| | American Gangster DVD
| Category | Dramas DVDs, Action/Adventure Movies, Crime Videos, True Story, Cops, 1970s, 1960s, Drug Dealers | | Starring | Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Common, John Ortiz, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Carla Gugino, Ted Levine, Armand Assante, Josh Brolin, Ruby Dee, Chjwetel Ejiofor, RZA, T.I., John Hawkes | | Director | Ridley Scott | | Composer | Marc Streitenfeld | | Director of Photography | Harris Savides | | Editor | Pietro Scalia | | Producer | Brian Grazer, Ridley Scott | | Screenwriter | Steven Zallian |
Additional Footage; Soundtrack English; Soundtrack French; English Subtitles; Director's Comments; Special Edition British director Ridley Scott may not seem a logical choice for this truly American crime drama, but the filmmaker does an excellent job. The film is based on a true story and set in 1968 Harlem, where Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is a driver for Bumpy Johnson, one of the top figures in the city's criminal world. When Bumpy dies, Lucas swoops in, taking over his predecessor's empire and expanding it over the next few years with his sale of a particularly potent brand of heroin. Meanwhile, New Jersey cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to investigate the New York drug world and discovers that there's a new power in town.
Thanks to screenwriter Steve Zallian, as well as Washington and Crowe, AMERICAN GANGSTER creates a convincing portrait of two men who are neither entirely good nor entirely bad. Washington plays Lucas as a man who buys his mother a palatial home but doesn't hesitate to beat his brother's head against a window. Crowe's Roberts may turn in a million-dollar find, but he cheats on his wife. Sadly, they only meet onscreen toward the end of the film, but the minimal interaction between the two Oscar winners is fascinating. Even though the focus is on Lucas and Roberts, AMERICAN GANGSTER is filled with a wealth of strong characters played by talented actors. It seems everyone with a SAG card turns up for the film, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, John Hawkes, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Carla Gugino, Ruby Dee, Joe Morton, and rappers T.I. and RZA. It's an epic film, with a run time of over two and a half hours, but it's time well spent. Fans of classic crime films such as THE GODFATHER, SERPICO, and CARLITO'S WAY will certainly be pleased by this addition to the genre. Theatrical Release: November 2, 2007 American Gangster Reviews: 5 stars out of 5 -- "Scott brings his stylish shot composition and impeccable eye for detail to the streets of Seventies Harlem, melding his striking visuals with an enthralling story..."-- Chris Prince, Ultimate DVD 3.5 stars out of 4 -- "[I]t has bite and timely relevance....Washington and Crowe clash like titans -- they're something to see."-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone 4 stars out of 5 -- "[With] bravura photography, assured performances and flawless period detail....A top-of-the-range example of genre filmmaking..."-- Neil Smith, Total Film "AMERICAN GANGSTER is meticulous and detailed, a drug-world epic that holds you from moment to moment, immersing you in the intimate and sleazy logistics of crime." -- Grade: B-- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly 3 stars out of 5 -- "[U]ndeniably enjoyable....Served up with enough verve to engage."-- Ian Freer, Empire 4 stars out of 5 -- "Crowe and Washington are extremely charismatic here; particularly Washington, whose man-of-the-people charm disguises a ruthless, shark-like drive..."-- Michael Bonner, Uncut "AMERICAN GANGSTER moves along at quite a clip....[Scott] does bring panache to the film's tense climax..."-- Ryan Gilbey, Sight and Sound "[A] finely made and richly satisfying film....[Washington] is always at his best, as he was in the Oscar-winning TRAINING DAY..."-- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times Ranked #6 in Rolling Stone's "10 Best Movies Of 2007" -- "Ridley Scott digs into this juicy tale with epic style and wit."-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone American Gangster | List Price | $14.98 (You save $4.39) | | Studio | Universal Studios Home Video | | Orig Year | 2007 | | DVD Encoding | Region 1 | | All Time Sales Rank |  76930  | | CD Universe Part number | 7930984 | | Discs | 2 | | Release Date | Jun 23, 2009 | | Rating | Unrated | | Running Time | 158 Minutes | | Additional Info | Widescreen; Spanish Subtitles; French Subtitles | | Movie Details | Color; Widescreen; Spanish Subtitles; French Subtitles; 2-Disc Set Includes PUBLIC ENEMIES Sneak Peek |
