Celluloid Sell-Out: Where No Man Has Gone Before...

Christmas is coming, and with that, every studio is rushing to get all of their biggest releases out to capitalize of the gift-giving season. How are we, as consumers going to cope in this, an economic slowdown? Do we get the single-disc version with no features? Or do we buy the 2-disc with extra digital copy? The DVD/Blu-Ray market is one of confusion for the average consumer. Thank God, you have someone like me to sort through all of the Palaver... This is Celluloid Sell-Out.

So today, November 17th, we see a number of releases coming out on Home Video... What are they, let's take a look!

On the "New Release Wall" this week we have three new-to-video titles. The biggest release of the week, undoubtedly is "Star Trek" (Forch Rating for the Film: 9.75/10) The J.J. Abrams-helmed reboot of the Star Trek franchise got even the hardcore geeks drooling with anticipation a full year before its theatrical release, and the film did not fail at all in the theaters, becoming a sure-fire hit, and ensuring sequels for (hopefully) years to come.

The film has 2 major DVD releases, the first being the single-disc version (Paramount/Dreamworks always does this with Action films that hit big, See: Transformers, G.I. Joe) which has basically just the film itself, and then of course, the 2-disc edition, which features a gaggle of special features on the second disc and as well, a digital copy of the film. Guess which I got. If you're lucky enough, there is also a "Steelbox" edition, but it's available at select places around here (Best Buy, Future Shop).(See my review of the DVD, in the next article.)

The next "New Release" of this week is the (Shudder) hit film starring Sasha Baron Cohen: "Bruno". The movie itself did much less business than its predecessor: Borat. But that was to be expected, as Cohen's humor appeals to only a select few (In comparison to most comedies, which have a broader appeal). I have not seen the movie myself, but I think that it'll be rented soon enough. Like Borat, I will probably only be able to see it once, and that's it.

The third "New Release" of the week is: "My Sister's Keeper" which features Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin. The film didn't make much of a splash in theaters, and the plot would really appeal more to the "Emotional Drama" crowd. The plot revolves around a child's plight to emancipate from her parents in order to help her terminally ill sister, which right there confuses and baffles me. I'll wait for this one to come on HBO, I think...

In other releases....

"Gone With the Wind" is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and what better way with a massive box set? It's a 5-DVD set which is in a limited edition "Numbered" velvet box, and includes a bunch of goodies. There's also a 2-disc "Non-limited" edition as well for those of you who'd rather just watch the movie.

"Rome: The Complete Series" comes to DVD this week as well. The HBO mega-hit, which has been on DVD for some time, looks to be given a fresh boxed set just in time for the holidays! If you have not seen the series, check it out. It is a very well produced series. Kevin McKidd (Journeyman, Grey's Anatomy) and Ray Stevenson (Punisher: War Zone) are both excellent in it, and this may be a set that I might look for under the Christmas tree this year!

For those of you who love your TV like me, there are very few DVD sets this week, the most noteworthy has to be "Scrubs" Season 8. Come to think of it, if Scrubs is the biggest TV DVD that I can find this week, it's really a lackluster week for TV on DVD...


So that's about it for this week, next week there are going to be more films coming our way, most notable: "Angels and Demons", the followup to "The DaVinci Code". So until next time, the Basement lights are off, and I am going to take a nap!








By: Forch F. Fortier (Who reminds you to stay tuned to TNTM 2.0 this week, because he has a scathing article in the works about "Spaceballs". What could that be? Tune in and find out!)

Celluloid Sell-Out: The Ugly Truth is Up There!

Well it's Tuesday, and because it's Tuesday, I can smell the new DVD's as they're opened up out of their cardboard boxes and placed on the shelves or standees for mass consumption! (Yes, I can smell that far, even from my parent's basement!) And you know what that means! That's right! It's time for another edition of Celluloid Sell-Out!

So this week is not really a huge week for new releases. Only two major studio releases were put out, the others being more "Direct To Video" titles, that I could really care less about, so we're going to put the focus on the two, because I actually liked these movies!


