Commercially Acclaimed: Vol.#16 - HBO's Holiday Shopping Suggestions

TV commercials are a part of our everyday lives as TV viewers. Even though Tivo and DVR have allowed us to "skip through" the commercials, the advertising companies a still trying to peak our interests by coming up with creative commercials. To me, great commercials are an art form and are under appreciated by a society that is always trying to speed through things. Think about it... how many times did you see a great commercial that made you laugh hysterically or want to go out and purchase the advertised product??? And how many times has the best part of the Super Bowl been the commercials during a blow out game??? Whether you want to admit it or not, commercials are cool as shit... and here are some of my favorites.

This week we got HBO's commercial for the holiday... they want you to buy True Blood Season 1 on BluRay & DVD, and this guy will tell you exactly why you should buy it. He puts together a puppet show/creepy ass narrative for his girlfriend featuring Sookie, Eric, and Bill Compton. Lets just say the store bought episodes might be a tad bit better. Hope you enjoy!!!

Who Wants A "The Warrior's Way" Ninja - Themed Prize Pack??? I Do, I Do...

So The Warriors Way opens today on the big screen, and we here at CCD are quite excited by it. The action looks great, and it seems as if they are making a movie using the strengths of green screen the way Ninja Assassin used it last year. The movie has some clear strengths (which we highlighted here), and we hope its half as fun as it seems to be. So lets get to the prize pack...

Thanks to the lovely Emily over at Brigade Markeeting, I present to you The Warriors Way prize pack. Here is what you can win:

1. A copy of Hero on DVD
2. A copy of Ninja Assassin on DVD
3. 1/4 sheet The Warriors Way poster
4. The Warriors Way door hanger

Are your intrests peaked? Ok, here is all you have to do. Tell us what your favorite martial arts themed movie is and why in the comments below. Which martial arts film can you watch over and over cause the fights are so amazing. Tell us in the comment section, and the person who gives the best defense for their pick will win the above prize pack. Its that simple. Make it happen people!!!!

Make sure you check out The Warriors Way tonight and from here on out on big screens all over. Support movies like these so that people will continue to get budgets to make crazy martial arts/western mash up movies. I know I want to see more of those... now get to work!!!!  

  

It's Time To Do The "Wright" Thing For Scott Pilgrim...

... now get off your ass and buy yourself a copy of Edgar Wright's wonderful movie "Scott Pilgrim vs The World". This movie got an unfortunate treatment at the box office this summer despite the fact that it is genuiley amazing!!! Edgar Wright & the wonderful cast were so perfect it is impossible to understand what went wrong... but you can correct that by going out and buying a copy. Shit, you should buy two since you probably didn't see it on the big screen like you should have. Christmas is coming... stocking stuffer anyone?

In honor of Scott Pilgrim, I am going to publish this awesome piece of fan art by Deviant Artist Captain Osaka. This one got everybody in it from the O'malley comic series... now go get that movie!!!

Get 'em Scott!!!

DVD Release Day - April 13th, 2010

Its another slow week in DVD releases... lots of catalog stuff and re-releases of things you probably have in your collections. Here are some of the cooler ones... hope this is a help to you collectors out there.

A Nightmare On Elm Street Blu-Ray, The Great Mouse Detective Blu- Ray, Apollo 13 Blu- Ray, I Robot Blu- Ray, Gone With The Wind Scarlett Edition, Voltron: Beast King Golion Box Set, X-Men , X2 and  X3 on Blu- Ray

Another wack week... get your library collection game up by checking out the deals at all the local retailers... happy hunting!!!

DVD Release Day - April 6th, 2010

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy Blu-Ray Theatrical Cut - (To many actors and actresses to name, Directed by Peter Jackson)

The Lord of the Rings is fucking epic... It is probably the greatest fantasy epic ever written, and Peter Jackson took no shorts in filming his dream project. Shot over the course of a year and a half and then post production lasting much longer, this massive film trilogy is finally getting a box set release on Blu-Ray. These are the kinds of movies THAT BLU RAY MAKES A DIFFERENCE... believe that. All types of special editions and such have been released, but this set looks to be the best when it comes to viewing quality. Also, the 1978 animated version of the Lord of the Rings will be released on Tuesday as well. If you are a fan of LOTR, cop this. It is fun, and its goofy in a 1970's/80's type way.

Also Being Released: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, The Collector, Battlestar Gallatica Complete Series

This is a pretty slow week in DVD releases, so fill up on some oldies but goodies that your collection might be missing... happy hunting!!!