American Gangster Movie Review American Gangster DVD 2-Disc Set
Region 1
Snap Case
Anamorphic Widescreen -
1.85
Full Frame -
1.33
Audio:
Disc 1: AMERICAN GANSTER: Unrated Extended
Disc 2. AMERICAN GANGSTER - 2 Hours 57 Minutes
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English
Feature 1: AMERICAN GANGSTER - 2 Hours 38 Minutes
Subtitles - English (SDH), French, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Alternate Scenes
Deleted Scenes
Trailers: Includes PUBLIC ENEMIES Sneak Peek
Audio Commentary: Ridley Scott - Director; Steven Zaillian - Writer
Featurette:
1. Case Files: Script Meeting
2. Case Files: Heroin Test Show & Tell
3. Case Files: Setting Up the Takedown
4. Frank and Eva's Wedding
Making Of:
1. Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster - Tru-Blu: The Real Story
2. Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster - Killer Threads: Costumes
3. Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster - Crime War: Production
4. Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster - Into the Arena: Ali vs. Frazier
5. Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster - Rhythm of the Street: Sound, Music and Editing
Buy American Gangster DVD Purchase American Gangster Movie To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Strength & Loyalty CD (2007)
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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's second album of 2006 and its sophomore outing as a trio (with Flesh-N-Bone in jail and Bizzy Bone absent), STRENGTH AND LOYALTY is a much more high-profile affair than its predecessor, TRUE STORIES. On this record, the hip-hop act's first for Interscope, Krazyie Bone, Layzie Bone, and Wish Bone are joined by guest stars such as Kelly Rowland (the R&B-tinged "So Crazy") and Akon (the hard-hitting "Never Forget Me"), but also prove that they can still astound with their own smooth vocal harmonies and deft rhymes, as exemplified by the catchy, return-to-form track "Just Vibe." With many songs produced by the perennially in-demand Swizz Beatz, STRENGTH AND LOYALTY should pull in fans who had written the group off years ago, and win over new converts to the distinctive Bone Thugs aesthetic.
Additional personnel: Felecia, Akon, Mariah Carey, Swizz Beatz, The Game, Twista, will.i.am, Yolanda Adams, Bow Wow (vocals).
| | Gran Torino DVD (2008) Widescreen
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For his fourth directorial feature in the span of two years, Clint Eastwood tells the story of a grizzled Korean War vet's reluctant friendship with a Hmong teenage boy and his immigrant family. Set in contemporary Detroit, GRAN TORINO tackles the shifting cultural and economic landscape of not only the Motor City, but America as well. Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, an unabashed bigot who never heard a racial insult he didn't love. Bitter, haunted, and full of pride, Walt refuses to abandon the neighborhood he's lived in for decades despite its changing demographics as he clings desperately to a mindset long since out of step with the times. When his Hmong neighbor Thao tries to steal his prized muscle car as part of a gang initiation, Walt is forced to grapple with the world around him.
GRAN TORINO's approach to the complicated issue of race relations is equal parts Archie Bunker and CRASH. That is to say, there is nothing subtle about Walt's bigotry, yet his misanthropy knows no bounds, and Eastwood does a remarkable job of finding the humor in Walt's equal opportunity racism. More than simply a racial morality tale, however, GRAN TORINO is about the unlikely bonds that people form to navigate the subtle complexities every day life. Like MILLION DOLLAR BABY, GRAN TORINO explores the challenging yet rich new world that can open up when individuals let down their guard, even if for just a moment. Estranged from his family and his church, and without any sense of personal peace, Walt offers all that he has to Thao and his family, namely wisdom and protection. When tragedy strikes the family, Eastwood allows a little classic Harry Callahan to poke through, but the surprising finale posits a hero that Dirty Harry would never have the guts to be. It's a potent symbolic gesture to Eastwood's own growth as a storyteller.
