New DVD Releases For February 20th, 2007
by Ryan Laster ~ February 20th, 2007. Filed under: Uncategorized.February 20th, 2007
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FLUSHED AWAY
The first computer animated film from Britain’s Aardman Animation (of Wallace and Gromit fame) is a spirited adventure about a pampered pet mouse (voiced by Hugh Jackman) with a james Bond fantasy life who gets flushed into a miniature subterranean London in the sewers. Kate Winslet voices the spunky sewer rat and Ian McKellen spoofs his villain roles as a toad crimelord plotting the end of rat civilization. The film is quick witted and colorful, stuffed with sight gags and clever comments and lots of action. The voice cast also features Jean Reno, Bill Nighy, Andy Serkis, and Shane Richie. |
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THE PRESTIGE
Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are journeyman magic assistants in Victorian era London who become rivals as they rise to fame as magicians in their own right, Jackman as the fame-hungry showman and Bale as the consummate professional and purist out to create the perfect trick. Christopher Nolan directs with his trademark narrative shuffling, moving back and forth through their lives to find the roots of the obsessive competition turned fatal rivalry. Michael Caine is the engineer who helps concoct the devices, Scarlett Johansson a sexy assistant turned spy, and David Bowie plays real-life inventor and visionary Nikola Tesla. Piper Perabo, Andy Serkis, and Ricky Jay co-star. |
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BABEL
Three stories across four countries and three continents are woven together in the third film in the loose trilogy from director Alejandro González Iñárritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, it stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett as an American couple in Morocco, Adriana Barraza as their Mexican nanny back home in California, Gael GarcÃa Bernal as her nephew, and Rinko Kikuchi as a deaf-mute Japanese teenage daughter of Kôji Yakusho. Their stories are intertwined by misunderstandings and miscommunications. |
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MARIE ANTOINETTE
Sofia Coppola casts Kirsten Dunst, the star of her debut film The Virgin Suicides, as Marie Antoinette, the teenage Austrian princess married off to France’s young and indifferent King Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman) and sent to an alien world where politics has become social spectacle: the French court. It’s a rock and roll version of history, where royal life is a bubble of privilege and culture is reflected through Coppola’s modern sensibilities. Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne, Asia Argento, Molly Shannon, Shirley Henderson, Danny Huston, and Steve Coogan co-star. |
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MAN OF THE YEAR
Robin Williams plays a popular talk show host famous for speaking his mind about politicians and their cronies who is swept into running for president by a grassroots movement. The more he skewers his opponents, the higher his poll numbers go. Barry Levinson directs the political comedy and Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Jeff Goldblum, and Lewis Black co-star. |