Best DVD & Blu-rays Released November 2009
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November 3 • November 10 • November 17 • November 24
Aliens in the Attic
An adventure/comedy about kids on a family vacation who must fight off an attack by knee-high alien invaders with world-destroying ambitions—while the youngsters' parents remain clueless about the battle.
Austin Butler, Andy Richter, Adam F. Goldberg, Marc S. Fischer, John Schultz, Joe Hartwick Jr, Barry Josephson, Mark Burton
I Love You Beth Cooper
"I Love You Beth Cooper" chronicles the story of a nerdy valedictorian who proclaims his love for the hottest and most popular girl in school--Beth Cooper--during his graduation speech. Much to his surprise, Beth shows up at his door that very night and decides to show him the best night of his life.
Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Mark Radcliffe, Larry Doyle, Paul Rust, Hayden Panettiere, Jack Carpenter, Lauren Storm
G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra
Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, whose previous collaboration was the worldwide blockbuster "Transformers," have reunited for another extraordinary action-adventure "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra." From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Stephen Sommers, Rachel Nichols, Said Taghmaoui, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner, Stuart Beattie, David Elliot
Command Performance
A drummer plays in the warm-up band of a big American performer giving a concert for the Russian premier. When bad guys break up the show the ex-Marine drummer springs into action.
Dolph Lundgren, Stave Latshaw, Boaz Davidson, Danny Dimbort, Avi Lerner, Trevor Short
The Taking of Pelham 123
In "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?
John Turturro, Jason Blumenthal, Denzel Washington, Luis Guzman, Steve Tisch, Michael Rispoli, Tony Scott, Todd Black
The Answer Man
A reclusive author of spiritual books, is pursued for advice by a single mother and a man fresh out of rehab.
Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, John Hindman, Jana Edelbaum, Kevin J Messick, Kat Dennings, Olivia Thirlby, Tony Hale
Godzilla: The Japanese Original
A 400-foot monster reptile with radioactive breath is revived, thanks to nuclear testing. It goes on a mad rampage, destroying Tokyo - how will they kill it?
Ishirô Honda, Takeo Murata, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Murakami, Sachio Sakai
Unmistaken Child
The documentary follows the journey of a Tibetan monk in search of the reincarnation of his master.
Nati Baratz
Where God Left His Shoes
A failed boxer struggles to find a job and an apartment for his family on Christmas Eve.
Salvatore Stabile, Michael Caldwell, Daniel Edelman, Richard Hutton, John Leguizamo
Lemon Tree
The true story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemontree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down.
Eran Riklis, Suha Arraf
Food, Inc.
A documentary about the food processing industry.
Elise Pearlstein, Robert Kenner
The Ugly Truth
The battle of the sexes heats up in Columbia Pictures' comedy "The Ugly Truth." Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. She's in for a rude awakening when her bosses team her with Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a hardcore TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth on what makes men and women tick.
Katherine Heigl, Kirsten Kiwi Smith, Robert Luketic, Gerard Butler, John Michael Higgins, Nick Searcy, Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
A used-car liquidator is hired to save a struggling dealership during a Fourth of July weekend sale.
Will Ferrell, Kathryn Hahn, Adam McKay, Ving Rhames, Neal Brennan, Kevin Messick, Chris Henchy, Rick Stempson
Up
From the Academy Award®-nominated team of director Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") and co-director Bob Peterson comes "Up," a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. "Up" takes audiences on a thrilling journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures. When seeking adventure next summer -- look "Up."
Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger, Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Jonas Rivera, Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer
Spread
Los Angeles is often the customary site for mythmaking in the American cultural iconography. It is a place, for instance, where the legend of the sexual exploits of the male gigolo seems perfectly at home in the decadent universe of Hollywood dreams and nightmares. Surely inspired by the classic tradition of American Gigolo and Shampoo, Spread is such a perfectly tuned, contemporary depiction of the trials and tribulations of sleeping your way to wealth and success that, guilty pleasure or not, it’s irresistible. Especially so since it’s driven by the iconic persona of Ashton Kutcher, who plays Nikki and breathes the charged sexuality, fashion and hipness, and sense of entitlement of the sexual grifter as if he were born to it. Stylishly directed by David MacKenzie (Hallam Foe, Young Adam), Spread is a moral tale in a very-modern sense with its characters of a young man and his middle-aged, well-to-do client (played by Anne Heche), his various associates and conquests, and a waitress whom he begins to really care about (unbeknownst to him, she is playing the same game). The world of money, sex, and privilege is an ephemeral one, and the fall can be as sudden as the ascent. Spread is a finely crafted vision of ambition, indulgence, vanity, and self-realization that epitomizes the lifestyle of a fabled Mecca.
David MacKenzie, Jason Goldberg, Maria Conchita Alonso, Myles Nestel, Peter Morgan, Ashton Kutcher, Jason Dean Hall, Anne Heche
The Accidental Husband
A local radio talk show host with a show about relationships gives advice to one of her listeners to dump her boyfriend. He decides to seek revenge and wrecks havoc on the host's personal life.
Isabella Rossellini, Uma Thurman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Sam Shepard, Jennifer Todd, Colin Firth, Lindsay Sloane, Griffin Dunne
The Merry Gentleman
An assassin meets a young receptionist and strikes up an unlikely relationship.
