Tuesday, May 23, 2006

DVD Releases - May 23

After a relatively quiet week of releases last week, there’s a lot of options hitting the market this week. Whether it’s more seasons of TV shows or special editions of classic movies, there’s a good variety of DVDs coming out May 23. Here’s a glimpse at the lineup:

“Boston Legal: Season 1” - Creator David E. Kelley’s first season of his legal comedy-drama gets its release. A spinoff from the hit ABC show “The Practice,” it stars James Spader and William Shatner as a pair of attorneys with their own spin on ethics. Spader and Shatner have both earned Emmys for their work, and Candice Bergen joined the cast late in the season. So why I am I not watching this?
Extras: A pair of featurettes and deleted scenes from the pilot episode.
Official Web site

“Cheaper By the Dozen 2” (PG) - In a sequel to the serviceable, yet forgettable 2003 film, Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt return with a whole bunch of children that you’ll be glad aren’t yours. Eugene Levy is on board this go around, and you can practically hear the ka-ching of the cash register as Martin and Levy collect their money for this one.
Extras: Commentary by director Adam Shankman and several featurettes.
Official Web site

“Deadwood: Season 2” - Cover your kids’ eyes and ears! Those foul-mouthed, violent residents of Deadwood are back for the second season of the critically-acclaimed HBO drama from creator David Milch (“NYPD Blue”). The power struggle continues for the troubled town in 19th century South Dakota for this 12-episode season.
Extras: Commentary from cast and crew on multiple episodes, making-of season finale, a Deadwood 1877 featurette, and a photo gallery.
Official Web site

“Dirty Dozen: Special Edition” (NR) - Lee Marvin and his motley crew get a two-disc special edition treatment, as the action-packed WWII thriller is released. I’ll save you from the story rundown, but you just know there will come a day when Hollywood will unnecessarily remake this script.
Extras: Commentary from no fewer than eight people, including stars Jim Brown, Trini Lopez and original novelist E.M. Nathanson; an introduction from star Ernest Borgnine; the 1985 made-for-TV sequel, “The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission”; a pair of new documentaries; and more.
No official Web site

“High School Musical: Encore Edition” (PG) - It was a big hit when it premiered on the Disney Channel, the soundtrack is still selling in big numbers, and now the music-packed film makes its debut on DVD. An athlete and a smart beauty both secretly audition for the leads in the high school musical and much singing and dancing ensues. Pretty much like the name indicates.
Extras: A pair of featurettes and music videos.
Official Web site

“Kingdom of Heaven: Director’s Cut” (R) - Normally, I don’t give a whole lot of credence to director’s cuts, but I’m willing to cut director Ridley Scott a little slack. After all, it worked when he presented his director’s cut of “Blade Runner.” So we’ll see how he reworks his Crusades-era action picture, a box-office disappointment from last summer.
Extras: A ton, and I mean a ton! It’s four discs worth, people! I can’t even cover all of it, but suffice it to say there’s commentary that stretches over two discs, a six-part documentary that basically covers all aspects of the film, and multiple featurettes.
Official Web site

“M*A*S*H*: Season 10” - The acclaimed series nears its conclusion with the second to last season, but the awards kept on piling up, with stars Alan Alda and Loretta Swit among those honored for this season’s work.
Extras: Prognosis: Negative.
No official Web site

“Patton: Special Edition” (PG) - Multiple Oscars, including best picture, went to this classic 1972 film about the legendary U.S. Gen. George S. Patton. George C. Scott will forever most be associated with this role, for which he also won an Academy Award.
Extras: Introduction and commentary by screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola, several new documentaries, including one on the making of the movie.
No official Web site

“Transamerica” (R) - Thanks in large part to the acclaimed lead performance from Felicity Huffman (who was Oscar-nominated), this low-budget comedy-drama about a transsexual on the verge of gender-reassignment surgery got a fair amount of notice at awards time. Bree (Huffman) learns she has a son and ends up taking a road trip with him, change both of their lives.
Extras: Commentary with director Duncan Tucker, a conversation with Tucker and Hoffman, a featurette and a Dolly Parton video (naturally!).
Official Web site

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