Little Screen
Published Friday October 30th, 2009
This week's new releases, available Tuesday, are rated by Jay Bobbin of Zap2it on a scale of one to four, with H equivalent to a poor rating and HHHH meaning excellent.
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3
HHH
Twenty-five years after John Godey's novel about a New York subway train hijacking first was filmed, director Tony Scott ("Top Gun") gives the tale a more overtly action-packed rendering in an update that isn't necessarily more impactful than the original.
Still, John Travolta clearly has fun as the leader of the bad guys, who matches wits with a dispatcher (Denzel Washington) while seeking a $10 million ransom for the passengers.
James Gandolfini is enjoyable as the city's mayor in a cast that also includes John Turturro and Luis Guzman.
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA
HH
After the success of "Transformers," Hasbro figured it was time to transfer another of its long-popular toy lines to the big screen. The result is expectedly big on brawn, if not brain, as Dennis Quaid plays the general in command of an elite brigade of soldiers -- who are not all American and not all male -- as they battle an arms developer and merchant (Christopher Eccleston).
Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Marlon Wayans, Rachel Nichols, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jonathan Pryce also are in the generally good-looking, well-toned cast.
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
HHH
The title certainly tells you where the extraterrestrials are in this comedy-fantasy, which is likely to play better with younger viewers.
Several siblings anticipate a dull summer vacation until they encounter the title visitors, and it's up to the kids to thwart the invasion
Ashley Tisdale ("High School Musical") is the best-known of the young actors, but veteran talent Doris Roberts ("Everybody Loves Raymond") steals the show as a grandma whose skills come in quite handy.
Kevin Nealon, Tim Meadows and Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter also star. Thomas Haden Church ("Sideways") is among the voice-only talents here.
DVD extras: three "making-of" documentaries; deleted scenes; outtakes; introduction by Tisdale; animated short subject; digital copy of the movie.
I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER
HHH
After the title declaration is made by a nerdy high-school valedictorian (Paul Rust) during his big speech, the surprises are many in this modestly entertaining comedy that also stars Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") as popular Beth.
She decides to attend the largely ignored party he's throwing, and what he thinks is his ultimate fantasy turns much more real than he expected.
Jack T. Carpenter is quite funny as the hero's best pal. Lauren London and Lauren Storm play Beth's confidantes.
DVD extras: three "making-of" documentaries; alternate ending; deleted scenes; improvised song.
ZORRO
HHH
It's been a long time coming to disc, and now, the first and second seasons of the Walt Disney-produced adventure series finally are available in separate sets.
Guy Williams -- who also would have a successful television run later in "Lost in Space" -- stars as the masked, sword-wielding adventurer whose alter ego is the relatively mild-mannered Don Diego de la Vega. He sets out to right wrongs in old California, famously carving a Z as his calling card.
THE SHIELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES COLLECTION
HHHH
So many television shows are being released on disc now, not all of them necessarily deserve elaborate treatment that compiles each and every episode in one set -- but this is one of those series.
From start to finish, Michael Chiklis is absolutely compelling as Vic Mackey, the renegade Los Angeles police detective whose methods are as suspect as they are brutally effective.
The sterling supporting cast of the former FX drama includes Walton Goggins, CCH Pounder, Catherine Dent and Jay Karnes.
DVD extras: two "making-of" documentaries; audio commentary by cast and crew members.
Coming soon:
THE UGLY TRUTH
Nov. 10
A television-show producer (Katherine Heigl) asks one of her program's correspondents (Gerard Butler) for advice on her less-than-satisfactory love life.
UP
Nov. 10
A cranky senior citizen (voice of Edward Asner) attaches balloons to his house and heads for South America, with a young scout as an unexpected companion, in the animated Disney-Pixar feature.
BRUNO
Nov. 17
After his "Borat" round, Sacha Baron Cohen immerses himself in an alter ego again, this time a fashionista who leaves Austria in a bid to find success and fame in America.
MY SISTER'S KEEPER
Nov. 17
A youngster (Abigail Breslin) has doubts about making the sacrifice needed to save her leukemia-stricken sister in this adaptation of Jodi Picoult's book.
STAR TREK
Nov. 17
The enduring sci-fi franchise gets an overhaul from director J.J. Abrams, with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as younger Kirk and Spock.
ANGELS & DEMONS
Nov. 24
Tom Hanks is back as Robert Langdon, the symbologist of "The Da Vinci Code," who helps unravel a plot against the Vatican.
Oldies but goodies -- If your local video store is fresh out of the newest titles, give these attractions a try:
FORREST GUMP
1994
****
"Life is like a box of chocolates," the title character continues to maintain in a new "15th Anniversary" edition of the Oscar-winning film that earned Tom Hanks his second consecutive Academy Award.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
1959
****
A half-century later, Alfred Hitchcock's thriller that sends Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint across Mount Rushmore remains exciting, as a new "50th Anniversary Edition" proves.
SAY ANYTHING ...
1989
****
A high-school valedictorian (Ione Skye) gets an unlikely suitor in a would-be kickboxer (John Cusack) in a new "20th Anniversary Edition" of writer-director Cameron Crowe's enormously appealing romantic comedy.
* Little Screen appears in Life & Times each Friday.
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