MCN DVD Reviews: August 25, 2008

*The Wrap Up ...*

Street Kings	With such bang-bang thrillers as Harsh Times, S.W.A.T., Dark Blue, Training Day and The Fast and the Furious on his resume, writer David Ayer appears to be Hollywood's go-to guy for movies involving corrupt cops, drugs and thug life in Los Angeles. In his directorial debut, Street Kings, Ayer follows suit, even if, this time, the extremely profane and blood-soaked screenplay was adapted from a James Ellroy story by the author, Kurt Wimmer (The Recruit) and newcomer Jamie Moss. Here, Keanu Reeves plays a bitter, boozy L.A.P.D. detective who's notorious for taking justice into his own hands. After a former partner is killed in a liquor-store heist, his Tom Ludlow decides not to wait for the fellow cops to complete their mysteriously half-hearted investigation. Naturally, the search for truth and justice leads to a rat's nest of officially sanctioned corruption and a cover-up that appears to include real-life ex-chief Daryl Gates. Without giving anything away, Ludlow's mission leaves many bullet-riddled corpses in its wake. If one were to judge the L.A.P.D. simply based on evidence presented in the movies, it would be reasonable to assume that it was more corrupt than similar departments in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Miami. It isn't, but, its proximity to the dream factory and racist reputation make it a convenient foil. Street Kings will best be enjoyed by gang-bangers and teenagers addicted to Grand Theft Auto, as the non-stop violence lends itself to binging on chronic and malt liquor. How the producers managed to round up such an all-star cast and creative team is beyond me, however. Besides Reeves, Ellroy and Wimmer, the talent list includes Forest Whitaker, Jay Mohr, John Corbett, Cedric the Entertainer, Hugh Laurie and up-and-coming Mexican hottie Martha Higareda. The collection of mostly unknown actors playing bad guys is truly impressive, especially in the biceps and abs department. -- Gary Dretzka

Camp Rock: Extended Rock Star Edition Best of Both Worlds Concert: The 3-D Movie	Not having tween-age children to keep me abreast of totally cool trends, the whole Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers/HSM sensation took me by surprise. They emerged from the world of basic cable like gangbusters, stunning parents and media outlets with the sheer zeal of the pre-pubescent fan base. Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and the Beatles had such fans, but they tended to be old enough to possess a driver's license, at least. Neither did the youngest among them dress as if they were working the late shift at a strip club. Today's girls get their notions about fashion from Disney alums Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, none of whom are known for their modesty or sense of decorum. Young as they are, these fading superstars have left so little to the imagination there's barely anything more to anticipate from them. Such male Mouseketeers as Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling have found an afterlife in the movies, but it took a while for them to be taken seriously as actors, too. Ready to step into their shoes are the multi-talented girls and boys in Camp Rock, a feature-length country cousin to the incredibly successful High School Musical franchise. Tween heartthrobs, the Jonas Brothers, play members of a band required to do penance for some behavioral lapse at Camp Rock for the summer. As cuddly cute as they are, the lads are no match for the devious machinations of the camp's female population, led by rising stars Meaghan Jette Martin, Alyson Stoner and Demi Lovato. As is the norm for movies in the Disney catalogue, Camp Rock balances the fun with lessons on how to play nice with other children. The DVD set adds lots of new material to what's already been Tivo'd by fans. For the multitude of adults whose only awareness of Miley Cyrus (a.k.a., Hannah Montana) comes from hysterical coverage of the 15-year-old's ill-advised photo shoot for Vanity Fair, Best of Both Worlds will go a long way toward explaining the phenomenon. The 3-D movie played only in limited release last spring, but its success gave studios and exhibitors a reason to think 3-D may be an idea whose time has come. In addition to showcasing much energetic singing and dancing, the movie takes viewers on a backstage tour and eavesdrops on rehearsals. Not surprisingly, the Jonas Brothers make an appearance here, too. The extended DVD package includes 2-D and 3-versions of the movie, four pairs of glasses, new songs and a sing-along feature. -- Gary Dretzka

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day	Critics raised a legitimate question by asking why those fine Yank actors, Frances McDormand and Amy Adams, were assigned lead roles in Bharat Nalluri's adaptation of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, a novel set among rich and frivolous Brits in pre-war London. While McDormand probably could play a frumpy governess of any cultural background, screenwriters David Magee and Simon Beaufoy felt compelled to give her co-star a break by making her chirpy husband-hunting entertainer, Delysia Lafosse, an American. Both are excellent, here, but it's easy to imagine that a few widely recognized British actors might have wondered why they were overlooked. (The frothy bedroom farce is only now being given a theatrical release in the U.K.) When McDormand's sartorially challenged Miss Pettigrew finds herself unemployed - and essentially unemployable - she finagles a job as social secretary to the flighty gold digger. It isn't a natural fit, but Pettigrew's motherly advice is just what Lafosse needs to make sound marital decisions. After a forced makeover, Pettigrew is given romantic opportunities of her own. All of Lafosse's suitors have their pros and cons, and each is given a chance to win her heart. However, given the relative anonymity of the male cast - handsome Ciarán Hinds being the most recognizable - it's difficult to favor one over the other. What ought to sell DVD renters on Miss Pettigrew is the film's wonderful adherence to period feel. Lafosse's home is loaded with Art Deco touches, the soundtrack is comprised of standards and swing music, the ballroom was modeled after the Savoy, famous West End theaters stood in for themselves and the soundstages were provided by historic Ealing Studios. Indeed, it's exactly the kind of exquisitely rendered adult fairy tale that might have benefited more by debut ing on Masterpiece Theater or BBC America. The bonus features include deleted scenes, an alternate ending, a pair of informative featurettes and commentary. -- Gary Dretzka

