A DVD can be a double-edged sword, and trust me, you’re not the only ones with some not-so-choice choices collecting mildew in your closets. But we offer help by way of an answer to the decade-old conundrum, “How many times are you really gonna watch that?”
This week’s releases
Kicking & Screaming
Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) has always suffered at the hands of his father (Robert Duvall), but he’s not about to let his 10-year-old son endure the same ridicule. So when Phil’s dad demotes the youngster, Phil steps in to coach him, whipping both himself and the boy’s team into shape.
Total box office: $52.6 million
Extras! The extras greatly upstage the film itself, which was necessary to sell more DVDs and, well, simple. A few behind-the-scenes featurettes on how the kids geared up for soccer are all fine and dandy, but the real winners here are the outtakes. Will Ferrell outtakes are some of the best, as they transform us back to his days of yore, when Will was part of perhaps the best cast ensemble on Saturday Night Live. You know, before he went all “Hollywood” on us.
When it was relevant: Yeah, Kicking made its money back (and them some), but it wasn’t due to it being a great movie. It was due instead to the steamroller that is Will Ferrell, who upon bolting SNL capitalized on his surging demand by not eschewing anything, be it a public appearance or a forgettable movie role. Granted, Kicking‘s shortcomings were not entirely from Ferrell‘s oversxposure-and if you ask green-eyed producers, who only judge a movie’s “quality” by a few numbers, they’ll object to such notions–but the goal here was clearly one of weak principle.
Worthy DVD purchase? No. It might satisfy you one night soon, after tossing and turning–but only because it happens to be on cable. If it’s in your DVD player, that’s a problem, and furthermore you’re not heeding our money-saving advice. Shame on you.
All things considered: C-
Kingdom of Heaven
The umpteenth Hollywood treatment of historical melodrama brings us back to the 12th century, when Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom) travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades, where he suddenly finds himself as the defender of the city and its inhabitants.
Total box office: $47.4 million
Extras! Not a whole heap of original content contained herein, but that’s probably for the best. For the history buffs, Fox taps A&E and The History Channel for an hour each on the true story behind the film. And there are a few behind-the-scenes featurettes–one from director Ridley Scott–which deserve a look because of the painstaking attention to detail the crew was forced to exhibit when re-creating such elaborate set design and costumes.
When it was relevant: Another (yawn) mammoth-budget period piece. Sadly for its financiers, Kingdom didn’t perform nearly as well as they hoped. Sure, internationally, it did well. But domestically, it flopped. Too bad. It seemed like a match in Heaven with the perennial “It” Brit Bloom in place and the Oscar-winning director Scott. But alas, a big-budgeted film such as this is subjected to the whimsy of the movie-going public, who are tired of an over-saturated historical theme.
Worthy DVD purchase? Nah. Instead, tune in to one of the plethora of variations for free on TV–or pay to watch Rome on HBO, which is not TV. But whatever you do, do not succumb to this lackluster effort from a great director who by all indications had left history lessons on a high note after 2000’s Gladiator. Do they ever learn?
All things considered: C-
Unleashed
A man (Jet Li), raised his whole life to be a fighting Pit Bull, collar and all, flees the controlling grasp of his surrogate “father” (Bob Hoskins). He is taken in by a compassionate blind man (Morgan Freeman), who teaches him about human kindness. Talk about culture shock.
Total box office: $24.5 million
Extras! A lone behind-the-scenes featurette with the cast and crew is all we really need–and that’s basically all we’re getting. Crafty marketing folk usually pad the ‘extras’ list by turning what could easily fit into one featurette into four like-minded versions. So don’t be swayed by the number of featurettes. Still, one intriguing Unleashed extra is an interview with director Louis Leterrier.
When it was relevant: This decent little caper surprised the heck out of us. As his most dramatic showing to date, Jet Li also stuck with what he does best–high-kickin’ action. But “decent” word-of-mouth didn’t seem to help. Maybe audiences expected more mindless fun from their favorite martial arts actor.
Worthy DVD purchase? Sure, I mean, at least give it its day in court. So what if Hoskins‘ over-acting evokes a British Al Pacino and Freeman‘s cinematic wise omnipresence is getting tiresome; the action sequences beckon you. And the plot is, at least, not pencil-thin. Plus, the current trend of enlisting actual musicians to serve as music supervisors serves Unleashed well–RZA and trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack infuse the film with a pulsing beat.
All things considered: B
Me and You and Everyone We Know
In this take on contemporary life and love, a quirky performance artist (Miranda July) and a lonely shoe salesman (John Hawkes) struggle to connect after meeting one another.
Total box office: $3.9 million
Extras! In keeping with the film’s divine minimalism, there are no extras–or maybe they ran out of money. Either way, it’s fine. It just wouldn’t feel right.
When it was relevant: Critical acclaim and a Cannes Film Festival endorsement helped spread the word about this diminutive gem, the very quintessence of indie-dom. The real prize was virtuoso July, who wrote, directed and starred in MAYAEWK. And don’t underestimate its box-office earnings; it’s all relative, and that little bit goes a long way towards securing future projects for the multi-talented July, if she so chooses to indulge Hollywood.
Worthy DVD purchase? Yes. Quite simply, a necessary respite from all the crap out there. Me and You relies solely on its layered characters. A snapshot of the complexity of modern life and love that covers and elicits the whole spectrum of human emotions; a must-see that reminds us why film can actually be an art form.
All things considered: A-
TV on DVD
Arrested Development: Season Two
Comments: Ah, those kooky Bluths–where ever would we be without them? Well, for one thing, we’d be handing out Emmys to bad TV comedies, that’s for sure. Too bad viewers never watch the good stuff–or at least the stuff that doesn’t make ’em wet their pants from laughing. Although season two is not as funny as the first, the show’s hilarity and superb, disparate performances continues unabated. But alas, rating woes continue to plague Development–even after creator Mitchell Hurwitz’ desperate-but-funny plea at the Emmys. So get this DVD collection for, if nothing else, a piece of comedic memorabilia. You’ll be sure to watch it in one sitting. Honestly, has there ever been a better character name than Gob? As Gob would yell in outrage, “Come on!”
Extras!: Cast commentary is usually an extra to skip over but not here. In this collection, it represents something different, something special, because each of the show’s characters is such a lunatic–save for Jason Bateman‘s Michael. They can’t possibly be like that in their daily lives. Or can they? Regardless of any answer, Will Arnett and David Cross always make for great fun when yapping. And the show’s minors–in age, not importance–are as poised and sharp off-screen as they are on it. You can’t even go wrong with a blooper reel. We’re excited for this one.
All things considered A-
