By Chris Ball, The Plain DealerMarch 07, 2010, 12:03AMView full size
“Precious”
Mo’nique
Her name is Precious, but her mother treats her like dirt. Oscar nominees Mo’nique and Gabourey Sidibe play a poverty-entrenched Harlem mother and daughter in this searing drama that communicates as clearly as a slap in the face. Teenage Precious is overweight, unloved and pregnant. her abusive mama drills it into her that she’s stupid and won’t amount to anything. Don’t believe it. A best-picture nominee. R, 109 minutes. Grade: A. Extras: A-. in stores Tuesday, March 9.
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“Up in the Air”
George Clooney
Frequent flier Ryan (George Clooney) travels through life with as little baggage as possible. He prefers being on the road, carefree, with no commitments, helping companies fire their workers. but the advent of video conferencing may ground him, and a romance with a female version of himself (Vera Farmiga) may further clip his wings. Directed by Jason Reitman (“Juno”). Nominated for six Oscars, including best picture. R, 109 minutes. Grade: B+. Extras: A-.
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“Capitalism: A Love Story”
Michael Moore
Muckraking filmmaker Michael Moore takes on Wall Street in his latest documentary polemic. With righteous indignation, he attacks union busting, for-profit prisons, Ronald Reagan, white-collar crime and Goldman Sachs. Capitalism “allows you to get away with anything,” he says. his guerrilla theater tactics may be wearing thin, but who else these days has the chutzpah to ask passing stockbrokers to explain derivatives? R, 127 minutes. Grade: A-. Extras: A-.
Also new on DVD on Tuesday, March 9:
“The Brothers Warner”
Warner Bros. is now part of a huge, faceless conglomerate, but as depicted in this warm 2008 biodoc, the company was owned and operated for its first 50 years by Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner. The four brothers, Polish immigrants, built a top-tier movie studio by risking all in a series of high-stakes gambles. They put all of their savings into the purchase of a movie projector, which they carted to the mining towns of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. They opened their first theater, the Cascade, in 1903 in new Castle, Pa., using chairs from the funeral home next door. They led the way in the development of talking pictures, taking a huge chance on Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer.” With its surprise success, they were propelled to the top of the heap, and they went on to create countless hits, many with a social conscience. Cass Warner, Harry’s granddaughter, wrote and directed this loving look back. she includes family home movies and internal gossip that will interest only movie historians and hard-core fans, but she also draws anecdotes from stars who worked with the Warners, including Dennis Hopper, Debbie Reynolds, George Segal, Angie Dickinson, Tab Hunter, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Norman Lear. A shorter version of this film appeared on PBS. Unrated, 94 minutes. from Warner Bros.
“Charlie and Lola Volume 10: I Can’t stop Hiccupping”
Lola is a cute, giggly little girl and Charlie is her kind older brother in this animated BBC children’s series. in the first of nine episodes on this disc, Lola keeps getting the hiccups. People keep offering interesting cures — lie on your back and wiggle your arms and legs — but they only work for a little while. It’s innocent fun with a playful, laid-back spirit, based on the books by Lauren Child. 90 minutes. from Warner Bros.
View full sizeSarah Michelle Gellar
“Possession”
Sarah Michelle Gellar of TV’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” stars with Lee Pace of TV’s “Pushing Daisies” in this gloomy, improbable and dull thriller. They play happy newlyweds, except his brother, fresh out of jail and living with them, is seriously creepy. she wants him out, so he engineers a car crash with his brother that leaves them both in a coma. Weeks later, one awakens. It’s the brother-in-law, but somehow with the personality of her husband. she refuses to believe at first, but he knows things that only her husband could know. Could it be? PG-13, 85 minutes. DVD extras: delete and alternate scenes and an alternate ending. from Fox.
“Hachi: A Dogs Tale”
A professor (Richard Gere) finds a lost Akita puppy during his work commute and brings it home over the objections of his wife (Joan Allen). Director Lasse Hallstrom (“The Cider House Rules”) captures the feelings of loyalty and family with this impressive work, based on a true story. this direct-to-video tear-jerker deserved a long theatrical release. G, 90 minutes. DVD and Blu-ray extra: a making-of featurette. from Sony.
View full size”The Stoning of Soraya M.”
“The Stoning of Soraya M.”
This intense 2008 drama tells the tragic true story of a woman married to an abusive husband in Iran in 1986. The title gives away the subject matter, but the film follows the efforts of another woman who dares to share the story of a conspiracy and cover-up with a stranger (James Caviezel) whose car breaks down in her remote village. It’s a powerful performance by Shohreh Aghdashloo, an Oscar nominee for best supporting actress for 2003′s “House of Sand and Fog” and Emmy winner for 2008′s “House of Saddam.” Based on the best seller by French journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, this film was banned in Iran. R, 116 minutes. DVD extras: a making-of featurette and two commentary tracks. from Lionsgate.
