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August 14, 2007
New DVD Day with Videoport Jones

Tuesdays – not just the day after Monday anymore. For music and movie addicts, Tuesday's are an important day – it's new release day.

Last week we mulled over whether to spend some time on Tuesdays looking over what Hollywood has cranked out for the DVD player.

This week Videoport Jones joins us to talk about some of the newest releases. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Jones, he is the classy, knowledgeable voice behind Videoport's Video Report, the weekly roundup of new releases, re-releases, bizarre customer anecdotes and all around wacky hijincks.

Jonesy has graciously agreed to offer his opinions on a few new releases.


"Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters For DVD"

VPJ: "The cult 'Adult Swim' series epitomizes random, spazzy stoner humor, and, in 12-minute episodes, it's damn funny. For 86 minutes? As Meatwad has said, 'Dizamn.'"

JE: "While I (heart) the Mooninites and their delightful love of profanity, I missed this in the theaters, partly because it was out for a minute. Also I just didn't know if 86 minutes of Master Shake would hold up on the big screen."

"Fracture"
VPJ: "Anthony Hopkins plays another intelligent, diabolical scenery-hog. I'd be tired already if it weren't for the presence of up-and-comer Ryan Gosling, who seems like another, younger, perhaps equally-talented Ed Norton. We can always use another Ed Norton."

JE: "Is this all Anthony Hopkins does now, play older sociopaths? I always though Gosling was going to be another James Van Der Beek, who is a poor man's Noah Wiley, and that's not saying much. Which is to say I have not seen this movie."

"Vacancy"
VPJ: "Will Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale fall victim to the latest fad for torture porn? Vacancy lists nine cast members as 'snuff victim'"

JE: "Is there really a market out there for these "snuff-lite" film fare? Can't you see what you've done Eli Roth? Did the filmmakers think they could dress it up by having Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsdale in the cast?"

"Inland Empire"
VPJ: "New David Lynch. Obscure, impossibly personal symbolism. He likes fire imagery. And Laura Dern (who doesn't? ... rrrroowwwrrrrr). Something for stoners who feel like they need something more 'meaningful' after the celluloid chee-to that is ATHFCMFFTFD. Yeah, not a fan."

JE: "David Lynch obscure? I still don't get Mullholland Dr. Strangest Lynch experience I had was last winter when I was obsessively flipping between the insane double OT basketball game between Texas and Texas A&M and a rerun of Lost Highway on IFC. You try going to sleep with images of Robert Blake and Acie Law IV dancing in your head."

"Wild Hogs"
VPJ: "With John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, and Tim Allen in the cast, I find myself wishing someone had lobbed a fragmentation grenade onto the set, except that the shrapnel might have winged William H. Macy, too."

JE: "I could not agree more. How does William H. Macy get talked into this? Does the Church of Scientology have something on him? Who is this movie supposed to appeal to, dads who have been beaten down by life?"


"The Lookout"
VPJ: "Thriller benefits from the presence of another up-'n'-comer Joseph Gordon Leavitt (who was great in 'Brick' and Mysterious Skin)."

JE: "I've heard lots of good things about 'Brick' and 'The Lookout.' Is it wrong I liked him in '10 Things I Hate About You," or that I liked "10 Things I Hate About You?"


Lastly, Jonesy's picks for the new stuff at Videoport:

Three new additions to Videoport's Criterion Collection from gritty action pioneer Sam Fuller: "The Baron of Arizona" (Vincent Price's favorite of his own films), "The Steel Helmet," and "I Shot Jesse James." Fuller's raw, B-Movie flicks were the epitome of "indie film" before there was such a term.

"And God Grew Tired of Us" - People are all about this documentary about the lost boys of Sudan.

Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" - Finally on DVD, this unexpurgated, 4-hour-plus version is, by far, my favorite Shakespeare adaptation ever. People say he overacts; I say he is the world's greatest, most accessible, yet respectful, interpreter of Shakespeare ever. History will decide.

"Elvis: The Miniseries" - Stars appropriately sneery-lipped Brit Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

You can always get your fill of VP Jones and his many thoughts on all things cinema over on the MySpace.

Got a take on any of these movies? Make sure to comment and get in on the Commenter of the Week action.

Posted by at 01:05 PM

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Comments

Does the COTW have to know anything about that which s/he comments on? I don't watch movies. These all sound really good though! Except... most of them.

Posted by Jonathan
August 14, 2007 04:57 PM

Making uninformed statements and bizarre rants is what the Internets is all about Jono. Cut loose.

Posted by Justin Ellis
August 14, 2007 05:13 PM

Welcome to the fold Videoport Jones. I enjoy all your print and internet writing.

My hope about William H. Macy is either he needed some quick cash to cover a wild gambling debt or this was the only way his wife would let him ride a motorcycle??

Filliam H. Muffman forever!


Posted by ac
August 14, 2007 08:30 PM

Uninformed and bizzare rants is what the Internets is all about eh? Well then,

INPEACH BALDACHI! HE IS TURNING AGUSTA INTO LENINGRAD ON THE KENNEBBEC! HE EVEN LOOKS JUST LIKE LENIN BECAUSE HE IS BALD! SOMEBODY STOLE MY BOTTLE OF ALLENS!

Posted by Patrick Banks
August 15, 2007 09:56 AM

For the record, Patrick, I "borrowed" your Allen's Coffee Brandy. I need it to watch the news. Uh, sorry, Justin -- I meant read the news.

Posted by Jackie
August 15, 2007 10:36 AM

Branaugh? I have to go with SELF-CONSCIOUS, ALL THE TIME! Best shakespear flick--the russian version of HAMLET, which is there on your shelves. At least the guy looks like a Dane--and the director made a MOVIE, not a reverent paean to billy shakes.

Posted by chair 9
August 16, 2007 08:49 AM

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Justin is a former newspaper intern and has the scar tissue to prove it. Justin has been a staff writer for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram since 2003, and in 2004 began writing a weekly column in the Monday Magazine.

If he had to pick a label, the column would fall under "youth culture," covering everything from high school dance etiquette, dealing with college debt, the resurgence of Roller Derby and Portland's one-of-a-kind music scene. This of course has not stopped him from answering letters to Santa Claus or writing about his experience riding shotgun in a drift car.

Justin is an export from the Midwest. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and is originally from Minnesota. He enjoys bacon, cheap beer, redheads, Burt Reynolds jokes and wondering what the soundtrack to his life would sound like.

When he grows up he wants to be an international art thief. Or Captain America.

Until then he'll be bringing you dispatches about "the young people" and what they do.





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