(2010)
* * * (B)
Directed by MatthewVaughn
Starring Aaron Johnson,Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Nicolas Cage
Lionsgate//RatedR//Comedy//117 minutes
Available on: DVD,Blu-Ray
Tired of being pushedaround by bullies, high school student Dave Lizewski (Johnson), purchases a wetsuit and sets out to exact revenge in the guise of "Kick-Ass." Hisfirst encounter is a disaster that teaches Dave he'll need to toughen up. SoonDave's ass-kicking inspires others to follow in his footsteps. He's joined byBig Daddy (Cage) and 12-year-old Hit Girl (Moretz), a father-daughter duo of capedvigilantes with an agenda of their own. Together the trio take on killers andrun afoul of the aptly named Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse). Warning: Kick-Ass is shockingly violent andfilled with profanity. It also happens to be hilarious. DVD and Blu-Ray extrasinclude a feature on the comic book origins of Kick-Ass, a gallery of Kick-Assart and an audio commentary by Vaughn. DVD features: director commentary,Marketing Archive, English language tracks, Spanish subtitles, widescreen.Blu-Ray features same plus: Ass-kicking bonusview mode, making of featurette,BD Touch and metamenu remote enabled for iPhone/iPod/iPad interactivity, D-boxmetadata track to connect to d-box motion-based systems, BD-live menu systemwith access exclusive content, special offers, ringtones, English or Frenchlanguage tracks.
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID
(2010)
* * (C)
Directed by ThorFreudenthal
Starring ZacharyGordon, Steve Zahn, Devon Bostick, Chloe GraceMoretz
Fox//RatedPG//Comedy//92 minutes
Available on: DVD,Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
Wisecracking seventhgrader Greg Heffle (Gordon), chronicles his adventures in middle school. Havingyet to hit his growth spurt, young Greg is subjected to swirlies, morons, andbullies that threaten to make him lie down with putrefying cheese. In an effortto survive his never-ending ordeal, Greg devises a series of can't-missschemes, all of which go awry. Rated PG, this movie for tweens (based on JeffKinney's web-comic from 2004) features an arrogant, unlikable hero you hopethey won't root for. DVD features: Greg's deleted diary pages, More gross,silly Fregley fun, The benefits of the Cheese Touch, Chirag's trail of tears,Rowley's lost Zoo-Wee Mama cartoons, English, French or Spanish languagetracks, widescreen. 2-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features same plus: film onDVD, digital copy, Cantonese subtitles.
THE GHOST WRITER
(2010)
* * * (B)
Directed by RomanPolanski
Starring Ewan McGregor,Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton,Eli Wallach, Robert Pugh, Jim Belushi
Summit Entertainment//Rated PG-13//Drama//128 min
Available on: DVD,Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
A ghost writer matcheswits with a controversial politician in this thriller evoking Hitchcock'sanxious works. Eager to pen a British Prime Minster's (Brosnan) memoirs, asuccessful writer (McGregor) travels to an island off the U.S. Eastern seaboardwhere he is surrounded by the PM, the PM's wife (Williams), his mistress(Cattrall), and a contingent of loyal bodyguards. The former PM is besieged byaccusations that he committed illegal acts during his tenure, but mostdistressing, the writer learns more about the suspicious death of the PM'sfirst ghost writer. Based on a Robert Harris novel, the author wants us tobelieve his fictional tale isn't inspired by his friendship with Tony Blair.DVD features: The Ghost Writer:Fiction or Reality, The cast, An interview with Roman Polanski, English,Spanish language tracks, widescreen. 2-Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack featuressame plus: film on DVD, digital copy.
ROAD TO PERDITION
(2002)
* *1/2 (B-)
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Tom Hanks,Paul Newman, Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stanley Tucci, Dylan Baker, DanielCraig, Liam Aiken, Tyler Hoechlin
DreamWorks//RatedR//Drama//117 minutes
Available on: Blu-Ray
Director Sam Mendescorrals three generations of gifted actors, but they never quite overcome Perdition's stilted script. Paul Newmanportrays John Rooney, an Irish mobster who assassinates his cronies, thenthrows each dead man a grand wake. Jude Law takes on a demanding character roleas Maguire, a neurotic hit man whose main interest lies in photographing hisdead victims. In a riveting performance, a careworn Maguire tracks Sullivan(Tom Hanks) through the rural backcountry of the 1930's Midwest.Because Sullivan was John Rooney's right hand man, Rooney's jealous son Connor(Daniel Craig) murders his rival's wife and youngest child, leaving Sullivan toflee with his surviving 12-year-old son (Tyler Hoechlin) in tow. Sullivan robsa series of mob stashes to persuade Rooney to hand over Connor. Depicted aslogical, perceptive and sensitive, Sullivan's failure to foresee the hit on hisfamily is puzzling while Rooney's refusal to respond to Connor's murderousrampage, baffles. Giving no reasonable explanation for its characters'diminished capacities, Perdition isdark, but less affecting than it should be. Blu-ray features: Introduction bydirector Sam Mendes, Commentary by director Sam Mendes, The library: a furtherexploration of the world of Road to Perdition,A cinematic life: the art and influence of Conrad Hall, Making-of, deletedscenes, Theatrical trailer, English, French, Spanish language tracks,widescreen.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS
(2000)
* 1/2 (C-)
Directed by McG
Starring Cameron Diaz,Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray
Sony//RatedPG-13//Action//98 minutes
Available on: Blu-Ray
Charlie's Angels hoped to succeed based on nostalgia and cheesecake. The film attemptsto amplify the formula using skimpily clad Angels and high karate kicks. But,whether these elements help or hurt, it's impossible to escape the film'sincoherent plot and jumpy direction by McG. Cameron Diaz plays fun-loving angelNatalie, a free spirit offset by Drew Barrymore's pouty Angel, Dylan. Wrestlingher insatiable appetites for love and attention, Dylan lands in a series ofscrapes. Lucy Liu assumes the role of third Angel, Alex. She cooks inediblegourmet foods, but clad in a series of siren get-ups, Alex combines adominatrix mind set with her undercover work as an efficiency expert. Thirtyyears after the show aired, the movie continues to cast the Angels as"little girls" bowing to fatherly figures. Barrymore produced thefilm that was also her brainchild, so it's only fair to blame her for theabysmal result. Blu-ray features: director commentary, 5 featurettes, Bloopers,deleted scenes, movieIQ sync, English, French or Spanish language tracks,widescreen.
