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Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2009 > September > 01 > Entry
Catching up on many top-tier DVD picks
I wasn’t sorry I missed last weekend’s theatrical slate of The Final (yeah, sure) Destination and Halloween II many, but I was sorry I missed last week’s very strong DVD slate. I’ll recap this week and last week’s releases for you.
New this week
Earth: I usually catch most Disney product but never felt all that compelled to catch what was really an elaborate TV documentary retrofitted for the big screen. Did I miss much?
Sin Nombre: This film about a Honduran teenager who reunites with her father, hopefully to realize her dream of a life in the U.S., received strong reviews when it played the Sundance Film Festival.
State of Play: This newspaper-centered drama about Russell Crowe investigating the death of a senator’s aide got more attention for likely being one of the last movies about newspapers than for the film itself - and that’s actually fair. Parts of the film are very strong, but especially toward the end it overplays its hand with a twist it didn’t really need. Still well worth a viewing. GRADE: B+
Also out now
Adventureland: Every year has at least one movie that should have done much better at the box office than it did, and this title is this year’s movie that got away. Mis-sold by its studio as a stoner comedy, its actually a funny, thoughtful coming-of-age story that measures up to the work of the late John Hughes. Full review: GRADE: A
Duplicity: Here’s another movie that should have fared much better than it did in theaters. This Julia Roberts/Clive Owen vehicle about competing romantic spies was criticized, even by some critics, for being “too smart.” Personally, I’d rather watch a movie that engages my attention rather than just letting my mind coast, but that’s just me. The writer-director is Tony Gilroy, who also made Michael Clayton. GRADE: A
The Informers: This adaptation of a Brett Easton Ellis novel only barely got released on the heels of Mickey Rourke’s Oscar nomination. By most accounts, they needn’t have bothered. In my estimation, Easton’s work, including American Pyscho and The Rules of Attraction, does NOT translate well to the screen.
Rudo Y Cursi: This import didn’t get much press, but I can’t help but be curious to see the reunion of the stars of Y Tu Mama Tambien, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. The director is Carlos Cuaron, who co-wrote Y Tu Mama Tambien with the director of that movie - his brother Alfonso.
Sunshine Cleaning: Amy Adams and Emily Blunt star as siblings who start a crime-scene cleaning business. Much like another Adams movie this year, Julie & Julia, this movie is an outstanding showcase for two very fine young actresses. GRADE: A-
Trouble the Water: A rap artist and her husband set out to chronicle their Ninth Ward neighborhood - then Katrina hit. Said to be a compelling companion piece to Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke.
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