DVD Release Day March 30,2010

Sherlock Holmes - (Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mack Strong)

This is Guy Ritchie's take on the classic english detective that starred in the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Ritchie is know for gritty, grimy crime drama's that are filled with wit and humor... and in this version of Holmes, he does not disappoint. Downey is awesome as Holmes, creating the perfect balance between eccentric and genius.  Law plays a much different Dr. Watson then we have seen in the past. In this film version he is not just a sidekick, he is an equal to Holmes as well as a good friend concerned for his good friends mental health. Mack Strong has the villian thing down pat, and his turn in this film cements him as one of the great bad guys in recent cinema. After he becomes a star in Green Lantern next year, you will remember that this is where the casting directors probably fell in love with him. The stage is set for a sequel, so I think this is just the first step in a potential franchise for Ritchie and the crew.

Disney's Alice In Wonderland - (Animated)

Released in 1951, some people view this as the greatest animation ever done in the history of the Disney studios. Telling the story of Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland and intertwining in certain elements from his sequel Through The Looking Glass. It features the most songs of any Disney film and was also one of the first Disney movies to be released on home video. The movie was a pet project of Walt Disney himself, and although it never recieved such great results upon intial release, it has gained cult status over the years. The 70's drug counter-culture brought the film into popular circles again, and its been enjoying a status boost ever since. Disney is trying to capitalize of the success of Tim Burton's live action version of the story, so why not release a DVD of the seminal animated version of the same story. Even 59 years later, the film holds up. Enjoyable for the whole family.

Also Being Released This Week: Alvin and The Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel, The Abbott and Costello Complete Series, Collateral (Blu-Ray), An Education, Lupin the 3rd: Episode 0

DVD Release Day - March 22, 2010

The Blind Side - (Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron)

Trust me guys... Oscar got this one right. Sandra Bullock sparkles as the tough as nails rich lady with a heart the size of planet Earth. She feels bad for a large homeless boy named Big Mike that goes to here childrens school. So she does what any logical upper class white mother would do... she invites the boy to come live in the house with her husband and their two teenage kids!!! She takes a chance on Mike, and he learns what it is like to have a family that cares for him. This would suck the big one if it was  a typically made up story, but thats the best part: THIS IS A TRUE STORY!!! Michael Orr is currently playing in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens, and most likely this is because of the kindness that was afforded to him way back when. This one is a tear jerker, and Bullock gives the performance of her long, outstanding career. You will love this one, trust us. When they talk about feel good movies, this is what they have in mind.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox - (George Clooney, Meryll Streep, Jason Schwartzman)

Wes Anderson is a wonderful director. This is not open for debate, this is a fact. I love when actors and directors take chances after they achieve a certain level of greatness. Tom Cruise has been sucking it up lately as an actor, but when he took a chance a poking some fun at himself and stole the show as the dancing movie mogul in Tropic Thunder. Thats what I mean by taking a chance... and it paid off. Anderson is known for his quirky movies and collaborating with Luke and Owen Wilson and Bill Murray repeatedly. He took a shot and adapted this stop motion version of the Roald Dahl classic novel. And boy did he nail it. It helps when you get George Clooney and Meryll Streep involved, because they are somewhat known to be pretty decent actors... WTF!!! This cast is incredible, from Clooney and Streep, to frequent Anderson collaborators Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. This also features so many cameos they can not ven be named. This movie was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Film award at this years Academy Awards, and it could have easily been one of the best picture nominees... no bullshit. If it wasn't for the mega hit UP, Fox would have won the category easily. Nothing wrong with coming in second to UP (great flick). Good for both adults and kids, this one won't disappoint.

Also Released This Week: Toy Story/Toy Story 2 Blu Ray Combo Pack, Mad Men Season 3, Seraphine, AfterDark HorrorFest Vol 4 (8 movies), Krod Mandoon and The Flaming Sword of Fire, The Men That Stare At Goats, The Prisoner (AMC Miniseries), Yojimbo and Sanjuro Blu Ray Combo Pack

DVD Releases For March 16, 2010

Ninja Assassin - ( Rainn, Naomie Harris)

I was really looking foward to this movie when it came out around Thanksgiving time, and it did not disappoint me one bit. The follow up to V for Vendetta for director James Mctiegue and Producers The Wachowski Brothers, the team picks up right where they left off and achieve new levels of action. Trained by a secret society of assassins to be the most lethal killer ever, Raizo (Korean pop star Rainn) is the most deadly murderer in the group. But after his friend falls victim to his own clans muredrous activities, he turns his back on the group who raised him and vows revenge. A Europol agent (Naomie Harris) finds herself hot on the trail of the assassin clan after she uncovers payoffs to them for killings, so she ends up being next on the list. Saved at the last second by Raizo, the unlikely duo work together to take down the clan once and for all. Plenty of great stunts and tons of violence, this is the kind of movie you pop in when you want to lose yourself for a few hours. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Twilight: New Moon - ( Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning)

