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Jan. 30, 2008 >

NEWS


  • Janette Oke spreads the Love
    Author Janette Oke was born during the depression years to a Canadian prairie farmer and his wife. She met her husband while attending Bible college, and they went on to raise four children while pastoring churches in Canada and the U.S. Oke’s first novel, Love Comes Softly, a story about pioneer life with spiritual themes, was published by Bethany House in 1979. It led to a series of books as well as films made for The Hallmark Channel by Michael Landon Jr.

    The first film starred Katherine Heigl. The movie series ranks as the highest-rated films in Hallmark Channel history, and the DVDs have been mainstays on the Christian Booksellers Assn. sales charts. The latest film in the series, Love’s Unending Legacy, was just released on DVD by FoxFaith. Oke spoke about the series recently with VB’s Cindy Spielvogel. Click for more » » » 
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NEWS


  • String of Austen DVDs complement TV special
    Costume dramas are back, particularly those that involve Jane Austen, according to Meg Branigan, VP of video marketing for BBC Video. PBS stations will be airing WGBH Masterpiece’s “The Complete Jane Austen Marathon” weekly beginning in January, marking the first time that TV adaptations of the author’s works have all been broadcast together during one period.

    Leading off the TV marathon is a new adaptation of Persuasion, Austen’s final novel. BBC released the movie on DVD two days after the TV premiere, and the DVD got an on-air tag during the broadcast. Click for more » » » 
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NEWS


  • Oscar nominees line up on DVD release slate
    One of the leading contenders for this year’s Oscars, No Country For Old Men (pictured), is slated to street on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on March 11 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

    The movie garnered eight Oscar nominations including a nod for Best Picture. No Country For Old Men is tied with other Best Picture candidate There Will Be Blood as the most recognized film by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 2007.

    Paramount Home Entertainment, expected to distribute There Will Be Blood on DVD domestically, has not yet specified its bow at retail. Click for more » » » 
 

NEWS


  • Franchise DVDs in spotlight at Toy Fair
    Toy Fair 2008 takes place Feb. 17-20 in New York City, and studios and their partners on the consumer products side will be using their spring toy lines to capitalize on expanding audiences for existing franchises.

    All eyes are on the Fairies franchise at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, with the fall DVD premiere of Tinker Bell (street date Oct. 28) set as the video component of this year’s larger Fairies consumer products launch. “We’re going to make sure that this franchise is maximized across all the different divisions,” says Lori MacPherson, general manager of North America for Disney. She adds that the company is working with key retailers now to develop joint displays, presale programs and discounts for Tinker Bell. Click for more » » » 
 

NEWS


  • Gaiam joins Mayo Clinic for DVD line
    Gaiam is making a grand entrance into the wellness category this month with a series of 10 new DVDs co-branded with the Mayo Clinic

    “We believe this is a new trend with active, aging people who don’t want to just stay fit but live a healthy lifestyle,” says Bill Sondheim, Gaiam president of direct response marketing and trade distribution.

    The series targets common conditions such as back pain and high blood pressure. Click for more » » » 
 
 

NEW RELEASES


  • Select titles coming to DVD

    TITLE PREBOOK STREET MSRP
    FEATURES: COMEDY
    ROMEO AND JULIET GET MARRIED (LIFESIZE) now 2-5 DVD $19.98
    Comedy: Two lovers engaged to be married must hide their families’ support for different soccer teams. Bonuses: commentary, interviews.

    BLUE STATE (MGM/FOX) now 2-12 DVD $26.98
    Romantic comedy: A fervent liberal (Breckin Meyer) falls in love with a mysterious woman (Anna Paquin) in this movie that played at several film festivals.

    CLEMENTE (LAGUNA) now 2-19 DVD $24.95
    Drama: A man crosses the Rio Grande to start a new life in America but is separated from his family.

    MARGOT AT THE WEDDING (PARAMOUNT) now 2-19 DVD $29.99
    Comedy: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jack Black star in this movie about two sisters on the eve of one’s wedding to an unemployed musician. Bonuses: featurette.

    JOHNSON FAMILY DINNER (WARNER) now 3-4 DVD $19.97
    Comedy: The Johnsons come together for a family dinner, but it quickly becomes a crisis.

    ENCHANTED (DISNEY) 2-5 3-18 DVD $29.99, BD $34.99
    Romantic comedy: Amy Adams stars as a storybook princess lost in modern-day New York in this $119.8 million-grossing film, which also stars James Marsden and Patrick Dempsey. Bonuses: short, featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers; BD also has D-Files featurettes.

    DAN IN REAL LIFE (DISNEY) now 3-11 DVD $29.99, BD $34.99
    Comedy: In this $45.9 million-grossing movie, Steve Carell stars as an advice columnist who falls for his brother’s new girlfriend, played by Juliette Binoche. Bonuses: making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, commentary, outtakes.

    BULLDOG IN THE WHITEHOUSE (WATER BEARER) 2-26 3-18 DVD $29.95
    Comedy: Filmmaker Todd Verow portrays the Bush Administration as a group of lustful, traitorous gay men. Bonuses: extra and deleted scenes.

