Susan’s DVD Update for week of Fri., Jan 21:
Propelled by Edward Norton, Robert De Niro and Milla Jovovich, “Stone” is an intense, suspenseful prison drama-turned-ambiguously tortured noir thriller about compromised ethics. In contrast, “Takers” is a high-powered heist caper, involving a stylish gang of GQ-attired, Dom Perignon-sipping, Cuban cigar-puffing multi-racial thieves eluding LAPD detectives (Matt Dillon, Jay Hernandez).
From Australia, the gritty, coming-of-age crime saga “Animal Kingdom” centers on an orphaned 17 year-old (James Frencheville) moving in with his malignant grandmother (Jackie Weaver) and her bizarre, brooding, bank-robbing sons.
For terror, there’s Rodrigo Cortes’ “Buried” in which Ryan Reynolds (People’s Sexiest Man of the Year) is a civilian truck driver in Iraq who wakes up in a coffin; his convoy was attacked by insurgents who are now demanding “five million money” in ransom.
Ryan Reynolds also appears in “Paper Man,” a quirky comedic drama about the unlikely friendship between a failed middle-aged novelist (Jeff Daniels) and a 17 year-old (Emma Stone) whose role in a family tragedy stole away her youth.
If your daughter, sister or friend is involved with the wrong man, hire Romain Duris as “The Heartbreaker.” He’ll get her to fall for him instead and then discreetly walk away, leaving her sadder but wiser, but unexpected complications occur when he’s hired go to Monte Carlo to woo Vanessa Paradis (Johnny Depp’s real-life partner).
Two couples who never should get married in “Happily Ever Afters,” a screwball comedy in which the bride (Sally Hawkins) falls for the wrong groom (Tom Riley).
For preschoolers, “Shabbat Shalom, Grover,” “Grover Plants a Tree” and “Mitzvah on the Street” add to the series designed to help bring Jewish culture and Hebrew tradition, as well as the diversity of Israeli life, to American children.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Emerging as top Oscar contender, “The Social Network” recalls the contentious conflict between Facebook founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and three Harvard cohorts over ownership of the social media site. While the concept revolves around computer technology, the story delves into the core of humanity, involving loneliness, loyalty, friendship, greed, envy and betrayal.
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