Upcoming DVD Releases Vol. 5

[R]= Rental [P]= Purchase [PVC]= Buy Previously-Viewed if Cheap
• Cyclone © 1978
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: I've never seen this movie, but it sounds like an awful lot of fun: In the wake of a violent cyclone, the remaining passengers of a downed airplane find refuge on a passing boat carrying the survivors of a shipwreck. Without a clue where in the world they are, a shortage of food and water, and the surrounding waters teeming with man-eating sharks, the tensions are soon on the rise. Fun! I love shark movies! [P]

• School of Life © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Ryan Reynolds (ROWR!), need I saw more? Actually, I've read the reviews on this one and apparently it's a crowd-pleaser...but then Ryan is always pleasing on the eyes. [P]

• Broken Flowers © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Love Bill Murray. Missed this one when it was at the theater. [R]

• The Wedding Crashers © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Love me some Vince Vaughn! Everyone keeps telling me how funny this movie is, but to be honest, I thought it looked kinda goofy in the trailers. I'll still buy it though, because I love me some Vince. [PVC]

• Red Eye © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: This looks like a good little thriller (and it was, I just rented it...review later). I still like Wes Craven, even though his material has gotten pretty watered-down since his glory days. [R]

• Transporter 2 © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Jason Statham is so hot and I LOVED the original Transporter's fight sequences. Incredible! I hope this one doesn't disappoint. [P]

• Pinky © 1949
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: This classic has been out of print on VHS for ages, so the fact that it's finally being released to DVD is great! Can't wait to see it again. [P]

• Island in the Sun © 1957
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: I've never seen this movie, but have long been a fan of Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge is always great. Interested in seeing the "controversial" interracial screen kiss! Woo hoo! [R]

• The Chumscrubber © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: The tagline for this movie was "Meet Generation Rx." It should have been "Meet Generation S-u-x." OMG, it was such a befuddled mess. I want my 108 minutes back. More in my review later. [R]

• How to Make a Monster/Blood of Dracula ©1958/1957
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Gotta own this one, since it is the first time How to Make a Monster has been released on DVD. Co-starring the hunkalicious Gary Conway reviving his role as the Teenage Frankenstein! [P]

• Two for the Money © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: One of the few movies where I think Matthew Mcconaughey actually looks good. He usually looks like he needs a shave, a haircut and a good ironing. [R]

• Funny Factory: Donald; Volume 2 ©1938-1953
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Well, when I was making this piece, I was interested in this DVD, but have since changed my mind. Since I found out that there are only 2 cartoons on this DVD that aren't already on previous DVD compilations, two of which are ones I have been wanting (Chronological Donald: Vol. 1 & 2) to buy, and will instead of this DVD. I have to agree with the irate reviewers over at Amazon.com: "Disney is again trying to get you to purchase the same cartoons over & over! Yes, the cartoons are ***** five star cartoons, but Disney's greedy tactics are worth only one star! Enough Already!"

• Venom © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: Yes, I know this looks like yet another installment of what today's generation considers "horror," but I still wanna see it. I heard the murder methods were quite disgusting and besides, I am a sucker for teen slashers of any caliber. [R]

• Junebug © 2005
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: I remember seeing the trailer for this movie months ago and it looks GREAT! Unfortunately, it never made it to whitebread America where I live, so I'll have to rent this one instead. If it's as good as the trailer alluded to, it just might end up being a purchase. [R]

• > Hooked © 2003
Release Date: January 24
Comments: You know I GOTTA rent this one. I think I'll make it a double feature night and rent Gay Republicans at the same time. If you aren't familiar with > Hooked, here's a quick synopsis: Documentary investigation into on-line internet cruising in the gay community. Interview subjects reveal information as to their reasons for cruising on-line. The frequency with which they meet people on-line and their attitudes toward how truthful they and others are. I know how much a lot of gay men like to perpetuate some ideal image to people that they are "just like everyone else" (and some are) and put the kibosh on the reality that a lot of them are just rectal thermometers in search of another asshole, but you know what? More times than not, it's true. Some of you may not like to hear it, but I experienced these people firsthand, back when I used to actually date. There are lotsa assholes out there who will tell you anything you wanna hear to get into your pants. At some point, I'll blog about some of my various "dates" and you can judge for yourself. [R]

• All-American Girl: The Complete Series © 1994-1995
Release Date: January 31
Comments: I loved the "old" Margaret Cho! You know, the one who was so great with The 80's references, stories and humor. Now, though she's gotten so political and so superqueer that I find it hard to enjoy her stand-up like I used to. We get it. She's gay-friendly. Cool. She's Asian. Cool. I've just grown weary of the "persecution" angle and the whole trying too hard to be "edgy." So, I'm excited to see some vintage Cho! [P]

• Midnight Blue Collection: Celebrities Edition © 1974-2003
Release Date: January 31
Comments: I have to admit, I never watched this show when it was on television (maybe once or twice back in the 80's). However, the fact that this DVD features nude celebs of yesteryear sounds totally fun. [P]

• Destination Mars! © 2005
Release Date: February 7
Comments: Another one of those movie parodies/homages in the same vein as 2001's The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. Looks like cheesy fun. [R]

• The Best of The Electric Company © 1971-1977
Release Date: February 7
Comments: I remember watching this show when I was a little kid. I had three shows that I watched religiously on PBS: The Electric Company, ZOOM and The New Zoo Revue. I know what you're saying "What? No Sesame Street?" Well, sorta. I watched it sometimes, but not until I was older and it was "age inappropriate." I do remember loving Roosevelt Franklin, though! I even had a puppet of him at one point. He was cool! [P]