    SUBURBAN SHOOTOUT (ACORN) 2-26 3-25 DVD $24.99
    Comedy: This TV series is a satire about suburbia in which a mild-mannered woman finds a quaint village is actually full of rival gangs and gunfire. Bonuses: commentaries, documentary, filmographies.

    WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY (LIONSGATE) 2-27 3-25 DVD $26.98
    Romantic comedy: Patrick Fugit stars as a young man who kills himself after he breaks up with his girlfriend, only to find that the afterlife is worse than living in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: commentary, featurette, deleted scenes, director’s storyboard.

    WHAT LOVE IS (SONY) 2-28 4-1 DVD $24.96
    Romantic comedy: Cuba Gooding Jr., Anne Heche, Gina Gershon and Sean Astin star in this movie about a man trying to figure out why his relationship failed with the help of friends. Bonuses: featurette, commentary.

    TRAILER PARK BOYS: THE MOVIE (SCREEN MEDIA/UNIVERSAL) 3-25 4-22 DVD $24.98
    Comedy: Based on the TV series, this limited-release movie is about three trailer park residents who hatch a plan to steal coins that are untraceable. Bonuses: deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews.

    FORGIVING THE FRANKLINS (INDIE-PICTURES) 4-25 5-20 DVD $24.95
    Comedy: Members of a conservative church die and meet their maker, who removes their original sin and sends them back to Earth to live without shame, in this official selection at the Sundance Film Festival.

    FEATURES: DRAMA
    COMPANY K (INDICAN) now 2-19 DVD $24.99
    War drama: A World War I veteran reflects on his experience as a marine and the German soldier who still haunts his dreams.

    THE GOOD HUMOR MAN (MONARCH) now 2-19 DVD $22.95
    Drama: A teenager faces a conflict of conscience vs. character when his best friend is connected to a murder in this DVD premiere.

    KILOMETRE ZERO (FIRST RUN) now 2-19 DVD $24.95
    Foreign-language drama: A Kurdish soldier and an Iragi taxi driver join together to return the body of a fallen soldier to his family on the other side of the country in this movie, which is the first Iraqi film to be chosen to compete in the Palme d’Or competition at Cannes. Bonuses: discussion guide with director’s notes, director’s bio, featurette about Iraqi Kudistan.

    LILLIE (ACORN) now 2-19 DVD $59.99
    Drama: The British miniseries about a churchman’s daughter who becomes infamous for her scandals. Bonuses: essay, filmographies.

    MICHAEL CLAYTON (WARNER) now 2-19 DVD $28.98, BD or HD $35.99
    Drama: George Clooney stars as a lawyer known for his ability to conduct damage control for his firm’s elite clientele in this Golden Globe-nominated movie. Bonuses: additional scenes, commentary.

    NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (DISNEY) now 3-11 DVD $29.99, BD $34.99
    Drama: The Coen brothers’ $46.8 million-grossing movie is about a man (Josh Brolin) who finds a suitcase of money and a sociopathic killer (Javier Bardem) hot on his trail. The film is Oscar-nominated for best picture and best director, among other categories. Bonuses: featurettes.

    MARKING TIME (BFS) 2-5 3-4 DVD $29.98
    Drama: When a young Australian falls in love with an Afghan refugee, he faces racism and ridicule.

    HALF MOON (STRAND) 2-7 3-4 DVD $27.99
    Drama: An aging musician leads a group on a perilous journey to Iraq for a concert celebrating the fall of Saddam Hussein, in Kurdish and Persian with English subtitles.

    AUGUST RUSH (WARNER) 2-12 3-11 DVD $28.98, BD $35.99
    Romantic drama: Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Keri Russell star as two musicians who fall in love in this $30.4 million-grossing movie. HD streets April 1, priced the same as BD. Bonuses: additional scenes.

    EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION (BFS) 2-26 3-25 DVD $24.98
    Drama: A suspected terrorist (Omar Berdouni) is abducted, held in solitary confinement and tortured by an interrogator (Andy Serkis). Bonuses: making-of featurette, interview, filmographies.

    SERENADES (BFS) 2-26 3-25 DVD $24.98
    Drama: A Muslim woman falls in love with a Christian man and must struggle against the culture clashes.

    SENSE & SENSIBILITY (BBC/WARNER) 3-4 4-8 DVD $34.98
    Drama: Andrew Davies adapts Jane Austen’s popular novel for this TV miniseries. Bonuses: interviews, commentaries, deleted scenes, photo gallery, biopic Miss Austen Regrets.

    THE FINAL SEASON (SONY) 3-6 4-8 DVD $26.96
    Sports drama: Based on a true story, this film starring Sean Astin and Rachael Leigh Cook is about a small-town baseball team working toward its 20th state championship win. Bonuses: commentaries, featurettes.

    BLAST OF SILENCE (CRITERION/IMAGE) 3-11 4-15 DVD $29.95
    Drama: A professional killer travels to New York to assassinate a mobster in this 1961 movie. Bonuses: featurettes, film essay.

