DVD Pick of the Week: 8/16

Wow, two weeks in a row with an easy choice. Last week was Kung Fu Hustle, this week is my pick for best of the year thus far, Sin City. A film that has a wide variety of reactions from love to hate and everything in between. One thing is for sure, you are unlikely to see anything quite like it this year.

Robert Rodriguez just may have crafted the most true to source adaptation ever. There are sequences where you could freeze frame them and match them up with the original graphic novel pages. It has this incredible look, dripping with style. On top of that there are these heavily stylized performances from its ensemble cast.

I would be remiss in my duties if I failed to warn you of the dreaded double dip with this title. There has not been an official announcement, but it is believed to be coming before Christmas. There is a big director's cut special edition set on it's way. You will be able to watch any of the three stories with more footage and by itself, outside of the feature. There are also rumored production featurettes, deleted scenes, and an audience experience audio track (They recorded the audience at the premiere in Austin, TX), plus another cooking and film schools. So, it is up to you to get this one, get that one, get both, or neither. I will be getting both. I have heard that this disk looks spectacular!

Also coming this week:

• Astaire & Rogers Collection (Top Hat, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet, Shall We Dance, The Barkley's of Broadway). Warner Brothers strikes again, they have a great track record with their box sets. This looks to be another winner.
• The Brown Bunny. Ebert called the original incarnation the worst film in Cannes history, and changed his tune upon seeing the steam lined cut. Not sure I want to see it, but it does have an interesting history.
• Gatchaman Vol. 3 & 4. The next volume of the classic anime series in its original incarnation. Plus a real nice Alex Ross box.
• The Office: Season One. The US incarnation with Steve Carell. May not be as good as the original British series, it still grows on you and is very funny.
• Samurai Gun Vol. 1. I am not familiar at all with this, but the concept looks like fun. Who doesn't want to see samurai with guns?
• The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season. Said to be Matt Groening's favorite season. Looking forward to this, even with the odd new box. For those wondering, a regular box will be available by mail, there is a slip for it inside the case.
• Undeclared: The Complete Series. Another show cut short from the creator of Freaks & Geeks. This was a very good show, glad to see it coming to disk.

That is all.

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