The Karate Kid Twelve-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed them in Beijing, China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying (Wenwen Han) and the feeling is mutual -- but cultural differences make the friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng (Zhenwei Wang). In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. Without any friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn until he meets maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. Remake of the 1984 hit. Vitals: Director: Hard Art. Stars: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang. 2010, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 140 min., Action, Box office gross: $172.932 million, Sony. | | |
THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:
All In The Family: Season Seven (1976-77) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $29.93. (Shout! Factory).
Ally McBeal: Season 3 (1999-2000) Six-disc set with 21 episodes, $39.98. (Fox).
Ally McBeal: Season 4 (2000-01) Six-disc set with 23 episodes, $39.98. (Fox).
Ally McBeal: Season 5 (2001-02) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.98. (Fox).
The Backyardigans: Christmas With the Backyardigans (2010) Four episodes of the Nick pre-school series about five high-spirited neighbors who meet in their adjoining backyards and use their imaginations to transform themselves into different locations for epic adventures. Includes "The Action Elves Save Christmas," "Pablo and the Acorns," "The Big Dipper Diner" and "The Amazing Splashinis"; $16.99. (Nick/Paramount).
Barbie in The Nutcracker (2001) The real-life movements of dancers from the New York City Ballet bring the beauty of ballet to the screen in this animated feature. (Universal).
Baseball: The Tenth Inning (2010) Ken Burns' documentary picks up where his 1994 landmark Emmy-winning series "Baseball" left off: following the National Pastime from 1992 through 2009. Two-part, four-hour miniseries in a two-disc set, $24.99. Extras: "Back to the Baseball park" interview with co-directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick; additional scenes; "Full of Knowledge," a look at baseball in the Dominican republic; outtakes; Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (PBS/Paramount)
Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition (1991) Voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury. The Diamond Collection DVDs have state-of-the-art picture restoration, 7.1 Digital Surround Sound and hours of additional viewing experiences that include behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, enhanced music tracks, immersive games and more. Available as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack ($39.99). Includes three versions: Original theatrical release, special extended edition, NY Film Festival storyboards of the film. Extras: Disney Backstage, deleted scenes, sing-along, music video, commentary, family games, more. The Blu-ray disc adds: Original theatrical version with a picture-in-picture of the storyboard version running simultaneously throughout the entire feature, more behind-the scenes featurettes, music, games. A two-disc standard DVD ($29.99) set will be available November 23. (Disney).
Ben 10: Alien Force Volume 9 (2010) Final seven episodes of the Cartoon Network series, $14.98. (Warner).
Bill Burr: Let It Go (2010) Comedy Central stand-up at the Fillmore auditorium in San Francisco, $14.98. Extras: "I'm Blind/Thank You," outtakes, "The Monday Morning Podcast." (Image Entertainment).
Blue Mountain State: Season One (2010) 13 episodes of the first season of Spike's football-themed comedy, $29.98. Extras: "Thad for Heisman Campaign" featurette, "Locker Room Rewind," outtakes and deleted scenes, "Making the team: What It Takes to Be a BMS Cheerleader" featurette; "Season 2 Character Insider: Radon" introduction to the second season's newest character. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Lionsgate).
Bones Season 5 (2009-10) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Extras: Commentaries, extended episodes, deleted scenes, gag reel, three featurettes: "The 100th Episode With Director David Boreanaz," "The Bodies of Bones" and "The Nunchuck Way." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
Caprica: Season 1.0 (2009) Four-disc set with 17 episodes, $49.98. < Extras: Extended edition of the unrated pilot, video blogs, commentaries, "The Caprica Dynasty," "The Look of Caprica," "Creating a World," podcasts. (Universal). Christmas in Canaan (2009) Billy Ray Cyrus, Zak Ludwig, Jaishon Fisher. Inspirational Hallmark Channel drama about friendship set in the rural town of Canaan, Texas amongst the rising heat of the Civil Rights movement. (RHI Entertainment/Vivendi Entertainment).
Dora the Explorer: Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure (2009) Dora the Explorer's take on "A Christmas carol." $19.99. (Nick/Paramount).
Elvis & Anabelle (2007) Max Minghella, Blake Lively, Joe Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen, Keith Carradine. Groomed to be the perfect pageant candidate, Anabelle (Lively) is on the verge of winning it all when she tragically dies onstage. Her body is delivered to the funeral home of Elvis's family, but just as she is ready to be embalmed, her spirit returns. Trying to make sense of it all, she turns to Elvis (Minghella) for comfort and finds a new chance at love. (Vivendi Entertainment/The Weinstein Company).
