RICKY GERVAIS, GREG KINNEAR AND TÉA LEONI STAR IN THE MOST SPIRITED ROMANTIC COMEDY OF THE SEASON

Debuts on DVD and Blu-ray December 28, 2008 with Exclusive Bonus Features

HOLLYWOD, CALIF. – Ghost Town is a “hilarious romantic comedy” (Time) arriving on DVD and Blu-ray on December 28, 2008 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Emmy® winner Ricky Gervais (“The Office,” Stardust), Oscar® nominee Greg Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine, Baby Mama) and Téa Leoni (Spanglish, Fun with Dick and Jane) star in this “clever, heartfelt and funny” (“Entertainment Tonight”) tale about a man, a woman and a ghost. The feel-good comedy of the season, Ghost Town is a perfect pick-me-up for the post holiday blues.

Ricky Gervais is Bertram Pincus, a New York City dentist with the people skills of a barracuda. When a routine surgery goes awry, Pincus is pronounced dead, but miraculously revived seven minutes later. The ill-mannered Manhattanite suffers only one lasting after-effect: the ability to see and speak with the dead. When word gets out in the spirit community, Pincus is irritated to discover he’s the go-to-guy for every phantom with unfinished business in the city. At the forefront of the ghostly mob is recently deceased Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), who is determined to stop the remarriage of his widow, Gwen (Téa Leoni). The laughs unfold when the prickly and romantically inexperienced Pincus, smitten with Gwen, tries to woo her away from her betrothed—with hysterically awkward results.

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Behind-the-Scenes Bonus Features and Filmmaker Interviews Reveal the Real Passions and Secrets of the Life of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire Available December 28, 2008

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. – A young noblewoman marries into one of Britain’s most powerful families and becomes the toast of London in The Duchess, arriving on DVD and Blu-ray fashionably timed for the new year and holiday entertainment on December 28th from Paramount Home Entertainment. Keira Knightley (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean), Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges, the Harry Potter series, The Constant Gardener) and Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!) star in the true story of the Duchess of Devonshire and “Empress of Fashion” who must face an agonizing choice between responsibility and love. Captivating audiences and critics alike with its gripping and passionate tale of a young woman and direct ancestor to Princess Diana who became a fashion icon, a devoted mother, a voice for the common man and an unforgettable symbol of glamour for the ages, “The Duchess is feisty, cool, and scandalous” (Richard Schickle, Time). Showcasing rich and in-depth special features, The Duchess will be available for the suggested retail priced of $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada on DVD and on Blu-ray for $29.99 U.S./$36.99 Canada.

One of history’s most beguiling leading ladies, Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley) was married at 17 to the wealthy and influential William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes), the fifth Duke of Devonshire — and into a lavish world filled with shocking deceptions, decadent scandals and stifling demands of duty. As Duchess of Devonshire, she first indulged her considerable energy in high society — outshining most of the aristocratic men around her with her incredible wit — only to become one of the most impassioned political voices in all of 18th century Britain. Beloved by a nation but betrayed by her husband, Georgiana’s charisma, political savvy and distinct flair for fashion would make her the “It Girl” of her era… but a chance for personal happiness would remain elusive until she dares to discover love on her own terms.

* (2005): Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Pride & Prejudice
** (1996): Best Actor in a Leading Role - The English Patient; (1993): Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Schindler’s List

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On November 18th, Paramount Home Entertainment will release the hilarious and outrageous comedy TROPIC THUNDER on DVD and Blu-ray! One of the year’s funniest films, TROPIC THUNDER includes a star-studded cast and this Director’s Cut DVD has enough bonus material to keep you “in the s&*t” for days! GET SOME as TROPIC THUNDER rocks onto DVD and Blu-ray November 18th!!

**Best Buy - Booty Sweat T-Shirt! (ONLY Available on Blu-ray)

**Walmart - Exclusive two-pack: Tropic Thunder Single-disc DVD and “Get Some” music sampler CD - perfect for anytime you’re lost in the jungle!

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Movie Info:
Writer: Brad Anderson
Director: Brad Anderson
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Ben Kingsley, Thomas Kretschmann, Eduardo Noriega
Rating: R
Studio: First Look Studios

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 18, 2008
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon

I am going to make a prediction and it makes me kind of sad to do it. Transsiberian will be one of the most overlooked movies of the year. It makes me sad to say it because it’s an amazing movie. It’s very Hitchcock in its presentation and intelligence factor. It’s one of those movies that you should watch, but probably won’t right away, and once you do you will kick yourself for waiting so long. The thriller title doesn’t really do it justice. It’s true, Transsiberian is a thriller and it’s truly enjoyable to watch. However, it’s much smarter and more entertaining than your average run of the mill movie in that genre.