First up, (No pun intended) is the Disney/Pixar film, "Up". (Forch Rating: 9/10) Which undoubtedly is the biggest release of the week. The movie itself, like all Pixar films is a visual masterpiece. Obviously aimed at kids, however the film is a great film that I think the whole family can enjoy.

The story is centered around Carl Fredricksen (Voiced by Ed Asner, who ironically enough would play my grandfather if a movie of my life ever came out, remember that, there's going to be a quiz later) who, aged and after a wonderful life with his wife and lifelong best friend, Ellie. Decides to honor a promise made on her deathbed, and he basically flies his house (With the Aid of a ton of Balloons) to Paradise Falls in South America. Caught up in this adventure is Russell, a wilderness explorer who's trying to earn his final merit badge, ironically enough for assisting the elderly.

Not giving away too much of the plot, I just wanted to say, like all of Pixar's movies, I love this one, and you will too. The DVD as well is loaded with your typical fare of Pixar extras, nothing too out of the ordinary for any Pixar afficianado.


Next on the Docket, is a romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. "The Ugly Truth" (Forch Rating: 7/10). It is your typical "Run of the Mill" romantic comedy, where the girl thinks the guy's a pig, only to fall in love with him at the end of the movie. This time, all of it is focussed around Abby Richter (Heigl) who is a producer for an A.M. morning show out of Sacramento, CA who's ratings are slipping, so along comes Mike Chadway (Butler) who's the host of a cable access show called "The Ugly Truth". The Station buys the rights to the show, and starts putting Chadway on in the mornings, much to the Chagrin of Abby, who can't stand him.

Once again, plot aside, this was another in the long line of romantic comedies that really doesn't go much further than any other before it. However, the movie's saving grace is that of Butler, who's portrayal of Mike Chadway is brilliant. You can tell that he had a lot of fun playing this role, as his eyes gleamed in a way that shows he was having a good time. The character is brilliant, and I doubt there would have been anyone else to play it better. That, is the reason the movie got as high a rating as it did.

There are a bunch of Box Sets that are out this week, so let's take a look at those!!!


First off, one that my ex-wife would love, and I would dread... "Dawson's Creek: The Complete Series" Chronicles Dawson Leery and his rag-tag much of misfit teens who get into typical teen situations, and have adventures in time and space. Oh wait, wrong show. What was Dawson's Creek About? I have no idea, I never watched it! I do know John Wesley Shipp (TV's "The Flash") Played Dawson's Father. Anyway, I know that this show is the reason we have other shows like "One Tree Hill" and it basically ushered in shows like "Smallville" (Which honestly, the first 3 years were Dawson's Creek with Superpowers) so I can't bash it too much.



Warner Bros. has come out with a Box Set of "Justice League: The Complete Series". So if you're like me, and already own the individual box sets, you're not going to blow your money on this. But, if you don't already have it, I am sure that it's a worthwhile purchase. The show was a great cartoon. Apparently, it's 15 DVD's, which means that it should include "Justice League Unlimited" as well as "Justice League". The description shows that there's a lot of behind the scenes featurettes, however it's probably the ones that are already on the existing discs.






MLB Productions has a great box set out in time for the holidays, and perhaps timed perfectly since the season just ended last week (Damned Yankees!). "MLB: The Official World Series Film Collection" displays all of the iconic moments over a span of seven decades of the greatest game around. It is a 20-disc collection, which also features a 58-page World Series Pictorial. Now 2009's World Series is not included (Thank God) but every world series from 1943-2008 is featured within this beautiful looking set.

If you're looking for something special to get me, I suggest this item. For those of you who know me, know I love baseball, and this is the baseball fan's ultimate present!

"G.I. Joe: The Complete Series" is also out in stores this week, following suit like the Transformers before it, it's just another repackaging of material that's been out for a number of years, just in a different box. Heck, the series has been put out in box sets individually for the last few months to capitalize on the movie, so this box set really is nothing new for consumers.

In Current Television, there aren't too many releases of Note. "JAG", the Ninth Season (Really, it's been on that long?) comes out today, fans of the series rejoice! I've never seen an episode, but I do know that "Major Babe" Catherine Bell was/is on it, and that would be my only reason!