    THE SHELL SEEKERS (THINKFILM/GENIUS) 3-11 4-15 DVD $14.95
    Drama: Based on the best-selling novel, this movie, starring Vanessa Redgrave and Maximilian Schell, tells the story of a 64-year-old daughter of a famous artist as she reflects on her life.

    CRAZY LIKE A FOX (CINEQUEST) 3-19 4-15 DVD $24.99
    Drama: Mary McDonnell and Roger Rees star in this film about a farmer who refuses to give up his land to big-city speculators.

    STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING (LIONSGATE) 3-26 4-22 DVD $27.98
    Drama: Frank Langella stars as an aging writer who resurrects his career with the help of a graduate student, played by Lauren Ambrose, in this limited-release movie. Bonuses: commentary, TV spot.

    RAILS & TIES (WARNER) 5-13 6-17 DVD $27.95
    Drama: An unlikely bond is formed by a train engineer and a young boy who escapes a deadly collision between a train and a car in this limited-release film starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. Bonuses: deleted scenes.

    FEATURES: ACTION/ADVENTURE
    BEOWULF (PARAMOUNT) now 2-26 DVD $29.99, HD $39.99
    Action: Robert Zemeckis’ $81.5 million-grossing movie about the great warrior stars Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn and John Malkovich. Bonuses: featurettes, deleted scenes; HD also has additional featurettes, picture-in-picture, Web-enabled features.

    CONSPIRACY (SONY) now 3-18 DVD $24.96
    Action: Val Kilmer, Gary Cole and Jennifer Esposito star in this movie about a retired sniper who investigates the disappearance of a friend.

    ARMY OF THE DEAD (MAVERICK) 2-1 3-4 DVD $24.98
    Adventure: A professor and a group of treasure hunters are confronted by an army of skeleton warriors bound by an ancient curse to protect lost gold.

    HITMAN (FOX) 2-13 3-11 DVD $29.98, two-disc or BD $34.98
    Action: Elite assassin Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) has a conflict of conscience, while an investigator (Dougray Scott) is obsessed with capturing him in the $39.4 million-grossing movie. Bonuses: deleted scenes, alternate ending; two-disc and BD also have featurettes, gag reel, digital copy.

    FEATURES: HORROR
    AUTOMATION TRANSFUSION (WEINSTEIN/GENIUS) now 3-4 DVD $19.95
    Horror: When the U.S. army develops a procedure to bring the dead back to life to become soldiers, the experiment goes horribly wrong. Bonuses: commentary, making-of featurette, deleted scenes, short film, music videos.

    BATS HUMAN HARVEST (SONY) 2-7 3-11 DVD $24.96
    Horror: In this TV movie, bio-engineered killer bats are unleashed upon soldiers in Iraq. Bonuses: deleted scenes.

    OUTPOST (SONY) 2-7 3-11 DVD $24.96
    Horror: A team of former soldiers travels to an old military bunker, where a mysterious enemy emerges to kill them off one by one. Bonuses: deleted scenes.

    WRESTLEMANIAC (ANCHOR BAY/STARZ) 2-7 3-11 DVD $26.97
    Horror: Wrestling star Leyla Milani stars in this movie about an amateur porn film crew that ends up in a near-ghost town in Mexico where a deranged long-dead wrestler returns to rip the faces off his victims. Bonuses: commentary, behind-the-scenes featurette.

    HUNTING CREATURES (TLA) 2-12 3-11 DVD $19.99
    Horror: An abandoned chemical plant releases chemicals that turn people into flesh-eating zombies. Bonuses: behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, photo gallery.

    APRIL FOOL’S DAY (SONY) 2-21 3-25 DVD $24.96
    Horror: A drama club spends a weekend in an isolated house, but one by one, people begin to die.

    THE LIVING AND THE DEAD (TLA) 2-26 3-25 DVD $19.99
    Horror: A schizophrenic man confuses morbid fantasy from reality. Bonuses: stills gallery, featurette.

    SOCKET (TLA) 2-26 3-25 DVD $19.99
    Horror: An underground group uses electricity to reach ecstasy, but two lovers want to find the ultimate charge. Bonuses: featurette, commentary, stills gallery.

    IN THE BLOOD (TLA) 4-1 4-29 DVD $19.99
    Horror: A gay man realizes he must embrace his sexuality in order to solve the mystery of a serial killer. Bonuses: commentary, alternate opening.

    FEATURES: SCI-FI/FANTASY
    2012: DOOMSDAY (FAITH FILMS) now 2-12 DVD $24.95
    Sci-fi: Four strangers on a journey of faith face Doomsday on Dec. 21, 2012, the last recorded day for the Mayans. Bonuses: bloopers, featurette.

    HIGHLANDER: THE SOURCE (LIONSGATE) now 2-26 DVD $26.98
    Fantasy: In the latest installment in the franchise, immortal warriors set out to find out the source of their immortality. Bonuses: behind-the-scenes documentary, storyboard-to-scene comparisons, photo gallery, tribute to Highlander creator, videogame sneak peak.

    TIN MAN (GENIUS) now 3-11 DVD $24.95
    Sci-fi: Sci Fi Channel’s modern update of Wizard of Oz stars Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming and Richard Dreyfuss. Bonuses: making-of featurette, blooper reel, interviews.

