Blu-ray 17th June Release

Fool's Gold (Blu-ray)

Warner Home Video / 2008 / 112 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: June 17, 2008

Genres: Romantic Comedy

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson
Director: Andy Tennant

Plot Synopsis: Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson go for the gold (and the diamonds emeralds and rubies) as a just-divorced couple who bicker and banter their way through an adventure- and laugh-packed undersea treasure hunt. McConaughey is Finn in love with his ex (Hudson) and in deep with gangster Bigg Bunny. After eight years of searching Finn gets a clue to the whereabouts of the Queen?s Dowry a fabulous fortune that mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in 1715. Now all he has to do is get the gold get the girl and get going before Bigg Bunny gets him.

Disc Features:

• Featurette: "Fool's Gold: Flirting with Adventure - The Chemistry Between Two Charming Contemporary Stars" (SD, 5 minutes) - Earning the world record for longest title ever for a featurette, unfortunately the actual runtime of this one is so short it reeks of false advertising. All we get is essentially a commercial for a real making-of, with pithy comments from stars Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, and Donald Sutherland, director Andy Tennant, and various crew. It's totally promotional, and totally lame.
• Gag Reel (SD, 2 minutes) - Typical missed lines and on-set flubs. Mildly amusing.
  

Be Kind Rewind (Blu-ray)

New Line Home Entertainment / 2008 / Rated PG-13
Street Date: June 17, 2008

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Mia Farrow, Mos Def, Jack Black
Director: Michael Gondry

Plot Synopsis: Experience the antics of two outcasts, Jack Black (School of Rock) and Mos Def (The Italian Job), as they attempt to save the local video store in Be Kind Rewind, an outrageous and offbeat comedy from Academy Award®-winning writer/director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Amateur film director Mike (Def) must find a way to save the business after his magnetized friend, Jerry (Black), erases every movie in the store. Using an outdated video camera and their own special effects, the two embark on an adventure to remake all of the movies, from Ghostbusters to Driving Miss Daisy, turning the two town misfits into local celebrities.

Disc Features:
• Featurette: "Passaic Mosaic," "Behind-the-Scenes," "Conversation with Jack Black and Michael Gondry"
• Musical Tribute to Fats Waller with Mos Def, Michael Gondry, and Jean Michel-Bernard
• Jack Black and Mos Def Improvise "Sweded" Theme Songs
• Complete Fats Waller Biopic short film


Men in Black (Blu-ray)

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 1997 / 95 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: June 17, 2008

Genres: Action, Sci-fi Comedy

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith
Director: Barry Sonnenfield

Plot Synopsis: This imaginative summer comedy from director Barry Sonnenfeld (Get Shorty) is a lot of fun, largely on the strength of Will Smith's engaging performance as the rookie partner of a secret agent (Tommy Lee Jones) assigned to keep tabs on Earth-dwelling extraterrestrials. There's lots of comedy to spare in this bright film, some of the funniest stuff found in the margins of the major action. (A scene with Smith's character being trounced in the distance by a huge alien while Jones questions a witness is a riot.) The inventiveness never lets up, and the cast--including Vincent D'Onofrio doing frighteningly convincing work as an alien occupying a decaying human--hold up their end splendidly.

Disc Features:

• Commentaries - The first of two tracks is a "Telestrater Commentary" with director Barry Sonnenfeld and star Tommy Lee Jones. An interesting artifact of early DVD technology, Sonnenfeld narrates while using a sort of light pen to "draw" simple shapes live on the screen. It's kind of a fun little gimmick for a while, as Sonnenfeld points out various actors and objects he's discussing (Jones is largely silent through the track). Unfortunately, the Telestrater aspect ultimately doesn't add much to the overall track, though on its own terms, at least this is still a fine enough audio commentary.
  
  A second "Technical Commentary" is also included, with Sonnenfeld, effects guru Rick Baker, and ILM team members Eric Brevig, John Andrew Berton and Rob Coleman. It's exactly as its name specifies, and oddly, given the effects-heavy nature of the track, here is when the Telestrater might have actually come in more handy. In any case, this is geek-heaven, so if you're at all into effects and CGI, this is an interesting look at the technology just as it was hitting its stride in the late '90s.
  
