A DVD purchase can be a double-edged sword, and trust me, you’re not the only ones with some not-so-choice choices collecting dust on the shelf. But I can offer some help to answer the conundrum, “How many times am I really gonna watch that?”
This week’s releases
Monster-in-Law
Charlotte (Jennifer Lopez) finally seems to have met Mr. Right (Michael Vartan). That is, until she meets his mother (Jane Fonda). As the title would suggest, she sets out to sabotage the relationship.
Total box office: $82.8 Million
Extras! Lots! But in the end, there isn’t much aside from many nuances of the norm. There are featurettes involving each of the stars, Lopez, Fonda, and Vartan. This might be enticing but if you google Lopez, you could have a billion interviews in 31 seconds–for free.
When it was relevant: Monster-In-Law was another notch on Lopez‘s belt. For romantic comedies, she’s usually a safe bet–Gigli notwithstanding. But Monster‘s true real headliner is Fonda, making an appearance in a movie for the first time in 15 years! Some thought it an odd choice to pair up with Lopez, but the two of them proved to make a delightful odd couple.
Worthy purchase? It’s tough to find the real appeal owning this movie. But if you don’t have cable–thus have access to any of the multitude of Lopez‘s movies airing on a daily basis–then, well, we’ll forgive your indulgence.
All things considered:: C
Sahara
Explorer Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) goes hunting for gold in West Africa, and along the way helps the most beautiful scientist the world has ever known (Penelope Cruz) as well as the rest of the world’s population.
Total box office: $68.6 million
Extras! The whole gamut…of the usual stuff–director/star commentary, featurettes and deleted scenes. Booooring.
When it was relevant: Sahara was a moderately surprising hit in theatres but still under-whelmed the studio heads who allowed the budget to rise upwards of Spielberg-like $130 million. It benefited from timing and the rumored off-screen romance between co-stars McConaughey and Cruz, which catapulted their respective stars–but more than likely ended the careers of those who allowed the budget. Perfect.
Worthy DVD purchase? There’s not much here aside from a cornucopia of eye candy between the stars and the scenery. If that’s all you’re after, it’ll suffice as flavor of the month. If not, there are plenty of better choices out there.
All things considered: C-
TV on DVD
Curb Your Enthusiasm – The Complete Fourth Season
Extras!: If there is one gripe regarding the whole Enthusiasm series, it’d be that its DVDs never contain any special features. The show’s fourth season is, sadly, no exception. I guess it’s creator and Seinfeld mastermind Larry David‘s way of saying, “If you don’t like the show for the show, then I don’t need ya.”
Comments: Season four saw the HBO series’ popularity give way to real celeb-fans starring on the show. Ben Stiller, Gina Gershon, David Schwimmer and Mel Brooks each helped out their buddy David by making appearances. Although the show may be beginning to show its age and its shift to the center, it’s still a worthy addition. But here’s a suggestion: Extras wouldn’t hurt, Larry.
All things considered B+
Nip/Tuck – The Complete Second Season
Extras!: Not a whole lot we haven’t seen before. Still, included is 40 minutes of never-before-seen deleted scenes–that’s more slicing and dicing to you, die-hard fans.
Comments: This F/X phenomenon has become quite the Cinderella story. It remains intriguing, given the subject matter as it pertains to modern vanity, and intermingles with wonderful soap-opera theatrics. This might be the perfect opportunity to get in the loop.
All things considered: B+
