Odds & Ends Jan. 2005

Honorable Mentions

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Every so often, I get a backup of DVD titles that distributors have very kindly sent to me. These DVDs would probably make someone out there very happy, but I could never muster the interest or the time to properly review them. So here's a kind of honorable mention listing.

Edges of the Lord (2001, Miramax) Haley Joel Osment plays a young Jewish boy who hides from the Nazis in the countryside and learns life lessons from the local priest (Willem Dafoe). Yurek Bogayevicz writes and directs.

Extreme Makeover Fitness: Weight Loss Workout for Beginners (2004, Buena Vista) Real women from the TV show demonstrate how to lose weight -- hopefully through diet and excercise.

The Land Before Time: Invasion of the Tinysauruses (2005, Universal) In yet another sequel to the animated dinosaur film, a rash of new, small dinosaurs comes to visit and everyone sings.

Miracle at Oxford (1996, Miramax) Josh Lucas and Dominic West play members of the underdog team in the annual rowing competition between Oxford and Cambridge. Ferdinand Fairfax directs.

Speakeasy (2002, Miramax) Two survivors from a car accident form a relationship with a deaf man. David Strathairn co-stars, and Brendan Murphy writes and directs. Chris Moore from TV's "Project Greenlight" produces.

3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004, Buena Vista) Barry Pepper (25h Hour) plays legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt in this ESPN original movie. Buena Vista's two-disc set comes with lots of extras about the real Earnhardt.

Thunderbirds (2004, Universal) This almost universally hated film is a live-action adaptation of the famous 1960s puppettoon films; a bad idea if there ever was one. Ben Kingsley stars, and Jonathan Frakes directs. The real Thunderbirds movies are already available on DVD.

Where the Red Fern Grows (2004, Disney) Based on the classic children's book by Wilson Rawls, this feature film tells the story of a young boy (Joseph Ashton) who bonds with his two hunting dogs and learns about life. Lyman Dayton and Sam Pillsbury co-direct.

The Young Black Stallion (2003, Disney) Separated from her parents in the desert, a young girl happens upon a black colt who saves her life. The disc contains several bonuses and featurettes.

January 5, 2005