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The White Stripes in Review

2007-07-20T15:50:00.000-04:00

John Anthony Gillis A.K.A Jack White was born in Detroit (Rock City) in 1975. As a young lad he took up playing the drums and expanded his musical repertoire to include both the piano and guitar. As like with most celebrated guitest, Jack had taught himself how to play. His musical influences such as Led Zeppelin and Cream can be undoubtedly heard in his music today.

His ex-wife and band mate (NO NOT HIS SISTER) Megan Martha White were married on September 23, 1997 and divorced in March of 2000. Jack encouraged Meg to take up the drums and together they formed a little band called The White Stripes. Meg’s drumming style may be simplistic in its approach but is essential to the bands unmistakable sound.

Somewhere in between getting divorced and playing music The White Stripes recorded their first CD in the winter of January 1999. It was released on June 20th, 2000 tilted De Stijl named after a Dutch conceptual art movement based on simple colors. For obvious reason they felt that this was the most fitting appellation as their introduction into the world of mainstream music.

Next release for the band was in 2001 with ‘White Blood Cells.’ It was with this album that The White Stripes began to receive recognition with American audiences thanks to such singles off of that album like “Hotel Yorba and the more widely known ‘Fell in Love with a Girl’

The White Stripes began recording Elephant in Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, East London, equipped with equipment from before 1964. It was recorded it ten days and was agreeable their best album to date up till there newest release, Icky Thump. The newest single of off that album, bearing the name of the title Icky Thump may be the best song for the band since Seven Nation Army hit the radio waves back in 2003. “Icky Thump,” boast a more blues and country-tinged sound to it. Vocally we get to hear a stronger and cleaner sounding Jack White owed to his decision to quit smoking two years ago. The song is catchy and full of superb guitar playing by Jack with an ending that is sort of reminiscent of Ball and Biscuit off of the Elephant album.

Icky Thump was been received by audiences alike with great enthusiasm and a reinforced appreciation for the band.

Man Hunt 2: What’s all the Hype about?

2007-06-29T14:22:00.000-04:00

If you consider yourself any sort gamer, then I’m sure that you have been keeping up with all the hype surrounding the upcoming release of Manhunt 2 for the Nintendo Wii, on July 10 2007.
The game is about an Amnesiac scientist and his psychotic killer of a companion from an asylum and their momentous killing sprees. I assure you, you won’t be seeing this game lining the walls of your local Wal-Mart. In fact Manhunt 2 has been banned in the United Kingdom but given the go-head within the U.S. Market with an Adult Only rating due to its level of violence. Look I’m not embarrassed to admit it, but just the cover art alone freaks me out. It looks like something out of a Rob Zombie movie.

Even before receiving the AO-Rating for Manhunt 2 for the Wii version, it was already gaining negative momentum with Anti-Gaming groups due to the system’s use of violent gesturing in order to control the game’s characters. Gamers use motion –sensing controls to stimulate chopping, hacking and stabbing motions to kill their prey. Shall I dare ask “where is the fun in that?” What is the motivation driving the fascination behind the violence? Should we as a responsible society worry about those who find amusement in simulating the dismemberment of human beings?

Is all of the negative attention that the game is receiving hindering the potential sales of Manhunt 2 or elevating the anticipation of its release among the curious? All I know is that here at DVDBoxOffice.com the pre-orders have been soaring. (Especially from those living in the U.K!)

Blockbuster Announces that they will only be expanding Blu-Ray and not HD-DVD

2007-06-21T13:42:00.000-04:00

On June 18th Blockbuster announced that they will be phasing out all HD-DVD rentals at all of their retail stores by mid July and in turn solely support Blu-Ray technology.

So what exactly is Blu-Ray and why is it called that? This format was developed by the Blu-Ray Disc Association (BDA) to allow the recording, rewriting and playback on all High Definition videos (HD-DVD). This format also offers more then five times the storage capacity of the customary DVD and can support up to 50GB on a dual layer disc. The name Blu-Ray is derived from the Blue Laser Beam that is used to read the data with superior accuracy then the regular DVD and or CD.

Blockbuster will still be offering HD-DVD on-line, maybe so they can’t be accused of being in conspiracy with the studios and or the BDA or is their business decision based solely on revenue sharing. (Think rising gas prices) Or maybe Blu- Ray is to HD-DVD as VHS was to Beta? The percentage of Blu-ray rentals vs. HD DVD in the archetypal store and online is 70% Blu-ray vs. 30% HD-DVD and so this decision by Blockbuster may very well be based on consumer needs. In any case this truly is a landmark within the DVD Industry.

If you are playing to get a Blu-Ray this weekend here are the top 10 Blu-ray sellers:

1. 300
Flatliners
Wild Things
Hustle & Flow
The Patriot
Untouchables
Shooter
Resident Evil: Apocalpse
Blades of Glory
The Queen

The Special Edition (HD-DVD & DVD Combo) on Pre-Sale at DVDBoxOffice.com

2007-06-19T14:49:00.000-04:00

The special Edition (HD-DVD & DVD Combo) features the following:

• Audio Commentary : Director Zack Snyder, Writer Kurt Johnstad and Director of Photography Larry Fong • The Making of 300 Documentary• 300: Fact or Fiction Documentary• Plus More!!

300 - Review

2007-06-19T14:03:00.000-04:00

300 is a fantasy tale based on the Battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartans led by the fierce King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) makes a heroic stand against the overwhelming Persian army commanded by Xerxes. It depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. The story is based on Frank Miller’s novel Sin city and is directed by Zack Snyder who brings this graphic novel to life with his imaginative use of color. Aesthetically speaking, 300 is an outstanding piece of art. 300 is jam packed with plenty of bloody scenes and chopped body parts, in the same fashion of
Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. The violence is humbled by the romantic under tones and passionate moments shared between Leoindas and Gorgo.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Vincent Regan, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Michael Fassbender, Mercedes Leggett, Rodrigo Santoro, Tom Wisdom, Andrew Tiernan, Dominic West, Andrew Pleavin
Directed By: Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead)
Genre(s): Action, War

WILL FERRELL (MY HERO)

2007-06-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

Let’s talk funny, let’s talk about the insanely funny Saturday Night Live Alumni member, Will Ferrell. In 1995, Will Ferrell became a featured cast member of Saturday Night Live during the shows rapid re-casting. During his 7 year stint with the show, he was arguably looked upon as the greatest cast member ever. In 2002 Ferrell left the show to pursue his acting career in films. The most recent being Blades of Glory where he teams up with Napoleon Dynamites John Heder as a competitive figure skater. (Currently on sale for pre-order at DVDBoxOffice.com) He has been referred to by the media as “The Frat Pack” along with Jack Black, Ben Stiller, (Zoolander) and Vince Vaughn . (Old School)

Whats Happening on the Sopranos!?

2007-06-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

Due to its violent content and school yard language I had refused to watch the Sopranos for years. It wasn’t until my cousin told me that our 80 year old grandmother religiously watched the show (while knitting) that my curiosity was seriously peaked. Straight from the opening theme song I was totally hooked! The musical selection for each and every episode and for the commercials only furthered the intensity of the show for me. In fact, I just picked up Sopranos Vol. 02: Peppers & Eggs: Original soundtrack and Various Composers: #1 Sopranos Album on CD for the car.

On a personal sad note, like I mentioned above I did not join ‘the family’ until much later on in the series. For the past years I have been watching random episodes in syndication trying to piece together the current state of affairs. Now, I can’t wait for my DVDs to arrive to find what happened to Adrienne… I know that she was whacked in one of the episodes but who commissioned the hit and how was she found out. Also, what the hell is going on with AJ? I heard that he tried to drown himself. And why did Tony kill Christopher?

On a final note….Can anybody please tell me what happened on this Sunday’s finale? (I don’t get HBO)

New Collectible Figurines Available!

2007-02-20T11:25:00.000-05:00

DVD Box Office is pleased to announce that we are now offering collectible figurines from Sideshow Collectibles. Suitable for adults and teens aged 14 and up, these 12-inch figures have 30+ points of articulation allowing you to pose them in hundreds of different configurations. All figures come with a display base stand and different accessories which may include: extra weapons, interchangeable hands, lifelike fabric clothing, and much more.

Familar faces from movies and television such as Star Wars, The Terminator, James Bond, Buffy, Angel and even Scarface, there are a myriad of figures to choose from.

Stay tuned, we'll be adding even more of these lifelike figurines to our Books & Collectibles store in the next few weeks.

To view more of our collectible figurines, click here.

2007: The Year of Bowie?

2007-01-10T09:23:00.000-05:00

This year marks a couple of landmark moments for chameleonic rock icon David Bowie. This past Monday (January 8), he marked his 60th birthday. Also this year, and I think most importantly, his notorious "Bowie Bonds" will reach their maturity.

For those not "in the know" on Bowie Bonds, investors were invited to gamble on the artist's future by purchasing these bonds in 1997. The bonds essentially temporarily 'sold' the rights to the better part of his catalogue before that time. Bowie reportedly used the capital from these bonds to buy back the rights from a number of other tracks that were at that time owned by a previous manager. Once these bonds reach maturity, the rights to the music residing under Bowie Bonds (some 287 songs) returns to David Bowie himself.

So what does this mean for us? Well, lets take a look at what's been available as far as "David Bowie" anthologies. There's not much there. A couple collections, a scant few multi-disc sets. Not much in the way of remastered versions. Nothing truly wow-worthy, one would think. This, apparently, is about to change.

A source told Britain's 'The Independent', "The archives are bursting at the seams, things that no one has ever heard. He's never done anything like The Beatles Anthology, so there is scope for a boxed set and a DVD of his life."

So is this the year of the Bowie? Only time will tell, I suppose. To be sure, though, this is one artist I'll be keeping an eye out for this year.

Blu-Ray + HD-DVD player from LG a reality!

2007-01-09T09:08:00.000-05:00

It's CES time again, and that means lots of incoming news on the gadgets we all know and love. One gadget in particular that we've had our eye on since last year's show is the fabled and newly monikered "Super Multi Blue" player-- LG's latest entry in the home theatre market which plays not just 1 but BOTH high definition video formats (Blu-ray and HD-DVD)

What's that you say? One player, 2 formats? Well, it was bound to happen eventually, and apparently 'eventually' happens to be sometime during the first quarter of 2007. LG's aim is to address the challenge consumers face due to the current format war.

"We've developed the Super Multi Blue Player to end the confusion caused by the current competition between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Customers are no longer forced to choose between the two formats," said Dr. Hee Gook Lee, president and chief technology officer of LG Electronics. "As Full HD TV is already gaining ground, we are hoping that the Super Multi Blue Player will play the trigger role in expanding and advancing both Full HD TV and high- definition DVD market volume together."

Needless to say, this is an item we'll be watching in the months to come.

15% off Grammy Nominees

2007-01-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

Guess what! It's award season!
And what award season is complete without a chance to check out the nominees on the cheap?

For a limited time only, we've put all this year's Grammy Nominated CDs on sale for 15% off. Some of 2006's greatest music is in here, so if you haven't snagged these discs yet, now's the time to get your order in. Get to know what's so hot about Gnarls Barkley (in case you didn't read our write up on it when their album "St. Elsewhere" was the audio editor's selection back in June-- check that out here). And what's up with that crazy John Mayer with all his nominations-- for not one, but 2 albums!

It's been a great year for music, so don't miss out on the cream of the year's crop while they're on sale at DVDBoxOffice.

Check out our Grammy Sale here...

New PS3 Bundle now available!