Ok, so lets skip all the teenage girl nonsense. Its easy to dimiss the entire Twilight franchise as teen cheese based on the 1st movie, but for those of you who ACTUALLY READ all 4 books you would now that this is not the case. New Moon is the beginning of when  shit starts to hit the fan in Forks, and the teenage love story starts to take a back seat to violence and revenge bewteen Vampires and Werewolves alike. Lautner steals the show as new werewolf Jacob, desperately in  love with Bella. But as we all know, she only has eyes for Edward the Vampire. The action picks up in this one, but it is still a bit dry and could be dismissed as corny rather easily. Just know that books 3 and 4 were very mature themed, with epic battles, teen pregnancy, violence and bloodshed taking the stage in those stories. I am eager to see how they pull off these elements in the films, so New Moon is a neccessary step on the path towards Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Plus, if you have to watch a chick flick, why not watch one with bad ass CGI Wolves and hot ass Kristen Stewart and Ashley Greene??? Available on DVD and Blu-Ray

Also Available On DVD and Blu-Ray: The Princess and The Frog, Armored, Did You Hear About The Morgans, Astro Boy, The 4th Kind, Breaking Bad Season 1 & 2  

DVD Release for Tuesday March 2, 2010

Where The Wild Things Are - (Max Records, Catherine Kenner, Mark Ruffalo, Voices of James Gandolfini and Forrest Whitaker)

This is Spike Jonze's soon to be cult classic film based on the 1963 childrens book by Maurice Sendak. Jonze expanded the original 10 setence book to a full length feature that will captivate you and transport you to the magical land of the Wild Things. The most impressive thing to me, other then the fact that Jonze miraculously squeezed a complete movie out of a relative picture book, is that he really gets it right. So right in fact that despite the fact that it is criticized by some movie critics, Sendak himself considers the film to be a genius interpetation of his book. The suits of the Wild Things are cool as shit, and little Max Records kills the role of Max. You feel all of the angst of a confused, bitter 11 year old boy. Jonze really outdoes himself here, and it was well worth the years and years that he put into this project. It is available on DVD as well as Blu-Ray. This one is a must have for your collection.

Ponyo - ( Voices of Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Cloris Leechman, Liam Neelson, Betty White and Cate Blanchett)

I love Japanese Animation, or anime if you will. Sometimes its is swords and magic, sometimes its vampires or sci-fi, and sometimes its super squid tenticle rape (I'm not making that up... some of this shit is really weird). But there is also other kinds of anime, that have really excellent scripts and deal with emotional issues. Hayao Miyazaki is the king of these Japanese type animation movies. Princess Moanoke, Spirited Away, and Howling's Moving Castle were all classics by Miyazaki, who is considered to be the Steven Spielberg of Japan. His films are wildly successful in Japan, and have begun to cross over to the US market well. Ponyo was his first large scale release here in the US (927 screens as opposed to the 30 or 40 screens for his former releases). It finished in 9th place, rspectable for a foriegn cartoon feature. The story centers around a little boy and a fish/girl who form a special bond. After they are seperated, the fish girl, Ponyo, wants to become a full human and rejoin her friend. She begs her father, but he will not let her go. Very adventurous and beautifully done, Miyazaki outdoes himself on this one. The all star voice cast shows just how fond the stars of Hollywood are of Miyazaki's work. He is able to retain top notch actors and actresses for his English translations. This lends to the stunning visuals that Miyazaki nails once again, and this film is a must see for families looking for a quality film to watch together. It wouldn't hurt to go grab some of his other classics either. Available on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Also being released this week: 2012, Castle In The Sky, Dr. Who: The Dalek War, Gentleman Broncos, Free Willy Trilogy, Pulp Fiction Blu-Ray, Clash of the Titans (1981) Blu-Ray, The Neverending Story Blu-Ray

Now get out there and get some movies kids... happy viewings!!!

DVD Release for Tuesday February 23, 2010

This week is a pretty slow release week. Not much really going on. These are the weeks that I usually work on picking up some classics or a box set that I can find for a good price. But this is whats coming out.

The Jersey Shore - Season 1 Uncensored

I became a bigger fan of this show as it continued through its run. At first glance, I thought the guys were going to be huge toolbags and make me sick. But in reality, they were hugely understated and funny. The girls are vomit inducing with their attitudes, but all in all the show was engrossing and kept me interested. The talks are that the show will be moving to The Hamptons or South Beach for Season 2, trying to play on the old fish out of water clesche... but in reality MTV might ruin a great show because this crew won't be just right anywhere but New Jersey. Looking foward to seeing the show uncensored, hoping that this will make me like the show even more. GTL, The Situation, Jumping on Grenades, Snooki get laid out... can't wait to do it all again!

