Crank (Widescreen Edition) (2006)
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Look Ahead: Part 2

In last week’s thrilling DVD Shopping List column, we looked ahead to the major and intriguing genre theatrical and direct-to-DVD movie releases scheduled for the next 12 months. We ran out of room halfway through the list, so we pick it up here with the M’s: 

The Man Who Fell To Earth (Warner Bros.) Remake.  
The Martian Child (New Line) Single dad John Cusack’s adopted son says he’s from another planet..  
Max Payne (Fox) Action thriller based on the video game.  
Maximum Ride (Warner Bros.) Genetic tampering creates kids with wings.  
Me and My Monster (Sony) A boy comes of age with help from a strange creature in this fantasy directed by McG 
The Messengers (Sony) Danny and Oxide Pang’s first US feature is a thriller in which children sensitive to supernatural phenomena try to discover a hidden danger. 
The Mirror – Movie star Ben Stiller’s mirror image steals his life. 
Mirrors (Fox) New horror from the director of The Hills Have Eyes about a mirror that brings out the worst in people.  
The Mission (Universal) US remake of the great Johnny To action thriller. 
The Mist (Weinstein) Frank Darabont Stephen King adaptation about monsters invading a small town.. 

Premonition (Sony) Sandra Bullock foresees her husband’s death and tries to prevent it. 
Primeval (Buena Vista) A news team hunting a killer African crocodile is hunted in turn by an evil warlord. 
The Punisher 2 (Lionsgate) Thomas Jane is back as Frank Castle. 
The Reaping (Warner Bros.) Stephen Hopkins supernatural thriller in which Hilary Swank tries to debunk a repeat of Biblical plagues in a small southern town. 
Reno 911!: Miami (Paramount) Movie version of the Comedy Central hit. 
Resident Evil: Extinction (Sony) Superwoman Milla Jovovich fights more zombies and monsters. 
Return to House on Haunted Hill (Warner Bros.) I’m sure it’s safe to go back in there. 
Return to Sleepaway Camp – There, too. It’s perfectly safe. 
Revamped (Millennium) Director/writer/star Jeff Rector is bitten by a date and ends up caught between a league of vampire hunters and their undead enemies. 
Rogue (Lionsgate) FBI man Jason Stratham vows revenge when assassin Jet Li kills his partner. 
Rogue (Weinstein) Killer croc! 
Rush Hour 3 (New Line) Jackie Chan reteams with Chris Tucker in Paris. 
Saw IV (Lionsgate) I’m guessing more death traps. 
Scar – Angela Bettis encounters the serial killer she thought she killed years ago. 
Seed – Uwe Boll horror. 
Shooter (Paramount) Marksman Mark Wahlberg is tricked into being the fall guy in an assassination plot.  
The Shooter (Sony) Wesley Snipes in almost the same plot as Shooter. 
Sin City 2 (Weinstein) Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez are back with more hard-boiled tales.  
Species 4 (MGM) Swedish bombshell Helena Mattsson is the latest human/alien hybrid. 
Spider-man 3 (Sony) Spidey vs. Sandman and Venom! ‘Nuff said! 
Stardust (Paramount) Based on the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel in which a young man goes on a quest inside a bordering magical realm. Sounds trite, but they lured Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer into it. 
Starship Troopers 3 (Sony) Casper Van Dien is back as Johnny Rico to fight space bugs. 
Stir of Echoes: The Dead Speak (Lionsgate) Belated in-name-only direct-to-DVD sequel. 
Sublime (Warner Bros.) Another Raw Feed release. 
Sukiyaki Western Django (Warner Bros.) Eastern western from Takashi Miike. 
Superhero! (Dimension) Scary Movie type spoof. 
Sweeney Todd (DreamWorks/Warner Bros.) Tim Burton directs the Broadway musical version of the horror tale with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha  Baron Cohen. 
The Third Mother – Dario Argento finally gets around to completing his horror trilogy. 
Thr3e (Fox) Saw knock-off. 
300 (Warner Bros.) Thanks to Zack Snyder's adaptation of Frank Miller's historical graphic novel, the Battle of Thermopylae will never look cooler.  
The Time Tunnel (Sci-Fi) Pilot remake.  
Tokyo Ghost Story (Fox) US-style J-horror. 
The Tourist (Fox) Hugh Jackman lures accountant Ewan McGregor into a web of intrigue. 
Toyer (Weinstein) Brian DePalma thriller about a serial lobotomist.  
Transformers (DreamWorks/Paramount) Big budget adaptation of the toy line. 
Trick ‘r Treat (Warner Bros.) Horror anthology. 
The Tripods (Buena Vista) Adaptation of the tween sci-fi favorite. 
The Turning (Universal) New version of Henry James’ “The Turning of the Screw”. 
28 Weeks Later (Fox) Sequel to 28 Days Later. 
2001 Maniacs: Beverly Hellbillys – The Pleasant Valley gang goes west. 
Underdog (Buena Vista) The ‘60s cartoon becomes a talking animal adventure movie. 
Walking Tall 3 (Sony) Direct-to-DVD. 
Wanted: Undead or Alive – Western zombie comedy (or “zombedy” ©) from South Park writer Glasgow Phillips. 
WarGames 2: The Dead Code (MGM) Looks like it’s really more of an updated remake than a sequel. 
War of the Dead – Finnish action horror about a platoon that encounters an undead enemy force during World War II. 
The Waterhorse (Sony) Another movie where a kid finds a monster egg. 
Werewolf By Night – Marvel horror comic adaptation from the director of Rock ‘n Roll Nightmare. 
Westworld (Warner Bros.) Remake from the director of The Cell. 
White Noise 2: The Light (Universal) Sequel in-name-only from the director of Dracula 2000. 
Wind Chill (Revolution) Haunted highway. 
The Witchblade – Yep, they’re trying again. 
Wonder Woman (Warner Bros.) Comic-book superbabe, brought to you by Joss Whedon. 
Wrong Turn 2 (Fox) This time the cannibal hillbillies prey on a group of reality TV show contestants. What is this – 2003? 
Zero Dark Thirty – Unauthorized Afghan war remake of Deathdream. 
Zodiac (Paramount) David Fincher brings us the seventh (or so) movie based on the unsolved serial killer rampage.  
Zombie Hunters – A zombedy ©. 
Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! – A zombedy ©. 
Zorro 2110 (Lionsgate) Martha Coolidge updates Don Diego. 
 
