The Kevin Smith Collection on Blu-ray

If you were an alternative young person in the ‘90s, chances are you may have identified yourself as a Kevin Smith fan at one time or another. Neither time nor Jersey Girl has tarnished the shine on his first feature feat, Clerks, which long ago cemented its place in indie film history and the hearts of anyone who ever worked mind-numbing retail.

More polarizing was his third film, Chasing Amy, which marked a return to small budgets and largely yet-unknown actors after the theatrical flop of Mallrats.

The story of an insecure man-boy falling for a vastly more experienced lesbian and the growing pains it causes with his best male friend broke new ground. It spoke explicitly and hilariously about sex (gay and straight), presented morally modern characters and romance, and didn't ignore the homoerotic subtext of true bromance -- nor exploit it as recent films have. The characters in Chasing Amy loved and lost and made mistakes -- it was a true "touchy-feely" film, as Smith admits he probably always wanted to make. The significance of the film is explored in several special features on the newly released Blu-ray Kevin Smith Collection boxed set.

‘Brüno’ on Blu-ray

While most of us agree Sacha Baron Cohen is funny, fans of the Borat and Ali G. Show star had mixed reactions to Brüno -- especially the LGBT audience. The film portrays the sad and sometimes sickening ways of many prejudiced, narrow-minded, and otherwise absurd Americans. It also steadily pushes the envelope of eccentric and grotesque humor with uber-outlandish Austrian fashion reporter Brüno's bizarre behavior.

Whether you laugh or cringe at the end result, the mechanics and manipulations employed by the creative team, namely Cohen and director Larry Charles, give generous perspective on the filmmakers’ motives and means behind the madness. Find out who was in on the shenanigans and who was acting completely and utterly in earnest in the informative audio commentary special feature on the Blu-ray release.

Check through the deleted scenes to see some comical unused segments with major stars like baseball legend Pete Rose, Paula Abdul, and La Toya Jackson. The three celebs have hilariously varying responses to Bruno's invitation to dine on an elegant sushi spread -- displayed on an overweight, hairy naked man's body. La Toya Jackson makes a gallant effort to endure Bruno's bizarre antics -- the gal's even game to try a piece of sushi a la fat fat guy! She bolts once she realizes Brüno is searching her BlackBerry for her more famous siblings’ contact information.

‘Up’ on Blu-ray & DVD

The 10th cinematic example of Pixar perfection, Up, is an especially touching "kids’" movie. Even more so than previous films, this story of a cranky old widower and and young adventure scout floating to a land lost in time captures viewers young and old alike. And while Pixar has an impeccable record of promoting tolerance in its stories, the rainbow-feathered, gender-bending mythical bird that instigates the second act, Kevin, resonates as an allegory for the LGBT community even more so than previous films' metaphors (it’s been said Ratatoullie can be seen as a coming-out parable).

While the special features on the Blu-ray don't touch on the possible symbolism of that beautiful bird, they do provide an insightful look at the incredible amount of time and care that go into creating a phenomenal finished film. For a society that often rewards menial efforts with fame and fortune (hello, cast of The Hills), Pixar studios shows that tireless hard work is required to create a superior end result.

A 'Mad Max' Without Mel Gibson?

Mel Gibson is out, it seems, but Charlize Theron is in, interestingly, for the upcoming Mad Max film series' fourth installment. Director-producer George Miller has announced principal photography will begin in August in Australia for the postapocalyptic action saga.

The previous three installments, Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome proved epic successes for both Miller and Gibson, who was catapulted to fame after the first film hit in 1979.

Gyllenhaal Brings Action in 'Prince of Persia'

The summer blockbuster season is already brewing. Disney execs are hoping the first big hit of the summer will be Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The big-budget, video game-inspired action movie won't be out until May, but the trailer has been released, to the delight of fans of the flick and Jake Gyllenhaal's arms alike.

