Susan Granger’s DVD UPDATE for week of Fri., Aug. 12:
Set in medieval times, “Your Highness” follows irresponsible Prince Thaddeous (Danny McBride), his dashing older brother, Prince Fabious (James Franco), and an agile Xena-like warrior (Natalie Portman) on a quest to find Fabious’ virginal bride (Zooey Deschanel) who has been kidnapped by an evil wizard (Justin Theroux). Filled with profanity, vulgarity and reefer gags, it’s a badly fractured fairytale.
“Jumping the Broom” focuses on a cranky culture clash when two African-American families from divergent socioeconomic backgrounds get together to celebrate the wedding of their grown children (Paula Patton, Laz Alonzo) on Martha’s Vineyard.
James Gunn’s “Super” is a stale spoof about a middle-aged loser (Rainn Wilson) whose wife (Liv Tyler) leaves him for a drug dealer (Kevin Bacon). Jolted from his diet of Ring Dings, he’s roused to action when he watches a religiously themed superhero on TV and turns himself into the pipe wrench-wielding Crimson Bolt. He’s joined by a psychopathic groupie (Ellen Page) who fashions her own Boltie costume.
Robert Zemecis’s motion-capture digital “Mars Needs Moms” was one of the most expensive bombs in Hollywood history, costing at least $150 million to make and grossing only $39 million. Joan Cusack stars as the competent, caring Mom who is abducted into outer space to teach nanny-robots how to discipline kids, prompting her nine year-old son to stow away on a spaceship to rescue her.
In a sequel to his record-breaking “I’m Starvin” comedy special, food-obsessed storyteller John Pinette is back with “Still Hungry,” a live, sold-out concert event at Chicago’s Vic Theater.
For pre-schoolers, “The Wiggles: Ukulele Baby!” hits the high seas and paddles into a harbor of toddler dance beats.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Amusingly absurd, “Paul” is an R-rated, sci-fi spoof in which two amiable British nerds (Nick Frost, Simon Pegg) pick up a hitchhiker named Paul somewhere between Nevada’s Area 51 and Roswell, New Mexico. He’s a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) who has been confined at a top-secret military base for 60 years and just wants to go home, like Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.”