Susan Granger’s DVD Update for week of Fri., June 28:
This week’s cinematic curiosity is “Saving Lincoln,” introducing CineCollage, utilizing actual Civil War photos from the Library of Congress for the green-screen backdrops in every scene. The historical piece profiles U.S. Marshal Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco), an Illinois lawyer who became the self-appointed bodyguard of Abraham Lincoln (Tom Amandes).
On the lighter side, “Divorce Invitation” is a frothy romantic comedy with Elliott Gould, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Lainie Kazan and Paul Sorvino.
What’s most incredible about “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is how shallow and inept it is, given the talent of Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi, who play superstar Las Vegas illusionists taunted by Jim Carrey, as a cable TV entertainer who specializes in gruesome, dangerous, endurance stunts.
It’s not easy to cinematically torpedo a submarine thriller starring Ed Harris and David Duchovny, but Todd Robinson manages to sabotage all diabolical intent in “Phantom,” inspired by true events, concerning a Russian sub that mysteriously sank and was discovered, years later, on the ocean floor.
Set in Martin, Tennessee, Patrick Wang’s “In the Family” revolves around Chip, a precocious six year-old who’s been raised by two dads, Cody and Joey. When Cody’s killed in a car accident, his sister is named as Chip’s guardian, leaving Joey to search for a solution to regain custody of his son.
Luis Prieto’s “Pusher” is a British remake of Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s edgy exploits of a low-life London drug-pusher (Richard Coyle) who’s at the mercy of his ruthless supplier (Zlatko Buric).
In Danish with English subtitles, the second season of Denmark’s blockbuster political drama “Borgen” follows the country’s first female Prime Minister, her cynical spin doctor, an ambitious journalist and her more seasoned colleague.
For kids, “Babar’s Adventure Pack” offers more adventures with the Elephant King and his jungle
pals.
PICK OF THE WEEK: In “The Call,” an intense psychological thriller, Halle Berry plays a veteran Los Angeles 911 dispatcher dealing with a panicked teenager (Abigail Breslin) who has been
abducted from the parking garage of a shopping mall by a stranger and is trapped in the trunk of a moving car.