'Twilight's Shirtless Hunk Gets Modest

Admit it: You're one of the millions of Twi-hard fang fans chomping at the bit for another fix in the form of New Moon's November release. Well, here's a little tidbit the superhot young star (no, not Robert Pattinson, the other one) Taylor Lautner shared with Showbizspy.com about the work and worry that went into his amazing and much-promoted abs for the shirtless scene in the Twilight sequel.

"I worked hard to get in shape for this role," Lautner said of his physique transformation, which added about 30 pounds of muscle. "My motivation was the movie and the fans, but I don't want to become known as just a body."

Liza Sings on 'Sex and the City 2' Set

September rumors about a wedding scene in the upcoming sequel to Sex and the City have had fans buzzing that the show’s two primary gay characters, Stanford Blach (Willie Garson) and Anthony Marintino (Mario Cantone), will be heading down the aisle.

While we'll probably have to wait until the film’s 2010 debut to know which beloved SATC characters take the plunge, an on-set source did reveal some secrets. Nicholas Rodriguez, an actor involved in the pivotal scene, told People, "We shot for two weeks. It's a ginormous scene with a huge budget, and everybody is pretty much in it ... all of the girls and their spouses, Willie and Mario, and another big surprise cameo, Liza Minnelli."

Vin Diesel Will Reprise ‘XXX’

Fans of the action hunk Vin Diesel were left high and dry when the star of such high-thrill staples as The Fast and the Furious and XXX abandoned the action genre and focused on family films, much like another huge hunk, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. But moviegoers will see the ripped Diesel fight in another XXX movie soon.

Diesel has been training for XXX: The Return of Xander Cage since the summer, and his publicist told fans not to believe any rumors that he might have decided against reprising his role.

Gerard Butler Just Wants to Show His...

“I love to show my rear end in roles," the luscious leading man Gerard Butler admitted to Parade. "I fear it’s becoming a bit of a habit, a tradition that I have to show my ass in every movie that I can..." For his latest big action role, Butler stars opposite Jamie Foxx in Law Abiding Citizen and again flashes the full backside. Butler said it suited his character, who is "completely unpredictable, and so when he strips off it makes sense. I mean, there’s a genius behind that, and if it means I have to bare my ass again, then so be it."

 

Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Again!

Sir Ian McKellen is a regular hero to fans. While most know him as the wise wizard Gandalf from Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings trilogy or maniacal mutant leader Magneto in the X-Men films, true admirers will doubtless point to his efforts as an LGBT advocate as his genuine examples of heroism. The out actor has been fighting for LGBT civil rights for over 20 years. Sir Ian recently shared some highly sought-after secrets about the much-anticipated LOTR prequels, The Hobbit and The Hobbit: Part Two.

"The scripts for the two films will be delivered very soon," McKellen revealed. "Then they'll be budgeted, and then they'll be cast. And they'll be going when they've always said they would be, which is next spring -- March or April. "

Both films are being directed by Hellboy's helmer, Guillermo del Toro, but Peter Jackson is on hand as a producer. McKellen knows he's gearing up for a long journey to the first of the films' premieres, set for December 2011. "Guillermo even told me at one point, 'We're going to film for 383 days.' He's got that artistic autism! Jackson's the same; they're very, very, very alike," he noted, but added, "They also very different, but they've so much in common. They both can't stand Hollywood and have wonderful imaginations, and they're both obsessed with gore and fantasy. Both of them laugh a great deal. Guillermo's one of the most brilliant men I've ever met."

The popular English actor also hinted about what he's heard regarding the possible X-Men: Origins movie for his character, Magneto, in the full interview with Empire, available here.

McKellen will host the Only Make Believe Gala November 2 in New York, with appearances by Alan Cumming, Jude Law, Chris Meloni, and the casts of Hair and The Lion King.

Tell us: What's your favorite Sir Ian McKellen role: Gandalf in LOTR, Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto in X-Men, Mel Hutchwright on the U.K.'s Coronation Street, or James Whale in Gods and Monsters?