New DVD Releases

[Earende]

Here are this week's new DVD releases!

Enjoy!

[Earende]

Sparkle- Academy Award nominees Stockard Channing and Bob Hoskins co-headline the British romantic comedy Sparkle, the third outing by the critically-praised writing and directing team of Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger (Lawless Heart, Boyfriends). Neophyte Shaun Evans plays Sam Sparks, a young man who migrates from Liverpool to London proper with his single mother, Jill (Lesley Manville) - a chanteuse in local pubs. In need of a job, Sam makes the cut at a public relations boutique by sleeping with the sixty-something head of the agency, Sheila (Channing), then (in a Graduate-like twist) falls for a girl closer to his own age, Kate (Amanda Ryan) - only to discover with horror that she's Sheila's daughter. As the expected complications ensue, Vince (Hoskins), the sexagenarian who arranged Sam and Jill's apartment in London, nurtures a deep-seated passion for Jill and decides to make his feelings fully known to her.

Solitary Man - Michael Douglas stars in this dialogue-driven comedy drama about an ethically challenged New York businessman who finds his life falling apart due to a series of career missteps and personal foul-ups. Once upon a time, Ben Kalmen (Douglas) had everything a man could possibly want -- a high-paying job, a beautiful wife, and a spacious Manhattan apartment -- but now all of that is a distant memory. The former owner of a successful auto dealership, Ben has recently lost everything thanks to his own inability to resist his impulses. But the resilient Ben isn't the type of guy to stay down for the count, and lately things are starting to look up for him again. Despite being divorced from his former college sweetheart Nancy (Susan Sarandon), Ben still manages to see his daughter, Susan (Jenna Fischer), and his grandson on a regular basis, and his new girlfriend, Jordan (MaryLouise Parker), may have just the connections needed to help the floundering businessman get his career back on track. When Ben takes Jordan's college-bound daughter, Allyson (Imogen Poots), on a tour of a prospective school, however, his steely new resolve is put to the ultimate test.

The Killers - Trying to recover from a sudden break-up, Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) believes she'll never fall in love again. But when she reluctantly joins her parents on a trip to the French Riviera, Jen happens to meet the man of her dreams, the dashing, handsome Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher). Three years later, her seemingly impossible wish has come true: she and Spencer are newlyweds living the ideal suburban life -- that is, until the morning after Spencer's 30th birthday when bullets start flying. Literally.
It turns out Spencer never bothered to tell Jen he's also an international super-spy, and now Jen's perfect world has been turned upside down. Faced with the fact that her husband is a hit man, Jen is determined to discover what other secrets Spencer might be keeping -- all the while trying to dodge bullets, keep up neighborly appearances, manage the in-laws...and work out some major trust issues.
And you thought suburban life was easy.

MacGruber - Will Forte brings his Saturday Night Live character MacGruber to the screen with this action comedy directed by Jorma Taccone. After bad guys killed his wife (Maya Rudolph), soldier of fortune MacGruber (Forte) devoted his life to peace. But when his old nemesis (Val Kilmer) gets control of a nuclear weapon, MacGruber's former boss (Powers Boothe) convinces him to risk life and limb one more time with the help of a new team (Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe).

Caravaggio - Not to be confused with the 1986 Derek Jarman-directed biopic of the same name, this Italian-language dramatization of the life of controversial artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was helmed by Angelo Longoni and shot by Vittorio Storaro (Last Tango in Paris). It stars Alessio Boni in the title role, and a cast including Elena Sofia Ricci, Paolo Briguglia and Claire Keim. The film relays how Caravaggio - a man driven by passion, intensity and lust - also grappled with violence and an overwhelming love for prostitute Fillide Melandroni (Keim) - an obsession that prompted the artist's downfall.

For a Fist Full of Diamonds - Director Dominique Milano draws inspiration from the spaghetti westerns of the 1960s and '70s for this upbeat action comedy about the race to find a missing briefcase full of diamonds. French gangster Dede Fratelini (Dominique Campion) is in Paris awaiting the arrival of his diamonds when he discovers they have simply disappeared somewhere in the vast Nevada desert. Little does Fratelini realize that his priceless rocks have fallen into hands of a convicted killer (Abdel-Aziz Essayed), who staged a daring escape while being transported to prison, and hijacked the courier's car in order to make a fast getaway. Later, the killer's plans are foiled by his scheming ex-girlfriend Tatiana (Chuti Tiu) and her new flame Buitre (Fabrice Sopoglian). With FBI Agent Franko Valle (Fabrice Vilder) hot on their trail, the couple races to outrun the law, and hold on to their windfall at all costs. Unfortunately for them, Agent Valle is closing in fast, and Fratelini isn't about to give up his diamonds without a fight.

Growth - Twenty years after a mysterious outbreak claimed the lives of everyone at the Advanced Parasitic Development at the Cuttyhunk Island Research Facility as well as most of the civilian population of the island, a woman who managed to narrowly escape infection discovers that the bug is much more resilient than scientists previously it credit for when she returns home to sell her parent's abandoned property. Now the parasites have evolved, and they can slip into any human orifice impossibly fast. If they manage to find a human host to carry them out of the danger zone, there's no telling how long it would take before the infection starts to spread all across the planet.

Looking for Jackie - A young martial artist learns the finer points of fighting and much, much more after seeking out the mentorship of international action movie star Jackie Chan.

Heaven's Neighbors - Two young schizophrenics take their first tenuous steps into the real world while living in a halfway house for the mentally ill.

The Phantom - The purple-suited superhero is back, and ready to take on his most technologically-advanced adversaries to date in this live-action adaptation of the beloved comic book. Kit Walker (Ryan Carnes) is fearless; little does he realize that it's in his genes to seek out adventure. An adrenaline-addicted urban explorer, Kit discovers that he hails from a long line of crime fighters, and that now it's his turn to don the legendary Phantom suit and clean up the streets. But today's criminals are far more tech-savvy than the bad guys that his father and grandfather fought, and in order to keep the tradition alive he'll have to be stronger, faster, and smarter than all who came before him

Dog Pound - Three boys caught between youth and adulthood struggle to survive behind bars in this hard-hitting drama. Alex (Mateo Morales), Butch (Adam Butcher) and David (Shane Kippel) are three teenage criminals who have sentenced to the Enola Vale Correctional Facility, a juvenile detention facility in Montana. Goodyear (Lawrence Bayne), a guard who looks after the young inmates, is tough but fair-minded and urges the youngsters to play by the rules and quietly serve their time so they can earn a second chance on the outside. But the new inmates have to deal with young men who have been in lockup for a while, many of whom have become accustomed to the violence and intimidation of life behind bars. Banks (Taylor Poulin) is already a hard case who thrives on bullying those smaller and more vulnerable than himself; once he targets Butch, the new inmate starts down a path of retribution from which there is no return. Dog Pound was the first English-language feature from French director Kim Chapiron; the film earned him an award as "Best New Narrative Filmmaker" at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

Spicy Mac Project - Four buffoons busted for attending an underground fight competition attempt to avoid serving time by aiding the Los Angeles police department in a routine training exercise. When the men kidnap the wrong victim due to a mis-communication, they make national headlines. Later, the kidnappers gain a direct line to the White House, and reveal that the only way they will release their hostage is if the President of the United States agrees to perform a strip tease at a seedy L.A. strip club.

Sorority Strip House - A group of hard-partying sorority sisters move into the mansion of a prominent West Coast mob boss after being kicked off of campus for unruly behavior. Later, when the mobster's henchmen show up for a meeting and his wife returns home early from an extended leave, things really start to spin out of control.

That Evening Sun - An aging farmer fights to keep the home that is rightfully his after fleeing from a nursing home and discovering that his son has leased the family farm to his old nemesis. Placed in a nursing home by his son and promptly forgotten, Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook) realized that waiting to die was no way to live. Determined to enjoy his last days, Abner packed his bags and set his sights on the family farm. At least there he could die on his own land, in familiar surroundings. But Abner is in for a rude awakening, because upon returning home he discovers that his son has leased the farm to Lonzo Choat. Abner never cared much for Lonzo, and when Lonzo refuses to leave, Abner takes up residence in an old tenant shack on the property. Before long, their dispute becomes volatile, each man believing himself to be in the right, and refusing to back down from his position. Betrayed by his son and haunted by dreams of his beloved deceased wife, Abner draws a line in the sand in an attempt to reclaim his life. As threats are made and tension begins to brew, it's only a matter of time before the situation turns savage.

Stan McQuay: Rising Sun - This documentary gives viewers an inside look into the personal life and training schedule of Stan McQuay, a young man determined to become one of the best bodybuilders in the world. In addition to footage of his brutal regular workout schedule, the filmmakers include clips of McQuay taking part in photo shoots, and enjoying the benefits of his celebrity status.

Ghosts Don't Exist - A prominent television ghost hunter announces his retirement, but agrees to investigate one last haunting when a terrified client claims to have irrefutable evidence that ghosts truly exist.

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond - Set in the Roaring Twenties in a town in Memphis, a young rebellious heiress, Fisher Willow (Bryce Dallas Howard), defies the strict protocol of Southern society when she hires the caretaker's son, Jimmy Dobyne (Chris Evans), to escort her to the major event of the season. Initially, Fisher's relationship with Jimmy is purely business, however, it is not long before she falls in love with him. Fisher's relationship with Jimmy is threatened when a priceless diamond goes missing. 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' is a lush and poetic romance with all the drama of a Tennessee Williams play.

Tons of Love - When chubby chaser falls afoul of a heavy heartbreaker, his shallow best friend convinces him that guys need look no deeper than the surface to find the perfect mate. Al and Eric have been inseparable ever since high school. But while Al doesn't mind spending all of his money to attract the hottest girls around, Eric would rather spend a quiet night cuddling with a woman who can really keep him warm. When Eric catches his girlfriend with another man, Al convinces him that its time he started setting his sights on shortys. Before long Eric has found a hot new girlfriend. Unfortunately she comes with a fair share of baggage, and by the time she's done unpacking Eric realizes that he's become more of a bellhop than a boyfriend.

Urban Terrorists - A New Years Eve party is interrupted by a gun-wielding psychopath who holds the revelers hostage while forcing them to confess their darkest secrets. Meanwhile, what the malevolent intruder fails to realize is that the host of the party disappeared upstairs shortly before the festivities were cut short, and that he's not about to sit by and watch as his friends are slowly picked off one-by-one.

Sleeping and Walking - A prominent artist who specializes in controversial religious paintings miraculously overcomes terminal cancer, but begins to wonder whether he should have simply accepted death when his life changes in ways he never could have anticipated. With the help of modern medicine, Sullivan Daniels overcame a disease that used to be fatal in the not-too-distant past. But now he can no longer create his art, and his marriage has fallen to ruins. Just when Sullivan begins to feel like cheating death was the biggest mistake he ever made, he realizes that with faith he can conquer any problem that comes his way.

[Felicia]

Wow what a list!

Thanks for the heads up!