The Exorcist: Extended Director's Cut (1973) Dir. William Friedkin; Stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran. Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin's masterpiece of suspense that haunted, intrigued, and thrilled the world, is coming to standard DVD and Blu-ray again, but this time remastered in the Extended Director's Cut. A true cinema landmark, this theological thriller is one of the top 10 box office performers of all time. "The Exorcist" went on to win two Academy Awards and became a multi-million dollar franchise. When the movie was first released in 1973, viewers were blown away. Audience members were frightened out of their wits -- and literally out of their seats. Some ran out of the theater; others got physically ill or couldn't sleep for weeks. Newly remastered in 1080p from the original camera negative, the Blu-ray version includes both the remastered Extended Director's Cut as well as the remastered theatrical version of the film. According to Friedkin, "After my final cut of the original 'The Exorcist,' I took out 12 more minutes before we actually released it in theaters. Years later, Bill Blatty asked if I'd consider reviewing some of that rejected footage (which he always felt should have remained) with an eye towards putting it into a new version. Bill gave me the best piece of material I've ever received and because of that and because the film had such a major reputation over some 25 years, I agreed to revisit all these scenes. When I saw them, I came to realize that Bill was, in fact, right. With technical advances, scenes that didn't work then could now be fixed with CGI and there were others that I thought strengthened the spiritual aspect of the film. Warner agreed and released a whole new theatrical print in 2000 which we called 'The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen.' And I now agree with Blatty that this is the best and most complete version." Standard DVD with Extended Cut only, extras: Commentary by William Friedkin; trailers, TV spots & radio spots from the film's 2000 release. The Blu-ray edition will be packaged with a personal letter written by Friedkin inside a 40-page Blu-ray Digibook featuring photos, cast bios, revealing production notes and more. Disc 1: Extended Director's Cut (2000) plus commentary by William Friedkin; new featurette "Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist" with set footage produced and photographed by Owen Roizman, camera and makeup tests, and interviews with director William Friedkin, actress Linda Blair, author-screenwriter-producer William Peter Blatty and Owen Roizman; new featurette "The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now"; new featurette "Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist" with Friedkin and Blatty discussing the different versions of the film and featuring outtakes; trailers, tv spots & radio spots from the film's 2000 release; Disc 2: Theatrical Cut (1973) plus introduction by Friedkin; commentary by Friedkin; commentary by Blatty; "The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist" [1998 BBC documentary]; additional interviews with Friedkin and Blatty; original ending; sketches & storyboards; trailers & TV spots from the 1973 version. (Warner). Fade to Black (2006) Danny Huston, Diego Luna, Paz Vega, Christopher Walken. In an attempt to recover from his marriage to Rita Hayworth and restart his career, Orson Welles travels to Italy...only to be drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue, murder and politics when an actor is murdered on his set. (Image Entertainment).
The Garfield Show: Odie Oh! (2010) Episodes from the Nick series. (Vivendi Entertainment).
Great Expectations: A Journey through the History of Visionary Architecture. An astonishing journey through innovative, futuristic, utopian and sometimes bizarre architectural projects -- including concrete illusions of grandeur and Lego-like modular apartments to an Instant City Airship and round, grass-covered subterranean dwellings, from the beginning of the 20th century to today. Featuring Le Corbusier's functionalist cities, Buckminster Fuller's lightweight geodesic domes, Moshe Safdie's Habitat '67 prefab apartments, Oscar Niemeyer's sleek urban designs for Brasilia, Antti Lovag's curved surfaces of Palais Bulles in France, and other extraordinary works by visionary architects. $24.98. (Icarus Films).
Hand in Hand (1960) Kathleen Byron, Finlay Currie, Arnold Diamond. DVD debut of the classic inspirational drama on its 50th anniversary. Award-winning director Philip Leacock's timeless film features the universal story of a Catholic boy and a Jewish girl who become fast friends despite the prejudice that surrounds them. (Sony).
The Human Centipede (2010) Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, Dieter Laser, Akihiro Kitamura. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage, interview with Tom Six, feature-length documentary with Tom Six. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (IFC Entertainment/MPI Media Group).
Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection Twenty-four Bogart films on 12 discs, with a 13th disc featuring "The Brothers Warner" documentary. "The Petrified Forest" (1936), "Black Legion" (1937), "Kid Galahad" (1937), "Marked Woman" (1937), "San Quentin" (1937), "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" (1938), "Dark Victory" (1939), "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Invisible Stripes" (1939), "Brother Orchid" (1940), "They Drive by Night" (1940), "Virginia City" (1940), "All Through the Night" (1941), "High Sierra" (1941), "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), "Casablanca" (1942), "Across the Pacific" (1942), "Action in the North Atlantic" (1943), "Passage to Marseille" (1944)," To Have and Have Not" (1944), "The Big Sleep" (1946), "Dark Passage" (1947), "Key Largo "(1948), "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948). Also includes an all new 48-page tribute book with an introduction by TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne. The book is full of striking photography including movie stills and behind-the-scenes photos from each film. Additional memorabilia features 15 photo cards of classic one-sheets and rare archival studio correspondence, including a telegram from Humphrey Bogart to Hal Wallis requesting the lead in High Sierra. $99.98 (Warner). Read the Warner Home Video press release for a complete list of all the (previously released) bonus features.
The Karate Kid (2010) Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang. Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack. Extras: Interactive feature: Chinese lessons, "Just for Kicks: The Making of The Karate Kid," music video: Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," featuring Jaden Smith. Blu-ray adds: Alternate ending: "Watch Jackie Chan Fight!" "On Location: The Karate Kid Interactive Map of China," production diaries hosted by Jackie Chan, movieIQ+sync, PS3 wallpaper theme, digital copy of the film. (Sony).
Lock 'n Load: The First Season (2009) Six half-hour episodes, $19.99. (CBS/Paramount).
Mad Max (1979) Director: George Miller; Mel Gibson. Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack. Extras: "Mel Gibson: The Birth of a Star" documentary, "Mad Max: The Film Phenomenon" documentary, new-to-the-U.S. original Australian language track, theatrical trailers, "Road Rants" trivia & fun fact track, photo gallery, TV Spots. Blu-ray adds commentary by filmmakers Jon Dowding, David Eggby, Chris Murray and Tim Ridge. (MGM).
The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Seventh Season (1976-77) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $29.98. Extras: Footage of the final curtain call. (Fox).
Medium Season 6 (2009-10) Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $57.99. (CBS/Paramount).
Monk: The Complete Series Limited Edition Box Set (2002-09) Thirty-two disc set with every episode from all eight seasons, $249.98. Extras: Hours of bonus features plus a 32-page "Defective Detective Handbook." (Universal).
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Kyle Gallner, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, Jackie Earle Haley. Extras: "Freddie Krueger Reborn" featurette. Also available on Blu-ray Disc, which adds alternate ending, Picture-in-Picture Maniacal Movie Mode. (New Line).
Olivia: Merry Christmas (2009) Eight episodes with the 6 3/4-year-old dynamo who believes she can do anything and sees every day as an opportunity to try new things: Olivia spreads Christmas cheer during a beach party, dreams of being a Santa who returns lost toys, and much more; $16.99. (Nick/Paramount).
The Oxford Murders (2008) Elijah Wood, John Hurt, Leonor Watling, Julie Cox. At Oxford University, a professor and a grad student work together to try and stop a series of murders seemingly linked by mathematical symbols. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).
Phineas & Ferb: A Very Perry Christmas (2010) Phineas, Ferb, and their pet platypus (AKA Agent P) set out to thwart Dr. Doofenshmirtz's "naughty" plot to ruin Christmas. Extras: Christmas Perry-Oki, behind-the-scenes featurette, bonus episode. (Disney).
The Queen (2010) Available to U.S. audiences for the first time, this ground-breaking and provocative new, five-part miniseries features dramatizations mixed with documentary footage and interviews to reveal Queen Elizabeth II as never seen before. At pivotal moments in her reign from 1955 to 2005, the queen is portrayed by: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson), Barbara Flynn and Diana Quick. The Queen aired on the U.K.'s Channel 4 in 2009 and has yet to air in the U.S. Two-disc set, $39.99. (Acorn Media).
Rust (2010) Written, directed and starring Corbin Bernsen. In the midst of a midlife crisis of faith, a man finds hope where he least expects it -- his hometown. James Moore is a former pastor who returns home to discover a family new to the area has been killed in a mysterious fire, and his childhood friend is implicated in the murder. Convinced of his friend's innocence, James sets out on a mission to find the truth -- and in the process, rediscovers his own lost faith. Extras: Featurettes: Commentary, deleted scenes, "Family," a look at the actors and how they became a part of the film; "For Father," in which Bernsen recalls his father and sprinkles his ashes on the main street of the town; "The Making of Rust"; more. (Sony).