• Elizabethtown © 2005
Release Date: February 7
Comments: Missed this one at the theater, but it looks really good. Not a Kirsten Dunst fan (her teeth freak me out, too) and the appeal of Orlando Bloom is completely lost on me (I don't get it), but the movie looks like it'll be a good one. It has a Garden State feel to it, and I loved that movie. [PVC]

• Living Single: Season 1 © 1993-1998
Release Date: February 14
Comments: I LOVE this show! I'm so glad that I can now erase all my Living Single marathons on VHS and own the DVDs now. I have THE biggest crush on Overton Wakefield Jones (AKA John Henton)! God, he's just so damn cute! [P]

• Who's That Girl © 1987
Release Date: February 14
Comments: Another one of those movies I've been waiting to be released to DVD for years. I even bought the Hong Kong VCD of this movie on eBay! A friend put it on DVD-R for me a while back and that appeased my need for this movie. Now, it's getting an official release, so I'm excited. This movie was an awful lot of fun and I fell in love with Louden (AKA Griffin Dunne), what with his cute little classes and short brunette hair. Cute! And of course, my main attraction, Buck (AKA James Dietz) the musclebound UPS man. ROWR! He was H-O-T! I know I've mentioned this before, but I still find it weird that he's dead now. He was only 27 years old when he died. I've always wondered what happened. If I HAD to guess, I'd deduce from his muscles and thinning hair that it was Steroids-related, but I could be wrong. I have no idea. It's just so weird because he died the same year the movie came out and he looked so good in the movie. Whatever the case, it's still sad. [P]

• Class of 1984 © 1982
Release Date: February 21
Comments: I remember seeing ads in the paper for this movie and reading reviews that stamped this movie "controversial." Ever since then I'd wanted to see it, but didn't actually get around to renting it until sometime in the late 90's. It was a lot of fun and totally 80's. Always LOVED the poster. [P]

• Vice Squad © 1982
Release Date: February 21
Comments: I've never seen all of this movie, just the clips in the movie Terror in the Aisles. It looks soooo good and sooo intense! Can't wait to see this one! [P]

• Werewolves on Wheels © 1971
Release Date: February 28
Comments: Some (ex)friends bought me this years ago for Halloween. Did they know me or what? I love me some cheesy movies! The fun part of this movie is that "Bud" (AKA Billy Gray) from the 1954 television show Father Knows Best, plays one of the bikers! Too surreal! [PVC]

• The Scooby-Doo! Dynomutt Hour © 1976-1977
Release Date: March 7
Comments: I remember watching (and loving) this show. Even as a kid, I remember thinking The Blue Falcon was hot. Maybe that's one of the reasons I like Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law so much now. Lol! [P]

• Hooray for Hollywood © 1975
Release Date: March 14
Comments: Think of this one as the unofficial sequel to That's Entertainment. Filled with mostly musical highlights from the films of the 1930's. I always enjoy pretty much anything from that era. [P]

• The Horror of Party Beach/The Curse of the Living Corpse © 1964
Release Date: March 28
Comments: I don't care what anyone says, I have always loved The Horror of Party Beach. SO cheesy, SO fun! This is the first time this classic cult favorite has ever been released on DVD, so needless to say I am excited!

I'm also excited about the double feature The Curse of the Living Corpse! Though I've never seen it, after reading a synopsis of it and a few reviews, it sounds GREAT! Totally reminds me of an updated version of The Cat and the Canary (one of my all-time favorites!). Can't wait! [P]

• The Pink Panther: Classic Cartoon Collection © 1964-1980
Release Date: January 31
Comments: I LOVE the Pink Panther! I am so excited about this boxset. As one reviewer put it, over on Amazon.com: "Now, for the first time, 124 cartoons produced by Freleng and DePatie between 1964 and 1980 are collected here in a swingin' 5-disc set. With over 14 hours of "pink comedy," you can't help but lick your whiskers!" [P]

• Just Like Heaven © 2005
Release Date: February 7
Comments: I remember hearing the title song for this movie (the 1987 song Just Like Heaven by The Cure) and getting all giddy (I loved that album: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me). The movie has a cute, yet predictable, premise and stars Reese Witherspoon (God, her husband {Ryan Phillippe} is HOT!), Mark Ruffalo (cute!) and Jon Heder (AKA Napoleon Dynamite). Too bad the powers that be felt they just had to create new (bad) cover art for the DVD instead of sticking with the original poster art (shown). If it ain't broke, don't fix it, people! Gah! [R]

• One Dark Night © 1983
Release Date: Unknown
Comments: I remember watching this show around Halloween time on channel 11. I LOVED it! It's such a great 80's horror movie! Girl wants to be part of popular clique of girls, girls haze her by making her spend the night in a mausoleum, with the intent of sneaking in and scaring her, everyone gets more than they bargained for once they find out they're not alone in the mausoleum. Spooky fun!

I'm still not sure about the release date of this one. It's been bounced around from December to January. I'm also not sure if it's really going to be a double-disc release or not. Let's hope so! Can't wait to see this one on DVD! [P]

• Love at Stake © 1988
Release Date: Currently Available
Comments: I remember renting this baudy little comedy, back in the late 80's. What's not to love about a comedy based on The Salem Witch Trials? Puritan fever! The original VHS cover/poster art was sooo much better than the bullshit cover art they came up with here. [P]