View full size”Ponyo”
“Ponyo”
Overlooked by the Oscars, the latest animated feast from masterful Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki may not be as incredible as his best film, in our opinion 1984′s “Nausicaa,” but it’s still a delight. Based on Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid,” it features voice stars Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin and Betty White. G, 103 minutes. A two-disc DVD-Blu-ray combo set adds bonus features on the Blu-ray disc, including an introduction by the producers, storyboards and two interactive featurettes. from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. disneybluray.com. Disney also is re-releasing three earlier excellent Miyazaki features, “Castle in the Sky,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” in new two-disc special editions with collectible lithographs.
“The Boondock Saints II: all Saints Day”
Something went terribly wrong with writer-director Troy Duffy between the time that the cult hit “Boondock Saints” came out in 1999 and his sequel landed with a thud in 2009. The stylized action comedy about vigilante twin brothers cleaning up criminal elements in Boston was a bracing, adrenaline-pumped delight in 1999, but the retro follow-up is a low-wattage imitation. Still, the stage is set for yet another sequel. The original cast mostly returns, including Sean Patrick Flannery, Norman Reedus and Billy Connolly, joined in the sequel by Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz and Peter Fonda. R, 117 minutes. DVD extras: deleted scenes, two behind-the-scenes featurettes and two commentary tracks. The Blu-ray adds three more featurettes. from Sony.
View full sizeKate Jackson
“Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” season one
After bailing out of “Charlie’s Angels,” Kate Jackson had a soft landing with this low-intensity spy drama. she plays an ordinary single mom in Washington, D.C., who stumbles into a top-secret espionage operation, proving surprisingly helpful to an American spy (Bruce Boxleitner). Romance and comedy mix with bullets and banter. The 1983-84 season is five discs, 21 episodes, 994 minutes. no DVD extras. from Warner Bros.
View full size”Fix”
“Fix”
Filmmakers Milo and Bela are in a race against the clock to get Milo’s brother into rehab or else he faces three years in prison. this kinetic 2008 drama zooms across Los Angeles as they seek to raise the $5,000 needed to pay for the rehab center. Filmed on a handheld camera, it stars Olivia Wilde (TV’s “House”), Shawn Andrews and Tao Ruspoli, who also wrote, directed and handled the camera. Winner of eight film festival awards. R, 93 minutes. DVD extras: two commentary tracks, interviews, a photo gallery and making-of shorts. from E1 Entertainment.
View full size”Planet 51″
“Planet 51″
An astronaut from Earth lands on a far-off planet populated by green aliens obsessed with the fear of invasion by aliens. this computer-generated science-fiction comedy bursts with funny characters and clever humor. The voice cast features Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott and John Cleese. PG, 91 minutes. DVD extras: extended scenes, a short film, a game, two featurettes, a music video montage and animation-progression reels. The Blu-ray adds another game. from Sony.
“Martha Speaks: Martha says it With Flowers”
If a dog could talk, it might be something like this animated children’s show, based on the books by Susan Meddaugh. Martha the dog magically starts talking after eating some alphabet soup, but it requires a good amount of work for her to understand what certain words mean. The show, which is great for improving kids’ vocabulary, debuted in 2008. Unrated, eight episodes, 100 minutes. from Paramount.
“Turn the Beat Around”
Warning: this film promotes the revival of Disco, with a capital D. in fact, the working title of this 2010 MTV original movie was “Disco Queen,” but they came to their senses at least about that. Up-and-coming dancer Zoe (Romina D’Ugo) convinces an L.A. club owner to bring back the music we thought had blessedly died forever in the 1980s. then her dancer boyfriend gets all jealous of the club owner, and Zoe’s rival tries to steal her boyfriend, and you don’t want to know the rest, believe me. Unrated, 88 minutes. DVD extras: deleted scenes and a making-of featurette. from Paramount.
“Matt Houston,” season one
Hunky Lee Horsley plays Texas oil millionaire Matt Houston, who moves to Los Angeles to try his hand as a private investigator in this cheesy action series. With its fast cars, hot babes and money-obsessed trappings, the ABC series, produced by Aaron Spelling, is the perfect manifestation of the greed-driven me Decade. The 1982-83 season is six discs, 23 episodes, 1,169 minutes. from Paramount.