The stakes are high for the thrillers I end up watching. I prefer something that is relatively new to me (heavily recycled ideas don’t shake it) with good acting. If I don’t want to see it again or it has no effect on me, then it’s useless and gets rated as such. I wasn’t sure what would come of my feelings for Transsiberian because I had not heard too much about it prior to it falling on my doorstep. I did, however, know Woody Harrelson was in it, which was good enough for me to want to watch it.

The storyline was easy enough to comprehend though there were many complexities to it. As you will see in Emily Mortimer’s character, Jessie, there is obviously much under the surface that isn’t always said in words. Jessie is just one example of this. Many of her emotions are worn on her sleeve, so to speak. Even when she isn’t saying much, you get a sense of how she is feeling and the troubles that plague her, at least in the beginning. Towards the end, there are many questions that remain about Jessie and why she behaves in the manner she does.

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Movie Info:
Writer:‭ ‬Michael Weiss,‭ ‬Jennifer Flackett,‭ ‬Mark Levin
Director:‭ ‬Eric Brevig
Cast:‭ ‬Brendan Fraser,‭ ‬Josh Hutcherson,‭ ‬Anita Briem,‭ ‬Seth Myers,‭ ‬Jean Michel Pare,‭ ‬Jane Wheeler,‭ ‬Frank Frontaine
Rating:‭ ‬PG
Studio:‭ ‬New Line Cinema

Release Info:
Theatrical Release:‭ ‬July‭ ‬11,‭ ‬2008
DVD Release Date:‭ ‬October‭ ‬28,‭ ‬2008
Online Availability:‭ ‬Amazon

I remember back in the day when New Line Cinema was synonymous with horror titles.‭ ‬Over‭ ‬the years they have branched out considerably,‭ ‬putting out everything from blockbusters to chick flicks.‭ Journey to the Center of the Earth‭ ‬leans closer to the first option and much further from the second.‭ ‬People that are old enough to watch this should have an idea that it is based on the classic of the same name by Jules Verne.‭ ‬While some people shy away from literary based movies,‭ ‬this one contains at least a couple of notable celebrities and a fantasy based storyline that is sure to please fans of the genre.‭ ‬Finish things up with the option to watch in‭ ‬2D or‭ ‬3D and the basic specs are looking pretty good.

The key to enjoying this movie beyond a shadow of a doubt is to understand that this movie is far from perfect.‭ ‬I scratched my head trying to come up with a reason why they would put this movie out when they did.‭ ‬During a summer of blockbusters that were bigger and better,‭ ‬there was no way this film,‭ ‬with this plot,‭ ‬could ever compete.‭ ‬It didn‭’‬t compete.‭ ‬Many people passed it aside in order to‭ ‬watch the better options.‭ ‬Movie tickets aren‭’‬t cheap, after all.‭ ‬You go see the very best options and leave the rest to video.‭ ‬Now the question becomes, ‬whether or not this would even be worth watching or buying on DVD‭. ‬The answer all depends on how you rate your movies and the things that you get entertainment from.‭

If you prefer better acting than you do special effects and you require a decent,‭ ‬fairly worthy plot over the visually appealing aspects of film then you may be in trouble with this.‭ ‬I am not‭ ‬going to lie.‭ Journey‭ ‬looks amazing.‭ ‬I watched it with the glasses and without and it looked great both ways.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬if I go off of the story alone then there isn‭’‬t much here to even bother watching.‭ ‬I couldn‭’‬t shake the feeling that this movie was made just to make money without much real thought to making the movie shine.‭ ‬It‭’‬s possible they realized that the plot wasn‭’‬t all that, so they had to do everything they could in the special effects department.‭ ‬Whatever it was,‭ ‬the film requires you to be giving to enjoy it enough to watch it frequently.

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JCVD comes to theaters today in a limited release. JCVD is all about an action star in real life. Theater release dates are listed below:

11/7 : NYC , AMC’s EMPIRE 25 & ANGELIKA FILM Center NYC
11/14 : LA , Landmark’s Nuart theatre
11/14: Irvine, Regal/Edwards University 6
11/14 Cambridge , Landmark’s Kendall THEATRE
11/14: D.C. Landmark’s E street cinema
11/14- Chicago- AMC Pipers Alley
11/14 : SF , Landmark’s Bridge theatre
11/14 : Berkeley, Ca., Landmark’s Shattuck
11/14: Phil. Ritz @ the Bourse, Landmark
11/14: Landmarks DetROIT., Main Art
11/21 : PALO. ALTO, Landmark’s Aquaris theatre
11/21 : S.D., Landmarks Hillcrest theatre
11/21: Seattle, Landmark’s Harvard Exit
11/21 - Denver , Landmark’s Mayan THEATRE
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MILK
Release Date: November 26, 2008 (limited)
Director: Gus Van Sant
Writer: Dustin Lance Black
Cast: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, and Emile Hirsch