2007-01-04T10:33:00.000-05:00

It's been a long (long... long...) time coming, but we've finally got it: a new Playstation 3 bundle featuring the 60GB PS3 Console, an extra controller and a shiny new copy of Call of Duty 3, all in one happy little box and waiting for your order!

The Playstation 3 has been one of our most sought after items since its official launch back in November, and also the most elusive thing on the planet. However, now that the holiday fog has lifted, we have finally been able to track a supply down and we're ready to start taking orders.

As orders will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis, if you've been hunting high and low for this bad boy, get your order in fast.

Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) (60GB) Bundle

Season's Greetings from the folks at DVDBoxOffice.com

2006-12-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

As we all lumber onto the local highways and biways in search of turkey, nog and whatever versions of home and hearth we cling to, we pause and reflect on the year behind us: the life and times of 2006.

It has been a busy year for us at DVDBoxOffice. We have expanded into new directions, added new features and ventured into new territories, all the while with one eye fixated on the same goals of quality service and customer satisfaction that have remained constant in our 8 years of existence.

Though we have not yet rung it in, 2007 is already shaping up to be another busy year. With the Box Office Bucks program now up and running, as well as some other tricks up our sleeve, we are again expanding our focus towards making your shopping experience as pleasurable as possible.

As always, we welcome your input and ideas as to how we can serve you better, and thank you for your continued patronage and support. You are, after all, the reason we're here. If not for our customers we'd be a performance without an audience, and there is no fun in that to be sure.

So from the bottom of our hearts we wish you a safe and happy Holiday. May your new year be one of peace and prosperity, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2007.

Cheers and warmest regards,
Your DVDBoxOffice Team

New Editor's Audio Pick: Tom Waits' Orphans

2006-12-01T09:41:00.000-05:00

This is not your average Tom Waits CD. This isn't even your average Tom Waits 3 CDs. This is something that stretches beyond a simple musical release, even for this notorious bender of the status-quo.

A bit about the man, and the music itself: As a Singer, composer and actor, Tom Waits is something of a rennaissance man of stage and screen. His distinctive voice, described by one critic as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months and then taken outside and run over with a car," is the cornerstone of his musical persona. His lyrics, which characteristically describe seedy and strange people and places, also delves into some of the most heartfelt ballads in modern music. He is a cult hero in all that he does, and yet for some reason "what he does" is always growing more and more incredible.

Now, this release, a 3 CD set featuring an assortment of cover songs, over 30 original compositions, and even a few tracks recorded in the garage with his kids, the listener is given a new and wonderful way to look at this man and his music. Peppered with jokes, stories and experiments, you almost become intimately aware of who this person really is under all the mystique. You learn him more than any previous release he has so generously given his waiting fans. And that is what makes it so wonderful, and so unlike anything else we've seen so far from him or any one else. It's not a recording of music, strategically (and beautifully, as in this case) packaged for mass consumption. It's more like sitting down over a glass of that same bourboun he's been marinating his voice in and trading stories.

It is, in a word, inspiring.

Tom Waits: Orphans
More Audio Picks from our Editors

DVDBoxOffice Presents: Webkinz!!

2006-11-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

AKA: The ultimate solution to the age old question "What do i get my niece/nephew for her/his birthday / stocking / mitzvah / etc?"

These little plush toys come in dozens of levels of 'cute', but that's not what makes them so gosh darn brilliant. That comes courtesy of the simple fact that a Webkinz plush is more than a simple toy.

Webkinz is a mutant hybrid toy line that combines Cabbage Patch Dolls, Beanie Babies, Tamagachi, Pokemon and Animal Crossing into one small and loveable package --a fusion of all that made any one of its inspirations cute into one fluffy candy coated candy toy with a candy center that will no doubt keep your kids occupied for all eternity.

Here's the deal. You buy your target child a Webkinz or Lil' Kinz plush (preferably from DVDBoxOffice, of course ;) ). Target child receives toy, and instantly tosses adjacent packaging to the wind. You retrieve the packaging from its new home (probably the floor), and dig out the adoption notice and show it to target child. You and the child read through the notice, paying special attention to the magic adoption code therein. You and target child take a spin on your internet browser of choice, heading over to http://www.webkinz.com/. There you register the new toy, and begin taking part in interacting with other Webkinz in other places by way of a super-secure and designed-with-the-young-in-mind chat interface. Each Webkinz is given his own home, which can be decorated and furnished using Kinz Cash, which is earned by playing fun yet suspiciously educational games within the WebKinz universe.

And there you have it. Target child now frolics into the cyber-sunset with his/her new toy and is well on his/her way to learning the essential skills that will be required for him/her to join his/her first Warcraft guild in the next year or so. Before you know it, they'll be scouring eBay for the silver sword with 10,000 hitpoints that they need to defeat the evil Lord Zhorn and save Hyrule from the Space Marines of Krom.

They grow up so fast.

Click here to see what's available

All Wiik and New Consoles Make Go Somethin Somethin.

2006-11-20T14:46:00.000-05:00

Suffice it to say, it's been a busy week in DVDBO-land. The run up to the launch of 2 new consoles, a whole slew of new features, the introduction of Toshiba's new lineup of HD-DVD players. Yup. It's been a busy one, I'll tell ya!

First off, the question of the moment is "Whuzzup with the PS3?". Short answer: we don't know. I'm sure most of you cats have heard about Sony's recent crackdown on overseas shipping for their new console, which has caused quite the headache on the part of other retailers like ourselves. Our solution is to keep it buttoned up until we receive official word from Sony as to what the rules shall be. Compounding the problem is the fact that the Japanese megacorp has been mercilessly tight-lipped on the topic.

In other news, Nintendo launched its Wii this weekend. Of course, you already knew that (unless you've been living under a rock somewhere, at least). Thankfully, supply on this one is much better, with Nintendo spokespeople boasting an expected 4 million units to be shipped out by January. Will that happen? We hope so. While we didn't see near the numbers we were hoping for launch day, we are optimistic that we'll be able to get most of our preorders filled within the coming weeks. Does that mean you should be lining up at your local Electronics Emporium in hopes of picking one up sooner? Not necessarily. Supply in brick and mortor shops appears to be lower than ours, which has lead a number of customers back to Good Ol' DVDBoxOffice to get their Wii the easy way: no lineups, no contending with traffic, no smug faced chaps in polo shirts telling you and your fellow shoppers for the zillionth time that the store is out of stock and no they don't know when there will be more available.

And capping things off, we added a new affiliate program to our roster, allowing people to make money from us for a change, just by hosting a DVDBO banner on their web site. For more information on this, take a look here.

15% off selected cookbooks

2006-11-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the holidays, and for a limited time, selected cookbooks are on sale for 15% off at DVDBoxOffice.com.
With great titles from celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Rachael Ray, along with tried and true classics like "The Joy Of Cooking", there's sure to be something here for your own chef-at-home.

Sorry, this promotion has ended

Save $38cad on James Bond

2006-11-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

Though hard to imagine by today's standards, Sean Connery's James Bond used a female companion as a shield under hostile fire no fewer than eight times over the course of the six original Bond movies. We won't do that.

Instead, we'll just give you a smokin' deal on the latest 007 DVD Box Sets. For a limited time, buy all 4 volumes of the Ultimate James Bond Box Sets and you'll save 10% on each set, giving a whopping total savings of nearly $40cad.

Now if that doesn't get your martinis shaking, nothing will.

Sorry... this promotion has ended

In retrospect: Focus On Sci-Fi

2006-10-10T12:02:00.000-04:00

We've recently finished our first Movie Focus, and we're wondering what you guys thought about it. We certainly had fun debating and discussing the merits of our favourite aspect and titles in science fiction. Did you enjoy reading about them?
Post your thoughts here, as we'd love to hear them!

If you missed them, or you'd like a refresher, here they are again, in Backed-Up form...

Focus on Sci-Fi Part 1: The Early Years
Focus on Sci-Fi Part 2: Aliens and Monsters and Bots (Oh My!)
Focus on Sci-Fi Part 3: Adventures in Galaxies Far, Far Away
Focus on Sci-Fi Part 4: Dystopias and the Orwellian Equation

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to be Discontinued

2006-10-10T12:01:00.000-04:00

There's been a lot of chatter about this title lately. The hit PS2 game seems to be uite the hot commodity since rumours started circulating that the game was to be discontinued. Well, Atlus made good on the rumours recently with their announcement that they'd be doing one more run for this game, then they'd be fitting it with some cement shoes.

On the up side, we're placing a nive fat order of these, which our suppliers tell us they should be able to fill. So, if you want a copy of this game, I would suggest getting your orders in pronto. As always, orders are on a first come first served basis, so the sooner you get your order in the more likely we'll be able to fill your order should we be short of stock.

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

Focus on Sci-Fi Part 4: Dystopias and the Orwellian Equation

2006-10-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

As part of our ongoing look at science fiction, this week's focus is on the darker side of the future, set in versions of our own world that don't have room for warm fuzzy notions like freedoms or happiness. There's a lot of ground to cover, to be sure, so we've picked our favourite 'reverse-utopias' to discuss.

Blade Runner
Loosely based on the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by author Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scott's 1982 classic starring Harisson Ford has long been analysed and cherished by theorists, film enthusists and critics alike. The dense urban setting that director Scott created plus the film's intertextuality and references to the past - the late 40s and 50s in particular - supplies an environment of signs, symbols and simulations that provide multiple meanings, only some of which may have been intended by Scott. There are many cultural and ecological issues that the film raises with its "silent spring" of a post-nuclear, polluted, overpopulated world coming to its end; where replicants, according to the slogan of their "maker", Doctor Eldon Tyrell, are made "more human than human"; and where animals are mostly extinct or expensive simulated versions of highly valued originals.

Blade Runner's city, with its composite of time and place and its references, through architecture and fashions, to the 40s, conjures up memories of one of the blackest periods of human history: the `Fall' of humanity, linked with the domination of people perceived as the non-human enemy and therefore as subjects for brutality and experimentation in the Nazi eugenics programme, the concentration camps, the gas chambers, and as targets for nuclear bombs.

Not only does the film reveal ourselves to ourselves as many of the genre's stories do, but it also leads us to question the actions that have brought our world to this dystopia in which human dominance is affecting the well-being of other humans and other species.

Blade Runner (Director's Cut)

THX-1138
George Lucas' student film turned feature has become something of a legend. The movie tells the story of the titular human drone (played by a suprising Robert Duvall) and his female companion as they attempt to escape a computer-run, dehumanizing world where sex is outlawed and everyone is kept under control with drugs.

Suppression is the theme of the day in this film. Emotion and desire are squashed by the overrulling androids, and are the key to humanity and freedom. Efficiency overrides every other aspect of human life, as people are reduced to code names and their lives are contained, monitored, and manipulated for the sake of the system.

This white-washed future nightmare draws heavily on 1984, but remains a much more accessible imagining of the premise than the movie adaptation of Orwell's book starring John Hurt. There are, however some obvious differences between the two, most significantly being each's variation on the 'look and feel' of totalitarianism. Lucas' version is very stark and clean, notoriusly shot almost entirely in a white room, while your typical setting for the fall of man tends to be given more emphasis on decay.

This movie is also particularly note-worthy for its accomplishment in the field of sound design and recording.

THX 1138

Soylent Green
This Charleton Heston film blames the ruin of man on the overpopulation of the planet, rather than any political aspect. It is the year 2022 and New York City's population has swelled to 22,000,000 with over half of that number being unemployed. Other factors contributing to the misery of setting include resultant global warming and the scarcity of 'real food'. The fictional "Soylent Corporation" (presumably a fusion of the words Soy and Lentil, two high yeild crops with lower price tags) is the principal provider of nutrition, which comes in wafers of varying colours, the highest in demand being that of the Green variety, thus providing the movie's title.

