DVD Playhouse--March 2009

DVD PLAYHOUSE—MARCH 2009
By
Allen Gardner


LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Magnolia) An awkward 12 year-old boy, ignored by his mother and the target of bullies, finds himself drawn to his new neighbor: a girl his own age who only appears at night, and seems herself to be as lonely an outcast as he. Haunting film from Sweden is best described as The 400 Blows meets Nosferatu, and contains some of the most haunting imagery of any film in recent memory. Truly a unique and memorable work. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurette; Photo and poster gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
PARAMOUNT CENTENNIAL COLLECTION Paramount offers two more classic titles, restored, remastered and loaded with extras. Alfred Hitchcock’s TO CATCH A THIEF stars Cary Grant as a retired jewel thief trying to enjoy his sunset years on the French Riviera with a minimum of drama, until he catches the eye of a high-maintenance heiress (Grace Kelly, in one of her greatest, sexiest turns). When the community is suddenly hit with a rash of high-profile robberies of its richest denizens, all eyes go to Grant, who protests his innocence. More romantic comedy and very little suspense abound in this very enjoyable romp, one of Hitch’s rare forays into the light-hearted. Two disc set bonuses include: Commentary by Hitchcock scholar Dr. Drew Casper; Seven featurettes; Trailer; Photo galleries. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Neil Simon’s THE ODD COUPLE stars Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon as two divorced men in New York, childhood pals, who decide to pool their resources and room together, with near-disastrous results: slob Oscar (Matthau) and anal-retentive, neurotic Felix (Lemmon) are two of comedy’s greatest creations, and the film understandably resulted in a long-running TV series that kept the formula going for nearly a decade. Two disc set bonuses include: Commentary by the stars’ sons Charlie Matthau and Chris Lemmon; Four featurettes; Photo galleries; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
THE LAST METRO (Criterion) Francois Truffaut’s masterful drama about a Parisian theater troupe in Nazi-occupied France who are determined that the show must go on, in spite of a Jewish theater manager (Heinz Bennent) who is in hiding in the theater’s basement, while his wife (Catherine Deneuve) and the new leading man (Gerard Depardieu) have an affair, and the leading man becomes increasingly involved in the Resistance. Terrific blend of suspense, romance and pathos, as only Truffaut could deliver. Two disc set. Bonuses: Commentary by Depardieu, historians and Truffaut scholars; Deleted scene; Archival interviews with Truffaut and cast members; New interviews with cast and crew; 1958 short directed by Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
CADILLAC RECORDS (Sony) True story of Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody), a hardscrabble entrepreneur who founded the Chess Records label in 1950s Chicago, putting the sounds of legends such as Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright, superb), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Howlin’ Wolf (Eamonn Walker), and Etta James (Beyonce Knowles) onto vinyl, and bringing rock & roll into the mainstream—all the while robbing the artists who made him rich of their rights, royalties and, in some cases, the songs themselves. What could have been a fascinating study of American greed and amorality, has been turned into a by-the-numbers TV movie with an A-list cast, due to a weak script that keeps changing point-of-view, instead of sticking with one character through the duration of the film. A real disappointment, considering what could have been. Begs to be retold by a filmmaker with a steadier hand. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Featurettes; Commentary by writer/director Darnell Martin. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
ELEGY (Sony) Adapted from Philip Roth’s novella The Dying Animal by Nicholas Meyer, Ben Kingsley plays David Kapesh, a renowned cultural critic and professor at Columbia who’s stunning intellect masks an inability to engage in emotional intimacy. A lifelong philanderer who has made a habit of trysts with recently-graduated students, Kapesh finds himself captivated, and obsessed, with a Cuban-born beauty (Penelope Cruz) in his class. When their affair proves to be more than a passing fancy for Kapesh, he finds himself questioning his past, and present, behavior and life choices. Startling, haunting drama, helmed by Spanish director Isabel Coixet, was strangely ignored by Oscar, and features award-worthy work by everyone involved, including co-stars Patricia Clarkson (in a deliciously sexy turn, whose character delivers one of the most heartbreaking screen monologues in recent memory), Dennis Hopper and Peter Sarsgaard. One of 2008’s best films, and a must-see for adults with an IQ. Bonuses: Commentary by Meyer; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
