DVD UPDATE for week of Fri., Nov. 12:
Popular teen star Zac Efron passed up doing the remake of “Footloose” in order to make “Charlie St. Cloud,” a murky romantic melodrama set in the scenic Pacific Northwest; it’s a sentimental, supernatural sob-story that doesn’t quite work.
In Adam Sandler’s “Grown Ups,” five childhood friends reunite in New England over a rowdy, raunchy Fourth of July weekend in which these 40-somethings endure heavy doses of bodily-function man/child humor and often-humiliating, slapstick pranks.
Proving that the search for love is timeless, “Lovely, Still” teams 72 year-old Ellen Burstyn with 82 year-old Martin Landau, and the revelatory climax will strike a resonant chord with everyone who has struggled with the most difficult aspects of aging.
Art lovers may be interested in “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child,” in which Tamra Davis recreates the quirky mystique of the ‘80s New York art scene, while those intrigued by superheroes will relish “Secret Origin: The Story of DV Comics,” plus there’s “The Goonies 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition,” a wild adventure with Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Corey Feldman that includes an exciting new board game.
For family audiences, “Ramona and Beezus” follows the adventures of mischievous, exasperating, endearing Ramona Quimby (Joey King) and her older sister Beatrice (Selena Gomez) who come to realize that their family is facing financial insecurity.
For youngsters, “Barney: Best Fairy Tales” introduces heroes, foes and fanciful characters and “Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales” offers fun with America’s most lovable furry red monster.
PICKS OF THE WEEK: Michael Cera stars in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” a techno-oriented romantic comedy, based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels. Steeped in a dizzying audio/visual barrage of synthesized pop culture references, it encapsulates the angst of first romance and the empowerment of self-discovery, albeit in an overloaded, episodic format. And for those who prefer a slower pace, independent filmmaker Roger Nygard travels around the world to try to find explanations for “The Nature of Existence.” It’s a humorously spiritual mission, encompassing ancient and modern belief systems, laws, politics and religion.