ON DVD > WATCHING AT HOME.Byline: ROB LOWMAN >ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR 300> How do you make something so bloody bloodless blood·less adj. 1. Deficient in or lacking blood. 2. Pale and anemic in color: smiled with bloodless lips. 3. ? The so-called cool video-game-inspired look of "300," adapted from a graphic novel by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, drains life out of this legendary warrior tale, which has been simplified to the point of absurdity. "I don't see why we can't be civilized," asks King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) as his Spartans systematically spear wounded Persians to death. It's hard to tell if there was a whit of irony in his voice, certainly not wit. The Scottish actor has a burr anyway, which is a bit disconcerting-sounding for the leader of a band of well-oiled Greek macho-macho men. Director Zack Sydner has everything in place for the comic-book fan boys who flocked to the film -- mindless, balletic (and endless) violence (spurts of blood look like muted red flower petals), heroism against overwhelming odds (though the Spartans weren't the Greeks, who were big on democracy -- they were more about throwing off cliffs those babies who didn't meet their standards), and women who know how to slip out of their peplos peplos /pep·los/ (pep´lohs) envelope (2). pep·los n. pl. pep·los·es The coat or envelope of lipoprotein material that surrounds certain virions. and stand by their man along with topless dancers. That might be enough -- as long as you don't think. For the real story, check out "The History Channel Presents Last Stand of the 300." Hot Fuzz> From the British guys who made "Shaun of the Dead Shaun of the Dead is a zombie-themed romantic comedy (or "rom zom com" as it dubs itself), released in 2004. It was written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, directed by Edgar Wright, and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. " comes another picture-perfect spoof. The target this time is over-the-top buddy cop movies, and "Hot Fuzz" is so dead-on, it's scary. Not only do they come up with laughs, they even create a fairly neat little story to draw you along, unlike American spoofs that offer little more than a series of bad jokes. Directed by Edgar Wright, it stars Simon Pegg (who co-wrote the script with Wright) as Nicholas Angel, a super London cop who is sent to a country town because he's making all the other cops in the city look bad. His arrival in the sleepy town (Pegg and Wright also take potshots at those daffy English comedies set in small burgs) is accompanied by the Kinks' "Village Green Society" on the soundtrack. Listen carefully -- it's a clue. But there is something wrong with the town -- people are being killed in the most gruesome fashions. The film doesn't spare you the details -- so you might flinch and laugh at the same time. And except for Nicholas, tthe town's police department thinks the deaths are accidental. It's a wonderfully absurd situation. But aren't all good buddy films? The difference is "Hot Fuzz" knows it's being funny and does it in style. Look for cameos by Cate Blanchett Catherine Élise Blanchett (born May 14, 1969), better known as Cate Blanchett, is an Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning Australian actress. She has also won various awards, most notably including two SAGs and two BAFTAs, making her one of a few actors who won all and Peter Jackson. also new this week> >new movies "300" ( $28.98 for single disc; two-disc special edition $34.98; $39.99 for HD or Blue Ray) "Hot Fuzz" (Universal; $29.98 and $39.98 for HD) "Pathfinder" (Fox; $29.99) "Yellow" (Columbia; $24.96) "The Darwin Awards A Darwin Award is a tongue-in-cheek honor named after evolutionary theorist Charles Darwin. "Awards" have been given for deceased persons who met the criteria even as early as 1863. " (Fox $19.98) "Lonely Hearts lonely hearts Adjective of or for people seeking a congenial companion or marriage partner: lonely hearts ads lonely hearts adj lonely hearts ad → " (Columbia; $24.96) "The Situation" (New Video; $26.95) "Roving Mars" (Buena Vista; $29.99 and $34.99, Blu-ray) "A Crude Awakening -- The Oil Crash" (Docurama; $26.95) >television "Rebus: Set 2" (Acorn; $49.99) "Space 1999 30th Anniversary Edition Megaset" (A&E; $99.95) "Babylon 5 -- The Lost Tales" (Warner; $24.98) "Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O is an American television series that starred Jack Lord and James MacArthur as detectives for a fictional Hawaii state police department. Overview -- The Second Season" (Paramount; $49.99) "Dallas -- The Complete Seventh Season" (Warner; $39.98) "The History Channel Presents Last Stand of the 300" (History Channel; $19.95) $13.99 >older films "Blue Water, White Death" (MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. ; $19.99) "20 Million Miles to Earth -- 50th Anniversary Edition" (Columbia; $24.96) "Film Noir film noir (French; “dark film”) Film genre that offers dark or fatalistic interpretations of reality. The term is applied to U.S. films of the late 1940s and early '50s that often portrayed a seamy or criminal underworld and cynical characters. Classic Collection, Vol. 4" ("Act of Violence"/ "Mystery Street"/ "Crime Wave"/ "Decoy DECOY. A pond used for the breeding and maintenance of water-fowl. 11 Mod. 74, 130; S. C. 3 Salk. 9; Holt, 14 11 East, 571. "/ "Illegal"/ "The Big Steal"/ "They Live By Night"/ "Side Street"/ "Where Danger Lives"/ "Tension") (Warner; $59.98) "Blue Planet -- IMAX IMAX Noun a film projection process that produces an image ten times larger than standard " (Warner; $28.99 on Blu-ray) >special interest "Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1" (Warner; $64.98) >for kids "The Backyardigans -- Into the Deep" (Paramount; $16.99) "The Archie Show: The Complete Series" (Classic Media; $26.95) "Firehouse Dog firehouse dog see dalmatian. " (Fox; $29.99) "Sabrina the Teenage Witch -- The Second Season" (Paramount; $38.99) CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Lena Headey plays Queen Gorgo and Gerard Butler is King Leonidas in "300." |
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