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
(1996)
* * *1/2
Directed by HenrySelick
Voices of RichardDreyfuss, Susan Sarandon
Disney//RatedPG/Animated, Family//79 minutes
Available on:Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack
Orphaned little Jamesis sent to live with his lazy, spinster aunts, where he is treated cruelly. Oneday a man gives James a bag of magical creatures able to help the boy escape.Alas, James releases the creatures who now work their magic willy-nilly.Suddenly, a peach appears on a bare tree and quickly grows as big as a house.The delighted aunts only see dollar signs, but James finds an entry to theinterior of the peach. Inside he discovers a group of friendly, people-sizedbugs. The peach tumbles from its hilltop perch, and lands in the ocean,commencing an incredible voyage. Many surprises ensue and the film's songs arenicely performed. The computer animated picture glows with stark beauty in thisadaptation of a Roald Dahl childrens book. 2-Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packfeatures: "Spike The Aunts" Interactive Game, feature film also onincluded DVD, behind the Scenes making-of featurette, "Good News"Music Video, Theatrical Trailer, English, French or Spanish language tracks,widescreen.
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
(1981)
* * * (B)
Directed by JohnCarpenter
Starring Kurt Russell,Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, Donald Pleasence, IsaacHayes, Adrienne Barbeau, Season Hubley
MGM//RatedR//Sci-Fi//99 minutes
Available on: Blu-Ray
An entertaining setupcalls for Manhattanto serve as a prison for the nation's worst criminal offenders. Hardenedprisoner Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), accepts the offer of a pardon in returnfor rescuing the U.S. President, whose plane has crashed inside a prison thatis so tough there are no guards inside. More action than sci-fi, exquisitepacing and plot turns, make this a cult classic. 2-Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packfeatures: Original Theatrical Trailer, DVD disc of film, English or Frenchlanguage tracks, Spanish subtitles, widescreen.
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK
HEROES: Season Four
(2009)
Created by Tim Kring
Starring HaydenPanettiere, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Greg Grunberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, AliLarter
Universal//NotRated//Sci-Fi//812 Minutes
Available on: DVD,Blu-Ray
Though the show was notrenewed for a fifth season, creator Tim Kring reports he is in negotiations towrap up the storyline with a miniseries. Panettiere leads a cast showcasinghumans gifted with extraordinary superpowers. The "X-Men" stylepremise explores battles, confrontations and the mind games played by opposingforces vying for control of the mutants. 5-Disc DVD features: cast and crewcommentaries, deleted scenes, Extended scenes, Deconstructing Sylar, Milospeaks, Sullivan Brothers design gallery, Heroes revolution, Genetics of ascene, English language tracks, French or Spanish subtitles, widescreen. 4-DiscBlu-Ray features same plus: Hero connections network.
THE PROPHET
(2009)
Directed by JacquesAudiard
Starring Tahar Rahim,Niels Arestrup
Sony//RatedR//Drama//155 minutes
Available on: DVD andBlu-Ray
This criticallyacclaimed film is set in a French prison where illiterate 18-year-old Malik(Rahim) is beginning a 6-year prison sentence. A Frenchman of Arab descentnaive to criminal ways, Malik is forced to work for the Corsican gang thatcontrols the prison through violence and bribes. This means committing a murderagainst his will. The story documents how Corsican gang leader, Cesar Luciani(Arestrup), shapes the man Malik seems destined to become. DVD and Blu-Rayfeatures: commentary with director and co-writer Jacques Audiard,co-screenwriter Thomas Bidegain and Rahim, deleted scenes, Rehearsal footage,screen tests, French or Spanish language tracks, English subtitles, widescreen.Blu-Ray only also features: French or German language tracks, Turkishsubtitles.
AFTER.LIFE
(2009)
Directed by AgnieszkaWojtowicz-Vosloo
Starring Liam Neeson,Christina Ricci, Justin Long, Josh Charles, Celia Weston
Anchor Bay//Rated R//Horror//103 minutes
Christina Ricci appearsas Anna, a temperamental young woman who awakens, following a serious caraccident, to find herself on a mortuary slab. Liam Neeson appears as themortician who argues with Anna while preparing her for burial. A little boysees Anna through the window, and reports that she is still alive to herboyfriend (Long) who attempts a rescue. DVD and Blu-Ray features: features:Commentary with Co-writer/Director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo, The Art ofMaking a Thriller, Theatrical Trailer, English language tracks, Spanishsubtitles, widescreen.