• Featurette: "Metamorphosis Of MIB" (SD, 23 minutes) - Created for the previous DVD, this straight forward mini-doc includes interviews with Sonnenfeld, Jones, Will Smith and Baker, amongst a few other crew. It's a fairly decent overview of the basics of the shoot, with a particularly emphasis on the special effects. It's far too slim to really count as a great, thorough making-of.
  
• Original EPK (SD, 6 minutes) - This short fluff piece is just an extended commercial. Skippable.
  
• Deleted/Alternate Scenes (SD, 6 minutes) - Five scenes are included, and some are in rough form, particularly one called "Bouncing Ball" that is sans any CGI or effects. As most of the other scenes are just extensions, it's not all that substantial.
  
• Visual Effects Scene Deconstructions (SD) - Three scenes are included. Each deconstruction gives a look at the blue screen version of the scene (it's particularly funny seeing Smith reacting to nothing), then the final composite.
  
• Scene Editing Workshop (SD) - Here, you can be your own 'MIB' editor and reconstruct three different scenes from the film. Sonnenfeld is our tour guide, and you can perfect each scene from three shots, which you can arrange in any order you like. Response time during playback of your finished scene is fine, but this is really basic and obviously created for the DVD.
  
• Still Galleries (SD) - Two are included, for "Art and Animation" and "Production Photo Gallery." The "Art and Animation" section is largely storyboards, while the "Production Photo Gallery" is further broken down into three mini-sections, "Visual Effects Team: ILM," "On The Set With Talent" and "Make-Up & Puppet Team: Cinovation."
  
• Music Video (SD) - A clip for the Will Smith title tune is included. He's a better actor than a songwriter.
  
• Trailers (HD) - Wrapping it up are two high-def spots for 'Men in Black,' including the film's original theatrical teaser and full theatrical trailer.

HD Bonus Content:

• Interactive Game - Dubbed "Intergalactic Pursuit: The MIB Multi-Player Trivia Game," up to four people can participate in answering all sorts of MIB factoids. The game is pretty straightforward, though the graphics are spiffy and the disc response time is excellent. Note that "Intergalactic Pursuit" requires a Profile 2.0 player, otherwise the feature is simply unplayable.
  
• Alien Subtitle Track - This is a total oddity to me. A subtitle track for the entire film is provided in an alien language, and it's amusing for about two minutes. The subtitle gibberish is pretty much unreadable (well, unless you know "alien"), and perhaps this might have worked better had it been done for a single scene and hidden as an easter egg?
  
• BD-Live - Sony also says it is planning to include exclusive content available to those with a Profile 2.0 player (and active internet connection). At press time, all that is available is a standard Sony interface with some downloadable trailers and other adverts. (Watch this space for updates should any further content come online.)

So I Married an Axe Murderer (Blu-ray)

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 1993 / 93 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: June 17, 2008

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Mike Myers, Nancy Travis, Brenda Fricker
Director: Thomas Schlamme

Plot Synopsis: Comedy sensation Mike Myers stars with Nancy Travis in this hatchet-driven romantic comedy about a wedlock-shy coffee house poet who finally meets the perfect woman. When it comes to love, Charlie Mackenzie (Myers) has had his share of bad luck: Sherrie was a klepto-Charlie still can't find his cat. Jill was unemployed-but Charlie knew she really worked for the Mafia. Pam smelled like soup-beef vegetable soup. Good thing for Charlie these shortcomings became apparent, if only to him. Good thingfor Charlie he discovered the truth before things went too far-before he stumbled into MARRIAGE! Because to Charlie the "M" word is just one step away from the fate foretold in that chilling phrase: "Till death do us part." When Charlie meets Harriet Michaels (Travis) everything changes. Harriet's not like the others. She's smart, sexy, and crazy about Charlie. This time Charlie is determined to overcome the fears that sabotaged his past relationships. This time, he's ready for some commitment.Sure, Harriet may have her shortcomings-but so what? After all those other women, what's the worst she could be? An axe murderer?