Alvin & The Chipmunks Plus Other Great Releases On Blu-ray 1st April

Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) (Blu-ray)

Fox Home Entertainment / 2007 / 90 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Genres: Animation, Comedy, Family

Starring: Jason Lee, Justin Long, David Cross
Director: Tim Hill

Plot Synopsis: Struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore, they quickly become overnight music sensations. But when a greedy record producer (David Cross) tries to exploit the musical ensemble, Dave must use a little human ingenuity—and a lot of ’munk mischief—to get his furry family back before it’s too late!

Disc Features:
• Featurettes: "Chip-Chip-Hooray! Chipmunk History," "Hitting the Harmony"
• Digital Copy download version

10.5 Apocalypse: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray)

Echo Bridge Entertainment / 2006 / Unrated
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Genres: Action, Drama, Science Fiction

Starring: Kim Delaney, Garcelle Beauvais, Frank Langella
Director: John Lafia

Plot Synopsis: Another massive 10.5 quake tears apart the West Coast, threatening to turn the American landscape into a hellish wasteland. Seismologist Samantha Hill (Emmy® winner Kim Delaney, TV's CSI: Miami) sees an even greater threat: an ever-widening fault line that's heading straight for the country's two largest nuclear reactors. If meltdown occurs, millions will die. Samantha and the American president (Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Beau Bridges, TV's Stargate SG-1 agree only one man can help them - the scientist who predicted this terrifying natural disaster years before - Samantha's own father, Dr. Earl Hill (Golden Globe® nominee Frank Langella, Good Night, and Good Luck.), now counted as a possible casualty of a massive Las Vegas quake. Together with a crack rescue team including Brad (Dean Cain, Mayday) and Will (Oliver Hudson, The Out-of-Towners), Samantha must find her father and stop the fault from slicing uncontrollably toward millions of people and the ultimate nuclear apocalypse.


Artie Lange's Beer League (Blu-ray)

Echo Bridge Entertainment / 2006 / Rated R
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Artie Lange, Jim Breuer, Laurie Metcalfe
Director: Frank Sebastiano

Plot Synopsis: Beer, broads and softball combine with hilarious results in Artie Lange's Beer League, an over-the-top comedy about a group of misfits whose weekly softball games descend more into fights for macho dominance than making home runs. When love enters his life (Cara Buono), it unexpectedly alters Artie's low self-esteem; and the odds for winning - not only the league trophy but a new life - are considerably amped along with the comedy and chaos.


Category 7: The End of the World (Blu-ray)

Echo Bridge Entertainment / 2005 / Unrated
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Genres: Action, Drama, Science Fiction

Starring: Gina Gershon, Robert Wagner, James Brolin
Director: Dick Lowry

Plot Synopsis: In this hair-raising sequel to Category Six: Day of Destruction, mankind's survivial against the elements is pushed to the limits... All across the globe, an unprecedented Category 6 storm decends with greater force than could have ever been imagined. The Eiffel Tower is shredded by violent winds - the Great Pyramids reduced to piles of rubble as twisting, black funnels snake across the desert. For years scientists have been expounding theories - and warnings - of global warming trends. Now these warnings are coming true with a frightening ferocity. But though it may have created regions of volatile and extreme weather, global warming isn't what triggered the terrible temptest. The cause is unknown. As various regions of the Earth succumb to the increasingly powerful super storm, beautiful but discredited scientist Faith Clavell (Shannen Doherty, TV's Charmed) teams up with storm chaser Tommy Tornado (Emmy® Award nominee Randy Quaid, Elvis) and head of FEMA Judith Carr (Gina Gershon, Face/Off), to determine the trigger and eliminate it - and that means infiltrating the storm itself. Compounding the chaos, a terrorist organization is threatening to make the situation worse. Now it's not only man against nature, but man against man as the newly-intensified Category 7 approaches - and possibly, the end of the world.

The Curse Of King Tut's Tomb: The Complete Miniseries (Blu-ray)

Echo Bridge Entertainment / 2006 / Unrated
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Genres: Action, Adventure

Starring: Leonor Varela, Casper Van Dien, Malcolm McDowell
Director: Russell Mulcahy

Plot Synopsis: Thousands of years ago, the great Child King Tutankhamen ruled. Few know the details of his life—no one knows the secrets of his death. All that is about to change. Free-spirited archaeologist Danny Fremont (Casper Van Dien, Sleepy Hollow) is certain that if found, King Tut's Emerald Tablet would hold the power to control the world. Unfortunately, the only one who believes Fremont is his nemesis archaeologist Morgan Sinclair (Jonathan Hyde, Titanic), a member of a secret society who wants the tablet to harness unspeakable evil on the world and will stop at nothing to get it. With the help of a crackerjack team that includes the doubting Egyptologist Dr. Barakat (Leonor Varela, Cleopatra), Fremont ventures into the Valley of the Kings, toward Tut's tomb, nearer the portal to another world, and closer to the truth behind a mystery that will change the world forever—or end it. Directed by action movie veteran Russell Mulcahy (Highlander) and co-starring Golden Globe® nominee Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) and Simon Callow (The Phantom of the Opera).

