March 20: Video View column
Just when everyone thought that the Italian Stallion was down for the count, the character’s creator, Sylvester Stallone, delivered a cinematic knockout punch. With “Rocky Balboa” (MGM; $29.99, DVD; $38.99, Blu-ray Disc; March 20), the 60-year-old creator of the Philadelphia boxer with a big heart and a hard right brought him back for a broadly drawn, enjoyably rendered pictured that grossed a very respectable $70.1 million.
Working with a limited budget but an abundance of energy, Stallone, who stars in, wrote and directed the PG-rated installment, created a back-to-basics tale that has a melancholy Rocky agreeing to a 10-round Las Vegas exhibition bout against a moody champion, Mason “The Line” Dixon (real-life light heavyweight Antonio Tarver). During the “skill vs. will” bout, things quickly turn ugly once the aging bull and the in-his-prime pugilist start trading punches.
Guess who wants to prove that he can still go the distance?
Initially, “Rocky Balboa” has a sad tone as the title character looks back on his life with his late wife, Adrian (Talia Shire seen briefly in flashbacks), tries to connect with his remote son (Milo Ventimiglia of TV’s “Heroes”) and worries that his life might be slipping away. Returning to the ring at an age when most people are exploring their Social Security benefits puts him back on track in this baby-boomer fantasy that has a surprising amount of heart.
At last December’s Philadelphia premiere of “Rocky Balboa,” Stallone said he hoped viewers, especially those who feel over the hill, would connect with the film’s message.
“Many people get older and think their lives are over,” Stallone told me during a brief conversation on the red carpet at the Prince Music Theater. “The message of the film is that you shouldn’t be afraid to dream.
“Quitting is easy. Trying is hard.”
Stallone also smiled when talking about the tough battle to bring “Rocky Balboa” – a film that initially no studio wanted to bankroll due to the low returns on the disappointing “Rocky V” (1990) – to the big screen.
“I feel that ‘Rocky Balboa’ is the best that I could do,” the veteran action star said. “I knew I would have been sad for the rest of my life if I hadn’t done it (a sixth installment).
“The film is nostalgic, because there’s nothing more potent than revisiting an old friend.”
Those watching “Rocky Balboa” on the high-definition Blu-ray Disc format will be treated to a superior image that captures every bone-rattling punch. In addition, all of the Blu-ray Disc extras, including a deleted scene that shows a totally different (and much-less believable) alternate ending, are in high definition.
Now Playing!
The following DVD titles either are coming soon or recently landed at a video store near you.
If your local outlet doesn’t stock them, the DVD offerings can be mail ordered by calling (800) 523-0823 or going to the Web site moviesunlimited.com or amazon.com, unless otherwise noted.
Movies
“Are We There Yet?” (Sony; $14.99, DVD; March 20) with Ice Cube (“Boyz N the Hood”) in a re-release of the PG-rated comedy about a bachelor trying to adjust to the two young children of his girlfriend during a long road trip. This new pressing will contain a preview of the upcoming sequel “Are We Done Yet?” (opening April 4).
“Blood Diamond” (Warner; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, two-disc special edition; March 20) with Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Departed”) and Djimon Hounsou (“Gladiator”) in an R-rated thriller about the horrors associated with conflict diamonds.
“Come Early Morning” (Genius; $19.99, DVD; March 20) with Ashley Judd (“Double Jeopardy”) and Diane Ladd (“Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”) in an R-rated drama about a single, hard-drinking thirtysomething woman who feels trapped in a small town. Actress Joey Lauren Adams (“Chasing Amy”) makes her directing debut with the picture, which was shown at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
“Eragon” (Fox; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, two-disc special edition DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc; March 20) with newcomer Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons (“Reversal of Fortune”), John Malkovich (“In the Line of Fire”), Robert Carlyle (“The Full Monty”) and the voice of Rachel Weisz (“The Constant Gardener”). The PG-rated sword-and-sorcery picture features dragon visuals created by WETA Digital and Industrial Light & Magic, which are owned by directors Peter Jackson and George Lucas, respectively.
“Everyone’s Hero” (Fox; $29.99, DVD; March 20) with the voices of Whoopi Goldberg (“Ghost”), William H. Macy (“Wild Hogs”) and Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland”) in a G-rated computer-animated tale about two young baseball fans who must overcome numerous obstacles to return a stolen bat to Yankee slugger Babe Ruth.
