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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
January 2008 DVD Selections
3:10 to Yuma
This is an old fashioned western. Actually, it is a remake of a classic old western. Christian Bale stars as Dan Evans, a rancher who finds himself tangled up with Ben Wade (Russell Crowe), a vicious outlaw. Evans signs on to accompany the badman to the station where he will be put on a train bound for the Yuma prison. While en route the two men get acquainted, however one is still bad and one is good even though there is a mutual respect and even admiration between the two. The big shoot-em-up climax is unexpected and the final scene is something viewers will think about after the film is over.
Bonuses include a “making of” featurette, “An Epic Explored” featurette, deleted scenes, and a documentary on “outlaws, Gangs and Posses.” For western fans, this is one of the few modern films in this genre in recent years.
An Affair to Remember
The box says this is “One of the best-loved romances of all time.” It’s a classic movie that has been referred to in other films over the past 50 years. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr star as two people who fall in love, however they are both engaged to other people. They make a plan to meet at the top of the Empire State Building in six months, providing everything works out all right. But something happens that prevents their reunion. The rest of the story is rich and engaging as the viewers watch and hope the two lovers will eventually find their way back to each other. As the theme song goes, “A love affair is a wondrous thing.”
Bonus features on this remarkable edition include a featurette about Deborah Kerr, a featurette about Cary Grant, a featurette about the director and one about the producer. There is also a look at the style of the film and the AMC feature focusing on the film as a pop culture phenomenon. Passion, romance, and forbidden love were onscreen as well as off screen, as Grant was madly in love with actress Sophia Loren at the time and Kerr was going through a difficult time in her failing marriage.
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
This remastered deluxe edition of the popular animated story of Charlie Brown’s love for that little red-haired girl is a must-have for all Peanuts fans. Not only is this story included on the DVD, but there are two other stories of love for the little boy with the round head. It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown and You’re in Love, Charlie Brown round out the Peanuts features. Candy, flowers, kisses, valentines, and feelings of love are in full bloom. A wonderful bonus featurette focuses on the unrequited love stories that threaded through the comic strip and subsequent TV shows – Linus and Sally, Lucy and Schroeder, Charlie Brown and the Little Red Haired Girl, Peppermint Patty and Marcie and Charlie Brown. We grew up with these characters and they are still as adorable today as they were years ago. Their stories are timeless.
Forget About It
Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Charles Durning and Robert Loggia star as seniors living in a mobile home park in Arizona who unwittingly get mixed up in a mob situation when Don Antonio Giovanni (Michael Paloma) is relocated there by the witness protection program. He wanted to get out of the mob in Chicago so he joined the witness protection program, after stealing four million dollars of theirs, which he buries in the desert. The seniors accidentally find the money and decide to keep it, not knowing it is mob money. They figure they will be set for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, they get caught in the middle between the mob and the Feds in this semi-amusing tale. Unfortunately, the title reflects my advice about this film.
The Game Plan
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars in this comedy about a football star who loves his life, career, football, and himself. Then one day an eight-year-old girl rings his doorbell and he discovers he is a father. This little bundle of charm, intelligence, and manipulation worms her way into his heart. She even has an effect on his teammates. Will football ever be the same? Well, he won’t be, that’s for sure. She teaches him that there is more to life than money and fame. Love is the most important thing, and that is something he discovers he truly has for this little girl. Even though he was reluctant to have her with him, in the end he realizes that she is the best thing that ever happened to him.
Bonus features include deleted scenes, bloopers, a featurette about The Rock learning to play Quarterback, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and an interactive feature where the viewer can control the lighting in his fancy apartment.
