Digital Breakdown: ‘World’s End’ is not enough

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN — AT WORLD’S END — 2-DISC LIMITED EDITION: The third in the series of movies based on the Disney theme park ride has something for everyone: great production values, amazing special effects, a convoluted plot with plenty of twists and a handsome, talented cast.

Unfortunately, though, it’s like many other trilogies (i.e. “The Matrix”): Too much time is spent getting its bloated body across the finish line.

At the end of the second film, “Dead Man’s Chest,” Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) was sent to Davy Jones’ locker. Here in “At World’s End,” vowing not to leave their greedy, self-preserving pirate “friend” to his fate, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and former enemy Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) craft an elaborate plan to rescue Sparrow from Jones’ clutches.

This limited-edition version of the film (also offered as a single-disc DVD) includes a second disc of extras, which is always cool. Included are eight featurettes, a blooper reel, deleted scenes and audio commentary.

Price: $34.99.

Rent or buy: Rent.

SUPERBAD — UNRATED TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION

Writer/director Judd Apatow and his actor friends — who made the excellent “Knocked Up” and “40-Year-Old Virgin” — are back with “Superbad.” The story of two friends (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) fighting the doldrums of high school, young lust and gun-happy, fun-loving cops is a laugh-out-loud jaunt with some great gags. This 119-minute unrated version has foul language and gross-out gags that weren’t in the theatrical release.

The second disc has great extras that go beyond the normal behind-the-scenes fare: funny featurettes about the cast, a running tally of the obscenities in the film and more on Seth’s (the main character’s) infamous doodles.

Price: $34.95.

Rent or buy: Buy.

24 — THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON

The ongoing TV writers’ strike is shutting down the possibility of a season seven of one of the best shows on television, “24.” So we’ll turn to DVD to get our Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) fix. While the sixth season isn’t the series’ best, it’s still “24.” It still has Jack Bauer with his famous mannerisms, and Chloe is still the sourpuss.

This time around, Bauer, fresh out of a Chinese torture prison, must stop yet another terrorist attack on Los Angeles, complete with possible nuclear bombing and a plot to overthrow the president. The DVD includes more than 25 minutes of deleted scenes, more than 20 behind-the-scenes Webcast diaries, Mobisodes and on-set featurettes.

Price: $59.98.

Rent or buy: Buy.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

After releasing multiple single-disc DVDs featuring the best of various performers from past years on “SNL,” Universal Home Entertainment, thankfully, is rolling out complete seasons of the classic sketch comedy show, beginning with its roots. The second season (1976-77) has more funny stuff from Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, John Belushi and Chevy Chase. It’s packed with anti-establishment humor and spot-on impressions sadly missing from shows with other casts that soon followed.

Price: $69.98.

Rent or buy: Buy.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA — RAZOR

As its fans know, “Battlestar Galactica” is one of the best shows on TV. Yeah, it is science fiction, but it is also so much more, full of character development and political intrigue that most dramas would kill for. While fans wait the long anticipated fourth and final season, here’s a special one-shot movie documenting the rise and fall of the Battlestar Pegasus — a second spaceship that survived the initial onslaught of the Cylons and was a big part of the second season plot line. On DVD, “Razor” is extended and unrated.

Price: $26.98.

Rent or buy: Buy.

Other DVDs coming out Tuesday: “Nanny Diaries,” “Love’s Unending Legacy,” “Bob Hope Collection.” “Erik the Viking,” “Tom and Jerry Tales - Volume 3,” “Will and Grace - Season Seven,” “Magikano: A New Witch in Town,” “The Wire - The Complete Fourth Season,” “Exiled” and “The Last Man on Earth.”

 

Advertisement