After what seemed like an avalanche of Blu-rays during the month of May, HD consumers can finally rest their pocketbooks. The lull isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds – after all, studios continue to release catalog reissues every week – but those looking strictly for new titles have fewer options. For instance, last Tuesday brought us only one new release (the Renée Zellweger comedy, “New in Town”) – which is also why there was no new column – but this week offers up a slightly better selection to choose from.
“He’s Just Not That Into You” (Warner Bros.)
Though not quite an instant classic like Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually,” the Ken Kwapis-directed romantic comedy has a lot in common with the 2003 film. Both movies juggle several interweaving storylines (including some that end well and some that don’t), and both feature an all-star cast of actors. “He’s Just Not That Into You” isn’t as memorable, but it’s definitely better than expected thanks to a smart script and some standout performances by Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long. While the movie doesn’t appeal to the opposite sex in the same way as Curtis’ rom-com, it’s still an easier sell than most films like it due to the variety of male characters represented in the story. The Blu-ray release is far from extraordinary, but for fans of the genre, you could do a lot worse.
“Revolutionary Road” (Paramount)
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t love “Revolutionary Road” quite as much as the other critics, but it’s still a solid period drama with fine performances from the hugely underrated Leonardo DiCaprio and the slightly overrated Kate Winslet. While the story is just as depressing as most of the award films Hollywood is producing these days, there are small moments of happiness sprinkled throughout that helps make what can easily be conveyed as an anti-marriage tale a little easier to swallow. There’s obviously more to story than that, which is why anyone who might have strayed from seeing the film in theaters (and judging by its box office receipts, that’s a pretty big percentage) should definitely give it a go on Blu-ray. The book by Richard Yates has been called one of the greatest novels in the history of American Literature, and while that’s certainly not true of the movie adaptation, it’s still worth seeing once.
“Weeds: Season Four” (Lionsgate)
I’m not really sure how many more years Showtime’s flagship series has in it, but when all is said and done, Season Four will likely be remembered as the year that changed it all. Uprooting the Botwin family and moving them to the Mexican border was probably the smartest move creator Jenji Kohan could have made, but it was also the most dangerous. Changing the structure of a show is risky business, and while the writing remained just as sharp and the core characters were eventually reunited, there was certainly no guarantee that it would work. Of course, the way Kohan ended the third season, it pretty much had to, and thanks to new additions to the cast like Guillermo Diaz, Albert Brooks, and Demián Bichir, the pot-themed dramedy experienced one of its best seasons to date.
Also Out This Week:
“Fletch” (Universal)
“Defiance” (Paramount)
“Inside Man” (Universal)