Heston plays the 'everyman', in this case a police detective trying to solve the murder of one of the Soylent Corporation's board members. Through his investigation he begins to uncover a strange conspiracy involving the corporation, which leads to the answer to the film's tagline "What's the secret of Soylent Green?"

This film, now often parodied thanks to Heston's over-the-top portrayal of the main character, is a dark vision of what could lie in the future for a civilization that has yet to address it's propensity to consume without question.

Soylent Green

Mad Max
Set in near-future Austrailia, this classic finds its premise in a break-down of civil order as facilitated by a post-apocalyptic fuel shortage. That said, the premise isn't quite the plot in this case, it's simply the setting. The theme here is revenge.

Following the successful rousing of motor-gang lieutenant, hesitant police patrolman Max (Mel Gibson) gets a shiny new ride, some leathers, and a pricetag on his head courtesy of the gang he's just messed with. The gang members try to get their evens with Max by brutally killing his Wife, Son and best friend. Understandably distraught, and aided by general prevelance of anarchy in the area, Max returns the favour by slaughtering gang members one by one. He then rides off into the sunset, leaving corpses and his past in his wake.

The dystopian quotient is more of an afterthought in this film-- tossed in as a way of convincing more people that such violence would be possible. What the film became, other than being the movie with the highest cost to gross ratio until the Blair Witch Project, was the progenitor of what has become the typical post-apocalyptic setting.

Mad Max

Brazil
Bureaucratic dystopias, or technocratic dystopias, are strictly regulated and hierarchial societies, thus related to totalitarian dystopias as seen in 1984. In this particularly noir example of the bureaucratic sort, Terry Gilliam pitts the imagination of the common man against the oppressive storm troppers of the Ministry of Information.

The film captures the paranoid-subversive spirit of Kafka's The Trial (along with Gilliam's own Python animation) in this nightmare-comedy about a meek governmental clerk named Sam Lowry whose life is destroyed by a simple bug. Not a software bug, a real bug (no doubt related to Kafka's famous Metamorphosis insect) that gets smooshed in a printer and causes a typographical error unjustly identifying an innocent citizen, one Mr. Buttle, as suspected terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro). When Sam becomes enmeshed in unraveling this bureaucratic glitch, he himself winds up labeled as a miscreant.

Exploring the overwhelmingly innefficient and tiresome possibilities of the Information Age, this film is probably more relevant today than it was when it was first produced.

Brazil (Criterion) (Box Set)

Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury's chilling vision of a possible future is a bit of an oddball in the dystopian catalogue. In his future, firemen don't put out fires, they start them - in order to burn books. This is a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. The title refers to the temperature at which a book will ignite.

The story takes place in an unspecified future time, possibly sometime in the twenty-first century, in an America which has turned hedonistic and rabidly anti-intellectual, accompanied by the complete abandonment of self-control. At this point, books have been made obsolete due to the increasingly frenetic pace of life and the ever-shortening attention span of the common man — nobody has "time" to read anymore, and possession of books has been forbidden; the minimum punishment is confinement in a mental hospital and having one's house, books and all, burnt by "firemen"; and the maximum, is immediate death.

The result is a society that is emotionally unstable, its citizens often anxious, sad, or angry, and disruptive to society and full of nonsense. Enter the protagonist, one Guy Montag, who's previously contented life with his over-stimulated wife is put to question with the discovery of a mistress who's love of information causes him to look at his existance in a new light and subsequently descend into radicalism.

Fahrenheit 451

Focus on Sci-Fi Part 3: Adventures in Galaxies Far, Far Away

2006-09-25T14:21:00.000-04:00

As part of our ongoing look at science fiction, this week's focus is on the adventures set on other worlds in other galaxies and in other times either past or future. There's a lot of ground to cover, to be sure, so we've picked our favourite Space Adventures to discuss in regards to their fame and fortune, as well as their own commentaries on the goings on here on earth.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century...
Buck Rogers began with a pair of novels in 1928, and has since become synonomous with early sci-fi adventuring. Following in the footsteps of H.G. Wells, Buck Rogers is arguably responsible for the popularization of space exploration. Whether in comic strip form, movies, radio or television, it quickly became an important part of American pop culture. As a pop phenomenon it paralleled the development of space technology in the twentieth century and introduced Americans to space as a familiar environment for swashbuckling adventure.

Such was the fame of Buck Rogers, that it became the basis for one of the most fondly remembered science fiction spoofs in a series of Daffy Duck cartoons. The first of these was Duck Dodgers in the 24-1/2th Century, which was directed by Chuck Jones in 1953. There were also two sequels to this cartoon, and ultimately a Duck Dodgers television series.

Buck Rogers In The 25th Century: The Complete Epic Series

Star Wars...
No discussion on the topic of Sci-Fi Adventures would be complete without the mention of a certain series by a certain Mr. George Lucas. First released with what is now known as "Episode IV" in 1977, Star Wars became a pop culture worldwide phenomenon - spawning five more feature films , three spin-off films, five television series and an extensive collection of licensed books, comics, video games, and other products - all of which are set within a fictional "galaxy far, far away."

Science fiction since Star Wars, particularly in film, has often been influenced by and compared to Star Wars. References to the main characters and themes of Star Wars are casually made in Western society with the well-qualified assumption that others will understand the reference. Many say that the visual and virtual effects that take over today's movies would have never been created if not for Lucas's revolutionizing of the movie industry with Star Wars.

The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi

Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon, which was originally penned as a competitor to Buck Rogers in 1934, began its days as a comic strip. Since then, it has branched into TV, radio and Film in much the same way as its 25th century counterpart. In contrast, however, Flash Gordon has become more celebrated for its "campy" qualities than for its contribution to culture at large. This paved the way for the 1974 semi-pornographic parody "Flesh Gordon".

The franchise follows the adventures of Flash Gordon, for whom the series was named, and his companions Dr. Hans Zarkov and Dale Arden. The story begins with Dr. Zarkov's invention of a rocket ship, in which the three of them make a journey to the planet Mongo, where they are stranded. Mongo is inhabited by a number of different cultures, some quite technologically advanced, that have been falling one by one under the domination of the vicious tyrant Ming the Merciless.

In 2004, the franchise rights were obtained by Stephen Sommers (Director of Van Helsing and The Mummy), and rumours have put this series back on the charts. At this time, though, no cast information is available, though a 2008 release date has been rumoured.

Check out our inventory of all things Flash Gordon

Star Trek
If Buck Rogers popularized the exploration of space, then Star Trek made it cool. Beginning with the short-lived original series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nemoy, and continuing on to this very moment as a script for a new movie is being developed, Star Trek has become a phenomenon to be reckoned with to say the least.

The series is largely allegorical, putting its altruistic characters in situations that test their moral convictions. The 1960's series generally approached issues of concern for the day (such as racism, technology and the role of the miniskirt in 23rd century society), while more current members of the franchise deal with more modern problems (i.e. political conflict, more technology, and the importance of leotards in the 24th century).

Having just celebrated its 40th anniversary on September 8th of this year, Star Trek has become one of the most influencial franchises in Science Fiction. It has inspired many of the technological innovations we enjoy today, such as cell phones and palm pilots. Going into its 41st year now, the series continues to boldly go where no one has ever gone before.

Check out our inventory of all things Star Trek

Battlestar Galactica
First introduced in 1978 in a bold effort to capitalize on the interest in science fiction generated by Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica has recently been resurrected from the halls of Sci-Fi Camp to become the hottest science fiction franchise currently available on TV.

The original franchise has enjoyed a cult following from its jumbled beginnings, and has been subjected to several attempts at revival. Not until the recent revisioning of the series, however, has it enjoyed any great commercial success. The new series, which carries the same basic storyline featuring the unceremonious near-destruction of the human race and the quest for the 13th colony of Earth, has been hailed as a breath of fresh air for a genre which many believe was getting a little tired after 30 years of recycling ideas from a few sources of inspiration.

The series is now growing with great momentum. A new series ("Caprica") is in the works that will take place 50 years before the Cylon attack, and is being touted as "television's first science fiction family saga." It is clear that this franchise has a lot more up its sleeve.

The 1978 Movie
The Original Series
The 2003 Miniseries
The New Series (Season 1)

Doctor Who
This programme is one of the longest-running science fiction television series in the world and also a significant part of British popular culture. It has been recognised for its imaginative stories, creative low-budget special effects during its original run and pioneering use of electronic music. The original series ran from 1963 to 1989, and the programme was successfully relaunched in 2005 with a new cast, including the 10th face of 'the doctor'.

Elements of the programme are well known and identifiable even to non-fans. In Britain and elsewhere, the show has become a cult television favourite on a par with Star Trek and has influenced generations of British television professionals, many of whom grew up watching the series. It has received recognition from critics and the public as one of the finest British television programmes, including a BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 2006.

Check out our inventory of all things Doctor Who

September Book Selection: 1984 by George Orwell

2006-09-25T14:10:00.000-04:00

This is a book I have read many times, as has many people out there. It's part of many High School English programs, and has been made into a movie, which I suppose isn't all too shocking. Its premise has been borrowed by countless other works in many different forms of media. So why am I featuring it as my selection this month?

Well, simply put, I think that this book requires reading at several different points in life. I read it outside of the curriculum while I was a student and it scared the pants off me then, though I will admit, I didn't understand it all too well. I read it again at 20, understood more and was scared more. I read it again last weekend, with the current global situation and several Orwellian Clones well intrenched in recent memory, and it brought me nearly to tears. I am afraid to read it again, though I'm sure I will someday, if only because I am curious as to what new truths I will later find within its pages.

The point is this: there are some novels out there that are required reading for more reasons that simple appreciation of the english language. This is an important and often overlooked work that has more power in its first chapters than most everyday fiction can boast in their entirety. If you have not read this book recently (or, dare I wonder, ever), I highly suggest picking up this book at your soonest conveniece. Though you may be wise in avoiding it on days otherwise reserved for cheer.

1984 by George Orwell
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September Audio Selection: Thom Yorke: The Eraser

2006-09-25T10:57:00.000-04:00

This album could carry many alternate titles. Some of them may be "Excerpts from the Motion Picture ‘A Scanner Darkly’ ", "Kid B", or "Radiohead minus the other guys”. Regardless of your preferred way of referring to this album, it remains a must-listen for fans of musical curiosities and experimentation.

While bearing in mind the inevitable comparison to the album's close cousin "Kid A", this new album from the Radiohead front man doesn't have the same jarring effect that being ahead of its time leant "Kid A". As a result, as similar as the works are, The Eraser manages to be an easier listen.

And listen you must, because underneath the minimal grooves and Yorke's nasal warblings is something suprisingly brave in its melancholy. It's tough, sometimes, to remember that the rest of the band isn't gonna sweep in at some moments to elevate a song to more customary post-prog-rock proportions. However, when enjoyed on the whole, this absense of the epic slant of Radiohead actually compliments the album, adding an element of desolation that is almost an instrument by its own right here.

Thom Yorke: The Eraser
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September Game Selection: Company of Heroes

2006-09-22T15:40:00.000-04:00

We all remember Saving Private Ryan. The gritty realism, the attention to each macabre detail, they were all present for we viewers to take in. Now, let's take that experience and put it in game form. Now let's call that game Company of Heroes. We won't have to, though, because the good people at THQ have done it for us.

