Region 1 DVD Releases For January 17th, 2006

A couple of films that might get Oscar consideration, and then a bunch of stuff that not too many people liked. Slow week.

Junebug

If you care at all about Awards Season (and who doesn't, besides most of the country?), you'll want to check Amy Adams' Best-Supporting-Actress-bait performance in this indie. She plays the countrified sister-in-law of Alessandro Nivola, who introduces her and the rest of his dysfunctional clan to his citified wife (Embeth Davidtz) in this latest variation on Meet the Parents (with better reviews).

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Wanna be scared out of your mind? Skip Hostel and take a look at the story that defined the modern corporate scandal. What director Alex Gibney brings to light in this riveting doc isn't just the greed and savvy of a few corrupt businessmen, but the failure of The System (not to mention financial sacred cows like Arthur Andersen) to catch on until it was far too late.

Extras include director's commentary, a doc on the making of the doc, and Enron's priceless in-house commercials and skits.

Lord of War: 2-Disc Special Edition

Remember the 80's satire Deal of the Century with Chevy Chase as an arms dealer? No? Well, this will seem even more original. Even if you do, this will seem much, much better. The fact that Nic Cage replaces Chase almost guarantees that. Still, audiences and critics gave a lukewarm reception to writer/director Andrew Niccol's (Gattaca, S1m0ne) take on gunrunning. Say what you will, it produced one of last year's coolest posters.

The two-disc special edition includes featurettes, a making-of doc, deleted scenes, and commentaries.

The Man

Two very talented actors (Sam Jackson, Eugene Levy) with questionable role-picking acuity converge in this tale of a cop and the regular guy he's forced to turn into an undercover agent. Seriously, what's the last good non-Christopher Guest movie with Levy? American Pie? Jackson's doing better, but he's still got Snakes on a Plane coming out this summer.

There are deleted scenes, but I'd prefer a featurette on what Jackson and Levy bought with their hard-earned cash. I might feel better if this put their kids through college or something.

Two for the Money

The long list of modern Faust tales (The Firm, Wall Street, Boiler Room, The Devil's Advocate) now includes this entry starring Matthew McConaughey, which distinguishes itself by having Al Pacino as the Devil figure. Wait. Okay. Sports betting. That's new. Like The Man, this failed to score with critics or audiences, but not quite as horribly.

One possibly interesting extra tucked in with the commentary and making-of doc is a featurette on the real-life oddsmaker upon whom Matthew McConaughey's character is based.

Scroll down to see what Corey Feldman's up to. Come on, you know you want to.

20 Years Too Soon - Superstar Billy Graham (WWE)

If you find yourself attracted to the convicted psycho working next door, maybe find some way to distract yourself. Just saying.