The Secret of Kells (2009) The Secret of Kellsoices of Brendan Gleeson, Evan McGuire and Christen Mooney. Set in medieval Ireland, a perilous time when Viking raiders threatened to destroy Irish civilization, this traditionally drawn animated feature merges magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times -- inspired by the eighth-century manuscript the "Book of Kells," which has been preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (New Video/Flatiron Film Co.).
Shalom Sesame: Welcome to Israel (2010) East meets West as Sesame Street's Muppets travel with American and Israeli friends (Debra Messing, Achinoam Nini, Mira Awad, Jake Glyllenhaal, Christina Applegate, Greg Kinnear, Debi Mazar and others) to explore Israel and Jewish culture. First volume of a 12-part series. Grover goes to Israel with new pal (and host) Anneliese van der Pol and they begin to explore the land. $14.98. (SISU Home Entertainment).
Shalom Sesame: Welcome to Israel (2010) East meets West as Sesame Street's Muppets travel with American and Israeli friends (Debra Messing, Achinoam Nini, Mira Awad, Jake Glyllenhaal, Christina Applegate, Greg Kinnear, Debi Mazar and others) to explore Israel and Jewish culture. Second volume of a 12-part series. Grover brings the latkes and all is well until host Anneliese van der Pol gets caught in a game of tag with a chicken and loses her special menorah. Can her Muppet friends find the missing menorah in time to celebrate Chanukah? (SISU Home Entertainment).
The Slumber Party Massacre Collection Special Edition. Two-disc set with "The Slumber Party Massacre: Special Edition" (1982), "Slumber Party Massacre II" (1987) and "Slumber Party Massacre III" (1990), $24.97. Extras: Three-part documentary: "Sleepless Nights: Revisiting The Slumber Party Massacres," photo and poster still gallery, commentaries. (Shout! Factory).
Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back (2010) Voices of Jane Lynch, Zach Shada, Cheryl Hines, Stanley Tucci, Patrick Warburton, Tom Kenny, Laura Bailey. Sequel to the 2008 "Space Chimps." (Fox).
Splice (2010) Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac. Extras: "A Director's Playground: Vincenzo Natali on the Set of Splice" featurette. Also available in a Blu-ray Combo Pack. (Warner).
SGU Season One (2009-10) Five-disc set with 20 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Extended pilot with never-before-seen footage, exclusive behind-the-scenes featurettes, "Destiny SML (Star Map Log)," "Stargate 101: Presented by Dr. Daniel Jackson," video diaries, commentary on every episode. Also available on Blu-ray Disc, which adds "SGU: Survival Instinct Game," extra "Destiny SML" vignettes. (MGM).
'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) Voices of Joel Grey, Tammy Grimes, John McGiver, George Gobel. Extras: "Christmas: A Global Holiday." (Warner).
Troll 2 (1990) Michael Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey, Connie Young, Robert Ormsby. The film that inspired the hit documentary "Best Worst Movie." Available as a single DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (MGM).
Woke Up Dead (2009) The original online series from Crackle. Drex Greene (Jon Heder), a confused zombie who can't be any deader, tries to solve the case of the mystery pill that left him drowned in a bathtub. With the help of his wannabe filmmaker roommate Matt (Josh Gad) and the sexy med student Cassie (Krysten Ritter), who first discovers Drex as he unzips himself from his own body bag, the three begin to uncover leads about why his death didn't stick, why a mystery online chat buddy is after him and why he's starting to show signs of superpowers. Extras: Featurettes: "A Tour of the Set with Krysten Ritter," "Behind-the-Scenes of Woke Up Dead," "Bullet Makeup," "Jon Had a Baby," "Jon Heder Interview," "Matt's Blog Entries," "On the Set of Woke Up Dead," "The Characters," "The Creators of Woke Up Dead," "The Making of Woke Up Dead", "Time for Some Puke!,"" Zombies!" (Sony).
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) Voices of Mickey Rooney, Shirley Booth. Extras: "Rudolph's Shiny New Year," "Nestor the Long-eared Christmas Donkey," "We Are Santa's Elves," "School of Stop Motion." Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
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