Soundtrack English; Behind The Scenes; Amaray Case
| | Inglourious Basterds Blu-ray (2009) Widescreen; Dubbed; Special Edition; Subtitled
American Gangster DVD
 $29.59 
Quentin Tarantino's long-gestating (and much anticipated) World War II epic is sure to delight fans of his artful touch with dialogue and visuals. Brad Pitt stars as Lieutenant Aldo Raine, an American soldier who leads a band of Jewish-American troops in their brutal, violent revenge against the Nazis. NATIONAL TREASURE’s Diane Kruger also stars as a German actress and double agent who is in on the group’s biggest plan yet. Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Til Schweiger, and Mike Myers are also featured in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS’ large cast.
Widescreen; Additional Footage; Soundtrack English; Soundtrack French; Soundtrack Spanish; English Subtitles; Spanish Subtitles; French Subtitles
| | Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince DVDs (2009) 2-Disc Special Edition
American Gangster movie DVD
$25.89 
Though HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN director Alfonso Cuaron still holds the crown for best film in the series, David Yates is making an attempt at a coup with HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Dark, gleefully funny, and beautifully shot, this adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novel should please fans despite numerous changes to the 650-page source material. In this sixth film in the series, Harry’s (Daniel Radcliffe) inevitable confrontation with the dark wizard Voldemort grows closer, and Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) wants the young student to be prepared. He guides Harry through a memory of a young Voldemort, but an important moment is missing. Harry must extract this memory from the new Hogwarts teacher, Horace Slughorn (a perfectly slimy Jim Broadbent), who is as eager for fame as he is reluctant to revisit this painful moment. Meanwhile, romance rules the school of witches and wizards, with Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) refusing to admit their feelings for each other. Harry also harbors a secret love of his own: Ron’s younger sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright). But despite his crush, Harry keeps an eye on Snape (Alan Rickman) and Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), who may be responsible for attacks on the school.
HALF-BLOOD PRINCE deftly balances the humor of Hogwarts heartbreak and the thrills of dark villains attacking the school. The cast is as talented as ever, and the youngest members--Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson--have developed their talent well. However, this film is most remarkable for its fine cinematography from AMELIE director of photography Bruno Delbonnel. Using a muted palette, Delbonnel makes Hogwarts look hauntingly beautiful in a way that fans have never seen. There’s always plenty of fun and adventure in the series, but this entry boasts impressive visuals as well.
Soundtrack English; Special Edition
| | Convoy DVD (1978) Widescreen
American Gangster video
$10.69
A mile-long convoy of protesting truckers speeds along the Arizona highway toward the Mexican border. The tense action builds to an incredible climax in one of the most destructive auto crash scenes ever filmed.
Its 30 years old and still truckin! This cult classic has been re-mastered and re-packaged for its 30th Anniversary. Citizen Band radio takes to the freeways for fast-lane thrills and fly-over spills. Trucker "Rubber Duck" (Kris Kristofferson) signals the big 10-4 when he and his unsuspecting ride along (Ali MacGraw) are chased through three states by a corrupt traffic cop named "Dirty Lyle" (Ernest Borgnine). The green light is sent out over the American CB airwaves for a convoy of truckers to help keep the police off his trail. Acclaimed and award winning director Sam Peckinpah steps on the gas for an all-action adventure jam-packed with sensational stunts and truck crashes around every turn!
| | O Brother, Where Art Thou? DVD (2000) Widescreen
American Gangster film
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Joel and Ethan Coen transport Homer's ODYSSEY to the depression-era South in the silly, fun comedy O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson star as three escaped fugitives on the run in Mississippi. Their adventures through the barren landscape includes run-ins with a soothsayer, a trio of Sirens, a Bible-salesman Cyclops, as well as other archetypes from Southern folklore and pop-culture including a young blues musician, the Klan, and bank robber Baby Face Nelson. Soon they are caught up in a vicious gubernatorial campaign that would make Huey Long proud.
The Coen brothers mix in a host of cinematic references in O BROTHER, including SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, COOL HAND LUKE, I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG, and even dashes of the Three Stooges. The soundtrack of folk ballads, yodeling traditionals, Delta blues, and prison work songs is outstanding, playing in the background (or foreground) of nearly every scene. Clooney, as the ringleader, displays an effervescent smile that is as intoxicating as the Coens' script is outrageous. The cast, including Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, John Goodman, Chris Thomas King, and Michael Badalucco, is charmingly bewildering in a way that only a Coen brothers' cast can be. Joel and Ethan have done it again, crafting this time a unique film steeped in the traditions of the South--and of Hollywood itself.