Disney's Blu-ray Releases on 1st April

Hidalgo (Blu-ray)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment / 2004 / 136 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Overall Grade




Genres: Action, Adventure

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson, Omar Sharif
Director: Joe Johnston

Plot Synopsis: A sandstorm of epic proportions. A swarm of locusts so massive it obliterates the relentless sun. Deadly traps that defy imagination. These are just a few of the astonishing obstacles Frank T. Hopkins, the greatest long-distance racer ever, faces in the rousing action-adventure Hidalgo. Based on a true story and starring Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of The Rings trilogy), Hopkins (Mortensen) and his mustang Hidalgo enter the ultimate extreme sport of its time -- the Ocean Of Fire. Underdogs challenging the finest Arabian horses and riders, they must not only survive the grueling race across 3,000 miles of the Arabian Desert's punishing terrain, but they must thwart the evil plots of competitors who vow victory at all costs! A great story of personal triumph, amazing special effects, and memorable characters make Hidalgo one of the most thrilling adventures ever.

Disc Features:

While the Blu-ray edition of 'Hidalgo' preserves the standard DVD's full supplemental package, that isn't saying much. For a film of such sweeping scope, we are offered mere crumbs of details about the production and the horse races themselves. Thankfully, a video featurette that was formerly a DVD-ROM feature is now a fully accessible bonus on the disc itself.

• Sand and Celluloid (SD, 9 minutes) -- This EPK featurette attempts to cover the breadth of the production with a series of talking heads and film clips. While it manages to dip into the many challenges a desert shoot presented, it doesn't last long enough to pick up any steam and it amounts to little more than promotional fluff. Stick to the film itself and skip this sickly featurette.
• America's First Horse (SD, 22 minutes) -- This is an excellent (albeit dry) mini-doc about the Spanish mustang and its introduction to the Americas. Easily besting the making-of featurette, it offers plenty of information about the abuses the breed suffered over the years and modern attempts to preserve its heritage. It certainly won't appeal to everyone, but anyone with a mild interest in horses should check this one out.
• Trailers (HD, 4 minutes) -- There's no original theatrical trailer, but Disney has included previews of 'National Treasure: Book of Secrets' and 'Prince Caspian,' the second entry in 'The Chronicles of Narnia' series.

Coyote Ugly (Blu-ray)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment / 2000 / 108 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Overall Grade






Genres: Drama

Starring:Piper Perabo, Adam Garcia, John Goodman, and Maria Bello
Director: David McNally (II)

Plot Synopsis: From hit-making producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) comes the unrated extended cut of Coyote Ugly. With an unbeatable cast of hot stars including Piper Perabo (The Prestige ) and Maria Bello (Payback), this sexy comedy is even more intoxicating on Blu-ray Disc®! Moving to New York to pursue her dreams of becoming a famous songwriter, Violet Sanford (Perabo) finds herself desperate and broke. Ironically, the shy, innocent Violet lands a job as a barmaid at the hottest nightclub in town: Coyote Ugly. Overflowing with attitude, the Coyotes spend more time on top of the bar than behind it, tantalizing the standing-room- only crowd with their outrageous antics! Drink in every frame of down-and-dirty fun as this wild adventure pours over you with sparkling visual clarity. Get up on your feet, move to the beat and revel in the spectacularly enhanced sound quality. The party never ends in Blu-rayTM High Definition!

Disc Features:

'Coyote Ugly' is one of those discs that has a ton of bulletpoints on the back of the box, but the material is so superficial it makes the movie's script look deep by comparison. This stuff is as flimsy as cardboard. (Disney also hasn't put much effort into buffing it up for high-def, as all the video-based extras are 480i/MPEG-2 only. English, French and Spanish subtitle options are also offered.)

• Audio Commentaries- The first is cutely dubbed the "Coyote Commentary," and features actresses Piper Perabo, Maria Bello, Tyra Banks, Bridget Moynahan and Izabella Miko (plus sporadic chime-ins by director David McNally and producer Jerry Bruckheimer). Despite the star wattage it's a meandering affair, with the girls telling mostly bland anecdotes about their first day on the set, their costumes, learning how to flip beer bottles, etc. Yawn -- by the halfway point, I was almost asleep. Best bit: Bello opening the track by commending Bruckheimer for making a movie "with females in the lead" -- I can't tell if she was trying to be funny.
  