    EXPERIMENT (MTI) 2-5 3-4 DVD $24.95
    Sci-fi thriller: A man and woman with no memory of the past are subjects in a dark psychological experiment with terrifying consequences. Bonuses: bios, production notes.

    MR. MAGORIUM’S WONDER EMPORIUM (FOX) 2-6 3-4 DVD $29.98
    Fantasy: Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman star in this $30 million-grossing film about a store that has a life of its own. Bonuses: featurettes.

    THE SEEKER (FOX) 2-20 3-18 DVD $29.98
    Fantasy: Based on the Newbury Award-winning The Dark Is Rising children’s book series, this $8.8 million-grossing movie tells the story of a 14-year-old who learns he is the last of a group of ancient warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting The Dark.

    THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN 20TH ANNIVERSARY (SONY) 3-6 4-8 DVD $19.94, BD $28.95
    Fantasy: The Academy Award-nominated movie is released in a two-disc set and in high-definition. Bonuses: new making-of documentary, commentary, deleted scenes, storyboarded scenes; BD also has featurette and trivia track.

    THE GOLDEN COMPASS (NEW LINE/WARNER) 3-18 4-29 DVD $34.99, BD $39.98
    Fantasy: A young girl journeys to the far north to save her best friend and other children who are undergoing terrible experiments in this $67.5 million-grossing movie starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Also available is a single-disc ($28.98) with just the film. Bonuses: commentary, 11 featurettes, galleries.

    ALIEN NATION: ULTIMATE MOVIE COLLECTION (FOX) 3-19 4-15 DVD $49.98
    Sci-fi: A box set of the five films based on the TV series: Dark Horizons, Body and Soul, Millennium, The Enemy Within and The Udara Legacy. Bonuses: commentaries, featurettes, gag reel, stills galleries, storyboards.

    FEATURES: THRILLER
    BROTHERS THREE (VIVENDI VISUAL) now 2-5 DVD $24.99
    Thriller: A successful man tries to escape his family but when he is summoned by his brothers to meet them, he realizes his past can’t stay buried. Bonuses: behind-the-scenes footage.

    AWAKE (WEINSTEIN/GENIUS) now 3-4 DVD $28.95
    Thriller: A man (Hayden Christensen) is fully conscious while undergoing heart surgery, as his wife (Jessica Alba) must make life-altering decisions in this $14.2 million-grossing movie. Bonuses: commentary, deleted scenes, making-of featurette, storyboard to film comparisons.

    PRAY (BRIDGESTONE) now 3-24 DVD $19.95
    Thriller: After a Christian rock concert, two high school friends find themselves followed home.

    FIVE DAYS (HBO/WARNER) 2-5 3-11 DVD $29.98
    Mystery: When a woman and her children disappear, the case becomes the center of a media frenzy in this Golden Globe-nominated miniseries. Bonuses: featurette.

    SLEUTH (SONY) 2-7 3-11 DVD $29.96, BD $38.95
    Thriller: Director Kenneth Branagh adapts the play about two men playing a game of wits in this limited-release film starring Jude Law and Michael Caine. Bonuses: commentaries, featurettes.

    PTU: POLICE TACTICAL UNIT (WEINSTEIN/GENIUS) 2-12 3-25 DVD $19.97
    Crime thriller: Director Johnny To’s movie is about a police unit that intersects with a web of gangland crimes. Bonuses: commentary, interviews.

    SOUTHLAND TALES (SONY) 2-14 3-18 DVD $24.96
    Thriller: Richard Kelly’s limited-release movie about a future dystopia stars Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore and Justin Timberlake. Bonuses: featurette, short.

    THE CELLAR DOOR (MONTEREY) 3-11 4-8 DVD $24.95
    Thriller: A woman trapped in a serial killer’s basement must use her wits to escape.

    LIONS FOR LAMBS (MGM/FOX) 3-12 4-8 DVD $29.98
    Political thriller: Robert Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep star as a professor, a senator and a TV journalist, respectively, mixed in with the lives of two students trapped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. Bonuses: three featurettes.

    BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD (THINKFILM/IMAGE) 3-18 4-16 DVD $27.98, BD or HD $35.98
    Thriller: Two brothers plan a robbery of their parents’ jewelry story, but the job goes wrong in this $6.8 million-grossing limited-release film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman.

    FAMILY/CHILDREN’S
    PINGU: ON THIN ICE (HIT/FOX) now now DVD $14.98
    Children’s: Eight episodes featuring the cheeky young penguin. Bonuses: DVD-ROM game.

    CARE BEARS GRIZZLE-LY ADVENTURES (FOX) now 2-5 DVD $14.98
    Children’s: The Care Bears must thwart the evil plots of their new neighbor Grizzle, in this DVD, including two stories.

    MAGGIE AND THE FEROCIOUS BEAST: RAIN SHOWERS & SPRING FLOWERS (SHOUT FACTORY) now 2-5 DVD $14.99
    Children’s: Episodes featuring 5-year-old Maggie and her best friends. Also available on that day will be Recipes for Trouble (DVD $14.99).

