(2010)
* * *1/2 (A-)
Directed by NoahBaumbach
Starring Ben Stiller,Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brie Larson, Mark Duplass, JunoTemple, Chris Messina
Universal//RatedR//Drama//108 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
Ben Stiller slips intothe skin of Roger Greenberg, an unhappy, underachieving, defensive 40-year-oldconfronting what might have been, and what might still be possible. Greenbergonce walked away from success, leaving behind a record label deal and a pair ofperplexed band mates to become a carpenter in New York City. When he returns to L.A. 15years later, ex band member Ivan (Ifans) is still his friend. Greenberg'sonetime girlfriend (Leigh, the director's wife) exemplifies the life he mighthave had, but he is charmed by Florence(Gerwig), a cheerful young woman 15 years his junior. Though difficult to like,Greenberg is collection of intriguing and amusing oddities. It's a tribute tothe director's skill that we root for him even when Greenberg hasn't earned it.DVD and Blu-Ray features: behind-the-scenes look at Greenberg, Greenberg loves Los Angeles, Noah Baumbachtakes a novel approach, English, French or Spanish language tracks, widescreen.
WHITE COLLAR: SEASON ONE
(2009)
* * (C)
Created by Jeff Eastin
Starring Matt Bomer,Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, Natalie Morales, Diahann Carroll
Fox//RatedTV-PG//Drama//677 minutes
Available On: DVD andBlu-Ray
Neal Caffrey (Bomer) isa master criminal wrapped in a pretty boy veneer. Following his escape fromprison, Caffrey is caught by FBI Agent Peter Burke (DeKay), with whom Caffreyhas a history. Burke, now hot on the trail of "The Dutchman," allowsCaffrey to serve the remaining four years of his sentence in Burke's custodyprovided Caffrey finds the Dutchman. A lover of life's finer things, Caffreymeets and befriends an aging wealthy widow (Carroll) who invites him to live inher excellently appointed Manhattanhome and gifts him with her dead husband's pricey clothes. Caffrey's good lifewould be complete if not for his efforts to find the girlfriend who dumped himand the restrictions placed on him by Burke. With it's upbeat rhythm, lighterthan air tone and thinly sketched crime capers, this USA Channel entry is no"Burn Notice," but it's a pleasant enough if you don't scrutinize it.4-Disc DVD or 3-Disc Blu-Ray features: Commentaries on selected episodes,deleted scenes, featurettes: Pro and Con, A Cool Cat in the Hat, Nothing Butthe Truth, Gag Reel, English language tracks, French, Spanish or PortugueseSubtitles, widescreen.
SAVING GRACE: The Final Season
(2008)
* * * (Grade B)
Created by Nancy Miller
Starring Holly Hunter,Leon Rippy, Laura San Giacomo, Kenny Johnson, Bailey Chase, Bokeem Woodbine,Lorraine Toussaint, Mark L. Taylor, Dylan Minnette
Fox//RatedTV-MA//Drama//836 minutes
Available on: DVD
Like "Joan ofArcadia," Grace converses with a divine spirit. Here the spirit is ahippie-redneck angel calling himself Earl (Leon Rippy). He claims he's come tohelp Grace, but in season three he puts her life in danger. Holly Hunter is agem as troubled Oklahoma Citypolice detective, Grace Hanadarko. She gets along in a man's world by followingher moral compass and giving as good as she gets. Though Grace's best friendRhetta (Laura San Giacomo), knows all about Earl, this season Grace's secretvisitations are revealed to the public. For three years, the depiction offlawed characters doing their best, has curried favor with viewers, but thatfailed to save Grace, a show Fox claims is pricey to produce, from the studioaxe. 5-Disc DVD features: English language tracks, French, Portuguese orSpanish subtitles, widescreen.
THE BOUNTY HUNTER
(2010)
* * (C)
Directed by AndyTennant
Starring Gerard Butler,Jennifer Aniston, Christine Baranski, Jason Sudeikis, Cathy Moriarty
Sony//RatedPG-13//Comedy//107 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
Aniston and Butler each take anotherstab at the romantic comedy genre, but predictably, both their pairing and themovie, come up short on romance and laughs. Aniston appears as Nicole, aninvestigative reporter whose unpaid parking tickets and failure to appear incourt get her case assigned to Milo, a bounty hunter (Butler) and Nicole's ex-husband. The filmattempts to make sexy fun from Milohandcuffing Nicole to the bed, but these scenes make you wistful for thewittier episodes of "Friends." Soon Nicole gives Milothe slip, but it's a good thing he finds her since Nicole's investigation haslanded her on a killer's hit list. DVD features: featurettes: Making of, Alongthe Road: Hunting Locations, Rules for Outwitting a Bounty Hunter!, English orFrench language tracks, widescreen. Blu-Ray features same plus: MovieIQ syncand BD-Live connections to real-time information about the cast, music, andtrivia, Digital Copy of film, optional Spanish language track.
OUR FAMILY WEDDING
(2010)
* (D)
Directed by RickFamuyiwa
Starring ForestWhitaker, America Ferrera, Taye Diggs, Regina King, Fred Armisen, Lance Gross,Carlos Mencia
Fox//RatedPG-13//Comedy//103 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
Lovebirds Lucia andMarcus (Ferrera and Gross) visit their families in Los Angeles to disclose their engagement. Thefilm hangs its comedy shingle on the culture clash between patriarchs (Menciaand Whitaker), one a traditional Latino family man, while the other, Brad, isan African American playboy fond of young women. During a punishing two-weekcountdown to their nuptials, Lucia and Marcus adopt the mantra, "Ourmarriage, their wedding." Playing Brad's attorney and potential loveinterest, Regina King's wise character provides respite from otherwise nonstop pandemonium.DVD and Blu-Ray features: deleted scenes, The Director's Cut Ending, ExtendedScenes, Til Dads Do Us Part featurette, Gag Reel, English language tracks,French or Spanish subtitles, widescreen.