MARIE AND BRUCE (Weinstein Co./Genius Products) Julianne Moore and Matthew Broderick star in the inimitable Wallace Shawn’s adaptation of his own play about a married couple whose relationship is revealed through a series of breakfast conversations. Biting satire blends seamlessly with some truly touching moments, and insightful commentary on the male/female dynamic. Fine work across the board by all involved. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE SCARLETT JOHANSSON COLLECTION (Paramount) Three early films from the now-superstar actress: GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING features Scarlett as the object of legendary artist Johannes Vermeer who became the subject of one of his most famous works. Three Oscar nominations for this gorgeous period piece. A GOOD WOMAN stars Johansson as a newlywed who finds her husband being preyed upon by an older seductress (Helen Hunt) while honeymooning in Italy. AN AMERICAN RHAPSODY tells the true story of a young girl (Johansson) whose parents (Nastassja Kinski and Tony Goldwyn) are forced to leave her behind when they flee post WW II Hungary for the U.S. Powerful drama never veers into sentimentality. Bonuses on all: Filmmaker commentary; Featurettes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (Sony Classics) Kristen Scott-Thomas gives a brilliant performance as a woman recently paroled from prison, haunted by the horrible deed in her past, that tries to rebuild her life after moving in with her sister (Elsa Zylbersetin, also excellent) and brother-in-law. Powerful film about guilt, loss and loneliness, is almost perfect in every respect. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; English and French audio. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE (MGM/Fox) Funny comedy starring Simon Pegg as a gate-crashing British tabloid journalist who will stop at nothing to dig up dirt on the beautiful people, but also longs to be part of their world. When a high-powered magazine Editor (Jeff Bridges) offers him a shot at legitimacy he jumps at the chance, but manages to offend every A-list player he’s supposed to be writing about. Clever fish-out-of-water story, with fine support from Kirsten Dunst, Gillian Anderson and Megan Fox. Bonuses: Commentary by director Robert Weide and Pegg; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (Sony Classics) Jonathan Demme’s cinema-verite look at family dysfunction was one of 2008’s finest cinematic hours. A recovering addict (Anne Hathaway, in a career redefining performance) gets a weekend pass from rehab to attend her sister (Rosemarie DeWitt)’s wedding, releasing a Pandora’s box of skeletons that come tumbling out of everyone’s closet. Fine screenplay by Jenny Lumet and support from an excellent cast, including the much-missed Debra Winger as the girls’ mother. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DODES’KA-DEN (Criterion) Akira Kurosawa’s first color film, from 1970, is a tragicomic look at a group of societal outcasts living (symbolically) in a slum on the outskirts of Tokyo, and their struggles for day-to-day survival. Beautifully shot and objectively told, raising many questions, and giving the viewer the gift of supplying their own answers. Bonuses: Kurosawa documentary; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
PRIMAL FEAR—HARD EVIDENCE EDITION (Paramount) One of the best thrillers of the ‘90s arrives in a remastered edition, loaded with extras. Richard Gere stars as a slick lawyer who’s not nearly as clever as he thinks, and gets his comeuppance in spades when he defends a seemingly-schizophrenic young man (Edward Norton, in his star-making turn) for a brutal homicide. Fine support from Laura Linney, John Mahoney and Steven Bauer. Bonuses: Commentary by director Gregory Hoblit and crew; Three featurettes; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (Sony Classics) Lauded screenwriter Charlie Kaufman makes his directing debut with this story of a theatrical director (Philip Seymour Hoffman) struggling with personal relationships and declining physical and mental health, eventually putting all his waning energy into a stage show mounted on a life-size replica of New York City inside a huge warehouse—with literally thousands of actors. Kaufman’s signature blend of the surreal, the comic and the grotesque are on full display here, and your tolerance (not to mention appreciation) of the material will depend largely on your taste for his particular brand of sensibility. Fine supporting cast includes Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Hope Davis, and Emily Watson, to name but a few. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Hoffman; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
CHOKE (20th Century Fox) Sam Rockwell stars in this scathing adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s scathing satire about a sex addict/con man (Rockwell) who finds himself skating on thin ice due to his addiction and his profession. When he inadvertently knocks up his dying mother (Angelica Huston)’s doctor, he finds a shot at normalcy and redemption. Not for all tastes, to be sure, but for those who like their laughs to burn in their throat, this sharp comedy is a can’t miss. Bonuses: commentary by director/writer/actor Clark Gregg and Rockwell; Deleted scenes; Gag reel; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