Put together by the same squad that brought us Warhammer 40K, Company of Heroes has a lot of the same addictive qualities that makes that series so addictive. The graphics and sound are truly top notch, as expected, but it's the attention to detail that really has this game standing out from the crowd that is the Real Time Strategy genre. This is not hindered by the game's slower pace and greater emphasis on tactics over building efficiency. What this really amounts to is a game that is basically the ideal RTS for strategy junkies.

A bit of a caveat on this one though, there's a good bit of naughty language on this one-- so much in fact that player boards feature more than a few posts from players speaking out about the quantity of profanity and potential racial slurs in the game's soundtrack. Whether or not this is a wholly bad thing, though, has yet to be seen. We are talking about a war game, after all, and if a few curse words can't make cameos in a game which features bodies being blown out of buildings, then where can they?

Company of Heroes
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Discussion: Wii Game Bundle

2006-09-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

We've come up with a tastey new scheme, and we want to know what you think. It deals with the Wii and its games, but takes a form that we've never really done before, so we're not sure how people would take to it.

Basically, the idea is this: We put together a bit of a Wii bundle, but the actual contents are something the customer would be able to decide. You'd get your Wii, and then you'd have pre-paid for 6 games of your choosing, to be selected at any time you see fit starting from the day your console leaves our warehouse to one year after. The bundle would be priced with a discount on the games incorporated into the price, but the real perk would be, since technically you'd paid for the game already, you would be at the front of the line for the game -- meaning of all the stock of the game we get, yours will be amoung the first shipped.

So... let us know what you think. Wii + 6 games of your choosing = sum price - a bit of a discount + getting to be at the front of the line for your games.
Is this appealing? Is this the dumbest idea you've ever heard? Let us know by commenting here!

September Movie Selection: Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

2006-09-21T16:42:00.000-04:00

Its been a long time coming, and now the waiting is over. As a Star Wars fan, I too have been wrapped up in the conflict between the much-loved original and the often maligned newer editions of the sci-fi classic. Quite frankly, to see the movies I grew up with finally take their place on my DVD Shelf, well... it nearly brings a tear to my eye.

But was it worth the wait? Is adding yet another edition of this series to my collection worth the price I've paid? Honestly, it kinda is. I think, once you strip down the nostalgia to leave this obsession standing in the middle of the room in its birthday suit, it seems silly. It is, after all, just a bunch of movies. But it is, essentially, the nostalgia that makes all these movies as good as they are. For many of my age group, seeing Star Wars in the theatre in 1977 is something akin to our parents' discussoins of the first moon landing or the assassination of JFK. Seeing that first space battle is something we'll never forget, and there is little doubt that we will be telling knee-perched grandchildren all about it when our time comes.

Watching all these years as George Lucas and his crew slowly tweeked our memories has been an uncomfortable process. That is what makes these DVDs so important for Star Wars fans. Having these versions available to us now means that we can really truly relive the experience we so desperately cling to without having to gingerly handle our now ancient VHS cassettes. Indeed, this release means that we can now, finally and officially, sell our VCRs in the next family garage sale.

Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
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Wii FAQ

2006-09-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

We've had a lot of people asking about the Wii, its features and other related issues. Here's some of the common questions...

NOTE! All of this is subject to change! The only ones that know what's what for sure about the Wii is Nintendo. If they change their minds, there's nothing DVDBoxOffice can do other than match Nintendo.

1. What's in the box??
According to Nintendo, the Wii will come with the console, cables, and the sensor bar, one Wii remote and one nunchuk controller. One Wii game -- Wii Sports -- will also be included.

2. How many games will be availble at launch?
Hard to say at this point. Nintendo is guessing at around 30, including Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Excite Truck. Confirmation on 3rd Party games is still pending.

3. Why do you only take visa for this?
As with many of our more expensive items, we prefer to use Visa so that we can make use of the added security offered our customers via the Verified by Visa process. This is especially important in this case as popular items are often the most often bought in fraudulent purchases.
If you are a long-time customer with only a Mastercard to your name, we may be able to accomodate you. Contact our customer service department for more information.

4. How do I buy additional controllers?
We've recently posted the Remote, the Nunchuck, and a points card (details on which are pending) on our web site. We'll be adding more as information comes in, so keep an eye on the site for the latest additions.

5. Why is shipping so much?
When we first made the Wii available for preorder on our site, an oversite on our part inflated the frieght charges associated with it. This has since been corrected. Also, because there was no official weight given at that time, we had to guess at how heavy it would be. That is also no longer the case.

6. Is the Wii Region Free
This is especially tricky, but rumour has it both ways right now. It's probably safest to assume not, as these things rarely are. More on this as details come in.

7. Will you have stock on launch day?
Early indication is that we will have a number of consoles available for shipment on the day of the launch. How many? Your guess is as good as ours. Could be anywhere from 0 to hundreds, we just don't know yet. We are committed to filling orders as quickly as we can, but if Nintendo comes up short of consoles on launch day, then it may take some time to fill all of our orders.

8. Will My Wii be shipped on the day of the launch?
Orders are filled on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, the sooner you place your order, the higher up in the queue you will be. If we are short-stocked on the day of the launch, then we may not be able to fill all our orders immediately. See question 7 for more information on that.

9. Are the contents/price/release date etc. subject to change?
Most definately. Yes. Without a doubt. Launches of this nature have been nototiously messy in the past. We are optimistic, however, that being directly linked to Nintendo will minimize this, but there can be no guarantees at any point in regard to pricing, shipping, releases, contents etc. As mentioned above, if Nintendo changes their mind, then there's nothing we can do.

10. Will the Wii play my GameCube games?
Yes.

11. How can I connect my Wii to the internet?
The Wii will come equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, so I've you've got a Wireless Router in your home, you should be able to connect that way.

12. My dog ate my credit card! How do I order a Wii?
We will also accept payment via Wire Transfer. For more information please contact our customer service department.

13. (ooo... unlucky...) Will I need an adaptor to use my North American Wii in ?
Not too sure at this time. We'll let you know as soon as we can find out on this.

My brain is officially drained. If there's anything I've missed here, feel free to contact us for more information.

Last Updated Sept. 28

Wonky Wii Shipping Rates Fixed

2006-09-21T09:30:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week at DVDBoxOffice. As we were waiting for confirmation on some last minute details from Nintendo, our tried and true Customer Service agents were as busy as we've seen them in some time, juggling all the emails and phone calls all wanting to know when we would be listing the Wii for preorder. Then, finally, at about 3 o'clock yesterday, the orders started coming in.

For a moment, it was silent. A little too silent. Then, of course, it happened (as it always does in times like these). A problem. A slight one, it seemed, but it couldn't be that bad, right? Wrong.

"Is this right? Will it really cost $200 to ship this to the UK?"

Well... um... no.

Without hesitation the DVDBO squad donned their secret decoder rings, and within the next few minutes the problem was identified and corrected. A bit more time and the freight charges that had been wrongly applied to confirmed orders had been adjusted to match.

So, to sum up: Due to an oversight on our part, the shipping rates that were applied to the Wii were way off the mark. This has since been fixed. If you've been hesitating on your order because of high shipping rates, you should find that shipping is much more reasonable now. If you had already ordered yours, regardless of the shipping charges on your original order, your frieght charges have been adjusted.

We're very sorry about all the confusion this oversight has no doubt caused, and encourage any one with any questions or concerns in this regard to contact our customer service department.

Hopefully, we'll all be Wii-ing into the wee hours of the morning without any more hiccups on the way to launch day.

Focus on Sci-Fi Part 2: Aliens and Monsters and Bots (Oh My!)

2006-09-19T13:39:00.000-04:00

As part of our ongoing look at science fiction, this week's focus is on the creatures of science fiction, be they other worldly in nature, perversions of earth's very nature, or mankind's own invention. Below you will find explorations of some of what we felt were the most impressive creatures to grace screens big and small, including some of our favourite titles for each.

Science Gone Wrong, Perversions of Nature, and Other Monsters of Earthly Origin...
Creating a distinction between monsters from other worlds and those of our own is, in our opinion, a very important step in really recognizing the value of each type of monster. Earth's monsters must follow different conventions than extra-terrestrials in order to be really believable.

Earth's monsters are most often mutations based on existing forms we see either in daily life or in history books. Probably the most famous movie monster out there is none other than Japan's most famous export (other than Hello Kitty, of course), Godzilla. Since 1953, this dinosaur-gone-crazy has been sporadically rising from his various lairs to do battle with his fellow monsters and even mechanized versions of himself, while incidentally stomping all over downtown Tokyo.

Not to be forgotten in this category are the scientific mishaps and perversions of nature. Movies like "The Fly" and "Frankenstein" have given us new and terrible creatures that often fall prey to man's prejudice and misunderstandings. These creatures are the more socially important in science fiction, as they are just as often found in stories with strong moral messages as they are in movies of good old fashion monster fun.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters
The Fly
Frankenstein Legacy Collection
Jurassic Park
King Kong
Planet of the Apes Legacy Box Set

They Came From Space...
If there's one creature type in Science Fiction that is the most common, it is the Alien Life Form. They can be curious explorers, hostile invaders, or just plain hungry.

Steven Spielberg's classics E.T: The Extra Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind are wonderful examples of friendly aliens and their dealings with our backward planet. Sure, he's also responsible for the recent juiced up version of the classic Alien Invasion flick "War of the Worlds", but we can't have nice aliens all the time, now can we.

The invasion idea has been around for quite some time now. These films generally follow a formula-- aliens arrive, blow stuff up, get foiled and either get blown up themselves or retreat while they are able. Movies such as Independence Day have taken this formula head on to create some of the bigger blockbusters we've seen in the last few decades. Meanwhile, Tim Burton's Mars Attacks remains a much appreciated cult classic parody of the theme.

The most famous Alien out there is arguably that of the Alien series, which was designed by European artist H.R. Giger. This one is definitely of the 'scare your pants off' variety, what with its acidic blood and protruding jaws and whatnot. These guys, along with most of the 'creature feature' lineup from the 1950's, serve as a perfect reminder that we could have everything to fear in these creatures from the stars.

The Blob (Criterion)
Alien Quadrilogy
War of the Worlds (1954)
Mars Attacks
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Metal Wonders of Modern Technology
obots have long been a staple element in Science Fiction. Whether you're dealing with robots as a part of future society, or cybergenic hybrids and androids, the technological aspect of these creatures has been approached from several different angles. Usually, they end up in the same place-- the technology gets out of hand somehow, often to disastrous result.

There are, of course, utopian examples of this phenomenon. Works like Bicentennial Man and Star Trek portray robotic characters as they become 'more human', either in appearance or in programming, and often in both. And there's always the presence of robots as a way of placing the story in another time (i.e. the future) or place (i.e. a galaxy far far away).

The common approach, however, is to give robots abilities that allow them to intimidate and oppress their human makers. Movies like the Terminator and The Matrix depict a world at war with the now overwhelming technology in the role of the dominant 'species' on the planet. Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, based on Philip K. Dick's classic "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", shows a half-way point between the two extremes wherein even supposedly human characters have their nature under scrutiny.

Why do we villainize robots so much? An easy answer would be to repurpose the robot as a symbol of man's fear of technology, rather than the simple scientific eventuality it probably is. Whatever the intent, robots and their kin will forever be as much a part of science fiction as aliens are.

Blade Runner
Battlestar Galactica
The Terminator
Metropolis
The Matrix (Ultimate Collection)
Bicentennial Man

We want Wii!

2006-09-15T09:59:00.000-04:00

Details are beginning to surface... the new Nintendo console is soon to come.