Michael Keaton, Steven Jones, Ron Lazzeretti, William Dick, Kelly MacDonald, Bobby Cannavale, Tom Bastounes
Ink
John and Emma, father and daughter, are thrust into a fantastical dream-world battle between forces of good and evil in this allegorical tale of love, loss and the search for redemption.
Chris Kelly, Jeremy Make, Jamin Winans, Kiowa K. Winans, Jessica Duffy, Quinn Hunchar, Eme Ikwuakor
Enlighten Up!
Filmmaker Kate Churchill is determined to prove that yoga can transform anyone. Nick Rosen is skeptical but agrees to be her guinea pig.
Kate Churchill, Jonathon Hexner
Star Trek
From director J.J. Abrams and screenwriters Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci ("Transformers," "MI: III") comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, "Star Trek," featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no man has gone before. Star Trek explores the early Starfleet careers of future Enterprise officers Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), McCoy (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekhov (Anton Yelchin). A Romulan, Nero (Eric Bana), and a much older Spock (Leonard Nimoy) are influences, as well as Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood), the first captain of the USS Enterprise.
Karl Urban, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci, Anton Yelchin, Chris Pine, Eric Bana, Chris Hemsworth, Winona Ryder
My Sister's Keeper
Sara and Brian live an idyllic life with their young son and daughter. But their family is rocked by sudden, heartbreaking news that forces them to make a difficult and unorthodox choice in order to save their baby girl's life. The parents' desperate decision raises both ethical and moral questions and rips away at the foundation of their relationship. Their actions ultimately set off a court case that threatens to tear the family apart, while revealing surprising truths that challenge everyone's perceptions of love and loyalty and give new meaning to the definition of healing.
Joan Cusack, Abigail Breslin, Nick Cassavetes, Diana Pokorny, Mark Johnson, Chuck Pacheco, Scott Goldman, Hillary Sherman
The Open Road
Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake and Mary Steenburgen will star in "The Open Road", about a young man trying to reconnect with his father, a legendary athlete, as he struggles to get him home to his ailing mother's bedside.
Kate Mara, Justin Timberlake, Harry Dean Stanton, Lyle Lovett, Mary Steenburgen, Michael Meredith, Jeff Bridges
Wrong Turn at Tahoe
No plot details have been announced.
Mike Starr, Cuba Gooding Jr., Johnny Martin, Richard Salvatore, Freddy Braidy, Darin Spillman, Sam Bernard, Eddie Nickerson
A Wink and a Smile
Ten ordinary women learn the art of the striptease when they dive into the glamorous world of burlesque.
Deirdre Allen Timmons
The Limits of Control
The story of a mysterious loner, a stranger (Isaach De Bankolé), whose activities remain meticulously outside the law. He is in the process of completing a job, yet he trusts no one, and his objectives are not initially divulged. The new picture from independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch is set in the striking and varied landscapes of contemporary Spain (both urban and otherwise).
Jim Jarmusch, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Bill Murray, Isaach De Bankolé, Hiam Abbass, Gael García Bernal, Alex Descas
Thirst
The film is about a priest who participates in a medical experiment to find a cure for a deadly disease with traumatic repercussions. "Thirst" stars Song Kang-ho ("Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," "The Host") and Shin Ha-kyun ("Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance"). Involving unusually risqué elements, the film also stars Kim Ok-bi ("Dasepo Naughty Girls") as leading lady.
Song Kang-ho, Park Chan-wook, Shin Ha-kyun, Kim Ok-bi
Is Anybody There?
A young boy fascinated with death, strikes up a friendship with a retired magician.
Michael Caine, John Crowley, David Heyman, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Harness
Angels & Demons
The team behind the global phenomenon "The Da Vinci Code" returns for the highly anticipated "Angels & Demons," based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley.
When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organization in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.
Ron Howard, Akiva Goldsman, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard, Brian Grazer, John Calley, Dan Brown
Shorts
"Shorts" is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black's BLACK BOX is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that's sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black's BLACK BOX has done nothing for 11-year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends...until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black's BLACK BOX one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers...and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner. But it's not until the grown-ups get their hands on the Rock that the trouble really starts. Now Toe and his newfound friends must join forces to save their town from itself, discovering along the way that what you wish for is not always what you want.
Leslie Mann, William H. Macy, Robert Rodriguez, Elizabeth Avellan, Jon Cryer, James Spader, Jimmy Bennett, Kat Dennings
Funny People
Over the past few years, writer/director Judd Apatow ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up") has shown that nothing—not even losing your virginity or the miracle of childbirth—is sacred. About his third film behind the camera, he says, "I'm trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies. Wish me luck!" Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in "Funny People," the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience.
Leslie Mann, Adam Sandler, Clayton Townsend, Jonah Hill, Maude Apatow, Seth Rogen, Eric Bana, Andy Dick
Four Christmases
When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation—and unable to escape—they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened…and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all.
Reese Witherspoon, Jon Favreau, Jon Lucas, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen, Jon Voight, Peter Billingsley, Seth Gordon
The Janky Promoters
Two music promoters get the chance to book a top-tier hip-hop artist into a midsized California venue. The pair are ill equipped for such a task and everything goes wrong.
Matt Alvarez, Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Terry Crews, Tamala Jones, Marcus Raboy, Darris Love, Julio Oscar Mechoso
Blood: The Last Vampire
The story follows a vampire hunter who makes a startling discover about two of her friends.
Ronny Yu, Bill Kong