The week’s DVDs begin in Hollywood:
DVDs and streaming for Sept. 29 by Boo Allen
This week, we begin in Hollywood:
Entourage (**1/2)
The boys are back, and by “boys” we mean the four aging adolescents originally from Queens, New York. They now approach middle age while still pursuing their Hollywood dreams and empty lifestyles. This fluffy movie based on the HBO series of the same name picks up right where the series left off, and it again delivers more of the entertaining, sybaritic silliness that made it popular. That is, a constantly revolving roster of beautiful women (some clothed), and sightings of actors and celebrities, including Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammar, David Spade, and others. Even Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban pop up (as do many sports figures). Now, the quartet of Vince, Turtle, Drama, and “E” (Adrian Grenier, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon, Kevin Connolly, respectively) stress out over Vince’s love life and professional career, including his directing debut. Jeremy Piven again appears as strident super-agent Ari Gold. Billy Bob Thornton and Haley Joel Osment play broadly-drawn father-and-son financial backers from, where else?, Texas. Show creator Doug Ellin wrote and directed, delivering what might be expected and wanted from the series’ fans.
Rated R, 104 minutes.
Extras: the 15 minute “making of” featurette “The Gang—Still Rockin’ It,” nine minutes behind-the-scenes in “Hollywood Baby!,” five minutes on the movie-within-the-movie “The Making of ‘Hyde,’” 19 minutes of deleted scenes, a three minute gag reel, and two brief segments on young Lucas Ellin, who plays Ari’s son.
In the Name of My Daughter (***)
French director André Téchiné teams for the seventh time with Catherine Deneuve, his, understandably, favorite leading lady. In a supposedly true story, she plays casino owner Renée Le Roux, also the co-writer of the film’s source novel. She has run her establishment for years on the Cote d’Azur but now faces a forced sale from a menacing mafia figure. To compound her troubles, Renée’s recently divorced daughter, Agnès (Adèle Haenel), returns home. Once there, the daughter falls in love with her mother’s lawyer, Maurice (Guillaume Canet). He has his own secret agenda and persuades Agnès to join him in deposing Renée as owner. He then plans on selling out to the mafia. It becomes a three-way power struggle with extra romance and intrigue, all topped off by a surprising third act mystery.
Not rated, 116 minutes
Extras: an interview with director-actor Guillaume Canet
What We Did On Our Holiday (**1/2)
Initially, this British comedy looks like it might be derivative of the American “Vacation” movie series. Instead, it takes a respected cast and delivers a lumpy mixture of various genres. Noted Shakespearean actor David Tennant and Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) play married couple Doug and Abi. They have separated, but they reconcile long enough to attend the 75th birthday bash of Doug’s father, Gordie (Billy Connolly). Subsequently, the couple take their three young children for a long drive from London to Scotland, setting up the road-trip gags that never come. Tempers barely subside once in Scotland at the home of Doug’s obnoxious brother Gavin (Ben Miller). On the day of his big fete, Gordie takes the children for a day outing on one of Scotland’s picturesque beaches that accentuate the blue waters and endless greens of the Scottish Highlands. From there, director-writers Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin take the film in a completely different direction, mixing in more dark humor with already grating situations. Jenkin and Hamilton mar their narrative further by concentrating on the too-precious ramblings of the children and virtually ignoring Scottish comedy treasure Connolly. Some entertaining material survives but a chance for something special disappears.
Rated PG-13, 95 minutes.
Extras: directors’ commentary, a nine minute “making of” featurette, and four deleted scenes.
White Shadow (**1/2)
This raw African film from Tanzania centers on a subject rarely covered here either culturally or in the media. Noaz Deshe makes his directing debut with this work about a albino boy, Alias (Hamisi Bazili), who must flee his home and then constantly stay on the run. His life lies in constant peril because murderous gangs pursue him for his supposed healing powers, as local folklore says albino body parts have magical properties. Alias makes his way from the rural area to a big city where his uncle employs him selling items on the street. Alias has several close brushes with danger but eventually finds the rare friend he can trust. His arduous, eventful journey, however, has alerted him to his life-long exposure to peril.
Not rated, 117 minutes.
Extras: six brief “making of” featurettes.
And, finally, from this week’s TV arrivals:
CPO Sharkey—season two
The 22 episodes of the sophomore season of this overlooked comedy series starring an American icon now arrives on three discs. From 1976 to 1978, Don Rickles starred as Chief Petty Office Otto Sharkey, the snarky naval officer who loved to berate his men stationed at their San Diego naval training center. During the season, Sharkey breaks in new sailor Apodaca (Phillip Simms), has combative exchanges with Captain Bruckner (Richard X. Slattery), devises several schemes with Chief Robinson (Harrison Page), and has various other comedy adventures.
Not rated, 548 minutes.
Extras: featurette on 2015 cast reunion with Rickles, Page, and others.
Also on DVD and streaming: The Connection, Cop Car, Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot, Poltergeist, Unexpected.