"The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Second Season" arrives on DVD today, I imagine this one will be a little harder to find, as the show doesn't really air in Canada, and I am not sure about the U.S. It's a more kid-friendly version of Doctor Who (Without Time travel) and features everyone's favorite companion, Ms. Sarah Jane Smith (Played my Elisabeth Sladen, who still looks beautiful!). The show is good, not as good as Doctor Who, but a Who fan will get some enjoyment out of it.


in "Cult and Classic" only one film springs to mind, and that's "Logan's Run". A movie no one remembers, except pop-culture junkies like myself, the film has been immortalized a number of times on cartoons like Family Guy and the Simpsons, as well as featured Prominently in the 1999 comedy: "Free Enterprise". This movie is a must-see for anyone approaching the age of 30! And now that it is available on Blu-Ray, you can see the ultimate version of a movie who's special effects were cheap, even in 1975! But it is a classic, and we honor it!






So that's this week's Celluloid Sell-Out. Next week we have a huge release on the docket, in Star Trek. Undoubtedly one of the biggest hits of 2009 is coming to DVD and Blu-Ray. Can it surpass all expectations like it did in theaters? We'll see next week!









By Forch F. Fortier (Who reminds you that the MLB World Series Box Set does make a great Christmas gift for those who you truly care about... If you want to buy it for me, e-mail me at forchman@hotmail.com and I will provide you with an address to mail it to me for Christmas, unless of course, you already have my address!)

Celluloid Sell-Out: Yo Joe!

It's Tuesday, and whether or not you like it, it's new movie release day (At least for Home Video) and it's my job, or at least I think that it's my job to scan through the new DVD's of the week, to help you make the best choice that you can when it comes to purchasing, or better yet renting that DVD, Blue Ray, or whatever form of entertainment media is hot this week.

So let's see what's in store this week, here are the releases for Tuesday, November 3rd!


The biggest release of the week, undoubtedly is the hit (If you can call it that) blockbuster, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.This, of course is the film that I have been looking for, and of course, I had to rush to Wal-Mart to pick it up. Aside from the Standard 1-disc edition, there's also a 2-disc with additional features and Blue-Ray.

I happened to pick up the 1-disc, and I am watching it as we speak. As I have already seen the movie, I can tell you that it was a pretty good (Not great) movie, which at the time I gave a 6.5/10 (Grilled cheese sandwich scale) Upon rewatching it, I will bump up the mark slightly to a 7. It really isn't that bad of a movie, of course, Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) is the saving grace of the movie.


The other Big (Once again, if you can call it that) release is "The Taking of Pelham 123", starring John Travolta and Denzel Washington. Both actors I am fans of, however, when you try to remake a movie not many people care about, you come up with a movie that very little care of, and this, is undoubtedly what happened.

The movie tanked at the box office. But look for it to rent well on home video.

The next release this week is "Aliens in the Attic", a CG-Animated feature for kids. Another movie that did not do terribly well in theaters, and was overlooked by most theater-goers. As well, look for this to rent good for at least a couple of weeks, for parents who are looking for new films for their kids.

"I Love You, Beth Cooper" comes out today as well. Another overlooked film, no comment.

In other releases, there are a bunch of re-releases to talk about, as well as a bunch of "TV-On-DVD" releases, I will mention a few of those at this time.


The movie Watchmen (Forch Rating 8.5/10) gets yet another DVD release this week, with "Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut". This set will not only include (Yet another) extended version of the film as well as the Animated direct to DVD releases that came out around the same time of the film's theatrical release. This, of course is the only way that WB is going to get people to watch them, as those items didn't exactly sell to begin with.

Will Ferrell's live HBO special: "You're Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush" comes to DVD. I happened to see this when it aired on HBO, I wasn't impressed. Ferrell seems to be growing desperate, as he's been slowly sliding into a downward spiral. It's a shame, because he's quite funny, however no one cares about what lovable loser he's going to play next, as each of his movies seem to just blend together.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One looks to be a worthwhile release. Clone Wars is a great cartoon, and I feel that I will likely pick this one up at some point.