It looks like North America will be leading the Wii launch train, arriving here first on November 19.

But here's the part that had us all doing jigs yesterday. We can't really divulge anything yet, but we're so excited we simply had to share... but we're in talks with Nintendo to get some special perks for this launch, hopefully including some exclusive privelages in regards to launch day stock.

So the moral of the story is this: keep an eye on your friendly neighborhood DVDBO homepage for news about the Wii. Better yet-- sign up for inventory notification on the Wii description page and you'll automatically be emailed when we have all of our ducks lined up.

For now, I've posted the press release from Nintendo Canada below to wet your whistle with. Until later, we'll be eagerly awaiting new Wii news right with you.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 14 /CNW/ - Nintendo will reshape the home entertainment and video game landscape with the launch of its heralded Wii(TM) home video game console. The Americas will lead the worldwide launch on Nov. 19. Wii will be sold as an affordable, mass-consumer product at an MSRP of just $279.95. The price includes one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchuk(TM) controller and the groundbreaking collection of five different Wii Sports games on one disc, which anyone can play using simple movements, experienced or not.

Every Wii console includes another distinctive feature: a series of on-screen "channels" that make up the Wii Channel Menu, which makes the console approachable and customizable for everyone, from the most avid gamer to people who have never played before. The Wii Channel Menu is the starting point for all of the console's functions. The "channels" offer a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Channel Menu offers a simple interface, letting users pick games to play, get news or weather, view and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. Additional functions allow users to redeem Wii Points and download classic games to Wii's Virtual Console(TM). The variety of options available through the Wii Channel Menu motivates both gamers and non-gamers to turn on Wii's power every day.

Wii is creating worldwide excitement with its unique control system, an inventive, first-of-its-kind controller whose position can be detected in a 3-D space. The new controller allows users to pinpoint targets in games or move through the Wii Channel Menu with precision and ease. This intuitive control system will be understood immediately by everyone, regardless of their previous experience with video games. With this one small controller, Wii makes games both easier and more intense than anything previously experienced. For example, in the Wii Sports tennis game, players swing the Wii Remote like a racket to hit the ball, as in real life. They can add topspin or slice the ball just by angling their hands and wrist like they would in a real match.

"Wii reinvents games for the devoted player," says Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada's Vice President-General Manager. "But more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from non-players by delivering the best game experiences for the most affordable price. We believe the next leap is games for the masses - young and old, gamer or non, alone, with a friend or with the whole family."

The Canadian launch for Wii on November 19 precedes the launch in Japan slated for December 2.

Between launch day and Dec. 31, Wii owners will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles, with selections for everyone from video game veterans to newcomers. Some top Nintendo launch titles include Wii Sports, a compilation of tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing; The Legend of Zelda(R): Twilight Princess; and EXCITE TRUCK(TM). While publishers are free to set their own prices for games, first-party Nintendo titles will have an MSRP of $59.95. Wii's self-loading media bay also can play the entire library of more than 530 Nintendo GameCube(TM) titles from day one.

Third-party developers around the world have lined up to provide unprecedented support for Wii.

"The Wii control scheme opens up unexplored areas for our talented teams to innovate when creating games," says Laurent DeToc, President of Ubisoft North America. "It's invigorating for us. We believe that it will help create a new level of interest in video games and engage more players around the world."

"I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment," says Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts. "It's a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES."

"The Wii is changing audience interaction, opening up whole new experiences that have never been possible in video games," says Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. "With the instinctual control of the Wii Remote, Nintendo is advancing the gaming experience to the broadest audience of gamers. Activision is excited about the launch of the Wii and the opportunity it offers. So much so, we plan to have five titles available at launch - our strongest lineup ever for a new console. We have more development resources devoted to the Wii than to any previous Nintendo platform. The Wii is likely to have a profound impact on the size, growth and overall opportunities for the video game market."

Additional information about the list of Virtual Console games and the pricing structure will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Focus on Sci-Fi Part 1: The Early Years

2006-09-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

As part of our ongoing look at science fiction, this week's focus is on the early years of Science Fiction, centering on the first 50 years of its existence in film media. Below you will find explorations of some of what we felt were the most important films of this time period, including each title's influence on movies that followed it.

Metropolis (1926)The first great sci-fi feature film was a silent masterpiece of German Expressionism by Austrian director Fritz Lang. At the time, it was the most expensive silent film ever made, costing approximately 7 million reichsmark (about $200 million US equivelant). It is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and deals with the then-and-now politically relevant theme of capitalism vs. communism.

The themes, effects and characters in Metropolis have been the inspiration for many of its successors. It was also adapted into an anime feature in 2000.

The original German version remained unseen for many decades. Of this version, a quarter of the footage is believed to be permanently lost. The U.S. version, shortened and re-written by Channing Pollock, is the most commonly known and discussed.

Metropolis

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
This film is considered by many to be one of the greatest films in Science Fiction. It set the tone for many of the Science Fiction films that followed it, and even spawned some of what we now consider to be cliches of the genre: a race of killer robots, the silver space-suit, flying saucers, etc. As it was filmed entirely in black and white with minimal but effective special effects, it also stands on its own as a model of economic film making.

What really makes this movie stand out, though, is its bleak outlook on mankind-- a rarity for films in the 1950's. It is also known for its soundtrack, which makes ample use of the theremin-- one of the first fully electronic musical instruments which also carries the distinction of being the only instrument that does not require any physical contact of any kind.

The Day The Earth Stood Still

Things To Come (1936)
This 1936 British film is heralded by many as one of the most important Science Fiction Films of all time, and is considered a landmark of cinematic design. The screenplay was written by H. G. Wells. The movie predicts such marvels as television, the jet engine and, strangely enough, World War II.

The rough-cut reputedly ran to 130 minutes; the version submitted to the British Board of Film Censors as 117m 13m; it was released as 108m 40s (later cut to 98m 06s) in the UK, and 96m 24s in the United States. The standard version available today is just 92m 42s, although some prints are in circulation in the United States that retain the additional scenes that constitute the original American release.

Things To Come

When Worlds Collide (1951)
All those people out there that have spent the last decade or so discussing the evils of "Armageddon", this is the movie you should be thanking. This is the movie that started the planetary disaster theme in science fiction.

The film centers around a scientist (not Bruce Willis) and his lackey (not Steve Buscemi) who work to construct a safe haven of their own after the rest of the human race ignore their warnings. The special effects were wonderful for the time, but it's probably its landmark premise of impending global doom that has marked it as a classic.

When Worlds Collide

War of the Worlds (1953)
This story is probably familiar to most people out there, thanks to Spielberg's latest remake of the classic, but the original 1956 stands as a classic for reasons beyond its effects wizardry. The War of the Worlds story was best known from the radio play adaptation of the ground-breaking novel that featured something that had not yet been brought to the table: Alien Invaders.

Perhaps the movie's greatest achievement was in Special Effects. It earned an Oscar for its ingenuity in this field, while many of the sounds became mainstays in science fiction sound design in future films and television shows. The ray gun, for example, hasn't sounded the same since this movie's release.

War of the Worlds

Forbidden Planet (1956)
Inspired in many ways by Shakespeare's The Tempest, this is an extraordinarily sexy science fiction adventure-- in 1956's terms at least. It marks the debut of Robby the Robot, one of the most beloved robots of early science fiction. The movie served as inspiration to many future film and television directors, including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

This movie is particularly notable for its employment of the first entirely electronic score. As such, it paved the way for electronic music as a whole, including its place in the orchestral realm.

Forbidden Planet: Ultimate Collector's Edition

Join us next week as we explore more of the wonderful world of science fiction in Part 2 of our focus: Alien and Monsters and Bots, Oh My!

To Science Fiction, or to Sci-Fi: That is the question...

2006-08-31T12:31:00.000-04:00

A factoid recently crossed my desk: Science Fiction movies are the biggest sellers at the box office in North America. Not too surprising, I suppose. But why does it warrant a blog entry?

Well...

This factoid got us thinking, and the thought spanned into conversations, and the conversations grew into discussions, which in turn bloomed into epics of their own conversational right. And all this because none of us had ever really contemplated the scope of the genre.

So, we invite you to follow as we explore the roots, trends and future of Science Fiction on Film. This 8 part series will explore some of the major moments and themes seen throughout the genre, and hopefully help you, our customers, find new and thought-provoking territory of your own to explore in this much loved and often misunderstood realm.

The fun starts next week (the week of September 3, 2006). Until then here's a little something to wet your whistle...

I have been a soreheaded occupant of a file drawer labeled 'Science Fiction'... and I would like out, particularly since so many serious critics regularly mistake the drawer for a urinal. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr (American Novelist and Satirist)

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this one, so feel free to comment!

August Game Selection: New Super Mario Brothers

2006-08-25T16:29:00.000-04:00

Most gamers have fond memories of the original Super Mario Brothers, as it came with the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Now with the DS, the classic has been revisited, but with a twist that all previous ports of the mushroom-stomping adventure was lacking. This time around, instead of some graphical tweeks and and some audio upgrades, the actual gameplay has been revamped to include all the toys that we've learned to love in subsequent games in the series, as well as some new stuff that puts the game's fun-factor through the roof.

Aside from being able to use the Tanooki suit from Mario 3, and being able to reenact your favourite Godzilla moves courtesy of the new "Giant Mario" mode, New Super Mario Brothers has retained the spirit of the original Mario series, something that has been somewhat lost in recent years. If this is a suggestion as to the return of Mario to his roots, then I think we can all look forward to great gaming to come for this franchise on both the DS and on the upcoming Wii.

New Super Mario Brothers (Nintendo DS)
More Editor Picks

This Month's DVD Selection: Robot Chicken: Vol. 1

2006-08-22T14:50:00.000-04:00

Geek god Seth Green brings you the latest in adult animated comedy in the form of furiously funny sketch comedy. Resurrecting your favourite action figures and leaving no lines uncrossed characterizes this collection of 20 episodes normally found on the Comedy Channel's Adult Swim hour. This show really brings new meaning to the term 'nonsequiter'.

To truly appreciate Robot Chicken, one needs a thorough grasp on popular culture over the last 30 years. Everything from William Shatner's hairpeice to He-Man gets some attention, though you don't need to be a walking encyclopedia to appreciate the humour behind such moments as a play-dough Michael Jackson's dance off with his alien-planted substitue.

The show features the voice talents of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mark Hamill, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and, of course, Seth Green himself, as well as an endless compliment of unexpected cameos and familiar voices. The DVD also boasts a slew of archival treats, including animatics and deleted scenes.

From offensive to down right absurd, Robot chicken is, if nothing else, a phenomenon that no one between the age of 19 and 40 should be without. Bawk bawk bawk indeed.

Robot Chicken: Vol. 1
More Editor Selections

Editor's Book Selection - Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

2006-08-21T10:51:00.000-04:00

This is book of humour, and some other things, but mostly humour. It is a series of vignettes extracted from the life and times of the author. From his youth as a lisping boy, though his early adulthood as a substance abusing performance artist, to his adulthood as an Ex-patriot in France doing his very best to parlez avec les francophones, we follow as he leads us though his observations with a gentle hand and a smirk. But this book is much more than the sum of its parts.