Nixon The Election Year Edition The Deal	Three years before the exceptional director Stephen Frears and writer Peter Morgan wowed international audiences with The Queen, they collaborated on a similarly entertaining dissection of British politics, The Deal. The made-for-television drama featured a spot-on portrayal of Tony Blair by Michael Sheen, who, yup, would assume the same role in The Queen. Here, Blair has yet to be elected prime minister. His chief rival for the position is Labor Party firebrand, Gordon Brown (David Morrissey), whose inability to pull the trigger politically allowed the underdog to leapfrog into the proper position to become leader of their party. Compromise usually doesn't produce great drama, but The Deal often is as thrilling as any police procedural on the big screen. In post-Thatcher Britain, the stakes couldn't have been higher. Frears not only captures the heat of the moment, but he also nails how a strong friendship can fall victim to expediency and pragmatism. The Deal offers a glimpse into how the game can be played when candidates aren't afraid to tackle real issues or alienate special-interest groups, as is the case with American politicians. John McCain and Barack Obama should be forced to take time from their nitpicking, pontificating and name calling to watch The Deal … so should American voters. With the political conventions here - and the hype machine already grinding out publicity for Oliver Stone's biopic on George W. Bush - it's as good a time to send out the extended Blu-ray edition of Nixon. Blessed with great performances by Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, James Woods, J.T. Walsh, David Hyde Pierce and a dozen other fine actors, Nixon took a fast and loose approach to the disgraced former president. Stone is nothing, if not a glutton for controversy, and, at times, his manipulative conceits make one almost feel sympathy for Nixon. The funny thing is that Stone's interpretation of Nixon, as tortured as it is, makes him seem exponentially more qualified for the presidency than the White House's current inhabitant. The new edition adds Beyond Nixon, a documentary by the director's son, Sean. -- Gary Dretzka

Felon	We've all seen a dozen movies predicated on the same premise as Felon: a man/woman defending his/her/their home/child/spouse inadvertently kills an intruder/carjacker/pet and is subsequently tried for and convicted of the so-called crime. His/her's prison sentence is lengthened after said felon is threatened with physical harm by another convict and is sent to the hole after defending his/her honor. A third of the way into the movie, the prisoner will have devolved into an animal state and become as dangerous as everyone else in the joint, including the guards … unless, of course, a good Samaritan/priest/lover/lifer enters the picture. And, so goes Felon, a prison drama that follows the same formula, but is redeemed by excellent performances by Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff, and a script that gets tighter as the protagonist gets more desperate. Here, Dorff's Wade Porter is required to participate in a series of increasingly violent fights, which are staged by guards for wagering purposes. Kilmer's stoic lifer, John Smith, generously agrees to help Porter navigate the prison maze, although he, too, is a hard-core killer. The actors playing Porter's prison enemies are extremely believable, as is the violence. Felon was accorded a perfunctory release in July, so it easily qualifies for straight-to-DVD honors. -- Gary Dretzka

The Life Before Her Eyes	Anyone contemplating using a Columbine-like slaughter as a foundation for a psychological thriller ought to think twice before jazzing it up with elements of magical realism and allusions to such hot-button issues as abortion. Not being of the American persuasion, Ukrainian director Vadim Perelman might not appreciate the overwhelming horror sparked by such senseless attacks among parents and other citizens powerless to keep automatic weapons out of the hands of sociopaths and other criminals. Here, Uma Thurman plays a woman, who, 15 years before, was given a choice between agreeing to be killed by a psycho killer and giving up her best friend. Evan Rachel Wood portrays the same woman as a randy teenager. We meet both of the characters on an anniversary of the killings, and bounce between their curiously parallel stories throughout The Life Before Her Eyes. Perelman, whose freshman film was the much-admired House of Sand and Fog, once again relies on meteorological elements to foreshadow plot elements and provide subconscious commentary. The survivor not only suffers from feelings of guilt, but also a myriad of other psychological hang-ups. These are compounded by a cheating husband and the search for a missing child. It's all too much, really. Pawel Edelman's cinematography is pretty terrific, though. -- Gary Dretzka