Kennedy: The Man, The President and the Tragedy
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy. This new 3-disc box set includes some interesting facts and thoughts about the man and his assassination. Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film focuses on the now-famous footage of the assassination and shows enhanced and digitally enlarged frames of the shooting. Viewers now see the extent of the damage done by the bullet that took off a big chunk of the president’s head. It’s not for the faint of heart. This film also examines the history of the film. The Murder of JFK: A Revisionist History examines the relationship between the USA and Cuba and the history of present day Cuba. It also delves into the Bay of Pigs and the Kennedys’ relationship with the CIA, suggesting that the CIA had motive to want the president out of the way. While many people still think of Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone assassin, this film does point out some irrefutable facts as well as provide a detailed history of Cuba and the island’s relationship with America. The Missiles of October is a docudrama about the event that brought the world to the brink of nuclear disaster. William Devane plays JFK and Martin Sheen portrays Robert Kennedy in this examination of the critical decisions and negotiations that took place in October 1962.
This box set is a little piece of history mixed in with some well-documented speculation. It is seven hours of very interesting viewing. It provides a good look at the early 1960s, JFK, and Cuba. Needless to say, there are several interesting points brought out that contradict the Warren Commission’s findings of the lone assassin. Even Lyndon Johnson said he had his doubts that the findings were correct. Students of history will enjoy this DVD set.
Pioneers of Television
The four part PBS series is available on one DVD highlighting the early years of television and the people who shaped the industry and their genres. Included are the pioneers of Late Night (Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett). These men laid the groundwork for late night television viewing. The pioneers of Sitcoms include Jackie Gleeson with The Honeymooners, Lucille Ball with I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith with The Andy Griffith Show, and Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore with The Dick Van Dyke Show. The Game Show pioneers and the Variety pioneers are also included. Carol Burnett, Ed Sullivan, The Smothers Brothers and Milton Berle paved the way for others to follow in the industry. Television was new at the time these stars had their shows and the industry was finding its way in the entertainment market. All these pioneers were responsible for making the industry thrive and prosper. Extended interviews with some of the pioneers are included on the disc.
RFK Must Die: The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy
Nearly 40 years after his death, the assassination of Bobby Kennedy still conjures up various theories. Although Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of the murder yet there still exists several theories about the assassination. This DVD is an investigative documentary about the last campaign of RFK, his assassination, and the theory that the CIA was behind the killing. The LAPD investigation is called into question, and the documentary contains several in-depth interviews with witnesses, authorities, the brother of the convicted assassin, and CIA connections. There is also rare footage and the filmmaker goes to extremes to dissect the footage. This is a fascinating look at the event and brings to light some irrefutable evidence that is in direct opposition to the theory that Sirhan acted alone. The film also delves into the Bay of Pigs event and the association with the assassination of President Kennedy, and poses the question that the two assassinations might have been connected to that event which was organized by the CIA.
Additional features include audio interviews with Sirhan and several Kennedy Campaign Ads from 1968, which are well worth watching for anyone interested in RFK and understanding what he stood for. This is an excellent DVD, whether you buy into a conspiracy theory or not. It is filled with incredible and insightful interviews and footage.
Suburban Girl
Sarah Michelle Geller stars as Brett, a young editor who meets one of the biggest names in the literary field in NYC, Archie Knox (Alec Baldwin) and forms an unlikely relationship with the much older man. Soon their relationship moves from interesting conversation and companionship to romance as the older man/younger girl mentor/student roles play out and Brett discovers that Archie is even more exciting and interesting than she ever dreamed. Unfortunately, there a some dark side to this enchanting man that soon comes into play, and when she takes him home to meet her parents and brother, they are definitely not happy with the relationship. But Brett sticks to her emotions and stays by her lover/mentor. Time takes a toll on everyone and this witty but often slow-moving story ends with some unexpected events.
Two and a Half Men – The Complete Second Season
Charlie and Alan Harper are back along with Alan’s young son Jake in this hysterical sitcom that has become beloved by young and old. It’s almost like a young version of The Odd Couple with a kid. The second season has the trio ensconced in their little family, sharing a beautiful Malibu house on the beach. Other characters include Bertha, the wise-cracking cleaning lady, Rose, the obsessive neighbor, and Evelyn, their mother who has no maternal instincts whatsoever. Fans of the show will enjoy the gag reel, as well as the feature, “A day in the life of two and a half men.” There is also a fun look at the writing of this cute sitcom.
© 2008 Francine Brokaw
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