New DVDs

Friday, November 21, 2008

New DVDs you can watch this weekend:

MARQUEE NAMES

· Encounters at the End of the World (G) This documentary by Werner Herzog ("Grizzly Man") journeys to the McMurdo research station on Ross Island in Antarctica, where Herzog profiles the people who live and work there. Post critic Desson Thompson said the film is fascinating, as much for Herzog's vision as for the "snowy landscapes, belching volcanoes and mustachioed seals before his lens." Extras include an interview with Herzog.

· Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (R) The Post's Stephen Hunter said this film about the notorious Rolling Stone reporter is "largely for true believers and has a good time -- and gives a good time -- re-creating some of its subject's amusingly outlandish stunts as well as his defiantly unprofessional behavior." It is directed by Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side") and narrated by Johnny Depp. Extras include excepts from Thompson's recordings, director commentary and deleted scenes.

· Mister Lonely (Unrated) This is the story of a lonely Michael Jackson impersonator who joins a commune of other faux celebrities in Scotland. The movie engaged Thompson, who called it "visually and conceptually mesmerizing and mystical." Extras include a making-of featurette and deleted scenes.

· Priceless (PG-13) Audrey Tautou plays a modern courtesan who moves from sugar daddy to sugar daddy in this French romantic comedy. Thompson said, "The routines may have been done a thousand times, but somehow they seem funny all over again."

· Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (PG-13) The Pants are back. Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Amber Tamblyn reprise their roles in this sequel based on the popular book by Ann Brashares. The Post's Teresa Wiltz said that the movie suffers from "improbable plot devices and clunky dialogue" but that it's "refreshing to see young women portrayed as something other than the hot chicks in the latest blockbuster." Extras include additional scenes and a gag reel.

· Tropic Thunder (R) Ben Stiller directed and stars in this movie-within-a-war-movie in which the cast gets into a real shooting war in the middle of a Southeast Asian jungle. Post critic Ann Hornaday said the satire is a "surprisingly effective bid to skewer Hollywood's darker excesses . . . executed with giddy, boneheaded flair." This two-disc director's cut is about 13 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and there are loads of extras, including on-set footage, a long look at the set design, cast commentary, an alternate ending and rehearsal footage.

OTHERS OF NOTE

· The Last Klezmer: Leopold Kozlowski: His Life and Music (Unrated) This documentary by Yale Strom tells the moving story of Holocaust survivor Leopold Kozlowski, one of a handful of klezmer musicians left in Poland.

· Up the Yangtze (Unrated) Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Yung Chang focuses on the cultural impact of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the villages swamped by the floodwater.

· The Who at Kilburn: 1977 (Unrated) This is the first time this concert film, which was recorded in North London for the documentary "The Kids Are Alright," has been released in its entirety on DVD (it was broadcast on PBS this fall). It is also noteworthy because it was one of the final Who shows with drummer Keith Moon, who died of a drug overdose in 1978.

TV to DVD

· Bones: Season 3

· Charmed: The Complete Series

· Doctor Who: The Complete 4th Series This long-running BBC/PBS sci-fi series first aired in 1963. The doctor is currently played by David Tennant (Barty Crouch Jr. in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire").

· The Fairly Odd Parents: Season 6, Vol. 1 A quirky cartoon about a boy and his fairy godparents.

· Gene Simmons Family Jewels: The Complete Season 3

· Hannah Montana: The Complete 1st Season

· Hawaii Five-O: The 5th Season

· McHale's Navy: Season 4 The crew of PT-73 is in Italy for the final season of this 1960s comedy series starring Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.

· Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition Megaset All four seasons of the BBC sketch comedy show from 1969 to 1974, as well as two documentaries and live performances.

· The Odd Couple: The Final Season

· SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 5, Vol. 2

· Star Trek the Original Series: Season 3 Remastered Seven discs of restored episodes.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Notable DVDs being released Tuesday include:

· Fred Claus (PG)

· Hancock (PG-13)

· Meet Dave (PG)

· Space Chimps (G)

-- Amy Hitt