Fri, Nov 21, 2008

Caliente

Phil's picks

By Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.04.2008
Watch
"Traitor." Don Cheadle stars as an American-sponsored terrorist-cell infiltrator in this muddy thriller. Cheadle's character plans attacks on American targets and befriends jihadists in an effort to earn their trust so he can undermine their long-term plans. The twist-filled thriller maintains suspense throughout.
Rent/Buy
"The Nightmare Before Christmas: Collector's Edition." Available on DVD and Blu-ray, Tim Burton's 1993 animated musical tells the tale of Jack Skellington, the king of Halloweentown who tries to take over Christmas. There's a new filmmaker commentary, more making-of info and a Christopher Lee narration of Burton's poem on which the movie is based in addition to features on previous DVD editions. Burton recorded a new introduction for the Blu-Ray version.
Play
"Grid." After a debut run on home consoles, "Grid" steers onto the DS, with customizable tracks and online racing with muscle car and drift events set at tracks around the world. The cartoonish "Mario Kart DS" is still the most thrilling racer on the system, but "Grid" at least puts up some fair competition for those wanting a more realistic experience.