PINK-MANIA! MGM/Fox releases Blake Edwards’ original 1962 classic THE PINK PANTHER, which introduced Peter Sellers’ one and only inept French police Inspector Clouseau to the world, here trying to track down an elusive jewel thief (David Niven). Great fun, still holds up beautifully. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Edwards; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE PINK PANTHER CLASSIC CARTOON COLLECTION features everyone’s favorite pastel feline in all 192 of his animated adventures on 9 discs! Very inventive and very ‘60s, with heavy doses of surrealism and a very hip Henry Mancini score. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
SHORTS Some of the best gifts come in small packages. Take these collections of award-winning shorts that hit DVD this month: Provocateur Video releases EXPERIMENTS IN TERROR 3, a collection of some truly frightening and disturbing short films from around the world: Manuelle Labor, Born of the Wind, Satan Claus, The Psychotic Odyssey of Richard Chase, Terror! and The Red Door should give gooseflesh to the most hardened viewer. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Gratzfilm/Laika House release MONA LISA DESCENDING A STAIRCASE, the Oscar-winning short from Joan C. Gratz, the creator of clay-painting animation. Disc also features three other Gratz shorts: The Dowager’s Feast, Pro and Con and The Dowager’s Idyll. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
DOCUMENTARY TITLES City Lights releases THE MATADOR, an epic-scale look at bullfighter David Fandila’s quest to become the world’s top-ranked matador. Beautifully shot and scored, with some truly sumptuous views of Latin America on display. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Extended bullfight sequences; Featurette; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Provocateur releases FIDEL!, an intimate look into the life and times of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, circa 1969, ten years after the Revolution. Fascinating to watch Castro at work, rest and play. Filmmaker Saul Landau was given unprecedented access to the usually-reclusive leader. Bonuses: Excerpts from Landau’s production diary; Commentary by Landau; Short film on Castro; Interview with Landau. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono. MVD releases BOB DYLAN: NEVER ENDING TOUR DIARIES, which takes a look at Bob Dylan’s process, as well as his life on the road, through the eyes of drummer Winston Watson, who backed Dylan at over 400 shows around the world. The most candid portrait of the artists since D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back. Bonuses: Photo gallery; Tour laminates; Soundtrack MP3s. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
BLU-RAY TITLES Blue Underground releases a beautifully-restored version of Dario Argento’s classic giallo THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, starring Tony Musante and Suzy Kendall, in this Hitchcock-like shocker about an American writer in Rome who stops a serial killer’s brutal attack, and then finds himself hunted. Dazzling work by a true master of the craft. Vittorio Storaro was the cinematographer! Bonuses: Commentary by Argento scholars; Interviews with cast and crew; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 7.1 surround. Argento and George A. Romero share directing duties on TWO EVIL EYES, with each helming an Edgar Alan Poe adaptation: in Romero’s The Facts of the Case of Mr. Valdemar, Adrienne Barbeau and her lover attempt to use a hypnotic trance to embezzle her dying husband’s fortune. In Argento’s The Black Cat, a disturbed crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitel) is driven to madness by his girlfriend’s seemingly nefarious feline. Bonuses: Interviews with cast and crew; Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 7.1 surround. MGM/Fox releases THE FRENCH CONNECTION, William Friedkin’s Oscar-winning classic about two tough NYPD detectives (Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider) who crack an international heroin ring. Based on a true story, and only dated by the clothing and haircuts. One of the greats. 2 disc set. THE FRENCH CONNECTION II is one of the few sequels that nearly measures up in greatness to its predecessor. Helmed by the great John Frankenheimer, FC II finds Popeye Doyle (Hackman) in Marseilles, where he’s tracked the elusive drug kingpin (Fernando Rey) from part I. Dynamite! Bonuses: Commentary by the filmmakers and cast; Featurettes; Photo galleries. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. Martin Scorsese’s RAGING BULL, about the tumultuous life and times of boxing legend Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro), was named by many influential critics as the best film of the ‘80s (if not one of the greatest of all time). Simply a perfect movie on every level; the definition of a masterpiece. Bonuses: Commentary by Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, cast and crew; Documentary; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. DONNIE DARKO is writer/director Richard Kelly’s wholly original psychological thriller about a teen (Jake Gyllenhaal) who finds himself suddenly burdened with disturbing visions that seem other-worldly in origin. Terrific filmmaking from a real talent. 