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Movie Info:
Writer: Alice Arlen, Victor Levin
Director: Helen Hunt
Cast: Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, Ben Shenkman, Lynn Cohen, John Benjamin Hickey, Salman Rushdie, Daisy Tahan, Tommy Nelson
Rating: R
Studio: THINKFilm

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 21, 2008
DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

Then She Found Me is one of those puzzling movies that offers so many good and bad things that it’s hard to tell whether or not you like it enough to watch it more than once. Helen Hunt, an Oscar winning actress that has all but fallen off the map lately, returns to co-write, direct, produce, and star in this independent film that is in many ways reminiscent of a Lifetime movie. While the movie plays out better, there is still that mediocre feel that sits behind the surface. Anyone that has seen a Lifetime movie knows how pathetic they can be. While Then She Found Me is certainly a step up from that, the thing that manages to keep it from sinking that low is more about the acting and less about the story, writing, or overall filmmaking that usually manages to hit the mark.

The most pleasant part of the movie and the show stealer was the presence of Bette Midler. Midler doesn’t seem to show her face in movies very often these days so it’s nice to see her in this one. Granted, this is something rather bittersweet considering the movie isn’t the best, but it’s nice to see her in something nonetheless. She played her part well and made the movie worth watching.

Other than Midler, solid or at least decent performances were turned in by Hunt, Matthew Broderick, and Colin Firth. While there was a lot of promise here, it seems that this movie is going to be the most popular with middle-aged women and possibly older women that want kids, but don’t have them. In other words, this is probably going to work best for people that can relate to the film. The problem is that means it’s only going to be for a very limited amount of people.

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Movie Info:
Writer: John Logan, Stephen Sondheim
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Laura Michelle Kelly, Jayne Wisener
Rating: R
Studio: Dreamworks

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: October 21, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $27.95

I don’t tend to watch many musicals, though the ones that I do find interest in quickly become my favorite movies. Among them are Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I never got a chance to see the play written by Sondheim. The first time I got to see anything concerning this Demon Barber was when it was released on DVD earlier in the year. I think I have been singing “Worst Pies in London” ever since.

It was only the genius of Tim Burton that could have convinced Sondheim to sell the rights to his play. Still he only agreed on the basis that he would have ultimate casting say over the movie. Burton was set on having Johnny Depp in the lead role and that is where he and Sondheim butted heads. Sondheim did not feel that he would be right for the role due to what he perceived as a more rock vocal style. However, upon hearing Depp’s vocal ability he was pleased enough to grant Burton’s wish and place Depp in the lead role.

Helena Bonham Carter was trickier. Some would assume that she only got the role because of her relationship with Tim Burton. The truth is that she beat out numerous big name actresses after taking extensive vocal lessons and sending around a dozen tapes to Sondheim personally. He was pleased with her vocals and was the one to approve her as the love-starved Mrs. Lovett. Sacha Baron Cohen on the other hand, had auditioned for his role specifically for Burton. In order to show off his vocal ability he decided to sing the entire score of Fiddler on the Roof. As you might have guessed, he won the part of Adolfo Pirelli.

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Movie Info:
Writers: Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel
Director: Dennis Dugan
Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Lainie Kazan, Ido Mosseri, Rob Schneider, Dave Matthews, Michael Buffer, Charlotte Rae, Sayed Badreya, Daoud Heidami, Kevin Nealon, Robert Smigel
Rating: Unrated (PG-13)
Studio: Sony

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: June 6, 2008
DVD Release Date: October 7, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $

Imagine a movie where Adam Sandler is the hottest thing since sliced bread. The girls all dig him, the guys want to be him and he spends lots of time wiggling his hips in time to music, just to show off his abnormally large “package”. This thing is so huge, you assume NASA can see it from space. Well, you don’t have to imagine it, because that’s part of the premise for You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. I know that sounds kind of weird, but it is rather funny when it translates to screen. It’s that kind of, over the top, crude humor that Sandler is know for and allows him to thrive as an artist.

Here’s a note to all those parents with kids who like Adam Sandler. Watch this first, because boy was I embarrassed to be watching this film with my 13 year old Adam-Sandler obsessed son, who is somewhat naive and innocent despite understanding the point and premise of sex. There are many sex jokes in this and while it’s more than okay for older teens and adults, the youngsters will definitely have to skip seeing this one until they’re older. I think I would be embarrassed watching some of these moments period, because that was Sandler’s intent for the film!

While Zohan has Sandler returning to his earlier comic roots, with the kind of humor presented in Waterboy and Happy Gilmore, and it is a nice follow up to Chuck and Larry, it’s definitely not as good as said previously mentioned movies. Some of the jokes get a little too repetitious and while this is definitely better than Click, this wasn’t the return to comedy for Sandler that we all had hoped. Still, I have to admit, I found myself laughing out loud more than once.

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