As entertaining as it is, what you really get out of it is a new perspective on your own life-- in vicariously experiencing Sedaris' family life it is easy to slip into a mode wherin you relate personally with the subject at hand. All his neurosis are shared, along with delusions of grandeur, self deprication, and missed efforts. All we as readers can do is sit back and think to ourselves: "yeah, I've done that." These tales are about more than just one's person's experience in exposition. They are about the human experience in all its fickle glory, and how funny it really is when we stop taking it so seriously.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
More Editor's Selections

Great DVD Titles delivered for less that $10

2006-08-16T16:32:00.000-04:00

Yes. You've read right. No catches. No ifs. Just plain ol' fashioned cheap eats for the entertainable soul. For a limited time, we've selected some of our in-stock DVDs to be sold off at astonishing prices. Some $9.99cad, some less, all under $10 including air mail delivery worldwide.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Sure, it's copies of movies from the stone age that people have never heard of." Think again, mes amis! Think "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," or "Vanity Fair," or even "The Lord of the Rings". Think about movies that you've often wanted to pick up, but never got around to it, or didn't think it was worth paying the regular price.

Curious yet? Tempted Yet?

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Game Selection of the Month: Tekken: Dark Resurrection

2006-08-03T16:02:00.000-04:00

Sony's PSP has been no slouch in the action game department. To say otherwise would be silly. What we can say, though, is that the fighting game department has been notably... well... vacant. With the exception of the Capcom port of Street Fighter Alpha, there really hasn't been too much to discuss in this genre. Until now, at least.

Enter Tekken: Dark Resurrection, the long awaited portable entry into the long running series. Though the wait for this title may have been lengthy, the final offering is certainly satisfying. Intense visuals and disturbingly impressive sound make this game entirely enjoyable. The mechanics of the game quietly dare you to find something to complain about. Throw in some impressive new modes and you've got yourself one slick little piece of pummeling fun.

Such a successful game from this series is far from unexpected -- martial artists have been known to praise the franchise for its authenticity and enjoyability. In a genre where the misconception that more blood and bigger fighters make the better game is common, here is yet another example that sometimes "real-er" is better.

Tekken: Dark Resurrection (PSP)

Books Like "The Da Vinci Code"

2006-08-01T11:21:00.000-04:00

As an avid reader, I am rarely without a book under my arm or under my nose. As a patron of the local public transit system, I am also keenly aware that such an existence invites certain things, dependant on the material under my nose at the time. A graphic novel will be read over my shoulder. A Harry Potter book begets stares and smiles from the young and their mothers. One constant, however, is the question: "Is that a good book?", "Have you read [insert random author or title here]?" These questions often inspire short and relatively pleasant conversations, often ending in the inevitable request for a recommendation.

It is here that I encounter the most common question. I can't seem to run fast enough from it. It finds me at social outings. In movie theatres. At dinners. The checkout at the grocery store. It's a simple question, but it has no small answer.

"I really liked that book, The Da Vinci Code. Do you know any other books like it?"

The largest problem with this question is that there are many books out there like this one. It is a great example of popular fiction, in that it has an interesting setting, doles out a creative angle on a familiar and potentially controversial subject, and nearly ever chapter could be capped off with a series of dramatic chords, inspiring the reader to continue on to the next. Popular fiction is, however, a huge market, with many authors writing just as effective page turners as Dan Brown. How on earth could one lowly reader even begin to recommend something like just one of them?

Well, to appease all those out there who crave the answer, I offer the following list of similar titles, choosing to match the themes and ideas behind The Da Vinci Code, rather than the genre.

Foucault's Pendulum By Umberto Eco
Known for knowing, well, pretty much everything, Italian professor and philosopher Umberto Eco gives us a thriller of similar theme, but a much appreciated density that I personally found The Da Vinci Code in lack of. Though this title may not be for the casual reader, there is so much here to enjoy, and not an easy ending to be found. A must read for those who enjoy their fiction with a side of philosophy.

The Eight By Katherine Neville
The Fibonacci sequence makes an appearance in this taut work which also makes use of chess, music notation and the French Revolution. In this surprisingly effective debut work, Neville shows a deft hand in the weaving of fact and fiction, and ultimately presents us with a ride that's every bit as engrossing as Dan Brown's work.

The Templar Legacy By Steve Berry
Any reader familiar with Berry's work knows that he's particularly skilled in the art of the Page Turner. Past works such as the Amber Room are proof positive that he's got the chops to keep you up at night, but what I think sets this work apart from his past ones is the scope of the inspiration. The first in a planned series of 4 works featuring a US Justice Department agent turned bookseller, many have dared to suggest that The Templar Legacy bests The Da Vinci Code in overall enjoyability.

July Editor's Pick (CD): Sam Roberts: Chemical City

2006-07-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

To a lot of people, rock hasn't been the same since the onslaught of the 1980's. To those people, may I present a young upstart from Quebec by the name of Sam Roberts. While his first release, 2004's We Were Born in a Flame, garnered local fame and fortune in the form of a few Junos and MuchMusic awards, he still remains a bit of an unknown on the international music scene.

His new release, Chemical City, is something guaranteed to catch the eye of classic rock fans new and old. Not only does it encapsulate the essence of old school rock --the wall of noise, the epic anthems, the unforgettable hooks--, but he's also gotten the style right. The packaging and artwork alone channel that of the 70's LP, fitting in with the foldouts accompanying mainstays like Houses of the Holy.

Indeed, this is no genre to be trifled with, and Roberts' work here is an homage to all that was good and grand in the genre.

Sam Roberts: Chemical City

Win a 6GB Zen Mico!

2006-07-21T12:12:00.000-04:00

All the heat we've been experiencing over the last week or so must have baked our poor brains. That's the only real explaination for a promotion like this!

Until August 8th 2006, buy any 3 CD titles to be automatically entered in a draw to win a 6GB Zen Micro by Creative. And with dozens of music titles on sale for as low as $6.95cad (worldwide airmail delivery included!), you really can't lose.

And the Zen Micro is no cheap prize, either. Winner of the prestigious "Best of DigitalLife 2004" and "Editor's Choice" awards from CNET, the ZEN Micro continues to offer the most variety, without any compromise in features.

So what are you waiting for?
The sooner you start shopping, the better your chances are!

Sorry... this promotion has ended

July Editor's Pick (Books): Les Halles Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain

2006-07-20T16:27:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking: "A cookbook?" Before you start clicking, hear me out. This is no ordinary cookbook.

Best known as the globe-trotting loudmouthed chef from his TV shows on the Food and Travel networks ("A Cook's Tour" and "No Reservations" respectively), Anthony Bourdain is something of a rarity in the TV world. He holds no punches, admits to many vices and wholely resists the kind of vaneer that most TV chefs seem to thrive on. He's a foul-mouthed wise-ass, and proud of it.

Now you will believe me when I say that his cookbook is far from the standard collection of recipes. You will believe that statement even more after I've mentioned that, underneath the book's unassuming dust jacket lies an embossment of a skull in a chef hat, biting a chef's knife which happens to be dripping with some unknown liquid. See? I told you so.

On the whole, this cookbook is first and foremost a great read-- even the recipes are entertaining. The best part, though, is that as entertaining as it is, this book still manages to hold quality and approachable recipes to some of the more common recipes found and loved in bistros and brasseries the world over, including the titular restaurant itself. It's like cooking with a friend at your side... a mercilessly snarky one at that.

Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook (Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking) by Anthony Bourdain

Getting the Hollywood Treatment

2006-07-05T12:20:00.000-04:00

New book from Gautam Malkani has what few books have had before: a trailer.

Arriving to bookshelves this week touting not-uncommon hype, "Londonstani" is garnering critical huzzahs and more. What makes this already release different, though, is its marketing campaign. Aside from the usual doling out of advance copies and strategically placed buzz-builders, HarperCollins has given this release a trailer.

Built in Flash and full of the grit and edge that peppers the text itself, the trailer is comprised of a series of provocative imagery of clubs, alley walls and keywords set to an asian-inpsired drum n' bass track. As simple as it sounds, I've never been so compelled to buy a book before. Within about 2 minutes of viewing the thing as a curiosity, I had ordered my copy.

Since February, HarperCollins has produced nearly a dozen such trailers. The motivation is “to drive early word of mouth,” says Steve Osgoode, director of online marketing and new media for HarperCollins Canada. While many lit-lovers may find it a tad unsavory to resort to something as garish as borrowing a technique from the film industry, the approach has proven its worth.

Though he can’t divulge the cost of the videos or how often they’ve each been viewed, Osgoode reports that consumer interest in them “has far, far exceeded what we expected.”

What can be said is that this phenomenon is far from fad. As it is still new, publishers are road-testing many different approaches. The result, however, is too good to ignore. As with many aspects of entertainment these days, this seems to be a part of an overall awakening -- the adoption of the internet as a sales and marketing medium has been a long process, and perhaps this is just one more step in the evolution.

For now, though, I'll be curling up with my new copy of "Londonstani".

Check out the "Londonstani" trailer here.

Buy "Londonstani" by Gautam Malkani

The DS Lite in all its Polar White Glory: Our review of the new and improved Nintendo handheld.

2006-06-29T10:43:00.000-04:00

It’s smaller, it’s brighter, and it’s sexy as all get out-- but is it all it’s cracked up to be?

The short answer, if there ever is one, is yes. It’s definitely got some major improvements over its predecessor. The screens are, as promised, much brighter than they used to be, and the lighter weight is a definite bonus. There are a few things that don’t float our boat, but then, nobody’s perfect.

The new slimmer DS still has all the goodies that the previous DS had going for it--the great lineup of titles notwithstanding, it’s got an approach to gaming that matches the upcoming Wii for ingenuity. I think I can speak for many in saying that the initial concept of having 2 screens on one device seemed a bit too wonky to work, but numbers and trends going into the DS’s second year have it eclipsing Sony’s PSP. The launch of its new design has only strengthened this prediction, with Japan being completely sold out of the DS Lite in all its color variations nationwide.

However drool-inspiring the thing may be, there are a few things that have us scratching our head. For example: what happened to the light-level button? Brighter screens generally equal faster battery drain, and with only one tiny little touch control on the main menu allowing you to adjust this setting, we’re not happy. The fact that finding that control was harder than finding Waldo only makes it worse.

Another head-scratcher is the volume control: it's just too finicky. It's practically impossible to get the thing to the 'perfect' volume level, and then once you get it there it's almost guaranteed that you'll accidentally knock the little fader and have to set it all over again.

Our major gripe is the lack of a ‘back’ browser button. At any point, if you go anywhere other than the main menu, you will have to restart the whole system if you want to do something else. This is hardly new, but it’s enough of an annoyance that we feel the need to mention it again. Combine this with the above mentioned lack of light control and what you get is the inability to change the light level while you're playing games, which is, lets face it, what you'll be doing most of the time. If you do want to change the light level, you have to restart the system and, consequently, your game as well.

On the whole though, as the changes here are mostly cosmetic in nature, Nintendo has given us a very sexy package with which to get our Mario Kart or Magnetica on. If you haven’t delved into the wonder that is Dual Screen gaming, this would be a good time to give it a whirl. The good far outweighs the bad here, and even with the bad, it’s not like we’re looking at another N-Gage.

Nintendo DS Lite (Polar White)

Book Selection of the Month: On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

2006-06-27T09:21:00.000-04:00

Summer's here, so it's time for something a little lighter; something fun that matches your swimming trunks. Enter On a Pale Horse, the first in a series (admittedly), but easily a fine read on its own.

In one of the more unexpected premises I've seen in fantasy, you follow a new initiate into the ranks of the immortals (also includes Fate, Time, Mother Nature, War, Satan and, to some extent, God) as he learns his new trade, settles into his new digs in purgatory, and does his very best to foil evil's latest plot against mankind.

