New on DVD: Aug. 26

New DVD’s This Week: August
26

In this second installment of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic, Hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his small band of allies continue their quest to Mordor to destroy the Ring while the Dark Lord Sauron still holds Middle-earth in his evil grip. Starring Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler and John Rhys-Davies. This two-disc collector’s DVD set will no doubt delight Rings fans, but look for the 4-disc extended version available in November.

What’s
Cool:

Commentary by director Peter Jackson; screenwriters Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens; cast members including Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood, plus others.
Starz! special “On the Set: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and the WB special “Return to Middle-Earth”.
Co-star Sean Astin’s never-before-seen short film “The Long and Short of It” on the making of Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Featurettes: “Forces of Darkness,” “Designing the Sounds of Middle-Earth,” “Edoras: The Rohan Capital,” “Creatures of Middle-Earth,” “Gandalf the White,” “Arms and Armor,” “The Battle of Helm’s Deep” and “Bringing Gollum to Life.”
10-minute behind the scenes preview of The Return of the King–a mix of making-of footage, interviews and completed clips.

	From Our Review:
	The Two Towers will not disappoint the legions of Lord of the Rings fans and the new converts who adored The Fellowship of the Ring. But be forewarned: The Two Towers isn’t about cute Hobbits traveling the countryside–this one gets down to the nitty-gritty. More. . .

Chasing Papi

Three women think they have found the perfect man. For New York heiress Patricia (Jaci Velasquez), he’s a wild adventurer who offers her freedom. For the serious Chicago lawyer Lorena (Roselyn Sanchez), he uncovers the spark of passion beneath her buttoned-down lapels. And for Miami’s fiery Cici (Sofia Vergara), he’s the only man whose flames burn as bright as her own. When the three women discover their perfect man is the same man, Tomas Fuentes aka Papi (Eduardo Verastegui), they set out to teach him a lesson. But as they wait for Tomas to choose between them, the girls embark on a journey of friendship, resourcefulness and self-discovery which turns out to be a lot more valuable than the man’s affections.

What’s
Cool:

Commentary by director Linda Mendoza and cast members Roselyn Sanchez, Sofia Vergara, Jaci Velasquez and Eduardo Verastegui.
Bloopers and outtakes
Music video: Huey Dunbar featuring Fat Joe

	From Our Review:
	Long hair, long legs and a splashy salsa soundtrack can’t save Chasing Papi from its contrived plot, tired jokes and retro gender politics. More. . .

From Justin to Kelly

Spring break in Miami is the place to be for Texan singer Kelly (Clarkson) and college student Justin (Guarini). Kelly’s friends are drawn into the beachside fun, while Kelly tentatively navigates a sea of strangers before her eyes meet Justin’s and everything changes in an instant. But Kelly’s boy-crazy friend Alexa has already set her sights on Justin. She will stop at nothing–even betraying a friend–to nab Justin as her own. Will true love win out for the star-crossed Justin and Kelly?

What’s
Cool:

Commentary by director Robert Iscove and stars Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini
Featurettes: “Video Diary,” “Center Stage with Justin and Kelly,” and “Singers who Dance…Dancers who Sing?”
Deleted scenes and gag reel

	From Our Review:
	“Some people wait a lifetime,” Kelly Clarkson sang, “for a moment like this.” She and her buddy Justin Guarini should have waited longer for a better movie deal. More. . .

Still Hot

Chicago

Set in the 1920s, this Academy Award-winning musical follows two women–nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones, in her Oscar-winning performance for Best Supporting Actress) and wanna-be Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger)—both on Chicago’s famed murderess row for murdering their men. Chicago’s slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), turns them from tabloid sensations into superstars. Everyone loves a legend–but in Chicago, there’s only room for one. As Roxie fashions herself out to be America’s new sweetheart, Velma has more than a few tricks up her sleeve to sabotage her. Also stars Queen Latifah.

What’s
Cool:

Commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon
Deleted musical number “Class”–performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones & Queen Latifah
Behind the scenes special

	From Our Review:
	Although the singing and dancing aren’t as good as on Broadway, Chicago–about two murderesses who backstab, lie and cheat in order to make themselves stand out in a town full of legends–is all you could ask for in great entertainment. More. . .

Bowling for Columbine

This Academy Award-winning documentary from controversial filmmaker Michael Moore takes a look at America’s love affair with firearms and the pathology of violence in the United States, which has the highest gun-murder rate of any country in the world.

What’s
Cool:

Interview with filmmaker Michael Moore on his Oscar win and controversial acceptance speech
“Return to Denver/Littleton” featurette
Commentary by the film production office’s receptionists and interns
“Mike’s Action Guide–How to get involved in the fight against violence in America accessed through a Weblink and DVD-ROM feature.
Teacher’s Guide”–Educational materials to help students think critically about the issues raised by Bowling for Columbine.
Music video: “Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson

	From Our Review:
	This film is bitingly brilliant–as only one from Michael Moore can be. No one on either side of the gun control issue should miss this movie. More. . .

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