Susan Granger’s DVD Update for week of Fri., Dec. 14:
Can a Bourne action-adventure succeed without Jason Bourne? That’s the premise of “The Bourne Legacy,” as the popular espionage series continues with a new protagonist, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), who joins a highly secretive national security program.
“Ice Age: Continental Drift” is the fourth franchise incarnation, but this installment wears thin, frozen by predictability.
Alison Klayman’s revelatory documentary “Al Weiwei: Never Sorry” profiles the celebrated, avante-garde artist, one of China’s most outspoken dissidents; this Internet-savvy rebel helped design Beijing’s Olympic Stadium, then denounced the games as communist propaganda.
In Jonathan Lisecki’s “Gayby,” a gay man (Matthew Wilkas) and a straight woman (Jenn Harris), friends since childhood, decide to have a baby together; needless to say, there are complications.
With the dire Mayan calendar predictions looming on Dec. 21, “Ancient Aliens” delves into whether aliens are responsible for civilization as we know it, encompassing the theories first proposed by Erich von Daniken in “Chariots of the Gods” (1968).
On the lighter side, “MLB: All-Time Bloopers” shows how the ballpark can turn into an amusement park when the unexpected, unintentional and unexplainable happens.
The family-friendly basketball comedy “Thunderstruck” revolves around a young fan who magically switches talents with his hero, NBA All-Star MVP Kevin Durant, and “Backwards” tells the story of a fiercely competitive rower (Sarah Megan Thomas) who must find a new path after failing to make the Olympic team.
Can’t get tickets to “Life of Mormon”? Jon Garcia’s “The Falls” is a not-dissimilar story of two young Mormon men who question just what it means to be faithful to God while being true to themselves.
In French with English subtitles, “Unforgivable” explores the relationship of a successful crime writer (Andre Dussollier) who moves to Venice, where he meets and marries a model-turned-real-estate agent (Carole Bouquet). Also in French, “Tell No One” is Guillaume Canet’s acclaimed 2008 mystery thriller, starring Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze and Kristin Scott Thomas.
For pre-schoolers, “Bob the Builder: Teamwork Time” teaches collaboration, while“Thomas & Friends: Sticky Situations” has sticky, slippery tales.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Irreverent and outrageous, Seth MacFarlane’s live-action/CG animated comedy “Ted” is the weirdest, funniest movie I’ve seen in a long time. Narrated by Patrick Stewart, it’s about a lonely, eight year-old whose new Teddy Bear really talks! As years pass, John (Mark Wahlberg) keeps Ted as his best buddy, much to the chagrin of his girl-friend (Mila Kunis), until his arrested development is threatened.