The Box - (Frank Langella, Cameron Diaz, James Marsden Directed by Richard Kelly)

This is a pretty good idea for a movie that was adapted from a short story, but this story has already been made into a Twilight Zone episode. As with most short stories, the problem that Kelly runs into is that the source material is too brief. What would you do if a stranger showed up to your house with a mysterious box, told you that if you pressed the button that someone somewhere would die, and then you would get 1 million dollars, free and clear. Good question, tough decision... this is what faces Marsden and Diaiz. Set against the backdrop of the 1970's space program and the constant ethical questions that dog us everyday, the film is pretty good. It's not better the Donnie Darko, which is Kelly's best work. Frank Langella steals the movie as Arlington Steward, the man with The Box and without a portion of his face. He is creepy and makes the decision process harder to make. Would you take the money... ???

Other Notable Releases: Ichi the Killer (Blue Ray), Cirque de Freak: The Vampires Assistant, FlashFoward Season 1 part 1, The Informant, Nurse Jackie season 1

Now get out there and buy some movies!!!!!

DVD Release for Tuesday February 9, 2010

Sorry, but for some reason my scheduled post for yesterday didn't publish... so I am a day late on the DVD releases for this week. So lets get right to it:

Couples Retreat: Starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, John Favreau, Faison Love, Kristin Davis, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Kali Hawk, and Jean Reno

This movie was one of my most anticipated movies of last year. With a cast like this, how can this movie not be hilarious? But after viewing it, I came to the relization that my expecatations were way to high. But even with all the disappointment that I felt from watching the film, I must say that it was a pretty good comedy. Not one of the all time classics I thought it would be, but a solid movie. Lots of laughs, especially once the couples get to their island paradise. The four couples represent every type of relationship that exist: 1) The married couple who stay married even though they no longer like each other (Favreau & Davis) 2) The lovely dovey couple who seem to have the perfect relationship ( Vaughn & Akerman) 3) The newly single older man with his much younger girlfriend ( Love & Hawk) and 4) The over analytical "nerdy" couple who always need to break down every situation before they move foward ( Bateman & Bell). Jean Reno also stars as the couples "Love Counselor" who designs the relationship programs they must go through. He steals the movie in a rare comedic role for the frenchman. Highlights included Vaughn's Guitar Hero battle and the shark scene... this movie is good for a laugh and then for you to hate the cast since they got to shoot the movie on location in Bora Bora ( Fuck Movie Stars).

Next up on the list:

The Time Travelers Wife: Starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams

Based on a best selling novel, in theory this is the perfect Valentines day movie because it should appeal to both chicks and dudes. Why you ask? Because the life time romance between Bana and McAdams starting from when she is a kid and continuing through her adulthood is the kind of mushy details that chicks love, and the time traveling aspect of the movie will appeal to hardcore sci-fi geek dudes. That is a great start for a movie that both sexes can enjoy this Valentines Day weekend. Mcadams looks great, and Bana is awesome in everything, so the acting is top notch. This is a good one to curl up on the couch and watch with the one you love... or the guy/girl you happen to be boning at the moment!!! Enjoy.

Also being released this week:

A Serious Man, The Stepfather, Bronson and the Charlie Chaplin Collection (10 dvd's)

Happy viewing... now go out and get those DVD's!!!!!

DVD Release for Tuesday February 2, 2010

It's Tuesday... so for all you DVD fans out there, that means its Christmas all over again. All major DVD's are released on Tuesday. There are always about 50 titles coming out, but these are the creme de la creme.

PLANET HULK

This animated DVD is not just for the kiddies... these feature length animated films provide an excellent way for the stories of the comics to be brought to the big screen format without a 200 million dollar budget. This is Hulk's second animated feature, following up the success of Hulk Vs. which came out last year. Available in DVD and Blue Ray



Zombieland

This is the most fun I have watching a movie in a long time. Instead of focusing on the down side of a world wide zombie apocalypse, the director of this film choose to focus on all the fun activities you could participate in if the world went to shit. Bash heads, loot stores, take cars, raid a hollywood stars mansion... whatever you would want to do, these guys do it!!! Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg are great, and Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin pull up the rear. Look out for the HUGE star cameo in this one... and the finale in the amusement park are absolutely awesome. Available in DVD and Blue Ray.



Go get these films plus plenty of more titles hitting the stores this week....