Before teen angst became cool, there was the movie Heathers. This dark comedy starred a much younger Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Heathers is a classic parody of dealing with cliques, bullies, fitting in, and peer pressure. Both tragic and funny, it pokes fun at the dark side of one life's awkward times: High School. To celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary, a “20th High School Reunion Edition” DVD was released. This is one DVD that brought back to life the dark comedy that catapulted the careers of Ryder and Slater.
He Built an Empire on the Blood of a Nation.
Take a glimpse into the life of Saddam with the 4-Part HBO Miniseries titled House of Saddam. I got the chance to check this out on DVD and it is a very interesting look at the ruthless dictator's life. It chronicles his rise to power and his ultimate fall as Iraq’s leader. You thought you already hated the guy? Well you get a close up look here at Saddam’s 24-year reign of terror. The acting was very convincing and added depth to this complex story. Overall I found it to be a very compelling look at the life of the notorious megalomaniac known as Saddam.
Jo Koy, the bald headed Filipino funnyman gets his very own DVD special with Jo Koy: Don’t Make Him Angry. This DVD is one to watch if you want to see this up-and-coming comedian at his best. Jo doesn’t hold anything back here as he covers everything from road rage, getting turned on by Michael Phelps (even though Jo’s not gay), his mom kicking his ass at Wii Sports, and some really intimate family moments. Oh and I can’t forget his skit on when how he felt after visiting France where he exclaims, “Fuck France!” It might just make you want to rethink that trip to Paris! The DVD also comes with a performance by apl.de.ap from Black Eyed Peas and some extra interviews with Jo. So if you’re in the mood for some hilarious standup comedy, this one’s got the goods.
I never imagined Charlie Sheen becoming a TV sitcom guy, but he found just the right gig for him in Two and a Half Men. Already through 5 seasons, this hilarious show teams Charlie up with another 80's guy, Jon Cryer. This show is definitely one of the best sitcoms you’ll catch on TV. In case you missed any part of the 5th season, you can now see it on DVD. All the outrageous moments from the season are here such as Jake starting junior high and getting some “helpful” advice from Alan and Charlie, Charlie’s annoying rash, and Alan hooking up with a psychotic Janeane Garofalo! This is one great collection of all 24 episodes spread out over 4 discs. If that wasn’t enough, it also contains following special features:
- Two and a Half Men at 100
- The Lore of Chuck Lorre: Must Pause TV – The Genesis and Evolution of His Vanity Cards at the End of Each Episode
- Two and a Half Men – Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard: Chronicling the Crossover Episodes Between Writing Teams of Two and a Half Men and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- Bonus Episode: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – Two and a Half Deaths
Check it out!
THEY TOOK HIS DAUGHTER. HE’LL TAKE THEIR LIVES.
This is one film where justice is served swiftly for some bastards that got what they deserved. You may have seen Die Hard, but you must see Brian Mills’ (Liam Neeson) one man-war against some thugs that kidnapped his daughter. In an international chase to save his daughter’s life, Brian relies on his skills as a former CIA agent. Taken is a no-nonsense thriller that shows one of the darkest sides of the crime underworld, and the justice that they deserve. The film takes you on a wild chase through the underbelly of Paris. From start to finish, this is one satisfying thriller to watch. It satisfied my appetite for a good action film as well as having the satisfaction seeing the lowlife thugs get theirs. The film is out on DVD now and I recommend it for sheer awesomeness.
The good thing about when graphic novels get put on the big screen is that the publishers almost always put out “Special Editions” of the books to promote the film. For the Watchmen film, DC Comics put out a really cool hardcover version of this legendary graphic novel. This is a very impressive set that boasts 400 plus recolored pages. Alan Moore created a masterpiece with Watchmen, and this hardcover set is definitely one to check out for old-school fans as well as ones who never read it before.
Season two of one of the funniest political comedies is out now on DVD. Spin City is the show I’m talking about. Family Ties marked the beginning of Michael J. Fox’s TV career, and Spin City happened right at the tail end of it. Just before Parkinson’s Disease got the best of him, Mike was making audiences laugh as he played New York City’s Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty. His coworkers made the show even funnier with their eccentric and dysfunctional personalities, including the bumbling Mayor Randall Winston. Shout! Factory’s DVD collection of season two is one that is good enough to satisfy any fan out there who misses this show. There are 4 discs that contain all of the second season’s hilarious episodes. The show may be off the air, but Shout! Factory is keeping it alive with these great DVD sets.