“H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator: 2-Disc Limited Edition” (Anchor Bay; $24.99, DVD; March 20) with Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Campton in director Stuart Gordon’s unrated cult favorite (1985) about a mad scientist who discovers the secret of re-animating dead human tissue. The first 50,000 copies of the set will contain a “Re-Animator” syringe-shaped highlighter. Gordon approved the re-mastered, anamorphic wide-screen pressing that also features new Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound. The extras include commentary by Gordon, a new 70-minute making-of featurette (“Re-Animator Resurrectus”), deleted and extended scenes and the theatrical trailer.
“The Nativity Story” (New Line; $28.99, DVD; March 20) with Keisha Castle-Hughes (“Whale Rider”) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (TV’s “24”) in a faith-based picture, rated PG, about the birth of Christ.
“Night of the Comet” (MGM; $14.99, DVD; now available) with Catherine Mary Stewart (“Weekend at Bernie’s) and Kelli Maroney (“Fast Times at Ridgemont High”) in a PG-13 sci-fi satire about two young women who are the only ones left to fight zombies invading Los Angeles.
“Pro-Life” (Anchor Bay; $14.99, DVD; March 20) with Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”) in director John Carpenter’s dark unrated chiller about a demon growing inside a patient at a women’s health clinic. The title was originally presented as part of Showtime’s “Masters of Horror” series, and the extras include a commentary by Carpenter and a making-of featurette.
“Stan Lee Presents: The Condor” (Starz; $14.99, DVD; March 20) with the voice of Wilmer Valderrama (“That 70’s Show”) in an animated tale about a young man who employs cutting-edge technology to become a superhero and then hunts down those responsible for murdering his parents.
“Wondrous Oblivion” (Palm; $24.99, DVD; March 20) with Delroy Lindo (“Clockers”) in a PG-rated tale that’s set in South London during the racial strife of the 1960s and uses the game of cricket as the backdrop for a story about the importance of tolerance.
Cinema collections
“Michael Shayne, Private Detective DVD Collection” (Fox; $29.99, DVD; March 20) with Lloyd Nolan in four films – “Michael Shayne, Private Detective” (1940), “Sleepers West” (1941), “Blue, White and Perfect” (1942) and “The Man Who Wouldn’t Die” (1942) – featuring the resourceful Irish-American gumshoe who was created by writer Brett Halliday and was the subject of 77 novels and 300 short stories. According to “Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide,” the first installment is based on Halliday’s novel, “Dividend on Death.” The DVD extras include “Nabbing Crooks The Michael Shayne Way,” a featurette on the character.
Documentary
“Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film” (ThinkFilm; $24.99, DVD; March 20) with directors John Carpenter (“Halloween”), Wes Craven (“Scream”), Tom Savini (remake of “Night of the Living Dead”) and Rob Zombie (“House of 1000 Corpses”) in an unrated examination of hard-edged fright films. Jamie Lee Curtis (the “Halloween” series) an), Tom Hanks (“He Knows You’re Alone”) and Kevin Bacon (“Friday the 13th”) are some of the stars who got their start in the business in the slice-and-dice genre.
“Mana: Beyond Belief” (Genius; $24.99, DVD; March 20) with Peter Friedman and Roger Manley co-directing a film that looks at “mana” (a Polynesian word for power or prestige) objects from numerous cultures around the globe.
Television
“Christy: The Complete Series” (Fox; $39.99, DVD; March 20) with Kellie Martin (TV’s “ER”) and Tyne Daly (TV’s “Judging Amy”) in a four-disc set with 19 episodes of the show which is based on the novel by Catherine Marshall. The plot follows a wealthy young woman who leaves a comfortable life behind in 1912 to teach school in an impoverished community in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
“Maude: The First Season” (Sony; $29.99, DVD; March 20) with Bea Arthur (“Mame”) and Adrienne Barbeau (“Escape From New York”) in a three-disc set with the initial 22 episodes of the “All in the Family” spin-off sitcom that found humor in provocative social issues.
“NewsRadio: The Complete Fifth Season” (Sony; $39.99, DVD; March 20) with Dave Foley (TV’s “Kids in the Hall”), Jon Lovitz (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”) and Maura Tierney (TV’s “ER”) in a three-disc set with all 22 episodes from the fifth year of the hit series about the zany employees at a radio station.
Children/Family
“Garfield & Friends: An Ode to Odie” (Fox; $14.99, DVD; March 20) with the popular fat cat and his friends in 13 animated episodes hand-picked by “Garfield” creator Jim Davis.
n “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Clubhouse Hunt” (Disney; $26.99, DVD; March 20) with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Daisy in an animated title, rated G, about an effort to save a clubhouse after it’s mysteriously destroyed and then floats away.
“My First Signs” (Buena Vista; $19.99, DVD; now available) with Marlee Matlin (“Children of a Lesser God”) introducing babies to first words and the corresponding signs by using colorful puppets, real-world images and classical compositions.