I'm Through With White Girls The eye-popping declaration in the title of Jennifer Sharp and Courtney Lilly's freshman feature certainly grabs one's attention. Too bad, distributors of the loopy romantic comedy elected to drop the far more helpful subtitle, The Inevitable Undoing of Jay Brooks, as it served to cushion the impact. Anthony Montgomery plays Brooks, a graphics artist whose fear of commitment has resulted in a string of broken relationships, almost exclusively with white women. Brooks doesn't have anything against black women, it's just that he has far more in common with white ones. After breaking up with one girl too many, Brooks embarks on Operation Black Sugar, an attempt to see what he's been missing. White Girls is populated by characters whose attraction to their opposites is every bit as pronounced as that of Brooks. When he finally does meet a sister to whom he's attracted, she's a neurotic Valley Girl with a pale complexion and a best-selling novel to promote. They're wonderfully compatible, but, when the issue of commitment once again rears its ugly little head, Brooks panics. It's possible to guess the rest of the story, but there are enough surprises along the way to recommend White Women to anyone who likes movies about dating and the complications of love. It's also possible to see quite a bit of Spike Lee's trademark character, Mars Blackmon, in Montgomery's performance. -- Gary Dretzka

CJ7 The Bodyguard / Bodyguard 2 Hong Kong action-auteur Stephen Chow is responsible for two of the most wacked-out martial-arts comedies of all time: Shaolin Soccer and Kung Foo Hustle. His family-oriented fantasy, CJ7, offers more of the same cheeseball special effects and farcical situations, but without the hyper-violent payoffs. It is the story of a charming 9-year-old boy, Dicky (played by Xu Jiao, an 11-year-old girl), whose desperately poor father struggles to pay for his son's private-school tuition. Dad's discovery of what he thinks is a much-coveted toy opens their world to a far greater universe, with alien life forms and many other intriguing possibilities. CJ7 clearly pays homage to ET, but with an attitude unique to the Hong Kong school. Just because you didn't hear about CJ7 in its brief theatrical run doesn't mean it isn't worth your attention now. The marketing campaign left a lot to be desired. Fans of less family-oriented Asian fare are directed to the combined Bodyguard/Bodyguard 2 package. It features plenty of over-the-top slapstick action, with many hearty laughs along the way. It's the work of popular Thai actor-director-writer Petchtai Wongkamlao, who shares the same comic sensibility as Chow. Thai movies reside on a planet all their own, however. -- Gary Dretzka

The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game Dave's World: The First Season Caroline in the City: The First Season My Boys: The Complete First Season Transformers Animated: Season One Comedy Central's Kenny vs. Spenny: Volume One: Uncensored Shortly after injuries caused Dick Francis to retire, he borrowed from his experiences as a rider for the royal family and familiarity with the peculiarities of the racing world to launch a series of mysteries that would endure for nearly 40 years. The novels covered almost every aspect of the European riding scene - from bookies and grooms, to owners and kings -- with each new protagonist adding a little something extra to the understanding of the game and individual style of racing. One of his many creations, jockey-turned-P.I. Sid Halley, was used as the central figure in a television series shown here as part of PBS' Mystery! You don't have to be a railbird to appreciate The Racing Game, but those who are will especially enjoy the DVD presentation. It includes a biography of the author. In the mid-'90s, CBS scored ratings points with a pair of lightweight sitcoms about cute kids and ditzy neighbors, Dave's World and Caroline in the City. The former was inspired by the home life of Miami-based newspaper columnist Dave Barry (played by magician-turned-actor Harry Anderson), while the latter concerned cartoonist Caroline Duffy (Lea Thompson), a pretty young New Yorker who finds it difficult to form solid relationships. Dave's World has already been forgotten, and most memories of Caroline in the City have been trumped by Sex and the City. In the TBS sitcom My Boys, charming Jordana Brewster plays a Chicago sports columnist and den mother to a group of needy young men that includes her brother, an ex-boyfriend and a sportswriter for a rival publication. It's gotten to the point where I can't tell one Transformer DVD package from another. The Season One compilation is the third such collection I've received for review in the last month, and, from where I stand, the differences between the characters and storylines are so slight as to be invisible. In any case, fans will be excited that it's here. Comedy Central's Kenny vs. Spenny is another one of those boys-will-be-boys gross-out shows whose sole reason for existence seems to be antagonizing critics and parents. Each week, a different competition is staged to see which of the guys can outlast the other in such skills as farting, gorging on meat, singing badly and losing weight. The premise already has been borrowed by programmers desperate for ideas in other countries. As is the case with Jackass, it's better not to try any of these feats at home. Terminal City is an offbeat Canadian series that found a home here on the Sundance Channel. It describes what happens when an outspoken 43-year-old mother of three is hired to take over a reality show. She's also undergoing treatment for breast cancer and sharing the experience with viewers. It's a twist that adds a dark and macabre aura to the Canadian series. Among the television series enjoying a reprise on DVD are The Love Boat: Season One, Vol. 2, Dexter: The Complete Second Season, Prison Break: Season 3, Blue Murder: Set 3, The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season, South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season, P.D. James: Devices and Desires, Wire in the Blood: Prayer of the Bone, Foyle's War: Set 5, Family Ties: The Fourth Season and Inspector Lewis: Mystery! -- Gary Dretzka