I Heart Huckabees: Special Edition (Released 02/22.05)

I think I’ve lost my ability to read the modern audience. The romantic comedy “Hitch” has thus far garnered over 150 million dollars. “I Heart Huckabees,” a film with much stronger themes and star-power never capped 20 million worldwide in its brief theatre-stay. Maybe it’s because it’s anti-war. Maybe it’s because it’s refreshingly unorthodox. I don’t know, but “Huckabees” got a bad rap. Help me help you help yourself – watch “I Heart Huckabees.”

Special Features:

16 Page Booklet of Huckabees’ Propaganda

Two Commentary Tracks by Director and Cast

35 Min. Production Documentary

Charlie Rose Featurette

Deleted Scenes / Outtakes

Much, much more

Review

Movie: B+

Special Features: A+

The Exorcist: The Beginning (Released 03/01/05)

For those of you who haven’t heard the sordid story behind this fright flick (read horror of a movie rather than horror movie), Renny Harlin, the film’s second director, was called in after the first entry, completed, was deemed by Warner Bros. to be “too artsy. The movie needed to be religious, but more action-packed” (Scott, Fangoria Aug, 2004). Needless to say, the second try was less than spectacular. It would have been nice to see the original attempt bundled as an extra. Que sera.

Special Features:

Commentary by Director

8 Min. Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Trailer

Review

Movies: D

Special Features: C-

The Incredibles (Released 03/15/05)

Seeing as though roughly 110 million tickets were sold for this latest Pixar feast for the senses, I need not convince you of its worthiness. Rather, let me advocate the advantage of DVD, where the audience can get a surprisingly robust view into the terror of creating an animated feature. Director Brad Bird put it best in that “people assume that with Pixar, the computers are taking the pressure off and that’s absolutely not true. These are incredibly complex tools that are used to make something painstakingly handcrafted.”

Special Features:

Two Commentaries by Director and Animators

Two 40 Min. Making-of Featurettes

“Jack-Jack Attack” Pixar Short

Deleted Scenes

Hero Profiles

Much, much more

Review:

Movie: A+

Special Features: A

Saw (Released 02/15/05)

Every white male age 13-25 seems to have announced this thriller the second coming for cinema. And I’m baffled. Is it the gore? Is it the wrap-around plot that confused you into thinking it clever? ‘Cuz, straight up, “Saw” is crap. I mean, crap crap. Not that “it’ll be a good popcorn movie” chunky crap. The only accomplishment I can gleam from the whole mess is its ability to convince movie-goers of its worth. Thus, I declare “Saw” the Che Guevara of the movie world.

Special Features:

Vanity Case

Director Commentary

2 Min. Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Two Music Videos

Review

Movie: F

Special Features: D

Garden State (Released 12/28/05)

Every college student I know has become a cheerleader for “Garden State.” And I have to give it to first-time director Zach Braff; he has shown us some grand potential for the very near future (that is, beyond the acting chops of “Scrubs”). Even Natalie Portman was impressive…and less smelly. But I have to say, it’s standard college fare. You get the 90 minute runaround as the protagonist wakes to the realization that life is worth living. For once, I would love to see a twenty-something start out with a little less angst and a little more pep. But, I suppose it wouldn’t be “realistic” enough. Pfft. That’s right, I scoffed.

Special Features:

Two Commentaries by Director, Portman, and Production Assistants

Deleted Scenes

30 Min. Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Trailer for Soundtrack

Review

Movie: C+

Special Features: B-

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