For you Henson-Nuts, Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series comes out today as well. I know a lot of people who are looking forward to this one.


And finally for those of you who love Michael Chiklis, The complete series of "The Shield" comes out in a huge box set! I have no idea who watched this show, but I don't see a lot of units of this item moving too much!

So that's this week's releases. Next week looks to be a good week, as the Pixar hit, Up comes to home video. In the coming weeks we're going to see a lot of hits hitting video shelves, so keep posted.


By Forch F. Fortier (Who reminds you that he auditioned for G.I. Joe the movie for the part of Gung-Ho, however director Stephen Sommers was upset when I told them that I wouldn't grow the gay mustache, however I was willing to get the chest tattoo.)

Celluloid Sell-Out: Surfing in a Sea of Mediocrity!

Well it's Tuesday, and to geeks everywhere, it's known as new DVD-day. So, I took it upon myself, like I do every Tuesday, and I headed down to Welland's finest locale to acquire the lavish home-video, Wal-Mart, and I took stock of the new releases, to see if there was one that I wanted, or if I was going to stick to the $5 bin and get something mildly entertaining and cheap.

Well it looks like the $5 bin won out this week, because I ended up with the SNL: Best of Mike Myers DVD, rather than the lackluster assortment of cinematic diarrhea this week. Unless, you're a kid, then it's a great week for you!

Here are a list of the more "Major" (If you can use that term) releases for the Week of: October 27th.



The Biggest release of the week has to be Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Now I like these movies, I find them entertaining, and they're a great watch with my daughter, but judging by these movies (As well as the Land Before Time movies) The dinosaurs didn't last as long as these series do! But the studios keep pumping them out, because let's face facts, they're cash cows for the studios, in a world where it's harder and harder to find good, clean family entertainment.




Speaking of good, clean family entertainment.... According to the standees at Wal-Mart (That's how you can spot the bigger releases!) The next biggest movie is the "Direct to Video": Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. One can only assume that it's going to involve Lil' 'Ol Tink having fun in some fairy kingdom, but having to overcome some sort of evil witch or comical baddie... Good for the kids, but I am sure as a parent, you're going to want to jam an icepick into your skull.





Continuing the Stellar list of new releases this week is Orphan. A movie that looked bad enough for me NOT to see in theaters, is going to be the hit movie BAD enough for me not to see on DVD. All I know is that it looks like a creepy ride into mediocrity, that people will forget as quickly as we've all forgotten about Amy Winehouse....



And just when you thought it was safe to stop watching "Spoof" movies, here comes "Stan Helsing". From the Executive Producer of Scary Movie comes another version of Scary Movie with a Different Title! Heck, even Scary Movie 3 and 4 star: Leslie Nielsen is in it! Instead of using the comic genius of Airplane! or The Naked Gun as a Template, and spoof mainly 1-3 movies in the premise, of course these geniuses have to spoof EVERY FREAKIN' MOVIE OF THE GENRE! Mashing together jokes like they're trying to put together a puzzle, and have no idea how to make the pieces fit! I used to love these types of movies, now I weep for the Genre.





The only Release of the week that has any sort of redeeming sort of value to it is" Battlestar Galactica: The Plan". Which is basically showing an alternate viewpoint to the SyFy (SciFi) hit series, but this time from the vantagepoint of the Cylons. The movie takes place after the destruction of the Twelve Colonies (The Miniseries), and is supposed to answer some (But probably not many) of the questions left hanging from the series. Of course this is the same sort of release like "Battlestar Galactica: Razor" which'll be on video for a few months, before it airs on TV, and we get suckered into buying it to see it first, when if we were patient, we could have just waited 2-3 months and seen it for free! Of course, I'll end up buying it, just not today, because I already got my $5 DVD!

So yeah, this week.... Not so good.... Hopefully next week will be a bit better.... Let me check iMDB... Well, at least G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra comes out! So it's going to be an alright week for the Geek! Until Next time!!

F.M.