Welcome to this week’s edition of DVD Diggers. I'm running just a little late this week and I’d like to blame it on the hours and hours of “In Living Color” - Season Two I’ve been watching. But the truth is... I'm just late. Sorry for the anticlimactic moment, hopefully the contest we’re running starting with this edition will make it up to you folks.
Aren’t you glad we don’t have Star Wars to talk about anymore?
Lights... Camera... Mediocre Action
The “big” DVD this week is the release of Walking Tall, the Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) remake of the Joe Don Baker (aka The Paper) film about the true life story of Sheriff Buford Pusser (we’ll just call him The Scissors). Now, there was much disagreement about this film when it came out theatrically. I didn’t care much for it, but Josh thought it was as good as sliced bread.
Of course, Josh is also the critic who gave Vin Diesel’s xXx five stars... which seems fitting since this week also sees the combination of mediocre action flicks xXx and S.W.A.T. in a two pack. Interesting, it’s like A.B.C.s for action flicks. It’s like someone read Josh’s mind when they made the release schedule this week. Kind of weird, huh?
Josh didn’t care for The Alamo though, which also comes out on DVD this week - and he’s a texan [Josh's Note: That's Texan with a big ass capital "T" pard. We take our Texaning serious enough to use the BIG letters for it]. I think they revoke his texas [Josh's Note: Ok now you're just insulting the entire state] citizenship for that - is it even American to not like a movie about The Alamo? I think we all should have seen through Josh’s Billy Bob Thorton hating and realized he was really a terrorist. After all, he’s always evading questions about his ethnicity. If the site is under new management next week you’ll know the FBI finally caught up with Joshua “movie bomber” Tyler.
TV on DVD
When “Star Trek” first came out on DVD, Paramount obviously was running a scheme, releasing only a couple of episodes to a disc for exorbitant prices. When they finished the classic series, they started doing the complete season releases for “Next Generation”. As you probably already know, they’ve now gone back and started releasing the original series by season, meaning those completists who already bought the first releases are now shelling out extra cash for the complete season releases - poor guys. Of course, those same poor guys are the only ones buying “Star Trek: Voyager” which has its fourth season released this week. Was the fourth season the one that didn’t suck? Oh - right, they didn’t have one of those.
Comedy Central hits the world of TV on DVD hard this week with releases of the third season of “Strangers with Candy”, and more interestingly, the first season of “Crank Yankers”, coming out as an unrated release. There’s nothing like foul mouthed puppets pulling prank calls for a good half hour’s entertainment... unless it’s puppet dinosaurs, which is why I’ll be picking up both “Crank Yankers” and “Land of the Lost - Season 2” and playing them at the same time. Just watch how angry that T-Rex gets when the Adam Carolla puppet starts gushing profanities at him. Yeah, that’ll be a full evening’s entertainment. Kind of makes me wish I had more episodes of “In Living Color” - Season Two to watch (which also is released this week).
Cartoon Cartoon
Puppets aside, it’s the cartoons I’m really looking forward to this week. Our newest Cinema Blend forum moderator Luthien is a huge “Teen Titans” fan, and all of her talking got me interested in the series. Unfortunately I’ve just about gotten to the point where I don’t watch any television unless it’s on DVD (sad - huh?). Lucky for me Volume 1 of “Teen Titans” is on its way, hopefully allowing me a chance to finally see the show. I’m disappointed WB is releasing “Teen Titans” in volumes instead of by season - if Paramount’s “Star Trek” system is any indication, it means season releases will be down the road somewhere, in an eventual double dip.
If you like “Teen Titans” you might also like “Static Shock - The New Kid” which is another super hero cartoon. I originally wasn’t much of a fan of Static Shock, but after catching it a few times when it followed “Batman Beyond”, I found I enjoyed it. Actually pretty well written, it tells the story of an African American teenager who develops super powers. It sounds predictable, but it’s no worse then “Batman Beyond” or “Smallville” in the way it handles a teenage hero.
I was going to spend some time talking about this week’s other big DVD releases, like Welcome to Mooseport or Super Size Me, or even Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, but you really don’t want to hear any jokes about Barbie, Ray Romano or Harry Knowles, do you? I promised you a contest.
The First DVD Diggers Contest
Anybody who’s kept up with DVD Diggers knows I’m a huge Disney fan. I may rank on the folks at Disney from time to time, but that’s just love talking.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment is releasing a special edition of Mulan October 26th and to celebrate we’ve managed to get our hands on an animation cell from the original production that we’ll be giving away to one lucky DVD Diggers reader. If you’re a fan of Disney or cartoons, you’ll understand just what a cool prize that is, especially with Disney moving away from traditional animation in the future.
To enter simply email us with the subject I Love DVD Diggers. If you want to throw some comments in the email about the website, DVD Diggers, or my eating habits feel free, although it’s not required for entry. Oh, and don’t forget that Josh always says...
”If you don't follow directions you won't win, even if you send me a sob story about how you're disabled, or have 15 children, or frittered away all your money on hookers and beer and you deserve to win one more than anyone else because your life sucks (you people know who you are). Well my life sucks too and I'm not getting free stuff! So keep all that to yourself.”
Visit the Official Mulan website.
UPDATE: We've gotten a picture of the artwork we're giving away, and I have to tell you I'm drooling just looking at it. If there's anybody reading this who doesn't want to enter for themselves, enter anyway and send the prize to me if you win.
The Prize
DVD Pick
Got questions?
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