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Monday, June 1, 2009

Noteable DVD Releases: June 2nd 2009

Not much of anything, for me anyways. Might check out Defiance.

Direct Contact Imprisoned in Eastern Europe, former Special Forces agent Mike Riggins (Dolph Lundgren) jumps at the chance when he's offered his freedom in exchange for tracking down American Ana Gale (Gina May), who's been abducted by a brutal underground leader. But after rescuing Gale, he discovers he's been used to locate her for nefarious purposes. Now he must get Gale to the U.S. Embassy while fighting off a host of bad guys in this thrilling action flick.

Silent Venom On a remote Pacific island, military tensions derail Dr. Andrea Swanson's (Krista Allen) research on a mutant snake species. She takes refuge on Commander O'Neill's (Luke Perry) Taiwan-bound submarine, unaware that her assistant has smuggled some of the snakes on board. When a Chinese torpedo rocks the sub, the serpents are unleashed to hunt the scientists and the crew. Tom Berenger co-stars in this depth-charged chiller.

Catlow Yul Brynner stars as an outlaw named Catlow who puts his friendship with a law-abiding marshal (Richard Crenna) to the test when he launches a plot to steal a shipment of Mexican gold from Confederate soldiers. All the while, he's pursued by a hired killer (Leonard Nimoy) who's dead serious about bringing him down. Sam Wanamaker directs this 1970s Western based on Louis L'Amour's novel of the same name.

Spring Breakdown Desperate to spice up their boring lives, three thirtysomething women (Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Parker Posey) set off for a vacation on a tropical island known for its raucous Spring Break parties. But instead of recapturing their youth, they wind up mothering a senator's shy daughter (Amber Tamblyn). As they help the awkward girl grow more comfortable in her own skin, they, too, learn to embrace aging with wit, joy and grace.

Defiance Daniel Craig stars as Tuvia Bielski, one of four Jewish brothers who escape from Poland into the forests of Belarus during World War II to lead a band of resistance fighters and create a safe haven for Jewish refugees. The real-life sanctuary established by the Bielski brothers saved more than 1,000 Jews from persecution and death. Edward Zwick directs this moving historical drama that also stars Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell and George MacKay.

Revolutionary Road Based on the novel by Richard Yates and set in the mid-1950s, this story helmed by Sam Mendes follows the Wheelers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett, in a Golden Globe-winning role), a young couple in suburban Connecticut who tries desperately to confront the problems in their relationship while raising two children. Despite their best intentions, the couple's intense arguments send them into a downward spiral. Michael Shannon co-stars in an Oscar-nominated role.

Anacondas: Trail of Blood A vicious anaconda escapes into the remote mountains after being subjected to a new anti-cancer serum, and now Dr. Amanda Haze (Crystal Allen) and others must brave the wilderness to kill the fearsome beast. But no sooner do they cut the snake in half than it regenerates into two bloodthirsty serpents, thanks to the experimental drug. Don E. FauntLeRoy directs this creepy-crawly sequel to Anaconda 3: The Offspring. John Rhys-Davies costars.

He's Just Not That Into You Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson lead an all-star cast in this adaptation of the bestseller that follows an ensemble of characters dealing with the pitfalls of love and human interaction. Set in Baltimore, director Ken Kwapis's film moves swiftly between a host of storylines and characters brought to life by a stellar lineup that includes Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long.

Thrilla in Manila In the Philippines on Oct. 1, 1975, boxers and onetime friends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had their third and final showdown, which is at the center of this spirited documentary. Exploring both this notorious rivalry and the multifaceted racial politics of the era, director John Dower uses extensive archival footage and interviews with biographers and journalists to tell the story from Frazier's corner of the ring.

Reaper: Season 2 With a creative team that includes filmmaker Kevin Smith and the producers of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," this offbeat supernatural series follows Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison), a young man forced into service as a bounty hunter for the devil (Ray Wise). Sam and his co-workers spend each episode rounding up escaped souls and returning them to hell. Tyler Labine, Missy Peregrym, Rick Gonzalez and Valarie Rae Miller co-star.

Weeds: Season 4 Golden Globe winner Mary-Louise Parker returns for another smoke-filled season of Showtime's critically acclaimed cable series as suburban California widow Nancy Botwin, America's favorite pot-dealing soccer mom. Season 4 finds Albert Brooks joining the cast as Nancy's neurotic father-in-law, while Nancy, her headstrong sons and her business partner, Conrad (Romany Malco), head south to set up shop in the beachy border town of Ren Mar.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog When he's not busy breaking the law or trying to get close to his secret crush, Penny (Felicia Day), supervillain wannabe Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) boasts about his exploits via his Internet video blog and dreams of defeating his nemesis, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion). Conceived during the 2008 Hollywood writers' strike, Joss Whedon's quirky musical comedy originally debuted as an online miniseries.