Under the “Unititled” heading we have Friday the 13^th sequel, Hellraiser remake, Jon Heder Sumo project (uh-oh), Seconds remake, Matt Helm project (DreamWorks), and a Stargate SG-1 movie,  

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK 

This week, Jason Stratham kicks ass once again.  

(O)   CRANK (Lionsgate) In this crossbreed of D.O.A. and Speed, crook Jason Stratham is poisoned by his enemies and if his testosterone falls below 50 mph, he’ll explode. Widescreen and “fullscreen” editions include commentrak, Making-Of, interviews, and…”family friendly audio”? Seriously? You’re going to gather the family to watch this incredibly violent action movie, and you’re worried about a little salty language? 

NEW RELEASES

 
(O)   AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS: Salute to Romance (Shout Factory) I predict a fight at a wedding reception. 

BANDIDAS

© Fox

(O)   BANDIDAS (Fox) Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz in a buddy action western. Ay yi yi! Includes commentrak by both babes and featurettes. 
(O)  BEASTLY BUTCHERS (Pendulum) Six independent horror flicks. 2-disc set includes Kill Syndrome, Seasons in Hell, Goblin, The Lunar Pack, The Tenement and Deadly Culture. 
(O)   BLOOD STAINED BRIDE (Brain Damage) Romantic horror comedy. Not to be confused with the 1972 Euroforror Blood Spattered Bride. Includes outtakes. Say, maybe she should use the… 
(O)   BRIDAL WORKOUT: Shape Up Before You Ship Out (Shami) Yes, my wife and I always think of our wedding as “shipping out”. Not to be confused with… 
(O)   BUFF BRIDES: Count Down to Gown Workout (Inspired) Because ever since you were a little girl you’ve dreamed of the day when you’d be free to really let yourself go. 
(O)   COLOR OF THE CROSS (Fox) In this head-scratcher, not only is Jesus black, but the Crucifixion was a racist lynching.  
(O)   CURSE OF PIRATE DEATH (Brain Damage) For those who want to complete their Ron Jeremy video collections. With bloopers, interviews and behind-the-scenes. 
(O)   DEAL (Image) 1978 documentary goes behind-the-scenes of the game show Let’s Make A Deal. 
(O)   DEATH BECOMES THEM (Brain Damage) Documentary on the owners of the Museum of Death in Hollywood.  
(O)   THE DR. MABUSE COLLECTION (Retromedia) Includes Return of Dr. Mabuse, Invisible Dr. Mabuse and Death Ray Mirror of Dr. Mabuse. 
(O)   DOOM ASYLUM (Code Red /Media Blasters) Uncut edition of the 1987 slasher item starring Kristin Davis and Patty Mullen. With commentrak and interviews. 
(O)   EVERYBODY SAYS I’M FINE (BFS) Psychic hairstylist by day, psycho killer by night. 
(O)   FAMILY PART 2 (Media Blasters) 2001 yakuza sequel. 
(O)   FEAR OF THE DARK (Brain Damage) Slasher flick with commentrak, deleted footage, bloopers, etc.  
(O)   FLESH FOR THE BEAST / WEREWOLF WOMAN / NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT (Media Blasters) 
(O)   THE GIANT MAJIN COLLECTION (Retromedia) For the first time on DVD, the US versions of Majin Monster of Terror and Return of the Giant Majin. 
(O)   IDIOCRACY (Fox) Mike Judge sends Luke Wilson into the future, where he is now the world’s smartest human. Includes deleted scenes. 

