A lot of people are eagerly awaiting the April /May 2007 DVD movie releases. Some enjoyed these films so much on the big screen, they want to see them again at home. Others missed these movies in theaters and want to catch them for the first time on DVD. While some of these films were panned by a majority of critics, viewers have their own ideas about what they want to watch. In order of release date, here are some of the most-anticipated DVD movie releases for April /May 2007.
Dakota Fanning stars in this 2006 screen adaptation of E.B. White's beloved children's book, which was done back in 1973 as an animated musical. This time around most of the animals are real with mouth movements added when they talk. However, the title character, Charlotte the Spider (voice of Julia Roberts), is computer-animated. The story is about how Charlotte saves the life of a pig. Voices heard include Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates and Robert Redford. DVD release date: April 3, 2007
Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie star in this drama about the origins of the CIA that was directed by Robert De Niro, who appears in a key supporting role. The main character is Edward Wilson (Damon), who seems to be based on James Angleton. Jolie plays Wilson's wife, and De Niro plays a character rather like "Wild Bill" Donovan. The film traces Wilson's life from his days in Yale's Skull and Bones society through his Office of Strategic Services activities during World War II and up to 1961 in the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs fiasco in Cuba. DVD release date: April 3, 2007
A science fiction thriller,
Déjà vu is the third movie Denzel Washington has starred in that was directed by Tony Scott, the previous two being
Crimson Tide and
Man on Fire. In
Déjà vu a bomb explodes on a New Orleans ferry, killing 543 people, and ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) investigates. Carlin makes use of a newly developed system that can create images of events occurring four days earlier. A beautiful dead woman may hold the key to the blast, and through images of her past, Carlin starts to fall for her. DVD release date: April 24, 2007
Ben Stiller stars in this comedy that was a huge box-office hit. Larry Daley (Stiller) desperately needs a job to convince his ex-wife and their 10-year-old son that he's a suitable father, so he takes a job as a security guard at New York's American Museum of Natural History. At night, the museum's exhibits come to animated life, including a T. rex skeleton, an Easter Island sculpture, a miniature cowboy (Owen Wilson), Octavius (Steve Coogan), Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams) and a key-stealing capuchin monkey. DVD release date: April 24, 2007
Helen Mirren gives a towering performance as Elizabeth II in this drama based on recent history. The story takes place in 1997, mostly in the days following the death in a car crash of Diana, Princess of Wales. The queen at first remained aloof on grounds that Diana was divorced from the royal family, but the public became outraged that Elizabeth was making no public gesture of mourning. That's when Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) began trying to convince the queen her behavior was threatening the monarchy. DVD release date: April 24, 2007
Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy star in this adaptation of the 1980s Broadway musical. The story is set in the 1960s and is based loosely on the Supremes. A struggling trio (Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose) meets a music producer (Foxx) who gets them a job backing up an established singer (Murphy). The trio eventually achieves stardom, but there are personal and professional problems along the way. The showstopper song is Hudson's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." DVD release date: May 1, 2007
Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore star in this lightweight movie. Having raised three daughters by herself and seen two of them married off, single-mom Daphne (Keaton) turns her attention to helping her youngest, Milly (Moore), find a mate. Soon Milly begins dating two men — an architect found for her by her mother and a musician that Daphne deems unsuitable. Tension develops between mother and daughter, and Milly must figure out what to do, even as Daphne finds herself attracted to the musician's father. DVD release date: May 8, 2007
Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore are paired in this romantic comedy. In his youth, Alex (Grant) was in a popular band, and now he plays class reunions and fairgrounds. He gets a chance for a comeback when a young pop diva asks him to write a new song that he and she can sing together. He's okay at composing tunes, but is having trouble coming up with the words when he discovers that Sophie (Barrymore), the woman who tends his plants, has a knack for lyrics. Soon Alex and Sophie find themselves falling in love. DVD release date: May 8, 2007
This drama is set in the world of stepping, elaborate synchronized group dance routines performed in competitions between African-American fraternities. The main character is DJ (Columbus Short), who gets in trouble in L.A. and is sent to live with his uncle in Atlanta. There DJ attends Truth University where he joins a fraternity and is also attracted to a coed (Meagan Good). Complications arise, but eventually it all comes down to a big dance-off, and DJ helps his group incorporate some kinetic street moves. DVD release date: May 15, 2007
Mel Gibson directed this violent action-adventure film set in 16th-century Central America. The dialogue is in Maya, and English subtitles are provided. The main character is Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), who lives a simple village life with his pregnant wife and their little boy. But warriors attack, and Jaguar Paw is captured. He is taken to a city where hearts are ripped from human chests and severed heads are rolled down a tall pyramid. He escapes and is chased through the jungle as he tries to get back to his family. DVD release date: May 22, 2007
