It’s exactly as it advertises itself to be, except there are even more gratuitous chase scenes in the sci-fi thriller, which is fine if you like gratuitous chase scenes.
Re: Amanda Seyfried, stunning as ever; a shame her only expression is bland; still stunning, though.
Give Tom a break
Poor Tom Cruise.Not something you hear every day, but let’s face it: The guy never seems to get a break.
Consider how often he was trashed, bashed and eviscerated for playing a German officer in “Valkyrie” — before the movie even came out.
Then came the reviews. Some couldn’t past his celebrity. Others slammed him for passing up the chance to use a German accent
Well, he wasn’t the only cast member to eschew the affectation. And as for his celebrity, it didn’t bother me one iota.
And speaking of eyes, Tom loses one of his when, as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, he’s injured by an explosion that also destroys one hand.
The colonel’s loving wife and children don’t mind and Hitler considers him a hero, which comes in handy when he becomes prime mover in a plot to assassinate the Nazi leader near the end of World War II.
This isn’t a wonderful film; it meanders when it should strut. But the suspense is decent, given that most people already know the story’s outcome. (I won’t spoil it if you don’t.)
Also, the historical blow-by-blow provides tasty background details.
Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson deliver strong supporting performances but Cruise is the standout. Also on Blu-ray.
Extras: An intriguing handful. Check out “The Valkyrie Legacy,” with more history, pictures of the real officers involved and recollections from their surviving spouses, children and grandchildren.
A vampire flick to chew on
Anna Paquin, Oscar winner as a little girl for “The Piano,” earned a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Sookie Stackouse, a feisty 19-year-old virgin who waits tables in a small-town restaurant and bar in the addictive HBO series “True Blood: The Complete First Series.”
Cursed with the ability to hear people’s thoughts, Sookie fends off advances from her nice-guy boss (Sam Trammell), clashes with her narcissistic, womanizing brother (Ryan Kwanten) and falls in lust with a hunky vampire (Stephen Moyer).
Think “Twilight” with lots of sex, more blood, grown-up issues and grisly wit.
The story’s set in Louisiana in a world where vampires and humans coexist tenuously due to a manufactured blood substitute, available everywhere in six-packs.
Based on Charlaine Harris’ popular Sookie Stackhouse novels, the first season is built around a series of murders — and a pretty good mystery — involving women Sookie’s brother sleeps with. (Consider it a “Twilight”-like argument for celibacy.)
Racial bias involving vamps and humans wafts through the story, buoyed by appealing supporting portrayals, highlighted by Rutina Wesley as Sookie’s argumentative BFF.
Created by Alan Ball (“Six Feet Under”). Five discs, 12 episodes. Also on Blu-ray.
Extras: Six commentaries, insights into effects of fake blood, more.
Seagal redux
Aging action icon Steven Seagal whispers his minimal dialogue and walks like an overweight robot (his shoulders don’t move; what’s up with that?) in “Driven to Kill,” an adequate time-filler for desperate people.
Seagal plays Ruslan, a former Russian mobster who writes crime novels. Ruslan resurrects his old persona to find the person or persons responsible for killing his ex-wife and attempting to kill his daughter — just before her marriage to the son of an East Coast Russian mafia leader.
It’s the usual Seagal rough-and-tumble revenge drama, but more confusing.Also on Blu-ray.
Extras: None, which is just as well.
Also on DVD:
“A Bug’s Life” on Blu-ray: Beautiful high-def transfer of the lively 1995 Pixar computer-animated tale of a free-thinking ant (voiced by Dave Foley) who leaves the colony and — in a kind of homage to “The Magnificent Seven” — recruits a ragtag troupe of circus bugs to help battle predatory grasshoppers; has many new extras.
“Changing Lanes” on Blu-ray: Compelling drama about the adversarial relationship between an uptight attorney (Ben Affleck in his best role) and a stressed-out father (Samuel L. Jackson) that develops after they’re involved in a minor traffic accident.
“Eden Log”: An amnesiac who awakens in a cave next to a dead man is hunted by mysterious creatures through a laybyrinth of abandoned labs; and people claim there are no new ideas in Hollywood.
“El Dorado”: Howard Hawks’ Western with good guy, gunman John Wayne helping alcoholic sheriff Robert Mitchum battle bad guys; on two discs with new extras.
“Enemy at the Gates” on Blu-ray: A Russian political officer markets his sniper friend (Jude Law) as a hero to lift his country’s spirits during the Nazi siege on Stalingrad in 1942; with Rachel Weisz and Ed Harris (as a German sniper).
“Fanboys”: Four longtime friends travel cross-country to sneak into George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch and see a rough cut of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” six months before the film opens; coming-of-age saga with Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell and Carrie Fisher.
