Go Weekend... It's back and it's better than ever. Weekend, Etc. is coming at ya tomorrow featuring a look back at the lazy days of summer. michigandaily.com /arts ARTS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 11 11 DVD MADNESS FOR THE KIDS 'Memento' delivers as a vivid film, lacks as a strong DVD 'The Goonies' are still good enough By: Jeff Dickerson Daily TV/New Media Editor In a year ripe with mediocrity, Christopher Nolan's indie thriller "M e e n t o" stands high above Memento the garbage heap DVD that is the year Columbia Tristar 2001 of Holly- wood. Quietly hitting theaters in late March, "Memen- to" played on a few hundred screens in limited areas and made an instant impact on the audience. Despite the lack of advertising, "Memento" drew bigger numbers each weekend through tremendous word of mouth. After six months in theaters, the film is still in the top 60 and has now reached $25 million domestically. Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, a man who suffers from a rare form of short term memory loss which forces him to jot down endless notes in order to maintain his lifestyle of revenge and investigation. The supporting cast includes the wonderful Joe Pantoliano, best known as Cypher in "The Matrix" or the other Fratelli brother in Richard Donner's '80s classic "The Goonies." The only other notable cast member is Carrie Anne Moss, another star of the Keanu Reeves vehicle, "The Matrix." In the audio and video departments, the DVD features what you might expect from a current film. No visible problems in the presentation; colors are rich with no defects in the print. "Memento" is a rather quiet movie, and the sound mix handles it well through- out the duration of the film. Let's face it, the most important char- acteristic of a good DVD is the abun- dance of extra materials. The producers of the DVD incorporate the backward structure of the film in each of the menus. When an item is selected on screen, flashes of other menus pop up before going to the intended destina- tion. When you return to a previous menu the selections are sometimes backwards in the style of the film. The fancy transitions do not excuse the lack of extras which include only a 30- minute interview with Christopher Nolan from the Independent Film Channel, a trailer and tattoo gallery. Columbia Tri-Star purchased the rights to the Newmarket film and has released an acceptable DVD, fans of the film will certainly be wondering if a special edition is in the works. While the DVD is somewhat of a let down, the film is so good it warrants the $20 price tag. For those who have seen "Memen- to," see it again. For those who have not yet experienced the best movie of 2001, go out and buy the DVD. By Lyle Henretty Daily Arts Editor "The Goonies" may just be the last great children's movie that adults liked as much as the kids. It has adventure, The Goonies: Special Edition DVD Warner Bros. romance, terror and the patented "Truffle Shuffle." The 1985 film centers on a group of outcast kids looking for a little fun on the is enabled, the viewer is treated to a wide-screen view of the cast as they look now. This is a special treat for fans who grew up on the film, though it is slightly depressing to learn that Chunk has slimmed down significantly. Other features include a short docu- mentary of behind the scenes footage, showing a tired Donner sarcastically contemplating suicide, as well as writer/producer Steven Spielberg look- ing suspiciously like Howard Stern. The disc also includes a ridiculously long version of Cyndi Lauper's "Goonies R Good Enough" video fea- turing wrestling luminaries "Captain" Lou Albano, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant. Along with a standard preview, the deleted scenes sadly add little to the disc: Most of the scenes are banal, and the much touted "octopus" scene looks cheesy and was clearly deleted from the movie for a reason. All in all, this disc is a must-have for fans, but those that buy it will probably wish it had a little more. eve of the demolition of their pic- turesque New England town. When they follow a family of convicts into an abandoned restaurant, they begin an adventure that leads them into hidden caves, pirates and a freaky piano made of bones. The commentary track is done by Director Richard Donner ("Superman," "Lethal Weapon") and the entire gaggle of Goonies, from Jeff Cohen (Chunk) to the self depricating Corey Feldman (Mouth). When the commentary feature 'Bride' DV inconceivably good r By Lyle Henretty Daily Arts Editor Throughout the new special edition DVD version of "The Princess Bride," Director Rob Reiner and various cast mem- The Princess Bride: Special Edition DVD MGM bers compare the film to "The Wizard of Oz." They claim similarity not sim- ply because the movies mix broad humor with fantastical settings and colorful backdrops, but also because both films bombed at the box office. Though, as repeated television show- ings and strong word-of-mouth made taries. The first involves the director and cast looking back on filming and musing on how the film was received, anec- dotes from the set and grumblings about the studio. The other two were shot and intended for publicity. While they seem repetitive, they are amusingly dated relics. The pre- views include four TV spots and a trailer that gives away most of the movie. Reiner and the author of the book/screenwriter, William Goldman, both contribute individual commentary tracks. Both men love to tell stories and are completely taken with the film, so the tracks are more entertaining than they are informative. The extras are capped off by a look at some of Elwes personal home videos from the set. As video cameras were just becoming mainstream (the film was released in 1987) Elwes uses his toy much to the delight of his hambone castmates. The eminently enjoyable film looks better than ever in wide screen, making the rolling hills of the English country- side into a character unto itself. The crisp Dolby sound enhances the adventure and the romance by stepping up Mark Knopfler's pitch-perfect score. (The sound also allows you to realize how garbled Andre the Giant actually sounds.) Seeing this film as it was originally intended is a joy for those who have long-since worn out their home video copies. Cou rtev of Warner Bros. www.DcltaU.Org * www.JoinDeltaU.org * www.FourWord.org Do you and your friends have what it takes.. * Friendship * Character * * Culture * * Justice * "Wizard" an American classic, home video and die-hard fans spouting familiar phrases ("I do not think him is what you think him is") has elevated "Princess" to the upper eche- lons of American film. The story is of Princess Buttercup's (Robin Wright Penn) attempt to hold onto her true love (Cary Elwes) and thwart the evil-doings of Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) and his six-fingered side-kick Count Rugen (Christopher Guest). She is aided by swordsman Iningo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and giant Fezzik (Andre the Giant). The disc's extras are plentiful, including three documen- To start your own fraternity. The International Fraternity of Delta Upsilon is looking for Founding Fathers. Be a part of the tradition that DU has had at Michigan since 1876. Become a founding father and re-colonize the Michigan Chapter of Delta Upsilon. Those men will combine an interest to improve themselves morally, intellec- tually and socially. Being a DU ensures membership in the oldest Non-Secret Fraternity in North America. Courtesy of MGM i er 0 in yain. HP 315 Digital Camera , Rio 600/32MB MP3 Player ; «. t { ; ':ice 2 3 4 S 6 1. 8, 9, 0, *" : o ! z t y u R 5 D f G FH I K L1 X X C V 8 N M ' " . / ,a .a. .- . . Canon ZR20 or ZR25 MC Camcorder { ti Handspring Visor Edge Handheld Buy more. Save more. Buy any Mac and receive a free Lexmark color printer* (tax and other charges not included). Save even more when you also buy these great products: Canon ZR20 or ZR25 MC Camcorder, HP 315 Digital Camera, Handspring Visor Edge Handheld, and Rio 600/32MB MP3 Player For each product you buy, you'll Now's the time to buy your Mac. They're fast, easy to use, and I I fir.- 1