Which would you rather sit through? Another Madea movie or another McConaughey romcom?
Why We Fight
In what may be an early contender for my year's best list, documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki takes a look at the sage advice of departing President Eisenhower (that whole bit with the complex what's industrial and military) and asks "How did we do with that?" The answer is "not so well." More here.
Extras include commentary, extra scenes, extended character featurettes, Jarecki's appearances on The Daily Show and Charlie Rose and some audience Q&A. I was in on one of his Q&A sessions, and they're pretty interesting.
Madea's Family Reunion
Lionsgate bet large with Diary of a Mad Black Woman and it paid off. Who knew they had a franchise on their hands? Tyler Perry ups the celebrity ante with Blair Underwood and Maya Angelou (given Cicely Tyson was the only star in Woman, that's upping the ante). And yes, this film is, in fact, in the IMDB bottom 100 (at #99).
Failure to Launch
Further proof that Matthew McConaughey in a romantic comedy is box office gold and critical kryptonite (see also: The Wedding Planner and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Also notable for marrying Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw. I know, finally, right?
The extras seem like a Dateline exlcusive with titles like "The Failure to Launch Phenomenon" and "Dating in the New Millenium."
Cache
On the other end of the critical/box office spectrum we have this thriller/drama (driller?) from writer/director Michael Haneke, who's much better known for being inaccessible (The Time of the Wolf). Here, Daniel Auteuil (who's much better known for being funny - The Closet) and Juliette Binoche (who's much better known for being bitter - Bleu - well, maybe she's that here, too) face Auteuil's character's past when videotapes of their home start showing up in the mail, and not in a France's Funniest Home Videos kind of way.
Extras include a doc on Haneke, who, by the way, is in talks to direct an English language remake of his Funny Games, with Naomi Watts in talks to star.
Ultraviolet (Unrated, Extended Cut)
And, finally, a movie that neither critics nor audiences loved. This is unfortunate, since writer/director Kurt Wimmer showed such promise with Equilibrium, and Nick Chinlund played the bad guy and William Fichtner played, well, anyone. At the time, no one expected Aeon Flux to look good by comparison.
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