“Infected”: While investigating the mayor’s assassination, two exes, both ambitious reporters, discover the killer was trying to stop an alien invasion spread by infection; gross but not awful for Grade-B, sci-fi, straight-to-video fare; with Gil Bellows, Judd Nelson and Isabella Rossellini; could use a gag reel.
“Yonkers Joe”: Old-time dice hustler’s plan for one last Vegas score gets complicated by the unexpected reappearance of his developmentally disabled son; with Chazz Palminteri.
“Just Another Love Story”: Danish suspense thriller about a crime-scene photographer, mistaken for a comatose victim’s boyfriend by her family, who allows the deception to continue after the woman awakens with amnesia. Right.
“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”: John Ford’s meditation on myth and legend, digitally mastered, with John Wayne as a tough rancher, James Stewart as a tenderfoot lawyer and Lee Marvin as a dastardly gunfighter; on two discs with new features.
“Mum & Dad”: British horror about a kidnapped young Polish immigrant forced to stay with a violent, abusive, insane suburban family. Yum.
“My Bloody Valentine 3D”: The sequel to the 1981 ax-wielding gorefest, pegging to a mine massacre, serves up a few good jolts of adrenaline; comes with 3-D glasses.
Also on Blu-ray.
“Paul Blart Mall Cop”: Mall security cop Kevin James, a wannabe detective, gets serious when crooks hit the shopping center in the surprisingly popular comedy. Also on Blu-ray.
“Paycheck” on Blu-ray: High-tech engineer Ben Affleck tries to figure out why someone’s trying to kill him and what happened during the years erased from his memory; so-so sci-fi thriller co-stars Uma Thurman.
“3 Days of the Condor” on Blu-ray: Taut 1975 Sydney Pollack suspense thriller with CIA analyst Robert Redford on the run after everyone else in his office is murdered; with Faye Dunaway.
“The Town That Was”: Documentary about the 11 remaining residents of Centralia, Pa., a once-thriving mining town razed after an anthracite fire started in 1962 was deemed too costly to put out; inspiration for the 2006 horror film “Silent Hill”; given all the coal beneath the city, the fire could burn for another 250 years.
TV on DVD
“The Fall and rise of Reginald Perrin: The Complete Series”: Clever but way-over-the-top late-’70s BBC comedy about an oddball, disillusioned sales exec (Leonard Rossiter) who fakes his suicide, reinvents himself as a buck-toothed pig farmer and, later, as owner of a shop that sells worthless things — that people go crazy over.
“Friday Night Lights: Third Season”: Quality small-town high school football drama.
“Gigantor: The Collection – Vol. 1”: 1960s Japanese animated series about a boy and his flying robot.
“Jo Koy: Don’t Make Him Angry”: Young comic does stand-up.
“Peyton Place: Part One”: Mia Farrow, Barbara Parkins and Ryan O’Neal star in the then-racy1964 black-and-white ABC soaper set in New England.
“Russell Brand in New York City: Extended & Uncensored”: Eccentric British comic/ actor/author does stand-up.
`Sister, Sister: The Second Season”: Twins teens Tia and Tamera Mowry play twins, get giddy.
“Suspense: Ultimate Collection”: All 90 episodes from 1949-54 CBS mystery/macabre series that aired live.
“24: Season 7”: Jack Bauer rules. Also on Blu-ray.
“Slumdog Millionaire,” winner of eight Oscars including best picture and best director, if you don’t dwell on “the gimmick.” The gimmick is a plot contrivance that tells the lead character’s life story via flashbacks that explain his ability to correctly answer each question on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” when he’s accused of cheating.
The night before the final question, the teen from the slums (Dev Patel) is arrested and roughed up as he’s interrogated. His saga begins with him, his older brother and a young woman as stray children, teaming up and scrounging through the slums of Mumbai. Eventually, they’re abducted and trained as beggars, become separated, and find each other years later, drastically changed. The intermittently violent tale of love, rivalry and jealousy is told in an appealingly dark, fable-like style against a Dickensian background of dangerous, bustling slums.
Cinematography is excellent. Director Danny Boyle’s pacing is brisk. The scenes with the leads as children are the most compelling but the acting’s solid all around. There’s a lack of insight into the woman (Freida Pinto) the “slumdog” has loved since they were kids, but a crowd-pleasing Bollywood ending makes up for most misgivings. On Blu-ray, too.
Extras: Commentaries, deleted scenes, more.
Rated three barks out of four
“Marley & Me” is a dog movie, the second half of which is mostly family drama, with emphasis on “drama.” You need to know this if you’re expecting a kid-friendly “Lassie,” “Benji” or “Underdog.”
The family-friendly first half is almost all doggie cuteness, mischief and irascibility as married journalists (Owen Wilson, in one of his best performances, and Jennifer Aniston) get a golden lab, name it Marley, and adapt to its untrainability. He chews, he pulls, he destroys, he grows big and becomes very strong. And that’s just Wilson’s character. (Kidding.)
