Foundrywire

What do you get when you cross a conservative, 40-something advertising exec with a streetwise artist half-her age? It’s anyone’s guess in THUG LOVE, an urban romance in the Tyler Perry mold from multi-hyphenate Marcello Thedford (Sunday School, Grindin’), who wrote, produced and directed this fresh 2008 direct-to-DVD release; as an actor, Thedford is also best known as Leon, Dr. Pratt’s mentally challenged brother on “ER” and was recently seen as Semi in Employee of the Month. On February 17, Lightyear Entertainment, home to Thedford’s top-selling Keepin’ the Faith, will debut THUG LOVE for $19.99SRP.

With major studio films Valkyrie and Defiance scoring at the box-office, great awareness and interest has been raised for the WWII epic. Enter THE MOON & THE STARS, a taut, layered and sweeping drama set in 1939 Rome, as the winds of war are swirling. Directed by John Irvin (City of Industry, Hamburger Hill, Ghost Story), THE MOON & THE STARS, which features an enormously talented ensemble led by Alfred Molina (Da Vinci Code, Spiderman 2) and Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean series, The New World), earned two awards at the prestigious Milan International Film Festival in 2007 (Best Production Design, Best Editing), and debuts on DVD on February 24…only from Lightyear Entertainment.

A gripping film noir in the tradition of the ‘60s French gangster movie, the underworld characters in PAID have come to regret the choices they’ve made and now secretly long for a more meaningful life. Starring Tom Conti, Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominee (Reuben, Reuben, Shirley Valentine) and Tony®-winner (“Whose Life is it Anyway?”) and Multiple Emmy®-nominee Corbin Bernsen (“L.A. Law”, Major League) as rival drug lords battling for supremacy in the European drug trade, this thriller, beautifully shot by Dutch director Laurence Lamers, begs the question: at what price freedom from a criminal life? PAID will make its U.S. debut via DVD on February 24 for $19.99 SRP.

Stepping out of his father’s comedic shadow, 28-year-old Joey Piscopo makes his feature film debut as the charming lead in the romantic comedy SATURDAY MORNING, which enchanted audiences at the 2007 Indie Fest USA, taking home the award for “Best Comedy.” In the light-hearted fantasy, Piscopo is supported by a cast of familiar faces and rising stars, including “Cheers” regular George Wendt, Howard Stern’s stunning wife Beth Ostrosky, Lillo Brancato (Enemy of the State) and Australian heartthrob Louis Mandylor (Necessary Roughness). SATURDAY MORNING will make its DVD debut March 10 for $19.99 SRP…only from Lightyear Entertainment.

What do you get when you cross one of Bruce Lee’s classic films, Jackie Chan’s funniest martial arts routines, and a touch of ‘70s blaxploitation cool with one of the funniest and most watched videos to ever appear on YouTube? You get AFRO NINJA: DESTINY, a hilarious, stunt-filled action film inspired by the titular online short that quickly became a part of pop culture upon its initial posting. Shown on Leno, parodied on “South Park” and featured in a Weezer music video, AFRO NINJA: DESTINY is the much-anticipated evolution of an unforgettable online debut and on March 17, Lightyear Entertainment unleashes the power of the Afro to DVD!

There’s an old adage that claims “Marriage is an institution.” In KEEPIN’ THE FAITH: MY BABY’S GETTING’ MARRIED, the institution in question may, in fact, be mental. In the third installment in producer Marcello Thedford’s best-selling Urban Christian series, the Wallace Family is faced with a pending marriage that may, or may not, be the ruin of them all! This very happy marriage of Madea’s Family Reunion and Meet the Parents – among other cautionary wedding tales – leads to a hilarious honeymoon for home audiences when it makes its direct-to-DVD debut on March 10 for $19.99SRP.