DVD/Blu-ray DISCussion (New for 11.23.10)

This week we have seven new DVD and Blu-ray releases to tell you about: two of them are long awaited films from this summer for men and women (guess which one is which). Also available for your enjoyment are two documentaries, a thriller, a comedy and a fantasy adventure. For Tyler Perry fans you will be happy: four of his films are getting a re-release.  A classic Disney film has also earned a re-release.

First Release
- The Expendables (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Eat Pray Love (DVD and Blu-ray)
- I’m Still Here (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Disappearance of Alice Creed (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Countdown to Zero (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Fire & Ice: Dragon Chronicles (Blu-ray)
- The Winning Season (DVD)

Re-Release
- Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Blu-ray)
- The Family That Preys (Blu-ray)
- Madea Goes to Jail (Blu-ray)
- Why Did I Get Married (Blu-ray)
- Beauty and the Beast (DVD)


The Expendables (DVD and Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?
As the fan-made trailer “The Expendables: Call to Arms” stated, The Expendables boasts having Bruce, Arnold, Li, Rourke, Lundgren, The Stath and Stallone, the only men we are allowed to love. The Expendables was one of the most eagerly anticipated films of 2010 for a certain demographic and promised to have all the action stars of '80s with some more recent ones, together for the first time. Sylvester Stallone writes and directs his first film outside the “Rambo” and “Rocky” series as well as starring in this old-school action film. A sequel is already in the works.

Barney Ross (Stallone) is the leader of one of the worlds greatest teams of mercenaries, The Expendables. After a successful mission against Somali Pirates, Ross is asked to perform a mission for the CIA by the mysterious Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) to assassinate the military dictator of a South American nation. Despite it being a suicide mission, The Expendables take it in what is an action-packed, violent film.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 40% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: 7.0/10

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Closed Caption; "Before the Battle" making-of featurette; Audio commentary with Sylvester Stallone; Deleted scene; Gag reel; Marketing archive

Additional Blu-ray Features: Ultimate recon mode; Audio commentary; "Inferno: the making of the Expendables" documentary; "From the ashes: postproduction and release" documentary; Comic-con 2010 panel; Deleted scene;

Amazon Price: $12.99 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A


Eat Pray Love (DVD and Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?
Released during the same week as The Expendables, Eat Pray Love had a very different target audience. Based on the autobiographical book by Elizabeth Gilbert, Julie Roberts stars as Liz in a movie that was meant to be a comeback for the actress. Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment (The Departed, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Kick-Ass) produced this film and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Billy Crudup (Watchmen), Richard Jenkins (Let Me In) and James Franco co-star with Roberts. Glee creator Ryan Murphy directed the film and co-wrote the script with Jennifer Salt, who worked with Murphy on Nip/Tuck.

Liz is a successful, wealthy married woman who feels unfilled with her life. She decides to leave her husband and her old life to go travelling, going to Italy (eat), India (pray) and Bali (love).

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 37% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: 5.0/10

DISC DETAILS

DVD Speical Feature: Ryan Murphy's Journey with Eat Pray Love; The Eat Pray Love Soundtrack; Previews

Amazon Price: $16.99 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com):

Content: 3 stars, Video 4 stars, Audio 4 stars, Extras 2 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Rent it.


I'm Still Here (DVD and Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?
We all know story that Joaquin Phoenix decided to quit acting so he can pursue a rapping career and went on a downward spiral. Well, if you had not guessed he was faking it and his brother-in-law Casey Affleck filmed the experience, you know now. This mockumentary follows Phoenix as he goes down a road of drugs, prostitution and trying get Sean Combs to produce his album.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 54% (average)
Player Affinity Score: N/A

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Closed Caption; Commentary with Casey Afflect, Joaquin Phoenix, Nicole Acacio, Larry McHale, Anthony Langdon, Johnny Moreno, Eddie Rouse, Matt Maher, Elliot Gaynon and Sue Patricola; Commentary with Casey Affleck; Deleted scenes (Commentary with Casey Affleck); Audio conversation with Jerry Penacoli "Extra," Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix; Audio conversation with Christine Spines (journalism professor), Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix; Jerr Penacoli "Extra" interview with Joaquin Phoenix; Alternate ending outtakes (commentary with Casey Affleck)

Amazon Price: $18.99 (DVD), $23.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A


The Disappearance of Alice Creed (DVD and Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?
J Blakeson is a lucky first-time director: he was able to work with up-and-comer Gemma Arterton in his thriller. In a simple film with a minimal setting and characters, Blakeson was able to cast Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Martin Compston (A Guide to Recoginizing Your Saint) to co-star with Arterton.

Vic (Marsan) and Danny (Compston) are two ex-cons who soundproof and reinforce a non-descript small flat (aka apartment). They plan to kidnap Alice Creed (Arterton) and ransom her off for £2 Million. The two men think they have preformed the perfect crime, but Alice is more resourceful then they imagined.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 80% (very good)
Player Affinity Score: N/A

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Deleted and extended scenes with optional audio commentary; Storyboard featurette; Outtakes; Audio commentary featuring writer/director J Blakeson

Amazon Price: $21.99 (DVD), $25.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 3.5 stars, Video 4 stars, Audio 3.5 stars, Extras 3 stars, Replay 3 stars (out of 5). Recommended.


Countdown to Zero (DVD and Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?

Beauty and the Beast (DVD)

What's the Deal?
A few weeks ago, Disney re-released its classic animated film Beauty and the Beast onto Blu-ray and DVD. Now it is getting a two-disc re-release, great for those who do not have a Blu-ray player or see the point in Blu-ray. Made during the height of Disney’s animation renaissance, Beauty and the Beast is an adaptation the French fairy tale La Belle et la Bete. Directed by Disney veterans Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and Linda Woolverton (Alice in Wonderland) wrote the screenplay. Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.

When a man offends the Beast (Robby Benson), his bookish, beautiful daughter Belle (Paige O’Hara) takes her father’s places as his prisoner. While in his captivity, Belle attempts to teach the Beast how to love despite having a heart too hard to love.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 92% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 9.5/10

DISC DETAILS 

DVD Special Features: Restored film; Three versions of the film:; Original theatrical release; Special extended edition; Work in progress edition (with existing intro by Don Hahn); Music & more; Disney song along mode ; Audio commentary ; Backstage Disney:; Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind Making Beauty And The Beast ; Broadway Beginnings ; Composing a Classic: A Musical Conversation With Alan Menken, Don Hahn, and Richard Kraft; Deleted scenes:; Alternate story open - featuring an entirely new opening of the film and a different cast of characters; Belle in the library - never-before-seen moment where Belle meets three new characters in the library; Music & more:; All-new music video featuring Disney Channel star ; Classic DVD bonus features

Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD)

Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Blu-ray)

What's the Deal?