DVD Picks & Pans: Stocking Stuffers for Early Birds

Military.com - Tom Miller

Black Friday is history and you're still standing.  The hard part is probably over.  The big gifts in the bag.  But, that still leaves all those stockings hanging--forlornly for now--from the mantle over the fireplace.  But, not to worry.  Why not put some magic in those stockings?  Hollywood magic. 

Only a Scrooge doesn't like movies.  Just imagine stockings stuffed with Hannah Montana, Jack Bauer, or Angelina Jolie.  There's a Holiday fantasy for just about every stocking, and it's as close as Amazon.com.  Or, if you insist on fighting the crowds, Best Buy.  The studios will be releasing new stuff right up until Dec. 23, but you don't have to wait.  There are plenty of great choices available right now.  Anyway, it's never too early to get started.  The early bird and all that.  Happy shopping!

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"Wanted, 2-Disc Special Edition," DVD-2008 ($34.98, Universal Studios Home Entertainment) Also available in single-disc, Blu-ray, DVD Collector's Set, and Blu-ray Collector's Edition.

If you're looking for something for the high-testosterone demographic, look no further than this Angelina Jolie/James McAvoy action thriller that borrows generously from the "Matrix" franchise.

Wesley Gibson (McAvoy) is a loser.  His girlfriend is having sex with his best friend.  And, he knows it.  His boss tyrannizes him.  And, he subsists on Valium. 

But, that's all about to change when an exotic woman called Fox (Jolie) save him from an apparent assassin.  It seems that Gibson's late father belonged to a secret order of assassins called the Fraternity.  Gibson's attacker is a rogue assassin named Cross (Thomas Kretschmann) who not only killed Gibson's father but also is targeting other members of the Fraternity.  Believing that the young Gibson inherited his father's deadly skills, the Fraternity recruits him to kill Cross. 

The bulk of the film follows Gibson's brutal training regimen--directed by Fox--and his attempt to kill the elusive Cross. 

Adapted from Mark Millar and J.G. Jones' popular cult comic, this is over-the-top stuff: hyperkinetic, hyper-violent, and visually arresting.  Expect more action than character development, but the acting isn't bad.  It doesn't hurt to have two Oscar winners (Jolie and Morgan Freeman who plays Fox's boss) along with the always-solid McAvoy. 

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include an extended scene, cast commentary, and features: "Stunts on the L Train," "Special Effects: The Art of the Impossible," "Groundbreaking Visual Effects: From Imagination to Execution," "The Origins of Wanted: Bringing the Graphic Novel to Life," "Through the Eyes of Visionary Director Timur Bekmambetov," "WANTED: Motion Comics," "The Making of WANTED: The Game," "and "The Little Things Music Video.)

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"Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian 3-Disc Collector's Edition" DVD-2008 ($39.99, Walt Disney Video) Also available in single-disc widescreen and Blu-ray editions.

The second of Disney's fantasy epics based on C.S. Lewis' classic Chronicles of Narnia novels, "Prince Caspian" takes up where the first installment, the critically-acclaimed 2005 blockbuster "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," left off. 

It's been one year since the Pevensie siblings--Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Peter (William Moseley)--returned to war-weary London from Narnia, the magical world of dwarfs, centaurs, and talking animals they stumbled upon.   They are bored with their everyday lives and dreaming of Narnia when they are summoned back by Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes).

Upon returning, they find that things have changed, and not for the better.  One year has passed in London, but 1300 in Narnia.  During that time, the Original Narnians have fled into the woods to escape the savagery of the ruling Telmarines.   Prince Caspian, the legitimate heir to the throne, also has fled into the woods, and his evil Uncle Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) has seized the throne. 

It's up to the Pevensie's and Prince Caspian, allied with the Narnians, to defeat the Telmarines and return the crown to its rightful owner. 

"Prince Caspian" is darker than the original installment with two major battles consuming much of the movie.  But, the battle scenes are bloodless, and the film retains its PG legacy. 

The plot is classic, the special effects are state-of-the-art, the characters--human and CGI--are beguiling, and the ensemble cast is solid. 

One size fits all. 

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include audio commentary with director Andrew Adamson and the actors, bloopers, deleted scenes, a digital copy, and several featurettes including "Inside Narnia: The Adventure Returns," "Sets of Narnia," "Talking Animals and Walking Trees," and "Secrets of the Duel.")

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"Encounters at the End of the World," DVD-2008 ($27.98, Image Entertainment) Also available in Blu-ray.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog ("Grizzly Man," "Little Dieter Needs to Fly") travels to the South Pole for this arresting travelogue/nature documentary.  Using the American scientific base at McMurdo Station as a jumping off point, Herzog explores the exotic mysteries of one of the world's most remote and desolate places.

Although he emphatically claims that his film won't turn into another National Geographic special on penguins, he eventually yields to the seemingly magnetic pull of these strange creatures and points his camera at them.  What he records--a lone penguin marching to his own drummer and oblivion--is one of the film's minor highlights.

There's an extended sequence filmed in the frigid waters beneath the ice that's eerily beautiful; an active volcano that belches fire; icebergs the size of small states drifting slowly northward; and a lineup of scientists and adventurers to match the exotic milieu at the bottom of the world.

If you've ever wondered about this frozen frontier or the people who are drawn there, Herzog's lyrical and provocative film is an excellent introduction. 