Inventive and entertaining, Peirs Anthony takes you to the afterlife as none other than the guy that brings you there. With one foot securely planted in fantasy, and the other toeing back and forth between philosophy and comedy, this book is an easy read with plenty of appeal for readers of all walks of life.

On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

Game Selection of the Month: World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 International

2006-06-26T09:44:00.000-04:00

Even though I've never been considered a sports fan, especially when it comes to video games, I can't help but recommend this one, if only because I too have been bitten by the World Cup bug.

The bulk of the improvements here lie between the kickoff and the whistle. While many other games give you the options to kick, pass or shoot, WSWE9 gives you sidestepping, intercepting, much improved side tackling and, of course, the all-important XBox Live options.

To match the nearly-obscene amount of control you have over players, WSWE 9 has added a few new licenses to their list, including Dutch, Italian, and Spanish teams, bringing the total team-count past the 140 mark.

Live play is another area where this game truly shines. It's got an ingenious league system consisting of five divisions, a random vs. function, and a slew of other options guaranteed to get your game on. All in all, even if you're skipping the online option, there's plenty here to make it pretty much impossible not to recommend this game.

World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 International

DVD Selection of the Month - Kingdom Of Heaven Director's Cut

2006-06-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

Ridley Scott is well known for his generous director's editions, and this is no exception. With extras getting close to biblical proportions, this movie (which in many minds really missed the mark in its theatrical form) finally gets its chance to shine. Flow is improved drastically, and the balance between history, plot and stunning visuals is on a much more even scale than in its previous incarnation. There's many more improvements, but suffice it to say that this new cut of the movie is a drastic improvement over its predecessor.

Bundled on the accompanying discs is a dizzying collection of featurettes, including the long missing A&E/History Channel documentaries and an exhausting 3 hour/6 part documentary delving into the film’s construction.

On the whole, if you've ever thought about buying a copy of this film, there's no doubt in my mind that this is the addition to buy.

Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut

50% off selected Favourite TV Shows on DVD from Fox

2006-06-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

For a limited time only, enjoy unprecedented savings on some of the hottest TV shows from Fox, including animated classics like The Simpsons and new Prime Time phenomenons 24 and The Shield.

There's sure to be something here to bring hours of enjoyment to your family and plenty of savings to keep your wallet happy. There's no way we could keep this kind of savings up for long, so get your order in today!

The Family Guy: Vol. 01 On Sale: $27.48cad
24: Season 1 On Sale: $37.48cad
Futurama: Vol. 01 On Sale: $22.48cad
Firefly: Complete Series On Sale: $27.48cad

Sorry... this promotion has ended

Up to 50% off selected Disney Favourites

2006-06-21T16:27:00.000-04:00

When you wish upon a star, deals like these are never far...

For a limited time only, cash in on the magic with up to 50% off selected titles from Disney and Buena Vista Home Video. Cherished classics like Sleeping Beauty and live action hits Pearl Harbour and The Sixth Sense, there's something here for everyone. But get your order in fast: many of these titles are listed in our Moratorium, which means that once they're out of stock you may not see them again, and certainly not at these prices!

Sorry... this promotion has ended

Image viewer is now active

2006-06-21T16:21:00.000-04:00

Next on our list of things new and improved is our Product Image Viewer. We've been scanning like crazy trying to get larger front and back images of our inventory items to show off this new functionality. To check it out, just find a product that has the "More Images" link below its product image and click on the link to open a new window with larger alternate views of the product.

Click here for an example...

Audio Selection of the Month - Gnarls Barkley

2006-06-21T16:14:00.000-04:00

Brought to by the letters Funk and Yeah, this collaboration featuring Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo has taken the world by storm courtesy of their lead in single "Crazy". As the second track on their debut album "St. Elsewhere", this soulful tune has been pretty much unavoidable on the air waves. You'll note that we're not complaining, either.

"St. Elsewhere" has classic written all over it. Not since Radiohead's OK Computer has an entire album been so ultimately listenable. Whether listening for its head-bob-inspiring qualities, or for the musicianship, Gnarls Barkley has ample quantities of both to offer.

From track to track, the whole body of music here retains a freshness that has been hinted at by many but not presented in an as in-your-face fashion as it is here. While rooted in tried and true Motown, Gospel and Hip-Hop, it defies any real genre that one might try to slide it into.

For all those out there that have been craving something new, Gnarls Barkley is by far the most inventive thing that's come out of the mainstream market in quite a while.

Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere

Stock Level Information is now available

2006-05-30T16:01:00.000-04:00

You asked for it: now you've got it. After hours of head scratching, dueling with code, and wrestling with inventory numbers, DVDBoxOffice.com is proud to announce our latest and most anticipated feature to date: Stock Level Information!

Now, you can have an idea as to how long it will take us to process your DVD, Video Game or Music order based on up-to-the-minute statistics gathered from our 10 year history.

There are currently 7 levels of availability:

Just Announced
This item has been announced by the studio or manufacturer, but there is no release date scheduled at this time. The studio, manufacturer, or supplier has provided us with some information for display purposes, but we can not accept orders for this item at this time. You can sign up to be notified when more information becomes available for this item.

Preorder
This item has not been released yet. You may place your order now to reserve a copy when the item arrives from the supplier. As with all of our items, you will not be charged for this item until it is in stock and ready to be shipped from our warehouse.

In Stock, Ships Immediately
This item is in stock in our main shipping warehouse and will ship within the next 24 hours during regular business hours.

In Stock, Ships in 1 to 5 days
This item is in stock in one of our warehouses and will ship within 1 to 5 days.

On Order, Ships in 5 to 10 days
This item is in stock with our suppliers and will ship within 5 to 10 days.

On Order, Ships in 7 to 14 days
This item is in stock with our suppliers and will ship within 7 to 14 days.

On Order
This item is on order from our suppliers and will ship as soon as stock arrives. On average, our products are re-stocked in 3-7 business days after the product goes out of stock. Discontinued, rare, or otherwise limited items may take longer. Orders will be filled as soon as stock arrives.

If you have any questions about this new feature, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department

Nintendo announces new DS Lite

2006-05-05T17:07:00.000-04:00

Nintendo of America has revealed that it will launch the redesigned Nintendo DS Lite system this June 11th. When it lands on shelves next month, the DS Lite will ship in one color -- Polar White.

The design of the Nintendo DS Lite includes a 20 percent smaller build than its predecessor, as well as a smoother and sleeker body shape. The Start and select buttons and the power switch have been shifted around to new locations, and the stylus has been increased in size with a new storage location. Most importantly, though, the DS Lite features newer, brighter LCD screens with four levels of brightness settings.

Nintendo DS Lite (Polar White)

Star Wars: Original Original Trilogy finally coming to DVD

2006-05-05T16:57:00.000-04:00

In response to overwhelming demand, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment individual two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each release includes the 2004 digitally remastered version of the movie and, as bonus material, the theatrical edition of the film. That means you'll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983. This release will only be available for a limited time.

Each original theatrical version will feature Dolby 2.0 Surround sound, close-captioning, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish for their U.S. release.

We'll be posting the final details, including pricing and official artwork, as soon as it becomes available. In the mean time, get your name on the list to be notified when these discs are available for preorder by entering your email address in the forms provided on their discription pages.

Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Inventory Expanded!

2006-05-05T16:48:00.000-04:00

As part of our latest product expansion, we have added the latest Hockey Cards from Upper Deck and some serious high-quality cables to our inventory line-up.

Hockey cards have gone from vessels for powdery bubble-gum sticks in the 1920's to hot commodities in the hobby market in the 21st century. Today's hockey cards are taking on new forms, too, embedding game-used jersey swatches and more in the interest of adding unique collectables for fans and enthusiasts.

With the NHL playoffs heating up, we thought this would be a great time to add this product to our own roster. We have included several different series' and cards which are available by the pack or by the box.

Cables, especially good quality ones, are a must-have for anyone looking to take advantage of the full quality of their entertainment equipment. Whether you're looking to finally take advantage of that optical output on your receiver, or you're looking to connect your XBox to your TV via S-Video, we've got the cables that will give you the cleanest signal, hands down.

See available Upper Deck Hockey Cards
See available Cables

Nintendo Revolution = Nintendo Wii

2006-04-28T08:36:00.000-04:00

Nintendo announced the official name for their upcoming gaming system yesterday, and it has created quite a stir. Previously referred to by it's codename "Revolution", the system shall henseforth be called "Wii" (pronounced "We", or as some prefer to think, "whee").

While Nintendo has wasted no time in justifying the console's new moniker, the online community has been left a bit dumbfounded by it. Forums on popular game news sites such as IGN have be buzzing with questions and criticisms. Some people have started petitions in hopes of somehow convincing Nintendo to change the name. Others have taken to 'redesigning' the new logo, incorporating suggestive images into the typography, as a means of voicing their displeasure.

Though the response may be good or bad, this new name has certainly caught the attention of the gaming world at large. With E3 on its way, we're sure to hear more over the coming weeks.

Sign up for the Nintendo Revolution (Wii) newsletter

HD-DVD titles now shipping

2006-04-28T08:30:00.000-04:00

FIRST HD-DVD TITLES FINALLY ARRIVE IN OUR WAREHOUSE
The first of the Next-Gen DVD titles are now shipping to eagerly awaiting moviephiles.
With more to follow over the coming weeks, we're happy to report that we are now shipping copies of both The Phantom of the Opera and Million Dollar Baby in their shiny new HD-DVD format.
More new HD-DVDs titles are expected over the coming weeks, so visit our site often to see the latest in HD-DVD.

Complete list of HD-DVD Titles

HD-DVD NOW SHIPPING:
The Phantom of the Opera $32.95cad
Million Dollar Baby $32.95cad

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR HD-DVD
Pitch Black $35.95cad
Friday Night Lights $35.95cad

Munich DVDs On Sale!!

2006-04-07T10:13:00.000-04:00

One of the most talked about movies of the year, Stephen Speilberg's latest is coming to DVD this May, and is now on sale for up to 25% off.

For those not "in the know" about this one, Munich is a gripping suspense thriller set in the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. This dramatic exploration inspired by true events follows a secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and kill the 11 Palestinians suspected to have planned the Munich attack-and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the team and the man who led it.

With the single disc editions going for just $24.95cad including free airmail shipping worldwide, we certainly can't afford to keep this kind of deal going for long. Don't miss out, get you're order in!

Munich: 2 Disc Special Edition
Munich (Widescreen)
Munich (Full Screen)

HD-DVD and Blu-Ray Titles now available for preorder

2006-04-05T13:02:00.000-04:00

March was a busy month for next-generation DVD format, with both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD's backers announcing their first batches of titles to be released this spring.

To start the ball rolling was Maple Pictures announcing that their hits Saw, Lord of War and Crash will be hitting shelves in Blu-Ray format on May 23. Shortly after other titles from Sony and beyond joined them, indluding The Terminator, XXX, Legends of the Fall, and our personal favorite of the bunch, The Fifth Element.

Not to be forgotten, HD-DVD followed suit with its own roster of hits courtesy of Warner Home Video. Recent blockbusters such Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Batman Begins have been early favourites in the quest for higher resolution, not to mention unforgettables The Matrix and Million Dollar Baby.

We'll keep you posted for the latest and greatest as it comes. For now, here's an up to date list of what you can preorder today:

On HD-DVD
Batman Begins
Chronos
Constantine
Goodfellas
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Last Samurai
Lethal Weapon
The Matrix
Million Dollar Baby
The Phantom of the Opera
Training Day
Unforgiven

On Blu-Ray
50 First Dates
Chronos
Crash
Fifth Element
Hitch
House of Flying Daggers
A Knights Tale
Kung Fu Hustle
The Last Waltz
Legends of the Fall
Lord of War
RoboCop
S.W.A.T.
Saw
Species
Stealth
Terminator
XXX

Sign up for our book newsletter and you could win!