    MUSTARD PANCAKES: ARE YOU READY TO SING? (VIVENDI VISUAL) now 2-19 DVD $9.99
    Children’s: A collection of 12 music videos from the children’s series that encourages literacy and word recognition.

    ARCHIE’S FUNHOUSE: THE COMPLETE SERIES (CLASSIC MEDIA/GENIUS) now 3-4 DVD $29.95
    Animated: This three-disc set contains all 16 episodes of the ’70s series about the Riverdale gang. Bonuses: featurette, TV special, music videos, extra episodes.

    UNSTABLE FABLES: 3 PIGS AND A BABY (WEINSTEIN/GENIUS) now 3-4 DVD $19.97
    Family: Brad Garrett, Jon Cryer and Steve Zahn voice this first film in the new CG-animated Unstable Fables series, retelling classic stories. Bonuses: three featurettes.

    BEE MOVIE (DREAMWORKS/PARAMOUNT) now 3-11 DVD $29.99, two-disc or HD $39.99
    Animated comedy: A bee tires of his life making honey and takes a trip away from his hive in this $121 million-grossing movie, featuring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger and Matthew Broderick.

    POP GO THE WIGGLES (WARNER) 2-5 3-11 DVD $19.96
    Children’s: The popular music group performs 31 classic nursery rhymes. Bonuses: extra episode, concert footage, photo gallery. Promotion: Timed with The Wiggles’ spring concert tour.

    THE PINK PANTHER: THE INSPECTOR CLASSIC CARTOON COLLECTION VOL. 6 (MGM/FOX) 2-6 3-4 DVD $14.98
    Animation: Features 17 episodes from the first season of the show about crime fighting misfits.

    STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: BIG COUNTRY FUN (FOX) 2-6 3-4 DVD $14.98
    Animated: Strawberry Shortcake and her friends work on a ranch, where they have many adventures. Bonuses: music video.

    THOMAS ENGINES & ESCAPADES (HIT/FOX) 2-6 3-4 DVD $14.98
    Children’s: Thomas and his friends make a new friend, Madge the truck, in these six episodes.

    IT’S A BIG, BIG WORLD: BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY (SONY) 2-21 3-25 DVD $12.99
    Children’s: The first volume of the PBS Kids series discusses how animals take care of themselves. Also available on that day will be Everybody’s Different (DVD $12.99). Promotion: 25% off insert for Highlights High Five.

    MOONDANCE ALEXANDER (FOX) 4-2 4-29 DVD $26.98
    Family: An awkward 12-year-old girl enters her pony in the Bow Valley Classic competition in this limited-release movie starring Don Johnson and Olympic ice skater Sasha Cohen. Bonuses: music video, interviews, featurette.

    TV DVD
    ROSEMARY & THYME: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (ACORN) now 2-5 DVD $99.99
    Mystery: A box set containing all 22 episodes of the series about gardeners who also are amateur sleuths. Bonuses: interview, production notes, photo galleries, filmographies, trivia.

    ROBSON ARMS: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (MVD VISUAL) now 2-19 DVD $24.95
    Drama: After an earthquake, the tenants of Robson Arms repair the building in this Canadian TV series. Bonuses: troubadour teasers, documentary, bloopers, deleted scenes.

    B.L. STRYKER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (ARTS ALLIANCE AMERICA) now 2-26 DVD $29.95
    Drama: Burt Reynolds stars as a private detective living in Palm Beach, Fla., in this 1989 series.

    COMANCHE MOON: THE SECOND CHAPTER IN THE LONESOME DOVE SAGA (SONY) now 2-26 DVD $29.95
    Western: Val Kilmer, Steve Zahn and Rachel Griffiths star in this miniseries about Texas Rangers fighting against Comanche Indians. Bonuses: featurettes.

    EXTRAS: THE EXTRA SPECIAL SERIES FINALE (HBO/WARNER) now 2-26 DVD $19.97
    Comedy: Ricky Gervais stars as a sitcom actor striving to become a serious artist in this final episode of the HBO series. This finale also will be available in the Extras Gift Set (DVD $49.99), released Jan. 15.

    WORLD COMBAT LEAGUE: SEASON ONE (ECHO BRIDGE) 2-5 3-4 DVD $19.99
    Sports: Martial arts legend Chuck Norris hosts this Versus Network series featuring fighters who combine kickboxing, karate and tae kwon do. Also available on that day will be World Combat League: Season One—Greatest Knockouts and Knockdowns (DVD $9.99). Bonuses: introduction.

    MY BOYS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (SONY) 2-7 3-11 DVD $39.98
    Comedy: The TBS series about a Chicago sportswriter looking for love with the help of her guy friends. Bonuses: featurettes, outtakes and bloopers, deleted scenes, minisodes.

    MARRIED … WITH CHILDREN: THE COMPLETE EIGHTH SEASON (SONY) 2-19 3-18 DVD $39.95
    Comedy: Al Bundy (Ed O’Neill) continues to be tormented by his wife (Katey Sagal) and two children (Christina Applegate, David Faustino) in this Fox series. Bonuses: minisodes.

    BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 3 (UNIVERSAL) 2-19 3-25 DVD $59.98
    Sci-fi: Humanity tries to escape from the control of the Cylons in this Sci Fi Channel series starring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell. Bonuses: deleted scenes, commentaries, video blogs, Webisodes.

    BECKER: THE FIRST SEASON (PARAMOUNT) 2-19 4-1 DVD $39.99
    Sitcom: Ted Danson stars as a cantankerous physician in this sitcom, being released in a three-disc set.

    PARTY OF FIVE: SEASON 3 (SONY) 2-21 3-25 DVD $39.95
    Drama: In this third season of the ’90s Fox series, the Salinger family helps Bailey confront his drinking problem. Bonuses: minisodes.

    MATLOCK: THE FIRST SEASON (PARAMOUNT) 2-26 4-8 DVD $54.99
    Drama: Andy Griffith is a fiery southern defense attorney in this hour-long drama, compiled in seven discs.

    TIM AND ERIC AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB! SEASON ONE (WARNER) 3-18 4-22 DVD $19.97
    Comedy: The Adult Swim sketch comedy show features guest appearances by David Cross, Paul Reubens and Juno’s Michael Cera. Bonuses: commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes.

    THE WALTONS: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON (WARNER) 3-25 4-29 DVD $39.98
    Family drama: The Waltons face big changes when the U.S. enters World War II in this season, released in a three-disc set.

    DOCUMENTARIES/BIOPIC
    BILL GOTTLIEB: RIFFS (KULTUR) now now DVD $19.99
    Documentary: A look at the work of photographer Bill Gottlieb, who captured such famous jazz musicians as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie.

    COMA (HBO/WARNER) now now DVD $24.98
    Documentary: Filmmaker Liz Garbus explores brain trauma by following four patients who have sustained serious injuries and emerged from comas. Bonuses: additional footage.

    IN SEARCH OF THE ENGLISH FOLK SONG (KULTUR) now now DVD $19.99
    Documentary: Director Ken Russell explores the roots and history of English folk music, with performances by Donovan, Bob Appleyard and June Tabor.

    OPERATION HOMECOMING (DOCURAMA) now now DVD $26.95
    Documentary: Nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar, this film collects poetry, journals, essays and more from soldiers on the front.

    SAND AND SORROW (HBO/WARNER) now now DVD $24.98
    Documentary: George Clooney narrates this look at the genocide crisis in Darfur and the region’s ongoing civil war.

    OVER AMERICA (TOPICS) now 2-1 BD $19.99
    Documentary: Visuals of America’s landscapes, from the mountains to the coasts. Also available on that day is Over California (BD $19.99), a look at the Golden State.

    HEROES OF FREEDOM: THE STORIES OF HARRIET TUBMAN & ROSA PARKS (MAZZARELLA) now 2-5 DVD $14.95
    History: The first title in a new DVD series about people who have changed America goes back to 1830 to discover Tubman and 1955 to see Parks.

    BECOMING JANE (DISNEY) now 2-12 DVD $29.99, BD $34.99
    Drama: Anne Hathaway stars as a young Jane Austen, who falls in love with a dashing lawyer, played by James McAvoy, in this $18.7 million-grossing film. Bonuses: featurette, pop-up facts, deleted scenes, commentary.

    NATURE: YELLOWSTONE (QUESTAR) now 2-12 DVD $19.99
    Documentary: F. Murray Abraham narrates these two episodes of TV longest-running natural history series, “In the Company of Wolves” and “Christmas in Yellowstone.”

    PRINCE AMONG SLAVES (PBS) now 2-12 DVD $24.99
    Documentary: Mos Def narrates this film about Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori, an African prince who was sold into slavery in the American South. Bonuses: featurettes.

    AMERICAN GANGSTER (UNIVERSAL) now 2-19 DVD $29.98, HD $39.98
    Drama: A detective (Russell Crowe) tries to bring down a heroin kingpin (Denzel Washington) in this $125.6 million-grossing movie, directed by Ridley Scott.

    FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO (FIRST RUN) now 2-19 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: A look at whether homosexuality is condemned in the Bible. Bonuses: interviews, film notes, resource guide, photo gallery, bios.

    THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS (FIRST RUN) now 2-19 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, spiritual activist Marianne Williamson, Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh and best-selling author Thomas Moore are featured in this look at how forgiveness can transform a person’s life. Bonuses: interview with director, short film “One More Thought,” footage of Desmond Tutu speaking at Washington National Cathedral. Promotion: companion book due in March.

    SCREAMERS (SONY BMG) now 2-19 DVD $19.99
    Documentary: A look at the history of modern-day genocide, from the Ottoman Empire at the start of the 20th Century to Darfur. Bonuses: featurettes, concert footage with System of a Down.

    A GLOBAL WARNING? (A&E) now 2-26 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: In this History Channel film, a group of scientists examine Earth’s ancient weather history and the impact of humans on the climate.

    CRAZY SEXY CANCER (GAIAM) now 3-4 DVD $19.98
    Documentary: Kris Car and other women discuss how they became cancer survivors. Bonuses: deleted scenes, interviews, life teachings, yoga exercises.

