State of Play – For the 2nd week in a row, a film comes out on DVD that I thought was overlooked by audiences in theatres. State of Play is based on the BBC series of the same name and is about a politician who is caught having an affair with an employee, only after the employee winds up dead. That opens a Pandora’s Box of lies and deception happening in Washington, and it’s up to Russell Crowe’s reporter to solve it. Crowe gives an excellent performance, and it’s a thriller that keeps you on your toes. A must-see for sure.
Earth – Disney released this on Earth Day, and it follows animals in their natural habitat. I know this is going to look gorgeous on Blu-Ray, and I know that the footage was taken from the BBC//Discovery Channel series Planet Earth, but this film is a good introduction to that series.
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish – Another Direct-to-DVD sequel of the popular cheerleading franchise. Christina Milian stars and if you’re a fan of the series, you know the plot is about one cheerleading squad competing against another, and learning a little something about themselves in the process.
Sugar – This one did not get a lot of hype, but it is from the creators of the acclaimed film Half Nelson. Sugar is the story about a Dominican baseball player who might be good enough to make the MLB. He goes to Iowa to play with the minor league team but cultural barriers and problems with his arm get in the way of his dream. I liked Half Nelson, and Sugar has gotten rave reviews as it currently stands at 93% on Rotten Tomotoes.
TV on DVD
Two and a Half Men – Season 6 – I’m listing 6 TV shows this week, and only one of them can I say that I have watched an episode. This is not the TV that I watch. It is incredibly popular and the series shows no signs of slowing down.
Heroes – Season 3 – Here is a show that was must-watch in Season 1, but has progressively gotten worse as the series goes on. I don’t know this for a fact, as I have never watched an episode, but I constantly read fans displeasure with the direction of the show on message boards and fan sites. I don’t know if Season 3 was an improvement on Season 2, but fans will pick it up regardless.
Rescue Me – Season 5: Volume 1 – This is the show that I watch religiously, but the only thing that frustrates me with this release is that it is only half a season. With the writer’s strike, Rescue Me was delayed, so they made this season 22 episodes, instead of the normal 13 episodes. The first 11 episodes of the season are on this DVD in an obvious cash grab. This season is a lot more comedic than Season 4 (which took a lot of flack for being too much of a downer), and the show continues to follow Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) as he battles alcoholism, and the affections of his ex-wife. Also, this season has Michael J. Fox appear for a couple of episodes (he was an Emmy nominee for this guest role). I think this series is one of the best on television, and definitely worth checking out.
Brothers and Sisters – Season 3 – Another series that I have not watched. The show has a great cast in Calista Flockhart, Sally Field, and Ron Rifkin to name a few and follows the drama that surrounds adult siblings (that’s what imdb.com says, because I have no clue what this show is about).
Desperate Housewives – Season 5 – I think this series has gone down in popularity. It was a juggernaut when it first launched, but the star has dimmed a little bit. That doesn’t stop crazy things from happening on Wysteria Lane, so if you’re a fan of the show, then pick up this season
Supernatural – Season 4 – Yet another show I know nothing about. Season 4 continues the quest of brothers Sam and Dean to find their father, a man who trained them to fight evil. I am usually interested in premises like this, but I found this series never got a lot of hype. Part of the problem is that it is on the CW network, but that is another rant for another time.