  Not to be upstaged, McNally and Bruckheimer return for their own discussion. Really, was this necessary? And did the pair need to take this utterly insignificant movie at all seriously? Much to my dismay, I realized after about 20 minutes that Bruckheimer in particular buys all the female empowerment jargon he's selling, and has only a dim awareness of how condescending his viewpoint on the material is. Of course, he's made millions, so who am I to judge? So give this a listen and see what you think.
  
• Featurette: "Search for the Stars" (SD, 10 minutes) - This three-parter kicks off with "The Dreamer," a four-minute intro to Perabo as she prepares for leading lady debut in 'Ugly,' and she comes off her as nice, sweet girl. "Coyotes" (5 minutes) introduces us to the remaining coyotes, and includes riotous editing contradictions, as McNally and Bruckheimer praise the intelligence of their cast as the camera cuts to them flicking their hair in skimpy outfits. Finally, "Mr. O'Donnell (3 minutes) highlights lone male star Adam Garcia, who apparently hasn't gotten much work sense.
  
• Featurette: "Coyote 101" (SD, 7 minutes) - Another lame three-parter. "A Place to Get Ugly" (2 minutes) gives next to no valuable insight on the film's sets. "Shakin' It" (3 minutes) exposes the "sexy!' choreography. And "Calling the Shots" (2 minutes) is a quickie primer on how to flip a bottle like a coyote.
  
• Music Video/Featurette (SD) - A clip for LeAnn Rimes' "Can't Fight Moonlight" (a forgettable tune), plus a 4-minute making-of that takes us behind the scenes of this "monumental" collaboration between Rimes nd powerhouse songwriter Diane Warren.
  
• Additional Scenes (SD, 6 minutes) - You know a scene is bad when it not only doesn't make a film's theatrical cut, but also its unrated extended cut. It's all dull character bits, with scene titles that say it all: "Violet's Goodbye," "Driving With Gloria," "Stolen Goods," "Lil's Lesson" and "Gloria & Violet."
  
• Montage: "Action Overload" (SD, 1 minute) - Wrapping it up is a truly awful montage, which predictably highlights... boobs.

Unbreakable (Blu-ray)

Walt Disney Home Entertainment / 2000 / 102 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: April 01, 2008

Overall Grade





Genres: Suspense, Thriller

Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L.Jackson
Director: M Night Syamalan

Plot Synopsis: Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson star in a mind-shattering, suspense-filled thriller that stays with you long after the end of this riveting supernatural film. After David Dunn (Willis) emerges from a horrific train crash as the sole survivor -- and without a single scratch on him -- he meets a mysterious stranger (Jackson). An unsettling stranger who believes comic book heroes walk the earth. A haunting stranger, whose obsession with David will change David's life forever.

Disc Features:

As usual, Disney has ported all of the special features from the 2-disc Vista Series standard DVD (2004) to this new Blu-ray edition of 'Unbreakable.' Sure, a pair of Alex Ross illustration inserts are MIA, but the $10 rebate provided for those who already own the DVD more than makes up for it.

• Behind the Scenes (SD, 14 minutes) - The predictable and oft-used EPK format holds this underwhelming featurette back, allowing a parade of gushing cast and crew members to offer little more than praise to Shyamalan's brilliance. I really wanted to find a candid, fly-on-the-wall documentary packaged with this release (if for no other reason than to hear Shyamalan address the most common criticisms leveled against the film), but the presentation never manages to impress. It's so dry and plodding that it neglects the sort of details that would enhance a fan's appreciation of the film.
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 29 minutes) - Nearly a half-hour of deleted scenes make this collection a genuine treat for Shyamalan junkies. The director even pops up to discuss each scene and the reasoning he applied to each cut. My favorite bits included extra beats with David's son and I really dug every second of extra attention he received. Unfortunately, since I'm not a huge fan of the film itself, it's tough to tell how much these scenes will resonate with the flick's true believers.
• Comic Books and Superheroes (SD, 19 minutes) - The geek in me loved this exploration of the increasingly bleak and cynical nature of comics' favorite heroes and villains. Beginning with an examination of the sunny idealism of Golden Age comics, this featurette gains momentum as it examines the influence of current events, political upheaval, and shifting morals in American society. This is an excellent bonus that should keep your attention for the duration.
• The Train Station Sequence (SD, 4 minutes) - This all-too-brief featurette allows the viewer to switch between storyboards and the finalized train sequence from the film. I appreciate the interactive component, but would've enjoyed it far more if it was used to deconstruct more than one scene.
• Night's First Fight Sequence (SD, 3 minutes) - This mildly amusing quickie shows off a home movie Shyamalan made with two friends when he was a boy. This is a fun addition for fans, but everyone else will shrug their shoulders.
• Trailer (HD, 2 minutes)