    MY KID COULD PAINT THAT (SONY) now 3-4 DVD $24.96
    Documentary: A film about a 4-year-old painter and the controversy over whether her work is manipulated by her parents. Bonuses: mini-docs, commentary.

    THE DEAL (WEINSTEIN/GENIUS) now 3-11 DVD $22.95
    Biopic: Martin Sheen stars as Tony Blair and David Morrissey as Gordon Brown in this HBO movie about the two men’s political relationship. Bonuses: interview with director Stephen Frears.

    GUSTAVE COURBET: THE ORIGIN OF HIS WORLD (FACETS) 2-5 2-26 DVD $29.95
    Documentary: A look at the legendary painter, who pursued the controversial style known as realism. Bonuses: short documentaries.

    RADIANT CITY (KOCH) 2-5 3-4 DVD $26.98
    Documentary: A look at suburban sprawl across North America.

    AUTOPSY: POSTMORTEM WITH DR. MICHAEL BADEN (HBO/WARNER) 2-12 3-18 DVD $19.97
    Documentary: The renowned forensic pathologist reviews some of his most high-profile cases, such as John F. Kennedy and Sid Vicious.

    GANG OF SOULS: A GENERATION OF BEAT POETS (MVD VISUAL) 2-12 3-18 DVD $19.95
    Documentary: Filmmaker Maria Beatty explores the insights and influences of America’s beat poets, featuring interviews with William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and others.

    THE SECRET THINGS OF GOD (FOX) 2-13 3-11 DVD $26.98
    Documentary: Dr. Henry Cloud explores the Judeo-Christian perspective of The Secret and discusses how to achieve a successful, fulfilling life with God.

    BONNIE AND CLYDE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION (WARNER) 2-19 3-29 DVD $39.92, BD $34.99
    Crime: Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star as a couple on a crime spree in the 1967 movie. Also available on that day will be a two-disc edition ($20.97). The HD version will street April 15 (prebook March 11). Bonuses: documentary, featurettes, wardrobe tests, deleted scenes; collector’s edition also has a photo book and press book.

    TONGUES UNTIED (STRAND) 2-21 3-18 DVD $24.99
    Documentary: Marlon Riggs’ 1991 film chronicling the black gay man experience, featuring stories of homophobia and racism. Bonuses: interviews, deleted scenes and outtakes.

    JIMMY CARTER MAN FROM PLAINS (SONY) 2-21 3-25 DVD $24.96
    Documentary: Director Jonathan Demme looks at the private and public sides of the former president. Bonuses: commentary, additional scenes, soundtrack recording sessions.

    ROBYN HITCHCOCK: SEX, FOOD, DEATH … AND INSECTS (A&E) 2-26 3-25 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: This program chronicles the origins of the singer-songwriter’s album “Ole Tarantula,” the formation of his band and their U.S. tour.

    THE BBC NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION (WARNER) 2-26 4-1 DVD $199.92
    Documentary: Box set includes Planet Earth, The Blue Planet: Seas of Life Special Edition, The Life of Mammals and The Life of Birds.

    WALK THE LINE EXTENDED CUT (FOX) 2-27 3-25 DVD $26.98
    Biopic: Joaquin Phoenix stars as Johnny Cash in this 2005 movie, released with 17 minutes of extra footage. Bonuses: commentary, jukebox, deleted scenes with optional commentary, featurettes.

    WAR MADE EASY (DISINFORMATION) 2-29 3-25 DVD $19.95
    Documentary: Narrated by Sean Penn, this film suggests government deception and media collusion have kept America at war.

    THE PHOENIX LIGHTS (VANGUARD) 3-14 4-22 DVD $19.95
    Documentary: A look at the unexplained sightings of a V-shaped formation of lights in 1997. Bonuses: interviews, media montage, NASA footage.

    I’M STILL HERE (SISU) 3-18 4-15 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: A collection of stories by those who experienced first-hand the horrors of the Holocaust, using photos, text and drawings from diaries. Bonuses: photo galleries.

    NANKING (THINKFILM) 4-1 4-29 DVD $27.98
    Documentary: Using archival footage and interviews, this film is an account of the Rape of Nanking in 1937, in which the invading Japanese Army murdered more than 200,000 Chinese.

    SINATRA: THE MINISERIES (WARNER) 4-8 5-13 DVD $19.98
    Biopic: Executive produced by Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Tina Sinatra, this miniseries covers more than 20 years of the singer’s life.

    MUSIC/PERFORMANCE
    LOVE IS MY RELIGION (TIFF GONG) now 2-12 DVD $19.98
    Music: The Ziggy Marley live concert was taped at Los Angeles’ Avalon Theater in December 2006.

    TRIBUTE TO EDITH PIAF (EAGLE ROCK) now 2-19 DVD $14.98
    Music: “The Little Sparrow” is celebrated in this 2004 Montreux concert, led by pianist Baptiste Trotignan.

    DEAD BOYS—RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD BOYS: HALLOWEEN NIGHT 1986 (MVD VISUAL) 2-11 3-18 DVD $14.95
    Music: The original members of the punk rock band reformed for concert at the Ritz. Bonuses: interviews, featurette.

