skate and dream again.
This heartwarming, inspirational, emotional remake of the 1978 Oscar® nominated romantic film (Best Original Song, “Through the Eyes of Love”) stars American figure skater Taylor Firth and features skating stars Molly Oberstar, NBC News Olympics Correspondent Andrea Joyce and Olympic Medalist Michelle Kwan.
Experience the power and joy of true love…on and off the ice.
DVD Special Features Include:
Deleted Scenes
Landing the Jump: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
Robin Hood Season 3 (available on DVD January 12th, 2010)
n this climactic installment of the highly-successful BBC AMERICA adventure series, Robin (Jonas Armstrong, Teachers) returns tougher, darker and consumed with Marian’s death. Splitting up the gang, Robin launches a solo mission to avenge her and kill Gisborne (Richard Armitage, MI-5, North & South). It is only the intervention of the mysterious Tuck (David Harewood, Blood Diamond; The Merchant of Venice) that stops Robin from joining Marian in an early grave. Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre, The Queen’s Sister) joins the well-rounded cast as the wickedly evil Prince John who puts pressure on the Sheriff (Keith Allen, Viva Blackpool, Bodies) and Gisborne to take down Robin Hood once and for all.
BONUS FEATURES:
A Legend Reborn (behind the scenes feature)
A New Look (behind the scenes look at costuming)
Trebuchet: Creating Chaos
Character Profiles
Video Diaries
Edge of Darkness: The Original BBC Mini-Series (available now on DVD!)
A father's worst fears come true in this apocalyptic political thriller, one of the best and most influential British TV series ever made. Investigating his daughter's murder, a Yorkshire police officer follows clues into a murky world of nuclear espionage and cover-ups. Part crime drama, part science fiction, and 100% terrifying.
Special Features:
English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
Alternate Ending to the Final Episode
Music Only Audio Option to isolate the Eric Clapton/Michael
Kamen BAFTA-winning Score
Magnox - The Secrets of Edge of Darkness featuring interviews with the cast and crew
"Did You See" featuring reviews of the original BBC broadcast
Interview with Bob Peck from the BBC's Breakfast Time morning program
Highlights from the BAFTA awards and Broadcasting Press Guild
Awards including interviews with Bob Peck, Jon Don Baker and producer Michael Wearing
Photo Gallery
Top Gear Season 11 (available on DVD January 12th, 2010)
This season's highlights include a car chase in presenter-chosen old bangers for traffic cops, a race in the French Alps against extreme skiers, a race across Japan (a Nissan car versus public transport), a cross-country fox hunt (with Jeremy as the prey), and a Brits versus German Top Gear challenge.
Top Gear Season 12 (available on DVD January 12th, 2010)
The world's biggest car show returns, and this series kicks off with a crash, a bang and an overwhelming smell of burning when Jeremy, Richard and James buy second-hand trucks and turn their hands to being truck drivers - which turns out to be a lot harder than they thought. The boys travel to the USA to take three new generation big-engine 'muscle' cars on an epic road trip from San Francisco to the heart of Utah; are challenged to drive from the heart of Switzerland to the North West coast of England on just one tank of fuel and James travels to the frozen North to discover why the Finns are such good racing drivers.
Special Features:
English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
•Commentary to Vietnam Special with Executive Producer Andy Wilman & Crew
•Deleted Scenes
•Photo Gallery
•Directors Cut of the 2007 Botswana Special
•Commentary to Botswana Special with Executive Producer Andy Wilman & Crew
Like Stars On Earth (available on DVD January 12th, 2010)
In this touching and inspiring film, eight-year-old Mumbai native Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) lives in a world where letters dance exuberantly with the brilliant colors, lively animals and joyfully soaring kites of his fantastical imagination. Struggling to read and write and unable to deliver the good grades and disciplined behavior expected by his parents and teachers, Ishaan is shipped off to a boarding school to straighten out. Almost 200 miles from home and suffering from homesickness, Ishaan alone is unmoved when a new art teacher (Aamir Khan) energizes the classroom by asking students to think, dream and imagine, instead of merely following the rules. Determined to draw the introverted child out, the teacher sets about helping Ishaan find the wondrous power of creativity that lies within him.
Bonus Material:
*Deleted Scenes
*The Making of Like Stars On Earth
*Panel Discussion on Children
*Feature Commentary By Director Aamir Khan
Don't forget to check out the Free Movie Club for great NEW prizes!
- Joy Dominguez
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