In Theatres This Week 28th March

Superhero Movie
Copyright © 2008 Dimension Films

Finally, the guys behind the outrageously silly "Scary Movie" franchise have used their own 'special powers' to spoof superhero movies. After being bitten by a genetically altered dragonfly, high school loser Rick Riker develop superhuman abilities like incredible strength and armored skin. Rick decides to use his new powers for good and becomes a costumed crime fighter known as "The Dragonfly." However, standing in the way of his destiny is the villainous Lou Landers. After an experiment gone wrong, Lou develops the power to steal a person's life force and in a dastardly quest for immortality becomes the supervillain, "The Hourglass." With unimaginable strength, unbelievable speed and deeply uncomfortable tights, will the Dragonfly be able to stop the sands of The Hourglass and save the world? More importantly, will we stop laughing long enough to notice?

	March 28th, 2008
	Craig Mazin
	Craig Mazin
	Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, Leslie Nielsen, Kevin Hart, Marion Ross, Ryan Hansen, Jeffrey Tambor, Brent Spiner, Keith Davaid, Simon Rex, Craig Bierko, Tracy Morgan, Ragina Hall, Pam Anderson
	Dimension Films (The Weinstein Company)
	Action, Comedy
	superhero-movie.net
	PG-13 for for crude and sexual content, comic violence, drug references and language.
	85 minutes

Run Fat Boy, Run
Copyright © 2008 Picturehouse

Five years ago Dennis (Pegg) was at the altar about to marry Libby (Newton), his pregnant fiancée. He got cold feet and ran for the hills and he's been going in circles ever since. When Dennis discovers Libby's hooked up with high-flying-go-getter Whit (Azaria), he realizes it's now or never. He enters a marathon to show he's more than a quitter but then finds out just how much sweat, strain and tears it takes to run for 26 miles. Nobody gives him a chance but Dennis knows this is his only hope to more than a running joke.

	March 28th, 2008
	David Schwimmer
	Michael Ian Black, Simon Pegg
	Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran, Jade Ramsey, Nikita Ramsey, Ameet Chana, Harish Patel, India de Beaufort
	Picturehouse
	Comedy, Romance
	RunFatboyRunMovie.com
	PG-13 for some rude and sexual humor, nudity, language and smoking
	100 minutes

Stop Loss
Copyright © 2008 Columbia Pictures

A shy M.I.T. student needs to find a way to pay for school and does so by playing cards. He joins a group of students as they make their way towards vegas for a big pay day. They making their riches by working the gambling tricks of the trade. All they have to do is stay one step ahead of the casino enforcer.

	March 28th, 2008
	Robert Luketic
	Peter Steinfeld, Allan Loeb
	Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Josh Gad, Jim Sturgess, Masi Oka, Sam Golzari
	Columbia Pictures (Sony)
	Thriller
	21-movie.com
	PG-13 for some violence, and sexual content including partial nudity
	122 minutes

Stop Loss
Copyright © 2008 Paramount Pictures

Decorated Iraq war hero Sgt. Brandon King makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown following his tour of duty. Brandon tries to resume the life he left behind with the help and support of his family and his best friend, Steve Shriver, who served with him in Iraq. Alongside their war-time buddies, Brandon and Steve try to make peace with civilian life. Then, against Brandon's will, the Army orders him back to duty in Iraq. This upends Brandon's entire world. The conflict into which he is thrown tests everything he believes in: the bond of family, the loyalty of friendship, the limits of love, and the value of honor.

	March 28th, 2008
	Kimberly Peirce
	Mark Richard, Kimberly Peirce
	Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ciarán Hinds, Timothy Olyphant, Victor Rasuk, Rob Brown
	Paramount Pictures
	Drama
	R for graphic violence and pervasive language
	113 minutes

Chapter 27
Copyright © 2008 Peace Arch Entertainment

The movie takes place in the three days leading up to Lennon's assassination and is intended to be a deep exploration of Chapman's psyche, without putting substantial emphasis on the murder. The title "Chapter 27" suggests a continuation of J.D. Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye, which ends on chapter 26. Chapman attempted to model his life after Holden Caulfield, the main character of the book and was carrying a copy when he shot Lennon.

	March 28th, 2008
	J.P. Schaefer
	J.P. Schaefer
	Lindsay Lohan, Jared Leto, Ursula Abbott, Kevin Cannon, Mark Lindsay Chapman, Judah Friedlander
	Peace Arch Entertainment
	Crime, Drama
	R for Language and some sexual content.
	100 minutes