As dog lovers know, no matter how ill-behaved the animal, he becomes family, is present at special occasions, welcomes the kids from school, is always happy, always forgiving and loving unconditionally. Which is the heart of the film and what makes its ending so touching. The picture, on single DVD, two-DVD set and Blu-ray, sags in spots where Marley’s off-screen. But the film, based on the megaseller by John Grogan (Wilson’s character), consistently radiates humanity.
Extras: In the movie, Wilson and the eldest Marley (played by a 10-year-old) show no chemistry, which I found distracting. The dog seldom even makes eye contact. In the extras — which vary per package — it’s revealed that the eldest, one of 22 dogs playing Marley from 5 weeks to 14 years old, didn’t like people. So why choose him? Never explained. Also, on Blu-ray and two-disc set: dog-training trivia track, digital copy, gag reel, deleted scenes, more.
Splendid suspense
My pick for one of the top five movies of 2008, “Tell No One,” on DVD and Blu-ray, is a French mystery thriller based on a novel of the same name by American writer Harlan Coben. The gist of the cat’s-cradle-like plot: A happily married pediatrician’s wife is declared dead by a secluded lake where they’ve been swimming a cappella. She screamed, he ran to her, was knocked out and awoke in a coma with little memory of the details.
Eight years later, the still-grieving doctor (Francois Cluzet) becomes a suspect when two bodies are found near the crime’s site. About the same time, he receives an e-mail showing a current video of his wife, or a woman resembling her, at a train station, along with the message, “Tell no one.”
Since there’s no “CSI: Paris,” the doc must ditch the law and solve the mystery on his own. Kristin Scott Thomas and Marie Josee-Croze co-star. Extras: English-dubbed soundtrack as well as original French with subtitles; outtakes; deleted scenes.
Also on DVD
“Baby Einstein World Music”: Visuals and sounds for babies.
“Black Sun”: Documentary based on painter Hugues de Montalemebert’s book about his adjusting to blindness (from an assault) by traveling and writing about his experiences.
“Magnificent Gladiator”: Sword fights in ancient Rome in the epics “Magnificent Gladiator” and “Revolt of the Barbarians.”
“My Very First Treasury of 50 Storybook Classics: Preschool Stories”: Kids tales such as “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” “Knuffle Bunny,” “Goodnight, Gorilla.”
“The Other End of the Line”: Romantic comedy about a U.S. businessman (Jesse Metcalfe) and a Mumbai-based call-center employee (Shriya Saran) who pretends she lives in S.F.
“Killer at Large”: Documentary about escalating obesity in the U.S.
“Seven Pounds”: Enigmatic I.R.S. agent (Will Smith) seeks redemption by trying to change the lives of seven strangers; with Rosario Dawson; also on Blu-ray.
“South Pacific 50th Anniversary Edition” on Blu-ray: Film adaptation of Rogers and Hammerstein Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, about love and prejudice in World War II; with Rosanno Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor. Extras: new feature-length making-of doc; sing-along subtitles; vintage stage clips with original Broadway stars; more.
“Special”: Drug developers try to stop meter maid (Michael Rapaport) who thinks he’s a superhero and fights crime after being in an experimental study for a new antidepressant.
TV on DVD
“Frances: Bedtime for Frances”: Three animated tales for preschoolers.
“The Fugitive, Season Two, Vol. 1”: Fugitive doctor pursues one-armed wife killer.
“Goosebumps: Return of the Mummy” and “Goosebumps: The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight”: Chills for kids.
“Handy Mandy: Manny’s Green Team”: Handyman and talking tools teach ecology.
“Jim Gaffigan: King Baby”: Stand-up special.
“Raw Nature”: Five parts, four wildlife filmmakers, dangerous animals.
“The Real Ghostbusters: The Complete Series”: All 147 animated episodes remastered, with extras, on 25 DVDs.
“The Real Ghostbusters: Vol. 1”: Five DVDs, 30 episodes, extras.
“Spectacular!”: Bad boy/rock-star wannabe (Nolan Gerard Funk of “Aliens in America”) is recruited by glitzy high school show choir for national championship.
“Strawberry Shortcake Berry Big Journeys”: Two tales.
“Thomas & Friends”: High Speed Adventures”: Six CG-animated stories.
“Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Season Four, Vol. 1”: Sci-fi espionage, action, mumbo-jumbo under the sea; first 13 episodes from final season.
And speaking of vampire sex …
As you may know, “Twilight,” a love story about Bella, a pretty high school girl, and Edward, a prettier male vampire, celebrates celibacy.
What you may not know is when he kisses her — in depth in the DVD’s “dream sequence” extra — he seems only an exhale away from losing it and supping from her jugular.
