Wednesday, May 22, 2013
NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY
Owen Wilson, left, Jenna Fischer, Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate and a fine supporting cast help "Hall Pass" succeed.
Warner Bros.
"BATTLE: LOS ANGELES," starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez. Nonstop action and a you-are-there approach distinguish this big-budget sci-fi flick from the rest of the pack. Soon-to-be-retired Sgt. Michael Nantz (Eckhart, "The Dark Knight") is forced to return to the front lines, this time to defend Los Angeles from an alien invasion. The special effects are impressive throughout, and Eckhart lends gravitas to a role that could have been a bland cliche. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:56.
Suggested retail price: DVD $28.95; Blu-ray $38.96
"BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON," starring Martin Lawrence and Brandon T. Jackson. For those viewers eager to behold Martin Lawrence in a fat elderly woman suit once again, here's the third entry in the good-natured (if perhaps a bit long in the tooth) comedy trilogy, adding the genial Jackson to the mix as Lawrence's son, fated to inherit a no-doubt burdensome life of fat suits and cross-dressing. Director John Whitesell livens the proceedings some with several unexpected but entertaining music numbers, and fans of slapstick humor may enjoy the lowbrow shenanigans on display. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:47.
Suggested retail price: DVD $29.99; Blu-ray $39.99
"HALL PASS," starring Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis. From the always eager to offend Farrelly brothers ("There's Something About Mary") comes this typically ribald farce about a pair of married pals (Wilson and Sudeikis) whose long-suffering wives (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) allot their oversexed hubbies a consequence-free week with which to indulge their oft-wandering eyes. While one wonders where the briefly emancipated men would be able to locate better-looking spouses than Fischer and Applegate, it's a lot of fun watching them try (and repeatedly fail), and a hilarious supporting cast (including Stephen Merchant, Richard Jenkins and J.B. Smoove) helps matters greatly. A return to form for the once-reigning screen kings of crass. Rated R. Running time: 1:45.
Suggested retail price: DVD $28.98; Blu-ray $35.99
"RED RIDING HOOD," starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman. Gorgeously shot if intellectually vacuous, director Catherine Hardwicke reveals her "Twilight" roots in this revamp of the children's fairy tale. Seyfried's Red is stuck in a loveless betrothal in a medieval-era town where a werewolf reportedly stalks the land. Visually sumptuous, but for a more brain-engaging (and fun, for that matter) take on the Red Riding Hood tale, check out 1996's "Freeway," with Kiefer Sutherland and a young Reese Witherspoon. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:40.
Suggested retail price: DVD $28.98; Blu-ray $35.99
NEW ON DVD
"THE GLADES: SEASON ONE," starring Matt Passmore and Alexis Windsor. A refreshingly straight-arrow police series stars tough but ingratiating Passmore as a detective who relocates from Chicago to Florida in the vain hope of achieving a less stressful workday. The effectively low-key approach and relative and welcome dearth of snarkiness recalls the best detective series of the '70s and '80s, e.g. "Magnum, P.I." and "The Rockford Files." Not rated, contains language and violence. Running time: 9:27.
Suggested retail price: $39.98
"HAVEN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON," starring Emily Rose and Lucas Bryant. From the ever fertile and twisted mind of best-selling author and native Mainer Stephen King comes this highly enjoyable series. The story follows FBI agent Rose as she attempts to extract info regarding a murdered ex-con from the odd citizens of a tight-knit Maine community known as a refuge for folks with supernatural powers. As one can easily glean from that synopsis, all the usual King elements are safely in place. Not rated, contains language, violence and frightening images. Running time: 9:32.
Suggested retail price: DVD $44.98; Blu-ray $49.98
"VANISHING OF THE BEES," documentary narrated by Ellen Page. This thought-provoking and ultimately worrisome doc looks at the plight of the common honeybee, an insect whose importance to the worldwide economy is infinitely more crucial than most might expect. The honeybee's waning numbers are investigated by filmmakers George Langworthy and Maryam Henein in a manner not unlike a good mystery, albeit one with very real and upsetting real-life implications. Special features include an animated short film and a featurette that shows you how to remove an unwanted honeybee colony from your property. Not rated, nothing objectionable. Running time: 1:27.
(Continued on page 2)
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