New in Home Entertainment
February 21, 2012
Puss in Boots
Rated PG for some adventure and mild rude humor
Available on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD
There’s no doubt that compared to 2010, 2011 was a lousy year for animated films. That being said, there were a few high spots along the way and Puss in Boots falls into this category. While Puss is a spinoff from Shrek, the only thing Shrekish in this film is the tone, which is meant to be humorous for both adults and children. In this adventure, Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas) teams up with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) to go after the evil Jack and Jill. The film ends up being very cute and at times downright adorable. The writing is much stronger than the last Shrek outing and you can tell that there were some inspired artists behind the scenes. It does drag at times while trying to beat a dead cat with puns and cliches but overall it is an entertaining pic that you and/or your kids will enjoy. B
Tower Heist
Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Tower Heist follows a group of hotel workers who have been cheated out of their investments by a white collar thief. In order to get revenge, the group plots to not only get their money back, but do what they can to rub it in his face. The premise is overall pretty clever and couldn’t be timelier. The cast is a talented bunch including Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda and many other solid actors and actresses. Where the film fails is in the over-the-top script that trades big set-pieces and cheap laughs for common sense. The characters make dumb choices throughout to the point where it’s not only unbelievable but also tedious. The third act attempts to fool the audience into severe gullibility as it pours on the most ludicrous of endings. With all of the buzz for this talented cast, one can only be disappointed at the results. C-
The Son of No One
Rated R violence, pervasive language and brief disturbing sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you’ve never heard of this cop drama starring Channing Tatum, Al Pacino, Ray Liotta, Katie Holmes, Tracy morgan and Juliette Binoche – then you aren’t alone. Telling the tale of crime and cover-up within the New York Police Department, the film has some decent performances but lacks substance. And while the ending might catch your attention, you’ll have to wade through a lot of mud to get there. Overall, it’s a forgettable pic that will have you wishing you spent the last two hours doing something else. C-
Weeds: Season Seven
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Three years have past since the events of Season Six of Showtime’s hit show about a suburban drug-dealer/mother and now Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) has just been released from prison and unleashed upon New York City. Determined to gain back custody of her young son from her vindictive sister, Nancy starts a comeback in the drug trade with her sons to help. Man I really loved this show in the beginning. It was smart, funny and socially relevant. While season six wasn’t great, it at least rewarded viewers who stuck through the mediocre middle episodes with a huge climactic prize. Unfortunately, the show appears to have overstayed its welcome by a year or two and is no longer the high it used to be. C+
Unforgiven: 20th Anniversary Edition
Rated R for language and violence and for a scene of sexuality
Available on Blu-ray
There’s something great about a Clint Eastwood western. Now, twenty years after its original release, my favorite western, and one of my favorite movies, is being re-released by Warner Brothers in a beautiful new 54-page book and blu-ray combo. This classic film tells the story of two retired outlaws (Eastwood and Morgan Freeman) who decide to take on one last job at the end of their lives. The acting is magnificent, the writing is perfect and the production, including Clint’s directing, is stunning. While they should have added a few features to the blu-ray, the book makes for a nice touch if you are a collector. A+