DVD Picks & Pans: Super Alternatives

Tom Miller

Jan 28, 2008

Yes, this Sunday is IT. The day of days. Bigger than . . . Heck, bigger than big. So big that there's only one word to describe it: SUPER.

Yes, it's Super Sunday. And that means . . . drum roll . . . football with a capital S. The one-and-only SUPER BOWL. No, not really. It's actually the forty-second. But, you didn't hear that from the NFL. They'd never cop to forty-two or 42. No, nothing less than 2000-year-old Roman numerals are sufficient to number these exalted contests.

42 says mundane. XLII says . . . you got it: SUPER.

If you're not convinced this is the greatest thing since . . . well, since last year's game, we've got some alternate suggestions for you. Take a hike. Go skiing. Visit friends. Read a book. Play with the kids. Now, that's a novel idea. Or, watch a movie. We've checked out some of the most recent DVD releases and offer some suggestions. You'll notice that we didn't include "Saw IV." We did include "JAG-5" though.
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"The Hunting Party," DVD-2008 ($28.95, The Weinstein Company)

Based on a true story about a group of visiting journalists hunting war criminals in Bosnia in 2000, "The Hunting Party" is an unexpected treat. Unexpected because who knew that so much dark humor and even farce could be mined from the tragedy of ethnic cleansing?

But, despite the bleak context, writer (the script is adapted from an Esquire article) and director Richard Shepard's ("The Matador") satirical take on a modern tragedy succeeds against heavy odds. That's probably because we see the brutal conflict in Bosnia only briefly and in flashbacks. Shepard's film is set in 2000, five years after the fighting ends, and focuses on the improbable failure of the United Nations, NATO, and the United States to find and arrest the war criminals most responsible for the ethnic cleansing.

The irony here is that a trio of journalists -- Simon Hunt, a disgraced former network correspondent (Richard Gere); Duck, his former cameraman (Terrence Howard); and Benjamin, the callow son of a network exec (Jesse Eisenberg) --manage in a matter of days to do what agencies as diverse as U.N. peacekeepers and the CIA have failed to do in five years: track down a prominent war criminal.

The journey -- in a vintage Mercedes and through rugged mountains and desperate villages -- has a surreal quality that's enhanced by the kind of bureaucratic inertia that's the staple of bad jokes. (Be sure to check out the DVD features including an interview with two of the real-life journalists portrayed in the film. It too has a surreal quality about it and is almost as entertaining as the movie.)

And, yes, you'll probably feel guilty later for enjoying a movie that exploits such a sensitive subject, but beyond the glib and absurd, there's a message here. Military.com Rating: ***

(DVD extras include commentary with writer/director Richard Shepard, deleted scenes, theatrical trailer, a "Making The Hunting Party" featurette, and an interview with "The Real Hunting Party."
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"The Game Plan," DVD-2008 ($29.99, Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Walt Disney) Also available in Blu-ray DVD.

You can keep the kids occupied during THE GAME by settling them down with this football-themed Disney comedy.

Former pro wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Joe "The King" Kingman, a self-centered pro quarterback, Elvis fan, and playboy bachelor who discovers he has a seven-year-old daughter, in this good-hearted family comedy.

Madison Pettis plays Peyton, Joe's precocious young daughter, who introduces her clueless dad to the joys of fatherhood, including bedtime stories, dolls, and ballet lessons. Joe, of course, learns lots of lessons -- mostly the hard way -- including that ballet is as physically demanding as football. (Try telling that to the guys hogging the big screen TV down the hall.)

Anyone who's seen Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Kindergarten Cop" will understand the comic possibilities here. "The Rock," like Arnold before him, is a charming revelation playing against type, and Pettis is a scene-stealer. There's little actual football action, but the kids likely won't notice or much care. The movie does drag on a bit at the end, but not nearly as much as the Super Bowl pre-game show. Military.com Rating: ** ½

(Bonus features include deleted scenes, bloopers, an ESPN's SportsCenter exclusive "The Rock Learns to Play Quarterback," and a behind-the-scenes featurette "Drafting The Game Plan.")
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"JAG: The Fifth Season," DVD-2008 ($64.99, Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS)

One of television's most successful dramas, "JAG" ran for ten seasons (1995-2005) and spawned a spin-off hit in "NCIS."

Intended as a mix of "Top Gun" and "A Few Good Men," JAG follows a team of Navy lawyers (Judge Advocate General Corps) as they investigate and try offenses involving military personnel. (Unlike "NCIS" which focuses on field criminal investigations, "JAG" is more of a courtroom drama.)

The cast is headed by JAG lawyers Harm Rabb (David James Elliot), a former Navy fighter pilot, and Marine Mac MacKenzie (Catherine Bell). A good bit of the show's spark comes from the tension generated by the obvious attraction between the two. In this, the fifth season, Harm leaves flying behind for good and comes back to JAG. And while series regulars Bud Roberts (Patrick Labyorteaux), a JAG lawyer, and Harriet (Karri Turner), his wife and an administrative aide at JAG, adjust to being parents, JAG boss Admiral Chewidden (John M. Jackson) finds romance.

A consistent spot in Nielsen's Top 10, three Emmys and eleven nominations, and a ten-year run attests to this military drama's popularity, quality, and staying power. Military.com Rating: ***

(Bonus features include a gag reel.)
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Military.com Picks & Pans Rating Scale

* Pan -- Save your money & time
** Borderline Pick -- Okay but only as a last resort
*** Pick -- Worthwhile & enjoyable
****Enthusiastic Pick -- Excellent

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