    ALBERT COLLINS LIVE AT MONTREUX 1992 (EAGLE ROCK) 2-13 3-4 DVD $14.98
    Music: Known as “The Ice Man,” the famous bluesman performs one of his last concerts. Bonuses: extra footage.

    WE ARE THE MUSIC! (FIRST RUN) 3-18 4-22 DVD $24.95
    Documentary: In this Spanish film, Rogelio Paris follows the genesis of Cuban music and dance from the ’60s; with English subtitles. Bonuses: short film.

    ANIME/ANIMATED
    TACTICS BOX SET (MANGA) now 2-12 DVD $49.98
    Anime: A compendium with all the episodes in the long-running saga of an anthropologist and a demon-eating goblin. Bonuses: Japanese TV commercials and merchandise ads, stills gallery, music video.

    HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (BCI) now 2-19 DVD $26.98
    Animated: He-Man leads the Masters of the Universe in a battle against Skeletor in this 2002 series. Bonuses: documentary, sketch and stills gallery, commentaries, animatics, Comic-Con panel, scripts, art cards, original “Morals” segment.

    BLOOD+: PART ONE (SONY) now 3-4 DVD $119.95
    Anime: This six-disc set contains the first 25 episodes of the series about a teenager who fights blood-thirsty monsters. Also available on that day is single-disc Blood+: Vol. 1 ($24.98). Bonuses: interviews, packaged with T-shirt, Manga sampler.

    FRISKY DINGO: SEASON 1 (WARNER) 2-19 3-25 DVD $19.97
    Animated: From the creators of Sealab 2021, this Adult Swim series follows the battle between evil villain Killface and billionaire Awesome X.

    ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS (WARNER) 4-15 5-20 DVD $14.97
    Animated: A spoof of Star Wars, featuring the voices of George Lucas, Seth Green and Conan O’Brien. Bonuses: commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, photo gallery, panel presentations.

    SPORTS/FITNESS
    CARDIO BURLESQUE: A STRIPTEASE WORKOUT (KOCH) now now DVD $14.98
    Fitness: Dolphina leads a series of cabaret-style moves to sculpt and define your entire body.

    ROYAL RUMBLE ANTHOLOGY VOL. III AND IV (WWE/GENIUS) now now DVD $59.95 each
    Sports: A look at the past 10 years of World Wrestling Entertainment, featuring superstars The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and more.

    THIRD AND A MILE (ESPN/GENIUS) now now DVD $24.95
    Sports: African-American football players, including Marlin Briscoe, Warren Moon and Doug Williams, recount their struggles in the NFL. Bonuses: featurette, games footage, extended interviews.

    REPOSITION YOURSELF: LIVING WITHOUT LIMITS (GENIUS) now 2-26 DVD $19.95
    How-to: Bishop T.D. Jakes shares how to empower your life for success with the help of Biblical scripture.

    STEP-BY-STEP TAI CHI (ACACIA/ACORN) now 2-26 DVD $19.99
    Fitness: Martial arts champion Tiffany Chen leads this low-impact workout designed for all ages. Bonuses: continuous loop option, mirrored instruction view, dual audio tracks.

    THE FIRM: TIGHT BUNS AND KILLER LEGS (GT MEDIA) now 3-4 DVD $14.98
    Fitness: Workouts using intervals of lower-body exercises and power moves, targeting the hips, thighs and butt. Also available on that day are Core Solutions and Cardio Dance Fusion (both DVD $14.98).

    FABULOUSLY FIT MOMS (KOCH VISION) 2-5 3-4 DVD $14.98 each
    Fitness: Jennifer Nicole Lee hosts the Sleek & Sexy and Upper Body Blast workouts.

    3-IN-1 TOTAL BODY FITNESS (ACACIA/ACORN) 2-12 3-11 DVD $14.99
    Fitness: Personal trainer Desi Bartlett targets the entire body with three workouts for cardio, strength and flexibility.

    UFC BEST OF 2007 (FIRST LOOK) 2-19 3-25 HD $29.98
    Sports: The first UFC title on high-definition, this collection features the biggest fights of 2007, including Liddell vs. Jackson and Silvia vs. Couture. Bonuses: commentary, behind-the-scenes footage.

    YOGA TO THE RESCUE FOR BACK PAIN WITH DESIREE RUMBAUGH (ACACIA/ACORN) 3-11 4-8 DVD $14.99
    Fitness: The Anusara yoga teacher shows ways to relieve and prevent back pain, which affects eight out of 10 people at some point in their lives.

    EDUCATIONAL
    SHOW ME SCIENCE: ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION SERIES (TMW MEDIA) now now DVD $44.95 each
    Educational: Eleven programs that cover animal life, biology, chemistry, health science and more for grades four to 10.

    MARCUS BUCKINGHAM’S GO PUT YOUR STRENGTHS TO WORK (WGBH BOSTON) now 2-5 DVD $19.95
    How-to: The author of First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths discusses how to identify and utilize inner strengths to better manage your life. Bonuses: Q&A with Buckingham.

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