This week, get Bourne (The Bourne Ultimatum) — or get Potter (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), or Efron (High School Musical 2), or opt for a different sort of winter treat (Silent Night, Deadly Night – Uncut and Uncensored, The December Boys).
Tomatometer: 93%
Director Paul Greengrass took to the rooftops of Tangier and the bustling throughways of London’s Waterloo Station to close out the Jason Bourne trilogy the best way he knew how: with dizzying, up-close-and-personal handheld camera work! But what Greengrass invariably saved on Steadicam operator costs, he poured as sheer energy into his exhilarating sequel about the titular amnesiac CIA muscle (People‘s Sexiest Man Alive himself, Matt Damon) still on the run from his former bosses and struggling to remember his past. At 93 percent on the Tomatometer, The Bourne Ultimatum is the best-reviewed film of the series. Pick up the release on its own for a bonus menu packed with deleted scenes, featurettes on the guerrilla-style filming of action sequences, fight choreography, and commentary; score the entire trilogy box set for four discs of Bourne goodness — including your own Jason Bourne passport!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Tomatometer: 77%
It’s pretty incredible that in five visions with four different directors the Harry Potter series hasn’t dipped out of Certified Fresh territory. Looks like someone cast a Tomatometerus protectus spell! The latest installment, David Yates‘ Order of the Phoenix, brings young wizard Harry new intrigue at Hogwarts: the menacingly perky teacher Dolores Umbridge, the lurking danger of He Who Shall Not Be Named, and the sweaty palms of young love. Special features take you behind-the-scenes on the Harry Potter set and allow you to edit a scene, but the coolest DVD offering may be the ability to download a digital copy to other devices.
Lost Season Three
Tomatometer: N/A
For viewers whose interest in Lost hasn’t already given way to seething, bitter frustration (Curse you, J.J. Abrams, and your addictively mysterious productions! What the heck is Slusho??) Season Three is a must-have. Watch all 23 episodes of Castaway-on-Others action — we’re not just talking Jack and Juliet here, wink wink — and revel in a bonus menu featuring deleted scenes, literary references, Easter eggs, cast a crew revelations about the Others, and all new, never before seen character flashbacks! Discover the secret of the Island! (And then email me your findings, please!)
High School Musical 2
Tomatometer: N/A
OMG! Like you, we were anxiously awaiting High School Musical 2 to see if Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) would finally kiss, already, but the DVD release of the most watched cable show in, like, ever, means we can do one better: learn the dances!
The December Boys
Tomatometer: 42%
The second DVD release of the week to feature Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in his pre-Equus adolescent innocence follows a group of Australian orphans coming of age in 1960s Australia.
Silent Night, Deadly Night — Uncut and Uncensored
Tomatometer: 33%
Because you can’t really get the Christmas spirit without seeing a psychopathic Santa slake his thirst for blood, take home the 1984 horror classic. Now Uncut and Uncensored!
Until next week, happy renting, everyone!