2006-04-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

Keep up to date on the latest news from the DVDBoxOffice Book Store with our books newsletter and you could win a FREE BOOK! Every month we will select one subscriber to receive their choice out of 4 of the months' best seller's. That means that you not only get to stay in the know for great book deals and editors selections, but you're also in the running to receive the hottest in the book world just for being so. Don't hesitate, get your email address in today!

Sign up for the DVDBoxOffice Book Newsletter

February Book Editor's Selection: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

2006-02-22T14:21:00.000-05:00

V for Vendetta is a ten-issue comic book limited series or maxiseries, later collected as a graphic novel, written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd, set in a dystopian future Britain where a mysterious anarchist works to destroy the fascist government and profoundly affects the people he encounters. He simply goes by 'V'; no one is quite sure of his identity, as his mask is never removed.

"I've read George Orwell's 1984 a few times. I always loved it as an important piece of fiction at the very least, but I have never enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed this graphic novel. They share many things, including the basic premise of a totalitarian regime. What makes V for Vendetta so enthralling (rather that terrifying, as is Orwell's classic) is the amount of involvement to be found by the reader within the images, dialogue and overall substance of the novel. The book is littered with ciphers and references to both the letter "V" and its roman numerical counterpart, "5". David Lloyd's illustrations are crammed with both clues and red herrings, involving the reader in what becomes a game of whit and ingenuity. The book becomes an experience in itself; a joy to read, as unsettling as its story may be." Stacey Dowswell, Book Editor

V for Vendetta (Paperback) $31.95cad
V for Vendetta (Hardcover) $39.95cad

More by Alan Moore...

Other Selections:
The In-Between World of Vikram Lall by M. G. Vassanji $39.95cad
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant $25.95cad
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain $24.95cad

More Editior Selections

New Site Launched!

2006-02-09T15:00:00.000-05:00

After many months of furrowed browse and head scratching, we are pleased to present our new and improved web site!

With a whole new look and scores of new features, the new DVDBoxOffice.com has finally arrived. With it comes new opportunities for savings, better ways to find your heart's desire, and much much more.

Stop by the new site today and see what all the fuss is about.

DVDBoxOffice.com

Need help? Get it now!

2006-02-02T15:09:00.000-05:00

Along with our impending update (which is progressing smoothly, by the way), we have instituted a new Live Chat service for customer use. Using this newoption will allow customers to contact one of our Customer Service Representatives directly, without having to wait for a reply to your email.

To access this service, simply click on the link like the image shown here to connect to a CSR and have your questions answered.

January Book Selection Announced

2006-01-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

Our editor, a seasoned book worm since childhood, will personally recommend and review one or more books each month. This month's title is "The In-between World of Vikram Lall" by two-time Giller Prize Winner M. G. Vassanji.

Born in colonial Kenya, Vikram Lall comes of age at the same moment as the colony, which in 1953 is celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II even as the Mau Mau independence movement is challenging British rule. But while Kenya is being torn apart by idealism, doubt and violent political upheaval, Vic and his sister Deepa begin to search for their place in the world. Neither colonists nor African, neither white nor black, the Indian brother and sister find themselves somewhere in between in their band of playmates: Bill and Annie, British children, and Njoroge, an African boy. These are the friendships that will haunt the rest of their lives.

"There is something to be said about a book that succeeds in being emotionally removed and yet heartbreaking at the same time. Such is the case with this book. You never really get a sense of feeling from the book's protagonist -- a man who introduces himself as having 'the distinction of having been numbered one of Africa's most corrupt men, a cheat of monstrous and reptilian cunning.' Despite this, as his story progresses you find that you relate to him more and more. It is at the same time a detached and vivid tale that deserves attention from many angles. It simultaneously conquers many issues, from the complexity of race relations to the unending and all-too-human quest for belonging and acceptance. For all its complexity and dispassionate prose, it is easily described in one word: 'mesmerizing'." Stacey Dowswell, Book Store Editor

The In-Between World of Vikram Lall (Hardcover)
The In-Between World of Vikram Lall (Paperback)

More by M. G. Vassanji...

More editor selections...

New Look, New Tools, Same great service

2006-01-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

In early February, we will be launching a new and improved DVDBoxOffice, featuring a new design and using the latest in technology to make your shopping experience a better one. We're adding this post to our blog to fill you in on some of the biggest changes so that you can make the most of what's coming.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at info@dvdboxoffice.com.

Store Browsing and searching

As much as we loved our old tab system, we're growing faster than it will allow. So, to make room for new product lines and ideas, we've implemented a new way to go from store to store. The new store selector will be located in the top left corner of the screen. To go to a specific store, simply select the desired location from the list and you're off!

As an added bonus, we've made searching the entire DVDBoxOffice much easier. Simply select the "DVDBoxOffice Home" option from the location selector and enter your search criteria into the search tools (they're still in their usual place, both on the left side of your screen and in the bottom right corner). Searching individual stores is much the same: searching for just movies can be done from the 'Movies' store, books from the 'Books' store, etc.

Filtering searches is pretty much the same. Refine the category you're viewing with the click of a link on the left side of your search results, or see only New, Preorder, or Just Announced title by clicking the links above the first item returned on the page.

Save more with new bundles and more!

You already know that worldwide shipping is free when you buy from DVDBoxOffice. Now there's more ways for you to save, thanks to our new bundles and multi-purchase programs.

Selected products have been given bundle-mates-- products that are related and, when bought at the same time, can add up to great savings for you.

We've also added information on how much you will save with each product. Underneath the product image on the product description page, you will see the MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price), and a statement of how much you'll save by buying from DVDBoxOffice.

To make sure you're getting the most for your entertainment dollar, be sure to watch for the icon. Simply click on in to see all the opportunities you have to save on your purchase.

We Want Your Feedback

We're always working to improve our site to make your experience a better one, and we'll always want to hear what you think to make sure that we get it right.

Do you like the new look? We'll make sure our programmers and graphicists know you appreciate their efforts. Can't find a product you've been looking for? We'll check with our suppliers, see if we can't get it down for you. Did your purchase not go as smoothly as you would have liked? Let us know so we can avoid it happening next time. You are, after all, our #1 concern, and we want you to be happy with us!

You can contact us easily via the methods shown on our FAQ page, including our email address, info@dvdboxoffice.com.

Oprah's first book selection of 2006

2006-01-16T16:29:00.000-05:00

Oprah has announced her next big pick, Night by Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. In Night, a pious teenager wracked with guilt at having survived the Holocaust asks an intolerable question: How can God have allowed these monstrous events to occur?

"I have a dream of my own, too, that the powerful message of this little book would be engraved on every human heart and will never be forgotten again," Winfrey said. "That you who read this book will feel as I do that these 120 pages ... should be required reading for all humanity."

Click here to check out the DVDBO listing for this book...

Get your name on the list!

2006-01-16T16:20:00.000-05:00

High definition DVD is on its way! With several manufacturers announcing HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players slated for second quarter releases, and even more studios announcing their launch libraries for each format, you can't miss it. To get the ball rolling, www.dvdboxoffice.com has listed most of the titles that will be releasing with the new hardware for notification signup. Prices and release dates will be posted as soon as we have them.

HD-DVD

Batman Begins

40 Year Old Virgin

Constantine

Jarhead

Million Dollar Baby

Doom

Phantom of the Opera

Cinderella Man

Twister

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Last Samurai

Apollo 13

Lethal Weapon

Serenity

Training Day

Unforgiven

The Chronicles of Riddick

GoodFellas

U-571

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

The Matrix

Swordfish

Van Helsing

The Bourne Supremacy

Blazing Saddles

The Dukes of Hazzard

Full Metal Jacket

Rumor Has It

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Blu-Ray

Sahara

Aeon Flux

The Italian Job

Four Brothers

Sky Captian and the World of Tomorrow

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

U2: Rattle and Hum

Sleepy Hollow

We Were Soldiers/Manchurian Candidate

Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible 2

Mission: Impossible 3

Fantastic 4

Behind Enemy Lines

Kiss of the Dragon

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Ice Age

XXX

Hitch

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

The Fifth Element

Legends of the Fall

House of Flying Daggers

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Desperado

For A Few Dollars More

The Guns of Navarone

A Knight's Tale

Kung Fu Hustle

The Last Waltz

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

RoboCop

Sense and Sensibility

Stealth

Species

S.W.A.T.

HD and Blu-Ray and More, Oh My!

2006-01-12T08:45:00.000-05:00

– The wait for high-definition DVD may soon be over, if what’s been seen at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show is to be believed.

With announcements in hardware in both format camps, and title announcements from several of the major studios, it looks like the upcoming format war is starting to heat up.

Members of the HD-DVD Promotions Group took an early lead in the brewing battle by unveiling first players, titles and launch places.

Toshiba, a key format developer, started the race by announcing plans to market two HD-DVD players in March. Both players will output content in multiple resolution formats, including 720p and 1,080i high definition. “Other than that, the differences are primarily cosmetic,” said Jodi Sally, Toshiba digital A/V products group marketing VP.

Also announced were HD-DVD players from Thomson and Sanyo.

The Blu-Ray camp came up with a quick response: Samsung’s BD-P1000, with similar resolution specs and a slightly higher price point. Samsung’s player is slated for a late-April release, cutting short the first-to-market advantage that HD-DVD backers have touted as a key asset in the format’s early market momentum.

Also on the ball were the next generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft, with each announcing support for they’re preferred high definition format.

Microsoft has announced an external HD-DVD component for its already-released XBox 360. Similarly, Sony’s has confirmed its integrated support for Blu-Ray in its forthcoming PS3.

A Million Little Scandles...

2006-01-11T09:53:00.000-05:00

"A Million Little Pieces" rounded out 2005 as the #2 hottest book out there. Now, with some speculation that the detox memoir may be more fact than fiction, it's come under fire.

Some of you out there may have heard about this little book. It's Oprah's latest pic for her famed book club, and it's one of the current best-sellers in our book store. You may also be aware of its notoriously outspoken author and subject, James Frey.

The speculation of the validity of Frey's book comes after TheSmokingGun.com reported that the book was "filled with fabrications, falsehoods, other fakery" after probing some of the described events in the book.

In response to the speculation, the author stands by his book and the experiences it shares. He does so loudly and with the same 'flair' with which he has famously knocked fellow authors including Dave Eggers, author of his own memoir "A Staggering Work of Heartbreaking Genius", who has been hailed as the shining star of the young authoring world.

So what does this mean? Who is to beleived? DVDBO Book Editor suggests that it doesn't really matter, in the long run.

"Real or fake, the fact remains that the book is amazing," she said. "I've read it, and I loved it."

"The truth is that it's a great read, and an important idea is being conveyed there. I've recommended it to a lot of people on that premise alone, and pretty much every one I've talk to about it has agreed with me on that."

Check out the book on DVDBoxOffice.com
Check out the Smoking Gun Article

We are go for launch...

2006-01-10T14:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new DVDBoxOffice weblog. On this surface we hope to report on the latest and greatest developments in the wonderful world of media entertainment.

Here will be news.
Here will be rumours.
Here will be thoughts and ruminations.
Here will be all the stuff we're not sure where to put otherwise.

Stay tuned and stay informed on all things DVDBO...

2006-01-09T23:08:00.000-05:00