“Old Dogs”
John Travolta and Robin Williams embarrass themselves as old geezers incapable of taking care of twin 7-year-olds in this groan-filled Disney comedy. it also stars Kelly Preston, Seth Green and Lori Loughlin. PG, 88 minutes. A three-disc combo pack includes a DVD disc with deleted scenes, bloopers, a music video and audio commentary; a Blu-ray disc with the same extras and an additional featurette and music video; and a disc with a digital copy for portable players. from Buena Vista.
View full sizeMiley Cyrus
“Hannah Montana: Miley says Goodbye?”
We can only hope. The last six episodes of the third season of the Disney Channel hit series starring Miley Cyrus conclude with Miley/Hannah’s pivotal decision whether to stay in Hollywood or move back home to Tennessee. The final episode with the big reveal doesn’t air until Sunday, March 14, but you can see it first on DVD. Or we could tell you right now what she decides . . . nah. TV-G, 135 minutes. DVD extras: an alternate ending, a highlights episode and a featurette. from Buena Vista.
View full size”In Plain Sight”
“In Plain Sight,” season two
Mary McCormack, who played Howard Stern’s wife in “Private parts,” stars as a U.S. marshal working in the Federal Witness Protection Program. USA Network. three discs, 639 minutes. DVD extras: a gag reel, deleted scenes and commentary on three episodes. from Universal.
“Nine Dead”
Nine strangers are kidnapped, handcuffed together with bags over their heads and forced to solve a series of puzzles or one of them will die every 10 minutes in this all-too-familiar thriller. Melissa Joan Hart, William Lee Scott and Daniel Baldwin star. R, 86 minutes. from Image Entertainment.
“Greek: Chapter Four”
More fraternity and sorority mischief hits the fan in this ABC Family channel series. Jesse McCartney guest stars as a sought-after rushee. three discs, 12 episodes, 522 minutes. DVD extras: bloopers, a recap, audio commentaries, a Jesse McCartney music video and a behind-the-scenes featurette. from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
“Service (Serbis)”
A Filipino family deals with a divisive bigamy trial, set against the backdrop of their combined home and business, a crumbling adult movie theater where hustlers and young male prostitutes congregate. Winner of six film-festival awards, it was nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes. Unrated, 85 minutes. no DVD extras. from E1 Entertainment.
“The Wedding Song”
The friendship of two marriage-minded teenage girls, one Jewish and one Muslim, is altered by the rise of anti-Semitism in Nazi-occupied Tunisia in 1942 in this dreamy 2008 drama. Unrated, 98 minutes. from Strand Releasing.
View full sizeChuck Norris
“Walker, Texas Ranger,” season seven
Chuck Norris kicks butt, but all in the name of the law. Joining his team in the 1999-2000 season are Nia Peeples and Judson Mills. Five discs, 25 episodes, 1,181 minutes. no DVD extras. from Paramount.
“Dalziel & Pascal,” season one
This British police drama centers on two very different homicide investigators who gradually come to respect each other as partners. it stars Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan. 350 minutes. The 1996 season is two discs, 350 minutes. from BBC Home Video.
“Good Intentions”
This 2010 direct-to-video Southern comedy about blackmail and robbery stars Elaine Hendrix, Luke Perry and singer LeAnn Rimes. PG-13, 85 minutes. DVD extras: a commentary track and behind-the-scenes footage, including an interview with Rimes. from Phase 4 Films.
“Strawberry Shortcake: The Berryfest Princess Movie”
The importance of being nice above all else is the emphasis of this shiny, computer-generated film for little girls. Sweet young Strawberry Shortcake decides to run for Berryfest Princess, not realizing that her best friend Orange Blossom holds the same ambition for higher office. What’s a nice girl to do? 2009, 64 minutes. DVD extras: a sing-along and DVD-ROM printable coloring pages. from Fox.
“Gentlemen Broncos”
Director Jared Hess follows up his “Napolean Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre” with another oddball comedy, but this one doesn’t come off as well. It’s about a loveable loner whose story is stolen from him at a writers camp. PG-13, 90 minutes. DVD extras: deleted scenes, outtakes and a behind-the-scenes featurette. from Fox.
View full sizeSean Young
“Haunted Echoes”
A married couple hopes that restoring an old house will help them overcome their grief over the murder of their 8-year-old daughter. Little do they know that the house is haunted by the ghost of another young female murder victim. Starring Cleveland Heights High School graduate Sean Young, David Starzyk and M. Emmet Walsh. The low-budget horror film is making its U.S. debut on DVD. R, 97 minutes. no DVD extras. from E1 Entertainment.
New on DVD: ‘Precious,’ ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’