The Taking of Pelham 123: Coming to DVD on November 3rd!

We have lots of answers to your movie needs for November...and one question. How often do we get to compare Denzel Washington to Walter Matthau? This November, one of the first movies out on the shelves will be The Taking of Pelham 123 starring Denzel and John Travolta. It's a remake of the 1974 movie that starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. The premise: armed men hijack a NYC subway train and hold the passengers for ransom. This new version has, as one would expect, lots of action, lots of special effects, and a lots of updates (laptops, cell phones, etc.), but in my opinion is comes up sorely lacking when compared to the original. Might it be because I saw the original in 1974 and remember the crazy tension, the gritty reality of the subways of the time (which I traveled daily), and the wonderful performance by Walter Matthau (so human)? Maybe. Both are worth seeing. Please watch them and let me know your opinion. Denzel or Walter?

The rest of the month's DVD releases provide clear signs that November has arrived. Family drama, dysfunction, deceipt, doting, and dilligence are firmly entrenched themes, and perfectly poised (as we begin to gather for the holidays) to remind us that our family dynamics and/or problems are maybe not so bad. 

There are blockbusters, family films, a foreign film noir, and (at last!) Gone With the Wind is available again on DVD with a special 70th Anniversary edition.