The Screengrab : made of honor

DVD Digest for September 16, 2008

Paul Clark — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

This week is a busy one for lovers of classic cinema- to say nothing of the folks at Warner Home Video.

DVD(s) of the Week: Continuing their ongoing commitment to spotlight film history’s greatest filmmakers, the good folks at Criterion fill a glaring hole in the DVD market with this week’s release of three classics by Max Ophüls- La Ronde, Le Plaisir, and The Earrings of Madame De…. These three films, all made at Ophüls’ artistic and commercial peak, make a lovely introduction to the man’s work, with all the continental sophistication, exquisitely-wrought melodrama, and lavish production values that made his reputation. And stars? You bet- between the three films, you’ll find Jean Gabin, Simone Signoret, Anton Walbrook, Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, and Simone Simon. If you can only shell out for one disc, go with Earrings, whose DVD features not only scholarly commentary and a number of featurettes (including an interview with Paul Thomas Anderson, whose complex camera movements were clearly inspired by Ophüls’ work), but also a new printing of the source novel, Louise de Vilmorin’s Madame De…. But really, they’re all worth your money. Now all we need is a Region 1 DVD of Letter From an Unknown Woman…

In addition, this week is a banner occasion for musical fans, led by a double dose of Oscar-winning Vincente Minnelli titles, An American in Paris and Gigi (both Warner), each presented in snazzy new Two-Disc Special Editions. There’s also Warner’s The Busby Berkeley Collection Volume 2, which includes Gold Diggers of 1937, Gold Diggers in Paris, Hollywood Hotel and Variety Show. Other classics coming to DVD this week include: Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Warner); young Tom Cruise and his Ray-Bans in Risky Business 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Warner, also Blu-Ray); Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (Ryko Distribution), which was spotlighted last week by our very own Phil Nugent; Glenn Close in the live-action 101 Dalmatians and 102 Dalmatians (Disney); and The Charlie Chan Collection Volume 5 (Fox).

This week’s roster of recent releases on DVD is headed up by The Wachowski Brothers’ financial and critical bomb Speed Racer (Warner, also Blu-Ray), which I believe is still the most underappreciated movie so far this year. Other recent titles coming to DVD include: Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor (Sony, also Blu-Ray); Al Pacino in 88 Minutes (Sony, also Blu-Ray); Mike Myers making an ass of himself again in The Love Guru (Universal, also Blu-Ray); the surprisingly affecting Young@Heart (Fox); David Gordon Green’s Snow Angels (Warner); the acclaimed documentary Constantine’s Sword (First Run); and two direct-to-DVD titles, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure (Disney) and Another Cinderella Story (Warner, also Blu-Ray).

This week’s new TV on DVD titles include: Chuck Season 1 (Warner); Criminal Minds Season 3 (Paramount); Dirty Sexy Money Season 1 (Disney); My Name Is Earl Season 3 (Fox); Private Practice Season 1 (Disney); and Pushing Daisies Season 1 (Warner, also Blu-Ray).

Finally, in Blu-Ray only titles, this week brings 1408 (Weinstein), Hulk (Universal), Madagascar (Paramount), The Mist (Weinstein), and Shrek the Third (Paramount).

Heterosexual Males Survive “Sex and the City”

Scott Von Doviak — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

I’m going to go out on a limb and gently suggest that there may be something vaguely condescending about this AP story by Jake Coyle, beginning with its dateline: ESTROGEN CENTRAL. “This reporter was (forcibly) dispatched to a Manhattan theater to determine whether the ultimate ‘chick flick’ could be a welcoming experience for a guy,” the brave Coyle writes. “And with look of determination that said, yes, he was confident enough about himself to make such a trip, this reporter went. Talk about embedded journalism.”

But surprise! “Interviews with three couples suggested that Sex and the City has plenty to offer men — or at least isn't worth avoiding like a well-dressed plague.” One man who at first claims he was dragged to the movie by his date breaks down under Coyle’s relentless interrogation to confess: “I'm totally into it and I'm straight,” says Anthony Smith, who goes on to report, “You understand women better watching Sex and the City.” Well, let’s hope that’s not entirely true. I for one am eagerly awaiting the reports from women who claim to understand men better after viewing The Incredible Hulk. But then, you never see those sorts of reports, do you? Somehow it’s deemed worthy of comment that some men have actually relented and deigned to attend Sex and the City with their significant others, but where are the interviews with women who are deeply embarrassed to be attending Iron Man? Besides, a quick scan of the box office top 10 reveals at least three other certified chick flicks doing well in theaters: What Happens in Vegas, Made of Honor and Baby Mama. Why, it’s almost as if Sex and the City isn’t the first movie ever targeted to a female demographic!

As it happens, Coyle found at least one couple with whom the idea of attending the movie originated with the male. The “facilitator” declined to be identified in the story, however. I guess America isn’t quite ready for that.

Trailer Review: Made of Honor

Paul Clark — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:00:00 GMT

By now, I know better than to expect realism from most Hollywood movies, especially in the romantic comedy genre, which has always been about vicarious fantasy fulfillment. Still, this trailer begs the question: who ARE these people? Made of Honor seems to take place in an unbearably glossy parallel-dimension version of New York City where everyone is super-successful and sexy, excepting of course the obligatory comic relief nerd. If that's not bad enough, there's Patrick Dempsey, riding out his Grey's Anatomy success as an impossibly smooth (yet sensitive!) ladies' man who has the bad habit of knocking people over when he gets flustered. Cute! I'm not saying that every love story needs to look like a Mike Leigh movie, but the more trailers I see for romantic comedies, the more I'm convinced that the studios are trying to one-up each other for the title of most lavish and opulent onscreen romance, which of course doesn't do wonders for non-Patrick Dempsey-looking guys like me who are still trying to hack their way through the dating scene. Also, after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang a few years back I had high hopes for Michelle Monaghan's career, but it's looking more and more like Hollywood has no idea what to do with her. It's a shame- a talented, appealing actress with a real flair for comedy, she deserves much MUCH better than tripe like Made of Honor.