Closed Captioned; Bio/Filmographies; Soundtrack English
| | Spiderwick Chronicles DVD (2008) Full Frame
American Gangster review
$15.65
Based on the bestselling series of children's fantasy novels of the same name by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES follows the adventures of the Grace family, newly transplanted from New York City to an inherited home in the remote New England woods. Angry with his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) about the move, the sulky Jared (Freddie Highmore) begin to explore the strange old house, and discovers a magical tome written by his great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn). Soon Jared and his twin brother, Simon (also played by Highmore with the aid of seamless special effects), are drawn into a realm of goblins, boggarts, and ogres--a reality that coexists with the human world. By the time the boys' older sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), is in on their secret, the siblings are steeped in a conflict with the evil shape-shifting ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who will stop at nothing to get Spiderwick's book.
Directed by Mark Waters (THE HOUSE OF YES, MEAN GIRLS) and scripted in part by lauded filmmaker John Sayles (THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH), SPIDERWICK succeeds as an engaging kid-oriented movie that also offers up genuine thrills and chills for adults. Highmore and Bolger impressively mask their British and Irish accents, respectively, and display a convincing brother/sister bond, while Martin Short and Seth Rogen provide comic relief as the voices of unlikely CGI allies. Intentionally smaller in scope than other like-minded literary adaptations such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE GOLDEN COMPASS, SPIDERWICK is rooted in a beautifully earthy, antique aesthetic that provides the perfect setting for its likable protagonists and bizarre-yet-naturalistic creatures.
Standard Screen; Soundtrack English; Sensor Matic
| | Veritas Prince Of Truth DVD (2008) Widescreen; Spanish
American Gangster DVD
$14.35
Animation and live-action adventure collide in this fantasy feature. When 14-year-old Kern (Bret Loehr) learns that his favorite comic-book series--Veritas, Prince of Truth--faces cancellation, he leaps into action and brings his winged hero (Sean Patrick Flanery) into reality. But Veritas isn’t the only powerful being Kern has brought to this dimension--Veritas’s enemy, Nemissi (Kate Walsh), has also clawed her way in, and she aims to obliterate both Veritas’s home planet and Kern’s Earth.
Soundtrack English; Soundtrack Spanish
| | Power Rangers R.P.M. - Vol. 1: Start Your Engines DVD (2009)
American Gangster movie DVD
$15.29
The Power Rangers suit up to fight a terrifying army of machines in this exciting release. When the evil Venjix Computer Network develops a virus that can vanquish all life, the teen freedom fighters must use every resource they can find to save the world.
Standard Screen; Soundtrack English
| | Cinderella DVD (1961) Kultur Films Inc.
American Gangster video
$19.99
The Bolshoi performs Prokofiev's timeless fairytale with Struchkova in the title role.
Standard Screen; Soundtrack English; English Subtitles
| | Empire Of The Sun DVD (1987)
American Gangster film
$10.09
Steven Spielberg's EMPIRE OF THE SUN, based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian Bale as Jim Graham, a British schoolboy separated from his upper-class colonial parents when the Japanese sweep into Shanghai during World War II. Temporarily orphaned, Jim attaches himself to Basie (John Malkovich), a fast-talking American opportunist determined make a buck off the spoils of war. Later, when the two are interned in a prison camp, Jim's boyish fantasies are fueled by the grace and daring of the Japanese fighter pilots whom he comes to idolize despite their enemy status. Spielberg's visually spectacular wartime epic is a testimony to the human will to survive and a child's ability to find wonder even in the midst of horror. Thirteen-year-old Welsh actor Christian Bale is brillant as Jim in his feature film debut. Spielberg himself identified more with Jim, a boy who is obsessed with flying and who experiences the death of his innocence, than with E.T.'s Elliott. After a year of negotiations with the Chinese, Spielberg and his crew were allowed to film in Shanghai, which was virtually unchanged since World War II.
Standard Screen; Soundtrack English
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