Beowulf

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below, 30 Days of Night is available if you have the need to get the bejesus scared out of you, and you can finally catch the emotional Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale on DVD.

The Darjeeling Limited
In the latest addition to director Wes Anderson's growing collection of movies that feature dysfunctional families, The Darjeeling Limited gives us Anderson's typically quirky characters, his stylized look and of course some witty, awkward dialogue. The movie stars Adrien Brody alongside Anderson regulars Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman as brothers who plan a road trip across India.

The first part of the film contains all the goofy and neurotic trademarks of this director's films, though the story takes an unexpected dark turn in the middle. While there are certainly problems with this movie, fans of Wes Anderson won't be disappointed. The DVD's special features include the film's prequel Hotel Chevalier which stars Natalie Portman.

Two more movies you might enjoy are out this week, so read more

The Golden Compass opened this past weekend to the tune of $26 million, easily taking the top spot at the box office, but still disappointing New Line studio heads who'd expected more like $30-40 million. This is especially frustrating given the $180 million it took to make the film.

Enchanted followed behind The Golden Compass in its third week in theaters, bringing in $10.7 million while This Christmas came in at No. 3. Fred Claus inched its way from sixth place to fourth this weekend, as audiences perhaps sought out more holiday-themed fare. Beowulf rounded out the top five with $4.4 million.

This upcoming weekend I predict the top films will be I Am Legend and Alvin and the Chipmunks, though it should also please many folks that Juno finally opens in more cinemas this weekend.

Photo courtesy of New Line

• Enchanted took the top spot at the box office for the second week in a row, followed by This Christmas and Beowulf. The holiday movie season will be in full swing next weekend with the release of The Golden Compass and Atonement, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top then. — BuzzSugar
• Denise Richards' mother passed away on Friday after a long battle with cancer. Our hearts go out to Denise and her family. — People
• In an auction to benefit the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Foundation, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne sold items worth $800,000 from their former LA home, including a pair of Ozzy's skull-adorned sneakers ($2,625) and his old portable coffee mug ($1,625). Maybe we underestimated how much people still want a piece of their personal lives. — BBC
• After settling his lawsuit against Kanye West just last week, Evel Knievel died Friday after struggling with ill health for years. Our thoughts are with the family of the legendary stuntman. — E! News
• Ethan Hawke had appeared single but apparently he's been dating his children's former nanny for two years. At least he was courteous enough to wait until his relationship with Uma was over unlike a lot of other men. — Gatecrasher

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

For the second weekend in a row, Enchanted hypnotized audiences, topping the box office by a long shot with $17 million. Family holiday flick This Christmas stayed strong at No. 2, though took home about half as much as Enchanted did. Beowulf followed up in third place while the new psychological thriller Awake came in at No. 4 with $6 million. Hitman just barely edged out Fred Claus for fifth place.

This weekend I'll be curious to see if The Golden Compass succeeds in drawing the masses that New Line is so desperate to see. According to Variety, the studio held sneak preview screenings this past weekend, hoping to "boost interest in the film, which has been lagging in tracking, although awareness is high." Also opening this Friday is the romantic drama Atonement, starring James McAvoy and Keira Knightley.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

• Hulk Hogan's wife Linda filed for divorce early last week, and although a source close to her claims she doesn't actually want to split, it sounds like the family has crumbled in the aftermath of Nick Hogan's accident. Another reality TV couple bites the dust. — The St. Petersburg Times
• Enchanted took the top spot at the box office over the weekend, followed by This Christmas and Beowulf. As usual, family-friendly fare rules during the holiday season. — BuzzSugar
• EW released their list of the year's top 25 entertainers with J. K. Rowling topping the list, followed by Valedictorians including George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, The Sopranos, and Will Smith. Let the year-end list making begin! — Entertainment Weekly
• Superman star Brandon Routh married his longtime girlfriend Courtney Ford on Saturday. Congrats to the super couple! — ET Online
• Jaime King married director Kyle Newman on Friday, who she met on the set of his movie Fanboys. Big weekend for celebrity weddings! — People
• Negotiations between striking Broadway stagehands and producers have resumed, with both sides agreeing to a twelve hour break today in the process of agreeing on a fair labor deal. With the Hollywood Writers Guild back in negotiations today as well, things are finally looking up for all these strikes. — AP

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The magic of Disney strikes again! The half-animated, half-live-action fairytale story Enchanted put a spell on the box office over the long Thanksgiving weekend, bringing in approximately $50 million over the five-day stretch. After Toy Story 2, Enchanted is the highest-grossing Disney movie to open Thanksgiving weekend.

Holiday newcomer This Christmas enjoyed an impressive opening in second place while Beowulf held steady at No. 3. The video game-inspired action flick Hitman opened at No. 4 and the animated Bee Movie continued to "bee" successful at No. 5. Meanwhile, The Coen Bros.' No Country for Old Men just barely edged out Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium for the No. 10 spot.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Beowulf killed more than just a couple monsters over its opening weekend, easily coming in at No. 1 at the box office with just over $28 million. The movie enjoyed the widest release for a 3-D digital film ever, and was the first 3-D movie that wasn't for children. The success of the film spells good things for the future of digital 3-D filmmaking.

In second place taking home half as much was animated family film Bee Movie, and American Gangster held steady at No. 3. Following up in fourth place was holiday comedy Fred Claus, while Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium opened at No. 5, bringing in $10 million.

This upcoming holiday weekend should prove successful for studios releasing new titles, like Disney's Enchanted, the Bob Dylan flick I'm Not There, heartwarming family drama August Rush and Stephen King's The Mist. Also, this weekend expect to kick into the holiday season when This Christmas opens this Wednesday.

Image courtesy of Paramount

"I. Am. BEOWULF!" roars a computer-generated (and significantly enhanced) Ray Winstone over and over and over again. The animated epic story of Beowulf is impressive from a visual standpoint — it really is like living inside a video game — though story-wise it's empty and forgettable. But if nothing else, you will absolutely remember who. Is. Beowulf.

I managed to see Beowulf in an IMAX theater, donning some giant, goofy 3-D glasses. In this way, the movie is spectacular. You'll be splattered with blood, threatened with sharp spears, and nearly dropped into the sharp-toothed mouths of terrifying beasts. It is, quite simply, amazing. I completely understand Robert Zemeckis' desire to bring this story to life via animation. Using (and improving upon) the motion-capture technology he tried with The Polar Express, the humans look as real as possible (more or less) while still existing in a mystical land alongside monsters, mermaids and water serpents.

Overall, it's a cool idea. In execution, it's enjoyable enough, though I'm not sure I would have liked it half as much if I were not watching it on an IMAX screen in 3-D. However, having said that I agree with the complaint of a fellow reviewer that if you turn your face even the slightest bit, the 3-D image is skewed and unpleasant to look at. Sitting in the same position with my head frozen in place for two hours and watching a 3-D movie left me with neck pains as well as a headache. For more about the pros and cons of this movie, read more

Angelina Jolie channeled a little bit of her past self at a premiere of Beowulf last night in London. Only the outfit's a whole lot more new Angelina due to her poppy pin in honor of Remembrance Day. Seriously though, when was the last time she wore leather pants? Kinda expected to see Billy Bob on her arm. Instead, she was, of course, accompanied by a fairly grizzled looking Brad Pitt with his salt and pepper facial hair. Someday Brad will lose that hat....someday. Can't one of those kids hide it somewhere? Is that too much to ask?

To see more of the premiere and Angelina's leather pants just read more