The Illusionist

© Fox

(O)   THE ILLUSIONIST (Fox) Edward Norton is old Vienna’s favorite magician, but can his tricks get him out of a murder rap? Widescreen and “fullscreen” editions include Making-Of and interview. 
(O)   KID MONK BARONI (Image) 1952 boxing drama with Leonard Nimoy. 
(O)   KOTTENTAIL (Brain Damage) Killer mutant bunny! Includes three commentraks, featurettes, outtakes and more.  
(O)   LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA (Image) Lau Kar-leung’s incredible 1982 kung fu mystery classic. 
(O)   LIGHTSPEED (Anchor Bay) Stan Lee presents his own knock-off of the Flash with Jason Connery.  
(O)   THE MAN WITH BOGART’S FACE (Image) Robert Sacchi does his Bogart bit. 
(O)   A MEXICAN WEREWOLF IN TEXAS (Maverick) Despite the title, this is really another tale of el Chupacabra. 
(O)   MEN OF ACTION Box Set (Fox) Includes I, Robot, Independence Day and Rising Sun. 
(O)   MURDER SET PIECES (Lionsgate) Notorious slasher flick with Tony Todd, Cerina Vincent, Gunnar Hanson, commentrak and deleted footage. 
(O)   NUDE ON THE MOON / BLAZE STARR GOES NUDIST (Image) Double bill of Doris Wishman’s mindbending early ‘60s nudist camp movies, courtesy of Something Weird Video.  
(O)   PERFECT DATE MOVIES Volume 3: Love & Adventures (Fox) Includes The Man With One Red Shoe, Last of the Mohicans, One Million Years BC and All the Right Moves. 
(O)   PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS (Kino) Adaptation of the famed medical text. Includes interviews, deleted footage, bonus shorts and more. Also available in an unrated edition. 
(O)   SERUM (Allumination) An experimental cure-all produces a monster instead. With commentrak and featurettes. 
(O)   SHADOW RUN (BFS) 1998 heist flick with Michael Caine.  

THE SHUNNED

© Anchor Bay

(O)   THE SHUNNED (Anchor Bay) Disfigured axe murderer on a rampage. 
(O)   SINISTER SOULS (Pendulum) Six independent horror flicks. 2-disc set includes Cope, I Dream of Dracula, Unborn Sins, Sick Bastard, The Crucifier and Dominion. 
(O)   SKELETON KEY (Brain Damage) Horror comedy with Debbie Rochon and Brinke Stevens. 
(O)   THE SNOW QUEEN (BBC) Fantasy TV movie, with Patrick Stewart and Making-Of. 
(O)   SPOOKED: THE GHOSTS OF WAVERLY HILLS SANATORIUM (Spooked) Documentary shot while crew on location making the horror flick Death Tunnel.  
(O)   THAT DARN PUNK (Fontana) Aliens, zombies, and lots of punk rock. 
(O)   VICIOUS VIXENS (Pendulum) Six independent horror flicks. 2-disc set includes From Venus, Sandy Hook Lingerie Party Massacre, Nightmare Museum, Rape Is A Circle, So Mort It Be and Sorority Babes in the Dance-A-Thon of Death. 

BLU-RAY DISC CORNER 

(O)   CRANK (Lionsgate) Includes commentrak, Making-Of and interviews. 
 

And be sure to check back next week—and every week—for Mania’s DVD Shopping List! And don’t forget Anime Avalanche every Monday!

DVD Shopping List (© 2007 Brian Thomas) is our weekly DVD column. Brian Thomas is the author of the massive book VideoHound’s Dragon: Asian Action & Cult Flicks, available now!