Military.com Rating: ***

(The 2-disc set includes over three hours of extra material including audio commentary, a Jonathan Demme interview of filmmaker Herzog, and several featurettes including "Above the Ice," "Below the Ice," and "South Pole Exorcism.")

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"Lost: The Complete Fourth Season," DVD-2008 ($59.99, Buena Vista Home
Entertainment)

Everybody's favorite castaways since the S.S. Minnow went missing in 1964 return for an abbreviated fourth season.  Another victim of the Writer's Guild strike, the "Fourth Season" includes fourteen episodes and a profusion of bonus features on six discs.

The "Fourth Season" continues to follow the adventures of the survivors of Flight 815 who washed up on a mysterious tropical island in the South Pacific.  The survivors, led by Dr. Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), must contend with the island's original inhabitants--"the Others" led by Ben Linus (Michael Emerson)--and the crew of a nearby freighter.  

An ensemble drama--sixteen major roles with star billing in the "Fourth Season"--the show benefits from solid performances all-around--especially from Emerson, Evangeline Lilly (who plays Kate Austin), and the expressive Yunjin Kim (who plays Sun Kwon). 

The show's trademark use of flashbacks to reveal past events in the characters lives is expanded in the "Fourth Season" to include flash-forwards of characters who escaped from the island.  This devise, of course, raises more questions than it answers. 

Speaking of questions, the program also has a supernatural side: an elusive "monster," "the Others," a series of research stations on the island belonging to something called the DHARMA Initiative, and some unexpected--often unknown--connections among the survivors.  

Slip this innovative and addictive drama into the stocking of any discerning mystery or science fiction fan. 

Military.com Rating: *** 

(DVD extras include bloopers, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, and several featurettes: "LOST in 8:15," "The Right to Bear Arms," "The Freighter Folk," "The Oceanic Six: A Conspiracy of Lies," "Offshore Shoot," "Soundtrack of Survival," "LOST on Location," and "Course of the Future.")

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"Law & Order: The Sixth Year," DVD-2008 ($59.98, Universal Studios Home Entertainment)

The flagship of creator and producer Dick Wolf's ubiquitous crime franchise, "Law & Order" marries the cops (law) and the prosecutors (order) in one of television's most compelling and successful dramas. 

Each episode begins with a crime--usually murder--that often resembles a real-life event.  The detectives from New York's fictional 27th Precinct--in Season Six they include Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt), Mike Logan (Chris Noth), and Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach)--then investigate before handing the case off to the prosecutor's office.  The District Attorney's office--Season Six D.A. Adam Schiff (Steven Hill), Assistant D.A. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston), and assistant prosecutor Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy)--handles the prosecution. 

The Wolf formula--combining a police procedural with a legal drama--has yielded a juggernaut that's into its 19th season and has produced three spin-off series.  In addition to its success with viewers, "Law & Order" has scored critical acclaim, including an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series and a Peabody Award for excellence.  

Guest stars in Season Six include Jennifer Garner, Peter Sarsgaard, Andre Braugher, and Michael Imperioli.  The set includes all 23 Season Six episodes on five discs and should fit snuggly into the stockings of "Law & Order" fans. 

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD includes Homicide: Life on the Street episode "For God and Country" as a bonus feature.)

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"24: Redemption," DVD-2008 ($26.98, 20th Century Fox)

Jack is back!  And, it's about time.  With last season sacrificed entirely to the writers' strike, fans haven't enjoyed any new "24" material in eighteen months.  Fortunately, "24: Redemption," which first aired on Fox on Nov. 23 as a two-hour, real-time telemovie, makes the wait worth it.

After six years of fighting terrorism as a member of the government's Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) has taken refuge in the fictional African nation of Sangala.  Back home, there are questions about his unorthodox methods and a subpoena with his name on it. 

In Africa, Bauer hooks up with an old pal, Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle), who's running an orphanage for homeless boys.  When a local warlord looking to overthrow the government tries to seize the boys as child soldiers, it's up to Jack to save them. 

Back in the States, the president-elect, Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones), leans toward helping the beleaguered Sangala government, but the outgoing prez, citing no vital U.S. interests at stake, refuses.  (Watch out for a kinder, gentler "24" in the upcoming seventh season.  Not only does President Taylor list toward the left, but Jack is tortured by a rebel commander.  Of course, he doesn't break.  This is Jack Bauer!  And, if he has an epiphany regarding torture, it's not played out here, but who knows what the producers have in mind?)

Besides President Taylor, "24: Redemption" introduces several new cast members including Oscar-winner Jon Voight, who plays defense contractor Jonas Hodges--of course, he's evil; he's a defense contractor.

Whatever happens in the new season--premiering Jan. 11, 2009--"24: Redemption" is vintage Jack Bauer: fast-paced, action-packed, and suspenseful.  Too intense for young children, but a good fit for other stockings. 

Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include audio commentary with Kiefer Sutherland, director Jon Cassar and producer Howard Gordon; an extended cut with ten minutes of new footage; a Season 7 sneak peak; a "Making of" documentary; and two featurettes: "Children of War" and "24 Season 6 in Four Minutes.")

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Military.com Picks & Pans Rating Scale
* Pan--Save your time
** Borderline Pick--Okay but only as a last resort
*** Pick--Worthwhile & enjoyable
****Enthusiastic Pick--Excellent 
*****Not to Be Missed--A Classic

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Copyright 2009 by Tom Miller