LITTLE ROCK — Recent DVD releases:
Avatar: Extended Collector’s Edition (R, 162, 170 and 178 minutes) - OK, if you’ve been waiting for the definitive Avatar release, this threedisc, $50-plus set might be it. You get the original theatrical version, the extended version and now the practically three-hour collector’s edition. Plus a lot of extras.
Grade: 85
Countdown to Zero (PG, 91 minutes) - A scary, programmatic, depressingly convincing documentary that feels like an alarmist relic of the Cold War. Produced by Lawrence Bender, who financed the Davis Guggenheim-directed An Inconvenient Truth, the movie follows roughly the same formula, outlining the pessimistic facts before presenting us with a small sliver of hope: At least there’s a consensus among the sane that nuclear weapons are a bad thing.
Grade: 88
Deadland (R, 107 minutes ) - Well-made micro-budgetpost-apocalyptic sci-fi film (shot mainly in Georgia and Alabama) was a festival favorite and is an inspiring example of regional filmmaking with enjoyable characters, including a wonderfullywigged-out William Katt. Keep an eye on writer-star Gary Weeks and director Damon O’ Steen.
Grade: 88
Eat Pray Love (PG-13, 133 minutes) Morally dubious film about a narcissistic destroyer of worlds is somewhat redeemed by enjoyable performances by Richard Jenkins and Javier Bardem. Still, Julia Roberts made a bad choice and she probably knows it.
Grade: 78
Expendables (R, 103 minutes) Morally dubious film about a bunch of aging mercenaries is somewhat redeemed by its generousinclusion of Dolph Lundgren and the fact that Jet Li’s character is named Yin Yang. Still, it should have been more fun.
Grade: 78
Fire & Ice: The Dragon Chronicles (Not rated, 84 minutes) - The main selling point of this flat fantasy is that it was directed by Catwoman director Pitof.
Grade: 73
Modern Times (Not rated, 87 minutes) - Charlie Chaplin’s final appearance as the Little Tramp gets the full Criterion Collection treatment, with loads of extras, including the 1916 Chaplin short The Rink. A must-see for anyserious student of film history, this 1936 movie landmark is also a pure delight to watch. I’ll do a full review of it on blooddirtangels.com.
Grade: 90
The Night of the Hunter (Not rated, 93 minutes) - This genuinely disturbing 1955 thriller, which stars Robert Mitchum as the preternaturally spooky Rev. Harry Powell, was regrettably the only film Charles Laughton ever directed. It’s also a Criterion Collection release, and I’ll also make more of it on blooddirtangels.com.
Grade: 89
The Winning Season (PG-13, 106 minutes) - Remarkably restrained and quite good (if formulaic) sports drama that features a terrific performance by Sam Rockwell as a divorced loser, estranged from his teenage daughter, who gets a second chance coaching girls’ basketball.Look for Rooney Mara, who’ll play Lisbeth Salander in the Hollywood remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, in a supporting role.
Grade: 87
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MovieStyle, Pages 34 on 11/26/2010