Susan Granger’s DVD UPDATE for week of Dec. 10th:
In the sly, homespun fable, “Get Low,” Robert Duvall astonishes with the authenticity of his style and skill as an angry, eccentric hermit in the backwoods of East Tennessee in the Depression-era 1930s, confounding Bill Murray, Lucas Black and Sissy Spacek.
There’s a lot more bite in “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” an amped-up, edgier excursion into the supernatural with Robert Pattinson as vampire Edward Cullen and Taylor Lautner as werewolf Jacob Black compete for Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan.
Incorporating its own version of Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Shrek Forever After” is a fanciful franchise conclusion, as the goofy, green ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) observes what life would have been like if he had never been born.
In “Dancing Across Borders,” socialite/arts patron Anne Bass recalls the journey of Sokvannara “Sy” Sar from performing traditional Cambodian dances with a local troupe in Angkor Wat to New York’s School of American Ballet and his accomplishments there.
Jeff Bridges delivers an Emmy-nominated performance in HBO’s “A Dog Year,” as a writer at mid-life crossroads whose decision to adopt an abused dog turns his entire world around; the story is based on best-selling author Jon Katz’s real-life memoir.
“LennonNYC” is a definitive documentary produced with the support of Yoko Ono, featuring rare recordings of John Lennon’s greatest hits, never-before-seen outtakes and exclusive interviews. “The Price of Pleasure” is an intense documentary exploring commercial pornography and sexuality and its effect on intimate, individual relationships.
For family viewing, “The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation” is a tail-wagging romp with Paris Hilton in her first-ever voiceover role as the prim and proper poodle “Bella” alongside Mario Lopez as the voice of the mischievous yellow Labrador “Zeus.” “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs!” features five hilarious, often misunderstood animal adventures narrated by Paul Giamatti and Zach Braff.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Tantalizing, time-twisting and tension-filled, Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a mind-bending expert in high-stakes espionage with Ellen Page as his protégé. It’s definitely on my 10 Best List for 2010.