THIS WEEK ON DVD: February 26th

MediaZEALOT weighs in the top DVDs hitting shelves on February 26th.

While the list of films hitting DVD this week isn't as well-rounded as last week's there are still quite a few good titles worth picking up. Click either the DVD box-art or title to get paged through to Amazon.

30 Days of Night
David Slade's first movie since 2005's Hard Candy is the film adaptation of Steve Niles' horror comic book 30 Days of Night. The film is a decent suspense picture as Slade sets a dark mood and maintains it throughout the visually stylistic film. Josh Hartnett and Melissa George lend good performances while Ben Foster and Danny Huston are great as always. I'll be picking this one up on Blu-ray later today and will post a review as soon as I can.
VERDICT: Buy if you are a suspense fan.

The Darjeeling Limited
I really enjoyed The Darjeeling Limited when I saw it in theatres back in October and have been anticipating its release on DVD. The film's comedic in a way only Wes Anderson can be and feels right at home along with The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic. Darjeeling Limited was one of the best overlooked films of 2007 and I hope it gets the attention it deserves on DVD.
VERDICT: Buy if you enjoy Wes Anderson films.


Beowulf
I skipped watching Beowulf in theatres for reasons unknown. I wasn't that interested in the film then but wanted to catch it in Imax 3D. I don't mind Robert Zemeckis as he's a very talented director but I'm not sure this style of CGI filmmaking is for me. However, I will give this unrated DVD a rent and check it out. It's out on HD DVD and, while I don't recommend buying into the failed format, I do think this film would look amazing in HD.
VERDICT: Rent the HD DVD or wait for Blu-ray.

Justice League: The New Frontier
DC's animated adaptation of Darwyn Cooke's 2003 comic event of the same name arrives on DVD today. I haven't heard much about the disc but it looks pretty neat. The art looks like it has captured Cooke's style perfectly, let's hope the story can recreate what made the comic series so great. New Frontier is available as a single-disc, part of a two-disc special edition, or on Blu-ray and HD DVD.
VERDICT: Buy if you're a fan of the DC heroes.


Today's Other Releases:

Death at a Funeral - Frank Oz's comedy about a dysfunctional British family has had mixed reviews. The film stars Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, and Alan Tudyk.

Goya's Ghosts - Milos Forman's tale of painted Francisco Goya has flown under the radar after disappointing reviews and a mere $743,000 box office. However, with the recent Oscar win of Javier Bardem the film will most likely earn some attention on DVD. Natalie Portman also stars in the film.

The Last Emperor - Criterion Collection - Bernardo Bertolucci's oriental epic has withstood the test of time over the past 20 years and is well deserving of being a member of the Criterion Collection. The visuals in this film are truly remarkable. The film stars John Lone, Joan Chen, and Peter O'Toole.

That's all for this week. Check back next week for more DVD releases including Awake, Into the Wild, and Things We Lost in the Fire.

Buy a DVD today? Post a comment and tell us what you picked up or what you are planning to buy.

Cheers.

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This Week's Top DVD Releases

MediaZEALOT weighs in the top DVDs hitting shelves on February 19th.

It's a new age for DVD as a victor has finally been awarded in the high-definition format war. Blu-ray has emerged the winner and now is the time to buy. Read on for this week's top DVD picks.

Run, Lola, Run

Tom Tykwer's masterpiece is finally out in high-definition on Blu-ray disc and is a must own. The film's editing is great. The music is great. The concept is great. Franka Potente is great. Run, Lola, Run simply cannot be skipped on, especially in high-def. Pick this one up, you will not be disappointed.




Michael Clayton

I missed catching Michael Clayton during it's run in theatres last year but am insistent on picking it up today and will check it out. It looks extremely promising and I'm a big Tom Wilkinson fan (Eternal Sunshine, Batman Begins) so I probably won't be disappointed. With seven Oscar nominations including Best Director and Original Screenplay for Tony Gilroy this film is not to be missed.


American Gangster

Sir Ridley Scott has been a bit hit-and-miss with his last few films but American Gangster is a return to form. The film isn't near the quality of his classics but is still a great film. Denzel and Crowe give great performances and this film is not to be missed in high-def. However, I would resist buying the HD DVD due to the recent events. Pick up the regular DVD or wait until this crosses over to Blu-ray.

Today's Other Releases:

The Invasion - Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Veronica Cartwright.

Lust, Caution - Directed by Ang Lee. Starring Tang Wei and Tony Leung.

Margot at the Wedding - Directed by Noah Baumbach. Starring Nicole Kidman, Jack Black, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Rendition - Directed by Gavin Hood. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, and Meryl Streep.

That's all for this week. Check back next week for more DVD releases including 30 Days of Night and Beowulf.

Buy a DVD today? Post a comment and tell us what you picked up or what you are planning to buy.

Cheers.

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