The Week’s DVDs begin with a wild Danish comedy:
DVDs for Oct. 2 by Boo Allen
This week, we begin in Denmark:
Klown (***)
This Danish comedy rolls along gathering a few laughs here and there until hitting a few spots that will leave you gasping for air while laughing. Two seemingly misfit friends (comedy partners Frank Hvam and Caspar Christensen) go on a camping/rafting trip. Frank plans on getting away from his wife so he can cavort at a brothel along the way. Casper has just been told by his girlfriend that she is pregnant, so he takes his young nephew along to prove his ability with children. In an understatement, the trip proves eventful, as they encounter a youth group, the aforementioned brothel, a seemingly compliant hostess who turns out hostile, and more.
Rated R, 92 minutes. The disc holds a comprehensive 42 minute “making of” featurette.
People Like Us (***)
Sam (Chris Pine) only discovers his half sister Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) when his father dies. The father’s will requests that Sam deliver a large sum of money to her. Instead of quickly fulfilling the task, Sam gets to know Frankie and her son without revealing his secret. Sam’s hesitation provides both an impetus for the rest of the film as well as its biggest hindrance to believability. Rambling and often unfocused narrative by director Alex Kurtzman is mostly overcome by abundant humor and likable characters.
Rated R, 101 minutes. The disc comes in all formats and various combo packs. Supplements include two commentaries, a 14 minute “making of” featurette, 18 minutes of alternate and deleted scenes, an extended scene, and more.
The Tall Man (***)
Jessica Biel stars in this child abduction tale with a few chilling plot twists. She plays Julia, a nurse in a small town in the Pacific Northwest where a series of children have gone missing. She fiercely guards her young son, while the locals blame a mysterious “tall man” for the kidnappings. When it looks like the locals have ganged up against her, writer-director Pascal Laugier throws in a few surprises while maintaining frightening atmospherics.
Rated R, 106 minutes. The disc includes a four minute deleted scene and storyboard-type visuals.
Bait 3D (**1/2)
In this completely plausible scenario, a tsunami washes ashore and floods a grocery store while a robbery is in progress, forcing everyone to take refuge on top of the counter aisles while an army of great white sharks swim around waiting for some fool to try and escape. What to do?
Rated R, 93 minutes.
Six Weird-Noir B-Movies: Girl on the Run, The Naked Road, The Seventh Commandment, Fear No More, Fallguy, Stark Fear.
These six minimalist features are, as the title suggests, one-time low budget offerings that ended up as the second feature on a twin bill. The package of six, on two discs, includes lurid mysteries, crime dramas, and more. In Girl On The Run, look for young Steve McQueen in one of his first screen appearances.
Note to Self (**1/2)
Christian Keyes wrote the screenplay in which he stars as Curtis, a popular high school basketball player with a bright future. But he discovers, partly through a new love, that his plans can easily change.
Not rated, 100 minutes. The disc holds deleted scenes, bloopers, a music video, and a “behind the scenes” featurette.
Vampire Dog (**)
Kids might enjoy this story of 12 year-old Ace (Collin MacKechnie), who inherits his grandfather’s dog, Fang, a 600 year-old vampire voiced by funnyman Norm MacDonald. Some light chuckles, but mostly for the young ones.
Not rated, 91 minutes.
Drunkboat (***)
John Malkovich and John Goodman star in this enjoyable but slight shaggy-dog story about a soused reprobate (Malkovich) who returns to the home of his sister (Dana Delaney) despite her reservations. Meanwhile, her son plans on buying a rickety boat from a shady dealer (Goodman). Paths which have been crossed cross again in this talky amusement based on director Bob Meyer’s own stage play.
Not rated, 98 minutes.
Cleanskin (***)
Cleanskin, which would be a good name for an acne cream, stars Sean Bean as a British secret agent who goes rogue to hunt down an Arab terrorist hiding in London. Along the way, he leaves a path of dead bodies only to end up with an unexpected target. Violent yet well paced. With Charlotte Rampling.
Not rated, 107 minutes. The DVD includes a 23 minute “making of” featurette.
Strippers vs. Werewolves (**)
The title says it all in this horror-comedy about a pack of London’s most vicious lycanthropic creatures facing off against the denizens of a local strip club. Played entirely over the top but with plenty of blood and silicone and saline.
Not rated, 93 minutes. The DVD also offers an 11 minute “behind-the-scenes” featurette.
Cinderella—Royal Diamond Edition (****)
One of Disney’s most popular animated films returns in a spruced up new edition, looking brighter and even more colorful than ever on Blu-ray. The familiar story sees Cinderella (voiced by Ilene Woods), despite her mean stepmother, and with timely help from some mice, going to the royal ball and meeting Prince Charming.
Rated G, 75 minutes. The feature comes in many forms, including a six disc jewelry box set, but also in three and two disc combos. Depending on the version (check labels), an abundance of supplements are offered, including Disney’s Second Screen interactive feature, half a dozen games and activities, and a Storybook Experience in which the Fairy Godmother takes the viewer through the Cinderella experience, and more
And, finally, from our TV arrivals:
Portlandia—season two
This unexpected hit, and Peabody Award winner, from I.F.C. has gained a devoted following for the antics of comedians Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein while also being populated with a revolving supporting cast. Filmed entirely in Portland, Oregon. Ten episodes come on two discs.
Not rated, 220 minutes. Supplements include commentary, a tour of Seattle, an “Inside Portlandia” featurette, a deleted scene, the director’s cut of an episode, and more.
Magic City—season one
Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars in this original Starz series drenched in atmosphere. Beginning on Dec. 31, 1958 in Miami Beach, the day Fidel Castro triumphed in nearby Cuba, the series sports the garish big-finned sedans of the era, a topical music score, and brilliantly rendered wardrobes. Morgan plays Isaac Evans, owner and founder of the new Miramar Playa hotel. Each week, he deals with unions, the mob, and a new influx of Cuban immigrants, not to mention Frank Sinatra and JFK. Danny Huston plays a local mob boss whose wife is having an affair with Ike Evans’ son.
Not rated, 419 minutes. Extras include a 14 minute “making of” featurette, eight minutes on “The Real Miami Beach,” and brief segments on the series’ cars, sets, styles, and music. And more.
Also on DVD: Dark Shadows, Red Lights, Sound of My Voice.