CHLOE
(2010)
* *1/2 (B-)
Directed by Atom Egoyan
Starring AmandaSeyfried, Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Max Thieriot
Sony//RatedR//Drama//99 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
Suspecting that herhusband David (Neeson) has been unfaithful, Toronto-based gynecologistCatherine (Moore)hires high-class prostitute Chloe (Seyfried), to tempt him. However, it isn'tlong before Catherine, titillated by Chloe's exploits, finds herself fallinginto bed with the girl. This latest effort from esteemed director Atom Egoyanremakes the 2004 French film "Nathalie," a study of loss andregaining passion. Though it succeeds as a mystery, Egoyan's effort mostlylacks emotional import despite fine performances all around. DVD and Blu-Rayfeatures: making-of short, deleted scenes, commentary with Egoyan, Seyfried andwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, English language tracks, widescreen.
PSYCH: Season Four
(2010)
* * (C)
Created by Steve Franks
Starring James Roday,Dule Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Tim Omundson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson, RachaelLeigh Cook, James Brolin, Ally Sheedy
Universal//NotRated//Comedy//660 minutes
Shawn Spencer (Roday)is an astute observer of human behavior and exhibits Sherlock Holmesian powersof deduction, Nevertheless, he chooses to pose as a psychic and is frequentlyhired as consultant to the Santa Barbara Police Department. Best friend Burton (Hill) is Shawn'spartner, running the business end of their arrangement while frequentlydisagreeing with Shawn's tactics. Bernsen portrays Shawn's father, a mildlydisapproving ex-cop with whom Shawn has issues. The dialog is clever even whenthe cases aren't, but the chemistry between Roday and Hill can be grating.Rachel Leigh Cook appears in a recurring role as Shawn's girlfriend. 4-Disc DVDfeatures: deleted scenes, Gag Reel, Video and audio commentaries on selectedepisodes, Previews, Psychouts, Montages, Think Tank Podcast, English languagetracks, widescreen.
INSOMNIA
(2002)
* *1/2 (B-)
Directed by ChristopherNolan
Starring RobinWilliams, Al Pacino, Nicky Katt, Paul Dooley, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney,Jonathan Jackson, Martin Donovan
Warner//RatedR//Thriller//118 minutes
Available on: Blu-Ray
Insomnia contrasts Alaska's24-hour summer daylight season with its protagonist's dark secrets. He is Los Angeles detectiveWill Dormer (Al Pacino), on loan to a small Alaskan town with his partner(Martin Donovan) to investigate the murder of a teen. Dormer (Al Pacino)happens to be under investigation by the department when, while chasing theirsuspect through a fogbank, Dormer shoots and kills his partner. Failing toinform the internal investigator (Hilary Swank) that he fired the fatal shot,prevents Dormer from sleeping and makes him an ideal blackmail target. DirectorChristopher Nolan is interested in his characters' frailties, including thoseserial murderer Walter Finch, played by Williams with glib self-satisfaction.The film dozes through many fine opportunities to examine the parallels betweenDormer and Finch, but it's fun to watch the Pacino-Williams competition to chewup the scenery. Blu-Ray features: Movie Cash, Additional scenes, 2Commentaries: Director Christopher Nolan or Hilary Swank, production designerNathan Crowley, editor Dody Dorn, cinematographer Wally Pfister andscreenwriter Hillary Seitz, featurettes: Making-of, A conversation withChristopher Nolan and Al Pacino, Cinematography and production design, Theinsomniac's world, Stills gallery, Theatrical trailer, English, French, Spanishlanguage tracks, widescreen.
Also Out This Week:
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
(2008)
Directed by JohnStockwell
Starring SusanSarandon, Eva Amurri, Willa Holland, Anton Yelchin, Justin Chatwin, JohnStockwell
Image//RatedR//Comedy//95 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
Needing $12,000 fast soshe'll be admitted to medical school, Grace (Amurri) throws her lot in withspoiled rich kid Dorian (Yelchin) who has offered her a piece of hispot-dealing venture. Susan Sarandon appears as Grace's out of control mom. DVDand Blu-Ray features: deleted scenes, Making of featurette, Cast and crewinterviews, Trailer, English language tracks, Spanish subtitles, widescreen.
THE LUCY SHOW: The Official Second Season
(1963-1964)
Starring Lucille Ball,Vivian Vance, Gale Gordon, Jimmy Garrett, Dick Martin, Candy Moore, Ralph Hart
Paramount//Not Rated//Comedy//719 minutes
Widows LucilleCarmichael (Ball) and her best friend Vivian (Vance), live with their threekids in suburban Danfield, Connecticut. Hoping to meet eligible men,Lucy goes to work at the Danfield First National Bank where she is hounded byher curmudgeonly boss, Theodore J. Mooney (Gordon). 4-Disc DVD features: Clipsfrom "opening night" special, Clip from CBS: the stars' address, Newinterviews with Carole Cook and Barry Livingston, Vintage openings, Vintageclosings, Cast commercials, Cast biographies, Production notes, Photogalleries, English language tracks.