Which raises the question brought up in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”: Can a hunky vamp consummate his desire for a human without leaving said human bloodless and inert?
Hard to say, though based on the mostly expressionless “Twilight” stars — Kristen Stewart and schoolgirls’ stud-muffin Robert Pattinson — inertia has already set in.
Nothing like an infinite number of intense, longing gazes, shot close up, to spread that inertia to non-tweener audience members.
Pattinson looks born to brood. Stewart kindles a spark or two of aliveness, but the dysfunctional vampire family that welcomes Bella with cold open arms is livelier and more intriguing.
Melodramatic beyond imagining, the story still provides plenty for tween-age girls to go gaga over.
Several stores are hosting “Twilight” parties from 10 p.m. March 20 until midnight to “celebrate” the film’s midnight release, in two-disc, three-disc and Blu-ray sets. For store locations visit www.twilightthemovie.com.
Just don’t expect any insights into vampire sex. The implicit message: If a vampire comes on to you at a party, best to just say no.
Extras: Fascinating peek at young, San Diego ComiCon audience members shrieking continuously as the stars take the stage with writer Stephenie Meyer and director Catherine Hardwicke; short with Meyer saying the tale came to her in a dream; commentary with stars and director; extended scenes; more.
Commitment issues
As most women know, some men don’t grow up. They masquerade as adults, at work and at home, and have denial down to a science.
Like David (Ben Kingsley), the philandering, middle-aged professor in “Elegy,” their maturity gene never matriculated beyond the “whoopee” stage.
David, an author and culture critic as well as a teacher, struggles to resist a grow-up call from Consuela (Penelope Cruz), a gorgeous former student with whom he becomes obsessed.
While there’s plenty of nudity and sex, the film focuses on commitment, aging, jealousy, love, loneliness, repression and friendship.
Cruz, almost as impressive here as in her Oscar-winning portrayal in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” creates a playful, witty and wise young woman, more independent than David’s previous lovers. You can almost taste his anxiety as he fights to keep his emotions walled up and impenetrable.
Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson complement David’s story as, respectively, his best friend and his longtime, no-strings-attached lover.
The ending’s a little shaky. Otherwise, this is a fine drama. Extras: Screenwriter’s commentary; short on the power of words.
Pointless and punishing
About five minutes into “Punisher: War Zone” I got a phone call and put the DVD on mute. Up to that point, the dark and moody movie showcased cartoonish gangsters preening and posturing in that bad-actor way of mimicking tough guys.
It went downhill from there.
The rest looked dreadful — even to someone (mea culpa) usually amused by gratuitous exploding body parts.
The title character (played by Ray Stevenson as a grimacing plank) murders mobsters, at least in part to avenge the killing of his family in an earlier film — I’m guessing here, since the sound was off, but revenge was the plot line in 2004’s Thomas Jane-John Travolta “Punisher,” which, though also pointless, was palatable.
Every time Stevenson’s Punisher (based on a Marvel Comics character) shoots someone in the head, the head blows up and blood goes flying.
He shoots people in the head a lot.
I killed the mute for the final scene. The last line: “Oh God, now I’ve got brains splattered all over me.”
It’s meant as comic relief.
Extras: Digital copy, to play when you’re in that special mood; commentary; more.
Also on DVD
“Azur & Asmar: The Princes’ Quest”: Raised as brothers, two boys from different classes grow up to become rivals in a quest to rescue a pretty princess; classy animated fable.
“Becoming Family”: U.S. doctors and medical students go to work in Sri Lanka six months after the devastating 2004 tsunami; documentary.
“Class Relations”: German film based on Franz Kafka’s unfinished novel “Amerika.”
“Imperial War Museum: Desert Victory”: Oscar-winning 1944 doc about the Battle of El Alamein.
“Imperial War Museum: The True Glory”: Oscar-winning 1946 doc covers D-Day to the fall of Berlin.
“The Velveteen Rabbit”: Live action and animation; with Jane Seymour.
TV on DVD
“America’s Hangar”: Story of flight via tour of the National Air and Space Museum, aka “America’s Hangar.”
“Bakugan ‘Good vs. Evil’ Volume 3”: Cartoon Network animated series.
“Bob the Builder ON SITE: Skyscrapers”: Bob and Can-Do Crew can and do.
“Bunnytown: Hello Bunnies!”: ’Nuff said.
“Degrassi: The Next Generation Season 7”: High schoolers deal with adult issues.
“J.A.G. — The Eighth Season”: Military officers who are also lawyers investigate, prosecute, defend.
“Light at the Edge of the World”: Smithsonian series on disappearing cultures.
“Married With Children — The Complete Tenth Season”: Oh, Al.
“UFC 11: The Proving Ground” and “UFC 12: Judgment Day”: Ultimate Fighting Championship contest.
