CABIN FEVER
Lions Gate Home Entertainment

- It's clear that the young director, Eli Roth is a big horror film fan because his movie pays homage to several well-known in the genre. His story about a group of college kids who rent a cabin in the mountains during a break and contract a deadly flesh eating disease is based on his own personal experience during a working vacation in Iceland. In the film, Jeff, Karen, Paul, Marcy and Bert, all played by an unknown group of actors, possess the normal ticks of young adults. While Jeff pursues pretty Karen, the others either drink or make love. Suddenly, Karen gets sick and the others must decide how to deal with the situation.

The group's behavior toward a sick hermit who is a source of the infection smacks of the present day hysteria about certain ailments and diseases, i.e.. AIDS. More importantly, there are lessons about loyalty, fear and selfishness to be learned but mostly, this is an old-fashioned horror tale where the horror is the least of the kids problems.

The disc includes a gory, graphic behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, many shorts of Roth & company's accomplishments. There is strong language, drug use and sexual content -- the finger scene is especially icky and gross! "Cabin Fever" may not be to everyone's liking but for horror fans, it's a precious gem!

DADDY & THEM
Miramax Home Entertainment

- Written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, the comedy about a wacky Southern family that treats their dysfunction like a quirky personality stars an all-star cast. Thornton portrays a troubled son who takes his young insecure wife (Laura Dern) back to his family home when a crisis erupts. Under one crowded roof with his mother-in law (Diane Ladd), her daughter (Kelly Preston), his father (Andy Griffin) and several relatives, everyone tries to enlist the help of two top lawyers (Jamie Lee Curtis and Ben Affleck) to help a relative held for murder. Everyone is fighting for attention but no one is really listening to the individual cries for help. Even the two lawyers, who are married, due verbal battle. The issue is love and how it should be expressed. And, of course, there are laughs. This may not be the best of Thornton's work but it is a curious slice of Southern life.

The disc includes Thornton's "Return of Karl" the death row inmate & character that made Thornton a star. There is also several commentaries and a behind the scenes featurette. The film is shoot in sharp wide screen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound.

MTV WUTHERING HEIGHTS
Paramount DVD

- Despite having a sexy, young cast of fresh faces, this updated version of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" is over-wrought and dull. The hot newcomer from "Traffic," Erika Christensen stars as Cate, a girl who lives on the lonely Heights in a lighthouse with her dad and brother, Hendrix (Johnny Whitworth). One day a strange boy, Heath (Mike Vogel) appears on their door and the father welcomes them into the family. Hendrix hates being ignored by his family as they seem to favor Heath and once the kids are grown up, Heath becomes possessive of Cate as she tries to make new friends with some rich neighbors nearby. Jealousy, obsession and betrayal are the big themes in the modern day fairy tale which is wrapped in a heart-poundding rock soundtrack. Unfortunately while the classic story provides good drama, the dialog is empty and corny and the movie will leave the audience wishing for more. The cast also includes Chris Materson, Katherine Heigl (TV's "Roswell") and Aimee Osbourne (Ozzy's unseen daughter from that MTV show). Of course, there are no extras on the disc because this is a quick knock off of a classic love story.

GRIND
Warner Home Entertainment

- This film is an excuse to watch kids skate board and nothing more. "Grind" is about four guys (Mike Vogel, Vince Vieluf, Adam Brody of TV's "The O.C." and Joey Kern) who hit the road hoping to break into professional skate boarding competition. Along the way, the meet a smart girl (Jennifer Morrison) who is nice to them. Of course, they run into trouble naturally they overcome everything. This is pretty thin stuff! It wasn't intriguing on the big screen and I don't find that I've favor it on DVD. The disc includes commentary with the director and several of the actors and a music video. Buy at your own risk!

CHUMP CHANGE
Miramax Home Entertainment

- Writer/director Stephen D. Burrows pokes fun at the hilarious cutthroat world of Hollywood. A young filmmaker navigates the tricky world and runs into a numbers of crazy people played by Jerry Stiller, Tim Matheson, Fred Willard, A.J. Benza, Abe Vigoda and Anne Meara. Exhausted from the turmoil in Hollywood, the filmmaker goes home to snowy Milwaukee and meets the wacky tenant (Traci Elizabeth Lords) that his mother has rented his room to while she goes on vacation. So, the young filmmaker gets to compare Hollywood with Milwaukee and decide which is a saner place to live and work. Quirky and funny, "Chump Change" isn't brilliant but it does have some funny moments.

The disc is stuffed with several featurettes including audio commentary by the director, out takes and deleted scenes, interviews with Traci Lords and much more. The film is presented in wide screen enhanced for 16X9 televisions and Dolby Digital Surround Sound.

LOST AND DELIRIOUS
Lions Gate Home Entertainment

- This is a gentle erotic tales about a group of young girls growing up at an exclusive boarding school. Piper Perabo (of TV's "The O.C.") stars as a new student who discovers that her roommates (Jessica Pare and Mischa Barton) are in love. However, when the girls are found out, the rejection that takes place destroys the innocence and beauty of all of the girls' friendship and loyalty. There are some strong performances especially by Jessica Pare who plays the jilted lover. Her pain is displayed with a great poignancy! The complexity of the lovers relationship is superbly told. There are no extras on the disc which is in wide screen and with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.

MTV PUNK'D
MGM Home Entertainment

- This Ashton Kutcher hosted show says "They're prettier, wealthier and they get into the best parties but they're not better than us!" That's why he loves to get their goat! What can I say? He embarrasses many of the hot young stars like Justin Timberlake, Frankie Muniz, Kelly Osbourne and Nick Lachey! Frankly, I don't find this funny but the show is a hit with young audiences on MTV and it has made the host a major TV star.

The two disc includes loads of episodes and two never seen episodes of pranks pulled on Ryan Pinkston and Al Shearer in "Blind Tattoo."

JEEPRS CREEPERS 2
MGM Home Entertainment

- This sequel to the very successful "Jeepers Creepers" film has a awesome heart-pounding opening scene! A boy in a corn field is attacked by the mysterious monster that feds on humans every 23 years for 23 days! After the disappearance, the boy's father and brother track the monster to a stranded school bus on a desolate road that's filled with a football teams and some cheer leaders returning home from a game. Suddenly, the petty problems of these kids are minimized by their fight for life as the creature begins to pick them off one by one! Director Victor Salva, who has weathered his share of controversy, puts in his signature homoerotic scene with shirtless boys sunbathing and he has a handsome young cast. However, he does deliver the horror and the fear with the creature!

The disc includes lots of stuff like creeper commentary by Jonathan Breck, the actor who plays the creature; deleted scenes and moments, audio commentary by director and cast and numerous visual effects featurettes. These are incredibly fascinating to watch because they provide back story to the Creeper and its creation. Fans of the first film will enjoy number 2!

DUST
Lions Gate Home Entertainment

- This strange story of two brothers (David Wenham "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy" and Joseph Fiennes "Shakespeare in Love") fall in love with the same woman at the turn of the 20th Century. She chooses the younger brother and the embittered older brother goes to Europe to become a mercenary. However, their paths cross again in a strange life and death game. This is a gritty, strange western shot in sepia tones that settles the viewer in the period of the tale but despite the intriguing set up, the story fails to capture the viewers attention. It has a good cast but alas that doesn't make "Dust" compelling viewing. The disc has a behind the scenes featurette and its presented in wide screen.

Edited by Veronica Mixon
images courtesy of Lions GateMGM, Miramax, Paramount and Warner.

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