This Week in DVD

W: What better way than to face the challenges that meet our country today and in the near future than to watch two hours fictionalizing the life of the man that just got voted out? Seriously, I kind of want to see this Oliver Stone biopic, but...the words "too soon" come to mind. Then an image of Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney comes to mind, and I reconsider.

Nights in Rodanthe: I liked Richard Gere and Diane Lane in "Unfaithful," but didn't know that pairing and "The Cotton Club" were enough to make them a modern-day Tracy and Hepburn. Yet when this one was released last year, we were told, "Gere and Lane are back," like we had all been salivating for another chance to see them play kissyface. But, hey, Valentine's Day is coming up, so if you are excited about this, good for ya. I'm going to expose my ignorance and say I had no idea where Rodanthe was (Hint: It's not the birthplace of Rodan).

Miracle at St. Anna: I'm intrigued by this WWII flick about an all-black Army division, and I'm not just saying that because it's a Spike Lee joint and anything negative I say might therefore be misconstrued as racist. But then there's this note on the screen in the commercial for the DVD: "Bonus Features on Blu-Ray Only."

You know, just like charging more for "standard-def" DVDs isn't going to make me more eager to go Blu-Ray, neither is saving extra content for the BD version. These tactics only make me LESS eager to buy the regular discs!

Frozen River: Star Melissa Leo's nomination makes this movie this year's Unheralded Indie of the Academy Awards. Of course, that usually means the movie's depressing as hell.

Soul Men: Bernie Mac's sudden death cast an unfortunate pall over the release, but then again, maybe it will give people an extra reason to seek out this tepidly-reviewed but interesting-sounding movie starring Mac and Jack (Samuel L. Jackson) as musicians. I can't say whether or not this was a hidden gem overshadowed by the tragedy, but I can say that it really sucks that Mac is gone.

What Makes Sammy Run: This looks like a real treat. Koch, the company behind the recent Studio One Anthology, mines the Golden Age of Television again with this acclaimed adaptation of Budd Schulberg's searing Hollywood novel. I haven't seen this or read the book, but I know the name Sammy Glick. And, hey, I know it's "searing." Isn't that enough? Koch includes some bonus material, including a commentary, in what looks like a classy vintage TV presentation.