Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • March 10, 2010 ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (continued from previous page) by Leo McCarey. An elderly couple, Bark Cooper (Victor Moore), and wife Lucy (Beulah Bondi) are experiencing financial difficulties. At a family meeting, it’s decided that Bark will live with one of their children, and Lucy with another. Bark and Lucy miss each other greatly, but try to make the best of things. “Make Way for Tomorrow” was not successful during its theatrical release, probably because it was a bitter pill for audiences to swallow, coming at the peak of the Great Depression. The portrayal of the aging couple is vivid, and McCarey certainly knows how to wring tears from viewers. Moore and Bondi, who spent their movie careers playing character roles, are center stage, providing a touching portrayal of people who must rely on their children for their welfare when they have nowhere else to turn. Bonuses include the featurette “Tomorrow, Yesterday, and Today,” in which director and film historian Peter Bogdanovich relates personal anecdotes about McCarey and discusses his other movies; a booklet with several essays on “Make Way for Tomorrow;” and a video in which film critic Gary Giddins analyzes the movie’s political and social context. In “The Box” (Warner Home Video), mysterious stranger Arlington Steward (Frank Langella) delivers a box to Arthur (James Marsden) and Norma (Cameron Diaz), a couple in financial difficulties. Steward leaves the box and a key to a button within it and explains they have will have it for 24 hours. If they press the button, a person they do not know somewhere in the world will die and they will receive a million dollars. The movie is an interesting psychological story as the couple debates the pros and cons of the offer, weighing morality against their personal happiness. The premise of the film is intriguing and keeps the viewer riveted as developments take unexpected turns. Frank Langella, fresh from his triumph in “Frost/Nixon,” has a supporting role, but is a dominant presence. Is he a villain, merely a messenger from some higher authority, or a metaphoric figure? Marsden is fine as the husband, but Diaz has the key role here, and she is effective and believable. “The Box” is based on the short story “Button, Button,” by Richard Matheson. Expanding a short story into a feature film runs the risk of padding the movie with needless scenes and excessive exposition. Director Richard Kelly avoids this by keeping the suspense level high. Matheson was a regular contributor to the original “Twilight Zone” series. “The Box” is reminiscent of one of those episodes and packs a definite dramatic wallop. Extras include featurettes on the film’s visual effects and how director Kelly used family experiences to adapt the story to the screen; director commentary; and “Richard Matheson: In His Own Words,” an interview with the sci-fi author. “The Box” is available in Blu-ray and DVD formats. “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (Warner Home Video) is an animated version of the 1967 stage musical and features the Peanuts gang created by Charles M. Schulz: Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Snoopy, and the rest. This 1985 TV special is available for the first time on DVD in a re-mastered deluxe edition. Rather than a single narrative, the show is made up of vignettes, much like the daily comic strips that inspired it, accompanied by songs. The episodes are tied together by Charlie Brown’s eternally poor self image. Highlights include “Schroeder,” in which the piano virtuoso plunks out Beethoven as Lucy contemplates wedded bliss; “Suppertime,” Snoopy’s ode to the highlight of a canine’s day; “Book Report,” an ensemble number; and the anthem to optimism, “Happiness.” The sole extra is “Animating a Charlie Brown Musical,” which explores the 20-year journey from record album to off-Broadway hit to animated television special. “Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers” (Warner Home Video) is a compilation of classic Looney Tunes made between 1948 and 1953. The collection includes “Hare Trimmed,” “The Grey-Hounded Hare,” “The Super Snooper,” “Rabbit Romeo,” “Wild over You,” “Of Rice and Hen,” and “Devil May Hare.” Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, Tweety, Sylvester, The Roadrunner, Daffy Duck, and Pepe LePew join Bugs in these animated romps. The Warners animators were known for their gag-filled cartoons and strived for laughs above all. Produced originally to accompany feature films geared toward adults, the shorts achieved renewed life and popularity when they turned up on children’s television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. They hold up remarkably well, through parents should be aware that some contain violent slapstick. Two bonus cartoons, “Holiday Highlight” and “Past Performance,” are included. �������� ������� ��������� �������� ��������������������������������������������� Starting March 14 ����������� ���������� �������������������� ���������� St. Patrick’s Day Wednesday, March 17th ���������������������� ���������� �������� ������ �������������� ���������� ����� � �������� ���������������� Corned Beef Brisket & Cabbage ���� ��� ������������ �������� ������������������� ����������������������������� HAPPY HOUR ������������������ ������������������ �������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ �� Corned Beef Brisket & Cabbage with Boiled Potatoes �������������� ��������� ������� Guinness Harp Jameson Shots ALL YOU CAN EAT ~ $1595 Shepherd’s Pie ~ $1195 Bangers & Mash ~ $1195 ������������������� �������������� � �� 3-10-10