What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:30:16 PDT

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 my selections below you can also take home the fourth season of Entourage, as well as season five of One Tree Hill (you know, the one where they leap ahead in time and everyone owns a business or is a famous writer or something). Also, Morgan Spurlock's documentary Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? is out on DVD along with another great indie film, Son of Rambow.

What Happens in Vegas
This comedy starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz didn't do so hot with critics when it first came out, but I found myself charmed by it, despite how staggeringly absurd it is at times.

Two opposites (Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher) are forced to live together in matrimony so they can collect a large sum of money they accidentally won together in Las Vegas. Not only do the leads have a surprising amount of chemistry (well, I didn't expect any,
so. . .) but two supporting actors, the droll Lake Bell and The Daily Show's Rob Corddry, anchor the ridiculous moments with superb comic timing. All in all, it's a decent choice for your at-home enjoyment.

Special features include commentary from the director and a featurette titled "Sitting Down With Cameron and Ashton."

Two more up next so

read more. Heroes: Season Two It's no secret that season two of NBC's Heroes isn't my favorite, due mostly to its slow pacing, cluttered plots, and overabundance of random new superheroes. But as we round the corner toward the long-awaited premiere of season three, you might just find yourself needing a little refresher (also, this season ended ages ago). So here it is, in all its perplexing, sometimes frustrating glory: season two! I live for the special features that come with my favorite TV-on-DVD selections, and this one is no different. There's an alternate ending to the season (cool!), followed by an "inside the alternate ending" feature (even cooler!) titled "What If Peter Didn't Catch the Vial?," a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the third season premiere episode (yes!) and of course audio commentaries with cast and crew. Can you tell I'm excited? Redbelt I had to go see this film when I attended the Tribeca Film Festival this year because it boasts the insane combination of one of my favorite actors ever (Chiwetel Ejiofor) with one of my favorite actresses (Emily Mortimer) and a writer/director who I think of as a visionary (David Mamet). And for the most part, I was not disappointed. In Redbelt, Ejiofor plays the powerful and controlled mixed-martial arts instructor Mike Terry who vows to stay far away from the competitive circuit. But when a series of coincidences occur and Terry finds himself in financial peril, he returns to the ring for one last time. Alice Braga (I Am Legend) beautifully plays Terry's wife, Sondra, and Mortimer plays an anxious stranger who learns important lessons of her own from Terry's MMA instruction. I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this movie, which is to say, I loved it - up until the end, when I kinda hated it. I still think it's a worthwhile rental, especially for any Mamet fan.

Movie Preview: Chiwetel Ejiofor in David Mamet's Redbelt

BuzzSugar — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:30:40 PST

When I'm looking for a movie with strong writing and snappy dialogue, I often reach for something by David Mamet. This spring, the writer/director is turning his eye to the boxing ring with Redbelt, the story of a martial arts instructor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who stays far away from the high-pressure competition circuit - until mysterious circumstances force him into the ring to pay off debts and regain his honor.

Honestly, I've watched the trailer a couple of times now, and I still can't say I fully understand what the story is about. But it's Mamet, so I'm willing to believe it will all make sense when the movie is released this spring. Plus, it stars both Ejiofor and Emily Mortimer, two of my favorite actors, which alone makes me want to give it the benefit of the doubt.

The film will be out in limited release April 25, but for now, you can check out the trailer if you

read more. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics