Review: New on DVD for August 14 Special

This week’s releases include an animated musical from the director of ‘Shark Tale’; a couple of Jet Li English classics; a new level of martial arts; and a romantic journey with a great soundtrack.

A Monster in Paris (DVD) A wacky inventor, his camera crazy best friend and a madcap monkey make a big mistake when let loose in a Professor's laboratory. With lotions and potions spilling everywhere, the troublesome trio accidentally create Franc, a musical talent of monstrous proportions. With the help of the beautiful but feisty singer Lucille, the team are on a mission to protect their new friend from the ghastly wannabe Mayor, Commissioner Maynott, who has a plan to increase his popularity by capturing Franc and revealing him to be a scary monster to the people of Paris. It's sometimes hard to remember there are still animation studios not in the Disney lot, and moreover in other countries. But this film is an example of just such a company. The premise of the picture is far-fetched, but that is the magic of cartoons – they can bring to life the most amazing stories, sweeping audiences up into their fantastic world. The mad professor shtick plays well here complemented by the timid sidekick and beautiful singer. Franc is definitely an untraditional character, but his voice is lovely and the audience quickly becomes sympathetic to his plight. In addition, the soundtrack is very catchy. In French or English, this picture is a fun animated experience. Special features include: behind-the-scenes featurettes (French only). (Alliance Films) Breathless (Blu-ray) Lorna (Gina Gershon) is a strong-willed Texas woman who’s had enough of her untrustworthy husband Dale’s (Val Kilmer) criminal acts and lack of husbandry. Fed up, she enlists the help of her old friend, Tiny (Kelli Giddish), to help her figure out what to do with Dale after his latest double-cross involving the theft of $100,000 from a bank. As the girls brainstorm for a “neat” solution, they medicate themselves with only the best of prescriptions - Tennessee whiskey - which leads them to even bigger problems. When Sheriff Cooley (Ray Liotta) inconveniently enters the conundrum, the story evolves into a tale of revenge and survival that resolves in true Texas fashion: bold and ruthless. Special features not available. (Anchor Bay Entertainment) Cradle 2 the Grave (Blu-ray) When his daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for diamonds, the leader of a crew (DMX) of highly skilled urban thieves forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese Intelligence officer (Jet Li) to rescue her. Everything about this film is extreme, from the method of the heist to the fight scenes to the tank finale. It’s made even more so by Li’s decision to rely on only one-hand during any of the fisticuffs with which he’s involved. It’s quite a sight to watch him fight men in full attack mode with one hand in his pocket. As the villain, Mark Damascus opts for subtle intimidation, which is amplified by the over-the-top antics of everyone else. Special features include: behind-the-scenes featurette and music video. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) Fallen (Blu-ray) A pair of Chicago detectives (Denzel Washington and John Goodman) apprehend a serial killer. However, after the killer is convicted and executed, a new series of murders done in the late killer's peculiar style begin to turn up, potentially implicating one of the detectives. There are no special features. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) New Jack City (Blu-ray) A crime lord (Wesley Snipes) ascends to power and becomes megalomaniacal while a maverick police detective (Ice-T) vows to stop him. There are no special features. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) The Raid: Redemption (DVD) As a rookie member of an elite special-forces team, Rama is instructed to hang back during a covert mission involving the extraction of a brutal crime lord named Tama from a rundown apartment block. But when a spotter blows their cover, Tama offers lifelong sanctuary to every killer, gangster and thief in the building in exchange for the intruders' heads. Now Rama must stand in for the team’s fallen leader and use every bit of his fighting strength – winding through every floor and room – to complete the mission and escape with his life. To say it’s an action flick doesn’t do the breakneck fight sequences justice. The bone-crunching, heart-stopping, gasp-inducing battles are nearly indescribable. If you were impressed by Tony Jaa’s moves in Ong Bak, this martial arts extravaganza will blow your mind. The extensive bouts took approximately three months to design and equally as long to rehearse. But every inch of their hard work is visible, with no blurring of the actors’ actions through rapid editing or too tight close-ups. The film is a cross between Die Hard and Assault on Precinct 13, becoming a constant battle for survival against tenants firing high-powered weapons and wielding machetes from the moment the alarm is sounded. Special features include: commentary by writer/director Gareth Evans; video blogs; “An Evening with Gareth Evans, Mike Shinoda & Joe Trapanese”; an anatomy of a scene; behind the music; “In conversation with Evans and Shinoda”; four featurettes; and Claycat's The Raid short. (Alliance Films) Romeo Must Die (Blu-ray) An avenging cop (Jet Li) seeks out his brother's killer and falls for the daughter (Aaliyah) of a businessman who is involved in a money-deal with his father. But they've got no chance when the street-fighting ex-cop takes on both sides of a fierce Oakland turf war. Li's first American, English-speaking role, taking on a classic Shakespearean part, was a hit. His high-flying moves dominated the screen and his English was more than adequate. Making fools of his adversaries in combat and on the football field, Li took martial arts to an unconventional place that was not only impressive but entertaining. The mystery is not the least solvable, but it does keep the audience's attention as Li’s Han uses police detective skills to find the person responsible for his brother's death. Aaliyah also made her acting debut in the film, matching Li well as his Juliet and preventing any awkward moments related to his grasp of the language. She showed a lot of potential to becoming a triple-threat, though a fatal accident early in her career would stifle that opportunity. Special features include: making-of documentary; four behind-the-scenes vignettes: Anatomy of a Stunt, Diary of a Legal Mad Bomber, Inside the Visual Effects Process and The Soundstage; and two music videos featuring Aaliyah: "Try Again" and "Come Back In One Piece"; and "Making Of Aaliyah's 'Try Again' Video." (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) Shaft (Blu-ray) Cool black private eye John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter. Most people are familiar with the film's Academy Award-winning Best Original Song. Now is their chance to view the film in stunning HD as Roundtree plays the original source of cool, private eye and ladies’ man John Shaft. Some of the dialogue seems ridiculous 30 years later, but the film stands the test of time. Even now, it is a solid action picture with an exciting protagonist and interesting secondary characters. An obvious influence for cop movies that followed in the '80s, Shaft's fearless determination is captivating. The final mission is built up a little too much with anticipated tactics not used (what was the point of the uniforms?), but it still delivers in the end. There are no special features. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) Tonight You’re Mine (DVD) Two feuding rock stars, American pop star Adam (Luke Treadaway) and minor British, female rocker Morello (Natalia Tena), are scheduled to perform at the same music festival. As their sarcastic banter escalates, a mischievous security guard handcuffs them together and disappears into the crowd. All attempts to break free are thwarted, and eventually, Adam and Morello realize that they may not want to escape each other. A cross between a concert-movie and a romance, this film succeeds on both levels. The soundtrack is primarily provided by little known performers at Glasgow's "T in the Park," skilfully selected to match the mood of the narrative. The loose story is enjoyable thanks to the two wonderful lead actors who have great chemistry on screen, and become more attractive to each other and the audience as the film progresses. It's sweet without being sugary, and their adventures through the day and night are not only believable but interesting. The secondary characters fill out the narrative nicely, complementing the main budding relationship. Finally, the conclusion feels right and not at all drawn out, tying the last knot in the bow at just the right time. Special features include: a making-of featurette; behind-the-music featurette; costume designs featurette; and Natalia Tena and Luke Treadaway featurette. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)