A CHRISTMAS STORY (ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION) (Warner) The late Bob Clark prided himself on having contributed seminal films to two disreputable genres (Black Christmas for slasher movies, Porky’s for the teen sex comedy). His much-beloved A Christmas Story works to take some of the bloom off of the holiday perennial. Sure, the film’s evocations of a Norman Rockwell-ish small-town America are sweet, but once you realize that the entire film is based around the efforts of a little boy to procure a potentially dangerous toy weapon, it’s clear that Clark’s vision of Yuletide cheer is a little bit off (as if he’d had one eye taken out with a “Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time”). Extras: the same features from the 2003 special edition (including a commentary by Clark) plus such re-giftables as a cookbook, an apron and a set of cookie cutters.
GET SMART (TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION) (Warner) Anne Hathaway’s awards buzz for Rachel Getting Married is well-deserved, but she was just as adroit channelling Barbara Feldon in this poky update of the ’60s spy-spoof TV series. Unfortunately, Steve Carrell’s act is wearing thin; the film could have used less of his suavely oblivious–idiot act and more of The Rock’s well-honed cool-jock cockiness. Extras: behind-the-scenes, featurette, “optimization mode” featuring alternate takes.
Also This Week:
BARBIE IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Universal) We can’t wait for the scene in which the Ghost of Garage Sales Yet to Come informs our gal that she’ll soon be sharing shelf space with 56 vacant-eyed clones in the bedroom of some wackjob’s basement apartment. Extras: featurettes, Christma carol singalong (shudder).
KUNG FU PANDA (Paramount) My esteemed colleague Jason Anderson big-upped this Shaw brothers-gone-CGI effort upon its release this past summer: I must admit that catching up with non-Pixar animated features is low on my priority list, but I am intrigued by the idea of Ian McShane voicing a mean snow leopard. Extras: commentary, featurettes, music video.
WATERWORLD (TWO DISC EXTENDED EDITION) (Universal) Dennis Hopper on a Jet Ski is amusing and all, but where is our four-disc collector’s edition of The Postman? Extras: includes theatrical and extended cut (177 minutes!), trailer.
Out Nov 11
Firefly: The Complete Series, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, This Christmas and Beer for My Horses, with Toby Keith as a “rogue Oklahoma deputy sheriff.” It’s the part he was born
to play!