The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Commentary
    • Columns
    • Water Cooler
    • Letters
    • Cartoons
    • Books
  • Sports
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Communities
  • Rebate Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Photos
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Business

    Toyota's bumpy ride began with race for growth

  • Security

    Chinese see U.S. debt as weapon in Taiwan dispute

  • World

    Obama ratchets up Iran sanctions threat

  • National

    Mid-Atlantic braces for new wallop of snow

  • Business

    European economies facing grim times

  • Politics

    Obama rejects starting over on health care

  • Politics

    Illegal immigration fell sharply in '08

Home » News » Entertainment

Friday, April 11, 2008

Media Room

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen

More Entertainment Stories

  • Rapper Lil Wayne's sentencing postponed
  • Ringo Starr honored with Walk of Fame star
  • Garrett arrested for heroin possession
  • Jackson doctor pleads not guilty

By

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story ($29.96 two-disc DVD, $43.95 Blu-ray) — Judd Apatow takes on the musical biopic in this parody. John C. Reilly, in a Golden Globe-nominated performance, plays the title character, a musician whom life just can't keep down. Mr. Apatow, the comedy genius behind "Knocked Up," co-wrote and produced, while Jake Kasdan, whose television-industry satire "The TV Set" was one of 2006's underrated films, co-wrote and directed. There are plenty of extras here, including deleted scenes, one of which offers a longer segment with Dewey Cox meeting the Beatles, with Jack Black playing Paul McCartney and Paul Rudd playing John Lennon. An extended cut pushes the running time from 96 to 120 minutes.

Fortysomething (Acorn Media, $39.99) — Fans of Hugh Laurie — and there must be many, given that he was just named America's fourth favorite TV personality in a Harris Poll — will want to snap up this British series that ran for six episodes in 2003. Don't expect the same man that plays the brash, overconfident American doctor Gregory House in Fox's medical drama "House," though. In "Fortysomething," Mr. Laurie again plays a doctor, but this time a bumbling, insecure one who's facing his forties with some fear.

The doctor can't even recall that his wife's starting a new job, let alone what that job is. His mental state isn't helped when he begins to think he can hear people's thoughts about him. His three sons have a more active sex life than he does — he can't remember when the last time he and his wife (Anna Chancellor) made love. Add to the mix an incompetent new doctor at his clinic, and the stage is set for plenty of comedy.

It's not quite as funny as Mr. Laurie's classic sketch series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (Stephen Fry makes a guest appearance here), but "Fortysomething" is still a lot of fun. Mr. Laurie may be playing a less confident character, but he's almost as charming — he also directed the first three episodes. The short-lived series features some other fine British talent, including rising star Benedict Cumberbatch, who was recently seen on the big screen in "Atonement" and "The Other Boleyn Girl."

Kelly Jane Torrance

Alien versus Predator: Requiem, Extreme Unrated Set (Fox, $39.98) — The audience definitely did not win in the last battle between these two science-fiction horror icons — mainly because the 2007 film literally left theatergoers in the dark as they tried to watch the poorly lit action scenes between the extraterrestrial enemies.

mediaroom_avp-web.jpg
The Blu-ray version of the movie is just as dim, and grim, but a pinch of solace for hard-core fans is found in an included interactive encyclopedic. Named for the corporation that tried to turn Aliens into biological weapons, the Weyland-Yutani Archives delivers the historical goods.

The viewer first enters a computer mainframe screen. He can then click on drop-down menus to access data either alphabetically, by topic or via such Predator/Alien specific entries as face hugger, blooding or combi stick.

The resource provides plenty to read and some three-dimensional, 360-degree looks at the species. More importantly, it also ties in movie moments from the entire history of both franchises to highlight the legendary Xenomorphs (alien) and Yakuta (predators).

In an odd note, the Archives is not even mentioned on the packaging. Sounds like a Weyland-Yutani conspiracy to me.

Joseph Szadkowski

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. Stimulus foes see value in seeking cash
  2. Va. Senate OKs ban on sexual orientation bias
  3. Another storm approaches Mid-Atlantic
  4. Obama's bipartisan call hits wall of dissent
  5. Ayatollah: Iran's military will 'punch' West
More Top Stories »
  1. LYNCH: Drug czar should go
  2. Clinton: Islamist terror is No. 1 threat
  3. Md. may fine for piercing minors without parental OK
  4. Army warned about jihadist threat in '08
  5. Inside the Beltway

Most Shared

  1. Stimulus foes see value in seeking cash
  2. BLANKLEY: Palin delivers sparkle, warmth
  3. Army warned about jihadist threat in '08
  4. New federal office for global warming
  5. STEYN: The 'corpseman' cometh
More Top Stories »
  1. Ayatollah: Iran's military will 'punch' West
  2. Drive down debt, or we will be driven down
  3. PRUDEN: Hatching the Silly Bowl
  4. Obama's bipartisan call hits wall of dissent
  5. EDITORIAL: Free the Baptist 10 in Haiti

Most Commented

  1. Obama's bipartisan call hits wall of dissent
  2. Palin: President run may be 'right thing'
  3. New federal office for global warming
  4. Clinton: Islamist terror is No. 1 threat
  5. BLANKLEY: Palin delivers sparkle, warmth
More Top Stories »
  1. Rep. Murtha dies at age 77
  2. Prop. 8 trial stirs questions, emotions
  3. EDITORIAL: Free the Baptist 10 in Haiti
  4. Ayatollah: Iran's military will 'punch' West
  5. Blacks face Senate shutout in 2011

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin

Question of the day

Supporters say Sarah Palin scored in her Tea Party appearance, while critics are having a field day with Mrs. Palin's 'hand-o-prompter' (the notes she scribbled on her palm). Who's right?

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    White House communications chief to treat Fox differently than ABC, NBC

  • Belief Blog

    Anglican day of reckoning coming

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    (Almost) All about Apple's iPad

  • Redskins 360

    This is goodbye ... for now

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.