2 disc set. Bonuses: Theatrical and director’s cut of the film; Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Documentary; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. Mel Gibson’s THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST is a reverent, and bloody, re-telling of Christ’s crucifixion. The devout will interpret it literally, while the secular might view it as an anti-Fascist parable (myself included). James Caviezel is impressive in his portrait of Jesus. Two disc set. Bonuses: Blu-ray and standard versions; Original cut and edited version; Commentary by cast, crew and theologians; Photo gallery; Deleted scenes; Documentary; Featurettes. Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. RONIN stars Robert De Niro again, in John Frankenheimer’s nail-biting thriller about covert-ops in Paris who face crosses and double-crosses in their quest for a briefcase full of top secret documents. Frankenheimer’s last great film, with some of the greatest car chases committed to film. Bonuses: Commentary by Frankenheimer; Alternate ending. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround. VANISHING POINT is director Richard C. Sarafian’s existential chase thriller from 1971 starring Barry Newman, and a 1970 Dodge Challenger, as Kowalski, a hired wheelman who vows to drive from Denver to San Francisco non-stop in fifteen hours—and won’t let man, beast (even a gorgeous naked girl on a Harley AND Charlotte Rampling as a comely hitchhiker) or especially the law stop him. The late Cleavon Little shines as a blind DJ who provides Kowalski with moral, and musical, support. Bonuses: U.S. and European versions; Commentary by Sarafian; Featurettes; Trivia track; Trailer and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! Universal releases the Debra Messing vehicle THE STARTER WIFE, with Messing playing a former Hollywood power spouse who, after her nasty divorce from a Tinseltown A-lister, reinvents herself as a writer. Smart and funny. Fine support from Judy Davis, David Alan Basche, and Chris Diamantopoulos, based on the memoir by Gigi Levangie Grazer. Bonuses: Audio commentary from cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Acorn Media releases INTELLIGENCE, SEASON TWO, about a Vancouver drug lord (Ian Tracey) trying to go legit and the Canadian intelligence chief (Klea Scott) determined to bring him down. Four disc set. Bonuses: Interviews with cast and crew; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SHE FELL AMONG THIEVES is the 1978 BBC drama that launched PBS’ venerable series Mystery! Malcolm McDowell stars as an upper class Brit who finds himself at odds with an evil criminal mastermind (Eileen Atkins) while vacationing in the Pyrenees in 1922. Great fun. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. MIDSOMER MURDERS, SET 12, inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, follows the sleuthing of Detectives Barnaby and Jones (‘70s TV fans rejoice to that in-joke) in seemingly idyllic, but sinister Midsomer Country. Four episodes on four discs. Bonuses: Interviews with cast members; Biographies and filmographies. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. STEPHEN HAWKING AND THE THEORY OF EVERTHING features a candid look into the mind of one the planet’s greatest minds, and his theories of life, evolution and existence itself. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. TAGGART, SET 1 follows Detectives Burke, Ross, Reid and Fraser, four Glasgow cops who try to keep the mean streets of urban Scotland safe. Tough and gritty, reminiscent of ‘70s cop films, bolstered by a fine cast and terrific writing. Bonuses: Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Sony releases the 1982 telefilm adaption of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, starring Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo, supported by a who’s-who of British acting royalty: David Suchet, Derek Jacobi, Sir John Gielgud and Lesley-Anne Down as Esmeralda. Fine drama, expertly made. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE STORY OF DAVID is a 1976 TV production, starring Timothy Bottoms and Jane Seymour, in a two-part miniseries about the life of King David, from his boyhood confrontation of giant Goliath, to his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Well-penned by Alex Segal and David Lowell Rich. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. SHOUT! Factory releases MY TWO DADS, THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, starring Paul Reiser and Greg Evigan as two bickering former best friends who suddenly find themselves in charge of the daughter of a recently-departed ex-flame who was unsure as to the child’s paternity. Funny family sitcom holds up better than most. Bonuses: Featurette. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. The 1979 telefilm of THE MIRACLE WORKER stars Melissa Gilbert as Helen Keller and Patty Duke switching from the role that made her famous in the 1962 Oscar-winning film version, playing teacher Annie Sullivan. Written by William Gibson, from his play. Bonuses: Photo gallery; Audio description for the blind. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. DANA GOULD: LET ME PUT MY THOUGHTS IN YOU is a record of the vet comic’s performance at Chicago’s Second City Theater. Gould tackles topics as diverse as marriage, astronauts and dolphin blowholes. Funny stuff. Bonuses: Interview with Gould by Bob Odenkirk; Short film; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. THE PAPER CHASE: SEASON ONE, is the critically-acclaimed series set in Harvard Law School, based on James Bridges’ hit 1973 film, about the combative relationship between an idealistic, first year student (James Stephens) and his martinet professor (the great John Houseman). 22 episodes on six discs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. RHODA: SEASON ONE, was the first of several spin-offs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, this one following independent Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper)’s new life and marriage in New York City. Smart, timely stuff from the mid-70s. Bonuses: Retrospective documentary. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. MGM/Fox releases DEAD LIKE ME: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION, featuring the complete series, as well as the feature film of the same name. Ellen Muth plays a very much dead “grim reaper” assigned to escort wayward souls into the afterlife. Funny, inventive blend of satire, science fiction and full-throttle horror. 9 discs in all. Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew; Featurettes; Photo gallery. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround. Lions Gate releases WILDFIRE: SEASON THREE, featuring the further adventures of life on the Raintree Ranch: romance, intrigue, corruption, it’s all here! Bonuses: Commentary by cast and crew. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Paramount releases AWOMAN CALLED GOLDA, starring Ingrid Bergman as Israel’s first female Prime Minister. Fine supporting cast includes Ned Beatty, Judy Davis, Leonard Nimoy, and Robert Loggia. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. CAROLINE IN THE CITY: SEASON TWO, starring Lea Thompson as a popular cartoonist who life and loves provides grist for this sitcom’s mill. Funny and smart. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 surround. FAMILY TIES: THE FIFTH SEASON, features more ‘80s era exploits from the family Keaton: Yuppie-in-training Alex (Michael J. Fox) leads the pack, constantly locking horns with his former hippie parents (Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter). Still holds up quite well, thanks to great writing and a terrific cast. Bonuses: Featurette; Gag reel. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. SRO Entertainment releases DENNIS MILLER: THE HBO SPECIALS, a 3-disc set containing all seven of Miller’s HBO-sponsored live performances. Interesting, and more than a bit disquieting, to see Miller’s arc from cynical liberal in the late ‘80s to post-9/11 conservative reactionary. Regardless of your political leanings, Miller offers some smart, potent insights into the world in which we live. Full and widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono. Anchor Bay releases HEAD CASE: SEASON ONE, starring Alexandra Wentworth as a confrontational therapist whose unique methods in working with Hollywood’s finest provide grist for this smart, funny series. A host of celebrities, including Rosanna Arquette, Monica Potter, and Jeff Goldblum appear as themselves. Bonuses: Shorts; Featurette; Bloopers. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. A&E Video releases URBAN LEGENDS, a collection of the world’s greatest myths, tales and far-out theories. Only one of the tales is true in this fun, fantastic thrill ride, with the reveal saved for the program’s end. VAMPIRE SECRETS traces the history of the vampire legend to its origins as far back as ancient Greece and China. CITIES OF THE UNDERWORLD: SEASON TWO, is a four-disc set that takes a look at the lost worlds that exist below the surface of the world’s most populated cities. Fascinating blend of history, mystery, and jaw-dropping discovery, led by host Don Wildman. All are full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. Sony releases MARRIED WITH CHILDREN: THE COMPLETE TENTH SEASON, featuring more raunchy fun with the family Bundy. 26 episodes on 3 discs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. BARNEY MILLER: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, features Hal Linden and his comrades in the NYPD’s 12th Precinct for more dry wit and acerbic laughs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 mono. THE NANNY: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON, stars Fran Drescher who tries to balance hectic personal and professional lives in this zany comedy full of Drescher’s trademark humor. 16 episodes on three discs. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. SPIDER-MAN, VOL. 2 & 3, features the animated adventures of everyone’s favorite webslinger, remastered in Widescreen, Dolby 5.1 surround sound. 3 episodes on each disc. Paramount releases SOUTH PARK: THE COMPLETE TWELFTH SEASON, with more foul-mouthed good cheer from the tots of that “tiny, redneck mountain town” in Colorado. Bonuses: Three featurettes; Mini-commentaries by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Full screen. Dolby 2.0 stereo. JAG: THE EIGTH SEASON, features 24 episodes of the continuing adventures of the military’s Judge Advocate General corps, and their battles both in, and outside of, the courtroom. Bonuses: Gag reel. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.